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How the VFX industry will thrive post-Covid
What it takes to maintain world-class creative output in a hybrid-working future
The history of the open plan office
From its surprisingly radical roots to its role post-pandemic, Jennifer Kaufmann-Buhler – assistant professor of design history at Purdue University – talks CR through the legacy of the open plan office
Denizen Works: in praise of off-kilter creativity
Murray Kerr, founder of architecture practice Denizen Works, shares his purposefully ‘naïve’ approach to design and discusses the challenges of leading his studio off the beaten path
Ask Anna: How can I switch to a creative career?
On this edition of Ask Anna, our agony aunt Anna Higgs offers a reader advice on switching to a creative career later in life, and how to look for transferable skills
Wayfinding is more than just functional in Moscow’s Gorky Park
The park puts a playful spin on navigation with a new system highlighting the area’s smaller pleasures, and signage that transforms into nocturnal art objects
Creative Collaborators: Richard Brim and Martin Beverley, adam&eveDDB
In a new series examining what makes for a successful creative partnership, we speak to adam&eveDDB’s chief creative officer Richard Brim and chief strategy officer Martin Beverley about being the yin to each other’s yang
It’s architecture … but for dogs
Japan House London’s latest exhibition is a showcase of doggie-friendly architecture, featuring kennels and beds created by some of the biggest names in design
Why the modern office needs to be a destination, not an obligation
While the shift to working from home prompted by the pandemic initially seemed successful, many are now craving a return to the office. But, argues Aaron Taylor Harvey, we shouldn’t just go back to where we were before. What we need is a third way
Can creativity build a better post-Covid city?
The pandemic has prompted cities around the world to reconsider everything from parks and public transport to the way high streets work. Emma Tucker explores why good design is the way forward for greener, more sustainable spaces that keep us all happy and healthy
Camille Walala has brightened up a dull east London high street
The artist’s trademark lines and squiggles have landed on London’s Leyton High Road, as part of her crowdfunded Walala Parade artwork
Should more graphic designers design buildings?
Fresh from designing their own building in Amsterdam, Thonik’s Nikki Gonnissen and Thomas Widdershoven discuss what sets graphic designers apart from architects and what that could mean for a more collaborative future
How I Got Here: Designer Sam Hecht
Sam Hecht has had a 20-year partnership with Muji, helping shape the company’s minimalist yet practical image. Here he looks back over 30 years as a designer, discussing his “obsessive curiosity” and why design sometimes needs to be driven by need rather than desire
Greg Williams on the art of the candid shot
The photographer discusses his journey from documenting war zones to capturing candid moments of some of the biggest celebs on the planet, plus why the best images often aren’t technically perfect
Unrecognised and unloved: Patrick Burgoyne on the state of creative education
Education is vital to the UK’s phenomenally successful creative industries. Yet its value to the country appears to be going unrecognised in the government’s plans
The colourful world of Autumn de Wilde
The photographer and director has injected striking palettes into fashion photos, celebrity portraits, vibrant ads and her feature-length debut, Emma. She talks to us about navigating these different arenas and building worlds through music and colour
Ryan Reynolds creates a Father’s Day cocktail: The Vasectomy
Reynolds brings his irreverent advertising approach to Father’s Day with a new cocktail for dads, featuring a good slug of Aviation Gin, natch
Why the time has come for game title sequences to shine
Territory Studio’s Andrew Popplestone discusses the evolution of games credits and title sequences, and how they’re moving ever closer to the world of film
Why it pays for brands to go local
In an age of turbulence, brands are seeing the benefits of a localised approach over a global one. Here, Ben Sillence, strategy director at Lewis Moberly, explores what this may mean for designers and creatives
Can we design a more sustainable internet?
With the internet now accounting for roughly the same amount of carbon emissions as global air travel, we look at what designers can do to help tackle our digital waste problem
Early 2000s nightlife in all its chaotic, shiny glory
Matthew Smith’s new book brings together his photographs taken across the flourishing British nightlife scene at the turn of the millennium
Tony Barry on why advertising should move people
The director and former Wieden + Kennedy creative director looks back on the lessons he’s learned about peeling back the ‘veneer’ of advertising to make people laugh, cry, and truly believe in what they’re watching
Cephas Williams project features letters from Black boys to their future selves
The letters are addressed by the children to their older selves, and detail the world that they’d like to see in the future. The project, which will appear on billboards in the UK, is created to mark the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder
The ups and downs of being a hybrid creative
In today’s complex media landscape, creatives are often expected to work across multiple mediums. CR speaks to those who’ve broadened their practice to understand the benefits and challenges of the multi-disciplinary life
Behind the punchy covers of SZ Magazin
The weekly German newspaper supplement has a track record of publishing abstract and playful images. We talk to Thomas Kartsolis and Birthe Steinbeck from the art direction team about risk, deadlines and the joy of analogue tricks
Ask Anna: How do I find a creative partner?
Our resident creative industry agony aunt tackles an age-old question from a reader: how to find a good work partner? Here she offers a range of solutions, including polyamory
K-Y’s sex-positive campaign champions female masturbation
To celebrate National Masturbation Month in the US, Elephant has created a series of billboards for K-Y to remove the stigma attached to female pleasure
The unstoppable rise of sneaker culture
A new show at the Design Museum is tracing the journey of the sneaker from sportswear staple to cultural icon. We explore how the marketing strategies of the biggest brands in the game have evolved hand-in-hand with the $80 billion industry
Has the ad industry improved for women directors?
Women filmmakers have racked up long overdue accolades in recent film and TV awards. But what is the state of play in the commercial world?
John Hegarty on advertising’s automated future
We speak to the adland legend about his new gig as chairman of AI recruitment company Genie, plus how he thinks the industry will need to adapt post-Covid
New Nike ad celebrates being rubbish at sport
Nike’s new ad is part of a campaign titled Play New, which emphasises the joy of taking part in sport, even if you’re a bit crap at it
How Xbox is getting accessibility right
From releasing its adaptive controller to tackling loneliness in older people, Xbox has proved how much creative scope there is for brands that commit to accessibility
Inside the UK’s biggest content house
Envisioned as Big Brother for the TikTok generation, content houses have become a mecca for influencer marketing in the US. So is the UK ready to follow suit?
The Annual 2021: Trends and observations
Last year was dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic, but we also saw a number of other trends and developments emerge in the commercial creative industries. Here, we examine what they might suggest for the future
A new film wants to make people angry about period poverty
Hey Girls has released a chaotic campaign film directed by Margot Bowman, which aims to rile up viewers as a way of driving action
A golden era for poster advertising?
Often seen as old-fashioned, print and poster advertising is enjoying something of a renaissance. Our ad correspondent Ben Kay examines what might be driving the change
How Aldi became Britain’s funniest supermarket
Social media sensation #FreeCuthbert is the latest example of how Aldi has used wit to appeal to customers and break through in a very crowded market. We speak to its long-time creative agency McCann UK about how the brand nails its relatable sense of humour
Tanu Muino on making music videos bigger, better and weirder
Tanu Muino is the filmmaker on every artist’s wishlist, following a string of hits for Lil Nas X, Cardi B and Rosalía. CR spoke with her about making blockbuster music vids, her love of Hieronymus Bosch, and why artists need to embrace the bizarre
Carlota Guerrero’s subversive take on the female form
The Spanish imagemaker discusses the making of her debut monograph, her collaborations with everyone from Solange to Rupi Kaur, and the evolution of her mission to challenge the male gaze
