Japanese creativity

須藤元気（Genki Sudo)「WORLD ORDER」の"MACHINE CIVILIZATION"フルver.PV

Artists for Japan

When tragedy strikes we are all effected and want to do whatever we can to help those in need. After last Friday's earthquake and tsunami in Japan lots of people are in desperate need of help. Different artists have graciously donated their talent to create these three meaningful and unique Help Japan posters.
All the proceeds from the sales will be donated to benefit the Japanese disaster relief fund. The first poster by James White, above, is available at the Signalnoise Store.

Or you can get this poster, designed by Max Erdenberger and printed by Steve Denekas and Walker Cahall, at W+K Studio.


Via TheDesignerpad 

Japan bike storage

24 Issey Miyake shop - Shibuya parco by Nendo

Based on the concept of the Japanese convenience store, 24 issey miyake shops combine  inexpensive prices, a large variety of colours and frequent changes in the product lineup.

The miyake team wanted a new design concept for the 24 issey miyake shop in shibuya's parco shopping complex, which includes a store that specially features Miyake's new Bilbao bag.

Via Designboom 

Pritzker Architecture Prize 2010 for SANAA

Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, partners in the architectural firm, SANAA, have been chosen as the 2010 Laureates of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. While most of their work is in Japan, Sejima and Nishizawa have designed projects in Germany, England, Spain, France, the Netherlands and the United States, under their combined name SANAA.

Kazuyo Sejima And Rye Nishizawa, praised for using everyday building materials to create ethereal structures that shelter flowing, dreamlike spaces, have won the 2010 Pritzker Architecture Prize. Sejima, 54, and Nishizawa, 44, join Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas and Renzo Plano in receiving the top honor in the field of recognition of the art museums, university buildings and designer-label fashion boutiques they have designed in Japan, the United States and Europe.

'The door to perception' - Toyotashi, Japan

We were in Toyotashi, Japan, recently and visited the exhibition called 'The door to perception' at the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art. Just like to share a few images with you all and if you are in the neighborhood, please go and visit as you really have to see it to understand and experience the installations. Really worth a visit ;-)

For more info: http://www.museum.toyota.aichi.jp/ 

masaaki hiromura / hiromura design office

Masaaki hiromura was born in the aichi prefecture, japan in 1954. After graduating from  Musashino art university in 1977 he began working for tanaka ikko design office in tokyo. With ten years of work experience under his belt he decided to open his own studio. Since 1988 hiromura and his team have built up an award winning portfolio of graphic design projects that cover identity, advertising, signage systems, packaging and exhibitions. clients include issey miyake, nissan and numerous museums and businesses in Japan and overseas.

Some samples of his work:

* kitasenju pictograms

They looked at the meanings of each kanji letter. Making a part of the letter an illustration gets right and left brain working at the same time, and it increases one’s attention.

* Nissan Motor co. ltd signage 

Source: Designboom 

Toyota's FT-CH concept car at Detroit Motor Show

The FT-CH concept was designed at ED2 here in the South of France, Nice. There is opportunity in the market for a car like the FT-CH. His Prius became a bigger, mid-size car when it was redone for the 2010 model year, making it more of a family car. So, there's is room for a more affordable hybrid suited for younger buyers.

Smaller and more handsome than the Prius, one can see a family resemblance in the cam-lobe shaped roofline and angular taillamps. The FT-CH rides on a wheelbase that is six-inches shorter than the Prius, but to maintain comfort inside, is nearly identical in width. 

The designers of the Toyota FT-CH got their inspiration from the so-called 8-bit generation influenced by the 8-bit microprocessor technology from the 80's.

Official News Release: http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/10/01/0112.html 

Toyota to Debut Dedicated Hybrid Concept at 2010 North American International Auto Show

Will this be a future member of the Prius family of hybrids? It appears that it could be a "little brother" for the Prius.

TORRANCE, Calif., December 14, 2009 - - Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. will stage the world debut of a new dedicated hybrid concept vehicle during the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. 

The vehicle will be revealed during a news conference held on Monday, January 11th in the Riverview Ballroom at COBO Hall.  News conference schedules are being finalized and exact timing will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Source: priuschat

Building of Swatch in Tokyo

The new 'Swatch' flagstore is designed by Shigeru Ban and based in Tokyo's Ginza district. There is not really a door visible but the 4 floors are visible from the outside. The building is divided in 4 parts but contains 14 floors which are all smoothly integrated when going from one floor to the other by using different materials. It is real architecture, a project about volume, spatial complexity, and experimentation. But it is more than just a building right in the centre of Tokyo, it also has a hanging garden spread out over 13 floors.

Worth a visit by the looks of it!

Back to basics, UTB-zero bycicle

The UTB-zero bike, designed by Vigore Kataoka is a bike that went back to basic, stripped down to its bare necessity. The design was good enough to win the Japan Good Design Award 09. The UTB-0 is a primitive bicycle that strips away all the functions and equipment that have been developed until now, to just the wheels and the frame.

Japanese architectural minimalism

This minimalistic house, in Tokyo, was designed by the Japanese architect studio Sou Fujimoto .  House H is an experiment where the architects tried to find a good balance between the different volumes, spaces and light. Its interior is rather sober and pure using only very light colours to emphasize even the sensation of light and brightness. 

+ info on trendsnow.com

Japan's seven-eleven night shop more upmarket

Current Seven-eleven shops all over Japan. Sending out a recognisable image but mainstream.

Seven-eleven in Tokyo's Midtown shopping centre, adjusted to the style of shopping centre. Sending out a more premium signal, just like the other shops around in the mall.

Nissan EPORO Robot Car mimicking fish behavior

So what do a bumblebee and a school of fish have in common? Both demonstrate extraordinary "anti-collision" abilities, navigating instinctively and intelligently through challenging terrain by detecting and avoiding obstacles - just as future Nissan safety vehicles may have the
capability to do.

In developing EPORO, three rules of fish behavior were applied to its driving control.

Fish Behavior Rules
AREA 1: Collision Avoidance
Change traveling direction without colliding with other fish.
AREA 2: Traveling Side-by-Side
Travel side-by-side with other fish while keeping a certain distance between each fish (to match the speed).
AREA 3: Approaching
Gain closer proximity to other fish that are at a distance from them.

This is the world's first development of a robot car that can travel in a group by sharing the position and information of others within a group via communication technologies.

+ info on Nissan EPORO car

How bones can influences structures in the future

'BONES' have always been a source of inspiration and creativity throughout the decades and century. It was also the name of an exhibition at the art center 2121 in Tokyo, Japan not so long ago. The past dictates here how it can influence the structures in the future and how it will let our life evolve.

'Umarmung' - Japanese floor sitting couch

The traditional floor sitting couch 'Umarmung' is designed by the architectural practice, Chuenvogl, Hong Kong, for a private client in Tokyo. 

+ info  on Designboom.com