Production Junction

So my friends over at GRID Magazine contacted me. They were in need of new counter top displays and distribution racks for their publication. The problem was, they needed them to be really durable, as well as functional. All while giving them a unique visual appeal to set them apart from the crowd.

    The Problem: I needed to come up with two designs that would look great, give GRID the image it wants AND do the job. They needed to be constructed out of wood and metal. Plus, they need to be reproducible.

    Design #1: The Counter Top Display needed to be really appealing and built solid. That way if it falls or gets knocked over, it doesn't break. Also, it needs to showcase the magazine well when it's on display.

    Design #2: The Distribution Rack also needed to be really appealing and built solid. Hold as many magazines as possible, without looking over burdened. All while trying to compete with other more mainstream publication racks.

After coming up with several design options for each and some deliberation with the folks at Grid...Alex, Claire, Jaime and I chose two designs that we thought would work best. Once those decisions were made...fabrication and production began.

Here is a glimpse at the production line.

  

 

Here is the Solution for Design Problem #1: The Counter Top Display. It utilizes a grid-like pattern made of steel with a knockout for the logo. Paired to a wood back and base. It is quite durable and has some weight to it for stability.

Here is the Solution for Design Problem #2: The Distribution Rack. It utilizes a three tiered vertical slot design. In order to showcase the logo multiple times when the rack is full with publications. Also, it gives it some dynamic appeal rather than a purely static, repetitive feel. The rack has a bottom shelf as well. This bottom shelf is for storing a fresh supply of magazines to replenish the upper tiers. This enables the rack to hold as many magazines as possible without over-burdening the "display" area of the Rack.

Overall, this project went really well. I'm very happy with the outcome of the designs and the quality of production. My friends over at GRID are thrilled as well and they were a pleasure to work with. Go pick up the latest copy now and let me know what you think of their new digs. 

EA-

The Coffee House: Brewed Bike Appeal

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The Coffee House is a fairly new shop to the Philadelphia coffee scene. It's located at 113 W. Girard ave. right at Front and Girard. I stumbled upon it one day, because it was close to my studio and I was out getting lunch. What's better after lunch then a cup of coffee?

After weeks of going in there I was hooked. Derrick, the owner, is a rad dude and his employees are all really nice people. If you like coffee and enjoy a good place to drink it...go check out The Coffee House! Not only that, It's now bike friendly too.

Derrick, approached me one day about making a bike rack. There was nowhere to park your bike. You would have to either walk a block or risk locking to a very small tree. So... I got started sketching.

Here is the design I came up with, that I like to call "Drop Top Down". It maximizes space well, offers a double duty purpose (bike rack and community bulletin board) and parks the most bikes in the smallest amount of space. It does so by utilizing angled bike parking. It works really well on tight sidewalks too. Why don't you go get a cup of coffee and ride a bike there. It might just become your new favorite Java spot.













Derrick also wanted to bookend the bulletin board with plants, so I fabricated planter trays on each end.









Beyond what it was designed for...apparently it can accommodate scooter parking as well. Hmmm.

A Little Reassurance.

My friend Bob came to me one day with a problem. He, as many Philadelphians can relate to, wanted a secure place to lock his bikes at home. With no room inside, he needed to resort to locking his two bikes outside. Oh, what luxury space can be.

I suggested the obvious...bike racks of course. Bob, however did not want to lock them on the street in front of his house. Rather, he wanted to lock them in the somewhat wide breezeway leading to his back yard. This way they could be safe, AND out of the elements. Good idea.

With little room to spare, I came up with a hitching post style bike rack for each bike. I wanted to keep them simple and to the point, while giving them a bit of style. Take a look.







These racks turned out well. They are simple and to the point, yet kind of elegant. I like 'em! What do you think?
EA-

Eye Candy Anyone?

I've had another request for eye appealing security windows. Eye Candy's Tim Sagges gave me a call with the question: "Can you do window bars that don't look like window bars?". I love a good challenge. "Of course I can."

See, Tim just expanded his small business from one store, to two. He recently opened a store in Liberties Walk, An ever growing entity in Northern Liberties, and he wants to protect his investment with class. He needs security bars across his six window storefront.

Tim, had shown me some examples of what he had seen and what he liked, colors, etc., then we went from there. With a little thought, some design time and a little artistic license, I came up with a set of drawings.


I went with a Mondrian style grid pattern. It's has a light feel, a flowing pattern and some style. This way the store has security with a sense of design, that overshadows the actual "window bars". They will also appear less static due to the hierarchy in grid pattern, giving an air of movement.


Tim liked the design... Yee-haw! That's cowboy for: Awesome! Now I just needed to figure out how to make it. Sometimes it's hard to translate a drawing into actual procedure. That definitely was the hardest part of this project. But, I figured it out and came up with a plan of action.

I wound up using 1 1/4" x 1/8" flat steel as the main material. Then, I laid out each window design with a grid pattern on my welding table. With the pattern set, I cut each piece to length, then actually slotted all the intersections. It was a little time consuming (maybe a little more than I would have liked), but the outcome was exactly what I wanted. Check it out.

After many, many hours and once again, lots of coffee... the process was dialed and the fabrication was complete. I slapped on a couple coats of color-matched paint and called it a day. I'm proud to say this one is a success. Take a look at the finished work.

Hey look, there's Tim.

The store looks great. The windows look great. Tim's Happy. I'm Happy. Another great project completed. So, if you want a closer look, go to the store and see for yourself.
EA-