Posh Chips.

The other week I was on my favourite design website weheart.co.uk and came across their post about ‘Kerbisher & Malt’ a gourmet fish and chip shop in Ealing.  This was exactly the type of inspiration I’d been waiting for.  

Selling freshly prepared fish suppers and chip butties, this quality food should be served up in quality surroundings. Alexander Waterworth interiors have designed the perfect venue. I love the design of Kerbisher & Malt’s restaurant it seems to merge the past and the future together to create a modern, fun and colourful space. I like that it looks modern and clean with out being clinical, the white tiles are offset by the chunky wood tables and the warm lighting from the hanging bulbs. There’s still something old fashioned about the interior that reminds me of a traditional London “caff” maybe that’s what makes it so easy to fall in love with. The wire frames around the lights, the menu written on the wall and the bold colourful text on the clean windows all add to making this a young, fun, modern chippy.

This fish and chip shop design and image would definitely attract a more varied group of people to get eating fish and chips. The new fish and chip shop is coming.

I can’t wait for my next trip to London this is at the top of my list of places to see! 

Design in Action Presentation.

On Monday interiors students of Duncan of Jordanstone got together with jewellery students and textile students for a work in progress discussion. We were all put into mixed groups and each had five minutes to talk about our chosen subject and what we are planning to do this year. It was really interesting seeing what students in other courses were up to and being able to hear some of the ideas from people in my class as we’re all sometimes too busy to chat about our projects.

For this presentation I created a collage of images and text that describe my chosen subject fish & chips.

At the top of the collage is an image of me at work in the take away on a Wednesday night. Connected to this are my "usual suspects" the customers who come in at the same time every week. These images then turn into sketches as these characters will lead me in my research, after all customers are at the heart of a business. I've also included some facts about fish and chips. The map at the bottom right shows all the chip shops in Dundee. The map of the U.K. in the centre shows where it all began. Apparently fish & chip shops were started in London by Jewish immigrant Joseph Malin in 1860 as Italians were passing through they saw the idea and took it up to Scotland where they opened shops. Although there are a few different stories this one connects with me as my family is partly Italian. The map also show different regional variations of chip shop food for example in Northern Ireland 'Pasties' are popular and in Scotland you can buy the famous deep fried Mars bar. 

I  made a model to sum up my subject. I wanted the model to show the celebration of fish & chips. When I thought about celebration I couldn’t seem to get balloons out of my head so this had to be incorporated. I attached these balloons to gold fish & chips. The gold fish & chips were to represent celebration- the fish & chips are the ultimate reward. It also reminded me of the Olympics this year and how everyone gathered together and was proud to be British celebrating our country. I did want to make a plaster model of the fish & chips to spray paint gold but in such a short space of time (I only had a couple of days) I was told this wasn’t possible so I just spray painted some real fish & chips. I might get in touch with someone at the uni to see about making the model more permanent as I might need it at a later date. I also got my lovely sister to model as seen in the picture below. 

What's next...? More research, conducting interviews, sketching and trying to build on my ideas....

4th Year: Getting Back into the Swing!

Third week back at uni and the days are flying by! After a few introductory lectures we got back down to business and have started working on our final year project.

Over the summer we were given the task to decide on what subject we wanted to choose for our final year project. I initially thought I would continue on from my third year projects and do something similar, focusing on children and playful design perhaps re-designing a primary school. Although this did interest me I felt I wasn’t excited enough by it to spend my last chance at uni working on this.

I have finally settled on an idea and although it may change slightly in the coming weeks for now I have decided that I am going to re-design a fish and chip shop. Fish and chips is something I know very well as my parents have a shop that I work in often. During the summer I was working there almost every day and could clearly see the problems that this business faces. Although the British public still love fish and chips they’re not as enthusiastic about it as they once were. As many fast food restaurants have changed with the times fish and chip shops have remained the same and are seen as dull and boring. Also more and more people are becoming concerned about health issues such as heart disease and obesity so wanting to avoid foods they see as unhealthy. I feel that fish and chips are a part of British culture and I think it would be sad for it to die out. So my aim for this year is to figure out how to save fish and chips and find out what its future will be.

I’m still not exactly sure what it is I will create at the end of the year but I do know I want to have a strong message behind it, incorporate branding into it in some way so I can learn more about the subject, and do an interior design…oh and have fun of course! 

p.s. I'm also keeping a board on Pinterest with some interesting stuff I find that is relevant to my project if you want to check it out! https://pinterest.com/soniaangus/fast-food/

‘Wordplay’ - Final Project of 3rd Year.

For our final project of third year we had the chance to write our own brief and design whatever we liked…within reason. Our only constraints came from our module title, ‘Partnerships Networks and Connections’. We therefore had to ensure that whatever we were designing we had to design with people/potential clients in mind. We were encouraged to reach out and talk to people in industry, people who would potentially use the space we were designing and anyone else that could influence our design process. I’m glad this module encouraged us to do this as it pushed me out of my comfort zone, helped build confidence and also got me to design with the public, something students are not often used to but will have to do once they are professional designers.

I decided to design a reading space for children as I found through research that it is greatly needed. I discovered that 6 million adults in the U.K. can’t read properly which means they can’t carry out the simplest of tasks, this stems from their childhood. At the moment 1 in 5 teenagers leave school without basic literacy skills.Getting children to engage with books and read early in their life, in ways that they enjoy will ensure they continue to read associating it with pleasurable experiences. Spaces can be used to generate excitement about reading and an environment that is flexible for the individual will give each child the opportunity to learn. I proposed to design a fun interactive space within St. Mary’s Primary School, Lochee, where children will be able to read, play and learn. If the reading space is a success it could be later implemented into other schools.

I began looking at other designers work for inspiration, finding out about, the best way to display a book, the areas where children like to read and how they might travel through the space. A couple of my favourite examples were, ‘The Library of Picture Books’ by Tado Ando and ‘Kids Republic’ bookstore by SKSK Architects. In the ‘Library of Picture Books’ the books are all shelved with their covers on display to attract the children’s attention. ‘Kids Republic’ is an example of a fun environment that encourages children to read as well as acting like a playground.

To carry out more research I went to St. Mary’s Primary School in Lochee to ask the children I was designing for what they wanted. I hoped this would generate a lot of exciting ideas. The primary four class were very helpful and I asked them to complete two tasks for me. Firstly I handed them a piece of paper with the outline of a book and wanted them to draw me their favourite book. I then gave them another piece of paper and asked them to draw me a place where they would like to go to read their book.

 This exercise proved that kids have so much imagination and they are all very different from each other. A fun, flexible space that feeds their imagination must be designed.

 Taking inspiration from stories, storytelling techniques and patterns a reading experience has been created. The space is divided into 3 sections; the beginning, middle and the end. A continuous path that flows through each section represents the storyline showing the ups and downs (this is also shown physically) until it reaches its climax that leads the children to the calm in the final section.

Section one of the space is where the children will find a book they want to read. Children can enter this magical space by crawling through a little red door. Once inside they make their way through the forest of books selecting one they’d like to read.

Zone 2 is fun and colourful. Children can read their chosen book wherever they feel comfortable. Climb up and read in the pod or swing next to their friends in the cocoons. Head phones and iPads are also provided for those who want to listen to a story privately or they can gather round the storyteller for group reading and participation.

After children slide into the final space they will be encouraged to reflect on the book they’ve just read. They can discuss, draw, write or even put on a performance, ensuring they leave having gained something from the whole experience. Snapshots of their experiences are recorded. Before they drop off their books they can check out other children’s adventures on the “Golden Book”.

“You cannot predict the outcome of human development. All you can do like a farmer, is create conditions under which they will begin to flourish.”  - Ken Robinson.

I felt that quote by Ken Robinson summed up my project. You can’t force a child to read but you can give them the right materials and environment and hopefully they will want to continue. I hope my design will get kids reading and enjoying it.

If you want to see more information about this project you can check out my project blog here.

Starbucks Fukuoka.

Another eye catching and unusual 'Starbucks' store has opened, this time in Fukuoka, Japan. Kengo Kuma the architects of the V&A Dundee project are behind the stores design.

The area of the store- which opened in late December last year- had a great impact on the final design. As it is on the road to a Japanese deity shrine Kengo Kuma wanted to ensure they didn’t upset the historical nature of the area therefore kept their materials and techniques quite traditional. Even although it is traditional and not intrusive it still has a modern look about it. He over laps 6cm squared blocks, some are suspended and some are also functional and act as a support for the ceiling. These overlapping blocks are similar to branches overlapping in a forest. The café is supposed to feel as though it is nestled in a tree making the customer be at one with nature. The use of these blocks add a sustainable value to the building as the blocks can be recycled or the building can be dismantled and rebuilt in another location!

I love these unique Starbucks coffee shops that have been created recently. They’re different from the norm and each other but still manage to keep the brand recognisable to customers using more subtle measures. It’s also good to see that they’re thinking about the environment and the shops surroundings by once again using environmentally friendly materials and learning about the local area before designing. Check out my other blog on the Starbucks in a shipping container in Washington.

GIDE: Creativity for Local Enterprise

At the end of last semester my work for GIDE was completed and handed in however it’s not over yet. In February this year all universities involved in GIDE will be coming to DJCAD to take part in a one week workshop. I’m not sure exactly what this will involve yet but the week kick starts with a party at Dundee Universities Students Union to welcome the other students and staff.

This is just a quick blog to update you on my work for GIDE as I realise I have not posted about it yet.

The brief was to create a design response to the theme Creativity for Local Enterprises. Looking at the different enterprises in Dundee I was interested in the facilities available to new parents. I wanted to create a centre that offered help, guidance and education to parents whatever their age.

To research this topic further I met up with a Health Care assistant from Ninewells hospital to find out what services were available. I then went to visit a local family centre in Lochee. I found this very helpful as it gave me deeper insights into the topic and helped identify areas where I could improve upon the service.

Looking at other designers work of existing nursery’s and schools enabled me to develop my own design ideas. As it would be a place for children I wanted it to have a playful aesthetic. To make parents feel at home I wanted to ensure it had a welcoming atmosphere that was not at all clinical or uncomfortable. Below is a description on my family centre that has been named ‘Grow’.

‘Grow’ has been designed with parents in mind. It’s hard enough becoming a parent especially with out any support or guidance, this centre will be a home away from home where parents from all back­grounds will learn how to care for their baby and themselves.

It has been designed to be a wel­coming and relaxed environment where a community can be built between the parents and staff. A fun playful design has been cre­ated through splashes of colour and a zig-zag book shelf which is a main feature in the interior space.

Burger King – New Interior Identity.

Burger King Singapore has had a makeover. ‘Outofstock’ were commissioned by Burger King Asia specific to design a new look for the interior of their takeaways. The design was intended to be welcoming, appealing to families with children, teenagers and not alienate existing customers.

Whilst researching the Burger King brand the words ‘flame grilled’ kept reappearing. ‘Outofstock’ took these words as a starting point for their design associating this with BBQs, camping, family picnics they came up with the idea of the ‘BK Garden’. The interior was then designed to imitate a garden.

Exposed brick walls, metal framed wooden dinning tables, and sofas upholstered in outdoor materials have been used. Plants are scattered around the restaurant, a roof trellis hides the exposed services and posters of the food have been framed and placed on wooden shelves. Plant pots have also been used as pendant lights to add to the garden theme.

Whilst creating a welcoming atmosphere this new design also creates a new image for Burger King. The garden theme, through the use of healthy plants and natural wood creates an image of healthy eating. The pictures framed in the store show the freshest tomatoes, these little touches would make customers think the food they are eating isn’t bad for them. In today’s environment where people are becoming more conscious of the foods they are putting into their body restaurants like Burger King that don’t sell healthy food have to have a new image for customers to buy into. It might not actually be healthy but it certainly has to look it.

As I was looking at this design I came across some of ‘Outofstocks’ sketches of it. I really like this style even although the drawings are cartoons they still look realistic and explain their ideas well. 

Branding Space & Place. Glasgow Trip.

Last week I took a trip to Glasgow to examine the brand identity of places and spaces in the area.

‘The Brand Gap’ by Marty Neumeier defines Brand Identity as ‘The outward expression of a brand, including its name, trademark, communications, and visual appearance.’

Firstly I had a look at Merchant City. Merchant City is an area in the city centre of Glasgow which has recently been rebranded by Graven Images. Before rebranding they looked at the positives and negatives of the area. The positives were that it is a thriving, regenerating and attractive area. The negatives were that no one knew the boundaries of it, its identity was weak and its brand was under promoted. After seeing the area for myself I felt that some of the negatives still have to be addressed, to me the boundaries were unclear. Street signs showed when you were in Merchant City but I didn’t know exactly where it began and where it ended. It is an attractive area with lots of beautiful architecture which suited its high end stores such as ‘Mulberry’ and ‘Ralph Lauren’. However some areas were run down and covered in graffiti which didn’t make its identity consistent.

I think that places are perhaps harder to brand as it is an environment that can’t be strictly controlled unlike the interiors of a store that has constant security and staff to make sure everything is in line and up to standard. 

Later I went to the Apple Store. The grand building reflected the quality of its products. The space inside was very modern, the products were laid out on wooden tables giving an informal homely vibe which made people more inclined to become familiar with the product. The fact that the store was so welcoming links with Apples laid back, user/customer friendly image. Staff were highlighted in blue t-shirts and were swarming around the store ready to help, one member of staff to every person.  The store made me think of Apple as; friendly, helpful, modern, of high quality and cool, successfully portraying its brand.

All Saints was another store I viewed. Its interior was quite industrial with stage lights hanging from the ceiling, cogs and machinery all around and a battered wooden floor. In the window were rows and rows of sewing machines. This store reflected the style of clothes sold, the way the clothes are made, the seams stitched in a miss matched fashion was shown by having sewing machines visible. The industrial theme shows the brand as being, edgy, trendy, grungy and unique.

John Lewis is not my favourite shop I find it too chaotic and would rather not shop somewhere where there is an endless selection of items on offer. The space is very busy but is laid out in sections according to product. Before you enter there is a map telling you what floor you’re on and what products are available on each floor. The make up was found at the front leading onto jewellery, accessories, stationary then men’s fashion. Everything is laid out in a certain way to make the shopper buy. Products that customers won’t go looking for are placed by the escalators in the hope that they will notice them and buy. Big brand, big store.

Lastly I spotted a few differences between the two main shopping centres in Glasgow, Buchanan Galleries and Princes Square. Buchanan Galleries consisted of high street shops for a mixed age group. The interior is very basic. It has a food court which consists of takeaway food stands such as Burger King. I feel it’s a place that is aimed towards families spending a day shopping or teenagers hanging out on Saturdays.

Princes Square on the other hand, has a brighter, more luxurious interior with wooden floors and spiralling stairs. This is reflected by the high end more expensive stores. There are fewer stores within Princes Square; it seems they have gone for quality over quantity. Instead of a food court they have a selection of restaurants where people sit in to eat. I think young professionals would be the main clientele for this shopping centre.

I don’t know a lot about store design yet but I’m hoping to change this through my research in block two of my advertising and branding module. However I think if you look closely enough you can see some of the signals shops are sending to attract their preferred customer and make them buy.