Cool Hunting

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 of its appeal, there's still plenty of creativity in the way they present the quality content. The fold-out cover of the second issue reveals a Pantone hue (3145 C) and explains why the color is one we're likely to see more of in coming months (see Temperley's latest runway show for proof).

We also like the recurring section called "The City Boxes," (all the sections riff off the title), which uses a photo of a neatly-laid out objects to explore cities (pictured below). Other sections explore topics like contemporary church architecture, friends who dress like twins and how to reinvent a "flailing or forgotten brand," but are never longer than a few pages.

Visit the site for more info and to download pdf versions of The.

Cover image via Citizen:Citizen