Karim Rashid: It's a white and pink thing

Probably considered the most well known designer in America, Karim Rashid, has some huge advances in design from product to interior. He is known for the designs of the Oh Chair, as well as the Garbo waste receptacle, and was a collaborator for the design of the Dirt Devil prototype. For excellence in interior design, he has designed the interior of the Morimoto restaurant in Philadelphia and has won European wide awards for his design of the Semiramus Hotel in Athens, Greece. His works can be found around the world in popular art venues such as MOMA in NYC, SFMOMA, The Townhouse Gallery in his birthplace of Cairo as well as even the Wexner Center here at OSU. He is also the founder of Karim Rashid Inc. a highly successful design firm based in New York City. He is a repeated winner of the prestigious Red Dot Award, Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award (where some of his pieces reside), the Industrial Design Excellence Award as well as many more. For 10 years he also stood in as an Associate Professor for Industrial Design but mainly does lectures for aspiring students. 


"Karim Rashid Inc.." Architecture Page. Architecture Page, 24 Jan 2007. Web. 22 Jan 2011. <http://www.architecture-page.com/go/people/profiles/karim-rashid-inc__all>.


"Karim Rashid Biography." Biomega. Biomega, 2011. Web. 22 Jan 2011. <http://www.biomega.dk/biomega.aspx>.


"Karim Rashid Biography." Karim Rashid Official Website. N.p., 2011. Web. 22 Jan 2011. <http://www.karimrashid.com/biography_fr.html>.

Michael Bierut: Projections of Communication

Michael Bierut is a son of Ohio, an internationally recognized name in design and is a leading innovator in the field of Visual Communication. Amongst his greatest achievements: He began his illustrious career at big time firm Vignelli Associates. Following huge success there he moved on to the firm Pentagram where he is a partner. In his time there he's worked for big names such as United Airlines, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Walt Disney. He was president of the New York Chapter of AIGA for 2 years and head of the national association for 3 years. His work can be found at MOMA and the National Design Museum in New York, SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art), Library of Congress as well as numerous other locations both in the US and even 2 abroad in Germany and Switzerland. He assisted with the film Helvetica, commemorative of the print face's 50th anniversary. He likes to spread his theory that design can be analogous to entertaining aspects like "baseball, movies or a piece of music." This withdraws the detachment some can get from many abstract design ideas. He is the founder of the online design journal/magazine Design Observer. He also is a member of the Architectural League of New York and New Yorkers for Parks as he designed many signs downtown NYC for directing tourists. Finally his top awards for design are an induction into the Art Directors Hall of Fame and into he Alliance Graphique Internationale.


Walker, Alissa. "Medalist-Michael Bierut." AIGA. AIGA The Professional Association for Design, 2011. Web. 22 Jan 2011. <http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/medalist-michaelbierut>.


Scher, Paula. "2003 Hall of Fame." Art Directors Club. Art Directors Club, 2010. Web. 22 Jan 2011. <http://www.adcglobal.org/archive/hof/2003/?id=197>.

RR02

While reading John Haskett's Design: A Short Introduction I liked his interpretation of design as being an evolution of invention or nature, layering improvement in efficiency or aesthetics from each generation. The coolest concept was his idea of the origins of design and it's accidental adaptation, as man's hand served as the ultimate tool, it was bettered, made jobs once done by them easier and more efficient. I find this interesting as almost all work done by man both in past as well as present is somehow derived from adaptations and designs built off the hand, such as using this computer: it is a replacement of typewriters, which succeeded handwriting, wall paintings all the way to the first time someone drew a symbol in the dirt with their finger. It is from this basis and idolization of the hand's design that we even strive to make things such as the growing field of robotics to be as anthropomorphic as possible. I also found how designs' perceptions change over time such as the VW Beatle being a Nazi Germany Propaganda machine to the lovable and popular selling Bug of modern day. Likewise I found how people adapt ideas and concepts into different functions (a product was made to do blank, but after experimenting with it, it becomes more versatile) over time. It had never occurred to me but the implications of differing cultures also has a lot to do with design and function; such as the japanese toothpick and it removable end to allow it's tip to not touch a table, this is due to the cultural standards/precedent with chopsticks. Another interesting aspect of design is how it can be regionally influenced, such as Coca-Cola having to change it's name in China to avoid a poor translation. This reminds me of the refrigerator brand talked about in class that attempted to sell their brand across all of europe, but ended up having over 120 designs due to the many different dietary habits of each region and country.

CR02

In the last few classes we looked back at the origins and history of design, and how it, like the field itself built upon itself and evolved from more basic forms. Despite most peoples views on history, I enjoyed learning about the dilemmas that a new industrial age brought in and how ordinary things such as the design of a toilet were of utmost importance. I especially liked seeing the evolution of the chair, and how they can at times defy the creed "form follows function" in order to solely give attention to the aesthetics of the chair instead of designing one of comfort and going in later to make it more presentable.

From the Wednesday class I found the descriptions of the different disciplines offered by OSU to be very helpful, even so to help me remove one (Visual Communication) as a potential specialty. As an industrial designer I have a broad range of potential career paths in product design ranging from shoes to toasters to MRI machines. I also am interested in interior design based on this presentation, as I like the idea of deciding the color of the walls but also how to maximize efficiency and safety for others in these spaces. I also found the practice of visual synthesis very interesting as I found that subtlety is an art in it's own.  

J02

I began this project looking high and low for what most would consider your typical pattern, repeating elements, similar colors and symmetrical images, looking in what I considered the obvious places. It was just walking around these areas that helped me to find the many unknown but often seen patterns that surround us on this campus.

Above is a picture of a friend's rug which displays a simple pattern of repeating colors, but also contains an order about it, deceptive by it's chaotic and wild appearance. I found it one night while sleeping on it, I mean it's kind of hard to miss such a rug which is why it made the top 10. 

 Walking back from the RPAC I couldn't help but notice these umbrella covered tables outside of the Thompson. The first three (left to right) displayed against the tones of the library, are exactly identical in spacing from one another as well as how they are turned. The odd one out (as can be seen by the angle of the umbrella) is turned differently, as well as shot with nature in the background.

Surrounded by flood drains one would see them as banal through their ubiquitousness, but this one found outside of the RPAC caught my eye on a rainy day. Its repetition, both vertically and horizontally, creates an interesting almost flowing water appearance, but it is the levels of repetition that really attracted me. The foreground flowing bars, middle ground connectors and the background black space.

This is the adornment of the outer wall of Lazenby Hall found across from the Thompson Library at Neil Ave. I wasn't even out searching for patterns, but the fact that I looked up is pretty amazing. I particularly like the contrasting likeness of flowing waves of the top part to that of the blocky bricks which stick out below. It also is an ever continuous pattern, a constant repeating wave. 

After going up to the 10th floor of the Thompson Library in search of a play the other day, I noticed this  repetitive and mesmerizing pattern on the walls of the library's elevator. I liked this due to its meticulousness in comparison to other patterns I'd seen. While others were bulky this contained hundreds of small interwoven metal loops, which together collectively reflect light to create an interesting image/pattern. 

While exploring downtown Columbus Friday night on our way to Contra dancing, my friends' and my eyes fell upon this church's rose window. I'm a sucker for ornate architecture as is, and there is plenty downtown, but this pattern follows all of the specifications (symmetry, repetition, etc) and even breaks from the rest, being circular instead of linear, not to mention that it also has many layers to its design and pattern. Also the flower petal shape is a nice contrast to the color and the physical rigidness of the stone.

Making my way between floors of the Thompson via stairs I found this simple repetition. These water main valves from first glance are identical, a nice thing for a pattern, but it is also how looking up from the bottom you can see them evolve from left to right. The top sign seems to fold up as it moves across and the valves' pressure gauges are increasing as well. Really the fact that something so subtle and not built for aesthetics can be so beautiful when seen from the right angle. 

Actually last night as I finished playing ping pong with a few friends in my dorm I spilled some water on my racquet. Shaking it to get the water it ended up creating something less intricate, but still spider web like, on the face. Not only do the water lines branching outward and intertwining with one another create somewhat of a pattern but the paddle's face also has the honeycomb shape of the pips in rubber. I rather liked this pattern as it could only be seen at a certain degree to a light source, making it even rarer as well as both repeatable (in process) but not in pattern design. 

The Thompson Library at night truly shows it's supreme symmetry and beautiful repetitions. From the pillars of the lower picture, to the windows' crosshatchings, the statues that overhang the space between the doors and even to the brick work, it is one full of patterns and excessive, almost gaudy outer design. This is the west entrance to the Library and as seen here can be extremely beautiful on a clear night. 

Finally, this is the gate which separates the streets to the courtyard of Siebert, Morrison, Canfield, etc halls. I actually found this pattern at the beginning of the school year even utilizing it's design for a little game that my friends and I invented called patio ball. If you look closely you can see a repetition of the bars positions which fit together like puzzle pieces. I've always liked it's cold looking appeal as well as it's good use of blank space in between the bars leaving it still effective as a gate while adding a little aesthetics to it. 

Reading Reflection 01

I read the article Volunteers Recycle 7000 Plastic Bottles into a Colorful Shingled Roof.
http://inhabitat.com/fizzy-bottle-roof-made-from-7000-plastic-bottles/
Known as the Fizzy Bottle Project, residents in Merton Abbey, London, England decided to collect soda and water bottles, crush them, essentially creating shingles to cover a hut made from 383 yards of  pvc piping and 60 recycled sign posts. Not only does this project create an environmentally friendly structure (through the exemplary use of recycling) but also served to bring a community of about 180 people together, involving everyone of them through the hut's 5 step building process. This project was recognized  in 2010 for many educational and environmental awards, both locally and city wide in London, and is only one of many installments in designer Louisa Loakes' Growing Gardens Project. 
I found this particular project interesting due to it's simplicity, environmentally geared efforts and socially/communal tying aspect. Though it's easily repeatable and did not really push the limits of modern design, the fact that it is the collective efforts of volunteers and donations from local businesses (tool hiring company lent the project a 2 ton Steamroller to crush the bottles) making this a nearly zero cost project. It not only stands as a piece of art and an environmental statement but is also economical, and go to set standards for decorative structures as well as other buildings as worldwide we move toward going "green", and to save a buck in times of global dismay. 

Journal 01 & Course Reflection 01

Howdy, my name is Chris Poche, I'm a freshman at The Ohio State University. I've lived my entire life in Lagrange, Ky (about 30 mins outside of Louisville and an hour south of Cincy) but have made up for this with many travels around the US and the world. I'm an avid music listener, (having a taste in nearly everything but Country) and can rarely be seen without my earphones being far off. As of late I've been listening to a lot of The Shins, Modest Mouse, Vampire Weekend, The Beatles, Regina Spektor and Red Hot Chili Peppers. I am both an athlete and sports fan, playing mainly tennis, soccer, and basketball, and cheering for more or less every Chicago-land team (not the Cubs), as well as Chelsea Football Club. On the opposite spectrum though, I was highly active in my Theatre Department in high school and hope to continue to stay with acting despite not being a theatre major in undergrad. I'm a fairly easy person to get along with and like to believe I've got a pretty good sense of humor. I generally like to take my time in life, or as much as one can on a college campus, so if you see someone walking slow admiring everyone in a hurry on the oval, stop by and say hi. I like to read the things most dread (Classic novels and Shakespeare) and I'm obsessed with films (Kubrick, Tarantino and Wes Anderson are a handful of favorite directors)  and am always looking for new suggestions to watch. Lastly, I'm an adventurer, amateur of course, but I look forward to getting lost, or just seeing where a situation is bound to take me, it breaks the monotony of life and I usually aim to have 1 or 2 a week. If you have any other questions about me, just introduce yourself to me or tag along, I'm always looking to meet new people.
I'm currently Undecided, but I'm looking at going into the Industrial Design on account to my interests in engineering, design and marketing. Design 200 is really for me to test the waters, learn what it is to be a designer, to think like one, and to hopefully to be successful as one, one day. I am fascinated by the inner workings of most things, and ponder about them, from things as simple as watches to the LHC. I began to consider this field after my success as a Production Editor (graphic and layout designer) of my high school's state award winning paper, and am hoping that, that visual communication experience can carry over to industrial design. More so I would like to understand exactly what design is, as opposed to the preconceived stereotype which has been imposed on me. So now it's time to reboot, learn and see if I have what it takes to be a designer.