Traffic in Cardiff

Having personally heard!! the roadworks and restructuring of Cardiff over the last few months (it was such a nice flat, but note to self, never move into somewhere that has been designated to have a huge development next to), there seems to be no plus point to the development???

Well the last few nights coming home for work have started me to think perhaps there is. The traffic around the Callaghan Square has been crazy with huge jams around rush hour. So by default with the bad traffic will people be persuaded to use different forms of transport? cycling perhaps??

Why do you clean paving stones?

Well the development on the High Street leading into St Mary Street is coming along, it's taken months to get around the corner below where I live but I am finally managing to have a slightly more peaceful nights sleep. That is until a new noise has introduced itself into my life. For the last few months a company has been asked to 'wash' the newly laid paving slabs. It happens from around 11pm and goes on for hours. With the worse and loudest generator powering the whole thing.

For your own health avoid these vans.

- firstly I have to ask why do you need to 'wash' paving stones?

- secondly it's not just water it is soap as well?

- thirdly if you are doing it do you have to repeatedly have to bang into the fencing time and time again just to make sure I am paying attention.

Sounds dangerous I wonder if it melts rubber tyres? also it's not wet because they have just been washing the floor it's just rained which seems to have done a pretty good job of washing and cleaning?

NESTA @ the Pierhead building

I managed to get to the Pierhead Building this morning to hear a seminar about NESTA's Big Green Challenge and also their publication 'Mass Localism'. Chaired by Peter Davies, Commissioner for Wales, Sustainable Development Commission (SDC). with other attendees being Viv Sugar, Chair of Consumer Focus Wales, Dr Michael Harris, Director of Research, NESTA, Chris Blake, member of the Green Valleys community project in the Brecon Breacons, one of the winning communities in NESTA's Big Green Challenge and Cris Tomos, Chairman of Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Association.

I found the talks very encouraging for a number of reasons. Firstly a number of thoughts and beliefs that we have been investigating in ARK seem to be vindicated by the findings of NESTA's paper. Also within Hoffi it also seems like we are moving towards the findings and ways of thinking that are going to be necessary in the coming years. In particular looking at our role as a company within the marketplace of our community. Looking at how we improve our community and seeing if there are ways we can help generally as citizens. I look forward to the challenge.

Outdoor gym - Cardiff Bay

Went to a show this weekend in Cardiff Bay, while parking came across some very new and exciting gym equipment. We could not resist trying them out. We managed to understand most of them but some were pretty hard to know what you had to do.

The critical mass or 'tipping point' of a vibrant Cardiff.

Save for three years in university and a stint travelling I have called Cardiff my home. It is only in the last two years or so that I feel like I have found out about Cardiff.

Initially this may seem a bit odd maybe I was just lazy, so I will delve deeper. For a few years now Cardiff has nurtured and seemed to encourage small enterprising businesses to set up shop in the heart and/or outskirts of Cardiff. Companies such as beatbox bars who have opened buffalo bar, 10 feet tall and more recently mr smiths. Or the group that for many years has been responsible for secret carnival, milgi and the newly opened Cardiff Arts Institute. All follow from an older tradition based in the canton area called CHAPTER. This is where my thinking begins. With a question of now the newly developed CHAPTER has become newly refurbished with more space and perhaps a perceived establishment?

While this could be seen as a negative I feel it could be the next stage in the development of Cardiff and it's ability to develop genuine authentic and new creative hubs and works that are no longer in the shadow of other larger cities. With the recent launch of National Theatre Wales the city has gained another asset that can only add to this mass.

I therefore am wondering whether the generation that are now in their mid twenties through to mid thirties are becoming Doers? sick of 'waiting' for funding or things to move on, instead they are actually doing things themselves. This is a personal account of things and something I am hopefully going to flesh out in the next year or so.

Change on the bus

OK this may be a well known fact, but having lived in Cardiff for many years I was shocked by the latest bit of knowledge I gained a few weeks ago. As most visitors or infrequent public transport users have experienced. Cardiff Bus seems to be one of the only transport companies that doesn't give change. So if the fare is £1.50 and you have £2 then you lose the 50p. That is until now? well not really sure when it happened. Around two weeks ago I was getting onto a number 6 Bay bus consigned to losing a pound as I had two £2 coins and wanted a day to go. Head down already late I pop the coins into the slot when the driver asks me a question. I don't really hear him at first, then after a Pardon? he repeats these words: Do you want a change voucher for that?

I immediately react with yes please slightly quicker than you would normally answer as the excitement is too much. I am informed that I have to take the voucher to Wood Street to get my money back. A very happy smile on my face...

Cardiff Advertising

IMG_0464, originally uploaded by julian marshall sykes findings.

Another piece of advertising I found on the streets of Cardiff this morning.

weighing scales

Take That in Cardiff, also Oasis for that matter

Over the last week Cardiff has been invaded on friday Oasis were in town and performed at the Millennium Stadium, then yesterday and I believe today Take That are in town, a slightly different Lancastrian band but no less popular. These are huge events for the city and the events pretty much take over the whole city centre. The clean up alone is huge and is pretty similar to the end of a six nations game.

Summer is here

It's been a great day in Cardiff today and had to take sometime off. This is the view from Bute Park.

thistle hotel cardiff

thistle hotel cardiff, originally uploaded by julian marshall sykes findings.

I came across this sticker in the window of one of the hotels in the city centre of Cardiff. I totally understand the idea of the sticker and praise the company for accommodating different ways of communicating. I just wonder if there could have been a different way of advertising a non-visual facility.

Of the moment retailing

Further to my last few posts about retail and the immediacy of shopping. I was walking through Cardiff this weekend, and came across the below umbrella sales person. What I love about this is that the day up until that point had been a bit cold but fair sunny and there was not much of an indication of the forthcoming deluge. This then really is almost like parasitic retail i suppose. Utilising an overwhelming event that can then be taken advantage of. I am sure this must have been written about before, but in particular I like the supply and demand of it and possibly the idea of the question in the future of ownership I mean people buying these umbrella only need the umbrella for the experience of shopping through Cardiff they don't need it after so maybe it's not sold but rented??

Lovely ELY

Cream Awards 2008

It happened a while back now but we were invited to this years Cream Awards. It is the first time we have been to the awards and it was interesting to see the diversity of work that got recognised. We were sat on a table with Fireloop Creative who bagged a bronze award for one of their websites. It was good to have a chat from a company who is from a different neck of the woods.

We are thinking next year we might enter some of the categories so watch this space for further news. 

Cardiff Design Festival 2008 Launch

Well all of the hard work has paid off. We got all of the boards produced on time and the Festival Launched last evening at the Senedd. It was really well attended by most of the design community of Cardiff. The exhibition also had an added dimension this year in some cases with the real items being show alongside flat work. With the new addition it gave you more understanding of the products and projects. 

For us personally it was also really nice to see some of our work displayed. We were on the boards with our work for Sobor fruit smoothies and also the Academi's Book of the Year award. We also managed to get some of our work for cfar - centre for fine art research onto the tables. 

Lost Balloon

Cardiff Design Festival 2008 - NakedWales launch

So the Festival is just round the corner and we are busy producing the exhibition for the festival as well as this though we are also arranging a get together for the design community through the NakedWales website that we run. We are looking at Tuesday 14th in the Bay somewhere. We should have all the details confirmed tomorrow so look out for your invitation by email of course.

On another note we are hoping this years festival will be bigger and better than ever, so look out for some other the other events such as the Ball at the end which is sounding very intriguing.

Hoffi's opinion - Creative Choices

It was a while ago now (even before we refurbished our studio), but Creative & Cultural Skills have produced a website called creative choices. As the name would suggest it is all about careers and development in the creative sector. Through their cultural leadership programme they came to our (Hoffi) offices to ask our opinion of design and in particular bilingual design and the unique problems and opportunities it represents.

It is always horrible seeing yourself on the tv but we hope it helps people make a decision on their futures and hopefully will increase interest in the design sector in Wales, both privately and also to a wider public audience.

www.creative-choices.co.uk

New Climbing Wall in Cardiff

I have not been climbing for sometime. I think the last time was about a year ago and then before that it was about two years. But with the opening of a new climbing wall in Cardiff I have decided that I am going to try and go more often and get back to being fit. When I  was younger I used to go at least twice a week and then all weekend on a trip to either North Wales or one of the local crags. The centre is really well positioned for me to get too and so I am looking forward to it although I know how much hard work it is going to take before I am anywhere near what I used to be. 

Learning to drive in Cardiff

Having always worked and studied in fairly big cities and in my early years always being skint the whole driving lessons past me by. I did start lessons when I was about 17 but at that time I was heavily into rock climbing and I had a decision as to whether I should go on a long climbing trip or finish my lessons. For me there was really no contest and I went for the holiday. Since then though I have never really needed a car as I have always been able to get by. That is until this year and with hoffi being busier than ever it is really been necessary for me to learn. So as of last month I got in contact with a few schools and came across Streetwise and I have to say they have been really good, so far it is going really well and my lessons are going well. I think the only thing now is I have got pass my theory test. Fingers crossed and so if you see me with L plates on please be kind.