Category — Design

This is the closest I will probably ever get to an olympic medal. The Official website of the Beijing Olympic Games displays the designs for their medals.

The medal for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is designed with inspiration coming from “bi“, China’s ancient jade piece inscribed with a dragon pattern. The medals, made of gold and jade, symbolise nobility and virtue and are the embodiment of traditional Chinese values of ethics and honor, sending forth a strong Chinese flavor.

The medals are 70mm in diameter and 6mm in thickness. On the front side, the medal adopts standard design prescribed by the International Olympic Committee. While on the back, the medal is inlaid with jade with the Beijing Games emblem engraved in the metal centerpiece. The design inspiration of the medal hook derives from jade “huang“, a ceremonial jade piece with decoration ofb and “Pu“, the reed mat pattern.

Noble and elegant, the Beijing Olympic Games medal is a blending of traditional Chinese culture and the Olympism. It gives the winners of the Games great honor and acclamation as recognition of their achievement.

From the Official website of the Beijing Olympic Games

Via Surfstation

Technorati Tags: 2008 Beijing Oympics, China, design, Olympic medals

These are a variant of the pictograms being used for the events at the Beijing Olympics, that the NY Times used in their Olympics section.

Traditional Chinese stamp stylee!

Via SwissMiss

Technorati Tags: Beijing Olympics, China, Chinese stamps, design, sport

Here are some wild animal hair creations by Japanese art director Nagi Noda, photographed by Kenneth Cappello.

Not sure what they’re designed for but they’re great to show what a little quirky creativity can do!

Nagi Noda is known for her direction of music videos, TV commercials and ad campaigns for Coca Cola and Nike.

She turned to the animal kingdom for inspiration in this unique project. The hair pieces depict dogs, lions, cows, rabbits, giraffes, monkeys and other animals.

More on TrendHunter via NotCot

Technorati Tags: animal hair hats, art direction, Japan, Nagi Noda, wild animal hair creations

A collection of five original travel posters by Los Angeles based artist Amy Martin were created where each poster advertises a vacation destination in the far past or distant future.

Clean, retro graphic design was used as seen in these two examples which announce destinations such as Feudal Japan and Tokyo 2.0.

Via io9

Technorati Tags: Amy Martin, Bushido, graphic design, illustration, posters, Feudal Japan, retro, Tokyo 2.0, travel posters

A couple of weeks late, but still commemorative. China debuted new Ten Yuan Notes bearing illustrations for the Olympics.

From adivertido

Via NotCot

Technorati Tags: China, design, money, Olympics

Shiro is a hair salon in Fukui, Japan by architects 1980/Takuya Hosokai + Hiromasa Mori.

I love this design. Apart from its simple, eye-catching looks, the whole concept says ‘sharp‘ in all respects. Great outlines, unusual angles with a little tension, and ’sharp’ is sure to add meaning to their hair dressing services!

Shiro - seen on DeZeen

Technorati Tags: architecture, design, Fukui, hair salon, Hiromasa Mori, interiors, Japan, Shiro, Takuya Hosokai

A lovely and whimsically designed sake bottle from a brewery in Fushimi…

From Kyoto Foodie

Via Liqurious

Technorati Tags: design, Fushimi, Japan, sake bottle

Japanese pop culture themed Hotel Tomo is one of LostAtEMinor’s seven coolest and most individual themed hotels from around the world!

Hotel Tomo is located in the heart of San Francisco’s Japantown and is uniquely themed around Japanese pop culture.

Anime murals and other related art work are just the tip of this theme’s iceberg. The real reason that people love this theme hotel is because there are gaming suites that let adults plop into bean bag chairs and play video games as though they’re just kids hanging out in Tokyo.

The on-site Kabuki Springs Spa gives a little bit of a luxury adult edge to the hotel and reminds visitors that it’s a great place for grown-ups.

Read more on LostAtEMinor

Technorati Tags: anime, architecture, Asian American, design, Hotel Tomo, interiors, Japanese, Japantown, pop culture, Kabuki Springs Spa, San Francisco