Veerle's blog 3.0

Mirtoon by ZEE

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:25 GMT

The trend that inside becomes outside is still going strong. You don't see the difference anymore when looking at furniture, light fixtures and even weather-resistant rugs to make one’s yard look as smart as a living room. The Belgian design firm ZEE takes this one step further by focussing on the details.

A water hose called Mirtoon

Probably everyone owns a water hose as it is one of those essential exterior tools used to water plants, vegetables, flowerbeds, clean bikes and cars. Kids play with it during Summer time. Surprisingly not much attention has been paid to its design so far. That's exactly what they have done at ZEE. They rethought the water hose and designed a colorful pretty looking hose reel. They used an 'unicolor' approach and the design was done by Antwerp based studio Concrete. Mirtoon comes in a 10 meter (7kg) and 30 meter (18 kg) edition. Each reel includes a hose, fittings and nozzle. The hose comes with the necessary connectors to use it worldwide. The hose reels and all the different components, from wall bracket to nozzle are available in the same color: white, black, deep pink or green.

It's all nicely done and it makes Mirtoon a great eye catcher in the garden or on the patio. Last year Mirtoon has won the 2012 Henry van der Velde design Label, a prestigious Belgian design award.

Mirtoon is a completely aesthetic redesign of the well-known garden hose with reel. It is practical and discrete and thanks to its color scheme it allows to either blend in or stand out in its surroundings.

— Comment of the Henry van de Velde Label jury

A little extra

Companies that go after 'that little extra' are rare but at ZEE they carefully thought about the packaging too. Mirtoon comes wrapped in nicely designed cardboard boxes. That little extra is a cool carrier bag with handle that comes in handy for stowing away your hose during the winter season or for transport.

RHA’s MA450i noise isolating earphones review

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 07:46 GMT

As some of you might know I love to listen to my favorite kind of music while designing. To get an idea of what I listen to read last weeks post of my 5 favorite albums from 2012. You can only fully enjoy it if you hear the sound as clear and natural as possible across the full sound spectrum. Volume isn't important, quality is. It can only be achieved with a quality headphone or high quality earphones. Since a couple of weeks now I've been testing a set of earphones from a Scottish brand called RHA…

RHA MA450i earphones

A couple of weeks ago RHA sent me the RHA MA450i earphones for me to test out, and I thought why not. I was curious if they would sound as good as they look, and also if they would sound better than the Apple earphones that came with my iPhone 5.

I was wary once I saw that they were in-ear ones because a bunch of years ago I bought the Apple in-ear ones and really didn't like how they sounded. The sound lacked the full spectrum that I normally prefer.

Usually I listen to music at my desk with a headphone. A headphone gives you that extra feeling of being able to shut yourself off from the world. This usually gives me a better focus on what I'm doing, as the music takes my mind elsewhere, forgetting the world around me. At this moment I have a white Beats By Dr. Dre Studio headphone that I bought from the famous Maxvoltar, and also a Sennheiser HD 595 that I used before I bought the Studio from Tim. I'm no audio expert of course, but I believe both are of good quality, although different. The HD 595 has a great sound but sometimes I found myself wanting a bit more punch. That's exactly what the Studio does. When I tried out the RHA MA450i earphones I was really surprised of its sound quality.

Never thought that earphones could sound so good. Not that Apple's earphones don't sound good though. The new ones that come with the iPhone 5 are great, and in my opinion they are a nice improvement over the ones that came with the iPhone 4S. They also sit better in my ear than the previous ones. Still, the RHA ones sound better than these. They have a richer sound and the bass is clear and tight without overdoing it. I also like the balance between the mids and highs that creates the right balance. In other words decent sound for the money.

But the thing I like most about these earphones is the fact that they're also noise-cancelling. So you're totally focussed on the sound. They shut you off pretty well. I had no idea this existed for earphones too. When I'm on the go, I love to listen to music to spend my time on the train or the plain. Then noise-cancelling is definitely preferred. A headphone is less practical in this situation as it's big to carry with you. A set of earphones is small and handy. You can just put them in your purse and off you go! Oh… and in case some of you are wondering, no I never listen to music when I'm on my bicycle. This is not only for safety reasons, it's also because I want all my attention focussed on the cycling, and the surroundings. I want to experience it completely, and in this case, music would only distract me. For designing on the other hand, it's perfect and I totally love it.

Specs of the MA450i Black/White

The MA450i is a high spec earphone that combines good sound quality with an inline remote to control play, volume and skip while you listen to music and a microphone for telephone calls. The MA450i is available in white or black, and has the following other specifications or extras:

Dynamic speaker for high definition sound with full bass
Machined from solid aluminium
A choice of seven pairs of soft silicone ear-tip for a secure, comfortable fit
Fabric braided cable for reduced tangling and prolonged cable life
iPhone/iPod/iPad remote and microphone
3.5mm gold plated connections
Carry case and ear-tip storage box

Where to buy

You can buy the RHA MA450i earphones with a temporary 20% discount on Amazon.uk, Amazon.de or Amazon.fr. Unfortunately the discount doesn't work on Amazon.com as the RHA MA450i earphones are only sold via (all) U.S. Apple stores and the discount doesn't work there. They cost $49.95 in the U.S.

Special Offer

If you like to buy a set of RHA MA450i earphones, you get 20% off when using my promo code veerle20 on either Amazon.uk, Amazon.de or Amazon.fr. (Offer valid until April 1st 2013)

100 years Pastoe

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:11 GMT

I traveled to Rotterdam last weekend to catch the opening of a remarkable exhibition that celebrates a birthday that is as old as the Tour of Flanders or the Tour de France. I'm talking 100 years of existence! There aren't many companies that last that long, especially in the furniture business. It all started On 13 April 1913, a small traditional firm called the 'Utrechtse Machinale Stoelen Meubelfabriek' opened its doors in Utrecht, the fourth largest city in The Netherlands.

Simplicity, timelessness, quality and craftsmanship

Over the years this Dutch factory has evolved to what is now known as the iconic furniture label Pastoe. The name comes from the 'passe-partout' principle and became internationally known for their simplicity, timelessness, quality and craftsmanship. These elements have helped the brand develop into the innovative and internationally recognized designers’ interior label that it is today. Pastoe still has its own factory and is known for its tradition of progressively seeking cooperation with renowned designers and architects. Over the years they worked with Maarten Van Severen, Vincent van Duysen, Shigeru Uchida and Scholten & Baijings. One of the most famous items they have is the SM05 wire chair by Cees Braakman from 1958. The Totem by Vincent van Duysen is my personal favorite.

Like Pastoe, 100 years of design innovation

To celebrate Pastoe’s 100th anniversary, the Kunsthal in Rotterdam is presenting a comprehensive exhibition titled ‘Like Pastoe, 100 years of design innovation’ from the 23rd of February 2013 until the 2nd of June 2013. I was at the opening & enjoyed looking at the old advertising, catalogs, photographs & the furniture. I've got to see the iconic designs from the company’s history, as well as its contemporary products and new ideas they are thinking about.

The exhibition has been organized around the following themes: ARCHIVES, ENVIRONMENTS and VISIONS. In the ARCHIVES theme, Krijn de Koning presents the history of Pastoe using exceptional designs, advertising material, sketches, photographs and trade fair presentations. Within the ENVIRONMENTS section, Anne Holtrop projects Pastoe's vision on the architectonic space. The exhibition's installations represent an environment in which living, working, learning and creating are defined in a new way. VISIONS highlights the search for new perspectives on product development and includes work by various designers such as Naoto Fukasawa, Claudio Silvestrin and Scheltens & Abbenes.

The English celebration will be presented in Milan during the Salone del Mobile on Pastoe’s actual anniversary day, the 13th of April 2013.

Achielle Sam Limited Edition

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:34 GMT

Vintage looking bikes, you see them everywhere, and they are becoming a rather popular sub category. Like with anything else, it's an art to create them just right without overdoing it. There is one Belgian company that masters the art of handmade bicycles like no other and they are called Achielle.

Meet Sam Limited Edition, only 50 available

This Sam Limited won the 'Best Urban Bike' at the French bike show R'Bike Lyon in 2012. A well deserved award as this is a beautiful bicycle. This is the kind of bike that you would proudly use as a decoration element in your home or office interior. The attention to details, and authenticity is sublime. It sure is an eye-catcher, a creation made with the pure love for cycling!

What makes this handmade Sam so unique?

The wooden wheels capture ones attention. They are light but very strong and they are special. Don't think they won't last as they have been around for generations already. In fact these wooden wheels had their part in winning the 'Tour of Flanders' 3x times. They are handmade in Italy.

Another visual win are the unique flat profile fenders, the golden chain & the famous English leather saddle & grips from Brooks. This Sam Limited Edition has three gears from Sturmey-Archer, founded in 1902 in Nottingham. Sam has drum brakes in the front & back. They use Sapim Strong spokes to connect the hub & rim. The pedals are MKS and are coated in copper just like the base of the Brooks saddle. The accompanying toe clips are with leather straps from Brooks as well.

Limited Edition means what it says, so there are only 50 bikes being handmade. Unfortunately they are sold out. Each Sam has a unique number tag to identify its place in the range.

Midi Colors by Lagranja Design

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:28 GMT

Anything colorful grabs my attention. Colors have such an impact on our daily life. Imagine a colorful range of tables, cabinets and benches to decorate your house. When I would do that it would closely resemble what Barcelona based studio Lagranja Design has done for Spanish design brand Sistema Midi.

The Midi Colors collection

This collection has personality and that's what attracted me to it. They seem to have found a great mix of versatility that is adaptable to our characteristics. The Midi Colors collection by Lagranja Design allows you to mix and match the colors of the doors, drawers, shelves and legs of each item. There are 22 colors of lacquered aluminum to choose from and three wood finishes.

The range includes five tables in various sizes, from a small coffee table to a dining table for 10 people, and four cabinets in different sizes. Because of the flexibility in colors options you can take an otherwise ordinary-looking cabinet and really make it stand out. It just shows that a few simple forms can provide an inspiring aesthetic for any home or office space. The furniture is made of veneered wood and its supporting structure of lacquered, extruded aluminum. The cabinets’ doors and drawers are lacquered on the outside and on the inside they’re lined with melamine. The Midi Colors collections was unveiled at the German trade fair Orgatec.

Interieur 2012 in images

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 12:27 GMT

A few months ago Interieur 2012 closed its doors for another two years. I finally had time to sort out all my images. It's an event that I always look forward to. What follows is my impression from this design bienniale in Kortrijk, Belgium.

23rd Biennale

The 2012 edition marked the 23rd Biennale with a newly appointed curator Lowie Vermeersch. Some fresh ideas were set in motion by Lowie Vermeersch and his team. For the first time the bienniale show stepped out of Kortrijk Xpo with the new locations in the historic center of the city on the Buda island. The Buda island gives space to 108 young designers and gives visitors a chance to see how they work. The Xpo venue and the city center were connected by a free shuttle service run by Audi.

Temporary design city

The whole Xpo space was set up as a temporary design city with a city guide that you could follow. You've got like a main street cutting through the whole Xpo. The theme for this year was 'Biennale in the city & the city in the Biennale'. An important part of the new program was the 'Future Primitives Project Rooms'. These were seven artistic installations, including the work of designers and artists like Troika, Ross Lovegrove and Muller Van Severen. They gave you a glance at the interiors of tomorrow. I especially liked the Muller Van Severen one. The design was so minimal, pure and clean! There was this chemistry between the lines and colors. The result was something that is really timeless. Below you can see the two designers talking about their project.

A journey through the biennale with my images

My impressions of Interieur 2012. 'Biennale in the city & the city in the Biennale' was this years theme. Photos of Dark, Pastoe, Muller Van Severen and more…

In hall 4 and also part of the 'Future Primitives Project Rooms' was Ross Lovegrove’s 'LiquidKristal' glass walls. They used a special heat transfer technique to get their flowing, organic shape. In that same hall Greg Lynn's creation captured my attention too. He dreamed up the 'RV (Room Vehicle)', as he calls it. It looked like a space capsule that is constantly changing its position. A bit far fetched honestly as you would have to constantly adapt your position when you are sitting inside it.

Pastoe

One of my other favorites of this Xpo was the Dutch brand Pastoe. I always look forward to see what they come up with. Their products are very minimal and they offer great customization as you can use their furniture as building blocks to get to your own personal creation available in a broad range of colors. You could use an iPad to see how it would look in your living room. The successful design duo Scholten & Baijings have designed the Shift cabinet. By working with translucent sliding doors in different colors in combination with a color gradient, an intriguing play of colors is created when the cabinet is opened and closed. Also launched there is a cabinet called 'Landscape'. The cabinet is distinguished by its stacked bodies with open and closed compartments and dividing rails. The eye-catcher however was this old desk by Cees Braakman. Pastoe will celebrate their 100th birthday in 2013 with something special.

The 23rd Biennale Interieur ran from October 20 to 28 in the city of Kortrijk.

Another new part that I enjoyed were the small pop-up like restaurants throughout the Xpo that used the furniture that also could be seen at the Biennale Interieur 2012. Hope you liked my personal impression through a journey of pictures. The Xpo itself had 300 international brands and 84.000 people out of 69 different countries visited during the nine days.

This Bienniale was important for the future. We can now work towards the next edition with an open and positive outlook. We have seen what the possibilities are and will certainly use them as a base for 2014.

— curator Lowie Vermeersch

Bevoorrading

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 15:47 GMT

I love to combine two favorite things I'm passioned about. That's exactly what the book that I'm going to talk about does. The book talks about history of food in the cycling peloton. Good food is something that I can immensely enjoy. Just like cycling it is part of our "Belgian" gene pool.

Energy bars and sports drinks

These days it's all about energy and calories. Energy bars and sports drinks are found in the 'musette'. In the olden days cyclists used something else completely. This new book bevoorrading/supply by WieMu Roeselare (cycling museum Roeselare) gives us a nice insight as it tells the story of popular cycling food and its eaters. Thomas Ameye & Dries De Zaetyd dive into the rich history of eating patterns in 16 chapters. It's a good mix of anecdotes, and stories, combined with well chosen photos.

Fringale

There are very few sports where food plays such an interesting role as in cycling. It's vital before, during and after, especially during the big tours. If you are serious about cycling you know exactly what I'm talking about. Nobody wants to be hit by a "fringale". It’s one of the worst conditions that can happen to a cyclist. The feeling when your reserves are tapped dry, and you still have some distance to ride, and worse a mountain to climb.

The good old days

A century ago they didn't take it so seriously because they didn't know any better. Back then they thought you had to avoid drinking water as long as possible because it was assumed that it wasn't good for the stomach. A "bidon" of beer, a dash of brandy, or a sip champagne was so much better. Races were very different as well. Riders had to pedal way more longer too. In the paragraph below you'll see what I mean.

Bordeaux-Paris about 552 km

The former Bordeaux-Paris race was about 552km long, so it obviously required a different energy consumption to get to the finish line. In the 1959 edition Noël Fore would devour 15 kilogram of food including 1 kilogram apples, 3 kilogram of oranges, a few lemons, 1 kilogram dried plums, a few pineapples, 0.5 kilogram raisins and bananas, three chickens, 0.5 kilogram minced meat, 0.5 kilogram of Gruyère cheese, a jar of jam, fresh fruit tarts and 1 kilogram of rice. He flushed it down with 6 bottles of tea, 6 bottles lemon water and 5 bottles of Vichy water.

Stories from in the book

Until the end of the eighties it was common practice to have a steak with rice for breakfast. Can't imagine having steak so early! There are many more of these kind of gems in this book. Below are a few impressions.

Bread in the musette

Briek Schotte embodies the type "Flandrien" from head to toe. An iron stomach and not of afraid of the harsh conditions that cyclists have to endure. I greet his statue from time to time when I pass Kanegem on my bicycle. Briek was a professional cyclist from 1940 till 1959. Briek loved a slice of bread. Story goes that Briek ate four breads in two days during the Tour the France. 1 day before the World Championships in Valkenburg 1948 Briek receives raisin bread from his dad. During the race he nibbles ten thick slices of raisin bread one by one. This was against the advice of a Belgian "soigneur" who thought bread was to be avoided because it burdens the stomach.

Boontjes

Much later tarts became popular in the peloton. There is one called "Boontjes" named after Tom Boonen by baker Jan Dierickx Visschers-Verbrugghe. Tom seems to like them very much. Freddy Viane asked the baker to come up with an alternative for the classical energy bar. He created a hard biscuit with dried fruit that is baked briefly to preserve the vitamins of the fruit. In 2012 they delivered these "Boontjes" to teams as BMC, Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, Lotto - Belisol & Accent Jobs - Willems.

Rodenbach

During the 1950's alcohol was never far away in races. Germain Derycke loved Rodenbach, a beer from Roeselare, Belgium. Derycke was always thirsty during races, and sometimes he consumed up to 10 bottles of 33 centiliter in one race! His personal record was set during a criterium in Emelgem. There were 24 laps to ride and Derycke poured down one bottle each lap. That's 24 bottles! He alternated with some 'Spa' to clear his throat. Cyclists in that time were known to believe the conventional wisdom that a pint of beer is the equivalent of two slices of bread.

Book

If you are into cycling, and you love reading about its history, you'll love this book. It is full with great stories that will raise an eyebrow. Foodies will love that best hobby cook Claudia Allemeersch shares a contemporary Flandrien recipe at the end of each chapter. Treat yourself to a carbohydrate "pasta grinta" and "chasse patate", or surprise your guests with a "pot belge" (aperitif) followed by a "steak in the pants" (main course) and a "dama bianca" (dessert). I certainly will try some of these recipes. The book with hardcover has 176 pages and costs €24,99. You can buy it at Standard Boekhandel. As far as I know, the book is currently only available in Dutch.

Expo

When you buy the book you also get an entrance ticket for the expo 'Bevoorrading' that runs until the end of January in the cycling museum of Roeselare. The exhibition 'Bevoorrading' is set in a original recreated cycling cafe. I'm hoping that I'll find some time to go visit this expo.

My Merckx EFX-3 race bike

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:52 GMT

In one of my previous posts, I shared the illustration that I drew of my new race bike, together with a quote that I've lived up to even before I bought this bike. Over the past 4 years I've been evolving from a few hybrid type of bikes towards this light weight race bike. My cycling adventures grew gradually from rather short rides to longer ones. By the time I decided to buy a race bike, I was totally addicted to cycling, and I knew that every Euro spent would be very worthwhile as it would give me much joy and happiness. My 3 rides a week have become an important part of my life that I can't live without…

The aesthetics

When I was thinking of buying a race bike, I feared I would have a hard time finding the right one in terms of looks. Most bikes out there have a frame design that screams. At least that's how I see it, and that's through the eyes of a graphic designer. The logo is usually too big in proportion to the frame, and the color combinations are also often not really my thing. Not to mention the typographical hell of some of the logos, where a terrible typeface or bad kerning is applied. I'm no expert in this type of design but I can't help noticing these imperfections. My closest experience was helping with the design of a series of tennis rackets for Snauwaert in my early days as a freelancer.

Through the eyes of a designer

As a graphic designer, aesthetics mean everything. Design is very important, because it's part of who I am. It's also emotional, it's there in everything I see around me; whether it's form, color, composition, proportion, or a combination of all these aspects. Sometimes I'm inspired, moved or touched, or even totally in love. Sometimes I feel nothing, because what I'm looking at is just plain boring and uninspiring. Then there are also moments when I look at things that are totally wrong, and an itchy feeling is taking over. It's a different way of looking at things in general. As a designer I try to consciously observe things in a way as if I experience it for the first time. It's a way to try to find inspiration.

My Merckx EFX-3

Before I decided to buy this bike, I tried out just a few (Colnago, Trek, Pinarello, Koga) and none of them were 100% to my liking. As far as I could tell, riding them felt alright. Some were more comfortable than the other, but I just didn't like their design: the frame, the colors, there was always something that bothered me… One of the conditions I had was to go for a women's bike, but not all brands have such models. I also preferred a Belgian brand, though this was a preference of mine that I hoped to fulfill. The brand that caught my eye was Merckx, and not just because of the name and legend, also because the bike's design felt elegant, sporty, and graphically not too overloaded. It's not 100% perfect but as close as I could get. The logo is prominent, but still very proportional and used in a creative way. Its design felt right to me, and I thought if this bike rides as it looks, than that's the one that I'll buy. Another big bonus was that the frame and fork are covered by a lifetime warranty.

Measurements

At the beginning riding this bike was really getting used to for me because of the different position. It took me more than a few rides really to feel really confident. Even now, there is still a percentage of insecurity. It's a constant learning process for me, but the most important thing is that I have fun riding this bike. I came a long way, and I'm getting better and better, while keeping it all fun, trying out new challenges, but never overdoing it. Just taking small steps, and enjoying every ride. Sometimes the ride is tough, sometimes it's pure relaxing, just spinning the legs.

If there is something important that I learned over the years, it's buying a bicycle that perfectly matches your measurements, not just a frame that you think is your size. It's pure basic stuff, a non-brainer really, and has absolutely nothing to do with fanciness or being snobbish or whatever people might think. It comes first, or you've made a big mistake. That's of course if you are serious about cycling. After all the rides I've done, especially the longer ones that take 3 hours and more, I know that if you ride a bike that isn't 100% your match, you'll feel it. Whether it's your knees, your shoulder, your neck, your back, your hip… Some parts of your body will suffer and hurt. My bike feels very comfortable, and right, and I feel I bought the right one for me. The people at the shop (Fietsen Godefroot) measured me very well, and I have this sheet now that I take on my holidays if I want to rent a proper bike. It sure came in handy during my Summer holiday, as the bike the shop delivered was just perfect.

The saddle

You can of course have pain in your butt towards the end of a very long ride. It is probably one of the most common pains when riding a bike, but in most cases this is because of a different reason. Could be you just haven't been riding for a whole while, and so your butt needs to get used to it again, or like in my case, you have a saddle that doesn't fit you. The saddle that came with the bike felt alright at first, but as soon as we did longer rides (more than 60 km) I felt a horrible pain in the front area. It was a different pain than the typical one around the area of the sitting bones. At first I thought maybe it's because of the different position, as I'm leaning more forward than how I'm used to, and so I need to get used to this. After giving it some time, it kept on coming back and it was becoming way too hurtful. So I decided to try out another saddle. I tried a Selle Italia SLR Lady Flow, and that seemed to solve my problem. I'm sure there is nothing wrong with the original saddle. Everyone is different, and for me that saddle didn't work out. You learn as you go.

Bicycle cleats

Before this bike I never rode with bicycle cleats as I didn't believe it was necessary. When I was out riding with my cycling friends Jered & Ashley I found out what a difference they make especially on the climbs. They ride & climb a lot when they are out shooting pictures of bikes professionally. To put it mildly, I wasn't too fond with the idea to be clicked in. This took some getting used to and the predicted fall manifested itself when stopping to cross a road. At the beginning I stayed away from anything too challenging until I got the hang of it.

Just ride it

From the moment that I took my Merckx EFX-3 to cobblestones and climbs of the Flemish Ardennes I couldn't believe how very keen this bike is. My Koga Sportslady is a fantastic bike too but this one surges forward with real verve. They engineered a high degree of stiffness into the frame - it immediately responds to changes of direction and does it with a crisp precision. I love the good feedback through the handlebars, you can feel the road surface beneath the tire and, importantly on days when the roads are wet and slippery, how much grip there is from the front. I'm no cobblestone lover but the EFX-3 makes me feel comfortable enough to ride them. On the climbs you feel its lightweight but that's not that only thing that matters, that stiffness I referred to earlier is important there as well. At first I was scared to go out of the saddle but now I'm comfortable doing it on the though climbs with their crazy changing percentages. My Merckx EFX-3 feels good when i'm out of the saddle; there's no twisting or deforming under high load, and its response to pedal power is super so I make good progress as a result. This bike is fun, fast and agile just as I hoped it would be.

Maybe it's also a women's thing, judging things by its look. All the technical stuff about this bike were secondary really. Of course I wanted a light weight, so I preferred a carbon frame, but the type of gears and such, I trusted that a brand like Merckx only sells quality & knows what is best. I'm not the type of person who would buy just a frame for example, and then try to construct the whole bike myself with the parts that I prefer. Some people like to do that, and probably also have much fun doing that. Turns out they're often spending more time fiddling than actually riding. For me the riding part is all I'm after, and I leave the rest up to the mechanics that know what they are doing. I never fiddle with my bike. The only thing I do, and I do it a lot, is cleaning my bike, by making sure it shines and the chain and gears are in good shape. Besides this, there is replacing a flat tire, but that's basically it.

So in that respect I think I fit the bill, the type of people that this bicycle was created for. I can't agree more with the quote by the man himself :)

Corniches by Vitra

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 09:35 GMT

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are back with something new for Vitra, the Swiss furniture manufacturer. The product was introduced during Milan design week and it's a product that tries to be a solution to the quest of creating small impromptu storage spaces to display items.

Impromptu storage area

This time the French brothers are presenting 'Corniches' an idea to create an impromptu storage area. A playful flexible storage solution that can be used individually or installed as a larger grouping. They aren't like the usual shelves but rather individual, isolated protrusions in the environments. Corniches arose from the need for small storage spaces to spontaneously keep items.

The same way that we hang our belongings on a rock jutting from a cliff before diving into the sea, we need small, informal storage in everyday life too.

— Ronan Bouroullec

You can use them as a key board next to the front door, as a place for everyday items in the bathroom, as a stage for a small collection of objects. The fun part is that it is up to you how you arrange and use them. Anything is possible. The Corniches are available in three sizes and a variety of colors including black, white and red and are made of high quality plastic. They are available at designcollectors.com.

UBC Coren

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 15:44 GMT

It has been some time since I posted a bike here that grabbed my attention. The one that I'm writing about today has done just that. Sadly it is one of these ridiculously expensive bikes that you'll never see in the shop. In other words an exclusive product.

Urban bike

The price level of this bike is defined by its use of super high-end materials and because it takes about 40 hours to make a coren by hand. The frame of the coren is made of very high tensile strength T1000 carbon fibers which are otherwise used almost solely in Formula 1 monocoques.

The constraints of design and marketing were completely disregarded during the coren’s development. Our aim was to create a bike that no-one can imitate because no-one would dare. Mission accomplished.

— Ulf Bräutigam, CEO

Unique appearance

UBC fits the down tube, the top tube and the seat tube together on an adjustable frame gauge. The bike owes its unique appearance particularly to the connection of the top tube and the seat tube, and the way the lines of the frame flow. The total weight of the coren is 7.7kg, which is an acceptable weight for an urban bike. However, with these high-end materials I would have thought it would weigh even less to be honest.

From tailoring the carbon fibre layers through the manufacture of aluminum forms and curing the carbon parts to connecting the three sections of the frame – the entire manufacturing process is carried out on UBC premises. The frame, like all UBC components, is manufactured in a clean room, in accordance with motor sport and premium vehicle construction standards.

— Marco Noack, developer and designer at UBC

The other components of this bike are made by selective partners that follow the same quality principles as UBC. UBC GmbH is a German company that produce carbon fiber components for automotive brands such as Porsche, Bugatti and Audi. The bike will come as a Singlespeed, Pedelec or Fixie. The price is around €25,000 (incl. VAT).

Object of art

This bike has a very slick and eye-catching design, and is beautiful engineered for sure, but to me it feels more like an exclusive product, than an actual vehicle. I think I would be afraid to ride it because of the fear of making it dirty. A bicycle to me is a vehicle that needs to be ridden, not just to admire and look at. I bet the few owners will see this bike more as an object of art to admire, a decorative part of the interior. Understandable of course, but also a bit of shame in a way.