Red Pill

M Blitz Iceland

We've talked a little bit here about the M Blitz movement before...

John Bielenberg's Project M team in Iceland just completed 7 M BLITZ's in 48 hours. That's 2 days from start to finish!

The goal was to use design to do something positive, in the public realm, as a response to the current economic crisis in Iceland. They were required to produce a 48 second video to document the project. Our hope is that this will to a global movement among young designers.

Check them out! 

What is an M Blitz?

An M BLITZ is a crazy, chaotic, energizing, rapid and satisfying project that uses design thinking for the greater good. Comprised of a 5 member team of designers, or other creative collaborators, the BLITZ team is challenged to produce a completed project in a weekend’s worth of time. Several components are required for a successful BLITZ.

1. A location that is removed from the teams normal environment.
2. Willingness to “think wrong” and challenge the status quo.
3. Belief is the potential of creativity and design to have an influence on shaping the future in a positive way.
4. 48 hours of dedicated time.
5. A healthy supply of Atomic Fireballs (no substitutions of Hot Wads or Mars Hot Breakers).

Vega Lounge Bailout

This month we have been forced to get a financial bailout from the U.S. government to help fund our happy hour. We will be distributing equal rations of bread, vodka, sausage, and potassium. January 30th 6 - 9pm at the Vega Project studio. 

Attendance is required.

"Recycling is over. It is time for reusing, repurposing, upcycling" - Llyod Alter

Book covers courtesy of Treehugger and Kyle Schlie

Adhocism: The Case for Improvisation. (Book)

Architects and theorist Charles Jenicks and Nathan Silver remind us to improvise with the material at hand; keeping the practice of sustainable design a crucial aspect of our growing design culture for over 30 years. Coined in 1968, the term adhocism, “ad hoc” meaning “for this specific design” was cultivated in the Hippie community. Various concepts of adhocism acknowledge designers and artists alike to have a “do-it-yourself” approach; the current situation and environment(s) in front of you were the medium bases of the new product(s). The product(s) become hybrids that now have an underlying function rather than falling back into mass production of “recycled” goods which in turn cycle back to consumers.

"...recycling is over- it is time for reusing, repurposing,

upcycling and making something new out of the detritus of the boom...”

- Llyod Alter

Concepts from Adhocism reflected in today's designs (above)

Hero House

While working on the Mblitz concept, I had the pleasure of spending sometime with Pam Dorr of Hero House last November. She is an amazing woman doing great work for a town that desperately needs help. She'll be speaking at Compost Modern this February. Watch this video to find out more about what she's doing with Hero.

Happy 25th Birthday Macintosh!

photo credit: Banksy

Great Inspiration

Visionaire is a multi-format album of fashion and art produced in exclusive numbered limited editions. It is published 3 times a year and each time they reinvent the format and theme. They collaborate with a variety of artists, directors, fashion designers, musicians, including: Michael Stipe, Yoko Ono, Cat Power, Maurizo Cattelan, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin to name a few. 

For their World Issue #41, they started a chain email with a request for a glimpse of private situations of where people live and work from around the world. The issue contributors range from a 15 year old unkown in new york to establish artists in Ecuador, Argentina, Australia...

Their current issue - Surprise, is a series of 11 hardcover pop ups designed by 11 different artists. 

Cai Guo-Qiang

Solve Sundsbo

Minds are like parachutes, they only work if they are open.

Fo Shizzle.

While doing a little research today on use of slang, I came across this slang thesaurus.

Some of my old favorites include:

balls out: the state of fearlessness associated with confident testicular exposure in precarious circumstances. With reckless abandon and extreme courage

get on the good foot: leave. Get going.

chuffed: happy, content, pleased.

And a few new ones...

ass over tea kettle: fallen in a dramatic fashion; HEAD OVER HEELS.

grape smugglers: tight-fitting male swimming briefs. Commonly referred to as “Speedo’s.”

booty-cheddar: nonsense.

You’ve just gotta love the English language. Fo’ sho’.

This is wrong on so many levels...

‘Him and Her’ chairs by Fabio Novembre

credit: http://urbanpalimpsest.blogspot.com/, images from Wallpaper.com