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From AudioCubes.com in Japan:
"Utilizing the natural resonance of bamboo, this Japanese engineered speaker not only projects quality sound but also is an stylish interior design deco. The TAKEGTF2 model uses a special Japanese SuSu bamboo which is smoked and aged for close to 100 years, and hand selected and crafted to meet Bird-Electron's standard. Unit can be used with any audio device through its stereo-mini plug. No power source needed."
Toasty bamboo sound for $129.
Found on Treehugger.
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John Burke
London, UK
Featured Project : Intermittent Compression Therapy
This therapy system is meant to offer immediate treatment of broken bones in ambulances and hospital waiting rooms. A portable unit pumps pressured, cooled water around and throughout a corresponding splint. These treatments bring instant relief and comfort to the patient by reducing the chances of long-term tissue damage, easing swelling, and optimizing the condition of the injury to be cast.
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Simon Karkov's Norm 06 pendant lamp for Normann Copenhagen is assembled by the user--no glue or tools necessary.
via mocoloco
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Bodil Soderlund's custom ceramic plush toys, such as bears, sheep, and moose, are a fresh take on the preservation of childhood keepsakes, much like bronzed shoes or hand/foot prints. Check out Soderlund's site for more info.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Psile describes itself as silent and stylish...a pretty good Mac Mini (PC) doppelganger, given its larger size and less desirable proportions. As I was about to give the Psile a half-hearted nod of approval/acceptance, I clicked on the p+sonal psile link and it all went downhill from there.
via red ferret
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These little doodads hark back to Mr. Potatohead days, except with a bunch more positions to choose from and without the potato shape. In fact, there are a variety of shapes including cylinders, cones, cubes, eggs, and cars, that internally store mini parts used as eyes, hands, feet, mouth, or whatever you make up. Adults and children alike can customize their very own Pontiki.
via coolhunter
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Check out Designboom's new interview with the notoriously "out-there" artist/architect Vito Acconci.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
Life-size cutouts of deployed service members
are given by the Maine National Guard to spouses, children and relatives back home.The Flat Daddies ride in cars, sit at the dinner table, visit the dentist and even are brought to confession, according to their significant others on the home front.
At the request of relatives, about 200 Flat Daddy and Flat Mommy photos have been enlarged and printed at the state National Guard headquarters in Augusta, Maine. The families cut out the photos, which show the Guard members from the waist up, and glue them to a $2 piece of foam board.
Take that, designers of pillows-that-hug, USB-devices-that-emit-fragrance, robots-that-care-for-elders, simulated-dogs-that-soothe. A low-fi (functionally) but hi-fi (representationally) has dramatic (anecdotal) impact. Should we be chastened, saddened, or charmed? Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)
Greenpeace rates it in their "Guide to Greener Electronics." A nice exec summ. in Endgadget.
Atypyk does kooky, tongue-in-cheek design so very well. Cheese sponge! No explanation necessary. The packaging choice is tres magnifique.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (3)The SF Chron considers the prominence and history of architects in cinema and points out that
The series "Architecture in the Movies" will play every Wednesday evening in October on Turner Classic Movies.and
Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)
The San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects is sponsoring a free film series related to architecture each Wednesday in September.
The International Networks Archive has a set of infographics (garish or gorgeous? What would Tufte say?) about various world issues:
The Global Arms Trade
The Global Tobacco Trade
The Government Grind
Transportation Today
The Coming Water Wars
The Global Movie Biz
Starbucks and McDonalds
[via Fast Food News]
Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (3)
Panasonic's new SV-SD800N, or "D-snap," digital audio player features a high-quality noise-cancelling function that allows you to listen to music at a reasonable level without intrusion of outside sounds. If this proves to be true, we'll have one less thing to fret about (if it even makes its way to this country) on our morning subway commutes--screaming, ranting lunatics, other people's (max-volume blasting) terrible taste in music, and our own near-deafness, brought on by the pursuit of blocking everyone else out.
via scifi tech
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For fun and good times, +41 and Sooishi make delectable Nike-flavored treats like baked cheese swooshes and mini-jello kicks.
via josh spear
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D-Skin is a thin film that snaps over the readable surfaces of CD's and DVD's, preventing smudges, scratches, and other media injuries. D-Skin should be left on the discs at all times, even while being played. If the film should tear or scratch, it can easily be replaced with another D-skin, while CD's and DVD's are not as easily or cheaply replaceable.
via blog of wishes
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Lots of the classics here (still gotta LOVE Joe Colombo's Trolley and Zanuso/Sapper's Algol TV). Click on "designers" for the classic B&W poses--only one female kind though.
Antonio Riello's creations make murder and torture look sugary-sweet. The ultra-fem color, material, and graphic treatments give his weapons something the ladies can relate to within a heavily male-dominated scene.
via boingboing
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Norway-based design studio Permafrost's nature-inspired floor adornments bring the outdoors in. The John Deere rug resenbles tractor tire marks on grass and the Rabbit Track rug mimics delicate bunny prints in fresh-fallen snow.
via mocoloco
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Hugo Passos
Porto, Portugal
Featured Project : Leica: My Diary
"Dear Diary, you are so played out. Paper? That's it? You've got to be kidding me."
Mr. Passos' hi-tech diary concept brings new life to a product that hasn't changed for ages. Leica: My Diary is a personal device concept that records memories via sound, image, text, and video collection. The device holds 3 chapters that are each dedicated to a specific function. My Diary utilizes self-playback while it can also function as a projector.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (2)
Jill's got an inspiring interview up with Koen Olthius of WaterStudio.nl. And today, of course, we could all use some inspiration when it comes to flood protection.
Here's a taste:
...And people from the United States and China watch our systems of keeping the water out of the landscape the water out. But while they want to emulate our system of dikes, we are actually trying to move away from fighting against the water. Now we are beginning to let the water in and we are starting to make friends with the water. We have to do that because eventually the dikes won't be able to keep up and all of this part of Holland's will be flooded. So, it's better just to work with the water instead of fighting against it.
Oh: And when you're done with the interview, take a side trip to our own "Surving the Flood" for more water-related design.
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (2)
Teo Enlund's Epistola (Latin for "letter") letter-opener for Simplicitas shreds through envelopes and weighs your mail using integrated holes and a pen/pencil.
via sensory impact
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Before the grand opening of Uniqlo's 36,000 square ft. SoHo flagship store, the Japan-based basics retailer will deploy several temporary cargo ship container stores at various NYC locations. The containers will first arrive by ship from Tokyo, then transported from the pier to the NYC destinations on flat-bed trucks, and finally lifted by cranes into position. The container stores will operate every weekend until the SoHo location officially opens.
via psfk
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Aiptek's My Note digi-notepad can be taken anywhere, to record notes, doodles or any other info that you need captured to upload onto your compy via USB. The device features an approximate 20-hour battery life and is predicted to retail around USD$150. Sorry Apple bunnies...My Note is Windows- compatible only.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (4)
Stock up on slashed-price designer goodies on Sept. 9 & 10 only at NYC's Vitra store.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)From Jackie Ottman's newsletter:
By now most people have seen the following statistics for the U.S. (Robert U. Ayres Industrial Metabolism, pp. 26 in Technology and Environment, Ausubel, J. and H.E. Sladovich. Eds. Washington: National Academy Press):
* For every 100 lbs of product manufactured, 3,200 pounds of waste is created; and,
* Only 6% of the materials extracted each year from the Earth become durable goods; the other 94% is converted into waste within a few weeks or months.
Hmm. Maybe not so rosy.
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (1)This morning's free paper looks good for Scorpios:
Use your money wisely to make more money, and you'll discover things start to get a lot easier And you'll achive a nice standard of living. And all the stuff you buy will create jobs.
Rosy!
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (0)
The first batch of Core77's limited edition Fila Blufom sneakers, along with custom-died laces and Core goodies, have been shipped out to customers across the planet.
Get your very own pair from the online Blufom shop if you haven't ordered already!
Also, take a minute to check out the production slideshow.
Philips Research's Lumalive fabrics feature flexible arrays of colored light-emitting diodes (LEDs) fully integrated into the fabric - without compromising the softness or flexibility of the cloth. The company is inviting potential partners to talk about the immediate commercialization potential of Lumalive textiles at IFA 2006 where their booth will act as a showcase for the technology and a focal point for discussions.
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And speaking of Block Jams, the mythical Optimus OLED keypad gets "unpacked" this afternoon over at Engadget HQ. With only 3 keys and a price tag of $160, we'll wait as well, but you gotta love the promise of interactive, widget-ized keys. [Thanks to Ken for the tip.]
Tech-treated fabrics seem to have gone through a slalom course of interest and popularity; they're uber-hot one minute, played-out and lame the next. They still have yet to successfully infiltrate the mainstream market. BBC explains how the latest revalations in fashion technology, such as integrated fiber-optics, digital interactivity, and wearable/washable displays, are shaping today's style/function mash-up craze.
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There seems to be a consistently huge demand for shiny new digital cameras at any given time as well as a respective gaggle of folks who can't choose from the impossible selection. Purchases such as this are especially difficult since you don't want the gizmo to become obsolete in a year and you don't want to get ripped off either. Check out these 25 tips that will transform you into a fact-filled digicam expert in no time. Good luck!
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Last year on the same date, Rebar claimed the streets for the people by setting up a temporary outdoor park space within the confines of a metered parking spot. This year, with support from Trust for Public Land, San Franciscans (hopefully soon-to-be all Earthlings) are asked to participate in the creative makeovers of as many parking spots as possible.
Please join us as we transform parking spots into PARK(ing) spaces: temporary public parks in areas that need open space - enlivening the streets and improving the quality of urban human habitat.
via inhabitat
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Kyoto-based design studio Collect.Apply is currently developing Block Jam, a collaborative musical user interface concept that is controlled by arrangements of 25 tangible blocks. Various formations of blocks yield different musical phrases and sequences, where multiple users are encouraged to play and collaborate.
By creating both a tangible and a visual language, we are able to create endless meaningful musical structures in a novel and intuitive way that predisposes itself to collaboration and exploration, face to face or via a network, pushing interactive music towards the casual user.
Joost Wever's Come Together rings are meant to be worn by a couple who wishes to project "the ultimate love symbol." Apart, the rings look like simple designs in gold or silver with one or two notches on the top side. When aligned and brought closer together, the rings form a silhouetted heart shape (ultimate loves symbol).
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Any hi-tech graf-artist knows to use conductive spray-paint and magnet paint to embed flashy LED's for a brightly embellished piece. Watch the step-by-step video tutorial at Graffiti Research Lab.
via tech e blog
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Start the week here. [Thanks to Mike for the tip.]
The New Yorker has a nifty-yet-brief piece of observational research on part of the Netflix process; incoming envelopes unloaded and outgoing ones loaded.
forty employees ("associates," in Netflix parlance) are ready for work. The majority are women who were born in Africa and in Asia. At 6:30 A.M., they sit down in ergonomic chairs and begin the process known as "rental return." An associate tears open an envelope that contains a sleeve enclosing a disk, tosses the empty envelope into a recycling bin, removes the DVD from its sleeve, checks the title on the DVD (when "Black Dog" arrives in a sleeve for "The Triangle," the mismatched sleeve is discarded and "Black Dog" is re-sleeved), checks the condition of the sleeve (those with coffee stains or other evidence of having been used as coasters will also be replaced), checks the condition of the DVD (for scratches and cracks), and extracts customer notes ("THROW THIS DAMN DISK AWAY. IT DOES NOT WORK AFTER EPISODE 2, CHAPTER 4!"). Fingers flying and heads swivelling, the women each open between four hundred and fifty and eleven hundred and fifty returned rentals an hour.Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (1)
Influx M-Squared bills itself a conference about the future of marketing, but with presenters from MINI USA, Business 2.0, IDEO, and Dwell, it's obviously more than that. October 3rd in San Francisco.
Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)
Zorbing. It's a new "extreme sport" where you roll down across an open field in an inflatable sphere. If you do accomplish this task, you then earn the title of Zorbonaut. There are a few different variations such as Harness Zorbing (safest bet), Hydro Zorbing (where water simultaneously tumbles around with you), and the Zylinder (the non-moving tunnel for kids).
via coolhunter
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (2)
Roger Arquer's Visa money clip concept for a Visa design competition is definitely one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" ideas. Also, check out Roger's lamp that was blogged a couple days ago, in case you missed it.
via scifi tech
The chair's a chip...use children as an accoutrement. Available at MoMA.
via productdose
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
The Information Architecture Institute is sponsoring an interesting new conference called IDEA (Information: Design, Experience, Access) - about "designing complex information spaces of all kinds." The focus is on bringing together speakers from many different disciplines that wouldn't necessarily confer in the same circles, to cast some light upon an increasingly relevant set of design problems both virtual and meatspace. At the Seattle Public Library, October 23-24.
The final parts of the Power of Design series by Tasos Calantzis is now up - Part 4: Solving Business Problems and Part 5: Leadership
Posted by: Niti Bhan | Comments (0)
Business Week gives us an update on critical developments in design and innovation for medical devices. Included among these crucial ten is the amazing LifePort Kidney Transporter designed by IDEO, which you may remember reading about in our Studio Bullitts section.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
This recently released knife is 9-inches long, weighs 2-pounds, holds 85 instruments, and is completely ridic. I can't even fathom the ergonomic justifications on this thing. Swiss Army knives are intended for portable, multi-use convenience. If you're still interested and willing to cough up 1200 dollaroos, each knife must be individually ordered through Wegner.
via engadget
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When backpacking through the wilderness, one must have proper seasonings for picked, captured, and canned fare. Swiss Spice's refillable, waterproof, and irresistably packaged salt and pepper pack lasts 2 weeks for 2 people and stays clog-free, even at high altitudes. Get one to call your very own at flight001.
via coolhunting
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Opera singer Chris Gillet snapped 2,550 photos of every breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the year of 2005, resulting in this colossal 16 ft. art piece. He looks satisfied.
via arbroath
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For the release of the new "executive model" C6, Citroen has commissioned a GBP$112,330 garage designed by Neutral (architects Tapio Spellman and Christian Grou) who aimed to "envelope and present the C6 in a truly unique and independent environment."
One stance is that technology is neither inherently good or bad, it's what we do with it, as humans with the ability to choose and judge and reflect our own cultural norms, that's where the morality comes in. Of course, there are any number of agents along the way to actual use. Those that package a technology in a way that instructs in its usage may persaude or encourage behaviors that are not "approved" of. We see the media blaming cell phones, texting, the Internet whenever possible - it's a better headline than to blame a gun, or a parent, or a person. Where does the accountability lie?
An emerging special case is the set of technologies that we can use to misrepresent reality to others. The first that caught my eye (back in 2004) was SoundCover (company website is now defunct, but story is here), software that would play fake background noises over your mobile phone, to add credence to an excuse (i.e., "I'm stuck in traffic."). A more recent mobile twist is the popularity dialer that will automatically call you at pre-arranged times so you can look popular, or fake an exit from a bad date, or whatever. Hacking social norms and faking reality through technology.
Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)The San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) is hosting an open-mic discussion to "evaluate, extend, and challenge the dialogue from ISEA 2006/ZeroOne San Jose." Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 6:30pm. Keywords: festive, informative, food, drink, urban/social/economic systems, free.
Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)A great list of 50 typical interview questions to think about and be ready for. Only have time for 3? Here are our favorites:
11. What kind of salary do you need?
A loaded question. A nasty little game that you will probably lose if you answer first. So, do not answer it. Instead, say something like, That's a tough question. Can you tell me the range for this position? In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard, will tell you. If not, say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a wide range.
23. Tell me about your dream job.
Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win. If you say the job you are contending for is it, you strain credibility. If you say another job is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be dissatisfied with this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say something like: A job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and can't wait to get to work.
27. What is more important to you: the money or the work?
Money is always important, but the work is the most important. There is no better answer.
[via lifehacker/kottke]
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (0)
Forget electronic paper shredders, scissor shredders and all other means of confidential document disposal. Ralph Thomas' Spy Paper turns to a useless pulp within seconds of coming into contact with liquids, including saliva. It's a cool idea and I really hope it does work because the site and the illustration (above) aren't the most convincing sales tools.
via red ferret
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
While they're obviously non-operational, these bad-ass paper guns are amazing and look painstakingly crafted.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (3)
It appears that this crispy breakfast meat-treat has quickly become a trendy motif. Perhaps the Bacon Bracelet was ahead of its time? For $8.99 you can purchase your very own Bacon Wallet.
via ohgizmo
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
We'll blog this one for Steve.
Steve Portigal is starting up a new service called Culture Venture, and the offering is intriguing. Here's the pitch:
As brands become global and companies do business in and with these other cultures, gaining an in-depth understanding of those cultures is essential.
CultureVenture provides immersive and inspirational experiences in foreign cultures to help you discover and make sense of the notable differences in your other markets.
We provide experiences, insight, observations, and analysis. We’re not tour guides, and we’re not experts in how the rest of the world works.
Together we’ll go shopping, sit in cafes, watch curious TV ads, take the metro, get lost, and sample new cuisines. We’ll take pictures, ask questions, and summarize our key learnings.
We work with executives, project managers, designers, engineers, and other key team members who must understand a culture outside their own.
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (0)
Roger Arquer's Float Light for Mathmos brings a real newness to candlelight. Instead of burning from the top down, the candle, submerged in water, burns from the bottom up and is automaticaly extinguished when no wax is left.
These retro-esque belt buckles are crafted by 1450 Designs (1450 is the temperature at which glass melts- yowza!) in Austin, Texas. For more info or to purchase, visit elsewares.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Besides having the eye-roll inducing name "i-Luv," this iPod and iPod nano battery boosting device is pretty sweet. This rechargeable lithium polymer battery quadruples an iPod's capacity, with an extra 9+ hours of video playback or 60 hours for audio. All components are integrated into one piece with a silicone skin that not only secures i-Luv to the iPod, but also protects the iPod from damage.
via popgadget
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London-based sculptor Anish Kapoor, famous for Chicago's 125-ton stainless steel "Cloud Gate" sculpture in Millenium Park (looks like a trippy mirrored jellybean), will install his 3-story tall "Cloud Mirror" in NYC from Sept. 19 to Oct. 27. To be situated at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the dish-like sculpture's concave side will show an inverted reflection of the skyscraper.
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Kinda like those hot chix decals on the back of pick-up trucks...but made out of aluminum, in 3-D, and holding up a glass dish for fruit and such. For more info, visit Cake, a Brooklyn-based product design and manufacturing company.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (3)
This clever invention flashes intervals of UV light upon bread placed inside to prevent mold from growing. Looks like it's made for a loafin' tan session or maybe even a pot leaf-shaped, black-light hippie loaf. Appearances aside, this definitely solves a major food-waste issue that exists in almost every household. No more green 'n fuzzy Wonderbread!
via oh gizmo
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Here's an interesting one out of the SolidWorks press department, Factory Five Racing is using SolidWorks to design racing car kits that make 'hobbyists' dreams come true.' The company manufactures replica car kits, from Cobra to Ferraris as well as their own street-legal super-car kit. According to the release, Factory Five Racing has cut development time and costs in half with SolidWorks used in the design process, while Cosmos provides analysis.
Erik Andershed
Gothenburg, Sweden
Featured Project : Eclipse Vacuum
This vacuum cleaner concept for the Electrolux brand looks new and modern with a hint of retro flair. The form delivers directly to function, avoiding any superfluous appendages and attachments. Eclipse's simple cylindrical body is lightweight and effortlessly follows you around as you clean. The side panels open up to reveal inner components and vacuum attachments. Andershed's goal for this project was to make vacuuming a more enjoyable experience as opposed to a tedious chore.
Posted on Kancept, Bradford Waugh's beautiful and clean Nulla bike design uses no hubs or chains. Post your own comments at this beta-stage product concept community.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (18)
Tapedeck.org, a project by neckcns.com, is dedicated to showcasing retro cassette tape hotness organized by brand, playing time and quality.
via cpluv
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If you're a big LaForge fan then hey- by all means, enjoy your complete collecter's edition of Star Trek : Next Generation with some $500 iTheater portable video glasses when travelling on airlines such as United and American that still don't offer in-flight video entertainment on domestic flights. Bless your heart Jet Blue.
via coolest-gadgets
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (2)
With its tragicomically ghettoized "Accent on Design" isles, the New York Gift Fair rolled into town last week with acres of crap and those revered accents on the north end. Follow Function's got a (chatty) drive-by of some familiar folks, but you gotta wonder when "'0' people want to do this..."
Designed and developed as a collaborative effort between Pilotfish and Synaptics, this fierce cellie sports a hot body, intuitive interface design, and new interactive technology.
Read the Onyx Studio Bullitt for more details.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Inhabitat explores the growing epidemic of our overly and unnaturally bright planet plagued by light-overdosing in manner such as sky glow, glare, and light trespass. Major issues include safety, energy efficiency, and infiltration of personal space. New innovations are on the rise, such as "full-cutoff" streetlamps that direct all light downward, wasting no energy to light the night sky.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)The Environmental Protection Agency is tapping into the youth's innovation and creativity in finding solutions to environmental challenges through the agency's People, Prosperity and the Planet competition.
The agency plans to award up to $1.25 million in grants that enable teams of college students to research, develop and design scientific and technical solutions to sustainability challenges that protect the environment while achieving continued economic prosperity.
EPA will award as many as 50 grants up to $10,000 each to student teams.
The money will be used to research and develop sustainable solutions during the 2007-08 academic year.
In spring 2008, the teams will be invited to bring their designs to Washington, D.C. to compete for EPA's P3 Award, which includes an additional award worth up to $75,000 to further develop and implement the project in the field.
The competition will be judged by the National Academy of Engineering for design innovation and technical merit along with relevant social, economic and environmental considerations that are the keys to sustainable designs.
Proposals must reach EPA by Dec. 21, 2006.
Posted by: Niti Bhan | Comments (0)
Tokyo Times points us to a car that wears its kawaii on its er um tires. Benny the Cab, anyone?
Awesome. They found yet another weird place to peddle stuff we don't care about...printed right onto checkout conveyor belts. Grocery stores will become reminiscent of Times Square, triggering migraines and/or temporary insanity on a daily basis.
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Looks like Pieter Hintjens, the CEO of iMatix, has a bone to pick with the often accidentally-pressed, close-to useless key. He's already started a blog called Capsoff and also a forum at Google Groups.
"The Caps key is an abomination," Hintjens writes on his blog. "It's a huge key, stuck right there where the Ctrl used to be, and as far as I know, it's only used by 419 scammers and Fortran programmers."
Cool. Good point, however we need a devil's advocate p.o.v.: WHAT IF YOU NEED TO SHOUT AND YOU'RE NOT SO GOOD AT PINKY PILATES?
What side are you on? If you're con, you know where to go (see above). If you're pro, make sure to celebrate Interational CAPS LOCK day.
Funny how is this key is spelled in all lowercase letters on Mac keyboards.
via wired
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (4)
The good folks over at Tel Aviv University have developed a new technology using microwaves to heat and soften materials such as concrete and glass to over 2,000 degrees Celsius. This cheaper-than-laser-drilling alternative results in a hole between a millimeter and centimeter wide without the mess and toil experienced when using conventional drilling methods.
via sci fi tech
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Non-trend start-up blog site The Uncoolhunter posts "off culture" updates (i.e. fur nipple warmers shown above), spoofingly laid out almost exactly like popular super-trend site Coolhunting.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (3)
Shin Tanaka, a young and productive graffiti writer, paper toy creator, graphic designer, and illustrator, presents a collection of paper characters, meshing traditional origami with street art hype, to be presented at the Less Rain Basement Gallery. Flat templates of the characters will be available online for anyone to download, customize, fold and build.
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Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (2)
Groovy aka Dannit + Yinnon Simhi
Tel Aviv, Israel
Featured Project : Rotary Phone
Groovy describes their artisitic sensibilities as "retro active," a clever play on words and prevalent motif throughout their work. Their collection, reminiscent of Duchamp's readymade obsessions, has turned from years of collecting into a professional business. Their Rotary Phone project explores taking an outdated (retro) object and re-purposing the object in as many different ways as possible (active). Examples above are (from left to right) a vase, clock, and a bottle opener all fashioned from real rotary phones.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Graduates from the Industrial Design department at St. Petersburg State Academy of Arts and Industry in Russia have begun their own collection called industrialdesign.ru. Featured is the flat-pack Universal Hanger, made of 100% recyclable cardboard with optiona customized graphics.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
You don't need that pricey Glenlivet. Go for some Maker's--nay, make it a Wild Turkey! Just make sure to keep your cheap-o cocktail chilled with Cool Jewels, gem-shaped ice cubes that raise the market value of any cold beverage. The flexible tray allows for drafted multi-faceted shapes. The gem ice cubes look extra convincing when frozen with food coloring.
Indexed quasi-mathematically illustrates everyday observations using postcards as a canvas and utilizing various familiar charts and graphs such as bar graphs, line graphs and venn diagrams.
via good mag
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Via Make:, Instructables has a down-and-dirty step-by-step for making this plank chair. Comments lead to a brief history of its history and etymology.
Ok. We'll get to that pic in a second, but the real story is a design attribution tif(f) over whether this guy should be posting the image or this guy. We suppose you gotta go with the dude who hangs with Paris, no?
Worldstudio Foundation, AIGA NY, and Times Square Alliance have completed the installation of their ambitious Urban Forest Project, hanging a "forest" of 200 graphic banners designed by celebrated designers and visual artists. Tree-themed each, the banners will be up for 8 weeks, after which they will be converted into tote bags designed by Jack Spade. See the banners, the list of participants (from 2x4 thru Vince Frost), and other goodies at urbanforestproject.org, or just get on a plane and come for a walk in the forest yourself. The heat wave has broken; we can feel the breeze.
April just launched the website Dynamic Textures a very visual summary of her earlier material explorations, her thesis work at the Art Center College of Design. Not yet another smart material - April prefers the not so smart materials, or as she calls them, dumb materials.
"We as designers rarely study the obvious and boring materials around us", for instance bubblegum. Trial and error and smart thinking allows April to realize several patterns that are able to morph into textures affecting current materials in design. A practical example is the coffee cup's skin that changes into a thorn-like texture to prevent the user from handling an extremely hot cup of coffee (see photo).
April Tsui is currently based in NYC and does her 'material gigs' with concept car developers and textiles makers. We say "Go and morph" and keep in touch!
Posted by: Aart van Bezooyen | Comments (0)
We've blogged him before, but just in case you missed it: Theo Jansen creates amazing kinetic sculptures that literally walk around, propelled by the wind. Make sure to check out his work in this great BMW ad.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (2)
REZ's newest ups has nothing to do with spray cans or wheat pasting. Nope- stickers on the backs of Liverpool bus seats- visual diagram style! The sticker is a step-by-step instructional guide to making little french fries in a container that can also hold liquids. Tre magnifique!
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Like dust under the rug, desk clutter can now be shoved into the Keyboard Organizer. Useful items such as post-its, paperclips, gum, q-tips, twizzlers, nail clippings, roaches or whatever else you usually find on your desk are easily tucked away into the hidden compartment. A USB version is available now for $24.95, while a wireless model will make its debut this fall.
via fosfor gadgets
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
I saw this Joanna Wood Toolbag (top) on shiny shiny today and rolled my eyes so hard I thought I saw God. These girly-girl handy kits, like Pink Toolbox (bottom), are not only a paradox within themselves, but they offer no where near the same calibur of performance and quality that you would find in tools available at your local Home Depot. If one needs scissors, a tape measure, hammer, utility knife, and level that will REALLY get the job done, she should avoid all products that appear as if they were hand-crafted by Hello-Kitty herself. Real tools look the way they do for a reason--because they actually work. If companies wish to encourage DIY build and repair to fragile female audiences, perhaps they should market the power drill, saws-all, belt sander, nail gun, circular saw kit...encrusted with Swarovski crystals.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (2)Marco van Hout just posted a nice interview with Hartmut up on Design & Emotion. Here's a tender piece:
Q: You were the first designer who made Apple loved, also by other designers, through designing a fine, creative, beautiful and aesthetically appealing computer. After a small dip, Jonathan Ive did the same for Apple in the 90's. Do you see any resemblance in design approach between you and Jonathan?
A: After our work for SONY as of 1974--which also made their products loved by millions worldwide--we were fortunate enough to convince Steve Jobs to give us the same opportunity with APPLE in 1982. Steve Jobs already loved German design as reflected in products by BRAUN and PORSCHE--what we helped him achieve was to make APPLE the first High-Tech consumer brand that was "Original Global-American" beyond specific products or software user interfaces: the West Coast Dream. We built on a fusion of Europe's and Japan's holistic culture as Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Hokusai had defined it. This may sound a bit strange in mostly culture-less Silicon Valley, but our work for Apple WAS about love and the passion to create the magical stuff people dream about. Obviously, Steve and Jonathan are still on this track and I love it--also because I can experience their products with joy.
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (0)
Get some top-drawer tips from the notoriously hoity-toity school's Graduate School of Design.
Executive Education at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) provides a dynamic environment for architects, design professionals, real estate leaders, government officials, policy makers, and scholars from around the world to address emerging issues affecting their fields, learn new management strategies, and develop best practices.
Harvard's new design-directed sector offers four programs including open enrollment, through admissions, customized programs and a joint program with Harvard's Business School.
If you haven't paid off your student loans yet, pray hard that these classes are mind blowing enough to quickly generate a substantial income that can pay off old as well as new Harvard-incurred debt.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
In response to his own personal struggles with disability, a wheelchair-bound Mr. Graves sets out on a journey to design bath safety equipment, mobility equipment, and aids to daily living. Slate blue rubber grips and clear frosted polypropylene parts immediately come to mind-- but who knows...perhaps he'll surprise us all. Graves' ultimate goal is to revolutionize the wheelchair and scooter, proclaiming "I think we can do a better job than what is out there." Folks have been depending on good ol' Rascals for ages (and they're still pretty sweet if you ask me) but maybe it's time for a one-up.
more at business week
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
Sure you've probably seen Flowboards before...and maybe even some kuh-razy Snowskates...but Snowchuck takes the cake f'shizzle. Those who are balance and coordination-impaired like myself will appreciate a faster, more efficient way to hurl crispy snow biscuits at gifted winter sports athletes.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Great photo set over at flickr of an abandoned futuristic housing project 'Desolation Row' in Taiwan.
via: pixelsurgeon
Posted by: squee.gee | Comments (0)
Helvetica rules...starring in its very own movie...and posing for wallpaper.
Yay Helvetica!
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)Michael gave one of the keynotes today at UXWeek. He is a great storyteller with a wonderful self-deprecating style (that somehow combines with an amusing cynicism about some of those around him; but yet he's genuine in it all). His talk essentially focused on his learning moment(s) as a designer around being user-centered.
He took on a pro-bono project to rename/rebrand/create a logo/etc. for a project to redo decrepit libraries in NYC schools. In a post-modern fashion, he presented his deliverables for that client in a dry and critical tone, mocking his own "big ideas" in a way that made it clear he no longer sees them as big ideas any longer. It was an interesting line to skate, there is always bullshit and performance in trying to convince someone that a new idea (or a trite idea, brought in for the first time, etc.) is a valid one, and it's easy to present the same idea as genius or crap depending on the tone of voice. Listen to some old Bob Newhart recordings for a concrete example (Tob-acco... er, what's tob-acco, Walt? It's a kind of leaf, huh?... and you bought eighty tonnes of it?!!... Let me get this straight, Walt... you've bought eighty tonnes of leaves?... This may come as a kind of a surprise to you Walt but... come fall in England, we're kinda up to our...).
Bierut's ideas were completely inappropriate and indicated how poorly he understood the problem. The client took him out to see the libraries, and he got it. Instantly, and hugely. And the design work that he and many others collaborated one was wonderful. Framed as a story about his own failures, it's actually a story about success. But the framing is what makes the telling of the story so genius.
Bierut gave his client a new treatment for the library. In a funny PowerPoint build he went from
Library
to
Library!
to
L!brary
to
L!brary
He planned to deliver a full specification document indicating fonts and treatment and all the rest, but in the interim, the client took control over the logo and started using it whatever way they wanted. He realized that this was okay, and that the cultural (and indeed design) benefits outweighed any super-specification desire he might have projected on them.
One awesome and obvious (in hindsight) example of this dawning user-centered perspective was in how Michael and his team referred to these different libraries being designed. Before meeting the librarians, he referred to them by the architect (i.e., the Peter Arkle (sp!) library) but afterwards he learned that it was referred to as "Vince's library" - a classic user research insight - different groups call things by different names, revealing their underlying use model!
Five things he learned
1. Innovation is overrated*
2. You get power by giving away power
3. The real opportunity may be outside your scope of work
4. Consistency does not equal sameness
5. Take care of the experience and the brand will take care of itself
The "innovation" comment was challenging and Ryan Freitas asked about it. Bierut added that "innovation has never been a profound motivator for me...design has to work within conventions to work." Seems like we're approaching the I-word with some different things in mind. Bierut felt he started off being too "clever" - which I hear as new for new's sake - and that wasn't the right thing to do. I don't think innovative means shocking, obviously new, different, and all that. I think innovation can be invisible and brilliant and seamless to adapt to, with that whiff of exhaled "ooh!" that happens afterwards. To a graphic designer, the word may mean something else.
Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)The Power of Design is a series in 5 parts by guest contributor Tasos Calantzis, looking at the different ways in which design can be used within a company, cutting away hyperbole in the typical design sales pitch and investigating the real benefits of design to customers, the organization and its revenue. The 5 parts discuss incremental steps:
Part One: No Design
Part Two: Style
Part Three Form & Function
Coming soon: Parts Four and Five - solving business problems and achieving leadership.
Posted by: Niti Bhan | Comments (0)
Tim Stern of UK design firm Ame Design gave us a heads up on their newest project : TREND cell phone covers. Trick out your cellie with a few bends and folds, all without breaking the bank. Today's world of rapid hi-tech turnover calls for a more eco-friendly, disposable solution, such as replacing hard plastics with paper. The TREND1_ARTISTS series lets you choose among designs by popular urban artists while the TREND2_CUSTOMIZE option lets you put your own ill skillz to work. This is a great concept to nix out replaceable plastic covers, however what about us flip-phone owners? I feel left out. A bubblegum delicious custom design shown above.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Despite all the training, the swanky Palomar Hotel, site of UX Week, isn't able to get basic things like room reservations (ObSeinfeld: "See, you know how to take the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation") sorted out. I wasn't the only one it seems that arrived (hot and dusty from a long long voyage) to find some polite confusion at the front desk.
Anyway, more content stuff to come (great keynote by Michael Bierut), and there's a wiki but right now it seems to be for attendees only here. Surreal moment of zen last night when the very "guy" bartenders at the billiards bar where Google hosted a (recruiting) party poured out pitchers of shots (of what they referred to as a concoction and had us all toast - like patrons of wet-t-shirt-nite - to GOOOOOOOOOOGLE!!!!!!!!!! It was a viral-video/co-creation opportunity waiting to happen.
Briffa's advice is not to be afraid of negotiation. "It's like any other piece of intellectual property - you can decide to give it away, license it, sell it. But when people negotiate they do get a better result." And, she adds, be clear about what you are trying to get out of the agreement.
"Even if you are getting a really crummy royalty rate and the deal is bad, you want something for your portfolio," she says.
Van Elten advises caution, however. "You have to be careful who you work with," he says. "It's like anything in life - if you deal with the wrong people you'll get screwed over. Designers need to learn that."
Read more about negotiation, royalties, and the trade offs designers make as they build their career and reputations.
[via]
Posted by: Niti Bhan | Comments (1)
Looking for something a little less tradish than this in a prefab? South African prefabricated architecture design company ZenKaya's ready to ship homes have a sleek, futuristic look and feel with top-notch interior accents and efficient layouts. The company assures no materials shortages, quality control in factory, competitive cost and no driving, as well as the option to relocate easily. ZenKaya promises delivery of the house (completely assembled) in 5 - 12 weeks.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Netdiver is giving you the opportunity to get your best work shown to some of the top Hollywood studios who will be attending //ADAPT in Montreal, September 23-24.
Deadline: September 1
Posted by: squee.gee | Comments (0)
Segway has released the i2 and x2 featuring Lean Steer technology, enabling you to steer according to leaning body movements. The i2 zips around at 12 mph for a duration of 24 miles and is available in i2 Police, i2 Commercial Cargo and i2 Commuter packages.
The x2 is Segway's answer to a two-wheeled off-roading adventure (cut short at a 12 mile range), equipped with a special fender and all-terrain tires, available in x2 Police, x2 Adventure and x2 Golf packages.
Let's hope these new models boost Segway's less than savory profit margin. In the meantime, if being the butt of alternative transport jokes is your thing, you better snatch 'em up while they're hot.
thanks deez
Workshopped '06, a yearly exhibition aiming to facilitate commercial relationships between Australian design creators, producers and buyers, placed this year's focus on "Finding Function in the Form." This year's show was held at Chifley Plaza in Sydney with an estimated 1,000 visitors. A total of 26 designs were chosen including (from top to bottom) Danny Cheung's super-light Tupolev bike, Dennis Abalos' Slinked CNC-cut pine plywood flexible toy, and Tasman Wallworth's Lander chair.
Large 3D objects can now be decorated with photographic-quality images, using an ink-jet printer, a plastic film and the application of heat and pressure.
Pictaflex seems to be a flexible alternative for the existing dip printing or aqua-graphics printing for its minimal setup costs, lack of minimum order quantities and on-demand printing of images.
From wallpapered fridge doors to fancy yacht customization--it's all up to you now.
Posted by: Aart van Bezooyen | Comments (0)
Red Hook, BK's gritty, industrial shangri-la (cut off to the world thanks to the BQE), has been one of the hottest new gentrification projects for this hot-spot borough. Yale grad students in their last year of architectural studies have proposed 10 ways to revitalize the waterfront gem of a neighborhood. With the administration's hodge- podge plans already in the works, a 52,000 square-foot Fairway grocery store, and a reserved 22-acre site for NYC's newest IKEA, the students' utopian visions are about 3 years too late. The works are still being exhibited, critiqued and appreciated at The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition. Had there been this sort of enthusiasm at the dawn of Red Hook's revamp, there very well could have been a thoughtful, beautiful, and organized project en route. Either way, public-housing locals will be pushed way inland, artists will be priced out, and Red Hook will officially become "unboring."
read article
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Jill Fehrenbacher's got an exceptionally unlabored interview with Reluct's Joost Van Brug up at Inhabitat. More of a chat, really, where Joost returns to the refrain of "the Dutch are cheap" to account for just about everything you needed to know about Dutch Design (half kidding?)...in addition to, well, their work ethic:
Q: So how do you think the design community in Holland is different than the design community in New York for example? Or in America in general? I mean there's something exceptional and unidentifiably Dutch about Dutch design, and it's hard to put a finger on what that is…
A: I think that it's the conceptual part. And the funny thing is I've spoken to a lot of U.S. designers, and most of them ask the same question. They're also trying to figure out what's the deal. They always think that the Dutch work very hard. We actually don't. We're the laziest people in the world.
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (0)
The Port-o-Rotary is cleverly described as "high-quality," while we are forwarned to "realize the sound quality will not be as good as your pocket phone," and that "this phone is for entertainment purposes only!" So with that said, if you crave terrible portability, stares from strangers and a ball-busting price tag, grab one today and pop in your SIM card.
via raw feed
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Last week PC World published their list of the 25 Greatest PCs of all time. It has a great write up explaining the significance of each entry. I'm proud to say I've owned at least three of the machines on that list. I'm sad to say I don't have any of them anymore! I won't spoil the fun by revealing their winner. If you prefer, you can go to OldComputers.net and see a raw list in chronological order and pick your own favorite. Old specs are included too.
Probably not what Chris Anderson had in mind, but I swear when first saw this ad on the back cover of a catalog sitting in the mail pile, I thought he'd gone all cafépress on us. Then I read the tagline "Solution to Plumber's Butt."
Talk about "selling less of more." Online link here.
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (0)Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., will hold a year-long series of "IMAGINATION FACTORY" design forums throughout Asia starting at the ARTrium of Singapore’s MICA from Aug. 31-Sept.3, 2006.
The forums are aimed at realizing new design possibilities through panel discussions with Nissan designers and local designers. In some countries, Nissan will also offer a one-day workshop for students who want to pursue a career in car or industrial design. They will have an opportunity to have their concept work critiqued by Nissan designers.
Posted by: Niti Bhan | Comments (0)
Concept designs like this fliptop remote control make you wonder when other yet-to-be-designed products like a GPS in a cellphone will finally arrive in the market.
Posted by: Niti Bhan | Comments (2)Refreshing piece in the NYT (since it omits the usual players and the jokes about anthropology) about the importance of getting out of the office and getting to where your customers are.
Once a year, though, he organizes a different kind of hunt -- which he calls a "branch hunt." In it, the entire organization turns its attention from the suite to the street -- and, by scrutinizing the fine details of how banks interact with their customers, sees the market from a new perspective.Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)"The most thoughtful and articulate strategies tend to come from the big banks," Mr. Brown explained. "But their actual results seldom bear that out. When you walk the streets and look at what's happening, the gap between strategy and execution becomes obvious. We can't just listen to what executives say. We have to see with our own eyes what customers are experiencing."
The dress code for a branch hunt is casual, but the approach is rigorous. For its fourth annual hunt, Second Curve pinpointed the location of every branch of every bank on the East Side of Manhattan, from 25th to 86th Streets.
All the firm's employees -- the analysts, the compliance officer, the computer geek, the receptionist -- divided into teams, were assigned specific avenues and streets and set out with digital cameras, audio recorders and four crisp $100 bills for each team. They spent time at the branches, chatted up bank employees, opened checking accounts with the company-issued cash, snapped photographs -- not a popular practice with bank security -- and captured the flesh-and-blood experience of being a customer.
After the hunt, the teams returned to headquarters and described what they saw, from stories about horrible or remarkable service, to reports on flat-screen televisions that were meant for customers' viewing but were occasionally found in truly bizarre places where the public could not see them.
adaptive path's user experience week 2006 starts Sunday night in D.C., with more than 30 presenters including a keynote by Michael Bierut and workshop about "The Future of Design" by Shelley Evenson. I'll be giving a talk on Cross-Cultural User Research.
Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)
If your recollection of BAPLab (an independent festival of new media art & electronic music) is like mine, a few blurred mobile phone snaps, check out the latest video podcast over at coolhunting. Held at the 3rd Ward, a 20,000 sq. ft. industrial workspace and studio in heart of Brooklyn, The Bushwick Art Project (BAP) curated this presentation of electronic music, new media, and digital art for the second year in a row.
Posted by: squee.gee | Comments (0)
Feel good about yourself, join a good cause, and win a bunch of cash.
In conjunction with UNESCO, Felissimo is developing a new online project called the DESIGN 21: Social Design Network which will launch next month. Design 21 is a unique online community where designers, socially-conscious individuals, governments, businesses and non-profit organizations can address social problems and create smart solutions through good design. To pre-launch the project a competition is being held to design the official logo of the Social Design Network - the prize is $5,000. The competition is open to all designers around the world. Simply become a member to enter (membership is free and degree of participation is entirely up to the user).
See competition details here.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
ADAPT '06 gathers round today's most renowned international and local digital art masters for this spectacular event jam-packed with hot-list speakers, exhibits, a job fair, parties and more. Some of Hollywood's best digital artists will showcase the secrets behind their works, separated into 2-D and 3-D tracks, along with an exploration track.
ADAPT 2006 Conference
September 23-24
Montreal
If Ray and Charles had the web, they'd be all over this: a to-scale scroll through the distance between a proton and its electron.
I recommend trying to scroll from here to the right a screen at a time, just to see how long it takes the little thumb in the scrollbar to move visibly. True masochists can try to scroll through the whole eleven miles - but the scenery along the way is pretty bleak.
I used to think that things like rocks and buildings and my own skeleton were fairly solid. But they're made up of atoms, and atoms, as you can see here, contain so little actual material that they can barely be said to exist.
[via DO/O]
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (0)
Hong Kong and Barcelona-based design firm FAK3 is responsible for the sexy slick exterior and interior stylings of Miele's new Hong Kong flagship store. The exterior facade is especially rawesome, made of gradiated black-to-red 2-way mirrored glass, reflecting the surrounding environment. Miele's line is showcased within the highly compact space using motorized mechanical secret compartments to mysteriously hide and reveal key products. FAK3's full version website will be available shortly.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)The Autodesk's Alias Design group is conducting a survey (yeah, I know, but hey it's a start!) to help them plan future product directions. If you have a few minutes, the survey is here.
Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)
Take advantage of the open call for entries for the second annual Art Parade sponsored by Deitch Projects, Creative Time and Paper Magazine and taking place on Saturday, September 9th in NYC. The accepted entries will be shown along with invited artists' and performers' floats, placards, portable sculptures, kites, performances and street spectacles. Send proposals to: artparade(at)deitch(dot)com.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Soft goods designer Mary-Ann Williams creates a plethora of intriguing tactile goods including carpets, bowls, furniture, housewares and bags, mostly made of wool felt. Her Plisee laptop bag design falls into a genre that barely exists-- where craftiness meets innovative function, resulting in a cute product that actually does something besides look cute. The looped felt is stacked on edge, not only providing excellent shock absorption, but also creating a flat, rigid base surface for the laptop when in use. They are available in a range of colors and in various sizes for PCs and Macs.
via josh spear
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
iPods, nanos and shuffles are destined to malfunction in one way or another within 2 to 3 years of ownership. Owners oftentimes seem more than eager to toss the repairable product just to quickly shell out hundreds of dollars for a new model, creating a vicious cycle.
Matt Bremner has created quite the buzz with his iRepair services, using good parts from broken iPods purchased from eBay. Bremner's tiny 250 sq. ft. Toronto store front services walk-in and mail-in "patients," averaging about 30 per day at a 10 minute average wait time.
more at treehugger
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Celebrated painter and muralist Maya Hayuk's Roll Rampant and Free painted skateboarding facility brings a colorful, interactive dimension to this extreme sport.
via coolhunter
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)The website for the dyson school of design innovation is up and has links to information on everything from their programs to the design of the building. They're already listening to their 'users' - soliciting feedback from students, local residents, engineering experts, industrialists or local teachers - in Bath, UK. Because the site is in flash, I can't link to the section directly.
Also up is the second of the five part series on the power of design, this week's topic is Styling and the role it plays.
Posted by: Niti Bhan | Comments (0)
Who loves Canada? Everyone! Canadian Interiors presents the People's Choice Awards Best of Canada Design Competition. Vote online for your favorite projects and products.
Thanks Greg!
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
The Graffiti Research Lab is "dedicated to outfitting graffiti artists with open source technologies for urban communication.
The High Writer is a tool that amplifies the scale and height of marks rendered with a spray can. The high writer is easily constructed from materials available at Home Depot and your local bike shop.
Watch the video. Here's instructions to make your own.
Get mad ups yo!
Take a vacay from "2.0" life. FlipClips will transform your uploaded video clip into a real 3.5" x 2" old-skool flip book for a thrifty price of USD$8.00. 15 seconds of video translates to a 75 page flip book.
via springwise
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
It was a festive mood at last night's launch party for I.D. Magazine's 52nd Annual Design Review. With a selection of the winning designs raffled off at the end of the night, most people seemed set on scoring the Dyson upright (I was robbed of the Xbox). But who was that man who walked away with Ethan Imboden's vibrator?
Posted by: squee.gee | Comments (0)
I need to make this purchase immediately, only because I have been forever searching for a way to deter those flyer-demons on the mean streets of NYC. If you publicly talk into a phone disguised in Nanaco's Banana cell phone holder, the flyer demons, loose change-seekers, friends and family will avoid you at all costs. You could also try talking into a real banana and save $10.
available at fred flare
I could never get my Holga to like me. Too much tape and rubber bands, and the pics never lived up to expectations. But Zach Schrock makes the thing sing, and his Polaroids are just beautiful.
Today Popsci features an article exploring the hope and reality of the "car of tomorrow." Steve Fambro's 3-wheeled, aerodynamic Aptera concept aims to reach a 300mpg fuel efficiency while staying under a 20K retail price point.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (2)
Finally! An efficient way to protect one's privacy without committing to a fugly beige box the size of a cockerspaniel. This nine-blade shredmaster one-ups its 5-blade predecessor...OK!!
via gizmodo
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)Some interesting innovations in products (both aimed at kids) that help you complete a feedback-less task more effectively.
Squidsoap [via Strange New Products] is a pump that puts black ink on your hands when you pump out the soap; your hands are clean when they are free of ink (and happily, also free from invisible germs and gunk).
Listerine Agent CoolBlue is similar to good ol' Disclosing Tablets; it stains the placque on your teeth so you can see where you need to go back and brush.
Cleaning is a great category for this sort of thing; as we are more afraid of germs that we can't detect, we need some mechanism in our tasks to ensure that we're completing them properly. Consider vacuuming; one way to know you're done with the carpet is that you stop hearing the noise of dirt shooting past the rollers.
Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)
Somewhere between Hoberman, Calder and Muppet, Ben Hopson is a designer who's Aesthetic Investigations of Motion in Product Design challenge the status quo: Why is it that the way parts move in most product design lack imagination, or simply default to the most obvious? Check out Ben's movies, then read the text of what his explorations try to, well, explore. Then can somebody snap this guy up please, so we can get get mo' motion in our ocean?
Our favorites (some with blue foam too!): Big Star, Tower Monster, Coil Puppet, and Exploding "T".
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (2)This week was the interactive city summit. part of ISEA2006. Featuring presentations from Matt Jones, Rebar, who did the widely blogged PARK(ing) project, and Troika who defended themselves (needlessly?) from their work in the commercial domain. They showed the widely blogged SMS Guerilla Projector. In some experiments they shone messages into people's apartments, and they bemusedly described people calling the police. Their next slide was about empathy, which they seemed to have none of; creating technology experiences that surprise and sometimes frighten people, so they can study their reactions? Take a look at an ethics committee guidelines for human subjects! (NB: I was reminded of the disturbing potential for this stuff when I saw Rob Walker's post about a popular (among cynical edgy youth, no doubt) text message in Iraq: "Your call cannot be completed because the subscriber has been bombed or kidnapped."
Stuff should be going up on the wiki but it was a bit of a dog's breakfast at last review.
Longer comments here.
Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)
Michael Kritzer
Dahlonega, Georgia, USA
Featured Project : Beertable
Kritzer has previously been highlighted in our Studio Bullitts section featuring his heavily-praised Herbi plant rack design. His description for Beertable is simply "beer + table = beertable." Yuk yuk. The design itself is appealing in proportion and style, while the concept is clever and lighthearted. However a few comments were passed around before posting, such as "Does it hold ice to chill the beer? You gotta have cold beer!" and "It would be really convenient if a bottle opener was integrated onto the edge somwhere." Kritzer's Beertable concept stands great on its own (the rendering skills are to die for) but thanks to the new commenting feature on Coroflot, other Coroflot members are able to leave insightful notes with the potential to create helpful dialogues in the long run. Think of it as critiques, brainstorming and constructive criticism right at your fingertips, except it's on the internets. Go try it out!
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Worth 1000's Misfit Toys 2 encourages the use of magical photoshop wizardry to fabricate hypothetical children's toys that are "evil, mean and nasty." This finger-guillotine looks like loads of fun for kids of all ages.
via gizmodo
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
The newest issue of IdN Magazine features exceptional treatments of paper as a design material. Shown above from top to bottom : Zoe Bradley, Elisabeth Lecourt, and Richard Sweeney.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Someone in Tel Aviv, probably inspired by Mark Jenkins' tape sculptures and the emergence of 3-D graffiti, planted a dynamic scene of children escaping rockets. The installation was removed after a brief 7 hours of display.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Impress your loved ones with some mad shady shape skillz.
via arbroath
I guess we don't really need any more crap in the world, if these two projects evidence anything: It's all editorial from here on out. Baby's First Lighter by highlighter for tots [DO]; Oscar Perez's Trialo Gift Box for grown-ups.
Matt Brown
Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Featured Projects : Geology Love & Bedside Companions
Matt Brown's playful concepts are great examples of how student work can rise above the "industry standard" mentality that seems to inhibit the potential of many a future young designer. Geology Love is a game intended to strengthen the bond in new couples who find rocks together to fit into the recessed shapes of the vacuum-formed game piece. Bedside Companions are fully operational 1/2" thick wall-mountable accessories that would normally be found on a bedside table. Matt is a recent graduate of Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Two interesting articles on mobile phone design showed up on my radar today, one, from the UK asks if "The dumb blonde phone is here to stay?". It's an analysis of the 'battle between form and function' currently raging in the cellphone industry referring to the trade off between features and styling. The other, from the US, discusses in detail the rising trend of cellphones as fashion accessories and the increasing importance of design as the differentiator. So the question remains, is design important or not? And if so, for whom?
Also check out the first in a five part series on power of design, which touches on this very subject, when and where would you say no to design.
Posted by: Niti Bhan | Comments (0)
Huh? Apparently there's a site dedicated to everything and anything, including hats made of meat. Hats of Meat dishes out some neat factoids about meat hats. Did you know that the Aztec empire used meat for headwear fashions as early as 1500 AD? Montezuma presumably wore a "sombrero de la pollo," or "hat of chicken." Check out the site for more history, photos, and events. Ewww. Yak.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Josef Cadek
Prague, Czech Republic
Featured Project : Locust folding bicycle
Cadek's folding bike concept, Locust, challenges the immediate perception of what such a bicycle should be. The unusual folding configuration allows the bike to fit neatly in and around the circular central frame. Cadek suggests Locust as a main form of transportation and also as a "parasitic" means of transportation, for example, splitting commutes between the bike and a car. Locust's compactness and portability make it an ideal choice for congested, traffic-ridden cities. See Cadeks portfolio for mechanical details.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
Typorganism presents the ASCII-O-Matic, allowing you to quickly create your own ASCII art. This results in cool looking images and your friends second-guessing whether you have a day job or not.
via ohgizmo
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UK designer John Wrightson's In-Lock in-ground bike/motorbike security device concept gives users piece of mind when camping or attending outdoor events where a convenient lock-up isn't available. The lock is screwed into soft ground, making it impossible to pull out, even in wet conditions. The bike/motorbike is then chained to the lock via the opening at the top that stays above-ground. Best bets are that a thief on a mission would simply unscrew the device to steal the goods, but I suppose the bright orange color and 1.5 minutes of unscrewing time are deterrents enough to make In-Lock better than no security at all.
via coolhunter
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The Ralph Lauren store on NYC's Madison Avenue will soon clutch impulse buyers by the throat, not even attempting to lure them into the store with faux preppy-lifestyle displays. A projection of various items will appear on the front window which will be coated with a foil to activate a working touch-screen. This radical retail revolution will stick around for the duration of the US Open and will be rolled out to other branches if proven successful.
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This Korean MP3 player debut offers an extremely portable, neutral looking and straightforward device much like the Motofone where superfluous extras have been left out. Qoolqee supports MP3, WMA, WAV, and Linux formats, has a built-in FM radio, and has 512MB of storage space, also allowing easy file transfers thanks to a USB 2.0 port. Buy this gem for $140 if you can even manage to find it in the States.
via sci fi tech
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Pentagon Design has designed a few of Ittala's newest products that celebrate the iconic organic designs of Alvar Aalto. This collection includes an ice-cube tray, shallow bowl, and cookie cutters.
via mocoloco
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Available next month for about $150 at sonystyle.com, this GPS device can be attached to your digital camera or camcorder to record both the time and physical location of the shot. Using the bundled GPS Image Tracker software, you'll be able plot your photos to the mapping web site (Google Maps) and arrange your pictures geographically. Great for backtracking how you made it home from that last 3 day bender.
Posted by: squee.gee | Comments (2)The Rising Sun Anger Release Bar in Nanjing, China offers a seemingly inevitable user experience: permission to abuse the staff. You can break stuff, yell, or even hit the folks who work there (one wonders if this would be any fun if anctioned). Local psychology students are also available for personal counselling. Argument Sketch, anyone?
[via Slashfood]
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Jackie Chan Design is a creative product design company driven by the extraordinary imagination and vision of international superstar Jackie Chan. Led and run by his partner Creative Director Geoff Tsui. Jackie Chan Design targets a trendy, design-oriented clientele who appreciate the unique and meaningful essence of its products.
Apparently, between filmings of "Rush Hour 3" and his "international superstar" duties, Mr. Chan has catapulted JCD, promoting design of all aspects into Hong Kong's thriving creative community. An event was held in the end of July celebrating new shop openings and new JCD collections. Highlights included JCD giveaways, T-shirt design contest, encouraging words to alumni of the Design School of HK Polytechnic University, a fashion show, and best of all, "Jackie went on stage with a stunning style - riding on a hi-tech Segway Human Transporter." Fun fact: Jackie has nabbed the distribution rights to Segway and plans to promote it throughout Hong Kong and mainland China.
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Love or Hate it, Helvetica's presence in visual culture is undeniable. To coincide with it's 50th anniversary in 2007, a feature length film 'Helvetica' by director Gary Hustwit will be released including interviews with Erik Spiekermann, Matthew Carter, Massimo Vignelli, Michael Bierut, Wim Crouwel, Hermann Zapf, Stefan Sagmeister, Jonathan Hoefler, Tobias Frere-Jones, Experimental Jetset, and many more.
A few minutes will be screened this wednesday for some hardcore types at TypeCon in Boston.
link via: cpluv
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Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, founded by Jay Shafer, a designer specializing in sustainable architecture and urban planning, offers tiny home structures that some use as a weekend getaway, addition to an existing home, or full-time residence. Shafer's own "decision to inhabit just 100 square feet arose from some concerns [he] had about the impact a larger house would have on the environment, and because [he] [did] not want to maintain a lot of unused or unusable space." Some models are sold as plans only, while a good number of them are available as plans as well as prefabricated structures. TTHC's craftsmanship and design choices are tasteful and warm, applying charming traditional elements to prefab, a modern housing concept.
Here is a fascinating conversation about 'Stars' in the field of design, what they are, why they exist, what's in their future - while this article is from the graphic design point of view, there's much food for thought for product designers as well. A snippet -
STEP: Will the star system go away?
MN: That's an interesting question. In my view, the biggest shift in design today is the shift from the lone genius to the creative collaborator. In the last century, high-profile designers were more like independent artists than designers, and they were hired by corporate patrons-Herbert Bayer by Walter Paepke, Paul Rand by Thomas Watson, Jr., Saul Bass by Otto Preminger. Today, significant projects are too complex to be handled by one person or a single firm, or to be managed by one person. They need the collaboration of specialists.
Look at any design history book. When you turn to the index, what you see is a list of individual designers. Let me open The History of Design by Phillip Meggs. Here we go, page 506: "Charles Dana Gibson, Bob Gill, Eric Gill, Charles Gillot, Firmin Gillot, Ralph Ginzburg, George Giusti, Milton Glaser." All individuals. It'll be interesting to see what this index looks like in 20 years. My guess is that the individual stars will share the page with the names of companies, projects, teams, trends, and concepts. The history of design will be told more with ideas than with individuals.
Posted by: Niti Bhan | Comments (0)
ElectricArtists, now working with the same creative team behind W Hotels, has partnered with Starwood Hotels on aloft island, a new concept aiming to revolutionize the hotel industry. The complex has been rendered in virtual world generation program Second Life, giving viewers the opportunity to explore the structure way before its planned opening in 2008. The interactive 3-D model is a work in progress, updated in sync with new influxes of artists' sketches and building plans. This virtual "grand opening" is the first of its kind, while most hotels' 3-D models and virtual tours are based on existing architecture.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Recent Bezalel Academy of Art and Design (Israel) graduate Vlady Spetkovsky's Wearable Power Suit is a design concept based on future prospects of biological hardware, taking inspiration from sci-fi tech and mecha flicks such as "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Blade Runner," and "Ghost in the Shell." His video presentation breaks down all of the WPA's components.
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Envious bling-obsessed individuals are bound to key this ride out of pure spite. The Schmuckwelten, a jewelry museum in Pforzheim, Germany, has displayed a gold-leafed Porsche as a self-promotional tool.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
This nerdtastic device allows you to maneuver 20 different pre-programmed light show patterns- a great way to impress your friends/hot chix/ET. Light Fingers also comes with a black light and strobe light in case you want to add a lil' flare to the par-tay. Apparently party animals as young as 6 years old are capable of rocking this contraption.
via coolhunting
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Swiss design partners-in-crime Martino D'Esposito and Alexandre Gaillard present their newest creation : Pigeon Repulsive. Sharp-edged silhouettes of NYC, Paris and Lausanne are attached to ledges, transforming them into undesirable pigeon destinations while adding decorative flair to the location.
SowdenDesign is putting its entire design archive online. Within the next few months this website will contain over twelve thousand images.
By displaying images of a product at every stage of development, we hope that you will better understand our industrial design work process. Please feel free to download and use the high-resolution version of this image - just be sure to follow our copyright guidelines.
Posted by: Niti Bhan | Comments (0)Whatever it is you can now nominate it to be included in the Bad Design Amnesty, as the deadline has now been extended to Friday August 11.
Rob Howsam, creative director of London-based Purpose design agency, is behind the idea, which has proved so popular that an exhibition of the infuriating ideas will be on show at The London Design Festival.
Send them to him by email. The exhibition will be held in the basement gallery at Purpose, First Floor Studio, 14A Shouldham Street, London W1H 5FG, between September 15th and 30th 2006. Opening times are 10am to 5.30pm, Mon- Fri and 10am to 2pm, Sat and Sun. Admission is free.
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CCA grad student Erin Elliott's project for the Yahoo University Design Expo used light-change sensitive photo cells cooked into lollipops to activate racing movements of robotic babies. Elliott states that her project is based on the underuse of the mouth, a sensitive and powerful bodily force, as a catalyst in technology. BTW, racing contestants look like pervs in the video. LOLZ.
via engadget
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First the Mac 1984 lego set hype, now this! The Duckhunt rendition is the bomb. See more at Destructoid.
Indoor Landscaping, located in Germany, offers a service that naturally provides clean air, psychological stimulation, air conditioning, and aesthetic improvement, implementing flora to be a living part of the interior.
Nature should become tangible for people even within buildings - our plants change with the seasons, their blossoming is accentuated by an array of fine scents - they age within the architecture enhanced in character and charm. People experience green spaces conciously - a new sense of architecture develops.
via designspotter
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The London Design Festival is fast approaching and this year Tom Dixon is taking over Trafalgar Square again for one of the major events of this years Festival.
In a bid to make design relevant and available to all Londoners, Tom Dixon has teamed up with the EPS (expanded polystyrene) Packaging Group and 100% East to give away designer chairs in Trafalgar Square - giving anyone a chance to own his latest creation. The polystyrene chairs will be on display in Trafalgar Square from 20-24 September 2006. Details of when to come to Trafalgar Square for the great 'Chair Grab' will be announced nearer the time.
London Design Festival
15-30 Sept. 2006
I personally find this one-off taxidermied Cuckoo clock to be sickly hot, however it may not be quite right for the faint of heart or overzealous animal lovers. The bird died of natural causes in 1958, and has since been stuffed to the brim, conjoined to a clock, and most importantly, nailed to a wall. This lil' gem is not for sale, however you can look at it all you want at Michael Sans' website. Also, take note that in addition to his own site, Mr. Sans has a Coroflot profile- a very smart choice for designers and artists looking for the most excellent exposure.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (2)
Design Within Reach, in conjunction with the Eames Foundation and Herman Miller present The Eames Film Festival in Studios across the US.
The legacy of Ray and Charles Eames extends far beyond their classic furniture pieces. Taking a multidisciplinary approach to design long before that was the norm, the Eameses created over 100 short films between 1950 and 1982.
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Aaron Rincover
Munich, Germany
Featured Project : Pixel Blocks
Mr. Rincover saw this project through from start to finish, bringing together the inventor, salesmen and venture capital, and introducing Pixel Blocks to countless store shelves and rave reviews. His involvement included the development of company identity, packaging, instructions, future products, strategy of growth, redesign of blocks for public release, management of production, design of trade show booths, hand out material, web site, show models and point of sale displays.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
Apple announced today they're teaming up with Ford, General Motors & Mazda to integrate the iPod in nearly all of their new models.
"Now more than 70 percent of 2007-model US automobiles will offer iPod integration, with General Motors alone making it available on all 56 of its models, representing millions of cars and trucks."
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Travelodge in the UK plans to deploy their Travelpod concept sometime soon, offering music festival attendees a luxury accomodations option as opposed to janky tents and leaves-as-toilet paper. Renters will be surrounded by creature comforts such as a double bed, bedside tables, lights, duvet, pillows, a dressing table, mirror, chair and toilet, all for a reasonable tab of GBP$26 per night.
via coolhunter
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Peter Merholz's excellent, web-readable, and picture-provocative interview with Michael Bierut is complete, with the two of them set to meet at Adaptive Path's User Experience Week 2006 firing up 11 days from now. The interview was spread over three parts: Part 1; Part 2; and Part 3. Painful to pull any quotes out of the context of the thing , but here are some choice bits:
From Part 1
PM: ... In your practice, how do you bridge between "business" and "design"? In your client work, how do you demonstrate business impact?
MB: Too many designers enter the field spouting design jargon and, predictably, meet resistance or indifference from their clients. So they switch to business jargon, which is usually worse. I did this for a while, got good at it, and then got disgusted with myself...
and
PM: ...Graphic design seems to have two huge forces working against its viability: 1) an immense supply-side, with so many designers offering virtually indistinguishable services, and 2) an almost allergic reaction to demonstrating explicit business value, so that pricing graphic design is something of a voodoo art.
MB: ...Each partner runs a pretty small, autonomous team. The overhead is low. I write my own proposals and negotiate my own agreements. I can ask for whatever fees I want, but we basically try to cover our time and expenses plus a 20% profit margin. So much for the the voodoo art of pricing.
From Part 3
PM: You mentioned Design Observer and being exposed to people and ideas. You've been writing for Design Observer for almost 3 years now. How has blogging effected the way you work? What effect has it had on how you approach design?
MB:...Has writing a blog effected the way I work? At first I was going to say no, but when I think about it, I realize that it's helped me get more confident that the issues that we designers deal with are relevant in the outside world. This in turn has helped me think less as a designer faithfully sticking to the task I've been assigned, to a person who's willing and eager to broaden the context for the work. Like I've said before, this is the only way I know to make my work better.
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (0)
This year's SIGGRAPH computer graphics conference in Boston is host to a myriad of sweet gadgets n gizmos that wow the eye. Video artist Toshio Iwai and Takashi Fukaya of NHK Science and Technical Research Laboratories in Japan unveiled Morphovision, an old-skool arcade game-like structure encasing a model house that can be morphed (appearing to skew, twist, or even disappear) by the user thanks to hidden scanners, lights, mirrors and an exterior control panel.
via new scientist
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The Guggenheim Museum in New York City has just announced the schedule for their First Fridays series. Sponsored by The Village Voice with DJs curated by Flavorpill, First Fridays is a chance to enjoy some fine art and fine music with 800 of your closest friends. Pics and sounds from last year's serise can be found here.
(I must note, my partner and I are extremely flattered to be performing the December 1st date alongside teh uber awesome Telefon Tel Aviv!)
Clicky here for big flyer w/ details.
Posted by: Michael Doyle | Comments (0)
Trendhunter reports a recent survey (Girls Gone Wired via the Oxygen Network) that reveals women's shifting tastes toward preferable gift items. Apparently three out of four American women would prefer a plasma screen to a razzle-dazzle necklace. Carrie Bradshaw would roll over in her Milano's if she knew 86% of women prefer to receive a new digital video camera instead of a pair of designer shoes. The techie gender gap is coming to a close with women currently owning 6.6 technology devices on average, compared to 6.9 for men.
Chess dyslexia? That will no longer be a problem as the Chess Teacher has basic rules written on each individual piece notating how many spaces and in what direction you're allowed to move.
via coolest-gadgets
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
PodBrix presents a 1984 Lego Playset modeled after the infamous commercial that initiated an ongoing world-wide Mac obsession.
A limited 100 sets have been produced and will go on sale tonight at 9:00pm EST for $198.99 each.
via gizmodo
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Oslo, Norway-based GreenSeat re-releases their 100% recyclable, collapsible and portable cardboard seat, redesigned with improved structure and style. The back support has been reinforced offering greater quality of comfort than previous versions. Greenseat is ideal for large outdoor gatherings, concerts, and any other standing event where weary event-goers need to pop a squat. Graphic customization is available for corporate promotions and sponsorship representation.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
An interesting piece about Levi's historian and archivist also mentions that
The Society of American Archivists maintains a directory of 300 to 500 companies with archives. Elizabeth Adkins, director of Ford Motor Co.'s archives and president-elect of the Society of American Archivists, said that some will establish an in-house collection for legal reasons, as well as for public relations and marketing purposes. Others will do it to track the progress of their business over time.Posted by: Steve Portigal | Comments (0)"It helps them to know what's been tried before, what the brand's historic strengths are and how to build on it," Adkins said.
Markus Wilfling's Shadow Objects stand as 3-dimensional near-illusions of familiar objects with ominous doppelgangers in tow.
via vvork
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JR-EAST (East Japan Railway Company) and Keio University are experimenting with human-generated electricity in an effort to push for more environmentally- friendly rail stations. Electricity is created by passengers via the harnessing of pressure and vibration as they walk through the turnstyles.
via pink tentacle
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We love Ewing Desgin Group's Mechanical Advantage Tourniquet (1-handed, no external power, quick release, 230 grams, 10 year shelf-life). But if you're going to plug something in, wrap your arms around (or, better, the other way around) an ultrasonic tourniquet, part of the Deep Bleeder Acoustic Coagulation (DBAC) program.
It aims to create a cuff-like device that wraps around a wounded limb. Rather than applying pressure to the wound to stem the flow of blood, the device would use focused beams of ultrasound (sound waves above the audible frequencies) to non-invasively clot vessels no matter how deep they are.
And yes, this thing has DARPA written all over it.
[Thanks to John for sending this in.]
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (0)
Andrew Seenan
Coventry, United Kingdom
Featured Project : Optimise
Seenan shows great proficiency in conveying ideas onto paper, with hand renderings as well as 3-D modeling. Optimise, his final graduation project, is not only well illustrated and graphically pleasing, but the concept also stands very strong and is very believable for student work. Optimise is a commuter transport system that utilizes modular single-person pods that congregate into larger vehicles. Seenan has recently graduated from Coventry University with a degree in Transportation Design. Be sure to check out his mad skillz and more details about this project on his Coroflot portfolio.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
Designers at the Institute of Design offer solutions in the face of a direct-to-consumer advertising ban, by Brianna Sylver. Here's a taste:
Congressional FDA hearings conducted in the latter part of 2005 have the pharmaceutical industry on edge, anticipating how the advertising regulations regarding the use of branded communications will change over the next two years. Wanting to stay ahead of change and to demonstrate how applying a bit of creative thinking to a sticky situation can result in innovative solutions, the following question was posed to the class: "If pharmaceutical companies can no longer present branded promotions through traditional DTC advertising channels, how else might they continue to reach healthcare consumers?"...
Somewhere between Innovation and Art, Gadi Amit fights through the hype for a good definition of Industrial Design. Here's a taste:
And while both the Innovation crowd and the Gallery crowd have legitimate points-of-view, their effects on the overall perception of Industrial Design can be polarizing. We have to combine the two with lots of stuff in the middle. Industrial design may be seen as an idea engine, a utilitarian act of product development, or a prop in a story told by an author/maker. But it is also about the affordability and appropriateness of an object to an average person's life. And for more "advanced" products, it can serve as a cultural interface, bridging and inspiring people to approach technology in far more than utilitarian ways...
Michael DiTullo celebrates Walter Dorwin Teague--the man, and the firm. Here's a taste:
While his contemporaries busied themselves with securing their place in history, Teague was securing his place in the future. He felt that there was more to design than styling; that relationships were the key to making good design happen. He felt that sending designers to work on site with clients would help to ensure that their projects got pushed through various political and bureaucratic systems at large manufacturing corporations. And what began as a three-month assignment with one designer at Boeing evolved into a 60-year retainer with 80 Teague staff members working on site...
German police are frantically attempting to track down the clever hooligans reponsible for these mini monuments.
"This has been going on for about a year now, and there must be 2,000 to 3,000 piles of excrement that have been claimed during that time," said Josef Oettl, parks administrator for Bayreuth.
But why repremand them? Yes, they are sending a strong message, however they are doing the public a great service by flagging and preventing potential shoe hazards. See gallery of bushturds.
via computerlove
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
Sony's soon-to-air commercial (directed by Jonathan Glazer) for their new line of Bravia LCD screens will use 70,000 litres of paint, 358 single bottle bombs, 33 sextuple air cluster bombs, 22 Triple hung cluster bombs, 268 mortars, 33 Triple Mortars, 22 Double mortars, 358 meters of weld, 330 meters of steel pipe, and 57 km of copper wire. Their Bravia ad site almost seems to brag about this exorbitant use of materials. What ever happened to CSR?
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
Hallelujah! May your breakfasts be blessed with Holy Toast, a set of Virgin Mary molds that leave immaculate impressions on your crispy treat.
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (0)
What Unbeige is calling "Lamp Fight! Lamp Fight!," designers Chris Kabel and Constantin Wortmann are going at it over the spiral-bulb-thingy lamp. We love the "Chinatown Defense" (see below), and plan on seeing that as the next meme to take over the spot soon to be vacated by Snakes on a Plane. Here's some snippets:
Kabel:
I recently visited your website and came on the item on next's dna module lamp. It bears a striking resemblance to my 1totree lamp dating from 2002 that was exhibited and published worldwide. This is not a coincidence.
A few years ago I was approached by a German lighting company about producing it. Unfortunately production costs were too high so it was blown off. But it turns out that an employee of this lighting company started working for next sometime after. Apparently he took the sketches and proposed it to his new boss. Off course his boss was delighted with the idea and decided to produce it. This is not the way to go obviously.
Therefore I am are preparing a legal suit against this company.
Wortmann:
...To tell you the history of OUR dna: We have been to chinatown in manhattan in may 05 and found a double-socket for lamps. (see attached image: doublesocket.jpg >> by the way: designed in 1920...). This double socket was the "ignition" for the function and the lamp OBY, we did in the year 2000 for HABITAT, was our goal for the design language. After a while of working on it we realized, that it won't work with regular sockets so we invented a totally new "snap-on" system for this modular lamp.
Again: we didn't copy your design: It is a pure coincidence, that we did similar projects.
Posted by: Allan Chochinov | Comments (2)
TechEBlog has posted the Top 5 Strangest Macbook mods/projects. These two fellas made theirs output realistic lightsaber noises using MacSaber software.
Finally! Lazy parents get to veg out while this nifty device does all the work for them. Lullabub modules are placed under each leg of the crib to rock your precious one to sleep.
via ohgizmo
Posted by: Jeannie Choe | Comments (1)
The 10th International Design Festival kicks off in Sydney this weekend with over 70 events in 40 venues. If you visit the Powerhouse Museum once during Sydney Design 06 you'll receive a free festival pass. There's a couple of workshops worth checking out including the 'DIA Taking the fear out of the folio' portfolio review on Saturday 12th August.
Event Details: sydneydesign.com.au
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Fabien Barral's website is a curated selection of work from his favorite graphic designers, photographers, artists and designers. The exchange is simple, you send him some of your printed material (letterheads, brochures, flyers) and he'll send you his.
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Check out Motomichi Nakamura's brilliant animation work here, including Laptops and Martinis for our buddy Otto, and the uber hot We Share Our Mothers' Health for The Knife.
Posted by: Michael Doyle | Comments (1)