Nongfu Spring Water
Horse Studio and Natasha Searston
Jamie Ellul:

Nongfu Spring is the leading bottled water manufacturer in China. Produced for high-end restaurants, bars and hotels, these bottle designs feature eight different plant and animal species from Moya Spring, at the foot of Changbai Mountain – the volcanic region bordering China and North Korea that produces the water. The illustrations by Natasha Searston pay homage to the source by depicting indigenous species. The result is a delicate and beautiful set of bottles you’d want to keep forever.

Animail
Osborne Ross
Rob Duncan:

Not only is it a FANTASTIC idea, but the animals are beautifully designed too. Osborne Ross designed a series of 6 animal stamps to appeal to children (and adults!). The stamps also have fold marks, showing where to position them on the envelope so they look like they are clinging onto the edge. Genius. And getting the post office to actually do this. Double Genius!

Electric Coffee Co
Here Design
Jamie Ellul:

Here Design’s new identity for the Electric Coffee Company came from the founder’s desire to light up the world of coffee. The team took inspiration from old electrical circuit designs – with their electrons, conductors and resistors – the result is a singular idea that drips down from the logotype into every application effortlessly. Joined up thinking.

The Creative Net
Bibiana Ballbé
Tilman Sole:

One of the major problems faced by any creative professional at the beginning of his career is the visibility. Until today. Bibiana Ballbé has presented The Creative Net. An online map that organizes and connects emerging creatives from Catalonia to the rest of the world. It is a visual and structured tool that works as a talent web search engine. And this is only the beginning. There is also a blog, tv show, lab, conferences, events… and probably more cities will be added in the future.

High Life
The New York Times Magazine
Luke Robertson:

This special issue of the New York Times magazine is all about life in high places. The magazine rotates to accommodate dramatic photographs of skyscrapers and the life that revolves around them.

Art Direction by Matt Willey
Photography by Jack Davison

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Manual
Christopher Doyle:

I’m really enjoying this identity for the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts by Manual.

The core of the identity is a container device (that houses the YBCA acronym) that takes its shape from the Center’s geographic position. The device is paired with bold typography, playful messaging, imagery and bright colours and there’s an enormous amount of flex and variation ensuring each application feels unique, energetic and fresh.

The line of Steinberg
Illustrations by Saul Steinberg
Matt Baxter:

Like many designers, I strive for clarity, strength and simplicity in the work of our studio. I sometimes achieve it, sometimes not. For inspiration, I often turn to the undisputed Crown Prince of clarity, the Grand Poobah of simplicity: Saul Steinberg. The ideas he communicated for the New Yorker with the slightest flick of the pencil are startling: witty, profound, surprising, fun. He described himself as “a writer who draws”. I call myself a designer who draws. But not as well as Saul.

Designers’ Friend
Paul Belford
Paul Felton:

A stunningly simple new identity for web developers, Designers’ Friend by Paul Belford. Built around the line ‘we write code’, the identity is a lovely observation that the ‘D’ and ‘F’ keys are conveniently located next to each other on a coders main tool — the keyboard.

Made In Italy—Bodoni In Print
SEA
John Dowling:

Made In Italy—Bodoni In Print is an exhibition, designed by SEA, that takes you through a journey of typography. The exhibition is a chance to experience first-hand early unseen archive material and Bodoni’s contemporary influence across graphic design with works by Massimo Vignelli, Paul Rand, Karl Gerstner, Peter Saville, Fabien Baron, Heinz Waibl and Bruno Monguzzi.