Work / Product Design

Product Design: This woman is wearing a bicycle helmet. What!?

Words by James Cartwright, Monday 11 November 2013

Hövding is a mind-blowing new device that offers head protection for cyclists, particularly those commuting in built-up areas. It’s the result of seven years of hard research and development by Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin, two Swedish product designers with an extraordinary commitment to their cause. Together they’ve developed a product that could revolutionise the way people protect themselves while cycling in cities – though for some reason they’re relatively unknown despite having produced the invisible helmet for over a year.

It’s hard to describe exactly how their product works without ruining the surprise at the end of the video above, so I’ll keep it very simple: If you cycle, ever, you NEED to see this. Enjoy!

H%c3%b6vding-3 — The Invisible Bicycle Helmet (still)

H%c3%b6vding-1 — The Invisible Bicycle Helmet (still)

H%c3%b6vding-4 — The Invisible Bicycle Helmet (still)

H%c3%b6vding-2 — The Invisible Bicycle Helmet (still)

Work / Product Design The Big Lebowski inspired Dan Singer’s project, That Rug Really Tied The Room Together

“The title of the project is taken from the film The Big Lebowski,” says Dan Singer, London-based illustrator, on his latest project That Rug Really Tied The Room Together.

Experimenting with shape and colour, the series presents 12 rugs in total, all handwoven in India using fine-blended wool and cotton. “I did a project with GUR Rugs in 2015, where I had the chance to design my own…After the rug came out it made me want to do a bigger collection, so that’s sort of how the project started.”

It’s been a while since we last checked in with Dan, and there’s been some notable changes in terms of him experimenting with different mediums and gaining a signature style. “Lino cutting will always be my go-to medium as I love the whole process,” explains Dan. “Since leaving university [in 2013] and not having all the resources and time available, my medium changed and my work changed with it.”

“I started using the computer to produce most of my work: using simple shapes was the easiest way to make images for me. I think that way of working changed my practice a lot, as the linocutting was more hands-on.” After this shift, Dan then started to immerse his craft with a more practical approach and steered his latest project in the way of rug design. “I’ve always been interested in traditional rugs from around the world and the handmade process – which is also what drew me towards linocutting,” he says. “I think that my latest rug project was a way to bring back this handmade process, which is important to me.”

Strong blue, freesia and high-risk red: these are the strikingly bold colours that resonate amongst Dan’s work. A few years ago, most of his linocut creations propelled a hazy and romantic outcome, with a softer colour palette made of layered inks. Colour seems to be a changeable-yet-consistent theme throughout his work – whether comparing his old craft to his latest designs, or focusing entirely on his recent vivid graphics, there’s always a constant sway towards what he thinks works well together at the time. “It’s not always been intentional to use those colours, but looking back I think subconsciously I just like using them a lot and they look good together.”

Alongside his recent rug-based endeavours, Dan has continued his venture into skateboard graphics, he has also explored scarf design and the use of Hama beads. “[Hama beads] was a childhood craft that I liked to play with when I was younger. From what I was producing on the computer, it worked well with the geometric style. I found it allowed me to make a more hands-on project that was also a transition from my computer-based imagery to something physical,” explains Dan.

Ayla Angelos — 11 July 2017
Work / Graphic Design Introducing the eclectic projects of multidisciplinary designer Jannis Zell

Jannis Zell is a restless creative. His work flits between disciplines and his portfolio includes graphic design projects, ceramics, product design and more. “I like searching for the fun and the unusual. I could not stick with one medium,” Jannis explains. A graduate of the University of Arts and Design in Karlsruhe, Germany, Jannis found his education offered the freedom to explore what interests him. “The school is pretty hippy and open in it’s nature,” says Jannis. “The students can pick their seminars theirselves. You have to learn to look out for what interests you. You start doing your own projects and collaborate a lot with students from different faculties.”

Owen Pritchard — 31 March 2017
Work / Product Design The cut glass assemblages of graphic-turned-3D designer Juli Bolaños-Durman

Originally from Costa Rica and formerly a graphic designer, Juli Bolaños-Durman may have changed both location and career but she’s cleverly held on to her visual references. Now an Edinburgh-based glass artist, her creations stand out a mile from a litany of twee, old-fashioned ornaments with their unusually collaged shapes and colours, bringing a contemporary edge to the medium.

Jenny Brewer — 17 January 2017
Work / Product Design The delicately ornate, but very cheeky sculptures of Liv and Dom

The sculptural work of twin sisters Liv and Dom Cave-Sutherland is sweet and sharp. A combination of both their process and outcome the sisters create clay and fabric products with an innate cheeky expression.

Lucy Bourton — 16 January 2017
Work / Product Design Special Projects on why, sometimes, design is best kept simple

Husband and wife team Adrian and Clara Westaway run a boutique design and invention studio based in London called Special Projects. Its work focuses on projects where something completely new has to be discovered, invented, understood and designed. “We spend half our time working with large companies like Samsung, Logitech, and Nokia, and the other half working with smaller start-ups to help make their inventions special as they bring them to market,” Special Projects say. “Literally any company can approach us and ask us to invent something new, from theme parks and future technologies to post boxes and snowboarding accessories.” As Special Projects prepare to become part of the Design Museum’s “New Old: Designing for our Future Selves”, the duo tell It’s Nice That why sometimes, design is best kept simple.

Special Projects — 09 January 2017
Work / Product Design Plant pots with boobs, tan lines and tight speedos: it's the joyful ceramics of Group Partner

Brooklyn-based ceramics studio Group Partner has gained internet stardom for its comical ceramic pots with boobs, tan lines and speedos, and too right – we want them all. Founded in 2012 by Isaac Nichols and Steph Smith, the studio now comprises a small team hand-making and selling joyful ceramic works for happy customers worldwide.

Jenny Brewer — 09 December 2016