People who can sleep on the way to work are wonderful.

This Daihatsu Charade was a subcompact car sold from 1977 to 2000. Pictured is a model released in 1977, or thereabouts. The design itself is functional, with its unremarkable lines. The form is very much a reflection of the economic production process used, however what makes this vehicle shine is that it is clunky, it doesn’t look like a blob with wheels, and it isn’t black, white, silver, or a light silver shot with a hue of green, purple or blue. The designers at Diahastu may have had a modest design vision, yet one can not deny that they have a healthy sense of humor. This production line colour must have made this little three cylinder wonder hop out of the showroom.

Vertically endowed or challenged?

Recently Lloyd Garver from CBS wrote this…

“Tall people have a special status in our culture… they are thought of as leaders — as ‘standing tall above the rest.‘ In school, the tallest boys are the first to get dates. Tall girls are told they look great — “like beautiful models.“

…What a load of slosh. Everyone feels sorry for short people and that the sky is the limit for tall people, but it just isn‘t so. It‘s pretty obvious that Lloyd Garver is not 6‘7“, otherwise he would know what a pain in the neck height can be (pardon the posture related pun).

If you are short you probably never thought about what you take for granted in your life. Bet you never realized how lucky your are that you can…

…fit in your car, even in the back seat
…fit in a train, bus, tram or airplane seat
…fit in a rollercoaster
…always find shoes because they‘re manufactured in Asia and you know they just make extra size 8 shoes for the fun of it
…always make a pair of jeans shorter, you can‘t make them longer
…move through door ways without banging your head, including every vehicle design known to man
…sit anywhere you want at the movies, you won‘t block anyone‘s view
…get people to let you near the front of a concert because all of the big people are blocking your view.

If you read through these things and think “hey yeah, maybe it‘s not so bad being short after all, I never did think about it like that“ your right. Being tall generally sucks unless you play basketball, but if you‘re white and can‘t jump then that‘s out of the question as well.

The one bright side is a little known 2004 study by psychologist Timothy A. Judge, Ph.D., of the University of Florida, and researcher Daniel M. Cable, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina. They found that for every inch taller you are than your colleague you would earn $749 more per year, thus a six foot tall person could earn over $5000 more than their 5‘6“ work mate.

Doesn‘t matter really, that poor tall guy is probably an accountant and will now be spending that extra money on physiotherapy because office furniture only comes in one size, short.

Back to Adelaide where it‘s still okay

After an amazing experience with the team at Studio Pip and Co. as a four-week intern, Owen has (finally) left the building. Thank you very much for this opportunity. To learn and experience truly good design, with very friendly and intelligent people, is a rare and special chance for any design student. Many best wishes to Andrew and Shelley at Studio Pip and Co for the future. Thank you!

By Owen Ridgwell.

On a strange balmy autumn evening in Melbourne, the warmest in 150 years, the AGDA design night, Forty-eighty, gave around 200 people the chance to congregate in RMIT‘s Kaleide theatre for two hours and become intimate with a few designers, and their work.

With a tight schedule in hand Andrew Ashton kicked off the night introducing Alex Tyers. Tyers touched on his career success in using research and critical analysis told to deliver functional information design.

Kate Hannaford, from Moth Design, gave some exciting samples of her work and collaborations in retail design, public art/design events, and interior design from her career to date. Her “cushion thrower“ term for the amateur interior designers was something one will keep in mind for the next interior design conversation. Luca Ionescu followed, delivering an enormous range of images ranging from early influences, to fashion, to digital/motion and anything else he thought was street fresh, funky and cool.

After a ten minute break everyone crowded back into the theatre to see Shara Henderson and her wanderings in portraiture photography. Shara‘s commentary was spare and heart felt, her work was a visual treat for anyone with a creative bone, even if it‘s only in your ear.

Soren Luckins from Büro North showed some interesting process and way-finding design, and shared with us what made him tick. His effort to make whole projects environmentally accountable was a staggering example for those of us that want push the sustainable design cause.

Last, not least, we were treated to Wendy Ellerton from Hofstede Design. Wendy talked about her work in developing and designing typefaces in Australia and at the Royal Academy of Art in The Haag, in the Netherlands — a skill set that is a rarity in this corner of the world, and a simply inspiring insight into a world of black and white — a life in type design.

The night was a resounding success. Attended by mostly creative industry related people who witnessed an array of design disciplines in a successful format. Big thanks to AGDA; it‘s sponsors, and the speakers for putting on this event for a bargain $10, or $1.67 a speaker.

By Owen Ridgwell, UniSA

Skinny or straight-leg? Boot cut or butt crack? No matter how you wear your jeans, show your solidarity and let‘s settle this once and for all: Can dudes wear their sister‘s jeans?

Send this to your bras and bitches, spread the word, share the love, show your passion for the pins. A door prize for the most beautiful Nudies.

Thursday 7th June, 6.30-8.30pm
La La Land — 134 Chapel Street Windsor
Come to the room behind the bar to meet the Fatfish boys

RSVP now vic@agda.com.au