Category — Ideas

I think this is one definite case of an image speaks a thousand words, except it doesn’t need that many. This is quite obviously a unit-based fridge system that makes it ideal for flatshares.

I’ve no idea how it works, whether its modulised and detachable and therefore powered by the base unit, but a great way for lodgers to take responsibility for their own fridge is if they had their own box and simply moved in and stacked it.

Designed by Stefan Buchberger as part of Design Lab 2008.

Via Formfiftyfive

Technorati Tags: flatshare, fridges, ideas, products, Design Lab 2008, Stefan Buchberger, unit-based fridge system

Making art from technology is always a good thing in my book and this is no exception.

Sachiko Kodama is a physics geek turned artist whose intimacy with the laws of magnetism has led her to create art out of magnets and oils filled with magnetic particles.

As the magnets interact with the magnetized water, she’s able to create amazingly weird, oily shapes that mutate and flow seemingly without reference to gravity.

One of her sculptures is showing in a group show at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens through the end of October. According to the SculptureSite Gallery, which helped curate the exhibit:

Employing electromagnets and magnetically-charged microfine particles suspended in oil set in motion through a computer controller, Kodama, who is associate professor at Tokyo’s University of Electro-Communications, explores an entirely new territory where the seductive glossy black liquid seems to turn into rows of solid spikes impeccably organized around a spiraling cone, only to dissolve abruptly into obvious liquidity once again

Check below to see the “sculptures” in action.

Via io9

Technorati Tags: electromagnet art, Sachiko Kodama

Brazilian artist Nele Azevedo created this art installation consisting of hundreds of sitting figures out of ice. The installation lasted till the last one melted in the heat of the day.

I thought this was a fantastically fun idea to create as a piece of art. I’m not sure what the message in the concept would have been, maybe a comment on global warming and its effect on the population, but it looks like a great way to engage the public.

Via Neatorama

Technorati Tags: art, ideas, mini ice men, Nele Azevedo

This is the excellent burger interpretation of the Nike Air Max 90 by Olle Hemmendorff, a Swedish illustrator/designer who was commissioned by Nike (along with 7 other artists) to “interpret” their sneakers.

Great, quirky idea - make something up out of unexpected materials. I especially like the contrast in fast food and “sporty” footwear.

Via Neatorama

Technorati Tags: ideas, Nike, Nike Air Max 90, Olle Hemmendorff, trainer burger

Nothing will be beyond the “designer” tag, which prefixing practically anything implies something that looks good and is probably expensive too.

But with cakes, why not? ‘The Girl with the most Cake’ is the name of a cake company run by artist/designer team Linda Bartlett and Amy Forrest.

They make extraordinary, one of a kind centre pieces which they emphasize, has quality ingredients and taste to match.

I think if you have the imagination and creativity, you should apply it with any skill that you have (such as making cakes).

It’s just a shame that these would no doubt disappear very quickly.

The Girl with the most Cake

Via Core77

Technorati Tags: cakes, cuisine, design, designer cakes, fashion cakes

Zach Kowalczyk has a Flickr photo set for food that takes the shape of its container. Its a simple idea and creates some striking, sometimes humorous images.

I’m often trying to spend more time with photography and wanting to come up with just a simple idea for a series of good looking shots. Nothing complicated (yet), and so this provides some nice inspiration.

Food?

Via SwissMiss

Technorati Tags: food, food container shapes, photography

I’m not the kind that lusts after and buys alot of shoes. I’m not even that much of a sneaker freak either. But to me, shoes can have an elegant shape to them, and the fantastic designs on The Virtual Shoe Museum are testament to this.

The Virtual Shoe Museum was initiated by Liza Snook in 2004. Once the idea was born, a long search began for designers, photographers and publishers connected to shoes.

Not all the shoes are practical, which is even better since it gives room for the imagination to create all manner of weird and wonderful designs.

Some of the shoe designs  I noticed are posted here, but the collection seems vast and you can browse through them all using criteria such as colour, the designer, the material, style etc. All very useful, if you do lust after shoes.

Check out fantastic shoe designs on The Virtual Shoe Museum

Technorati Tags: fashion, footwear, ideas, shoe design

I love this simple idea for chocolate where different sized chunks are marked by how many calories they contain.

From Elmanco via NotCot

Technorati Tags: chocolate design, design, ideas, products

Volkswagen created a mini-site devoted to new car concepts for the year 2028.

Set in the future, the eerie video introduces three new riffs on the brand’s forthcoming Up! minicar: the One, a single-seater; the Ego (pictured), a sports car; and the family-sized Room.

Its a good little site - even the loading percentage sequence at the start is a nice touch. The initial video of a father-son conversation in a park sets the scene with a historic reflection of todays current realities of congestion and the rising cost of petrol, before they’re reminded by a digital assistant to select the car they want to come and pick them up.

Check the Volkswagen’s future car concepts

Via Men.Style.com

Technorati Tags: design, futuristic vehicles, ideas, Volksvagen

Animals on the underground is an excellent collection of illustrations of animals created out of the London Underground map.

The horizontal, vertical and forty-five degree angle lines create the three basic building blocks (lines) for this simple style which still allows recognisable portraits to be made.

Excellent inspiration and creative technique. What better distraction do you need from the mundane daily trek on the tube?

See more on the AnimalsontheUnderground website

Via blackeiffel

Technorati Tags: animals on the underground, ideas, illustration