Mathieu Lehanneur: Wiser

In response to current concerns regarding the over-consumption of energy and its ecological and economic consequences Schneider Electric and Mathieu Lehanneur created Wiser, a collection of smart devices to measure and manage domestic energy consumption in real time. Wiser is a complete solution directly displaying the energy consumption of a residence in Euros and enabling appliances to be adjusted simply via a Smartphone.

From a technical perspective Wiser measures the consumption of each appliance connected by means of sensors. The energy consumption is indicated by zone, by appliance, and by use, thus enabling unnecessary consumption to be detected, to choose the most economical times to program the washing-machine or to put the whole house on standby from a single button: the temperature will lower in all the rooms and selected sockets will be cut off.

Wiser is part of Mathieu Lehanneur’s Energy Alphabet, a series of objects designed to monitor electricity consumption in the home for energy company Schneider Electric.

http://www.domusweb.it/en/news/2014/01/23/wiser.html

EZY furniture collection by christophe pillet for offecct

EZY furniture collection by christophe pillet for offecct

all images courtesy offecct

offecct will present a preview of french designer christophe pillet‘s EZY collection during maison et objet in paris. the new furniture series consists of a sofa, easy chair, barstool and a three various-sized tables. ‘it feels like the obvious choice to present this collection to the french market first of all, since it was created by french christophe pillet for the famous and luxurious pullman tour hotel eiffel,’ says kurt tingdal, offecct CEO. the collection will be exhibited at kvadrat’s showroom in paris, before officially being launched at stockholm furniture fair from february 4th-8th, 2014.

EZY easy chair

EZY sofa

EZY bar stool front view

EZY bar stool front 3/4 view

EZY tables

http://www.designboom.com/design/ezy-furniture-collection-by-christophe-pillet-for-offecct-01-22-2014/

desnahemisfera fuses bathtub + washbasin in symbiosis unit

desnahemisfera fuses bathtub + washbasin in symbiosis unit
all images courtesy of desnahemisfera


design studio desnahemisfera has combined a bathtub and washbasin into the ‘symbiosis’ unit for kerrock by kolpa.merging the two bathroom fixtures into an ergonomic form creates a structure that is adapted to the human body. the necessary plumbing fixtures have been concealed out of sight into the shared base structure, allowing the shape of the mass to be the main focus. the technologically advanced product has integrated features, such as the ability to control both water temperature and pressure at the touch of a button, while built-in speakers enable one to play music from a mobile phone or device while enjoying a relaxing bath.

the bathroom unit combines a washing tub and hand basin in one

‘symbiosis’ has integrated technology features

overview of the ergonomic, wave-shaped form that is adapted to the human body

a washbasin is integrated into the bathroom piece

detail

http://www.designboom.com/design/desnahemisfera-fuses-bathtub-washbasin-in-symbiosis-unit-01-20-2014/

Feria Ambiente 2014

Un año más, y durante 5 días, llega a Frankfurt Ambiente, la feria de referencia internacional para todos los productos relacionados con la mesa, la cocina, el menaje del hogar, los artículos de regalo y de decoración, así como el mobiliario y los accesorios para el hogar. Una cita imprescindible para diseñadores, fabricantes, periodistas y compradores especializados, que conocerán de cerca las tendencias globales del 2014 a través de los más de 4.700 expositores repartidos en los cuatro escenarios que componen la feria: ‘talante imponente’, ‘espíritu sutil’, ‘ carácter sereno’ y ‘mente singular’.

Los visitantes podrán además disfrutar de actividades paralelas, que incluyen eventos, programas de fomento, escenificaciones de tendencias y entregas de premios; y el programa internacional 'Talents' ofrecerá a expositores, compradores y diseñadores noveles la posibilidad de establecer contactos profesionales y debatir acerca de nuevas propuestas, perspectivas y proyectos. Una oportunidad para los jóvenes talentos, los cuales, además de contar con una superficie de stand propia, podrán darse a conocer a través de la prensa internacional y otras herramientas publicitarias.

Del 7 al 11 de febrero de 2014

—

AMBIENTE-MESSE FRANKFURT

Frankfurt (Alemania)

www.ambiente.messefrankfurt.com

Stefanie Schissler: Kulle

© Stefanie Schissler, Kulle

Kulle is a project developed by Stefanie Schissler during an Exchange semester at Lund University in Sweden.


The daybed was created to evoke the instinctive feelings of safety and relax. It is addressing to our sense of touch combined with curiosity and the desire to explore things.

In order to prevent the increasing consumption designers should think about new ways to enhance the lifespans of the products in everyday life. Referring to this, Kulle is aiming for an emotional connection with raising feelings in its owner.

The design of the daybed should tempt people to explore it, which is the first step to a personal relationship. The goal of the project was to create a relaxing place, that invites you with its appearance: you should almost feel the comfort just by looking at it.

© Stefanie Schissler, Kulle

© Stefanie Schissler, Kulle

© Stefanie Schissler, Kulle

© Stefanie Schissler, Kulle

http://www.domusweb.it/content/domusweb/en/news/2014/01/18/stefanie_schissler_kulle.html

teamlab projects a maze of dancing japanese holograms

teamlab projects a maze of dancing japanese holograms

all images courtesy of teamlab

a seemingly boundless and complex maze of colored holograms fill the darkened gallery walls at the singapore art museum for the interactive digital installation by teamlab. saturating the massive space are row upon row of life-sized, three-dimensional figures in perpetual motion — dancing wildly in place and playing various instruments. ‘peace can be realized even without order’ presents the ghostly, anthropomorphic characters dressed in traditional japanese garments, standing in line beside hybrid animals and imagined creatures. as the shadowy, semi-transparent digital forms maneuver in place, visitors to the exhibition are asked to weave around them, investigate their eerie translucence, and visually interact with each evolving silhouette. as an observer enters the installation — and the light-based humanoid senses the presence of the viewer — it responds by ceasing to play music and passes on this information to others close by, whose reaction ripples around the room. after a short period of time, the figures will start drumming, playing their instruments and sway again, and the dancers will begin to form back into one harmonious group, returning them to a unified course. the project is currently featured at the singapore biennale 2013.

peace can be realized even without order video courtesy of teamlabnet in japan, an annual ancient event called the awa dance festival sees groups of people play music and dance around the town. choreographed groups who meet other gatherings of dancers at random gradually and unconsciously match the tempo of their music with that other assembly. ‘it seems that people are set free from their inhibitions, and an extraordinary peaceful feeling prevails despite the lack of any order to the dances. perhaps this is how people of ancient times maintained a feeling of peacefulness.’ in relationship to the installation, and its relevance in contemporary society, teamlab says, ‘today, in the internet age, the speed at which people can connect with other people has accelerated. as a result people throughout the world have become increasingly connected, and the influence of connections to other people has become more important. what we experience in this new age can be considered similar to the experience of the dance festival, and perhaps in these unordered connections there is a way to find peace.’

http://www.designboom.com/art/teamlab-projects-a-maze-of-dancing-japanese-holograms-01-15-2014/

Estación Toledo y Plaza Díaz, en Nápoles, Italia

Este proyecto aborda de forma brillante, el reto de provocar una relación espacial y arquitectónica entre una plaza urbana y la estación situada a más de treinta metros de profundidad.

“La inspiración, el leitmotiv del proyecto, surgió en la primera visita de obra que tuve el privilegio de realizar cuando la obra de ingeniería estaba apenas iniciada. El amplio pozo de más de 40 m de profundidad, sobre el que se ubicaba la inmensa grúa puente que evacuaba toneladas de sedimentos volcánicos del subsuelo napolitano provenientes de la excavación de túneles y galerías, era de una grandiosidad piranesiana”… De esta manera comenta Oscar Tusquets la intuición que pudo permitirle, ya que los trabajos de ingeniería así lo confirmaron, modificar el proyecto convirtiendo este gran “pozo vertical” en el eje de su proyecto. Que los viajeros, apenas descendidos del metro, tuviesen referencia de la profundidad a la que se encontraban y vislumbrasen la luz del sol allá arriba, parecía algo mágico y que, desde la plaza pública superior, los viandantes pudiesen asomarse al pozo y ver circular a los pasajeros 37 metros (unas 12 plantas) más abajo, algo insólito y vertiginoso.

La otra idea motriz también vino dada por la insólita profundidad de la estación y por el hecho de que casi la mitad de la misma se encontrase por debajo del nivel del mar por lo que se decidió que la parte superior podía parecer excavada en la roca, y la parte inferior hundida en el mar. Suelo y paredes de la primera están recubiertos de piedra natural, y el afortunado descubrimiento de los restos de un muro aragonese en medio del vestíbulo acrecentó la deseada imagen de excavación. Los espacios situados bajo las aguas están totalmente recubiertos de vítreo mosaico azul. Arriba todo es terroso y mate: abajo, azulado, vibrante y brillante.

En la zona “excavada” el artista sudafricano William Kentridge ha ejecutado dos espléndidos murales de tema napolitano en mosaico pétreo, áspero y de carácter arcaico, mientras que, en la zona “acuática” el artista estadounidense Bob Wilson ha instalado, enfrentadas, dos larguísimas vistas de la orilla del mar; mar cuyas olas se mueven sutilmente cuando vamos circulando por la galería.

Además del gran cráter, la luz natural penetra en el mezzanino de la estación por tres lucernarios. El techo de esta área de ingreso es negro pero el blanco de los tragaluces se derrama en contornos aleatorios que recuerdan ciertas formas de Dalí o de Hans Arp. Estos lucernarios iluminan el interior pero, a la vez, permiten a los paseantes entrever el muro aragonese y el mural de Kentridge.

Además de la parte soterrada se ha diseñado su proyección superficial, el final de la Via Díaz, ahora transformada en una amplia plaza peatonal. Dos de los tres lucernarios que iluminan el mezzanino de la estación, se sitúan en el eje de las callejuelas que penetran en los quartieri spagnoli. Al descender por ellas los brocales hexagonales de estos “pozos” nos anuncian la estación y la gran plaza. En la parte alta, junto a la Via Toledo se sitúa, sobre un pódium pétreo, la magnífica estatua ecuestre en acero corten de William Kentridge. La pavimentación, ordenada por franjas de travertino, es de piedra lávica en las áreas de circulación y de adoquines cerámicos, más cálidos y mórbidos, en las áreas de reposo.

http://www.ondiseno.com/proyecto.php?id=2038

Federico Babina creates Archibet, an illustrated alphabet of architects

The buildings of 26 prolific architects are transformed into letters of the alphabet in this series of detailed illustrations by graphic designer Federico Babina.

Entitled Archibet, the collection of images works its way though the alphabet from A to Z, so that each character is represented by an architect whose name starts (or ends) with the same letter.

Federico Babina started with Alvar Aalto's Riolo Parish Church, before working his way thorough an assortment of buildings that include Walter Gropius' Bauhaus school, Louis Kahn's Phillips Exeter Academy Library and Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion.

The series concludes with Zaha Hadid's Library and Learning Centre in Vienna, but also features Jørn Utzon's Sydney Opera House, Oscar Niemeyer's National Congress of Brazil and Gerrit Rietveld's Schröder House.

As well as producing individual images for each letter, Babina has compiled all 26 into a single poster image to create street scenes made up of groups of letters.

"The idea was to build a small microcosm of imaginary architecture on realistic foundations," the designer told Dezeen.

"Each letter is a small surrealist building that becomes part of an imaginary city made up of different shapes and styles, all speaking the same language of architecture," he added.

Babina created the images using a mixture of different techniques, from hand-drawing to 3D computer modelling.

"When I create the illustrations I always use a collage of different techniques and programs," he said. "These different ingredients allow me to achieve the desired atmosphere."

According to Babina, the most challenging part of the process was choosing which architects to feature.

"The choice was often guided by an inspiration rather than the importance of the architect," he explained. "Many letters may be represented by other designers, but I chose the ones that best represented my imaginary."

This is the second illustration project by the designer that borrows imagery from famous architects and buildings. Last year he created a series of pictures that depicted architects and their buildings like vintage video game characters.

 
Here's a short description from Federico Babina:

Archibet

An alphabet is a standard set of letters which is used to write one or more languages based on the general principle that the letters represent phonemes of the spoken language.

Architecture is an "international language", a system of communication. Its complex structure affords a wider range of possible expressions and uses.

The idea on which the Archibet project is based is to find a way to express through 26 illustrations the heterogeneity of forms and styles that make up the architecture.

Each letter is drawn according to the interpretation of an architect's style. Each letter is a small surrealist architecture that becomes part of an imaginary city made up of different shapes and styles that speak the same language of architecture.

http://www.dezeen.com/2014/01/09/archibet-federico-babina-illustrated-alphabet-of-architects/