It has become a habit to comb through my Monocle each month to see what might be of interest to people who don’t buy Monocle or follow it on-line. We all are in “over-load” in terms of what we can possibly digest in terms of news, information and perspectives. So here are a series of tid-bits from the April Monocle — the theme of which is “The Great Global Re-Think” — everything from countries to businesses to lifestyles.
We’re finally getting the importance of food…
In Tyler Brule’s intro piece there is a snippet about the JR East railway company (ridership six billion+ passengers/year) who sees “agriculture as a key attraction for getting city dwellers out to the countryside” to buy fresh food, gulp fresh air and support rural producers. They also see their station as a great place for a market for the same producers to sell their produce to commuters. Win-win.
Re-thinking design…
In this case we’re not really talking about design thinking or design process but design generally. Monocle is suggesting that the past couple of years of caution have provided an opportunity to “refocus and realign core brand principles” for many companies. Cutting back has had the effect of a good reduction to a sauce — boiling away the extraneous and creating a clearer story about the brand. Look out for new looks and new directions.
Hydro genie
The Tata Group (India’s enormous multi-national company) has invested $5m in a start-up company that is looking at how to extract hydrogen from water as a eco-friendly, low-cost fuel. Tata and Professor Daniel Nocera from MIT co-own the patent for this. Stay tuned.
Re-thinking who needs shopfronts…
Why do architects and accountants hide away from their clientele — instead of being open and transparent to the public realm? With so many vacant shop fronts around the world, there is an opportunity for what Monocle calls these “backroom professionals” to reframe their business models and their images by taking on this retail space. Why not?
Andrea Illy speaks out on leadership…
The CEO of Illy, one of Italy’s most famous coffee brands, was interviews about his life. One part of a Q & A caught my eye. Q: “Where’s the best place to prepare for leadership — MBA school or on the job?” A: “Both. The manager with only practical experience won’t work. An MBA gives you a boost and gives you a framework.”
We need Ministries of Density & Intimacy
Tyler has the last word in every issue of Monocle. And they are usually worth reading. This one was about when we are comfortable in spaces and places. Its about how we design experience — how close tables are in the cafe. How wide or narrow sidewalks are for our comfort and social engagement. And how compact our communities can and should be.
Am a bit backed up on my blogs — too much travel and time zone jet lag recovery!