Before there was a Nano, there was the Beetle, and now it is here. The original “people’s car” was the Volkswagen Beetle that became synonymous with freedom, the sixties and the “drop out” hippy culture. Now it is India – overpriced and nowhere near the original vision of a cheap affordable car – but still an Icon of the automobile’s 110 year history.
The Hindustan Times wins the Award from me for Creative Blunder of the Year!!!
After a great rebranding exercise and the visionary writings of Sanghvi, Thappar, Hazra and others, who does the Hindustan Times choose as key note for their Leadership Forum: George Bush! Possibly the worst President of the United States in its turbulent 233 year history.
Talk about leadership lessons on things not to do, George “Dubya” Bush takes the cake. Don’t sign Kyoto. Don’t destroy Al Qaida. Attack Iraq. Give profits to your friends at the Oil Companies and Haliburton. Destroy American education. Lead the world into the second worst recession ever by deregulating the financial markets. Have the lowest rating of any President ever.
But in India we love him. Why, because he was “our friend” and gave us “almost” super power status by signing the 123 Nuclear Accord. And like all creative (not) Indians we bring him to our country, give him high honours and then ask him like we ask everyone we meet in our own unimitable, whining, groveling, self-effacing, insecure way “ Please sir, why is it that the World does not give us rightful recognition as a super power and a seat on the Security Council…”
And what does the great, erudite leader of the free world George Bush say in reply….”Get over it!”
Come on Sanghvi et al., let’s choose some better leaders next time round and guide India in the right direction….
If you are a designer, inventor or environmental genius and have never heard about the “Live Edge” award then it may just change your life. This competiion offers an award of $100,000 and “to enter, your design must be original and innovative, use electric and/or electronic components, and positively impact the environment, such as by increasing energy efficiency or reducing carbon emissions.” The submission for this year’s awards start on 1 October – to find out more visit Live Edge.
One of India’s true green architects Manit Rastogi of MD Morphogenesis has just been profiled in the London Guardian newspaper. Rastogi’s work – which includes the hull shaped headquarters for Ernst & Young in Gurgaon – has been recognized for being “cool” in more ways than one…
In a sizzling property market, architect Manit Rastogi at MD Morphogenesis has created some of India’s coolest buildings, using recycled water, wells, wind tunnels and sun screens to chill work places and slash energy costs.
Thanks to his designs, students in a Jaipur fashion school mill around classrooms cooled to around 25 degrees Celsius (77 F) without air conditioners, while the desert bakes at nearly double that temperature outside.
And guests at the Swabhumi Hotel in Kolkata feel a breeze as they step out of a building resembling sliced mushrooms fused together, and inspired by the way trees trap wind.
And then according to the man himself…
“In India’s booming real estate market, there are not enough professionals. And because mediocrity sells, it’s easier to do that,” Rastogi said in an interview in Hong Kong. “Architects are just doing what developers want. If you start taking them down the sustainable route, people start getting nervous,” he said. “They see it as wasted expense.”….
“When they move away from the standard box, we have to tell them it’s more efficient,” Rastogi said. “Many say fine, you’ve convinced us, but how do we convince the market?”
He seems to have overcome these challenges well…read the full article here