Dec 05

British Council seek “explorers” for British Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale 2012

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Dezeen Wire: the British Council will invite architects to conduct research projects in far-flung places and present their findings at an exhibition entitled Venice Takeaway in the British Pavilion at next year’s Venice Architecture Biennale.

The call for entries will be opened on 10 January and the ten selected proposals will be announced in March.

See all our stories about last year’s Venice Architecture Biennale here.

The details below are from the British Council:

Venice Takeaway: Ideas to Change British Architecture

The British Council today announced that the British Pavilion at the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale will be the culmination of an ambitious global research project designed to make an original and far-reaching contribution to the debate about architecture in the UK.

The Pavilion will provide an injection of new ideas based on the collective research of architects, students, writers, critics and academics. The research will focus on what – and who – makes great architecture; considering issues such as construction, housing, planning, culture, education, procurement, architectural competitions and the role of the client.

On 10 January 2012 an open call for participation and proposals will be launched; and a series of discussions about the brief will be held across the UK aimed at involving a wide-range of contributors. In March the best proposals will be selected and around ten individuals or teams will travel to unearth case studies in locations around the world.

Each ‘Explorer’ will conduct interviews and uncover how, and why something works. Explorers will be tasked with bringing back material including film, photography, writing and drawing. The exhibition will tell their stories and make a series of proposals for changing British architecture.

Venice Takeaway will build on the UK’s history of looking to the rest of the world for inspiration and ideas. Trade voyages shaped the modern world; not only filling museums, botanical gardens and markets but also changing the way we think and introducing ideas that have become part of our culture. Today the flow of ideas is made possible by the travels of architects and by overseas students who come to the UK to study, and often stay to establish their own design studios or to work for British practices.

By discovering the best ideas from around the world it is hoped that the British Pavilion will make an original contribution to the debate about architecture in the UK and influence the future direction of policy and practice at a moment of flux.

Venice Takeaway is curated by Vicky Richardson, Director of Architecture, Design, Fashion at the British Council and Vanessa Norwood, Head of Exhibitions at the Architectural Association.

Vicky Richardson says: ‘We have many good designers in the UK, but the systems and structures surrounding architecture need change. Everyone who has travelled will recognise the feeling of envy when you see a good idea. The British Pavilion aims to gather the best of these and bring them back to the UK.’

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Dec 05

Joseph Grima and Emre Arolat to curate inaugural Istanbul Design Biennial

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Dezeen Wire: editor-in-chief of Domus magazine Joseph Grima and Istanbul architect Emre Arolat have been appointed to curate the inaugural Istanbul Design Biennial, which will take place from 13 October to 12 December 2012.

Joseph Grima

Above: Joseph Grima

Watch our movie interview with Grima from 2009 on Dezeen Screen.

Emre Arolat

Above: Emre Arolat

Here are some more details from the Biennial organisers:

EMRE AROLAT AND JOSEPH GRIMA APPOINTED CURATORS OF THE ISTANBUL DESIGN BIENNIAL

Emre Arolat and Joseph Grima have been appointed as the curators of the first Istanbul Design Biennial, which will be realized between 13 October – 12 December 2012 by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts.

The curators, invited by the Istanbul Design Biennial, will independently interpret the theme “Imperfection”, which was adopted at the suggestion of Deyan Sudjic, Director of The Design Museum in London, who is also a member of the biennial’s advisory board. Emre Arolat and Joseph Grima will present two different approaches within the framework of the biennial theme. The framework of their curatorial studies will be announced at the beginning of 2012.

Emre Arolat studied architecture at Mimar Sinan University, and co-founded Emre Arolat Architects (EAA) with Gonca Paşolar in 2004. Arolat, who has held the presidential membership in ISMD, is a member of TMMOB Chamber of Architects. He has had teaching experiences at architectural design studios and as a project jury at several universities in Turkey. His projects with EAA have won many national and international awards, including “2006 AR Awards for Emerging Architecture, Highly Commended”, “2009 Europe & African Property Awards ” Emirates Glass Leaf Awards 2009″, “Cityscape Dubai Awards”, “2010 Aga Khan Award for Architecture”, “2011 MIPIM AR Future Projects Awards” and “2011 Green Good Design Awards”. Arolat’s essays and articles have been published in various occupational publications. He has contributed to EAA’s books, Dalaman Airport, Emre Arolat: Buildings / Projects 1998-2005, and ” …with regard to”.

Joseph Grima is a Milan-based architect, editor, writer and curator. He is the editor of Domus, the internationally renowned magazine of contemporary architecture, design and art founded by Gio Ponti in Milan. He is the former director of Storefront for Art and Architecture, a non-profit gallery and events space in New York City devoted to the advancement of innovative positions in art and architecture. His work has been presented at the Venice Biennale of Architecture, Experimenta, the New Museum (NYC) among others. He has edited and contributed to a wide range of books, magazines and periodicals including Abitare, Volume, Bracket, Urban China and New Geographies, and has taught and lectured in Europe and America, most recently at the Streka Institute of Media, Architecture and Design in Moscow. He currently sits on the advisory board of the Vitra Design Museum and the Shorefast Foundation.

About The Istanbul Design Biennial

Istanbul Design Biennial, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts between 13 October – 12 December 2012, explores a wide range of fields, from urban design (environmental, urban and regional planning) to architecture, interior, industrial, graphic, fashion, textile and new media design and all creative fields related to these professions. Exhibitions, thematic installations, workshops, seminars and presentations organised within the scope of the biennial will be linked by the unifying theme of the first biennial: Imperfection.

An announcement concerning the open call for entries will be made in December 2011. In the first half of 2012, pre-events such as workshops and seminars for university students and professionals in the creative industries will be organised during the preparation process of the biennial.
Eren Holding, Koray Group of Companies and VitrA undertakes the co-sponsorship of the Istanbul Design Biennial.

The Istanbul Design Biennial Advisory Board Members are Associate Professor Mr. Mehmet Asatekin, Industrial designer, Faculty Member at Bahçeşehir University; Mr. George Beylerian, Founder and the CEO of Material ConneXion; Mr. Levent Çalıkoğlu, Art Historian, Chief curator at Istanbul Modern; Prof. John Heskett, Dean of Design Faculty at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Ms. Defne Koz, Industrial Designer, Founder of Defne Koz Studio; Mr. Faruk Malhan, Architect, founder of Koleksiyon Mobilya; Ms. Sevil Peach, Founder of Sevil Peach Architecture & Design; Mr. Deyan Sudjic, Director of the Design Museum in London; Prof. Ilhan Tekeli, Honorary Member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences; Mr. Alexander von Vegesack, Chairman of the Board of Vitra Design Foundation.

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Dec 05

AK-47 rifle among new additions to Design Museum’s collection

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Dezeen Wire: a Kalashnikov AK-47 rifle, one of the most widely used weapons in the world, is among 13 new additions to the collection of the Design Museum in London.

Other new acquisitions include a Space Invaders arcade machine, Sony Walkman cassette player and The Face magazine.

The museum is to sell its current premises and move to a new home in the former Commonwealth Institute building in south London, renovated by John Pawson.

Here are some more details and the full list of acquisitions from the Design Museum:

DESIGN MUSEUM ADDS M1 MOTORWAY SIGN, AK-47 RIFLE AND SONY WALKMAN TO ITS COLLECTION.

The Design Museum has added 13 classics to its collection. They include a Sony Walkman, a Kalashnikov AK-47 rifle and an example of the motorway signage system, whose standardised typeface, designed by Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert in 1960, has not changed to this day.

The road signs, commissioned by the government for Britain’s new network of motorways and major roads, were tested in 1958 in an underground car park and in Hyde Park, where they were propped against trees to determine the most effective background colours and reading distances. ‘Style never came into it,’ Calvert has said of the typeface.

Calvert redesigned many of the picture signs to reflect her personal experiences. She replaced the image of a boy in a school cap leading a little girl on the school children crossing sign, with one of a girl, modelled on a photograph of herself as a child, leading a younger boy. Calvert described the old sign as being ‘archaic’, almost like an illustration from Enid Blyton.

The Design Museum’s acquisition of the 1979 Sony Walkman, a product that sold at a rate of 50 million in ten years, marks its journey into obsolescence. Nevertheless, the term ‘walkman’ is preserved in the language, listed in the Oxford English Dictionary as a description for any cassette player.

The Kalashnikov AK-47 Rifle was one of the first assault rifles to be manufactured. Developed in the mid 1940s by the Soviet Union for ease of use in arctic conditions, it’s cheap production and durability have made it one of the most widely used weapons in the world.

The Design Museum is developing its Collection ahead of its relocation to new premises at the former Commonwealth Institute, Kensington in 2014. This new Design Museum with interiors designed by John Pawson will be three times the size of its current home and will create a showcase for its world-class collection, and greatly expand its education and public events programme. The new Design Museum will be a platform for promoting design as a national asset, and supporting the next generation of creative talent.

List of new acquisitions:

Arcade Machine
Space Invaders
Tomohiro Nishikado c.1978 Taito, Japan
The invention of the Arcade Machine sparked the digital gaming revolution that now represents a multi-billion dollar industry. While the technology has moved on greatly, with industry giants such as PlayStation and X-Box striving toward ever more realistic gaming experiences, the first arcade games such as Space Invaders (1978) and Pac-Man (1980), maintain an iconic cult status.

Rifle, Kalashnikov AK-47
Mikhail Kalashnikov
, Unknown Manufacturer, 1945-1946 China
One of the most iconic and widely disseminated piece of weaponry used today, the AK-47 was one of the first true assault rifles to be manufactured. Developed in the mid-1940s by the Soviet Union for ease of use in Arctic conditions.

LookSoFlat prototype lamp
Stefan Geisbauer 2010, Ingo Maurer, Germany
The LookSoFlat prototype combines innovative design with economical energy consumption. From the side it has the appearance of an ordinary desktop lamp, but it is, in fact, completely flat. Two LEDs mimic the warmth of light produced by an ordinary lamp, yet LookSoFlat is more streamlined and energy friendly.

3D Mouse Novint Falcon
Novint Technologies, 2006.US
The Novint Falcon is a 3D mouse with force feedback. It allows gamers to feel the texture, shape, and weight of a virtual environment, providing a more immersive gaming experience.

Portable Radio
Regency TR-1
Industrial Development Engineering Associates,1954 Texas Instrument, US
Following their development in 1954, portable radios became the most popular electronic communication device in history. They facilitated the wider dissemination of popular music, for the first time allowing people to listen to music anywhere.

Type Writer
Valentine
Ettore Sottsass,1969. Olivetti, Italy
Olivetti’s Valentine typewriter made a piece of office equipment fashionable. It’s bright red case and portability made it the desirable product of its day.

The Face Magazine
1980-2004
The iconic British music, fashion and culture monthly magazine started in May 1980 by Nick Logan. From 1981 to 1986, Neville Brody was typographer, graphic designer, and art director of the magazine. Writers included Julie Birchill and Tony Parsons and photographers Juergen Teller, and David Sims.

Ipogeo Lamp
Joe Wentworth
Artemide, 2009. Italy
The design of Ipogeo was inspired by the undelivered promise of many task lights which suggest a delicate friction free movement, but in reality have stiff movement or have a disappointing drift after they have been positioned.

Childrens Chair
Tripp Trapp
Peter Opsvik,1972.Stokke, Norway
The bestselling children’s chair in the world, with well over 9 million sold since 1972. As the child grows, the chair can be adjusted, until eventually the foot rest becomes better used as the seat, and the high chair becomes a comfortable adult chair.

Kindle Electronic Book Reader
Kindle 3, 2007. Amazon, US
The devices use an E Ink electronic paper display that shows up to 16 shades of gray, minimizes power use and simulates reading on paper. In the last three months of 2010, Amazon announced that in the United States, their e-book sales had surpassed sales of paperback books for the first time.

Sony Portable Cassette Player
TPS L2 Walkman, 1979. Nobutoshi Kihara
Sony, Japan
Sony revolutionised the way in which music could be enjoyed with the introduction of the first portable music player, the Walkman. With this portable unit, music was able to accompany a person anywhere they went. Gone were the restrictions of a stationary player. The Walkman became part of culture and even part of fashion.

Portable CD Player
D50 MK׀׀ Discman
Sony, 1984. Japan
As Sony began to realize the potential of the CD, executives pushed for a means to give the CD player market momentum, moving it from audio enthusiasts to the mainstream. The DC50 was Soy’s first portable CD player.

Mini Disc Recorder
MZ1 Sony, 1992.Japan
Recordable MDs can be recorded on repeatedly; Sony claims up to one million times. Due to the dominance of MP3 players, Sony announced that it would no longer ship MiniDisc Walkman products as of September 2011.

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Nov 30

Illustrator Quentin Blake wins Prince Philip Designers Prize 2011

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Dezeen Wire: Quentin Blake, the man responsible for illustrating many of author Roald Dahl‘s famous novels, has been announced as the winner of this year’s Prince Philip Designers Prize.

Blake’s characterful ink and watercolour drawings have accompanied the writings of many children’s authors and television shows and are familiar to audiences around the world.

The Prince Philip Designers Prize recognises an outstanding contribution to the development of design or engineering in the UK and has been running for 52 years. Previous winners include architect Norman Foster and designers James Dyson, Kenneth Grange and Terence Conran. Last year’s award went to IDEO founder Bill Moggridge – see our previous story

Here are some more details from the Design Council:

Famous Roald Dahl illustrator wins Prince Philip Designers Prize 2011

Quentin Blake, one of Britain’s best-loved illustrators and the man who created the world-famous images of the Big Friendly Giant and Matilda, will be named the winner of the 2011 Prince Philip Designers Prize by HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at a ceremony at the Design Council in London this evening, Tuesday 29th November.

Quentin Blake is perhaps best known for his illustrations of Roald Dahl’s books, but his distinctive pen, ink and watercolour drawings have also accompanied the work of many other children’s authors like Michael Rosen and Joan Aiken. He has illustrated Dickens, Carroll and Lear as well as originating his own characters including Mister Magnolia, Mrs Armitage and Clown.

Since his first drawings appeared in Punch when he was 16, Blake has become recognised around the world in a 60-year career. He became widely known in the 1970s, presenting the BBC’s Jackanory, where he illustrated the various stories on screen. He became the first ever Children’s Laureate in 1999.

Two of this year’s nominees received Special Commendations from the judges: Sir David Chipperfield CBE RDI, one of the UK’s most distinguished architects and this year’s winner of the Royal Gold Medal from RIBA and the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture, and Saeed Zahedi, one of the world’s leading designers of medical prosthetics, who has been at the forefront of breakthroughs which improve quality of life for people, including military personnel treated at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre.

This year’s nominees also included:

Cecil Balmond, winner of the Gretna Landmark on the England-Scotland border, and co-designer of the Orbit for London’s 2012 Olympics, is hailed as one of the greatest structural engineers and designers

Tim Brown, the leading pioneer of ‘design thinking’ and the CEO of global design and innovation firm IDEO.

Dinah Casson RDI, FRCA, FCSD, one of the world’s most respected environmental and exhibition designers.

Stephen Jones, one of the UK’s foremost milliners, who has transformed millinery since first opening a salon in 1980, and who has trained other leading designers including Philip Treacy and Noel Stewart.

Sir Paul Smith, arguably the most successful British fashion designer ever. Since opening his first shop in Nottingham in 1970 he has built an international business that has defined the way three generations of men – and latterly women – have dressed.

Shane Walter, the co-founder of onedotzero, which since 1996 has been at the forefront of digital design and culture with festivals, public events and publishing projects, and an education programme for emerging talent.

Chris Wilkinson OBE and Jim Eyre OBE, co-founders of Wilkinson Eyre Architects, the first practice to win the Stirling Prize twice and the only one to have won it two years in a row.

The work of the nominees provides a snapshot of the creative and commercial strengths of the UK design industry. Their biographies and examples of their work can be viewed on the Design Council’s website.

This is the final year that HRH The Duke of Edinburgh will deliver the Prize. Having headed up the judging panel and presented the Prize since its inception in 1959, he will be stepping down from the Prize as he reduces his work-load and royal responsibilities in his 90th year.

David Kester, Chief Executive of the Design Council, commented: “No-one can be in any doubt of the extraordinary dedication to promoting and celebrating design which has been shown by His Royal Highness during more than half a century of expert and insightful leadership of the Prince Philip Designers Prize. This year’s winner and nominees likewise demonstrate a dedication to creative excellence, but they are also exemplars of the international commercial success which springs from that creativity. Now more than ever, we must celebrate our world-leading designers, innovators and creatives, and their vital contribution to our economic future.”

To mark HRH The Duke of Edinburgh’s contribution to the promotion of UK design, the Design Council has commissioned two very special gifts which will be presented to Prince Philip at the Prize-giving this evening. The first is a unique hand-drawn certificate (similar to that which has been presented to all Prize-winners for the last half century) – created by this year’s winner Quentin Blake, featuring a cartoon of Prince Philip in the artists’ inimitable style.

The certificate is accompanied by a one-off book of original artworks drawn by over forty of the Prizes’ previous winners, nominees and judges including Sir Terence Conran, Vivienne Westwood, Jeff Banks, Lord Norman Foster, Kenneth Grange and Sir Paul Smith.

The Prince Philip Designers Prize has been in existence since the early days of the Design Council. It was created by HRH as a response to post-war austerity, and aimed to stimulate and reward elegant solutions to design problems. For 52 years the Prize has been awarded for the best in UK design from products and graphics to buildings and feats of engineering, and has put the spotlight on designers for influencing and shaping our daily lives.

Former winners of the Prize include Bill Moggridge (2010) who designed the world’s first laptop, Thomas Heatherwick (2006); the architect Lord Foster of Thamesbank (2004); Habitat founder Sir Terence Conran (2003); Pentagram founder Kenneth Grange (2001) and inventor Sir James Dyson (1997).

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Nov 29

London landmarks’ heritage status threatened by rising skyline

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Dezeen Wire: the ongoing construction of skyscrapers in central London has caused the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to reconsider the status of the Tower of London and the Palace of Westminster as recognised sites of historical significance – Evening Standard

UNESCO are concerned that The Shard by architect Renzo Piano near the Tower of London and the 43-storey Doon Street tower on the opposite side of the river Thames from Westminster are having a negative impact on the views and historical integrity of the landmarks. It could place them on its “at risk” register, which would damage their appeal to international tourists.

See our previous story in which Renzo Piano says The Shard “will be loved” by the public and UNESCO’s announcement of 25 new additions to the World Heritage List from earlier this year.

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Nov 28

Substandard materials blamed for wind damage to Foster’s Beijing airport

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Dezeen Wire: an architect from one of the firms that collaborated with Foster + Partners on the design of the Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal in China says that recent damage caused by wind had nothing to do with the quality of the design – The Washington Post

Shao Weiping of the Beijing Architectural Design and Research Institute said he was “very confident that the design was perfect and involved no mistakes or flaws.” China state media say passengers reported seeing roofing material from Terminal 3 blowing across the runway and through the three-year-old terminal building. It is the second time in a year that wind has reportedly affected the structure.

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Nov 28

“Can we now say that OMA has grown up?” – Hugh Pearman

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Dezeen Wire: architecture critic Hugh Pearman has expressed admiration for the mature and understated nature of Dutch practice OMA‘s design for a new headquarters for merchant bank Rothschild on a sensitive site near the Bank of England – Hugh Pearman

Pearman suggests that it is “a miracle that a ‘foreign’ firm of architects with a reputation for the outrageous won the 2005 competition to redevelop the site,” but describes their approach to this project as “well-mannered, corporate, svelte, positively self-effacing.”

The area’s history demanded a low-key approach and Pearman adds that, although he wishes the building “wasn’t on quite such good behaviour,” its response to the brief “makes the right urbanistic moves and is enlivened by some flashes of wit.”

See interviews with OMA partners on Dezeen Screen and all of our stories about OMA here.

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Nov 25

Plans for East London tower by Amanda Levete Architects withdrawn

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Dezeen Wire: the developer behind plans for a tower designed by architecture practice AL_A in Shoreditch, East London has withdrawn its planning application – BDonline

The design for a twisted tower on a former industrial estate attracted over a thousand letters from local residents. Developers Londonewcastle say they will adapt the proposal before submitting a new planning application early next year.

See our previous story on the original design for the Huntingdon Estate here, another AL_A project in London that was scrapped recently here and more projects by AL_A here.

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Nov 25

Jean Nouvel’s Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom wins European Hotel Design Award

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Dezeen Wire: the Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom hotel by French architect Jean Nouvel has won the “New Build Hotel” category at The European Hotel Design Awards 2011.

The hotel was completed earlier this year and features a glazed volume on the top floor housing a restaurant with a brightly patterned ceiling that is clearly visible from the street outside.

See our previous story about the Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom here and all our stories about Jean Nouvel here.

The following text is from Sofitel:

Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom has won The European Hotel Design Award 2011 under the category of “New Build Hotel”. The awards which celebrate outstanding innovations in the hospitality industry and hotel design in Europe, were announced on 23 November 2011 at a ceremony in London.

The European Hotel Design Awards recognise the exceptional standards of recently completed hotel projects from around Europe. This year’s judging panel included Gregoir Chikaher – Director and Global Hotels & Leisure Sector Leader, Matt Turner – Editor of Sleeper Magazine, and Eugene Staal – Rezidor Hotel Group, who were unanimously impressed by the purist esthetic of Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom’s architecture and artwork.

William Haandrikman, General Manager of Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom commented: “We are thrilled to have won the European Hotel Design Award for ‘New Build Hotel’, The Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom staff and our partners have worked hard to create a novel and dramatic setting for our guests, offering not only a spectacular view over the Vienna skyline, but also a inspirational and creative setting for business and leisure. We are committed to ensuring that our guests’ stay in our artistic hotel is relaxing, comfortable and luxurious”.

The European Hotel Design Awards recognize the ambitious work of architects, designers, developers and hotel owners across 18 different categories. Judged by an international panel of leading hospitality experts and journalists, the European Hotel Design Awards are one of the most renowned events in the lifestyle travel industry across the globe.

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Nov 24

Award-winning design consultancy Airside to close in March 2012

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Dezeen Wire: pioneering multidisciplinary design consultancy Airside has announced that it is to close in March 2012, stating: “we can’t see a way for Airside to move forward and accommodate all of our individual ambitions.”

The company’s work in the fields of graphic identity, website design, film, animation and music garnered critical acclaim and award recognition including 2 BAFTA nominations and 11 D&AD nominations.

See all of our previous stories about Airside, including a podcast recorded at the Design Museum.

Here is some more information from Airside:

Airside comes to an end.

After 14 years of creating groundbreaking design, the founders of influential design company Airside have decided to shut up shop for good at the end of March 2012. They will remain fully open for business up until that date.

To clarify the reasons behind this decision, the three founders Alex Maclean, Nat Hunter and Fred Deakin have prepared the following statement:

For the record, we aren’t going bust, in fact we’re currently thriving. We haven’t fallen out with each other, in fact we’re as close as we ever were. What has happened is that after 14 years of working together, we have grown into different people with different goals. Despite all of our best efforts we can’t see a way for Airside to move forward and accommodate all of our individual ambitions. You could put it down to musical differences if you like!

The world has changed enormously since we started in 1998 and we hope that we’ve been part of that change. We were lucky enough to be the first of a certain kind of design company that now feels like the norm. New paradigms are emerging and as individuals we want to explore them in a way that Airside is currently unable to. Our influence has been clear on a generation of creative practitioners and that makes us feel good; it also feels like our work here is done.

We feel that it is completely true to the unique spirit of Airside to end the company as friends and to end it on a high. We’ll be making an announcement as to our individual future plans nearer to March 2012 when we close, and there will of course be a party to mark our closing. Between now and then we’ll be focused as always creating amazing work for our clients and ourselves – this is the last chance for us to work together as Airside. Although we definitely plan to collaborate in future, and don’t bet against a re-union tour in 2022! And of course the spirit of Airside will live on in the shape of our Tokyo branch Airside Nippon, which will continue to trade as usual.

Voluntarily choosing to end Airside has been one of the toughest decisions we’ve ever made, but it also feels completely right. We’ve loved every minute of working together and feel like we created a truly unique company that completely fulfilled all the dreams that we had back in 1998: maybe that’s why it feels OK to end it now. When we see the inspiration and positive impact we believe we’ve had on the creative world we are very proud. Sniff! We’ll all really miss Airside.

Selected client list:

Anthony Minghella, Barbican Gallery, Bassetts, BBC, Chanel, Clarks, Coca Cola, Crafts Council, D&AD, EMI, Fiat, Ford, Greenpeace, Hayward Gallery, House of Commons, Intel, Konditor & Cook, Lemon Jelly, Live Earth, London Film Festival, London Transport, Mastercard, Mika, MTV, NHS, Nike, Nokia, Orange, Panasonic, Pet Shop Boys, Royal College of Art, Serpentine Gallery, Science Museum, Selfridges, Sony, The Beatles, Victoria & Albert Museum, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Trains, Visa, Vodaphone, White Cube Gallery and William Orbit

Early Years:

  • Jam Tokyo-London website for the Barbican – quirky interface – our first award winner
  • The Airside T-shirt Club and Airside Shop – one of the first design companies to make and sell our own products
  • Lots of art gallery websites: Serpentine, White Cube, Hayward
  • Impotent Fury club night at the 333 – the Wheel of Destiny
  • Lemon Jelly – a project where we could design every aspect of the campaign and have complete artistic freedom
  • Nice Weather For Ducks video – a big hit – still gets referenced to this day (eg Simply Health ads!)
  • 64-95 – an hour long animated DVD – our animation boot camp.

.

Growing Up:

  • The Dot Com Refugees – toys for Japan – a dream project
  • T-shirts for films – Battle Royale and Shaun Of The Dead
  • Surf posters and ads – our first advertising award winner
  • Orange idents – winning best in show at the Design Week awards
  • Working with Greenpeace – balancing our advertising work!
  • Mastercard – a global airport billboard campaign and a big award winner
  • Japan – exhibitions and client work – a mutual love affair.

.

Maturity:

  • Live Earth movies – full narrative animation
  • Pet Shop Boys website – big award winner – invented Twitter (!)
  • Beatles video – a great honour
  • No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency – our second BAFTA nomination – again, a great honour
  • Virgin Atlantic In Flight Entertainment system – a huge job, massive innovation, fantastic client response.

.

Overall:

  • One of the first companies to work across all media
  • Evolved a unique vector / flat colour style that has spread globally
  • Combined strong aesthetics with depth of thinking
  • Created and integrated powerful narratives into our work
  • Embraced green and ethical values
  • HAD FUN!

.

Awards:

2 BAFTA nominations

1 Cannes Lion Grand Prix, 1 Gold

11 D&AD nominations/in book

7 CADS winner/nominations

7 Design Week winner/nominations including 1 Best In Show

2 Creative Review Best In Book

3 HOW Awards

Plus many others – full list is below:

2011 – One Dot Zero animation festival – short animation selected

2010 European Design Award – Music Packaging

2010 – HOW Logo Design Awards Winner Airplot

2010 – I.D. Magazine Annual Design Review Honorable Mention – Graphics Airplot

2009 – Media Guardian Innovation Awards – Digital Technology – Winner Fiat ecoDrive

2009 – Cannes Lions Grand Prix Cyber Lion –  Fiat eco:Drive / AKQA

2009 – Interactive Media Awards Best in Class – Consumer Goods Vitsoe

2009 – Cannes Lions Gold Cyber Lion – Design Awards Nokia viNe

2009 – Creative Review The Annual – Best-in-Book Fiat eco:Drive / AKQA

2009 – Creative Review The Annual – Best in Book Nokia viNe / RGA

One Show Interactive : Best of Show, Fiat eco:Drive / AKQA 2009

Creativity – Best in Show AKQA / Fiat eco:Drive 2009

BAFTA nomination 2009 – Best film titles

Webby Awards – Best Website Nominee for Fan Site and for Music Site Pet Shop Boys 2007

Pixel Awards Winner – Best Website – Pet Shop Boys  2007

IMA Award – Outstanding Achievement Award Pet Shop Boys Website 2007

HOW Awards 2006 – Winner Best International Billboard campaign – Mastercard

HOW Awards  2006 – Winner Best packaging awards – Think Tank

Epica awards 2005 – Bronze finalist Coca Cola Love Posters

ALEX Awards USA 2005 – Winner Best CD Single – Lemon Jelly

ALEX Awards USA 2005 – Winner Best Vinyl Packaging Lemon Jelly

Design Week Awards 2007 – Shortlisted – Sony Bravia Idents for UEFA

Design Week Awards 2007 – Commended – Pet Shop Boys website

Design Week Awards 2006 – Best of Show – Orange Playlist Idents

Design Week Awards 2006 Winner – Best Moving Image

Design Week 2005 Winner – Best Poster  ‘Surf Baby Sick’

Design Week 2002 Winner ‘Interactive Media – Promotional

Design Week 2002 Winner ‘Interactive Media – Information’

D&AD In Book – LemonJelly Record Cover 2006

D&AD In Book – Coca Cola ‘Love’ Posters 2006

D&AD In Book – D&AD Student Awards Annual  2005

D&AD 4 illustrations In Book – Surf / BBH 2005

D&AD In Book – Digital Crafts / Animation & Motion Graphics 2003

D&AD Silver Nomination – Integrated / Integrated Advertising & Design (Digital) 2006

D&AD Silver Nomination – Music Packaging 2003

D&AD Silver Nomination – Interactive Media 2002

British Animation Awards 2004 Finalist in 2 categories

BAFTA nomination 2002:  Interactive

Soho Shorts Animation Shortlist

Resfest 2003 Animation Shortlist

‘Anifest’ 2003 Czech Animation festival – Best Music Promo

Best Newcomer, Muzik Awards, 2001 (Nomination – Lemon Jelly

CADS 2004 Winner –award for best music packaging Lemon Jelly

CADS 2003 Best Dance Video (Nomination – Lemon Jelly – Nice Weather For Ducks)

CADS 2003 Best single design (Nomination – Lemon Jelly – Nice Weather For Ducks)

CADS 2003 Best single design (Winner – Lemon Jelly – Spacewalk)

CADS 2003 Best Album design (Nomination – Lemon Jelly – Lost Horizons)

CADS 2003 Best Design Team (Nomination – Airside)

CADS 2002 Best Special Packaging (Nomination – Lemon Jelly _ Soft Rock

BT Innovation Award for Best Use of New Media 2001

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