Wilhelm Wagenfeld - Bauhaus

Wilhelm Wagenfeld is a celebrated german industrial designer from the Bauhaus. He also happens to be the grandfather of my colleague and good friend at RMIT University Malte Wagenfeld. Malte and I studied industrial design together and his grandfathers career was often referenced during our studies. I have long sought one of his famous lamps for my collection. Whilst visiting the Auckland Museum it was wonderful to see his tea set on permanent display in the design and decorative arts section.

 Tea set designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld. Bauhaus. Germany

Label for Tea Set designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld. Auckland Museum.

Lamp designed by industrial designer Wilhelm Wagenfeld.

New Zealand Bumble Bee - Chevy Camaro

An encounter with a bumble bee of the insect variety was something I had anticipated whilst visiting New Zealand as this species of bee is not found in mainland Australia. Imagine my delight when the first bumble bee I spied was in fact a four wheeled version Chevy Camaro on the streets of Auckland. This species of bumble bee was bread in the studios of GM Holden in Melbourne and like the flying variety is not common in Victoria. This Bumble Bee was attracting a lot of attention while standing still. The yellow VE Holden Commodore hire car photographed at our bach in Lake Taupo is the GM Zeta platform the Camaro is built on. At the time of the Camaro Concept Car launch - GM global design executive Tony Stolfo said Camaro was a prime example of GM's ability to successfully work across continents on global projects. "Chevrolet Camaro's engineering and design work is happening right here, right now, at Fishermans Bend." Mr Stolfo said. "We are very excited about helping style the look and developing the thrilling drive performance that are hallmarks of this iconic nameplate."

The following day I did encounter New Zealand bumble bees on the lawn outside the Auckland Museum.

Chevy Camaro Bumble Bee.

Chevy Camaro Bumble Bee in Auckland New Zealand.

Holden Commodore hire car at Lake Taupo bach.

New Zealand bumble bee.

Auckland Museum.

Michael Smythe - New Zealand by Design

Whilst in Auckland I had the pleasure of catching up with New Zealand industrial designer and author Michael Smythe and his partner Helen Schamroth. It was a delight to discuss our shared interest in local design history and to gain some insight into the long and winding road to publication. Michael inscribed my copy of his new book with a challenge that is similar to the one he received during a lunch time meeting with Peter Haythornthwaite many years ago (see back story of Michael's book).

Released recently New Zealand by Design comprehensively documents the history of New Zealand product design.

New Zealand industrial designer and author Michael Smythe signs a copy of his new book New Zealand by Design for PhD candidate Ian Wong.

In Melbourne get your copy at your local bookstore. Brunswick Street Bookstore in Fitzroy and the Coventry Bookstore in South Melbourne currently have copies.

To obtain a signed and inscribed copy from the author simply order through www.designarc.org.nz –cost NZ$60 for the book plus NZ$15 freight.

New Zealand by Design by Michael Smythe.

New Zealand - Peter Haythornthwaite

On the eve of a trip to New Zealand it seemed appropriate to post about one of my treasured design objects acquired at the very beginning of my career.

Networking and contacts are critical in a design career so it was with delight that I chose the Peter Haythornthwaite designed "Arti-fact-s" Flip File to record my early career contacts. The all black iconic A100 was purchased from the original R.G Madden store in Toorak Road, South Yarra, in mid 1986. I had not long started at John Westwood Design Associates and could now afford some designer luxuries.

The "Arti-fact-s" range was of particular interest because Peter had presented a lecture at RMIT on his practice - Peter Haythornthwaite Design whilst I was a student and the images presented on MerryWare brushes are still vivid in my mind. The iconic A100 Flip File is classic pure geometry and also included  the designers name engraved on the product.

The image shows my card entry in the early nineties for RMAX with the contact Gary Haywood. Note the RMAX telephone number was recorded before the "9" prefix changes after 1994 all mobile numbers started with 018. Many will know Gary from his role with Design Victoria but we first met when I was design manager at Silvan.  RMAX collaborated on an innovative tooling project with very early cnc wire cutting of urethane foam cut from CADKEY dxf files.

Gary has recently worked with Peter in a Design Victoria program based on the successful NZ "Better by Design" - it is a small world.

Peter Haythornthwaite designed A100 Flip File for "Arti-fact-s"

Iconic A100 Flip File for "Arti-fact-s" by industrial designer Peter Haythornthwaite.

Marc Newson - Qantas

At this time of year we often have house guests as families gather for the festive and holiday seasons. Our recent house guest was quite disturbed by my interest his luggage as he prepared to depart. The Marc Newson designed Qantas luggage tag had caught my eye and his choice of red luggage made an appealing image.

  Qantas luggage tag designed by Australian designer Marc Newson.

Dolphin Torch - Australian Design Classic

The Dolphin Torch is an Australian classic design. Growing up in the country where outside was always "dark" the trusty dolphin would come in handy for locking up the chooks or even a game or torchlight 'tiggie'. The rugged durability of the design made it as popular as vegemite and the trusty blue healer. Designed primarily as a floating torch for boating and marine applications the Eveready Dolphin was for many years the largest selling torch in Australia.

Sydney industrial designer Paul Cockburn through his studio Design Field received the commission in the seventies to redesign this classic product. This project was critical in establishing Design Field as one of Austrialia's foremost industrial design consultancies. Born in Australia, Paul studied in London in the late 1960s returning to Sydney in 1970.

The yellow Dolphin version 2 has been in my family for at least thirty years and whilst we once had a pale blue version 1 this 70's orange one was acquired at an op shop recently for my collection.

Classic Australian design - the Eveready Dophin torch.

Iconic Australian design the Dolphin Torch.

Original Eveready Dolphin torch.

Orange original Eveready Doplhin torch (above) with yellow 1970s redesigned version 2 by Design Field.

Plan view of two versions of the classic Australian design the Dolphin torch by Eveready.

Marc Newson - Sydney NYE Fireworks 2011

Sydney Fireworks New Years Eve 2011 by Marc Newson.

Sydney NYE Fireworks 2011. Mark Newson.
Click IMAGE to see more images. Copyright jak666

Sydney NYE Fireworks 2011. Mark Newson. 

Click IMAGE to see more images. Copyright brambooth

Marc Newson - Sydney Fireworks

As the hands of our clocks reach midnight tonight around the world we will celebrate the coming of a New Year. Concepts for clocks, watches and timepieces have often been on the drawing board of industrial designer Marc Newson, so it may well be that many of us will count down to the Sydney fireworks with one of Marc's pieces. This year however in Sydney and around the world via television images we will be treated to the latest Marc Newson project - the fireworks themselves.

Marc grew up in Sydney studying at the Sydney College of the Arts and was a young child when the Sydney Opera House was opened in 1973.

Marc has specified a strict colour palette of blue, violet, green and yellow but we will have to wait and see what his vision is for the iconic midnight harbour bridge effect.

Designer Marc Newson.






Video courtesy -  The Australian.

Lockheed lounge designed by Marc Newson. 1986

IMAGE marcnewson.com

Pod Watch designed by Marc Newson. 1986

IMAGE marcnewson.com

Atmos 566 clock designed by Marc Newson. 2010

IMAGE marcnewson.com

Nike Zvezdochka Shoes designed by Marc Newson. 2001

IMAGE marcnewson.com

Gemini Grinders for Alessi designed by Marc Newson. 2001

IMAGE marcnewson.com

Qantas First Class lounge Sydney designed by Marc Newson.

IMAGE marcnewson.com

www.marcnewson.com

City of Melbourne Christmas Tree - Mother's Art

Mother's Art Productions produced a huge variety of objects, sets and props over many years. The City of Melbourne Christmas Tree was just one of the huge number of projects but over many years it contributed to our celebrations of Christmas in Melbourne as it stood in the City Square on the corner of Collins and Swanston Streets.

City of Melbourne Christmas Tree - Mother's Art Productions

Ian Dryden - Christmas in Melbourne

Industrial designer Ian Dryden's designs for innovative christmas decorations for Melbourne have been a feature of Christmas in the City for many years.

Bourke Street Mall with Christmas Decorations by Ian Dryden.

Christmas Stars in Melbourne by industrial designer  Ian Dryden

Tooling for City of Melbourne Christmas Stars

Moulding process of City of Melbourne Christmas Stars.

Christmas Wishes 2011

Wishing all a very Merry Christmas and a safe holiday season. I have enjoyed posting during 2011 and will continue my research, exhibitions and collecting in the New Year. Thank you to all who have dropped in and contributed to my research on the history of industrial design in Victoria.

Grant Featherston - Aristoc Scape Stool

This Grant Featherston designed Scape stool is more likely to feature in our home at the kitchen bench than be stored in the collection but either way it is a welcome recent acquisition.

Grant Featherston Scape stool designed for Aristoc.

 

STILL09 Exhibition 2009 - Video

The video record of my first exhibition related to my PhD - STILL09 has been uploaded to YouTube.

STILL09 Exhibition

STILL09 exhibition curated by Ian Wong

STILL09 exhibition curated by Ian Wong. Oil drip tray, and microwave egg poacher by industrial designer Jim Samartgis and Shell oil bottle by Phillip Slattery.

Studying Industrial Design at RMIT University

I was looking at an old backup today and found this RMIT Industrial Design Course brochure from 1986. I assume this was put together by Elivio Bonollo, or perhaps Dean Holmes at the time.

Interviews for places for 2012 were held at RMIT over the past few days which made me think to write this post. I still remember I was interviewed by Gerry Mussett in room 2B1 and still have some of the items from my application folio.

This brochure from 1986 features Mark Wright's space man full size airbrush which was very famous amongst ID students at the time. This was done in Bernie Walsh's class. In my first year at RMIT the program installed full size automotive pinboards in room 2B2 and lecturers like Bernie and Chris Emmerson had students doing full size tape drawings and airbrush renderings. It was an amazing atmosphere, exactly like a professional design studio. We learnt so much watching the progress of senior students projects on the walls and in the workshop - 2B3.

Mark Wright went on to an automotive career at Ford but his spaceman we all remember well. Projects by Steve Martinuzzo - portable vacuum cleaner, Alphons van Maanen - digital music reader and my final year major project, a dialysis machine are featured on the rear of the brochure.

All the best to current applicants for all ID programs. It is a great career.

RMIT Industrial Design brochure 1986

RMIT Industrial Design brochure 1986

Portable Vacuum Cleaner - Steven Martinuzzo

Digital Music Reader - Alphons van Maanen

Dialysis Machine - Ian Wong

Christmas Markets - Jim Samartgis

Sunday Markets at Fed Square over the past two weekends have showcased a lot of local design and craft, with several items under our tree as a result. This luchbox designed in 1994 by industrial designer Jim Samartgis has found a new life as a cash box for a stall holder and was full of all our Christmas pennies. I was working with Jim on the edp Powerladder Series 2 around the time he designed this product range for TREND Australia.

Trend luchbox designed by Jim Samartgis.

Design registration drawing for lunchbox base designed by industrial designer Jim Samartgis.

Design registration drawings for lunchbox lid designed by industrial designer Jim Samartgis.

Concept sketch by Jim Samartgis for edp Series 2 Powerladder.

edp Powerladder Series 2 development by ejo. Industrial designers Jim Samartgis and Ian Wong.