Doteverything - Martha Lane Fox

Saturday was one of those days that come along and can inspire you. If you missed Martha Lane Fox at the Cheltenham Literary Festival this was an extension of her fantastic Richard Dimbleby lecture on the power of the internet and what it has done and can do to transform society. The content of that speech as well as her discussion at the festival was really interesting and thought provoking. She has launched a petition here that we should all be signing and supporting. Click on this link for the petition. You can get more of a flavour of doteveryone and a transcript of her Dimbleby lecture here

In her Cheltenham address she advanced her plans for the Dot Everyone project, which aims to advance the understanding of the digital age."I do feel I am on an evangelical mission about the next phase of the internet," she said. It takes my breath away to think that it wasn't that long ago there was no Google in the UK and it was just tiny in the US. There was no Facebook, no Twitter, no LinkedIn and all these companies have gone 'boom' in the last ten years.

"One of the things I have been amazed by, appalled by and energised by is the very long way we have to go in embedding the potential for life transformation by the internet more widely and universally in the UK."

Here is the link to the Dimbleby broadcast on iPlayer. You can also get a flavour of what she is promoting by reading this article she wrote in The Guardian and also her blog.

Sure the millions of kittens, pranks and heart-warming tales are an interesting read on the Internet but MLF focuses on the power of the Internet to change lives and how we can harness the power of technology in society. No bad thing!

Little Sun Charge shines a light on climate change

Olafur Eliasson

Little Sun Charge shines a light on climate change
Olafur Eliasson isn’t a traditional artist. As a teenager he was part of the Harlem Gun Collective, a posse that wore white gloves and sunglasses, and won breakdancing competitions all over Scandinavia. More recently, he flew 100 tonnes of ice from Greenland to Copenhagen to visually demonstrate the detrimental effects of global warming.

He’s also worked with Mercury-prize winning musician Jamie XX on a contemporary ballet that was described as “a sensory overload" and “giddily infectious” for Manchester International Festival. And, if you were ballsy enough, you might have swum through one of his luminescent green rivers, which were dyed with non-toxic uranin to quite literally highlight and reconnect locals with their natural surroundings in Berlin, Tokyo and LA.

It’s more likely, though, that you’re one of the 1,000s of people who took a break from the hustle, and bustle, of London to lie down and take in a gigantic artificial sun at the Tate Modern Turbine Hall – a work of art that was at once immersive, contemplative and extraordinary. The message, then as it is now, for Eliasson is about challenging the public’s perception of the environment, producing a dialogue with viewers and encouraging then to interact with one another.

Light-Bulb Moment
Today, he’s here to talk about a much smaller solar-based project with a much bigger mission. Little Sun Charge is a phone charger, created with engineer Frederik Ottesen, which is designed to help those off-the-grid in the poorest regions of Africa make use of the power of the sun.

“Literally everyone we’ve been working with in Africa on Little Sun now has a mobile phone,” says Elliasson. “They have a Facebook account, they have access to news media, they use online banking and so on… They’re very connected to the world, but they haven’t got access to energy and they’re screaming out for mobile phone chargers.”

Smartphones dominate the technology market in Africa, and with good reason – they provide a low cost alternative to laptops and connect those in who might otherwise be living off the grid. Mobile data traffic in Sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to grow at double the rate of global growth, according to a report by communications group Ericsson, and wireless penetration on the continent is now over 60%. 

“It’s a lovely little sculpture. But it’s also become part of a social movement”

At the time of writing the Little Sun Charge project has raised €240,617 on fundraising platform Kickstarter. The original goal was €50,000, a sure sign people understand the potential of the project to help elevate people out of poverty and give them access to energy. To give you some context it typically costs £7 year to keep a mobile charged in the UK. But hooking up to a car battery at a shop in Africa can cost $1 an hour.

Users of the Little Sun Charger will be able to charge their phone using five hours of totally free sunshine via a USB port. Plus, it’s sufficiently small to carry about during the day and aesthetically-pleasing enough for even the most design conscious consumers.

Socially-Minded Business
It’s important to use the words consumer and business here, as Eliasson’s project isn’t a charity. He doesn’t believe in giving away the Little Sun Charger for free. In fact the goal of the project is as much about creating successful independent businesses as allowing people to live independent lives.

As with Little Sun, the original solar-powered LED lamp he released in 2013, the aim is to help create a network of wholesalers and retailers. “In the beginning we offered businesses in Zimbabwe credit,” says Eliasson. “Then they paid in installments. Now they just pay everything upfront. So in two years the market has become quite robust.”

A great example of this idea of a social business working is Little Sun’s collaboration with consultancy Best Foot Forward, which distributes the lamp in Zambia. Together they gave 23 women a crash course in selling the product to local communities by teaching then entrepreneurial skills, like accounting. It not only helped give them an income, but it also empowered the women to start micro-businesses – a proven way out of poverty.

“We believe in market principles,” says Eliasson. “We believe it should be promoted to local customers and local businesses. We already have 12 countries with a large network of young door-to-door sales people. They’re incredibly sophisticated in their ways of driving business, and they’ve generated a livelihood out of it. We just deliver the lamps to them and they actually do the rest.”

To some the price point for Little Sun – $10 to $15 – might still seem quite high. But in the long run Eliasson argues there’s a huge saving to be made in investing in a robust piece of solar technology. The other way of looking at it is Little Sun replaces kerosene lamps found in some of the poorest parts of Africa, which are not only costly to run but also potentially harmful to users – breathing in the fuel is poisonous. The sales figures back up the rhetoric: over 200,000 Little Sun lamps have been sold to date.

Power To The People
Those of you reading in the USA or Europe can also get your hands on a Little Sun or Little Sun Charge – you’ll just have to pay a little more for the privilege. All the profits made through Little Sun and Little Sun Charge go straight back into developing it further, and the higher margin in Western countries is used to help those who really need it.

But, for Eliasson, it’s also about changing peoples’ perception of climate change in more affluent countries. At events like Wellington Light Festival, in New Zealand, his startup collaborates with artists and other creatives to create immersive installations that hundreds of visitors of all ages can interact and play with.

“It’s an art project, it’s a lovely little sculpture, but it’s also become part of a social movement,” says Eliasson. By placing a beautifully designed object that harnesses the power of the sun, and makes sound business sense, into the hands of people around the world he hopes to craft a tangible and positive message about climate change and the future.

Words by Maks Fus-Mickiewicz

Portrait of Olafur Eliasson by Ari Magg; Little Sun in use by Merklit Mersha, and Little Sun distributor by Michael Tsegaye

Tesco to buy Giraffe Restaurants

Supermarket giant Tesco is to buy the Giraffe child-friendly restaurant chain for up to £50 million in a move that will see it open the eateries across its stores.

Mixed feelings about this one. I like Giraffe! Not only because we've worked for them and supplied special-finish eating benches / counters, etc. But I have kids and they like Giraffe! And when faced with eating on the go for business trips abroad they have fed me well at the airport! I understand Tesco's need and it is a challenge facing many retailers / supermarkets but will it dilute the brand / product?

The deal will net a hefty windfall for Giraffe founders Juliette and Russel Joffe and Andrew Jacobs, who together with other management and long-standing investors will sell their combined stake of around 54%, according to The Times.

Tesco is hoping the acquisition of the 47-strong business will reinvigorate its UK arm, which has been battling to shore up flagging sales.

As well as adding a family dining business to Tesco's portfolio, the acquisition will pave the way for Tesco to add Giraffe restaurants to its larger stores and attract more shoppers.

The grocery group recently bought a 49% stake in Harris + Hoole coffee shops with aims to open branches in its shops, while it has also backed Euphorium Bakery. This must beg the question are Tesco knee-jerking a little here? Will they really 100% back all of these acquisitions, do they have the focus, the drive in an already very attention demanding sector!

Tesco suffered a difficult 2012 when it reported its first drop in profits for two decades. While sales improved over Christmas, growing by 1.8% in the six weeks to January 5, the horse meat scandal is expected to have taken its toll on trading in recent months. Shore Capital analyst Clive Black is predicting 0.5% growth at best in the group's fourth quarter.

Tesco declined to comment on the Giraffe deal.

The restaurant chain was founded in 1998, when its co-founders opened their first outlet in Hampstead. It has since secured backing from 3i, which bought a stake in 2006, and former PizzaExpress chairman Luke Johnson, who also chairs Giraffe. Giraffe is set to open its 48th restaurant in Leeds Trinity shopping centre this month. It is understood the Giraffe co-founders and management team will be retained by Tesco following the deal.

Philip Dorgan, analyst at Panmure Gordon, said: "Tesco - along with the other food retailers - has been very bad at in-store catering for a very long time and this appears a logical move, especially in combination with its acquisition of a 49% stake in Harris + Hoole."

He added that with online shopping increasing in popularity, the group needs to "invest in areas that its shoppers will want to spend time doing when they spend a lot less time shopping - eating out is clearly one". I agree with this and I wish Tesco well but perhaps I wish Giraffe a little more goodwill; they might need it!

Is there life in Peckham?

From the great words of Alexie Sayle's 'Ullo John got a new motor!', "Is there life in Peckham?"

Well every summer since it’s inception in 2007, it has been home to Bold Tendencies – an incredible outdoor sculpture exhibition featuring large-scale pieces of work from new up and coming artists. Taking place at the Peckham multi-storey car park, which is frankly, just a car park. But, Bold Tendencies transforms the concrete wasteland of Peckham’s car park into an exciting and new place for public use and it's all thanks to Hannah Barry, who has single-handedly introduced Peckham as a prominent area to check out what's newest in the art scene. Alongside the exhibition space, the car park is also host to a bar/restaurant, Frank's, which boasts Campari cocktails and alfresco dining.
This time round, Bold Tendencies will feature the likes of geometrically inclined Eva Berendes, and Jess Flood-Paddock whose Gangsta’s Paradises series of giant shellfish went down a storm at the Hayward Gallery Project Space. Opening night for the show is on June 30th and is sure to be awesome. Drinks sponsored by Beck's, rooftop views of London, crazy impressive artworks...
Frank’s Café's unique build is thanks to the guys at Practice Architecture, who have contributed two new sculptures to this years show. They are known for their clever salvaging, and one of Practice Architecture’s formative projects turned a derelict petrol station in Clerkenwell into a handmade pop up cinema. Relying on the help of volunteers, the guys are testament to the power of replacing innovative ideas with weighty budgets.
Bold Tendencies do non-profit work that aims to showcase work by international artists. If you fancy becoming a ‘Peckham Patron’ and supporting the project click here. See you at the show.

Road for thought.

La ville molle (part III) from Raum Raum on Vimeo.

La Ville Molle: Benjamin Boré

Take 3 1/2 minutes and have a look this video by architect Benjamin Boré brought to us by one of our favourite art and design blogs, This is Colossal. The project originated through Benjamin’s desire to “question the harshness of the city.” So, using a giant water-filled pocket, he created the above liquid brick installation, ‘La Ville Molle’.
The project is in collaboration with Raum à La Box in France and its title literally translates to ‘City Soft’. It’s part of an exciting trend of architects becoming more and more conscious of the relationship between individuals and their environments, and realising ways in which to explore and apply it in their practice. As much as we’re conscious to protect our natural environment, the drive to develop our urban environment tends to be just as strong.
The Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies in New York recognises ‘the critical impact of the built form, how it is experienced, mediated, remembered and imagined on the quality of our daily lives.’ The initiative was originally established in 1967 and since then they’ve became a place to debate and experiment with the wild theories of progressive architects.
Although perhaps in part a tongue in cheek gimmick today, these people are changing the cities around us with projects such as this and we're excited by the prospect to see how this relationship will mould a new face for our collective cityscapes tomorrow.

Cool Commercial Floor Opportunities

Floorink by Forbo This new vinyl flooring can be used to create unique and bespoke flooring focal points in commercial interiors. With state-of-the-art digital printing by Printed Space any image can be applied, while still carrying a 10-year guarantee. In many ways this can truly mean endless opportunity to create a point of difference. Within our work we can on occasion be limited by what's either affordable or available (i.e. actually exists and has been invented yet!) for a client concept. It's all too easy to simply either write the floor off or have it play a lesser or small part of a retail design concept which is a huge opportunity missed. A product such as Floorink lessens the excuse that the floor can't play an important contributing factor to any space. With such options available to the concept palette there is every chance that the floor can be brought in to bring its own 'sticky' point to the space as a whole; no longer the poor cousin! forbo.com

Maid of Bond Street

A sequence of 25 brass studs set in a polished concrete floor – metal casts of lipsticks, fake eyelashes and even a credit card seem arbitrary at first but they tell a tale of decadent luxury. Worldly Cares and Love Affairs is the brainchild of British conceptual artist Jonathan Ellery and directly inspired by David Bowie’s Maid of Bond Street, a song released in 1967 about the materialistic life of a rich and spoilt London girl. Although small in size (each stud measures 100 mm in diameter), Ellery’s installation is one of the key features of Mulberry’s new flagship store in Bond Street. Beside Ellery’s critical take on luxury, one wonders if his inspiration is Christina Ong. The Singaporean entrepreneur and major shareholder of Mulberry is nicknamed the Queen of Bond Street for her creative flair in Bond Street’s fashion franchises. The latest store by Mulberry challenges the status quo of the luxury market, by commissioning controversial artist Ellery and by getting Universal Design Studio (UDS) on board to design the interior space. ‘What Mulberry wanted was a space that expresses what a progressive company it has become,’ explains Hannah Carter-Owens, associate director at UDS. ‘For this reason the design evolved into a mix of contrasting interior elements.’ The design studio envisaged an unconventional layout and a palette of materials to complement Ellery’s brass studs, beginning at the striking entrance doors, which feature geometrical brass details. A curved stone dry wall wraps the retail space at street level. This clever feature also reshapes the otherwise rectilinear space and helps to regulate the temperature of the interior. To counterbalance the solidity of the wall, the rest of the space has been kept deliberately flexible and is visually permeable from the entrance. Here the polished concrete floor is dotted with delicate mobile structures constructed from unfinished oak wood. These scaled-down architectural pieces resemble follies – referencing the picturesque landscape of rural Somerset where Mulberry originally started. By contrast, the deeper part of the store features geometrical brass plates – also echoing Ellery’s studs – that form the cladding to a more secluded space dedicated to the clothing division of Mulberry. ‘More than following a set brief, we started a very long conversation with Mulberry and worked together all the way, developing ideas through model-making and prototyping individual components and details,’ says Carter-Owens. One could question how raw materials such as stone and concrete, unfinished woodwork and brass are expected to convey the finesse of luxury. However this unexpected combination of materials has more to say about the way Mulberry combined two worlds in one: the rural and the urban. Despite major changes at the top of the company in recent years, the new flagship store combines the contrasting elements at the heart of the company. ‘The idea was to create something that would allow for a degree of flexibility, a simple shell yet very flexible – a store that won’t tire, a place that will stand the test of time’ says Carter-Owens. Founded in 1971 by Roger Saul and his mother, the company grafted a quintessentially rural British care for materials and details to an urban aesthetic. This new store restates these values even though Mulberry was taken over by Challice Group (a corporate company headed by Ong) in 2004 and has since been incorporated into another of her business ventures. That is the multi-brand umbrella company Club 21 UK, which includes such fashion brands as Armani, Donna Karan and Dolce & Gabbana. In a time when corporate homogeneity appears to have affected even luxury brands – let alone the rest of the market – it is refreshing to see Mulberry wittily question their own values with the thought-provoking work that was commissioned from Ellery. Similarly, the design work by UDS offers an opportunity to reflect on the nature of luxury. Luxury is not about cluttering a space with redundant displays of expensive materials. Instead it is deliberately selecting a few pieces that resonate with core aesthetic values – and Mulberry does that well. Article appeared in Blueprint magazine February 14, 2011 by: Gian Luca Amadei . This article has been published as originally listed. It absolutely highlights some of the thinking within Forma and our belief in what we term 'sticky points' to create moments or points within the retail experience that leave strong positive impressions on the customer so enhancing the likelihood of repeat custom.