Posts by Shelby White

Swiss Airlines has a rich history that has been hidden in the archives for quite some time. On March 26th, 1931 when Swissair formed, I doubt anyone at the time really considered the history that they were going to be making with the company’s design. Balair and Ad Astra were the two companies that merged to form Swissair. Throughout the years they’ve changed logos many times but there was one that was most memorable (above). Quite possibly it was the best logo that the company has ever used.

Thanks to SR692 for collecting this information so that we’re able to walk through past logos used by Swissair. Some great, some not so great and a few that were very, very experimental. Hit the jump to see how the company logo changed throughout the years.

Via Wanken

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httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2pzHa6ks0M
Note: Skip to around 5 minutes in to bypass the outdated AIGA news

In addition to the Experimental Jetset Interview that Alex did a while back, this video should help reveal some more information about Experimental Jetset. The first time I watched the video I felt more of a connection to their work simply because I could see and hear their personality. Why?

More than once I’ve been informed of a new artists or designers but haven’t connected with them because I can’t see them talk about their work. Take David Carson as an example. During my first year at the Art Institute I heard his name once a day, five days a week and for the life of me, couldn’t see the value in his design. Now hold on here for a second, I know I’m not the only one (not trying to start a David Carson war here). Regardless my opinion has since changed. But not because I could finally comprehend his intentions. It was because when I watched a video of him speaking I started to see where he was coming from. It was almost as if seeing and hearing him talk let me see into his creative prism. Perhaps by his humor or perhaps because I could simply see him. Either way it helped me establish trust in what he was doing as a designer, or artist, whatever you might consider him to be.

Experimental Jetset didn’t need that trust or comprehension on my end. It was already there because I enjoyed their works and established an immediate connection to them. However, I still really enjoyed seeing Marieke and Danny share insight on their works. Part of it was realizing that these people that I look up to are human and part of it was that hearing those little insights into their creative process is very valuable and inspiring.

Recently I’ve stumbled upon SR692—quite possibly the best collection of SwissAir collateral. It is definitely the biggest collection and had these gems stowed deep within. Most of these posters were came from the 50s to the 70s archives on the site. The few I’ve posted are very straight forward as you can see. Simply utilizing the generic airplane icon, a headline and the SwissAir logo—part of what makes these posters so unique.

Via Wanken

Some of the most interesting homes aren’t those that are colossal. Take this East Village Studio in New York City for example. Sure its small apartment living but its also small, clean and minimal while having a warm, welcoming vibe. What more would you want in an apartment—besides an Eames chair.

I’m not sure about hiding my clothes in the stairs but at the point of creating a more spacious home it works. Is it just me or does this seem like an apartment that would be great for someone who’s a fan of Dieter Rams?

All of this recent hype about the FujiFilm X100 has really forwarded my attention towards Leica and some of their compact cameras. Namely the M8 and M9. Sure they may be expensive but it’s definitely on my “to own” list.

If you’ve used one of these or better yet own a Leica then I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Images via Ffffound

Nueva Forma has graciously allowed me to post these Listening Pleasures here for you guys. They have captivated me for the last month when stumbling upon them. Prior to this post I’ve also posted mixes 1-8 on Wanken with the track listing for each.

Each month Nueva Forma creates one of these mixes featuring artists from their own label and also guest artists whom they feel fit. The mixes are presented as podcasts and can be downloaded from the website. Each is around an hour or so in length. So sit back and enjoy the wonderful listening pleasures brought to us courtesy of Nueva Forma.

FujiFilm has just released a gorgeous, large-sensor compact camera that was inspired by traditional analog film cameras. The camera, called the FinePix X100, has a 12.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor (approx. 1.6x crop factor). The X100 also has this new feature called the ‘hybrid’ viewfinder that allows the user to switch between optical and electronic viewfinders and project shooting information into the optical viewfinder. If all that was too much for you, check out this video.

More importantly than that though, I find the subtle design of the lip over the LCD, the viewfinder flip switch and the shutter and aperture controls to really sell me on the design. Listed below are also more of the features that are sending me head over heals. Oh wait a second, news just coming in: the camera ships March 2011 for $1000!

I’m very tempted to pre-order, but what are your thoughts on the camera?

Specs to consider:
• 12.3MP Sensor
• 1280 x 720 HD Video w/ sound
• F2-F16 Lens
• ISO 100-12800
• 5 FPS Shooting
• 2.8″ LCD
• 127(W) × 75(H) × 54(D) mm in size
• More info here

Everyday Magazine is a magazine that focuses on the behind the scenes of creative folks. I find the design to be quite relaxing and the inner pages to be nicely laid out. The project was created by Mikael Floysand as an assignment at Westerdals School of Communication.

This Lake Washington Residence is a 4,000 square foot home designed by Miller Hull Architects. It was built on Mercer Island overlooking Lake Washington, just outside of Seattle. It faces outward from the edge of a steep hill and heavily forested area over the lake. The view alone is just as captivating as the actual house.

The main entrance of this residence is from the hillside above via a bridge to the third floor. The uppermost level of the residence is used as a place for guests to stay. The residence was designed to be naturally ventilated where the main staircase would pull air up and through the house. I do wonder how well insulated the home is.

Just hearing the name Volkswagen makes me think deep history. Especially now after stumbling upon a Volkswagen archive that has scans from Everett Barnes’ collection. It’s well worth checking out if you have the time. The collection starts from the early 1930s’ and goes all the way until 2005. It has nearly more images and spreads of brochures and random Volkswagen nostalgia than you can shake a stick at.

View the full archive

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