Category: design

yi-cong lu = living tools for the modern kind!

berlin born, industrial designer Yi-Cong-Lu recently surprised at berlin’s international design festival (dmy) with his multi-purpose series of living tools or wohnwerkzeuge. testing the limits of conventional architecture, he’s crafted three different pieces that can be fitted and molded into different uses depending on your needs. lightboy, fade, and panel are a perfect example of flexible, clutter-free, and multifunctional design; just the kind we at colectivo futuro appreciate the most.

lightboy is a portable light fixture that can be molded to provide light wherever necessary. it can hang or lean against a wall, or it can be used as a flexible stand-alone lamp.

fade is a curtain partition that can be used to subdivide spaces in different sizes based on needs. it’s particularly useful for creating separate work environments or the often needed guest space.

panel is a multi-purpose, mobile object that varies its use depending on its orientation. it can be used as a table, a temporary roof, or a space partition. it also contains a neon lamp for added functionality.

check out the short video below for more details on the three pieces. also keep track of yi-cong’s designs by visiting his website.

No Comments by el colectivo futuro on July 10, 2011

filed in design, lifestyle

tagged berlin, dmy, functional design, industrial design, living tools, wohnwerkzeuge, yi cong lu

studio schneemann = a flip flop story!

who’d think there would be any kind of use for tons of discarded flip flops washing up ashore in africa! but in comes rotterdam based diederik schneemann, from studio schneemann, with a fantastic idea to recycle a bunch of old, dirty pieces of foam and to transform them into functional, playful and environmentally kind pieces of furniture. we had the opportunity to see diederik’s work from up close at milan’s salone del mobile and we must say it was one of the most refreshing concepts we saw during our visit.

the process seems simple: collect flip flops that wash up in the shores of kenya, cut the usable parts into squares, glue them together, and finally give shape to the final piece in the form of say a vase or lamp. however simple though, it takes a creative mind, such as diederik’s to make a usable and visually attractive product out of waste. check out an explanation of the process and the designs from the man himself below…

hopefully the project doesn’t stay in a conceptual, art gallery phase and someone picks it up for production. it’s sustainably designed products like these that we would like to see receiving more support in the near future. in the meantime, keep an eye out on studio schneemann’s website for any updates.

No Comments by el colectivo futuro on June 5, 2011

filed in design

tagged a flip flop story, design, kenya, rotterdam, salone del mobile, studio schneemann

jambox = a modernist boombox!

the much talked about jambox, designed by Yves Béhar and his fuseproject studio for mobile technology firm Jawbone, can quite simply be defined as a stunningly built, miniature boombox for the man of the future. in essence, the jambox is a bluetooth enabled, rubber & stainless steel, rectangular box which reproduces up to 85 decibels of sound. you can basically hook up your iphone, ipad, or any other gadget of choice and listen to it wirelessly on the jambox. another cool feature is that it serves as a wireless speakerphone if you receive an incoming call on your mobile.

the jambox comes in four different surface treatments and colors, and can also be updated and synced with jawbone’s online platform. read a description of the product and its specs, straight from the source, below…

“Part technical wonder, part modernist artwork, JAMBOX looks and feels as striking as it sounds. Whether placed on a desk, coffee table, or shelf, JAMBOX not only declutters jumbles of wires and clumsy computer speakers, but adds a distinct touch of style. With its stainless steel construction and industrial-weight molded rubber casing, this is not just a pretty package – JAMBOX is a sturdy, portable, and meticulously crafted machine that’s built to blast. Yet another example of Jawbone’s obsession with delivering breakthrough audio innovations, exceptional functionality, and beautifully designed products for today’s mobile lifestyle.”

keep an eye out for our upcoming post on salone del mobile’s JamScape exhibition curated by fuseproject & dezeen, in which colectivo futuro was able to play a small part by providing a piece of the soundtrack for the installation. in the meantime read all about the jambox on jawbone’s website