The Beauty of Mass Transit
Maybe it’s because I live in a city known for it’s public transportation, but I love mass transit. Anywhere I travel I make it a point to take a local bus or subway, and tend to put a map of the transit system in my pocket to be oggled at upon return. I am therefore enjoying the slideshow put together by the Huffington Post’s Dave Burdick. It’s an excellent collection of the design of public transit maps.
Take a look at the full slideshow here.
Friday Photo: What’s Inside?
I spent Sunday afternoon last weekend walking in the late February sunshine, tracking down interesting objects to photograph. Hidden behind an overwhelming amount of overgrown bamboo stalks was a small shed, painted in a turquoise clearly faded by the Portland elements. I love finding little surprises like this right in the middle of the city, but the doors were locked, and so I can only speculate as to what was inside…
Happy Friday!
Environmental Art: Alistair Heseltine
Came across the work of Alistair Heseltine the other day at work. Based in British Columbia the sculptor works with natural elements to create his interesting, and at times magical, works of art.
Using nature as art is nothing new, but what I really like about his sculptures and designs are the distinct lines created from natural sources, like the tree above. He makes formations that teeter on the ledge between natural and man-made, making us think both about the art and the elements used to create it.
You can see more of Alistair’s work at his website.
Friday Photo: Urban Heart
A classic shot from a classic city (San Francisco if you couldn’t tell), and although I am not the biggest advocate of Valentine’s Day, I figured this image was fitting.
Need some Valentine’s Day inspiration that won’t require spending any money but just might make you a little happier? Write a love letter to chocolate, a contest sponsored by Portland’s favorite patisserie, Pix!
Nature is Back
Design aficionados will know that the Stockholm Furniture Fair took place last weekend. And although I would have loved to be there for it, reality decided otherwise; trips across the continent and Atlantic for a weekend aren’t what one would call realistic.
Fortunately there are enough Swedish design blogs that covered the fair to keep my eyes in awe for awhile. Husmusen happens to be one of my favorites, and the blog’s very own Frida Berglund snapped the photo above. Nature is clearly making it’s way back into design.
The designers of the items above aren’t mentioned, but take them for a little inspiration for your own project to bring nature back into your personal space.
[Photo: Frida Berglund, Husmusen]
Friday Photo: Stop Driving
This is such a classic Portland photo, I just couldn’t help putting it up!
H&M Spring 2009 Line Gets More Sustainable
The great thing about my job is that I get to do a lot of writing about sustainable design. But it’s mostly outdoor and travel related, which is why I maintain this site. Think about it: H&M and Wend don’t really mix. But the Swedish born company definitely deserves a mention for their incorporation of sustainable fabrics like organic cotton and recycled PET.
H&M has been using organic cotton for a few years now. In fact last year they used about 3,000 tons of organic cotton and this year plan on 4,500. This is however the first that I have heard of the company using recycled PET (basically recycled plastic bottles broken down into small chips and then spun until polyester fiber) in their clothes. And not only that, but they’re bringing in textile remnants and recycled cotton.
Thanks to Inhabitat for tipping me off!
[Photos: Inhabitat]
Paris Bike-share Program Vélib is Getting Even Bigger
It was revolutionary. Bike blogs, sustainability gurus and national news outlets all gave ample to time to Paris when the city launched its commendable Vélib bike-sharing program. A year and a half later, the existing fleet of bicycles is expanding, ready to take over the suburbs.
The program is so popular with Parisians that “Velib” was the 2nd most popular Google search. So with an additional 300 stations and 3,300 not renting a bicycle while touring Paris just won’t be an option, and ça, c’est super!
[Via Bike-sharing Blog]
Soundtrack Not to Miss: Slumdog Millionaire
Bollywood pop mixed with traditional Indian beats and fused with an electronic sound (and even some M.I.A.!), the soundtrack to Slumdog Millionaire is a key component of a richly creative and inspirational movie. I’ve been playing it non-stop!
I’m particularly loving Jai Ho, Mausam & Escape and O Saya. I would put some videos up, but all that exists are boring photo montages. But if you do want to give these songs a listen, you can check out a whole YouTube channel devoted to the soundtrack.
And if you haven’t seen the film yet, you need to! It will inspire your wanderlust, make you think, and fuel your creative spirit!
Friday Photo: Winter in the Columbia Gorge
I spent last weekend in Salt Lake City running around Outdoor Retailer meeting an overwhelming number of people from the outdoor industry. Although incredibly hectic, it was a fun time, and topped off by a slightly crazy drive back, consisting of icy roads and an overnight stay in La Grande (funnier when said with a Spanish accent).
This photo was taken just outside of The Dalles in the Columbia Gorge; a beautiful winter day.
blog.annabrones.com 