Just another day at the office...

What if instead of meeting your client in a conference room, you met in a ski gondola? Instead of taking the stairs to a lower floor, you slid down a pole? How about doing video conferencing from inside an igloo?

The architecture and design firm Camenzind Evolution really went all-out in designing the work environments for Google Zurich.

Now, the spaces were not just created to be fun and cute, but careful consideration was taken in to designing areas that promote creativity and stimulate productivity.

see here

Thirty Inspiring Minds

Obesity, The Large Hadron Collider, James Bond, Felissimo colored pencils, a bathroom in France, low-income housing, Old Spice, a G.I. Joe head . . . anything can be inspiring!

Last month, Little&Company, a local graphic design firm, asked 30 of the world's top designers what inspires them. Little&Company presented the interviews in an intriguing video project called, Thirty Conversations on Design. Some of these creative minds included: Ric Grefe, the Executive Director of the American Institute of Graphic Arts; Joe Duffy, Founder of Duffy & Partners Design; and Paula Scher of Pentagram Design.

After watching just a few videos, I'm contemplating the relationship between design and time, empathy, our powerful connection with nature and the challenge of simplicity.

A Different Kind of Portrait

It is not uncommon to see pictures of family members hanging in someone’s living room. But instead of seeing their smiling faces, what if you could admire...their DNA? Yup, DNA11 offers the unique service of creating art from your personal DNA. They elegantly blend science and design to create one of a kind pieces, and all it takes is a swab from the inside of your mouth. Customize your DNA art color to match your home decor or get a mini portrait to set on your desk at work.

http://www.dna11.com/

And yes, you can even get DNA portraits of your pet...

9th Annual Year in Ideas

The The New York Times released their 9th Annual Year In Ideas yesterday. It comprises ideas in 10 different categories such as Arts, Business, Design and Technology. There are lots of ideas that inspire, and some that make you wonder. Below are our favorites in the Design Category. We encourage you to explore the article at The 9th Annual Year In Ideas

Heritage Chick
Patriotic outerwear reminiscent of the Depression era, with a decidedly upscale twist.

Hourglass Surfboard
Shreds conformity .... and the waves.

Stiletto Claws
Easy to walk in, NO. Will you be noticed, YES.

Holiday Inspiration

Just in time for the Holiday some 'Sweet' architecture. Taking the idea of traditional ginger bread and adding Design flair creativeroom.ca , based in Vancouver Canada, challenged local architecture firms to create unique ginger bread houses. The competition benefits charity, go to the website to check out the great pieces and place a bid. Or use as inspiration to create your own holiday houses.

WhiteBoard Halloween

Wishing you a safe and creative Halloween

Take the stairs ... just for fun

With an effort to encourage people to take the stairs rather than use the esclator or elevator Volkswagen's "Fun Theory" project created piano stairs in a subway station in Stockholm. The stairs turn into an interactive experience playing music as you acend them. Check out the video.

treehugger.com