Welcome to the future – where plants take us by surprise and seal our fates as the dear or dying species on this planet! Our only defense is the “Jaguar Mark XXI.” Designer Christopher Pollard has made this nature defense vehicle. It drives like a mother. Then when parked, the black panels activate. These panels are photovoltaic, lift from the car automatically, and face the sun, like the sunflower. Scary, right?
Designer: Christopher Pollard
It always intrigues me what inspires designers when they do their thing. So when I hear a good solid story behind-the-scenes, I like to share it. Like the Whirlpool Chaac Water Dispenser, it’s been inspired by the Mayan Water God and modern Mexican society. Apparently Chaac (the Maya rain deity) strikes the clouds and produces thunder and rain. On a not-so-dramatic-note, the carbon filter of this system purifies tap water and the inbuilt-sensor dispenses the appropriate amount of water by judging the size of the glass.
Designers: Alfredo Ruiz and Rolando Hdz
Before you head out to get a fancy crib for your awaited tyke, lemme just brush you with some finer points in baby cots. You want to be looking at a cot that’s easy to assemble, safe for use, easy to store when junior outgrows it (or when not in use), convenient height of the bed so that you don’t have to bend too much. Finer details like these and more will lead you to the Alma Urban Cot, which is as dynamic as a cot can get.
Designer: Bloombaby
Bring back memories of Night At The Museum, the NeoLithic Ceramic Cooking Knives reflect the Neolithic age accurately. Fashioned as the stone implements used by our ancestors, this set of knives are made from ceramic stone and bring us back to the basics of chopping, cutting, scraping, mincing and scooping as done in the Stone Age. The utilitarian shape of a flat stone with a sharp blade on one edge and blunt blade on the other is a winner. As Matt puts it, “the modern refinement of stone gives the NeoLithic Knives and edge over their Bronze Age cousins.”
Designer: Matthias Kaeding
Perhaps one of the best executions of shipping container architecture, Graft Architects outdid themselves. The Platoon Kunsthalle Cultural Development center is Seoul, Korea houses exhibitions, a restaurant, event hall, artist studios, library, lounge, offices, and a roof top bar. Damn, is it missing anything? The entire building is made from 28 ISO cargo containers beautifully stacked to create large subdivided interior spaces. I love the exterior treatment but the interior feels cold and lifeless – a far cry from the minds of creative wizards.
Designers: Platoon Cultural Development + Graft Architects
Peep here and set your eyeballs on a pretty darn good rendering designer, Mikael Lugnegard. This man who works as Lugnegard Design calls himself an artist, and with pictures so nice I’d frame em up at my abode, I’d call him one too. Today we’re presenting nothing less than the “Gentleman’s Racer” – an exercise in rendering that utilizes a triad of software tools that I’d bet an industrial designer like you would recognize.
Designer: Mikael Lugnegard of Lugnegard Design
So you’re at Baselworld 2009, just walking around, taking note of all the lovely items. Now, just imagine you’re weightless, in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by tiny little seahorses. Are you there? No. You are at the Swarovski stand, and you are experiencing the “Lake of Shimmer:” hundreds of free-swinging mirrors remotely controlled to remind the viewer of of the brilliant beauty of the crystal. Sooo very glamourous.
Designer: Tokujin Yoshioka
I’m a vegetarian and sometimes it’s challenging to whip up something quick and tasty. No time to slave over the stove waiting for the flavors of garlic, celery, onion, and carrots to meld. That means all my flavors need to come from spices and there are 5 I use most often when I make my favorite type of food; soups. Enter the Mago5 magnetic spice rack.
Designer: OHM for Modenn [ Buy it here ]
Forest fires are essential for the ecology but when uncontained can cause a lot of damage. The four major causes lightning, volcanic eruption, sparks from rockfalls, and spontaneous combustion are further supported with human activities like accidents and arson. One of the ways to contain wildfires is starting controlled burn operations that minimize the risk of major wildfire events. The Thirst.D Helicopter is proposed to be a part of the first privatized wildfire fighting force.
Designer: Sameer-Andrew Rayyan
Apologies for the long delay in getting episode 2 up but it’s finally here. I caught up with Philippe Nigro at the start of ICFF last month and chatted about his latest furniture collection called Confluences manufactured by Ligne Roset. At first glance it may look like a random exercise in seating design but Philippe’s intention was seating for real people and real people come in all different shapes, sizes, and sit different ways. The question then became how do you design for the many and make it all flow together – confluences.
Episode 2: Philippe Nigro Interview
Part 4 of this fantastic exhibition. Panasonic Design Company, Ross Lovegrove, Shigeru Ban, and Yasuhiro Suzuki
Exhibition: Tokyo Fiber
There’s only so many ways you can make a box exciting and this is one awesome example. Designed by Architects Tham & Videgård Hansson Arkitekter, the house located in Stocksund, Stockholm Sweden is nothing more than a rectangular block. The cool bits are the blocked out segments strategically placed to bring in light and connect the living areas. I love the facade too – like oversized shingles except they’re mad thin; 18 mm. Don’t get me started on the interior which is Scandinavian restraint at its finest.
Designers: Tham & Videgård Hansson Arkitekter
Explore the best of YD. Our Archives are full of wonderful concepts from all over the world. Go ahead, don't be shy!
Oh my goodness dirty title! But really, this bathroom (including the bath) is quite touchy. Step in the shower and your temperature water will fall on your head, and not everywhere, just the place where your body occupies. Additional controls are lit up in wall tiles. Also included is an inverse (or rather, convex sink) which also recycles water for later use in the toilet.
Designer: Various (see full list below)
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