Open conversations on web 2.0

Kids seem to be behaving in virtual spaces in a way that is difficult for older generations to understand. On MySpace.com or on blogs an entire generation of teenagers are sharing with the public what we used to write in secret in a diary or only share with our closets friends. Today’s teenagers seem to perceive the internet space in a completely different way compared to older generations. The language is different and the rules of conduct are different. The older generation thinks of the internet as a public space whereas it seems that the young generation see the internet as one big platform where you can express yourself without (almost) any limitation. Internet probably creates a sort of anonymity and informality that inspires unrestrained behavior.


www.blogster.com
www.meganmccafferty.com
www.myspace.com

Self-healing materials

Nature has always been a great source of inspiration for designers and scientists. Now we have spotted some of the first commercial products on the market that have self-healing properties, comparable to how your skin heals itself. “It’s very exciting” says Sandy Spaan, Philips Designs Material & Finishing innovation consultant at Philips Design. “It means for example that if your car gets a scratch it can repair itself”.
source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1901520,00.html

Milan Designweek 2006

“This years design fair in Milan was definitely in a different mood than a couple of years ago” says Shirley Muijrers, one of the Philips Design trend analysts that went to Milan this year to watch all the new stuff. “2 years ago, the mood was very romantic and decorative, this year it seemed less optimistic. There was still a lot of decoration but it was more bling-bling or baroque opulent, with lots of mirror-effects and Swarowski-crystals. The exhibition by Lexus was very impressive, there was a room full of threads that you had to dive through to find the cars, and it was a very sensuous and disorientating experience”.

Lexus “fiber space”

Lexus “fiber space” by tokujin yoshioka

EXAMPLES OF BAROQUE OPULENCE WITH A TWIST

“biscuit” Studio Jobs for Royal Tichelaar,

Garden design by Job Smeets at “Post Mortem”
by Design Academy Eindhoven,

“Perished” screen by studio Jobs at Dilmos Gallery

‘swarm chandelier’ by zaha hadid,

z.island kitchen by Zaha Hadid

Quin.MGX designed by Bathsheba Grossman
 and manufactured by Materialise.MGX.

One_Shot.MGX designed by Patrick Jouin and manufactured by Materialise.MGX.

The Conceptual age

In his book “the whole new mind” Daniel H. Pink un-folds the idea of the next paradigm; the conceptual age. He describes the drivers behind it, the 3 A’s; Abundance, Asia and Automation. A big part of the book is dedicated to the 6 senses that we need to develop to survive and thrive in the conceptual age; story, empathy, play, meaning, symphony and design. The book is easy to read and gives very hands-on ideas of how to develop the necessary survival skills.