Category Archives: Just Plain Cool

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Cuarto Pensante: Interior Design

Hidrosalud Offices, Cub Arquitectura, interior design, cool office design, lightingHidrosalud Offices, Cub Arquitectura, interior design, cool office design, lighting

Spanish architects Cuarto Pensante like to say (at least on their website) that they are “creators of spaces and emotions.” Seems to be especially true in their design for the offices of Hidrosalud, a water treatment company in Spain. Everything about the space, from the white walls tinted blue by the winding recessed lights, to the shapes and curves of the walls, has a very flow-y, water-like feel. In addition, some  of the glass walls/windows utilize an Xray lighting system that, when off, allows the glass to be transparent and, when the electric current is on, makes the glass opaque. (Very Bar89-bathroom.)

You can see more of Cuarto Pensante’s projects on their site.

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EARonic iPhone Cases

iPhone 4 Case, Ear, Fun gift, novelty, geeky phone cases, collabcubed, Daniela GilsanziPhone case, iphone 4, fun, gift, novelty, humorous, ear, Daniela GilsanziPhone Case, Iphone 4 Case, gift, fun, novelty, goofy case, Daniela Gilsanz

We are very (no, really, VERY) excited to announce the launch of our first CollabCubed production: EARonic iPhone cases. Designed by Daniela Gilsanz – a cube root of CollabCubed – the EARonic iPhone cases are EARefutably EAResistible. Available in our new shop, in five different styles, it’s your chance to don that multi-pierced ear you’ve been wanting, or maybe just the opposite.

Daniela first came up with the idea last fall when applying to art schools. She was getting a portfolio together and while sketching some ears in her sketchbook (one of the prompts from a school) the initial EARonic mockup and portfolio piece came to be. (See spread with sketches second from top.)

Since then, we’ve improved on the original concept, photographed many an ear, and produced the actual phone cases. So, go take a look at our new shop and check them out for yourself.

UPDATE: We are giving away three EARonic iPhone 4 Cases. To enter, just like us on our facebook page by September 27th. We will announce the winners on our facebook page on Wednesday, September 28th.

UPDATE on November 27th: Starting today, shipping is free within the U.S. for standard first class mail and $5 for international shipping via USPS air mail.

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Bosphorus Bridge Nightly Light Show

Light show, LEDs, Lighting, Istanbul, Turkey, BosphorusLight show, LEDs, Lighting, Istanbul, Turkey, BosphorusWhen we were in Istanbul last month we spotted the Bosphorus Bridge on multiple occasions, usually during the day. One night, however, we passed and witnessed a sort of LED light show with changing colors and animation. We wondered if it was a Ramadan-related occasion or some other special event, but as it turns out it’s more of a we-just-like-our-bridge nightly event.

Built in 1973 and linking Europe to Asia, the 1500 meter bridge has been illuminated at night since 2007. It’s a pretty impressive show. Watch it in action in the video below. The light show begins midway into the video.

Photos: Wikipedia and Stockholm Lighting
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Jan Henrik Hansen: Music Materialization

sculpture, music into space, digital, architectural facades, cool artsculpture, music into space, digital, architectural facades, cool artsculpture, music into space, digital, architectural facades, cool artsculpture, music into space, digital, architectural facades, cool artClick to enlarge.

Swiss artist and architect Jan Henrik Hansen has been transforming music into space with his unique digital technique for the past 12 years. It’s not completely clear to me what that exactly means, but the results are singular and impressive. Working with all types of materials ranging from metal to wood to plastic and glass, Hansen creates both spectacular sculptures as well as architectural collaborations that include structural façades, window screens, and interior sculptural walls. He even has a proposal for a Vertical Park based on the USA National Anthem for New York City.

Yes, so back to the music aspect: all these works and structures are based on individual pieces of music from Bach Fugues to Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”.

From the artist’s site:
“…His music sculptures relate to their musical source on a subjective as well as on an objective level, dealing with the wide spectrum of music, from single sounds to whole arrangements.”

I would be interested to understand how the transformation from music to artwork takes place, but even without that understanding Jan Henrik Hansen’s work is amazing enough to stand on its own.

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Blurry Photo Pencil Drawings

amazing pencil drawings, blurred yearbook photo drawings, Chiappe, VoltaNYamazing pencil drawings, blurred yearbook photo drawings, Chiappe, VoltaNYAmazing photo realistic pencil drawings of yearbook photosI first saw Paul Chiappe’s amazing pencil drawings a few months back at VoltaNY and was reminded yesterday when I was looking through my iPhoto gallery for something else and spotted photos I had taken of his work that day.

At first glance, I thought I was looking at a wall of blurred old yearbook photos, which in itself held some interest, but when I realized that these were in fact pencil drawings, well, I was completely awestruck. I had such a hard time believing it that I kept asking the gallery representative if she was sure that they were all pencil drawings. Surely some were photoshopped images. Maybe she had misunderstood. Maybe I had misunderstood. No. These small-sized (the largest are postcard size), hyper-realistic  portraits and group photos are all drawn by hand by artist Paul Chiappe of Edinburgh, Scotland. It would be impressive enough if these were in focus, but to be able to render the blurred aspect takes it to the next level.

You can see more of Chiappe’s incredible work on his site and at Madder139.amazing pencil drawings, blurred yearbook photo drawings, Chiappe, VoltaNY

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Casanueva Pharmacy (Farmacia)

Renovation, Pharmacy, Murcia, Spain, Type, Architecture, Store designRenovation, Pharmacy, Murcia, Spain, Type, Architecture, Store designRenovation, Pharmacy, Murcia, Spain, Type, Architecture, Store designClavel Architects led by Manuel Clavel Rojo, took on the renovation of the Casanueva Pharmacy in Murcia, Spain. (See before and after photos second row from top.) One of the major challenges of the project was that it had to be completed in two months and the store remained open during the first month. Because of this, 95% of the project was prefabricated.

The amazing façade (who wouldn’t want a façade made of type? And one that lights up to boot!) not only spells out the store’s identity but serves as a shading mechanism from the hot afternoon sun. The façade and all the interior furnishings were prefabricated in a workshop, and the slat cladding was also a quick-to-build solution.

I think Duane Reade with all their constant renovations would do well to pick up a pointer or two from Clavel’s cool redesign.

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Tatsuo Miyajima: Counter Void in Tokyo

Counter Void, Installation, Tokyo, Tatsuo MiyajimaCounter Void, Installation, Tokyo, Tatsuo MiyajimaClick to enlarge.

At first glance the 3-meters-plus digital wall in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo, appears to be a clock but, upon further inspection, it becomes clear that the randomness of the numbers and the speed in which they change, has little to do with time. Artist Tatsuo Miyajima created this work titled Counter Void which, instead of time, according to the artist, shows the contrast of “Life” and “Death”.

The piece displays the numbers differently in the day vs. the nighttime. During the day, the background’s neon light is turned off and the digital counters are displayed in white neon light. At night, the numbers drop out black from the white neon lit background. In both cases the digital counters keep counting from 9 to 1  with each counter counting at a different speed.

I’m pretty sure I’d enjoy seeing this live.

Photos: Local Japan Times; Kico’s flickr; Lu Yee
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Rob Millard-Mendez: Masks

Masks, kinetic, interactive sculpture, witty art masks, mythologyMasks, kinetic, interactive sculpture, witty art masks, mythologyMasks, kinetic, interactive sculpture, witty art masks, mythologyClick to enlarge.

I got a huge kick out of these masks when I came across them the other day. Originally from Lowell, Massachusetts, where there are many old mill buildings left over from the 1800s, artist Rob Millard-Mendez was fascinated by late-nineteenth century mechanical technology. His art consists mostly of interactive kinetic objects with a combination of mythological, scientific, and historical references as well as an American Folk Art feel. There is a dark humor to his work, blurring the line between the tragic and the laughable.

From the artist’s website:
…The toy-like quality of the pieces is set in ironic counterbalance with a certain amount of dark whimsy. The interactivity ties in with the idea of power. The things we do (and do not do) affect the world, often more deeply than we know. In these works I am trying to make the viewer think about who has the power to influence whom and in what ways...
From top to bottom: Tends to Lash Out (Wood, steel, measuring sticks, reclaimed ivory): Unfertility Mask and detail (Wood, paint, steel, condoms); Unable to See Over the Hegemony (Wood, steel, measuring sticks, reclaimed ivory); Alchemist Mask (Wood, steel, lead, gold leaf); Critical Mas(k); detail of Critical Mas(k) (Wood, measuring sticks); Phaeton Mask; Detail of Phaeton Mask (Wood, steel, tile, oven mitts, matches). All images courtesy of the artist.

Rob Millard-Mendez currently resides in Evansville, Indiana, and teaches at the University of Southern Indiana. You can see the rest of his equally whimsical work on his site.

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Bwindi Light Masks: Richi Ferrero

light lumen installation, african masks, richi ferrero, light artlight lumen installation, african masks, richi ferrero, light artClick to enlarge.

Richi Ferrero created this outdoor installation as part of Luminale 2010, which showed in Frankfurt at the Archeological Museum, using authentic African masks, LED lights and an acoustic system.

Forty identical masks, from an area at the border between Congo and Uganda, as small stones are placed in random order, in the open area of the Archaeological Museum in Frankfurt. Daylight gives the essence of representation, a state of waiting. The ritual will come to life when the artificial light will change in the dark, the colours of the masks, giving life to a dance strongly supported by the bi-vocal sounds of Tuva singers.

via luminapolis

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The Kitchen Project

cool, futuristic kitchen design, yoes, sounds, lightcool, futuristic kitchen design, yoes, sounds, lightcool, futuristic kitchen design, yoes, sounds, lightClick images to enlarge.

I would imagine that cooking in the Kitchen Project – an actual kitchen in an apartment on West 67th St. in NYC — is a semi-surreal experience. With changing-color lighting, Cubist-feeling cabinets, and varying sound effects upon opening every door, this is not your mother’s (or father’s) kitchen. A collaborative project by artist Amy Yoes (commissioned by the client to create a kitchen that was a work of art and would give them the sense of living inside her video Rear-View Mirror) with Slade Architecture and Bronze Hill Inc.

The kitchen includes: LED lights that are programmed to cycle through the color spectrum at varying speeds; Stop-motion animations projected within the cabinetry; and cabinet doors and drawers that trigger amplified sounds when opened (see this short video to see it in action.)

Photos: Amy Yoes and Annie Schlechter for The World of Interiors
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Wendy Stevens: Stainless Steel Handbags

Stainless steel handbags, clutch, accessories, contemporary designStainless steel handbags, clutch, accessories, contemporary designClick to enlarge for detail.

Wendy Stevens has been designing handbags since the 80s but I had never seen bags like hers before last week at the NYIGF. It may be hard to appreciate in these photos, but you’ll have to take my word for it, these bags are very cool. A little out of my price range, but they are clearly top quality. Made of stainless steel (in most cases perforated or engraved with interesting and attractive patterns) with leather components, these bags have a contemporary urban feel to them. They are hand fabricated and apparently very durable. There are clutches, satchels, totes and more. I’m a fan!

Available on Wendy Stevens’ website.

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MIT FAST Light

Festival of Art, Science Technology, MIT 2011, Light FestivalFestival of Art, Science Technology, MIT 2011, Light FestivalFestival of Art, Science Technology, MIT 2011, Light FestivalMIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) celebrated its 150th anniversary this year with 150 consecutive days of special activities and festivities. A major part of these celebratory events occurred during the Festival of Art, Science and Technology (FAST) which culminated in May with the FAST Light festival. On May 7th and 8th the open house featuring installation projects by faculty and staff took place around the MIT campus. Though all the projects are very interesting and worth checking out, for the purposes of keeping this post a reasonable length, I’m only posting about four of these installations.

From top to bottom:
Unflat Pavilion / Feather-Weight Houseby Nick Gelpi: A pattern cut into flat plywood stock transforms into a three-dimensional, freestanding pavilion. Architectural features appear as flat sheets are bent, unfurling into skylights, columns, buttresses, windows and vents.
Night of Numbers by Anna Kotova and Praveen Subramani: a dynamic lighting installation that tells the story of MIT’s past with projected numbers and phrases (that are relevant and meaningful to MIT students and alumni) on buildings around campus.
Maxwell’s Dream: Painting with Light, by Kaustuv De Biswas and Daniel Rosenberg. On display in the Infinite Corridor Community Lounge: An art installation that allows observers to play with a magnetic field to create patterns in light.
Dis(course)4, by Craig Boney, James Coleman and Andrew Manto: A stairwell transformed by a shimmering conduit designed to inspire delight, wonder and communication between floors.
Photo credits: Arts at MIT; caromk’s flickr; courtesy MIT.
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Lang/Baumann: Inflatables

art installation, inflatable sculptures, structures, modern artart installation, inflatable sculptures, structures, modern artClick to enlarge

Sabina Lang (originally from Berne, Germany) and Daniel Baumann (originally from San Francisco) have been living and collaborating in Burgdorf, Switzerland since 1990.

Known for many different, usually, large-scale works that include Op-art wall and floor murals and mid-air hanging staircases, here we are focusing on a few of their latest inflatable sculptures/installations from the past couple of years.

From top to bottom:
Comfort #4 (Motiers); Comfor t#4 Paris, part of Nuit Blanche; Comfort #8, Warsaw; Comfort #3, Barcelona.

You can see much more of their work on their website.

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Michael Jantzen: Architecture as Art

architecture, sustainable designs, mobile structures, conceptsarchitecture, sustainable designs, mobile structures, conceptsClick to enlarge.

Michael Jantzen, an artist and designer based in California, uses architecture as an art form. By combining art, architecture, technology and sustainability, he proposes new ways of living and considers himself an inventor and problem-solver.

Jantzen has a particular interest in exploring public gathering centers using sun and wind as energy sources and in turn sharing that energy with the community where the center is built.

From top to bottom, and left to right:
M-house (recently sold to an art collector in Korea); M-2; First M-velope; Contemplation Pavilion; Garage Door Pavilion; North Slope Ski Hotel; Wind Shade Roof; Eco-Tower; Wind-shaped Pavilion.

You can see many more of Michael Jantzen’s designs here.

via designmilk

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Ark Nova: Kapoor & Isozaki

art, sculpture, cool architecture, kapoor, isozaki, japan concert hallart, sculpture, cool architecture, kapoor, isozaki, japan concert hallClick to enlarge

This looks quite spectacular! World renowned artist and architect Anish Kapoor and Arata Isozaki, respectively, have teamed up to create Ark Nova, a mobile concert hall. An initiative of the Lucerne Festival and Kajimoto Music, the idea behind the unit is to bring hope through music to those who are living with the after effects of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan this year.

The concert hall can be easily transported, making it possible to visit many locations within the devastated area. The structure, designed by Kapoor, will be inflatable and made of elastic material. The concert hall will bring many kinds of music and dance performances associated with the Lucerne Festival and will be supported by sponsors making it free for all.

via designboom

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Regine Schumann: Art that Glows

Light, Lumen installations, contemporary artLight, Lumen installations, contemporary artLight, Lumen installations, contemporary artGerman artist Regine Schumann lives and works in Cologne. Her most recently exhibited installation was Dreamteam last month at Art Santa Fe 2011. In this collaboration with Alberto Frei, Schumann combined fluorescent acrylic spheres with a grid of compelling black & white photographic portraits in a black box environment (top four photos.)

In all of her installations and works, Regine Schumann plays with color, transparency and light. Most of her work — from translucent acrylic or glass pieces to flexible plastic woven works — is typically displayed under black light creating an aura or glow around each piece and onto the nearby surfaces. In some cases where fluorescent works are involved, they emit enough of a radiant quality that allows them to be displayed in normal daylight.

You can see more of Schumann’s work here.

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Clive Murphy: Inflatable Sculptures Plus

inflatable art installation, contemporary art, collabcubedinflatable art installation, contemporary art, collabcubedinflatable art installation, contemporary art, collabcubedClick images to enlarge

Irish artist Clive Murphy creates installations and sculptures that deal with – in his words — site and surface. From his site specific inflatable installations – made from duct-taped black garbage bags filled with air by electric fans – to his DIWIF (Demonic Intervention With Ikea Furniture) series and smaller sculptures, Murphy tends to work in a lo-fi manner embracing low-brow culture.

I am especially a fan of his DIWIF (Demonic Intervention With Ikea Furniture) sculpture. The monstrous-like work would make anyone smile who has attempted to put together the infamous flat-packed furniture. The sculpture comes complete with Murphy’s humorous diagrammed instructions on how to assemble.

From Murphy:
‘In my work I’m constantly interested in examining the peripheral, insignificant and sometimes seemingly ridiculous as a means of illustrating a sense of interconnectivity and also rebutting certain hierarchical value systems, so in this context building an architecturally orientated inflatable from plastic seems appropriate.’
From top to bottom: Almost Nothing, site specific inflatable structure at the Soap Factory, Minneapolis; MONO, site specific kinetic inflatable single tube sculpture, Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin; Inflatable Trash Bag Cube, MagnanMetz Gallery; Pneutopia, Inflatable Bouncy Castle, MagnanMetz Gallery; Inflatable Box Series x2; DIWIF (Demonic Intervention With Ikea Furniture) complete with instructions by the artist, MagnanMetz; Neon Toaster; Untitled (Ice Sculpture). Photos courtesy of Pallas Projects, the Soap Factory, and MagnanMetz Gallery.