IIDA in Italy

IIDA is excited to welcome IIDA Milan as its 32nd Chapter! The addition of Milan further underscores IIDA’s mission to support American and international interior designers, and grow IIDA’s global community and network.

IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO, Cheryl Durst, and Senior Vice President, Dennis Krause visited the Milan chapter this week to help usher in IIDA’s newest hub.

IIDA and Milan….UNITE!

Milan becomes an IIDA chapter at a timely moment when the EmergeItaly competition winners were announced. IIDA, with FederlegnoArredo and the Italian Minister of Economic Development, created the EmergeItaly competition to recognize and celebrate the next generation of young design professionals whose product designs are innovative, functional, and original.

This year, Honorable Mention was awarded to Miguel Brovhn for “O-Series” and Sarah Turner for “Flight.” The “O-Series” combines flexibility with linearity, and “Flight” converges classic American design with Italian minimalism.

Best of Competition was awarded to Angel Beale for the “Folds Series” design concept. Beale’s design will be produced by an Italian design company and exhibited at the 2014 Salone Internazionale del Mobile. Additionally, all winners won a trip to Milan to attend the 2013 Salone Internazionale del Mobile.

For more information on all winners visit the IIDA website. Congratulations to Miguel, Sarah, and Angel, as well as the new Milan Chapter!

5 Designs We LOVE

1.
Cloud
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago

Brothers hailing from France, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec (pron. Boo-roo-lek), took the definition of “Bivouac” (a light-weight, adaptive shelter) and generated an exhibit based around “microarchitecture;” items larger than furniture, but smaller than architecture. The results of their work give us dynamic pieces like Cloud , seen here, that acts as a colorful, multi-layered wall and/or enclosure.

2.
LAB West Lobby
The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas

Las Vegas’s newest and most hip place to stay is The Cosmopolitan, and its West lobby certainly boosts the hotel and entertainment mecca’s cool factor. Designed and constructed by Rockwell Group’s LAB, the lobby features eight large columns wrapped with LCD screens and mirrors to produce beautiful displays, giving visitors a completely unique digital experience.

The Cosmopolitan: West Lobby from labatrockwell on Vimeo.

3.
JWT
Bogota, Columbia

Winning Best in Category for IIDA’s Best Interiors of Latin America Competition in 2012, the JWT offices from Arquitectura e Interiores is an interior we definitely love. Designed to be a creative environment for the JWT advertising group, this is a space employees and visiting clients alike can certainly enjoy (click to enlarge).

4.
KamerMaker
Everywhere

From the Dutch architecture firm, DUS, comes the KamerMaker (or “RoomBuilder”). This state-of-the-art, mobile 3D printer brings grassroots creativity and commercial efficiency together in one inspiring machine. Everyone becomes a designer with the KamerMaker, allowing people to create one-of-a-kind works from inhabitable rooms (max. 6 ft wide, 6 ft long, and 9.5 feet high) to coffee cups; on demand and on-site.

KamerMaker from DUS Architects on Vimeo.

5.
Florez Graphic Resume

Standing out in the design world is difficult, but a well-designed resume can certainly help. This is one of several you will see now that graphically (and uniquely) display personal and professional information rather than being confined to traditional resume formats. This resume speaks to employers about who they are and what they can do – simply, effectively, and creatively.

(Source: http://www.behance.net)

Interior Design Video Aims to Go Viral

IIDA is proud to support the effort behind the first place student winners of the 2011 Interior Design Video Education Competition presented by CIDA, IDEC and NCIDQ that aimed at elevating awareness about the impact that interior design has on economic well-being.

The first place team of winners included Kate Croy, Lauren Reinhard, Kelsey Keller, Lory Marsocci, Anna Beydoun, with Advisor Renee Walsh from Radford University.

On Monday, April 16, everyone is asked to participate in an effort to promote and publicize this winning video well beyond the interior design community by making the video “go viral.”  We need your help to create a high volume of traffic to the video in a 24-hour period of time by liking, sharing and linking to the video. Check out more detailed instructions from the interior designer  promoting this effort.

IIDA Student Membership Bonus – 3 Months Free!

What would you do with 3 extra months?  Well, IIDA is giving you the chance to find out!  The IIDA International Board of Directors has voted to extend all current Student Memberships to include the remainder of the 2012 calendar year and the best part—it’s FREE!

IIDA is adjusting the Student Membership timeframe from an academic year to the annual calendar. Your 2011- 2012 Membership will now be current through the end of December, 2012;  a 3-month free benefit.  And from now on, Memberships will be valid from January 1 through December 31 of each year.

Graduating? Don’t miss the chance to get your Associate Membership at 50% off and your $75 application fee waived by renewing now.

For more information, contact Monica De Angelis at students@iida.org.

NeoCon Firsts!

Today was a big day, not only for the Merchandise Mart and the design community, but also for me. Today was the first day of my first ever NeoCon experience! I started off the morning perusing the showroom and booth floors, fighting crowds, and (I admit it) looking for free goodies! It was a busy day, but there was a lot of excitement in the air!

I took it upon myself to document a few other firsts happening around the Mart. Check out the following pictures to see what I came up with:

IIDA making a great "first" impression! Signs hung outside the main doors of the Merchandise Mart

Busy at the registration table: "first" people in the door this morning

Fellow IIDA intern Kayla takes her "first" test sit in Knoll's Generation chair

My "first" time sitting in Herman Miller's Embody chair. I could feel my blood pressure getting lower!

The "first" time IIDA members enjoyed a game of Twista in the middle of NeoCon

How did your first day go at NeoCon? What will you tell everyone about when you get home?

Submitted by Michelle Carroll, IIDA Summer Intern

IIDA Events at NeoCon 2009

“IIDA at NeoCon ® 2009: See the Future…Be the Future
For 15 years, NeoCon has been IIDA’s annual conference. This year, the International Interior Design Association will provide an engaging range of events and presentations, all fashioned to yield a discerning glimpse into The Future of Design. From serious contemplation to laugh-out-loud game interaction, IIDA presents a strong lineup of events.”

As NeoCon is quickly approaching, all of us here at IIDA HQ are frantically working to make sure that we get all of our projects done and events planned to make this years World Trade’s Fair a success. As I’m sure most of you already know, there are going to be a variety of seminars, showrooms, and new products launched right here at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago in just two weeks. Mark your calendars everybody! NeoCon events start Saturday, June 13th for Chapter presidents and IIDA members, but is open to the public Monday, June 15th, through Wednesday June 17th. Registration is FREE and can be done at neocon.com!

A complete list of everything that will be going on during NeoCon can also be found on the website. Although most are FREE, a couple events and seminars  have small fees, but if you’re a member you can get DISCOUNTS! Wanna become a member of International Interior Design Association? A complete list of the events, descriptions, prices and contact information for IIDA’s events at NeoCon, as well as registration to become a new member can be found on the IIDA website.  For those of you who want a quick run-down of IIDA’s events I’ve listed the basic info. below:

IIDA’s Chapter Leadership Council (CLC), Meetings and Workshops
Saturday, June 13, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at IIDA Headquarters, Suite 567 and Sunday, June 14, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at IIDA Headquarters, Suite 567

IIDA presents Twista!
Throughout NeoCon, June 13 – 15, 10am – 4pm daily at IIDA Headquarters, Suite 567

IIDA/Contract Magazine Showroom & Booth Design Competition Sunday, June 14, 8 a.m. – Noon at Showrooms and Booths in the Mart and IIDA Headquarters. Deadline for entry: May 22, 2009

IIDA Annual Business Meeting

Sunday, June 14, 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave., enter at Pearson St.

COOL 2009, IIDA Black Tie Celebration
Sunday, June 14, 7:00-11:30 p.m. at the Westin Chicago, River North

IIDA/NeoCon Keynote Speaker Address
Monday, June 15, 7:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza

IIDA Forum Advisors Presentation: Trends for the Future of Design

Monday, June 15, 9:30-10:30 a.m. at IIDA Headquarters, Suite 567

IIDA College of Fellows VIP Reception
Monday, June 15, 3-4 p.m. at IIDA Headquarters, Suite 567

Applied Brilliance at IIDA: The Future of Design
Speaker: Dr. Jim Taylor, Futurist and Vice Chairman, Harrison Group
Tuesday, June 16, 10 a.m. at IIDA Headquarters, Suite 567

Legislative Roundtable
Tuesday, June 16, Noon-1 p.m. at IIDA Headquarters, Suite 567

Stories from a Classic, featuring Herman Miller’s Hilda Longinotti
Tuesday, June 16, 3-4 p.m. at IIDA Headquarters, Suite 567

Pecha Kucha Night
Tuesday, June 16, 5:30-8 p.m. at English, 444 N La Salle Blvd.

United by Design: IIDA Government Forum
Wednesday, June 17, 7:30 a.m.-Noon at IIDA Headquarters, Suite 567

IIDA Student Series Program: Magazine Panel
Wednesday, June 17, 11 a.m.-Noon at IIDA Headquarters, Suite 567

D.4.21 Social Networking Event post-NeoCon
Wednesday, June 17, 5:30- 8:30 p.m. at IIDA Headquarters, Suite 567

SEE YOU THERE!

-KAYLA

Guest Blog: Q & A with SHELTER

Part II

Brianne Sanchez brings us a quick Q&A with interior designer and blogger, Julie Richard

Check her site, SHELTER, out!

1. What inspired you to start blogging?

I am constantly scanning the world around me for design inspiration.
I was often eagerly sharing my finds with friends in the design community, so I thought a blog would be a great way to do this on a larger level.  I find it rewarding and inspiring to share my thoughts, finds, and tips with readers. Blogs are also “free press” of sorts.   Who could pass that up?

2.  In your opinion, what are the elements of a good design blog?

Keep it fresh! Show the world something they haven’t seen! Also, keep the ideas fairly simple. A few great images with a brief summary/description or insight can speak volumes. Readers are always intrigued by what is going on realistically in design.  Don’t get me wrong, design magazines are amazing, but seeing a recent/local, budget friendly project or idea executed by a fellow blogger/designer is inspiring.

Keep posts somewhat focused, this will draw a following and will brand {for lack of a better word} your blog. Diversity within your given topic will keep readers coming back for more but on the flip-side having one or two days a week that discuss or feature a certain topic will also do the same. Example: Color of the week and it’s applications.

3. How does blogging fit into your lifestyle/work day?

As a design professional, I am constantly looking for new sources for furniture, lighting, fabric, materials and ideas, so my job directly influences my blogging and vice-versa. If I see a new furniture line, trend etc. while shopping for a client, chances are you’ll be reading about it on my blog in the very near future. I tend to write my blog either early in the morning or later in the evening.

4. Have you gotten any interesting jobs or assignments or made any connections because of your blog that you might not have otherwise?

Absolutely. I’ve gotten some amazing clients. I also receive daily emails from people thanking me for posting, writing, or introducing them to a new artist, idea or piece of architecture.

I’ve also communicated with shop owners, artists and other designers who I would have never been connected with otherwise. To influence and touch people’s lives even in a small way is rewarding. Interacting with fellow design bloggers is also very enjoyable and informative.

5.  Where do you see the future of interior design?

Great design doesn’t have to cost a fortune, nor does it need to be superfluous or wasteful. I think you are going to see the residential design world scaling back a bit. Good design is really about form and function working simultaneously. This may sound obvious but the importance of sustainability will continue to grow, both the design community and consumers are becoming more informed and environmentally responsible. The two notions go hand and hand.

6.  What are some things you have learned in your career that you didn’t know after completing a formal education?

I could name a vast number of things but I’ll keep it concise. I’ve learned how to actually execute, manage and budget both my interior and furniture designs.

You don’t learn how to bring your conceptual ideas to life in school. Every design detail counts. Organization, follow through, communication and documentation are paramount! Seek advice from the professionals you work with on a daily basis, millworkers, electricians, drapery makers etc.  They have a wealth of knowledge to share. Working with them is an education in itself.

7. Where do you find inspiration?

Everywhere! I draw inspiration for both my interior and furniture designs from my surroundings and experiences. Travel, photography, advertising/graphic design, films, clients, students, and nature, are just some of my sources. I’m always scanning and observing. Publications, interior designers {past and present day}, artists, design sites such as 1st dibs.com, iconic architects {both modern and classical}, fashion and design related blogs are an enormous source of daily inspiration as well.

Some of my daily/weekly/monthly reads include, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, The Boston Globe, Architecture Week.com, Veranda, Metropolitan Home, Cookie, Treehugger.com {green design},
back issues of the attainable and approachable Cottage Living and Domino, Design New England, Vanity Fair, Coastal Living and a diversity of design blogs.

Words of wisdom: great design is in the details, use a sketch book to explore your ideas. Work for a few firms while you are in school, this way you are building your resume professionally and educationally. If you have the option to study abroad, do so. It will change your life. Be open to suggestions from peers, educators and co-workers. Take risks and enjoy the ride!

Julie Richard

SHELTER

www.shelterinteriordesign.blogspot.com

Nike: East London 1948

I found this interesting blurb from Advertising Age about Nike’s flagship store in London, 1948.

The London Nike Sportwear flagship, called 1948, has floors made from Nike GRIND, 100 percent recycled rubber from sneaker soles and other sources.

You can check out a video of the store here.

ABC Cooking, Japan

Taken from Frame Magazine

Custom made tables

I discovered the designer profiles at Frame Magazine, and came across Emmanuelle Moureaux profile.  Above are pictures from ABC Cooking,

The ABC Cooking Studios are popular cooking studios located in Japan. We used those colours not only for the cheerful look, but also for the representation of their new image. The cooking tables were designed especially for the studios.

Akkerwinde Bridge

We came across this interesting article at Contemporist.com

On Saturday November 29th, the successful transportation and installation of the world’s first heavy traffic road bridge made from Accoya wood took place. The bridge, located in Sneek in the Netherlands, is the first wooden bridge in the world that can support the heaviest load class of 60 tons. An official opening ceremony and celebration is planned for April 15, 2009.

Spanning 105 feet and rising more than 50 feet in the air, the structure will serve as a grand entrance to the city of Sneek. The €3.5 million bridge was commissioned after a 2005 design competition, and is designed by OAK Architects (a collaboration between Achterbosch Architectuur and Onix architects) and constructed by German firm Schaffitzel Holzindustrie.