Showing posts with label leeds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leeds. Show all posts

Monday, 27 January 2014

The value of good design

Ilsa Parry design talk in Leeds - BoConcept 

In November 2013, Ilsa was invited by Julie and Jamie Kerner of BoConcept Leeds to host an event for customers of BoConcept, Heals and Calligaris where she introduced new product collections and reviewed the classics. The focus of the evening was to present the innate design qualities behind the concept and manufacture of key pieces and uncover the hidden value in the function and purpose of each piece. The event took place at Redbrick Mill in Leeds and alongside competitions, drinks and nibbles, Ilsa shed new light on what it truly means when we talk about a design classic.

Ilsa noted the qualities of half a dozen pieces of classic contemporary and modern furniture and put them in context of design history. She began with a focus on HOW we make judgement on quality when choosing furniture for our homes.

"We know that a design classic generally means something that has stood the test of time."

But how do we then judge what is “good” about new design?

Ilsa put forward the sentiment that Designs which prove themselves as classics are usually based on deeper values and aspects of life enhancement which are relevant to human existence beyond the realms of context. She cited Dieter Rams,  a very successful designer in the 1970s, in her talk when he declared that the ten commandments of good design should be items which are innovative, useful, aesthetic, understandable, unobtrusive, honest, long lasting, thorough, environmentally friendly, as little design as possible. Ilsa believes that essentially, these observations are still relevant yet the essence of such insight can be captured much more succinctly. Ilsa believes that "good design" which has the potential to transcend changes in taste and fashion is evolutionary and transformational.

That which transforms how we live by removing difficulty, by enhancing experience, by causing a spark of reflection on our own existence and thereby generating further change in how we live is by definition what Ilsa concluded as "good".

The Promo video can be viewed here which will give you a taste for the event: 


The talk focussed upon the design thinking in concept and construction terms behind the following key pieces:

BoConcept Function Coffee Table

Heals Master Chair

Calligaris Jam Chair

Calligaris Bloom Chair

Heals Togo Sofa

BoConcept Hamilton Chair
To Book Ilsa Parry to speak about design at your next event email info@ilsaparry.com

Monday, 9 September 2013

More free design for all!

BURO 1.5 IS SET TO LAUNCH!

Futher to our last post introducing the Buro graphic design collective and free publication, I thought I would give you a free sneak preview into the next edition...

Theme: Holidays
Format: A5 postcards
Print and pack: Screenprinted in either a range of three colours or black on white card packaged as sets of ten.

Check out the Büro facebook page to find out the ideas behind some of the contributions for the latest (holiday postcards) edition which will be launched in Manchester very soon. 


By liking the facebook page you'll be able to keep up with all the developments and bag yourself some decent free artwork! as shown below!











New Manchester Graphic Design Collective Dish Out Free Artwork


Last year I decided to do an MA in Graphic Design and Art Direction part time to assist me in better communicating the products and services of the consultancy and the REthinkthings brand. This experience has lead to a whole range of new creations, all communication based and these are soon to be finalised and released as products and services onto our site. 

One project that was more for pleasure but greatly inspirational to me personally was a joint publication myself and my fellow students decided to create entitled Büro. 



Büro is both a recurring creative outlet which follows varying formats and is free where found and is designed, produced and distributed by the collaborative group of professional students.



The first output from the eclectic collection "Büro 1.0" was launched at Odder on Oxford Road and consisted of 22 thoughtfully designed / illustrated graphic posters on the theme of misplaced. 

















This summer Büro 1.0 distributed around the North West.






We limited production to  500 copies of Büro 1.0, and ensure this was free to all. In Liverpool they were distributed in F.A.C.T. (foundation for art and creative technology), Bold St Cafe, Egg cafe, The Italian Club, Rennies Arts and Crafts, Ran retro shoe store, Lost Art, 3B records, Leaf cafe, Bluecoat Chambers (art gallery), Camp and Furnace, Baltic Creative, Liverpool Biennial HQ. 



Manchester outlets included Wowie Zowie, Chorlton, Fred Aldous, NQ Takk, NQ Common, NQ Marc the Printers, NQ Magma, NQ The Bay Horse, NQ Trof, NQ Affleck's Palace, NQ The Castle Pub, NQ, Sandbar, Oxford Road Odder, Oxford Road.




Those lucky guys in Leeds even nabbed some copies at  Village in the Corn Exchange!

www.facebook.com/buromcr