Strong. Light. Flexible. Renewable. Bamboo is a great choice for bike frames and at the Bamboo Bike Studio in Brooklyn, NY cyclists can build their own custom bamboo bike. In addition to bike-building workshops, the studio advances sustainable entrepreneurship and self-propelled transportation worldwide by working with partner organizations to establish scalable bamboo bike factories in countries such as Ghana, Kenya, and Ecuador.
Bamboo is an ideal material for light-industrial business in developing countries due to its build-ability (working steel and aluminum requires the skills of a master welder, and shaping carbon is a highly technical process); performance (bamboo is hollow and lightweight, yet strong enough to take the rigours of cycling); and sustainability (it grows quickly in a variety of climates and requires no refineries, smelting, or long-distance shipping).
In poor, often war-torn countries, many kids can’t afford a soccer ball - and use plastic bags, coconuts, and rags to fashion their own sports equipment. Seoul design studio UnPlug Design has come up with an idea that gives more children in the Third World - countries like Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia, and the Congo - the opportunity to play soccer and other games by creating balls the children themselves can assemble from relief and aid packages provided by organizations like the UN and Red Cross. By taking the paper or cardboard from an aid box and following the patterns on it kids can make their own soccer ball, handball, or baseball. These Dream Balls give kids a chance to play and, in the process, hope for a better life.
Photo from UnPlug Design
Check it out! Campaign Monitor has recognized the September e-newsletter we designed for Kasian, specifically noting its clean header area, easy-to-read layout, and well branded look. This is just one in a series of e-newsletters we developed for the international architecture and interior design firm, customizing layouts and recipient lists for each of their seven offices. E-newsletters are an effective marketing tool for Kasian, allowing them to keep clients and contacts up to date on new projects, staff appointments, and more.
Ice Pilots NWT, History Television’s new real-life series about an unorthodox little airline in Yellowknife, is garnering massive ratings. Over 459,000 people tuned in for the series premiere on Wednesday, watching the pilots and ground crew at Buffalo Airways combat bone-chilling cold, vintage World War II era planes, and treacherous landing conditions to keep passengers and supplies moving in the remote North. This was the biggest audience ever for a Canadian series on History Television, and even beat out viewer-favourite Ice Road Truckers which aired just prior. We designed and developed the companion website for this action-packed series and are thrilled - but not surprised - that the show is taking off. Loaded with photos, videos, and tons of great info for flying buffs and Ice Pilot fans, the site also includes a unique interactive map plotting user-submitted stories about flying the North. Over 18,000 visitors have already checked out the site – and the map continues to grow with amazing aviation stories.
If you’re passionate about pedaling around town or ripping down trails on two wheels, you’ve no doubt heard that Mountain Equipment Co-op has launched its own line of bikes. What you might not know is that Fleming Design was asked to develop an overall design concept and direction for the MEC bike brand, and then design individual bike graphics that would fit within the overarching MEC brand. For Fleming’s diehard cycling enthusiasts (we have several), a project doesn’t get much better than this!
It was a winning night for Switch Interactive (Fleming’s interactive division) at last month’s Popvox Awards. Hosted by New Media BC, this annual event recognizes the best and brightest of BC’s digital media sector. Switch took home four people’s choice awards, including Best Digital FX for Inside Out and Best Game for A Puckoff Christmas.
Proof that credit cards don’t have to be boring. If you live in Japan you can order a card from EPOS and choose from 100 different designs by artists around the world.
