2011/01/31

Happiness

A scene of The pursuit of Happyness _ father & child
You may easily recognize this photo is from the film of "The Pursuit of Happyness", one of our recommended film. I am not going to tell you the detail, I hope you can take a break from your work, watch and feel it by yourself.

Happiness - something abstract, can be easily reached; but can also be so apart which seems we don't know each other. The "happyness' that Will Smith come across here  is nothing to do with luxury or desire; but simply SURVIVE. Why is it so difference? so touching, even though we may not have the same experience......

because at the bottom of our heart, we did have the same scenario, some days, some times before - to die for something. Do that "Happiness" still here? or just gone within seconds? hours? days or months?

There are different level of happiness, I believe; to have a long lasting or a most touchable one, will be the total sacrified of our own for somebody we treasure, without calculation of reward or lost.

Official site : The pursuit of Happyness 

自我增值

4 different tea leaf convenience paper cup set
"自我增值" - 這不單適用於人類,對商品而言更是恰當,此話何解?我所指的當然是人為的增值,看看右邊的相片, 這是我在杭州一間酒店內所拍下的宣傳品, 看外面的包裝,頗討好呢, 至少顏色鮮明, 令人覺得內面的茶葉也頗新鮮.

我仔細看看所推銷的是什麽特別貨品?說真的,沒什麽特別,只是四種普通茶葉罷了, 但特別的卻在包裝上.後面用錫袋包着的同類貨品賣5元人民幣; 但放了入前面的有蓋及有茶隔膠柸內, 身價卻增值至10元.結果...我明知這一小柸茶葉不值+塊錢, 我還是買了一柸回香港.

包裝也是產品設計的其中一種,內裡也包含着不少平面設計的元素.處理得宜的話,不單吸引消費者的視線, 燃起購買慾,更令貨品價值提昇.

一套四款的展示,經過悉心包裝,無論自用或作手信,其美觀,實用,方便携帶及在趣味上,肯定己成功達到"自我增值"的目標.在國內,也算是少見成功的包裝貨品.值得一讚!
To increase the value of
product, as commom as tea
leaf here in Hangzhou, 5 RMB
for a bag, 10 RMB for a plastic tea
cup - see? the miracle of Product Design.

2011/01/26

雷生春

雷生春






If we can't preserve what it should originally be, it's better to demolish and let it totally vanish except of what remains...the best memory of what we had.

(Photo: a monument in H.K. that is going to lose her face due to the modification of building usage by the government)


雷生春是一幢古建築,相信沒有人會反對.
雷生春是一間華麗的古老大宅,我認為絕對是.
雷生春是一幢中醫館......

基本上不應該有衝突, 只要保留其建築形態精髓,改變內在用途以配合社會建設,也未常不是好事-這是我原本的想法.

但自重它開始被"翻新"之後,外牆油了奶油黄色,加了光管,拆了鐵拉閘,用啡紅油油了後面走火梯,加了展示板......我開始忘記她原來的樣貌, 直至尋回這張舊照. 最近還聽聞為要方便現代人上落將來建於內面的中醫館,會加裝電梯云云!如果你們到現址,巳經圍上了圍板.難道不可以把醫館放在地面,上層用作展覽廳,那就可用原有的樓梯經加固後上落嗎?

這一切一切,其實都不應該感到意外,始終落在沒有文化及藝術背景的政府手上,古物的下場大多如昰, 只是結局有多糟糕罷了!如果說藝術或設計文化對我們设有直接影響,懂欣賞古代建築的朋友們絕對不會贊同,這可不是保留集體回憶那麽簡單,而是挽回失去的技術與見證社會變遷的歴史.

Coffee diary 05

sandwiches & coffee night in Hilton
What time is it now? Wow! better take a break. Hey, it's nice to see you already here...a big pot is perfect for me.

Do we love to work late? I'm not sure, but with a cup of coffee is always better. No phone call, no email, no human voice, all in silence, only the sound of the keyboard...click click click...tab tab tab...may be sometimes, a sign from the air conditioner...

but it's difference, you know? a midnight dinner of room service vs a hot supper at your home sweet home; a stranger sleeping in next room vs your love in the bedroom; a banquet coffee cup vs your own coffee mug...even thought we are working now under the same universe.

Before we return to our desktop, how about a remote "Goodnight Hug" to him/her/it?



2011/01/24

Welcome to my Coffee Break Readers

My avatar - wooden cat
If you are readers from Coffee Break , Welcome aboard
Although my profile appearance is a bit difference, I would like you to enjoy here with me again like those lovely days in the past.


Be my guest to take a break here whenever you are tired, upset, need some air; or share with us of your happiness or loneliness......


Enjoy our recommended music and films, come to visit our photo gallery, just relax and this is what we want to share :)

Coffee Break Series

豬骨湯底玉子义燒拉麪
也許大家會奇怪,上週突然間在此會多了一個Coffee Break 系列,甚至巳經累積了六十多篇文章?

其實早在2009年11月,我便開始用protoworkannie 寫這個名為 Coffee Break 的英文部落格,是一個較私人的blog; 與讀者閒談,並發掘生活上的小趣味,讓讀者在繁忙的生活中可逃到這裡有一個小休的機會.左圖便是第一篇網誌了. 


後來因為要酬備Cocoa Design Life, 加上多了例行公事,再碰巧在那裡剛寫了一年,於是便決定暫時停下來. What Left Behind 便成了最後的一篇.


Blogging 是一個有趣及寳貴的經驗,能讓我們在這個虛擬世界內, 嘗試認真地分享及面對讀者.互聯網的普及使人與人之間的交往更易變得虛假及不負責任; 也許這也是我們一班"用家"須要細心思考的問題. 要不,繼續活在虛假中, 又或是付出一點真心與大家分享所見所聞.


終於經過與ricketeer商量,也許在這裡重開Coffee Break 也未嘗不好,至少這也屬於我們的生活態度之一: Coffee + Take a Break! 希望這個系列可以帶給你們一點設計以外的樂趣
:)

2011/01/18

宅急便

大貓+細貓=宅急便
相信很多人也會對這個"貓樣"有點印象罷?可能在日本見過,又或者某某雜誌, 某某卡通片......你知道它是什麽公司的商標嗎?Bingo!宅急便=速遞公司.

第一次看到是在日本街頭的小型貨車身上,一眼便愛上它;除了因為我愛猫, 這個簡單鮮明的商標,絕對反影到公司形象.

大貓運送小貓,己簡單地表明這是搬運服務;此外更加送細心體貼的象徵,令人感到有信心.這是一個+分成功的商標設計,能拉近顧客與公司之間的距離.

最近從報章上看到 Starbucks 也打算把商標簡單化(或許巳經進行中),取消Logo周邊的英文字, 只餘下中間女海妖的圖案,這個改變引來各界不少談論.其實,商標對公司的代表性並非一朝一夕可以建立起來.能夠用簡單獨特的平面構圖代替文字固然是最理想,但成功的例子如滙豐銀行, 蘋果電腦,三菱,Nike 或前文所介紹的宅急便公司...實在不多.

有些公司因為多年來業務性際的改變,又或商標本身過份古老,己不合時宜...等各種原因而無可奈何地在營運其間要重新設計或局部修改現有商標.無疑這對公司本身及顧客的認受性或多或少會有影響,但始終是不能避是的.

所以奉勸每位想開公司建立自已小品牌的朋友,切勿輕看卡片或公司門頭上的一個小標記, 這可會是比你想像中能代表及涵概的更多.

LOGO不變的定律是Timeless.