fuwagardner

Latest issue of Spanish magazine

2011-06-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

Junko writes...

The latest issue of Spanish magazine (number 36) has just been published. This edition features a raft of young and talented designers from Valencia, which looks like the place to be if you are searching for the next big thing in Spanish design. There's also news about some exciting hotel opening and what's new from Spain at the Milan Furniture Fair and ICFF New York.

News round-up from Gareth

2010-11-24T04:16:00.000-08:00

The Shard under construction

Gareth writes:

Because I've got my own blog, I don't really post news items on here relating to my work. But I thought it might be a good idea to do a brief digest of some recent posts, in case you aren't aware of the existence of my blog.

A review of Eric de Maré at RIBA Gallery 2
Superb shots from one of Britain's best-ever architectural photographers

My photos of Oliver Sweeney store in Manchester published by Building Design's BD Reviews magazine
Sexy shoe shop in Manchester's Spinningfields development

Exclusive images of London's Shard under construction
Taken from the top of King's Reach Tower

New service offering wireless review of images during photo shoots
From camera to iPad in a couple of seconds

Commissioned shots of Jamie's Italian at Westfield
Eclectic environment for Jamie Oliver restaurant

Review of Düsseldorf Quadriennale
Including exclusive coverage of Stephen Shore's Der Rote Bulli exhibition

There should be something there for everyone! And remember to keep checking back for updates.

Latest issue of spanish out now

2010-11-16T08:43:00.000-08:00

Junko writes:

I have just finished work on the 35th issue of spanish, which features the very best of contemporary products, new launches and emerging designers from Spain. It also includes round-ups of design shows including 100% Design London, Orgatec and Tokyo Designers Week.

100% Norway 2010

2010-11-16T08:34:00.001-08:00

Junko writes:
I was once again in charge of the graphics for 100% Norway this year. The event celebrated its seventh year by showcasing some of the best Norwegian design companies and manufacturers, including LK Hjelle, Fjordfiesta, Wik & Walsøe and Kristine Bjaadal. The exhibition is currently planned to be travelling outside of UK, to Norway and The United States in 2011.

The images shown here are taken from the official catalogue.

New identity, print and website for Jones Associates Architects

2010-08-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

Gareth writes:

We have just completed the new identity, print and website design for Jones Associates Architects, a London-based practice specialising in residential projects.

I have been photographing projects for Jones Associates for several years, and it was really exciting for Fuwagardner to subsequently work on a complete brand solution that includes printed stationery as well as the design and content of a new website.

The finished branding is contemporary yet classic, with an emphasis on precise typography that reflects the attention to detail found in the practice's architecture. A colour palette of warm greys reinforces the approachable, friendly yet professional ethos of Jones Associates.

Christopher Jones adds: 'It was great to have the same people involved from initial photography of the projects to their final presentation on the new website. This allows a really consistent and coherent identity to be developed, which clearly reflects the ethos of the practice.'

Stationery design included business cards, compliments slips, envelopes, stickers and letterheads, as well as the ability to use the new identity on architectural drawings and embedded within emails. Meanwhile the website was designed to be simple to navigate, offering an eye-catching showcase for the practice's recently-completed projects.

'We wanted to keep the appearance of the website clean and coherent,' explains Fuwagardner's Junko Fuwa. 'Careful observations were constantly required to ensure the overall design was in tune with the practice's style of work.'

Christopher sees the branding and website work as an essential investment 'both to consolidate the business and enable its future development'.

You can visit the new website at www.jones-associates.co.uk

Spanish issue 33 is out!

2010-06-01T05:02:00.000-07:00

Junko writes...

Cover: Lava bench designed by Karim Rashid for Vondom

I have just finished designing another issue of spanish magazine for ICEX (Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade) and the Spanish Embassy in London. This summer issue is bursting with the latest designs from Spain's contemporary product design sector, which includes a round-up of new products at Salone del Mobile 2010, construction of the new Dubai Airport Terminal 3 and a profile of an exciting industrial design team Dhemen Design. Next issue of spanish is due out in early August.
www.icex.es

New identity and website for Jones Associates Architects

2010-03-11T08:55:00.000-08:00

We are currently working on a new brand identity and website for Jones Associates Architects, writes Gareth.

During the last few years I have photographed a number of projects for Jones Associates, beginning with a house in Highbury (above) for David Littlefield's book Home: Investing in Design.

It's great to have the opportunity to work on a complete solution - spanning photography, brand architecture and website - delivering a consistent tone and message.

Jones Associates Architects is a small practice based in north London that specialises in residential projects. As soon as the project is completed, we will post the results!

Article on print marketing by Gareth in FX magazine March 2010

2010-03-05T03:42:00.000-08:00

FX magazine recently commissioned me to write an article regarding the use of printed materials as part of the marketing campaigns for design-focused companies. It gave me a great opportunity to feature Catalogue 3, the book fuwagardner recently completed for architecture/interiors/design practice Project Orange.

You can read the full article here.

Total Yahama Visual Project

2010-03-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

Fuwagardner has just completed work on an exciting creative project with the Yamaha Design Studio, London. We have helped them to curate and commission a series of images - photography and illustration - for the Total Yamaha Visual Project.

Yamaha and Yamaha Motor have collaborated with a number of cutting-edge artists, creating visual artworks that represent the ethos and philosophy of the two brands.

The Wallpaper* Fab 40 (and some excitement from Japan)

2010-01-07T05:30:00.000-08:00

Junko writes...

I was recently commissioned to reveal local trend secrets from her native Japan, as part of Wallpaper*'s Fab 40 issue. My insider knowledge included sportswear by Naoki Takizawa, a trendy agricultural magazine (yes, they do exist), and the latest fads in vegetable cakes. You can read all about it here>

Talking of Japan, I recently spent my holidays sampling the best the country has to offer during the autumn and winter months. And visiting those places was a hundred times better than just writing about them!

Here are my holiday highlights:

Kyoto

The Screen Hotel is a delightful design hotel to stay in. All 13 rooms are designed by different designers, and I stayed in room 102 designed by Akihiko Shimada. The room even comes with cool bespoke cushions called Takara-zukushi, which means an assortment of Japanese lucky symbols.

The hotel's design is definitely something to talk about but the best thing was the small army of the young, friendly and helpful (and super good-looking if this is important) staff. A place to stay in Kyoto for design and comfort conscious travellers.
http://www.the-screen.jp/en/index.html

Toba, Mie Prefecture

Since its opening in 2008, The Earth's popularity has been growing so rapidly in Japan that I had to reserve a room six months in advance. It was worth the effort; the small and beautiful hot spring inn was a perfect place to unwind. All 16 rooms are designed with a well-executed combination of modern and traditional Japanese methods by Ishii Architect Associates, and each comes with a private outdoor onsen to admire the incredible view of Pacific Ocean. If this is not enough, the hotel also has an observatory for an uninterrupted view of the sea and star gazing at night.
http://www.the-earth.in/

Mount Aso, Kyushu

Kai Aso sits on a vantage point from where guests can admire the live volcano of the Aso mountain range. No architectural feature is compromised by the superb location, and the building and interiors of the hotel conjure up images of Frank Lloyd Wright's modernist houses. Each suite is free-standing and is dotted within the hotel's landscaped garden. A Tokyo-based design office, age, has successfully created the ideal place to relax after a day of sightseeing around Mount Aso. The service and the food are also outstanding.
http://www.kairesort.jp/aso/index.php

NB: All photographs were taken by Ken Edwards - thanks Ken!
To explore more of his work, visit http://kenedwards.org.uk/image/

100% Design show video

2010-01-04T07:41:00.000-08:00

We have just completed editing and production of the 2009 show video for 100% Design London, using footage supplied by the client. You can watch the results here>

100% Norway 2009 graphics

2009-09-28T04:01:00.000-07:00

Invitation design

What with 100% Design and our book for Project Orange, it has been a busy summer. But that hasn't stopped Junko once again working with 100% Norway - the third year she has been involved with this prestigious project.

Held at 100% Design, the 100% Norway stand showcases both emerging and established Norwegian designers. Junko worked with curators Henrietta Thompson (Wallpaper* design & arts editor) and Benedicte Sunde (Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture). The exhibition was organised by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in London, working with the Norwegian Design Council, Innovation Norway and Norsk Industri.

Junko was responsible for designing and producing a range of different materials for this year's event. These included the show catalogue, invitation to the official launch party, information labels used as part of the exhibition design and press bag.

Sample spreads from the exhibition catalogue

Junko and Gareth enjoy a glass of something fizzy at the launch party, held at Sir John Soane's Holy Trinity Church, Marylebone (Photo: Ken Edwards)

100% Design London Essential Guide now online

2009-09-21T03:54:00.000-07:00

The digital version of this year's 100% Design London Essential Guide has gone online. It's packed full of key trends and directions at this year's show, new product launches and news about special features.

The magazine, which has been produced by fuwagardner, is available to view at www.100percentdesign.co.uk/essentialguide

Ordnance Survey maps provide 100% Inspiration

2009-09-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

I have been asked to provide content for the forthcoming 100% Inspiration installation at this year's 100% Design London exhibition. Curated by JAM, the installation looks at British sources of inspiration. Members of the 100% Design selection panel have each been asked to come up with something that represents the show to them.

Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps were picked because of their information-rich, highly efficient piece of navigational design - which can also double up as an umbrella in a rainstorm. I think the orange cover is pretty sexy too, and certainly is uplifting on a rainy day. They just need to commission some better photos for the covers!

This particular map was picked for the photo simply because it was at the top of a very big pile, which not only provides a useful way of finding your way from A to B but is also a memory bank of some of the amazing places around the UK that I've visited over recent years. Arundel was the subject of a minibreak earlier this year, with a fantastic walk with the Knit Nurse through Arundel Castle park and along the Arun valley.

Catalogue Three ready for pre-order on Amazon

2009-08-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

No sooner has our book for Project Orange safely made it to the printer - fantastic London-based Ripping Image - than it pops up on Amazon, available for pre-order. And at a bargain price too!
Place your order here>

Catalogue Three for Project Orange nears completion

2009-08-10T04:15:00.000-07:00

Junko and I are hard at work on the finishing touches for Catalogue 3, a new publication for architecture/interiors practice Project Orange. Here Junko can be seen working on a running order for the images. Working closely with Project Orange, we have curated the project. It is the third in a series of publications produced by the practice which showcase their work in different ways. Our concept for Catalogue 3 is of a catalogue for an exhibition of 50 photographs of their recent work. The book is due to be launched in early September.

100% Design London creative 2009

2009-04-30T04:34:00.000-07:00

Fuwagardner - the creative agency I run with Junko Fuwa - has been working with The Neighbourhood on this year's marketing imagery for 100% Design. The result is a hybrid photo/CGI image that communicates the creative inspiration provided by a visit to the show. We're now busy working with the image for a wide range of marketing materials including tickets, magazine adverts and direct mails.

100% Design London Essential Guide 2008

2008-09-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

Junko has kindly sent over a selection of recent fuwagardner work, which will eventually get uploaded onto our website. However, in case you missed it, I thought I'd upload some sample pages from the Essential Guide 2008. It was great to see people walking round Earls Court at 100% Design, using it to find their way around.

About fuwagardner

2008-01-10T02:38:00.000-08:00

Fuwagardner is the creative collaboration of art director, graphic designer and journalist Junko Fuwa and photographer, film-maker and writer Gareth Gardner.

Fuwagardner works with a wide range of clients, but in particular has an association with the architecture and design industries. Junko is former art director of Blueprint, while Gareth was editor of FX magazine and features editor of Building Design.

We offer a complete portfolio of design and marketing solutions, ranging from brand identity and copywriting, to art direction, photography, graphic design and film.

Fuwagardner can help you to define your brand and communicate it effectively, through design, words and images.