David McCandless shows how design can make sense out of the overwhelming amount of information in today’s world. He turns complex data sets (like worldwide military spending, media buzz, Facebook status updates) into beautiful, simple diagrams that tease out unseen patterns and connections. Good design, he suggests, is the best way to navigate information glut — and it may just change the way we see the world.

Breakbot – Baby I’m Yours (feat. Irfane) – HD made with 2000 watercolour images!

Games like World of Warcraft give players the means to save worlds, and incentive to learn the habits of heroes. What if we could harness this gamer power to solve real-world problems? Jane McGonigal says we can, and explains how…

NIEUW-WEST It is the name of recently merged Amsterdam districts Osdorp, Slotervaart and Geuzenveld-Slotermeer. The merge also means an end to 20 years of reconstructing Osdorp. Celebrating this +1 was asked to create an intriguing video, featuring the buildings they found most characteristic.

YouTube videos in which Lego people act out movies are the perfect way to break up a dreary day. Well, put in your headphones and close that Excel doc… Here is the entire Star Wars saga told via Lego… in two minutes and 13 seconds. This video, which hit YouTube on Star Wars day (which also brought us Hans Solo Yourself from the JibJab folks), has already racked up more than 400,000 views.

“A FULL-CG animated piece that tries to illustrate architecture art across a photographic point of view where main subjects are already-built spaces. Sometimes in an abstract way. Sometimes surreal.”

This video by Alex Roman is an extraordinarily well executed study of architecture, using 3D Studio Max, a lighting technology called VRay and some relatively simple post production techniques. It took two years to complete, which may seem like an age, but considering the run time of over 12 minutes, and the fact that all the visuals were created by only one person, on just one computer – it is truly a stunning piece. Using a depth of field technique very similar to the current style coming from the Canon 7D, it manages to create a truly realistic look – and one that at times goes beyond what the standard camera in real life can create. If you do watch the video, watch out for the change during the middle where Alex brings in more organic subjects…also amazing!

The New PUMA Fuseproject Packaging. PUMA and Yves Béhar developed a more sustainable packaging and distribution system in keeping with PUMA’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, with impressive stats to support the change. Nice to hear this being mention on Radio2 last night (not that I listen to it on my drive home…) and an interview with the CEA of PUMA. Nice animation too – perfectly paced in my opinion.

Last month’s Creative Forum featuring Progress Packaging is now available in video form. The next Forum will occur on the 23rd April, where the artist Rob Hart will be coming in to talk about his work – find out more here

Prague-based designer Pavel Fuksa (a.k.a. jergot+gotroch), ambitiously designed 178 different matchbox designs for use in a new music video by Navigators.

During the Apollo lunar missions from 1968 to 1972, those onboard were given 16mm cameras and told to film anything and everything they could, in space, in orbit, and on the surface of the moon itself. Two decades later, filmmaker Al Reinert went into the NASAvaults to create this incredible film set to a soundtrack by Brian Eno.

I love that after years of grueling training and selection processes to get to the moon and then when they finally get onto it’s surface, they become big kids!