CollectSpace gives us one last look at the now defunct Shuttle Atlantis. Incredible detail in these interiors, I can’t even imagine the level of engineering and testing that went into even the smallest components on this spacecraft. More images here.
Further reading / viewing – Discovery: A Visual Eulogy
You may remember Swiss flickr user Afghtiga as the guy who collects various design icons in the form of consumer electronics and catalogs them with beautiful photographs. Well he also has an equisitely detailed scale-model collection featuring Le Mans cars from the 60’s and 70’s which he has ben photographing as well.
I used to do a fair amount of model building as a kid but I never got anywhere near this level of detail. I wonder if he build them himself or if these are just those super-expensive ones you’d see pre-built at model shops. Either way, love the shots.
More models at Afghtiga’s Flickr
Atelier Olschinsky shot some beautiful editorial work for Nevertheless Magazine at the 1000KM Red Bull Ring. Love this sort of washed out style, I’d call it cross process but it seems like something else. Really cool technique.
Stumbled onto this interesting find while putting together the CN logo post. The CN Turbotrain was a high-speed train build in the late 1960’s. Really interesting lines and I loving the paint on these. I think that last one (B&W) is some earlier version or prototype.
Awesome imagery archive of Czech motorcycle maker Jawa (short for Janeček and Wanderer). Great logos and type treatments, some nice inspiration in there.
Jawa Owners Club via Jakub’s Dad
Just watched the documentary on Ayrton Senna (great film) and I’m really digging the whole F1 aesthetic. These images are from The Cahier Archive, a father and son team that has covered the Formula One Championship from the 1950s to the present.
It’s interesting to see how the sport has changed over the years but my favorite decade has to be the 80s. Check out the previous post on the Porsche 917 for more vintage racing goodness.
I’m posting this partly because there was one parked outside my house on Monday and partly because you can’t have grown up during the 80’s without lusting after these things (but I’m guessing all designers, regardless of age, have at least a passing interest in the aesthetics of this car). Gizmodo reports that an Italian team has converted a DeLorean DMC-12 to run on lithium-ion batteries. Sounds like fun but I think I’d rather just buy a new one.
Source Gizmodo
There I was, minding my own business watching Sunday morning football, when these sexy pieces of design snuck up on me. Typically my brain turns off at the first sight of a car commercial, but this 2010 spot for the BMW 3 Series is a breath of fresh air. It’s great to see a company going back to their roots. Interspersed with the requisite this-is-a-car-commercial-and-we-are-driving-on-a-closed-road-that-doesn’t-exist type shots, there is some really terrific graphic design. Watch it on the BMW homepage for the highest quality version I could find (header image 2 of 5).
It’s not the first time BMW has impressed us with their design sensitivity, check out these vintage ads as well.