Just a bit more than 5 years ago, my father, an industrial engineer and a man as prepared as it can get asked me what was all this internet thing about and what was it for. On top of those thousand and one things that we discover every day and all those still to come, it has helped me to get in touch with friends in 14 cities, in 10 different countries during the last 2 weeks that I have been away from this blog. 2 weeks that I have been helping to prepare the candidacy to 2010 Spanish National Design Prize that Belowgroup has decided to present. Thanks to the optimism of Jos\u00e9 Barr\u00f3n, Ram\u00f3n Alarc\u00f3n and Jose Carlos Conde, to my unconsciousness and the support and pacience of my wife, Inma Alcalde, we’ve made it. And we’ve made it on time (despite the volcano from Iceland and the Fair from Seville, no doubt the 2nd stopped this city’s normal life more than the 1st one).<\/p>\n
Anyway, the value of a candidacy like this one should be on the work itself, and… well, the work is there<\/a> for the jury to evaluate. Let them decide. If it’s true what a lot of people say that inspiration must hit you at work (and that I don\u00b4t share because I don\u00b4t believe in inspiration), I was there, that’s for sure. I haven\u00b4t been to many other places so often in the last 20 years. But I think a big part of the interest of this proposal is the multidisciplinary side of the work. It’s how I really think our profession will really be if it has ever been different from that (I still believe in Mr. Bernbach and that we should take things from where he left them 50 years ago and walk the next step).<\/p>\n But anyway, going back to the beginning, I think that the real difference, the one that can make the proposal stand a little bit out from the rest, is the great number of brilliant people that I’ve met on my way and that I’m lucky enough to still be FRIENDS with. To each and all of them, I would like to say THANK YOU<\/a>. By order of arrival: Alain, Magda, Angel, Alfredo, Hans, Fran\u00e7ois, Carlos, Christian, Paco, Luis, Javier, Estrella, Dami\u00e1n, David, Charles, F\u00e9lix, Valmir y Rick, from the bottom of my heart thank you.<\/p>\n To Pilar, Nick, Ty, Alberto, Lydia, and Olga, who didn’t make it on time, also thank you<\/a>. And to you too Luis (I was the one to be late here). And to all of their assistants. And of course, to all the rest who has participated in one way or another in what is shown in the proposal but I didn’t get to contact (god, it’s only been 2 weeks), also thank you.<\/p>\n Hace poco m\u00e1s de 5 a\u00f1os, mi padre, ingeniero industrial y hombre preparado d\u00f3nde los haya, me preguntaba \u00bfque era eso de internet y para que serv\u00eda? Adem\u00e1s de las mil y una cosas que todos vamos descubriendo cada d\u00eda y las que nos quedan por descubrir, a mi me ha servido para retomar contacto con amigos de 14 ciudades, en 10 pa\u00edses durante las 2 semanas que he estado ausente en este blog. 2 semanas en las que he estado ayudando a preparar la candidatura a Premio Nacional de Dise\u00f1o 2010 que Belowgroup decidi\u00f3 presentar. Gracias al optimismo de Jos\u00e9 Barr\u00f3n, Ram\u00f3n Alarc\u00f3n y Jose Carlos Conde, a mi inconsciencia y al apoyo y la paciencia de mi mujer, Inma Alcalde, hemos llegado. Y a tiempo (a pesar del volc\u00e1n de Islandia y la feria de Sevilla, sin duda el 2\u00ba par\u00f3 m\u00e1s la vida normal de la ciudad que el 1\u00ba).<\/p>\n El valor de una candidatura como esta deber\u00eda estar en el trabajo, y bueno… el trabajo est\u00e1 ah\u00ed<\/a>, para que lo vea el jurado. Que ellos decidan. Si es cierto lo que muchos dicen, que la inspiraci\u00f3n te tiene que pillar trabajando (y que yo no comparto porque no creo en la inspiraci\u00f3n), yo desde luego estaba all\u00ed. No he estado en muchos otros sitios tan a menudo desde hace m\u00e1s de 20 a\u00f1os. Aunque yo creo que parte de la chicha de esta propuesta est\u00e1 en el car\u00e1cter multidisciplinar del trabajo. Es como creo que ser\u00e1 realmente esta profesi\u00f3n nuestra, si es que alguna vez ha dejado de serlo (sigo creyendo en Mr. Bernbach y en que hay que recoger el testigo que el tom\u00f3 hace 50 a\u00f1os).<\/p>\n Pero volviendo al principio, creo que la gran diferencia, la que puede hacer esta propuesta un poco diferente a las dem\u00e1s, es la cantidad de gente brillante que he conocido en el camino y de la que tengo la suerte de seguir siendo AMIGO. Y a todos ellos les quiero dar las GRACIAS<\/a>. Por orden de llegada: Alain, Magda, Angel, Alfredo, Hans, Fran\u00e7ois, Carlos, Christian, Paco, Luis, Javier, Estrella, Dami\u00e1n, David, Charles, F\u00e9lix, Valmir y Rick, de todo coraz\u00f3n, gracias.<\/p>\nY s\u00ed, pero… \u00bfpara que sirve la red?<\/h3>\n