The Craftsman
Campbell Wilkens:

Cultural and historical awareness are woven into the DNA of any worthwhile product. There is value in re-examining what already exists, digging through the archives [a good library] and poring over the classics [don’t copy].  Truly understand what untapped potential do the materials, colours, functions, forms, and processes still hold. I am happy that many designers and manufacturers are reaching out to the skilled craftsmen of today [not hipsters] to explore the possibilities.

Bikedot
Jim Sutherland
Rob Duncan:

Bikedot is a new company that builds, sells and curates bikes, parts, and clothing. They have 30 years of experience with many of the world’s leading bike builders. They also have partnerships with premium bike manufacturers. Their new brand identity by Studio Sutherland cleverly builds a brand language out of tire treads and abstract patterns of the word 'Bike'. I hope they actually manufactured bike tires with these bespoke prints as well! Very fun, fresh idea and brand for a bike company.

It Just Works
Wave Agency
Lyam Bewry:

Campaign for Brother printers by New Zealand based Wave Agency.

The refreshing, matter of fact approach pairs perfectly with the job of a printer in our fast-moving, pushing for the 'next big thing' society. (Side note, these ads would be a hit here in San Francisco.)

The default art direction and type treatment, like the campaign, just works.

Ikea, Oxford Street, London
Mother
Rob Duncan:

Sometimes it's all about going big with the idea. I love this giant hoarding by Mother for Ikea's new store on Oxford Street.

The Tubeworks
Common Curiosity
Lyam Bewry:

Brand identity and environmental work by Common Curiosity for The Tubeworks — a former tube and pipe manufacturing factory, now working spaces for businesses in Digbeth, Birmingham.

A bygone visual language of tubes provides a perfect metaphor for building connections and a 'T' shaped symbol.

This is elevated even further with wonderfully original three dimensional tube signage.

Flipper
Red Dot Studio
Alex Swatridge:

On first seeing the logo and the tap, I thought "that's lovely", along with the ® symbol placement – another very nice detail. On further reading I found out that the name is derived from the tap 'flipping' between delivering hot, cold, filtered, sparkling and boiling water. Then I loved it even more.

Visit Red Dot Studio's website here.

Lichen Standard Clock
Order
Lyam Bewry:

A lovely clock design by Brooklyn-based design studio Order and built by Lichen. Hand constructed with Baltic birch, each outward face of the cube is used for each face of a clock representing the four timezones of the US.

Compartment Syndrome
Studio Sutherl&
Alex Swatridge:

A 'compilation' of images by photographer Aidan McCarthy leading up to – and during – the referendum, documenting 'Englishness' in Cliffsend, Kent. Studio Sutherl&'s resulting design is a bold but beautifully sympathetic reflection of Aidan's work and process. The unbound nature allowed the images to be compiled in a different order each time, avoiding a prescriptive narrative (something Aidan wasn't keen on) but also resulting in each 'set' being entirely unique. Lovely details include Aidan's field notes as well as the extremely satisfying 'binding' technique of red elastic bands forming the St George's Cross.

Jam Packed Honey
Studio Unbound
Lyam Bewry:

Packaging design for Jam Packed Honey by Glasgow-based Studio Unbound.

The labels play on the clever observation of the jar form factor and transparency, creating a bee stripe system with just a few elements making for a beautiful, restrained design.