My name’s Anthony, but you can call me Beano or Ajay for short.
I’ve worked in a myriad of different industries so it’s kind of hard to pin down exactly what it is I do, but if you were to pidgeonhole me into a specific field based upon my career, I’m a graphic, multimedia and product designer.
In my spare time, I enjoy tinkering with cars (both full-scale and radio-controlled), building custom computers, cooking, making videos, cycling, travelling and most of all, spending time with my beloved partner.
I’m also a massive green energy, urbanism and electric vehicle advocate. All of the things I make, including the energy being used to write this blog, are made using energy that is either generated or offset by my array of solar panels.
This blog concentrates mostly on my DIY and Design work, as well as insights on these fields. Since I don’t have any form of social media, and I am honestly, vehemently against the idea of tech oligarchs controlling the means of information distribution, this blog is the only way you will get to hear from me about how I think about things. It also gives me greater control over how I express these ideas.
The comments are turned off because instead of being reactive, I want you to let the ideas I post here marinate a little. We’ve become too reactive as a society thanks to the medium of social media entirely being dependent on this reactivity for its longevity.
To anyone out there who’s taken the time to visit? Thank you for stopping by my little corner of the internet.
Why do you talk about politics on this blog somtimes?
That’s because design, like all other artforms, is at its core, absolutely political.
In saying that, I try my best to be as responsive to all political views as possible. I aim not to split hairs and divide people, Like the modernists of the past, I want people to embrace the idea of using design to create a better world for everyone. (which is the underpinnings of the Bauhaus design movement).
I am no fan of extremist partisans or partisan politics, because we are all, after all, frogs in the boiling pot. I am all about getting things done for the better.
There are figures I idolise on all sides of the so-called political spectrum. After all, I just want things to get done. We need to argue less about whether or not problems exist, and focus on the business of designing solutions to those problems. That is, after all, what Politics actually is. It’s not about batting for a team, it’s about forming consensus and getting things done. If I say you should vote for someone or something, it’s because after I analyse what is in front of me, I believe that it’s the most likely way to use your vote to get things done.
Here’s some quotes from figures I admire.
“It matters not if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice.” – Deng Xiaoping
“We all eat from the same Trashcan, and the name of that Trashcan is Ideology.” – Slavoj Zizek
“We (the PAP) are pragmatists. We don’t stick to any ideology. Does it work? Let’s try it, and if it does work, fine, let’s continue it. If it doesn’t work, toss it out, try another one. We are not enamored with any ideology.” – Lee Kwan Yew
“Indifference towards people and the reality in which they live is actually the one and only cardinal sin in design” – Dieter Rams
“Innovation is rarely about a big idea; more usually it’s about a series of small ideas brought together in a new and better way.” – Jony Ive
Why is my logo a Frog?
Two reasons! One’s kind of adorable, one’s pretty meaningful.
Firstly, “frog” was my childhood nickname. I was obsessed with frogs as a kid. I had a frog toybox, Kermit the Frog was my favourite Sesame Street character, and I loved (and still do love) Freddo Frogs. Frogs are also fucking adorable. I mean, how can you not like a frog?
Now, Frogs themselves are very sensitive to their environment. Life is not easy for frogs. Their bodies are semi-permeable, meaning they are sensitive to the conditions of their environment. If you’re landscaping a garden and frogs find their way in, it means you’ve crafted the ultimate biodiverse habitat for them. In the words of old mate Kermit himself, “It’s not easy being green”
I believe that the Frog is a great symbol for someone who wants to try their best to make a healthy ecosystem for us humans. Our thicker skin compared to our froggy friends might make us feel as if we’re invincible, but we humans are just as sensitive to the environment as frogs are. Climate change is going to collectively kick all of our arses, with bigger fires, floods and droughts, so we should be doing all we can to make our ecosystem as beneficial to us as possible. Whether that be the ecosystems of our homes, cities, transport infrastructure or our environment at large, we are all frogs in the pot, and we don’t want that pot to boil over.
It’s not easy being green, but it’s sure as hell the right thing to do.
This is a design blog, so what kind of design do you like?
As far as architecture/spatial design is concerned, I’m a massive fan of Mid-century Modern, Bauhaus, Zen Industrial, and Pragmatic Minimalist design. I believe that designs that are functional are the most beautiful of all. I also love embracing the beauty of raw materials and expressing their flaws as unique properties. In particular i enjoy working with 3D printed plastic, concrete moulding, and sustainable timbers.
I am also a big believer in the idea of lean manufacturing and modularisation. I myself make things using a 3-in-one 3D printer/laser/CNC machine, and when I do design things, I design stuff using this machine as my main workhorse.
I believe in using precision manufacturing techniques wherever possible, mostly to reduce cost, improve fit and finish, and increase serviceability and longevity. I am a huge advocate for lightweight steel frame constructions, renewable energy in homes, electric vehicles, public transport, and smaller, more practical, high density housing.
I also like designs that use as little design as possible, whilst still keeping things looking timeless and focusing on how the things will get used. Think product and housing designs from the likes of Dieter Rams, Jony Ive, Ludwig Miles Van der Rohe, Charles and Ray Eames, and so on.
Less wasteful, better designed, easier to use, more beautiful.