This week, we've scrapped our usual design inspiration poll, (where we vote for our top five pieces of inspiration) and have decided to do things a little differently. Instead, our 11-strong creative team met and each shared a piece of work that they've always felt personally inspired by. Warning: We’re delving into our childhood and things are about to get philosophical. Here’s what the team thinks…
Paul, on the Chrysler building
“I’m not sure why I love this building, but every time some one asks me ‘what’s your favourite piece of design?’, the Chrysler building always pops into my head. I don’t want to try and analyse why I’m drawn to it because I like the idea that it just appeals to me – a child-like instinct.
"I do have a love of art deco and the crown on top of the Chrysler building is magnificent as it changes colour in the varying light conditions, as are the gargoyles based on Plymouth bonnet ornaments. It may have only been the tallest building in the world for 11 months, but it has stood out as one of my all-time favourites since I saw it as a boy.”
The Chrysler building via Wikipedia
Shariff, on Where the Wild Things Are
“A firm favourite for many, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ was, I think, instrumental in my formative years of creative writing. The simple narrative, helped along by Sendak’s captivating and enduring illustrations, completely transported my young reader to a magical world. Classic!”
Where the wild things are by Maurice Sendak via Amazon.co.uk
Liana, on the London tube map
“I guess I like the London tube map because it’s stood the test of time, helps thousands of people every day and has been easily adapted as the whole network grows. I also think it’s a great example that design can be clearer or easier to understand when not (geographically) accurate, so (cliché alert!), think outside the box or look at things from a different point of view, hence inspiration from circuit boards and Mondrian."
Madison, on recycled art
“For me, recycling is not only necessary, but pretty inspirational too. I’m utterly fascinated by the pioneering study of environmental history, which in essence calls into question the relationship between man and our surrounding environment, and how in turn our environment can tell a multi-faceted history. Recycling is environmental history in practice, telling a tale via reusing unloved ‘junk’ to make something beautiful, engaging and in some cases usable. If anything, making a chicken out of an egg puts a whole new spin on the ‘what came first, the chicken or the egg?’ debate.”
Ade, on the National Theatre
“Some say it’s a concrete monstrosity, but once you’ve been to the National and experienced the environment, you understand that it was built as a blank canvas for some of the best arts in the country. From the fly towers jutting out of the top to the balconies that are used to host events, it’s given so many artists the ideal platform for expressing themselves over the years. It’s literally cutting edge theatre, art, photography, scenic design, live music, education all under one roof and I’m yet to find another place in the world like it."
Jamie, on Iron Man
“Iron Man became the inspiration for my university dissertation and a motion capture project on how to speed up traditional hand posed animations. Iron Man fermented my love of comic books, superheroes, 3D CGI, animation and most importantly, the futuristic heads-up displays based on the works of Jayse Hansen.”
Becky, on the Hubble Telescope
“This year the Hubble Telescope turns 25 years old, and as a space enthusiast I’ve always been fascinated about how we’ve been able to build a telescope capable of capturing such beautiful images of things thousands of light years away. This is my favourite image, taken of the Eagle Nebula’s Pillars of Creation, it's hard to even begin to imagine how things like this happen, let alone how we're able to take images of them.”
Hubble Telescope turns 25 via National Geographic
Vic, on Liberty of London
“I love the Liberty of London department store building inside and out. I love how old the building is, yet it’s beautifully decorated with a mixture of traditional, original and brand new features. I also love how it encourages new designers from all manner of disciplines.”
Liberty of London via Liberty.co.uk
Liz, on live-taped video corridors
"In 1970, someone told Bruce Nauman that authors had no control over their audiences, so he built a horrifying tunnel full of cameras that disorientated and panicked everyone who walked through it, just to prove people wrong. This sort of sinister mind control is always at the forefront of our planning here in the Jigsaw24 copywriting department. You do want an iPad. You do. You do."
Xenia, on graphic designer, Bob Gill
“Bob Gill’s use of humour and wit in graphic design has been an inspiration to me since my university days. A good example of his style is a point of sale dog illustration, where he injects fun in what could have been just another boring slipper display. A quote I love that sums up his work is, ‘there is never a dull brief, only a dull designer’.”
Bob Gill graphic design website
We’ll be back next Friday to bring you more inspiration from our design team. Found something you think should have made it into the list? Pop it in the comments box below.
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