China claims world’s longest high-speed rail line, takes travelers 1,428 miles in a workday
China has a thing for pushing the limits of trains. As of today, that includes distance: the country claims to have the world’s longest high-speed rail line. Paying ¥865 ($139) will take you 1,428 miles from Beijing in the north to as far as Guangzhou in the south. The 8-hour, 186MPH trip is technically slower than flying, but it’s cheaper and potentially less stressful than the often protracted airport boarding process. It’s certainly far more viable than the 20-hour rail trip it’s replacing, which could lead to some locals choosing a ground route that wasn’t even a realistic option until now.
[Image credit: Xinhuanet]
Filed under: Transportation
Via: Wall Street Journal
Source: Gaotie (translated)
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X Marks the Finnish Line
Set to open in early 2013 the University of the Arts Helsinki (“Taideyliopisto” in Finnish) is the new organizational name for the merger of three existing universities: the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, the Sibelius Academy (music) and the Theatre Academy Helsinki. The first two were established in the mid to late 1800s while the latter in 1979, and together they have around 2,000 enrolled students. The new name was accepted in January and this week they introduced their identity, designed by Helsinki-based Bond.
Previous logos for the three institutions.
Brand assets.
[Google-translated, as my Finnish is not as good as it used to be when never.]
University of the Arts is a common sign of a reduced, feel free to X. At the same text with custom designed logos to complete the look. Sign is ambiguous, such as art. Signal can be seen, for example the starting point and destination, meeting place, location, Signatures, an unknown force, a warning, issue and solution.Art is the nature of the University. We want to be Finland’s most attractive university and an active social actor. Our new look describes these things
The reduced expression leaves room for art and each college’s own profile for the construction, says the rector of the Academy of Fine Markus Konttinen.
— Press release
The new logo in English and Finnish.
The new logo on seizure.
The logos for each institution. Small above, large below.
The previous logos were all conservative, dignified, and signified “higher education”. These new logos, for the main university and its three ducklings, are a bunch of rebellious hooligans out to prove their parents wrong about why they shouldn’t have become lawyers or doctors. It’s not an easy set of logos to digest but they are great. They are full of energy and attitude. The execution is pretty “good”. It’s actually really hard to pull off this kind of deconstruction in a convincing way and here they’ve done it for three different names in two different languages. The “X” feels (rather contradicting) both gratuitous, as it doesn’t visually match the typography, and necessary, as it serves as an anchor of recognition amongst the three universities. I do like the idea of “X” as a central point for arts converging but it seems like it needs better integration with the identity. We talk a lot about art and design universities not feeling very creative when they redesign. Well, folks, this is it. This is an art and design university being as creative and bombastic and adventurous and weird as it gets. The result is divisive: you either hate it or you love it. Either way, it beats playing it safe.
T-shirt image via The Branding Source. I keep wanting to click that “X” to close it.
Thanks to Marjo Loponen for the tip.
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Taking Industrial Materials to the Next Level: IVANKA Concrete Fashion Line
This post is dedicated to all of you out there with a strange passion for… concrete. We’ve seen many examples of concrete furniture on Freshome, it is time to take it up a notch and present this incredible fashion line by Budapest-based design company IVANKA. According to the studio’s official description, their entire work is based on the versatile nature of CONCRETE, “main material chosen for creative expression through discovering unexplored attributes”. Concrete Genezis is the name of this new clothing collection presented in the photos below and based on a new textile that mimics the look of the industrial material.
Most of the designs presented by IVANKA consist of a merger between actual concrete and genuine leather: “Formerly strangers to one another, the introduction between these two materials translates beautifully into these eye-catching and wearable must-have items”. The idea for the intriguing clothing line hit founders Katalin Ivanka and Andras Ivanka during a photo shooting session in which they wore clothing that had been dipped in concrete and then allowed to dry. Find the designs below appealing?
You’re reading Taking Industrial Materials to the Next Level: IVANKA Concrete Fashion Line originally posted on Freshome.
The post Taking Industrial Materials to the Next Level: IVANKA Concrete Fashion Line appeared first on Freshome.com.
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5 CommentsTokyoflash releases the Kisai Logo, treads the line between confusing and amazing (video)
Extraordinary Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash adds to its line of outlandish timepieces with the Kisai Logo. Much like its brethren, its face can’t be easily read by the uninitiated, with a block representing hours running around digitally displayed minutes. Wrapped in a classy stainless steel and colored acetate, it’s got an EL backlight for use in the dark and a hidden binary mode for demonstrating your intellectual credentials. Like the company’s other devices, it’s available for the first 48 hours of its life for $99 (€78 or £63) before September 27th, when prices increase to $139 (€110, £88) and you can find plenty of explanatory details in the video after the break.
Filed under: Wearables
Tokyoflash releases the Kisai Logo, treads the line between confusing and amazing (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Panasonic expands smart home appliance line, adds Android Smart App, cloud services
If a wireless light bulb wasn’t quite the Jetson’s style future you were hoping for, perhaps Panasonic‘s planned expansion of its smart home appliances will better scratch that itch. From next month, there’ll be an Android app to let you remotely operate appliances, view energy savings and program settings via NFC. Hardware-wise, the electronics giant is introducing connected air conditioners, refrigerators, washer-dryers as well as smaller devices such as blood pressure monitors and calorie meters. Along with remote control, there appears to be some supportive cloud-based services too, such as reporting device faults to customer service and generating reports (from the healthcare products). When can you get a taste of the future? September 25th if you live in Orbit City Japan. As for the rest of the world? We’ll just have to be patient.
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Filed under: Household
Panasonic expands smart home appliance line, adds Android Smart App, cloud services originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 05:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Inhabitat’s Week in Green: origami Yoda, high-speed rail line and a self powered building
It’s been a great week for two of our favorite things over at Inhabitat: LEGOs and Star Wars. First, a group of LEGO builders from LEGOLAND Windsor built the tallest LEGO tower ever, snatching the title back from South Korea and returning it to the UK. Then, using 152,455 LEGO bricks, Rolls-Royce built a half-size replica of the jet engine that powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. In one of the most ingenious LEGO constructions ever built, LEGO pro Rene Hoffmeister built a barrel organ that plays the Star Wars theme song. And in other Star Wars news, we reported on the renovation of Luke Skywalker’s boyhood home in Tatooine (actually it’s in Tunisia). And finally, we shared a photo of this 7-centimeter-tall origami Yoda — the most adorable bit of Star Wars memorabilia ever made.
Inhabitat’s Week in Green: origami Yoda, high-speed rail line and a self powered building originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jul 2012 12:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Leave a commentMaingear teases incoming desktop line, promises smaller towers and Ivy Bridge CPUs
Maingear’s Shift is a force to be feared, but it generally requires an entire wing of one’s home to be assembled and configured. Hyperbole aside, there’s no question that Maingear’s aiming to branch out somewhat after the aforesaid rig’s successful run, today teasing an “all new line of desktops.” We’re told to expect smaller designs with “clean” aesthetics, Vertical Exhaust cooling technology and third-generation Intel Core processors (with factory overclocked options, naturally). Prices are slated to start at $899, though there’s no real clue as to when we’ll see these things up for pre-order. Here’s hoping you didn’t plop down an order last week, huh?
Maingear teases incoming desktop line, promises smaller towers and Ivy Bridge CPUs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Archos outs G10 xs tablet line, readies Transformer Prime contenders
After releasing a teaser earlier today, Archos is now shedding a tiny bit of light on its upcoming G10 xs series. As slides from its recent Paris presser show, the upcoming tabs, of which little is known, will reportedly measure in at only 7.6mm thick, besting the silhouette of Apple’s newest iPad; a figure that bumps up to only 11mm when paired with its companion keyboard dock. The convertible slates are set for a retail debut sometime this year and, despite not sharing the hinged design of ASUS’ Transformer Prime, look to be aimed squarely at that same market space. No information was given as to the lineup’s OS of choice (presumably, Android ICS) or specs, but we do know the devices will retail between 200 to 400 Euros, depending on the configuration. Hop on past the break for a brief video glimpse of this next generation in French-made tablet tech.
Continue reading Archos outs G10 xs tablet line, readies Transformer Prime contenders
Archos outs G10 xs tablet line, readies Transformer Prime contenders originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 18:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Leave a commentNokia Lumia 900 up for pre-order at Microsoft Store, $25 down puts you in line
By now, you’re well aware of the Lumia 900, the LTE-wielding Windows Phone that’s set to do battle with the Titan II on AT&T. While we’re still looking to a March arrival, if you happen to live close to a Microsoft retail store, you can pre-order one of these fine handsets for yourself today. We reached out to the folks in Redmond to confirm the news, who tell us that a Lumia 900 — which has yet to be blessed with an official price — can be secured for just $25. Of course, if you’re nowhere within reach of a Microsoft outlet, well, it appears you’ve got a long drive ahead of you. Anyone road tripping it for this one?
Nokia Lumia 900 up for pre-order at Microsoft Store, $25 down puts you in line originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Stretchy Line
With roots as far back as 1822, DNB, as it is now known, is Norway’s largest bank and financial services group. Last known as DnB NOR, from the 2003 merger of Den norske Bank (DnB) and Gjensidige NOR, DNB currently has more than 2.3 million retail customers and over 200,000 corporate customers with 200 locations across the country. A first peek at the new logo was released earlier this year in June with this unfortunately dopey picture but the official release of the new identity was earlier this month. The identity has been designed by Oslo-based Anti and Snøhetta Design.
The bank in one line: DNB, the bank for all of Norway. The bank for all norwegians, from young to old, as in a solid lifeline. A bank that stretches all along the coast from Nordkapp to Lindesnes, from North to South. DNB welcomes you as a customer, helps meet your needs and is always a professional partner. Serving you as a the bank in a line between you and us. From all of us in the bank to all of our customers.
DNB connects Norway. A Norway in the world that stretches as a line between us. The line between humans. The line that connects us. The line in nature and the line between our services and products — and you. N for Norway. The bank from A to Z.
— Anti project page
There was nothing particularly memorable, in positive or negative way, about the previous logo. If anything, it seemed too aloof and contemporary for a bank of this size. When I first saw the new logo I thought it was particularly bland and basic. I still think it’s a little underdeveloped but the application gives it a little push. It’s not extremely exciting, but there is a nice visual consistency achieved through the extension of the lines of the “N” that works much better in the context of bigger pieces where the logo can bleed than it does in the static logo. I also like the teal color selection that provides a serious and sophisticated look. I am guessing the image of the building above is just a Photoshop rendering but that’s a great extension (pun intended) of the logo. Overall, a definite improvement.
Thanks to Aleksander Rist for first tip.
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