Cocoon is located on a beautiful hillside, which enjoys excellent lake and mountain views. The location’s distinctive flair stems from the exceptional park-like setting; a green oasis into which Cocoon as a freestanding sculptural volume snugly nestles. The stainless steel mesh enveloping the building combines visual privacy with restrained elegance, while establishing a strong and unmistakable presence and adds a note of subtlety and sophistication to the overall composition. The bold stand-alone building embodies an innovative conception of interior spatial organisation and interaction with the surrounding environment. With its spiral massing, Cocoon may be conceived as a sort of ‘communication landscape’. The space-planning concept dispenses with the traditional division into horizontal storeys. By eliminating the usual barriers to communication, this generates a unique spatial experience and working environment that unlocks a host of intriguing possibilities for interaction and co-operation. A light-flooded, upwardly widening atrium forms the centrepiece of Cocoon. Around this, the circulation and communication ramp winds its way upwards in gently curving contours, to provide a fluid link between all the internal spaces. Internally, as the ellipses expand with each turn of the spiral, the skylight void opens up in a stunning spectacle. |
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Tags: Architecture, cocoon, cocoon headquarters, Design, switzerland
8-bit Wedding Invitation
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Tags: 8bit, Atari, invitation, wedding
Google’s Swiss Headquarters
Google’s philosophy that work and play are not mutually exclusive is definitely shown off in form of game rooms and themed.
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Tags: Architecture, Design, emea, google, switzerland
Klein Bottle House
the klein bottle house by mcbride charles ryan, have won the award for world’s best home
at this year’s world architecture festival awards. located in australia’s mornington peninsula,
the holiday home features a living room perched on a canopy of trees, and celebrates
the country’s traditional beach houses, while still functioning as a practical and useful
home.
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Tags: Architecture, homes, kleinbottlehouse
Assuming that we’ll have electrified highways by the year 2030, Nissan has popped up an on-grid vehicle dubbed “V2G” (Vehicle–to-Grid) that will offer safe, sustainable as well as brisk commutation. The compliant vehicle is not only safe and swift, but it also features dynamic styling and quality production at a very low price. One can’t ask for more than that. The electric vehicle allowing endless opportunities for modification can also be transformed from a low-cost to a luxury vehicle for the rich and trendy.
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Tags: concept, Nissan, v2g
The Frame Hotel, Dubai
The Frame Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
With the walls constructed of dark, solar protected glass, the abundant plant life of this Villamoda Galleries design is clearly visible at the right angles and the neatly kept vertical gardens appear as if they’re part of the hotel’s very structure and are a stunning blend of nature and architecture.
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Tags: Architecture, Design, DUBAI, frame, frame hotel, hotel, TREES, United Arab Emirates, villamoda galleries
Asspeaker
The main unit is the subwoofer and the control station. The smaller units are speakers and connect to the controller through bluetooth technology, they work as single cheek units and can be connected to store as one small butt. To activate the unit, one must tap the unit.
Tap the main unit to turn the speakers on. Once tapped, the unit shows that it’s received the command with a small red light (kind of like what happens when a cheek is smacked). This light goes away after three seconds. Rubbing the unit on either cheek in a circular motion turns the sound up (rotating right), and turns the sound down (rotating left.)
Designers: Younes Daneshvar and Javad Yazdani
Rendered by: Mohsen Tafazzoli
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Tags: #asspeakers, asspeaker, concept, Design, Speakers
Fireplaces have ruled the roost when it comes to heating solutions to warm up your home. But the Nobo Firepit series electric radiators sees the radiator in entirely different light with captivating designs that are sure to overshadow your designer fireplace and become the focal point of your living space. Much said, the Firepit series radiator featured above is a modern iteration of the firepit. Within the sleek shape of the radiator lies a projector displaying a cyclic fire flame video which gives the visual along with the sensual impression of a natural fire. Another “wow” factor is its iPod-wheel-like flush control panel to control both temperature and lighting. An LED light shines through wood grain pattern of glass logos from which heat dissipates, which arouses the natural fire feel in a different form. Continue reading ‘Nobo electric radiators / fireplace with iPod controls’
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Tags: Design, firepit, FURNITURE, nobo, radiator
Ceiling-Mounted Bathroom Faucet
Signorini’s 
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Tags: Design, Faucets, signorini
$1200 Titanium-made ID Mouse
Showcased at Dutch Design Week 2009, the “ID Mouse” from the house of Intelligent-design is a Bluetooth mouse for all who demand perfection at their fingertips. Finished in hand-formed grade 1 titanium and high-quality plastic (resin), the wireless mouse integrates a 3-button neodymium scroll wheel for smooth and brisk scrolling on the web. Compatible with Window XP/Vista/7 and Mac OS X, the sleek mouse runs on two AAA batteries and allows laser tracking. Ideal for both left and right handed users, the ID Mouse can be obtained in white and black color for about $1,200.
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Tags: Bluetooth mouse, Design, grade 1 titanium, ID Mouse, laser tracking, lifestyle, mouse, neodymium scroll wheel, Technology, Wireless
The Murakami chair’s attached lamp is powered by kinetic energy produced from the chair’s rocking back and forth—deliciously simple and elegant. Oh, and that lampshade? Not a lampshade. That’s the actual OLED light source, shaped like a lampshade.
The OLED lamp even senses when it’s light or dark out, and if it’s light, stores the energy produced by rocking in a battery pack until nightfall. The chair, designed by Rochus Jacob, rightfully shared first prize at the DesignBoom Green Life Competition, which you can read more about here.
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Tags: chairs, Design, designboom, kineticenergy, LED, murakami, OLED, rockingchair
San Fransisco designers Studio O+A have completed the headquarters for social networking website Facebook in Palo Alto, California.
Located in a former laboratory constructed in the 1960’s, the building houses over 700 employees.
The designers re-used many of the former lab benches and equipment for the new offices.
The design uses colour-coding to differentiate between teams within the open-plan space.
Some walls are left unfinished so that employees can add writing and artwork to them.
The Facebook website itself was used to consult employees about the new design and to keep them up to date about it’s development.
Here’s some more information from Studio O+A:
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Facebook Headquarters
Palo Alto, California
Employees of Facebook recently moved to a new headquarters that facilitates interaction and connection, reflecting the company’s mission as a social networking website provider.
Formerly a laboratory facility for high-tech manufacturer Agilent Technologies, the 150,000-square-foot structure at Palo Alto’s Stanford Research Park brings together more than 700 employees originally scattered throughout 10 locations in and around downtown Palo Alto.
The design of the space relied heavily on input from the users, appropriate for a flatly structured company that weights every employee’s opinion equally. O+A designers interviewed employees about what they wanted from their new headquarters.
The Facebook platform was used to conduct company-wide polls about design decisions, post construction photos and updates, and keep everyone informed of the thought process behind the project.
An advisory board of employees from every department collaborated with the design team on the design process, from space planning to finishes to final move coordination.
Because the new facility houses employees coming from various locations, the company wanted to maintain each division’s distinct identity. The design takes its inspiration from the patchwork nature of Facebook users and employees, bringing together seemingly disparate elements to form a cohesive pattern and using color and interior spacing to create neighborhoods within the open plan space.
The company’s executives sit in central areas, accessible to all employees. Large lounges and open spaces provide venues for the community to come together.
A kitchen and café continue Facebook’s tradition of providing gourmet meals to staff at all hours, while drinks and snacks are available at micro-kitchens throughout the headquarters.
Reflecting employees’ desire for a green headquarters, the facility is the first commercial project completed under Palo Alto’s 2008 Green Building Ordinance, making extensive use of existing architectural features, recycling millwork from the original lab, and repurposing industrial components for post-industrial use.
Other sustainable features include high recycled-content carpet and energy-efficient lighting.
The design goal for the new facility was to maintain the history and raw aesthetic of the building and create a fun dynamic appropriate for the company’s youthful staff.
Many walls and spaces are left unfinished: employees are encouraged to write on the walls, add artwork, and move furniture as needed, allowing the building to evolve continuously.
A bright orange industrial crane, left over from the building’s previous user, was repurposed by San Francisco sculptor Oliver DiCicco to support a table surface from its heavyweight hoist, offering maximum maneuverability. Referencing the industrial aesthetic of the building, a felt canopy spreads up one wall and onto the ceiling, defining a central meeting area that can double as an impromptu auditorium.
Mounted on threaded rods of varying length to achieve an undulating effect, the canopy absorbs sound and is penetrated at intervals by overhead lighting. An outdoor basketball court and indoor ping-pong table offer opportunities for recreation. And it is not unusual to see employees zipping along the concrete floors on two-wheeled skateboards.
Click for larger image
Designers: Studio O+A
Studio O+A is a San Francisco interior design firm serving companies nationwide. Founded by Primo Orpilla and Verda Alexander during the dot-com boom of the early 1990s, the studio began with a mission to bring sophisticated SOMA design to Silicon Valley start-ups and the venture firms who supported them.
Click for larger image
That start-up mentality is still a key feature of the Studio O+A aesthetic, but through the years, the firm’s mission has broadened to include a range of services for a client base that includes such major American corporations as eBay, Levi Strauss, and Williams Sonoma. Earlier this year, Studio O+A was recognized by the International Interior Design Association with an award for its remodel of the San Jose hairstylist W’s Salon.
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Tags: Architecture, FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK HQS, headquarter, o+a, palo alto
Harley Davidson Circa 2020
Somebody pass me a helmut and a time travel ship because if this is what Harley bikes look like in 10 years, I’m so there. Designer Miguel Cotto pays homage to the big road hogs by keeping the large 883cc engine, complete with high revs and roars. The similarities end there. The design is almost tron-like in execution. Check out the wheel hubs. They’re actually giant bearings. I do see glimpses of Harley DNA in the center chassis but seriously, can you image any road warriors riding this?
Designer: Miguel Cotto
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No fireplace? No problem! The Cupola is a spherical, wall-mounted fireplace that’ll let you slap a hearth on just about any blank vertical surface in your home.
Burning bio-ethanol, the Cupola allows you to have a roaring fire without worrying about vents or chimneys. It’s made of lightweight aluminum, is available in black or white, and will set you back $2,735.
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Tags: Cupola, Fireplace, Fireplaces, FURNITURE, Vauni, Vauni cupola
Drawing inspiration from the On/Off icon of electronic devices, designer Marco Lana has come up with an innovative lamp called “Turn On” that can be switched on and off simply by turning it from left to right and vice versa. Designed as a part of the furniture series “on-off,” the rechargeable lamp can be used both indoors as well as outdoors, without needing a socket. The lamp has two identical faces and comes without a back, so it could be placed in any corner of a room and viewed from different angles. Finished in opal plexiglass, the central part of the lamp illuminates by internal LED lights. The Turn On lamp provides a new way of using the light wherein the lamp itself becomes the switch to stimulate the user.
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Tags: Design, indoor, LED light, lifestyle, LIGHTING, opal plexiglass, outdoor, rechargeable, switch
BMW SIMPLE concept
BMW has been rumored as of late to be pursuing everything from a so-called “0 Series” range of cars to a revival of its Isetta microcar brand, but the Bavarian automaker remains essentially mum on plans to diversify into the microcar market. Stoking the fires, however, is the new Simple concept, a leaning trike that is geared toward the “professional commuter” – that is, an urban dweller who travels alone.
From the start, the SIMPLE (which stands for: “Sustainable and Innovative Mobility Product for Low Energy consumption”) was designed to minimize resources both in use and in production. The leaning concept is tall as a 5 Series, yet shorter than a Mini Cooper, and it offers seating space similar to that of a 3 Series coupe.
That tidy footprint and a slick drag coefficient of just 0.18 means that the Simple figures to be around 450 kilograms (under 1,000 pounds), so it only needs a small internal-combustion engine and an electric motor to power it. BMW says the Simple is capable of hitting 100 km/h – 62 mph – in under ten seconds and it tops out at over 200 km/h (124 mph), yet it needs a miserly 2 liters of gas over 100 km (62 miles), or around 118 mpg.
This isn’t the first time BMW has investigated thrifty trikes – it actually began working on its CLEVER (“Compact Low Emission Vehicle for Urban Transport”) concept back in 2002 in conjunction with the Berlin’s Technical University, a project that took the form of a compressed natural gas trike with a CVT.
While there are no plans for production of either the SIMPLE or the CLEVER, BMW’s expertise in motorcycles and its increasingly prominent Efficient Dynamics initiative doesn’t have us ruling out a similar vehicle sometime down the road. In the meantime, you’ll have to make the pilgrimage to the BMW Museum to check out BMW’s SIMPLE and CLEVER contraptions.
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Tags: bimmer, bmw, BMW CLEVER, BMW Museum, BMW Simple, clever concept, CNG, CNG bike, commuter, commuting, Hybrid, motorcycle, Simple concept, trike
Hermes design luxury £90m yacht
Designed by luxury fashion company Hermes and ship-builder Wally, the $142 million WHY 58×38 is more floating mansion than yacht. Those figures stand for its peculiar 58 by 38 meter dimensions, which is unlike any other vessel in the world. It features solar panels that will save 200 tons of diesel fuel per year, as well as 3,229 square feet of windows designed to bathe its interior with natural light.
According to Luca Bassini, founder of Wally, “I think the best part of this boat is the stern. It’s not like the usual stern of a boat, it’s more like the real beach of an island; a beach which is protected from the wind and the waves, where you can really relax.”
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Tags: Architecture, HERMES, SHIP, SHIPS, WALLY, WHY 58X38, yacht, YACHTS
REBORN:
AMUROAD WORLD STYLE:
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Tags: amuro, cm, Fashion, japan, jpop, Music, namie, namie amuro, vidal sasson, vs
BMW Lovos concept
Pforzheim University graduate Anne Forschner had a good time coming up with her BMW Lovos concept, which can alternatively look either like a frightened porcupine or svelte salmon, depending on its needs at the time.
The exterior of the Lovos – which somewhat ironically stands for Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity – is theoretically constructed from just one fully exchangeable part that recurs 260 times. Each exterior piece is covered in solar photovoltaic cells and can hinge on a substructure underneath to follow the sun or act as individual airbrakes. We can only assume the concept would be powered by electricity, as it makes our hairs stand up on end.
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Tags: anne forschner, bmw, bmw lovos, bmw lovos concept, lovos
BMW Designworks created a 7-piece selection of furniture for public transport spaces called “metro 40.”
The seven pieces are broken down into categories: connect, rest, ride, collect, hi glo, lo glo, and show. Together, they cover everything you’d generally need to do at a bus stop: sit down, get under cover, lock up a bike, throw things away, and see things.
The point of the pieces is to enhance “the overall perception of inner cities with high traffic density and to convey a personal atmosphere to these particular areas.”
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Tags: bmw, bmw designworks, bmw designworks usa, Design, designworks usa, FURNITURE, landscape forms, metro 40, Metro40, public transit
This is a shoe?!
Designed by London architect Julian Hakes, the Mojito shoe is made of carbon fiber—to give it strength and spring—and laminated with rubber on the bottom and leather—from furniture manufacturers in High Wycombe, England—on top. According to Hakes:
With a high heel providing the heel is supported, even by standing on a wooden block the foot naturally ’spans’ the gap naturally, with bones and tendons.
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Tags: Design, Mojito Shoe, Shoe
Designer: Tai Chiem
Bluetooth integration, plastic/glass backs and middles. LCD screen(s) on both the controller and the system itself.
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Tags: concept, Design, PLAYSTATION, playstation 4, PS3, ps4, sony
“Imagine housing, recreational and cultural facilities connected to a continuous, lushly planted, green strip, floating above the water-an aerial garden, as the city’s newest park through which you could walk and wander and enjoy the most spectacular views of the bay,” reads an excerpt from the proposal by architects Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello.
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Tags: Architecture, BAY AREA, bridges, CONCEPTS, Design, PARKS, San Francisco, SF
Designed by Renzo Piano, Vulcano Buono is an epic cone-shaped commercial center crowned with a gorgeous sloping green roof. Piano’s “good volcano” contributes a vital new space to the southern edge of the Nola commercial district, which is the most most important freight terminal complex in southern and central Italy.
Inspired by the surrounding landscape, Vulcano Buono has a gently sloping profile that rises from the earth as a grassy green knoll. The structure’s roof is carpeted with a vegetative layer of over 2,500 plants that helps to insulate the interior spaces and reduces the structure’s visual impact so that it’s barely visible from space. Renzo Piano clearly has a penchant for grassy hills – see also the undulating green roof that tops the California Academy of Sciences.A 150 meter-wide clearing in the volcano’s crater lends space for an outdoor theater, a market, and a sloping pine forest. Rising around this heart is a concentric series of circles that form the center’s commercial areas. The volcano’s slopes are held by structural components meant to evoke trees – each “trunk” sprouts three or four supporting “branches”.
The roof of Vulcano Buono is laced with a series of skylights fitted with solar-control double-pane glass that allows daylight to filter through the mall, reducing energy needs from lighting. The interior of the complex houses shops, a supermarket, a 2,000 seat cinema, restaurants, and a hotel. Renzo Piano describes the building as “a contemporary take on a greek marketplace, a void as a place for events, meetings, dialogue and the gathering of people”.
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Tags: Architecture, BUILDINGS, Italy, mall, volcano buono
energy aware clock by loove broms, karin ehrnberger, sara ilstedt hjelm, erika lundell, jin moen, 2006 – 2008
the energy aware clock is designed to make you aware of your energy consumption on a daily basis. the clock visualizes the daily energy rhythms of the household and reminds us of the ordinary kitchen clock in its form, place and use. the clock indicates electrical use of its environment in real time.
the device is hung on your wall like a normal clock, and can read the electricity being used in the space
where it is situated
image courtesy of interactive institute
power aware cord by anton gustafsson, magnus gyllenswärd, sara ilstedt hjelm, christina öhman
in collaboration with thinlight AB, 2004-2006
this power cord has been designed to visualize the energy of the current use of electricity of appliances connected with it through glowing pulses, flow and intensity of light.
it can be used as a tool for people to rediscover energy in their homes as well as having an ambient display of their consumption that they can see at any given time.
the power cord provides an ambient display of light
energy curtain by anders ernevi, margot jacobs, ramia mazé, carolin müller, johan redström, linda worbin, 2004-2006
the energy curtain reinterprets our familiar relation to curtains as a means of controlling light in a room. the curtain must be drawn shut in order to collect light, and the amount and duration in which it is drawn during the day determines how much light is collected for the night. it gives users the choice as to whether to open the curtain and enjoy the day light, or close it and save energy for later. even through the mundane act of opening or closing the curtain embodies the trade-off between consuming and conserving energy.
flower lamp by sofia lagerkvist, charlotte von der lancken, anna lindgren, katja sävström, göran nordahl
technical modifications by: anton gustafsson, fredrik kronqvist, 2004-2006
the shape of the flower lamp responds to the amount of electricity being used in the household. with a decrease in usage, the flower lamp slowly opens up and appears as if its ‘blooming’. on the contrary, if energy consumption increases, the lamp closes into a closed cylindrical form, which also effects the quality of light emitted. in order to make the flower lamp more beautiful, a collective change in behaviour is needed.
the flower lamp blooms when you decrease your household electrical use
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Tags: brussels, Design, design vlaanderen, energy, GREEN, power, saving, visual voltage exhibition
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