Design 21: Social Design Network

A designer is a business professional who develops solutions to commercial needs that require the balancing of technical, commercial, human and aesthetic requirements.

A designer can be said to be both technician and artist.

A designer plans things for manufacture or construction. The difference between a designer and a craftsperson or artist is that designers usually develop things that have requirements set by others and will ultimately be produced by others.

Design serves industry Design is a commercial activity. Professional design grew out of a need for skilled individuals who could plan products and environments that would appeal to customers. An essential part of design is the preparation of plans and instructions that will allow for the accurate production of the design by others rather than the designer also performing the production task.

Defining design Design is a widely used word. It is applied to any process where an outcome is being planned rather than relying on chance. So people in all sorts of occupations speak of designing aspects of their business activities. In many cases they are using the word as a synonym for plan.

Design is also a term used by technical professionals such as engineers or software developers. These professionals must reconcile the technical and commercial requirements of projects.

The fundamental difference between the two preceding examples and the definition of design as applied by design professionals represented by the Design...

EVENTS:

Sydney Design 07 4 - 19 August 2007 www.phm.gov.au

Fifties Fair 26 August 2007 www.hht.net.au

Spare Room (Sydney) 14 July - 23 September 2007 www.hht.net.au

En Route (Sydney) 4 - 19 August 2007 enroute@unwired.com.au

Young Architects Program (New York) 27 June - 8 September 2007

TRADE FAIRS:

Interior Lifestyle China (Shanghai) 13 - 16 September 2007 www.interior-lifestyle-china.com

Istanbul Design Week 4 - 10 September 2007 www.istanbuldesignweek.com

100% Design London 20 - 23 September 2007 www.100percentdesign.co.uk

Neocon Xpress (Los Angeles) 22 - 23 August 2007 www.merchandisemart.com/neoconxpress/Show_overview

COMPETITIONS:

Andreu World 13 September 2007 www.andreuworld.com

'Mercury' The 'Mercury' pendant light designed by Ross Lovegrove for Artemide elegantly brings together light, movement and fluidity. artemide.com

'Tulip' The 'Tulip' swivel chair is the latest addition to the diami product range. Manufactured in Italy and finished locally in your choice of fabrics, its unique design makes it applicable for a wide range of settings. diami.com.au

'ABi Entrance Matting' This designer collection of entrance matting is manufactured from the highest quality materials and design, offering an attractive protective barrier against dirt and moisture at building entrances. theandrewsgroup.com.au

'Grata' 'Grata', a new multi-purpose chair is aimed at modern and flexible working environments while the new 'NT' table from UCI caters for conference and training room applications. uci.com.au

'Amelia' Chair With an extruded geometric form the 'Amelia' Chair and complementary pieces designed by Keith Melbourne contrast complex and sophisticated lines with elegant parabolic curves. Woodmark www.woodmark.com.au

'Mighty Chair' The indoor/outddor chair defines the tyological form in a single materical with zero detail, resulting in a practical, lightweight, comfortable and economical product. korban/flaubert korbanflaubert.com.au

'In-Sync' Designs A contemporary Australian-manufactured jewellery collection of powder-coated stainless steel is made with attention to detail and functionality and currently includes a range of brooches and bangles. In-Sync Designs irissaar@optusnet.com.au

'Tok Tok' The new 'Tok Tok' table was designed in Australia for the local market. The bold geometry and flexibility make it perfect for a quick chat and informal meeting in the modern day office. RJ Workspace rj.com.au

'Flod' A modern spanish stool is ergonomically designed to be comfortable, light, stable and resistant for indoor and outdoor use. Ke-Zu kezu.com.au

'This Table Will Self-Destruct' This unique product explores the space between one-off and mass-produced furniture. With each table sold, actual material is removed from the design, creating a finite number available. Studio 1A.M studio1am.com

'Soundscape' Its form deriving from the contours of sculpted soundwaves, this chair in the 'Soundscape' furniture range by Jeeni Baxter reinterprets everyday sound relationships. Jen...

Judging: October 2, 2007

Oakwood Cemetery in Troy, NY is the main site in America for "Uncle Sam" Wilson, the progenitor of the icon who represents the U.S. world-wide. He and family are buried here in a embarrassingly-meager gravesite. The competition is for the design of an internationally-significant memorial explaining his life, and also the history of the evolution of the symbolism.

Type Open, Anonymous Registration Deadline 08/15/2007 Submission Deadline 09/15/2007 Open To Architects, Architectural Students, and Sculptors working in the USA Entry Fee US $50 for students, $125 all others Awards US $9,000 Total Jury Lance Brown and 2 other jurors to be named Contact Theresa Page Address Oakwood Cemetery, 50 101st Street, Troy, NY 12180 Email Competition E-Mail Web Site Competition Web Site Phone 518-272-7520 Fax 518-272-7521

Call for Architects Athletes Village, Stratford City, London

47 practices appointed to Athletes' Village Panel

The Lend Lease led consortium and the Architecture Foundation have announced the panel of 47 practices from which architects will be chosen to design the Athletes' Village for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. The village will include 4,000 residential dwellings, related accommodation and additional structures in a £2 billion development.

The list includes some of the most exciting up-and-coming architects in the UK including Amin Taha, 6a, Plasma, Sergison Bates, Peter Barber and Piercy Connor. Also included are more established firms such as Fielden Clegg Bradley and Denton Corker Marshall, as well as outstanding practices from Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Ireland, Australia and the US.

From the overall panel of 47, a series of short lists will be prepared to choose architects to design each of the individual elements of the new high-density residential district. The first commissions are set to be awarded in September 2007 and initial designs released in December 2007. It is expected that there will be 20 ? 30 individual commissions.

The 10-strong judging panel was chaired by Frank Duffy, Chairman of the Stratford City Design Review Panel. 434 submissions were received from around the world and the judging process took place over a month.

Lend Lease Europe Chairman Nigel Hugill commented: "The judges faced a da...

On view through 23 Sept, 2007

How does a designer go from being a relative unknown to becoming a tastemaker? New York Fashion Now explores the stories of twenty designers who launched their own labels in the five years between 1999 and 2004. Key to the early success of some has been the focused support of the fashion press, retailers and manufacturers, as well as the funded design competitions that help the winners pay their bills.

In June this year we invited a number of designers to participate in a digital storytelling project to be launched and showcased during Sydney Design 07. Each personal story is told, produced and made by a designer, in the Museum’s digital media studios, with the light helping hands of expert industry peers and technicians. This was all achieved during an intensive, two-day workshop.

Digital Storytelling is an international practice (the best known method originating from Berkeley), that is still emerging, and the Powerhouse Museum is one of the few Digital Storytelling centres in Australia (the other notable centre is the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne).

We are very excited about the potential of this project and its possible widespread use throughout the design industry, as a design education tool and a medium for creative self reflection. Digital stories use new media technologies to produce autobiographical ‘mini-movies’. They present a personal point of view through the collaboration of voice narration, a collection of images, music and photographs.

Digital storytelling is different to an oral history or an interview. This project offered participants the opportunity to contemplate their design practice through a new medium and to present for the viewer a significant insight into design processes, inspirations and working life. It also gave them the opportunity to collaborate and network with industry peers who they might not otherwise get ...

Be a part of Young Blood: Designers Market during Sydney Design 07 and showcase your work alongside some of the hottest talent in Australian design. Young Blood provides the unique opportunity for emerging designers to showcase and launch their creative talents into the Sydney scene. Young Blood is part of the Powerhouse Museum’s continued commitment to supporting new Australian design.

Take your designs to market during Sydney Design 07 Young Blood: Designers Market is looking for designers with quality new and original wares. If you are passionate about selling or showcasing your work then apply now to take a stall. From fashion to furniture, jewellery, product, homeware and lighting design, whatever your field, all submissions are welcome.

Email: youngblood@phm.gov.au Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street Ultimo Friday 17 August, 6.00-9.00pm Saturday 18 August, 8.00am-5.00pm

All our exhibitors are vetted by a selection panel that contains the most important movers and shakers in the industry from the UK's foremost contemporary furniture retailers, to a clutch of heavyweight designers. It means that every stand at the show meets our own exacting criteria ensuring that the show is kept truly 100% Design.

While we have always prided ourselves on creating an event where real business can take place, we also believe an exhibition should be fun. Over the years 100% Design has become renowned for the quality of its exhibition design, its food and arguably most important of all its bar. It's a place where visitors can catch up with old friends, be inspired by new ideas and catch a glimpse of the future.

September 20 - 23th 2007 Earl's Court 2, London