Bon Voyage .SUPERTRAMP

.SUPERTRAMP

BY

LEHMAN B

Last Thursday night I went along to welcome a friend into his new summer home, a caravan push bike.

Jacob aka 'Supertramp' is embarking on a voyage around London exploring the concept of micro-sized living; inspired by a more minimal, fluid and socially aware approach to future living, the project seeks to promote and inspire leaner, more livable life forms.

'Supertramp' is a new communal 'Future platform' initiative from Jacob's recently founded Lehman B, dubbed a ‘do tank’ – a project based on the belief that the best way to explore and embrace what the future holds is by living it and doing it.

His new mobile house doubles up as an agency and a social facility point, offering a unique, intimate and conversational platform where people will both inspire and be inspired.

He will move around London on a weekly basis, setting up in proximity to bars, restaurants, studios, companies and galleries. Every week a new topical theme will be discussed and explored as part of the journey. He is going to be holding events with casual and curated conversations and facilitated workshops, with key speakers to host special nights. Individuals and experts can share ideas, create insight, decipher knowledge and instigate real investigations and experiments that inform how a braver new world could potentially look and feel

This summer’s rather interesting topics are going to include: value change, sector convergence, betapreneurialism, civic capital, antiheroic culture and brave new lives.

Jacobs embarks on his maiden voyage around London on June 2^nd at The School of Life, where designer Thomas Thwaites will be hosting the first curated conversation' on mircoliving. He shall be clad in the 'nomadic range' created by Romanian fashion label Rozalb de Mura the Romanian and searching for the flattest routes to his urban destinations possible. He is somewhat lacking gears and breaks, so I plan to give him a helping hand and pop in for tea one day soon!

Images: Supertramp bike by Jacob Strand, photos by courtesy of Supertramp himself

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A Tropical Rainforest

On my travels around London this week I came across this rather splendid window near South Kensington Tube station.

The tropical, mythical, semi-jurassic scene, called 'Rainforest', is the creation of the wonderful illustrator Jake Blanchard for Estate Agents Douglas and Gordon and their Harrington Road Street Gallery.

Blanchard's graphic forest is a fantastic array of mint, lime, grass, maroon, purple and turquoise plants and leaves. And I love the odd mix of creatures hiding amongst the foliage, a bear, brightly feathered birds, a goat and a diplodocus! Brilliant!

Images: Rainforest by Jake Blanchard at the Harrington Road Street Gallery, photo's by me

images ©Ellie Osborne

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How to create a Super Olympic Legacy...

While I was at The Future Laboratory I came across this splendid project by the superbly named, a 4 person strong, architecture and design collective Studio Superniche.

The idea of the “The Olympic Legacy Toolkit” venture is to use the 11 miles of blue plywood fence that surround the Olympic site to construct temporary but useful structures that will benefit and enhance local neighbourhoods.

The Toolkit comprises of six structures conceived to involve the niche user groups of the area:

‘Kiosk’ for the market stall holders, ‘Boathouse’ for the model boating population, ‘Allotment Shed’ for the gardening society, ‘Gallery Cube’ for the culture vultures and my two personal favourites; ‘Ping Pong Pavilion’ for the keen ping pongers and ‘Birdhide’, designed as a response to the devoted bird watching community of the Lea Valley.

I think it’s a marvellous project; sustainably developing the wasted fence, for civic good, as expressed by Superniche; to “activate the vacant plots and allow communities to reclaim the vast empty landscape as their own”. It is thoughtful, fun, personal and most importantly involves the people the Olympics and the fence affect most, those who will be there long after the games are over.

And another couple of nice little touches to finish off; I love the rather appropriate blue design of the leaflet too - utterly captivating. And the 4 of them have also created another Olympic ‘tool’ and sailed down the River Lea in a little blue boat made from the Olympic fence.

Images above: Studio Superniche; The Olympic Legacy Toolkit structures: Kiosk, Boathouse, Gallery Cube, Allotment Shed, Ping Pong Pavillion and Birdhouse; The Olympic Legacy Toolkit Leaflet by Studio Superniche; Hoardings Boat by Studio Superniche. All images courtesy of Sudio Superniche themselves

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I'm back

Image: Apollo 13's return splash landing, courtesy of Nasa images

Well it appears I have embarrassingly abandoned my blog for what looks like to be coming up for 7 months now. But I have a good reason…

… Since August I have been immersing myself into the real world of work; seeing what I have to offer the industry and what it can offer me back.

I reckon life as an intern has treated me pretty darn good, and I have discovered some pretty ace projects and ideas along the way.

I’ve been helping the Strategists do strategy and writing for SFTW newsletter with the super miss sarah rabia (she likes her name better without the capitals) and the brilliant Mr Neil Bennett at Mother London (who have recently won Campaign’s ad agency of the decade no less)

Before Christmas I was doing some design and graphic work for artist Ben Moore and his organisation Art Below (check out the site’s menu bar – one of my many creations) Along with Philip Levine they ‘Turn ad space into art space’, displaying creatives’ work on the London underground.

Phil also does some fascinating things with his head. He uses it as blank canvas for artists to do their thing (he is going bald – if that makes more sense). I also had a helping hand in his piece du resistance, sticking hundreds of Swarovski crystals to his head, turning him into a sparkly Lego helmeted man. I’ve often wondered if he could become exclusive ad space for a brand, which I guess is ultimately selling his head. Certainly one to ponder.

Then most recently I have been working at the absolutely marvellous Future Laboratory as their visual intern. I am absolutely gripped and fascinated by the world of trends and forecasting and what better place to show me the ropes. I have been researching, writing and visualising stories for LS:N Global, their online portal into Brands, Lifestyle and News for subscribing clients and I was also rather privileged to be there and help in the intense 3 month lead up to the mega biannual Trend Briefing day.

I got to explore what might happen in the ‘Turbulent Teen’ years to come; the most challenging and problematic, yet optimistic and imaginative decade of our lifetimes. We looked at the ‘Leanomics’ concept stemming from stuffocation and information overload; we shall witness the emergence of the need to pare down, brand filtering, pause culture, and the growth of ‘thick value’ brands and business. I was also seeking out the newest and most intriguing projects by up and coming ‘Betapreneurs’; people with a whole new entrepreneurial mindset.

It has been a truly inspiring experience! And hopefully one to continue…

Next stop, Hunt Haggarty!