Design Directions

Translating consumer trends into actionable designs, colour palettes and materials.

Biofabricated Futures

A revolutionary sustainability breakthrough, biofabrication is the engineering of biological products. This report explores its market evolution and future potential in transforming materials to drive commercial success

Design Directions

Design Directions

The Fun Theory

In an era of Prohibition Culture – where governmental finger-waggers increasingly monitor, control and aim to influence behaviour – an en...

Advertising : Videos : DDB Stockholm

Design Directions

Creax

As brands steer through today’s and tomorrow’s choppy economic waters, and finance directors look to cut unnecessary ballast, one of the cost centr...

Innovation : Problem Solving : Copying

Design Directions

Ace Hotel

Ace Hotel opened its first guesthouse in Seattle a decade ago, aiming to create a budget accommodation solution for visiting creatives. Ten years l...

Design : Trendy : Hi-lo

Design Directions

Victors & Spoils

Jeff Howe, author of Crowdsourcing: Why the Power of the Crowd is Driving the Future of Business, defines crowdsourcing as ‘the act of taking a job...

Consumers : Testing : Creative

Design Directions

Oogst

Self-sufficiency and sustainable production are increasingly part of civic planning. A radical new project by Dutch design agency Tjep. aims to mak...

Engineering : Civic Planning : Oogst

Design Directions

Le Comptoir Général

Away from the purposeful anonymity and fluorescent lighting of the average conference room, le Comptoir Général in Paris offers a place i...

Fifth Scenario : Community : Ecological

Design Directions

Le Laboratoire

Mashing science with art, Le Laboratoire in Paris is a creative hub facilitating the exchange and inception of new ideas that fuse art an...

Design Directions

Lcafe

A new marketing café offers brands the chance to have new products sampled in the hope of new sales, customer feedback, and the chance for word of ...

Tracking : Lcafe : Toyko Sample Labs

Design Directions

Potion

At Clo, a wine bar in New York, guests explore the 100-strong selection of wines via a swish multi-user, multi-touch projection menu. Three blocks ...

Interactive : Smart Technology : Multi-touch

Design Directions

Utopia

The global economic, political and environmental systems are in collapse, our biological and business systems are mutating, and new life forms are ...

Technology : Material : Biofacture

Design Directions

Vandasye

To the uninitiated, ‘selective laser sintering’ sounds like some kind of laser-based elimination game – one played out, perhaps, between the strong...

Furniture : Self-Engineered : Prototyping

Design Directions

Playscapes

The blur between fantasy, reality, adulthood and childhood is inspiring brand communications that truly enchant, surprise and engage. Designers are...

Fantatsy : Faction Marketing : Cartoon

Design Directions

Flexthetics

In a world of uber-choice and information overload, we are witnessing the emergence of a culture of leanness, lightness and smart thinking that req...

Flexi Simplicity : Heavy Industry : Flexible

Design Directions

Teknovation

How can a retail store reduce staff and cut overheads while maintaining a high standard of service and, potentially, a round-the-clock operation? A...

Touch Screen : 24 Hour : Self Service

Design Directions

Omnilux

In the face of economic uncertainty, consumers are looking for a new definition of luxury. These new luxury consumers are considering value much ...

Tradition : Grand : Lavish

Design Directions

Tata Nano

Paring down, cutting back, trimming the fat – all activities recession-hit consumers are embracing as the economic forecast remains gloomy. In Mumb...

Automotive : Tiny : Reduced Cost

Design Directions

Merci

A new store in Paris takes a fully philanthropic approach to luxury. In a bid to help the less fortunate, high-fashion concept store Merci, whose n...

Paris : Non Profit : Philanthropic

Design Directions

Mission One

The first high-performance electric motor bike is about to set a new benchmark for the motor industry in its efforts to produce sustainable vehicle...

Green : Motor Bike : Motorcycle

Design Directions

FriendsWithYou

One sunny day in Miami Beach, Florida, a procession made its way along the coast. Passers-by may have pinched themselves as they watched the multic...

Creativity : Blimp : Miami Beach

Design Directions

Uniqlo

As the recession continues to an unforeseen end, one retailer has continued to grow and boast of successful results despite waning consumer demand ...

Recession : Mass Consumption : Slow