New Cable Cars to Cross the Thames, By Mace Group

2,500 people every hour. It's the capacity of London's shiny new transportation wonder: the cable car system that will connect the two shores of the east Thames. The fascinating landmark was designed by architects Wilkinson Eyre and will be realised by the Mace Group. The Group already has a portfolio of iconic London schemes including the London Eye, the British Museum Great Court and a good deal of commercial developments, like City Hall. At The Think Tank, we were happy to spot this latest beauty.

50-millimetre steel cables will be stretched over one kilometre across the Thames. Reaching from the Greenwich Peninsula at The O2 up to the Royal Docks at ExCeL, the 34 cars involved will do the hourly work of 40 buses. No wonder that Mark Reynolds, Mace's deputy chief executive, called it "an incredibly exciting new river crossing for London". Transport for London has approved, and the £40 million project could well be up and running for next summer's 2012 Olympic Games.

Click here to read more.

3D Origami Phone!

True enough - if thousands of traditional phones are still produced every day, their shape has surely not changed much. Sleek design, different materials, but a headset is still a headset. This is quite surprising because the actual components have been quite miniaturized over time. Yet the shape and size have maintained substantially its original characteristics, surely for the ergonomics. Designer Chengyuan Wei on the other hand designed the amazing Origami Phone.

Extremely minimal, it lies flat - but when you pick it up to answer or dial out, it turns into a tri-dimensional object, suited to the hand. Have a look on the designer's website for more brilliant ideas.

Click here to read more, the images are splendid.

The Guest House in a Container

Shipping containers are not one of the first places you would normally call homey. Yet, award winning Poteet Architects is best known for their creative reuse of existing building facilities, with a fresh touch of modern interior design. A client wished to experiment with shipping containers and the built project now lives just south of downtown San Antonio, Texas. We at the Think Tank find the result charming - the finished project is adapted to a guesthouse and is fitted with services as shower/WC and a stainless sink. The very broad steel and glass lift/slide together with the end wall-window open the whole interior to the landscape.
In the perspective of re-using unwanted materials, the emphasis was on sustainable strategies. The shipping container itself was originally "one-way" and has been adapted to a permanent use. Held off the container top, is a planted roof, which provides shade and air-flow to reduce heat gain. The roof is irrigated using the captured grey water from sink and bathroom. Surprisingly, the whole structure "floats" on a foundation of recycled telephone poles. Charming... and fascinating. Great to make an original guest house at the other side of the garden.
To read smart features of this guest house and see more images click here.

Image © Chris Cooper

Groundbreaking business launched into Oil and Gas sector

The Think Tank was approached by Permasense to propose how we would launch this start-up company into the Oil and Gas Sector with a new, innovative and unique product. Permasense is an offshoot of Imperial Collage London and following several years of research, on behalf of BP, they developed inhospitable wireless monitoring technologies for accurately measuring corrosion of pipes in the Oil and Gas sector. This technology is unique and presented the opportunity for use on a global scale to improve monitoring and safety.
The Think Tank proposed the development of a suite of marketing tools and a PR campaign to launch this groundbreaking business.
Read more

Refreshing the Capital Capture Brand

The Think Tank was asked to review the Capital Capture brand image and propose a refresh of all collateral, both on and off-line, for this leading document management business. We carried out an audit of collateral and other marketing materials and proposed the redevelopment of these to reflect Capital Capture as the leading business in its field.
Read more here

Solar Powered Teaching Hospital in Haiti

Sustainable does not only mean supportive for the environment, sometimes it supports an entire population. It is the case of the Mirebalais Hospital in Haiti, a state of the art 320 bed teaching facility powered by solar panels. After the devastating earthquake of January 2010, this ecofriendly jewel has been redesigned and donated by Nicholas Clark Architects. The structure's energy supply will be supplemented by the solar panels on the roof, ensuring that the facility is never without power - especially during the frequent outages. Natural ventilation is used for the cooling as well as to prevent the trasmission of airborne diseases, like tuberculosis, and is encouraged through the design of the integrated garden and courtyards. Lighting will engage with the hot tropical sun, with natural daylighting used to spare energy for hospital equipment.
All of these features maximise the efficiency of the hospital, providing a fundamental service without digging into the area's energy supplies. What is even more amazing is that all of the funds for the hospital have come from direct donations from individuals and firms through Partners In Health.
Construction is expected to be complete in January 2012. Click here to read more.

LOFT 2011 - London's Vertical Farming Competition

As citizens of a metropolis, Londoners feel everyday what population growth and urban centralisation mean. Two problems are the increased demand for real estate and for food. Looking for a possible solution, AWR organizes LOFT - an international architecture competition for the design of a new skyscraper on the Thames waterfront, a vertical farm. This means cultivating agriculture products in a vertical, energy self-sufficient structured inside our metropolitan. The concept was developed in 2000 by Dickson Despommier, in collaboration with various architecture firms.
LOFT requires the design of a vertical farm with residential use. As advanced as it sounds, the benefits of such a structure range from the continuous supply of agricultural products to the reduction of cultivated land,  generating its own energy and contributing to the ecosystem's balance. The new tower would be inserted in the City's skyline, an extremely strategic site for public transportation and a strong demand for housing. The competition represents a chance to build a real vertical city, which may well include a plaza, shopping areas, and restaurants. Early registration begins in May 2011 and the winners will be announced in September, after the summer.
Click here to read more.

The Heat That Gives You Energy

When ecological means multiple advanced technologies and elegant design, the result is uber cool. Young French designer Vincent Gobin did this with TESLA, the ecological radiator that charges your mobile phones, iPods, music players, etc. With incorporated thermo-electrical batteries that convert heat into electricity, it will energize your gadgets through elecromagnetic induction while heating your room.
No more more ugly black coloured entagled wires. Just a sleek black design that irons out all your charging whoes.

Click here to read more.

Designjuction Brings British Design at Milan's Furniture Fair 2011

For Milan's coming Furniture Fair 2011, Designjuction has planned a new exhibition showcasting the very best of British design. From lighting installations to a pop-up shop, the displays will take over the entire ground floor of the Zegna showroom in the famous Zona Tortona design district. Art director Michael Sodeau (who also designed the Anything stationary collection, picture) is bringing together products from exclusive brands including Modus, Innermost, Benchmark and Anglepoise.
Don't miss the launch party next Wednesday 13th April. Exhibition runs 11-17 April 2011.
Click here to read more on Icon Magazine.
Image © Michael Sodeau Partnership

'Showrooms' app launched for New York

If you are heading off to New York then Designer Pages has the app for you. They have launched an app called Showrooms that helps you to quickly locate architecture and interior design products and materials across the city. Find that showroom you’re looking for and map it, create itineraries for your visits, curate lists of showrooms to share with friends, and even check in using Foursquare. They plan on expanding to other cities in the future. They have even added a scavenger hunt at Architectural Digest Home Show in New York next week. Can't wait for the London version.

Download the 'Showrooms' app here

Cutting Edge Design comes to Scunthorpe

The pavilion in the Central Park, Scunthorpe has been christened “The Nutshell Café” and consists of a kiosk and disable WC / baby change. This structure by  S&P Architects forms part of the regeneration of Central Park and the Sports Academy building, which is currently under construction.

See more of this interesting structure on Arch Daily.

Salary Checker app reviewed as 'Brilliant' in Stylist Magazine

The Salary Checker iPhone app, recently developed by The Think Tank for Robert Walters Associates, has been featured in Stylist Magazine today and has been reviewed by a lawyer who comments that it is 'Brilliant'.

See the full piece below.

RWA Salary Checker Article.pdf (219 kb)

The iPad 2: More to it, less of it

'There's even more to it. And even less of it' appears to be the tagline for the new iPad2.

This new version is faster, 33 per cent thinner, and “up to” 15 per cent lighter than the original iPad, while boasting the same 9.7-inch LCD screen. Steve Jobs believes Apple to be ore on top of their game than ever before claiming 'While others have been scrambling to copy the first generation iPad, we’re launching iPad 2, which moves the bar far ahead of the competition and will likely cause them to go back to the drawing boards yet again.” Will this bold statement be proved correct in sale numbers? Let's watch this space.

If you haven't yet had a look at Apple's latest venture then click here to formulate your own first opinion.

 

TOWERchair

The TOWERchair is an innovative highchair for children that can be adjusted as the child grows.

It is the ultimate cradle to the grave in seating as it is suitable for adults too, perhaps making the £286 price tag seem far better value for money.

For more information on this interesting take on the highchair click here

Images © DESIGNSPOTTER

Dinosaurs Unleashed launch a great success

The launch of Dinosaurs Unleashed at The O2 on February 19th was a great success, with more than 400 press and their children attending the launch event and coverage across broadcast and national press.

The Think Tank has provided a completely integrated marketing service to the organisers, including strategic direction, media planning, outdoor advertising, media relations, direct marketing, event support and digital services, resulting in an amazing first week for this landmark attraction.

With coverage achieved on Day Break, This Morning, the Vanessa Show and many other radio, national and local media outlets the launch of Dinosaurs Unleashed has exceeded all expectations.

On throughout 2011 and into 2012, The Think Tank will be continuing to provide a range of marketing and PR services to help continue the success of Dinosaurs Unleashed.

For more information about Dinosaurs Unleased at The O2 click here or view the video below.

Clerkenwell Design Week

For those of you who appreciate innovative and creative design as much as we do, especially when it is around the corner from the Think Tank Office, we wish to share that the dates for Clerkenwell Design Week have now been officially set for 24-26 May 2011.

Look forward to the return to The Farmiloe Building on St John Street in 2011. This year the exhibition will be even bigger with the elegant building, once the home of Victorian lead and glass merchants, set  to house some of the most exciting names in design! Exhibitions include the House of Detention, a Victorian prison, hosting an international design exhibition for the diverse and most innocative contemporary talent. The nature of both spaces will ensure the product is presented in new and creative ways and will act as a canvas for site specific installations.

For an exciting overview of those exhibiting and what to expect, please click here.

Robert Walters Associates App hits top 10 downloads in first week

The Think Tank has recently developed a multinational Salary Survey App for global recruitment consultants, Robert Walters Associates which has reached the top spot in the Top 10 iPhone Free Business Apps chart for Singapore - the first region to launch.

A complex app, the Robert Walter Associates Salary Survey provides an interactive salary checker for a wide range of professional roles, including accountancy and finance, banking, human resources, IT, legal and compliance, sales and marketing, secretarial, engineering and supply chain & procurement, across many countries and regions.

After several months of development the app has been a great success across the globe, with many great reviews and has reached 16th in the overall Business App Chart.

The Robert Walters Associates Salary Checker app is now being marketed to professionals worldwide. To check out whether you are being paid the right salary download the app here.

Category Winners for the Brit Insurance Design Awards 2011

The votes are in and a winner for each category of the Brit Insurance Design Awards 2011 has been officially announced today.

The winners for each category are:

Brit Insurance Architecture Award 2011: Open Air Library by KARO Architekten, Germany

Brit Insurance Fashion Award 2011: Uniqlo +J, Japan

Brit Insurance Furniture Award 2011: Branca, Industrial Facility, Italy

Brit Insurance Graphics Award 2011: Homemade is Best, Forsman & Bodenfors for Ikea

Brit Insurance Product Award 2011: Plumen 001, Hulger & Samuel Wilkinson, UK

Brit Insurance Transport Award 2011: Barclays Cycle Hire

Click here to learn more about each of these winners and for your chance to speculate who will eventually reign supreme.

Apple of my Eye: The many apps of an iphone

It won't be the first time we at The Think Tank have found ourselves rather giddy about the many new i-phone apps that currently available for download. It goes without saying that phones are set to be the new computers by 2015; to this fact, we have all resigned. What is so exciting however is the speed and diverse nature to which these applications are being created.

Take for example the creation of the Nike Training Club app (a get fit customizable training regime), the Nash Ramblas app (a guide to the London festival of architecture) or even the Rob Walters Salary Checker (a guide to find out how much you are really worth), it's anybody's guess as to what the next app creation will be. So, let's get guessing!

A Canopy of Colour

Arguably the most colourful food market experience in Europe, Santa Caterina Market in Barcelona has a restored roof made of 300,000 wave like multicoloured ceramic hexagons. These hexagons are be seen as representations of fruits and vegetables in an unique and innovative way; a classic in post modern architecture.

The architect of the market explains, “The first mistake is to talk about old and new. Whatever has managed to survive into the present is current, useful, and contemporary. And it permits us to move back in time in order to continue forward.”

To read more on the inspiration for the design click here