Some interesting desgn concepts

According to Wikipedia, a concept car is a car prototype made to showcase a concept, new styling, technology and more. At Toxel, they believe that concept cars are made to inspire!

A skyscraper in motion

It's always been one of the enduring truths of architecture: buildings stand still. Parts may move--the arms on a windmill, the elevators and escalators, the occasional rotating restaurant on the top floor--but not whole huge swaths of skyscraper.

Why Apple doesn't do 'concept products'

Technology giants like Microsoft and Nokia have also had a penchant for concocting concept products that never see the light of day in the market. Why hasn’t Apple, the most innovative and visionary company in computing, produced a single concept product or vision in over a decade? Because, to paraphrase Jobs, 'real artists ship'.

Renzo Piano

Piano was born in Genoa, where he still maintains a home and office (Building Workshop). He was educated and subsequently taught at the Politecnico di Milano. From 1965 to 1970 he worked with Louis Kahn and with Makowsky. He worked together with Richard Rogers from 1971 to 1977; their most famous joint project is the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (1977). He also had a long collaboration with the extraordinary engineer Peter Rice.

On March 18, 2008, he became an honorary citizen of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Also check out the upcoming opening of the new California Academy of Sciences building designed by Renzo.

7 essential guidelines for functional design

Look at what you’ve made. Beautiful, isn’t it? But does it work? For whom does it work? Of course you can use it, but can anyone else? In short, is it functional?

2008 Annual Design Review: Packaging

ID magazine evaluates several packaging ideas for its 2008 Annual Design Review.

Archinect

The goal of Archinect is to make architecture more connected and open-minded, and bring together designers from around the world to introduce new ideas from all disciplines.

Design Addict

Design Addict is the leading design portal online, targeting the international community of design professionals and private consumers.

It's the little ideas that count

Designing for speed, simplicity armed with 'Lots of Little Ideas'. The global world of web users crave simplicity, power, beauty, and that all-important human touch.

Google's design principles.

Focus web design on quick and easy

Jakob Nielsen says that web users are getting "more ruthless and selfish," meaning that they want to get onto a site, get what they need, and get right out. No dilly-dallying, hunting for information on a site, or waiting for those super-exciting, animated pages to load. He also reports that people are getting more savvy with the web as well, no longer getting duped by ads or marketing tricks at the same rates they had before. What does this mean for you? Start living by a mantra of simplicity and substance and you should be fine.

To those who do things for love, not money

Australian ad agency Jack Watts Currie, created some print campaigns to invigorate the Penfolds Wines brand.

Best design from Brazil

Amazing design and innovation is taking place in Brazil and this slideshow of winners (Brazil placed third behind the US and Korea in the number of IDEA awards in 2008) shows the wide range of activity.

Brazilians are designing sophisticated medical equipment, autos, clothes and jets. Sao Paulo is home is some great design consultancies.

Ever Notice?

How can an act as simple as noticing inspire and drive innovation?

Re:Design

Interesting notes on how Cooper-Hewitt went about to present new media, technology, and the amazing new advances in design.

Exhibit Design Awards

Are you in the trade show business? You may want to check out this out.

Yahoo's Design Pattern Library

Welcome to the Yahoo! Design Pattern Library. Some interesting information dealing with code with the wed design and development community.

Yahoo's Design Pattern Library

Object

George Watson, has recently won the new designers vtech telecommunications award. he received the award for his design 'object', a photographic experience. the idea for 'object' was to relate digital data more physically with objects within the home and create meaningful links between both. Once images are taken the exchange converts them into associations with domestic objects by tagging an artefact with a small rfid chip. For example if an image of a beach is taken, pebbles are often associated with the landscape. You may have a pebble in your house, so you would roll the pebble over the 'object' viewer and an images of the beach will appear.

Winglet

Toyota revealed a range of personalised electric scooters. users can stand on two of the vehicles without using their arms and control it with their knees.

Learning from the Olympics

From GE to Nestlé to watchmaker Omega, companies use the Games to test-drive new ideas—and strut their stuff.

Equipment and apparel fit for Olympic athletes—and their mere mortal counterparts

24 Creative Business Card Designs

Some very simple but clever ideas for business cards.

What makes a good logo design?

When it comes to seeing a logo that makes you wonder, “Why didn’t I think of that?”, what exactly is it about the design that gives you that impression?

Design Studio of the week

Raw, is located in Manchester, UK. Their passion for design translates into success for their clients who range from online retailers, creatives, to public sector organisations. They question the ordinary to create innovative, effective design.

Polish Pavilion Expo 2010

Polish pavilion for Shanghai Expo 2010/Pawilon Polski podczas EXPO 2010 w Szanghaju.

The MAG Lev Concept Car With Sexy Design And 3 Wheels

The MAG car would require that all automotive infrastructure be magnetized in order for it to work, a task well-neigh impossible for any large-scale implementation. However such a system would tremendously reduce the energy required to propel the car, as it’s electromagnetic motor would be calibrated to reduce the car’s weight.

Olympic torch design history

Take a look at past designs of the Olympic torch.

The next Starbucks

After two decades of breakneck growth, the world's largest coffee shop, Starbucks, stumbled in 2007. Company shares fell by 42 percent, and Howard Schultz, the former CEO, lamented that Starbucks had overextended itself and the stores “no longer have the soul of the past.”

Nokia 888 Design

More Nokia 888

Apple - Pro

For me, there is no better way to do your blog than using an iMac. Ok, I'm bias, but I know there are many out there who'll agree with me. If you're looking for tips on color tools, case studies, and more, go to Apple Pro.

Wooden Sci-fi sculptures make great geek art

Sculptor Michael Rea has a knack for building. But unlike most architects, he draws on an encyclopedic knowledge of geek culture and an eccentric sense of humor for his unique sculptures.

All-screen clamshell concept phone: a glimpse of the future

Cell phone designers struggle with two mutually exclusive directions: How do you make a phone with the smallest possible size, but the largest possible screen?

How do you enhance innovation?

Looking for ways to expand innovation bandwidth? Start with more playtime.

IDEA 2008 winners

The IDEA program fosters business and public understanding about the impact of industrial design excellence on the quality of life and the economy.

Contemporary airport design

Airports have become the hubs of global exchange and are seen as gateways into our world's metropolitan cities. they are architectural accomplishments which have considered environmental concerns, utilizing natural light and materials to enhance the overall airport experience.

Designboom

With more than 1,500,000 readers a month from over 165 countries, (including 180,000 subscribers to our monthly newsletter) designboom.com is the leading independent publication for key contemporary issues and the critique of all aspects of design, especially those topics which enrich the dialogue between design, creative professionals, industry and society.

MacBook Touch Mockup: Is This Apple's Top-Secret Laptop?

UPDATE (July 25): The Apple rumor mill is at it again, with reports surfacing this week that Steve Jobs and Co. are working on a touchscreen laptop to unveil as soon as the end of 2008. Good thing Glenn Derene dreamed up his own at the beginning of this year. Here's a fresh look at our would-be MacBook Touch.