From Core77
Posted on May 20th 2013, 01:30 PM
As we saw with NEMO Equipment's gear, clever design can enable air to play a significant structural role with camping gear. In NEMO's case, that air is provided by a pump.
Portland-based inventor Ryan Frayne is also experimenting with air, but he's zeroed in on a particular element of the user experience: How to get the air into the product. To that end, Frayne has focused on designing a special valve, and the results are pretty impressive. Frayne's Windcatcher design amplifies your exhalation, using physics I don't understand to multiply your air volume by a factor of 10 or 15—with the added benefit that you don't even have to put your mouth on the thing. Observe:
Frayne's Air Pad seems like a good entry-level product design, but we feel it's his valve that will be the killer app. An easy, pump-less way to inflate things could play a major role in everything from disaster relief to life-saving devices.
At press time, the Windcatcher's Kickstarter campaign was at just under $16,000 of a $50,000 target, with 23 days left to pledge.
(more...)
From Spoon-tamago
Posted on May 20th 2013, 01:02 PM
Until 1868 women weren’t allowed to climb Mt. Fuji
According to legend, Mt. Fuji used to be the abode of a fire goddess who would be jealous of any other woman in the vicinity.
A 1000 yen view
Mt. Fuji, as it appears on Japan’s 1000 yen note, is a view from Lake Motosu and is based on a photograph by Koyo Okada, in which he captured Mt. Fuji’s upside down reflection in the lake.
During WWII there was a plan to paint Mt. Fuji red
Although this is somewhat of a rumor, during WWII the CIA briefly considered dropping buckets of red paint on Mt. Fuji as a form of psychological warfare to degrade Japan’s morale. However, a more thorough analysis revealed that it would require 12 tons of paint and roughly 30,000 B29 planes to carry all the paint and the plan was quickly dropped.
Red Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai (1831)The summit of Mt Fuji is not in any prefecture.
Although the mountain itself sits on the boundary between Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures, a 1974 Supreme Court ruling stated that all land above station 8 (roughly 400 m2) belongs to a sacred shrine.
In 2008 a Mt. Fuji license plate was released
Due to popular demand, and in an attempt to stimulate the local economy, Shizuoka prefecture created a Mt. Fuji license plate in 2008. It’s available in 6 different districts and has become a collectable for Mt. Fuji aficionados.
Novel transforms Mt. Fuji forest into a hotbed for suicides
Seicho Matsumoto’s 1960 novel “Tower of Waves” (波の塔) detailed the love affair...
From Betterlivingthroughdesign
Posted on May 20th 2013, 01:01 PM
You recycle everything, you minimize car travel, you try very hard to buy local foods, so why the hell are you still using plastic bags for food storage? Maybe you could take one tiny extra step and get some reusable food storage already (duh).
The Abeego material is a hemp and cotton fabric infused with a blend of beeswax, tree resin and jojoba oil that keeps food fresh. What? Huh? How? Keep your pants on, and listen. When at room temperature, the cloth is slightly adhesive and malleable, and when it’s cool, it stiffens and holds the form you create. The natural coating is fluid and air resistant, and you just hand-wash in cold water to clean. There are a couple of drawbacks, though: no dishwasher or microwave use, and you might be accused of being a hippie. (Kidding about the last bit, of course.)
Available sizes: Flats, Snack, Wrap, Giant, Custom (web only).See more at Abeego.
From Design-milk
Posted on May 20th 2013, 01:00 PM
Keeping the original shell of the home, the Cosgriff House was given an environmental and economic renovation and extension designed by architect Christopher Polly. A ground floor living area was inserted beneath the original living space and an extension was added on in the rear that opens up towards the garden.
Located in Annandale, Sydney, Australia, the modestly-sized house expands with the two-story extension that features a uniquely-shaped roof form that allows light to flood both floors.
The lower floor completely opens up to the backyard with sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundaries between indoors and out.
White walls and ceilings and polished concrete floors unify the long, narrow space.
Blinds can be lowered for privacy on both floors of the extension.
Skylights fill the stairwell and upper hallway with light.
The upper floor renovation adds a new main bedroom, bathroom, and an adaptable bedroom that can work as a study in the future.
Photos by Brett Boardman Photography.
From Desiretoinspire
Posted on May 20th 2013, 01:00 PM
We received an email from a reader named Dane recently, and as today is a holiday here in Canada and I'm wishing I could be hanging out at my sister's cottage enjoying the scenery instead of home doing work and chores, I thought this was a perfect post (that might however have me in tears). Thought you would love this property. An old friend of mine Jenny Inch owns this home, she is a landscape designer (as you can tell from the images). This remains the most beautiful home I've had the pleasure of visiting, and the gardens are amazing. Enjoy! Enjoy we shall! Murrakaia is located in Dulong, Queensland, Australia and is currently for sale. It's located on 3 private acres and the home features two large bedrooms, a generous study, two bathrooms and two living areas, and it's only 90 minutes from Brisbane. The landscaping is out of this world. It's absolutely gorgeous and Jenny is obviously talented in that area.
From Designboom
Posted on May 20th 2013, 01:00 PM
a fully glazed interior facade of an administrative area is transformed with rotating shade panels that control sunlight from entering the space.
The post vallo sadovsky architects: WBP online company branch appeared first on designboom.
From Complex
Posted on May 20th 2013, 12:57 PM
Everyone loves free stuff.
From Yankodesign
Posted on May 20th 2013, 12:55 PM
Shelving units that are adapted for the inside of corners are a common and useful storage solution, so why not expand this concept to outward-facing corners for even more space-savings? Designer Kim Hyung Geun answers this very question with his latest piece- a versatile shelving system that makes the most out of both kinds of corners that are just waiting to be used! Easy to mount and easy on the eyes, it’s a simple way to bring more shelving into compact spaces.
Designer: Kim Hyung Geun
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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs - Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Shop CKIE - We are more than just concepts. See what's hot at the CKIE store by Yanko Design!
(The other kind of corner… was originally posted on Yanko Design)Related posts:
From Gizmodo
Posted on May 20th 2013, 12:54 PM
In the age of ubiquitous computing, we've grown fairly used to infrastructure, objects, and even furniture that adapt to the presence of humans. But what if you could control the behavior of a wall or room simply by thinking harder?
That’s the impetus behind Cerebral Hut, an installation by the Turkish architect Guvenc Ozel. The hut, which is made up of ten hexagonal panels programmed to expand and contract on command, was part of a show at the last Istanbul Biennial. Ozel bought a commercially...
From Arquitour
Posted on May 20th 2013, 12:45 PM
Proyecto: Loop
Arquitectura: GOMEZ PLATERO Arquitectos, GP + LPS
Ubicación: Canelones, Uruguay
Año: 2011
Superficie construcción: 5,467 m2
Fotografía: Mauricio Kühne, Pablo Pintos
Se trata de un conjunto...
From Archinect
Posted on May 20th 2013, 12:35 PM
the Visitors Center lists some 70 structures as “noteworthy”), many designed by a litany of important American architects: I. M. Pei, Harry Weese, Robert A. M. Stern, Richard Meier, Kevin Roche, Robert Venturi, Cesar Pelli and others...
Recently Nancy Kriplen wrote about a visit to Columbus, Ind, for the NYT Sunday travel section. The city was "ranked sixth among the nation’s cities in 1991 for its architectural innovation and design by the American Institute of Architects".
From Otto-otto
Posted on May 20th 2013, 12:30 PM
What: Getting Social at NeoCon: Making the Most of Your Show with Social Media Webinar
When: Thursday, May 30th at 11:00AM CST
Where: Register here.
Why: KI presents its next Social Media University webinar, which features panelists from the field of design discussing how to stay on top of all things NeoCon by fully utilizing social media. Webinar panelists include: Grace Ehlers, marketing coordinator at Metropolis magazine, Christa Payton, communications manager for IIDA, Jean Lin, editor-in-chief of Designer Pages, and Kia Weatherspoon, president of Determined by Design, LLC.From 3rings
Posted on May 20th 2013, 12:30 PM
During last month’s Salone del Mobile in Milan, World famous car manufacturer Maserati launched its first Lounge Chair. Designed by Italian duo Ludovica and Roberto Palomba, the chair is produced in collaboration with Zanotta.
The Maserati Lounge Chair by Zanotta is the result of a collaboration between two luxury Italian brands.
With a sleek outer shell and sumptuous leather seat, the Maserati Lounge Chair is inspired by Maserati’s new Quattroporte car.
Boasting a high-resilience polyurethane padding and a Zanotta Extra 99 removable quilted leather upholstery, the chair is the first launch from a new line of furniture by Maserati for the home and office.
The Maserati Lounge Chair by Zanotta can be viewed online here: maseratistore.com.
About the manufacturer: Established in 1954 by Aurelio Zanotta, Zanotta is one of the leaders in modern and contemporary Italian furniture design and production. Today’s expansive Zanotta collection comprises armchairs, sofas, storage units, bookcases, chairs, tables, coffee-tables and furnishing accessories by internationally famed architects and designers.
From 2modern
Posted on May 20th 2013, 12:30 PM
If it’s possible for the outside of a museum to upstage the show within it, Werner Aisslinger has no one but himself to blame. The German product...
Posted on May 20th 2013, 12:30 PM
