Archive for the ‘re-use’ Category
Thursday, July 29th, 2010
‘Hand Werk’ is a limited edition set of boxes that contain materials and forms for abstract play (top). Designed by Peter Nencini, these thoughtful collections of wood, fabric, rubber and ceramics encourage people to come up with their own imaginative uses; no instructions are provided. “Hand Werk is simply about sensibility brought about by mute play, by handling. No rules because the elements should be moved and moved again.”
When I was a kid I loved the Recycling Shop at the Boston Children’s Museum. It was a small little store where you could fill a bag with anonymous objects for craft and creative play (bottom).
Tags: Boston Children's Museum, Peter Nencini
Posted in accessories, craft, re-use | No Comments »
Friday, June 11th, 2010
Cumulus Project is an online concept store that sells only one object at a time. Their first product (sorry sold already) was a set of stump stools crafted from a fallen tree in BC. Finished with sustainably-harvested latex foam, white leather and copper tacks; a simple, yet beautiful combination.
Tags: Cumulus Project
Posted in furniture, re-use, seating | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
At Designersblock in Milan, Johan Lindsten presented his ‘Dream About an Idyllic Place’ chairs. Lindsten discovered old Swedish textiles, which had been embroidered by hand. Rather than discarding these labour intensive works, he worked worked them into his seating design.
Tags: Designersblock, Johan Lindsten, Milan 2010, Swedish
Posted in craft, furniture, re-use, seating | No Comments »
Friday, April 9th, 2010
Some of the exhibitions I am most excited to see in Milan are the ones that don’t involve any new products, just re-imagined ones. The show Cuisine d’Objets by 5.5 Design is one of those events. The designers will be presenting ‘recipes’/instructions on how to create new objects from regular household items. Similar in spirit to the Droog show, these events seem much more appropriate right now than lavish design-art pieces. Perhaps a post-trip compare and contrast is in order.
Tags: 5.5, Milan 2010
Posted in Milan, installations, re-use, shows | No Comments »
Monday, March 29th, 2010
Eco-adventurer David de Rothschild set off from San Fransisco for Australia with a crew of five people on a specially built boat called the Plastiki. The entire vessel is made out of re-purposed plastics, from PET boards to a hull composed of 12, 500 carbon dioxide filled soda bottles. In addition to showcasing the design possibilities of plastic, the voyagers are hoping to focus attention on the health of the world’s oceans. Their website has a journey tracker, videos and sketches, including boats inspired by the Palstiki made by schoolchildren (bottom).
Tags: boat, David de Rothschild, plastic
Posted in ideas, re-use, sparks | No Comments »
Friday, March 19th, 2010
Tomas Alonso is Spanish designer whose work is focused on elegant yet simple forms. His collection of seating is particularly nice; from the minimalist ‘5 Degree Stool’ made from beech and sailing rope to his mis-matched ‘V&A chairs’ designed for an event at the Somerset House. The combination of powder coated steel, ash and reclaimed Victorian ceiling boards give the chairs a “slightly umbalanced appearance” which is very charming.
Tags: Spain, Tomas Alonso
Posted in furniture, re-use, seating | No Comments »
Thursday, March 18th, 2010
At this year’s Milan furniture fair, the iconic collective Droog will be presenting Everything Must Go, a showcase of 5074 items that had been lost in bankruptcies. Each piece has been ‘revived’ by one of 15 participating designers. The display will include everything from dog baskets to salt shakers – folding chairs to wallets. This will definitely be a stop for me – designers transforming existing products instead of churning out needless new ones is very appropriate given the times.
Tags: Droog, Milan
Posted in Milan, accessories, ideas, re-use, shows | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
The 2010 Brit Insurance Designs of the Year are now on display at the Design Museum in London. While the show includes some very worthy nominees, somehow several of the products fall short. Some items seem like newer, shinier versions of very old ideas, while others are simply just uninspiring. Sugru, a moldable silicone material developed by Jane Ní Dhulchaointigh, is one the highlights.
Sugru is a fix-it persons dream – a substance that can be used to repair (or customize) just about anything. The clay attaches to most surfaces and is waterproof, dishwasher-proof and, since it sets in 30 minutes, pretty much foolproof. The idea of extending the life of the products we have, rather than churning out new ones is both refreshing and significant.
Tags: Design Museum, London, Sugru
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Thursday, January 7th, 2010
Artist Daniel Rozin created ‘Trash Mirror’ from 500 pieces of rubbish he found on the streets of New York. Through the miracle and magic of science, he configured each scrap to tilt down when someone passes in front of it, casting a shadow in the trash. You can see a man with a cowboy hat on the left and a person with their arm up on the right. If that all sounds a little confusing check out a youtube video here.
Tags: Daniel Rozin
Posted in art, re-use | No Comments »
Friday, November 27th, 2009
PULP is a collection of vessels made entirely from paper waste by Studio Jo Meesters. The Dutch designer re-uses discarded vessels as his mold, then adds epoxy and polyurethane into the pulp mixture to make objects that can hold water.
Tags: Dutch Design Week, Jo Meesters
Posted in accessories, paper, re-use | No Comments »
