I Heart Lego

Lego - Build It.

TCH ACCESS agency’s collaboration with the world’s best brands and ad agencies continues. We are working on a number of fun projects and right now we are obsessed with LEGO.

LEGO is fun and games for children. Highly recognized and bringing a smile to everyone’s face, LEGO is also the object of countless creative ideas completed by adult fans who’ve created everything from kitchen tables to animation and fashion shows, to clothing made of LEGO bricks.


In addition to fun and creativity, LEGO is also a strong symbol of building. In our version of street-level LEGO promotion, we envision building massive LEGO sculptures — creations so big that they cannot go unnoticed.

LEGO is a brand that can get away with this kind of in-your-face stunt as the goodwill and positive attitudes allow consumers to see it all in a fun light.


In the world of social media, this kind of attention is priceless. People will notice, photograph, tweet, facebook and youtube this to their networks when they see one of these fun creations.

The shock value increases when these sculptures are placed in environments and contexts where no-one is expecting to see a big “toy.”


We are not talking about theme parks, we are talking about car parks. A Darth Vader with his light saber waiting for you in the underground garage — perhaps to your favorite shopping centre, sports facility or night club. He will raise or lower his saber depending on how you behave. Incredible opportunities to add sound as well.

Or a gigantic R2D2 as a gateway, or LEGO light fixtures or a road or bridge painted to look as if it were covered with LEGO bricks. Or a friendly, gigantic Smurf to brighten up an event in a park.


The extension of this type of street-level promotion to websites, video, in-store promotions and advertisements is natural, yet the main thrust comes from the consumers who will react with delight. Can you imagine seeing one of these for the first time and NOT telling anyone? - Bill Tikos

Unknown Union | A Cape Town Men's Boutique by Rafael de Cardenas

This is such an awesome design for a store... really makes you want to go inside and you know what, once you're inside you will feel obligated to buy something :) such clever marketing man!!

In a refreshing departure from the now so routine dark-mahogany “men’s club” feel of men’s stores, New York-based architect and interior designer Rafael de Cárdenas of Architecture At Large approached Cape Town’s Unknown Union with a much lighter touch.


The two-level boutique, located in a historic building, exudes light and color. On the first level, white walls serve as the background to the pared-down stacked-box shelving painted in softly muted yet vibrant colors. This simplified setting, gives the owners, Sean Shuter and Daniel Jackson, an ideal showcase for the brands that they represent, including ANYthing, Pendleton, Surface to Air, and Penfield USA.


The second level is an ever-changing, creative space, where local and international creators and artist showcase their work. The opening event for the space featured the work of Rafael de Cárdenas/Architecture at Large, Gazelle, Surface to Air, Milkbeard, Cornrow Rider and THECAST. - Tuija Seipell.

Awesomeness

Shanghai Museum of Glass

Found this on my new favorite site - the cool hunter this morning and thought id share it with all of you....

Shanghai’s shiny new Museum of Glass opened last week as part of Shanghai’s campaign of becoming a globally important cultural and creative centre by launching 100 museums in a decade.
Shanghai-based German architectural firm Logon handled the architecture and exterior of the museum. Germany’s Glashütte Lambets supplied the enameled glass used for the museum’s façade inscribed with glass-industry terms in ten languages.
COORDINATION ASIA, also based in Shanghai, was in charge of the overall museum concept, art direction, design and supervision of the museum interior. It was also the chief consultant for curation, marketing and operation, as well as coordination of an international team of architects, artists, designers, filmmakers and multimedia specialists.

COORDINATION’s Tilman Thürmer tells TCH that they used black lacquered glass for the interior (cases, floor, furniture, walls), but left the existing structure untouched. The museum building is a former glassmaking workshop, one of 30 former bottling-plant structures that the Shanghai Glass Co. still owns.

The black, sleek glass of the interior reflects the LED lights and screens positioned throughout the space, creating a shiny and glittering multi-dimensional feel. This emphasizes the interaction, interdependence and influences of periods, continents, materials and peoples involved in the art, craft and industry of glass.

The design of the space and exhibits and the use of various media help create an interactive and participatory museum experience where the visitor is directed through the story of glass.

“Designwise, we wanted to create a piece of black crystal glass. Sparkling, reflecting, sleek and deep,” Thürmer says. - Tuija Seipell.