I’d recommend making the trip as the experience of seeing them was truly awe inspiring, the Kiilopää Fell Center was also an excellent spot, very unspoiled on the edge of the national park which meant that a short walk from our cabin and we were surrounded by forest with no light pollution but close enough to head back when we got too cold! Their were also plenty of activities to do during the day with guided cross country skiing and snow shoe hiking. A truly magical place.

At first I was unsure of the Silo Studio chair as I didn’t like the form, but as soon as you learn about the process that they invented to create it, it takes on a whole new level of interest. The form itself would not be possible with any other manufacturing method.

Extraordinary Stories about Ordinary Things- Silo Studio from Alice Masters on Vimeo.

Via

Perhaps the information could be presented as a screen that could be updated at regular intervals. Or perhaps train seats will incorporate pressure sensors that record when they are occupied making it possible to have data in real time of how busy the next train is and which carriages have the most spare seats for boarding passengers.

Equally one could criticise London Midland for being aware that a train is overcrowded  yet not provide extra carriages!

These moulds were used to produce axes, each was carved from stone

and finally the most surprising object for me in the entire museum was this piggy bank from Eastern Jave from 1300-1500. The idea of someone saving money over 500 years ago using this amused me. What’s more, I expect that not many survive as most would have been smashed to retrieve the contents.

The new visual identity of the MIT Media Lab is inspired by the community it comprises: Highly creative people from all kinds of backgrounds come together, inspire each other and collaboratively develop a vision of the future.

This unique offering of the MIT Media Lab is reflected in the logo design. Each of the three shapes stands for one individual’s contribution, the resulting shape represents the outcome of this process: A constant redefinition of what media and technology means today.

The logo is based on a visual system, an algorithm that produces a unique logo for each person, for faculty, staff and students. Each person can claim and own an individual shape and can use it on their business card a personal website. The design encompasses all collateral, business cards, letterhead, website, animations, signage etc. A custom web interface was developed to allow each person at the Media Lab to choose and claim an own individual logo for his/her business card, as well as a custom animation software which allows to create custom animations for any video content the lab produces.

I like the way that it is still recognizable as the logo regardless of the arrangement of the elements.

Beds need attention. They wear out, they become unfashionable and they chart our moods- they are the first and last things we see and experience each day, after all. Think about your bed right now. What feelings spring to mind? If they’re not all that positive, it might be time to change your bed and improve a small (yet huge) aspect of your life!

If you’re waking up each day with aches, pains or feelings of numbness, or if you awaken each day tired and strung-out, you probably need a new mattress. Old spring mattresses and those that are over seven years old are likely culprits behind these sorts of morning ailments, so if yours is looking worn out and tired, perhaps think about getting a foam or padded pocket spring mattress to replace the decrepit offender.

Such large pieces of bedroom furniture might seem a headache to get removed, but in reality it’s not as difficult as you might think. If you’re buying a new mattress from an online retailer, they’ll likely have a recycling and disposal service that, for a small fee, you can take advantage of. Retailers such as Bedstar have been doing this for a while, so much that many competitors are cottoning on to the practice.

Mattresses aren’t the only item you might want to consider replacing though; bed frames are another piece of boudoir furniture that can create headaches too. As the visible part of the bed, they’re much more likely to influence your mood and emotions. As we know, architecture and pieces of design can hugely impact the way we think, so if you’re feeling like your room might be in need of a refresh, the humble bed frame should be the first item in your crosshairs.

There are millions of different contemporary bed frames out there, as one might expect, but it’s always a good idea to stick with solid woods, keeping tacky-looking plastics and metals out of your bedroom and generally continuing the ‘feel’ of design that flows through your room. Frames can incorporate storage too, quite the boon if you’re perpetually lacking space to hide away all those slowly accumulated clothes and items.

If you’re buying a new mattress from an online retailer, they’ll likely have a recycling and disposal service that, for a small fee, you can take advantage of. Retailers such as Bedstar have been doing this for a while, so much that many competitors are cottoning on to the practice. Also, be sure to look at online mattress review websites to help you make an informed decision.