IMM as in IMMer Hoffnung*(eng: Always Hope) … for Design and 2017.

Image above by:  Furnishing Cologne, IMM 2017, Product: Grand Weave, Exhibitor: Gloster 

http://www.imm-cologne.com/imm/press/image-database/Cologne-furnished/index.php 

It is widely claimed in design theory that throughout history, design and its related fields thrived and flourished in times of riches. Prosperity seems to be a crucial factor for design development, while art is fuelled (as it is customarily pronounced) by pain, misery and conditions of constraint.

Industrial production, as it is advancing nowadays, goes through many fundamental changes and product design imposes heavily its virtual presence, either as a material object or as an online service.  Universal financial turmoil and lack of stability, show clearly the struggle for endurance but most importantly: what needs to be done, what kind of amendments will be initiated in order to attain a new Economic Order. The international “Crown of Thorns” – type of circumstances do not prevail creativity, as it is an essential part of human consciousness.  The IMM International Fair in Cologne, Germany is taking seats among its global competitors, again this January 2017- with obstinateness, dynamism and pivotal events- against all odds. It is the first design feast of the year- here follow the most important IMM 2017 chapters to explore: 

1. IMM Cologne Congress 2017: Virtual worlds and smart technologies in furniture e-commerce. The sector remains of extremely high revenues in Germany and elsewhere, therefore many topics will be discussed in the Congress, by the industry’s most prominent animators. Colossal. 

2. Fourth round of the Pure Talents Contest: IMM supports the young designers and design professionals the last 14 years with the launch of this initiative. A tradition, complying with the country’s policy to seriously support and sustain, central Europe’s best, young creative talents. Excellent. 

3. Furnishing Cologne: The event and the campaign, re-picture the city through the product installations of internationally famous, guest-manufacturers. Both an attraction and a trendsetting  capacity, lay beneath. Furthermore, for 2017, the producers of "Furnishing Cologne" are preparing a book as an anthology of all of the photos from the campaign, with accompanying texts about the locations. Joyful! 

4. Designers Market by “blickfang” and “Heimatdesign” (in collaboration with IMM): Open to the public for on-the-spot purchases, Hall 1 will host  a “shopping paradise” for visitors the last 3 days of the fair. A commercial boost for local production and an even more extroverted democratization of the exhibition. Clever. 

We mentioned back in early 2016 that IMM is the first, major, international, house-and interiors exhibition of the year, embracing the design production, operating as a mirror for the entrepreneurial communities and as an initial depository of ideas, before upcoming April when the design world will gather its full, capital forces in Milan, Italy. 
In IMM we trust, thank you Cologne! 

For more information, dates, details, press releases and statistics, please also visit the IMM official website:  

http://www.imm-cologne.com/imm/index-2.php

Happy new year 2017 to all of you! 
Warm regards and best wishes for peace and great endeavors! 

A4D-D4A?-)) 

  

Salone del Mobile: Milan Trend Lab December 2016.

Picture above from: https://fuseproject.com/blog/a-gentle-robot-for-babies/ 
SNOO, a robotic crib designed to offer babies (and parents) quality sleep, by Yves Béhar. 
More explicit information about the project also on:  
https://fuseproject.com/blog/a-gentle-robot-for-babies/ 

A4D-D4A has campaigned in multiple occasions throughout our posts, the meta-futuristic necessities in contemporary living interiors. It is since last year’s IMM and Salone del Mobile editions 2016 and later in Web Summit, that we illustrated the era's new stigma and its multiple facets. Artificial intelligence (Robotics), Augmented reality, Domotics, Internet of Things, Internet of Everything, Intelligent furniture, Ultra-Digitization objects….are some of the new terms introduced to describe the new foundations of design production, a generation of makers combining the object with the code in it, and eventually its multiple uses and participative nature within the urban community.  

…“Furniture and furnishings thus “learn” to dialogue and connect with technological devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.), becoming an integral part of the new digital ecosystem. Technology introduces an “intelligence quotient” into furnishing, providing items with actual superpowers that enhance their functional performance and enable them to communicate with each other.” … 

“…In this new domestic scenario, design weaves an invisible web that seamlessly connects the on and offline dimensions in an experiential continuum. This seamless, junction-free network turns the habitative space into a dynamic, thinking ecosystem, capable of almost “magically” understanding and responding to the wishes of its inhabitants…” 

(Extract from Living Scapes-Salone del Mobile- Milano Trend Lab relevant  press release - check all recent press releases on the Salone official website:) https://www.salonemilano.it/en/media/comunicati-stampa.html

Salone del Mobile Living Scapes-Milan Trend Lab launched a series of products and platforms, modifying our habitats as destinations of hyper-interactive comfort: search by name or by site: 

August Home Access System: 
https://fuseproject.com/work/august/home-access-system/?focus=overview

Silk: 
https://www.silk.co/

Lift-Bit:  
http://lift-bit.com/ 

June:  
https://juneoven.com 

Beddi Intelligent Alarm Clock:  
http://wittidesign.com/en/beddi/ 

Amazon Dash Replenishment Service: 
https://developer.amazon.com/dash-replenishment-service

Caia Smart Mirror:   
http://solenica.com/ 

LaserEgg:  
http://originstech.com/products/laseregg/

Ecoisme:  
http://ecois.me/en 

Savant home:  
https://www.savant.com/

FurniQi: 
http://www.fonesalesman.com/products/furniqi-side-table

Sony Multifunctional Light:  
http://www.sony.co.jp/Products/multifunctional-light/ 

Yumit:  
www.yumit.io/

Controversial? Those technologies exist the last 18 years, (far from being chimbrids= chimeras and hybrids) and will constantly produce an abundance of new items from now on, destined to respond to every (new) human task. It is an industrial revolution no2, it is 100% happening NOW and it is reshaping the future of design- as society it self is remapping people’s domestic interfaces. 
To be continued! 

Best regards?-))

A4D-D4A  

A System of Global Accessibility: designing Tomorrow with the European Accessibility Act.

Image above: A board game-based idea in the official brochure of the Hellenic Guide Dog Education and Development Center “Guide Dogs Greece”. The Snakes-and-Ladders inspired, playful design (also ideal to simulate on a mobile app), raises awareness about Guide Dogs Fostering and Training program through a series of basic, necessary steps in order to become the accomplished Volunteer Foster Trainer of a fully operational guide dog. Find more information on Guide Dogs Fostering and Training program‘s terms and conditions in Greece- plus relevant links on :  

www.greekguidedogs.com 

e-mail: info@greekguidedogs.com 

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a extremely important set of laws, (under the form of an E.U general guideline), that will change EVERYTHING in the design of products specifications,norms and services on European ground, (mainly regarding the digital market), so those products will become accessible to all, including people with disability or other type of impairment. The EAA concerns primarily the re-design in software, terminals, ticket publishing, art, publications and e-books and e-commerce sectors. The final voting in the E.U parliament for the implementation of EAA as official E.U legislation, will take place in March 2017. 

This November 2016 a congress has been held at the Eugenides Foundation- Athens Planetarium exploring the EAA traits and presenting its many different angles, originally initiated by Syriza MEP Konstantina Kouneva, key introductor in E.U Reports Committee and also rapporteur in EAA Equality and Employment Plan Committee. Mrs Kuneva, an activist and an emblematic figure in the defense of Human Rights defined the purpose of the EAA, which is the obligation to design for all, emphasizing on the various stakes of the Act such as the 3-yr life period of electronic products, the synchronization of local laws, ministries, administrations  and services in each E.U member state, the strict safety regulations, the copyright and intellectual property challenges including patents etc., the complications with guilds and industries that oppose to EAA due to short-term financial interests.

http://kkuneva.eu 

Representatives by many organizations in the wide spectrum of disability, mental or physical – exposed different angles of the Accessibility for All issues such as discrimination, educational reform (no more “special schools” please), economic criteria such motives for companies that apply accessibility norms (ex. Expiry date on alimentary products also in Braille, audiovisual  facilities such SDH subtitling and audio description (AD)), adequate legal framework for security and data protection, deinstitutionalization and investment. It is vital for global economy the transit to new digital infrastructures, made by all, for all and it is expected from E.U to respond to the task. 

Greek Vice-minister of Social Solidarity Theano Fotiou elaborated on digital engineering and how the new on-line platform of the ministry will attempt for the first time to register all citizens with disability and the disability care units, so to create a unique, accurate and legitimate record of all people facing a physical or mental condition of some degree of impairment in Greece (note: the estimates for the actual numbers are based on old statistics, giving an approximate of 200.000 cases in the country)- and eventually claim additional funds if needed, for their sustainable living in society.  

From right to left in the photo bellow, some of the distinctive speakers of the congress: F. Bibassis- Member of the  Education and Rehabilitation Center for the Blind (K.E.A.T), G. Lymvaios- Secretary Member of the Greek National Committee of People with Disability, p. Manthopoulou,-Head of People with Disability Office- Ministry of Social Solidarity, Theano Fotiou- Vice-minister of Social Solidarity, Eleni Tsagka- Journalist –Coordinator, Pwlina Papanikolaou- Criminologist- Researcher. 

Accessibility design, its legal support EAA and eventually the European Accessibility Law- are compensating factors for social recovery and economic rejuvenation. 

Accessibility equals Emancipation and Self-Actualization. Let’s get those ATM easy to use for the partially sighted, let’s help the Down-syndrome teens to enter university and let’s  encourage the increasing amount of population developing PTSD, to overcome anxiety and get back to work with soothing apps! The time is now. Please check the sites: 

https://el-gr.facebook.com/DisArtMove/

https://www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/about_us/usronmace.htm

https://el-gr.facebook.com/mideniki.anoxi/

http://www.eugenfound.edu.gr/frontoffice/portal.asp?cpage=node&clang=1

Best regards?-))

A4D-D4A-))  

XLARGE TYPEFACE: A System of Global Accessibility: designing Tomorrow with the European Accessibility Act.

Image above: A board game-based idea in the official brochure of the Hellenic Guide Dog Education and Development Center “Guide Dogs Greece”. The Snakes-and-Ladders inspired, playful design (also ideal to simulate on a mobile app), raises awareness about Guide Dogs Fostering and Training program through a series of basic, necessary steps in order to become the accomplished Volunteer Foster Trainer of a fully operational guide dog. Find more information on Guide Dogs Fostering and Training program‘s terms and conditions in Greece- plus relevant links on :  

www.greekguidedogs.com 

e-mail: info@greekguidedogs.com 

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a extremely important set of laws, (under the form of an E.U general guideline), that will change EVERYTHING in the design of products specifications,norms and services on European ground, (mainly regarding the digital market), so those products will become accessible to all, including people with disability or other type of impairment. The EAA concerns primarily the re-design in software, terminals, ticket publishing, art, publications and e-books and e-commerce sectors. The final voting in the E.U parliament for the implementation of EAA as official E.U legislation, will take place in March 2017. 


This November 2016 a congress has been held at the Eugenides Foundation- Athens Planetarium exploring the EAA traits and presenting its many different angles, originally initiated by Syriza MEP Konstantina Kouneva, key introductor in E.U Reports Committee and also rapporteur in EAA Equality and Employment Plan Committee. Mrs Kuneva, an activist and an emblematic figure in the defense of Human Rights defined the purpose of the EAA, which is the obligation to design for all, emphasizing on the various stakes of the Act such as the 3-yr life period of electronic products, the synchronization of local laws, ministries, administrations  and services in each E.U member state, the strict safety regulations, the copyright and intellectual property challenges including patents etc., the complications with guilds and industries that oppose to EAA due to short-term financial interests.

http://kkuneva.eu 

Representatives by many organizations in the wide spectrum of disability, mental or physical – exposed different angles of the Accessibility for All issues such as discrimination, educational reform (no more “special schools” please), economic criteria such motives for companies that apply accessibility norms (ex. Expiry date on alimentary products also in Braille, audiovisual  facilities such SDH subtitling and audio description (AD)), adequate legal framework for security and data protection, deinstitutionalization and investment. It is vital for global economy the transit to new digital infrastructures, made by all, for all and it is expected from E.U to respond to the task. 

Greek Vice-minister of Social Solidarity Theano Fotiou elaborated on digital engineering and how the new on-line platform of the ministry will attempt for the first time to register all citizens with disability and the disability care units, so to create a unique, accurate and legitimate record of all people facing a physical or mental condition of some degree of impairment in Greece (note: the estimates for the actual numbers are based on old statistics, giving an approximate of 200.000 cases in the country)- and eventually claim additional funds if needed, for their sustainable living in society.  

From right to left in the photo bellow, some of the distinctive speakers of the congress: F. Bibassis- Member of the  Education and Rehabilitation Center for the Blind (K.E.A.T), G. Lymvaios- Secretary Member of the Greek National Committee of People with Disability, p. Manthopoulou,-Head of People with Disability Office- Ministry of Social Solidarity, Theano Fotiou- Vice-minister of Social Solidarity, Eleni Tsagka- Journalist –Coordinator, Pwlina Papanikolaou- Criminologist- Researcher. 

Accessibility design, its legal support EAA and eventually the European Accessibility Law- are compensating factors for social recovery and economic rejuvenation. 

Accessibility equals Emancipation and Self-Actualization. Let’s get those ATM easy to use for the partially sighted, let’s help the Down-syndrome teens to enter university and let’s  encourage the increasing amount of population developing PTSD, to overcome anxiety and get back to work with soothing apps! The time is now. Please check the sites: 

https://el-gr.facebook.com/DisArtMove/

https://www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/about_us/usronmace.htm

https://el-gr.facebook.com/mideniki.anoxi/

http://www.eugenfound.edu.gr/frontoffice/portal.asp?cpage=node&clang=1

Best regards?-))

A4D-D4A-))  

The Bipolar New Order: from the Artisan to the Extreme Tech, the Digital Revolution to follow, in Society and Economy - directly from Web Summit 2016, Lisbon, PT, (Part B).

Photo above: from “An education in fashion” talk, featuring Matt Drinkwater, Head of Fashion innovation Agency at London College of Fashion, UK  with Ella Alexander from Harper’s Bazaar. 

https://websummit.net


As we move forward to a living services era, from the famous “Internet of Things” to the “Internet of Services”, where these functions are not going to be static but robotic- we are challenged to reinvent and redesign brands and commodities- products and materials in the most emotionally challenging way. In the rise of every big technological step, there are privileges but also collateral casualties, humanity clashes engineering, despite their common line of blood….Memory is the mother of craft ( Mnemosyne, the personification of memory in Greek mythology, was the mother of the 9 Muses, the goddesses of the creative arts and sciences).

Matt Drinkwater, Head of Fashion innovation Agency at London College of Fashion, UK, explained on the stage of MODUM conference in Web Summit 2016, how the fashion colleges should prepare the graduates for the next generation of fashion industry. After all fashion is always about motion so notions such Digital anthropology, Augmented reality, Network outsourcing and so on, are heavily implemented on process of designing fashion wear. The designer needs to know how and when to adopt smart materials (materials that react to different conditions for instance), 3D printing, messaging apps, social media metrics and coding -at some stage of manufacturing, together with marketing tools for digital commerce platforms. 


Speaking of 3D Printing  the last 30 years of its existence and its impact on Individual productivity, (:remember, the entrepreneurial future belongs to small companies), Carl Bass, president and chief executive officer of Autodesk and Maxim Lobovsky, CEO of Formlabs  also quoted the important role of the technique  for prototypes in jewellery design and casting procedure, among other fields- in a discussion under the title "3D printing our way to advanced manufacturing", hosted by Jon Bruner- O’ Reilly Media. 

Anne Pascual, Design Director within IDEO, a global, multidisciplinary  design company with offices also in Germany (Munich)- described at her lecture “Designing at scale” how a designer today optimizes self growing and how a big vision enables scalable solutions in big corporations, like airline companies by ex. incorporating personal attributes of character and flair on the whole service interaction of flights attendants, creating a new communication protocol and therefore a whole new experience for the traveler (see photo bellow). 

Similar to this, Maureen Fan, CEO and Co-founder at Baobab Studios, alongside with Derek Koenig, Senior Vice President & Head of Creative at Discovery Communications and Dave Ranyard, CEO of Dream Reality Interactive, underlined the importance of powerful characters, in their discussion with Phil Chen of Presence Capital (see photo bellow), around the “ Director’s cut: Plotline and presence in VR”. Sound, composition, content: how you can beat the powerful, yet analog human brain and indulge the audience to come back to the VR experience? 

We do not count on VR only for entertainment though. VR photography and filming will be the actual methods in the astute digitization list, that will enable to conserve, restore and reconstitute lost antiquities (:the Palmyra catastrophe) or endangered, sensitive artifacts of great historical significance. In the discussion  “Making memories for the virtual world), held by David Harrison of Al-Jazeera International, Rossitza Atanassova; Digital Curator at the British library (see photo bellow),  Roger Michel; Executive director of the Institute of Digital Archaeology and Ed Humphrey; Digital Director at British Film Institute – urged other organizations round the world- governmental or not - to digitize their collections, for reasons of security and maximum accessibility.  

The “data maximum security” clause, circulated heavily between stages, throughout the whole event- triggering the second best joke of Web Summit 2016 regarding the American elections and H. Clinton’s so called hacked e-mail….also talk of the town – and capital laugh, the Canadian immigration site collapsing on the 9th of November… announced  by the first  half of the talented duo: Travis Wright - with Stewart Rogers of VentureBeat, just before giving it away to their guest Alan Schaaf; founder of Imgur, and their common discussion on Content Makers stage(: “ The rise of geek culture and what it means for brands”). 

“Privacy is paramount”, stated firmly Jim Hunter, chief scientist and technology evangelist at Greenwave Systems in his discussion with Madeline Bennett (Computer Shopper, UK). The topic evolved on the debate “ Are smart homes overhyped and risky?”. With all major furniture- and -interiors fairs around the world, plus national health systems in countries  with collapsing economies, concentrating heavily on the care of senior citizens and citizens with disability, through the support of home apps- the education and minimization of errors in such technologies, remain THE No1 issue for further debate. Finally, as J. Hunter  put it:“We need to make sure that these technologies WORK under a great UX/UI design, because if they don’t, governments will inevitably have to control and amend things- and with more intervention of a problematic central, state administration, things will get worse for the citizen in need of domestic aid of that type”. 

Bono’s  remote message, moved consciences and raised awareness, as always- an extract: "...While I couldn’t be there, my colleagues at ONE are, to launch a campaign to get the public and private sectors working together to make sure 350 million women and girls in the world’s least-developed countries can get connected to the internet by 2020. Their latest report shows that the digital divide is becoming a digital chasm when it comes to women and girls — who are a third less likely to be connected to the internet than men and boys....."In this digitally driven world, the smarts and brilliance of the Web Summit community are constantly innovating the way we live, work and act. We need people to work together to make sure that passion and creativity should be of benefit to everyone regardless of where they were born and with which chromosomes...."

https://act.one.org/sign/create-an-internet-for-everyone/?utm_source=Ci+Events+Newsletter&utm_campaign=45ac63c7e3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_11_07&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6f64

53.056 people from 166 countries attended the Web Summit 2016, confirming its lead as the top online technology conference in the planet. International speakers in 21 conferences stages and 1.490 startups, showcased their products during those three days, in order to make their own impact in the industry. 
An extremely small taste of these new platforms, dedicated  to online activities of all kinds: 


Fashion, retail, online shopping 

www.farfetch.com 
www.maxiphy.com 
https://boutiquexperiences.com 

Law, cross-platform  legal services 

www.cms-lawnow.com 
www.cmslegal.com 

Innovative hardware 

www.marbulutionz.com 

Creativity 

https://get-art.work 

IoT/Data processing/ Car industry 

http://cherryot.com 

VR/ AI/ Gaming, Sports 

http://www.supa.ai 

Web Summit 2017 will take place again in Lisbon, from the 6th to 9th of November next year.  It seems that the Portuguese capital is building a new campaign, chiseling a new pathway, becoming a center for online, digital technologies.  After all, “This is (Not) the New Silicon Valley- This is Portugal”*. An institution here to stay, as it is Web Summit alone.

Enjoy! 

A4D-D4A?-))  

The Bipolar New Order: from the Artisan to the Extreme Tech, the Digital Revolution to follow, in Society and Economy - directly from Web Summit 2016, Lisbon, PT, (Part A).

Photo above: Andrew McAfee, MIT; Gary Marcus, Geometric Intelligence; Tom Dotan,The Information - in a discussion with topic: "The future of the worker", at the Centre stage of Web Summit, 8/11/2016, Lisbon, Portugal. 

https://websummit.net

It remains an exorbitant ambition to try and summarize a world summit upon the subject of technology today- provided that digital technology will be the crucial factor of transformation in all fields: science, industry, education, health, design, business, arts and crafts. The charismatic speakers came to present all new technological ventures , regarding the future of the web- and eventually of the world. They arrived in Lisbon this November 2016 from all over the world, trying to promote, sell, convince but also evangelize the software that will guarantee solutions for all the tantalizing issues societies will deal with, from now on: Internet, AI, VR, 3D printing, coding, data security, robot engineering but also jobs, social care, public health, minimum income, risks, rational governance, security and creativity - were loudly pronounced among the formidable inventions, applications and start-ups we witnessed during the convention. 

"Work in the factory is gone" stated Andrew McAfee, co-director of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy and the associate director of the Center for Digital Business at the MIT Sloan School of Management in the discussion with 
topic "The future of the worker".
AI, will apparently take over in jobs like learning and public transports.The problem is, most governments are not ready about it. In a few years we will talk to robots in services, and apps like Apple Siri convey the technology to that level, in the next decade. The dominant question in the post-work utopia will be if we will lose too many positions to machines. Are, we humans, going to continue to be relevant anymore? 

Antoine Blondeau, CEO of Sentient Technologies in California, US, continued even further. In his lecture "Sentient Technologies: Scaled AI solves the world's most complex problems", referred to future platforms of AI designing AI and focused on the MIT projects of Cyber agriculture, where intelligent technology will change entirely the traditional notion of the farmer, as we knew it until now. Martin Hofmann, (in picture bellow), CIO of Volkswagen illustrated the collaborative work between robotic car engineers and human designers in the VW atelier in Berlin, talking explicitly on the staggering new technology: Google Home and Amazon Echo voice recognition algorithms, (among other things).

Web Summit Co Founder Paddy Cosgrave also insisted on the work subject - the future of jobs.
Provided the complete automatization in many sectors, how 
governments are going to deal with the unqualified worker of the future? 
Transitional learning experiences for the "small" employee will have to be effective, therefore inevitable - otherwise there will be chaos. 

"Big companies need to become as agile as start-ups",
announced Werner Vogels, chief technology officer and Vice President of Amazon.com, also in charge of driving technology innovation within the company - at Miguel Helft from Forbes before a full Center stage. 
The title of their B2B convo: " Growth at any cost: Mercenaries vs missionaries" (photo bellow). The competition will come from small companies in the future, according to W. Vogels, so go-global attitude, fast execution together with cost, will be defining to any company's success. Furthermore, after a certain level, IT does not matter, in the sense that IT is not a differentiator to the customer/user at the very end. Who will survive the market? Wrong question, (no matter the ethics of the company apparently), how the market will get enlarged is the main issue. Classic.

In an era, not so far from now, that you will scan your body (ex. Breast) with an app on your mobile, skipping the expense of the diagnostic center and you will e-mail the scan directly to your GP- OR you will be programming your house temperature, and other devices to assist the senior members of the family (unable to enter a Senior's state facility because of the abolition of these high-cost units by the state)- the crucial subject of managing public health data and services with efficient digital technology, capitalizes every governmental discussion. A huge headache that involves possible security and quality risks, especially in the first stages of technologies like these, as observes CFO / Board Member at DocPlanner.com, (photo bellow) the biggest European booking platform and management software provider for doctors in Europe and Latin America with 17 million patients each month. In his common talk with Babylon Health, Gary Mudie and Akshat Rathi, (Quartz): "On demand healthcare: Convenience over quality", mentioned how each country's national health system infrastructure & particularities are fundamental to the adoption of similar platforms.

"Millenials are interested in data philanthropy.
They share data, offer data and they want to get something back...an (ethical) reward". "A cognitive system understands and translates big data into insights in a transparent way".

Dr. Kyu Rhee, Vice President and Chief Health Officer at IBM Corporation, (see photo bellow).

Dr. Kyu Rhee's elaborate presentation on the IBM Watson Health platform for National Health systems to run effectively and quickly patient records and treatments, but also his talk with Akshat Rathi, (Quartz) on how fitness data devices really affect our state of health and our state of ... mind- evoked several questions. 

How feasible such platforms are for all countries? From Switzerland to Zambia? 

Fitness tracking devices have an intelligence outcome 

for all people indeed?...Two of the most fascinating talks of the event. 

TO BE CONTINUED! 
On creativity, fashion education, 3D printing, smart houses, VR and filming, virtual archaeology, Bono, jokes, apps and start-ups fave-list!!! 
Stay tuned for Part B of WEB SUMMIT 2016!

A4D-D4A <3

SALONI WORLDWIDE MOSCOW 2016: ALL EYES SET ON...

Photo above from: 
http://www.isaloniworldwide.ru/en/media/mediagallery.html

In a phase where natural disasters compete against uncompromising financial news, the strategic movement of Italian design & manufacturing industry, to artfully expand its international trade fairs to foreign territories- with no reductions to quality and relevance- is propably the dominant business move on a European level the post-2008 years. The ''Moscow branch" of  Salone del Mobile, took place again this October 2016, sharpening the edges of the global production, by introducing the best of Italy (: which tends to remain the best of the world, despite the economic crisis) and promoting new, exciting realities and groundbreaking ideas. The insatiable, creative power of the organizers, brought up a network of producers, designers, companies, specialists etc., including the vast territory of the ex-Soviet world: a powerful source of talented "Russian-and-beyond" avant-garde no2. History is repeated, here are some important aspects from this year's manifestations:

1. The twelfth edition of the SaloneSatellite WorldWide Moscow marked the exhibition, in which 44 young designers from Russia and the former Soviet Republics were involved. The award winners will be invited to the SaloneSatellite in Milan, which will be held under the umbrella of the Salone del Mobile.Milano from 4th to 9th April 2017.  

2. The three Master Classes, providing an opportunity for reflection and discussion on design-related issues, featured three of the architects from the 11 architectural practices that took part in the great ROOMS. Novel Living Concepts exhibition organised by the Salone del Mobile.Milano as part of the XXI International Triennale Exhibition in Milan: Duilio Forte, Claudio Lazzarini and Carl Pickering, and Francesco Librizzi.  

3. The third edition of MADE expo WorldWide was onboard , the event devoted to interior architecture, involving a number of leading Italian door and surface sector companies.  

4. As complementary, Salone del Mobile.Milano Trend Lab announced an event of major importance in the Russian capital, commenting on the concept of Return To Nature. In 2019 a real living forest will appear in the centre of Moscow just a few steps from the Red Square. Zaryadye Park – designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, creators of the acclaimed High Line park in New York – comes under the heading of what is known as Wild Urbanism, "an urban design trend that extends nature and the countryside into the urban landscape, in which natural elements and crops coexist and interact with the built environment, creating a new genre of public space".   

With eager anticipation of the Salone del Mobile 2017 edition next April - where Euroluce 2017, the immense Lighting design international fair, will also be included in the agenda of the Salone dynamics - check for credentialed information, updates and Press releases the following official sites: 

http://www.isaloniworldwide.ru/en/~

https://www.salonemilano.it/en/manifestazioni/euroluce-2017.html

https://www.salonemilano.it

Next post around  the 14th of November!!!! ON WEB SUMMIT 2016!
Best?-))

A4D-D4A

Residences et al. Chapter 4: Urban coilings...

Photo above (left): Cafe' in Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany (now Chemnitz, Free State of Saxony, Germany) from the Editorial Photocolor Archives, N.Y; (right): large street in Shanghai, China, by Phillip Harrington; F. & N., Schwitter Library.

“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity” 

 Sun Tzu, The Art of War

The Robert Bosch Stiftung foundation in Germany has launched one of its many initiatives for international projects of high caliber and ambition. In the spirit of the cities' fraternization tradition, RBS brings together in collaboration two major players of construction, urbanism and contemporary architecture...from two very different continents: Asia and Europe. The Stadtmacher China-Germany program is willing to stir the waters of city planning - by imposing a number of fundamental questions, affecting the quality of urban living today -and tomorrow. Sustainability, ecology, navigation, mobility, multiculturalism and integration issues, are redefined by a series of actions, where the one partner is willing to learn and improve and the other to move on, to entirely new practices.
With the hope this exchange of ideas, the indepth inter-approach and the junction of two opposite ideologies/schools in design education and architectural establishment- will contribute to solutions in the tormenting problems of our current metropolises, the partnership functions on the level of the participant Chinese and German cities municipalities/administrations - but also between universities, architects, urbanists, designers, artists and civilians coming from both countries. 
It is the first time on European ground that an E.U member state, proceeds to a collaboration of such scale, effort and importance - with the Chinese continent. And there is an extremely high risk that it will work, in the short and in the long run, for the alignment of two capital, economic and cultural forces, (rivals one might also comment), to a noble cause: a worthy living in the cities of - our common - future. 

Please visit the following links for information in detail about the program (both in German and Chinese): 

http://www.stadtmacher4986.com/content/language1/html/index.asp

http://www.stadtmacher4986.com/content/language1/downloads/STADTMACHER_BLATT.pdf

Also, check more of the RBS programs and scholaships on:

http://www.bosch-stiftung.de/content/language2/html/index.asp

Regards and salutations?-))
A4D-D4A

Design disruptors and other stories …

Image above from: www.designdisruptors.com 

Disruption equals to revolution, when it comes to design. The notion of disruptive design and the companies that actually fuelled it and diverted their business towards a new, dynamic  perspective- succeeded world domination, especially  in areas such as online media. The Design Disruptors documentary, directed by Matt D’Avella and sponsored by the InVision platform & tool, was presented on a special screening event in Athens,- within the promotion of the upcoming Designathon event this weekend, a 48 speed-design challenge for online media design teams, taking place in central Athens, Greece- for updates,  please check: 

www.designathon.gr 

The film explores the current era in online media design, furthermore it features the top ranking companies, their UX/UI/Product design directors and their endeavors. Facebook, Google, Etsy, Spotify, Pinterest, Twitter explain their vision about design implemented in their business objectives now, plus the significant role design finally holds in their leading, entrepreneurial practices. In an almost(!) “Truth Or Dare” mode, head designers reveal only SOME secrets of the “disruptive” trade, their design process and how this very aspect actually becomes  the FUNDAMENTAL VALUE of any business.   

Clauses as the following, recapitulate the essence of the film: “Everything is designed, few things are designed well”,  “There is no such a thing a s an average user anymore”, “Save time is sexy”,  “Art is about questions, design is about solutions”, “Subtraction is the most valuable addition to your product”, “ Bad ideas come to market because it’s quick and easy, good ideas are difficult to reach”, “So often we are wrong about how people will use a product”,  “Anyone can create an app, or the next big thing”, “Designers thrive on constraints”,  “Product design is not about creating something timeless”,  “If you want to go quickly go alone- if you want to go far, go together”, “Diversity is the opportunity in tech right now”,  “Design ethics is about solving meaningful problems”, “If you ask the average professional if they he/she is happy with the software the she/he uses- she/he will answer NO”. 

An exciting two–year program has been launched –calling for entries until 21st of October 2016. Post-Nostalgia: Design meets Utopia, promotes  research and practice around the wide spectrum of design history, legacy and past between the periods 1950 -1970 and 2000 -2016, throughout the context of Utopia and nostalgic representation. The final projects, coming out of any design discipline (industrial design, fashion, architecture, furniture, theoretical studies etc), will be hosted in an exhibition at the end of 2018. The Patron of program is the Vacalo Art & Design College in Athens, Greece-  for details please click on the links: 

www.postnostalgia.eu 

www.vacalo.gr 

Enjoy and keep it going?-)) 
A4D-D4A  

Goggle at the new year: IMM 2017 earlies....!

Image above: Stand: Zanat, Halle 3.2, IMM 2016 / Foto: Koelnmesse, Oliver Wachenfeld

http://koelnmesse.onlinemedianet.de/originalPreviewJW.jsp?previewGUID=89599071-2A3F-000E-4DAE-93E7EDA7A5F2

The first, major international fair of the year on January 2017 (16-22/1/2017), IMM in Cologne, Germany plows laboriously the design territories, in order to confide in the visitors the innovative secret trends, solutions and technologies around house interiors and beyond. Very important crossroad of the design trade - from every possible aspect -these are the highlights of the first, global Press release regarding the exhibition plus its clinging events and manifestations. (extracts of the Press release as it was distributed to media):

"...

- After a one-year pause, CS Schmal is returning to the Smart halls. The newcomers include, among others, the Danish company Interstil, as well as numerous other debut exhibitors from countries such as Spain, Sweden and Russia. Other companies returning to the event include Ekornes in the Comfort segment as well as Joop Living and Maronese in the Prime segment.

- The mattress industry continues to focus on Cologne and consequently, the scenario for “Sleep” in Hall 9 in 2017 will once again be: "Sorry, fully booked". Numerous companies are presently waiting for a stand to become available in this hall. Apart from in Hall 9, Sleep will take place in Hall 5.1 as well, so visitors can look forward to seeing attractive new participants in the Sleep segment as well.

- As in every second year, in January 2017 LivingKitchen will also once again be an important part of the combined fair and a major highlight. More than 200 exhibitors will be participating in the world's biggest kitchen show staged under one roof.

- Top international design will also once again be a focus of IMM, Cologne in 2017, which will be particularly evident in the Pure segment. Pure will be rounded off with Pure Editions (innovative interior designs, special-edition concepts, as well as "Das Haus Interiors on Stage"), Pure Textile (textile interior design by premium textile brands), Pure Talents (experimental design, schools and universities, Pure Talents Contest) as well as, for the first time, Pure Studios (design labs, professional networks, independent designers/studios). New exhibitors in the Pure segment include, among others, Gloster, Nanimarquina, Möller Design, Roche Bobois, and Meridiani.

....

Excitement hits the roof and time flies! We will get back on the subject during December 2016 with precise news and program schedules - about areas of interest, that traditionally A4D-D4A will present in its forthcoming issues, focusing on IMM. Until then, wait and watch?-)))

Best regards

A4D-D4A