Over the last decade city cycling has increased year on year. Increases in cycle use have also brought us increases in cycle theft, the greatest deterrent to cycling after fears about road safety. However, in recent years a multi-agency address to this problem has helped catalyse a secure cycling revolution. Figures from Transport for London for the period 2005 to 2008 show cycling increasing and cycle theft decreasing for the first time this century helping to make our cities safer, healthier, cleaner and quieter places to live.

The “Putting the Brakes on Bike Theft” exhibition showcases new bike parking design that makes life easier for cyclists and harder for bike thieves.

It also introduces Bikeoff.org’s free online design resource, which aims to help architects to “get smart quick” about bike theft and innovate secure cycling infrastructure for our cities.

A couple of exhibits to give you a flavour of what’s on offer include the Cyclehoop by Anthony Lau. The Cyclehoop can be fixed to public signposts to add well positioned locking points for wheels and frame. It was the winning entry of the “Reinventing the Bike Shed” competition of 2006.

And then there is the Cyclist’s Mirror by Hyuh Jin Lee. The Cyclist’s Mirror adds cycle storage functionality to the hallway mirror, enabling you to see yourself as a cyclist. It brings cycle storage into the home where the bicycle is more secure than when parked on the street.

Runs until 30 January 2009 at New London Architecture.

FRIDAY 23 JANUARY 6 - 10pm LAST ADMISSION 9.15pm

For the perfect winter interlude, celebrate your love of ceramics at the Design Museum’s clay medley. Informal talks, hands on workshops, and serious debate, this is a night to fire up your enthusiasm for pots and potteries. And it’s a last chance to see the Patricia Urquiola exhibition – Purely Porcelain. Join in the many activities and enjoy performances and entertainment, or book separately for the big Ceramics Debate to hear a panel including Jerwood award winner Richard Slee discuss the current state of this multi-faceted industry.

Ticket includes entry to all current exhibitions.

Tickets only £5.00 in advance from
T 020 7940 8783
E tickets@designmuseum.org
W Ticketweb

£8.50 on the door

They are all on the shortlist for the Brit Insurance Design Awards. Following the tremendous success of their inaugural year in 2008, Brit Insurance Design Awards and supporting Brit Insurance Designs of the Year exhibition return for their second year, making them an annual fixture on the design industry calendar.

The world’s most interesting and forward looking designs have been nominated by industry experts spanning seven categories: Architecture, Fashion, Furniture, Graphics, Interactive, Product and Transport, to be judged by a high profile panel, chaired by Alan Yentob and including the designer and environmentalist Karen Blincoe, and the
architect Peter Cook.

The shortlist will be on show at the Brit Insurance Designs of the Year Exhibition from 12 February until 14 June at the Design Museum in London.

From this comprehensive list, the panel will decide the category winners in each of
the seven disciplines to be announced at the end of February. These finalists will go forward to vie for the 2009 Brit Insurance Design of the Year, to be revealed at the Awards Dinner on 18 March 2009.

Brit Insurance Design Awards recognise the important achievements in design over the past twelve months as well as bringing lesser known design triumphs to the fore. Public participation has also been encouraged this year, with a People’s Choice Vote and a blog for the general public to express their views at www.designsoftheyear.com.

Deyan Sudjic, Director of the Design Museum said, “Design touches every aspect of our daily lives. This exciting shortlist reflects its impact on politics as well as fashion. It highlights great architecture, and smart technology. In the midst of economic chaos, creative thinking is more important than ever. Alan Yentob makes an excellent chair for an international jury that is going to have its work cut out choosing winners.”

Brit Insurance Chief Executive Dane Douetil added, “Sustainability and efficiency are clearly growing in importance, underlying the important role that intelligent design has in the reduction of risk. The shortlist for this year’s Brit Insurance Design Awards certainly lives up to the exceptional standards set by last year’s 100 nominees and last
year’s winner, One Laptop per Child. We look forward to seeing which design the judges will choose from the very wide range on this year’s shortlist.”

German designer Michael Rottmar recently founded Miroco to develop innovative products for furniture and living areas.

He says “Harmonious compositions of light, material and shape create new high quality themes for furnishing in many living areas.

For Miroco it’s important to create these by using new technology, combining interesting themes and thereby creating new impetuses.

Special attention is paid to the changeability of products and everyone should have the chance to act upon the product individually and so create new moods. That’s what we mean by Furniture with a Personality.”

We wholeheartedly agree!

We love his L1 Interplay of Light.

L1 uses innovative LED technology not to replace existing lighting, but to use the full potential of the extraordinary possibilities of LED with regard to light and colour. L1 can be varied through the flexible method of establishing placement through magnet contacts and gives out a new and exciting light every time. This is achieved not only by the individual LED colours – depending on the combination the colours are mixed to inspiring compositions or sober gradients.

See Michael’s other exciting and innovative designs at his website.

German designer Karsten Willmann has won a Red Dot Concept Award for his Skylimo child restraint for use in commercial aircraft. Although not launched yet and still in the final stages of development, this baby seat is based on modern flight seats, with three-point belts, offering the opportunity to secure the child in front of its parent.

Physical contact between parent and child has many advantages: the child is calmed by the contact with his or her parent, and other airline passengers will be disturbed less, so we’re all winners! And, importantly, if there is an emergency, the parent is able to leave the aircraft as quickly as the other passengers.

Further details can be seen at Karsten’s website.

We’ll let you know when we hear of the product launch!

At last the long awaited retro-style kitchen wall clock has been launched. After some considerable delay in its manufacture, German company Wesco has finally launched this stunning new clock with a 50’s retro look as part of its much hailed Classic Line range.

The high quality metal case features a colour finish and chrome elements and even comes with integrated timer!

Other products in the range include a bread bin, cookie or biscuit box, storage canisters, a great whistling hob kettle and a stunning knife block, all available in various matching colours.

Belgian designer James Van Vossel has just won a prize at Interieur 08 for his Z-Ball: innovative seating for kids in a learning environment. It reminds us of the old space hopper from a few years back. Those of us who are starting to experience “senior moments” will remember it with a wry smile!

Z-Ball is an inflatable ball with 3 handles. The position of the handles stimulates a better position of the 5-attitudes of the back.

We’re struggling to find out much more about this item and James’s website, whilst very funky, does not easily let you see the product, so if anyone knows more about this cool bit of kid’s seating or even where it might be purchased, please let us know!

Innovative design, intriguing forms and unusual ideas.

Talk directly to the designers and learn more about the creation and the characteristics of each product’s design. Discover your favourite object and take a small piece of BLICKFANG home with you!

This intriguing design exhibition runs from 21-23 November 2008 at Kongresshaus Zurich. What a great excuse for a pre-Christmas weekend away!

Get a little inspiration for your home or your wardrobe, buy your Christmas gifts or relax in the Bombay Lounge or the KENT Smoking Lounge. Visit the BLICKFANG fashion show. Take time to discover designers from the French region of Switzerland at their own special exhibition ‘Espace Romandie’ and last but not least get to know guest designers from Lisbon in the “City Corner”.

Sounds like a “must-visit” event to us!

The Design Museum cordially invites you to attend The Butterfly Ball on Friday 31 October between the hours of 6pm and 10pm.

Dress code: Flamboyant fineries and masked at the very least. Be decorated upon arrival at the Butterfly Salon or come ready attired. Take advantage of an exclusive offer of a 20% discount at Prangsta Costumiers who will be able to transform you for the night. To book a fitting go to the Prangsta website or call 020 8694 9869.

A prize will be awarded for the most creatively attired!

Butterfly Ball book readings, nature slide shows, gallery talks, music and dance is the perfect way to view Alan Aldridge, the Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes.

Tickets include entry to all exhibitions, only £5 from Ticketweb.

We stumbled across this interesting design company today. Istanbul-based Demirden Design is a company with over 15 years of experience in the design industry. It has received numerous awards, including two Red Dots and the Design Management Award.

Since the company was established in 1994, its creative team has been involved with exhibition, event, product, graphic and multimedia design.

Demirden’s multidisciplinary approach and internal synergy has resulted in its successful past and promising future.

And from this pedigree background the ilio brand was born.

ilio takes its inspiration from the natural world to create a fresh new look for everyday functional objects. Every item in their tableware and furniture collections is imbued with a unique artistic identity designed to appeal to those who appreciate a contemporary sensibility. A sensibility that is beautiful and functional, daring and playful.

We have completely fallen for “twig & sprout” a simple, yet incredibly elegant, table and chair (or is it a stool?) combo.

Like the calm and elegance of sedge grass around a pond, this stool (we decided it was a stool!) and table combination brings comfort and ease to everyday life. Made of natural beechwood, its simple appearance belies its advanced craftsmanship and design that allows it to be its own lever when carried.

And what about the icedrop candle holder for the ultimate in cool?

Like an icicle suspended from a tree or melted wax at a table’s edge, icedrop is literally frozen liquid in motion. Its function as a candleholder is obvious from its very appearance.