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Living Compact! It's Cool!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 04:45:00 +0000

When you live in a small space, every square inch counts, and furniture that can expand and contract on demand makes it a lot easier to fit all the functions you need into your home without feeling overwhelmed with clutter. Modular furniture sets and rooms-within-rooms containing fold-out and slide-out components make clever use of the space available, and the ability to hide things away when they’re not in use will please minimalists, too.

Sleepbox: Tiny Bedroom for Public Spaces

Sleepy travelers can catch a night’s sleep in private surroundings with the Sleepbox, a compact lodging pod meant for public spaces like airports and train stations. For those with layovers or unexpected delays, a room-in-the-box right inside the transit station could definitely be an affordable and convenient option.

Cocoon 1 Room Pod

This unusual room-within-a-room is almost as much an art piece as it is a functional living space. Cocoon 1 by Micasa Lab is a plastic pod offering a separated space that provides a sense of privacy and solitude while maintaining a connection to the outside world. It contains built-in furniture, a kitchen and a power pack that can provide either 40 hours of light, or 20 hours of light plus 30 minutes of cooking.

Boxetti: 3 All-in-One Fold-Out Living Spaces

Minimalists, rejoice – options that hide virtually everything from view when not in use are not only becoming easier to procure, they’re more stylish than ever, too. The Boxetti Collection by Rolands Landsbergs is a series of fold-out, slide-out living spaces contained within simple white modules. It includes a bedroom box, a living room box, an office and a kitchen.

Sleek and Simple Fold-Out Bedroom Box

For those in temporary living spaces, or who just don’t care about personalizing their homes, all-in-one box systems like the Room by ODA offer a modular dwelling system that collapses and expands. It comes with three elements – the pod, a media station and a satellite. Colors and materials can be customized.

Fold-Out Kitchen by Giorgio Armani

The ‘Disappearing Room’ by designer Giorgio Armani is yet another system that hides lots of function, ideal for those who prefer a minimalist aesthetic. The kitchen comes complete with a dishwasher, refrigerator, gas stove, steam and standard ovens, a food warming drawer and a miniature wine cellar, but you’d never know by looking at it when it’s all closed up.

Slide-Out Platform Room Set

This all-in-one furniture set from Matroshka packs down to just thirteen square feet at its most compact, yet it contains everything you need for an entire studio apartment, including bookshelves, double bed, corner couch, dinner table, four stools, workspace, drawers, a wardrobe and extra hidden storage. One piece after another slides out of the platform that supports the little ‘office.’

Mobile Fold-Out Office, Desk & Work Station

Wheels and a handle make this compact home office design ultra-portable, too. Made by Planet 3 Studios, this work module contains two desks and lots of drawer space, offering plenty of function when you need it, but it can easily be moved out of the way when you don’t.

Z Box Bedroom Cubes

The Z-Box is perfect for lofts and other wide-open living spaces, offering a private bedroom or office with attractive wood-lined walls and ceiling. The components are small enough to be carried up stairs and fit through standard doorways. It includes built-in shelves, an open doorway that can be fitted with curtains, and even little nooks that could be used as pet crates.

Mobile Office Made of Foam

This odd-looking mobile office made out of foam almost seems like a commentary on the transient nature of today’s job market. Created by Tim Vinke, the modular office set on wheels uses one of the chairs as a handle when it’s in transit. It’s easy to imagine pushing this thing into one office to start a new job, and then moving out just as quickly as you came in.

4 All-in-One Kids Rooms

Modular sets are especially popular for kids’ rooms, especially if they can grow with the children or expand to accommodate additional kids. These loft bedroom ideas from IMA Mobili are colorful, with interesting layouts that include all sorts of slide-out components.

Fold Out Furniture Set

It’s a lot easier to imagine being able to live comfortably in an extremely small space when you have access to furniture options like the Fold Out Furniture Set by Japanese students Toshiko Suzuki and Kentaro Honma. Individual components like kitchens, workspaces and bedrooms fold out from impossibly tiny wooden boxes on wheels.

BOLD Home Storage Solutions by AK47!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Sun, 07 Jul 2013 09:45:00 +0000

Unconventional solutions for home storage by Italian company AK47 make a bold, graphic statement on the wall or ceiling, turning everyday items like clothing, firewood, magazines and even food into decor. The 2012 home collection includes round wall-mounted shelves in black and white, a low coffee table with built-in storage and wall-mounted clothes hangers that can be arranged in artistic configurations.

Flouting the tired convention of storing books and other items in vertical stacks, the Tubola storage system creates little wall cubbies that keep items up off the ground, and put them on display in individual groups. Available in a range of sizes, the shelves can be mounted like wall art.

The Zerino coffee table features a center cutout that can hold the object of your choice, whether a plant, candles or a miniature fire pit. The space between the two discs offers room for storage.

The Bretell magazine rack puts your collection front-and-center, while the Tac wall-mounted clothes hanger brings your clothes and accessories out of the closet.

Have a lot to hang? The Gang ceiling-mounted chain hanger can fit a lot of clothing into one small space, and would also look great covered in plants.

A 34-Story! Wooden Skyscraper & its Green Architecture...

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Sun, 07 Jul 2013 09:39:00 +0000

If accepted and completed, this design would be the tallest wood-frame structure in the world. Counter-intuitive as it may seem, sustainable timber framing can be more eco-friendly than steel-and-concrete construction, which is also precisely the premise behind this competition entry that pitches wood as the primary building material.

C. F. Møller (in partnership with Dinell Johansson and Tyréns) notes that wood is renewable and lighter, thus costing less in both money and fuel to transport. Many non-architects also do not realize that wood can perform better than steel in a fire – steel heats up and buckles, while wood first loses its water weight, then chars and resists the flames.

Everything visible both inside and out celebrates the use of wood, from pillars and beams to ceilings, walls and window frames on each floor and in each unit. In turn, large exterior windows would also show off these wooden details to external viewers. At the building’s center, either wood or concrete could be used to form the service core. From the designers: “Wood is one of nature’s most innovative building materials: the production has no waste products and it binds CO2. Wood has low weight, but is a very strong load-bearing structure compared to its lightness.”

As a mixed-use development, “Social and environmental sustainability [are] integrated into the project. Each apartment will have an energy-saving, glass-covered veranda, while the building itself will be powered by solar panels on the roof. At street level there is a café and childcare facility. In a new community centre, local people will be able to enjoy the benefits of a market square, fitness centre and bicycle storage room. A communal winter garden will provide residents with an opportunity to have allotment gardens.”

The Art of Architecture!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 05:41:00 +0000

Towers that seem alive, twisting and dancing with each other. An alien-like blob that looks like a UFO after dark. A building that’s literally a blur. All of these and more are homes,hotels, museums and cathedrals around the world created without any sense of restraint or desire to fit in. To say these bizarre buildings are unconventional would be putting it mildly – they’re almost too strange to be real.

The Tianzi Hotel, China

(image via: damn cool pics)

Could this be the weirdest-looking hotel in the world? Ten stories tall, the Tianzi Hotel in Hebei Province, China holds the world record for the world’s “biggest image building”. The three figures that make up its hulking shape are Fu Lu Shou – good fortune, prosperity and longevity.

Nautilus House, Mexico

(image via: dvice)

Fanciful and strange, the shell-shaped Nautilus House in Mexico City hardly looks like a home. But even though the inside is just as unconventional as the outside – with carpets of plants, stone walkways and entirely curvilinear surfaces – a couple and their young children actually live there.

Atomium, Belgium

(images via: o palsson)

The aptly named Atomium building consists of nine interconnected steel spheres that together form the atomic crystal structure of iron (magnified 165 million times, natch). Designed for the 1958 World Fair in Brussels, this 335-foot-tall wonder contains exhibition spaces, a restaurant and a dormitory for visiting schoolchildren with escalators connecting the spheres.

Cathedral of Brasilia, Brazil

(image via: wikimedia commons)

From the outside, this bizarre building hardly looks like a cathedral – but that’s exactly what it is, and once you step inside the beautiful and colorful stained glass affirms its identity. The Cathedral of Brasilia is made up of 16 curving concrete columns with glass in between them, and a glass ceiling.

Errante Guest House, Chile

(image via: beauty addict)

The word ‘unusual’ doesn’t quite cut it when describing this extremely odd building, which hardly looks habitable with its sloping surfaces. Details on this structure are fuzzy, but it’s certainly an eye-catcher.

Kunsthaus, Austria

(image via: annia 316)

Called the “Friendly Alien” by its creators, Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, the Kunsthaus Graz is an art museum in Graz, Austria built in 2003 for the European Capital of Culture celebrations. The blob-like structure definitely deviates from the typical minimalist style of modern art museums and at night, when it’s lit up, it looks unlike anything else in the world.

Blur Building, Switzerland

(image via: diller & scofidio)

From afar, it looks like little more than a strangely earthbound cloud. But get a little closer and you realize that it’s actually a building shrouded in man-made fog. The Blur Building in Switzerland is a suspended platform that sprays tiny drops of lake water into the air from 31,400 jets, creating the mist effect. The building was created for the sixth annual Swiss National Exhibition and can host up to 400 visitors at a time.

Tenerife Concert Hall, Spain

(image via: extra noise)

Who else but Santiago Calatrava could have created this sculptural work of art, the Tenerife Concert Hall in the Canary Islands of Spain? The dramatic curve of its sweeping roof gives it an entirely unique silhouette, especially when viewed from the side. Made from concrete, the auditorium connects the city of Tenerife with the ocean.

Kettle House, Texas

(image via: bizarre records)

Made of steel sometime in the 1950s, the ‘Kettle House’ in Texas has attracted many a curious tourist. The unusual choice in materials and shape was probably influenced by the owner’s previous occupation – building storage tanks for oil companies.

Casa Batllo, Spain

(images via: bert k, laurea)

One of Barcelona’s treasured buildings designed by the famed Antoni Gaudi, Casa Batllo is known locally as the ‘House of Bones’ for its flowing, skeletal stonework. With small balconies that resemble the faces of lizards and an exterior texture reminiscent of scales, perhaps it could more accurately be called reptilian.

Olympic Stadium, Quebec

(images via: nicholas nova, rene erhardt)

Built for the 1976 Summer Olympics, the Olympic Stadium in Montreal is now used as a stadium for the city’s professional baseball and football teams. Its centerpiece is the Pisa-like leaning tower, the tallest inclined tower in the world at nearly 575 feet.

Guggenheim Museum, Spain

(image via: dalbera)

Considered one of architect Frank Gehry’s greatest works, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain is a mass of random curves made from titanium, which resemble fish scales. Gehry says “the randomness of the curves are designed to catch the light”, and that they do, with a brilliant shimmer that reflects the sparkling water of the Nervion River.

Kansas City Library, Missouri

(image via: marnox1)

What could be more appropriate for a library design than making it look like books on a shelf? The Kansas City Library in Missouri features a façade of book spines, including Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, that fence in the parking areas which sandwich the historic building.

Federation Square, Australia

(image via: rob young)

Taking up an entire city block, Federation Square is an imposing collection of architecture, but there’s more than enough whimsy to balance out its sheer size. Reminiscent of Gehry’s Guggenheim Bilbao – albeit far more geometric – this building’s design was the winner of an international competition to create a new civic precinct in the center of Melbourne, Australia.

Dancing Building, Prague

(image via: ahisgett)

Hmm, what super-famous architect could have been involved in this building? That’s right, Frank Gehry had a hand in the design of the Nationale-Nederlanden building in downtown Prague, Czech Republic, which was co-designed by Vlado Miluni?. The building’s two main structures resemble a pair of dancers, hence its nickname – but it’s also known as ‘Drunk House’.

Cubic Houses, Netherlands

(image via: darksidex)

After many Rotterdam buildings were destroyed in WWII, architects had a bit of fun redesigning many areas in new, modern and sometimes surprising styles. The Cubic Houses are one example, designed in the 1980s by architect Blom. They’re basically standard houses turned on a 45 degree angle, each resting on a hexagonal pylon. The cubes are so fascinating that one owner decided to buy and manage a “show cube” to keep tourists from disturbing the rest of the residents.

Human Made Architectural Wonders of the Ancient World

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 05:26:00 +0000

The Colosseum, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Great Wall of China and Machu Picchu are world-famous ancient architectural wonders, but they’re hardly the only man-made structures worthy of effusive praise, enthusiastic photography and economy-stimulating tourism. These 7 historical sites, ranging from an incredibly deep well in India to the cradle of Mayan civilization – complete with the world’s first highway system – are often overlooked, but represent some of the most jaw-dropping and mysterious engineering feats from ancient times to the medieval period.

Chand Baori, India

(images via: moolf)

Perhaps one of the most beautiful examples of patterns in architecture, the 10th century Chand Baori well in the Indian state of Rajasthan is the world’s deepest, extending 100 feet below the surface of the earth. Built as a solution to chronic water supply issues in this arid region, the well has a total of 3,500 steps in 13 levels arranged in an inverted ‘V’ shape and is adjacent to the Harshat Mata temple. The walls are so steep that when standing at the bottom, you sometimes can’t see people who are on the steps above you.
It’s difficult to imagine the construction process for such a complex stone structure with the technology available at the time. Local legend has it that ghosts built it in a single night; perhaps that accounts for its preternaturally preserved state as well.

Sacsayhuaman, Peru

(images via: world-mysteries)

How did the Incas move these massive stones? That’s just one of the mysteries surrounding Sacsayhuaman, an immense fortress located on the outskirts of the city of Cusco in Peru. While the much more famous Machu Picchu is renowned for its views, Sacsayhuaman is a marvel of engineering, confounding Spanish conquerors who were so amazed by the construction, they thought it must be the work of demons.
The largest of the boulders that make up the three dry stone walls of Sacsayhuaman – all carried from a quarry located over three kilometers away – weighs an estimated 120 tons. But the seemingly superhuman feat of moving these boulders is not the most incredible aspect of the ruins: even thousands of years later, the stones of the walls fit together with such precision, you can’t fit a piece of paper between them. This precision, along with the various stone shapes that fit together like a puzzle, is likely the reason that the structure has survived earthquakes that have devastated the area.

Leshan Giant Buddha, China

(images via: wikimedia commons, national geographic)

The largest carved stone Buddha in the world towers over 232 feet into the air, with fingers measuring 11 feet in length and 92-foot-long shoulders big enough to be basketball courts. Leshan Giant Buddha overlooks the confluence of three rivers in the Sichuan Province of China. Begun during the Tang Dynasty in the year 713, the Buddha was built at the behest of a monk called Hai Tong who hoped to supplicate the temperamental water spirits thought to be responsible for numerous boat accidents. It took thousands of workers more than 90 years to complete the project.
Seemingly cosmetic details are even more complex and meaningful than they look upon first glance. For example, the 1,021 buns in the Buddha’s coiled hair are part of drainage system that continues behind the ears, in the clothing and along the limbs, protecting the statue from water-related damage.

Teotihuacan, Mexico

(images via: travel this world)

A massive urban complex laid out to celestial, geographic and geodetic alignments, the Teotihuacan archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico contains some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas. The city was established around 100 BCE and may have had as many as 200,000 inhabitants during its prime in 450 CE. It has been called the first true urban center in the Americas; its remains measure at least two miles across but the city was likely much larger and its influence extended as far away as Guatemala. Very little is known of the Teotihuacan people or what may have caused the city’s decline, which occurred in the 8th or 9th century.
An astronomer-anthropologist named Anthony Aveni discovered that the grid of the city was based on a point of prime astronomical significance. The builders seem to have aligned the east-west axis of the city to the point on the horizon at which the sun sets on August 12th, the anniversary of the beginning of the current Mesoamerican calender cycle.
Strangely, thick sheets of shimmery mica were found within the tiers of the Pyramid of the Sun. Hidden between layers of stone, the mica clearly wasn’t decorative; today it is used as an insulator in electronics but it seems unlikely that these ancient people understood such properties. Furthermore, the particular type of mica used in the complex was reportedly traced to Brazil, nearly 2000 miles away. The Pyramid of the Sun has never been fully excavated.

Underground Churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia

(images via: wikimedia commons)

The tiny town of Lalibela, one of Ethiopia’s holiest cities, is home to 11 monolithic churches– all carved from the same block of red volcanic rock, with their roofs at ground level. Likely built during the 12th and 13th centuries, the rock-hewn churches include four that are fully free-standing, with the rest either partially attached at the sides to the rock or with ‘liberated’ facades. They’re connected to each other with a maze of underground tunnels, and their construction was engineered to take advantage of natural aquifers deep in the ground.

El Mirador, Guatemala

(images via: authentic maya, wikimedia commons, the history blog)

The 500,000-acre site of El Mirador in Guatemala is referred to as ‘the cradle of Maya civilization’ and contains not only five Preclassic Maya cities that pre-date the far more famous Tikal by at least 1,000 years, but also the world’s largest pyramid by volume and the remains of the world’s first highway system.
A remote site located deep in the jungle, El Mirador was’t ‘discovered’ until 1926, and wasn’t mapped until 1978. The civic center of the site measures about 10 square miles and contains around 35 ‘triadic’ structures, with ‘La Danta’ being the most notable at 230 feet tall. Its volume, 2,800,000 cubic meters, rivals that of far more well-known ancient pyramids around the world including those in Egypt. El Mirador is also home to a complex network of large roads, which once linked important architectural compounds and nearby cities.
The 500,000-acre site of El Mirador is threatened by looters, drug traffickers and deforestation, prompting the creation of a 810,000-acre national park in the region, which is currently being established by the Global Heritage Fund and the Guatemalan and U.S. governments.

The Lost City of Mohenjo-Daro, Pakistan

(images via: wikimedia commons, abbas, national geographic)

4,500 years ago, Mohenjo-Daro was one of the largest early urban settlements in the world. It thrived for over a thousand years, but was completely forgotten until excavation revealed its ruins along the Indus River floodplain of what is now Pakistan in 1921. Abandoned around 1500 BCE for reasons unknown, Mohenjo-Daro has a planned layout based on a street grid of buildings made of mortared brick and likely housed around 35,000 residents.
Among many interesting features, what stands out the most about Mohenjo-Daro is plumbing and sewage system that was more sophisticated than what most Western households had until the 20th century. Not only did some home have indoor toilets, but there were actually sewage drains that ran below the streets.

Style Rain Drains: The Musical Architecture ... Makes it awesome!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 06:56:00 +0000

Architects go to elaborate lengths to hide the passage of water from the walls and roofs of buildings, but in this case, an interactive and artistic facade features the process prominently instead, turning the flow of liquid into music for passers by.

Kunsthof Passage in Dresden features a typical urban German experience: a series of cute small shops and quaint restaurants tucked into tunnels and courtyards and removed from the main streets.

But it is more than that as well, thanks in part to the work of Heike Bottcher and others who contributed to turning the facades of structures facing its primary courtyard area into colorful works of musical art.

And, at the end of the sequence, channeled water flows out into a rain station where people can play, rinse their hands or let their pets romp through the result of this strange chain of channels.

Realistic Sculpture on Functional Chairs! by Maximo Riera

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 10:02:00 +0000

Jet black and richly detailed, Maximo Riera’s sculptural Animal Chair collection consists of an octopus, a rhinoceros, a lion, a whale, a walrus and a beetle. Crafted into dramatic seating, the animals look as if they could spring to life at any moment. The project took Riera three years to complete, working with more than thirty professionals in four different countries.

The Animal Chair collection is inspired by our connection to and impact upon the natural world. These towering sculpture serve as a powerful reminder of some of the most awe-inspiring creatures on earth.

Carved from compressed foam, which is stabilized by an internal steel frame, each chair is enveloped in real leather. And while they might not be as heavy as their living counterparts, they’re not exactly portable: the elephant chair weighs 353 pounds.

Each chair is slightly asymmetrical and carefully balanced to maintain a sense of the proportions of the animal depicted, even though only parts of their bodies are represented.

The 3D Poster: cool art, Isn't it?

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 07:58:00 +0000

A nearly-life-sized, faceted white paper horse bursting out of a wall in an urban setting can’t fail to grab your attention. Bolder and more dynamic than a two-dimensional poster, this 3D papercraft project by Xavier Barrade from the design firm FOAM promotes the song ‘Horses’ by UK-based band Dry the River.

The horses were created in Google Sketchup, then printed, folded and assembled by hand. Each one took about 35 hours to complete. Watch the whole process, from printing to the public’s reaction, in this mesmerizing video.

In cities, where signs and advertisements covering virtually every surface compete for the eyeballs of passersby, posters can be easy to overlook. This installation project doesn’t just draw in curious onlookers, it breaks up the monotony of daily life for pedestrians and integrates some much-needed art into the urban landscape.

Be Green :) Small-Space & Window Garden Ideas

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 07:38:00 +0000

City condos often lack room for a full garden, or even a small backyard. There are box and kit solutions, sure, but these creative alternatives preserve your views and limited sill space while providing green growth and unique outdoor connections.

Magnetic Two-Piece Window Pot

Starting with the simplest: consider pair of two half-pots designed by Kyung-Eun Oh and joined by an invisible magnetic connection – one for the inside of windows and one for the outside, one colored white (typical plastic for indoors) and one a reddish brown (typical ceramic for outdoors).

Modular Rope-and-Pulley Herb Garden

Shooting for something that adds more than decor? Rows upon rows of herbs can be planted in this more intensive option by Barreau & Charbonnet, able to be raised or lowered to optimize around rain and sun.

Rotating Two-Faced Planter Sill

While the previous example might pose challenges during extreme weather (storms and so forth), this system by Junkyung Kim & Yonggu Do allows you to keep a solid window in place but choose which side you want your plants to be on.

Hanging Gutter Garden DIY Project

Need something a little less conceptual and a tad easier to build? For the weekend do-it-yourself project, try this NestInStyle gutter garden composed of simple materials like PVC piping, chain link or metal wire rope.

Fresh Tips & Ideas from Window Farms

Still want something DIY-style, but perhaps of an intermediate or advanced level? WindowFarms collects and distributes information, tips and examples of great window gardens and related technologies.

Suspended Upside-Down Ceiling Pots

So you want to fill up some non-window space with greenery, but lack the shelves or spare square footage on the floor for the task? A retention disk keeps soil in place as you hang these minimalist black-or-white pots (so-called Skyplanters) by Boskke from ceilings above (or the tops of window frames, if so inclined).

Urban Gardening Condos Grow from the Ground Up

Finally, a bit of inspiration for those with the luxury of starting from scratch – this houses by Ryue Nishizawa and Vo Trong Nghia include window-oriented greenery from start to finish, creating light and privacy filters via organic green screens that wrap their respective facades.

Cameras! what you can't expect.

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 04:54:00 +0000

Cameras! what you can't expect.

A pistol that shoots photos instead of bullets, a harness for pigeons, a cane and a human skull are among the unexpected objects that have been turned into film cameras since the dawn of photography in the 19th century. Here are 15 strange and unusual cameras, including historic collector’s items and new experiments in low-tech techniques like pinhole photography.

Miniature Pigeon Camera

Inventor Julius Neubronner’s tiny harnesses fitted with cameras were received with understandable skepticism when he first unveiled the idea in the early 20th century, but once he put the photos taken by pigeons on display, his idea took off, and even the military took interest. But it wasn’t long before the invention of the airplane made the need for pigeon photographers null and void for reconnaissance purposes. Each pigeon was trained to wear the harness and fly to a specific location, and a timer in the camera took care of the rest.

Skull Camera

Photographs taken from inside a human skull are suitably eerie and nightmarish. The Third Eye Camera by Wayne Martin Belger is made from the 150-year-old skull of a 13-year-old girl. It’s a pinhole camera, with a hole drilled between the eyes letting light hit a piece of photo paper placed inside.

900-Pound Camera from 1900

The world’s largest camera at the time, this monster made by Chicago camera builder J.A. Anderson weighed 900 pounds and required 15 men to load it onto a horse-drawn van for transport. And it’s all because the Chicago & Alton Railway company wanted to show off their new train to the world. The camera had a 8-by-4.5-foot glass plate to take the largest possible photo of the train, which was displayed at the Paris Exposition in the year 1900.

Turtle Shell Camera

Virtually any hollow object can be turned into a pinhole camera, as demonstrated by Taiyo Onorato and Nico Krebs in their two-volume series of books, “As Long as It Photographs” and “It Must Be a Camera.” The pair found their turtle shells, taxidermy animals and other objects at flea markets.

Cane Handle Camera, 1903

Made in 1903, the Ben Akiba cane handle camera features a shutter released by pulling a knob below the handle. When a roll of film is exposed, you just remove the side face of the handle to pull it out, and a new roll pops up from a storage area inside the cane. Both originals and replicas of this odd camera are in demand these days, with one selling for $27,000 in 2002.

Book Camera

This one-of-a-kind pinhole camera from Etsy seller Engrained is made from a 1920s hardcover copy of “The Man in the Forest”, and features a magnetic shutter made of leather and wood.

Watch Camera

Before his pigeon camera experiment, Julius Neubronner had a minor success with the Ticka Watch Camera. The camera resembles an ordinary pocket watch; the false watch face constantly displayed a time of seven minutes past 10 o’clock, which indicated the viewing angle.

Clockwork Movie Camera

This key-wind movie camera has a clockwork mechanism was designed in various styles, including an ornate ‘watch-thin’ camera made to appeal to ladies.

Propeller-Powered Airplane Camera

The Williamson Aeroplane Camera, introduced in 1915, can’t fly by itself, despite its appearance. It was made to be attached to the bottom of airplanes to take aerial photographs. The movement of the propeller advances the film.

Binocular Spy Camera

With the Nicca Nicnon Binocular Spy Camera, wannabe spies could pretend like they were merely checking out the landscape with a pair of binoculars when they were really taking photos.

Delivery Truck Pinhole Camera

An ordinary delivery truck was turned into a massive portable pinhole camera for photographer Ian Ruhter’s project, Silver & Light. Ruhter took the truck around the U.S. to take photos of passersby and the streets on large-format film plates. The resulting images are stunning, but expensive: each one costs about $500 to create.

French Revolver Camera

Pull out this little gold revolver and point it at someone, and you’re likely to be taken down – even though the only thing it shoots is photographs. The Photo-Revolver de Poche is a French camera from 1882 that closely resembles a pistol, with its cylinder containing a magazine mechanism for 10 photo plates.

Stereo Photosphere Camera

Among the earliest all-metal cameras, the Stereo Photosphere is the most rare and valuable of all Photosphere cameras dating back to the late 1800s. It has two separate lenses with individual image sensors to simulate human binocular vision, making the resulting photos look three-dimensional.

Demon Detective Camera

Weighing just three ounces, the (comparatively) tiny Demon Detective Camera takes single-round exposures on dry plates and features a funnel-shaped front with a flat stamped back. The advertising slogan for this 1880s camera was “In daylight, gaslight, sunshine, rain, Each faithfully Demon works the same, And, fills with life the album page; While five guinea cameras groan with rage.”

Trash Cam

Who would have thought that dumpsters could take such stunning photographs? The Trashcam Project turned ordinary dumpsters into large pinhole cameras that were rolled around the city of Hamburg, Germany to take striking images of the scenery.

Amazing Urban Photo ART!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Sun, 12 May 2013 03:44:00 +0000

Hong Kong has to be one of the most-photographed cities on Earth, but these shots present a rarely-seen perspective by documentarians or pedestrians … unless they look straight up.

From Vertical Art Space: “Romain Jacquet-Lagreze is a French graphic artist with a Masters in multimedia and art from East Paris University. His interest in photography began during his period of working in Los Angeles and Tokyo, and subsequently blossomed into a passion after his arrival in Hong Kong.”

His Vertical Horizon series emphasizes the vast scale of tall structures, but also the “heterogeneous character” of the built environment – traditional alongside modern, scrappy versus refined, small set against large.

While some of his images are taken from the top down, or at an angle, many of the most powerful ones are straight-up vertical captures. Somehow, these more predictable approaches lack the striking gravitas of their deceptively-flat cousins.

Street Art Photos Animation, WHOA!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Sun, 12 May 2013 03:37:00 +0000

Unlike most street art, INSA‘s murals weren’t made to be seen in person – they’re best viewed online. That’s because the UK-based artist painstakingly paints, photographs and re-paints each of his works several times over in order to create these amazing animated GIF images.

Each piece is created with movement in mind, with the artist envisioning the final animated result as he paints each step. What looks like a relatively ordinary mural when passed on the street becomes mesmerizingly kinetic when seen as a final work of art.

These made-for-the-internet works of physical street art defy the conventional wisdom that art is best appreciated in person, though it would still be nice to check out all of the details up close. The internet brings what was once hyper-local to the masses.

In an interview with Adobe, INSA says “I realized I was viewing more paintings online than in real life, the majority of art I was accessing was on the internet. Whether that was street art from around the world, or exhibition openings on blogs, and it disheartened me a little, because although it was great to be able to see so much work, I realized this was never the way the artist would have intended for their work to be seen. So I thought an interesting way to play with this idea was to create art specifically to be viewed online: to the point that you could not actually see it in reality. So, in fact, the internet becomes the best viewing platform for the work.”

Tea Shop: Colorful Model of Great Idea!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Sun, 12 May 2013 03:29:00 +0000

A blend of fun, flexible, efficient and honest, The Gourmet Tea shop design in Brazil’s biggest city São Paulo is both regional and universal, responding to everyday needs for opening and closing while also attractive to passerby pedestrians.

Designed by Alan Chu (images by Djan Chu), the storefront is a patchwork of brightly-colored squares and reflects the brand and its rich variety (35 flavors) of organic teas to be found within.

But the patches are more than decorative – they unfold in various ways to reveal everything from the store’s signage to its purchasing counter and shelves full of wares.

Despite its apparent complexity, it is ultimately built of inexpensive plywood and folds down into a space-saving box in a few simple steps, making it a cost-effective solution for street-side vending.

FABULOUS Floor Plans! Its Inspiring!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 06:09:00 +0000

A talented cast, backed by brilliant directors and writers, makes you feel like part of the action – not just through the actors telling a story, but also via the familiar spaces they regularly occupy in each episode (sometimes for years).

Iñaki Aliste Lizarralde is an artist and designer who painstakingly analyzes and draws out the rooms your favorite characters and their tales occupy, be they the charming sitcom Golden Girls or the macabre drama of Dexter.

And while our minds generally complete the picture for us, many of these famous dwellings do not really exist in a complete way, and some are never fully shown because of camera, entrance and exit placements, leaving our imagination to fill in the gaps.

In some cases, the action spans more than a single apartment, as in Friends where it is ultimately about two neighboring units and the hallway in between.

In other cases, like the Simpsons, seeing the plan makes you realize how simple it is in a fictional world that is wacky in so many ways – it is the backdrop, not a character itself. In the end, real life or otherwise, everyone needs doors, floors, windows and walls. Check out DeviantArt for a closer look or to buy a print.

BE Herry Pottar: Get Your Invisibility Cloak!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:30:00 +0000

Get Your Invisibility Cloak!

This author would like nothing more than to tell you that the above images are of a real-life working prototype of the most amazing invention of the century. That sentence should be clue enough, however, to the contrary. How is it, then, that these photos misled 5,000 publishers worldwide and, consequently, an awed global audience of millions?

It started with HyperStealth Biotechnology Corp, aptly or ironically a company of self-described “Leaders in Camouflage, Concealment and Deception.” They developed a compelling set of pictures of a next-generation technology designed to work without batteries, mirrors or cameras (perhaps more popular than ever after the special effects of the Harry Potter series).

Though they subsequently clarified the photographs were manipulated, their bold headline (“Quantum Stealth; The Invisible Military Becomes A Reality”) suggested to readers – and duped news outlets – that what they were showing were working images of an actual finished product.

By the end of 2012, Guy Cramer of Hyperstealth had conducted “20 interviews on this subject” but there were already “over 5,000 worldwide news stories” that had come out in just over a single week, each one dropping a piece or two of critical information. Most prominently: many failed to mention (or perhaps simply did not understand) that the images shown were not a reality.

To be fair: Guy still claims to have presented the product to multiple governments and militaries, and that what he has does, in reality, work not just at one angle but from all sides – he simply cannot show the prototypes due to high-level non-disclosure agreements. In the interest of playing it safe, this author will not weigh in on the validity of those claims either way.

Architecture? : Piece of cake!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:08:00 +0000

Instant Flat-Pack Architecture!

Take a structure, strip away all of the non-essentials, and squeeze out every last unused bit of air space, and what do you get? Something a lot like a folded sheet of paper.

This folding shelter designed by Doowon Suh is as elementary as it gets – a series of sheets that unfold like origami to form a robust but basic building.

Like nesting paper cranes, in its most compact form, each module can be stacked on its siblings, making it easy to pack and ship in containers or store until deployed.

The modules are bare bones for maximum adaptive capability – they can emergency homes or hospital pods, temporary stores or community rooms.

BEFORE COOK HAVE A LOOK!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:54:00 +0000

BEFORE COOK HAVE A LOOK!

20 Creative Cookin’ Radiator

Radiators seem designed for the background. They line walls and prop up corners, and everyone looks past them because, after all, they are only radiators. But even this seemingly ignoble collection of valves, pipes and ribs can become an urban designer’s dream canvas. Here are 20 examples of how modern radiators could really turn up the heat in your dream home.

(Images via: Marco Dessi)

When designer Marco Dessi decided to take the traditional radiator design and give it a twist, he wasn’t kidding. The Twist radiator is constructed of square ceramic plates that rotate to form any sinuous pattern you prefer – as if the rotating skyscraper planned for Dubai was fixed to your wall. Probably best to let it cool before you get artistic, though.

(Image via: Trendir)

But if there’s something really wrong with the Twist, it is that clothes will presumably roll right off it. If you live above (or below) a certain latitude and you want to do the eco-friendly thing by avoiding tumble-drying your clothes, you need a radiator that stays put so you can hang things on it. This undulating eyecatcher of a towel-warming radiator is perfect for chasing the damp out of your clothes – that is, if you lay it horizontally, since it can also be fitting floor-to-ceiling.

(Images via: Yanko Design)

Cast your mind back to your Physics lessons at school – and the bimetallic strip, used to demonstrate how different rates of heat expansion can made a primitive mechanical device. Not-so-primitive is the glossy Flowering Radiator, which has bimetallic strips as its “petals” – add heat, and they flower before your eyes. A much classier way to (literally) see if the heating is on.

(Images via: Lucy Merchant)

Who says radiators have to come in abstract and bafflingly esoteric designs? For a slice of life we can all identify with, how about lining your wall with toasty-warm fences and gates? It is designer Lucy Merchant’s idea, and while we can all identify with the concept, it is the household pet (ever watchful for an escape route) whose turn it is to be nonplussed.

(Image via: Mr Smith Studio)

This radiator, called Phoebe, gives a distinctly Zen-like vibe and would look stunning in the corner of any room. But there is one question to ask: just how hot does it get? Mild enough to safely drape your coat over it when you come in from the rain? Mild enough to drape yourself over it (because it’s just the right shape)? Let’s hope it comes with a well-tuned temperature setting.

(Images via: Hellos)

A rather more obviously flowering radiator, this one. These aluminium daisies can be strung in a chain of polished or painted aluminium, hiding the radiator valves and creating a fully tailored floral feature that not only reminds you of summer but raises the temperature accordingly.

(Images via: Reluct and Droog)

Seemingly inspired yet again by front gates – except of the more ornate, gothic variety – this Heatwave radiator is another piece of warming art. All that scrollwork certainly gives it a lot of surface space, and although the picture example is solid there is a water-carrying version inproduction…so we have to ask: what happens when it needs internal cleaning? (Surely even the bendiest of pipe cleaning equipment would find it a nightmare). Instead of being in one piece it comes in aluminium and concrete sections, allowing you to curl its dazzling scrollwork round your walls.

(Images via: NoPicnic and Caleido)

Back to the undeniably modern. Fans of 2001: A Space Odyssey will get a Jupiter-sized kick out of the Tubor monolith radiator, a stunning reflective slab of black that pumps 500 Watts of heat into the room and even tells you the time (with glowing numbers reminiscent of Fox’s 24). The vertical model on the right - part of Caleido‘s wide range of ultra-modern radiators – doubles nicely as a completely convincing full-length mirror.

(Images via: Accuro-Korle and Scirocco)

Now, what to make of Accuro-Korle’s twisting helix of heated metal? The Ecstacy certainly looks impressive (and apparntly keeps their skilled craftsmen busy for the best part of a month) but let us be blunt – $13,000? You would really have to have a thing for designer helixes. The Shanghai goes back to a more wall-hugging approach, choosing to buck convention in its own way by having a metal cat’s cradle of a main body.

(Images via: Gizmodo)

Now for an idea with real practical value. The Coiled Radiator is a radiator crossed with a garden hose – a metal-covered rope that you can snake along any wall or into any corner of the room you choose. Why nobody has thought of this before is beyond us, but the main thing is that someone now has. May it snake absolutely everywhere.

(Images via: Antrax and MoCo Loco and design boom)

And now for more radiators that aren’t just for show. These examples have one mission above all – to dry things. The Scaldasalviette Scala is a sturdy clothes-horse with warm water running through it (and we say that admiringly). The Sbox wants to be pride of place for your towels, and achieves it by being the only heated shelf in the house. But for designer brilliance (to an award-winning standard), the Archibald beats them all by being a vertical array of six internally-heated coat hangers – with the added bonus that gravity should be doing most of your ironing for you.

(Images via: design boom and feline frenzy and Wild Wind Siamese)

Pets love radiators. If only they were a little more…comfortable (as the kitty on the bottom right must be thinking). There are two ways to meet this challenge – by designing a way to get pets comfortably close to the heat, as with the Radiator Bed pictured – or to redesign the radiator itself. The Fedora contains a recess for a felt basket – perfect for warming your feet, if your cat hadn’t just leapt in to stake its claim.

(Images via: CubeMe)

Who hasn’t wondered if you could cook an egg on a radiator? As anyone will know who has tried, radiators don’t make good frying pans – but in the case of the Ray, they do make great ovens. This highly efficient radiator will cook your food and heat your room, blurring the line between kitchen and dining room in a delightfully lazy way.

(Images via: Yanko Design)

And if it’s cold outside and you really cannot bear to leave all this toe-curling warmth behind – take your radiator with you. Radiator On The Go is a framework of metal hollows containing cushion-wrapped aluminium blocks. When you’re leaving the room, grab a block to keep you warm, like a hot-water bottle – or pop one against the wall of your backpack before you brave the worst that Mother Nature can throw at you.

WANT TO ENJOY the food on these 13 Floated Restaurants?

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:38:00 +0000

From massive illuminated Chinese restaurants to cute little BBQ tables for ten, these 14 floating restaurants make smart use of available space and turn the dining experience into something of an adventure on the sea.

Jumbo Floating Restaurant, Hong Kong

(images via: wikimedia commons)

One of Hong Kong’s biggest attractions, the Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant sites within the city’s Aberdeen Harbour and has hosted the likes of Queen Elizabeth II and John Wayne. Though it began as a relatively humble floating restaurant in the ’70s, a 2003 renovation basically turned it into a theme park with sightseeing, shopping and cultural attractions.

BBQ Donut’s Floating Restaurant Tables, Germany

(images via: bbq-donut.de)

Germany’s BBQ Donut restaurant is definitely one-of-a-kind. First of all, its floating tables, which have seating for ten, make smart use of water space and are quite a novelty draw. At the center of each of these tables is a BBQ that turns into a picnic table. Each floating pod has its own built-in sound system and even silent electric propulsion so it can cruise around.

The Salt & Sill Restaurant & Hotel, Sweden

(images via: salt to sill)

The Salt & Sill is a minimalist 23-room barge that also serves as a top-notch seafood restaurant specializing in herring and fresh local produce. All 23 rooms have their own outdoor seating areas, but the hotel’s sole suite has an extra-enticing benefit: a private roof-top jacuzzi. The hotel’s location on the lake, by the way, is not a gimmick: the adjacent land simply didn’t have any room.

Sea Palace, Amsterdam

(images via: jylcat, hotel belga)

The ornate Sea Palace is Europe’s first floating Chinese restaurant, and is located near Central Station in Amsterdam. Its pagoda-style exterior is definitely not a sight you would expect to see in Amsterdam, but floating Chinese restaurants like Sea Palace are actually not uncommon in Europe.

Nusa Penida Island Floating Restaurant, Indonesia

(images via: nusaisland.wordpress.com)

Just off the small island of Nusa Penida, which is itself located near Indonesia’s Bali Island, is this cool-looking floating restaurant. The massive pontoon restaurant can be found just off Toya Pakeh beach.

Restaurants of Cat Ba Bay, Vietnam

(images via: phil_marion)

Vietnam’s Cat Ba Bay is home to several floating restaurants, which make for an interesting sight as they bob in the water alongside floating homes and fishing boats. Most of them are, of course, seafood restaurants.

Veli Lake Floating Restaurant, Trivandrum

(images via: skyscraper city)

This pretty floating restaurant can be found in Veli Lake in Trivandrum, India. The restaurant is connected to the mainland by a floating bridge.

Rustar Dhow Floating Restaurant, Dubai

(images via: rustardowboat.com)

Rustar Dhow is the world’s largest floating restaurant that actually cruises around instead of just staying in one place. It’s located in – of course – Dubai, where everything is bigger and more ornate than it is everywhere else in the world. The Rustar Dhow can carry up to 400 passengers at a time.

William Thornton Floating Bar & Restaurant, Norman Island

(images via: gogobot)

Anchored out in the water off Norman Island in the British Virgin Islands, ‘The Willy T’ is only accessible by boat. This floating bar and restaurant is known locally as one of the wildest ‘party barges’ in the area. It’s been in operation since 1985 and offers both lunch and dinner.

Petit Verdot at the Riviera on Vaal, South Africa

(images via: safari now)

The Petit Vardo floating restaurant is located adjacent to the Riviera on Vaal Hotel, which is in the Vaal River about 45 minutes from Johannesburg in South Africa. The barge is topped with an exposed dining deck, and the whole thing is illuminated at night like a giant floating lantern.

India’s Kettuvallam

(images via: noo)

In the Indian state of Kerala, beautiful houseboats with thatched roofs are a common sight floating on the water. Many of these luxury houseboats are open to tourists, who can come onboard and relax while enjoying a freshly cooked meal from the boat’s kitchen.

Tattershall Castle, London

(images via: wikimedia commons)

Moored in the River Thames in London, the PS Tatterhsall Castle is a former passenger and goods ferry built in 1934. During World War II, it was the first civil vessel to carry radar, but by 1973 the ship had run its course and was retired from service. Since 1981, it has been a popular bar and restaurant.

The Plastic Dining Room, Vancouver

(images via: inhabitat)

This lovely little floating dining room made by the School of Fish Foundation is held aloft by 1,672 plastic bottles. Made of reclaimed pinewood, the dining room serves an elegant six-course sustainable seafood menu catered by C Restaurant.

anti aging wrinkle cream

14 designed House which made to live!!!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:42:00 +0000

(Check out our complete collection of 70 Amazing Houses from Around the World.)

A house with a water view is a dream come true for house hunters and vacationers alike. The tranquil sound of lapping waves, the beauty of sunsets over the water, and the feeling of being in one’s own paradise retreat make beach houses and lake houses perennial favorites for everyday living and relaxing getaways. Sometimes, the proximity to the water inspires owners or architects to create homes that are truly unique masterpieces. Whether you will ever find any of these beach houses or lake houses for sale is another question entirely!

(images via: Docarmor.free.fr)

Castel Meur, also known as The House Between the Rocks or La Maison de Plougrescant, was built in 1861. It’s nestled between two natural granite pillars on the English Channel coast in Brittany, France. Those rocks and the waterside location make Castel Meur an extremely photogenic abode. The house became somewhat famous when postcards featuring a beautiful photograph of the property were sold in gift shops around the world. Unfortunately, tourists lacking respect for the residence have caused damage to the home and property, prompting the owner to prohibit commercial sale of images of the home.

(images via: e-Architect.co.uk)

This amazingly creative weekend beach getaway near Melbourne, Australia was dreamed up by McBride Charles Ryan Architects. The Australian firm based their design on the Klein bottle, a mathematical conceptual shape with no discernible interior and exterior sides. Although it sounds like an odd (not to mention impossible) concept for a home, they pulled it off brilliantly. The home’s black metal roof folds down in some places to change the shape of the home and form part of the exterior walls. The central courtyard and flexible living space make the occupants of this amazing house feel like they exist indoors and outdoors at the same time.

(images via: Robert Bruno)

Some of the most beautiful houses are the result of the owner’s direct involvement. So it is with Robert Bruno’s steel house, a creation that he’s been working on for more than three decades. The architectural sculptor began building his home near Lubbock, Texas in the mid-1970s. Today, its impressive form – part 1950s Chevy, part airplane, part sci-fi spaceship – rises tall above the surrounding landscape to give those inside a spectacular view of the nearby lake. The interior is reminiscent of a huge steel cave, filled with curves where one would expect angles.

(images via: Dome of a Home)

After a series of devastating hurricanes and tropical storms battered their home in the 1990s, Mark and Valerie Sigler decided that there must be a home design that would withstand the most severe Florida weather. Working with architect Jonathan Zimmerman, the Siglers brought their dome home to life. It’s a sturdy structure, but it also has its share of beauty and uniqueness. And if you’re ever in Pensacola Beach with $5600 a week to spare, the five-bedroom Dome of a Home is available for rent.

(image via: Queenodesign)

Although technically a block away from the beach and not right on it, these boat houses in Encinitas, California certainly embody the beach culture. Plus, the story behind how they got there is pretty interesting in itself. Entrepreneur and businessman Miles Minor Kellogg was ahead of his time in the 1910s and 1920s, building structures from recycled and reclaimed materials. After building a small silent movie theatre from the discarded top story of a hotel, Kellogg set his sights on building a home from reclaimed material. Since he’d always had an interest in boats, they became the focus of his project. He and his son, Miles Justin Kellogg, worked on the houses together until they were completed in the late 1920s. Recently, the Encinitas Preservation Society purchased the property on which the boats – now used as apartment buildings – sit.

(images via: Daily Mail)

This spectacular piece of architecture isn’t even built yet, but that didn’t bring down its price any. It recently sold for $14.4 million to an undisclosed buyer. The eco-friendly Orchid House, built on a lake in a privately-owned Cotswold (U.K.) nature reserve, is predicted to produce more energy than it uses. The house, which was designed by Sarah Featherstone, won’t be finished until approximately 2011. If the owners ever put it up for sale one has to wonder if anyone else would pay so much for something so strange.

(left image via: OaklandNative and right image via: San Diego Daily Photo)

The Mushroom House in the Black’s Beach area of La Jolla, California is one of those landscape features that you just get used to if you live nearby, but if you’re seeing it for the first time it strikes you as incredibly strange. Designed by Dale Naegle in the 1960s, the house was built for Sam Bell of Bell’s Potato Chips. The unusual design of the house was meant to withstand earthquakes and inclement weather, all while looking futuristic…well, futuristic for 1968, anyway.

(images via: Casa Pauline and Nathan Snider and BurlingameBarley)

We humans like a bit of adventure, as a rule. We drive fast, we hang glide, we even eat bacon with breakfast. But for the most adventurous among us, nothing is better than living in a dangerously precarious house. These houses are perched high on cliffs and mountains, giving their residents thrilling and, we would imagine, somewhat frightening views.

(image via: Bornemania)

Among the most famous of all cliff houses are the hanging houses of Cuenca in Spain. This ancient village found itself with a need to expand in the 18th Century. Instead of building out, they built up. The resulting buildings look like they will topple down into the ravine any day, but they are apparently quite stable. These clifftop homes are now a tourist attraction for the town.

(images via: Coolboom)

When the owners of this piece of cliffside real estate wanted to build a home here, the architects nearly wouldn’t take it on. The stunning finished product features panoramic views of the sea enhanced by the unique geometric architecture. Located in Australia, the view from this living space is not for the faint of heart. The owners have remarked that during a storm, it seems that the waves will simply wash the structure away.

(image via: Bzmch)

Italy is full of picturesque seaside villages, but Manarola, Cinque Terre is certainly one of the most precariously placed. It’s hard to say just how old this village is, but ancient Roman texts have been found which celebrated the wines produced there. Today, you can still enjoy strolls through the vineyards or a walk on the Via dell’Amore (Path of Love).

(image via: Jacob Metcalf)

Along the limestone cliffs of Bonifacio in Corsica are a number of precariously perched buildings that look to be at risk of collapse any day. But the buildings hold strong against the constant battering of the Mediterranean Sea, and Bonifacio is a popular tourist attraction. Although huge numbers of tourists flock to the island city every year, Bonifacio has somehow maintained its charm and its decidedly French atmosphere.

(Top image via: Peter Wolledge. Bottom images via: Sajith)

If you are hardy and adventurous enough to trek high into the Himalayas, you will eventually spot one of the most breathtaking monasteries in the world. Phuktal Monastery, home to the Gelug (or Yellow Hat) Buddhist monks, is only reachable by foot. It is built into the side of a cliff at the mouth of a cave and contains a natural spring. It is amazing that this structure has existed as long as it has, being constructed of mud bricks, stones, and sticks.

(image via: Ajuntament de Castellfollit de la Roca)

The tiny town of Castellfollit de la Roca takes up less than one square kilometer in Catalonia. The houses and other buildings are built right up to the edge of the cliff on which the town is situated. The basalt cliff was formed from ancient lava flows and is over 50 meters high and nearly a kilometer long. The spectacular vista is a favorite of photographers and painters everywhere.

(Top image via: JLBG. Bottom image via: Leo Palmer)

It would be impossible to gather a collection of precarious dwellings without a mention of the Meteora monasteries in Greece. Meteora translates literally to “hovering in the air.” They were built hundreds of years ago by monks who initially lived in caves in the area. During the times of Turkish invasions and occupation, the monks climbed higher and higher, finally building their monasteries atop the tall rocks. Although they were once accessible only by climbing the rock faces, the monasteries can now be reached by roads and steps.

FEEL By EYE & EAR :Amazing Audio System Design

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:47:00 +0000

Home speakers were once ugly, boxy things that you hid away from sight because they did nothing for your décor. But smart designers have been working to make the home audio speaker an attractive part of whatever room it’s in, and some of their designs are positively unbelievable.

The Grand Enigma

(image via: Dvice)

The Grand Enigma from Kharma may just look like a wall of speakers, but they’re a little more than that. Like, a million dollars more than that. Yes, the above setup is the world’s most expensive set of speakers, and there’s only one of its kind. You’d have to be a truly hard-core audiophile to drop a million bucks on a sound system.

Soundshelf

(images via: Technabob)

When you have a small space to work with, single-functionality items just won’t do. Everything in a small space should do at least double duty to maximize the area. These speakers/bookshelves do that in the most delightful way, by combining music, books and sweet design (three of our favorite things) while saving floor space. Created by Polish designers Witek Stefaniak and Anielka Zdanowicz, these awesome speakers are sadly only a concept for now.

Bandai Diorama Speaker

(image via: Akihabara News)

If your goal is to actually draw attention to your speakers rather than hide them, you couldn’t find a more perfect product. This limited-edition speaker from Bandai (of Power Rangers fame) features a very noticeable plastic model of 1955 Ginza on top. For about $2230, this is obviously the best choice for classy ladies and gentlemen everywhere.

Equalizer Speaker

(image via: I New Idea)

Let us go on record as saying that if these speakers ever became commercially available, we would walk barefoot over hot coals to get one. The familiar equalizer design lets you adjust the individual audio levels to your personal preference, and in a fun tactile way. Each slider is a speaker, lending a fantastic aesthetic quality to an otherwise sort of mundane activity.

Zimku Floor Speakers by Parrot

(image via: Wired)

Parrot is already known for their wireless headphones, but recently they branched out and joined forces with designer Philippe Starck to come up with these sophisticated-looking tower speakers. They are designed to be used in pairs and connect to each other wirelessly via Bluetooth. But even better is their wi-fi capability, making them able to stream music from your computer or cell phone. Or if you’d prefer, pop that iPhone or iPod onto the integrated dock. Their $1500 price tag suggests that you might want to be pretty serious about your music before lusting after the Zimku speakers.

Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus

(image via: Bowers & Wilkins)

The Bowers and Wilkins Nautilus has inspired countless designers all over the world to design a sleek, sexy speaker. But few even come close to the incredible stylishness and unbelievable sound quality of the Nautilus. It’s a design classic, and one that continues to be on the wish list of every audiophile.

Serpent Wireless Speaker Design

(images via: Yanko Design)

Sometimes the best design is the simplest one. That’s certainly the case with Ben Wahrlich’s Serpent Speakers design. The wireless speakers wouldn’t be big enough for a whole-room listening experience, but they would make perfect computer speakers. The flexible bodies can bend into any configuration and stay put when you twist them up. They’re only a concept at this point, but it’s easy to imagine this simple, common-sense design popping up in stores soon.

Eclipse TD712zMK2

(image via: Tech Digest)

Despite the inscrutable and very forgettable name, the Eclipse TD7127MK2 speakers show off a memorable design. They look a bit like tiny jet engines stuck atop two metal poles. And they bear other similarities to jet engines: namely, their price and size. A pair of these will set you back about $10,000, and each speaker weighs in at around 55 pounds.

Imu Vibrating Speaker

(image via: Gadgetshop)

While the design looks a little NSFW-ish, the Imu’s product page gives a pretty enticing description. It claims that, due to a magical Navy substance called Terfenol-D, this little device can turn any hard, flat surface into a speaker.

Yorozu Sound Revolution Kit

(images via: Japan Trend Shop)

The Yorozu Sound Revolution Audio Kit works on a similar principle, and claims to be able to turn just about any flat surface into a speaker. It comes with a milk carton-shaped box to start you out. After that, it’s up to you to start sticking the little conductor onto anything and everything in reach.

Body Speakers

(image via: Like Cool)

If the Imu wasn’t quite suggestive enough for you, the Body Speakers from Bob Turek just might be. The designer wanted to put music into a new context, and he succeeded admirably. Now if we could just stop blushing long enough to plug this cord in…

JVC Sound Garden

(image via: Engadget)

Music and gardening are both relaxing on their own, so why not combine them? This speaker concept was seen at the Designer’s Week competition in Tokyo, and combines a multi-directional speaker with a small planter. The units can be joined up to form a speaker array/garden that ultimately seems pretty dangerous, given the electricity + water equation.

Harman Kardon Soundstick II

(image via: Harman Kardon)

When it comes to speakers, excellent sound is one thing; when it’s accompanied by superior design you get even more enjoyment from your music. The Soundstick II system sounds amazing, but the sleek and curvy design actually makes it look good on your tabletop or desk. The clear acrylic subwoofer and satellite speakers feature blue LEDs to give them an almost ethereal look, and the system features minimal wiring to keep your desk clutter under control.

Audi-Inspired Sonic Rings

(image via: MadeByMakers)

Young Danish design firm Made By Makers held an internal workshop to see what innovative new speaker ideas they could think up on three days. One of the designs was this doughnut-shaped surround-sound speaker that was inspired by the Audi logo. The idea is that you pick up a wireless ring and take it with you to enhance your surround sound experience wherever you are in the room.

Brionvega Radiofonografio

(image via: The Cool Hunter)

When the original Radiofonografio was invented in 1965 by the Castiglioni brothers, it was a marvel of modern music. A radio, record player and amplifier all in one sleek, attractive package revolutionized the way the world thinks about audio. Now, Brionvega has reinvented the landmark piece by updating its appearance somewhat and adding a CD/DVD player. Luckily, they kept the “friendly robot” look.

Altec Lansing OMNI

(image via: Yanko Design)

Although these gorgeous speakers are just a concept, we can easily picture them in an ultra-modern home design. They look like tall decorative vases, but the tops of the objects actually have cone-shaped speakers in them, allowing them to distribute sound in all directions.

Neil Poulton’s USB-Powered Speakers

(image via: A + R Store)

Well-designed and affordable computer speakers are very hard to come by, but this set manages to do both pretty nicely. The design is simple and streamlined (they look like steam vents!), with no overly ornate bits to get in the way of killer sound. And at just $66, you won’t be afraid to actually use them.

Davone Rithm

(image via: Gear Crave)

The graceful curves of the Davone Rithm speakers bring to mind fine instruments, and indeed they were crafted with the same painstaking care of a top-shelf violin. The many layers of pressed wood are carefully molded into the fluid shape of the cabinet which acts as an effective sound damper. Inside the cabinet, the tweeter is actually inside the woofer, giving a clean, uniform sound for both high and low frequencies.

JBL Control Now

(images via: Amazon)

Any audiophile knows that flexibility is a huge plus when you’re setting up your home sound system. Being able to move and combine components is the main idea behind the JBL Control Now line, which lets you mount speakers pretty much anywhere. The quarter-circle speakers work well alone, but you can also use them in custom arrays of up to four.

Sound Seed

(image via: DesignBoom)

Sound Seed, designed by Richard Hunt, takes everyone’s biggest speaker complaint and turns it into an asset. The design uses the power cord, usually an unsightly tail that combines with others to take up half of a room, to suspend the speakers gracefully. They float in mid-air and can be positioned at ear level to get just the right sound without taking up any precious floor space.

The Wailers

(image via: John Caswell Design)

If you tend to listen to woeful emo or screaming metal, why not have the speakers to match? These adorable ceramic speakers, designed by John Caswell, look like they’re singing (or wailing) your music to you.

Panasonic SC-ZT1

(image via: CNet)

Panasonic’s new wireless speaker design (unveiled at CES 2009) has interior decorating enthusiasts sitting on the edge of their seats. The surround-sound system features four elegant towers instead of the usual boxy speakers to deliver 4.0 surround sound in a much less cluttered fashion. Because of the system’s lack of a separate subwoofer and the limitations of only four speakers, this can’t be called a true audiophile’s surround sound system. But for all of those households that have been holding out on surround sound because of the ugly wires and speakers involved, it may be just the thing to catapult them into a higher plane of listening pleasure.

Jabra Wireless Bluetooth Headset/Speaker

(image via: Engadget)

Ok, so maybe including this design in a list of home speakers is cheating just a little. After all, these are mostly for personal use. But this amazing contraption goes from personal headphones to desk speakers to bluetooth headset, making it a completely versatile gadget to have around. We can’t imagine the sound quality in speaker mode would be the best you’ve ever heard, but the convenience factor makes them attractive nonetheless.

Proclaim Audio DMT-100

(images via: Proclaim Audioworks)

These bizarre-looking sound pods are actually carefully engineered to bring you the best sound experience. The spherical shape is intended to control the acoustics of the sound more than the room in which they sit, and their special stand lets you position the upper speakers in the best place for your particular needs. And you can always pretend they’re alien eyes watching you go about your business.

Cabasse La Sphere

(image via: Stereophile)

For the best and creepiest alien eye speaker experience, though, you’d be better off with the Cabasse La Sphere. The giant ball looks like a terrifying watchful eye that’s just waiting for you to do something laser-worthy. It reportedly sounds pretty good, but for the whole system you’ll end up dropping $165,000, which is just a touch more than most people care to spend just to be scared in their own home.

Symbio Designs Alpha Speaker

(image via: Symbio Designs)

The original design of the Symbio Alpha heavily favored form over function, but after a positive reception by everyone who saw these strange objects, the team decided to go back to the drawing board for the speaker components. They came up with a technical profile that matches the beauty of the speakers’ physical form, making the Alpha a truly desirable object for both music lovers and art lovers.

Xount

(image via: Engadget)

Put this speaker into a room and ask your friends if they can tell where your music is coming from. Chances are they’ll never suspect the stylish lamp sitting over in the corner (unless they actually listen for the source, of course). The Xount uses flat speaker technology to deliver smooth, even sound throughout the room. If you aren’t satisfied with sophisticated white, there are also several covers available to let you change the appearance of your lamp/speaker.

Nendo Music Cage

(image via: Dvice)

Insert appropriate “tweeter”, “for the birds,” or “caged bird singing” joke here. This bird cage is actually a speaker which can be set on a tabletop or hung from the ceiling. Either way, it’s a lovely, retro way to disguise your speaker while keeping it right out in the open.

X-Mini iHome Capsule Speaker

(image via: ThinkGeek)

If you like to take your music with you around the house or to the office, a good portable speaker is essential but hard to find. The X-Mini is surprisingly robust for such a tiny speaker, and when you expand the body it gives a respectable amount of bass. It’s rechargeable via USB and will go almost 8 hours on a single charge, meaning you can annoy everyone at work with obnoxious Christmas songs all day long.

Artcoustic Canvas Speakers

(image via: Artcoustic)

For the ultimate hidden speaker, you can’t do better than these art-covered speakers from Artcoustic. The company offers high quality speakers disguised as artwork, so you can hang your speakers on the wall right next to your TV and not have to cringe every time you see them.

Ferguson Hill FH001

(images via: Ferguson Hill)

On the completely opposite end of the spectrum are some of the most conspicuous home speakers ever. These giant acrylic horns will likely take up most of your living space, but they will sound terrific while doing it. Their $16,000 price tag makes them even more conspicuous, though Ferguson Hill does have a slightly smaller set for a more reasonable $600 or so.

Woofer Speakers

(images via: Generate)

If you like everything about dogs except for the part of them that makes noise, or if you want to send a rather horrific message to the dog lover in your life, you might enjoy the Woofer speaker system designed by Sander Mulder. The rest of us are a little creeped out by them. A set of two headless dogs will run you a little over $1400, so we hope you’re really committed to whatever statement you’re trying to make.

Sound Bulb

(image via: Yanko Design)

Whether or not the technology exists to actually make this design possible is beside the point. It’s an awesome idea for combining two common household items: the light bulb and the speaker. We can see this being a great design for a dorm room or other ultra-crowded space, or for torture rooms where the goal is to drive your captive mad with Spongebob music (we saw that on an episode of Law and Order).

Freewheeler Rolling Outdoor Speaker

(image via: Technabob)

Technabob says of this hefty speaker that it “looks like a tire [and is] priced like a car.” We couldn’t have said it better. The Freewheeler was designed by Rod Arad and Frances Pellisari to be a durable, rolling speaker that you can take outdoors with you, presumably so you don’t miss a beat of Jimmy Buffett while roving between kitchen and patio, refilling your margarita glass. For $21,000, though, we’d rather just buy a whole lot more margarita mix. Or a new patio.

360 Degree Speaker

(image via: Pieter Maes)

There isn’t a lot of information available about this speaker concept, designed by Pieter Maes, but its simple, intuitive design is irresistible. The designer says that the speaker cones are attached to a spider-like structure which is invisible from the outside. We can picture several of these hanging from the ceiling, providing a whimsical kind of decoration while filling your house with sound.

Dragon Speakers

(image via: Axelsson)

These Dragon Speakers from Axelsson Design don’t hide the nature of the speakers, but they also don’t skimp on style. We love the fabulous colorful resin shaped like a fierce dragon. The kitschy design is small enough to fit on a bookshelf, so you don’t have to worry about it taking up too much space.

Aura by Paul Scarfe

(images via: Yanko Design)

This innovative speaker concept from designer Paul Scarfe takes the classic audio-enhancing cone and pairs it with the sound-magnifying ability of glass to create a unique new speaker. The treble output is through the top, and the bass erupts from the bottom. As lovely as this ornamental speaker is, if you owned it you would probably hear visitors constantly wondering aloud why your blender is in your living room.

Ice Cream Sundaes

(image via: SG Custom Sound)

These are truly the most bizarre speakers we’ve ever seen. Designed to look like giant ice cream sundaes, these speakers from SG Custom Sound will set you back a cool $1250 per pair. We can actually see these looking pretty sweet on the counter of a diner.

Pea Speaker System

(image via: Yanko Design)

For people who like to share their music, the Pea Speaker System concept is a creative way to give several friends a song. Each of the little “peas” is a separate Bluetooth speaker. They all have to stay within range of the home unit, of course, and they won’t work as surround sound, but this concept looks like a fun way to fill a room with music without all of those nasty speaker cords.

Sound e-Motion

(image via: Sound e-Motion)

We’re suckers for beautiful rich-sounding wooden speakers, and that’s exactly what Sound e-Motion delivers. The gorgeous wooden cabinets give a deep concert hall sound that can’t be matched by resin cabinets. The spherical shape is said to give better acoustics than any other speaker shape. We just think it makes them look nifty.

15 piece of Most Amazing Houses in the World

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:11:00 +0000

15 piece of Most Amazing Houses in the World

Little boxes on the hillside aren’t for everyone. While some people might be content with a cookie-cutter home in a bland suburban neighborhood, others create truly one-of-a-kind homes with incredibly imaginative shapes and materials.

Bart Prince House – Albuquerque, New Mexico

(images via: BartPrince.com)

Architect Bart Prince is renowned for his incredibly creative approach to designing structures. The homes he has created look nothing like the boxy houses you and I live in; they’re quirky, they’re organic, and they’re most definitely one-of-a-kind. Prince says his designs start from the inside out, and that every home he builds has an idea behind it. Pictured are Prince’s own home in Albuquerque (top) and the Seymour residence in Los Altos, California.

Dar al Hajar – Yemen

(images via: Travel Adventures)

This striking rock palace is not a hotel or a museum. It’s not even a primary residence. Dar al Hajar was built as a ‘summer home’ by Imam Yahya in the 1930s, and it’s a stunning example of rock-cut architecture. Standing at the base of this imposing structure, you have to crane your neck to see the top. The palace has since been restored so that visitors can buy a ticket and get a breathtaking 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape.

Bubble House – Tourettes-sur-Loup, France

(image via: Wikimedia Commons + Freaky Martin)

The ‘bubble house’ of Tourrettes-sur-Loup, France, is only 35 years old and has yet to be finished, but that hasn’t stopped the French ministry of culture from listing it as a historic monument. Designed in the 70s by Hungarian architect Antti Lovag for fashion designer Pierre Cardin, the bubble house is futuristic yet organic, with lots of built-in furniture and oval, convex windows. The design is meant to take optimal advantage of the volcanic Côte d’Azur landscape, and its windows certainly provide a beautiful view of the Mediterranean.

Wooden Skyscraper – Arkhangelsk, Russia

(images via: The Telegraph + English Russia)

Nikolai Sutyagin, a former gangster, began building this ‘wooden skyscraper’ in Arkhangelsk, Russia with the intention of it being only a two-story building. But, a trip to see wooden houses in Japan and Norway convinced him that he hadn’t used roof space efficiently enough, so he kept building. “First I added three floors but then the house looked ungainly, like a mushroom,” he said. “So I added another and it still didn’t look right so I kept going. What you see today is a happy accident.” The multimillionaire became a pauper after his possessions were destroyed during a stint in prison, and the house is now decaying around him, but he still lives in the bottom floor with his wife.

The Upside-Down House – Szymbark, Poland

(images via: Fresh Home)

Polish businessman and philanthropist Daniel Czapiewski built The Upside Down House as a statement about the Communist era and the end of the world. It took 114 days to build because the workers were so disoriented by the angles of the walls. It certainly attracts its fair share of tourists to the tiny village of Szymbark, who often become dizzy and ‘seasick’ after just a few moments inside.

Hang Nga Villa – Dalat, Vietnam

(image via: Travel Blog)

Looking like something out of a child’s fairytale gone wrong, the bizarre-looking structure in Dalat, Vietnam was built by the daughter of Ho Chi Minh’s right-hand man. Madame Hang Nga created the Hang Nga Villa – now known simply as ‘Crazy House’ – to reflect her interest in art and architecture. Made of concrete, the house now serves as a restaurant and reception area for an adjacent French colonial-style hotel in a jolting contrast in architectural styles. The inside is said to be even stranger, with all the kitschy decor you can handle, including a giant eagle with red Christmas light eyes, “for the Americans”.

Toilet-Shaped House – Suweon, South Korea

(images via: Reuters)

The world’s one and only toilet-shaped house was built to mark the launch of the World Toilet Association, a campaign for more sanitary restrooms worldwide. Sim Jae-Duck, nicknamed “Mayor Toilet”, had the 4,508-square-foot concrete and glass structure built in his native city of Suweon, South Korea. At the center of the home is a glass-walled “showcase loo” that produces mist to make users feel more secure. Sim, who was born into a toilet and has made clean restrooms his life’s work, now lives in the home.

Eliphante & Hippodome – Cornville, Arizona

(images via: Apartment Therapy)

Called the ‘Eliphante house’ for the look of its entrance, this sculptural home was created by artist Michael Kahn and his wife Leda Livant with found materials over a period of 28 years. Eliphante and several outbuildings occupy 3 acres of land and incorporate rocks and scraps from construction sites. There was never any kind of floor plan for Eliphante – it just sort of evolved. Ms. Livant’s residence on the property is the ‘Hippodome’, a mosaic-covered creation that looks like a hippo emerging from a lake.

Inversion House – Houston, Texas

(images via: Flickr user Kevin O’Mara)

When two old studio buildings owned by The Art League in Houston were set to be demolished, they decided to take the opportunity to turn them into a temporary art installation. Artists Dan Havel and Dean Ruck sculpturally altered the two buildings, peeling off the exterior siding of the front building to simulate the appearance of a funnel-like vortex. The opening was actually a tiny hallway (only kids could fit through it) that passed through the two structures and emptied out into an adjacent courtyard.

Shoe House - South Africa

(images via: LukeCole.com)

The ‘shoe house’ of South Africa is the work of artist and hotelier Ron Van Zyl, who built it for his wife Yvonne in 1990. The shoe houses a little museum of sorts, showcasing Van Zyl’s wood carvings. The shoe is part of a complex that includes an eight-chalet guest house, camp site, restaurant, pool and bar.

Mushroom House – Cincinnati, Ohio

(images via: Agility Nut)

Architect Terry Brown created this much-maligned ‘mushroom house’, an unusual piece of architecture situated in a rather upscale area of Cincinnati. Brown’s architectural style developed when he began experimenting with materials like wood, colored glass, shell, ceramics and various metals to create irregular shapes that mimic those found in nature. A professor of architecture and interior design at the University of Cincinnati, Brown frequently had to defend the unique design of the house against complaints by neighbors before passing away in 2008.

Floating House – Ukraine

(images via: Aphasia Design)

An optical illusion? Trick of Photoshop? Nobody really seems to know much about this supposed ‘floating barn’ which was reportedly located in Ukraine and may or may not still be standing. Cantilevered barns do exist – mostly in the Appalachian region of the United States – but usually aren’t quite this dramatic looking. Real or fake, it’s certainly pretty striking.

Space House – Signal Mountain, Tennessee

(image via: Coast to Coast AM)

The ‘Space House’ in Signal Mountain, Tennessee was built by Curtis King and his sons in the 1970s and is quite a draw for curiosity seekers in the area, who have been filing by and taking photos for decades. Six concrete support pillars look like landing gear beneath the main part of the building. The Space House sold on the auction block in March 2008 but the buyer defaulted, so it’s being offered for “whatever the public is willing to pay” on December 14th.

Crooked House – Sopot, Poland

(image via: The World According to Google)

From Poland comes another interesting building, the ‘Crooked House’. The design was inspired by the drawings of Polish artists Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg, which have a whimsical and Dali-esque feel. It’s not actually a house – it’s part of a shopping complex. But, it’s very cool all the same, with its surreal angles and blue-green glass.

Hundertwasser Haus – Vienna, Austria

(images via: Wikipedia)

Austrian artist Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser may not be well known across most of the world, but anyone who has visited Vienna knows of his iconic creation, the Hundertwasser Haus. It’s an apartment complex characterized by patchwork paint, undulating floors, the incorporation of vegetation and a façade with seemingly no rhyme or reason to its structure. Hundertwasser reportedly took no payment for designing it, considering it a public service to prevent something ugly going up in its place.

Fabulous Designed Fireplace ... Beautiful!!!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:43:00 +0000

Fabulous Designed Fireplace ... Beautiful!

A fireplace … that is a box against the wall, connected to a chimney, which gives off smoke and can burn your house down, right? These examples defy that conventional understanding in all kinds of ways – some burn alternative fuels (including water!) while others hang from the ceiling, fit in a car or can be taken with you for fires-on-the-go.

From Sikken, this fireplace is like a high-grade modular Ikea wonder – the metal fireplace-and-firewood two-in-one (with a convent drawer drawer for fireplace accessories in between) can be added to in all kinds of creative ways with additional shelves, drawers and surface spaces to store all kinds of peripherals and fill up the wall you have reserved for a fireplace.

Anne Colombo has taken fireplace styling to new heights, toying with modern materials and postmodern shapes to capture, diffuse, reflect and transform firelight from burning fires in all kinds of creative and novel ways. This is just a sampling of her creative fireplace design work.

Perfect for showing off in the middle of winter, this built-in Hummer fireplace is the ultimate in unnecessary American luxury. The snow-sports-and-Santa-themed Hummer also comes complete with a color-matched snowmobile, storage for your winter ski-and-snowboard gear, but alas not the lovely lady shown in the images above.

It has been said that in contemporary culture the role of the fireplace – as being the central focus in family gatherings – has been slowly replaced by the television. Well, these fireplaces are fighting fire with fire so to speak, competing aesthetically with the modern iconic television-style box.

Not everyone has an interior design configured to accommodate the introduction of a wall hanging, mounted or even wall-adjacent fireplace. Others might simply enjoy the style of a space-ship-like fireplace platform or luminous orb dangling gracefully from their ceiling above.

Something old, something new, something burning and metal too. Taking the iconic form of the primitive fire – two sticks crossed and burning – this reinvented classic fireplace configuration is nonetheless completely cutting edge in the execution of its form and style.

With all of our modern technology, is it any wonder that someone has figured out a way to make fire from water? Yes, you read that right, the Aqueon fireplace by Heat & Glo actually transforms ordinary tap water into burning fire right before your eyes. The system separates hydrogen from oxygen and burns them both – the former for fuel and the latter for color and brightness. Of course, using water to make fire has the fringe benefit of reducing harmful emissions and negating the need for any kind of flue, hood or other fire venting system.

Fireplaces do not have to be the static, central and fixed furnishing they once were. In fact, some fireplaces can hide in plain sight as low-lying dressers/tables or can even be moved around like an old LP player for use indoors and out – such as the ones by Schulte shown here.

For people who prefer to still keep their fireplace as a middle-of-the-house meeting place, these lovely metal fireplace designs make a subtle but remarkable statement against many backdrops – but may also take over the aesthetic of a room. Though this one is their headline-making fireplace design, there are other creative-but-elegant ones from Arkiane as well.

One of many wall-mounted fireplace designs from Saffreti, this particular creation elegantly slots into any space made available on one’s wall. Because it burns clean fuel directly poured into its housing, it does not require any special hookups, venting or other treatments.

For fans of hi-tech gadgets there are also a number of creative fireplace designs to choose from – though some enjoy only limited production runs as they simply cost too much or target too small of a market. Above are just a few examples of fireplaces integrated with everything from televisions with full music systems to outdoor-enabled fireplace designs with iPod ports.

A fireplace is the historical absolute center of any home – the place the supplies light, heat and a focus for family or community even in the darkest and coldest of winter days. From portable suitcase fireplaces and rotating remote-control ones to coffee table, bookcase and other multifunctional designs, here are thirty incredible fireplaces fit for the heart of any modern home.

Need fire on the go? The Travelmate Fireplace Suitcase slices, it dices … OK, it does neither of those but it does provide the potential for romance on-the-go, weighing just 55 pounds and powered by eco-friendly bio-ethanol. The flame will last up to 3 hours and the slick black case is weather-resistant, working just as well outdoors as indoors.

Can’t take it with you? Th rotating Diva fireplace spins on an axis at your command – and even comes with an (optional) remote control so you can twirl it from afar. Leave it to German engineers to make a sleek, directional modern fireplace design that you can smoothly adjust to face you for extra light and warmth.

And if you really like getting up close and personal with your family room fireplace you may be interested in a Planika design – many of which are integrated with everything from glass side tables to granite, wood or steel coffee tables. While these may seem dubious in terms of their safety they are also compellingly central.

Greed for Quiet is a brilliantly simple concept with a remarkably elegant execution – connect people directly to the hearth of a home by connecting their chairs to the fireplace. The seats rotate around the central fire, allowing for various conversational configurations, while simultaneously all pointing toward the center.

EcoSmartFire has an extensive line of clean-burning fireplaces that require no fuel hookup and burn cleanly without a flue. They are open, stylish and versatile in a way few fireplaces have ever been before.

Why support a vase on a wall table or cover your coffee table with books or a fish tank when you can have your own ever-changing open flame to gaze at (the books can always go below)? These designs play with reflectivity, simplicity of materials and are easy to locate and relocate as needed as a small part of the larger collection of designs by Radius.

Not every brilliant fireplace design has to be highly central in your home. These elegant metal-and-glass various by Vauni are portable, beautiful and as adjustable as they need to be to serve their purpose. They can be put on the floor or elevated and are suited to most residential or even office spaces.

Elegant and cutting-edge also do not have to mean modern when it comes to fireplace designs. While fueled behind-the-scenes with modern and sustainable sources and fed through angular metal, the facades of these wonderful wall-mounted fireplaces are aesthetically anything but contemporary

It isn’t just a fireplace design that makes for a wonderful fire – the fire itself can be designed to twist and burn in different ways like the cyclonic fires shown above that spin and rise with internal air differentials. At thousands of dollars a pop these might be more fad than function, however.

Need to justify the expense of a fancy fireplace with additional functionality? These clever bookcase fireplaces double as handy storage while also providing a spacial center to and divider within a living room. They also come in a variety of finishes, from wood laminate to shiny metallic ones. For more multifunctional book strorage check out this creative modern and transforming bookcases and bookshelves.

INSPIRATION of TOILET??!! & it's Really EXPENSIVE!!!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 12:55:00 +0000

INSPIRATION of TOILET??!! & it's Really EXPENSIVE!!!

(Images via: MSN and Tension Not).

First up, some public toilet designs that you might see moving indoors sometime soon. This design by Monica Bonvicini uses one-way glass to create the unsettling illusion that you’re performing your ablutions in full view of the whole world. If you can fight down the feeling that surely somebody can see you with your pants round your ankles, it’s a fascinating (and deeply weird) way to watch the world go by.

(Images via: Spluch and John Chow).

But if a public convenience in full view is seen as a very public inconvenience, why not hide it away? These two toilets take up the challenge by using the y-axis to hide all sins. The toilet at top is normally stored underground, so all you can see is the scenic sculpture on its roof – but pop a coin (1 yuan, in this case) into the slot and hey presto, one toilet. (We’re presuming that it won’t sink down again while it’s still occupied). The Urilift is designed to meet the needs of boozy gentlemen weaving their way back home after an evening in their cups – during the day it looks like a manhole cover, but at night it twirls into view to present urinals in all directions.

(Image via: Whole Wheat Toast).

And for making sure that nobody takes your public toilet for granted? Okay, so this design is a spoof (at the Hunter’s Point Shipyard Studios, SF). But this is guaranteed to make any guy think twice about doing what comes naturally to him. A design that heightens awareness, shall we say.

(Image via: luxurygaze).

And if you want to want your toilet out of sight in your own home, here’s a classy-looking option. This Bench Toilet doubles as an elegant table, thanks to a sliding wood panel. (But there is a catch: it costs over $11,000 – so this is one for when you are really…er, flush).

(Images via: Yanko Design).

For a commode that you’d be proud to display in full view, have a look at Sung Hoon Mun’s Cell toilet. Its polished surface and fashionably curving lines make it look like it was designed within the supercar industry…and under the hood – I mean lid – you would be surprised to find that it doesn’t require a tank, hence the unusually ground-hugging egg shape.

(Images via: Pinny Cohen and Diamond Vues).

So now for toilets that take things a little too far. On the left, the winningly-named Pimped Out John, sporting a frankly ludicrous array of modifications including a laptop, a gaming console, TiVo, a fully-stocked refrigerator and even some exercise pedals to help you lose weight while you…lose weight. This is a one-off item and not available in the stores, and frankly we are glad of it (imagine the effect it would have on kids that already hog the bathroom in the morning). Another distinctly noncommercial example is the Isis toilet, which shimmers because it is studded with $75,000 of crystals. On a practical note, I bet it gets cold in the winter.

(Images via: Propelair and Cooler Solutions Inc.).

The house of tomorrow will hoard its precious water. There are already methods in development to use kitchen sink grey water to flush toilets, but until they’re part of a designer’s standard toolkit, it would be sensible to cap the amount of water available without detracting from the unit’s function. This is what Propelair aims to do – by sealing the bowl and pushing air through it, it uses just 1.5 litres for a full flush (around 80% less than the standard). The Dignity toilet provides a sanitary alternative to a regular water supply in drought conditions – it holds its contents hygienically for a week, and then the top is undocked, augered into the ground in a safe spot, and opened.

(Image via: Collections Etc.).

BAD boy.You know how pets do that really disgusting thing with the drinking of the water in the toilet? This toilet-themes dog water bowl has us in two minds: obviously dogs will love it, and the design makes good sense (automatically refilling as it empties). But isn’t it teaching your dog to drink out the toilet? If you have given up trying to dissuade Fido from his disturbing habits, this is a practical way to concede defeat.

(Image via: Yanko Design).

And while we’re talking about items that give the wrong message – how about a toilet seat that tells you exactly how much weight you’re losing? That is precisely what the Toilet Seat Scale does (precisely). People with a weight micro-management problem form an unhealthy queue here, please.

(Images via: Spluch and Freshome).

So we are agreed – toilets can look great. But would you want to live in one? For South Korean Sim Jae-Duck, chairman of the World Toilet Association, the answer is a firm “Yes” – or at least, a house that looks like one until you go inside and see the luxury on offer. This stunning example of ultra-modern designwork (with a touch of eccentricity) is advertised as “a place of sanctuary” – just like its humbler counterpart.

(Image via: The Register).

But if you think a house-sized toilet is faintly ludicrous – what about this building? Could this be the world’s most monstrous porcelain throne – and why?

World’s Most Expensive Toilets and Washrooms

NASA – $19,000,000

NASA announced on July 3, 2007 it they would be investing $19 million on a Russian-design toilet system to be installed on the American side of the International Space Station. Previously, Americans had been using the same toilet system on the Russian side of the space station. What makes this toilet special? All things considered, perhaps the price tag is justified. The toilet comes with leg braces that help position astronauts while they do their business, while the system uses fans to suck everything into a septic tank where it uses a three-step filtration process to make all waste water into extremely pure drinking water. Considering that sending water into space with the astronauts is a very expensive proposition, and that designing a system like this from scratch would’ve cost more, NASA seems to have taken the economical route.

3D Gold Washroom and Toilet – $5,800,000

Built by Hong Kong’s Hang Fung Gold Technology Group in 2001 and located in their “Hall of Gold”, this toilet, called “The World’s Most Expensive Gold and Jewelry Sparkling Environmental Friendly Washroom” is not for public use. Instead it is meant to be a tourist attraction, used to showcase the ‘technological brilliance’ of the company. Among the treasures in the washroom is a solid gold telephone, sink, 24-carat solid gold toilet, and much more. Unfortunately visitors cannot see the washroom anymore after the owner died suddenly earlier this year and the company and his family were embroiled in a huge scandal (watch the video above while you can).

Shanghai’s Moon River Art Park Toilet – $602,000

(source: monkey_king)

Though the park has other nearby toilets, visitors have in some cases waited hours to visit this one. And even though the park authorities spent 5 million yuan on its construction, the toilet itself is obscured in a man-made cave surrounded by trees and flowers. Having become somewhat of a legend in the community, visitors come not with expectations of grandeur, but curiosity about what the all the money was spent on. According to the park’s marketing manager, the toilet, housed inside the man-made cave, is decorated like a grotto with stalactite-like water faucets. Certainly not the most luxurious toilet in the city, agrees the founder of the park, but perhaps one of the more artistic ones.

“Dagobert” Wooden Toilet Throne – $14,123

Built completely from ash wood and decorated with hand painted designs inspired by Dagobert, the last ruler of the 8th-century Merovingian dynasty, this wooden throne toilet literally goes ‘medieval on your ass’. As you raise the lid of your throne, the music to ‘Le Bon Roi Dagobert’ plays, helping you ease into position, and in true medieval fashion the flush is activated by the pull of a chain.

Toto Neorest 600 – $5,800

While still not affordable by most of us average people, the Toto Neorest 600 is possible the most ‘value for money’ on this list. At $5,800 for the toilet, it comes with some truly amazing and innovative features including: automatic hands-free lid opening and closing, heated seat, automatic and remote hands-free flush, automatic and self-cleansing system, water conserving dual-flush mode, warm air drier, and air purifier. With all those features and more, not only does the toilet start to sound like a great investment, but the company’s tagline, “calling it a ‘toilet’ is too limiting” also starts to ring true.

Illusions!!! Oh no its Architectural Designs!!!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 05:11:00 +0000

Illusions!!! Oh no its Architectural Designs!!!

As architects struggle to balance aesthetic appeal with practical considerations, many are finding the best way to create bold, interesting, even mind-bending features is through the use of optical illusions. In effect, our own eyes are being used against us - and nobody’s complaining about the results!

(image via: Sacred Sites)

The use of optical illusions in architecture isn’t new; in fact one of the most outstanding examples is the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, constructed over 25 centuries ago. Curiously, the many subtle techniques (called entasis) used by the Parthenon’s architects don’t make the structure look like something it isn’t - instead, they correct the viewer’s perceptions so that the temple looks as it should. Slightly wider corner columns, pillars that curve inwards and a floor that is 6 cm (2.4 inches) higher at its center all conspire to give the Parthenon an enduring beauty that is evident even in its current state.

(image via: Allposters)

Architects of the Classic Era worked mainly in stone, and the ancient Romans applied newly discovered knowledge of optics and perspective to create the amazing optical illusion mosaic floors shown above.

(image via: Travelblog and ASL)

The Middle Ages and the Renaissance saw a rebirth of science, art and design as epitomized in the magnificent paintings of Leonardo da Vinci and Michaelangelo. Their influence was (and is) felt around the globe, as seen in the floor of Saltas cathedral in Argentina (above left) and the painted floor of Tokyo’s Sunshine City shopping center (above right).

(image via: Patricia’s Palette)

Modern architects often use traditional forms and styles as a starting point, then warp them to create something new that - either amusingly or disturbingly - puts a new twist on what we expect to see. The so-called Melting Building, created by artist Peter Delavie for France’s Athem Co., is actually made from tarpaulins draped over the sides of a Paris building under construction.

(image via: Athem)

Here is another of Athem’s buildings, this one after completion. A clever mix of inorganic stone and organic greenery softens the sever outlines of the structure while adding a note of whimsy.

(image via: Martin Winer and SquidVids)

The late M.C. Escher was widely known for his curious paintings and drawings that played with perspective in unusual ways, yet still conformed to mathematical theories. Many of these depicted “impossible” buildings and architecture, with some better known examples shown above.

(image via: New Optical Illusions)

Even The Simpsons have gotten in on M.C. Escher’s act!

(image via: Bergoiata)

Andrew Lipson is an obvious admirer of M.C. Escher and he shows it in his accurate as possible renderings, in Lego bricks, of many of Escher’s impossible structures such as Belvedere above.

(image via: Uwe Hermann, Enigmatico and New Media Designer)

Some architects have taken M.C. Escher’s unspoken challenge and have tried to create actual structures which reflect the late artist’s virtual reality. Examples of these include, clockwise from above: Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, a pavilion by Aldo Benedetti and this ethereal Stairway to Nowhere - no connection to Sarah Palin.

(image via: Hot Homes of Utah, Point Click Home and Floridahome-rental)

Architects who seek less mind-bending architectural optical illusions simply turn the concept upside down… by turning the building upside down. Above are three examples, one from Japan (left) another from Poland which mocks the Communist era (right) and Orlando’s famous Wonderworks House (lower).

(image via: Prague Experience)

Eastern Europe boasts a surprising number of surprising buildings designed both before and after the fall of the Soviet Union and its associated regimes. One of the most famous is the Dancing House (Nationale-Nederlanden building) in Prague, Czech Republic. Built between 1992 and 1996 and designed by Vlado Milunc and Frank Gehry, the building houses one of Prague’s best restaurants on its top floor and gives visitors excellent riverside views of the city’s historic downtown.

(image via: Roy Lichtenstein Foundation)

When is a house not a house, even though it looks like a house? If you think you’re confused now, try visiting the Roy Lichtenstein House. There are actually two of these intriguing structures: a fiberglass structure from 1997 located at LongHouse Reserve, East Hampton New York, and a painted aluminum version from 1998 located at the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden in Washington DC. Here’s a video illustrating what it would be like to walk around one of these odd houses:

The amazing Roy Lichtenstein House!

(image via: MTNWA)

Optical illusion architecture doesn’t have to take the form of a house, building or other such structure, as this intriguing walkway and associated installations in Athens, Greece so eloquently illustrate. Built for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games and designed by acclaimed artist/architect Santiago Calatrava, these structures interact with sunlight to create a complex panoply of light and shadow that fools the eye while soothing the mind.

(image via: Illusion King)

Our final and perhaps finest example of an optical illusion building is the Australian Customs Service building, located in Melbourne, AU, and completed in 2006. Each floor of the building is exactly the same height, yet the tessellation pattern of black & white rectangles separated by parallel orange lines gives quite a different impression. The building was designed to display the so-called Cafe Wall Illusion originally noted in 1979 following the completion of a café in Bristol, England. Hard to imagine enjoying a warm cuppa in the presence of that disturbing pattern!

When it comes down to it, optical illusion buildings allow developers to attract attention without the need for expensive construction techniques. Keeping the eye fooled can keep the bank account - and the buildings - filled.

Escher well know for his optical illusion works, mostly in paper, which is very much different from David Copperfield and David Blaine that perform optical illusion tricks. The image above is one of his masterpiece called waterfall.

Pictures of people supporting or leaning the Tower of Pisa is a everywhere. Its another type of optical illusion that captures our imagination

The person standing right in the room appears much bigger then the other standing left. Tricks like these are used in filming the movie Lord of the Rings. Go to frippy’s flickr ablum for examples of optical illusion in a room.

Illusion in architecture is nothing new, what do you see in this picture above? A wall made of stone columns, or do you see siluetes of few guys leaning one to another?

Optical illusions were first used by the Greeks. They built their temples so that the roof was slanted. This gave the illusion that the temple was actually standing straight. They also made the columns bulge so that from a distance they would look perfectly proportioned. In the course of history, people have encountered illusions in many ways. Many of these illusions appear in very common, everyday experiences.

Optical illusion can also be found in ancient floor texture, the image above is an example of pompeii’s pavement. A very good example of optical illusion would be the Library of Celsus was built on a narrow lot between existing buildings. Yet, the design of the library creates the effect of monumental size.

Designing a building requires the architect to play with the idea of optical illusion, creating spaces by fusing two or more spaces. The image above show the horizontal strip glazing between mirror panels turns the corner and becomes the reverse. A confusion of interior and exterior space. Good design tend to blend the interior with the exterior, fusing them together illusionally but not physically.

The so-called El Grifo Mágico, or Magic Tap, may be familiar though it’s more often seen in bars, as a seemingly endless flow from a beer can into a mug. This much larger version looks like something French surrealist Magritte might have painted, perhaps before taking a hot bath.

Artists like Felice Varini like to think big, and this installation is so vast it requires the aid of distance to complete the illusion. “Three Ellipses for Three Locks” in Cardiff, Wales, was completed in 2007 and proves that with a small amount of material - in this case, some yellow paint - something grand can emerge.

The piece is a classic “anamorphic illusion” in that to view Varini’s art as intended, one must be in a certain position where the sightlines can perfectly converge. Costing a mere $50,000, the work was one year in the planning stages yet took only two weeks to create.

Panya Clark Espinal is another artist who, like Varini, plays with perspective to distract and delight. Espinal’s work is showcased at the Bayview station of Toronto’s Sheppard subway line.

Here’s another shot of an Espinal piece in the Bayview station, this time with an obliging human on hand to put the piece into perspective, as it were.

1st DRINK than THINK!!!

event69@gmail.com (anandgupta) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:52:00 +0000

1st DRINK than THINK!!!

Who said a mug should do nothing more than hold your morning beverage of choice? Part one of this collection introduced some unique yet practical mugs, and this installment continues that discussion with 11 more. These innovative coffee and tea mugs help add some perk to your morning routine, and can prove as expressive and unique as you!

Brass Knuckles Mug

(source: thabto)

A strong cup of coffee needs an assertive cup to hold it! What better way to communicate to your boss and co-workers that you are in no mood for cheap conversation? The name “Mug” was inspired the word’s literal translation in Cockney slang, meaning, “fool.” Hit yourself hard each morning with the “Mug”.

Coffee Bean Mug

(source: rctaylorphotography)

This intriguing coffee mug makes a great project for any coffee enthusiast! Constructed by hand, a standard mug was carefully covered in coffee beans and glazed for appearance. This project can be recreated by anyone with some time and care. Simply choose a mug for a skeleton, a shade of coffee beans and begin carefully adhering them to the mug, attempting to remain true to the mug’s original shape. Before long, you’ll have a coffee mug that is sure to incite conversation wherever coffee is poured.

SmartMug Electronic Travel Mug

(soruce: amazon.com)

If you are tired of having to dump out half of your coffee because you simply can’t drink it all before it cools down, this mug could be the answer to your prayers. The SmartMug is an electronic travel mug that plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter and keeps your coffee hot at your specified temperature! Perfect for that long morning commute where traffic frequently causes your coffee (and you) to loose steam before you even get halfway to work. A digital screen displays the temperature and various other information. Lights on the mug alert you that your coffee is either heating or at the desired temperature. Its like taking your coffee maker’s hot plate on the go! Stay warmer, longer with the SmartMug.

Pantone Mugs

(Source: curlby)

Now here’s a collection of mugs to brighten up any morning! Those who work in the interior design field can now express their love for pantone colors with this collection of coffee mugs. Each mug is colored and coded with its corresponding pantone color specification. Use them as they relate to your current job or project. Bring the entire collection to your next job for inspiration and laughs.

Camera Lens Mug

(source: dvice)

Any fan of photography would be proud to pour themselves a tall cup of coffee into this amazing mug. Constructed from a real zoom lens, this mug is both intriguing and charming. At the moment, this mug is concept with few in actual existence, however we may soon see them on shelves, ready to be snatched up by photographers everywhere! What better way to assert one’s love for your hobby than to drink out of a mug made from the tools the trade?

A Mug With Security

(source: core77)

Had enough of your friends or co-workers using your coffee mug when you aren’t around? Worried about the health risks of sharing cups? Finally, a coffee mug with security! A hole at the bottom of the mug that can only be plugged by the mug’s key-holder serves to prevent anyone but it’s owner from using it. Try pouring coffee into it without the key to plug the hole and you’ll have quite a mess to clean up!

Gun Mug

(source: shopmodi)

Kill time with this innovative coffee mug! Sporting a trigger and lever that feels like that of a large revolver, it has never been easier to shoot the breeze at the breakfast table! You’ll have endless fun asking a coworker or friend if they “feel lucky, punk?” as you maintain a tight grip on the mugs firm and comfortable handle. This unique mug is sure to please any gun enthusiast or just help you feel a bit more like John Wayne in the morning! Sniper scopes sold separately!

Mustache Mug

(source: shanware)

As any man with a bushy mustache knows, the morning brew is often no cup of tea! Many have struggled to find a way to drink their coffee or tea without also wearing it. This question need no longer be asked, for the Mustache Mug takes saves your facial hair from contact with scorching hot beverage. Featuring a mustache shield at the drinking end of the mug, beverages can be easily consumed without the constant wiping that comes with standard mugs. Perfect for consuming coffee during a meeting or on the go where dabbing your upper lip with a napkin after every sip is simply impractical!

Undress Me Mugs

(source: cgets)

Some people need a little extra push to wake up in the morning. Available in both “His” and “Hers” versions, the more you drink the more of the naked woman/man you see! What more motivation to drink your coffee fast could you need? After drinking your coffee faster than ever, you’ll find yourself awake and ready to conquer whatever the day brings! “Undress Me” mugs are a great pick me up for those sluggish mid-week mornings and the ultimate cure for the slow-starter!

Mug With a Pocket

(source: Vat19)

Have you ever dreaded that long walk to the trash to throw away your spent tea bag once all its contents have been strained into your tea? Tired of leaving tea-bag stains on the table or desk because you don’t want to put the paper down and leave your breakfast to dispose of said tea bags? This mug is perfect for avid tea drinkers, sporting a handy pouch on it’s side made for holding spent tea bags for as long as needed! No more messes to clean or tea bags to be thrown out of your speeding car. This handy mug makes the morning wake-up a little more comfortable.

Inbuilt Plunger Mug

(source:nathanaelb)

A perfect tool for those busy professionals who are always on the go, a mug that makes your coffee and holds it all in one! Simply raise the plunger, add the coffee and hot water stir and then plunge it down. Add milk and sugar to your preference and you’ve got a steaming cup of Joe in minutes. No more waiting for the percolator to brew up a pot while you wait! Add an extra 15 minutes to your morning sleep with a plunger mug.