Dott Blog - General

Cool, Cosmic and Free

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:31:00+0100

Karen Stone, Founder and Festival Director of Design Event has a lot to be proud of. This year's Design Event 07 (DE07), which takes places from 11 - 28 October in Newcastle and across the region, is hosting 23 exhibitions and is the largest festival in the history of this young but fast-growing event. Established with the aim of creating more attention on design in the region, the festival has been a runaway success. Flourishing with the much needed support of One NorthEast (ONE), Culture10 and Dott 07, DE07 promises to secure national attention for the talented designers on show and bring the cool and cosmic to the region in their hordes. This year, designers were invited to respond to the theme 'How do we want to live?' and the collective of designers called Designed & Made came up with an original idea, cool, cosmic and free enough to get the most reluctant exhibition-visitor to part with their cynicism if not their pounds. Fancy bashing the hell out of a lump of steel and forming a jelly mould? Or perhaps you've got an old pair of ballet pumps that you'd like to immortalise by dipping in porcelain? Whatever you might think about exhibitions, think again because from 21 October - 17 November, Designed & Made are hosting an exhibition titled delight in design that promises to bring out the devilish designer in anyone! [More]

Weighty Words About Losing Weight

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 14:01:00+0100

'We have to remember that industrial design equals mass production, and that every move, every decision, every curve we specify is multiplied-sometimes by the thousands and often by the millions. And that every one of those everys has a price. We think that we're in the artifact business, but we're not; we're in the consequence business'. So begins Allan Chochinov excellent new 'Manifesto for Sustainability in Design.' Allan has managed to condense his clarion call into 1,000 words - but considering that Core 77 probably has more readers than any industrial design channel, on or offline, those 1,000 words will carry a lot of weight. Or, hopefully, even better, reduce it.

Donate Your Paint

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 11:21:00+0100

Do you have partially used tins of paint lying around the house, perhaps in the garden shed? Why not do something useful with them, donate them to Community RePaint.
Community RePaint runs nationwide and has schemes in Morpeth, Chester-le-Street and Bishop Auckland. The Bishop Auckland scheme could shortly moving to Shildon. The project collects leftover reusable paint from householders, and redistributes it to those who need paint but cannot afford it. Local charities, community and voluntary groups and individuals in social need can all apply to receive free paint, sadly the offer doesn't including a painter and decorator. Paint is usually offered free of charge although schemes encourage small financial donations to help cover their costs. [More]

Design Anarchy

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 19:10:00+0100

No-one could ever accuse Adbusters of being particularly subtle. The Vancouver-based anti-corporate magazine has been running since the late 80s has been described a 'molotov throwing' in its attitude. Back then it was called a "journal of the mental environment" and ever since has been taking a pop at the likes of Marlboro, Nike, Chevron and Microsoft. It was founded by Kalle Lasn, a filmmaker, originally from Estonia who spent his childhood in a German refugee camp and in Australia. In the 60s he founded a market research company in Tokyo and in 1970 moved to Vancouver where he made documentaries for BBS and Canada's National Film Board. In 1989 he made a documentary which was a counter-ad to British Columbia's forestry industry, which was being targetted by radical environmentalists. TV stations refused to air it, and so they fought back through other media. The industry's ads were pulled after hundreds of complaints, and Adbusters was created. [More]

The Wall Gets Star Listing - But Does it Work?

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:30:00+0100

"I remember going into the architect's office and playing when I was a kid. It was open at all kinds of funny times and they were really listening to people." Roberta Davidson is a youth worker who moved to the Byker Wall when it opened and we met her at the YMCA centre that's part of the development. She thinks the Wall's a success, and part of that success is the design that's made it into more of a community than many of the places that surround it. "Where we were before there were outside netties and no-where proper for the kids to play. Now in the summer here we're out with our deckchairs with the kids playing bingo." Outside the centre James is loading tools into his van. You could understand why he might be less keen on the place, he works for the council doing maintenance here and also lives on the estate. But he's keen, "It's the art deco of the future" he says "it looks great from the outside" (apparently the chipboard floors inside and 'caravan' windows cause him a few nightmares). [More]

Volunteers Demand a Voice

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:54:00+0100

Volunteers have expressed their frustration this week that the government doesn't seem to tap into their considerable knowledge and experience when they are designing public services. The National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) transformation made the case this week that delivery systems should be designed from the grass roots up. Voluntary organisations perform a huge range of tasks that are vital to the quality of life of many of those most at need, but for which we cannot, or choose not to pay from central or local government resources. A case in point is Dott 07's DaSH project, where sexual health services are being redesigned with the input of the end user and that of local volunteers. Bus routes in rural areas could be designed with the local knowledge of those who transport the elderly, or who struggle to access services themselves. The NCVO say that decision makers must learn to understand how the sector's roles of advocacy, support and advice giving contribute to public services rather than seeing them as meddling or having conflicting interests, and they are backed up by the Local Government Association. In the UK 1.6bn hours per year are given to voluntary work, and the North East has a thriving voluntary sector with organisations such as Voluntary Organisations' Network North East. It would seem that there's a lot of time, energy and expertise out there that might just make the government's life easier when it comes to deciding what the country's citizens need and want, rather than harder. Any thoughts out there from the region's army of volunteers?

Land of Lost Content

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 16:21:00+0100

The world's largest archive of 20th and 21st century popular culture has gone online. The resource is the result of a lifetime of collecting by Northern designers Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway from their Red or Dead days through to Hemingway Design and Stella and Dave Mitchell who house their collection in the Land of Lost Content museum in Shropshire. The website shows images of the collections which are downloadable and collectable, and in many cases ready to be utilised by designers, marketing departments and advertising agencies. They include images of the contents of a World War 2 bomb shelter, a collection of washing powder packets from every decade of the 20th century and the front covers of first editions of magazines from Jackie through to The Face, ID and Wallpaper. The collections span back over 40 years, and are growing on a daily basis, so it's expected that it will take years to photograph everything, but current searches will bring up advertising, font, fashion, textiles, beauty product design, photographic, architecture, landscape transport and editorial ideas and images.

Mapping the Global World

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 11:29:00+0100

The International Networks Archive (INA), based at Princeton University, is developing a new way of mapping our world, based on global transactions instead of geography. But what is mapping? Mapping is a way of making complex or hidden data visible.
At our Explorers Club in June, Janet Abrams, author of Else/Where Mapping, joined us to discuss mapping in the digital age. Janet spoke about how we could process and visualise data linking people and places, data and organisations and physical and virtual environments. The INA is specifically interested in global communication and information technologies, international inequality, and issues of international security. The project features quirky maps full of facts and figures that are easy to digest. Jonathan Harris, of Flaming Toast Productions, designed the maps. Jonathan describes the project as 'an experimental mapping philosophy, merging data, maps and technology.' [More]

One 'ELLE' of a Mirror

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 13:06:00+0100

Local designers Dan Ziglam and Elliot Brook, AKA Deadgood, are celebrating after being nominated for the ELLE Decoration's 'Interior Product of the Year 2006'! Their uber-cool 'UK Mirror', cut in the shape of the United Kingdom, has made it to the final round. The super-polished steel silhouette is a metre-high and would look good, dead good, on any wall, particularly one in my house! If the UK shape isn't your thing, you could always opt for Mirror Mia - a silhouette of Italy. Both mirrors retail at £200. The ELLE Decoration Design Awards winners will be announced at the end of September. Good luck boys!

Damp Dott

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 11:34:00+0100

The storm drain in the Robert Stephenson Centre (Dott 07 headquarters) couldn't cope with the huge downpour of rain this morning in Newcastle upon Tyne. The drain overflowed, flooding the floor of our beloved building. Quickly Dott, live|work and Laura from Zest Innovation grabbed what we could - brushes and wooden boards, to try and direct the flow of the gushing water away from the Dott office. Thankfully the rain stopped, reducing the water, and we managed to limit damage to the office. Does anyone agree we need our storm drain re-designed?

ICON's Top 21

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 15:20:00+0100

British design magazine ICON have compiled a list of the 21 most influential people, products and organisations in the design world today. Who comes out top? Clue: We love to buy it for the price but some of us are less than thrilled when it comes to building it. Especially when some items take eight hours to build. (Yes, I am speaking from experience). Do you agree with ICON's list?

Steve Messam Goes East

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 14:32:00+0100

Kirkby Stephen based artist Steve Messam has created his latest piece Souvenir in the heart of Shanghai. 120 custom-made umbrellas were used to create a series of 4 metre (12ft) red balls that mirror Shanghai's landmark Pearl Orient tower.
Steve's latest installation is a continuation of the Balls to Grasmere project, where the Fold artist strategically placed 7 huge red balls in the calm waters of Grasmere.
Steve originally went to China for a research visit and to talk about FRED - the annual art invasion in Cumbria. A chance meeting with French curator Thomas Charveriat led to the opportunity to do something big. [More]

Dan Civico's Dott Encounter

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 11:55:00+0100

Design artist Dan Civico had a 'Dott Encounter' with Aditya Dev Sood. A Dott encounter is a meeting, conversation or exchange of information that without Dott would not have happened. Aditya is Founder and CEO of Centre for Knowledge Societies (CKS) in Bangalore and Delhi. CKS conceive and develop innovative products and services that harness the new possibilities of media, communications and technology. Aditya was visiting Dott to discuss his workshop in India, where the Dott RSA Design Directions winners will be taken. Dan Civico, whose work combines the disciplines of sculpture, design and performance, was working on his 'Thirtyone Series' exhibition in The Robert Stephenson Centre, ahead of the launch party for DE06, when Aditya commented on his work. [More]

Inside The Robert Stephenson Centre

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 13:46:00+0100

The Robert Stephenson Centre was home to Robert Stephenson's engineering works and is famous as the birthplace of locomotives such as the Rocket and the box girders that revolutionised bridge-building around the world, making a fitting base for an initiative celebrating innovative design. I took a couple of pictures while John Thackara and Nick Devitt were busy discussing projects.

South Korea Visits Dott 07

Fri, 07 Jul 2006 14:53:00+0100

South Korea is one of the world's most energetic investors in design. The country boasts 95,000 design students - and 66 post-graduate graduate design programmes - for a population of 45 million people. So we are pleased, but not surprised, that the first international delegation to visit Dott 07 came from that country. Shown here meeting John Thackara are Kim Jin-woo from the Korea Institute of Design Promotion (left) and Mr Her (right) from the Ministry of Industry (MOCIE), who is in charge of Korean government support for design. The expectation is that by next year, 2007, Korea's design industry will be on a level with those of other developed countries. Dott 07's programme director, John Thackara, was keynote speaker at Design Korea last November. Korea Design Report