Things...

I have noticed that I get a surprisingly large number of hits for the open projects listed on the side bar, but yet no one is adding to them. The side of the Denver Art Museum still looks awful, I am still wanting to help design an amazing space here in Denver and sharing art/design from your journal is always awesome. People have written to me asking about the Denver Design Project, but the answer is no - no one has stepped up. This is just a friendly reminder all of these projects are open for contribution.

Also, I am looking for a local web designer to help me make some changes to designklub. Asking around has not gotten me very far, but I know the talent is here. If you are a designer who is looking for a side project in exchange for friendship, fun and I guess, money, please email me! design(dot)klub(at)yahoo.com

Ideas Wanted: DAM's Ugly Face

It's been a little over a year since the Denver Art Museum (DAM) opened its doors to the new $100 million addition designed by famed architect Daniel Libeskind. Anyone who has seen the building can attest to its striking exterior, with the wild angles and titanium clad siding (top).

But for a little over a year I have been waiting to see what is going to happen around the corner. While much attention has been paid to the museum entrances, the main face of the Libeskind project (which also includes several high-priced residential units) is city - block long concrete wall.

I am curious how it is possible to bring in a world renowned architect, spend millions of dollars to create a top-notch cultural space and simply forget to design the enormous parking garage that faces one of the city's busiest streets, Broadway Avenue. Perhaps there is a grand plan to do something amazing with this hideous facade (and I truly hope there is). If so, someone please let me know.

The fact is, something needs to be done to this neglected area and it should have been done over a year ago. To leave it as is is an embarrassment to the city and to the project as a whole. So I would like to open the floor to your ideas. You can see the shameful wall in question above. If you could propose something for this ugly mess what would it be? Install something, paint something, plant something? Let me know. With any luck we will pass your ideas along to the powers that be and inspire some action to help DAM's forgotten face.

Any Takers?

Still waiting for someone to take me up on my offer of free design services for any commercial interior space. Denver has a lack of dazzling design so if you are opening or renovating a restaurant, shop, hotel or other retail space and you want it to stand out, send me an email. I'll even help create whatever it is we dream up - sounds like a pretty good offer to me...

Create a Room: The Denver Design Project

Having recently finished a city guide for MoCo Loco, I've come to realize how design-starved Denver really is. There's a lot of great talent in the form of individual artists, furniture makers etc. but very few places where all of these elements come together. The interior design you'll find here is generally in the form of log cabin plaid or generically blue-lit nightclubs (DC10 you know I'm talking to you).

I would be interested in working with a local shop, restaurant/bar, hotel or business owner who would like to shake things up a little bit. I will provide design services at no charge and will work with you to conceptualize, design and build a truly creative, memorable place. You provide the space, enthusiasm and of course, funds to make it happen.

If you like the aesthetic of designklub, then we are probably a good match. Let's team up with our local talent here and create some amazing interiors. Email me with ideas or interest. All projects will be documented here on designklub and will include input from our dedicated readers. (Images above from: Loom Cafe in Como, Digital Origami installation by University of Technology students in Sydney and the Sleep Seasons Room in Hotel Fox, Copenhagen)

Last Call: CO-Design

Just a reminder that this Friday, June 22nd is the deadline for entries for the upcoming CO-Design show: an exhibition of Colorado-based designers. The show will feature products in the realm of current, contemporary design including: furniture, tableware, wallcovering, lighting and home accessories. Both emerging and professional designers are welcomed to enter. For detailed entry info click here.

I'd also like to see a few conceptual pieces included, so send in your entries whether they are prototypes or in production!

Call for Entries: Update

A quick update on the call for entries: we have decided to combine the student and professional shows to form one giant, amazing Colorado design exhibition. We have already received a number of wonderful student entries and hope to get even more in the coming month. The deadline for both professionals and students has been changed to June 22nd. (If you have already sent in an entry, please note that we will be holding off on all decision making until after the June 22nd deadline...feel free to send in additional entries of new work.) The combined show will run from July 14th - August 25th at the P Design Gallery in Denver.

Reminder: Call for Entries

Don't forget: if you are student or designer living in Colorado, submit your work for an upcoming exhibition at the P Design Gallery in Denver. For more info click here. Deadline for the student show is May 11th - get designing!

Journal Show

Alright folks - the first round of entries in our community Journal Show are up in Flickr and ready for your viewing. These are pages from designklub readers' sketchbooks...doodles, collages, drawings and more. I love looking at people's journals and thought this would be a fun open project. I am pretty excited to have gotten submissions from a few far away places.

But what I'd really like is for the rest of you who emailed with interest, thought about emailing or who are seeing this for the very first time to join in too. Send me an email with your favorite sketch, your name and any other info you want to share! The image above was submitted by John from Denver. All copyrights belong to the original artists.

Sunday Finds and Open Project #2

I love looking at other people's sketchbooks. Seeing how people's ideas translate onto paper -whether it be doodles, collages or precise blueprints. Journals let you see an artist in his/her most uninhibited state and that's what makes it so exciting. My friend Arden and I used to sit for hours making collages, while drinking tea and listening to records. These images are from the 'My Moleskine' exhibit in Japan.

OPEN PROJECT #2: I'd like to put together an online show of people's sketchbooks. I'm going to start with my own friends, but I'm spreading the call to all of you as well. What makes the web such a wonderful place is the sharing of ideas, and that's ideally what designklub is all about. If you'd like to participate send me a photo from your journal with a sentence or two about the work, yourself, your breakfast - I don't really care. Once I get a good number going I'll post them at Flickr and open the gates for our online enjoyment. To join in, email me here.

Friend Swap

OK - I want to up the ante with the swap project I mentioned below. I would like to find a group of friends somewhere out there who would be interested in doing a 'Friend Swap.' My friends and I will put together a project (or many,many projects) - maybe crafts, maybe a photo book, maybe mix tapes, maybe some embroidered tee-shirts... maybe all of the above. Meanwhile, somewhere across the globe, you and your creative friends are busy working on your own fun projects. When we're done, we swap. It's like an adult version of pen pals, but taken to a new, way more awesome level. Send an email if you're interested. (I think you're in for a treat.)