D/NEWS

THIS is where it's at-- a great source of news about things that Spark in the night. We can catch Spark's rapid rollout of the 2010 competitions, some interesting bits from our travels and lots of juicy, behind the scenes peeks at the design world. Please send your news to dnews @ sparkawards. com. Here's the latest:

So-- Where ya been, Sparks?

Good question! Sparking, of course. After incredible culmination of Spark Judging and Awards Celebration, we dug into the complex process of awards trophy and certificate production. Essentially this is all hand-work, with something unique for all 350+ finalists and winners. (Yes--we're finished. You'll have everything for Christmas!)

But adding to the fun was the production of the Sparks Over China Exhibition and mini conference for early December. Here's the story:

Mid-November, we pulled together the Spark assets-- hi-res images or real pieces for air shipment to China. Plus every conceivable media from mug-shots of the winners to videos, documentation, etc.

This went into the able hands of our CitiExpo partner in China, Ready Zhang  and our great task-ms-tress, Mabel Mai, who got the job done.

We flew out on the 29th-- first to fulfill our happy duties to the Global Design Network in Hong Kong.

 We love this city.

Part of the giant Business of Design Week, its one of our favorite design expos and HIGHLY recommended. Here's genius Victor Lo, the major player in the GDN and BODW and able event director Amy Chow.

Fellow delegates included good friend  Julia Chiu, of Japan's Good Design Awards (and soon President of ICOGRADA).

We were happy to see our Asia-mentor and pal,  Geoff Fitzpatrick, head of the Australian Design Institute.

And Kigge Hvid,  CEO of kindred-spirit aspirational Index Awards told us about new efforts to incubate good design.

Then-- a quick train  zip to the even-gianter Guangzhou Design Fair, for some real Sparkn' Chinese-style!

I love this slide!

This delegate-stuff ain't easy. One is kept busy from 830am to iipm, in a constant whirl of meeting politicians, dignitaries,bBanquets, award-shows (we handed out trophies at 4 of them--gadzooks), TV interviews...  Here's David Grossman explaining the work of the Israel Design Works), magazine interviews, speeches and jury-duty for the Kapok award.

Press conferences are fun too. I had a nice view--here's the Mayor, followed by the delightful custom of loud explosions of confetti (the cleaners LOVE this I'll bet)

Our Spark mini-conference went very well.
 After the PK pitch, Professor Tong, President of Design at the Gungzhou Acaedmy of Arts, related his tale of journeying to America, visiting many of the top schools and judged Spark. Great stuff.

Also Asst Prof and 2008 Spark winner Haishan Deng spoke about the experience of Sparking, and why more Chinese designers should be entering competitions.

Then we handed out Finalist Certificates. These folks were SO happy!

Ah but BEST of all, our exhibition of Sparks. All of 'em, from the last three events. Quite an accomplishment to get them together--especially 09 in such a short time. We were so proud.

The work was in display cases or mounted on silk panels by students from GAFA, working with the Citiexpo team. Just beautiful. Great job.

Here's a great group we've grown accustomed to: Jan von Holstein, and next to me Prof. Tong and Johan Adam Linneballe. Friends for life (count David Grossman in here, too).

It was a fine experience. We'll be back soon, to march out the Spark exhibition and story to the other capitals of China and Korea.

So it went, so it goes. Blowing in the wind.

Re-zipping  back to Hong Kong, the wind at our back, we found a nice view  out our window  and time for some deep thinking about our friendships and progress in this exciting land. Without getting blogged-down, I think more is done for peace and cooperation--and progress, and freedom, in weeks like this than politicians can do in a year. So get off your duff and get out there and meet people and make plans and just DO It. Because you can. And it helps. And you'll get rich-- inside.

The wrap-up. What a finale to this visit. (Actually, ALSO for the Asian Games!) Thanks for the Sparks, China!

ENTRIES ARRIVING--ALL NEW & ALL NEAT
August 10, 2009 by Peter Kuchnicki

Hi Sparks--Hope all is well--Big week here, as we process and support incoming entries. Some of them tell great visual stories--see below.

Got Design? Get it out where the public and your future clients can see it. No time to lose--this month has become busy work period, with pitches and account meetings taking place as in no August before. Lot's of hungry designers out there, and an economy that's revving up again. "Gotta get me some" is the way our friend Clark Kellogg puts it. You already know that Spark's a great place to show off your work: the Spark Phase I deadline is September 15. Go go designers!

PS: We're here to help with entry issues. Send us your questions--we'll do our best to sort it out fast fast fast
-----------------------------------------------------

ALL ABOARD, ENTRIES
Sometimes this job is really fun. Like now, as we get a peek at the great work you are doing. If 2008 was an indication, the quality of the submissions will be very high, and the judge's will have their work cut out for them. Here's a few examples of early arrivals:

  Nike Free Footware, Designer Andreas Harlow


Das Rivermouth Residence by architect Michael Barron-Wike

Pano Logic Zero Client Computer, by Dan Harden 

Show Time, a digital saxaphone (!) by Korean designer JeeYoon Kim 

  Chess Match Poster, by graphic designer Jiwon Park

Dusi! A beguiling combination kettle and tea pot by Juliet Symes   

So that's a taste of Sparks to come. We hope to see your's soon too.

19 JUDGES AWAIT YOUR DESIGNS
We've pretty much wrapped up jury selection. Happy and honored to be in such great company. Here's the bench-bunch:

Executive Jury Chair: Chee Pearlman, Chee & Company
David Albertson, Principal, Albertson Design
John Barratt, President & CEO, Teague Design
Cory Grosser, Principal, cory grosser design
D. Philip Haine, Principal, Product Vision Associates
David Darling, Partner, Aidlin-Darling Design
Mark Davis, Director of User Experience, Autodesk
Sally Dominguez, Principal, Rainwater Hog
Rob Forbes, Studio Forbes, Founder, Design Within Reach
Rich Gioscia, Director of Design, Palm, Inc.
Johanna Grawunder, Principal, GRAWUNDER, former partner, Ettore Sottsass Associates
Tong Huiming, Professor and Vice President of College of Design, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts
Hanru Hau, Director of Exhibitions, San Francisco Art Institute
Rei Inamoto, Chief Creative Officer, AKQA
Sang-yeon Lee, Director,  Samsung Design America
Beatrice Santiccioli, Principal, beatrice santiccioli design
Nathan Shedroff, Chair of Design Strategy MBA Program, California College of Arts
Cameron Sinclair, Founder/Executive Director, Architecture For Humanity
Michael Vanderbyl, Principal, Vanderbyl Design

CAN YOU SPARE TWO BITS?
With two major Spark Exhibitions planned, one at the Autodesk Design Gallery in San Francisco, and another in Guangzhou, we are asking winning designers if they can supply two sample pieces for display. This is a fabulous opportunity (at no additional charge), so if you win, do try to get this together.

So that's it for another edition of SparkNewsNow. Please take care, visit us often and enter lot's of Sparks

http://www.sparkawards.com
http://twitter.com/SparkAwards
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1815249&trk=hb_side_g
http://www.sparkawards.cn/

Thanks All-- and All Best--
--Peter Kuchnicki, Spark Director
 

REPORT FROM THE FRONT LINES OF SPARK............. July 16, 2009 by Peter Kuchnicki Hi Sparks--Hope all is well. OK--Where to Begin! How about humble--but proud? We have assembled a fabulous Jury, and I'd like to say a few words about this annual project. The Jury is a new group every year. So--if you've entered, and not won a Spark yet, please understand that there is no any reason to not try again--the Jury is not carried over from previous years, so there's no possibility of institutional bias. Our staff takes no part in the judging and there are neutral observers in the room. Indeed--the Jury uses electronic scanning & voting devices--totally secure and confidential, they reflect Spark's 21 Century approach to the awards process. As you'll see from the group below, we have a multi-disciplinary Jury simultaneously judging your multi-disciplinary work. Although they are often very talented designers (also, some are design curators, organizers or journalists), none of the Jury has work in the competition. The justly famous Chee Pearlman chairs the crew this year. She produces many projects including the Art Center Design Conference. This year, we have put a bit of emphasis on interface design, to encourage more entries in this important arena. To that end, Mark Davis, AutoDesk’s interface guru, has recruited Phil Haine and Rich Gioscia to lend their focus to our Sparks.  (Interesting note about Rich-- he heads the team that designed the delicious new Palm Pre. Darn--now it can't be entered!). Spark is very happy to introduce our first Jurist from China, Professor Tong Huiming, of GAFA. He's a friend, scholar and fine industrial designer. So to wrap up--we have great talent here-- interface, graphic, product, sustainable, color, advertising, brand, architecture specialists--these are Spark's wise--and insightful-- jurists! Remember--Spark Phase I deadline is September 15. ENTER TODAY!! Best-- --Peter ----------------------------------------------------- MORE GOOD STUFF We are all atwitter about our new social media outlets. Mark Charmer, Robb Hunter and Joe Simpson are leading the charge from our London office. Check us out at: http://twitter.com/SparkAwards and our Sparkawards group at Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1815249&trk=hb_side_g ALSO Spark is fine-tuning it's BLOG INFRASTRUCTURE--soon to evolve to the WORDPRESS platform, but our bloggers are already in full stride. Sally, Connie, Tad, and Jennifer are online now, and more will be streaming in as Summer HOLIDAZE finish. A SUPER BLOG Has been created by our friends @ISSUE MAGAZINE. This is the "virtual" version of the highly regarded Journal of the Corporate Design Foundation, headed by Peter Lawrence. @Issh is edited by Delphine Hirasuna and designed by Kit Hinrichs. Check them out >HERE! HECTIC TIME Right now, Spark is in it's annual renewal stage, growing from the CHRYSALIS of the last months through the abirthing of our new ENTRIES to the discovery and CELEBRATION of the 2009 winners. We hope you will give us your confidence, entries, hope and yes, prayers as we progress. We like to think design, designers and design-lovers are linked and do greatly better our world. LOOK FOR Chinese translation on the Sparksite, as our partner CITIEXPO ramps up SPARKCHINA, our latest initiative. This happy cooperation brings together the producers of the Guangzhou Design Week and it's WIN BY DESIGN competition and Spark International. We expect to see some tough competitors and beautiful designs from China coming into Spark very soon! BEAU BLUE The beautiful new Spark poster, designed by Kit Hinrichs of Pentagram, is at the press. We can't send them to everyone, but a few are on their way to colleges and former entrants. A small quantity are available by request for $25 each (plus shipping), sent rolled in a mailing tube. Send us a note at posters @ sparkawards.com A FEW KIND WORDS To the very kind folks who have recently helped make Spark, well, spark. In addition to the folks mentioned in this newsletter (and they are ALL GREAT): Kristen Richards-ArchNewsNow; Stuart Constantine-Core77; Clark Kellogg-Collective Invention; Sam Lucente-HP; Jane Tabachnick-Tools of the Trade; Margeigh Novotny-MOTO; Drew Takahashi-Funjacket; Alf Nucifora-Luxury Markerting Council; Brent Oppenheimer-OH+CO and Marc Gobe-Emotional Branding, to name just a few! Thanks All-- and All Best-- --Peter Our mailing address is: Spark Design Awards P.O. Box 645 Croton on Hudson, NY 10520 Our telephone: Toll Free: 866-846-6715 Copyright (C) 2009 Spark Design Awards All rights reserved.

   
REPORT FROM THE FRONT LINES OF SPARK!
June 21, 2009 by Peter Kuchnicki

Hi Sparks--Hope all is well.
Busy busy here. Adding a whole new dimension of social marketing, content and community to Spark.

Our blogs are growing--but man it's tough getting everyone to contribute regularly! This will hopefully get easier. I know I'm enjoying writing my own.

Remember--Spark Phase I deadline is September 15. Let's go designers!
Best--
--Peter

PS: Did we say we hope you and your friends enter your work in SparkAwards soon? !!
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Greetings & Summer Salutations O Sparks!

Just enjoyed excellent and productive SparkMeets, East and West. Participants
included: Brent Oppenheimer, Chee Pearlman, Jane Tabachnick, Kristen
Richards, Mark Davis, Sally Dominguez, Clark Kellogg, Drew Takahashi,
Lisa Sullivan, Margeigh Novotny and self. (Also later briefed Marc Gobe
and Kit Hinrichs.) Topics we discussed--

Notably:
1. Our 2009 competition marcom is starting. First PR has launched.
Core 77 is now a media partner so that will be great. Also about to
print and mail postcards and posters to previous entries and schools.
HP and Autodesk are aboard, so off to the races we go.

2. Strong possibility we'll be doing a campaign in China. A famous organizer
wants to partner with Spark. It has been vetted and has been highly
recommended. They will market SparkChina, following Spark brand and jury
guidelines, current promotional scheme, scheduling, Criteria and mission.

This organization also wants to host a 3-year Spark Exhibit, Spark Seminar
and possible SparkChina Awards Celebration. With all this frisson, it should be
an excellent cooperation. Design development is a government priority, is just
beginning and huge already. The Chinese middle-class is growing rapidly and
hungry for 21st century, international design. Spark offers the new China a new vision
of design. A Chinese friend calls it "Pure Modern" because of the "purity" of Spark Criteria.

Clearly, SparkChina does help us fulfill our mission of promoting design far and wide, high and low--
and promoting design as a tool for "betterment" and advancement. Great exposure for
our winners in these exhibits, too!

AutoDesk is following this initiative closely. Hope other forward-thinking companies see
the potential, too-- SparkChina is enormous.

(Ck out this month's Wallpaper Magazine China issue--hot scene that).

3. Our blogging & social thing is sparking a Spark Council revolution.
Many love it, and suggest that this is the time, given the bad economy,
new opportunities and the need to stay fresh, to quickly move to a
new website format that accommodates both a broad design community and
the competition(s). Interface designers Margeigh Novotny (MOTO) and Mark Davis
(chief of AutoDesk interface design) are roadmapping the moves. (Wowo!) Our guidance--don't
disrupt current ops, maintain brand identity, recruit top volunteer talent inside
and out and work together to create something really special.

Our PR advisor Mark Charmer and his consultancy are strong advocates of
this, and along with his excellent PRs, will manage soon-to-be very
active Twitter activities. All this to drive designers and design-passionate
consumers to our increasingly sticky website.

4. The 09 Jury is assembling. Renowned design editor Chee Pearlman just joined us,
and a team of digital interface designers will be recruited by Mark Davis, to
beef us up in that area (and be a magnet for entries!). Other great Judges?
Your ideas?

5. And what's this I hear about Spark Council member Rob Forbes (our
famous online design retailer--started Design Within Reach) & his Public
Bikes project??? Hmmm, what's up Rob? Should connect with transpo designer Dan Sturges!
Also, interesting Bike Nouveau salon being held near Berkeley --for billionaires yet!
Would love to be there finding $park $ponsors. Better yet, Rob, Dan and Mark--show them how to really bike!

6. Re: Venues—AutoDesk Show fine & in sync. Slight changes in key dates--
Sept 15, P1 deadline (all virtuals in); P1
jury, Sept 15-16; P2 invites & ship-in, Sept 17-Oct 17. P2 Jury Oct.
19-20. Then notifications and exhib setup. Awards Celebration & ongoing
exhibit, Thursday, Oct 29.

(Followed, we hope, by SparkChina, with 3 years of Spark exhibit,
seminar/conference and possible Awards Celebration for local winners.)

7. Sally Dominguez, Spark 08 winner and current Jurist, suggested that we create, curate and package a US/Canada tour of winners--sort of a Spark Wall of Design, similar to what we're producing for China.  Please give some thought as to whether this great content would be something your local design forums might sponsor and/or host.

So that's a wrap! Two great SparkMeets. One great idea.
And a few things to do, eh?

(But first, wishing you Happy Fathers Day from the North Woods!)

Thanks All-- and All Best--

--Peter

On another front, Mark Charmer and associates are helping create the 2009 Spark Outreach Initiative. This indefagible team has serious tasks to perform--Mark heads up our communications and PR (as he so ably did in 08) and will be directing our efforts to create a more public and social aspect of Spark. This is important to the realization of Spark's mission to democratize design. It's also a darn good way to acquaint a great number of people about the benefits of design thinking--and show off the work of designers everywhere. Are we ambitious? Yes!

In the area of speculation and whispers, there is considerable chatter about prospects for localized versions of Spark. These might focus on a specific region and be tasked with building in-depth relationships. They would gather more and more bloggers and other contact points and do everything possible to make Spark relevant to the community. Of course, we want to keep the Spark mission, independence and criteria at the forefront, but the local apparat may have a more specific focus, such as water & sanitation design. Only great groups and projects need apply--is yours?

SparkMeets are scheduled for June 11 in NYC and June 19 in San Francisco. We discuss trends, Spark progress and bleeping-edge initiatives. We need good design thinkers to help sort out our worlds. Registered Spark members are welcome to join these informal live discussions. Drop us a note at rsvp @ sparkawards.com.

SparkNewsNow has an update on the first group of the 09 Jury members--nice folks and wise. It will be an interesting process this year.  Ah the Process! That launches one into fond memories of competitions past and thoughts about the one to come. We created our Jury Process after long discussion and careful deliberation with many designers, our Council and Community Boards and each year's Jury in post-judging meetings--and also after participating in, or observing, or running many competition juries, including the Creativa Eagle Awards, Designing Worlds, the HP One Voice Award, Red Dot, Adweek Media Awards and the Creative Seminar Shootouts. So that input, coupled with the realities of starting a new, rather progressive competition and design community, have guided us to the process and system we have.

The 2008 Judging was very productive and objectively managed to assess the qualities of the work at hand in 1.5 days. We doubt the outcome and winner selection would have been very different with any group of good jurists.

So we'll keep our system in place with few changes-- we choose a fresh new group every year of 15 to 20; a mix of all design disciplines, voting in complete confidence and security with our barcode scanning system; privacy when voting and no Spark staff hovering about or voting-- No cabals or cigar-smoke filled rooms here, as the judging takes place in an open, fairly public space under the scrutiny of impartial observers.

This year, no judges will enter work in any category--makes things clearer. Also, Concept entries will be judged separately from designs in production. Also student and novice designs are judged in their own space.

We're always interested in new ideas on evolving this into the best jury process in the world. Let's hear it!
All Best--
--Peter

GETTING TO THE CORE
June 4, 2009 by Spark

Great breaking news-- the famous and fabulous CORE 77 industrial design magazine and resource has become a Spark Media Partner. Pardon our passion--but this is good news for designers everywhere!

Here's their story: Since 1995 Core77.com has served a devoted global audience of industrial designers ranging from students through seasoned professionals. Core77 publishes articles, discussion forums, an extensive event calendar, hosts portfolios, job listings, a database of design firms, schools, vendors and services. Core77 provides a gathering point for designers and enthusiasts alike by producing design competitions, lecture series, parties, and exhibits.
 

MORE COOL NEWS
June 4, 2009, by Spark

Congress For the New Urbanism President  John Norquist will be joining the Spark Bloggers and launch the P.ARCH blog shortly. More about John here and the Congress here.
 

MOVEMENT MEETS SMART
May 27, 2009 by Peter Kuchicki

Mark Charmer, London tough guy and publisher of the Movement Design blog visited NYC this week. Mark is a good friend and a high energy magnet, attracted to aspirational causes like alternative transportation and Akvo, the open source NGO for water and sanitation--and he's a big help to Spark.

Mark was in NY relentlessly pursuing interviews for his blogs, and for his client Ford, building awareness of their upcoming Flex, Fiesta, Focus and Fusion green cars.

Of course, there's always time for some anachronism adulation, too:


Then on to the Sterrett-Lehigh Building, designed by Cory & Cory Architects in 1931, home to the seriously Smart Design firm.

We met Thomas Isaacson, Marketing Director, for a quick tour... Thomas was pumped about their guest blog at Fast Company by Smart President Tom Dair. Check it out >HERE

All too soon, we left to collect Mark's bags for his long flight home. Here's pix of the posh new Standard Hotel where he stayed. Designed by Todd Schliemann of the NY firm Polshek Partnership Architects, it sets the current "standard" for cool in the hot meatpacking district. It surrounds and rises from the High Line, the new park developed from the old elevated highway running through these parts.

High Line

So we bade fond farewell to Mark, and look forward to his contributions at the new Spark blog on transportation design-- GOING.
All Best!

NO PLACE LIKE HOME
May 1, 2009 by Peter Kuchnicki

Here's an interesting look at one of Spark's favorite places-- Home of the Spark Exhibition!

This video was shot by our friends Jason Medal-Katz and Matthew Tierney at the Autodesk Design Gallery, just prior to the 2008 judging.

>Register for Spark Today!

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