Spiele: Otl Aicher’s Olympic Graphic Design

An exhibition of graphic design by the office of Otl Aicher for the 1972 Munich Olympics. Curated by Joe Miller at the San José State University.

Yet another exhibit I was able to attend in these few last months of the year. The exhibit was originally going to be from August 26 to September 26, but it got extended until October 17, 2008.

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Scandinavian Modernism at SFO

So I’m driving down to the San Francisco airport very tired on a long Sunday to take my sister to her red eye flight back to México. We usually stay for a bit, while they leave. But this time I almost ran out of time to be with them. I got very distracted by this exhibit called “Scandinavian Modernism – In Pursuit of Function and Beauty“.

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The Birth of the Cool is over.

I was able to visit this exhibition that Sadly, is over now. At least in Oakland, the closest location to where I live. It was the work of Elizabeth Armstrong that has been put together in a matter of about three years. It was so inspiring to see all these works of art at one place. The compiled work included Painting, Architecture, Furniture, Graphic Design, Photography, Music, Film and even animation from many Mid Century Artists from Southern California. A timeline highlighting national and international culture and history of the 1950’s also formed part of this gallery.

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Vinyl Findings!

Stanley Kubrick has been very influential to me for his vision for film and design and so has the work of the great Factory Records Sleeve designer (including Joy Division and New Order most sold records) Peter Saville. Can’t forget to mention the controversial Blue Monday’s Single Record Sleeve (third one down). There’s even an owners club. All the shapes on the middle as well as some of the edges have been die cut to resemble the old floppy disk. It was the “New Format” and so was New Order’s music. I thought I share some of my recent vinyl findings.

Design: Various   |   Year: Various   |   Photos: Javier García

Sustainable Trends

Sustainable is smart and all because of eggs…maybe?.
In 1911 Joseph Coyle invented an egg carton made of paper that kept the eggs safe. Similar technologies are still used today not just in the food industry but it’s now moving deeper into packaging and other industries.
I just can’t help but feel bad about how many packaging materials get wasted, thrown in the trash can because you can’t recycle it from home. Unfortunately, people are just too lazy to deliver them to those designated recycling places.
On the other hand I feel good every time I receive a sustainable package that I can easily recycle. I’m glad the industry is choosing greener approaches to packaging and not only that but they are starting to use it as a graphic element that in my opinion looks very fresh and modern yet sustainable.

Here are some examples:


Pangea Organics: IDEO together with UFP Technologies, Inc. developed this sustainable branding approach to its packaging.


Pangea Organics packaging is not only made using zero-waste process with 100% post-consumer paper, but they also managed to trow organic seeds in the mix so you can plant your box and a nice little plant would grow out of it.

Greenbottle: A cardboard outer that is made from pulped recycled cardboard – using egg carton technology with an inner sleeve of compostable plastic made from corn starch.


Aveda: Aveda design team members used Aveda’s core principles to develop the Uruku Lipstick Package. Using sustainability concepts of recycled, reuse, natural, and renewable, the Uruku molded pulp outer package is made from 100% recycled newsprint, with a soy-ink printed, 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content paper sleeve.

Additional information:
Joseph L. Coyle
Molded Pulp
International Molded Fibre Association
Advanced Paper Forming
EnviroPak
UFP Technologies, Inc.