desymbol: January 2020

Friday, January 31, 2020

Muuto launches modular lamp and sculptural vase by Earnest Studio

Rotterdam-based Earnest Studio has designed a pair of products for Danish design brand Muuto – a lamp featuring individual lighting units fixed to a metal pole by magnets and a vase with a kinked profile.

The lamp and vase are the first products created for the brand by designer Rachel Griffin's studio.

Earnest Studio Muuto

The Post Floor Lamp is a modular lighting-solution comprising a base and two, round lighting units that the user can fix to a central stem in any position.

The lamps can be angled as required and are individually dimmable, so the direction and strength of the light can be tailored to suit the space.

Earnest Studio Muuto

The two lighting units are plugged into a central power hub so they can both be turned on or off at the same time. Each lamp also has its own integrated touch-operated switch for controlling the light.

The cords are fitted with magnetic cable drops for attaching the cable to the central rod. An additional lighting unit can also be added by plugging it into the power hub and positioning it on the rod.

Earnest Studio also developed a wall-mounted version of the product, which applies the same simple and graphic aesthetic to units that can be magnetically attached to a wall-mounted metal bracket.

Earnest Studio Muuto

"The Post Floor and Wall Lamp came from the idea of exploring the flexibility of a magnetic joint, giving the user the freedom to position and dim the lamp's lighting units according to individual needs," Griffin explained.

"Designed with a sculptural expression, simple lines and refined finish, the Post Floor and Wall Lamps represent a new perspective through their graphic character and forward thinking functionality."

Earnest Studio Muuto

The second product created by Earnest Studio for Muuto is the Kink Vase. Griffin developed a new take on the traditional accessory, using digital design technologies to create its playful shape.

"My starting point for the Kink Vase was an exploration of how new forms could be created through the digital manipulation of simple shapes," said the designer.

"The design combines this appreciation of modern technology with traditional ceramic craft, resulting in a piece that is both contemporary and sculptural," she continued.

"The graphic and playful appearance of the Kink Vase – combined with its double opening, which suggests a new way to arrange flowers – infuses its surroundings with joy."

Earnest Studio Muuto

The distorted tubular form was made possible by computer modelling software and is produced in porcelain using a traditional process.

The design's double-ended form gives it a sculptural presence in a room when not in use, and the user can choose to use one or both ends for floral arrangements.

The vase is available in sand and light blue colourways, with a glazed inner surface providing a contrast to the smooth, matte exterior.

Earnest Studio Muuto

The two new products were unveiled by Muuto at the Design Post showroom during the recent IMM Cologne trade fair.

American-born Griffin founded Earnest Studio in 2012 after studying graphic design in the USA and graduating from the Man & Living programme at Design Academy Eindhoven.

The multidisciplinary studio works across a broad range of projects, designing everything from brand identities to furniture and accessories. Griffin previously collaborated with designer Emilie Pallard on a collection of furniture made using standard construction materials.

Earnest Studio Muuto

Muuto works with many international designers to develop products and furniture that represent a contemporary take on Scandinavian design traditions.

The brand's recent products include a collection of cocoon-like pendant lights designed by Benjamin Hubert's studio Layer, and an aluminium lamp by Tom Chung that projects light from both ends.

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Tripadvisor reveals new logo ahead of year-long identity refresh

Mother Design’s New York studio has updated Tripadvisor’s logo as part of a wider identify refresh, which will roll out over the year.

Tripadvisor was established in 2000 as a way to provide travel guidance for other users. Anyone can create an account and review restaurants, hotels and other tourist attractions.

It also has a flight-finding service and offers customers options for holidays, from rentals to packages and car hire.

The site has nearly 460 million unique visitors each month and 830 million reviews and opinions. “The company knows the world of travel has evolved,” the studio says, “so it only makes sense that the platform’s branding follows suit.”

An exercise in “reduction”

The most noticeable change is the simplification of the company’s logo, Ollie the Owl. It was an “exercise both in reduction of complexity and amplification of character”, says Mother Design.

The owl, which used to have two differently coloured eyes and a yellow head, is now rendered in black only. “We retained its inherent personality but refined its geometry for better reproduction at all sizes,” the design studio says.

The “much simpler owl” appears on Tripadvisor’s website as well as the app.

A “real, global, human connection”

Mother Design has also created a series of icons, relating to the travel service’s various functions. A parasol represents ‘rest’, a backpack for ‘hike’ and a double bed for ‘stay’. There are also new icons for hotels, eating and the search function.

Although the logo is now monochrome, the colour palette for the identity remains varied. Some of the shades now include ‘TripGreen’, orchid, salmon, rose, sand, moss, pine and mustard.
A custom typeface, Trip Sans, has been provided by Colophon Foundry which “could carry the weight of the real, global, human connection the brand believes in”, Mother Design says.

Name change

Another change is the company’s name, from TripAdvisor to Tripadvisor. The company says that the “subtle change” reflects how “people recognise our name and pronounce it as a single word” after twenty years of existence.

Tripadvisor says that the logo update is only the “first step” in its “new look”, though it has not yet revealed further details about its new identity.

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Royal Astronomical Society rebrand inspired by “vision and discovery”

The Royal Astronomical Society has been rebranded in a bid to “better reflect its purpose”.

London-based design studio Johnson Banks led the project, after being approached by Christine Losecaat, programme director for the organisations 200^th anniversary celebrations.

Bringing in a digital-friendly logo

At the centre of the rebrand is a new logo. It features stepped spokes arranged in a circle, with the final shape turned to 23.5 degrees to reflect the Earth’s axis tilt. According to Michael Johnson, founder and creative director at Johnson Banks, the mark is open to interpretation – viewers might see a stylised eye or a planet with an orbiting moon, for example.

The logo replaces the society’s legacy symbol, which featured an engraving of a telescope designed by Sir William Herschel, the Royal Astronomical Society’s first ever president appointed some 200 years ago.

This previous mark was dated, Johnson says. “In the digital age, [it] didn’t reproduce well in small sizes or on screens,” he adds.

Moreover, with its previous emphasis on the telescope the logo also didn’t feel inclusive of the society’s other interests like geophysics.

“It’s an organisation that looks up, but also looks down into the planet,” Johnson says, “so we were keen to reflect that properly.”

“Allowing the imagery to take centre stage”

Elsewhere in the identity, a central colour palette of black, white and grey has been adopted. The colours have been chosen to “compliment beautiful images of the sky, planets and geological formations” which appear across the society’s communications.

These colours are further accented by a secondary colour palette inspired by shades found in the sky and on land, which already features on the society’s Monthly Notices and Geophysical Journals.

“In the previous identity, the logo was really the only consistent part of it, and when we looked at all the other communications, there really wasn’t any sense of cohesion,” says Johnson. “It soon became very apparent that the way forward was with the sensational imagery the society had to offer.”

With this at the forefront, Johnson says the team really wanted “a system that most of the time would just work in the background and only take the focus when necessary, allowing the imagery to take centre stage”.

“Doing more with their brand”

The new look aims to clarify the society’s mission, while also attracting “attracting a younger and more diverse membership”.

With the organisation celebrating its bicentenary this year, Johnson hopes the new look will signal to similarly historic societies that “it is possible to sensitively modernise their brands.”

“A lot of the learned societies like the Royal Astronomical Society were founded around the same time,” Johnson says. “And many are now starting to realise they need to do more with their brand.

“Of course, you can’t ignore the current membership, but attracting new members is necessary too and that’s what this new identity is for.”

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Dog Owners Are Buying Face Masks To Protect Dogs From Coronavirus

According to the live map that tracks the spread of coronavirus (2019-nCoV), there are nearly 10,000 people currently infected with the virus. There have also been over 200 deaths after people contracted the virus which causes such symptoms as fever, cough and shortness of breath and conditions varying from people being mildly sick to people being severely ill and dying.

Since the initial cases had links to a large seafood and animal market in Wuhan, the virus is thought to originate in animals, but such information has not been officially confirmed. According to Wikipedia, “Comparisons of genetic sequences between this virus and other virus samples have shown similarities to SARS-CoV (79.5%) and bat coronaviruses (96%),” because of this, it’s highly likely that bats were the origin of the current virus devastating China.

As coronavirus is rapidly spreading it is reported that Chinese dog owners rush to buy face masks for their dogs

Image credits: Zhou Tianxiao

Despite the fact that The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that there is no evidence suggesting house animals can be infected with the new strain of coronavirus, Chinese people have still gone one step ahead to protect their pets from a potential threat. Sales of pet masks have reportedly skyrocketed since the initial outbreak of the coronavirus and don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.

Image credits: Zhou Tianxiao

Zhou Tianxiao, a 33-year-old online retailer from Beijing, reported that he’s selling ten times the amount of dog masks than he usually did before the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus. The man initially sold masks designed specifically for dogs to help protect the pooches from the air pollution, a business he started back in 2018 on e-commerce site Taobao.

Image credits: Zhou Tianxiao

“[The dog masks] might not be as professional as the medical masks made for humans, but they are functional,” Zhou told MailOnline. The retailer sells the dog masks at the price of 49 yuan ($7) for the pack of three.

Image credits: Zhou Tianxiao

Zhou Tianxiao also said that the main purpose of the masks is “o block out smog, stop dogs from eating or licking food on the floor and prevent them from being exposed to the virus”.

Image credits: Zhou Tianxiao

Image credits: mindy622

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Why Headspace is going local

Headspace's Healthy, Happy America initiative will see the brand partner with local organisations to put on mindfulness events in cities across the US. We talk to Chief Creative Officer Caroline Pay about the project, and Headspace's plans for the future

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Vets Save Man’s Dog From Cancer, He Thanks Them With A $6M Super Bowl Ad

Vets are real everyday heroes. Every single day, they help heal our pets, but they don’t get enough praise. Fortunately, once in a while, somebody comes along who spares no expense to show their utmost appreciation for veterinarians.

David MacNeil thanked the vets who saved his 7-year-old Golden Retriever, Scout, from cancer with a 6 million dollar Super Bowl ad. And the best part? He encouraged people to donate to the vets who saved his dog and all the funds raised from that commercial will support research at the heroes’ veterinary school and help them buy new equipment. That way, they’ll be able to diagnose and treat cancer even better: not just in animals but in humans, too.

“Scout’s illness devastated us. We wanted this year’s Super Bowl effort to not only raise awareness but also financial support for the incredible research and innovative treatments happening at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, where Scout is still a patient,” Macneil said in a statement.

“We wanted to use the biggest stage possible to highlight Scout’s story and these incredible breakthroughs, which are not just limited to helping dogs and pets. This research will help advance cancer treatments for humans as well, so there’s the potential to save millions of lives of all species.”

Vets saved 7-year-old Scout from cancer and his owner thanked them with a 6 million dollar ad

Image credits: uwmadison

You can watch the Super Bowl ad right here

Meanwhile, the dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Mark Markel, said that this is an opportunity for “veterinary medicine worldwide.”

“So much of what’s known globally today about how best to diagnose and treat devastating diseases such as cancer originated in veterinary medicine. We’re thrilled to share with Super Bowl viewers how our profession benefits beloved animals like Scout and helps people, too,” he shared his thoughts in a statement.

Scout is his owner David MacNeil’s best friend

Image credits: wtscout

Scout had a 1% chance to survive, but his owner wouldn’t give up on him

Image credits: wtscout

Here’s a video about how the vets treated Scout

Scout collapsed in the summer of 2019, was diagnosed with cancer and was given only one month to live. However, the founder and CEO of car accessories company WeatherTech, MacNeil, couldn’t accept this fate for his best buddy.

He decided not to put down his Golden Retriever despite him having only a 1 percent chance to survive: “I’m like, ‘I’m not putting that dog down. There’s just absolutely no way.”

Instead, he took Scout to the UW School of Veterinary Medicine where vets treated him with chemotherapy and radiation. Now, Scout’s tumor is nearly entirely gone.

The vets are doing everything they can to help Scout recover

Image credits: weathertech

Scout is a very good boy

Image credits: wtscout

Image credits: uwmadison

Image credits: wtscout

MacNeil’s Super Bowl ad is a 30-second commercial called ‘Lucky Dog’ and encouraged people to donate money to support tireless vets like the ones who saved Scout. “I hope it has a positive impact on cancer for animals and people, all over the world,” he said about the commercial.

There are three main options when it comes to treating pets with cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy (aka radiotherapy). These can also be used in combination with other treatments to try and save an animal’s life.

The type of treatment advised is linked to the type of cancer, its growth rate, as well as how far it has spread. Surgery, i.e. cutting out the tumor, is considered to be the oldest, most effective, and most frequently used type of treatment. Nowadays, it’s usually done alongside chemotherapy and radiotherapy. All in the hopes of saving the animal, so he can be just like Scout the Golden Retriever.

Here’s how people reacted to the story

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Design shows in China including Design Shanghai and Festival of Design postponed due to coronavirus outbreak

Design Shanghai fair postponed due to coronavirus outbreak

Organisers of the Design Shanghai trade fair and the Festival of Design architecture conference have cancelled their March 2020 events as the coronavirus outbreak disrupts travel and business in China.

Design Shanghai, the biggest contemporary design show in China, said it was moving the fair to May "to ensure the welfare and safety of visitors to our show".

Shanghai architect Neri&Hu has scrapped plans for its Festival of Design conference after "carefully evaluating the situation and potential risks." The event will return in March 2021.

The two high-profile events are among an increasing number of industry events affected by the virus, which has so far claimed 213 lives in China.

Shows in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou affected

Shenzhen International Furniture Fair, which was due to take place from 18 to 21 March, announced it has postponed its dates to June.

The Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province and Guangzhou Municipal Commerce Bureau announced the suspension of all large trade events "to ensure health and safety of all participants".

The 45^th China International Furniture Fair, which was due to take place in Guangzhou from 18 to 21 March, is among events affected.

Meanwhile, dealers have been calling for the Art Basel Hong Kong show to postpone its upcoming edition, due to take place in Hong Kong from 19 to 21 March. The fair has yet to announce a decision.

Design Shanghai postponed for "safety of visitors"

Design Shanghai was scheduled to take place from 12 to 15 March at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre.

It will now take place in the same location from 26 to 29 May, assuming that the virus has been contained by then.

"After careful consideration and advice, we have made the difficult decision to postpone Design Shanghai to ensure the welfare and safety of visitors to our show, our exhibitors and our team," said Design Shanghai director Zhuo Tan.

"We are grateful to have confirmed new dates in the same venue with the same layout so as not to compromise the quality and success of the fair," she continued.

"We appreciate the show of support that we have received from the design community and our partners during this time."

Design Shanghai fair postponed due to coronavirus outbreak

The organisers of Design Shanghai made the decision in consultation with the Chinese government and local authorities, as well as the fair partners, venue and local team. Exhibitors were notified on 30 January.

Launched in 2014 by Media 10, Design Shanghai has become one of the region's most highly acclaimed shows for the design market. The fair was sold to Clarion Events in June 2019.

Festival of Design cancelled due to "potential risks"

Neri&Hu told Dezeen they had decided "with great disappointment" to cancel the 2020 edition of Festival of Design.

The third edition of the annual conference, which invites architects from around the world to deliver lectures, was due to be held in Shanghai at the same time as Design Shanghai.

"It is with great disappointment that we have to inform all related parties on this unexpected decision, but it seems to be the best course of action at this time, setting the health and safety of our guests and attendees as our top priority," said Neri&Hu's Rossana Hu and Lyndon Neri.

"We shall resume the Festival of Design in Spring 2021, but for now, we pray for those whose health is affected by the virus outbreak and hope that the design community will be effective in offering our own contribution to the on-going relief efforts," they added.

Coronavirus a global emergency

The first case of flu-like coronavirus infection was detected in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, on 31 December. Efforts to contain the virus have failed, with almost 10,000 cases reported in China so far and infections reported around the world.

The World Health Organization yesterday declared the outbreak a global emergency.

The Chinese government has been rapidly building a 1,000-bed hospital in Wuhan in a bid to contain and treat patients suspected of contracting the coronavirus.

The 25,000-square-metre Huoshenshan facility in Wuhan is expected to be in operation by 3 February, while a second 1,600-bed hospital called Leishenshan is set to be ready by 5 February.

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Zaha Hadid Architects releases visuals of amorphous OPPO Shenzhen headquarters

OPPO Headquarters by Zaha Hadid Architects

Zaha Hadid Architects has revealed its proposal for four interconnected towers in Shenzhen, China, which will contain the open-plan headquarters for OPPO.

Set to break ground later this year, the amorphous OPPO headquarters is designed by Zaha Hadid Architects to accommodate the continual growth of the company dubbed as China's leading smartphone manufacturer.

The headquarters will measure 185,000-square-metres, and in a bid to echo the company's "commitment to connectivity", it will contain a number of large atriums surrounded by light-filled open-plan offices.