Jake Blanchard Updates

Jake Blanchard has updated his website with a bunch of new projects for The Guardian, Nike and a heap of other people. Jake tells us, “I’m particularly happy with the window display for Douglas and Gordon, which took a massive amount of time to get done, it’ll be on display for a few months on the corner of Harrington Road and Bute Street in South Kensington (London)”

Studio Vruchtvlees

Studio Vruchtvlees recently informed us that they have a dapper new site online.

Fatih Baltas

Fatih Baltas wrote to us to show us his product design work for the Turkish Police, namely a very smart communication gadget named the Agpa. However, two of his other product designs caught our eye as well; the delightful form of his shoe polishers and also a very cool smokers bench. Make sure you check out all of Fatih’s work both on Behance and on his own site.

Scotia / Copenhagen Climate Conference

Sometimes design is just downright clever and drop dead gorgeous, like this. Here are a few shots of brand-new solar street light that actually generates more power than it needs.

Scotia has put its solar-powered outdoor lighting columns under the scrutiny of some of the world’s leading environmentalists at the Copenhagen Climate Conference, to demonstrate the feasibility of emissions-free lighting even at northern latitudes. The project was conceived to support the Bella Center in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint in the run up to the UN climate conference, held in Copenhagen December 2009. The goal was to provide Scandinavia’s largest conference centre with an attractive, well-lit outdoor environment – but without contributing any carbon emissions.

Speirs and Major Associates

Here’s some very fine images of the lighting installation of Devonshire Square in London, created by Speirs and Major Associates. The photography is by James Newton.

A bit more about this project, “The lighting was expected to support a number of strategic goals: to promote the estate as a business attraction; emphasize the impact of the area; activate the site after working hours; highlight period features; and safeguard the original architecture. In order to encourage greater use of the public area, light has been used to reshape the space into something softer and more relaxed. The challenge was how to create a sense of intimacy in a cavernous space overlooked by tall 18th century warehouses. Designer Andrew Howis: “We were acutely aware that the Western Courtyard is dominated by these beautiful but slightly overbearing buildings. The role we played was in creating a more human scale at ground level without interfering with the fabric of the buildings.” To define a more intimate volume, ten custom pendants (designed by Speirs and Major Associates) provide a soft, warm glow of light without creating any clutter on the floor. The warmth at ground level is accentuated by a chill moonlit atmosphere in the surrounding canopy above.”