Recently I did an exercise with my class about subway maps, and we started by looking at the iconic (and in my opinion, beautiful) map that Massimo Vignelli designed for the New York City subway in the 70s. I adore this map, and though I'm not particularly attached to NYC, I entertain hanging it on my wall in some form from time to time.
Both the map and Linnenbrink's work are evocative of Jim Lambie's tape installations, I would argue.
…and vintage magazine articles like this one from Better Homes and Gardens from around 1975, which was when the map was in use (via here).
It makes me wonder what these artists and designers were inspired by, and if they ever looked to this same map when they were creating.
Super Mario Inspired Metro Map!
Graphic designer Dave Delisle has created a fantastic map of the Washington Metro, in the style of Super Mario Brothers. It even includes the new silver line!
You can purchase a print here. I'm pretty sure I'll be getting one for my public-transit-obsessed son.
Chevron Here, Chevrons There, I See Chevrons Everywhere!
This mirrored chevron entertainment console from the home of Laura Day was featured in a 2010 issue of Lonny. It's so subtle but makes such a huge impact.
For a twist on floor textiles, Flor even offers a carpet tile in what they call the "Sophistikat" pattern. I love it…especially the subtle imperfection of the way the edges meet (or don't).
This watercolor is simple yet so interesting. I'd love it in an all white room, or against a navy wall.
And finally, these refinished Queen Anne chairs from Etsy seller Nenavon (unfortunately, already sold) are just adorable!
Have you seen any other chevron-themed decor items you love lately? If so, please share!
Here's a book that design lovers won't be able to put down, and others might find just a little interesting. It's called Seventy-Nine Short Essays on Design and it's by Michael Bierut, a writer for the popular, often-but-not-always-very-design-industry-specific blog, Design Observer.
I am happily and excitedly going to be teaching a graduate studio in the fall that focuses on conceptual development and communication, and this book is a wonderful companion for that class. Though it talks a lot about graphics (as Bierut is a graphic designer himself, and at the famed Pentagram, no less) it is effectively interdisciplinary in its discussion of client relationships, concept generation, public perception, and it even touches directly on architecture for several essays. I can't stop myself from going back to it for inspiration for studio exercises.
A fun bonus that makes this book even more appealing: each essays is set in a different font. What a great detail that almost anyone can appreciate – there's even a legend for the different types in the back of the book.
If you're interested in picking it up I encourage you to do so and browse some of the essays: none is longer than three pages, and though you may find yourself googling lots of graphic designer's and architect's names, it's well worth the read. You'll find yourself learning about everything from how product posters actually get made, to what happens when an architect makes a grave mistake that means a skyscraper has been constructed in a structurally unsound way.