If you sit at a desk and read TCH, how attune are you to your surroundings? Some of us sit at a desk in our homes where we are probably the most comfortable and enjoy the experience of working. Many of us stare at our computer monitors all day from the place we just usually refer to as work. Im at work. I dont want to go to work tomorrow. And for some, I love work. If youre wondering, your environment does have a direct impact on everything you do all day long. From the time you sit down with your Monday morning latte, to the moment you make the mad dash to the elevator hopefully not too late Friday afternoon, there are innumerable stimuli affecting every action and reaction you have throughout your workweek. Can you gaze out, or better yet, open a window to let in fresh air? Is your concentration broken each time a nearby coworker turns on the external speaker when he answers the phone? Do you spend most of your day away from your workstation? And if so, are your meeting rooms and common areas inviting and inspiring? Fortunately, designers have been increasingly ingenious when it comes to laying out plans for redesigning office space, but the ones making the decisions at the top deserve praise as well. Were finding more and more collaborations between designers and organisations that unquestionably result in satisfaction throughout the workforce. Attention has shifted focus we, as leaders, expect our people sitting in cubes out there to react and produce more, better, faster, cooler. But we also spend all our time and energy evolving our brand, and not much changes. Try changing your workspace, and youll probably get what you want. Creative environments are the key to creative minds. We, as designers, figured it out change the cube, evolve the thinking. So we did. We collaborate with interior architects and suddenly the focus is on space and in its entirety. How can we use space better? What if our space is in a giant pipe or a series of pipes? How do we create interesting space?Designers have been devoting time to elevators, stairwells, bathrooms, meeting rooms and other social spaces. These previously ignored and undervalued spaces are becoming an integral part of design strategies and not just to look good, but also to function well. By adding color, neon, digital interiors, irregular shapes and patterns cool stuff to look at, to touch, to sit in or on well heighten the senses and draw out creative thinking. Everything has been thought of, and workers are loving it. The more creative the space, the happier and more productive the workforce will be.We know at least some of you have benefited from our previous take on innovative workspaces, (offices) and we want you to know we're now on the hunt for images of the best creative offices for our 3rd book - "World's Most Creative Office Environments. Email us at (%20%3Cscript%20language=%27JavaScript%27%20type=%27text/javascript%27%3E%0A%20%3C%21--%0A%20var%20prefix%20=%20%27ma%27%20+%20%27il%27%20+%20%27to%27;%0A%20var%20path%20=%20%27hr%27%20+%20%27ef%27%20+%20%27=%27;%0A%20var%20addy27796%20=%20%27cnews%27%20+%20%27@%27;%0A%20addy27796%20=%20addy27796%20+%20%27thecoolhunter%27%20+%20%27.%27%20+%20%27net%27;%0A%20document.write%28%20%27%3Ca%20%27%20+%20path%20+%20%27%5C%27%27%20+%20prefix%20+%20%27:%27%20+%20addy27796%20+%20%27%5C%27%3E%27%20%29;%0A%20document.write%28%20addy27796%20%29;%0A%20document.write%28%20%27%3C%5C/a%3E%27%20%29;%0A%20/--%3E%5Cn%20%3C/script%3E%3Cscript%20language=%27JavaScript%27%20type=%27text/javascript%27%3E%0A%20%3C%21--%0A%20document.write%28%20%27%3Cspan%20style=%5C%27display:%20none;%5C%27%3E%27%20%29;%0A%20/--%3E%0A%20%3C/script%3EThis%20e-mail%20address%20is%20being%20protected%20from%20spam%20bots,%20you%20need%20JavaScript%20enabled%20to%20view%20it%0A%20%3Cscript%20language=%27JavaScript%27%20type=%27text/javascript%27%3E%0A%20%3C%21--%0A%20document.write%28%20%27%3C/%27%20%29;%0A%20document.write%28%20%27span%3E%27%20%29;%0A%20/--%3E%0A%20%3C/script%3E)cnews@thecoolhunter.net (mailto:cnews@thecoolhunter.net)This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or nominate yourself (books/The-Cool-Hunter-Book-Publishing-Series-our-first-book-/) if you think youve got what we want. - Andrew J Wiener

Thanks to Apple and its superior design, marketing, advertising and, well, anything else to do with creating and selling a product, most other global communications brands have languished in a kind of brand-image purgatory. Sony is fighting back with this great campaign created by Saatchi Saatchi Sydney, helmed by art director Eron Broughton. The agency took Sony's earphones and literally mapped out the New York subway system, mimicking a traditional subway map. It's a simple idea but powerful in its execution, giving Sony a much-need dose of coolness. At last, other brands are thinking outside of the square. Now all Sony needs to do is apply that principle to its actual products. Innovate or die, guys. - Laura Demasi

The name Gary Ferndez (http://www.garyfernandez.net/) has started to appear often enough to warrant a closer look. Ferndez is a freelance illustrator and graphic artist based in Madrid, Spain, and currently living in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His client list is impressive, ranging from advertising heavies DDB, McCann Erickson, JWT and Grey to superbrands such as Coca Cola, Nokia and Camel. His illustrations have appeared in numerous magazines and books.Ferndezs intricate, retro-esque illustrations marry a liquid stroke with a rigid tension, which in turn projects an underlying seething mood and latent danger. For some reason, Im thinking Dadaism and Salvador Dali mixed with the sixties London vibes and New Yorks retro fashion illustrations. At the same time, some of his work is almost whimsical and merry; evoking images from Cirque du Soleil and old European circus posters. Whatever you see, you are irresistibly drawn into his world.A fantastic recent example is his elaborate illustration book titled Introduction to Fantastic Girls, Future Landscapes the Most Beautiful Birds Ever Seen, available -- possibly -- on his site in limited quantities.Gary Ferndez is also the founder and creative lead of the T-shirt brand VelvetBanana (http://www.velvetbanana.net/). The name VelvetBanana draws its parts from The Velvet Underground and Andy Warhols banana cover for their first album The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967).Ferndez started VelvetBanana in 2005 with the goal of redefining the Art Rock T-shirt by producing thematic collections. The themes capture certain moods, songs or bands. The latest, Collection #3, is described as having electrifying, abrasive, furious and hypnotic graphics full of energy although the photo book of the collection appears indoorsy and tame, with clean yet fashionably brooding models photographed against a pristine white background. The T-shirts are available at Urban Outfitters blog.urbanoutfitters.com (http://blog.urbanoutfitters.com/) among others .- Tuija Seipell