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Twisted House

Today is my birthday – so if anyone is looking for any last minute gifts… this house will do! Haus am Weinberg, located in rural Stuttgart, Germany, is a modern villa designed with a literal twist in mind. The inner circulation of the structure supports an elegant staircase to which the rest of the house revolves. Fluid curves and diagonal movements can be found at each turn; a stark contrast to the stepped terraces and ancient hillside vineyard outside.

Designer: UNStudio

Super Nesting Food Storage

Stackerware aims to replace ordinary food storage containers with an easy to use, mountable, stackable, compact system of multi-size units that won’t clutter your kitchen. The unique mount can be installed quickly and easily by use of 3M command adhesive strips that save your walls and cabinet doors but strong enough to hold the lightweight containers. No more flimsy tupperware, lost lids or lonely bowls! Check out the vid after the jump to see how it works.

Designer: Stephen Greenberg

Rockin’ Dock

The Stander iPhone dock does more than just keep your device handy- when a call is received, the stand… well… stands! The clever design provides a visual indication for incoming calls and can be picked up and held comfortably to talk by gripping it’s curved back. A built in speaker also provides amplified sound for music playback or conferencing.

Designer: Che-Yu Lu

You’ll iLove this iPhone Tray

The cleverly designed Smart Tray merges the functionality of an iPhone charging dock into a minimal mood lamp/speaker combination that’s great on the bedside or desktop. While one version uses USB cables, the other utilizes inductive charging, allowing the user to simply throw their phone down on the lamp/speaker and forget about it. Control the light and tunes directly from your Bluetooth-capable devices!

Designer: Sang Hoon Lee

Wrap Up: 2012 red dot award: design concept

It was a wise comment when someone pointed out that design competitions are a means to measure one’s creativity. They give us that edge that makes us stand apart from the rest of the herd. So does this mean we need to participate in any and every competition? No! Contrary, we need to be selective and choose ones that are capable of give us that cutting edge; something top-of-the-line like red dot.

Memorizing The Right Cuppa Java

It takes a good barista to memorize their customer’s favorite cuppa coffee and serve it right for them. However sometimes we get stuck with a snobbish one who just doesn’t get it right. Memory is a coffee maker that uses hand print recognition to make the right cup of coffee for the right person. Set it to your preference of weak, medium or strong coffee or even an espresso to a ristretto.

Designer: WenYao Cai


Cooking with Balls!

This far-out cooking concept of the future called Throbber uses super-compact, induction heating balls operable via a mobile phone, making it a portable solution that can be used on-the-go. The heat induced in the balls is transferred to the food via conduction from the aluminum surface. Just be careful not to accidentally swallow one!

Designer: Virang Akhiyaniya

Camera Cleaning iPhone Case

Ace’s new Identity case for the iPhone 5 offers simple protection to your iPhone’s vulnerable back camera system. The tabbed, sliding component built into the rigid design easily moves up and down to reveal or hide the cam. Better yet, the inside of the slide has a microfiber surface to wipe away any fingerprint residue or particles to ensure you get a smudge-free pic each time! 

Designer: Ace Display

Butterflied Table

Gotta love this butterfly inspired design – the latest creation from expert coffee table designer Romain Duclos. Three identical metal pieces are bent into shape and screwed together to create a multifaceted, two-toned base that appears seamless and visually light but is reassuringly sturdy.

Designer: Rlos Design

Smarter Ride

The Smart City Cycle takes into consideration that you may have to carry some luggage with you when you head out. It could be as simple as groceries or toys for your children. The rear wheel of the cycle hosts extendable compartments that can hold your goodies for you. If required, then the storage extension can be completely removed as well. Either ways, it’s a modular cycle that suits your daily commuting needs.

Designer: Yo-Hwan Kim

Tree + Eat = Treat

Treat is a seamless way of storing and managing the leftover food. It employs classic food storage techniques like vacuum sealing and modern remote mobile technology to ensure your food is always consumed fresh. The appliance has a clever and intuitive way of communicating its warning when the food is expiring. It changes its color as the food ages (like the ripening of a fruit!) and then drops down to the carpet below.

Designer: Amy Mon-Chu Liu 


Making Kitchens Less Ugly

There are an overwhelming variety of range hood and air ventilation options out there, but almost none are aesthetically pleasing or discreet! The Hidden Air Diffuser was designed for application into most types of ceilings to provide an unobtrusive, near-invisible way of circulating air and ridding smoke. Available options include minimal recessed light combinations or flush decorative vents and all can be painted to blend into any room style for a more open, cleaner look.

Designer: Daniel Pearlman