Saturday 22 December 2012

Carbodydesign - Bernie Walsh Christmas Card.

Carbodydesign.com has featured many industrial design tutorials by Bernie Walsh this year and it great to see his Christmas Card image for Flexitech featured this week. Bernie was the one who introduced me to blogspot and inspired this blog and we have worked a lot together in industrial design education in Victoria. It is great to see his work and passion for education shared across the globe.


Christmas Card by Bernie Walsh


Thursday 20 December 2012

Lexus Design Award - Design Boom

Entries close on December 31st for the  Global Lexus Design Award 'Motion'. Don't miss this opportunity.


The theme for the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2012 is 'Motion.' Our daily lives are continuously filled with motion. The motion of things, the motion of people.
Moving people’s hearts. Shifting consciousness. Moving information, society and time. Leaving lingering effects. Triggering chain reactions. It’s a theme that Lexus will keep working on.  How to define 'Motion' is up to you. We’re looking for 'DESIGN' that responds to various issues in daily life in relation to 'Motion' and provides solutions.
The application period of the first LEXUS DESIGN AWARD is from October 30 (Tuesday), 2012 to December 31 (Monday), 2012.
Ten entries will receive awards. The creators of two entries selected among the ten award winners will produce prototypes over a period of about two months. The two prototypes, and panel displays for the other eight-awarded designs, will be exhibited in the Lexus space in the Milan Design Week held in April 2013.
During the two-month production period of the prototypes, the creators of two selected entries will each be given the opportunity to have sessions with a world-famous designer acting as a 'mentor.' Sam Hecht (England) and Junya Ishigami (Japan) will serve as the mentors for the first LEXUS DESIGN AWARD.










Friday 14 December 2012

Ben Landau - MADA visit

RMIT alumnus industrial designer Ben Landau dropped in to MADA to catch up. Ben is fresh from a snow ball fight in Eindhoven where he is studying a Masters of Contextual Design at the Design Academy Eindhoven. Ben began his career at Melbourne Museum after completing his studies in industrial design. Ben was a student in my 72% water studio at RMIT University and his 4th year studio was with Frank Feltham.


Industrial designer Ben Landau.


RMIT alumnus industrial designer Ben Landau and Ian Wong at MADA Monash University.

Sunday 9 December 2012

Christmas Gift ideas - Australian Design

A few suggestions to encourage support for Australian design this Christmas. Most of the listed products have featured in previous posts. Search top left if you would like some background.


Christmas gift ideas - Australian design

Knog Blinder Bike Light - Catalyst
Cyclone garder pruner - D+I
Crumpler camera case - Crumpler
Popper pendant - Andre Hnatojko
Alessi Nut Splitter - Jim Hannon Tan
Weave lamp - Ed Linacre
Autobiographics - Alex Stitt
Knog Milkman Bike Lock - Catalyst
Wynns Coonawarra - Label design 1953 Richard Beck
Alessi Fruit Loop - Lisa Vincitorio
Alessi Scoup Egg Cup - Helen Kontouris
Tate Anson - Solaris Clock
Cascade Beer - Bottle design Julian Ditchburn
Curve magazine subscription - Belinda Stening
Alessi Piccantino Chilli Cruncher - Jim Hannon Tan
321 water bottle - Charlwood Design
Knog Kransky Bike Lock - Catalyst
Alessi Zucch - Lisa Vincitorio
Willow cooler - David Flynn
Dosh Wallet - Henri Spalle and Mark Armstrong
Globe shoes - Globe
Shady Table Lamp - ISMObjects - Daniel Barbera
VoVo vase - Marc Pascal
Keep Cup - CobaltNiche

If you have more suggestions post in comments below.

Dosh Wallet - Design Christmas Gift

Dosh wallets designed by Australian industrial designers Mark Armstrong and Henri Spalle from Blue Sky Design are a perfect Christmas gift. Designed and manufactured in Australia the wallets are sold worldwide.


Dosh wallets - Australian design innovation.

A total Australian design package is complete when in use with Australian innovative polymer note technology and currency designs by Max Robinson $10, Gary Emery $20, Brian Sadgrove $50. If you are a Commonwealth Bank customer you can add Ken Cato, designer of the iconic Commonwealth Bank logo based on the Southern Cross. The one hundred dollar note designed by Bruce Stuart features General John Monash. Dosh wallet designer Professor Mark Armstrong is currently The Eva and Marc Besen International Design Chair at Monash University.


Commonweath Bank logo designed by Ken Cato.



Australian $100 dollar note designed by Bruce Stuart features Sir John Monash.


Dosh wallets.


Designer Xmas gift - Dosh wallet


http://www.doshbrand.com

Thursday 6 December 2012

GM CHINA - Advanced Design Centre

GM China recently opened Phase II of the GM China Technical Centre and Advanced Design Centre in Shanghai.

During my recent visit I met with design executives from GM China and PATAC and in July I had the opportunity to visit the Technical Centre as part of the PACE Global Forum held in Shanghai.


Participants in the opening of Phase II of the GM China Advanced Technical Center in Shanghai (from left: Wulin Gaowa, Design Director of the GM China Advanced Design Center; Liu Zhengyi, Vice Governor of Shanghai Pudong New Area; Bob Socia, GM China President and Chief Country Operations Officer of China, India and ASEAN; Jon Lauckner, GM Chief Technology Officer, Vice President of Global Research & Development, and President of GM Ventures; and Dave Leone, GM Executive Chief Engineer


GM China Technical Centre and Advanced Design Centre in Shanghai


L-R: Designers Ian Wong, Wulin Gaowa, and Brigid O'Kane

SHANGHAI – General Motors China hosted its second annual “Tech Day” event in conjunction with the opening of the second phase of the GM China Advanced Technical Center.

With the theme of "Ignite! The Spark of Innovation," Tech Day showcased the automaker’s technology achievements and the key role China is playing in the company’s vehicle development initiatives globally.

“The completion of the ATC is an important milestone for GM in China,” said Bob Socia, president, GM China, and Chief Country Operations Officer, China, India and ASEAN. “It gives us the most comprehensive automotive technical center in our largest market. The center will serve not just China but also GM’s operations around the world.”

Up to 250 engineers, designers and researchers will work in advanced vehicle design, powertrain and vehicle engineering, telematics and R&D at the center. Their work is expected to impact product differentiation and competitiveness, especially in fuel economy, and accelerate GM’s introduction of innovative technologies in China.

Taking the Next Step in the Journey to Sustainable Urban Mobility

GM showed a life-size clay model of the EN-V 2.0, which is based on the EN-V concept introduced at Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The original EN-V, short for Electric Networked-Vehicle, was a two-seat electric vehicle designed to alleviate traffic congestion, parking availability and air quality issues for tomorrow’s cities. The concept embodies the company’s vision for sustainable urban mobility, combining electrification and connectivity. A sketch of the EN-V 2.0 concept was shown earlier this year at the Beijing auto show.  

“EN-V 2.0 is being developed and will be tested first right here in China,” said Socia. “This is a further testament to the important role that China is playing in GM’s product development strategy.”

The EN-V 2.0 project is part of GM’s overall vehicle electrification strategy in China. GM currently offers the Buick LaCrosse with eAssist, Cadillac Escalade Hybrid and Chevrolet Volt. Last week, Shanghai GM’s Sail SPRINGO EV made its debut at Auto Guangzhou 2012. It is the first electric vehicle developed by a joint venture in China and will go on sale next year, initially in Shanghai.

Using Advanced Technology to Build a Future Blueprint

Jon Lauckner, GM Chief Technology Officer, vice president of Global Research & Development, and president of GM Ventures, said the ATC’s R&D team is focusing on battery cells, lightweight materials, manufacturing processes, engines and transmissions, and developing mobile apps for connected urban driving.

GM China already has made significant breakthroughs in the development of lightweight materials such as magnesium alloy to improve the fuel economy of its vehicles. The Micro-foundry and Formability Lab, part of the first phase of the ATC that opened in September 2011, has completed magnesium alloy low-pressure die casting testing, a milestone in lightweight materials research for the automotive industry.

GM has also had success in developing batteries in China for the next generation of electric vehicles. In August, it began fabricating and testing prototype battery cells and complete systems at the ATC.

GM is also making breakthroughs in connected driving and infotainment. For example, a Shanghai OnStar mobile app for the Sail SPRINGO EV will allow drivers to monitor the battery’s charge and remaining available EV range from their smart phones, as well as set the vehicle’s charging schedule remotely. 

The R&D group is working on a number of “proof-of-concept” demonstration mobile apps. One example is a pilot app called “DiDi Weibo” that uses automatic speech and gesture recognition to help drivers connect to Weibo and stay in touch with their friends – all while keeping their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.

Engineers and technicians at the ATC will test vehicle subsystems and components under varying conditions in the labs dedicated to Concept Vehicle Integration, Structures and Chassis, Vehicle Assessment and Benchmarking, Electrical, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning), Materials and Fastening, and Powertrain. The labs will allow GM to explore alternative vehicle engineering solutions and to enhance the quality, reliability and durability of components in GM vehicles.

Leading Design with Advanced Technology

The ATC’s new Advanced Design Center includes state-of-the-art tools for designers to explore future mobility solutions and technology integration.

“Our new Advanced Design Center in Shanghai is part of the GM Global Design Center network, which webs from California to Germany to India and Korea and points beyond,” said Wulin Gaowa, design director of the GM China Advanced Design Center. “We are building a team of talented local designers and modelers that will enable us to deliver world-class work for China and other markets.”

For example, milling machines produce clay models in scale using computerized three-dimensional data. Designers use these models to evaluate vehicle proportions, finalize surfaces graphics and line-work, during the design process of refinement and balancing criteria.

The virtual reality room in the Advanced Design Center is an evaluation tool for high-resolution two-dimensional and three-dimensional data. Designers will also use it to evaluate full-size clay models from a distance in natural light in an expansive indoor viewing area.

Wulin and her team will collect and study information on Chinese customer mobility behaviors and needs, coupled with trends in automotive design and other industries in China that may be used by GM on a worldwide basis.

Developing Luxury Models with a Leadership Philosophy

Cadillac plans to add one new model each year to its lineup in China through 2016, starting with the XTS in early 2013. The luxury brand’s models will feature the latest automotive technologies.

“We are incorporating intuitive technologies into our models such as CUE (Cadillac User Experience), which merges intuitive interior design and advanced technology for customized in-vehicle connectivity,” said Dave Leone, executive chief engineer for Performance Luxury Cars.“We are also making the next generation of Cadillacs more fuel efficient and safer by integrating lightweight materials and innovative active safety features. This is critically important to our continued success in China.”

Cadillac is also adapting advanced technologies such as radar, cameras and ultrasonic sensors to help drivers avoid crashes. Safety assistance includes lane departure warnings, forward collision alerts and seats that vibrate to alert drivers of vehicles in their blind spots. The brand is likewise adopting technology that can apply the brakes when the driver is not reacting to an object the car is sensing ahead or behind it.

In addition, Cadillac is road testing a semi-autonomous technology it calls "Super Cruise" that is capable of fully automatic steering, braking and lane-centering in highway driving under certain optimal conditions, Super Cruise is designed to ease the driver's workload in both bumper-to-bumper traffic and on long road trips by relying on a fusion of radar, ultrasonic sensors, cameras and GPS map data. The system could be ready for production vehicles later this decade.


Wednesday 5 December 2012

Australian Design Icon - Regis Glassware

A world first with production and export totalling more than 170 million units the Regis glassware range truly is an Australian industrial design icon.



Regis glassware range logo - Australian design icon.


Australian design icon the Regis glassware range designed by industrial designer Edward Kayser for Crown ACI.

Tuesday 4 December 2012

Robert Pataki - Design Institute of Australia Life Fellow

Australian industrial designer Robert Pataki was honoured with a Life Fellow by the Design Institute of Australia at the Spring Dinner Novemeber 29th 2012.


Design Institute of Australia Life Fellow Robert Pataki and DIA General Manager Phillippa Rowland.

Saturday 1 December 2012

Design Institute of Australia - Fellows 2012

Presentations of The Design Institute of Australia Fellows for 2012 were held at DIA Spring Dinner Thursday 29th November 2012.


Industrial designer Dominic Russo is presented with his fellowship of the Design Institute of Australia.


Industrial designer Simon Marriot is presented with his fellowship of the Design Institute of Australia.



Industrial designer Alan Hooworth is presented with his fellowship of the Design Institute of Australia.



Industrial designer Ian Wong is presented with his fellowship of the Design Institute of Australia.

Peter Bayly - Hall of Fame Design Institute of Australia

Australian industrial designer Peter Bayly was inducted into the Design Institute of Australia's Hall of Fame last Thursday evening November 29th 2012. Congratulations Peter.


Industrial designer Peter Bayly inducted into the Design Institute of Australia's Hall of Fame.