Design Year Book

Design Museum Collection Apps

2012-06-04T23:27:00.000+08:00

Design Museum first free iPad Apps presents 59 remarkable objects from London’s Design Museum such as the Anglepoise lamp, the Dyson vacuum, the Thonet chair, the Face magazine, the British telephone box, the Vespa and the Kindle. These key pieces from the collection are explored through film, audio, text and photographs.

The App includes video commentary from Deyan Sudjic, Design Museum Director, and Helen Charman, Design Museum Head of Learning. Stephen Bayley - Design Museum Founding Director has also written an observation on each item.

The Design Museum Collection apps is part of the museum initiative to archive its vast design resources and reach out to more visitors especially its global audience.

+ iTunes

Bedroom World and Bedroom Decorating Ideas

2012-05-29T10:41:00.000+08:00

How do you decorate a bedroom properly and effectively? To find the answers to this question, it pays to look through journals or go online at look at interior design blogs One way of looking at it is that your bedroom ought to be a sincere oasis where you can melt away all of the worries of the day, but achieving that is perhaps easier said than done.

Before anything else, you should worry about the so-called 'lofty' approach. This just means that you ought to create a good excuse for anyone in your bedroom to look up more often! Fabulous lighting and painting your ceiling the same colours as the walls is bang on-trend. You should incorporate both rich tones and some luxurious fabrics to a bed that is already raised off the ground; floating beds are just one of the many innovations within the bed manufacturing industry. If this is what you have in mind for your own bedroom, then perhaps you should also visit the website of Bedroom World to explore your bedroom design options.

Next, you should think about the walls of your bedroom. That's right, bedroom décor is not exclusively about the bed sheets and the bedding accessories. It is also about the walls and how they contribute to making a functional and well-rounded bedroom! What you may want to think about is using patterned wallpaper that provides your bedroom with its very own, distinct personality. Wallpaper is always available in many patterns and colours, and it's not that expensive, thereby making it a definite bedroom accessory must.

The walls in your bedroom figure prominently in this next bedroom decorating idea that makes use of something that you may well not really think of that often, but it uses it to deadly effect. While some people enjoy hanging artwork on the walls of their bedroom, decorative moulding is also another option that can be surprisingly effective! You see, decorative moulding will create something close to an updated look for your bedroom, thereby making your bedroom more stylish.

The incorporation of some neutral corners in your bedroom can make for a surprisingly attractive sleeping environment, too. These design approaches are great at making your bedroom environment modern, and they works especially well for master bedrooms. Essentially, you want to use neutral corners with a lot of beige, whites and greys to create an openness to the room, while still retaining its intimacy.

Your bedroom is a place that should serve as a comfy and a cosy retreat for you from the pressures of the day. The last thing that you should want to see before you head off to sleep is a relaxing and a comfortable environment that speeds your travel to the Land of Nod. Having a comfortable bed and stunning, yet affordable, accessories can make all the difference to your relaxing and sleeping environment.

Quality Flooring in the United Kingdom

2012-05-29T09:46:00.000+08:00

While some people assume that all flooring is the same, the truth of the matter is that there are hundreds of options out there that can vary in quality and comfort. These options can be used in a number of different settings and you will need to take the time to understand your options and determine the brands and flooring types that are going to work best in your home.

For example, many people tend to overlook cork-wood flooring as a viable option for their floors. You will find that this is a material that is eco-friendly and will be sourced from the cork tree. This is a renewable wood that will be fine in drier areas, as moisture can cause staining and damage to it.

This is where companies come into play. These companies will offer you not only cost effective solutions for all your flooring needs, but they can also provide you with information on different types of flooring available on the market.

In cases where you need to cut costs, but have a floor that looks authentic, laminate flooring can be a good idea. This will usually be made of a core board that has been compressed and laminated to retain its appearance. The nice thing is that this is resistant to scratches and can have your home looking better than ever before.

What you are going to find during your research is that as a rule, hardwood flooring is going to remain one of the most popular choices for homes. It offers a level of style and elegance that you aren't going to find anywhere else. In fact, since it can last longer than most of your carpet solutions, there will be no reason why you can't being to explore all the types of flooring out there to determine which brand is going to best meet your needs.

For some solid wood flooring can offer you the chance to add some class and elegance to your home. This can be presented in both oak flooring and bamboo flooring, which are both going to be unique. Bamboo comes from an easily renewable source and is considered a greener building choice. In turn, oak flooring remains popular because of the beauty and style that it offers.

Online, websites like UK Flooring direct can offer you a look at some of the different types of wood flooring and give you an accurate figure to look at, to have more details you can click here. Also it can help you can understand how much this is going to cost you. In fact, on this website there are calculators in place to also ensure that you order the right amount of wood, as many people do not take into account the need to cut boards in most rooms.

How Leica Lenses are made

2012-05-23T22:44:00.000+08:00

A peak into Leica Camera production facilities in German.

Every Leica lens is hand-crafted and goes through meticulous manufacturing processes to uphold the quality and precision that Leica defines and customers have come to expect. In the age where technology almost inevitably means mass manufacturing, Leica products are still made with exacting precision by the hands of highly-trained technicians.

This video gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the craftsmanship and making of Leica lenses.

+ Leica

Lineposters by Cayla Ferari and John Breznicky

2012-05-16T22:18:00.000+08:00

To creates modern graphic interpretations of your favorite city’s transit system, Brooklyn-based graphic designer Cayla Ferari and John Breznicky, an engineer respectively, design subway screen prints and digital posters that celebrate the city you love in a way you’ve never seen before. Called Lineposters, their graphic features modern graphic interpretation of world most well-known subways.

Currently the Lineposters available as poster and t-shirt form.

+ Cayla Ferari and John Breznicky

Boombox Pillow by Meninos

2012-05-15T11:30:00.000+08:00

Brazil-based creative studio, Meninos specializes in producing fun and functional household goods for all ages of young people. Their Boombox pillows set is definitely a hit in any bedroom. Made of microfiber fabric, these huge pillow (42 x 42 cm) with boombox and speaker print will instantly turn your room into rock 'n' roll but without the noise.

+ meninos

W121/ W122 Wool Pendant Lamps by Claesson Koivisto Rune

2012-05-09T00:32:00.000+08:00

A pendant lamp made of wool, that's the material explored by the trio at Claesson Koivisto Rune for Wastberg. A rare material not so often for lamps, the unique felt quality used is heavy gauge and therefore an efficient absorber- not of moisture, but of sound.

So hanging this lamp over the table doesn't just add light where you need it, but also improve the acoustic.

And the design? Think of them as Audrey Hepburn- glamorous.

(Technical: Dimmable pendant lamp. Warm white LED with glare-protecting shade and diffuser. The shade is made out of 100% natural, fully renewable and biodegradable materials. The heavy gauge material makes the lamp an efficient sound absorber.)

+ ckr | W101 table lamp

Milkmakers packaging by M, Inc.

2012-05-07T22:23:00.000+08:00

What a hilarious an eye-catching cookies packaging design by Lou Maxon of M, Inc. for milkmakers.

M,Inc. was hired to produce a low-cost, environmentally friendly and re-usable packaging for milkmakers' lactation cookies line that helping nursing moms boost milk supply for their babies. The result is a brand identity system which included the resealable craft bags and produced an economical solution containing a front and back sticker that is easily applied to the bags during shipping. The design utilizes only two colors.

+ thedieline

A wooden stool by Jorge de la Cruz

2012-05-06T22:54:00.000+08:00

‘A wooden stool’, by Spanish designer Jorge de la Cruz, is a low stool, with a shape close to archetype in which the protagonist is its material, solid wood. This stool is made out of Sweden Pine Wood.

This work comes from the observation of the material, its values and the history of its fabrication. The piece has a hand finished that consists in brushing the wood with a metal wire brush to remove the soft part of the wood surface and remaining the wood grain that is harder. Applying a matt lacquer to protect the wood completes the process and also it gives more smoothness to the surface.

This brushed finish accentuates the grain wood drawing, its most representative element that comes from the rings of the tree.

The goal is taking to the maximum the expression of the material, this is why every edge is rounded, differing from the orthogonal edge of plastified boards of furniture that imitates wood.

The finish adds human value to the product and tell us about its production at a time when the knowledge about how objects are made is losing.

+ Jorge de la Cruz

Fireflies Sparkle In Long-Exposure Photos

2012-05-05T15:48:00.001+08:00

Japanese hobby photographer Tsuneaki Hiramatsu captured beautiful fireflies photos through the night air, on hazy summer night in the southern part of Okayama Prefecture.

By using long-exposure and time-lapse shots techniques, Hiramatsu took the photos at various points over a three-year period between 2008 and 2011 and they are from two different sites in the Okayama Prefecture.

In making the photo where you see hundreds, if not thousands, of small firefly lights, Hiratmatsu used time-lapse photography to take several continuous exposures and then merged those photographs in post-production inside Photoshop. The final photo where the firefly lights become trails is just one long exposure from many photos.

+ Tsuneaki Hiramatsu

Molo Studio

2012-05-04T11:13:00.000+08:00

Molo Studio, based in Vancouver, Canada was formed in 2003. Molo is a collaborative design and production studio led by Stephanie Forsythe, Todd MacAllen and Robert Pasut.

As a design and production studio dedicated to an exploration of space making in combination with experiments in manufacturing, materials and structure. The molo studio explores the overlapping realms of art, architecture and design, and creates unique designs in a variety of scales, from tea set to museum, for clients around the world.

Molo products grow from Forsythe and MacAllen’s architectural explorations. Inspired by the idea that smaller tactile objects have a real potency in the physical experience of space, molo sets out to create objects that define intimate temporal spaces. Forsythe and MacAllen work back and forth between the intimate scale of furniture and small utilitarian objects, to the larger scale of buildings and landscapes. Working at a furniture scale heightens the sense of human scale and physical experience in architecture. Conversely, furniture and product design benefit from the perspective of thinking in the larger context of place and space making.

softwall + softblock modular system

kraft paper lounger

Recognized for poetic beauty and pragmatic innovation, Molo’s products have received numerous international awards and have been acquired into the collections of museums and galleries worldwide including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. In 2005, molo and the soft concepts were selected as a winner of the Danish INDEX Award.

Hobo Lantern Bag

Cloud Softlight

+ molo

Sperm Bike by Nordisk Cryobank

2012-05-03T20:59:00.000+08:00

Nordisk Cryobank, or better known as European Sperm Bank was looking at environmentally-friendly alternatives to how they could transport their sperm samples to the fertility clinics around Greater Copenhagen. Thus, born the Sperm Bullitt, a bike built from Danish cargo bike producer- Larry vs Harry. Constructed by the Danish company 10 Tons - who specialize in zoological and botanical models, the Sperm Bike is 2.9 meters long and weight 50 kg.

Nordisk Cryobank's CEO, Peter Bower, says, "The first idea was how we could deliver to the fertility clinics in a C02-friendly way. Shortly afterwards followed the idea of a custom-designed bike with a cooling system. Now, six months later, we can cycle around the city on our sperm cell bike. We're always looking for new donors so it's a fine bonus that the Sperm Cell Bike gets peoples attention."

+ copenhagenize

Leaving Your Mark

2012-05-02T22:44:00.000+08:00

70 year-old Buddhist monk Hua Chi has been praying in the same spot at his temple in Tongren, China for over 20 years. His footprints, which are up to 1.2 inches deep in some areas, are the result of performing his prayers up to 3000 times a day. Now that he is 70, he says that he has greatly reduced his quantity of prayers to 1,000 times each day.

+ monoscope

Insular by Kate MccGwire

2012-04-25T16:48:00.000+08:00

Artist Kate MccGwire get the idea on her Insular art project after a severe fire at her studio in 2007. While a majority of her work was destroyed, she was forced to leave old bodies of work behind and start afresh, with new ways of working.

Left amongst the charred remains was a large stack of paper, which although charred on the outside remained a brilliant, perfect white in the center. Kate was fascinated by the possibility that this eminently flammable material had not in fact burnt. She then strated the Insular project where she literally controlled the destructive force of fire on paper.

In Insular, Kate literally and metaphorically plays with fire; a hole burnt into the 50 layers of paper resembles an inverted map. The unexpected beauty and fragility of the incinerated papers, however, is subverted by the heresy of the action.

+ Kate MccGwire

Haute Couture Busts by Emmanuel Bossuet

2012-04-24T10:15:00.000+08:00

Talented French art director Emmanuel Bossuet partner with historic mannequin masters STOCKMAN to produce a limited edition 'Haute Couture busts'. Limited to 10 copies for each model, the Haute Couture busts are truly masterpiece more than dress form.

Paris-based Emmanuel Bossuet is one of the rare art directors of his generation to conceive his work with such an intense decorative dimension. Debuting as a graphic consultant at Philip Starck's, he soon after established EEM as an agency aimed to one-of-a-kind projects. Studios such as Martine Sitbon or Sonia Rykiel requested him for his skill as a decorative designer.

+ trouvaillesdujour

AeroShot- Coffee Without Water by David Edwards

2012-04-22T23:43:00.000+08:00

Coffee without water. Yup that the new invention from Professor David Edwards at Harvard University. The idea was to deliver the impact of an energy drink - caffeine and daily doses of three Vitamin Bs - without calories, and with the convenience and portability into your mouth and swallow. Each Aeroshots contains about the same caffeine as one large cup of coffee.

AeroShot is not means to switching away from coffee but as a new way to drink coffee where liquids are not permitted, such as when you board a plane or go biking, skiing, curling or any other activity that consumes energy. And the good part is AeroShot doesn't stain your teeth like coffee can.

+ AeroShot

BMW i8

2012-04-19T23:52:00.000+08:00

A sneak peak into BMW i8 hybrid sportcar which will be launched in 2014. These rendering by Sonny Lim show the i8 with a slightly shorter wheelbase and overall length to reduce weight and to emphasize its sporting & sustainability credentials.

The power output of the production version will be around 399 PS (293kW). The plug-in hybrid powertrain features a gasoline combustion engine driving the rear wheels and a front electric motor fed by a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged from any domestic power socket. The battery charge time is estimated at 1.45 hours. The electric motor will be responsible for 172 PS (127 kW) with the rest coming from the 1.5L turbocharged three-cylinder unit. The combined peak torque is rated at 550 Nm(406 lb-ft).

The i8 will offer three driving modes: electric, petrol and a combination of the two. The powertrain will be paired with a four-speed transmission which has been designed to extend the performance range of the sports car. This enables it to drive on 3 liter per 100 km (78 MPG) with a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

Sustainability plays a paramount role in the BMW i concept. It is an issue that runs like a thread throughout the value chain – all the way from purchasing, through development and production to sales and marketing. And when it comes to the efficient manufacturing of its vehicles, BMW i goes a step further still.

The Leipzig production plant will see an additional 70% reduction in water use and 50% drop in energy consumption per vehicle over the years ahead. And the energy that is used will be sourced 100% from renewable sources.

+ Sonny Lim

Granimator iPad Apps by ustwo

2012-04-18T23:40:00.000+08:00

Granimator= Graphic + Animator.

Granimator is an amazing graphic wallpaper creator apps with a difference. First, a user select a pre-built wallpaper from the apps, then assign a style pack with a range of easy to use graphics, sounds,tools, shapes and backgrounds. User can then draw, tap, pinch, drag and interact with the graphic elements to create stunning compositions. Each shape represents a sound that can be manipulated and played using the iPad's multitouch function. Finally, share your wallpaper with friends on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr or at Granimator.com.

To make Granimator more interesting, ustwo has collaborated with artists from around the world, working to create free wallpaper that can populate and transform the app into a new experience for the user.

+ Granimator

Ninja Watch by Andy Kurovets

2012-04-18T10:54:00.000+08:00

Designer Andy Kurovets has designed some cool and unique watches in his portfolio. One of them are the Ninja Watch. The watch has the look of a ninja with two 'rotating eyes' which show the hour and the minute. As usual, the dials are place on both side of the watch which is also the ninja's ears. Made entirely of molded plastic. A killing watch for sure!

See also Fertilization Watch by Andy Kurovets.

+ yankodesign

Copyrighted Famous Hairs by Patricia Povoa

2012-04-17T10:24:00.002+08:00

Yes, another designer make my day! Portugal-based designer Patricia Povoa has designed a series of minimal poster series about the most recognizable haircuts on the planet titled Copyrighted Famous Hairs .

Can you guess the characters from their haircut before looking at the title?

You might interested in similar TV Poster Series by Exergian.

+ Patricia Povoa

Hugs Coca-Cola Vending Machine In Exchange For Free Coke

2012-04-16T19:21:00.000+08:00

In part of a new campaign by The Coca-Cola Company and Ogilvy & Mather to spread doses of loves and some coke into the lives of people anywhere and everywhere, they have install a new Coca-Cola vending machine at the National University of Singapore (NUS) to dispenses free coke in return for hugs. The 'Coca-Cola Hug Me' machine is programmed to dispense a can of Coke when a person wraps their arms around it. Instead of a usual Coke logo, the machine only show the words 'Hug me' and a dispense drink slot. No money slot is found.

“Open Happiness,” a global creative campaign launched in 2009, invites people around the world to bring positivity, optimism and fun into their lives. At the core of the campaign the message is for consumers to open a Coke and share a little happiness.

With the success of the Coca-Cola Hug Machine in Singapore, there are now plans to roll it out across Asia to bring the same happiness to consumers from other countries.

+ designtaxi

Venus of Cupertino iPad Docking Station by Scott Eaton

2012-04-16T14:56:00.000+08:00

Love this unique iPad docking station called 'Venus of Cupertino" created by London-based designer, Scott Eaton. Not just stylish, the docking station also charge and sync your iPad from an inconspicuous charger located in her midriff. And also a good sculpture piece for your work table.

The Venus of Cupertino iPad Docking Station reminds me of Dede, a doorstop by Philippe Starck for ALESSI in 1996.

+ Scott Eaton

Mezcal ManoNegra Spirits by Sociedad Anonima

2012-04-13T09:47:00.000+08:00

With so many distinctive alcoholic bottle packaging try to out do each other in today market, a design firm need to put-in more thoughts than ever, not only to gain market shares but also explores new drinkers. While I'm not an avid drinker, I usually bought my bottle based on the packaging. And this spirit, the MEZCAL MANONEGRA will certainly on my shopping list.

Designed by Mexico-based Sociedad Anonima, Mezcal is the most ancient distilled spirit in America. It can be made of over 30 varietals of agave, most of them grown in the wild regions of Mexico. MN locates the best mezcal no matter how far or deep into wild we need to go to get it. The hand-print on the bottle represents the hand of the master distiller, the hand of the worker and the hand of the seeker of true mezcal.

These hand prints may look 'dirty' on the bottle, but it's definitely add value to the spirits. In my mind, the hand-prints might means the master distiller personally inspect the bottle (each bottle!), the workers carefully handle it and at last myself find the true treasure among all spirits.

+ Sociedad Anonima

New Bus For London by Heatherwick Studio

2012-04-12T22:46:00.002+08:00

The New Bus of London is the first bus designed specifically for the London's streets on the road at the end of last February.

Designed by Heatherwick Studio and bus manufacturer Wrightbus, the new double-decker is inspired by the much-loved Routemaster with the latest green technology. The new bus incorporates the most innovative and cutting edge hybrid technology, which will be 14% more efficient than existing hybrid buses and 40% more fuel efficient than conventional diesel-powered buses. The new bus features a long asymmetric front window provides the driver with clear kerbside views, while a wrapped glazing panel reflects passenger circulation – bringing more daylight into the bus and offering views out over London.

By incorporating an open platform at its rear, the bus reinstates one of the much-loved features of the 1950s Routemaster which offered a ‘hop-on hop-off’ service. The new design will also have three doors and two staircases, making it quicker and easier for passengers to boar an open rear deck for passengers to hop on and off and three doors, unlike the original Routemaster, its rear platform can be closed, allowing the bus to be operated by the driver only.

The design was the result of a competition held by Landon Mayor to find a replacement for the Routemaster, which was taken out of service in 2005. Originally, the collaborative design by Norman Foster and Aston Martin won the competition but after the win, Foster withdrew and Heatherwick Studio took over.

See also Stockholm City Autonomous Tram.

+ Transport For London

Nike Air Force 1 Max Air VT

2012-04-12T10:12:00.000+08:00

Nike Sportswear continues to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Air Force 1 with an extension of the Pearl Collection that debuted earlier this year. The Nike Air Force 1 Max Air VT features militaristic canvas Vac-Tech build that showcases the shoe's iconic silhouette. A full-length visible Max Air unit with total orange highlights, a Vas-Tech upper with a dark cameo pattern, waxed laces, and an embossed leather tongue and heel tabs.

+ sneakernews