Breaking Loose From the Sober-Sided

Article by Alice Rawsthorn for the International Herald Tribune

In her latest article for the International Herald Tribune, Alice Rawsthorn considers some of the most important elements driving design right now including  environmental sustainability, societal initiative, and scientific advances. However, she highlights the importance of lesser acknowledged creative trends focused on beauty, lusciousness, sensuality, and even fun.

Several designers are developing products now that are desirable or pleasurable to our lives.  Marc Newson for example has designed a speedboat with Riva.  The $1.5 million boat will be made in a limited edition of 22 and will be revealed in September at Gagosian Gallery New York.  

Another example of fun design is the Bouroullec brothers' Lighthouse lamp.  This lamp uses glass made at the Venini workshop juxtaposed to marble or stone with black anodized aluminum fittings.  The balance between the two media results in a unique product.

Other examples of fun design include the "Red Dead Redemption" western video game designed by Rockstar Games and the beautifully designed catalogue for the "Crash" exhibition at Gagosian Gallery London by Graphic Thought Facility design studio.  Both challenge earlier conceptions and the final products show beguiling results.

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