Fruit-shaped sticky notes that you can buy individually or in "crates" of six. More from Tokyo after the jump.
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Fruit-shaped sticky notes that you can buy individually or in "crates" of six. More from Tokyo after the jump.
Ideaco's Blur Vase, designed by Jin Kuramoto, doubles as a vase and a watering pot. More vases, some ribbon cutlery and bamboo glassware after the jump.
New at Fresh MoCo; Carpet Sign's Caméléon rug changes color as subtly as its animal namesake, Spooner + Watts "extend the luxury of leather to the everyday" with cakeboxes and lunchboxes made of leather, during NEOCON tweet a request and get a hand drawn illustration on tabrasa, a low VOC dry-erase paint, Etienne Meneau's 7th limited edition, hand-blown glass wine decanter has eight feet and one spout, easily recreate the world's greatest architectural structures from ordinary sheets of paper with The Paper Architect and Floor Perch's cascading felt edges "create a visual and tactile pattern that provides cushion as well" (surprising for a table). More @Fresh.
Recent submissions to Fresh MoCo; Artist Michael Arick turns words or letters into personalized art by abstracting the letters of the alphabet, Bond. BeLowTech's Matthias Kaeding has video for his Unit3 Modular Architecture System, Victor gives wicker some funky novelty and modern styling, Estudio Merienda's ceramic Drop is a perfume bottle surrounded by concentric ripples that hold and display jewelry, Leave it to Gandia Blasco to make the most elegant contemporary summer swing, and Story Drawer combines RFID and an MP3 device to tell a story, artifacts are placed on the drawer to trigger the story. More @Fresh.
Chiaki Murata's Soh calculator for Metaphys looks better closed than open. More from Tokyo after the jump.
Nosigner turns his attention to mobile phones with a new 3-way sharing connector and innovative "drops" that enhance a phone's grip. More after the jump.
Mikiya Kobayashi's Tate Otama stand-up ladle. One of three items in this week's Tokyo round-up.
This post was originally posted on March 30, 2008. Helen Walters at BusinessWeek recently sat down with Starck at the Mercer Kitchen for a chat (listen to the podcast here), she asked him "Really, are you really ashamed of everything you've designed?". Starck's answer is layered and the conversation eventually segues to how he has always been an eco-warrior (?!). Vive la France et le Français!
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At MoCo Loco we don't editorialize often, ok at all, but every once in a while we gotta say something. Via PSFK and swissmiss, uber designer Philippe Starck, in an interview in Germany's Die Zeit weekly, answers a question we've been asking of designers for a while now; The world is already full of 'stuff' - as a designer, why do you choose to create more?
His answer: "I was a producer of materiality and I am ashamed of this fact. Everything I designed was unnecessary. I will definitely give up in two years' time."
To that we say, why wait, go for it right now, get someone on the team to wind down the business or send out refund checks. Philippe, we luv ya, but there isn't an object on the planet you haven't designed, are you really saying that all design by extension is about crass materialism? You know we're all going to keep consuming stuff. Why don't you devote that substantial talent and media savvy of yours to making stuff that's smarter, more sustainable, and dare we say it, cool, in that gotta have it, materialistic way you know so well. Or is this really about clients who aren't quite ready to make the big changes required to create the smarter, more sustainable, cool design? Greenwashing got you down? It's not going to be easy. The world's top two most populous countries are now getting a taste for said stuff, so we're gonna make a lot more of it, most of it instantly disposable. You of all people could make a difference. Step up to the profession that served you so well, montre nous l'amour pour la planète Philippe.
Ryuji Nakamura's rapid prototyped Insect Cage has 0.3mm bars. After the jump, Ryuji's equally light and airy Hechima Chair, Felissimo's Japan Brand Pop Up Shop and Kyouei's Water Clock.
Schemata Architecture Office's third iteration of the Kurage lamp, made of 1.5mm optical fibre. After the jump, Shigeru Ban's Carbon Fiber Chair, Yuki Futa's Isu chair and Naoki Terada's Write In Measure for Muji.
Alexander Gelman's series of lacquer chess sets, created in collaboration with Kutani-yaki masters has been nominated for a Lohas Design Award. More after the jump. (image via designtobira.com)
Alexander Gelman's series of lacquer chess sets, created in collaboration with Kutani-yaki masters has been nominated for a Lohas Design Award. More after the jump. (image via designtobira.com)
Nosigner is showing AWA at the Claska hotel's exhibition space, a line he designed for the Tokushima Wood-Bamboo Workers Association. Pictured above, the Triangle /Square /Rhombus magnetic desk organizer. More after the jump.
Milan Design Week ends and to the casual observer Japan was well represented in the lighting category. That's Arihiro Miyake's Carat lamp with polyhedron base above. More after the jump.
Domus Web's 68(!) Milan Design Week videos, that's Paul Cocksedge above, is just one of seven Milan'09 picks for the week plus there are another five "non-Milan" picks - all after the jump.
The Incidental is a daily paper published once a day for four days during Milan Design Week, it's a "new media experiment designed to make navigating and surviving the Milan Furniture Fair that little bit easier." Developed by the Architecture, Design, Fashion department of the British Council, the Incidental team provides daily reviews and comments, previous day's highlights and contributions from online groups - events, pictures and observations at Flickr, Twitter and Upcoming. "The best snaps, sketches, views and observations will be selected to print each day for the duration of the Fair." Nice.
FormaFantasma's Hidden Collection for Droog above is one of 11 picks for this week, the other ten are after the jump.
Milan Design Week begins and there's still more Japan-related news (also here and here). Above, a non-Milan news item, one of two phone concepts for KDDI by MILE. More after the jump.
As Milan Design Week approaches there's more Japan-related news (and here). Above it's Studio Ito's Kigokoro lamp for Yamagiwa. More after the jump.
Ron Gilad's conceptual Coffee Table no. 3 above is one of 11 picks for this week, the other ten are after the jump.
Some more Japan-related news coming out pre-Milano Salone starting with a Designersblock exhibition that will include works by Keiji Ashizawa, Mikiya Kobayashi, Drill Design, and Chris Kirby (pictured, Kirby's Spiral Lamp). More after the jump.
Piet Hein Eek's minimalist Table Top Soccer above is one of 10 picks for this week, the other nine are after the jump.
With this year's edition of the Milano Salone just around the corner (April 22-27), we are already starting to see previews of what will be on show. Here then are a few choice sneaks coming from Japan. Above, Tokujin Yoshioka's "Cloud," a prototype paper design for Moroso.
Itay Ohaly's acrylic sheet and wood Interlock table above is one of 11 picks for this week, the other 10 are after the jump.
Digital bits this week from the MoCo Twitter page. Above One-of-a-kind Ducati Monster Bikes designed by Central Saint Martins Students.
James Clar's Spike Light, a gigantic bangle 1.2 metres high with a massive chrome-plated chain | Admiring Jud Turner's 3D Round Up sculpture, nature and machines, beautiful and disturbing. | Got a snap of KKE's Pirate Chair (built vs. render).
Clockwise from top left; Alessandro Mendini's Tuttotondo elements for ZERODISEGNO, lab:istanbul's Latis multifunctional divider, Taschide's Little Saigon mirrors and Paul Loebach's new side table. More after the jump.
+ From Realfleet, SAL, the Amadana pocket video camera.
+ Aya Sunaguchi designs the Corga collection of leather accessories, including everything from candle holders and flower bases to bags and book covers. Each item comes in white, blue gray, and black.
+ Sotaro Miyagi's wine bottle bag for hmny, available in white and black. JS
This week's picks a day late:
+ Lorenzo Damiani's 152 collection of Murano glass bowls with Fornasier at designboom, "glass waste is placed in a special container that has a tube and then sealed permanently".
+ yonoh's relaunched prof lamp at designboom, "conceived from a continuous tube of 30 mm diameter bent over itself that creates a self- bearing structure."
+ Alice Wang's Chairs for the Dysfunctional at Core77, "questions how you sit. Do you sit sideways? Do you shake your leg? And worst of all, do you have gas?".
+ Bruce and Stephanie Tharp of Materious' Adieu ceramic gas-fireplace "logs for the ardent modernist" at Core77, "cast from the legs of past furniture styles like Queene Anne, Shaker, Chippendale, and Colonial. Set within the fire, they mark a derision for, or weariness of, our stylistic past."
+ Jan Broekstra's bottle chandelier at DesignWS for the VIVID meets Sint Fiet collection.
+ MIO's line of eco prodcuts for Target at Inhabitat, "eight outdoor items made from recycled and renewable materials including a watering can, trowel, cultivator, weeder, mini herb garden, solar lights, hammock and composter".
+ Nacho Carbonell's Soft Concrete sofa at matandme, "this couch is standing in front of the church/workspace of the design collective atelierdorp in eindhoven. (I don't think that it would be easy to steal it) ... nacho created a concrete bench for outdoor purposes which shape reminds of a soft couch."
+ James Patmore's Armadillo dresser at designklub, "a clever idea for the man who wants to hide his grooming supplies; the 'Armadillo' dresser has wooden sliding panels which reveal small compartments. Also notable is his 'NaCl' light...molecular structures win my heart every time." Also at keechdesign.
+ Gabriel & Oscar Buratti's W+W washbasin WC combination for Roca at Trendir, "his unique fixture features a gently curved L-shape with the toilet positioned at the lower end, and the sink located higher up for convenience."
MoCo Loco's magazine reviewer Eric Demay is back from a three month long trek through China. His travelogue features some stunning photography and commentary from his adventures...
Clockwise from top left; Timothy Schreiber's "punch drawn" f-low side table, John Niero's silicone, LED and zipper Zipper luminaire for Justnotnormal, Aquilialberg's stackable Swing Up side table, and Elastico's latest Google Pillow. More after the jump.
Clockwise from top left; Flow Tante Wera chairs by AK-LH, Tonium's Pacemaker pocket-sized multimedia player, ChauhanStudio's Lila line of kitchenware and Klaus Happaniemi's for Iittala's Satumetsä line of tableware. More after the jump.
+ From Idea International, the Stand Cleaner available in white, red, and brown.
+ Metaphys expands its stationery lineup adding the Locus 3way Pen.
+ designboom previews Nendo's new collection for Arketipo to be shown in Milan. Pictured, the Link coffee table. JS
This week's picks a day late:
+ Peter Waltz's wall fixture installations at design*sponge, "puts a whole new spin on the idea of leaving the light on at home."
+ Nic Wallenberg's Modular pendant light at Designlines, "Behind the visual poetry of the object is an ingenious system: Three differently shaped modules, in combination generate various forms. Openings in the shade allow docking via connectors."
+ The American Design Club's third exhibition Hue Are You at Cool Hunting, "a show revolving around the theme of color in contemporary design."
+ Luis Eslava's Tria lamp for Almerich at designboom.
+ Tord Boontje's Allegro Crescendo speakers at matandme, "studio tord boontje has scanned real flowers, leaves and insects by using 3d scanning technology like non-invasive 3d scanning to capture the form of the original objects and direct metal laser sintering (dmls) to manufacture the pieces."
+ Bauke Knottnerus' real size roomscape curtain at pan-dan.
+ Angeline Meloche's Celsius modular refrigerator of the future prototype at Appliancist, "a modular refrigerator that consists of full-extension drawers and pantry-style cabinets, and can be configured by the consumer".
+ Swatch Love Explosion Ring at sub-studio design blog, "super-bling".
+ From Idea International, an elegant metallic USB card reader (supports SD cards and Memory Sticks).
+ Barouche, the line of hotel appliances from Realfleet (producer of Amadana), adds an alarm clock to the mix.
+ Two of the stainless steel designs by Michio Akita for Takeda Design Project's Primario line. Via PechaKucha Daily. JS
This week's picks a day late:
+ 5.5 designers' Coincasa collection Milan Design Week preview at designboom, "includes a table with two legs that can be supported by either a light stand, book stand or birdcage, as well as a branch-like light stand".
+ Jakub Berdych's Dose Relikviar glass bowl and cover for Futurista at DesignEast.
+ Paula Hayes' Terrariums at Remodelista.
+ Cristian Zuzunaga's pixelated fabric on Cristophe Delcourt's furniture at Les carnets du design, "The designer has dressed a range of sofas and chair with his pixelated fabric obtained from the deformation and expansion of the picture of an urban landscape in Shanghai".
+ EL Schmid's Noon lamp collection for Zeitraum at Designlines.
+ Karim Rashid's Slice Y-Peeler at NOTCOT.
+ Harrie Leenders' Spot compact stove at Trendir, "Due to its small size, smart design and safe construction you can place it anywhere; or even use it as a 'warm little wall'."
+ ALPINA's Menes mobile cooking table at Appliancist, "it comes with electric 1.7 kW non-stick aluminium heating plate, Ollare stone plate and fondue set, fed by hot plates with fire blitz gel."
+ officeoriginair's Herb Garden for Royal VKB at designboom, "a small indoor planter that can be used to grow herbs or keep purchased ones fresh. The garden also has a small pocket with scissors so just the right amount of herbs can be cut."
+ Helmut Smits' street fountain at Pruned, "When the rains do come and fill up pot holes or shallow pedestrian depressions, you can sow little fountains everywhere, adding a bit of playfulness to the concrete playgrounds of weary city-dwellers." Via Land + Living.
+ Audiowood's Joel Scilley creates custom turntables out of uncommon woods such as burlwood. Some of the turntables are built onto plinths, while others are set into the wood's natural shape.
+ Inspired by the heartbeat, Pulseline by MÃ¥ns Salomonsen is a shelf for magazines and smaller display objects. The edge that faces out has been painted with fluorescent paint to glow in the dark.
+ Valentina Fontana's monolithic new shelves from the Cioccolata series for altreforme are created from the sort of aluminium sheets used in the automotive industry.
+ MEDIOdesign's latest product is the Elephant lounge chair, a wide wooden chair reminiscent of a more angled Adirondack chair, but whose back resembles an elephant.
+ The new solar birdhouse by Oooms has a solar panel on its roof that charges a small battery. The perch lights up at dark and attracts nighttime snacks for the birds.
+ The Ooob is a surprisingly heavy doorstop that can also be used as a bookend. Created by Headsprung, the Ooob has a steel core covered in silicone rubber and weighs about 1.2 kg.
+ In Milan next month, Bisazza will be launching the Digital Memories collection of three cabinets designed by Tord Boontje. Volume Gamma above is one of the storage units inspired by the shapes and colours of nature.
+ MNML 101 is a polyester-webbing rug from Kymo that is made of material used for high-Alpine climbing equipment. This degree of resilience allows MNML to be used outdoors as well as in.
+ The Aurea collection of flat pack kitchenware from Amor de Madre features dish draining racks in two sizes that be stowed away tidily when not needed. There is also a similar wine rack available.
+ Rafael Morgan's concept for a Killer Closet also includes additional shelves for smaller objects that might slip through the spaces between the swords. Inspired, of course, by the old magic trick, this all-purpose closet can be used as a wardrobe as well.
+ The Lamp Joint from Whyflou has a cardboard shade designed to highlight the use of scrap materials in an aesthetically pleasing way by using refined designs and graphic shapes. The example above is just one of a series of similarly symmetrical lamps.
+ Flat Jack is a lightweight shelving solution that is made from 94% of a single sheet of material. Designed by Ross Gardam, the shelf can be repulped at the end of its life.
+ Capetown's Animal Farm just launched a series of lights at Design Indaba, including this bulb-shaped work light. All the shades are wooden and the fixture takes only energy-efficient bulbs.
+ These colourful, printed hangers by Ryan Frank at Matteriaare biodegradable and made from 100% recycled newspapers.
+ Superemma is a new coat rack from Maigrau, inspired by classic trolley. The chromium-plated steel framework is the base for a series of hooks to hold clothes and accessories.
+ The latest music-related device from Yuento: Music Balloon, a portable mini-speaker for MP3 players and mobile phones. It comes in five colors (yellow, red, pink, blue, and black).
+ Sori Yanagi designs a set of wooden plates/coasters.
+ Shunsuke Terada follows up the Oblique Vase and Idiom Tissue Box with the Idiom Card Case for Air Frame. It's available in either gloss white or mat white. JS
+ Jesper K Thomsen's PLAY furniture for Normann Copenhagen at Below The Clouds, "Children's furniture must be for children, rather than small copies of adult furniture."
+ Daniel Hulsbergen's vases at designklub, "encompassing two Dutch traditions. Hulsbergen took broken delft vases and made them whole again using Dutch basketry techniques."
+ Konstantin Grcic's minimalist 360° stool for Magis at designboom, "this piece is part of a full collection that will be unveiled at the [Milan] show."
+ ding3000's 's-xl cake small' silicone cake mold at designboom makes S, M, L and XL sized slices in one cake, "for kitchen junkies, for half-portions, for insatiables, for dieters, for the undecided."
+ Thelermont Hupton's Blown Ups light bulbs at Cool Hunting, "Glass blown, floor standing lights combining the skills of the glassworker and the playfulness of clowns and children's entertainers."
+ James Tooze's 'A new perspective' table for batchdesign. at Design-Milk, "This piece means to encourage investigation into how things are made. With a little effort our curiosity is satisfied."
+ scraplab's denim scrap chair at DesignSpotter.
+ At Remodelista, "Spotted in the latest (and last) issue of Domino: chalkcloth used as a table covering in the home of style director Dara Caponigro."
+ At Design.nl, "Dutch designers returned again this season to help shape the 2008/9 ICEHOTEL in Sweden."
+ The Shelter collection of two wraparound chairs and a side table/stool by Philip Edis has open spaces between the many slats to let the play of light create shadows in the room.
+ The Part shelving system by Goodmorning Technology is a modular system of two components: horizontal white shelves and metal dividers in black or white. A large unit can be used as a room divider, as the system does not rely on back panels.
+ Queen Anne legs meet Eames in the Prince Charles chair by Peter Shire for Modernica. The fibreglass shell sits upon wooden legs that look like cut outs from violins with metal crossbars pulling the eras together.
+ Tangible Interaction's aluminium illuminated house number has a photocell that turns it on at night and off during the day. Punch out your own number and choose a background colour.
+ Jungyou's Babyboy in the Cloud pillow blanket is exactly that: a cosy combination of pillows that can be enveloped around you. The designer used a knitting machine to create the removable cover, and there are spaces between some sections so that the piece can be folded into a fort-like cocoon. For clouds above, you can use Joons' Cloud Umbrella with an inflatable canopy inflated with a pump in the tube and handle.
+ Fedora is the latest lighting design put forth by Dima Loginoff. Fedora takes the familiar shape of the Russian matryoshka doll and functions as a night-light of LED and glass.
+ Thoms & Nilsson have always noticed that young people have a tendency to perch on the backrest of benches, perhaps to be at eye-level with anyone passing by. The Alternative is a bench that offers a higher perch complete with footrest and backrest.
+ The Igneous series of floor lamps by Li-Rong Liao comes in a variety of laser cut patterns. The shade starts off flat and the user rolls it into shape and pops out the pattern. Liao gets the inspiration from igneous rock that starts as magma, cools down and takes shape.
+ Mile's strangely named "Whose Leg?" rechargeable mini-lampshade fits neatly on glasses or cups, or flat on any surface. Via Designboom.
+ Oki Sato (Nendo) shows off his works for the first time in New York as part of the "Ghost Stories" exhibition, running from February 27 until March 28 at the Friedman Benda Gallery.
+ Hidetoshi Takahashi produces the Cara and Kami wooden cups for Merchant No. 4. Via Cool Hunting. JS
+ Antrepo's Tuner Time (or I'm not a clock) is a stereo FM radio that is part of the "I'm not" series. The simple radio has one wheel for choosing frequency and another for volume, and also comes with a remote control.
+ Huib van Muilwijk's shelving system for Made By Midas is designed for adults or children, as the lower area can be adapted for use as a desk, shelf space or a play area. A chair can be hung off the shelf rails and a variety of shelves or drawers can be fitted into the slots.
+ Ryan Dart's new Quarry table was inspired by fossils that he would find while camping in Utah. The table, comprised of panels that slot into each other at right angles, has the air of a skeleton about it.
+ Harvest is a bowl by Stanley Ruiz made of leather string woven over a coated steel frame. This piece is from the NeoFolk collection that celebrates rural life and natural materials.
This week's picks:
+ Arik Levy's collection of fireplaces for Planika at Contemporist.
+ Jaime Hayon's new ceramics for Bosa Ceramiche at designboom, that's Bubbles above.
+ Jean Luc Le Deun's LED lighting at Yatzer.
+ Kathy Schicker's Transformative Textiles at Ponoko Blog, "Her glow textiles are constructed with yarns that glow in the dark, rendering the invisible patterns visible."
+ Martin Bu's porcelain at DesignEast, "The whole collection of table products has unconventional forms, futuristic shapes and create impression of connection with future, interplanetary research and overlaps to genetics".
+ Loris & Livia's Side Chair at sub studio design blog, "you can hang your clothes from the top of the chair and use the lower bar for a pair of pants or an umbrella". Via Torc.
+ Nixon's Newton watch at sub studio design blog, "Custom 30 meter molded polycarbonate with hardened mineral crystal and LED light and display".
+ Erik Nohlin's Peak bicycles at David Report blog, "taken away all the blingbling. And what is left is pure function".
+ J.P. Meulendijks' Blade lamp for Next is composed of three bowl-shaped shades that can be rearranged into fourteen different positions. The diameter can span from one to over two metres depending on the configuration.
+ Valcucine's latest project, Invitrum, is the first 100% recyclable kitchen for the company. The structure is of drawn, recycled aluminium and the base units are of glass.
+ ODA-Architecture's Mosaic Folding Chair folds up elegantly, and used in multiples they act almost as a divider. The seat of the chair is made of mosaic tiles embedded in silicon.
+ Alain Gilles is working on the prototype of the Big Foot Table for Bonaldo, and the finished product should be ready for Milan. Each leg has its own personality or angle and has been positioned manually. Also by playing with a variety of colours, the table looks different from every angle.
+ The Staypuff Crib by 20.87 Design Studio in São Paulo combines the base of a pushcart with a traditional crib. This very portable crib is a practical idea whose base is a combination of pneumatic wheels and metal and the top is of reforested Pinus wood.
+ Combining traditional weaving techniques with modern materials, the Mimi magazine rack by Ivey Lian is created by weaving thin strips of clear acrylic into a rib structure of molded acrylic. Mimi has two pockets for newspapers and magazines and a shallow pocket for letters.
+ The Unvase by dOt is a set of two vases that make up the silhouette of a traditional vase. The optical illusion is heightened further by the use of black and white glaze to highlight the form.
+ The W Lounge Chair by Daisuke Nagatomo and Minnie Jan (MisoSoupDesign) wins the OFS Hotseat 3 competition.
+ Atsuko Hamanaka shows pieces from her "Mock & Mimic" collection at the "Greenhouse" exhibition, held during this year's Stockholm Furniture Fair. Via Designboom.
+ Mile design two of the beautiful "Solar Phone Concepts" for Japanese mobile phone provider KDDI's AU Design Project. Pictured above, Gem. JS
This week's picks:
+ Stockholm Design Week snapshots at David Report blog.
+ Claesson Koivisto Rune's Tokyo Takushii rugs at David Report blog, "The exhibition started with a fascination for taxi cars in Tokyo and all three have a lot of photos from a lot of trips to the city. Out of hundreds of photos ten was chosen as sources of inspiration for a series of carpets in limited edition."
+ DesignWS.com's coverage of Object Fair Rotterdam showing "the latest developments of unique, or limited edition functional objects of international designers." That's Ted Noten jewelry above.
+ HABITS studio's Minimini lights for Luceplan's elementi collection at designboom, "its miniature structure is only 2.5 cm in diameter and houses an adjustment system allowing an easy focusing of the light source".
+ MIO Culture's LED Trask Lamp at Design Milk, "Trask is made from laser-cut, powder-coated steel that is flat-packed and assembled/bent into shape by the customer". Via Apartment Therapy.
+ moree's Eraser light at DesignSpotter, by shifting the light source the light "itself becomes a large dimmer that emits just as much light as desired on a floor, a sideboard or a bedside table".
+ Ditte Hammerstrøm's leggy cabinets at pan-dan, "Three small cabinets which are interrelated. Made in bog oak."
+ Jakub Berdych's marble EU Palett Table for QUBUS at pan-dan.
+ Maandag meubels' BBQ table at DesignSpotter.
+ Cat Merrick's Drip Plates at design*sponge, "Cat gathered porcelain plates with winter scenes and sandblasted them in drip patterns that allude to melting", the drips appear to reveal the image beneath.
+ The Antelope Collection by DNA+ at Trendir, a Corian bathroom suite carved out of counter tops.
+ Hella Jongerius' patchwork wall hangings for the 2009 IKEA PS Collection at design.nl.
+ Freddy Chandra's resin and and cast acrylic compositions at Contemporist, part of a solo exhibit at the Brian Gross Fine Art Gallery in SF.
+ sallyTV's new Tests Out Products (With her Designer Friends) So You Don't Have To TOPWHDFSYDHT feature. Sample quote; "The colors are too garish for my taste, and make the glasses seem cheap. I hate multi-colored sets, unless I'm at a cocktail party hosted by Barbie."
+ Staffan Holm and Dan Sunaga are the designers of the Newton coffee table, which uses two rings of pressure-molded wood as a base. The edges of the rings are forced towards the centre, creating curves that became the table's signature.
+ Joy de Vivre has come up with a new concept for modular latticework suitable for urban dwelling. Cellule is made from UV stabilized polypropylene and can be used indoors and out. A system of snap legs and pegs allow the lattice wall to expand or be moved. The modules can be attached to most surfaces with ease and there is a tidy cap to hide all hardware. The curved surfaces allow climbing plants to weave in and out quite nicely.
+ The IScreen from Li-Rong Liao is a modular screen composed of laser cut units of plywood and Masonite. This pattern is made up of the letters in LISA, but eventually patterns will be customized from any characters.
+ Sleeping Biscuit, a table lamp patterned in an angled argyle, is the latest in lighting from Dima Loginoff.
+ Inspired by the image of a cartoon bee curling up in a flower was the inspiration for Maya's Bed by Austrian designer Thomas Feichtner. This one-off sculptural bed is to be found in Linz's Pixel Hotel, where it is placed within a gallery-like setting.
+ The d.structured low table is an example of work by French design studio Ultraconfidentiel's New Delhi office. The slots at one end of the table range in width for a variety of storage options.
+ Kenji Miyazaki's alligator-themed EAT wallet for Erect helps keep the environment clean by swallowing up all those filthy cigarette butts.
+ Nousaku's versatile Flower tray acts as plate or saucer.
+ Osaka-based interior design unit Truck are holding an exhibition, "Trucking Truck #2," at LimArt in Tokyo. Runs until February 22. JS
This week's picks:
+ d.lab's second edition of its [Objects Around the Tablescape] collection at Yatzer.
+ Tomas Kral's PLUG! collection at DesignEast, "is about connections between glass (hard material) and cork (soft and porous material). Glass part of project was made by free hand blowing on the other side cork was transformed to its shape using CNC machine."
+ Ionna Vautrin's Bovisa series of glass and fence vases at swissmiss, "Like micro architectures these vases are inspired by industrial landscapes composed by gas tanks." Project in collaboration with Guillaume Delvigne.
+ Kilian Schindler's wireframe garden furniture at Dezeen, "The range includes a wire chair, storage rack and lighting system, which Schindler says are inspired by objects found on German allotments."
+ Sebastian Brajkovic's Lathe table at Dezeen, "Made of aluminium, the Lathe Table is quite literally created by being turned on a real lathe. In this incarnation however, the chisel carves aluminum directly instead of the traditional wood."
+ Pepe Heykoop's A Restless Chairacter chair winner of the [d3] contest for young designers organised by IMM Cologne, "hilst appearing like an archetypal wooden chair, the construction is in fact aluminium which is hidden under its flexible skin. The wobbliness is achieved through flexible joints made of rubber which also makes it more comfortable, taking away the stiffness of sitting in the traditional chair." Perfect for those people who just can't seem to sit still. Via design.nl.
+ Stéphanie Beckers' Textile Lightable light objects at DesignSpotter.com, "completely made of textile with an integrated light source. The pattern is based on Gingko leaves and the sharp lines of high-tech buildings."
+ Kiki van Eijk's Hexagon Lace rug at Ponoko Blog, a "new carpet made with traditional techniques. Completely handmade! The hexagons all together form a very geometrical lace pattern which gives a very strong and graphic effect. The colours are strong and vivid which strengthens the high-low contrast."
+ The Krups PREP Expert Serie 8000 food processors with integrated scale at Appliancist. Inspired by the Konstantin Grcic designed Krups KB720 blender?
+ Govino wine glasses at Cool Hunting, "Made of shatterproof thermoplastic polymer resin, Govino wine glasses are designed just like crystal stemless ware. And like crystal, there is no leaching that might alter the body and aroma of the wine. Better still, a handy thumb notch provides the perfect level for a pour."
+ Shunsuke Umiyama's Vine cell phone charger for Microworks, "Cable Camouflage". Via Dwell Blog and Spoon & Tamago.
+ Last week we saw Shunsuke Terata's Oblique vase, this week it's the Detect mirror for Air Frame. It creates a visual illusion by foregoing a frame and letting you partly see through it.
+ Isolation Unit's Shifting Vase, available in granite and marble. Via Dezeen.
+ Designboom previews the Tokujin Yoshioka-curated exhibition, "Story of... - Memories of Cartier Creations," to be held at the Tokyo National Museum's Hyokeikan Gallery (March 28 to May 31). JS
+ Last week we saw Shunsuke Terata's Oblique vase, this week it's the Detect mirror for Air Frame. It creates a visual illusion by foregoing a frame and letting you partly see through it.
+ Isolation Unit's Shifting Vase, available in granite and marble. Via Dezeen.
+ Designboom previews the Tokujin Yoshioka-curated exhibition, "Story of... - Memories of Cartier Creations," to be held at the Tokyo National Museum's Hyokeikan Gallery (March 28 to May 31). JS
This week's picks:
+ Designws.com's coverage of Maison & Objet 2009 and Cologne Design Week.
+ Les carnets du design coverage of Maison & Objet Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, "the theme for January is Antidotes, 'a cure against the crisis' according to members of l'Observatoire M&O. Here are my favorites full of color, imagination..."
+ [d3] design talents hansandfranz's supercool lamp at matandme.
+ Design Glut's Insider's Guide to the New York Gift Fair at Core77, "You give the same spiel about your products over and over and over again. You drink too much coffee. You start to go a little nuts."
+ Jaime Hayon's Crystal Candy collection for Baccarat at Designws.com, "With these pieces, I wanted to replicate the richness of fresh tropical fruit using crystal and other materials, such as ceramics."
+ Miloš Němec's porcelain design at DesignEast, "His design is smart, clean and simple."
+ Josien Pieters' Between you me and the wall wallpaper at Ponoko blog, "a prototype of a dynamic wallpaper that unobtrusively conveys the agenda of its user on the wall. When looking at this wallpaper you will get an overview of how busy you are during the week."
+ Craig Nottage's transparent billiards table at Core77, "A special combination of glass and resin provide the same resistance you'd get with felt, but are completely transparent; the tubing of the slick ball-return mechanisms are also exposed."
+ Judith Seng's Hide & Show Armoire at designboom, "Rather than creating a new iteration of the classic furniture form, Seng wondered what would happen if an armoire were to conceal and reveal its contents at the same time."
+ Andrée Putman's limited edition Fantastic Flowers for Swarovski Crystallized at designboom, Putman "likes objects that have an element of playfulness, that are surprising beyond just their technological prowess".
+ Misewell at designklub, "Their 'Lockwood' chair and 'Conrad' tables have a nice combination of warm woods and metal. The metal happens to be steel, which makes me wonder how heavy these pieces are."
+ The Razen wood burning cookstove at Appliancist, "Razen cookstoves have been developed for those with a desire to minimize their impact on the environment as well as those keen to be independent of the 'grid'."
+ Stones: Ilkka Suppanen at Gallery Pascale via DeTnk, "one of the best-known contemporary Finnish designers, Suppanen's designs are light, forward-thinking and yet classically Scandinavian. His constant interest in production techniques and new materials is a common thread throughout his work.
+ Paris/ Design in Mutation at Centre de design, UQaM via DeTnk, "Taking the question of mutations for its main theme, the exhibition features the work of designers, including Matali Crasset and François Brument, who are the pioneers of different movements in a new generation of Parisian design."
This week's picks:
+ Designws.com's coverage of Maison & Objet 2009 and Cologne Design Week.
+ Les carnets du design coverage of Maison & Objet Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, "the theme for January is Antidotes, 'a cure against the crisis' according to members of l'Observatoire M&O. Here are my favorites full of color, imagination..."
+ [d3] design talents hansandfranz's supercool lamp at matandme.
+ Design Glut's Insider's Guide to the New York Gift Fair at Core77, "You give the same spiel about your products over and over and over again. You drink too much coffee. You start to go a little nuts."
+ Jaime Hayon's Crystal Candy collection for Baccarat at Designws.com, "With these pieces, I wanted to replicate the richness of fresh tropical fruit using crystal and other materials, such as ceramics."
+ Miloš Němec's porcelain design at DesignEast, "His design is smart, clean and simple."
+ Josien Pieters' Between you me and the wall wallpaper at Ponoko blog, "a prototype of a dynamic wallpaper that unobtrusively conveys the agenda of its user on the wall. When looking at this wallpaper you will get an overview of how busy you are during the week."
+ Craig Nottage's transparent billiards table at Core77, "A special combination of glass and resin provide the same resistance you'd get with felt, but are completely transparent; the tubing of the slick ball-return mechanisms are also exposed."
+ Judith Seng's Hide & Show Armoire at designboom, "Rather than creating a new iteration of the classic furniture form, Seng wondered what would happen if an armoire were to conceal and reveal its contents at the same time."
+ Andrée Putman's limited edition Fantastic Flowers for Swarovski Crystallized at designboom, Putman "likes objects that have an element of playfulness, that are surprising beyond just their technological prowess".
+ Misewell at designklub, "Their 'Lockwood' chair and 'Conrad' tables have a nice combination of warm woods and metal. The metal happens to be steel, which makes me wonder how heavy these pieces are."
+ The Razen wood burning cookstove at Appliancist, "Razen cookstoves have been developed for those with a desire to minimize their impact on the environment as well as those keen to be independent of the 'grid'."
+ Stones: Ilkka Suppanen at Gallery Pascale via DeTnk, "one of the best-known contemporary Finnish designers, Suppanen's designs are light, forward-thinking and yet classically Scandinavian. His constant interest in production techniques and new materials is a common thread throughout his work.
+ Paris/ Design in Mutation at Centre de design, UQaM via DeTnk, "Taking the question of mutations for its main theme, the exhibition features the work of designers, including Matali Crasset and François Brument, who are the pioneers of different movements in a new generation of Parisian design."
+ Shunsuke Terada designs the lovely transparent Oblique vase for Air Frame.
+ If the Oblique isn't to your liking, how about Jin Kuramoto's Lilliput series for Ideaco, tiny vases for tiny flowers.
+ Following last week's innovative U-WING ballpoint, here's the Handy Birdy Minny, again by Satoshi Nakagawa. JS
This week's picks:
+ Cologne Design Week 2009 part 1 at DesignWS.com, IMM and Passagen at Core77 and then some.
+ Raphael Charles' carpet pieces at matandme, "a carpet of mousse PE and felt pieces. The elements of the carpet look like black coal. Thrown together the soft pieces exist as a rug."
+ Terence Woodgate's Surface Table for Established & Sons at matandme.
+ Ami Drach and Dov Ganchrow's +/- Hotplates at designboom, "users simply have to hook up the plate to an electrical source and the current will run through the decoration keeping food stuff warm."
+ Federica Veronesi's notturno pendant lamp for La rana che salta at DesignSpotter. The shade is made of acetate with a printed image of the nighttime sky.
+ Katarzyna Okinczyc & Igor Peczkowski's Cabo Collection crystal glass cable organizer for Dogenvol at DesignSpotter, the "light refracting nature of crystal transforms the scary elctronic mess into a chic work of art."
+ Johanna Richter's Floora, "a wool felt modular rug" at designklub.
+ Li Jayne's iShelf at Ponoko blog, a DIY iTunes Coverflow that "let's you realize your iTunes library on your physical desktop".
+ Design Depression Debate continues on the right side of the pond; Pink walls and chandeliers don't feel right. We've had enough of frivolity at The Guardian. "Philippe Starck, Sir Terence Conran and Kirstie Allsopp debate the future of their industries in these lean times." Via Dezain.
Digital bits this week from Twitter. Above LamiDesign's Oklahoma Tray House, nice pics of the recently completed modern house plan, in the dark.
Netdiver Best of the Year 2008 is up, design projects and talents who made a strong impression in '08 | 24 Rooms Tucked Into One at NYTimes, 24 room configurations in one 344 sq ft HK apt. Scary the future. But cool. | Twitter wallpaper du jour; January from Kristopher Grunert's 2009 * Year of Light. I've experienced this light. Warm and oh so cold.
+ Alejandro Zaera Polo's first venture in the world of the office chair is the PAD for Dynamobel.
+ The Colour Stack neon lamp by Roger Borg is made by stacking individual hand bent neon components. Instead of having a shade masking the interior light, the shape itself is the light.
+ Philip Grass' latest design is der Schlitten. This toboggan-inspired chair is a blend of "mid-century aerodynamic design, a sled and details of an opulent vehicle." Der Schlitten consists of zebrawood, elm burl, plywood, PU foam and neoprene.
+ The Stripe chair by Berlin-based Russian designer Jan Schreiner can be used as a table as well. And along with sleek lines and the stripes that lend a sense of continuity, there is also something bear-like about this piece.
This week's picks:
+ Gitta Gschwendtner's Bag stools at iconeye, "casts of the negative space of paper bags turned upside down, making the base of the bag a perfect seating area."
+ WHOMADE's impronta vases at designboom featuring shoe imprints, they're "constructed using rubber shoe tooling that is no longer in use. Cut glass has been added to the tools transforming them into vases."
+ The Bouroullec brothers Kvadrat Clouds at design*sponge, "a series of fabric tiles called 'clouds', similar to their previous fabric tile collection, made for Kvadrat that connect via a system of rubber bands."
+ Marco Dessi's Prater chair at designboom, looks like a stackable steel chair but it's made of wood.
+ Peter Freund's Sideboard Nightwriter at DesignSpotter, a sideboard with a luminescent surface you can write on that gradually fades.
+ Stephanie Jasny's CORDULA lamp at DesignSpotter, a combination spotlight and cable reel, "Ten meters of cable allow distant positioning from the power socket. With its additional pivot-joint CORDULA can be rotated by 90 degrees and together with an energy-saving fluorescent lamp it creates an flexible illumination."
+ Artoyz DotDrops at Josh Spear, luggage with snap-on microdots that you add to create a recognizable design to your bag.
+ Constance Guisset's Duplex at Fubiz, "an acquarium/cage favouring an improbable encounter between a bird and a fish. The aquarium is thermoformed so as to create a space where the bird can fly at the same visual level as the fish."
+ BabaAkcja's Sophia lamp "2in1 - Lamp and Storage" at DesignEast, "a new way of storing earrings. Perforated lampshade allows us to hang our earrings on it. The lamp becomes one of a kind, individual object."
+ Sabine Mühlbauer's convertible Child Bed & Sofa for Morgen at pan-dan.
+ Bathroom Design Team's I-crylic bathtub at matandme, made with "translucent acrylic sheet and integrated led's at the surface."
+ Breville's new blenders at Appliancist, "Made with durable stainless and die cast alloys, this blender has fewer parts for easy and safe cleaning."
+ Bathroom Innovation Award 2008 winners at Apartment Therapy, "all designed to use a lot less water...perfect for small space living in arid locales."
+ IKEA's 2009 PS collection, 70 products inspired by "Sweden's traditions and nature, and the colors and materials were chosen accordingly, with lots of wood and wool in white, black and red." at Hemfeber, Also via emmas designblogg.
+ Philip Edis presents the Chocolate Carpet, a veritable landscape of temptation, at IMM Cologne next week. Handtufted, cut and trimmed, the Chocolate Carpet absorbs noise and, thanks to the slight faceting, gives off different visual effects depending on the light.
+ The Thirty Lounger by sculptor Matt Devine at the Device Gallery, crafted from raw steel and finished with a deep brown patina, is more comfortable than one may think. Talk about presence.
+ Outofstock describes their latest project as the Naked Chair because no attempt has been made to dress up the connection between the steel sheets and the wooden frame that make up the chair. The structure is the aesthetic. The Naked Chair requires no tools for assembly, as the pieces are held in place by wingnuts.
+ Elsa Somano's first release of the year is Etape 1, a table lamp that brings to life a perforated map of the world.
+ The Vanderpoll table by Marijn van der Poll was inspired by the solid nature of heavy machinery. Van der Poll built a table to last a family forever. This one is in 3mm steel with a stainless steel top, but a black oak version is also an option. The company name and city name on the base can be replaced by the family name and the name of their home.
+ Jungyun Yoon has designed Inner Message rings, simple bands that have a raised message on the inside. After a while, the message becomes imprinted on the wearer's finger. The two messages here are "marry me" and "always."
+ Tamsin van Essen's Warped Light is inspired by traditional paper lanterns and their signature concertina effect. Each bone china lantern starts out symmetrical, but then collapses and becomes warped in a unique way.
+ The GrassOn cube lamp from ITlab is designed to sit on the floor or table, or hang from the ceiling. The reused synthetic grass can be trimmed to allow more light to shine through, and the GrassOn can be used indoors or out as ambient lighting.
+ Oberflex's Obersound acoustic panels are designed by 5.5 Designers who created 5 collections that include themes of Climate, Skin, Vegetation, Couture and Vibration.
+ The Cielos modular lighting system designed by Billings Jackson Design for Zumtobel is a simple method of creating luminous installations. The elegant shallow profile units are plug and play and can be used in a wide variety of applications and environments.
+ Alain Gilles' Rock Garden Modular Planter for Qui est Paul? will soon be released in tall and medium versions so that a multitude of levels can be created to reflect the landscape of a rock garden. The planters can also be placed to form a lively green room divider.
+ The Peel bendable bowls from Luis Caicedo are made out of neoprene and aluminum. These two-tone waterproof bowls are available with 2, 3 or 4 wings.
+ Shizuka Tatsuno's Modular Bench goes from bench to chaise longue to armchair with side table. Via Dezeen.
+ Japanese architecture firm Schemata puts fluorescent pink epoxy resin on an antique table to create the Flat Table. Via Designboom.
+ Takuya Matsuda designs the Grid Tag, a Good Design Award winning USB memory stick. Via Spoon & Tamago. JS
We change our wallpaper every day... on Twitter. Well most days. It's where we'll show you items we're working on or things we've seen that got our attention. And because not everyone has time for Twitter (is Twitter the devil?), we've decided to round up our favorite Tweets here as well as other digital bits that cross our desks screens.
Suitcase as picture frame. Via the luminapolis.com YouTube channel. | The Design Depression Debate continues proving once and for all that sallyTV *is* the social network. | A Tom Kundig house in the Idaho high desert in today's Times, "no-maintenance, no-nonsense, inexpensive materials" | We agree with Sarah, graze.com's "incredible food at your desk" is a great idea! | Alessi wins a 2008 GOOD DESIGN Award for their POP-UP bottle opener | more to follow...
+ Uli Rapp's work is always in demand. This Diamond Explosion necklace was commissioned for an upcoming auction in Brussels held by the Pierre Bergé auction house.
+ Ohm's FLO tea set for Modenn incorporates shapes that evoke a cosy sort of generosity without looking in the least bit old-fashioned. FLO symbolizes the traditional spirit of teatime in a contemporary state of zen.
+ Matthias Demacker's set of Moon side tables for Seefelder will be launched next week at IMM Cologne. These tables, each with a built-in bowl on the surface, can stand alone or overlap each other. Inspired by the phases of the moon, the set is a good representation of everyday yin and yang.
+ If flowers and chocolate hearts are not on your list for Valentine's Day, perhaps the red Lucite XOXO table from AVF might do the trick. Also in pink, of course.
This week's picks:
+ Karl's Tales flatware at Core77, "beautiful flatware designs simply called Tales. We especially like the dedicated utensil grooves.
+ Trustindesign's Climbing lamp at designboom, it "comes in a kit. Consisting of mobile joints it adapts itself to the constraints of a particular space. It climbs on walls and ceilings and can be assembled to user needs. Once fixed, each fluorescent slide is directional, providing comfortable lighting."
+ Louise Campbell's Radiator pendant light at the Ponoko blog, "Radiator consists of an image repeated 50 times. The image could be of anything. The powerful three dimensional effect is the point."
+ Tom Kühne's Hellebarde "portable" lamp at pan-dan, inspired by a halberd, a medieval two-handed spear weapon.
+ Bulthaup's Holzcontainer system for organizing kitchen drawers at DesignLines where everything has a secure place, even the glass and corrugated aluminum spice jars lock into slots in the drawer.
+ The iRiver MPlayer Eyes at sub-studio design blog, "a novel take on a music player. The 10 LEDs on the face communicate what the player is doing - ff, rew, scan, volume, etc."
+ *Wallpaper's Design Awards 2009: the winners, "the best of the best and the very highly commended of the rest, as chosen by our esteemed panel of judges - Kanye West, Jean Nouvel, Ines de la Fressange, Marc Newson, Sir Ken Adam and Stefano Pilati." Via Dezain.
+ Iittala at Designboost, a web publication at David Report blog featuring installations by seven designers/designer group friends who were asked "to make a personal interpretation" of sustainability using the the Iittala collection.
+ Designguide.TV's 100% DESIGN TOKYO: created in holland 08 video, "Created in Holland presented Dutch designers at the 100% Design Tokyo Fair recently, among them was Alexander Pelikan with his Clic Furniture in Bamboo and Trespa".
This and last week's picks:
+ Art Lebedev Studio's Sharikus New Year's Ornament at Core77, "Can be hung from a still-standing Christmas tree to ring in the New Year, or dropped into the ocean to disrupt shipping lanes."
+ Ikea art by Christian Giroux and Daniel Young at designboom, "using the Ikea furniture as a starting point, the two build out or on top of to create a variety of geometric sculptural work."
+ Fulguro's Bookmark bedside lamp Tree coat and umbrella stand at designboom.
+ Bauke Knottnerus' Phat Knits at designklub, "These giant threads can be knit, woven or simply piled to a variety interior products."
+ Hughie's Removable Kitchen Sink at Trendir, captures "water which would normally go down the drain, when washing hands, cleaning the veges, or even the warm up water in the shower. Submerge in the bath and this water can also be reused to water the garden."
+ The Electrolux Aurora, an induction cooktop with Corian base at Appliancist.
+ The well-designed office products by ANYTHING at sub-studio design blog, "a collaboration between Michael Sodeau and Suikosha. While the products have standard functions, the detailing is anything but standard."
+ TreeHugger's Lloyd Alter digs into Dwell's recent Prefab Issue, "But as interesting as what is in the issue is what is left out."
+ Monocle Launches the Monocle Weekly podcast: Small Talk, Big Issues at Design Mind, "There is something reassuring about listening to smart people having cultured conversations." Via DesignNotes.
+ Objectified movie trailer at Gizmodo, "Gary Hustwit gathered the world's top designers for his forthcoming documentary Objectified, telling the story of the magic behind the objects we use every day." Via SallyTV.
+ Conran's new Boundary project unveiled at Design Week, "Boundary will comprise three restaurants, bars, 17 guest bedrooms, a bakery and a food store by the time its phased opening has completed later this year. The Boundary rooms, each with an individual look, are due to open in March and have been inspired by seminal designers and design movements including Bauhaus and Vitra stars Charles and Ray Eames." Image via Camron on Flickr.
+ Design.nl's 2008 Review PDF, "we've compiled a digital magazine to download packed with highlights from the year and special features."
+ Sadly, PingMag suspends publication.
+ Australian jewellery designer David Neale takes inspiration from "the simplicity of Paul Rand, the playfulness of Alexander Calder and the mysteriousness of Joseph Beuys" to create pieces that have some poetry about them. His Longfellow gold snake ring makes a sleek, yet substantial statement.
+ The practical handbags in the Poupées Russes line by Léa Nguyen are large enough to carry a small laptop and come with two reusable nylon shoppers that peep through their own pockets. When needed, they are easy to pull out and pop into action. The classic version comes in leather and the spring collection is available in a mix of leather and canvas.
+ The AR1 chaise longue by Arthur Rottier is an update on a classic. This ergonomically designed chaise is longer than those from the past, in keeping with a taller demographic. The white base is made of EPS and polyester foam, with soft cushioning. These materials allow for indoor and outdoor use.
+ Twist is a new chair concept from Berlin-based Jan Schreiner. The idea of infinity suggested by the graphic makes for an interesting topper to this simple shape.
Design is personal, so here is my personal top 5 of 2008. During 2008 I covered the design weeks in Stockholm, Milan and Tokyo. But I have to admit I'm growing increasingly tired of all the design fairs showings us the emperors new clothes over and over again. Instead I tend to find the most interesting design outside of the design world - in art, music, the D.I.Y movement, science etc.
I would love to top my list with innovations such as The Global Seed Vault at Svalbard, a camera for the blind, the 2008 redesign of Einstein's fridge, originally patented in 1930, which uses ammonia, butance, water and less energy for cooling than a global warming contributing freon fridge or the finally released Tesla Roadster electric car - but they are all listed on the TIME's Best Inventions of 2008 list so I've picked some more personal things.
5) Creators Inn by Elvine
Creators Inn by Elvine offers visiting creators short-term accommodation in custom designed rooms in Gothenburg, Sweden. Note that this is a bit of self-promotion since my company co-produce the project, but it has generated so much interest from all around the world that I simply couldn't overlook it writing this list. We are hoping to expand the project to other cities during 2009.
4) Svenska Grammofon Studion
4 years ago Kalle Gustafsson and Mattias Nyberg set out to create the recording studio of their dreams in an old industrial building in Gothenburg, Sweden. Using second hand building material and vintage furniture and equipment they have since transformed about one room a month into something truly unique. The three floor complex called Svenska Grammofon Studion now holds several recording studios, as well as apartments for artists, and a lounge area with bar - all with an ambience from the golden days of music recordings. Since it's built from the ground up with sound in focus each room is separately isolated and if you wish to record while at the toilet or in the cubby-hole, no problem, there are recording sockets everywhere.
3) Nagi Noda
Maybe she stole some of her ideas, but who cares. The designer, director, artist, art director Nagi Noda, who sadly passed away in 2008, will always be an inspiration. Without her we wouldn't have lovely things such as Han Pandas, poodle dance videos or fantastic hair sculptures.
2) Apocalypse Lab's Soap
In pure Fight Club style, two girls took over an abandoned laboratory in Malmö, Sweden, named it Apocalypse Lab and started producing soap out of recycled deep frying oil from the city's many falafel kitchens. The result is simply called "Soap" and it even has it's own soundtrack by Andres Corazón featuring sounds from a calypso steel drum made of pans that are used to carry falafel oil.
1) iPhone 3G
I'm a late adopter and have only had mine for about a week now. It looks, feels and acts like I have imagined the future. But it's here today, and it's affordable and accessible, and therefore my design pick of the year 2008.
1) Sovrappensiero: Scented Time
While I don't love the way this object looks, it articulates movement,
change, and the passage of time in a way I've never seen (or smelled).
2) L'Atelier A Francis
Francis' work is playful, but liveable. It avoids the irony that many designers use when they make fun objects.
3) Anafim Outdoor Cutlery
This cutlery set out to solve a problem and unintentionally ended up beautiful. My only issue is with the material choice - molded fiber would be perfect here.
4) Hardcore Finnish Design
I visited this show, and was floored by Yrjo Kukkapuro and Henrik Enbom's desk lamp. The LED array, aluminum armature, and thick concrete base make this a great example of the decadence-free luxury I try to achieve in my own designs.
5) Dress by Benjamin Graindorge
I love how these tables play with our perception of softness and solidity. They also invite the people seated around to tuck themselves in.
It seemed like in 2008 there was a lot of product and also a lot of disappointment. With the technology available it seems like anyone can be a designer these days. Thankfully, a few gems shined through the rubbish. Here are my picks.
1) Touch: Mana
I know it's annoying when people see something that looks simple and say "but I could make that!" With that said, I could make these! Which is great because everyone I know (present company included) is going broke. I've also never really liked the idea of repurposing items just for the sake of repurposing. It's like how you justify your ugly light. "But it's made out of old bottles!" Uh, I'll take a pass. Thankfully, this clever and unique jewelry by Mana Bernandes successfully repurposes regular household items in a way that I find both striking and beautiful.
2) Philippe Starck, Designer
It's not often that Harry speaks his mind on MoCo Loco, but when he does, I am thankful. It takes a lot of balls to publicly out a bigwig like Philippe Starck, especially when you're the man behind one of the most read and influential blogs on the internet. I also appreciate that instead of simply calling Starck out, Harry offered up a solution to Starck's conundrum: create sustainable design that improves quality of life. It's much, much more difficult and challenging than "reinventing" an orange juicer. Great designers are replaceable. Great design is not.
3) Help
There's a reason that brands like Muji are as internationally successful as they are. It's because they don't cloud their product with a bunch of unnecessary garbage. I like practical packaging for practical products.
4) Future Perfect: Part 1
I'm a huge fan of Sarah Cihat's work. Most of her objects exhibit a healthy juxtaposition of delicate design and industrial materials.
5) Tokujin Yoshioka "Second Nature"
I fell in love with Yoshioka after seeing his exhibit at Design Miami last year. This chair, like everything else he creates, is 100% completely badass.
For me, 2008 was more about music than design. I spent a good deal of my time writing about the state of music, starting a record label, recording two albums and beginning the task of reviewing every single CD that I own. Luckily, music and design are intertwined in no small way. My "top five" MoCo pics from 2008 show this intersection, from superficial to conceptual.
1) Darkcloud Silver for Oye Modern
People who love music are always looking for ways to express this feeling. Most music/street fashion is overt, over-the-top, and ostentatious; it's nice to see something subtle and stylish.
2) Parra + The Perfect Unison
A lot of rather fun and stylish headphones come out this year, and I'd probably come of as a bit of a "poser" if I was sporting these Parra headphones on the street, but that hasn't stopped me from checking back at The Perfect Unison's website to see if it will actually update.
3) Tove Adman's Tivoli
I'm a podcast fanatic through and through, but this Tivoli makes me wish I enjoyed radio. Tove's take on the basic Model One design is understandable and easily appreciated.
4) Hidden Radio
Another radio... will radio change my mind in 2009? Doubtful, but it's really nice to see thoughtful attention being paid to audio. I'm still waiting to see an iPod dock that doesn't promote idolatry, really. John Van Den Nieuwenhuizen's radio concept is unassuming and inviting: it truly looks like something that is good to touch.
5) Key For You
By far my favorite post of the year, Yamaha turned the piano keyboard into a way to cherish your thoughts, to make new friends, to decorate your apartment, and to show off. "Key Between People" is both functional and referential. "Key For Journal" is something I'd absolutely love to get my hands on (if you're listening, Yamaha).
My Top 5 Picks are Top 5 Exhibit Spaces. The right setting for an installation or exhibit can turn an object into an experience - adding visual intrigue that plain white pedestals just can't provide. These top five picks left a lasting impression and made the presentation as memorable as the work itself.
1) Oddfellows Restaurant
Castor created the perfect showcase for their work in the form of a neighborhood restaurant. Not only are the concept and designs superb; the venue also hosts a weekly grazing night!
2) Klaus Haapaniemi at Iittala
The juxtaposition of Haapaniemi's beautifully intricate and whimsical ceramic plates in a less than perfect concrete room was striking.
3) Tyvek World
Diego Ramos & Luis Eslava's intensive exploration into the world of Tyvek was set in a humble shipping container. Cover any space in a singular material and I would probably be a fan, but the addition of their hand crafted furniture and lighting was fantastic.
4) Maarten Baas at Via Voghera 8
The backdrop for Maarten Baas's show in Milan this year was an old mechanic's garage. Not only did the scene reference Baas's own workshop, it forced visitors to search and explore, an idea I love for any exhibit.
5) Come Up to My Room
This unique curatorial event, set in a historic Toronto hotel, asks artists and designers to create site-specific, new work in a variety of rooms throughout the building.
The following objects strike me all as results of sensitive, relevant and forward thinking design. As a designer and consumer, I ask for nothing less. Here are my 5 MoCo picks, with comments in haiku format.
1) Florian Kräutli's Magnetic Curtain
Simply magnetic
Cloud frames adorn my windows
Crumple beautiful
2) Tord Boontje & Emma Woffenden's Transglass mirrors
Guatemala mix
Conscience driven production
Tomorrow mirrors
3) Maximal Design's Soul Ash Solace
Ceremonial
Materials of rituals
Solemn depart
4) John Van Den Nieuwenhuize's Hidden Radio
Interface design
I dig formal coalescence
Minimalism
5) Mike and Maaike's Baja BBQ Firepack
Clever delivery
Packaging turns to flames
Ashes to ashes
1) 2008 started with our coverage of Toronto's IDS, Gladstone, and MADE's Radiant Dark exhibit - a fantastic curation of young designers from across Canada. The tragic and coincidental fire that destroyed a building next door gave Radiant Dark a darker more powerful edge than one could ever have imagined...
2) MADE in the WEST gave us a taste of the great "boom" we are seeing out here in Canada's West. We had a lot of fun curating this one, and are anticipating much more to come in 2009!
In the spirit of the west, we really loved this fresh approach to 3) light switch covers and electrical outlets by keep it cartesian.
4) 11 - the beautiful game took the classic game of Foosball and made it a whole lot more interesting. GRO design produced the most beautiful version I've ever seen.
5) Chauhan studio took us outside "the box" with their form-over-function retro futuristic designed TV and phone. Looking forward to more work from this studio.
I guess the tanking economy has gone straight to my head, because my favorite posts (and thus some of my favorite designs) this year are poetically simple objects that solve everyday problems in modest and unassuming ways. Revisiting ICFF and Milan, the many gratuitous, look-at-me gimmicks on display feel so wrong right now. In contrast, I found,
1) Hulger's walnut PappaPhone;
2) Wasara's sinuous, eco-friendly paper plates;
and the 3) thought-provoking yet beautifully crafted Danish designs that featured prominently at the spring shows to be immensely satisfying--even sensual--rejoinders to all that plastic-blobby-techno stuff.
(A notable exception to my yen for Zen: skate rat/fine artist Adam Wallacavage's baroque installation of tentacled plaster chandeliers and flocked wallpaper at Jonathan Levine Gallery--such a singular mad-genius vision).
I'm also intrigued by designers doing novel things with ceramics 4), from RedStr's naughty Slave Betty teapot--the tea cozy as (tasteful!) S&M fetish gear--to,
the ugly-awesome new Lladro designs by Jaime Hayon and Committee, which I wouldn't want sitting on my coffee table but that I enjoy visiting on the pages of MoCo Loco.
And speaking of pages, I've loved Eric Demay's periodic reports on periodicals--not only for his insightful take on what mags to buy at the newsstand each month, but also for the dialogue it opens about the web/print continuum, a topic becoming ever more urgent as design magazines fold by the week. One of the best arguments for doing away with paper altogether? Harry's post on Piel.Skin,
5) a web-only, virtual tome of highly innovative architectural facades that don't go by the book.
1. Tropicalia Chairs by Patricia Urquiola
This chair is special to me because of its combination of both strong three dimensional qualities and strong graphical qualities. The shape, but also the lines, the colors, the materials and even the transparency makes this chair a bold and innovative conversation piece.
2. Magnetic Curtains by Florian Krautli
This curtain is minimal, yet playful, versatile, yet beautiful. It has great interactive qualities with indefinite configuration possibilities.
3. My beautiful Back Side Sofas by Doshi Levien
Inspired by art, these sofas are becoming pieces of art themselves with a style all their own. The asymmetry, diversity and careful attention to detail are remarkable. The embroidered back, the different cushions and the gold feet make this furniture piece one of a kind.
4. Fantasy Collection by Jaime Hayon for Lladro
This collection takes a fresh approach, turning kitsch into mysterious surreal objects of desire. The delicate objects are both elegant and intriguing with dreamlike qualities.
5. Early Future Lamp By Ingo Maurer
Mainly because it is the first of its kind, I salute the proposition of an alternative and a more pragmatic eye on things.
+ Nendo designs for Aromamora's line of essential oils. The bottle cap doubles as a diffuser.
+ Yamasaki Design Works rethinks the clip, and comes up with the Triangle Clip.
+ Japanese brand Yuento releases the Wacca Aroma Diffuser, available in white, beige, pink, and blue. JS
This week's picks:
+ DesignWS.com coverage of Design Miami/, the VIVID Gallery and satellite exhibitions.
+ Ross Lovegrove at Design Miami/ discusses Liquid Space on Vernissage.TV. "In this conversation Ross Lovegrove talks about how the piece fits into his work, the piece itself (the aesthetic and functional connection between chandelier and the table), the role of the luxury industry for industrial designers ("it's a patron, it's like the Medicis in some way"), luxury and modesty, liquid forms and organic design, prospective ideas for crystals (crystal powder to create crystal clouds), and the collaboration with Swarovski Crystal Palace".
+ Sebastian Errazuriz's Repisa N5 fold-away bookshelf. Via pan-dan.
+ Hiroshi Tsunodas' Bender portable/ modular book storage system for DesignCode at Below the Clouds, made from a single sheet of metal you bend into its final shape.
+ Philippe Nigro's marble Market crates look like the wooden kind fruit producers use to ship fruit. At designboom shown at the Galleria Temporanea 08 show.
+ Stefan Diez's Tyvek Papier handbags for Authentics at Yatzer, "An industrial material as a lifestyle product. The product name PAPIER is a playful allusion to the material: the bags look like paper, feel like paper, and are processed almost like paper. But as delicate as the bags may look: they are extremely strong and wear-resistant".
+ Hella Jongerius' folding Fennec mirror, with metal hinges on the inside and the outer side with engraved walnut. Via Les carnets du design.
+ Leah Evans' map quilts at designboom are "hand-sewn in fine detail forming an almost abstract pattern... she doesn't simply translate maps onto her quilts, instead she creates imaginary lands uses elements from different maps".
+ Designasyl's student thesis project Stay At My Home, a range of temporary furniture for overnight guests at Dezeen, "The furniture, which includes a mattress, removable drawer, lamp and carpet, is stored in and around a side table when not in use".
+ Ikea's Datid Appliances at uncrate, "Sporting a great anthracite finish, the current collection includes a couple gas cooktops, a microwave oven, two built-in ovens, three different exhaust hoods, and a pro-grade gas range".
+ The Electrolux Brita fridge dispenses chilled filtered water from a removable four liter tank inside the fridge door. Via Appliancist.
+ Industrial Facility's JetLag travel alarm clock for IDEA International, "a product that receives little attention yet continues to be popular among older generations. The design is informed not by the shape but by interface". Via Apartment Therapy.
This week's picks:
+ Designguide.TV's video of Okay Studio's Under the same roof show at the Aram store in London. "The exhibition will transform the Aram Gallery into a series of 'rooms' that will represent the working spaces of each of the members of the studio, reflecting on how they operate successfully as colleagues rather than as a branded consultancy".
+ prototype EXHIBITION2 show coverage at architecturephoto.net, "This collection of prototypes and in-process design work illustrates the discovery, frustration and serendipity of the design process and highlights how prototypes are used as vehicles for solving problems and generating new ideas.".
+ Deceptive Design: Experiments in Furniture at Core77, "The exhibition features prototype furniture, furnishings and functional objects that challenge convention with innovative concepts and compelling forms.".
+ Kram/Weisshaar's My Private Sky dishes, a "limited-edition, hand made and hand painted collection of dinner plates, which feature a pattern of constellations... when placed together the plates form the full night sky.". Via designboom.
+ Michael Young's i24R3 wireless speaker system for EOps "with satellite speakers and a bass dock... the i24R3 includes a wireless USB audio transmitter dongle that lets you stream music from your iTunes or music programs on your computer.". Via designboom.
+ The Nooka Zon watch at Designnotes, "One function displays the time in big digital numbers while the other way shows time in squares. Each square represents a minute and collectively those squares fill a line.".
+ Enrico Franzolini's Boxx light for Karboxx, a simple aluminium block with "rubber soft touch" paintwork and a louvered acrylic screen available in four different colours. Via DecoJournal.
+ The swissmiss DIY alpenglow project, "put tealight behind alps. sit back and enjoy your swiss alpenglow!". Submissions so far here and here.
+ By:Amt's Stainless Steel Ring A Day at NOTCOT, "comes with 7 rings and a piece of sandpaper... that you can pop out, or not.".
+ Tantilizing Textiles of Japan at PingMag, "PingMag headed down to the Japan Creation textile fair to check out the colors and textures that will be influencing Japanese fashion come autumn 2009 and beyond.".
+ Design Within Reach introduces a line of modular kitchen cabinetry components designed by San Francisco architectural stylist Nilus de Matran. Via Remodelista, via the NYTimes.
+ Thrifty shopping with Philippe Starck at the LA Times, "'We have been sticking our money into the fan,' he says, miming a stack of bills being shredded by the blades of a ceiling fan. 'We must be more intelligent now.'". Yep, more intelligent now. Via Archinect.
+ Estudio Breder turns night to day with a flip of the wrist. The new Night&Day glass uses the positive and negative images of a city skyline to contrast the movement of time. Just make sure the glass is empty.
+ The 46664 Bangle has been designed in support of the Nelson Mandela HIV/AIDS project. The unisex bangle, in silver, gold and platinum, is embossed with Mandela's prisoner number and bears the digital imprint of his hand.
+ The Ellos cement paving tiles by Renata Rubim and Débora Lacroix for Solarium Revestimentos allows for a variety of unusual layouts because each of the four sides of the tile is different. Ellos also enables good soil drainage.
+ We don't usually focus on t-shirts, but this one from Red Bubble with chair classics from the Eames, Eero Aarnio and, um, the Huntsville Inmates got our attention.
+ The Miami lamp by Dima Loginoff is a tidy, freestanding wire structure that functions as shade and base.
This week's picks:
+ Vernissage.TV's Design Miami 2008 video, "For its 2008 edition, Design Miami moved from the Moore Building to a tent designed by the architecture and design firm Aranda/Lasch. This year, 23 galleries are participating in the fair and Design Miami inaugurates its own, curated exhibition entitled Beyond Organic: Design in the State of Nature". Via Dezain.
+ Anne Boenisch's Flake lamp at below the clouds, looks like concrete but is made of Frigolit (styrofoam).
+ Dutch illustrators and designers Parra, in conjunction with The Perfect Unison's, headphones at below the clouds. The headphones are made of Finnish birch by David Burel and "feels very much skateboard" per Google Translate.
+ Maarten De Ceulaer's Nomad Light Molecule at pan-dan, "Pick a magical atom of light from the molecule, and take it with you, where ever you want. When fully recharged, the spheres will give light for approximately 4 hours.".
+ Ilias Fotopolous' Listen and Record wallpaper collection at Design Milk with braille incorporated into the design. "Made using flock printed wallpaper the design tells a story in which visually impaired people can read.".
+ Amor de Madre's Encanal chopping board at David Report blog. "I like it because it is relevant and based on human behaviour. At least my own... Earlier this evening when I was cooking for my family I had to put some chopped onion in a saucepan. Some of it missed and landed on the floor... With Encanal it would never happen.".
+ The AirMAX Öko vacuum by AEG-Electrolux at Appliancist, the first green vacuum, "Equipped with a new 1.25 kW motor, the AirMAX consumes 33% less energy than standard 2 kW vacuum cleaners.".
+ Boca do Lobo's latest Large Emotion limited edition piece is the prototype of a table that is all angles, an obvious fit with the other facetted pieces in the collection.
+ The Seascape glow-in-the-dark children's lamp by Lauren Moriarty has blue lines that show the various undersea depths along with the sea life to be found at these levels. When the light is turned on, the sea creatures are highlighted.
+ Chair #29 by Paolo Pedretti for Ontwerplabel Vij5, the steel plate result of a form analysis of a traditional chair, was launched during Dutch Design Week.
+ The REK bookcase by Reinier de Jong can be pulled out to expand as your book collection grows.
+ Australia's Dosh Wallets are extra slim and extra colourful, with names such as Moss, Atlantis, Take-Away, Geist and Oil.
+ Jose Alberto's Ceronte cupboard incorporates a tidy shelf in a contrasting colour to mix things up a little while keeping clutter under control.
+ Anderson Horta's Alive Ideas ceramic vase is a visual reminder of how creativity can grow.
+ The Ring Poem is a customizable napkin ring that is made from 3D printed text from Shapeways. Using 3D printing, the Ring Poem Creator allows for personalized gifts that can be delivered within ten days.
+ The ESCAPsulE is a combination of a hard roto-moulded polyethylene or fibreglass exterior and a soft beanbag interior, the perfect retreat for teenagers. Designer Troy Backhouse blends styles and materials from past and present to provide an option for people who need private space.
+ The Baobab loveseat by Christian Vivanco welcomes users into the protective shell where they can feel safe within the mass of the seat.
+ Ilio's Twig wooden stool has been recognized with an International Forum design award for a design inspired by sedge grass around a pond. The twig aspect of the stool works as a handle for easy transport.
+ German brand Maigrau has just launched a leather bowl of calfskin. Nappa's three zigzag seams give the structure shape and the tanning will ensure that any fruit can be kept in it. Over time, a unique patina will add to the character of the piece.
+ VIVI is the latest table from Goodmorning, all lacquered wood top and long steel legs. The simplicity of this design makes VIVI a good fit in any setting or room.
+ The Loves Me sterling silver brooch from Mr. Jones Watches is a play on consulting the daisy for advice on affairs of the heart. Now, instead of picking petals for answers, pull the winding crown and the display will reveal the truth.
+ The Sylvester is a new courier bag by Bruxe. The new Spring 09 collection features two new colourways (cement and ocean), but also keeps to the classic Bruxe canvas/laser cut patent combination.
+ Slab is a new drawer unit and sideboard from Timothybenfurniture. What you see is what you get: a slab of colour opens to reveal a contrasting colour inside.
+ Boca do Lobo's Gold folding screen is just one of the Large Emotion limited edition pieces available in a series of 20. This impressive sculptural piece of furniture has more curves than most of Boca do Lobo's jewels.
+ The Villa Overgooi in the Netherlands by Next Architects is a villa-like residential building that was designed to provide accommodations for 5 different clients, all of whom had to work together during the design process. Integrating workshops into the journey was key, especially for choosing materials and colour.
+ Danilo Calvache's Duomo fruit bowl is a sleek compartmentalized display piece that is perfect for those who do not like their food to touch anything else. It also makes a great jewellery holder.
This week's picks:
+ The third annual Muji award winners at Core77, above, gold prize winner Yuki Iida's Straw Straw, a straw made from actual straw.
+ Creative Industrial Objects' CI Desk, "A multi-functional home office on wheels... Through a 180-degree turn of its top, it unfolds into a small workstation for laptop users.". Via Designlines.
+ Hansandfranz's Troja arc light sculpture at Designlines.
+ Louwrien Kaptein's 90° Furniture, four units; a bed, a table, a kitchen and a closet, that fold up flat to become a room divider. Via DesignSpotter.
+ Design studio Antrepo Design's Time tuner at designboom, "the dial on the front of the device may look like an old fashioned radio tuner, it is actually a clock represented on a linear plane.".
+ Thomas Bentzen's Library storage units at designboom, "house shaped furniture is made from wood and powder coated steel. The units can be used for both storage and as a room divider.".
+ Chris Gurney's Tatami Flight Chair and Tatami Bench Sofa for Ecodecor. "Mixing Japanese aesthetics with Western lifestyle trends: bamboo and tatami seating". At David Report.
+ Stuart Fingerhut's Gun Rack Organizer, "designed to be mounted by the door to hold your keys, mail and coat etc.". Via Ponoko Blog.
+ Cabel and Nicole's pixel wedding inspired by retro 8-bit illustrations at sub-studio design blog. Via NOTCOT.
+ YDN Design Guide video of 5.5 Designers' Cloning, "The aesthetic of this collection is defined by the physical data taken on your body.". Also at YDN Design Guide, video of Tokujin Yoshioka's Second Nature show.
+ DNA 11 is back with a new version of DNA art: the DNA Mini Portrait. The 8" x 10" portrait is made from the individual's DNA via a cheek swab and comes in a glass frame.
+ Combining a love of darts with that of wine, the Gottacha wine rack by Chetan Sorab is made of brushed aluminium with slots that lock the bottles in place.
+ The name says it all: the MYDNA bookcase by Joel Escalona is inspired by personal taste in the form of books, music and photos that add to our genetic make up. The bookcase is available in a static version and one that rotates.
+ The Stone bathtub by Massimo Iosa Ghini for Teuco is inspired by the slow flow of water etching stone with the passage of time and is meant to bring on a sensation of being in both a shell and a cradle.
+ Thai design studio Gaspard has created the Oasis collection of outdoor furniture and lighting that allows greenery to become a living textile within the pieces. The Oasis Lalune is an outdoor lampshade that is meant to embellish any portable lamp.
+ The table connected to the island in the Rhapsody T45 kitchen by TM Italia makes for a continuous work/dining surface that keeps friends and family together.
This week's picks:
+ 5.5 Designers at the Flight Number Ten show during the 2008 Saint-Étienne Design Biennale at designboom. More at DeTank.
+ More of Jaime Hayon's Fantasy line of porcelain figurines for Lladró at sub-studio design blog, "The line draws on a fantastical reinterpretation of traditional Lladró themes - love, family, childhood, the circus.".
+ Paul Timman's Irezumi tableware for Ink Dish, "bringing his extensive expertise in tribal and Japanese tattoo design to glass and porcelain.". At DesignSpotter.
+ The Lista Office Award 08 winners at designblog.ch. This first annual award is for upcoming designers, this year the theme was sheet metal.
+ Rikke Hagen's Pipeline glass collection, the series consists of a teapot, set of bowls, glasses, a milk jug and a decanter. Says the designer, "It's the small variations that make the difference, for example contrasts in light and chilly colours can enhance the simplicity. Nordic style leaves you with the conscious awareness of your surroundings.". Via David Report blog.
+ Attua Aparicio Torinos' cabinet with a built-in table. Via designklub.
+ Alex Bradley's Single Person Cooker (SPC) prototype, "Responds to the eating habits that are evolving to meet with the pace and structure of daily life, while making information available on producing nutritious healthy meals quickly and efficiently.". Via Designlines.
+ Markéta Richterová's organic jewelry design for CHI-CHI at DesignEast.
+ Rick Ivey's vertical bookshelf made of powder-coated steel. Via TrendsNow.
+ SallyTV's Things That Look Digital But Aren't.
+ Designguide.TV's Nosigner video interview, "Design's origin is 'sign', but the most important part of design you cannot see, like a sign, so I created nosign".
+ Gestalten.tv's ContainerPLUS video interview. "Nicola Carter and Luise Vormittag who founded the multidisciplinary art and design collective Container dreamed up so many playful concepts and creations across a multitude of 2D and 3D platforms while having lots of fun, that it was only a question of time when they'd back up their dream team with more like-minded artists to have even more fun.". Via Dezain.
+ Trek's new District bike, "the first mainstream production bike to use a belt drive instead of a chain". Via sub-studio design blog.
+ The Slave Betty teapot is a limited edition piece from redstr/collective that is a traditional Brown Betty teapot that has been captured and bound by using ancient Japanese Shibari rope bondage techniques.
+ Aroha is the Maori word for unconditional love, but it is also the name of a line of jewellery made from vinyl records by Vancouver-based New Zealander Tania Hennessey. The large, but light pendants are laser cut and give the illusion of being three-dimensional.
+ Andie Olive's Coat Tree is a hybrid of vinyl and wood. The functional aspect is nicely camouflaged by the decorative charms of the vinyl.
+ The Psyche Lounge by Dima Loginoff is a sleek and slippery seat of Corian and chrome plated steel.
+ Lumen is a series of oil lamp shadow projectors by Adam Frank. Light up a Lumen and enjoy the shadow play on a nearby wall. Bloom is the first floral design in the collection.
This week's picks:
+ Matali Crasset's interactive chandelier at matandme, "the light changes colour to the colour of the food [underneath]".
+ Studio Job's Industry collection at designboom, "a cabinet, a screen, a dresser, a table and a pedestal all inlayed with white dyed bird's eye maple and black dyed tulip tree veneer. The studio adapted this traditional woodworking technique using modern laser cutting technology. The pieces all feature intricate and thin patterns, achieving something not possible before.".
+ Asobi design studio's Plye Lamp for Intra Lighting at DesignEast, "The restrained use of bundles of lights offers the possibility of creating different spatial effects.".
+ Igor Pinigin's ANEMONA lamp at Behance, weighted at the bottom the "lamp can be freely rotated and tilted. Several lamps can be assembled into dynamic figures.".
+ Amélie Lachance, Alexandrine Lemaire, Christine Mongeau and Jackie Richardson Allume-moi lamp (light me up), a simple wooden block that transforms into an ambient lamp. Via TrendsNow and AEDII.
+ Patricia Urquiola launches the colorful polycarbonate Frilly chair for Kartell at designboom, "Urquiola wanted to create a fabric effect and incorporated pleats for her final design.". .
+ We Make Money Not Art interviews designers El Ultimo Grito, curators of the Nowhere/Now/Here show at LABoral on now until April 20, 2009.
+ Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec narrate a video of their design portfolio with insights on some of their best known works. The video is in French with English subtitles, click on the Quicktime icon on the lower left side. Via Dezain.
+ Why not save space and simply put up a vinyl tree this Christmas? Artware Editions has the tidiest solution to the woes of shedding pine needles: 4 limited edition, self-adhesive, life-size Christmas tree wall stickers by Marilyn Minter, Fred Tomaselli, Phoebe Washburn and Markus Linnebrink. The Marilyn Minter edition comes with 4 ornaments and a star.
+ Cloud Gate Design has created a 3-foot Cardboard Christmas Tree that has pop-out decorations for a sustainable holiday season. The tree comes flatpacked and can be embellished as users see fit.
+ Stefi Orazi's new line is a selection of Modernist London Christmas cards.
+ The Einblattkalendar is an overview of the whole year on a single sheet, designed and illustrated by Nadine V. and Nina Witkiewicz.
+ Teastick Gems are loose tea infusers that are sized for one cup of tea. Made from Eastman Tritan, a Bisphenol-A-free material, the Gem uses fine stainless steel mess to keep the herbs from escaping.
+ The Excel: Floor Lamp by Rich, Brilliant, Willing stands tall at six and a half feet on slender legs. All silk shade and insouciance, this lamp is great for task or ambient lighting.
+ Funhouse mirrors from Hemlock Design add a range of perspective to any room. Not only do the angles add visual interest, but also allow different areas of the room to be seen, so the mirror itself is ever-changing depending on the movement in the room.
+ Winner of a "Kokuyo Design Award," the tearable Tidbit block memo is now on sale, available in blue or white, and in three sizes (A7, B7, A6).
+ Aya Miura designs party crackers for all seasons, exploding in cherry blossoms, drops, leaves, or snowflakes.
+ Hiromatsu Furniture releases a new catalog, filled with beautiful wooden craftsmaship. Via Spoon & Tamago. JS
+ Dima Loginoff's LED glass pendant light, Trunk, is inspired by the pachyderm.
+ The Lemon Tree Station by Estudio Breder is a "leisure" station where people can relax while chatting and listening to music. The fruit of the tree are speakers.
+ A Yoga Chair installation by Lucas Maassen will be presented during Design Miami.
+ Leo Kempf's cat house has a side entrance that leads to a ramp to the upper level, which is carpeted in sheepskin and has a removable plexiglass window. The front porch is a thick cardboard pad, perfect for scratching.
+ The Basic. Love Seat by Francisco Cantu is made of corrugated cardboard and MDF, with cushions filled with crumpled paper. Trash or furniture?
+ La Cultura Eleva from dotdotdot is a combination of seating and storage, an ivory tower for those who wish to keep on top of their reading. High culture indeed.
+ Stadtnomaden's bird house, Piepschau, comes ready to assemble in an A4 box and provides a alternative to the usual A-frame.
+ The latest from Flame, the Monstera Pendant creates instant atmosphere through shadow play.
+ Sumie Noda's popular Kcud dust box now comes in simple white and black models.
+ An exhibition of winning works from the International Furniture Design Competition Asahikawa 2008 kicks off tomorrow at Living Design Center Ozone in Shinjuku, running until November 18. JS
This week's picks:
+ Tokyo Design Festival at Core77, featuring 100% Design, Prototype and the Blickfang Show "(usually happening in Zurich, Vienna and Stuttgart), showing fresh design from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.".
+ The DESIGNERSOPEN 2008 gallery at Core77, "one of the biggest design events in the east of Germany. During three days (24-26 Oct.) in Leipzig, we captured the power of a young design generation during a creative fight club, design exhibitions, historical art fair, and downtown specials.".
+ PingMag's Tokyo Design Week 2008 Ultimate Party Planner, "a (nearly) complete list of all the design and art gatherings, exhibitions and parties.".
+ Ellen Ectors SwiTCh table and chair at designboom, "a simple piece of furniture which can be used in two ways. When moved together, the ball form nestles into the u-shaped piece to create a seat with a backrest. Removing the ball and flipped the backrest over turns the combo into a stool and table.".
+ Martin Sämmer's transformer-shelf, a storage unit where one can "constantly rearrange the different units towards each other, creating myriad different shapes". Via pan-dan.
+ Jessy Gemayel's Fantomatik table, "a table used for drinking tea and, thanks to thermochromic inks, when you place something hot onto it, patterns appear which then disappear as soon as the table cools. Via DESIGNSPOTTER.
+ More of Jon Stam's Curiosity Cabinet at matandme, "I found out that there are 2 hidden values in this piece of furniture. 1: 16 drawers store objects and pictures. 2: the other 16 drawers have a RFID reader.".
+ Lufdesign's Tinkling messaging chime, "receive a message, the Tinkling rings, its blowing tail changes color, and a message is displayed across the embedded screen.". Via Yanko Design.
+ Arik Levy's Intersections silver jewelry collection for Christofle. Via Yatzer.
+ Interesting note: Google's G1 phone was designed in collaboration with San Francisco based design duo Mike and Maaike. Via designboom.
+ Form magazine has a preview of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec's Vegetal Chair, they "spent four years working on a chair whose structure is derived from the growth of plants.".
+ Freeman Transport collapsible bikes for travel, an easily disassembled and packed "bike [that] can be checked onto airplanes with no oversized baggage fee.". Via Josh Spear.
+ The Cutting Edge range of Selina Rose products includes wallcoverings, table runners and rugs, all in thick wool felt with intricate cut-outs. A nice alternative to traditional woven rugs.
+ RKS and JBL are releasing the next generation of EON portable speakers.
+ The Sumizara charcoal ashtray by Akihiro Kumagaya acts as a deodorizer when cigarettes are put out.
+ Christian Swafford's Partition tableware depicts the wall at the U.S./Mexico border.
+ X marks the spot on Luis Porem's Flaqué table, both as an aesthetic device and a pillar of support.
+ Ramon Ubeda and Otto Canalda's Inout lamp for Metalarte has won a 2008 Good Design Award in the products for interior design category. As the name suggests the lamp works equally well inside and outside.
+ You can't very well be in Tokyo this week and not notice that Tokyo Design Week is happening all around you. To keep up on what's happening at each event, check the official sites: Tokyo Designer's Week, 100% Design Tokyo, DesignTide, and Design Touch. The festivities end on Monday, November 3 (a holiday in Japan).
+ If Tokyo Design Week isn't enough, or if you simply can't be in town this week, let the Design*Sponge "Tokyo Design Guide" point you to some of the best design and interior spots in the city.
+ Lemnos releases a new iteration of Riki Watanabe's Riki Clock, in two different typefaces and two sizes. JS
This week's picks:
+ The Åódźdesign festival 2008: Viva LED, "A collective exhibition of Polish designers who design light systems based on light- emitting diodes." at DesignEast.eu.
+ The Sezóna 08 idylka show during DESIGNBLOK'08 at DesignEast.eu.
+ The Design Academy Eindhoven Graduation Galleries at DESIGNWS.COM.
+ Shin Azumi's new Asleep 24/7 collection, "each piece of furniture is meant to challenge the concept of the bedroom, questioning whether or not the space can act as more than just a place where we sleep at night.". At designboom.
+ Camilla Diedrich's luminous Ray Charles wallpaper with "fibre optic appeal" at designboom. The wallpaper uses real light "without having to make use of too much technology" to glow.
+ Muuto's Raw furniture at David Report, "All pieces are made by hand and therefore totally unique. Sort of a limited-edition series in a wide range of colours.".
+ Seongyong Lee's Float series of utensils, "The empty ball allows the pieces to remain suspended in liquid - handy when doing your dishes and the silverware always sinks to the bottom.". Via designklub.
+ [re]design's sustainable lighting show Lighten Up, featuring "A focus on efficiency: new uses and looks for energy-efficient lighting technology, renewable energy sources, monitoring energy use and motivating behaviour change.". At Dezeen.
+ Gwenael Nicolas' Sen brushed anodized aluminum faucet system for Agape includes integrated faucets, soap dispenser, towel holder and more. At Trendir.
+ Plusminuszero teams up with Yamaha to create an electric bike. Via Dezain.
+ icon magazine 's 50th issue, the Manifesto Issue, asks "50 of the most influential architects, designers and thinkers to tell us what they believe in". Via architechnophilia.
+ Giulio Iacchetti's new eyewear collection, 4occhi, or 4eyes, for the new Aspesi 1910 in Milan, features glasses that can function as glasses and sunglasses, or combine lenses for near- and far-sightedness.
+ Samuel Wilkinson's new set of storage containers are designed for recycling, but can be used for any household storage job such as laundry organizing.
+ Why not hang up your flowers? Ido Baruchin's framed vase allows you to do just that.
+ The Chubby floor lamp by Davy Grosemans for Dark offers a little volume at a time when too sleek can be too cold.
+ The Tense coat hanger from AZE is a lightweight MDF rack that folds easily to be moved or stored away.
+ The Lionor, or Light of the North, by Mauricio Clavero for Swarovski, was inspired by a long exposure light swirl.
+ The focus is on a single piece of powder-coated steel in the Brainwash line of benches, stools and tables by Luxxbox for Objx.
+ Kyouei will introduce two new products at the 100% Design Tokyo Designboom Mart next week: the Liquid Lamp and Liquid Bookmark.
+ Eri Akutsu and Koji Shimizu design the Book Cup book cover for the +d brand.
+ The Tokyo Midtown Design Hub is currently hosting the "Good Design Exhibition 2008," with over 70 of this year's award-winning works on display. JS
+ Kyouei will introduce two new products at the 100% Design Tokyo Designboom Mart next week: the Liquid Lamp and Liquid Bookmark.
+ Eri Akutsu and Koji Shimizu design the Book Cup book cover for the +d brand.
+ The Tokyo Midtown Design Hub is currently hosting the "Good Design Exhibition 2008," with over 70 of this year's award-winning works on display. JS
+ This lighting by Mindseye Lighting Design is for a reception area, but what a great idea for any type of space.
+ The InCase metallic Slider Case in hardshell plastic and four metallic finishes is now available for the iPhone 3G. There is direct access to the touchscreen and the cover slides away for docking.
+ Davy Grosemans' Breezer parasol for Sywawa is an outdoor shade canopy that integrates the breeze by way of fabric flaps that also add visual texture.
+ Daniel Becker's Hunting Lines two-seater connects to bring seemingly endless seating to any large setting.
+ Why throw sticky notes away when you can fold them into origami paper sculptures? These notepads from suckUK are printed with diagrams for 10 models that make folding as easy as writing the note.
+ At a time when less is more is not just a catchy phrase but a mantra, the latest issue of the David Report brings us the 5 Key Design Trends: Cooltural (cool cultural), Rationaissance (Rationalism Renaissance), Responsibiz (responsible business), Sensuctive (sensual seductive) and Breaking Boundaries. Also on deck is an interview with Faith Popcorn who was right on the money with the cocooning trend of the nineties.
+ This lighting by Mindseye Lighting Design is for a reception area, but what a great idea for any type of space.
+ The InCase metallic Slider Case in hardshell plastic and four metallic finishes is now available for the iPhone 3G. There is direct access to the touchscreen and the cover slides away for docking.
+ Davy Grosemans' Breezer parasol for Sywawa is an outdoor shade canopy that integrates the breeze by way of fabric flaps that also add visual texture.
+ Daniel Becker's Hunting Lines two-seater connects to bring seemingly endless seating to any large setting.
+ Why throw sticky notes away when you can fold them into origami paper sculptures? These notepads from suckUK are printed with diagrams for 10 models that make folding as easy as writing the note.
+ At a time when less is more is not just a catchy phrase but a mantra, the latest issue of the David Report brings us the 5 Key Design Trends: Cooltural (cool cultural), Rationaissance (Rationalism Renaissance), Responsibiz (responsible business), Sensuctive (sensual seductive) and Breaking Boundaries. Also on deck is an interview with Faith Popcorn who was right on the money with the cocooning trend of the nineties.
This week's picks:
+ Designeast's coverage of DESIGNBLOK'08, above; BOA's Neoline chandelier and Flame bag, Křehký's Cactoo glass and porcelain Vase of Vases, Peruť's Flowers for Austria vase, and NAJS furniture and porcelain accessories.
+ Design Academy Eindhoven 2008 graduate show at Dezeen, part of Dutch Design Week on until October 26.
+ China's Space Soul show at Designhuis (part Dutch Design Week), contemporary Chinese interior design via designboom.
+ Hisakazu Shimizu's sometimes ethereal art and design works for Sabo Studio at designboom. Shimizu is better known as the designer behind the Canon digital IXUS. Above, the Chew-Chew Chandelier and Mountain Range Table.
+ Andreas Ostwald's Cara pendant light for Anta made of circuit boards and 70 LEDs at Designlines.
+ Livia Lauber's On The Grass outdoor lounging collection including a metal and fabric backrest, shade and ashtray at Designlines.
+ Marianne Bailey: Designing Instruments For Yamaha at PingMag, where the British product designer and creator of Yamaha's "Band in My Pocket" concept discusses her advanced musical instruments for the manufacturer. In the video above, Yamaha engineers are playing a piano, a trumpet and drums with instruments that are actually cel phones!
+ WeMade's collection of sustainable accessories inspired by local crafters in Java, Indonesia. "The goal of the project was to give financial support to people living in an area that was hit by an earthquake.". Via The Style Files.
+ TM Italia's Mondrian kitchen inspired by the cubist artist and featuring a "perfectly smooth exterior that hides away the kitchen essentials when they are not in use.". Via Trendir.
+ The personalized mantelwaechter coatrack, "coming and going...changing clothes...tidying up...all this becomes an entertaining game.". Via TrendsNow.
+ Eric Therner's Pilen concept bike from Six Crazy Concept Bikes You'll Never Ride. "Pilen concept is a race bike inspired by early Le Mans style, the concept is supposed to create a sentimental bond with the user and also give them the same feeling as if they were driving a sports car.". Via the girl in the green dress.
This week's picks:
+ Designeast's coverage of DESIGNBLOK'08, above; BOA's Neoline chandelier and Flame bag, Křehký's Cactoo glass and porcelain Vase of Vases, Peruť's Flowers for Austria vase, and NAJS furniture and porcelain accessories.
+ Design Academy Eindhoven 2008 graduate show at Dezeen, part of Dutch Design Week on until October 26.
+ China's Space Soul show at Designhuis (part Dutch Design Week), contemporary Chinese interior design via designboom.
+ Hisakazu Shimizu's sometimes ethereal art and design works for Sabo Studio at designboom. Shimizu is better known as the designer behind the Canon digital IXUS. Above, the Chew-Chew Chandelier and Mountain Range Table.
+ Andreas Ostwald's Cara pendant light for Anta made of circuit boards and 70 LEDs at Designlines.
+ Livia Lauber's On The Grass outdoor lounging collection including a metal and fabric backrest, shade and ashtray at Designlines.
+ Marianne Bailey: Designing Instruments For Yamaha at PingMag, where the British product designer and creator of Yamaha's "Band in My Pocket" concept discusses her advanced musical instruments for the manufacturer. In the video above, Yamaha engineers are playing a piano, a trumpet and drums with instruments that are actually cel phones!
+ WeMade's collection of sustainable accessories inspired by local crafters in Java, Indonesia. "The goal of the project was to give financial support to people living in an area that was hit by an earthquake.". Via The Style Files.
+ TM Italia's Mondrian kitchen inspired by the cubist artist and featuring a "perfectly smooth exterior that hides away the kitchen essentials when they are not in use.". Via Trendir.
+ The personalized mantelwaechter coatrack, "coming and going...changing clothes...tidying up...all this becomes an entertaining game.". Via TrendsNow.
+ Eric Therner's Pilen concept bike from Six Crazy Concept Bikes You'll Never Ride. "Pilen concept is a race bike inspired by early Le Mans style, the concept is supposed to create a sentimental bond with the user and also give them the same feeling as if they were driving a sports car.". Via the girl in the green dress.
+ The Flow lounger from Skram is made from solid, ebonized rift white oak with a bent lamination seat and back.
+ The Red Bull Canada DJ Table by Cocoon Branding gives a tip of the hat to the days of vinyl with slots that also provide ventilation for the modern turntable: the laptop.
+ The Formula 40 Sled chair by Matthias Demacker for Arrmet is a sleek and slouchy chair of cold-foamed plastic and steel, upholstered in wool, leather or imitation leather.
+ The Aqua Jewels collection of diamond-cut chrome bathroom fixtures by Marcel Wanders for Bonomi that will be carried by Hydrology starting next month.
+ A black and saddle tan tote bag is Makr's first large release, after the success of the Makr wallets.
+ The Flow lounger from Skram is made from solid, ebonized rift white oak with a bent lamination seat and back.
+ The Red Bull Canada DJ Table by Cocoon Branding gives a tip of the hat to the days of vinyl with slots that also provide ventilation for the modern turntable: the laptop.
+ The Formula 40 Sled chair by Matthias Demacker for Arrmet is a sleek and slouchy chair of cold-foamed plastic and steel, upholstered in wool, leather or imitation leather.
+ The Aqua Jewels collection of diamond-cut chrome bathroom fixtures by Marcel Wanders for Bonomi that will be carried by Hydrology starting next month.
+ A black and saddle tan tote bag is Makr's first large release, after the success of the Makr wallets.
+ EXHIBITION02 promises to be bigger and better than the first edition, this time bringing together prototype works from 29 Japan-based designers, as well as maker Inax. It runs from October 30 to November 3 at the 5TANDA SONIC space.
+ Stainless steel ice cream cup and spoon from designer Hisakazu Shimizu. Via Designboom.
+ Japanese unit Leif.designpark create the Lin Pod bench, to be distributed by Atlantico. Via Spoon & Tamagao. JS
+ Solovyov Design's new Crystal Armchair is made from two welded pieces of plastic in different opaque or transparent shades.
+ The traditional carriage clock gets an update from Innermost. Cédric Ragot of designed by item has topped a zinc die cast clock with a Seiko mechanism with a blown glass dome.
+ Dima Loginoff's Happy Chaise Longue is like a giant flexible beach mat that curves to provide shade and seating.
+ Adriana Barra's new patterns now grace pieces from Micasa's Moda Home Collection.
+ Ayag's Folding Star collection, inspired by the forms of origami, includes modular shelving that can stand alone quite nicely.
+ Giulio Patrizi will be showing his chaise longue at the upcoming SUN.LAB in Rimini this weekend.
+ Yvette Laduk's Cool Light combines enlightenment and air conditioning in one over-sized shade that is available in different colours and fabrics.
This week's picks:
+ London Design Week: From now to eternity video at Designguide.TV. "Arts Co has commissioned 8 contemporary designers to think about recycling and using plastic in their creations.".
+ Design collective OKAY Studio: Under The Same Roof at DESIGNWS.COM, "the first curated exhibition of the group".
+ Vienna Design Week 2008: Carpetplots at Cool Hunting, "Reinterpreting the carpet as canvas, Carpetplots is a series of six limited editions each by a different Austrian designer.".
+ Vienna Design Week 2008 Highlights at Core77, via Pure Austrian Design.
+ DESIGNBLOK'08 Report: Polish Design in Prague at Designeast.eu, where the theme was "able to be easily carried or moved ... capable of being transferred or adapted". Above, Joanna Opalska's multifunctional ceramic picture/ puzzle.
+ Sebastian Bergne's Faces object and photo frames for Authentics, "keepsake containers which are designed to recognize the importance of objects as souvenirs.". At designboom.
+ Oormerk's Replex table, a long dining table created from pieces of old furniture that are disassembled, glued together and then cut in sections. At designboom.
+ Alexander Lotersztain's X-System shelving system for Planex, a "modular system [that] features X-shaped pillars that slot into rails on the shelves, and only requires an Allen key for assembly.". At Dezeen.
+ Artesania de Catalunya's Oficis Singulars, contemporary ceramics exemplified by Gerard Moline and Guillem Ferran's work. Via pan-dan.
+ Alessi's second collection of Orientales animated tableware featuring "A toothpick holder that becomes a spiny animal and salt and pepper shakers disguised as trees". Via Josh Spear.
+ New kitchen designs by Marco Gorini at Stratocucine; the Eclettica, Non Plus Ultra, and Kubista. Via Trendir.
+ Mirage is a fluorescent table lamp by Lorenzo Longo for Tronconi. The front diffuser shows a hologram in the shape of a typical table lamp, and the back sheds light powerful enough for reading.
+ Dominic Harris's exploded globe of light was created as an outdoor interactive lighting installation for the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards and controlled by the guests.
+ Vincent Lebon's Lien series of chairs have puzzle piece extrusions that allow them to link together to form a bench.
+ Eigg, a bamboo flatpack bookshelf from Damaris & Marc, was inspired by cradle-to-cradle philosophies and traditional Japanese wooden houses, on a much smaller scale.
+ Marc Graells Ballve has designed the Hang Chair with an integrated hanger in the back to keep jackets from wrinkling.
+ Akitoka is a ceramic cake plate by Rosa Lemos for Bosa. Very handy for those occasions when no one dares take the last piece.
+ Powerwise, by Johanna Strand and Asa Elmstam, is a charging station for all those gadgets that need to be charged up tidily. You can have a seat on it also, to charge your own batteries.
+ Helen Mirra's Shipped Bench for Artware Editions is stripped-down simplicity at its most elegant. Mirra takes reclaimed pallet wood that has been painted with opaque grey milk paint and sanded, then painted and sanded again and again until silky. A single, unattached cushion made from army surplus blankets is the crowning touch.
+ Rachel de Joode's Les hors d'oeuvres for Soon Salon is a patterned wallpaper series based on the repetition of posed ladies and gentlemen. Take a closer look.
+ Project Guruda by Jungmo Kwon is a series of mats that can be rolled and tied together to create a sofa, chair or storage.
+ The Ne Stool by Danilo Calvache can be used horizontally or vertically. Also handy as a side surface.
+ The Ideaco & Muku collection of brings together a lovely collection of wooden desktop accessories.
+ Tokujin Yoshioka's Venus chair will be the centerpiece of the "Second Nature" exhibition at 21_21 Design Sight. Via Dezeen.
+ The Good Design Award 2008 "Best 15" has been announced. JS
+ The Ideaco & Muku collection of brings together a lovely collection of wooden desktop accessories.
+ Naoki Terada designs the atmospheric Honoka clocks for Lemnos.
+ The Good Design Award 2008 "Best 15" has been announced. JS
+ The Home Duvet by Dutch by Design features the print of a cardboard box: 30% of the gross profits from the sale of this duvet go to a charity for homeless young people.
+ When you want to take the delights of chocolate up a notch, why not use a Chocolate Presentoir by NZE Design?
+ Antrepo's Time Tuner is an alarm clock with an mp3 player. Watch time slide on by.
+ Etienne Meneau continues his marriage of sculpture and oenology with the latest in his series of borosilicate wine decanters, but this time he presents a glass called Petit Coeur (Little Heart).
+ Iceland's Magneat is a new way to keep headphone wires under control. Adjust the wires to the right length and fasten the magnet to your clothing.
+ Japanese architect Sato Matsuda most recent chairs, Japan Mornings, look like a cross between chair and table.
+ The Home Duvet by Dutch by Design features the print of a cardboard box: 30% of the gross profits from the sale of this duvet go to a charity for homeless young people.
+ When you want to take the delights of chocolate up a notch, why not use a Chocolate Presentoir by NZE Design?
+ Antrepo's Time Tuner is an alarm clock with an mp3 player. Watch time slide on by.
+ Etienne Meneau continues his marriage of sculpture and oenology with the latest in his series of borosilicate wine decanters, but this time he presents a glass called Petit Coeur (Little Heart).
+ Iceland's Magneat is a new way to keep headphone wires under control. Adjust the wires to the right length and fasten the magnet to your clothing.
+ Japanese architect Sato Matsuda most recent chairs, Japan Mornings, look like a cross between chair and table.
As of yesterday we've changed our weekly Meta MoCo survey post, we've split it into two parts; Best MoCo Architecture This Week (posted yesterday) and Best MoCo Objects This Week. Best MoCo Architecture This Week will be posted every weekend and Best MoCo Objects This Week will now be posted on Mondays.
+ Kithkin: Some rights reserved video at Designguide.tv, "a group of creative friends who form a platform to show and promote their work. Consumers are given the chance to purchase design instantly, either printing it out on their own printer or taking the file to a listed supplier for production.".
+ Core77's FreeDesigndom 2008 photo gallery, featuring images from the first edition of a new annual design and fashion event in the Netherlands.
+ Core77's London Design Week photo gallery, from the 6th edition of this highly regarded annual event.
+ Ilio's hanging bookwave book/magazine storage from their new 2009 collection. At Dezeen.
+ Viable London's Slat Shelves, "an alternative storage solution constructed entirely using rectangular section FSC pine.". At Dezeen.
+ Doshi Levien's Exhibition at Moroso USA at Cool Hunting, a collection that draws upon Indian culture for inspiration.
+ Patricia Urquiola's Purely Porcelain for Rosenthal at designboom, a new 'landscape' ceramics collection with a "pattern [that] is erratic, sometimes filling the form and at other times escaping".
+ Designband's Birdturf birdhouse design by Emilie Baltz and Ben Bearsch, "inspired by the act of throwing shoes over power lines (which is thought to be how gangs mark their 'turf')". Via design*sponge.
+ The Quooker boiling water tap, a child-proof kitchen appliance that dispenses boiling hot water instantly for tea, pasta, vegetables and more. Via Designlines.
+ The Vroom Solo built-in vacuum appliance, a "quick-cleaning tool for small clean-ups in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, mudrooms and other high traffic areas of the home, the Vroom is easily installed directly into the cabinetry of a room either as a stand alone vacuum appliance or as an accessory to a central vacuum system.". Via Appliancist.
+ Debbie Smyth's 'pins and threads' electrical pylons, "each point was plotted and measured to ensure that the pylons were illustrated accurately.". At matandme.
As of yesterday we've changed our weekly Meta MoCo survey post, we've split it into two parts; Best MoCo Architecture This Week (posted yesterday) and Best MoCo Objects This Week. Best MoCo Architecture This Week will be posted every weekend and Best MoCo Objects This Week will now be posted on Mondays.
+ Kithkin: Some rights reserved video at Designguide.tv, "a group of creative friends who form a platform to show and promote their work. Consumers are given the chance to purchase design instantly, either printing it out on their own printer or taking the file to a listed supplier for production.".
+ Core77's FreeDesigndom 2008 photo gallery, featuring images from the first edition of a new annual design and fashion event in the Netherlands.
+ Core77's London Design Week photo gallery, from the 6th edition of this highly regarded annual event.
+ Ilio's hanging bookwave book/magazine storage from their new 2009 collection. At Dezeen.
+ Viable London's Slat Shelves, "an alternative storage solution constructed entirely using rectangular section FSC pine.". At Dezeen.
+ Doshi Levien's Exhibition at Moroso USA at Cool Hunting, a collection that draws upon Indian culture for inspiration.
+ Patricia Urquiola's Purely Porcelain for Rosenthal at designboom, a new 'landscape' ceramics collection with a "pattern [that] is erratic, sometimes filling the form and at other times escaping".
+ Designband's Birdturf birdhouse design by Emilie Baltz and Ben Bearsch, "inspired by the act of throwing shoes over power lines (which is thought to be how gangs mark their 'turf')". Via design*sponge.
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