Core77

No one really likes commuting (except maybe those who have readily accepted "Tube Games" into their daily routine). We might temporarily curb our discontent with a few minutes buried in a good book, slowly head-bobbing to music or eyeing the cute straphanger across the train. It doesn't push past the fact that no one likes being crammed into a sweaty sardine can with a crowd of groggy people on their way to work.

If anyone has come even remotely close to making that scenario the least bit enjoyable, it's industrial designer Siew Ming Cheng. She's put together a commuter get-up that'll keep even the bravest of morning riders at bay. Just make sure you aren't on the receiving end.

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All photos by Hanne van der Woude

Last few weeks ago, a Cinelli "Laser Nostra" prototype sold for nearly 2.5 times its high estimate of $20,000 at a charity auction, raising $47,500 for (RED)—a fraction of the $13.1m total, but certainly a handsome sum for a bicycle that reportedly won the 2011 Red Hook Crit in Milan. (The one-off red Mac Pro went for nearly a million bucks, grossly eclipsing its $40,000–60,000 estimate.) Of course, the hammer price with buyer's premium comes in at one-tenth the figure of the most expensive bicycle sold at auction, a Trek Madone adorned with custom Damien Hirst 'butterfly' graphics—real wings applied to the frame and wheels—raced by Lance Armstrong during the 2009 Tour de France (see the full ranking here). The lepidopterous lightweight sold, pre-doping scandal, at a 2009 charity auction for the controversial cyclist's Livestrong organization, bringing in (as Lance Tweeted) "Half a million bucks!!!"—far and away the most of any of the art bikes he raced on that year.

Now Sotheby's, the esteemed auction house behind both of these notable sales (Bono is the man halfway-but-not-really behind the curtain), has commissioned a kind of artist's edition of bicycles from Herman van Hulsteijn, whose elegant seat tube-less frame design we first admired a couple of years ago, shortly after he launched his eponymous bicycle brand (styled as Vanhulsteijn). The Dutch designer has outdone himself with his latest project, a collaboration with his neighbors in Arnhem, who specialize in the craft of lacquer, also known as urushi.

Urushi is the sap of the urushi or lacquer tree (rhus vernicifera). It is a member of the sumac family (anacardiaceae) and native to China, Korea, Japan and the eastern Himalayas. The sap of this tree contains a resin (urushiol) which, when exposed to moisture and air, polymerizes and becomes a very hard, durable, plastic-like substance. Urushi is in fact a natural plastic. The process of applying the lacquer is long and labour intensive: independent of the size of the surface it takes on average 6 months to carry out the finishing. In some cases 60 layers are applied and polished by hand. Depending on the kind of lacquer the time it takes a single layer to dry can take from two hours up to three months. Due to its fascinating characteristics which are both sustainable and aesthetically beautiful, urushi is still used for a wide variety of purposes.

Video by Vandervan

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With over 70,000 people descending on Miami for Art Basel Miami Beach, its no wonder that the buzz surrounding the Design Miami sister show is getting louder with every year. This year's strong showing represented the increasingly international nature of the design business—the gallery list including Galerie BSL from Paris, Spazio Rossana Orlandi of Milan and Victor Hunt from Brussels alongside American favorites R20th Century and Cristina Grajales.

Primitive forms and the wonders of mother nature inspired designers to create objects of bizarre beauty. Nacho Carbonell's otherworldly works were as dramatic as Design Nucelo's monolithic metal tables that paid homage to the bronze age. Crystals and geodes continue to fascinate designers like Hella Jongerius and emerging-ceramicist Charlotte Cornaton with their spiritual properties and natural variations.

UUfie - Peacock L (at top)
Spazio Rossana Orlandi, Design Miami
Canadian-based UUfie crafted the dramatic Peacock chair from a single sheet of Corian. The mesmerizing grid casts a lovely shadow and a theatrical profile for its debut at Design Miami.

Hella Jongerius - Gemstone Side Table
Gallery Kreo, Design Miami
The iconic Dutch designer was inspired by the depths of color that occurs in natural stones like agate and malachite. Layers of translucent resin and plywood stack to form a revealing cross-section for this asymmetrical table.

Studio Job - Monkey Business
Carpenter's Workshop Gallery, Design Miami
A Swarovski-studded monkey wearing a fez stands guard over a brass treasure chest. It's not a scene from an Indiana Jones movie; it's the latest conversation-starter from Belgian designers Studio Job. An embedded LED hints at what treasures might lie inside the chest.

Richard Phillips - The Playboy Charger
Venus Over Manhattan Presents Piston Head, 1111 Lincoln Road
Ferrari's art car show in the Herzog & de Meuron-designed 1111 Lincoln Road explores how artists like Keith Haring, Damien Hirst, Tom Sachs and Ron Arad have transformed the beloved automobile into sculptural works. The exhibition also included the first viewing of artist Richard Phillips' collaboration with Playboy, the "Playboy Charger."

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As we saw last week, shipping containers carry our manufactured goods all around the world. There are some 17 million of them in existence, and that number will never shrink; no one can make a profit recycling shipping containers, because it takes a lot of energy to melt 8,000 pounds of steel down. So once brought into existence, these sturdy, hulking boxes are here to stay.

A portion of you are undoubtedly curious as to how they transform raw rolls of sheet metal into shipping containers. Well, here's how, as documented by Canadian company Big Box Steel. Pretty cool to see all of the jigs, rigs and fixtures, like the horizontally and vertically sliding chairs the welders sit in:

Now having seen the vid, what do you reckon is the worst job in that manufacturing squad? I think that guy at 8:12 who has to do the underside waterproofing has got it the worst.

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The Core77 Ultimate Gift Guide is one of the more popular pieces of content that we put together every year, both for our readers and those of us who have the privilege—and eye—for making the selections. In the interest of capturing the communal spirit of this year's Gift Guide, the contributors will be selecting a few of their favorite picks from their cohorts' lists alongside one of their own.

In other words, hint, hint.

I know , I know—no one really wants to think about work over the holidays. But let's face it: most of us spend most of our time at work, and most of us also work in less-than-ideal environments, be it a windowless cubicle or a mercilessly exposed open-plan office. So anything you can do to improve that situation for a loved one (or for yourself) is certainly worthy of your gift-giving dollar.

Here, I have tried to suggest products that will improve one's workday in four key areas: caffeination, organization, isolation, and decoration. These critera satisfy my own personal vision of an ideal workplace: one with good coffee, a minimum of clutter, a modicum of privacy, and a few pops of colorful and/or quirky ornamentation. These gifts won't necessarily make for better or faster work, but they should at least make for more contented workers.

Socks by Henrik Vibskov - I usually prefer to dress in solid, neutral colors—so I need socks like these to save me from being a total sartorial bore. $30 from Henrik Vibskov

LAX Minimalist Poster - I recently moved to Los Angeles, and this neon-colored homage to my local airport would make an excellent addition to my new apartment's decor. $159 at Zinc Details

5-Year Diary - I've never managed to keep a diary for more than a few days, but the idea of having five years' worth of notes in one volume—and in such a handsomely designed one -- makes me want to give it another go. $25 at MoMA Store

Zojirushi Tuff Mug - I don't actually have much use for a thermos, but, hey, I really like the way this guy looks. $32 on Amazon

See the full 2013 Gift Guide for more ideas →

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Fact: Hoboken, New Jersey is closer to Manhattan than most parts of Brooklyn. But few newcomers to New York, and even fewer tourists, ever cross the Hudson River to venture into the Garden State. Folks who have lived here less than a decade don't even seem to realize there's a light rail system connecting NYC and Jersey, and NJ Transit's atrocious website certainly doesn't make it easy to navigate.

This week, however, an unusual confluence of events led up to the release of a new NYC-region mass transit map bringing Jersey into the fold. The Superbowl is coming to town—well, to the Meadowlands—next month, and to make it easier for the influx of football fans to find the stadium, the MTA commissioned the new map (above) from Vignelli Associates.

Massimo Vignelli, of course, has a long history with NYC mass transit and graphic design: In addition to bringing Helvetica to the subway system, his design for the New York City Subway Diagram of 1972 was loved by design fans for its clean, non-geographic presentation.

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Much like the three Bears, Geier Gloves are tough and come in three levels of burliness. The Deerskin Buckle Gloves are tannery run leather, but still supple and soft while being slightly demure. They run smaller than most work gloves and make for elegant work protection or attractive bike gloves to keep your paws cozy. The Elkskin Slip-On Glove is a flexible midweight work glove, no frills, no fuss—like a protective mama bear for your hands.

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Creating a video can be daunting enough as it is—sure, the tools are more available than ever, but you still need to figure out lighting, sound and editing, to say nothing of composition and the story itself. A video that illustrates how awesome your project is? Even harder... which is why we want to help you get the wheels turning when it comes to making a submission video that will make your project stand out. (Note: Videos are not a requirement for submitting an entry to the Core77 Design Awards, but they are recommended.)

We've pulled together some of 2013's best submission videos. You don't have to be a professional videographer to impress us—some of the best videos we've seen are straightforward, simple and shot with a handheld camera. From our DIY category to Educational Initiatives, there's always a way to bring your project to life in front of the camera. Check out some of our favorites (and find out why we thought they were so neat):

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Join a company with a culture that moves you. Garmin International is an active bunch that is all about exploring and being first. As a Garmin Industrial Design Intern in their Olathe, KS office, you'll assist with the aesthetic and ergonomic development of projects, collaborating with Engineering, Marketing, and Management teams to explore, innovate, and execute world-class designs.

What does it take to join this team? You must have completed coursework in Industrial Design, Product Design, or a field relevant, wield digital proficiency in the use of tools such as SolidWorks, Keyshot, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, and/or Sketchbook Pro and be a team player with interest in either Garmin's Outdoor or Fitness markets. Ready to have fun? Apply Now.

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Gardening is known as a soothing, therapeutic pastime. Guns have a bit of a reputation for causing consternation, unsightly holes and bodily harm. To mix up these old world assumptions, ad firm Studio Total unveiled a new product: the Flower Shell. Rather than pain and strife, these shells spread life. Load up with these standard 12 gauge shells (available in a dozen different flower types) and prepare to blast new growth into your yard. Beyond the addition of seeds, the amount of gunpowder has been reduced in proportion to the type of seeds used. But don't be concerned by the attenuated firepower—apparently this is a good thing in a product meant to be used at short-range near the home. Ideal for violently reseeding large empty fields and boring (hopefully unpopulated) garden beds.

Tired of both senseless gun violence and quiet, slow tinkering in the garden? Take replanting by storm and force the yielding soil into bountiful submission.

Note: This concept product is 100% questionable. To aid users, Studio Total has released this series of informative test videos on their Dr. Bronner's-like website.

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