Dezeen School Shows: a project that explores linguistic pronunciation and an installation that critiques internet “how-to guides” are included in Dezeen’s latest school show by students at Maryland Institute College of Art.

Also included is a wall-mounted timeline that sheds light on the daily routines of people with ADHD and a visual representation of how a graphic designer visualises music.

Maryland Institute College of Art

Institute: Maryland Institute College of Art
Course: Graphic Design MFA
Tutor: Jennifer Cole Phillips

School statement:

“The MFA graphic designers at MICA use text, image, form and storytelling to construct engaging experiences across different types of media.

“Graphic design requires active thinking and making. Our dedicated faculty, vibrant curriculum and well-equipped studio environment help MFA designers build deep formal skills, nimble thinking strategies and rich professional portfolios.

“Graduates of the program work nationally and internationally as creative practitioners, educators and thought leaders.”

Placeholders by Sara Austin

“Placeholders is a reflection on memory, pop culture and loss. This thesis leverages the power of storytelling in design to create a world that blends the widely recognisable and the deeply personal.

“Utilising a broad range of design methods including typography, type design, photography, illustration, 3D, photo editing and collage, this exhibition varies broadly in its execution but becomes a unified whole in its colour, typography and highly structured arrangement.”

Student: Sara Austin
Email: saustin[at]mica.edu

Be Queer, Rest Here by Alfie Marsland

“Queer people are tired and need spaces of rest. This body of work creates conditions in which the audience can situate themselves to slow down. The target audience is queer people, though all are welcome to rest.

“In a capitalist society, being busy is glorified and idleness is stigmatised. The notion of rest as resistance is at the core of each piece produced in this collection of objects and images.

“A visual thread uniting much of the work is illegible type and lettering. Unreadable words act as visual metaphors for slowing down as they require readers to pause to decipher meaning.”

Student: Alfie Marsland
Email: create[at]althemiamarsland.com

A Musician’s Translation by Michelle Shin

“A musician’s internal, abstract understanding of music is invisible to see, which makes it difficult to acknowledge. This understanding can be revealed graphically and translated visually.

“My thesis introduces a sophisticated interpretation of how I look at music as a musician through the lens of a graphic designer.

“Through my experiences, memories and subjectivity, I compose my own visual music by experimenting with abstract notations and creating a personal language.”

Student: Michelle Shin

The ADHD Atlas by Hannah Abele

“The ADHD Atlas is a guidebook that explores the experiences of people with ADHD and the tools they have created for learning, growing and navigating their lives.

“Graphic design has been used strategically as a tool to clearly communicate information to people with ADHD and successfully hold their attention.

“The exhibition that accompanies the book – shown here – uses posters to showcase an exaggerated version of a day through the lens of someone with ADHD.”

Student: Hannah Abele
Email: hannahevedesign[at]gmail.com

Visual Disturbances by Drishti Khokhar

“This thesis explores visual analogies of optical disturbances. It attempts to translate bodily experiences and symptoms of ocular migraines into visual forms in order to describe sensations.

“The piece invites the viewers to encounter these visceral effects through two and three-dimensional form.

“Experimental visualisations of unquantifiable feelings act as field guides toward understanding and sharing these disturbances, which affect many people during the course of their lives.”

Student: Drishti Khokhar
Email: drishtikhokhar[at]gmail.com

Toaster Type Foundry by Hui Zeng

“Toaster Type Foundry presents three different typefaces: craft, reflect and cut. Craft reacts to calligraphic strokes and the sharpness of digital type.

“Reflect employs a repeated counter shape, striving to remain consistent at all costs, while Cut tries to be as inconsistent as possible. Each typeface explores the constraints and conventions of typeface design to create new and intriguing forms.”

Student: Hui Zeng

Slow Cubicle by Molane Hu

“Slow Cubicle challenges the conventional ideals of efficiency by utilising iconic workplace objects as vehicles to explore slowness. It also revamps the grid system by infusing mindfulness with squares, lines and circles.

“Each Slow Calendar collects all the days of the week into a separate banner, overriding linear time in favour of lived experiences.

“The Slow Planner encourages present planning through poetic prompts and ethereal tasks, and Slow Sticky Notes urge deceleration with mind-provoking graphics.

“Together, these objects ask individuals to pause and contemplate amidst the modern focus on speed and productivity.”

Student: Molane Hu
Email: molanehu[at]gmail.com

A Poetic Space by Shuang Wu and Vivek Thakker

“In Chinese, the word ‘诗’ (‘shi’ or ‘poem’) means the language that expresses thoughts from the heart. The expressions in ancient Chinese poems can’t be perfectly translated into other languages.

“The beauty of ancient Chinese poems transcends time and space, inviting readers from any era to reimagine the poems.

“A Poetic Space is an immersive visualisation of several nature-related Chinese poems, applying simple line drawings, sound design and typography in a physical, private space.

“The design goes beyond literal language, re-translating the poems in a 3D landscape and welcoming the audience to step into the world of ancient Chinese poetry.”

Student: Shuang Wu
Email: shuanglunawu[at]gmail.com

How-to How-to by Aumika Shetty

“This project explores the concept of ‘how-to’ guides and the role of instructional media in contemporary culture.

“It presents a series of satirical responses to Google’s most commonly asked ‘how-to’ questions, using the vernacular of popular instructional graphic design.

“The project engages critically with ubiquitous instructional content, employing humour to undermine the perceived authority and power dynamics inherent in these types of materials.

“I invite viewers to question the impact instructional media has on the way we consume and understand information. ‘How-to How-to’ contributes to a broader conversation about design’s role in establishing authority.”

Student: Aumika Shetty
Email: aumikashetty[at]gmail.com

The Matrix of Language by Christina Chahyadi

“According to the International Phonetic Association, the constituents of around 7,100 languages can be distilled into 107 sound symbols.

“The Matrix of Language shows the interconnectedness of languages and translates its sonic features and nuances into shapes, hues, sizes and locations. This exhibit visualises the 44 core sounds that are present in English.

“The network shows how sounds – the building blocks of language – are integral in forming and navigating linguistic systems.

“In practice, graphical guides provide an approachable tool for learning to pronounce words in new languages, empowering people to have agency over their linguistic journeys.”

Student: Christina Chahyadi
Email: christinachahyadi[at]gmail.com

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Maryland Institute College of Art. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

The post Ten graphic design projects by students at Maryland Institute College of Art appeared first on Dezeen.

Promotion: french design brand Petite Friture has launched a new collection of lighting titled Vertigo Nova created by designer Constance Guisset, which includes a sculptural shade that comes in black or white.

Described as a “highly technical collection” Vertigo Nova is the brand’s latest line of lighting that was designed by Guisset. It includes a blown glass pendant, and wall and floor lights that are surrounded by thin ribbons organised in a curved, circular form.

The shade is constructed from polyurethane ribbons, which are hand-mounted onto and around its central, blown, Triplex glass spherical light.

“Vertigo Nova is born from the desire to work and shape light as an abject, to soften and mould it,” said Guisset. “Here, the technical prowess lies in the mysterious sand-blasted glass.”

“The purely functional is transformed into something beautiful where only that which is essential remains: a light and delicate veil floating between two worlds.”

As well as being available in different types of lamps, the polyurethane shade can be purchased in black or white.

The black offers a dark, smokey hue and is suspended on a black frame. It produces a softened light for intimate settings, according to the brand. The white has an opaline finish and is set within a white frame providing bright and radiant light.

Each of the lights – from the floor lamp to the wall-mounted light to the pendant light – has a dimmable LED bulb.

Petite Friture has also recently launched its own podcast. The podcast series has been inaugurated with five episodes that feature conversations with designers such as Tom Chung, Färg & Blanche and Constance Guisset.

“What better ambassadors than our designers to talk about objects, from idea to production, about the quest for emotion and the desire for radicality?” said Petite Friture.

“There is no doubt that every person who will sit behind the Petite Friture microphone is a free spirit, their creations are guaranteed to move and inspire. They dare to open up the path ahead.”

The podcast aims to explore and question design, form and substance while embodying the values of Petite Friture, which include “collaboration, honesty, the fostering of new talent, beauty and the pushing of boundaries”.

Episode one of the podcast is titled Constance Guisset’s Sensitive Design and features a conversation between Constance Guisset and Amélie du Passage who discuss creative exploration, pragmatism and fantasy.

The brand’s key values extend across the entirety of the company, with it stating that it is committed to creating well-thought-out objects and pieces that promote social and local engagement and cultivate talent and new ideas.

The company is actioning these values by aiming to reduce its carbon footprint and offering more sustainable products that use non-harmful and recyclable materials.

A few examples of these endeavours include removing all polystyrene from its packaging by 2024, offering repair services to all furniture and opting for responsible production that sees 70 per cent of its furniture made in Europe.

To learn more about Petite Friture’s Vertigo Nova collection and podcast visit its website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Petite Friture as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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Dezeen Showroom: Italian bathroom and kitchen brand Gessi has released a characterful tap as part of its Gessi Spa collection that is made from segments of bamboo.

The tap named Jacqueline is informed by the attention to detail present in the manufacturing of high-end fashion accessories, which Gessi aimed to encapsulate in the form of a faucet.

To make the tap, bamboo roots were hand-selected and curved into shape using hot bending techniques, before being treated to become waterproof. The functional plumbing elements are then inserted into the hollow bamboo tube.

“[Jacqueline] allows a natural material to be brought to a functional use and not just an aesthetic one,” said Gessi.

The spout is available in ten metallic and coloured finishes including nickel, brass, bronze, copper and black and comes in a range of mounting formats.

The accompanying taps take cues from the shapes of handbag fastenings and are available in metal with leather-effect or imitation horn details.

Product: Jacqueline
Brand: Gessi
Contact: lead@gessi.it

Dezeen Showroom

Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen’s huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.

Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.

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Renowned British speaker manufacturer, Bowers & Wilkins, has been at the forefront of innovation and design in the audio industry. One of their most iconic creations is the Nautilus loudspeaker, which has captivated enthusiasts worldwide for good three decades now.

This year, as the Nautilus celebrates its 30th anniversary, B&W has introduced a version of the award-winning speaker with a stunning Abalone Pearl finish. Let’s dive into the world of the incredibly fashioned loudspeaker to discover the beauty and craftsmanship behind the remarkable Nautilus arriving in a mesmerizing new hue.

Designer: Bowers & Wilkins

Bowers & Wilkins founder John Bowers had a vision to create a loudspeaker that wouldn’t sound anything like an existing loudspeaker. Nautilus was an embodiment of that vision, which in its existence now is regarded as one of the most visually striking speakers on the market, and sound quality is uncompromising as well.

It’s easy to align with the fact that Nautilus’ unique design breaks away from the traditional speaker form factor yet provides an auditory experience unparalleled. To achieve exceptional sound quality, the loudspeaker was designed with a reverse-horn shape enclosure. This design style helps decrease unwanted sonic contributions and ensures accurate sound reproduction.

The 30th-anniversary edition of the Nautilus in a breathtaking Abalone Pearl makeover is not only symbolic of the traditional audio quality but the shimmering effect of the pearl finish, which adds a touch of elegance, makes this edition apart from the rest, within the company ranks or outside.

Crafting a Nautilus loudspeaker is an intricate process that requires time and precision with a great deal of detail. Each speaker shell takes an entire week to make, with an additional three days dedicated to the final polish. Reportedly, Bowers & Wilkins still adheres to the same hand-built manufacturing process used in the creation of the Nautilus 30 years ago. It is followed by the new colored Nautilus loudspeaker as well.

But if you’re interested, just hold your horses! The meticulous manufacturing process and limited production capacity make acquiring a pair of Nautilus speakers pretty challenging. The air of exclusivity and anticipation to the ownership is only possible if you’re willing to wait a year for delivery after shelling out close to $125,000 for the Abalone Pearl version of the Nautilus.

The post Anniversary-edition Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus is a Pearl white finished masterpiece first appeared on Yanko Design.

Spanish studio Office for Strategic Spaces has refurbished a 19th-century housing block in Barcelona, unlocking a previously neglected yard space with a new public courtyard linked by criss-crossing metal walkways.

The block, called La Carboneria, sits within Barcelona’s Eixample district, known for its famous gridded urban plan designed by Ildefons Cedrá.

During the design of the housing block, its location was subject to plans by the city to cut through the district with large, wide boulevards, similar to the urban plans implemented in Paris in the middle of the 19th century.

When plans for some of these grand boulevards were scrapped, La Carboneria was left with a “ghost facade” that was later enclosed by new buildings to form a dark, triangular courtyard at its rear.

Madrid-based Office for Strategic Spaces, led by architect Ángel Borrego Cubero, was tasked with reconfiguring the somewhat awkward urban condition of the apartment block, which had been left empty following the eviction of squatters in 2014.

“[The original architect] was forced to plan facades to all four sides of the building, unsure where the main streets would be and which one his building would face,” explained the practice.

“Over a century and a half later, the facade that faced the never-built boulevard had to be recovered, its larger windows unblocked, even if they now overlooked two intersecting party walls instead of Barcelona’s version of the Champs Elysées,” it continued.

Creating a new public space at the rear of the building, the block’s stairwell and lift core was relocated out of the building and connected back into the newly opened facade by metal walkways.

This organisation creates a new double-aspect condition for the flats that now face the public courtyard to the rear and the street at the front. A bathroom and storage block aligned with an existing load-bearing wall sits at the centre of the building.

“The building seems to have been turned inside out. Its most striking facade is hidden inside a triangular courtyard and, to make it accessible, its stairwell and elevator have been moved from the inside of the building to the furthest corner of this patio,” explained the practice.

“The walkways that join both elements make the patio work as a surprising, tridimensional public space for the neighbours,” it continued.

As much as possible, the original structure of the apartment building was retained and reinforced, with only the roof needing replacing.

Inside the apartments, traces of the old building – such as wood beam ceilings and exposed brick walls – have been refinished and painted. These are juxtaposed against contemporary elements including wooden panelling and brightly tiled floors in the kitchens.

“Although the heritage regulations applicable allowed us to gut out the entire building except the facades, the original structure of the building was preserved as much as possible,” said the practice.

Other renovation projects completed by Office for Strategic Spaces include the transformation of a former industrial building in Madrid into a workspace for creative startups.

Elsewhere in Barcelona, Parramon + Tahull renovated an apartment in the city’s Gracia neighbourhood and added birch plywood joinery and ceramic tiling

The photography is by Simona Rota.

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