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DesignBuildBLUFF, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide architectural students with a real-world educational experience in physically connecting on-site to both the experimental and standardized aspects of design, announces its 2008 architectural projects.Founded by professor Hank Lewis in 2000, DesignBuildBLUFF is affiliated with the University of Utah’s College of Architecture + Planning and designs … Continue reading “DesignBuildBLUFF architectural projects”

No doubt about it laptops get hot, often very hot. So hot in fact that manufacturers now prefer the term “portable computer” since you cannot use them on your lap without a risk of injury.In search of the simplest possible design solution to this dilemma, Bluelounge has designed ‘Cool Feet’ as compact and removable supports … Continue reading “Cool Feet”

The idea of the folding away wall bed is far from new, it was already very successful in the Fifties. But these contemporary solutions proposed by bonbon, with the Clei collection, should interest all those who live in a small space, that is to say most people who live in the largest cities of the … Continue reading “Wall Beds”

When is a jug not a jug? When its a jar! By screwing on plastic tops, these jars are turned into containers with a specific function. A jar is transformed into kitchenware, creating more practical and emotional value. The family includes a sugar pot, milk can, spice container, chocolate sprinkler, oil&vinegar set, mug and a … Continue reading “Jorre van Ast / Industrial Designer”

When Sydney-based designer Sally Dominguez was told it was impossible to fit a water storage tank under her small garden deck, she designed her own. The Rainwater Hog is a small-scale modular storage tank for collecting rainwater that can be reused for watering plants, washing the car or whatever you need.       The … Continue reading “Recycling water: WaterHOG”

The Sustainable Habitat Challenge (ShaC 09) is a national collaborative project for teams around New Zealand to design, develop, and build sustainable housing in their local community.Its aim is to make ideas and methods for low-energy, low-resource housing a reality for New Zealand. By building better homes, ShaC hopes to show that a more sustainable … Continue reading “Sustainable Habitat Challenge 09”

This series of mirrors designed by Jean-Marie Massaud for Glas Italia are made in extralight glass with degrading shaded silvering. They hangon the wall with a chromium-plated metal cylinder. The small mirror can have a degrading shade upwards or downwards.   Fiction mirrors won Interior Innovation Award Cologne in the category Materials at IMM Cologne … Continue reading “Fiction mirrors”

Royal Philips Electronics has received an iF Gold award for the EcoClassic50 energy saving lamp. This is the first ever energy saving lamp purposely designed to suit fixtures where existing energy-savers could not be used and giving excellent light quality. The lamp helps energy without compromising the light or visual effect of the lighting installation.   … Continue reading “Philips EcoClassic 50”

This is the second edition of the international design biennale, DesignMatch, which will be held in countries of middle Europe in year 2008. After the successful first edition, the Design Match 2006 CZE:SVK, that was presented as a part of the Art&Interior fair, there will be four countries fighting: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria.

Bloxes LLC is a Chicago-based company run by Andrew Wilson and Aza Raskin. They have conceived a system of building blocks made of interlocking pieces of corrugated cardboard, folded together. Their unique shape and structure make them exceptionally strong and lightweight — you can build yourself a platform to stand on, and then pick it … Continue reading “Bloxes”

Architecture studio Kjellgren kaminsky and their client Emrahus have presented Sweden’s first series of prefabricated passive houses at the Hem & Villa housing fair in Malmö from March 6 to March 9. Passive houses are extremely well-insulated buildings that are largely heated by the energy already present in the building – people and our household … Continue reading “Swedish passive houses”

Each time the name of IKEA appears on Design Addict, there are voices which rise to attack or defend the Swedish firm. To the clans of IKEA lovers and IKEA haters, one apparently has to add IKEA hackers, already present since a while on the Web. On Ikeahacker, speakers share their experiments of customisation and … Continue reading “IKEA Hacker”

Further to my post about Swedish passive houses, here is a very interesting project about passive houses using renewable resources. Sustainable construction can be defined as follows: Not only the building concepts but also the components and materials which are used have to meet the present needs of the users without burdening future generations with … Continue reading “S-HOUSE Passive house made of straw”

Melina and Dodd Raissnia of Peace Industry own and operate their own workshop in Iran where they have perfected the best methods for producing high quality felt rugs, all of which are designed by Melina. The method is a revitalization of the oldest rug tradition from Iran that had been on the verge of extinction.After … Continue reading “Felt Rugs”

This March, to complement V&A’s China Design Now exhibition, Liberty will exhibit The Real Toy Story, an extraordinary art installation by Michael Wolf that uses 20,000 plastic toys. Through his photographs Hong Kong based photographer Michael Wolf chronicles the many different faces of China, contrasting the global face of Chinese society with the individuality and … Continue reading “The Real Toy Story”

Spring is almost back and with the fine days one will want to go off for a bike ride again. The models of the German company Retrovelo have a charm which should not leave indifferent the many amateurs of vintage design who visit DA. Retro forms combined with advanced technology, it’s a tandem that doesn’t … Continue reading “Retrovelo”

The ‘Nested Bunk Beds’ was a winning entry by architect Y. Tsai ofTsai Design Studio for the 36sqm Challenge, a design competitionsponsored by Pick ‘n Pay Ackerman Foundation. The requirements for the competition was to design 36sqm of home for 7-8 people, a condition commonly found in the low cost income housing in South Africa.

Blabla’s collection is designed by florence Wetterwald and knitted by Peruvian artisans.Everything is made from natural fibers of exceptional quality grown in Peru, making the line irresistibly soft and cudley.     Florence’s poetic, simple, and vibrant style combined with the ancestral knowledge of the knitters has created products which look contemporary, yet feel like … Continue reading “Blabla kids”

Wright Auction house will be auctioning Louis Kahn’s Esherick house located just outside of Philadelphia. The house stands as one of the most important houses realized by Kahn throughout his career, and is the first residence to illustrate his mature architectural ideals. The house will be offered in Wright’s Important Design sale with an estimate … Continue reading “Louis Kahn’s Esherick house”

Get ready to change the world!Throughout Earth Day Week, April 22-26, 2008 in San Francisco, California, the Ecocity World Summit (7th International Ecocity Conference) will be convening an international community of inspired change-makers; courageous individuals who are addressing problems of the world’s environment with thoughtful long-range solutions that are truly sustainable, ecologically healthy and socially … Continue reading “Ecocity World Summit 2008”

DeKast, created by Michel Doyer Furniture Designs, will be presented for the first time at the Salone del Mobile in Milan. Tuttobene, a Dutch platform for young designers, has selected a limited amount of designs for the Salone del Mobile presentation, which includes DeKast. DeKast is a modular shelving system. Users can choose from a … Continue reading “Dekast in Milano”

LivingHomes®, a premier developer of modern, sustainably designed,prefabricated homes, is announcing a new collaborative relationship with Philadelphia-based architecture firm KieranTimberlake. KieranTimberlake is a nationally recognized firm known for its research, innovation, and inventive design. Over the past two decades, they have designed beautifully crafted, thoughtfully made buildings which are holistically integrated to site, program and … Continue reading “LivingHomes”

The Flower Council of Holland is presenting a sensational creation from Niels van Eijk and Miriam van der Lubbe. It’s a boy or a girl or whatever, a brand new type of vase open to any suggestions. Will it be haute couture in a flowery dress, seductiveness with roses so red, sheer envy with hauntingly … Continue reading “Bloom My Buddy”

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 … Continue reading “11 – the beautiful game”

At the Light&Building fair, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors and IngoMaurer 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 … Continue reading “OSRAM and Ingo Maurer”

French architect Jean Nouvel has been chosen as the 2008 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize.Theformal 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 … Continue reading “Jean Nouvel is the 2008 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate”

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 … Continue reading “Sustainable work from University of Belgrade”

‘Stack’ by Shay AlkalayBritish 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 … Continue reading “Established & Sons”