Sneak peek of Fontself Mobile by a Swiss startup called Fontself offers a suite of colorful, customizable mobile fonts. Their current library of typefaces makes me shiver, but I love the idea.
(thank you Maria)
Soap Flakes
Swiss Nathalie Staempfli designed two ingenious soap dispensers that turn a soap bar into beautiful little soap flakes. One version attaches to the wall and allows you to use it with one hand. The other version is a grater that can stand by itself. It can be placed in the same way as a shower gel or shampoo.
Soap bars are more concentrated than liquid soap which has an ecological benefit: You don’t transport water around the globe and they only use paper for packaging. The solid blocks can easily be piled and allow a greater space efficiency during transportation.
This invention already made my week: Soap Flakes.
(Thank you Jason)
relativity
The first official exhibition of the london based gallery ‹between› featured 10 young designers and design studios around the world. They were all invited to think and respond to the meaning of the word ‹between›.
Swiss designer Marcus Kraft contributed a triptych which was an attempt to translate Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity into a piece of concept art: Sometimes, one second can change your whole life. On the other hand, a whole year can feel very boring, unimportant and dull. What if one year is as long as one day or even one second? — Maybe there’s no difference at all.
2011 diary
If you’re into paper timers, you should consider this playful 2011 diary by Swiss Julie Joliat with more than 50 connect-the-dots puzzles. But that’s not all, it also contains a lot of useful information, like maps, popular holidays, wine chart, monthly and weekly plannings. (It’s currently sold out but more should arrive early January!)
ruckXbob
RuckXbob is a combination of backpack and bobsled. The below video is a bit long/slow, but at 3:13 you can see the ruckXbob in action. What I find impressive is that it seems to work perfectly fine in powder. Looks like so much fun! Wheeeee!
It’s a new Swiss product and their site is currently in German only. But I am sure, if you email them, they’ll respond.
Wogg 49 built-in cupboard
I am a WOGG fan as it is. This Built-In Cupboard just pushed me over the edge. Yes, please!
lichtscheibe
Some of the things I buy for my kids I actually buy for myself. Yes, I admit it. Lichtscheibe falls into that category. It is a fascinating little illustration of colour theory: rotate the discs in their primary colours (red, blue and yellow) and combine them with each other to create the secondary colours (purple, orange and green). The suction cup allows you to fix the discs to a window and thus catch and play with the light coming from outside.
Lichtscheibe is beautiful and educational. Total winner. And hey, it’s SWISS! #yay
Olaf Breuning
Olaf Breuning is a Switzerland based artist. His work makes me look:
CAN SOMEONE TELL US WHY WE ARE HERE ??, 2006
SNOWMEN, 2006
INDEPENDENCE DAY, 1997
CLOUDS, 2008
Retro Photography of Modern Switzerland
Project Clack! by Zürich photographer Matthias Bünzli is an artistic throwback to the beginnings of travel photography.
(via NewlySwissed)
UFOS flying around my head
The latest issue of FREITAG’s The Daily Reference made me smile. More info here.
FREITAG am Donnerstag: Talk 3
This thursday will be last of our three «FREITAG am Donnerstag» talks, a mini lecture series I am curating and partially moderating for FREITAG, to celebrate their new REFERENCE collection.
So far, Khoi Vinh and David Rowan have been so generous to share their thinking and insights in two exciting talks. This thursday, Peter Hossli will be sharing his thoughts on the topic of journalism at the FREITAG REFERENCE editorial space in Zurich that the bros. have set up for the month of September. (read more here)
Space is extremely limited (50 spots max). 25 spots will go to a carefully selected group of people but 25 slots will each time be available for swissmiss readers. Maybe you? (No worries, for those of you who can’t make it either because you are too far away or you didn’t get a slot, we will tape the talks and then share here on swissmiss.)
Peter Hossli, Reporter SonntagsBlick Magazine
September 23rd, 8.30am – 1oam
Moderated by the FREITAG bros.
Send us an email if you’d like to attend this thursday’s talk with Peter Hossli. (These talks will be in a rather intimate setting and we anticipate a lively discussion after each talk. We’d love to have people attend with a serious interest in the topic of journalism and media.)
Send your email to FREITAG@swiss-miss.com. (Please note this event is in ZURICH!)
We will get back to you and let you know if you made it on the list.
Base
I dream of a loooong (!) table in my home. I never want to run out of space for dinner guests to join the table, conversation. This beauty of a table caught my eye. Designed by Switzerland based This Reber.
The Daily Reference
For the month of September, FREITAG is printing a daily newspaper, called THE DAILY REFERENCE. Above is the latest issue. (printed on a 200 year old letterpress machine) Find out more here.
swissgerman lessons via twitter
Here’s a twitter account that I just discovered that made me chuckle: @swiss-german teaches you a swiss german word a day. While I don’t fully agree with some of the words, as we say things a little differently in my Heimat corner of the alps, but nevertheless, it made me smile. G, this is for you!
FREITAG am Donnerstag
I am happy to announce «FREITAG am Donnerstag» (Friday on Thursday), a mini lecture series I am curating and partially moderating for FREITAG, to celebrate their new REFERENCE collection.
Three renowned international speakers are going to share their thoughts on the topic of journalism and media. The «FREITAG am Donnerstag» talk series will take place at the FREITAG REFERENCE editorial space in Zurich that the bros. have set up for the month of September. (read more here)
Space is extremely limited (50 spots max). 25 spots will go to a carefully selected group of people but 25 slots will each time be available for swissmiss readers. Maybe you? (No worries, for those of you who can’t make it either because you are too far away or you didn’t get a slot, we will tape the talks and then share here on swissmiss.)
SPEAKERS:
Khoi Vinh, former NewYorkTimes.com Design Director
September 9th, 8.30am – 10am
Moderated by swissmiss.
David Rowan, Editor WIRED Magazine UK
September 17th, 8.30am – 10am
Moderated by the FREITAG bros.
(We realize that the series is called Friday on Thursday but this event is happening on a friday. Consider this one talk ‘Friday on Friday’)
Peter Hossli, Reporter SonntagsBlick Magazine
September 23rd, 8.30am – 1oam
Moderated by the FREITAG bros.
HOW TO SIGN UP:
Get your name on the list of potential attendees by sending us an email with your preferred date/speaker in the subject line. These talks will be in a rather intimate setting and we anticipate a lively discussion after each talk. We’d love to have people attend with a serious interest in the topic of journalism and media.
Send your email to FREITAG@swiss-miss.com.
We will get back to you and let you know if you made it on the list.
FREITAG Reference Collection
I can’t get over how unbelievably cool this brand new FREITAG Reference bag collection is. They sure are starting a new chapter in their book. The Reference line is a collection of 14 horse-messenger inspired bags and accessories bags for medialites and urbanites.
My personal favorites?
FREITAG / The Daily Reference
FREITAG, the swiss truck tarp bag and accessories company is one day away of launching just launched a fantastic (!) new collection of bags called REFERENCE Line. They’ve chosen and unusual and superinteresting approach in celebrating this new launch:
More than 15 years after they started FREITAG, they finally know what they’re about: cycles. They cycle to work. They cycle tarps. And they think in cycles. So they are devoting one month (this month) to creating a newspaper called THE DAILY REFERENCE which cycles content:
How does it work?
1. They get newspapers
2. They cut them up
3. They transcreate, you transcreate
4. They manufacture a recontextualized print product
From September 3rd through 30th, daily at 8:00am a team with the Bros. and guests comes together for coffee and snippets at the REFERENCE editorial space in Zurich. They cut up newspapers like they cut up tarps – with an eye for visual junctures – and comment on them in 140-character statements. The same snippets are uploaded for your own 140-character transcreation which reach Grüngasse by means of a ticker. Best line wins.
The next morning at 8:00am THE DAILY REFERENCE is sealed: The ultimate commentary makes the front page. The others are collected on the B-side and printed on their lead press for distribution. This happens every day. For the finissage on September 30th, all THE DAILY REFERENCES are reunited and published simply as THE REFERENCE. A user aided, cycled content compilation that mimicks FREITAG, in thought, word and deed.
From September 3rd through September 30th, the REFERENCE editorial space is open at Grüngasse in Zurich (Mo-Fr 7.30am thru 7.00pm, Sat 11am thru 5.00pm). During this time, what used to be the two founders’ studio is turned into a newsroom and printing facility – with a two hundred year old bookpress, a coffee machine, the REFERENCE line on display and the Bros. (no promises, but yes, they are working out of Grüngasse in September).
The bros are asking for your 140 character input for their daily newspaper. FREITAG would like you to send them your transcreational commentary (max. 140 characters). Make sure to start your message with the number of the snippet you are commenting on. (check on their site and scroll down to THE DAILY REFERENCE section.)
The REFERENCE editorial space will also serve as reading room, where coffee, current international newspapers and the new product line are on display for your enjoyment.
You can go by the REFERENCE editorial space and hand deliver your 140-character commentary. And, if you’re lucky, you get to say hi to the bros. You can watch the editorial team in action and get your copy of THE DAILY REFERENCE if you show up after 5pm. And, of course, you get to check out their new bag collection and buy a REFERENCE bag.
And I’ll be at the editorial space sometime wednesday (september 8th) mid-afternoon myself. Why? I’ll let you know a little bit later today. Check back!
More info: Freitag-Reference.ch | freitag.ch
Map to REFERENCE Editorial Space
