The Palm Jumeirah

Forget websites for a moment. Think bigger. Much bigger! Imagine what it would be like to design an entire island. Even Bigger? What if the entire island were 100% man-made? Well, in the Arab Emirates, extending from the coast of Dubai, such a project is well underway... and it is being billed as the 8th wonder of the world and the "most significant and creative earth form made by man". It is literally, an enourmous palm-shaped lagoon/island jutting into the sea—and from an architectural, engineering, and environmental standpoint, this is a design project of mind-boggling proportions. While the site is your standard fare, the branding is done by FutureBrand, and is just one small – but vitally important – component of the big picture (just imagine what this construction project would feel like without a comprehensive brand). As you explore this site, we think you'll agree that all (even small)... More

The Palm Jumeirah

MoMA | Comic Abstraction

This site contains works from MoMA's Comic Abstraction exhibition (curated by Roxana Marcoci) and includes artist interviews, audio, and supplementary texts in a nifty, contained little Flash piece. The exhibit itself brings together the works of thirteen contemporary artists whose works examines the ways artists in the last decade have used lowbrow popular culture as springboards for abstraction and to address today's perplexing questions.... More

MoMA | Comic Abstraction

FAILE

If you're not familiar with his work, FAILE is one of the modern day gods of the half-tone dot, stencil art, and gritty pop-culture graphics—and we were ecstatic to discover this website covering his unique multimedia designs. Done up like a sort of yellow pages ads on LSD, FAILE's many projects pick up where Andy Warhol left off... Prints, stencils, screenprints, and videos that resemble a street art-inspired cross between CONCRETE TV (MNN) and the Cartoon Network run through a photo copier. There's just too many gems in his site to list here, but let's say: clicking around will be heavily rewarded. For us, beyond a doubt, one of the best sites and artists of the year.... More

Also posted under design 'zines, extra experimental.

FAILE

Hollywoodland

A beautiful and simple minimalist tribute to a set of five Los Angeles homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1920's. These designs of his, defined by the concrete brick work, are simply summed up - not with so many words - but with a series of full-screen photographs... the remainder of the inpretation is up to you.... More

Hollywoodland: Frank Lloyd Wright

Madi Studio

As far as architecture studios go, this firm based in Hungary has a very tight, simple and elegant web presence. It gives us a quick idea of their work and capabilities, while also giving us a taste of their philosophy and penchant for clean interior and exterior architecture design. Their strength lies in corporate interior design, but they also help design some attractive residential architecture work.... More

Madi Studio