Alchemists of Concrete and Glass: The Weird Beauty of Swiss Architects Herzog & de Meuron

The Architects Who Hate Style There’s something quietly subversive about Herzog & de Meuron, even as their buildings define city … More

“DAMN, THAT’S CLEAN!”: The German Design God Who Shaped Your World (And Probably Your iPhone)

By now, you’ve probably scrolled past some sleek, minimalist gadget on your feed and thought, “Damn, that’s clean.” Chances are, … More

ARCHITECTURE 101: What is Modernism?

Modernist Architecture Is Still the Chicest Chaos We’ve Got in 2025 Modernist architecture swaggered onto the scene in the late … More

ARCHITECTURE 101: Concrete Jungle: Why Brutalism’s Unapologetic Architecture Refuses to Fade Away

Brutalism is architecture’s version of an acquired taste. It’s the kind of “love it or hate it” style that demands … More

DEEP-FRIED REVISITED: FROM INTERNET SUB-CULTURE TO CORPORATE PLAYBOOK!

If you’ve scrolled through TikTok, Reddit, or Instagram recently, you’ve probably stumbled upon a surreal, oversaturated, and aggressively lo-fi digital … More

MY BEAUTIFUL TWISTED FANTASY : “SICK” ROBOT VAN TAXIS, FAKE ROBOTS, AND MORE!

A massive Tesla event called “We, Robot,” was held on a Warner Bros. movie studios soundstage in Burbank, California this … More

THE SECRET TO GREEN-TRASHED SUCCESS: HOW CHARLI XCX’S “BRAT” GREEN BECAME THE COLOR OF OUR TIMES!

Brat Green: The Truth Behind Charli XCX’s Eye-Catching Shade and Its Summer Takeover When we think of the summer of … More

RADICAL TRANSPARENT: THE BOLD SEE-THROUGH VISION OF TOKYO’S NEW GLASS-WALLED TOILETS!

Tokyo, the city of neon dreams and ultra-efficient public transit, has once again flipped the script on urban design. Nestled … More

THE BLOW-UP GLOW-UP: BELGIAN DESIGNERS MAKE INFLATABLE VERSIONS OF CERAMIC VASES AND PITCHERS!

Tired of fleeting fun and deflated dreams? Say goodbye to helium headaches and beach ball blowouts because Belgium-based Home Studyo … More

FORGET “I’LL BE BACK!” HE’S HERE!: FIGURE AI UNLEASHES THE FUTURE WITH CREEPY AI-DRIVEN HUMANOID ROBOT WHO DOES HOUSEHOLD CHORES!

Alright, folks, buckle up because we’re diving into the latest and eeriest creation straight out of a sci-fi flick. You … More

“SERIOUS AND WIDESPREAD OFFENSE”: CALVIN KLEIN BILLBOARD WITH SEMI-NUDE FKA TWIGS BANNED IN U.K.

The latest buzz in the world of fashion and controversy has been brewing over the recent takedown of a provocative … More

THE PASSING OF AN INIMITABLE STYLE ICON! RIP, IRIS APFEL!

In the wild and wonderful world of style, we’ve just bid adieu to one of its most electrifying figures: the … More

WHAT THE APPLE CAR MIGHT HAVE LOOKED LIKE! : HERE’S A COLLECTION OF 50x A.I. ARTIST AND DESIGNER RENDERINGS OF THE VEHICLE THAT NEVER WAS!

This week it was revealed that Apple Computer is shuttering its autonomous vehicle program known as Project Titan, a.k.a., “Apple … More

HITTING THE BRAKES! : THE APPLE CAR THAT NEVER WILL BE!

Apple’s ambitious electric car project, dubbed “Project Titan,” has come to a screeching halt after a decade-long endeavor. The company, … More

CAFFEINATED STYLE, PART 3: MADDENINGLY BEAUTIFUL COFFEE SHOP DECOR!

In the latest entry in our series looking at beautiful coffee shops and cafes we love is Frontside Cafe in … More

TIK TOK STYLE WAR: “SAD BEIGE” BATTLE LINES DRAWN OVER PIX OF HOME INTERIOR MAKEOVER ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

The DIY interior design work of a Norwegian woman named Emma Ganzarain has gone viral on Tik Tok after she … More

STREET FAKES: TAYLOR SWIFT AS STREET ART SUPERSTAR!

Taylor Swift is a pop-music mega-star with an audience on a scale of which the world has seldom seen. Her … More

CAFFEINATED STYLE, PART II: MADDENINGLY BEAUTIFUL COFFEE SHOP DECOR!

Next stop on our survey of beautiful cafes with legit coffee is Singing Sun Coffee in the seaside town of … More

THIS OLD MANSION: VISIT TO ARCHITECTURAL TREASURE BY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT BLOWS OUR MIND WITH GENIUS DESIGN VISION AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL!

We visited an architectural landmark last weekend. That landmark is Hollyhock House in Los Angeles. The house is a sprawling … More

LET’S GET GRAPHICAL: WINE LABEL CAJOLES DRINKERS TO THINK WITH BRANDING AND DESIGN!

We like wine. We like drinking it, whether imbibing a basic table wine from the local Trader Joe’s supermarket with … More

THRILLER THREADS: GRAPHIC TEE PAYS HOMAGE TO ITALIAN CULT-CLASSIC HORROR FILM!

“Suspiria” is cult-classic supernatural horror film of the 1970s by Italian filmmaker Dario Argento. It was part of a horror … More

FASHION & STYLE 101: CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE FASHION – EVOLUTION, INNOVATION AND INFLUENCE!

Japanese fashion has evolved into a global powerhouse, captivating the industry with its innovative designs, meticulous craftsmanship, and unique aesthetic … More

HAPPY CAMPER: BLUE BOTTLE COFFEE’S NEW CAFE IN JAPAN IS “ACCIDENTALLY WES ANDERSON” PERFECT! THINK WE’RE IN LOVE!

Like something out of a Wes Anderson film, this Blue Bottle Coffee cafe in Nagoya, Japan, is a too-perfect, polished, … More

CAFFEINATED BY DESIGN: THE COFFEE TABLE BOOK ABOUT COFFEE!

The name of Italian espresso-machine maker La Marzocco may not roll off the tongue easily or be a household name. … More

SPEED FREAK: DESIGNER HANS LOHRER’S BOLD VISIONS FOR PORSCHE!

Hanns Lohrer was a German painter and commercial graphic designer based in the city of Stuttgart. In spite of his … More

LET THERE BE LIGHT: THE HOT, SEXY NEW LAMP TAKING OVER NYC!

According to the New York Times, there’s a new lamp that seems to be ubiquitous in New York City restaurants. … More

BREAKING – THE PASSING OF A FASHION VISIONARY : R.I.P., ISSEY MIYAKE !

We awoke this morning to the news that Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake has died. He was 84. The Washington … More

ARCHITECTURAL DESSERTS : GEOMETRIC VANILLA MATCHA POPS!

These vanilla-matcha popsicles are like no other pops we’ve ever had. They’re called Dream Pops and are vegetable-based, containing only … More

CURRENT EVENTS : POLISH ARTIST’S POSTER CAPTURES ESSENCE OF RUSSIAN-UKRAINE WAR!

The geo-political conflict and humanitarian nightmare unfolding in Ukraine as a result of Russia’s horrific, invasive military aggression has captured … More

SO JUDGY! BEST BOOK COVERS OF THE PAST YEAR!

We all know the adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” That’s a pretty good nugget of popular wisdom. … More

BEAN HERE NOW : OUR NEW COFFEE STATION UNVEILED

Here’s the coffee set-up at our headquarters. We put up these shelves above the counter where the coffee-making gear is … More

SPARKLING COLLAB: TAKASHI MURAKAMI BRINGS “SUPERFLAT” TO A PERRIER BOTTLE NEAR YOU!

It was only a matter of time until we see a contemporary art superstar lend their artwork to a major … More

SMELLS LIKE LAWSUIT SPIRIT: “NIRVANA BABY” SUES ICONIC GRUNGE-ERA BAND!

The guy who was the baby on the iconic cover of Nirvana’s”Nevermind” album is suing the influential Seattle grunge pioneers. … More

BUILT FOR SPEED : JAPAN’S NEW “BULLET TRAIN” DESIGN REVEALED!

Japan Railways (JR) recently unveiled the design for its newest shinkansen, a.k.a., “Bullet Train.” It’s called the “Kamome,” which translates … More

101-ISM : HOW TO DRAW YOURSELF AS A PEANUTS CARTOON CHARACTER! FOR REAL!

Happy Monday! And we know what you’re thinking! Wouldn’t it be cool to draw yourself as a character from a … More

SUPER COOL COFFEE-TABLE BOOK! “AFROSURF” CELEBRATES AFRICA’S RICH SURF CULTURE!

As regular readers of this blog know, we love to surf every chance we get. So when a new artful, … More

SHAMEFUL OR SMART? : TOKYO OLYMPICS ARCHITECTURE LACKS OVERPRICED, PRETENTIOUS NEW TROPHY BUILDINGS!!!

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will open this week in the here and now of 2021. The world’s biggest sporting and … More

BAD DESIGN: A COLLECTION OF THE “WORST VOLUME CONTROL USER-INTERFACES IN THE WORLD EVER”!!!

This collection of extremely poorly-designed volume-control user interfaces (UI) is curated with tongue very firmly in cheek. It’s a hilarious … More

POP CULTURAL: A “SEINFELD” TV SHOW LEGO SET WILL BE RELEASED THIS SUMMER!

Yes, Danish toy-maker LEGO will be selling a set of their iconic bricks to build your very own set of … More

DESIGNED TO DEATH : AWESOME POST-MODERN VERSIONS OF CLASSIC MOVIE POSTERS!

Check out these retro post-modern movie posters designed by Patrick Concepcion. These are so good. Concepcion’s graphic design manages to … More

LIKE A VERSION: 100 INTERPRETATIONS OF ANIMATION SEQUENCE ARE MIND-BLOWING!

This short montage video showcases 100 animation interpretations by 100 different animators. It’s absolutely wonderful. The video reveals all the … More

SUBLIIMELY CAFFEINATED: THE INTRIGUINGLY MINIMALIST COFFEE THERMOS!

We recently got this ultra-minimalist travel mug for our coffee. The form factor and style of the container can’t get … More

CAFFEINATED DESIGN: CRUSHING HARD ON THIS COFFEE BRAND’S DUSTY PINK PACKAGING!

If you’re a regular visitor to this blog then you probably already know by now how obsessive we are when … More

JUST FOR KICKS: THE ART OF THE SNEAKER

A new exhibition at the London Design Museum offers a closer look at the evolution of sneaker design and innovation. … More

REVEALED: BEST TYPOGRAPHY DESIGN OF 2021!

The Type Directors Club (TDC) recently announced the winners of its annual type-design competitions. The TDC is part of the … More

PUMPIN’!: THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED GAS STATIONS IN THE WORLD!

Gas stations tend to be pretty bland and merely functional when it comes to architectural design. Many are drab, dirty … More

KOOK SLAMS: BEER CAN DESIGN INSPIRED BY INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT HAS US IN DRUNKEN STITCHES!

Kook Slams, the beer. For real, it’s here! It’s a limited edition I.P.A. from Duck Foot, a brewery from the … More

CRYPTIC: HIPSTER-BEVERAGE GUERRILLA MARKETING AS STREET ART!

We saw this wheat-pasted poster on an electricity utility box on Fairfax Avenue in Hollywood on Monday. And we thought … More

ABOUT FACE: MASKS OF THE WORLD, UNMASKED!

. . . . . “Beyond Noh” is short documentary film by Patrick Smith that dives into the subject of … More

HOME RUN: ARTISTS COMMISSIONED TO RE-IMAGINE ICONIC BASEBALL CARDS!

The Topps chewing gum and baseball card company has launched Project 70 to celebrate seventy years of producing annual baseball … More

A NEW FONT FOR OUR TIME: “CLIMATE CRISIS” TYPEFACE REFLECTS REAL-TIME CLIMATE-CHANGE DATA!

A newspaper in Finland has launched a new variable font called “Climate Crisis.” The font was designed to reflect the … More

IN MOTION: OREGON TOURISM CAMPAIGN LOOKS LIKE A JAPANESE ANIME FILM!

. . . . . Travel Oregon‘s newest campaign promoting tourism to the state includes an animated commercial that’s a … More

FLAKEY: WEB-BASED SNOWFLAKE GENERATOR IS SUBLIME (AMONG OTHER THINGS)!

Here’s a fun way to wile away a couple of hours. The Snowflake Generator is the awesome work of California-based … More

FORCE BE WITH YOU: U.S. POST OFFICE ISSUES STAMPS CELEBRATING “STARS WARS” ANDROIDS!

The United States Postal Service has announced that this spring they will be issuing a new series of stamps featuring … More

EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES: ENOUGH WITH THE BUNDLED-UP BERNIE MEME ALREADY!

It was brilliant and funny for the first 24 -48 hours. The meme of U.S. Senator and former presidential candidate … More

HOT TYPES: LIST OF SOME FAVORITE NEW TYPEFACES FROM 2020!

I Love Typography’s “My Favorite Typefaces of 2020” is a list of notable new fonts produced last year. The typefaces … More

VISUAL CULTURE: THE TIMES’ BEST OF 2020 ILLUSTRATION!

The New York Times art directors have picked their favorite illustration of 2020. It’s an excellent survey of some of … More

WHOPPER: GLOBAL FAST-FOOD CHAIN ROLLS OUT NEW LOGO AND BRANDING!

Worldwide fast-food restaurant chain Burger King has revamped its brand identity, including its iconic burger logotype, color palette, typography and … More

DESIGNED! HEAT-ACTIVATED POSTAGE STAMPS REVEAL CLIMATE CHANGE INFO!

The Post Office of Finland recently commissioned a new set of stamps designed to reveal informative stories about climate change … More

FONTASTICAL: HOW THE “GENTRIFICATION FONT” BECAME SO! SECRETS REVEALED!

You’ve seen it. You know it. It’s a typeface used across all types of media. But when deployed for street-address … More

WHIPLASH: LOOKING BACK AT THE “COOL” CARS OF THE 1980s!

Did you live through the 1980s and now pine for the cars of yesteryear in some mid-life crisis-induced reverie of … More

RISE AND SHINE: ARTIST-DESIGNER PAINTS SUNRISE VIEWS FROM HIS APT. ON N.Y. TIMES COVERS, HONORS JACOB BLAKE!

The artwork is part of a series by New York City-based artist and designer Sho Shibuya, who paints sunrise view … More

DESIGNED! SWEDISH FURNITURE AND MEATBALL JUGGERNAUT IKEA UPLOADS 72-YEARS WORTH OF PRODUCT CATALOGS!

Here’s a bit of Swedish you can bust out at cocktail parties (remember those?) when the global COVID-19 pandemic ends … More

YACHT ROCK: U.K. STREET ARTIST BANKSY FINANCES AND DECORATES REFUGEE RESCUE BOAT IN THE MED!

Mysterious and infamous U.K. artist Banksy has bankrolled a small refugee rescue ship sailing the Mediterranean Sea. The boat is … More

LIFE IMITATING ART: WHEN JAPANESE ANIME DICTATES YOUR STYLE, AMAZING THINGS CAN HAPPEN!

Life imitating art imitating life. You’ve got to love it when this happens. Such is the case of some make-up … More

GUCCI-FICATION: THE SHOCKING HORROR OF TIK TOK TEENS AND LUXURY FASHION REVEALED!

Fashion yourself a runway model, do ya? Yes, we know you do. We do, too! What’s not to love about … More

DATA VIZ GONE WILD: ARTIST TURNS VISUALLY BORING-ASS STOCK CHARTS INTO AWESOME LANDSCAPE ART!

You’ve seen financial charts. Maybe they mean nothing to you. Or they mean everything. Maybe you’re a day trader with … More

AND NOW YOU KNOW THIS: THE VISUAL LOOP HAS A NAME

You’ve seen it. You know what it is. But did you know there’s a name for this? It’s called the … More

ARCHI-TORTURE: SOMEBODY’S BUILDING A MEMORIAL TO THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC

An architecture firm in Montevideo, Uruguay is building the worlds first memorial to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The firm is … More

USER EXPERIENCE: THE DESIGN OF LEGO CONTROL PANELS AS GOOD UX DESIGN!

Yes, even the tiny user-interface details of LEGO bricks are given a lot of thought and consideration by the Danish … More

STUNNER: VANITY FAIR PUTS BREONNA TAYLOR ON COVER OF SEPTEMBER ISSUE!

The cover of Vanity Fair magazine’s September 2020 issue is a triumph. It’s a beautiful, bittersweet portrait of Breonna Taylor … More

DIGITALISM: THE FX OF “THE EVER-EVOLVING WALKING FIGURE” GETS A 2020 UPDATE!

. . . The awesomeness of “The Transfiguration“ by Universal Everything studio collective is still spellbinding. The original version of … More

CAFFEINATED MINIMALISM: ON THE SCENE AT SUR COFFEE

We made a stop at Sur Coffee over the past weekend. It’s a cafe with a roastery in San Clemente, … More

SIGN OF THE TIMES, VOL. 08: FASHIONING THE CURVE WITH “WORK YOUR MASK” INITIATIVE

As life in the time of coronavirus continues, the importance of wearing masks as a protective measure is increasingly becoming … More

MILTON GLASER LOVED NY, RIP MILTON GLASER

Rest in peace, Milton Glaser. You did many things. Your creative achievements were many and influential. You created an enduring, … More

SIGNS OF THE TIMES, VOL. 06: CUTE “PLEASE WEAR A CLOTH FACE COVERING” SIGN

This new U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) coronavirus poster uses a cute illustration style to graphically communicate its two … More

MEDIA DESIGN: RECENT ECONOMIST MAG COVERS

The Economist is a publication famously restrained with the design aesthetic of its magazine. When it alters or re-designs the … More

BOOK COVERS CHALLENGE VOL. 06

The book cover for our sixth post as part of 7-Day Book Covers Challenge is “Yes Yes Y’all: An Oral … More

BOOK COVERS CHALLENGE VOL. 05

In the fifth post in this ongoing 7-Day Book Covers Challenge, we’ve selected the book “Fatale” by Jean Patrick Manchette. … More

BOOK COVERS CHALLENGE VOL. 04

It’s our fourth installment of the 7-Day Book Covers Challenge. The book cover design we’re posting is for the book … More

THEME FROM RETRO: VINTAGE KARMANN GHIA IS THE IMPRACTICAL BEAUTY OBJECT WE DESIRE

Look at this vintage Volkswagen Karmann Ghia! It’s gorgeous, practically in mint condition. Can you imagine cruising around Los Angeles’s … More

LOVE WILL GRAPHICALLY TEAR US APART: VINTAGE JOY DIVISION CONCERT POSTER

Beautiful graphic design. These type of vintage concert posters have been becoming more popular for a while now. We wonder, … More

SNEAKER PIMPIN’: BUBBLY PINK NIKES INSPIRED BY SPONGE BOB SQUAREPANTS ARE REAL!

Seeing is believing. In this case the truth is revealed by the appearance of this pair of Nike “lifestyle” performance … More

IN TOKYO: ALFRED TEA ROOM AND THE INCESCAPABLE REACH OF AMERICAN CHAINS

Alfred Coffee is a popular, fashionable budding mini coffee-chain empire in Los Angeles with about a half dozen cafes spread … More

STYLE: VINTAGE JAPANESE MOVIE POSTERS AS GRAPHIC TEES

Our friend, and Brazilian fixture of the Los Angeles coffee scene, Mr. Lu recently has been frequently wearing these super … More

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’: VINTAGE LAND CRUISER FOR SURFERS

If we could choose right here, right now, any car in the world as our go-to surf wagon, it would … More

DARK MATTERS: WHY BMW USED THE BLACKEST BLACK ON ITS NEW CAR

German auto-manufacturer BMW recently unveiled a car painted in the blackest black hue in the color spectrum. This black is … More

WHAT IF THE BAUHAUS DESIGNED LOGOS FOR TODAY’S MOST POPULAR GLOBAL BRANDS …

Yes, what if that distinct, massively influential, totally original, modern, German-born design philosophy and aesthetic was applied to some of the best … More