Continuing with time pieces, the On-Time wall clock – designed by Fabrica and manufactured by Diamantini & Domeniconi – fast forwards 3 minutes so you’re sure to get there, well, on time.
Available here.
via bblinks
Category Archives: Industrial Design
Too Late Neo Watches
Carlotta de Bevilacqua: Truly Illuminated
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When it comes to design, Carlotta de Bevilacqua, along with the rest of her studio, apparently does it all: architecture; industrial; graphic; and lighting. Granted, it all stems back to the lighting, which, I might add, is quite spectacular: from the lamps and the illumination of interiors, to shops, exhibitions and beyond.
In an earlier post I had mentioned that some of Leo Villareal’s works had a Rothkoesque quality to them. Coming across Bevilacqua’s site, I discovered that she has designed a series of lamps for Artemide with a similar LED effect that are, in fact, titled Rothko and Rothko Terra! How amazing would it be to have one of these in your home?
But truly, everything on Milan-based Studio Carlotta de Bevilacqua’s site is quite beautiful. She has collaborated with Zaha Hadid on her installation Twirl for the Interni Mutant Architecture & Design exhibit (the three photos in the center) this past winter, as well as with architect Jean Nouvel on his proposed design for the New Qatar National Museum.
Bevilacqua has designed a bunch of Artemide and Euroluce showrooms, which are lovely, and several of which include the tracking of light embedded in the floor, walls and ceiling: a wonderful effect (see photos at the bottom).
Visit her site to see more lamps and projects.
Liviana Osti: Airplane Cheese Grater
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Liviana Osti, a design student in Trento, Italy, has a humorous approach to product design. This paper airplane cheese grater is a perfect example. It caught my eye and made me smile, but what I enjoyed as much as the fun design was her lovely documentation of the project, from start to finish. I always enjoy the sketches or blueprints of designers or architects and, for example, that’s a big part of the appeal of Christo’s art for me, but you rarely get to see that aspect of a project. Liviana has a nicely designed, flippable pdf of each project and though I’ve placed a few elements in the images above, I highly recommend that you visit her site if you enjoy that sort of thing the way I do.
Another one of her table accessory designs is a double carafe in the shape of the two heart ventricles; one to be filled with red wine, the other with water. Not as cute, but still clever.
via designakitchen
Needlework Trend in Product Design
Recently I’ve noticed that there’s a lot of knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, and embroidery showing up in the most unlikely places.
Clockwise and spiraling in from top left corner:
Panier Percé needlepoint bowls; Lampy Cocoons; Goldilocks embroidery hoop stools by Groupa; Embroidery portraits by Daniel Kornrumpf; Action Men toilet paper cover by Sally Spinx; Jonathan Adler needlepoint pillows; Laine Blanche tea set with embroidery printed porcelain; Matt knitted lamps by llot llov; Laura Theiss innovative knit collection, summer 2011; Knitted Baskets; Granny Chair by Wadebe: Rose Trivet by Anouk Jansen; Knitted Poufs; Crocheted Bicycles by Olek
cartónLAB
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We have secretly been following (and admiring) the work of cartonLAB for a while now. This ongoing workshop, run by the team at Moho Architects in collaboration with Ability Graphic Design, (both in Spain) has apparently grown into a permanent subdivision of Moho’s studio. Creating everything from exhibit displays for trade shows and stores, to furniture, kids’ play objects, club dj stands, lamps and more, all out of cardboard; these guys impress. Each design somehow seems to top the last, both in beauty and complexity. In addition, many of their displays and stands are designed with multiple configuration options.
From the Moho website:
Cardboard is a material that has always been linked to artistic creativity and craftsmanship. The new design possibilities (digital cut, large print, cad, 3d modeling, etc) along with the latest patents in the production of cardboard (reboard, cardboard reinforced, flame retardant coatings, water repellent, etc) makes this material in a fantastic alternative at the time of generating new exhibition spaces, media and all types of custom cheap, lightweight and recyclable furniture. Working with contemporaneously cardboard creation process allows almost no intermediaries between the designer and the final piece through traditional interfaces (previous models) or digital.
cartonLAB’s constructions typically pack flat for easy transport, are relatively simple to assemble and, as we know, cardboard is not only economical but recyclable. The result: great, green design that won’t break the bank.
You can see more of cartonLAB’s work here, and more of Moho’s architecture work (including their beautiful entry for a dormitory building) here.
Kirby Block Drawers
These are called Kirby Block pieces on Etsy, but they certainly look like LEGO to me. Fun!
via fancy
Come a Little Bit Closer: Droog Bench
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The three of us, over the past 6 years, have individually come across (and loved) the Come a Little Bit Closer bench by Droog. Little did we know that eventually we would have one of our very own! Well, actually it’s Em’s, but being that it will be placed in our living room, it feels very all-in-the-family. And we have the wonderful Rence (aka Richard) to thank for this: future architect; expert craftsman; and amazing friend.
Rence made the bench (top photo) based on Droog’s design (second photo) using leftover steel from his architecture classes. Hard to tell them apart, no? Are you as impressed as we are? This heavy and long (8ft!) finished bench was transported down from Ithaca, then carried across town a few days later (with a quick refueling stop midway), where the 60lbs of marbles were finally added and the gliding began. If you’re not familiar with the original design, the three discs act as seats that roll smoothly over the marbles. It’s surprisingly comfortable and definitely lots of fun! Thanks again, Rence, for the generous and beautiful gift. I mean for Em, of course…
Now, if we could only find someone to take the piano off our hands to make room for the bench.
Here’s a quick video of the bench in action.
Luxe | Plates
Luxe Plates are stainless steel covers that stick onto the back of the iPhone 4 with a special removable adhesive. The art on the plate is etched out with a photochemical process. Pick one of several designs created by featured artists or create your own.
via bblinks
Iguazu Neon System
The other night I walked into my friends’ new apartment and hanging over the dining room table was this very unique and striking lamp which I had never seen before. I have to say that these product photos don’t really do it justice. Granted, it may not be for everyone, and it’s a little bright to look at straight on, but there’s something very simple and yet almost sculptural about it. The Iguazu Neon System is designed by the Iris Design Studio. The lamp incorporates an energy-saving fluorescent circline bulb which, being cold neon light, makes it easy to touch and reposition as necessary.
Available here.
Coffee Table Fun
Oliver Dicicco, who not only designs furniture but also makes beautiful instruments and kinetic sculptures, is the creator of the top two atypical tables: The Drum Table and Triangular Coffee Table.
The bottom table is the Three Sixty Table designed by Studio Mauerer Hendrichs. Made with skateboard trucks and wheels to create a lazy-susan spinning mechanism.
Folder Chair
The Folder Chair, designed by the Serbian architect Vladimir Paripovic, is made of thin steel panels and beech wood for the seat. It has a side pocket that can hold books or magazines, or anything else you’d like to put in there, and is perfect for small spaces due to its compact size. It’s actually more of a stool than a chair. Great way to brighten up a room!
Claydies: The Fairytale of a Bicycle Helmet
The ceramicists/designers ladies of clay at Claydies came up with these humorous bicycle helmet concepts for a crafts exhibit at the Art Museum of Northern Jutland in Denmark. 18 Haute Couture bike helmets in all! Check out the rest at their site as well as their floating tea cups and their hairstyle inspired ceramic bowls. They certainly seem like a fun pair.
via Lustik
Marla Dawn Double Teapot Set
These porcelain teapots made me chuckle. Uniquely designed by Marla Dawn to pour two teacups at a time.
Available here.
Up, Up and Away with the Balloon Bench
Inspired by the 1953 film, The Red Balloon, Japanese designer Satoshi Itasaka from h220430 studio designed the Balloon Bench. While it appears to be suspended in the air by balloons, the bench is actually suspended from the ceiling by four anchors concealed by the balloons.
Available at Somewhere in Tokyo.
Photos © Ikunori Yamamoto
via Yatzer
Van Alen Books
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Walking over to Chelsea the other day, I happened upon this very eye-catching and unique storefront on West 22nd Street. Turns out it’s the recently opened Van Alen Books, a bookstore and public reading room devoted to architecture and design publications. Designed by the architectural firm LOT-EK (the same architects behind the design of many impressive container structures, among other projects), the small space is predominantly occupied by the dramatic steps/seats made of recycled doors (if you enlarge the photos you can see where the hinges and strike plates were) stacked and bolted together to form a triangular hanging platform which felt surprisingly sturdy when I climbed up. The delightfully welcoming and enthusiastic young woman at the store told me that there will be a lecture series starting this Wednesday and the steps will be used as seating for the audience, stadium style.
If you’re in NYC and interested in architecture or design (which is likely, if you’re reading this blog), this may be a place you’d like to visit. The lecture series schedule isn’t up on the website yet, but you can call the number on their site to find out more. Van Alen Books is located at 30 W. 22nd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues.
Arthur Collani Chair
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I’m not sure how I ended up finding this Collani Chair from the 1950s, but I really love it. Apparently these were a do-it-yourself design by Arthur Collani published in the January 1952 edition of Home Craftsman magazine. It’s definitely not sleek, but it’s got so much character and, having grown up with different three-legged chairs, I have an appreciation for them.
Available at MondoCane.
SOFTlab
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In my next life, I want to work at SOFTlab. These guys look like they have a great time doing everything they do. And what they do is everything. For them “a good idea does not discriminate between any medium or any type of project, it just works for everything.” That includes design of furniture, a website, a brand, a video, a gallery installation, a store display, and pretty much anything else that can be designed. Their approach is to make design customizable; it should allow for change, or growth, and be adaptable.
Just visiting their site is an immensely entertaining experience beginning with the computer animated video on their home page. Unknowingly, I was already familiar with (and a fan of) some of their work such as the colorful taped projection mapping of the New Museum as part of Festival of Ideas for the New City.
Above are just four of SOFTlab’s projects.
From top to bottom: CHROMAtex.me, a site specific installation for the bridgegallery, LES, New York. Photos: Alan Tansey
(n)arcissus, a site specific installation for NODE10 at the Frankfurter Kunsteverein in Frankfurt, Germany. Photos: Marius Watz.
POLYP.lux, a hanging installation for School Nite, part of the Festival of Ideas for the New City, NYC. Photos: Alan Tansey
CHROMAesthesiae, an installation for Devotion Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Photos: Alan Tansey
There are plenty more interesting projects on their website.
CollabCubed 