unfortunately it only fits .75 average-sized Americans
Apparently someone at GM is a big sci-fi fan. Or they are desperate enough to feel the need to showcase something that is completely unfeasible in the near future. Or both. Issue with concepts of this nature are that they require some major constraints. The most prominent in my opinion is the fact that everyone on the road would have to have something this size or smaller. I could go on and on about others but the kicker is that these aren’t road ready due to the opposite end of the non-commercial automotive spectrum; Hummer, a (former) GM product. I’m about a week behind because this is old news, but I just couldn’t resist it.
I hope you work in a place with a lot of windows in order to make something like this actually bloom the way it’s supposed to. Julio Radesca de Carvalho’s desk is a classic triple threat; Unique Design, Multifunctional in nature, and Environmentally friendly. Able to incorporate up to a dozen plants, it provides clean air and privacy to the office while (in theory) replacing the ‘ol cubicle. Via Contemporist.
The Guardian shows The New York Times they aren’t the only ones that can build slick interactive infographics with this flash-enabled chart showing the consumption of fossil fuels by nation using carbon emissions as a metric. Check it out for yourself here.
Usually I bitch and moan about spaces in misalignment between interior and exterior or ‘heart it’ when someone nails architectural detailing. In this case I have to backtrack a bit and say that this is a structure deserving of a separation between ‘church and state’ so to speak. In this case I wouldn’t like it any other way, since if the interior echoed the exterior (or vice versa) the structure would be pedestrian at best.
From the outside it first seems notable that the logs run perpendicular to their surroundings. Cool, but not exactly blogworthy. Then I took in the detailing on the shutters, done in an almost camouflage manner, which creates a seamless effect. Not easy to pull off from a manufacturing perspective either, requiring a truly custom build. At this point we have something worth appreciation–but wait, there’s more.
Yup. Uber-mod interior. Clean, glossy finish, tidy with a crisp linear feel. Perfect for a studio space since inspiration is right outside. Plus i’ts on wheels so you can cart it anywhere. I really appreciate the shift from urban to rural by simply shutting a door. It’s perfect since it was designed by Dutch architect Piet Hein Eek for a musician to simply rock out to. Via IfItsHip.
Yes, this is a toilet Transformer. Doomed to roam the universe alone since his disguise is more or less a cruel joke and no one likes to be seen hanging out with a crapper with appendages. Apparently someone at green-friendly Japan-based commode manufacturer TOTO , makers of the ‘Greenmax,‘ thought this might bolster marketing efforts. Where else would a company use an action figure to sell bathroom fixtures? In a case of hardcore irony the company most likely does more net damage to the environment with the tooling and manufacturing of the toy (either in Vinyl or PVC) plus all that packaging. Via slipperybrick
The Water Bobble is the latest in a line of water bottles made by designers in an effort to do three things: 1) create less waste by avoiding the use of multiple disposable bottles throughout the day, 2) increase a designer’s exposure and increase their AD community-assigned status, 3) prove that SIGG bottles are so 2008. The first is almost placating to the masses to drive purchasing and the second is a transparent effort to get that elusive ‘exclusively at Target’ product line. Third is funny because SIGG bottles are meant to be sustainable, but end up driving their own replacement with trendy graphic appliques. I like the replaceable filter component shown above which proves the concept is sound but the execution from Karim Rashid leaves something to be desired…… those filters look like tampons. There, I said it. Via Acquire.
When it comes to modernist structures I tend to find the quality of execution lies with how the architect ties together interior and exterior elements. Sometimes this comes in the form of similar materials and patterns used for cladding. Often it’s the repetition of structural or geometric elements. In this case it’s the lack of breaking with the exterior structure that blends the interior and exterior spaces that really makes this an ace job by Australian architect Dane Richardson.
Fitting for it’s environment (Austrailia) the house features an impressive amount of deck space, which encourages you to take in the outdooors. Not too crazy about the stark white/black contrast but at least they kept it simple. Speaking of which, extra points given for the use of glass balcony elements on the first floor since they cost 3x more than their metal counterparts but maintain consistency with the rest of the structure. Via Contemporist.
I noticed these classic Piaggio Scooters being reused on some website last week and neglected to post (too many damn meetings) it but I really heart the upcycling taking place here. Now that I think about it the reason I didn’t post it was because I thought they were really fugly until I actually checked out the BelyBel website.
Still unsure as to the cost of these but I was impressed to see how they scale in terms of color and detailing. The integration of the seat into the shell is really quite nice since the upholstery carries the same degree of retro sensibiliies with cushion sizing/proportion, color, and use of piping. It goes without saying that I think the hawtest offering here is definitely the white-on-white. This is clear cut case of something you could do at home if you had all the spare parts…..and of course time.
I hate to rant about this but it continues to happen in the face of it’s own underlying vision. Above is The House S project from dmvA, an architecture firm in Belgium, which shows if you want a modern house then don’t try to put one into the wrong environment. Unless you want to immediately call attention to you and your house itself due to it’s surroundings (which detracts from it’s visual impact). Oh, and causing your neighbors to resent you and probably hate your kids as well.
Speaking of which, white on white looks awesome but may prove a challenge to keep clean with children around. As would be the glass floors….Kind of goes to show that the architects might have been more worried about making a portfolio piece than they were a livable space for a family. Could have also been the fault of the client in asking for the wrong thing. Maybe taking commercial cues and applying them to a residential setting could prove to be a bad idea over time?
I’m predicting that living in a museum might cause a bit of mental instability to those kids. Forget crayon on the walls–good luck getting that art project on the fridge unless it’s adequately ‘DeKooning‘ enough. All you have to do is watch Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to realize two things: 1) Cameron was justifiably messed up, and 2) Matthew Broderick must have had the worst agent ever because he deserved a better career than he currently has today.
The only thing sadder than this image is it's quality/resolution--Internet Fail!
But I digress; Bottom line is that houses this modern deserve fitting surroundings. This doesn’t meant that I am suggesting that it should be placed in a field in the middle of the country, or in a rowhouse setting with a bunch of clones that detract from the visual effect of having something this progressive either. Simply put I would want to see this in a setting with landscaping and some room to breathe…. no pun intended with those front-facing die cut panels, which I find hideous at that scale and at odds with the rest of the house. Via Yatzer.
Ryan McElhinney does a killer job on a variety of products, from lamps to clocks, that he builds from discarded toys. This is a classic case of upcycling which is for sure done at a nice markup considering the amount of labor involved to: 1) find the perfect old toys at resale or Salvation Army, 2) paint or otherwise alter them to fit into the piece in question, 3) assemble the overall structure. I expect that if custom orders increase he would have to act quickly to outsource at least the surface preparation+assembly because before long imitators are going to be knocking these off. Via Dezeen.