Topika is a strategic design consultancy, working with research partners to develop products and services for companies, governments, non-profit and cultural organisations.
Our clients include City of Amsterdam, Lego, Vistaprint, Droog, Lely,
Jaga, COSM, Boon Chocolatiers, Open State Foundation, TomTom,
Bang & Olufsen, HIVOS, Volkswagen Group, Joris Laarman Studio,
Duvel Moortgat Breweries
The quality of elementary schools is a hot topic in Amsterdam and we are thrilled that the municipality has started to open up related data sets for developers and designers.
We designed a
simple data visualisation tool that allows parents to compare schools in Amsterdam based on a few key performance indicators that have been recently made available.
Click here for more Former councillor Lodewijk Asscher has made a huge effort in Amsterdam to raise the quality of public schools through monitoring their performance and publishing the results.
Even though Asscher seemingly increased the transparency of monitoring school quality the current publication, the "Kwaliteitswijzer", does not make it particularly easy for parents to compare schools with each other in practice.
Our design allows you to curate a personalised data filter that shows how schools in your neighbourhood compare to each other based on selectable criteria. We have received great feedback from parents and researchers who find our app useful and simply effective. Our goal is to make the tool accessible for more ethnicities and to start working closely with parents in Amsterdam for the next release.
Our application has been awarded by the Open State Foundation during the first round of the "Apps voor Ouders Challenge" and we are preparing to submit a new design for the second round in January.
An evaluation report of the challenge is available in dutch.
We are delighted to be among
the three new teams which will be elaborating their design proposals under the wings of the Studio for Unsolicited Architecture, Design & E-Culture from September 2012.
Click here for more The Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI) and the Netherlands Architecture Fund (Stimuleringsfonds voor Architectuur) chose three proposals from a total of 50 submissions.
A building that builds itself and is built by you - was the subtitle of the ‘Self Building Building’ research proposal that we submitted together with Tomasz Jaskiewicz, Lilet Breddels and Karen van der Moolen.
Our project aims to involve end-users as well as commissioners in the construction process by translating their wishes into a file-to-factory process.
We strive to renew the interaction between client, architect, financier, proprietor and user. The intention of the study is to arrive at a new construction paradigm as an alternative for the current processes and practices for realising and maintaining a building.
All teams will present their research and the tangible results in early 2013 and you can keep track on how our project takes shape on our research website.
Topika designed and produced the
Open Hardware Summit After Party, hosted by
Cosm
The 'Open Scribble Party' has a playful and tongue-in-cheek approach.
We custom designed a series of riddles and games that tie into the Open Hardware world.
Click here for more
Want to play?
download the .pdf templates below.
ENJOY!
Images courtesy of Michelle Calabro
"I am tired of the cult of youth" - Tom Ford
Design Age is a human-centered research & development platform that focuses on the concept of aging and the cycle of life.
Click here for more
It is a creative collective containing 10 different disciplines:
among us are product & interaction designers, architects, researchers, trend watchers, healthcare experts, communication specialists and social engineers.
more... [in dutch]
Design Age is initiated by Caro van Dijk
The Design Age members are:
Alexander Zeh, Barbara Roelofs, Caro van Dijk, Dick van Dijk, Ella Keijzer, Eunice Nijlant, Femke Terpstra, Haik Hanemaaijer, Jacomine van Veen, Janou Bonnie, Lisette Wiersma, Louis Neven, Maud van de Wiel, Roos Zwart, Sabine Wildevuur, Thijs Middeldorp, Tony Michiels
