Top 6x6

Winner Announced

2010-08-05T05:23:00.000-07:00

The Top 6x6 blog entries have now been judged and the outright winner is Chris Herman.

The judges were Chris Connell, Sue Carr, Soren Luckins, Maurice Terzini and Oliver Kratzer, who were all presenters at the Top 6x6 event, held at Space Furniture on 20 July 2010.

Congratulations to Chris Herman, whose top 6 design icons can be seen below. Chris wins the Zanotta Sciangai Coat Stand valued at $1,380, kindly supplied by Space Furniture.

Congratulations also to the runners up; Giovanni Mendini, Suzy Tuxen, David Williamson, Amy Johnstone and Egle Findlay.

Chris Herman's Top 6 Design Icons

2010-07-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

Citroen DS designed by Bertoni, 1955-1975, hydro pneumatic self-levelling suspension, first production car with electronic disc brakes.

Volkswagen posters by Doyle Dane Bernbach, 1959 onwards, redefined product advertising, Futura Font.

Fiskars scissors, 1967, Finland, Fiskars Orange registered as trademark in 2003, colour choice was made by ‘accident’ when machinist used remaining orange coloured plastic upon prototyping the original product.

Original iPod by Apple, 2001, portable media player, at least 260,000,000 units sold so far.

Fender Stratocaster Olympic White by Leo Fender, 1954, ash/alder body with maple neck construction, three identical single coil pickups switched 3 way, Synch Tremolo.

Boyd Walsh Street House by Robin Boyd, 1959, introverted yet social design, arguably Boyd’s best example of his structural-functionalist architectural style.

Amy Johnstone's Top 6 Design Icons

2010-07-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

Lomo LC-A, 1984, fixed lens, 35mm film, leaf shutter, zone focus, compact camera.

Moleskin, 19th and 20th century, originally handmade by small French bookbinders.

Christiania Bike, 1976, Christiania, Copenhagen, Christiania Smedie.

Riso Print Gocco, 1977, self-contained compact color printing system invented by Noboru Hayama.

Phillips UFO portable record player, 1969, Patrice Du Pont.

Swedish Kroanan Bicycle, 1970s, Swedish Military Bicycles, Swedish Army

Megha Balakrishnan's Top 6 Design Icons

2010-07-19T01:08:00.000-07:00

These images are by photographer Hari Menon. They were taken for his portfolio when touring India. These images talk to me about India and its strong religiously interwoven society. They provoke in the mind of someone unaccustomed to India's traditions, the essence of the country better than anything else.

Evening Blues by Hari Menon, March 2009

Silhouette by Hari Menon, March 2009

Prayer by Hari Menon, March 2009

Routes of Belief by Hari Menon, March 2009

Immortal: Hampi Hanuman Kingdom by Hari Menon, April 2009

Filling the Faith by Hari Menon, May 2009

Egle Findlay's Top 6 Design Icons

2010-07-18T14:53:00.000-07:00

"Unikko" textile design by Maija Isola, head designer at Marimekko 1964
Scandanavian brilliance.

Chanel No 5 perfume bottle, 1921
Beauty, elegance and style perfectly captured in one little bottle.

Bialetti Moka Express coffee maker, 1933
A perfect balance of fabulous form and functionality.

Tomato can labels.
Graphic design in its most joyfull form

Levi Straus& Co began 1853
Still fashionable and sexy after 150 years.

Banana Lounge
No "designer" name and no "designer" price tag- but one great design.

Giovanni Mendini's Top 6 Design Icons

2010-07-13T04:05:00.000-07:00

Catalogue d'Objet Impossible

Fender Stratocaster Leo Fender 1954

Ducati 916 Massimo Tamburini 1994

sony-walkman

Muji CD Player Naoto Fukasawa 1999

Zippo George Blaisdell 1933

Suzy Tuxen's Top 6 Design Icons

2010-07-12T23:50:00.000-07:00

An iconic era of mid-century Modernist furniture Photograph, Playboy Magazine 1961 featuring (l to r) George Nelson, Edward Wormley, Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, Charles Eames and Jens Risom
Some of the best mid-century modernist furniture designers captured in this incredible 'Mad Men' style photograph for Playboy in 1961.

Flash Pattern wallpaper by Eley Kishimoto

This exclusive wallpaper was produced for interior collaborations and for the Eley Kishimoto flagship store [which closed in 2005].

Tottenham Court Road tube station tiles by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi
The 1980s design includes panels of tessellated mural mosaic by Eduardo Paolozzi, and is a distinct and noticeable feature of the station. The mosaic's frenetic design is intended to reflect the station's position adjacent to Tottenham Court Road's large concentration of hi-fi and electronics shops.

Upside-down store, Milan by Viktor & Rolf, 2005
The Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf opened this vertigo-inducing shop in 2005.

Herb Lubalin logos

Marriage (top) 1965, Mother & Child (middle) 1966, Families (bottom) 1980.

Letraset product catalogue, 1990
A wonderful typographic reference book.

Jess Caffin's Top 6 Design Icons

2010-07-11T20:44:00.000-07:00

Frank Gehry for Tiffany's

Archigram - Walking City

Itunes Genius

Ikea chair

Missoni Textiles

Human eyes

Shane Loorham Top 6 Design Icons

2010-07-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

Montreal Biosphère at Expo 67 (and more generally the Geodesic Dome) Richard Buckminster Fuller 1950's

I love Fullers domes, awe inspiring structures that make Sci-fi seem real. During this work he developed the principals behind and coined the term "tensegrity". A more recent example of a similar structure which I absolutely love is the Eden Project.

Postscript
John Warnock and Charles Geschke in 1982.

Its how we graphic designers do what we do. A great leap that put design on the desktops of millions.
Obviously this has lead to a great range of undesirable results, (my mum laying out flyers) but you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.

MEXICO 68
Lance Wyman

Lance Wyman is a classic and a pillar of design for anyone involved in branded environments or wayfinding systems. The 68 Olympic brand and the role out of communications are among the best in history for me. They define an era and carry so many strong graphic characteristics. I love this for its op-art references, and could easily have put Bridget Riley in this place but felt this is more relevant as the application of her principals as a design outcome.

Jumping Castles (and inflatable structures)
John Scurlock, 1959

The first inflatable structure was designed and invented in 1959 by John Scurlock in Shreveport, Louisiana who was experimenting with inflatable covers for tennis courts when he noticed his employees enjoyed jumping on the covers.

Baby Fat Milton Glaser 1971(ish)

The most outrageous typeface ever, by a favourite graphic designer of mine who's work in the 70's was I likely a major influence behind most of the toys I grew up with and was as such pivotal in my developing years and early interest in design. He is obviously more famous for I heart NY among other classics.

Casio F-91W Designer sadly unknown to me

It was the first watch I received as a kid in school, perhaps for my 12th birthday or something? I really felt like a grown up when I received it, but it wasn't too long before I upgraded to something 'cooler' (I hate teen me in hindsight). I needed a watch with an alarm when travelling recently and bought the cheapest watch I could find, it happened to be the same watch. I just rate it for being so prolific and doing everything it needs to do. It wasn't the first and didn't revolutionise anything in particular, but it is truly accessible, prices vary, normally in the $7.50 - $15 USD range.

David Williamson Top 6 Design Icons

2010-07-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

The Gift- 1921

Early readymade

by Man Ray

Max Bill - Junghans Watch - 1962

A Swiss architect, artist, painter, typeface designer, industrial designer and graphic designer.

Saul Bass

Anatomy of a Murder - 1959

Film titles

Directed by Otto Preminger

Tony DiSpigna

Graphic designer and typographer. He helped execute the popular Avant Garde typeface and Serif Gothic, among many others. He is a designer for and co-founder of Thin Stroke, Inc.

Fedra Serif B

Peter Biľak - Typotheque

Piet Mondrian

Victory Boogie Woogie

1942-44

One of the most important emblems of abstract or non-figurative art in the twentieth century.

Missy Saleeba's Top 6 Design Icons

2010-07-11T04:55:00.000-07:00

Monsieur Dressup by Anna Thomas

Chrysler Building by William Van Alen, 1930

First Generation Ford Mustang (Silver) by Joe Oros and team, 1964

Preston Zly Shoes by Johanna Preston and Petr Zly

Comme de Garcon by Rei Kawakubo

Freezone Regular by AboutType

James Harper’s Top 6 Design Icons

2010-07-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

Braun AB1 Alarm Clock by Dieter Rams and Dietrich Lubs, 1971
Easy to read, easy to adjust, wakes you up in the morning – no more, no less

Panerai Luminor Marina PAM104 watch by Giuseppe Panerai, 1934
Like wearing an Italian Tank on your wrist

Sydney Opera House by Jorn Utzon, completed 1973
14 times over budget and worth every penny.

Apple iPhone by Jonathan Ive and others, 2007
Sales of 50 million and counting

Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione by Wolfgang Egger, concept 2003, production 2006
Achingly beautiful

Neue Helvetica 25 Ultra Light by Max Miedinger and Linotype Design Studio, 1995
The celestial angel of typefaces