The Johnson Banks thought for the week sees Michael Johnson discuss the balance between working for ‘ethical’ organisations and selling your soul to blue chip / multinationals. Read it here.

“…why context is more important than consistency. It’s ok to be inconsistent if your design makes more sense that way. Give people just what matters. Give them what they need when they need it and get rid of what they don’t. It’s better to be right than to be consistent.”

The iPhone keyboard’s spacebar is replaced by web-centric options when you’re entering a URL. URLs can’t contain blank spaces so the iPhone gets rid of the useless key and replace it with ones that add value. Great example of context over consistency.

Via 37 signals

The product launches in the US later today, which means the world wide web is going to be reviewtastic very soon. Here are a couple to get you started…

David Pogue from the New York Times
Walter Mossberg, Wall Street Journal Personal Technology Columnist

Is the theme for this years Architecture Week. Last week I attended the AW onedotzero evening event, which showcased sustainable design work from Jason Bruges Studio, XCO2 and DIY Kyoto. The showcase reinforced the need for artists and designers to produce work which is powered by renewable forms of energy, aswell as create products that support us in our efforts to reduce our consumption of non-renewables.

Jason Bruges took centre stage first, starting with a quick introduction of the studio’s work, which for me is a mixture of information design, architecture and interactive / art installations. Following the intro Jason proceeded to present a series of the studio’s projects that have explored visualising prevailing winds, which have culminated in the studio’s RIBA London and onedotzero comissioned ‘Wind to Light’ installation at the Southbank centre (pictured above). Wind to Light uses ‘500 mini wind turbines to generate power, which illuminates hundreds of mounted leds, creating firefly-like fields of light, with wind visually interpreted as electronic patterns across the installation’. It will be onsite until September, to find out more read the project blog here. Following on from Jason, XCO2 (a group of engineers and designers) also spoke about the use of renewable energies to create function and aesthetic value in their work.

Finally, Greta from DIY Kyoto (who’s name is a reponse to the Kyoto protocol) presented the Wattson, a product which simply makes your electricity usage tangible. I first read about the Wattson in the papers a while ago, but what I didn’t know about was the development of a Wattson online community. This is a place where users can register and track their electricty consumption, a place where international comparision can take place. It was also suggested, tongue in cheek on the night that a dating group could be developed in the community where users could pursue those who used attractive amounts of electricity, now that would be sexy!

This book documenting the product design skill of Japanesse designer Naoto Fukasawa.

It’s true to say in 2004 when I was finishing my degree the internet wasn’t so communitytastic as it is now. So today in 2007 it’s great to find 5oup, an online community for student artists, which on the surface looks like a healthy mix of graphics, fine art, interactive and illustration. Its graduation time right now and all the design blogs are featuring student portfolio’s, from those I have had a quick glance at - Mr.Robert Holmkvist’s graphic design abilites have impressed me the mostest!

Ok, a geeky one here… A couple of months back I noticed a job going for a graphic designer for Propellerhead’s Reason software.

“Tasks will include interface design of devices, interface widgets, icons and other graphical elements for our software applications as well as graphical elements for the web.”

I started thinking.. what a mental job!! Apart from being one of the most extensive and painstakingly accurate pieces of metaphorically designed software ever, it is also one of the greatest audio experiences. Designing it well is a real interface design challenge.

Well months have past, someone got the job, and a new version is on the horizon. Version 4 Looks like the designers have once again had their work cut out, cramming those tiny buttons in. I don’t think they’re recreating any more real devices now, all that’s left is to invent new ones.

Can’t wait to get my mits on this!

Read more at createdigitalmusic.com

Just the way you like it…

1. Consume typographic excellence at Studio 8 Design.

2. Nice interface touches on the microsite for Richard Serra’s MoMA show.

3. I WANT MetaSerif Book.

Spotted in the weekend papers - The East Beach Cafe at Littlehampton.

The Heatherwick studio have created a striking construction that promises to breathe some hot air back into sleepy Littlehampton when it opens later this month. The Chef is mean’t to be a bit of alright aswell, so it looks like a little road trip is on the cards this summer!

Read the Observer article here, and enjoy photographic previews at Dezeen.

“FFFFOUND! is a web service that not only allows the users to post and
share their favorite images found on the web, but also dynamically
recommends each user’s tastes and interests for an inspirational
image-bookmarking experience!!”

…is a Graphic Design student at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie . Zucker und pfeffer is his portfolio (translation anyone?), which at a quick glance contains an impressive body of graphical feasts for you to consume with your eyes.