Would you like to change your photos into beautiful graphic design pieces? 'addLib' is an application for iPhone that edits your photos and creates a variety of design based on educated theories.
addLib mixes the Grid System, a fractal theory, the golden ratio and the Facial Recognition System, and then creates graphic design. It seems the layout is made at random, but it comes from the rigorous calculated system. These theories have been made through the process that people have been trying to find new expression, and they are also the ways, to capture very ordinary “beauty” in nature, namely algorithm.
Using maize bio-plastic and bamboo trim, Elium Studio is extending its research on materials applied to household products.
The designers have looked at small electronics for the home in eco-friendly mode: radio with rechargeable battery by manual wind-up, clock, alarm clock, calculator and pocket flashlight with solar-powered battery. A range of eco-design pieces for Lexon.
As for the finish qualities of maize bio-plastic, which is matt rather than the super shiny plastic, they are honed and counter-balanced by the addition of bamboo for the covering. This is a technically bold option that adds an artisan touch to mass production and gets around the problem of appearance-fade, since bamboo takes on an elegant patina with use where ordinary plastics age badly.
'Match' Radio by Gabriele Pezzini (AreaPlus 2007) - 'Pago-Pago' by Enzo Mari (Danese 1969)
This exhibition is born from the idea of comparing the work of two designers who agree upon several aspects of their working practices in spite of having been formed in very different periods of time.
Enzo Mari, maestro and moral conscience of design, and Gabriele Pezzini, seeker of exactness in design: two generations faced to the same problems, both advocates of a point of view focused on what is essential, doing what they know how to do best: analyse and decipher.
Both creators will be showing some of their major pieces in the exhibition opening at the Alain Gutharc Gallery in Paris on January 9.
'Box' by Enzo Mari (Castelli 1971) - 'Wired' Chair by Gabriele Pezzini (Max Design 2004)
"The parallelism that we trace in this small exhibit goes beyond the exposed products. These represent us and are a pretext to compare two generations that share a vision and discuss over the same issues. Che Fare (What to do), the title of the exhibition, poses a clear question, although it does so without using the question mark, as we probably know there is no answer. The uncertainty on what the project will be and on the drift of society, on the future of many young people who are facing this profession/passion today, is evident enough and cannot be hidden away any more." Gabriele Pezzini
'Moving' Stool by Gabriele Pezzini (2004) - 'Putrella' by Enzo Mari (Danese 1958)
Exhibition "Che fare" Enzo Mari / Gabriele Pezzini From January 9 to February 20 2010
The i24R3Portable is an extension of the i24R3 wireless speaker project collaboration between EOps and Michael Young studio. The i24R3Portable is a family of portable speakers with various specific functional configurations to suit different user lifestyles.
"This project is about a serious portable waterproof speaker, I have always wanted one myself but there are big constraints to achieve the best sound quality while being waterproof and lightweight. The conventional waterproof speaker drivers are simply not up to the job. We have achieved a fundamental improvement in waterproof portable speaker design by using a totally sealed sound chamber design with light weight and powerful flat panel speakers and passive radiators which can provide really strong music perfomance. And the circular form and the thickness of the i24R3Portable speaker happens to be the most appropriate form that can satisfy the challenging engineering requirement and coincidentally also look nice with the original i24R3 wireless speaker system. The i24R3Portable comes with a tube stand that is very unconventional for a portable speaker. The tube stand is something playful but people can use it like a handle for portability like carrying the speaker from indoor living room to the balcony but it is also removable so that people can mount the speaker in the wall if they want.", Michael Young (UK).
The different versions available allow the user to listen to music via PC or Mac computers, mobile phones, IPhones or MP3Players.
Product designer develops radio which incorporates Indonesian culture by Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia
An Indonesian product designer has developed a simple radio that he hopes will become a timeless classic. It is a functional piece of art, based on the designer's interpretation of Indonesian culture. But there are no traditional carvings on a Magno Radio.
Its creator Singgih Kartono wanted to go beyond established forms of Indonesian art, such as batik and carving, while retaining the cultural philosophy of having a connection between the user and the product.
He said: "We do not think of a product as an object, we think it is part of our life. And I try to explore that in my design."
The radios are made from Pinewood, Mahogany and Albasia - wood from trees indigenous to Indonesia. And Singgih plants a replacement tree for each one he uses.
He explained: "(This is) because wood is a soulful material. Wood tells us about life, balance and limits. When I combine electronic products with wood material, it seems like a soul embodied, it makes a closer relation to us. "
The radio started out as a final year university project in 1992 when he was studying product design, and it took 13 years to start production. The main challenge was difficulty in sourcing small numbers of radio circuits, to be encased in Singgih's wooden radio casing.
Suppliers normally only sell a minimum of 1,000 radio circuits per purchase. But in 2005, a supplier finally agreed to sell Singgih 100 radio circuits.
A Magno radio costs between US$200 and US$300, depending on its size.
A team of 30 craftsmen makes about 200 sets every month at a workshop the social enterprise entrepreneur had set up in his home town in Central Java in 2005 to provide jobs for his fellow villagers.
That is not enough to meet demand from Europe, the United States, Australia, China and Taiwan. But Singgih has no intention of increasing the production of Magno radios. And he is in no hurry to come up with new designs.
He said: "I will make developments. But my design is slow design. I do not want to make things fast because I am not driven by the market, or driven by the money."
Singgih said the Magno's simplicity means it can be a timeless product. And he hopes it will evolve into a collector's item that is used for many years to come. - CNA/ms
For 40 years, from 1955 until 1995, Dieter Rams designed or oversaw the
design of over 500 products for the German electronics manufacturer
Braun, as well as furniture for Vitsœ. Audio equipment, calculators,
shavers and shelving systems are just some of the products created by
Dieter Rams, each item holds a special place in the history of
industrial and furniture design and has established Dieter Rams as one
of the most influential designers of the late 20th century.
This exhibition is the first UK definitive retrospective of Dieter Rams’ career in over 12 years. Showcasing landmark designs for both Braun and Vitsœ, this exhibition will examine how Dieter Rams’ design ethos inspired and challenged perceptions of domestic design and assesses Dieter Rams’ lasting influence on today’s design landscape. Archive film footage, models, sketches and prototypes will be displayed alongside specially commissioned interviews with Dieter Rams’ contemporaries, which include Jonathon Ive, Jasper Morrison, Sam Hecht and Naoto Fukasawa.
Electric shaver, 1970 Design: Dieter Rams Manufacturer: Braun
Control ET44 calculator, 1978 Design: Dieter Rams Manufacturer: Braun
Dieter Rams’ elegant products challenged original concepts of design thought by reducing electrical switches to a minimum and arranging them in an orderly manner, transparent plastics and wooden veneers were mixed and colour schemes were limited to tones of pure whites and greys, the only splash of colour being allocated to switches and dials.
P1 pocket record player, 1959 and T41 pocket radio, 1956 Design: Dieter Rams, Manufacturer: Braun
SK4 record player, 1956 Design: Dieter Rams and Hans Gugelot Manufacturer: Braun
Dieter Rams defined an elegant, legible, yet rigorous visual design language, identified through his ‘Ten Principles’ of good design, which, amongst others stated that good design should be innovative, aesthetic, durable and useful. Heavily influenced by the Bauhaus and Ulm School of Art in Germany, Dieter Rams pioneered a design spirit which embraced modernity and placed functionality above everything else, resulting in designs that were free of decoration, simple in function and embodied a cohesive sense of order. Born in Germany in 1932, Dieter Rams trained in architecture and interior design before joining Braun in 1955 where he took advantage of electronic and engineering advances made during the Second World War to realise a sophisticated re-interpretation of domestic appliances.
606 Universal Shelving system Design: Dieter Rams Manufacturer: Vitsœ
DETAILS.com just posted their newest “60 Seconds” Q&A. This time
they sit down with Gary Hustwit, director of “Objectified.” The film
explores our relationships with manufactured items, everything from
cars to a potato peeler, and the designers behind them. Plus, Hustwit
tells us his favorite design items.
Q: Helvetica traced the history of a typeface, and in Objectified you examine industrial design—a category that includes things as disparate as potato peelers and sports cars. Is it tough to make movies with such seemingly uncinematic topics?
A: My films are about asking audiences questions, not about finding answers or teaching. You can do proper documentary films and get people off death row—or you can ask questions. I focused on design, but everything is designed. Part of the reason for making a film about stuff is to make people think about that stuff. It tells a story—where we came from, where we're going, the issues that are facing us as a culture.
Q: How is our relationship to objects changing?
A: It's funny: I just moved, and I spread out all of my stuff beforehand. Most of the things I have are media —books, records, DVDs. I asked myself, "Why am I carrying this stuff around? This could easily fit on a JumpDrive." There's no need to have a physical object for them anymore.
Read More and make sure you check out the trailer for the movie - it’s really beautiful.
The Panasonic Design Museum is an online museum which provides information regarding Panasonic's rich history. It includes an exclusive collection of remarkable product designs dating back to 1918.
Improved attachment plug
The very first product to be manufactured by Matsushita Electric was an innovative attachment plug, designed by Konosuke Matsushita himself. Uniquely, the plug was made from resin, and showed characteristic forward thinking, recycling the metal screw-in sections of used light bulbs.
The winners of the Fennia Prize 2009 competition have been chosen. The Fennia Prize 2009 Grand Prix (€15,000) goes to Genelec for the design of the Genelec 5040A subwoofer. Four Fennia Prizes of €5,000 each are awarded to Iittala, Metso Automation, Saas Instruments and Polar Electro.
'Genelec 5040A' active subwoofer (2008) Designer: Harri Koskinen, technical and acoustic design Siamäk Naghian, Jussi Väisänen / Genelec Oy Product Development Producer: Genelec Oy
The Fennia Prize 2009 Grand Prix goes to the Genelec 5040A active
subwoofer. The compact design of this product differs from conventional
solutions. Among other features, the speaker driver and controls are
placed out of sight on the base of the device and the overall form is
simplified and unassuming. The enclosure is made with a new
manufacturing method employing deep-drawn steel and die-cast aluminium.
The same form is repeated in miniature in the remote control unit. The
properties of the subwoofer represent state-of-the-art technology.
The Fennia Prizes of 2009 go to Iittala/Iittala Group Oy Ab, Metso Automation Oy, Saas Instruments and Polar Electro Oy. A prize sum of €5,000 goes to each recipient.
'KajaaniPaperLab' automatic paper testing unit (2008-2009) Designer: Kajaani Product Development Team Producer: Metso Automation Oy
'Fireplace' table fireplace (2008) Designer: Ilkka Suppanen Producer: Iittala/Iittala Group Oy Ab
'Polar FT80' training computer (2006–2008) Designer: Visa Rauta Producer: Polar Electro Oy
'Medusa' lamp (2007) Designer: Mikko Paakkanen Producer: Saas Instruments
The Fennia Prize 2009 exhibition Design Forum Finland, Erottajankatu 7, Helsinki From February 20 to March 29 2009
Core77 and Greener Gadgets invited designers to explore the concept of "Greener Gadgets. The top 50 entries are published online for voting and commenting, and from these the judges will pick the Top 10 to be judged live at the Greener Gadgets Conference in New York City on February 27th. Voting ends February 20th. Click, get inspired, and vote!
'VE09 Blister Radio' by Klaus Rosburg (United States) The VE09 Blister Radio is made from PLA, a biodegradable, thermoplastic, aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources such as cornstarch (in the U.S.) or sugarcanes. The solar panel in the back of the clear blister pack recharges the batteries allowing the user to operate the radio without ever opening the clamshell package.
'Blight' by Vincent Gerkens (Belgium) This solar blind creates a link between indoor and outdoor, taking the daylight during the day and giving it back at night. The advantage of the Venetian blind is to have a large surface exposed to sunlight in a small, cumbersome object. With the revolving blades we can follow the course of the sun in order to catch a maximum of energy. Moreover we can adjust the position of the lamp to obtain various lighting effects. The produced energy can be used to supply a computer or other devices, by means of an inverter.
'Power-Hog' by Mathieu Zastawny, Mansour Ourasanah, Tom Dooley, Peter Byar, Elysa Soffer, Mathieu Turpault (United States) Power-Hog is a power consumption metering piggy bank designed to sensitize kids to energy cost associated with running electronics devices. Plug the tail into the outlet and the device into the snout; feed a coin to meter 30 minutes of use.
'eMetric' by Jason Deperro (United States) eMetric is an office power management system that allows teams of conscientious workers to control and learn about their electronics' energy consumption - saving energy and money.
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.
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