Cool Hunting

The Future Network: The Magazine
There's something refreshingly compelling about The Future Laboratory's latest publication, simply titled The. A "younger sibling" to their house publication Viewpoints, the quarterly is a straightforward look (read: no cheesy color-themed layouts) at current products, people, ideas and events, serving as a cultural thermometer aimed at an audience of marketers, creative directors, designers and the like. While the unfussy approach of The is part...

Wallpaper Design Awards 2008
Wallpaper unveiled its “Design Awards” series recently with some interesting results. Though we're not sure about their cred since they proclaimed Los Angeles “Best City” (air quality and gun violence were obviously not strong criterias), otherwise the periodical (along with judges that include Tadao Ando, Wong Kar-wai and Donatella Versace) really pulled it off. Best domestic appliance goes to the "Katamari 01" speaker by...

The International Illustrated
The International Illustrated, a magazine made up of unique original art created around a rather loose central theme, just released their third issue. The brainchild of two Brazilian designers, Julio and Vitor, the duo carefully select contributing artists based on their portfolios. After accepting an invitation to participate, artists receive a "label" (the theme of the issue) ranging from "Do What You Want and...

Tropolism: PIN-UP
Tropolism has been highlighting their favorite architectural magazines this week. Among the best (and a great gift to surprise the favorite architect on your list) is PIN-UP, a brand-new magazine that plays with the idea of architecture as eye candy and aims to go "behind the clothes" of architects to figure out what makes them tick. PIN-UP features articles on Jurgen Mayer H., Zaha...

Neo2
A project of the Madrid graphic design firm Ipsum Planet, Neo2 is a monthly Spanish design magazine that features international young designers and artists from all creative fields. The magazine’s fashion photography is particularly dramatic and well-done, like two very theatrical shoots in the September issue that play with monochrome tones and androgynous figures. JM Ferrater takes on a Japanese series, which depicts nude...

Braille Playboy
Although its funding was cut off for a time in 1985, issues of Playboy printed in braille have been published by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped since 1970. No, it doesn't include the pictures (reinforcing the old joke about reading the magazine for the articles), but it still might be the world's only government-sponsored conceptual art project. via MIT...