Via Ffffound.
Switzerland, in general, doesn't like to stand out too much. But... not when it's about ca$h. The current Swiss note design by Jörg Zintzmeyer (1995) is famous across the globe.
Now, after twelve years, the Swiss National Bank would like their notes to get a new face and did set out an competition a few years ago. The winner was Manuel Krebs. His design convinced not only visual, but also intellectual. The 1000 Swiss Frank bill (= 620 Euros) is decorated by a skull (design was completed long before Damien Hirst came across) to remember that nothing lasts forever. The 200 Swiss Franks bill shows a close up of the HIV virus. Very nice and thoughtful.
Therefore it was quite a surprise, when the Swiss Note Bank decided to sign the second place winner, Manuela Pfrunder, to get her design ready for print this summer. Her designs are beautiful, no doubt, but the content shows a rather stereotypical view: ski riders, mountains, snow flakes and others... just missing the chocolate bar.
Thanks Patrick.
The new Web Trend Map has been released by Swiss information designer Oliver Reichenstein and programmer Moritz Zimmer (iA).
Every year, the world's leader in politics and economy fly to the Swiss Alps to discuss the world's state.
The mood seemed to be not the best, having to face the American economic recession. Still, there was space for inspiring ideas and views, like the panel discussion about the world's future (you can skip the first five minutes), impressively presented by Hala Gorani from CNN.
Also delighting was the last talk by Conductor Benjamin Zander about the importance of the right mind set. Highly entertaining.
But not all guest where that enjoyable. The interview with AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson was rather questionable.
Image by Loek van der Klis.
Theo Jansen, a Dutch Engineer, something like a hero of combining art and engineering. He came into the public's focus through a South African BMW commercial. After that, he has been invited to all major intellectual conferences, explaining his work.
And it's truly impressive. Using simple plastic tubes, he has been developing mobile kinetic constructions. Through using the principals of evolution, Theo Jansen was able to find the perfect proportions to allow his creations to walk, powered by wind only.
United Nations Environment Program (Unep) released their new report about our world’s health. It’s 540 pages, researched by 390 science experts.
Population is growing and therefore the demand for natural resources. At the same time fertile parts of are earth are diminishing. Deserts are growing. Water need is predicted to rise for 50% in developing areas by 2050.
Nairobi based Unep, established in 1972, is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system.
The young Hong Kong based design studio Pill & Pillow developed a Processing application to recognize position and scale of faces and replace them with another face. Good fun and in real time: www.pillandpillow.com/v3/#421/3/1/
A new voice in the wires of the World Wide Web has arrived. Special shout out to Peter Kerschhofer from Vienna, who developed the whole back-end and made this possible. Thank you.