BP&O

Opinion by Richard Baird Åhléns began in 1899 as a small mail-order business. Aside from it being one of the oldest it has also grown to become one of the largest retail chains in Sweden. By carefully collating a variety of items across brands and price categories, the retailer maintains its relevance today, understanding and responding to the many ways in which its customers have changed over its long history. Happy FB, the Scandinavian design studio behind Åhléns new visual identity, puts it simply...

Opinion by Richard Baird Old Elephant House is a new brasserie and courtyard bar in the former elephant enclosure at Auckland Zoo. It offers an à la carte menu and set three-course meals made up of light and elegant dishes. It is a building that is distinct in its proportions and location, with tall doors and windows from which to hear the distant calling siamang gibbons. Taking cues from the animals of the zoo and their jungle habitats, and with a mind towards a relaxed environment for family and...

Opinion by Richard Baird The New Victory Theatre, located on New York’s 42nd Street, is described as the city’s first and only not for profit performing arts venue for kids and families. It has a programme that covers a multitude of artistic disciplines and draws on traditions from a variety of cultures. Alongside performances and family workshops the theatre also seeks to offer performing arts education and engagement, new work development and furthers paid youth employment and training. Pentagram...

Opinion by Richard Baird Ascari is an Italian restaurant which two locations, one on Queens Street East and another newly opened establishment on King St West. Toronto, Canada. It is named after the proprietor’s hero, Formula 1 legend, Alberto Ascari, (who was also known for his love of food). To reflect both the passion for good simple food and racing, design studio Blok developed an identity that brings together the visual cues and photography of 1950’s motor sport with a modern use of colour–the striking blue of Alberto Ascari’s helmet–and the outlines and solid fill logotype...

Opinion by Richard Baird. Fluvia is a range of adaptable lighting solutions from LED Simon that intends to offer a creative freedom in commercial and private lighting projects. Design, rather than an absolute utility, is an essential and unifying quality of the range with products developed to be attractive and convenient, easy to use and deploy within a space, and broken down and recycled. To cast aside its corporate image and convey a sense of contemporary elegance, Fluvia worked with Spanish graphic design studio Folch to develop a richer and more distinct graphic identity...