should you design for free?

As I’ve recently been grappling with some brainstorm sessions and possible side projects, this is a nice reminder indeed! Take a look at this flow chart from Jessica Hische at shouldiworkforfree to help you decide too: via designsojourn

GreenFest Boston

Starting tomorrow is GreenFest at Boston City Hall Plaza, running from August 19-21. Some key take aways from the website are simple: Drink tap water and use reusable containers, recycle, compost, and bike. Boston GreenFest celebrates the many ways we can create a better world by greening our lives and our communities. Among speakers, performers, […]

a note to myself (and readers)

I recently received an email (honestly, I didn’t know anyone was actually reading my babble…!) encouraging me to continue my explorations and lifestyle. I hadn’t realized the interpretation of lifestyle through my blog. I see this as a place to record thoughts, images, products, and adventures that inspire or excite me and make me wonder, ponder, […]

Tedtalk: Pattie Maes and Pranav Mistry demo SixthSense

Amazing wearable device from MIT media lab that allows you to interact with your environment in ways we all dream about.. take photos with hand gestures, find out information about products you’re buying on the spot, get up to date flight information and news! My description does no justice, just watch the 9 min video […]

glass as barbed-wire

Finally, I’ve taken some time to see a real, not yet reconstructed, about to be demolished Hutong. More photos to come! I just had to post this one first: Broken glass is used as an inventive way to scare off intruders from trying to gain access into this home. I’m also imagining colored glass and the […]

which door do you use?

Is it really necessary to have an additional third door on the side. It seems like this would create more problem with traffic flow than to reduce it (at least on the way in..) Awkward. I wonder if there was a reason for this, like saving in materials..? Was there an extra door laying around […]

living hinge fork

I’m starting to realize that some of my fascinations may seem a bit silly to local Chinese. Regardless, I was super excited to find a collapsable plastic fork packaged with my cup of noodles! I’m curious though, why a fork over chopsticks…? (apologies for the poor quality pics)

chinese fire hydrant

I don’t understand how the fire hydrant can be underground.. won’t it take too long to get the water if there’s an actual fire? Very likely that I’m missing something… Anyone have any insight?

China aims to move away from OEM

Interesting article with growth of Chinese design and moving from OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to ODM (original design manufacturers) to more importantly, OBM (original brand manufacturers). China’s design industry experts are calling for greater government support in order to help the country’s manufacturers raise the competitiveness with innovation. Zhu Tao, president of China Industrial Design […]

Why travel? It makes you smarter.

Jonah Lehrer wrote a thoughtful article in the San Francisco Panorama about the cognitive benefits of travel. Travel is not only for business or pleasure; travel allows people to think differently about problems and enhances creativity. Why do we travel? It’s not the flying I mind–I will always be awed by the physics that get a fat metal […]