designswarm

Spam of the day

Brilliant. Spam I can’t understand. I love the occasional english bit “Buy strong”! (Thought it was dutch, turned out to be German, thanks Robert!) “Meine Damen und Herren hier eine Information, die Sie nicht missachten sollten. Dieses voellig unbeachtete Filmunternehmen hat momentan eine Bewertung von lediglich 400.000 ˆ. Am 19.05.2007 strahlte ARTE die Dokumentation „Hannibal… Continue reading Spam of the day

A little something about Dutch

Although this might seem trivial, I find this really interesting. This video, promoting a dutch language school by “teaching” the audience swear words, actually doesn’t touch upon what’s so unique about them in the first place: references to diseases. Because of their long history of self-preservation and survival, the worst thing to say to someone… Continue reading A little something about Dutch

Quote of the day

A small child walks out of the front door of a big house in a quiet suburban area of Montreal. I walk by. Child – Madame! Me – Oui? Child – Je t’aime!

Mixed messages (Day 3 of looking)

I wandered into downtown yesterday, in the bitter cold (it was around 13 degrees celcius, I haven’t felt that since my dutch winter many months ago) and bumped into what appeared to be the beginning of a week-long celebration of “fashion and design”. Another use of the word design. Interesting, i thought. As I walked… Continue reading Mixed messages (Day 3 of looking)

Kindred spirits: Pecha Kucha in Montreal.

I had the pleasure of meeting very briefly Boris Anthony at Xtech in Paris. He’s an interaction designer working and living in Montreal and these days is organising the local edition of Pecha Kucha. I think he feels, like me that there must be more to design that what we are made to believe or… Continue reading Kindred spirits: Pecha Kucha in Montreal.

Valérie Sangin: photography and Montreal (Day 2 of looking)

I had dinner last night with a good friend of mine, Valérie Sangin, a photographer who specialises in creative portraits and of course we had to catch up and I got her to share some of her experience, working in Montreal. Things weren’t that peachy. Talented to bits, and very creative, she has been freelancing… Continue reading Valérie Sangin: photography and Montreal (Day 2 of looking)

Media and government in design (Day 1 of looking)

As I walked back from breakfast at Café Eldorado, (I could have sworn there was another nice breakfast place on Mont-Royal), I walked past Le Point-Vert on St-Laurent and figured I would start my search for everything design in Montreal by buying Design Lines a so called “Ultimate guide to design in the city”. It… Continue reading Media and government in design (Day 1 of looking)

Looking for design in Montreal

So I’m back in Montreal after 3 years and nothing seems to have changed. I’d like to be proven wrong though. I am really amazed that whenever we speak of design here, what shows up is either related to urban design, architecture or interior design. Where is everything else? Certainly not listed on the pathetic… Continue reading Looking for design in Montreal

Designing audiences: master and puppet.

Spending time in New York is always a story of compromises. I planned to go to the MoMa but didn’t get a chance to. Nice people were in town but triangulating was a nightmare. I think it has something to do with the scale and the spread of urban life there. In some cities, you… Continue reading Designing audiences: master and puppet.

We interrupt this illegal trip…

Ok so yes, I admit it’s time. I’ve been cruising around Europe for long enough without proper paperwork, so it’s time for a trip to the Motherland Montréal. I’ll spend some time practicing my dying québecois skills, drinking some sangria with long lost friends who think i’ve abandoned them, and do the best shopping in… Continue reading We interrupt this illegal trip…