Pixel by Pixel

I love this thing! I didn’t have a TV for four years while I was studying in the UK, but I was tempted to get one just to use one of these!

“The Groove Tube transforms your TV or computer screen into the coolest of light sculptures. The translucent white plastic screen averages the television’s pixels, and the opaque grid dividers create a unique, ever-changing, distinct color in each square.

As the TV (or computer screen) image changes, so do the colors on the Groove Tube. It’s great as a feature for parties, as it sets the perfect mood. To further enhance the vibe, mute your TV and play your favorite music in conjunction with the Groove Tube. Although it is just an illusion, your screen will seem to pulse, colorize, and change in harmony with the beats.”

Designed by Matt Griesey in 2004, the Groove Tube is unfortunately no longer on sale anywhere.. trust me, I’ve looked. I have hope I’ll find one again someday!

HELP!

 

Housing Every Last Person – or HELP for short – is a prototype disaster-relief house by architect Carib Daniel Martin and builder Rob Bragan. Compelled to help those who had been made homelss by hurricane Katrina in 2005, HELP “was designed to be quickly erected and transported where needed.”

“The prototype will house three people (or six, if it is a double unit.) With a footprint of only 8 by 12 feet, it not only contains sleeping, kitchen, and bathroom areas, but incorporates a front porch into its architecture, providing a welcoming entrance and encouraging atmosphere for occupants and neighbors alike. In fact, the model that was built in Martin’s driveway was constructed in a weekend with only the help of a few handy neighbors – at a cost of $8000. “

“The dwelling is also adaptable to varying home sites, so that it can be used without locally provided utilities, if they are unavailable. Utilizing a gravity-fed water system, composting toilet, and solar power, the unit can be completely self-sufficient. ” 

I have to admit, if I’d had everything swept away in a storm I’d want to live somewhere as comfortable and solid as a HELP shelter, but I’m sorry, how much did they say it was again? $8000 US dollars? Who has that kind of money after a hurricane? Great concept, if only they could make it cheaper and less “designer”. I’m sure a set of 6 kitchen knives and a chromed toaster are unnecessary in an emergency shelter. There are better things to equip it with.

You can take a tour of the outside and inside of the cabin. Unfortunately, the project seems to have stopped in 2006 and their website doesn’t seem to be functioning properly which is a shame, but it’s worth having a brief look anyway: http://www.helpishere.us

 

 

On Nose Picking

If you’re at a party that’s getting a bit stale, then picking your nose might liven it up a bit! “Each of these photo- realistic paper cups comes emblazoned with a new nose. When you tip your head to take a drink – voila – you get an instant nose job, and a chuckle from the crowd.” As long as you’re holding with the nose in the right place, that is.

I know these have been blogged a lot before, but they are worth mentioning for their sheer entertainment value. I keep hoping I’ll turn up at a large function or event and they’ll be using these for all the guests – who nose?

24 12-oz. cups per pack, “evenly divided between male and female proboscises”, available here

Photographer: Steven Draper

Steven Draper produces high quality personal, fine art and commercial photographs across a broad range of subjects. Originally from England, he and his family moved to Ontario, Canada in 2006, where most of his photographs are taken.

 

Writing about his photography he says, “[my] personal work often explores the emotions and relationships of everyday objects, views or moments, producing images that capture the extraordinary within the ordinary… the implications and suggestions of what is not seen is often more expressive of what is”

My favourite example of this “unseen expression” is captured in this portrait image of a couple, taken as they chatted after their main photo shoot in the studio. I would love to have a photo like this of me and my hubby one day. I have to get married first though; that’s a whole other set of pictures!

 

Being a pilot, Steven also takes a lot of pictures of aircraft, in particular commercial jets (which pleases my dad no end). ”My lifetime involvement, experience and understanding of the relationship between man, machine and environment, I hope, enables my photography to capture some of the character, excitement and emotion of the aviation world.” Yes you most certainly do, Stephen!

A few more of my favourites are shown below: the Abandoned Railway Bridge, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and Plane Power. I particularly like his decision to print certain pictures in black and white as this really adds to the historic feel of the image.

To see more of Steven Draper’s superb photography, visit www.stevendraperphotography.com

 

All images used with the kind permission of Steven Draper.

 

Designer: Kenichi Okada

Kenichi Okada (above) is a born interactive designer. His ideas for products and concepts that truly come to life is both mind boggling and extremely fun to play with. Originally from Japan, Ken1 (1 is pronounced ‘ichi’ in Japanese) moved to the UK in 2003 to study a degree in product design, having already qualified as an architect back home.

I had the pleasure of studying my BA with Kenichi at the LCC, where Kenichi’s gift for interactive design really took off. Since then, he has gone into the Royal College of Art to do their MA Design Interaction, from which he graduates this year (with honours, I expect!). He is a genius of the best sort, in that “eccentric scientist” kind of way.

He has done many projects that are interesting, fun and very much based in linear-to-lateral thinking. Particular favourites of mine are delay chair (watch the video – I’m in it!), pixel factory, and more recently the emotoscope. Congrats Kenichi, for everything you’ve done so far! I will keep people posted on your latest projects as they come up.

To view more of his work, visit www.kenichiokada.com

 

Barrelling along

 

I came across an article on inhabitat about a new device that truly has social and community design at it’s heart.

The Hippo Roller is an ingenious yet simple rolling barrel device that facilitates a more efficient and safer transport of daily water supply needs. The roller holds 3-4 days worth of water for a family of 7, about 5 times the amount of water that can be moved using traditional methods. It’s an amazing product and an amazing story of good design enabling communities.

With these new water containers, many people in remote communities will be able to spend more time with their families, have more time to grow crops, produce goods, teach children, and go to school. So far, feedback has been positive and they are constantly working to improve their designs in order to make life better for a Lot of people!

The Hippo Roller was created by Project H Design who specialise in “product design initiatives for Humanity, Habitats, Health and Happiness”. They are well worth keeping an eye on, and I’ll keep you posted as new ideas come up.

Sparks of genius

 

These are gorgeous. I so want to live near a beach, chill out on my porch with some friends, a huge platter of seafood and these gorgeous enviromentally friendly lights.

These portable lamps provide a warm, ambient glow that won’t blow out in the wind, or set the house afire if left unattended. Each Candela lamp stays lit for 5 hours and takes 16 hours to recharge. Intelligent circuitry makes them turn on automatically when lifted from the charging platter and start to recharge as soon as they’re put back. A set of four rechargeable lamps replaces up to $500 worth of wax candles over its lifetime, and they’re cleaner and easier to use.

Love them too? Available here

 

Super-slice Me

Housewarming gift specialists Konstantin Slawinski have, in my opinion, created the best thing since sliced bread: A silicone Cake Mold (11.8″ or 30 cm diameter) that ‘pre-shapes’ any cake into 15 separate pieces, in a variation of ’sizes’. From Small, to Extra Large. Now how much easier could life be?

Midnight feasting made easier. Want one too? Available here

Photographer: Kathleen Connally

Kathleen Connally is a talented photographer who lives in Durham Township, Pennsylvania. I feel her pictures portray a sense of joy and freedom in the lives they express, and I am constantly wowed by every new image she puts up (about 3-4 times a week, here). This is how she describes her ongoing project:

“On January 3, 2003, I began this photoblog to visually document the residents, visitors, plants, animals, architecture, landscapes and farm life of Durham Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania [where she lives], and nearby areas in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Unless noted, all photos are taken within a ten-mile radius of my home.

This project is my ongoing attempt to become a better photographer. Some images work, some don’t — you’re witnessing a permanent work-in-progress! I hope to visually convey the intricacies and joys of rural living and the critical importance of farmland, open space and uncluttered horizons to our wildlife, our watersheds, our food supply, our health and our sense of well-being.”

 

Fresh Ink

This blog has been a long time coming. I mean looong. When I finished my website, www.jennhancock.com and stumbled across wordpress again I was so excited! I have been “collecting” hundreds of design objects and images and inspiring things for years and would love to share them with other design nuts, I mean uh, people ;-)

Prepare for a flood!