Superblue

Optimise your Life, Arup are!

2008-09-22T10:29:43Z

The second in the Arup installations following on from 'Tools' brings you 'Optimise' an exploration of generative, computational and analytical aprroaches to design engineering

]]> Optimise

In any decision the brain has to process multiple pieces of information, subconsciously weighing up the pros and cons to arrive at the optimal solution - the best response in any given circumstance.

The design process is a balancing of technological performance, economic considerations and qualitative factors. These could be useability and comfort, responsible use of resources and energy, or the desire for a peaceful or stimulating environment. Perhaps the design is driven by other constraints; individual versus universal control, rigid or flexible structures, natural or mechanical systems.

At Arup, our designers and engineers have adapted and integrated mathematical software tools into this design process. An automated approach allows us to generate numerous and sometimes surprising combinations of factors that input into the design. We use our experience and knowledge to explore and evaluate the results to develop appropriate options. The process itself can help clients and colleagues to grasp the concepts more quickly and to collaborate in the design in greater detail.

A designer always aims to reach a better solution in response to many and varied requirements. The possibilities could be endless but this approach can encourage us to realistically ask "What if" . . . . . . . .

To find out more please send an email to: optimise@arup.com
or call 0207 755 3765

Installation designed by Arup and Superblue

A 'Samsonite Resort' Summer fo Superblue

2008-07-22T15:06:27Z

Superblue have been working with Samsonite in Tokyo, Japan on the 'Samsonite Resort' summer campaign.

]]> Working with Samsonite in Japan Superblue have produced a range of new campaign materials for the new Aero-PC Frame "White" model. Under the tag line "Choose your stickers and make your very own suitcase" and the idea of the 'Samsonite Resort' Superblue were inspired by the holiday resort posters of the 1930's. The sticker collection is a part of a limited range produced by Samsonite available to customers to personalise there new super 'White' suitcase.

The collection includes 4 individual posters of beach, boat, train and mountain resorts along with a collection of flags, beach balls, buckets and spades, deck chairs etc. All reminiscent of holidays and summer resorts of a by-gone age.

See Samsonites' official site to see how it has been used, here:
http://www.samsonite.co.jp/cam_aeropcwhite/

and then see how the famous Japanese department stores are using it, here:
http://www.alcott.jp/floor/samsonite/index.html

Skyscope Go Live!

2008-07-18T10:45:34Z

"Skyscopes made me smile - they looked really striking and were a great focal point in a municipal space. I loved being on the ground and having a view of London that I'd normally never get to see. They should be there all the time!" - said Rachel after visiting the Skyscopes at Canary Wharf

]]> Superblue presents 'Skyscopes', periscopes with a twist, changing your perspective on the architecture and environment of Canary Wharf at Fresh Perspectives as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2008, Canary Wharf Jubilee Park. June 26th - 29th.

The ‘Skyscopes’ are a family of periscopes, that allow you to take a look from the roof of the famous London landmark building Canary Wharf.

Leo (aged 4) said
"I liked the sky periscopes. I could see people on the street and they looked really small and I could turn them around and see the river too."

You will find these periscopes in Jubilee Park close to Canary Wharf station. One of the ‘Skyscopes’ is looking out over the London skyline, the other gives you a bird’s eye view of the people walking 200m below.

The installation streams live footage from cameras on the roof of Canary Wharf. As you move the ‘Skyscope’ you control the orientation of the camera and your view of London. This allows you to take a fresh look at London, the theme of the London Festival of Architecture this year.

"I thought that the Skyscopes being enabled by the surrounding technology was interesting not least because Canary Wharf is wired into the rest of the world through data and communications networks, which are largely voice and data. Using skyscopes to look around where that data and communications flows in and out was intriguing. One could easily imagine the Skyscopes being connected to more distant locations." - said Peter Baldwin, Marketing Manager, Corus Solutions

The ‘Skyscopes’ have been commissioned by Canary Wharf Ltd and have been created by design consultancy Superblue. ActionTimeVision has delivered the technology solution.

top page photo by James Champion
bottom 2 images by Peter Matthews

Further Links
click on www.actiontimevision.co.uk to see more of Action Time Visions work.
click on www.jameschampionphotography.com for more of photographer James Champions work.
click on Canary Wharf Arts and Events for more information on things going on at Canary Wharf.
click on Architecture Week for more events around London.

with thanks to Axis Communication for loaning us a great camera and all the team at Canary Wharf

Fresh Thinking - 'Show and Tell'

2008-06-28T11:26:22Z

Photographer: Peter Matthews Tonkin Liu, Fresh Flower Pavillion Canary Wharf, London E14 Fresh Perspectives as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2008.

Annick from Superblue speaks at Fresh Thinking - 'Show and Tell' for London Architecture week.

]]> As a part of London Architecture Week Annick Collins presented a 'Show and Tell' at the Fresh Flower:Fresh Thinking event at Greenwich Pininsula. Annick talked about the concept and process of producing the 'Skyscopes' shown for the festival at Canary Wharf. Annick was joined by other guest speakers including Patrik Schumacher, Partner, Zaha Hadid Architects, Alejandro Zaera Polo, Co-Founder, Foreign Office Architects, and Peter Bishop, Director, Design for London. All speakers were asked to present on a design project related to the Festival or to the local area with the aid of just one object. This all took place within Tonkin Lius' Fresh Flower Pavillion sponsored by Corus Solutions.

Other events taking place for Londoan architecture week at Canary Wharf included

Sand castles -

The Caravan Gallery

Photographer: Peter Matthews
Caravan Gallery
Canary Wharf, London E14
Fresh Perspectives as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2008.

and the Portable Porch made by Public Works Group

Photographer: Peter Matthews Public Work Group, Canary Wharf, London E14 Fresh Perspectives as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2008.

Skyscopes

2008-06-19T15:35:59Z

]]> Superblue present 'Skyscopes' periscopes with a twist changing your perspective on the architecture and environment of Canary Wharf. London Festival of Architecture 2008, Canary Wharf Jubilee Park. June 26th - 29th 10am-6pm daily Opening - Meet the Skyscope makers. Thursday June 26th 6pm onwards

The ‘Skyscopes’ are a family of periscopes, that allow you to take a look from the roof of the famous London landmark building Canary Wharf. You will find these periscopes in Jubilee Park close to Canary Wharf station. One of the ‘Skyscopes’ is looking out over the London skyline, the other gives you a bird’s eye view of the people
walking 200m below. The installation streams live footage from cameras on the roof of Canary Wharf. As you move the ‘Skyscope’ you control the orientation of the camera and your view of London. This allows you to take a fresh look at London, the theme of the London Festival of Architecture this year. The ‘Skyscopes’ have been commissioned by Canary Wharf Ltd and have been created by design consultancy Superblue. ActionTimeVision has delivered the technology solution. See more of ActionTimeVision work at www.actiontimevision.co.uk.

All photography by James Champion at www.jameschampionphotography.com

click on Canary Wharf Arts and Events for more information on things going on at Canary Wharf
click on Architecture Week for more events around London.

For a location map follow
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Superblue have their Heads in the Clouds

2008-06-11T11:12:17Z

For a location map follow
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Arup - Finding the Right Tool for the Job.

2008-04-23T13:19:39Z

Superblue designs exhibitions to highlight the creative culture of Arup. Superblue is putting together a series of exhibitions for Arup - the global consultancy.

]]> A year long engagement the project aims to promote the work of the designs both internally within ARUP and externally to clients, partners and prospective recruits. Covering 6 different themes and 6 exhibitions, the consultancy process aims to highlight the unique approach ARUP designers and engineers bring to challenging construction projects.The exhibitions for Arup will reflect its style of the consultancy, people and skills. The first exhibition highlights various ‘tools’ that allow for creative cross-fertilisation between different areas of design. It is the unexpected connections between these areas that allow for innovation.

The first exhibition, The Toolbox, will be displayed in the window of 12 Fitzroy Street, “London, W1 and highlights the work of the façade, materials, product design and lighting teams". It celebrates creativity and problem-solving, and shows the unique tools that are used with the company to achieve their ground breaking projects.

The Toolbox is an exhibition that looks at the unique use of both traditional and cutting-edge tools in contemporary design and engineering. The first in an exciting series of shows exploring the work and processes of Arup Facades, Product, Lighting and Materials Engineering. Through the craftsman-like use and development of tools, Arup designers provide creative and intelligent solutions to particular creative problems.

How do Arup designers turn their ideas into reality? As The Toolbox shows, sometimes it is through a playful approach to the tools available to them. The exhibition shows the importance of lateral thinking and experience needed by an Arup designer.

The exhibition looks at how computer games are being used to optimise energy use in new buildings. Hand sketching is used to solve the structure of a new Zaha Hadid building. Plasticine helps describe an Anish Kapoor sculpture for the Paris Metro.

Through using such a variety of tools and processes Arup make sure ideas can be realised.

Photography by: James Champion contact James at: jchampion40@hotmail.com

A New Garden Retreat for Spring

2008-03-23T13:38:41Z

A new addition to the Honeycomb range is the Honeycomb retreat.

]]> A new addition to the Honeycomb range is the Honeycomb retreat. This garden building was developed for a new house in Hampstead. The retreat uses the honeycomb panels on three sides and sits within a green oak deck. The structure is a green oak pegged frame which is very durable and will last for many years, ageing to a silver grey finish.

Portfolio Cases

2008-01-23T13:35:46Z

Superblue has worked with Sesame, the financial services company, to develop a series of marketing products to display and communicate their message.

]]> Bespoke sales folders were developed for the marketing and management of Sesame to present a professional and new image for the company. Made from hard wearing A.B.S. acrylic with a foam interior each folder could be personalised for each team member. The sales literature was developed by graphics team Bond and Coyne Associates.

Totem Lightboxes

2007-12-23T13:33:16Z

Superblue has worked with Sesame, the financial services company, to develop a series of marketing products to display and communicate their message.

]]> Asked to develop the way-finding for the Sesame annual symposium, Superblue developed these Totem lightboxes in collaboration with Bond and Coyne Associates. Powered by mains 240V or by battery the totem signposts could be placed anywhere around the hotel venue. Each box could be personalised with further information by using vinyl graphics.

Fun and Games in Finance

2007-12-10T13:40:11Z

Superblue has worked with Sesame, the financial services company, to develop a series of marketing products to display and communicate their message.

]]> These training posts were used as a part of the Sesame Symposium as part of a group training exercise. Using glowing edge orange acrylic the names of inspiring role models were naturally highlighted. Each post held the instruction envelope for each participant.

Helping Financial Services find their Way!

2007-12-03T19:44:15Z

This December Superblue provided the way finding for the Sesame Symposium and its guests from across the financial services industry.

]]> Working with graphic design agency Bond and Coyne Associates, Superblue designed and fabricated way-finding totem lights and table top signage to help delegates navigate around the Sesame Symposium, a 2 day event. Way-finding is crucial for temporary events as users need to navigate their space quickly and confidently, but also make clear choices of the content of the exhibition they need. To aid this Superblue provided two items a large Totem light box and table-top signposts.

The Totem sign posts are 1.6m high and were mains and battery powered so could be positioned within staircases and remote areas as well as permanent sites. The totems will go on tour with Sesame for their regional presentations providing a consistent brand in the exhibition items

The table top signs used glowing edge acrylic on powder coated metal bases. Laser cut the polished glowing edges created distinctive features within the large dining hall of the symposium and were incorporated within the key speakers motivational talk

Playground Periscopes

2007-10-05T17:50:14Z

View the sky in a different way with Superblues new playground periscopes for Fir Farm School

]]> For each of the schools on the emotions project - a piece of work was developed, that explored emotions, light colour and space. For Fir Farm School periscopes where developed that allow you to look at you space differently. One turns the world upside, view the sky in a different way and view your landscape in an alternative way. The project aimed to engage staff students and parents and artists in a creative exchange through creative practice and participation.

Tree Canopy Meeting Shelters

2007-10-05T16:22:12Z

Playground canopies provide shelter, intrigue and colour to Churchfield School

]]> For each of the schools on the emotions project - a piece of work was developed, that explored emotions, light colour and space.Churchfield was interested in creating a space for parents as well as the children. So meeting point shelters were developed for parents and children. Using glowing edge acrylic the shelters glow in the day time. some are mirrored on the underneath to create a social space and different qualities of light.

The project aimed to engage staff students and parents and artists in a creative exchange through creative practice and participation.

Ella Doran - Shop Interior

2007-09-14T12:41:32Z

Jon Almond from Superblue has been working with Ella Doran this summer to redesign and revamp their office and shop on Cheshire Street in East London. A fresh new interior and a range of unique display furniture have been created.

]]> Using CNC cut laminated birch plywood to create an adaptable display system. Shelves use different laminates on different sides so displays can be easily adapted just by the flick of a shelf. A bespoke dining table sits in the middle of the space to display the many tableware items sold at Ella Doran and is available to be commissioned. Storage, desks and countertops were created to provide a retail and work space for Ella Dorans team. The shops walls and floors were also painted and stained to contribute to this bright and fresh new look.

Check out the new shop and Ella Dorans unique products at www.elladoran.co.uk

EllaDoran Design Limited
Ground Floor Shop
46 Cheshire Street
London
E2 6EH
England

Shop opening hours:
Monday By appointment only
Tuesday to Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 12noon - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

Tel: +44(0)20 7613 0782
Fax: +44(0)20 7613 0306

email: info@elladoran.co.uk