5 is more than 4

I can't say the partners had done the math yet, but as Dave Heimbuch toasted at our holiday party, there are finally more employees at ai3 than there are partners!  And that doesn't include (2) interns and (2) more employees on the way. 
What a feeling of accomplishment for all of us at ai3.  We believe in what we're doing and have become friends with some great new clients in 2010. Here's a toast to all of YOU, and happy holidays!

Paint finally rubbed off....

Spray-paint art of our lovely interns Jamie Perin, industrial design , and Heather Rice, interior design, both here with us this Fall.  As part of the design concept for our first Mellow Mushroom restaurant with Reid Fogleman in Fayetteville, North Carolina, these were stencil concepts on Pizza Pans and Restroom signage. The paint came off their cuticles eventually-

The Art in the Story Board

The challenge of pulling together a cohesive vision for a project can drive one mad! We’ve all been there, blank sheet (okay blank InDesign file) staring back at us....come on give it to me! Storyboarding can break the ice quickly - simple concepts or complex scenes all start with one line of clarity.

Story boards allow us to reinterpret, react to another designers vision or expand a great idea.

Check out artist Brian Gossett and Tavo Ponce's take on a scene from Alice in Wonderland.

2nd Annual Chili Cook-Off

What makes chili, chili?  Our first chili competition was dominated by beef chilis: the chili from Texas, the chli that's too spicy, the chili that was too late to enter, and the one filled with cinnamon and beer.  All were delicious and a tradition was born at ai3. 

This year we celebrated Amy's move to a new home, our 2nd contest, and the fact that Joe didn't win the trophy 2 years in a row.  Ms. Price won with her chicken and white bean chili.  Different and Delicious!  Can't wait until next year!

Qatar 2022

Qatar scores the world cup in 2022. The stadium designs are based on simple conceptual stories. Another example of pure and simple design inspirations becoming powerful story telling.

Over the years, a number of iconic structures have been conceived by examining the simple objects in the world round us. Qatar's bid showcases the effectiveness of this type of story telling.

Whether the designs will be able to keep 90,000 people cool during the summer in the Middle East remains to be seen. But for now we'll all enjoy the eye candy and look forward to Brazil in 2014.

hup holland hup

How to Make Your Employees Smile

Don't mean to be sentimental for Turkey Day, but I am certainly thankful for everyone in our studio and the culture they help create. I came across this article in Inc. magazine today. 
Paul Spiegelman suggests 10 tips to make your employees smile.  I like them all:
1. Give People a Voice
2. Pay Workers Fairly
3. Recognize and Reward 
4. Create a Career Path 
5. Create Playful Titles 
6. Make Room for Fun 
7. Walk the Talk 
8. Send Hand-written notes 
9. Creat Traditions 
10. Manage from the Heart
Read more: http://tiny.cc/ti8ty



Zappos- Commit to Core Values

I had the jingle from his introduction in my head for a week... Zappos deliving happiness to the world.

By coincedence,Tony Hsieh was one of the keynote speakers at the IHG conference we attended in Las Vegas.  Having read his book Delivering Happiness and passed it around the office, I was energized all over again when the entire room of 5,000+ people gave him a standing ovation. 

I have the Zappos 2009 edition of their Culture Book.  I sent Tony an email that I'd like a copy, and their incredible customer service prevailed as it arrived in days.  The book explains their 10 core values, and in the words of their employees/clients, what Zappos means to them. 

We hung out in the kitchen last Friday to discuss, "What do we want ai3 to be about?"

Brands evolve over time, even great ones.  We believe in our culture and know ai3's core values will always remain a priority. As we are in growth mode, it will remain important to stay motivated to our larger vision and where our story will end.

Reading:  Delivering Happiness, Tony Hsieh; Good to Great, Jim Collins; Tribal Leadership