Hasta La Ideas

Our generation is so used to swiping at things that it only seems natural that something like the Nimble Cutter would exist! Cleverly named, the Nimble is a thimble that sits on your finger, but instead of preventing needle pricks, this little bad-boy comes with a blade that’s capable of being the best cutter you’ll ever own. Convenient in its design, the Nimble’s silicone cap shape allows it to comfortably rest on any finger. A tiny blade on the tip lets you simply slide across surfaces you want to cut, be it paper, tape, clingfilm, etc. The blade’s small enough to slice through packaging, but too small to actually cut skin, which means the most the Nimble will do is poke you a tiny bit.

Perfect for the upcoming festive season (what with all the unboxing you’ll have to do), the Nimble takes a natural gesture, something we pretty much do all day on our touchscreens, and converts it into something useful, so you can ditch those harmful boxcutters and deadly knives!

Designer: Version 22

BUY NOW

BUY NOW

Canadian firm Maurice Martel Architecte has designed a contemporary wooden barn to house offices for an insurance company, blending in with the rural surroundings and vernacular architecture.

The complex measures 13,460 square feet (1,250 square metres), split across two large, timber buildings. Exteriors are clad in grey-tinted spruce, laid vertically, with ample glazing that adds a contemporary touch to the rustic design.

Based in Montreal, Maurice Martel Architecte designed the project for Canadian home and vehicle insurance company Lareau. The structure serves as its offices in Napierville, a small town midway between Montreal and the border with the US state of Vermont.

The two-storey building has a pitched roof like a barn, while the lower, rectangular structure is topped with a flat roof. Together they subtly resemble other barns and industrial warehouses in the rural town.

“To [fit] in while standing out is the challenge raised at the new headquarters Lareau insurance office,” said Martel. “Built on the side of the road, the building that stands in the middle of the fields is reminiscent in the distance with its dark wood and its diagonal that reinforces the angle of the roof to the rural aesthetic.”

The project, named Standing in the Middle of the Field, aims to balance rustic simplicity with contemporary design.

“Settling in a rural area without aesthetic qualities, the project aims to inspire the beauty and encourage this industrial area to change by hosting more projects sensitive to design,” said the architect.

The barn-like structure accommodates 50 offices, with a half-glazed wall on its southe facade. A small footbridge connects these offices with the common spaces in the rectangular unit.

“The choice to make the cathedral ceiling apparent [in the two-storey building], made possible by an external insulation of the roof, allows the space to breathe in height and gives the impression of small volumes of work to float,” said Martel.

Sound insulation was also crucial to the design, since many of the employees spend a lot of their time on their phones. The majority of offices spaces are enclosed to further fulfil this need for privacy.

The bright interiors by Canadian designer Linda Fillion have an almost industrial feel, which subtly contrasts with the rustic exterior.

The internal spaces are bare and contemporary, with stark white walls and exposed duct-work, along with polished concrete floors.

The common area includes a spacious kitchen and lounge area, which features white tiles and cabinetry and pale wood furniture.

Photography is by Adrien Williams.

Project credits:

Architect: Maurice Martel Architecte
Interior designer: Linda Fillion
Contractor: Dorais
Structural engineer: L2C Experts Conseils
Mechanical and electrical engineer: Carbonic
Landscape designer: Prune les fleurs

The post Maurice Martel disguises office building as contemporary barn in rural Canada appeared first on Dezeen.

You know what I’ve noticed? Only certain appliances have seen game-changing innovations in them and looking at them, you can instantly tell the difference between an innovative product, and a product that’s begging for innovation. Look at the vacuum cleaner, the water purifier, the thermostat. Look at how far they’ve come. Now look at the bathroom geyser, the sewing machine… They look like they haven’t seen innovation in the past 20 years.

Comparable to the kind of technological and aesthetic innovation we’ve seen by companies like Dyson, Nest, and the likes of them, the E-Ink Sewing Machine concept by Zeng Hsing Industrial breathes a breath of fresh air into the particular category. Its angular, chiseled black and chrome body looks like something out of Tron, while what’s truly innovative is the e-ink display on the side that not only gives you a wide variety of useful data, it even guides you through spool loading processes and lets you choose from a large database of stitching styles by showing you graphics that make much more sense on screen than having to open and browse through a user manual every time you use the machine.

The E-Ink Sewing Machine is a winner of the Red Dot Design Concept Award for the year 2017.

Designer: Zeng Hsing Industrial Co. Ltd.

Recently named Executive Producer of Programming at AwesomenessTV, Liza Glucoft had her finger on the pulse of the digital marketplace before most people knew it even existed. She was one of the first employees at Who What Wear working in video and then joined Popsugar as the Head of Fashion and Beauty, Video where she launched their live show. She’s led video production at places like Condé Nast Entertainment and Thrive Market, and even ventured on her own to work with brands like ATV and Darby Smart. 

Vital Stats

Name: Liza Glucoft
Company: Awesomeness TV
Title: Executive Producer

Hometown/where are you from?
Los Angeles, CA

Present hometown/where do you live and work?
Los Angeles, CA

Education

College: University of Southern California
Major: Theater and Creative Writing

Social Info

Instagram: @lizaoglucoft
LinkedIn: Liza Glucoft

Your first job out of college was as a Coordinator of Production at FX Network. What led you to work at Who What Wear after that?

During my time there I started writing fashion editorial for an indie publication on the side and was becoming disillusioned with my dream of being a staff writer on a TV show because I realized they had very little power compared to that of an executive or showrunner. So, when Who What Wear was hiring someone to both produce their web shows and write fashion editorial, it seemed like the perfect fit at the right time. 

You worked at Who What Wear when digital production was still in its infancy. What appealed to you about the form?

The immediacy and the control. I like that in digital you can turn ideas around quickly (because you have to) and because you wear so many hats, you get to be very close to the content.

Why is video content so important to companies like Condé Nast, Nestlé and Facebook?

Video is a crucial part of content marketing because the overall consumption level of video has gone way up, and if you want to be influential you have to be present and effective where the audience is. According to CISCO by the year 2021 82% of all internet traffic will be from video.

How would you describe your day-to-day duties at AwesomnessTV?

At any given point in my day, I could be in pre-production, production or post production on any one of them. Pre-production consists of getting all the moving pieces together; meetings, emails and phone calls (and sometimes things like making Pinterest boards of what I want the set to look like or scouting a location). Production means I’m on set and I’m the director and the executive producer; a constant stream of creative choices. Post-production consists of sitting with the editor and crafting the piece to perfection.

You create digital series like “Gunpowder Sky” and “That Detox Life” for various distribution platforms. Are digital series the wave of the future?

Yes, everyone’s watching. Also, Netflix is considered a digital platform, and a quite popular one. Just the fact that these platforms are now eligible for awards that were previously reserved for broadcast proves the direction everything is headed. Additionally, Gen Z consumes most of their content on mobile phones and soon they will have the most purchasing power.

You have been quoted saying that lot of producers are “currently transitioning to digital from linear, partially out of necessity.” Why?

Because there is more work in digital! With all these different platforms, the need for content is huge, which creates a need for producers to make it! Plus, there are progressively less network TV shows being made, so the opportunities are fewer.

What are the best and the hardest parts of working in the digital entertainment industry?

The best part is the opportunity, particularly at AwesomenessTV. The need for content creates an ability to try out lots of new ideas, which is excellent for creatives. After all, for a creative what could be better than “having” to make tons of shows every year? It’s the dream! The hardest part is that there are less resources because the budgets are smaller.

What skills have been pertinent to your success thus far?

Resilience, flexibility, positivity, hard work, hustle and love! You have to do everything with love, stay positive even when things may be going haywire. Be flexible because there are always last minute changes in production. Be resilient because you can’t let every setback get you down, you have to learn from it. Also, I try to always, always trust my gut.

What advice would you give to people who want to work in digital entertainment?

Pay attention to what the audience wants. There are tons of metrics for every platform that can inform you of what your audience is interested in. Be willing to wear many hats and creatively stretch a budget. And, if you can’t do that, you have to negotiate like a boss.

The post Q&A with Executive Video Producer Liza Glucoft appeared first on Mediabistro.

Only one set of dishware—a ceramic bowl and a plate—brings me joy daily. They were handmade for Piaule, an online-only brand that is painstakingly perfecting homewares one at a time; and as a testament to their work, I’ve never felt the need to……

Continue Reading…