Ikea has found an indelible place as a resource for objects to bring order to our messy homes. Now emerges the prospect of Ikea becoming a home in itself:
The Oslo Ikea is opening up a no-charge hostel for shoppers who want to keep on shopping the next morning. It includes a bridal suite, and a luxury suite with breakfast in bed.
 | Reports of the ever-expanding nation of Warcraft subscribers, now 9 mission strong and soon to be released in China... |
There is a world that came into existence only 2 years and 8 months ago. In this world, at least 7 languages are spoken. There are villages and metropolises. There's trade and commerce. There are wars and treaties. And there's been a population explosion. This week, that world hit a milestone—reaching 9 million inhabitants. That's more than the entire population of Somalia, and only slightly smaller than Sweden.
David Byrne reflects on the increasing tendency for design to move away from the sterility of 'good taste' by seeking out the ugly, like East German design:
But if as a designer you want to be really hip and to appeal to those who deem themselves above mere tasteful design, then you have to have to work a little harder. One way to achieve this ultra cool surprise is to look intentionally bad, but to drop little visual ironic winks into the mix so that the audience knows it’s not really buying a record by a crappy East German band.
This sets up design as an inherently dialectical process, based on the constant struggle by new voices to assert themselves against established styles.
