If you are familiar with Design Addict, you surely noticed that there are a lot of talented people who express their opinion and questioning in our Forum. We have decided, every now and then, to draw your attention on subjects which seems to us worthy of interest.
An eco-friendly home in a Cotswold nature reserve in United Kingdom was designed by London architect, Sarah Featherstone, whose office will be designing part of the Olympic athletes' village. The 'Orchid House’ was inspired by the Bee Orchid that is found on the reserve.
One of the many green features of the 'Orchid House' will be to produce more energy than it uses with an underground heat pump, geothermal heating and cooling, rainwater and solar and wind power.
"Our inspiration for Orchid House comes from the wildlife and landscape at Lower Mill Estate. A number of Orchid species can be found here, but it is the camouflage of the Bee Orchid that specifically generated our design."
"The house will blend with its landscape and environment. The organic form is created from laminated veneer lumbar (LVL) ribs and clad with timber shingles (tiles). The camouflage pattern is burnt to the timber."
"The house offers flexible living spaces, adopting a layout which we have pioneered in our house designs. The kitchen is at the heart of the house with the living and dining wings fanning out to create an intimate open courtyard around which the house orientates. It is like a 'whorl' of leaves encircling the seed of the flower."
The house has been sold off-plan and will be completed in 2011.
What is the Phonofone you ask? In short, it's like a speaker for your
iPod, only it uses no power. Through passive amplification alone, these
unique pieces instantly transform any personal music player + earbuds
into a sculptural audio console.
Without the use of external power or batteries, the Phonofone II inventively exploits the virtues of horn acoustics to boost the audio output of standard earphones to up to 55 decibels. Now let's make this clear, 55 decibels is not going to entertain your party, but it's fine for the office or next to the bed or or for a dinner party. But honestly, if you want to get a great sounding set of speakers that you can crank up and rock out to, get a set of Bose.
Tristan Zimmermann studied industrial design at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Upon graduation in 2004 Tristan assumed the position of senior product designer at an international bio-medical device company. Unfortunately, early in 2005 Tristan was diagnosed with a severe case of “cubicle fever” (see cubicalia feverum), a gripping disease suffered when genius is confined to work in the field of monotony.In the pursuit of recovery Tristan formed Science and Sons, as a side venture to sate his own creative musings. Science and Sons has since remained the masthead under which the eccentric miscellany of his creative acumen is codified into a palatable format.
Louise Campbell is the featured designer on dkVogue.com, a large source for Danish design that introduces modern, authentic Danish furnishings, lighting and accessories to North America.
Bille goes Zen - Cabinet maker Lars Bille Christensen (2003/2006)
Louise Campbell’s work is playful and experimental, and is increasingly gaining a reputation for gently twisting not only every day objects and situations, but also materials and manufacturing processes in new directions. The combination of Scandinavian rationalism and femininity, and perhaps her dual nationality (Danish and British), give the works of Louise Campbell an unusual edge. Illustrating contrasts seem to be an issue, that keeps returning in her work.
'Spiderwoman' - HAY (2008) 'Retreat' (1998)
'Seesaw' and 'Entertainment' - Erik Jørgensens Møbelfabrik (2002)
'Veryround' - Zanotta (2006) 'Prince Chair' - HAY (2005)
Royal VKB is the latest brand of Dutch company Koninklijke Van Kempen & Begeer, founded in 1789, which focuses on innovation. Here are some of their latest products. You will notice that Jorre van Ast has found a producer for his great 'Jar Tops' that we were showing on the blog in February.
Thomas Owens is a young British product design graduate. His
latest project is a stylish bicycle that not only offers all the
benefits of cycling but, with its power system, the user can cruise
around with ease.
When folded, 'One' turns into an amazing compact case free of all dirty and protruding parts. It can be easily carried, stowed and stored.
British manufacturing company Established & Sons has become renowned for its original approach since its first launching during the Milan Furniture Fair in 2005. They are constantly looking to innovate and their intention remains today just the same as it was then - to produce the highest quality furniture designs and work with the very best emerging design talents as well as established contemporary designers.
Here are some of the new designs that have been launched at this year's Milan fair.
'Crate series' by Jasper Morrisson
'Torch' by Sylvain Willenz
'Frame' by Wouter Scheublin 'Pole Light' by Paul Cocksedge
After successful international premiere in Talent Zone, Copenhagen Furniture Fair, last year, Wood Processing &
Furniture Design students have demonstrated their sustainable design
work - furniture prototypes and interior elements, at Salone Satellite
2008, Milan Furniture Fair, held from 16th-21 April.
Exhibition showed fresh, multi functional elements, new construction principles, as well as projects from REST WOOD DESIGN sustainable design workshop by mentor MA Jelena Matic, held every year at the Center for Tools and Machinery, at Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade.
Organized annually, the workshop operates as an extracurricular activity at the University promoting sustainable creativity through innovative use of industrial wood waste in student furniture and interior design concepts, which often results in real student prototypes, first time experiences, valuable knowledge, and rewards to young designers.
French architect Jean Nouvel has been chosen as the 2008 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. The
formal ceremony for what has come to be known throughout the world as
architecture’s highest honor will be held on June 2 in Washington,D.C.
at the Library of Congress. At that time, a $100,000 grant and a bronze
medallion will be bestowed on the 62-year old architect.
Photo by Gaston Bergeret
Nouvel who came to international attention with the completion of his Institut du Monde Arabe in 1987 in Paris, now has several projects in the United States, including the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis completed in 2006, a 75-story tower (Tour Verre) next door to MOMA in New York, and recently announced plans for a high rise condominium (Suncal Tower) in the Century City district of Los Angeles. In Europe, some of his other important works are the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art (Paris 1994), the Branly Museum (Paris 2006), the Agbar Tower (Barcelona 2005), a Courthouse (Nantes 2000), a Cultural and Conference Center (Lucerne 2000), an Opera House (Lyon 1993), and Expo 2002 (Switzerland). Also currently under construction is a concert hall in Copenhagen.
Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA or Arab World Institute) 1981-87 Paris, France (photo by Philippe Ruault)
In announcing the jury’s choice, Thomas J. Pritzker, chairman of The Hyatt Foundation, quoted from the jury citation, “Of the many phrases that might be used to describe the career of architect Jean Nouvel, foremost are those that emphasize his courageous pursuit of new ideas and his challenge of accepted norms in order to stretch the boundaries of the field.” And further, Pritzker added, “The jury acknowledged the ‘persistence, imagination, exuberance, and, above all, an insatiable urge for creative experimentation’ as qualities abundant in Nouvel’s work.”
Tour de Verre, New York City, NY - 2007-in progress - Guthrie Theater Minneapolis, Minnesota - 1999-2006 (photo by Roland Halbe)
In Nouvel’s own words, “My interest has always been in an architecture which reflects the modernity of our epoch as opposed to the rethinking of historical references. My work deals with what is happening now—our techniques and materials, what we are capable of doing today.”
Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art, Paris, France 1991-94 (photos by George Fessy)
At the Light&Building fair, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors and Ingo
Maurer have unveiled a revolutionary lighting application based on
OLEDs. The company has made prototypes of organic light emitting diodes
available to the designer for his exclusive creation.
“We are
proud that our OLEDs have inspired such a renowned artist as Ingo
Maurer to create such an exciting work of art. “Early Future” is a
vision that has become reality. It gives us a glimpse of just how
versatile organic OLEDs can be in terms of their design options and
applications”, said Martin Goetzeler, CEO of OSRAM.
The renowned lighting designer Ingo Maurer is the first to use organic LEDs (OLEDs) from OSRAM in a function table light. The light, called “Early Future”, is being produced as a limited edition. It works with tiles straight from the laboratory and demonstrates the enormous potential of OLEDs for future applications as eye-catching illumination and design elements.
For Maurer, unusual design is not an end in itself. “Early Future
represents an important stage in the transition from abstract object to
functional designer lighting”, he said. Maurer has been shaping
developments in light as art and lighting design for many years. In
1966 he exhibited the designer luminaire Bulb which has been on show in
the New York Museum of Modern Art since 1969 along with other works of
his. Ingo Maurer has received numerous awards for his avant-garde work
with light.
Organic LEDs offer all the familiar benefits of LEDs such as high energy efficiency, low operating voltage and mercury-free design. The light source is not a collection of individual light points but a uniform light-generating surface.
A football table designed by GRO design and developed by TIM model makers.
'11' is a collaboration of 2 companies - GRO design and Tim modelmakers – each contributing their specialist skills to this showcase project. With their shared values of creativity, quality and experience, the two companies have worked together for over fifteen years on projects ranging from consumer electronics and domestic appliances to lighting and furniture.
Table football is great fun to play – it’s social, active and physical, and it offers a welcome alternative to the solitary activity of computer gaming. As an object, however, it has become less desirable as its often cost-driven appearance no longer fits in with the designed landscape of modern interiors – be it a café, bar or airport lounge.
When thinking about a project for the Milan Design Fair, GRO looked for an object that they believed they could enhance through design, and that had lacked serious design attention in recent years.
After considering a number of starting points, they felt that the football table would have the right elements involved to show their commitment to the highest level of quality in design and model making. Discussing “11” together, they knew it would be a challenge to take on.
"Many new football stadiums built in recent years have a strong architectural and sculptural beauty, becoming city landmarks in their own right and enhancing the visual landscape of the local environment.
We wanted the design of our football table to be equally spectacular and memorable, enriching the interior space where it will be placed.
Picture by Brent
