blog

17th February 2012

Mark Reigelman

Artist Mark Reigelman has installed a shed on the side of a building in San Fransisco. It looks a bit like a giant bird box.
The artist is making a comment on the rights of the urban explorer being able to find an unoccupied parcel of space in which to make a home. There are lights on the inside of the wooden hut which are powered by solar panels on the roof. Via Dezeen

14th February 2012

kkd in print

We are in another book called Powershop 3 – New Retail Design. We have two projects in the fancy gold edged book which has been described as “A lavish retail design bible”. Order your copy soon, as the last issue of Powershop completely sold out! Powershop is published by Frame Publishers.

31st January 2012

Michela made us cake

Today we were lucky enough to get cake made for us by Michela. You’ll have probably noticed that cake is quite a tradition of the studio. This was Michela’s first KKD cake day, and she made some special Italian biscuits called ‘scianchette’. These contain raisins, pine nuts, butter, flour, a dash of lemon juice, an egg, sugar, and surprisingly enough, a glass of white wine. They were very tasty!

30th January 2012

a talk by cheryl durst

On the 25th of January, Verena and Claire from the Dubai studio went to a talk organised by INDEX and IIDA (International Interior Design Association). The talk was on the subject of “Things designers need to know”. Cheryl Durst is the Executive Vice President / CEO of IIDA.

Students and seasoned professionals alike should take note! These are wise words.

1. Get connected. Notjust to gadgets, devices and the elements of technology, but to people, places, things and ideas. Form attachments. Engage, Life is rapidly losing “permanence” and we live in a world of obsolescence. All the more reason to seek permanence in something important to you. It will enhance your life and your career. And becoming a more dimensional person is never a bad idea.

2. Be agile. Flexible. Stretch your mind (and your body). You need it and your clients need it. Not just physically, but emotionally and intellectually. Think about how many times you respond with “Yes, but” which limits your options, and try instead “Yes, and, . .” which expands them.

3, Be right. Right brained, that is. And if you are a designer, you already are. The right-brained will rule the earth. And the Earth will like it, too. The abilities that matter now and in the future include empathy, visionary-big picture thinking, artistry and creativity, the ability to intuit, absorb, predict and anticipate. You want to be this person and you want to hire them, too.

4. Place will always matter. No matter how mobile we are, no matter where work and life happen, no matter whether you cross 6 time zones in one day — “sense of place” is essential to human beings. And if that place is well-designed, has great air quality, is flooded with daylight and enhances your entire self— then so much the better. Bonus points if the lighting makes you look a few years younger

5. Knowledge is momentary. Wisdom is forever, Forget everything you know, and then relearn the new stuff — quickly. The pace of evolution of knowledge is now so quick that entire careers and industries are changing faster than ever before. Medical knowledge is now doubling every eight years; it is said that half of what a student learns in their freshman year in a science or technology program is out of date by the time they graduate. Sixty five percent of the kids in preschool today will work in jobs that don’t exist. The world is moving way too fast for us to know everything. But learn for others. Especially your clients. Your relevancy is your critical edge.

6. Community, culture, content, commerce. Create the first, celebrate the second, and deliver the third. The fourth will follow. If you don’t think any of those things relate to the work of design and designers, see number 2 above.

7. Never forget how to sketch, storyboard or wireframe. You don’t need color, tools or technology, first. Your clients will appreciate, admire and treasure the tangible raw original idea that seemingly came right from your brain to your hand and onto their cocktail napkin. Perhaps a toss-away to you—it is magic to them.

8. l see London, l see France. Manage your online image. Google yourself, see what others see about you. Because those others are current and future employers. Or your next client. Don’t post anything you don’t want your mother to see or status updates that bash co—workers, employers or that future client.

9. E-Commerce. Whether you design product, interiors, a website or a brand, remember what you are really creating is an experience. Human beings revel, delight and thrive in experiences that enlighten, enhance and expand who they are. They also heal, learn, think and play.

10. If you think, feel, lead, explore, discover, delight, agitate, create, innovate, respond, uplift, immerse, revitalize, and improve and uplift the lives of those around you, then never say “I’m just a designer”.

Find Cheryl Durst on Twitter @cheryldurst

30th January 2012

Welcome back to jill

Today we welcomed Jill back to the studio after her four month maternity leave.
We celebrated her return in true KKD style – cake & tea!

24th January 2012

colourful car park

So many car parks look drab and dull on the inside. The same cannot be said for this car park in Sydney. It’s a private car park for the residents of the Darling Point Apartments. I think a lot of inner city multi storey car parks would look much better with a similar attitude to design. There is no reason for car parks to be brutalist, grey structures anymore, thanks to smart materials which can potentially keep themselves clean. Images via Creative Review

19th January 2012

Home / Top drawer exhibition

At the weekend, I went to the Home / Top drawer exhibition in Earls Court London. While it was predominantly a buying event, I was surprised to be given a pass to wear saying which company I was from. This was off-putting because at every stand, a salesperson would come and look at my pass before looking at my face. The sales-people were understandably pushy, but having said that, it was a good show with lots of interesting design on offer. We were not allowed to take photos inside the exhibition, hence the odd pictures below. There was a handy show directory to help navigate the hoards of exhibitors. I’m looking forward to this years Tent exhibition which has a more laid back atmosphere.

18th January 2012

half marathon

Rachel from Kinnersley Kent Design London, has applied to the ballot for the Royal Parks half marathon. Rachel is a keen runner, and regularly does six to eight mile training runs. I’m sure she’ll find the 13 mile half marathon a piece of cake.
Good luck Rachel, we hope you get a place!

13th January 2012

Mint Velvet opens in Muswell Hill

Today was the grand opening of a brand new Mint Velvet store in Muswell Hill, which KKD designed. Ed Plumb from the London studio went over for the opening, and took some great photos of the event. There was a large crowd gathered outside, waiting for the store to open. It’s a medium sized shop with 100m² of floor space.

12th January 2012

Klein Bottle House by McBride Charles Ryan

The Klein Bottle is a mathematical term for a shape without a defined top, bottom, left, or right. This is an attractive build which sits firmly on the postmodernist side of the fence. I imagine that some rooms are oddly shaped, with some wasted space. The building is highly idealistic and personal, so as long as the people who commissioned the building enjoy it, then it is a successful design. The residence won Best House at the World Architecture Festival Awards last year.
More photos here, via Dezeen.