7 Teams & 4 Judges - London Metrolpolitan Crit at Dreamspace 26|01|10

Adrem at the Dreamspace Gallery Hosted the first of this years 'competition crits'. London Metropolitan University's 2nd year Design students were asked to propose a design for a library, outlining a narrative that would be consistent and well integrated throughout their building. Schemes included multiple group submissions, with submissions spanning across themes as varied as a spinning coin and light  to the volcano. All entries are now hanging in the gallery and can be seen up until 5th February.

Where Three Dreams Cross: 150 years of photography from India , Pakistan and Bangladesh @ Whitechapel Gallery : 21 January - 11 April 21|01|10

Where Three Dreams Cross is an extremely intriguing photographic exhibition,  poignantly housed at the Whitechapel Gallery. It maps the the British rule of United India pre 1947, with imperial photo's of Maharajas posing in their finery consisting of royal turbans intertwined with the regal vests that reflect the influence of the British Monarchy. These kinds of photo sit along side the traditional studio family photos that were so prolific during those times, with a kind of Spencer Tracey sharp suit classic look, were particularly charming.

No exhibition of this nature would be complete without the fathers of the three nations being documented. Iconic images such as Mahatma Ghandi leaving a train, Nehru with the young Indira, shaping the constitution and creating the strongest dynasty in living memory. Jinnah in his sharp suit reflective of British finery, and then in 1971 the charismatic Sheik Mujib of Bangladesh addressing a mass audience.

Surprisingly, the photo's that most catch the imagination are of ordinary people doing ordinary things, that in a gallery setting look extraordinary and capture the energy and innocence of people.

Where Three Dreams Cross is a great exhibition for many reasons, but none more so then to show that in a city like London there are people are celebrating their common ancestry and heritage through the medium of film, whereas back in SE Asia they seem to have forgotten that they have more common roots than differences.

Reviewed by Del Hossain

SCRABBLE® - Created by an unemployed architect! 15|01|10

"If there hadn't been any Depression in the Thirties there wouldn't be any SCRABBLE®." So said Alfred Butts, the inventor of SCRABBLE® who, incidentally, never made any money from what became one of the most successful board games of the twentieth century. Butts was an unemployed architect living in New York in the 30's when he began devising a word game using letters printed on small cardboard squares. Butts called his game 'Lexiko' and there was no board. That came later as the game changed its name to 'It' and then to 'Criss-Cross'. Butts made a few sets to sell to friends but it went unnoticed until 1948 when James Brunot thought it might have commercial possibilities. He and his wife began making the game in their home in Newtown, Connecticut. They settled on the name SCRABBLE®. The Brunots only sold 2,000 sets in their first year and sales remained sluggish until 1952 when the owner of Macy's store, who had played the game while on vacation, told the toy department to stock it. Other toy shops followed suit and the rest, as they say, is history.

Text from http://puzzles.about.com/od/crosswords/a/test.htm

Dubai unveils world's tallest building Burj Khalifa 06|01|10

Wow! Awesome! Spectacular!....just a few words that have been used to describe the official opening of the Burj Khalifa on 4th January 2010, also marking the 4th anniversary of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's accession to power as the Ruler of Dubai and Deputy President of the UAE.

As the world watched the firework and laser show extravaganza unfold in front of their eyes, including the worlds largest water-fountain choreographed to dance to the UAE National Anthem, the final height of the $1.5bn project at a staggering 828m was unveiled. Sitting proud and souring high in the centre of new Dubai, this project above all has meant so much to the Emirati people and those residents who have watched her progress, however, we must not forget that this was not just about Dubai or indeed the UAE. In one of the toughest recessions the world has seen, this was truly a global achievement and an event that should be celebrated; developed by the UAE's Emaar Properties, and including 22 million man hours, a number of firms came together to bring this vision in to reality. The US based Skidmore, Owings and Merril (SOM) were the lead Architect and Structural Designer, the primary builder was Korea's Samsung, followed by Belgium's Besix and the UAE's Arabtec, British firm Hyder Consulting the Architect & Engineer of Record, the US firm Turner Construction the construction project manager, as well as many more.

Text written by Iain Micallef our man on the ground.

Serpentine Gallery 'Does Design' 03|12|09

The Serpentine Gallery is developing its commitment to design by inviting influential German product designer Konstantin Grcic to curate Design Real, a groundbreaking presentation of contemporary design.

Across the globe, there is a growing awareness of design and its impact on the world we inhabit. Like contemporary art, design both shapes and reflects our constantly changing society. Good design understands human behaviour, offers pragmatic solutions to problems and enhances our everyday experience.

Grcic’s selection for Design Real focuses on ‘real’ items all conceived in the last decade: mass-produced products that have a practical function in everyday life. The exhibition presents a wide range of objects by leading international designers and manufacturers, from furniture and household products to technical and industrial innovations.

‘What interests me about industrial design is how these things are made, in what material, and how this has affected their language and their quality, ’explains Grcic. ‘Some objects are very technically-driven; the function really determines the object. Other objects have much more of a signature or an authorship; you see the handwriting of the designer who made it and that’s what makes it so special.’

By highlighting objects that have made a significant impact on our lives, the exhibition provides new perspectives from which to look at the material world around us and encourages new insights into design.

Design Real features a space specially designed by Grcic, where projections expand on themes developed in the exhibition and visitors can investigate the origins and applications of the products on view. A dedicated internet site www.design-real.com, which can be accessed in the space, is the exhibition's central resource and integral to its concept. The space is also the setting for a series of free public seminars.

Konstantin Grcic, born in Munich in 1965, founded Konstantin Grcic Industrial Design (KGID) in 1991. KGID specialises in various fields of design ranging from industrial products to exhibition design. Grcic’s products have received prestigious international design awards and form part of the permanent collections of institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and Centre Pompidou, Paris.

Taken from the Serpentine website.