#FrancePeachy #DesignPeachy VAND International Launches Global Design Value Evaluation for the World's 100 Leading Brands

New French-based initiative measures how design protects attention, supports mental clarity, and builds a responsible visual culture

VAND International has begun an independent evaluation of the design value of INTERBRAND’s world’s Top 100 brands, from its headquarters in France, describing it as the first systematic global review focused on the human and cognitive impact of design – not just how it looks.

Rather than celebrating surface-level aesthetics or trend-driven creativity, the VAND evaluation examines how brand design affects people’s attention, mental well-being, and sense of calm in a world saturated with visual stimuli. The goal is to provide a transparent, internationally recognized measure of “design value” that reflects clarity, coherence, and responsibility in the way brands communicate.

“Design has become one of the most powerful forces shaping how we think, feel and make decisions,” said Touraj Saberivand, founder of VAND International. “Yet there is still no shared global standard for understanding whether design is helping people or overwhelming them. With this evaluation, we want to recognize brands that treat human attention as something to be protected, not exploited.”

A global jury of leading designers

The evaluation is overseen by a jury of designers, educators, and creative leaders from 28 countries, reflecting a broad spectrum of cultural perspectives and design traditions. Among the jury members are renowned figures, including Lindon Leader, designer of the iconic FedEx logo; Ken Cato, chairman of Cato Brand Partners; Sean Adams, former AIGA president and chair of Graduate Design at ArtCenter College of Design; and Armando Milani, the internationally acclaimed Italian designer known for his humanitarian work.

These jurors bring decades of experience across identity design, branding, education, and social impact.

Criteria that look beyond style

VAND’s approach draws on its broader mission to champion “calm, human and responsible design” as the next era of visual communication. Instead of focusing on novelty or visual spectacle, the evaluation framework looks at three main dimensions:

• Mental clarity: Does the design help people quickly understand what is being communicated, or does it add unnecessary complexity and noise?

• Communication coherence: Are the visual elements, messages, and interfaces aligned across touchpoints, or do they create cognitive friction and confusion?

• Responsibility of visual ecosystems: Does the brand treat users’ attention and emotional state with care, or does it overload them with stimuli, manipulative tactics, or cluttered interfaces?

This methodology builds on VAND’s existing “Human Calm” criteria used in its design awards, which measure how design choices influence comprehension, comfort, and psychological calm rather than simply rewarding personal taste or visual fashion.

“Many awards still treat design as a competition in originality,” Saberivand added. “We look at something different: how design lives in everyday life and how it affects the people who have to see it, read it and use it hundreds of times a day.”

From Top 100 brands to companies of all sizes

While the current review focuses on the world’s Top 100 brands by global visibility and influence, VAND has opened the same evaluation process to companies of all sizes and sectors. Organizations can now apply to receive an independent assessment of their design systems and, if they meet the standards, the official VAND Certified designation issued in France.

Applications are already being received from businesses across retail, technology, finance, health, education, and culture. Many are seeking not just recognition, but a structured way to understand whether their visual communication is truly serving people.

“Companies have learned to report on their environmental impact and corporate governance. We believe design responsibility will be the next frontier,” said the VAND founder. “The VAND Certified mark tells the world that a brand is not only visually sophisticated, but also mindful of the psychological and cultural consequences of its design decisions.”

Certified companies may use the Vand Certified mark on their packaging, digital platforms, communication materials, and institutional documents to showcase their design system's human-centric approach.

About VAND International

Based in Lyon, France, VAND International is a design team dedicated to promoting ethical, human-centered, and socially responsible design practices worldwide. Through evaluations, awards, education programs, and its Design Responsibility Movement, VAND works with designers, brands, and institutions to define and uphold higher standards in visual communication.

For more information about the Design Value Evaluation, the VAND Certified mark, and how to apply, visit vand.org.

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#FrancePeachy #DesignPeachy Nous sommes vivant, vivants, vivantes !

Merci à tous celles et ceux qui ont contribué au festival France Design Week 2023.

Cette quatrième édition fut riche en événements, les disciplines du design sont impliquées partout en France, dans tous les secteurs d’activités pour redéfinir notre relation au vivant, merci à ceux qui font vivre ce festival du design hors du commun.

Cette quatrième édition, sous le haut patronage du Président de la République, c’est la démonstration, en proximité, de l’apport de valeur du design et de ses métiers en termes d’outils d’aide à l’innovation, la transition ou la transformation. À l’aune des enjeux de société actuels, le design et ses métiers permettent la conception collective de solutions concrètes et contextualisées.

Cette quatrième édition, c'est la preuve de l’impact économique du design et de ses métiers, facteur clés dans l'accélération de l'émergence, de l'industrialisation et de la croissance des entreprises. Il permet de concevoir des produits ou des services innovants qui répondent aux enjeux d’estime, de compétitivité et de fonctionnalité des utilisateurs.

Cette quatrième édition, c’est la fête de la communauté des professionnels du design, de tous ses métiers et toutes ses applications. C’est la rencontre d’individus passionnants, la découverte de projets innovants, de projets durables, soutenables, l’envie de faire mieux ensemble.

Cette quatrième édition, ce sont des annonces majeures, pour l’intégration du design comme composant essentiel de la transformation de la société, qui font espérer les designers partout en France.

Cette quatrième édition, c’est la prise de conscience du besoin de la montée en compétence de la population française sur le design, au service des transitions à tous les niveaux : recherche, formation initiale et tout au long de la vie, entreprises, institutions et pouvoirs publics. Nous avons la responsabilité de faire mieux ensemble.

Merci à toutes et tous de nous avoir fait vivre France Design Week, une édition riche en émotion.

Retrouvons-nous l’année prochaine pour célébrer les 5 ans du plus grand festival du design en France.

Emmanuel Thouan, Président de l'APCI

Vous avez participé au festival ?

Nous nous attelons maintenant au bilan de cette belle édition, qui arrive bientôt.

Si vous avez contribué à cette quatrième édition de France Design Week, faites-nous vos retours, tout commentaire est bon à prendre ! Vous avez jusqu'au 6 novembre, alors n'attendez plus :

Répondez au formulaire !

Un grand merci encore à tous ceux qui ont fait vivre France Design Week 2023 : participants, organisateurs, visiteurs, partenaires et acteurs des comités régionaux !

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#DesignPeachy #CulturedPeachy Cooper Hewitt Announces 2023 National Design Award Winners

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum today announced the winners of the 2023 National Design Awards, recognizing design innovation and impact in 10 categories. Now in their 24th year, the National Design Awards bring national recognition to the ways in which design enriches everyday life. Award recipients are selected by a multidisciplinary jury of practitioners, educators and leaders from a wide range of design fields. The winners will be honored at an Awards celebration Thursday, Oct. 5 at Cooper Hewitt.

This year's National Design Award recipients are:

The National Design Awards honor innovation and impact and recognize the power of design to change the world. Tweet thisSeymour Chwast, Design Visionary

Biocement Tiles by Biomason, Climate Action

Beatriz Lozano, Emerging Designer

nARCHITECTS, Architecture

Arem Duplessis, Communication Design

Clement Mok, Digital Design

Naeem Khan, Fashion Design

The Archers, Interior Design

Kongjian Yu, Landscape Architecture

Atlason, Product Design

"This year's National Design Award winners are a highly diverse group—from a handcraft-focused fashion designer to one of the early pioneers of digital design—but they share many common traits: a highly rigorous process to their discipline, a truly collaborative approach and putting people front and center in their practice," said Dung Ngo, chair of the National Design Awards jury. "These are design core values worth celebrating."

"My gratitude goes to this year's stellar jury for their thoughtful selection of the 2023 National Design Award winners," said Maria Nicanor, director of the museum. "This year's cohort, a diverse group of designers across disciplines, are not only charting new pathways in their respective fields, but also integrating sustainable, socially responsible and people-centered practices in their work in a moment of profound global complexity."

Established in 2000 as a project of the White House Millennium Council, the National Design Awards are accompanied annually by National Design Week. Cooper Hewitt will offer free admission to museum visitors during National Design Week, Oct. 2–8, to make design accessible to all.

For more information, visit www.cooperhewitt.org/Awards.

Support

The National Design Awards are made possible with major support from IBM Corporation.

Generous support is provided by Alexandra and Paul Herzan, and by Lisa Roberts and David Seltzer. Additional funding is provided by Jon C. Iwata.

National Design Award trophies are created by The Corning Museum of Glass.

About Cooper Hewitt

Cooper Hewitt is America's design museum. Inclusive, innovative and experimental, the museum's dynamic exhibitions, education programs, master's program, publications and online resources inspire, educate and empower people through design.

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#FloridaPeachy #DesignPeachy @experiencemiamibeach Miami Beach's Preserved Architectural History Awaits Design Enthusiasts in Anticipation of the 46th Annual Art Deco Weekend

The 46th annual Art Deco Weekend will return January 13 – January 15th, 2023, showcasing Miami Beach's unique collection of Art Deco design and architecture in open-air style. Offering a variety of experiences including live music, a classic car show, guided architectural tours, outdoor film screenings and more, visitors will find inspiration through activations that showcase how Miami Beach became the birthplace of Art Deco design and the most visited Art Deco District in the world. Created by the Miami Design Preservation League, Art Deco Weekend signifies the distinct effort to preserve Miami Beach's more than 800 historic, pastel-colored buildings and history of this signature architectural style, saving it for future generations.

The 46th annual Art Deco Weekend will return January 13 – January 15th, 2023, showcasing Miami Beach’s unique collection of Art Deco design and architecture in open-air style. Offering a variety of experiences including live music, a classic car show, guided architectural tours, outdoor film screenings and more, visitors will find inspiration through activations that showcase how Miami Beach became the birthplace of Art Deco design and the most visited Art Deco District in the world.

"Art Deco Weekend is an immersive celebration of architecture with national and international appeal. For 46 years, our city has come together to share the beauty and ingenuity of marquee buildings that have made Miami Beach a pilgrimage for design and architecture enthusiasts," says Steve Adkins, Chairman of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA). "The MBVCA is proud to continue our support to enhance Art Deco Weekend to help raise awareness of, and show appreciation to, the architects and talents that continue to inspire the design community today."

Whether visiting during the official celebration or if Miami Beach is on the travel agenda in the near future, visitors can embrace the essence of Art Deco style easily throughout their stay. For an artistic and retro hotel experience, signature properties like The Gabriel South Beach and The Breakwater offer comfortable rooms in an ideal location along with Instagram-worthy facades. For a splurge, visitors can opt for a stay at The Shelborne South Beach, a recreated icon dating back to the 1940's exuding timeless luxury and elegance with impeccable service delivered in Art Deco architecture on Collins Avenue. Miami Beach is a year-round destination to discover the bevy of geometric-ornamented facades and it's easy to become a quick study with a visit to the official Art Deco Museum on Ocean Drive. The museum provides a deep dive into the layers of design that serve as the foundation for the city's glamorous reputation. Discovering design can work up an appetite. Head to Serena, located on the second-floor rooftop of the Moxy South Beach on Collins Avenue, and take a bite out of a modern interpretation of Mexican cuisine in an open-air and laid-back setting. Perfect for sunset cocktails, al fresco dinners surrounded by the energy of the Art Deco District or buzzy brunches, diners will taste and feel the cultural inspirations of Mexico right on South Beach.

The beauty of Miami Beach's design and architecture stands proud any time of year, making it a vibrant destination to explore solo or with friends and family. Visitors can download the new EXP Miami Beach Tour App now available on Apple and Google and access four marquee itineraries including Art in Public Spaces, Hidden Art, A Day Inside Miami Beach Architectural Wonders and Public Art and Iconic History in Miami Beach.

"Miami Beach's Art Deco District is an open-air museum and we invite visitors to easily access information and resources to help plan their next trip and to get an interactive look at what makes Miami Beach the unrivaled crown jewel of Art Deco architecture," adds Grisette Marcos, Executive Director of the MBVCA. "We are continuously working on new ways to bring experiences rooted in design and architecture to travelers, understanding the ongoing desire to get up, close and personal with the history of what shapes the destinations they visit."

For more information about the Art Deco District and to plan a future design-inspired trip to award-winning Miami Beach, download the Experience Miami Beach and EXP Miami Beach Tour App Miami Beach Apps and follow the @experiencemiamibeach handles on Instagram and Facebook for the most up-to-date details and offerings.

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#SmallScreenScenes #DesignPeachy @DiscoveryIncTV DREAM BIG WITH NEW SEASON OF IMPOSSIBLE ENGINEERING PREMIERING NEW YEARS DAY ON SCIENCE CHANNEL

It’s easy to take for granted the extraordinary structures, public works and architectural wonders in our everyday lives, but they are indeed remarkable feats of human ingenuity and 21st century technology. As we ring in a new decade and look to the future, Science Channel’s original series IMPOSSIBLE ENGINEERING returns for a new season Wednesday, January 1, 2020 at 9pm ET/PT.

This season, viewers will ​journey to Dubai, London, Whistler, Rotterdam and beyond as experts examine some of the most ​mind-blowing engineering marvels around the world. In Seattle, engineers attempt to build the first-ever railway system on a floating bridge with ground-breaking technology. In Dubai, beachfront real estate is highly sought after, forcing engineers to create what doesn’t exist, a human-made island complete with residential living and the world’s largest observation wheel.

“What better way to start off a new decade than celebrating the ingenuity of engineering innovators who have helped shape our modern world,” said Neil Laird, Executive Producer, Science Channel.

Also on this season of IMPOSSIBLE ENGINEERING is London’s state-of-the-art super sewer, considered the biggest infrastructure project ever attempted in the UK; the currently under construction Beijing Daxing Airport, which will be the world’s largest upon completion, designed to handle over 72 million passengers and more than 2 million tons of cargo.

IMPOSSIBLE ENGINEERING is produced by Twofour Broadcast for Science Channel. For Twofour, executive producer is Neil Edwards and series producer is Jonney Steven. For Science Channel, Neil Laird is executive producer and Jill Kalin is associate producer.

About Science Channel

Science Channel, a multi-media business unit of Discovery, Inc. is the home of all things science around the clock, including series such as MYTHBUSTERS, OUTRAGEOUS ACTS OF SCIENCE, WHAT ON EARTH?, HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS, UNEARTHED, and MYSTERIES OF THE ABANDONED. Science Channel’s programming also includes timely, expert-driven specials covering breaking science news and discoveries. Science Channel is the premiere TV, digital and social community for those with a passion for science, space, technology, archeology, and engineering, providing immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment across all Science Channel assets including: Science Channel television network, available in more than 63 million homes in the U.S; complimentary Video On Demand offering; SCI Go app allowing viewers to catch up on full episodes of their favorite shows anytime; deep video, interactive storytelling and virtual reality at www.sciencechannel.com; and conversations on Science Channel’s popular social platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat via @ScienceChannel.

About Discovery

Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, and Science Channel, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.

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#BuildingPeachy #DesignPeachy @ConcreteACI #ACIExcellence #WhomYouKnow ACI Announces Winners of Annual Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards

Viaduct over river Almonte in Garrovillas de Alconétar, Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain, awarded highest honor.

The American Concrete Institute (ACI) announced the winners of the 2018 Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards, who were honored during the Institute’s Concrete Convention & Exposition, October 15, 2018, in Las Vegas, NV, USA.

The highest honor was presented to Viaduct Over River Almonte in Garrovillas de Alconétar, Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. This award is given annually to one project that demonstrates excellence in concrete innovation and technology and stands out above all other entries.

A new high-speed rail line is under construction between Madrid and the Extremadura, a western Spanish region bordering Portugal. The line will cross over the River Almonte on a 996 m (3270 ft) long viaduct—a concrete arch bridge with a main span of 384 m (1260 ft). Designed to carry 350 km/h (218 mph) rail traffic, the viaduct had to meet rigorous dynamic, serviceability, and safety criteria; and it required complex, staged calculations based on nonlinear material and nonlinear geometry behaviors. Nevertheless, it is aerodynamic and slender, largely due to key design features, including a four-legged arch configuration; 80 MPa (11,603 psi) high-performance concrete; an efficient erection method, with temporary towers and stays; and an innovative monitoring system.

The viaduct’s 384 m (1260 ft) main span makes it the largest railway bridge in Spain and the world’s largest concrete arch bridge for high-speed rail service. Its design combines structural efficiency, out-of-plane stability, improved response against cross wind effects, and aesthetics. The design is also environmentally friendly, as the bridge comprises durable materials, has been designed for expedient maintenance, and will include a bespoke barrier that will force birds to soar upward and above the overhead mast line. The bridge arch comprises high-performance, self-consolidating concrete. The complex erection procedure required the development of singular construction devices. The bridge was constructed using a ground-breaking instrumentation and monitoring system that provides information regarding the behavior of the structure during construction and service.

The ACI Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards were created to honor the visions of the most creative projects in the concrete industry, while providing a platform to recognize concrete innovation, technology, and excellence across the globe. To be eligible for participation in the Excellence Awards, projects needed to be winners at a local ACI Chapter level and submitted by that Chapter or chosen by one of ACI’s International Partners. 

An independent panel of esteemed industry professionals judged projects and selected winners based on architectural and engineering merit, creativity, innovative construction techniques or solutions, innovative use of materials, ingenuity, sustainability, resilience, and functionality.

Additional winning projects were selected from among several possible categories, and included:

Decorative Concrete

1st Place: Roofing of the Montpellier-South of France TGV Station in Montpellier, Herault, France.

2nd Place: Water Garden in Santa Monica, California, USA.

High-Rise Buildings

1st Place: Reston Station OB1 Tower in Reston, Virginia, USA.

2nd Place: Nexus Shopping and Business in Setor Marista, Goiânia, Brazil.

Infrastructure

1st Place: Viaduct Over River Almonte in Garrovillas de Alconétar, Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain.

2nd Place: Viroflay Underground Train Station – in Meudon, Hauts-de-Seine, France.

Low-Rise Buildings

1st Place: University of Iowa Visual Arts Building, in Iowa City, Iowa, USA.

2nd Place: Design & Build of South Marina Yacht Club at Lusail (BP15) in Doha, Qatar.

Mid-Rise Buildings

1st Place: 1200 Intrepid Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

2nd Place: Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Repair & Restoration

1st Place: Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, USA.

2nd Place: Ford Theaters Off Season Improvements Phase 2 & 3 in Hollywood, California, USA.

The winning project details can be found at ACIExcellence.org. Entries for the 2019 Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards are being accepted now through April 2, 2019. 

Visit ACIExcellence.org for more information. 

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