Igartubeiti
27 October 2008
The interpretation centre of the Igartubeiti Farmhouse Museum in Ezkio-Itsaso (Gipuzkoa) takes visitors on a journey through the history and development of Basque farmhouses and the way of life of their inhabitants.
The Igartubeiti farmhouse is a magnificent example of Basque rural architecture from its golden age in the 16th and 17th centuries. It offers visitors an opportunity to see the atmosphere, furnishings and implements that would have been found in a traditional farmhouse. The interpretation centre uses latest-generation expographics to depict the history, characteristics, working and development of Basque farmhouses.
ADN DESIGN designed, produced and installed the new ambience for the ethnographic display cabinets. The themes on show include property inheritance, domestic beliefs, household linen and farm implements.
Labels: Spaces
Canton Fair 2008
24 October 2008
The first thing that strikes Western visitors on entering the pavilions of the 104th China Import and Export Fair is its astonishing size. The Canton Fair has taken place in the city of Guangzhou twice a year since 1957, and it is indeed huge: 851,000 m2 of exhibition space with more than 42,000 stands and an amazing variety of sections: domestic appliances, electrical and electronic goods, lighting, communications, consumer electronics, large-scale machinery and equipment, small-scale machinery, tools, hardware products, construction and decoration materials, sanitary and bathroom ware, motor cycles, bicycles, chemicals, etc.
The last edition of the fair generated more than 38 billion dollars’ worth of business.
We were given sophisticated electronic photo ID cards with the word BUYER (in English and Chinese) printed on them in large letters, and spent much of our time explaining that we were not actually buyers but rather observers of trends, and that our influence on purchasing decisions was based on providing advice on points of design and innovation.
The downturn in the world financial system overshadowed the event, which has become a yardstick for gauging the state of China’s economy and exports. Many exhibitors wondered whether the number of commercial agreements reached at the fair would continue to grow, given the gloomy economic picture. Concern was particularly evident in those sectors hardest hit by the real estate crisis, with companies battling to obtain new business contacts in whatever manner they could, but in other sectors there was an atmosphere of calm expectation.
We had the chance to talk to management staff from various companies about the extent and consequences of the economic downturn. We got the impression that the most active firms are looking into ways of taking advantage of the current uncertainties to embark on large-scale projects with highly ambitious objectives. In spite of the local repercussions of the worldwide financial crisis, the huge Chinese market clearly still represents a fabulous opportunity for all firms that focus on design and innovation. Products created by ADN DESIGN were on view at several firms.
Labels: Events
Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2008
23 October 2008
As soon as we got over our jetlag, we set off again to attend the biggest electronics fair in Asia and the second biggest in the world. The autumn 2008 edition of the Hong Kong Electronics Fair, which has an excellent track record stretching back 28 years, took place at the striking Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The fair is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. From October 13-16 it brought together over 2500 exhibitors from 29 countries.
The Electronic Asia platform, which presented components, services and technology, was staged at the same time as the Electronics Fair, thus heightening synergy in the sector.
Hong Kong is a truly fascinating city, and ever since we first visited it to attend the Business of Design Week 2004 Lifestyle Asia almost 4 years ago, it has held a special attraction for us. Like a great many other visitors from all over the world, the main focus for us on this occasion was the great potential of the regions electronics industry. In the first four months of 2008, Hong Kong exported electronic products to the tune of $58.4 billion, 14% up on the same period last year. The dynamic energy of the Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2008 is a true reflection of the powerful contribution made by the electronics industry to the economy of the region.
The Hall of Fame at the Congress Centre presented the latest advances in design and technology from front-line brands on a spectacular stage. Other points of interest were to be found in the Digital World, Home Tech and Technology Exchange Zone sections. The Home Tech section, centred on home appliances, security and home automation products and electronic products for personal care, included presentations of some of the latest products created by ADN DESIGN.
Concurrently, the new Asia World-Expo building adjacent to Hong Kong airport was hosting Electronics & Components . Organised by Global Sources, an active platform for information on products and components suppliers, this event has grown to a size which far exceeded our initial expectations.
It was certainly an excellent opportunity to take an in-depth look at this fascinating, dynamic sector of industry.
Labels: Events
DesignBasque
22 October 2008
“To be ignorant of what happened before you were born”, wrote Cicero in Orator, “is to remain forever a child. For what is the value of human life if it is not woven into the lives of our ancestors by the records of history?”
ADN DESIGN set up the DesignBasque scheme to show the international community objects designed in the Basque Country throughout history.
DesignBasque offers designers, design historians and enthusiasts for the culture of the project in general a selection of products from our past. The initial selection is small, but we expect it to grow as colleagues and friends offer their collaboration -all contributions are most welcome- in gradually transforming it into a true repository of our memories. Memory of the past is not a burden: it encourages us to undertake new projects and points the way that we should go.
This scheme is not intended as eye candy or to pander to a desire for nostalgia. DesignBasque seeks to become a meeting point and the means for producing communication and knowledge. In short, it seeks to recover in the meaning once held by objects from our past, so that we can obtain a better understanding of them and of ourselves.
Labels: Initiatives
New PLUNIA Guttering
13 October 2008
PLUNIA is the name chosen by Uralita, the Iberian Peninsula’s leading business group in its sector, for new guttering to be sold under the Adequa brand. It was presented on September 1.
Designed by ADN DESIGN, this guttering blends an attractive design consistent with current architectural trends with exceptional mechanical qualities: sections with a high water-carrying capability, accessories featuring a new clip-type locking system and a concealed top hook to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the whole unit.
Labels: Products
Use Analysis in Aragón
02 October 2008
Brigitte Sauvage will run the "In-depth Use Analysis of a Product" course at the Aragón Technological Institute (ITA). The course is part of the 2008 Aragon Vocational Training and Insertion Plan.
During the initial stage of defining a product, enough time and resources are all too frequently not dedicated to carrying out an exhaustive study of the life cycle of the product from the point of view of its use. Practice and experience in industrial design tells us that an analysis of this type enhances the possibilities of improving the product. It also allows the areas of opportunity to be identified for generating new product concepts and fostering innovation.
Overlooking this analysis in the initial phases of the project may lead to products being defined that, once on the market, do not satisfy the expectations of their users or even cause them to be rejected. A correct understanding of the real criteria and needs of the potential users of the products has a decisive impact on the likelihood of it being a commercial success..
Training action in partnership of the Aragón Centre of Industrial Design (CADI) and the Government of Aragón’s Department of Industry, Commerce and Tourism.
Dates: From 23 October to 14 November 2008
Schedule: from 10:00 to 14:00 hours (Thursdays and Fridays)
Duration: 32 hours
More information: Aragón Technological Institute
Labels: Training
