Multi-disciplinary design studio Urbanproduct has launched ‘Dune’ – a tactile and sensuous wall treatment that invites people to engage with it. They believe that by the inherent charm of recycled and reclaimed materials can be repurposed to bring new meaning to modern spaces.
The Toronto-based studio is working with local manufacturers to develop the elegant tile in a variety of materials. Wooden and ceramic batches have been added to the range this year, which include concrete tiles naturally pigmented with a soya based finish. The tiles can be configured differently for a variety of patterns and effects, lending a playfulness to any wall or surface.
Honda re-invented the wheel – or at least rethinks the concept of personal mobility with its U3-X.
Providing the rider with freedom of movement in any direction forward, backward, sideways and diagonally by simply leaning slightly in the desired direction. The lightweight and compact one-wheeled device also features a foldable seat and retractable footrests. A lithium-ion battery pack provides power for up to one-hour of use and can be recharged by plugging in to a conventional household or office 120-volt power outlet.
The Bio Robot Refrigerator is four times smaller than a conventional refrigerator and cools biopolymer gel through luminescence. Yuriy Dmitriev, Russia is one of the semi-finalists of the Electrolux design lab 2010. Rather than shelves, the non sticky, odourless gel morphs around products to create a separate pod that suspends items for easy access.
Without doors, draws and a motor 90% of the appliance is solely given over to its intended purpose. At the same time, all food, drink and cooled products are readily available, odours are contained, and items are kept individually at their optimal temperature by bio robots. The fridge is adaptable – it can be hung vertically, horizontally, and even on the ceiling. Different sizes and dimensions allow it to perfectly fit the accordant dwelling.
With the World Cup kicking off today I thought it would only be fitting to feature some South African design:
First up is Dokter and Misses, a collaboration between furniture designer Adriaan Hugo and multidisciplinary designer Katy Taplin who met at university where they did their first project together – designing cardboard handbags (which I’m pretty sure they are still selling!). The pair now produce a selection of furniture, lighting and objects in Johannesburg. They refer to their gallery/shop at 44 Stanley as a place “where dreams come to life and vodka slaying superheroes support and uplift South African design.” Their products are fresh and sleek – minimalist with an African edge.
The place to go for a very stylish breakfast or lunch is definitely Superette. The beautifully designed cafe was set up by the organizers of the award-winning Neighbourgoods Market in Woodstock, Cape Town. At this neighbourhood café you can indulge in an assortment of your favorite market produce and specialty foods. The bright and airy interior is mostly muted with splashes of yellow, mixing interesting contemporary design with nostalgic touches like the old fashioned deli display and vintage fridge. It also features super trendy furniture by XK, another young South African designer to keep an eye on.
After a five week process that I imagine involved a lot of hard work the second year BA Graphic design students from Central Saint Martins hosted a week long pop up shop in Clerkenwell. The focus was on manufacture being an integral part of design, and we’re all very grateful, it gave us a chance to buy work from talented young designers.
Apart from the great work they were selling they also hosted interesting events, they had everything from children’s design workshops to design speed dating.
Here are some pictures of the goods that were on sale:
Designers Amandine Chhor and Aïssa Logerot have created a range of furniture and lighting woven from water hyacinths in Cambodia. Called Sur les Rivages, the project aims to find new applications for the traditional craft in order to use up the plant, which grows extremely quickly and is causing environmental problems. The designers worked with a local cooperative in Prek Toal, Cambodia, to develop the products.
The project proposes to revaluate the weaving craft of water hyacinth in Cambodia. This aquatic plant is harmful because it causes many environmental, sanitary and economic problems. Since 2006, 35 women from poor families in the village of Prek Toal have come together at the Saray cooperative to adopt the traditional craft of water hyacinth weaving. They have already manufactured a few products, enabling them to maintain their incomes. Working over a 3 months trial period, in collaboration with Osmose association and the women of Saray cooperative, the idea of this project was to experiment this organic material and the weaving techniques, in order to find new applications for the invasive plant. Cambodia, a country undergoing reconstruction, is trying to revive traditional crafts which have disappeared during the genocide. Here more than elsewhere, the design can help to upgrade some of these skills and become the link between technique, form and use.
The intent of the Trash Me lamps project is to create a product that is born from the trash and returned to the trash after a short but useful life cycle. Each Trash Me lamp is created from four paper egg cartons, blended with water, poured over a mold, and smoothed by hand to form a section. After drying for a few days, the sections are fastened together with aluminum screw posts. A cloth electrical cord with recyclable electrical fixture parts is used for the lighting. For the Trash Me desk lamp, a paper bag filled with bird seed provides added weight to stabilize the base. At the end of its life, the Trash Me lamp can be quickly dissembled and the parts reused or recycled back into the trash to be born again as something as new.
A wonderful new idea for an iPhone app that enhances the interaction with chilrens’ books: PhoneBook was presented by the Mobile Art Lab in Tokyo. Unfortunately there is no text to be found in a language that I was able to understand (only Japanese, sorry). But if you watch this little video there is no need for any further explanation – just press play and enjoy.
Coffee And Cigarettes can be now sitting on your desk or table and keep the emotions of the wonderful movie by Roberto Benigni alive. A cup to enjoy your coffee while waiting to smoke a cigarette – an ashtray to enjoy the cigarette after the coffee. According to the words of its designer, Carlo Trevisani, you don’t have to be a smoker to enjoy this and smoking is not encouraged.
This seemingly simple stacking chair is far more sophisticated than first glance might suggest. Through the innovative application of patented R606 polymer, collaborators Bartoli Design and Fauciglietti Engineering developed the R606 Chair for Segis. The unique quality of R606 polymer is that the surface skin of the plastic is solid, while the inside is soft. This double-density twin compound is molded around a rigid frame made of high-grade steel, providing sturdy support around a flexible and comfortable seat. The first chair to successfully use R606, it is no surprise that it was awarded the XXI Adi Compasso d’Oro.
