You must be familiar with the culture of eating insects as delicacies but the truth is that they are a staple in many societies. We have here two projects that go beyond the nutritional power of insects and looks into how their farming can help in the infrastructural setup of the urban jungle, as we know it. Come have a look….
Designer: Claire Lemarchand
Giraffe Street Lamp is a very cute self-sustaining swing design that provides illumination at night. It harnesses kinetic energy each time you swing and as a double back up, utilizes the solar panel hood to soak some more energy goodness. It’s a very clever design that interweaves play and eco sense into the urban environment. Something that our future generation may as well get used to!
Designers: Chen Wei & Lu Yanxin
The Sólo is a modular traffic signal that can be easily disassembled and used for other purposes. A good example is the event of a road mishap, and how the lights can be intelligently used to create a detour for oncoming traffic. Even for road repairs; if the street is closed, may as well use the lights for marking out the hazard space! Clever use of LED lights ensure eco-sense and the modular format give the lights the versatility to be used in numerous circumstances.
Designers: Matheus de Luca, Moreira Pinto & Porto Alegre
Voda Design’s Solar Bench is a multifunctional streetlight/bench combination that harnesses solar energy to power its overhead LED lamp. Solar panels built into the bench case make it possible to place the unit in any location independent of a local power supply. Integrated outlets can also be used by the public as a daytime charging station for laptops, cell-phones, or other electronic devices. This super-convient design is a great solution for minimizizing wasted space while reducing our carbon footprint.
Designer: Voda Design
In a world full of mesmerizing indoor toys like computers and video game consoles, it’s easy to lose sight of the bright sun and blue sky found in our own backyard… especially if you’re a kid! Inspired by this idea, these child-safe gardening tools were designed to help promote an active lifestyle, health-conscious attitude, and overall respect for nature. The Parrot pruner, Watermelon watering attachment, and Snail shovel combine whimsical aesthetic with intuitive functionality that will turn gardening from a chore into a fun and exciting outdoor activity.
Designer: Chris Armstrong
Adding a dash of technology to the traditional lifesaver ring is this intelligent concept called RC – Controlled Life Buoy. As the name suggests, it is a saving ring that can be controlled by the lifeguard using radio controllers. The idea is to help make the rescue operation swifter and lessen the stress of the person in the water.
Designers: Peng Shanzhong, Li Weilin & Ju Xinxin
I love this concept of turning food relief packets to something useful, especially if used in disaster struck areas. The idea is to bundle food (rice) and water into this brick-like module, which can later be used to build temporary shelters. Thanks to their Lego inspired shape, the UNICEF Brick structures promise to be sturdy as temporary shanties.
Designer: Psychic Factory
Coral Rasa aims to help scientists monitor & protect the coral reefs of the world, currently one of the least protected natural habitats with 60% being under imminent risk of collapse due to human pressures. The diver-delivered device incorporates a camera, water tester, hydrophone, & coral bleaching monitor into one central unit that becomes a part of the reef itself, providing invaluable information about changes to the marine environment while simultaneously bringing public awareness to the fragile situation.
Designer: Derek Bennion
Apparently plastic bags are a resourceful means to collect morning dew and many mountaineers use it to collect water. Needless to say, not all climbers are conscientious enough to carry back their litter, and as a result many of our peaks are getting polluted. To offer a better alternative, we have here the Succulent Concept, a mock up of a succulent plants. It helps collect and filter in the morning dew, directly into a bottle and is easily portable.
Designer: Yu-ru Chen
Mumbai, my hometown is famous for its harsh monsoons and I have seen people come up with ingenious ideas to protect themselves from the rain-wrath. But trust me nothing beats the Umbrella Coat Raincoat concept. Simply put, it’s a clever combination of a raincoat, waterproof trousers and an umbrella. The biggest plus being that it leaves your hands free to carry or do other stuff. Something that is completely not possible with an umbrella.
Designer: Athanasia Leivaditou
A winner at the 2011 Shitsurai Art International Competition, Crater Lake is an environmental installation that serves as a meeting place to visit with friends, contemplate the surroundings, or simply sit for a moment. The design was inspired by the social revitalization of the city of Kobe, Japan after the Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake of 1995.
Designer: 24° Studio
At a time when we see most designers concentrating on personal products, we have here InHo Lee who is concerned about the ways to improve public drains. His Filter Sewer is system that segregates trash (like leaves) from wet waste and allows drains to remain clog-free. The system also allows the authorities to place odor-removing (or absorbing) tablets, and keep the streets fragrant. Now the latter half may be a tall order to consider, but on the whole I think the idea is neat.
Designer: InHo Lee
These original asymmetrical boards are undeniably awesome in both aesthetic & functionality. The limited series of regular & goofy-footed boards are made of foam & fiberglass & each is painted with bold color-blocking complimented by a super shiny high-gloss finish. As for the shape- designer Rick Malwitz explains, “surfing backside typically feels stiffer than frontside, but the smaller turning radius on the ‘short’ side of the board helps the backside ride just as well as the front. It’s a great feature to the shape.”
Designers: Various
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