WATCH THIS NOW // How To Fit Four Full-Sized Rooms Into A Small Studio Apartment

New York wouldn't be New York without its bountiful supply of exceptionally small apartments, but we prefer to think of these pocked-sized pads as creative opportunities rather than style crampers.

Your own place probably isn't as "cozy" as this one or this one, but if you're feeling like there might not be enough room for all of those great gifts that you've received this holiday season, this video might give you some ideas for better utilizing your little slice of the Big Apple.

In the clip faircompanies, a cool website devoted to sustainable and simple living, takes a tour of the Manhattan studio of third grade teacher Eric Schneider, who enlisted architects Michael Chen and Kari Anderson of Normal Projects to turn his place into something more than just a 450-square-foot box with a tiny kitchen in the corner. They did just that, packing the features of four full-sized rooms into the space with an ingenious design that overlaps, slides and folds. Behold, the Origami Apartment!

-- John Ruscher

GO HERE NOW // Test Your Typeface Anatomy IQ With Shape Type

You encounter lots of different typefaces over the course of the day, from the custom Cheltenham of the New York Times' headlines to the Helvetica that graces all of the MTA's subway signs. But how well do you really know your letters? We're not talking your basic ABCs here, but the subtle curves and proportions of typeface anatomy.

Find out by heading over to Shape Type, an interactive letter shaping game from the peer to peer education website Method of Action. Presented with mis-shaped characters from ten different typefaces, you can adjust their shape and see how good your eye is for balanced and beautiful type. It even supports multi-touch if you've got a tablet handy. Surprising word of warning: ITC Edwardian Script is tough.

-- John Ruscher

MIXED MEDIA OPPORTUNITY // NYCEDC Seeks Creative Proposals For Downtown Light Installation

A light installation under the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO - photo by Jules Antonio

Think you have an idea that could illuminate Lower Manhattan? The New York City Economic Development Corporation wants to hear it!

The organization, which promotes economic growth throughout the city, is calling for proposals "for the development and implementation of an innovative and engaging lighting and placemaking initiative aimed at increasing Lower Manhattan’s exposure, expanding its appeal in the evening hours, and spurring more diverse business activity by using the area's buildings and public spaces to create a strong neighborhood identifier visible to viewers from both near and far."

NYCEDC is looking for a proposal that embraces and enhances Lower Manhattan's identity as a vibrant, 24/7 community:

This project should occur on a regular basis (i.e., weekly, monthly) and be able to be implemented by the end of 2012, and ideally have a guaranteed life span of at least three years. The lighting project may include, and is not limited to, projection-mapping including 3D effects, interactive elements and opportunities for interaction, up/downlighting and pedestrian or kinetic motion-activated lighting.

The project is scheduled to kick off by the end of 2012 and will continue for at least three years. The selected team will receive up to $1 million from NYCEDC, along with other potential funding sources, to realize their proposal.

The deadline for submitting a proposal is February 13, 2012, and you can find out more information from the official press release as well as the project's procurement page.

-- John Ruscher

NEW MEMBER WELCOME // Noah Wall Takes Web Design To The Next Level

Noah WallWe're thrilled to introduce you to one of our new co-working desk members, web designer extraordinaire Noah Wall.

Wall started the cleverly named Knowawall in 2007, and his company quickly established itself as a leading name in creative and cutting-edge design. Clients have included iconic filmmaker David Lynch and renowned artist Maya Lin. Knowawall's website for Lynch's Interview Project received two Webby Awards for Best Documentary Series.

Working on such high-profile projects has been a unique and valuable experience. "I'm so lucky to have worked with some really talented folks," Wall says. "Many of our clients are so heavily invested in their own work that it can feel a bit like cradling someone else's child sometimes. There's also a lot of opportunity for close collaboration which I've definitely benefited from as a designer."

With plenty of impressive work under his belt, Wall has recently been taking a break from web design to focus on some personal projects, particularly his music. In September he released the album Hèloïse and created 38 Figures In Hiding, a scavenger hunt throughout New York City to promote it. "I hid 38 copies of the LP and cassette all over the city," he explains. "The locations of each corresponded to points on the Manhattan grid that, when connected, spelled out the name of the album." The project naturally attracted lots of attention, including a feature on WIRED.

Wall tells us that he has more musical projects in the works, including a couple of videos and "a 'memory catalyst' EP that includes scratch and sniff packaging for triggering memories."

Luckily, he hasn't abandoned his design exporations. "In the web world I've been trying to focus less on custom sites and pursue some web apps geared toward 'creatives,'" he says. "These ideas have been brewing for a while and should finally see the light of day in 2012!"

Either way, let's extend a hand to to Wall for taking the initiative to make these things happen. We think he'll prove a vital addition to our new co-working space.

-- John Ruscher

HANDMADE HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA #93 // Stockpile Designs Sheds Some Light On Vintage Military Equipment

And our preview of highlights from this Saturday's Handmade Holiday Craft Fair continues...

Stockpile Designs began with a bomb, but rather than triggering an explosion, it lit up a light bulb, both in the head of founder Jake Wright and in the lamp that he was inspired to create. "I saw a tail section of a bomb from the Korean War being sold as junk," Wright says. "Where it wasn't covered with rust it was encrusted with filth, but underneath the patina was this graceful form that reminded me of streamline deco lighting. It took a lot of sanding and polishing, but the finished piece was more striking than I had imagined."

Wright's idea wasn't born out the blue, though. It owes much to his unique upbringing. "As an air-force brat, I grew up with strange décor - exotic furniture from the places my parents were stationed, excellent mid-century design picked up for pennies on-base, and model planes, rockets, and military antiques littering bookshelves and hung on the wall," he says.

"Military design has a reputation for being industrial and spartan, but out of context it can be strikingly refined and minimal," Wright explains. "With Stockpile, I take military equipment out of its aggressive context, concealing the function while highlighting the form." On Saturday Wright will be selling a range of lighting décor, from repurposed cluster bomblets to the tail of a 100 lb bomb, as well as a pair of end tables made from WWII naval ammo.

Check out more Stockpile Designs pieces after the jump.

-- John Ruscher

HANDMADE HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA #81 // Kids In Love Collective: Where Avant-Garde Design And Organic Hand Craft Collide

The Handmade Holiday Craft Fair is getting closer and closer but we can't stand to keep all of the goodness to ourselves. That's why we're previewing some of the amazing gifts that you'll be able to pick up this Saturday.

Founder Cathy Hsiao describes the aim of the Kids In Love Collective as "the marriage of avant-garde and graphic design with organic hand craft techniques...Avant-Craft!" Combining dye and print techniques, she's created an array of unique and vibrant apparel and accessories. "I love aesthetic dualities, nature's forms and textures contrasted with the abstractions of design, things that are unkempt and raw but still very natural and soft for my super sensitive skin," she says.

The philosophical perspective that Hsaio takes with her work is natural, as she was a philosophy teacher before starting the Kids In Love Collective. "I left my PhD program to be an artist and designer, to be able to work with my whole body, eye, hand and mind," she says. Her experiences with learning music and art in a DIY community inspired that decision. "The idea of a collective is important to me," she says. "I want to think 'invert the corporation, join the collective.'"

This will be the Kids In Love Collective's first craft fair, and they're debuting with a bang! Stop by their booth for hand-dyed and hand-painted scarves made with organic cotton, modal tops, printed canvas clutches and a hand-printed and hand-died calendar. They've also collaborated with Tom Tom Magazine on hand-painted drumsticks and will be offering a $10 discount when you buy two Kids In Love items.

Hit the jump for another look at Kids In Love's Avant-Craft goodness.

-- John Ruscher

THIS THURSDAY // Holiday Photo Op: Say Cheese And Get Your Own Holiday Photo At Etsy Labs

Photo by sinstuff

With their seemingly infinite range of unique items, our friends at Etsy are an essential stop on your holiday gift hunt. But for those of us in the NYC area, they're offering up another way to spread the holiday cheer. This Thursday, December 8 from 6-9pm Etsy Labs in DUMBO will be hosting Making Smiles Bright: A Holiday Photo Card Event.

Bring along your family, friends, apartment mates, coworkers and whomever else you can think of and pose for a classic holiday portrait. You'll get to choose from three hand-curated backdrops featuring merchandise from Etsy sellers, and Magnolia Photo Booth Co. will be their to print and send your pictures. If you want to turn your photo into a proper holiday greeting card, printshop Moo will also be offering a 15% discount on their services. Etsy will be leading workshops to help you make your own envelopes, so bring along your favorite paper, old or new.

In addition to walking away with a timeless snapshot, you'll also have the chance to win some of the items featured in Etsy's backdrops as they'll be raffled off throughout the evening. So pull on that ugly holiday sweater, gather up your friends and grab your ticket for Thursday's event. We'll most definitely be seeing you there.

-- John Ruscher

GO HERE NOW // Typeverything.com Makes Exploring Typography As Easy As ABC

Type monogram by Andrei D. Robu

Whether you're looking for inspiration for your next design project, searching for that killer new typeset or just trying to pass some time perusing some visually amazing examples of contemporary typography, there's one site we've become enamored with that we demand you head towards: Typeverything.

As self-professed typography nerds, we're fond of the fact the Tumblog's got a seemingly bottomless collection of typography designers, allowing us to scroll and scroll to our heart's content. The site also features a "shop" where you can browse designs that are available for purchase.

And if you grow tired of the alphabet, check out Typeverything's sister sites Designers Go To Heaven, which features many examples of excellent graphic design, along with They, which offers up daily inspiration for architectural and industrial design.

Meanwhile, hit the jump as we've compiled a few of our favorite designs from Typeverything.

Variation of letter “a” by Michal Sycz

Cover for the 2009 issue of Solutions by Pidgeon

Helvetica Lace by Anna Farkas

&,&,&: Part 1 - Art Print by Teagan White

LET’S MAKE ART by Marco

‘Heavy Metal’ by Tom Davie

-- John Ruscher

ESSENTIAL EVENT // TEDxBrooklyn Comes To Brooklyn Bowl And Livestream This Friday

This Friday, December 2, the second edition of TEDxBrooklyn comes to Brooklyn Bowl, and, while the in-person event itself is sold out, you can still soak up all of the knowledge, creativity and inspiration from afar.

There will be free live screenings of the entire conference at the Knitting Factory in Williamsburg, 61 Local in Cobble Hill and the Brooklyn Brainery in Carroll Gardens. If you can't make it to any of those places, you'll be able to catch all of the action from anywhere else via a live video stream.

Right now you can peruse the TEDxBrooklyn Program Guide [PDF], which features background information on all of the speakers and presenters, such as host and renowned funnyman Eugene Mirman, Etsy CEO Chad Dickerson, architect and designer Susannah Drake and Creators Project coordinators Julia Kaganskiy and Ciel Hunter.

Take a look at the full schedule after the jump and head to one of the venues mentioned above or to the live stream at TEDxBrooklyn.com on Friday, when things will kick off at 9am.

-- John Ruscher

ILLUMINATING // LuminAID Is Spreading Sustainable Solar Light Across The Globe

 

The folks behind LuminAID reached their fundraising goal of $10,000 just two days after launching their campaign on IndieGoGo. They've now raised more than triple that amount, and the total continues to climb with over two weeks left to go. 

Such enthusiasm and support is no surprise considering what an amazing idea they have. The LuminAID light is a solar-rechargeable waterproof lantern that's lightweight, portable and inflatable, making it useful in almost any situation where light is needed, from a weekend camping trip to disaster-stricken areas or developing communities across the globe. 

These lights will be particularly valuable to the many people around the world who lack regular electricity and are forced to rely on dangerous kerosene-fueled lanterns. That's why, for a pledge of $25, you can purchase your own light while also donating one to LuminAID's worldwide community projects.

After charging in sunlight for four to six hours, a LuminAID light can provide three hours of light on its high setting and six on low. It can also be shipped more efficiently than other light sources, with more than 50 LuminAID lights taking of the space of 8 traditional solar flashlights.

Head over to LuminAID's IndieGoGo page to order your own LuminAID light and help spread safe and sustainable light around the world. For larger pledges you can receive and give even more, from your own LuminAID t-shirt to helping supply an entire orphanage with lights. Check the community map to see places that have been illuminated so far. A LuminAID light has already made it to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro!

Hit the jump for more photos and a video about the LuminAID light.

-- John Ruscher