the design museum // design of the year 2014

{16/04/14}

Today I visited the Design Museum which is now holding three exhibitions called; 'Designs of the Year 2014', 'In the Making' and ' Hello, My name is Paul Smith'. I haven't been to the Design Museum since 'In the Future' exhibition in September 2013 and so I was looking forward to what it may present and I hope there would be some artist references that I can use for my project.

DESIGNS OF THE YEAR 2014

"Now in its seventh year, Designs of the Year gathers together a year of cutting-edge innovation and original talent; showcasing the very best in global Architecture, Digital, Fashion, Furniture, Graphic, Product and Transport design.

Featuring Kate Moss’s favourite app, a floating school in a Nigerian lagoon, friendly lamp posts, a mobile phone you can build yourself and many others, Designs of the Year 2014 include international design stars such as Zaha Hadid, David Chipperfield and Miuccia Prada, alongside crowd-funded start ups and student projects. This not to be missed exhibition is a clear reflection of everything that is current and exciting in the world.

In total, there have been 76 nominations for Designs of the Year. After the success of its first outing in 2013, the Visitor Vote will return, allowing visitors to the Design Museum to pick their favourite design from the exhibition." 

As I went up the stairs to go to the exhibiton, it had a different opening compare to most basic wide gap space. It showed two thin white walls that were in a zig zag formation with the the title 'DESIGN MUSEUM: DESIGNS OF THE YEAR 2014' and on the other was a list of what designs it is displaying, it is arranged into themes using keys colours of fluorescent yellow, orange and a range of colours. I feel like this entrance is unique by engaging the public to weave inside the exhibition as well to to vote which design is best, although people don't really take notice about this but I feel it allows them to engage quickly.

'The Alchemist's Dressing Table' by Lauren Davies. 

{The Alchemist's Dressing Table by Lauren Davies from Dezeen on Vimeo.}
As I explored the exhibition I discovered 'The Alchemist's Dressing Table' by Lauren Davies. It is something perfect to look at for my natural skin care project and I wanted to know a lot more about it. It shares the same priniciple of creating our own beauty creams and cosmetics using natural elements, it shows the same concept I wanted to do for my project by being in control of what is on their skins.

In the exhibition it says; 'This set of elegantly creafted tools for the production of natural cosmetics brings delight to the process of turning flowers, herbs and minerals into ointmens and lotions to enhance beauty. Lauren Davies has chosen to use traditional materials, such as copper and maple wood for this part laboratory, part-ritual, kit for home use. Cork delivers insullating propeerties and borosilicate glass offer heat resistance. The work intends to start a dialogue about nature and materials, creating a possible blueprint for women who want to be more in control of the materials they use on their skins and the impact they have on the environment.

{ALL INFORMATION AND IMAGES IN ITALICS BELONGS TO DEZEEN}

Royal College of Art graduate Lauren Davies has designed a range of copper, maple and glass tools to make scented oils, creams and cosmetics at home. The Alchemist's Dressing Table project by Lauren Davies features a three-tier distiller for making scented oils, a scent infuser for creating creams and balms, and a double-sided copper bat for mixing eyeliner. 

"The tools I've designed will enable women to forge a stronger connection to their personal beauty rituals and a more magical relationship with nature's intricate mysteries" said Davies.

 {images by: Dezeen}

The three-tier distiller features a glass globe and a stainless steel stand with a cork rim. Water can be boiled in the spun-copper bowl on the base, which is heated by an oil burner positioned underneath. Steam passes up through scented plants that are placed on the first copper sieve and again through a second sieve. The top compartment is filled with ice and the spun copper funnel acts as a condenser, turning the rising steam underneath into a scented liquid that trickles into a glass, positioned in the centre.

{Distiller}

Davies has also created a pan for melting oils and waxes, and for mixing scents and pigments. The pan is made from borosilicate glass and has a maple wood handle. It sits on copper hot plate that is positioned on a stainless steel stand.

 {Glass pan and copper hot plate, scent infuser and copper kohl plate}

For creating creams and balms from scented plants, Davies has designed a scent infuser. "The scent is built up over time as unscented fat traps the airborne scent molecules from the plant material above," she explained.

{Glass pan with maple wood handle}

{Scent infuser}

The final tool is a copper plate with a wooden handle for making kohl eyeliner. A single disc of copper is place over an oil burner. Carbon collects on the underside and then the disk is flipped over for making the eye makeup.

"The black carbon deposit can then be mixed with almond oil for a smudged finish or aloe vera and witch hazel to allow a brush drawn line and used as eyeliner," Davies explained.

Davies' collection also includes a pair of copper tongs for picking up plant material, a maple wood stirrer, a mixing tool and four copper measuring spoons.

{Hand tools include copper tongs, four measuring spoons and a mirror}

All the products are made from five materials. "The palette of copper and maple wood are chosen for their traditional and folkloric symbolism respectively," said Davies. "Cork is used for its insulating properties, borosilicate glass for its heat resistance and stainless steel for strength," she added.

'Serpentine Galleries identity' by Marina Willer in collaboration with Brian Boylan

{Serpentine Galleries Animation from Pentagram on Vimeo.}

I wanted to look at the branding aspect of my project and saw this Serpentine identity. I personally like how much outcome is similiar yet not exactly the same, it shares the same logo but with different colours and imagery. The logo excceeds the ther boundaries of the edge the media and kepts the concept of the 'space' between the logo. I was fascinated by how it is done in different media (poster, leaflets, digitally (ipad) and even pencil packages.

Willer's team created a new identity for the Serpentine Galleries to express a spirit of openness. The logo acts as an aperture, opening for different content and different ideas in an ever-changing way, and also as a bridge - echoing the actual bridge over the Serpentine that links the two Galleries in Hyde Park. The team created the graphic language, imagery, colour palette and all other brand elements. Pentagram's Daniel Weil worked with Willer to create the signage system for the Galleries both externally and internally. {Source: Dezeen}

Willer says, ‘In the beginning we were trying to understand their plans and their place in the world.’ She adds, ‘We were looking at how to leverage the gallery site, which is an amazing space, but we also wanted to take it beyond the physical space and create a unifying brand.’ Boylan says, ‘We insisted that it should be regarded as one Serpentine, rather than two galleries.’

The concept of ‘openness’ was a constant theme in the strategy development, according to Willer. She says, ‘What’s unique about the Serpentine is that they are totally open – they are free to visit and situated in the park, among nature. They are also open in their approach to exhibiting – they’re not just about visual art but about performance, design and other things.’ The concept of openness is manifested in the identity through an aperture, which can open for different content and different ideas.