Last week some of the graphics team here at i-am went to Glug London, a regular event with talks from some fantastic designers and illustrators. The digital fountain by Jason Bruges Studio really caught my eye. If you've shopped in Westfield you may have seen it towering at 12m high and built of LCD screens. To create the realistic flow of 'water' they took a 3D scan of a water fountain in their studio and programmed it so there is a continual flow and the effect is stunning. However, with a price tag of a cool £2 million it's unlikely i-am will be commissioning work for them any time soon!
Its open, our new completed restaurant design!
We are so delighted with the results and we hope that you get down there soon.
The Beyond team put together a fantastic launch strategy creating a lot of noise cycling around London handing out promotional chopsticks and fortune cookies.
The queues were out the door for lunch and with lots more promo events in the pipeline make sure you visit the East Street website for offers and news!
Hope to see you there
Here are the latest shots of our completed Strutt & Parker branch in Notting Hill Gate, London.
This branch forms part of our roll out for the new Strutt & Parker brand identity and physical environment.
The winner of a new Pylon Design that will shape Britain's landscape has been announced..... Danish engineering firm Bystrup beat 250 rivals to win the Royal Institute of British Architects contest.
Their 'T-Shaped' Pylon is stunningly simple and ticked all the boxes for design quality, functionality, and technical viability.
I-am excited to see the first ones powered up!
This week we will see many designs that simply make us want to pick them up and take them home. One diverse exhibitor, Benjamin Hubert, is at The Tramshed along with other diverse exhibitors such as Matthew Hilton and Bocci.
He has won numerous awards for his designs, but I have to say that the Pod chair, which was designed for Dutch company De Vorm, certainly mirrors one of my favourite ways to relax. No wonder why it received the 100% Design Award in Rotterdam, May 2011. Let’s see what he wins at London Design Festival!
Last Thursday we attended the opening reception for the 2011 London design festival at the V&A which was hosted by Kvadrat. The evening was previewing the Textile Field created by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec within a spectacular space. The night was a great success and a great way to kick start the excitement for Design Week 2011.
Not sure if you've heard but we are delighted to announce that Chilango, Chancery Lane, London has been shortlisted for the 'Inside Festival & Awards for Best Bar & Restaurant'. We are so chuffed! This award covers entries from around the world so we are up against designs in Iran and Australia.
This was a fantastic project and it demonstrated the great evolution of the Chilango brand. Working with the whole team at Chilango meant we were able to dissect the best ideas to create this amazing urban concept.
We will be heading out to Barcelona on the 2nd of November, keep your fingers crossed for us. in the mean time you can vote for us as we are up for the People's choice award, just follow the link below.
http://openbuildings.com/buildings/-profile-41100
When it comes to the world of televisions, there is often not much that differentiates one from another bar the screen size and display tech. Samsung has noticed this and decided to mix things up. Their 8000 series LED flat-screen is an ambassador for the design-conscious, without compromising functionality.. Full HD, various HDMI inputs, etcetera etcetera.
The minimalist bezel that delicately hugs the screen is almost invisible, yet is undeniably the most attractive proposition of the design. Add in the sublime chrome finish and ultra-slim form, and it is hard to find a better looking set.
Earlier this month Apple's very own visionary, Steve Jobs, went in front of the Cupertino council and put forward the company's proposed plans for an inspired megastructure to house their 12,000 employees that are currently employed in the vicinity.
Jobs announced that he wanted all of his employees in one hub, as the increasing employment had meant renting subsequent buildings - and not very nice buildings - scattered around the city.
Plans of this scale might normally spark a debate about the impacts on the environment but it is clear that Apple have gone all out to ensure that the collective view of the local community will be a positive one; a 350% increase in landscape and 60% increase in the number of trees, whilst reducing the building footprint of the current land and minimising the surface parking through the use of an underground car park.
Notable disappointments might come in the revelations that Apple will not be providing the city with free wifi, nor will they be opening an Apple store in Cupertino!
We are excited to share with you (hot off the press!) the new shots of our Urban United store located in the Sky Mall, Ukraine.
Following on from the creation of the initial store concept, this flagship branch has continued to utilise the eclectic mix of materials and furniture but it has allowed us to develop these concepts further due to the size of the space available.
The use of strip lighting, distressed chairs and exposed wood have helped create this urban landscape, which is a welcomed change from the sterile and minimalist environments so often used in retail.
Customers are treated to visually stimulating backdrops whilst maintaining key principles of retail design and visual merchandising techniques to help them navigate through the store.
Again another fantastic success for Urban United and as we are continue to work with the team we are excited about what changes we can bring to the Ukrainian retail industry.
We love these Douglas & Gordon bicycles so much that we just had to show them off.
Now that the sun has showed its face it feels a better time than any to hop on a bicycle and hit the streets of London.
Incredibly cool, retro and totally eco friendly, they are brilliant.
‘i-am’ Associates are excited to show the first shot of the new brand and store design that we have completed for Turkish retailer; T-box
T.box wanted to create a more sensual shopping experience for its customer. They wanted to create a unique experience.
The most original and youngest brand of Boyner/Aymarka Group, T-box has been reincarnated in a short period of time through the graphic and interface design teams of ‘i-am’ London and specifically ‘i-am’ Istanbul.
After the brand team carried out the workshops, we created the new core brand for T.box. Then with a new identity, brand communication and a brand new store concept we have changed T.box altogether head to toe!
We are continuing to work with T-box on how the experience combines renewed identity and store design to consistently make sure T.box stands out from the crowd in young fashion retailing.
Brilliant work from the team over in Istanbul! The full case study and photos to follow soon...
http://www.t-box.com.tr/
Just to show you a sneak preview of our new Avea brand and interior design concept. Great collaboration between the team here in London and over in Istanbul.
Full case study and more shots to follow very soon....
Competing against the Boris bike and +J Jil Sander collection for Uniqlo the Plumen low-energy lightbulb now has an added designer ‘spark’. The previous undesirable and unattractive ‘energy saving’ lightbulb has been awarded the top prize by judges for its ‘ordinary done extraordinarily’. Consumers buy the low energy lightbulb for its sustainability not its design, this has now been revolutionised by design company Hulgar and Samuel Wilkinson.
The judges at the 2011 Brit Insurance Design of the Year award believe that British designer Wilkinson has achieved something quite remarkable "The Plumen lightbulb is a good example of the ordinary thing done extraordinarily well, bringing a small measure of delight to an everyday product," says Stephen Bayley, the 2011 jury chair.
Here at ‘i-am’ we are advocates of the Plumen bulb, as previously mentioned in the blog from YEM conference in Istanbul. I love the new designer twist and with news that there are to be further developments lets see what they can come up with.
I don't know about you, but the thought of spending more than one night under the stars in a claustrophobic, cramped piece of erected tarpaulin doesn’t fill me with much excitement. Luckily the guys at Bubble Tree have created a new and unique way to feel at one with nature. These inflatable ‘bubble’ rooms can be assembled almost anywhere, from a remote beach to the middle of the forest. The basic design comes complete with portable wardrobes, sofas, roll-out beds and even optional electricity for lighting! Sign me up please!
http://bubbletree.fr/bbtree/racine/default.asp?id=1063
Kriska Decor have given metal chains a fun and inventive outlook.
Wow. That is almost all I have to say about the wonderfulness of the latest office food fad, Graze. Not only is it fantastically packaged in a clever, innovative box, it is environmentally friendly being delivered in regular snail mail, it is deliciously tasty AND it is good for you. Seriously, what more could you ask for?
Check out the craze at graze.com
It is great to see our interior design director, Pete Champion featuring in this months Propertydrum magazine talking about our work with Douglas & Gordon. We have long been passionate about the power of interior design and the influence it can have on a business. We believe that through great branding and innovative design an agency can propel itself to the top of the market.
We know that through effective design we can challenge people's misconceptions of how Estate Agents function. They are seen as imposing places where people lurk behind desks, tapping away at their computers and are completely unapproachable. We will alter the design so they become warm and inviting environments all of which help create a great customer experience. It is then through the creation of these great experiences that an agency will undoubtedly increase footfall and sales.
We are so excited with the work we have created with D&G and thank them for their input in allowing us to create these bespoke customer focused environments.
If you have any questions or would like to talk more about the other projects we have completed please within this industry please contact me on claireevans@I-amonline.com
Jon Burgerman and Ustwo™ launch Inkstrumental™
After almost a year in the making, working with the world famous artist Jon Burgerman - Ustwo™ finally announces the launch of the already infamous Inkstrumental™.
The app lets you make and share crazy music with your friends. You can choose from a vast array of characters, each with their own weird sound that when tapped, is automatically played, recorded and added to the wonky, hypnotic, rolling beats.
Our friends over at Ustwo are holding the launch do over at the Apple store on Regent Street tomorrow night - be there or be square and music-less...
So hot off the press they don't even have their black lids on yet but we think they are too lovely not to share yet...here is a sneak peak of our work that is going live in Itsu restaurants today...
Stay tuned for more about the work we are doing with Julian Metcalfe and the soon to go live new Itsu restaurant in Cheapside...
Fancy getting some classic Danish chic at affordable prices? Get to the Danish pop-up furniture sale this weekend - we will be lining up...
The modern newly designed brand identity and store design we created as part of the full customer experience for Svetski Footwear is now live in Russia. It is currently being rolled out across both brand owned stores and franchises throughout the country. Just received the first images back from the guys at Svetski and we are so pleased..it's looking great.
if only i-am had office showers...
We are loving these itsy bitsy classics....best to get them design trained early and they are SO cute..have a look
These guys have taken Tights to the next level by creating a beautiful leg-wear designs that go beyond stockings and fishnets and turn your pins into living walking, running works of art!
As the tradeshow season arrives, one of the premier contemporary shows in the industry, (capsule) has teamed up with legendary notebook design company Moleskine on a special edition book set. The set features a planner, as well as a sketchbook, both wrapped in a belly band featuring artwork by German artist Tina Berning, who is the featured (capsule) artist this season. The books are debossed with the following: “A useful (capsule) Moleskine book for notes, contacts, flight times, asterisks, business cards, sketches, parentheses, good and bad ideas, poems, forecasts, quotes, first drafts, zigzags, lyrics, storyboards, swatches, equations, web addresses, exclamation points, photos, secrets and plans.”
Our latest creation for Tony over at Comptoir Libanais has just gone Live at the O2 Centre in Finchley and we love it it - go and take a look and grab yourself some Hommos & Pitta or Baba Ghanuj!
London could have a very different skyline in the future .
The Cloud was shortlisted in a competition set-up by London Mayor Boris Johnson.
The structure draws on work by artist Tomas Saraceno, a German-based designer.
The Cloud is just shortlisted but we think this could be very exciting for London
and would make a great change from the gray dull clouds we see every day!
Have a look at The Cloud
52 artists and designers have got together to support the Shelter House of Cards Campaign. Big names include Damien Hirst, Vivienne Westwood and Neville Brody amongst others.
The site for the full pack of designs is also very nice with a variation of designs and inspiration, take a look here.
It started in 2008 with some cool posters and a lovely 60 second TV ad which you can see here.
Our good buddies and favourite young hot (in more than one sense) architects, Julia Feix and Tarek Merlin have just heard they've been shortlisted on what must be one of the more exciting projects of the next few years in London, Gasometer 8 at Kings X. Their characteristically inspiring proposal for a place of fun inside this splendid old structure includes enormous slides and what will surely be the world's biggest trampoline. Fun is highly underrated these jaded & cynical days, so this assuredly gets our vote. Check out more on this at their site. Good luck with the next phase, guys x
We are pleased to announce one of our latest projects with Comptoir Libanais, an exciting new Middle Eastern dining experience in the heart of London. Comptoir Libanais serves a fresh middle-eastern inspired menu in relaxed and stylish surroundings. Comptoir caters for a diverse range of diners with a wide menu ranging from a variety of breads, falafal and wraps to the all-encompassing mezze plates, all of this in a cool eclectic middle-eastern style environment. 'i-am' have been asked by Comptoir Libanais to help develop all aspects of the experience including; the identity and interiors of existing and future restaurants.
Popping over to Paris last week 'i-am' couldn't resist the David Lachapelle showcase. Love him or hate him you just cant ignore him; David Lachapelle's catalogue of work is enormous and diverse and this is the first time you can see a retrospective of over 200 pieces all in one place.
The Monnaie de Paris plays host to the exhibition, which houses works ranging from his latest distopian 'anti-commodity art' to some of his better known celebrity portraits including the renowned 'Hi Bitch, Bye Bitch' Paris Hilton portrait.
Films documenting the installation play throughout taking us on a journey from his earlier poppier pieces to the latest distopian commentary works such as 'Holy War; a post-apocalyptic,homo-erotic mashup...no really! The retrospective runs till June and its one experience not to miss...
Recently discovered on the 'i-am' travels was the Farmers Daughters Hotel in LA, a beautiful critically acclaimed and unique boutique hotel in central L.A. an original icon of L.A. that has been transformed into a unique urban Oasis. The rooms are apparently designed to harken back to comforts of your gramdma's spare room adding a little bit of hi-tec convenience to bring it up to date. At very reasonable prices it will be the cheapest “chic” you will find in L.A. www.farmersdaughterhotel.com
'i-am' are loving these Alexander Girard PLYprints, these reissued versions of Herman Miller's 1970's silk screened graphic prints are hand screen-printed on sustainably harvested plywood panels using water based inks, using plywood that could otherwise not be used to to grain imperfctions. There are 6 different prints to choose from, each is guaranteed to brighten up your walls and give it a touch of 70's Brady Bunch cheeriness and at the same time your doing your part for the environment, what's not to like? For more information visit scp.co.uk
