The-Lefthander

Good Magazine highlights a new illustration from Sam Loman that incorporates subway design into a map of the human body.

The body shows urinary, digestive, arterial and respiratory lines, among many others, with stops at the liver, kidneys and more. The biggest transfer point is, of course, the heart.

Check out the visual at Good.

Report on Kopernik, a new website for funding technology to assist populations in the developing world.

My house has an extension, but it’s nothing like this box extension designed by Arhitektid Muru & Pere. The box is covered with crisscrossed sticks, making it look like a highly-structured rectangular, modern and stylish bird’s nest that even glows in the dark.

[via MoCo Loco and ArchDaily]

©2010 Design Milk | Posted by Catrina in Architecture | Permalink | No comments | Tweet This | Share on Facebook
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Kelpie Seaweed Ale

This Scottish brew uses fresh bladder rack seaweed in their mash tun to infuse the barley with a peculiar hint of briny plant goodness. The seaweed provides background hints of salt and peat that play with dark chocolate in this full roast, dark malt. Kelpie Seaweed Ale sells from Williams Bros Brewing Co.'s online store.

Morimoto Soba Ale

Introduced in 2003, this Oregonian draft won silver and gold at the World Beer Championships and continues distinguish itself with its full flavor. Made with buckwheat flour (like its namesake noodle), Soba Ale has a sweet, citrusy taste. Find a retailer near you to purchase or get a 22-ounce bottle for $5.50 from Wally's. Prima Pils

Heavy on hops, this brew from Victory Brewing Company makes a tasty, floral drink that's perfect for summer (though we drink it year round). The spicy malt adds to the light body in this highly-praised, Pennsylvania-brewed Pilsner. Visit Victory for retailers or get a bottle from Wally's for $1.50.

Mid-century pottery brand Heath Ceramics is back with a new summer 2010 collection sure to bring a pop of color to your table. Following Heath’s long tradition of hand-dipped experimental and unique glazes, this collection consists of four new pieces and items from the company’s classic line. The whole collection includes a pitcher, deep serving bowl, two platters, and a set of vases.

Since this year is supposed to be the year of turquoise, Heath’s brought together the colors of the beach: aqua, yellow, and “ocean pacific,” perfect for summer. The collection will be available April 1st.

©2010 Design Milk | Posted by Jaime in Home Furnishings | Permalink | 1 comment | Tweet This | Share on Facebook
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Here's a neat material technology you can integrate into your next product concept: Thin film tactile surface sensors. Sensor Products Inc. is a company specializing in the mapping of tactile pressure, and the data they glean can lead to design improvements for everything from windshield wipers to mattresses to body armor.

A few examples: Their Tactilus Real-Time Surface Pressure Mapping Technology, for example, is an electronic skin that precisely measures pressure distribution and magnitude and relays that data to a computer; their Bodyfitter surface sensor measures seat surface, back rest and head rest pressure for furniture and wheelchairs; and they even make a Damage Indicating Paint that can be sprayed onto a product or part--and once a predetermined amount of contact pressure is applied, microcapsules suspended in the paint will burst, revealing the precise wear spot as a different color.

Check out their dozens of applications and products here.

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The OO is a wireless projector by David Riesenberg capable of displaying high definition (1080p) data. Utilizing either a WIFI connection or internal SSD storage, the projector can operate independently from any wire for up to 3 hours based on an internal Li-Ion battery or using a single wire connected to a power source. With the combination of WIFI and internal storage, the OO can act as both an extender/duplicator of an external display or as a wireless media projector/streamer with built in decoding capabilities. The three independently articulated legs allow the OO to be tilted for optimal positioning. Full interaction with the projector is done via the touch screen remote but the projector can be operated without it in extender/duplicator mode after pre-configuration.

Part of the GEO series, the OO’s form is inspired by the simple and elegant form of the circle – from which it also gets him name denoting the shape of the projector and the shape of the lens. The semi monocoque carbon fiber structure allows for a lightweight construction and combined with its dimensions (11in / 28cm diameter) allow the OO to be portable but without compromising image quality.

Check out the video:

©2010 Design Milk | Posted by Jaime in Technology | Permalink | 1 comment | Tweet This | Share on Facebook
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Woah!

Antonio Scarponi, founder of Conceptual Devices, has worked out a way to fold your regular hoodie into a laptop bag, baby carrier, pillow, backpack and strap bag. Memorize it to impress people in a pinch. Might also be good for that lazy look (come on, we know you can pull it off).

Follow the instructions below or watch more videos. More information here.

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One of the more interesting emerging fashion designers currently coming out of Italy, Vivì Ponti uses typically traditional materials and processes for her line of blouses, dresses and jackets. Designed under the moniker Vivetta, the collection emanates a clear reference to French couture with '80s undertones, but also to... Paolo Ferrarini

One of the more interesting emerging fashion designers currently coming out of Italy, Vivì Ponti uses typically traditional materials and processes for her line of blouses, dresses and jackets. Designed under the moniker Vivetta, the collection emanates a clear reference to French couture with '80s undertones, but also to more whimsical concepts such as the Venice Carnival and electro-pop.

Ponti, born and raised in central Italy, works out of her studio in Milan but continues to produce the line close to her hometown. Allowing her imagination to take the reigns, the resulting collections indicate her ability to fuse a singularly experimental attitude with a completely wearable approach.

Ponti also recently designed a series of dresses for Peaches Geldorf, of which she included versions "inspired by her choices" in the Fall 2010 collection. "I had to simplify and cool down the peaks of creativity in that project, so to be more in line with the market," she explained.

Vivetta sells in specialty boutiques around the world with a limited collection online.

We love this idea: for its April cover (the 10th anniversary issue), Real Simple commissioned three clocks from three US designers: Boym Studio, Scott Henderson, and Harry Allen, as pictured from left to right. The issue offers readers "the gift of time," something the one-off clocks reflect very well.

These pieces are, unfortunately, not in production yet, but there is the additional bonus of a clock screensaver by Alan Dye, coming soon.

More magazines should follow suit!

via NYTimes

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After launching our redesign a few weeks ago we received a lot of feedback about the choice of Courier for our body copy. While we loved how the retro aesthetic provided a nice contrast to the crispness of the layout, many readers felt it was a strain on the... Josh Rubin

After launching our redesign a few weeks ago we received a lot of feedback about the choice of Courier for our body copy. While we loved how the retro aesthetic provided a nice contrast to the crispness of the layout, many readers felt it was a strain on the eyes. We then posted about this asking for opinions on Courier vs. Georgia vs. Times and based on your feedback combined with our preferences we landed on Georgia which you'll notice has now replaces Courier throughout the site.

Thanks to all of you who shared your thoughts on this, we really appreciate your feedback!

This residence designed by Andrés Jaque Arquitectos in Ibiza, Spain is an environmental project aimed at preserving the beauty of its natural surroundings while the use of an aquamarine color keeps the continuity between the inside and the outside. The house consists of three parts: a main house and two huts. These three elements have distant views of the sea and their separation allows an easy division of the garden.

Photography by Miguel de Guzmán.

[via Designerblog]

©2010 Design Milk | Posted by Catrina in Architecture | Permalink | 1 comment | Tweet This | Share on Facebook
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The Social Innovator Series is the culmination of a major two year collaboration between the UK's National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) and The Young Foundation to develop a rich, practical resource for social innovators. It is a collection of publications and accompanying website that reveal the vast potential of a new social economy.

This emerging economy can be seen in many fields, including the environment, care, education, welfare, food and energy. This 'social economy' goes beyond the state and the third sector, and includes social enterprises, co-operatives and social movements.

The Social Innovator Series surveys the methods used by innovators in this new social economy and presents a varied, vibrant picture of social innovation in practice. It features hundreds of examples, methods and tools from all over the world.

Though social innovation is a rapidly emerging practice, methods for developing this vital field remain relatively hidden. Having a better understanding of social innovation - the new ideas (products, services and models) that simultaneously meet social needs and create new social relationships or collaborations - is increasingly urgent as existing structures and policies struggle to make an impact on the most pressing issues of our time.

Download the books from the Social Innovator Series:
- Open Book of Social Innovation
- Danger and Opportunity: Crisis and the new social economy
- Social Venturing

Visit the Social Innovator website: www.socialinnovator.info

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Following Eat with your Fingers and Scenter (pictured below), Earshell is the third object in Kawamura-Ganjavian's series about sensory experience, amplifying hearing through a device that is part-jewelry, part-listening horn.

From the studio:
We use earrings as symbols of distinction since time immemorial, however they are not particularly useful items. The EARSHELL is a simple, efficient and elegant sound enhancing device. It can be used to improve our listening of music or opera. Its refined and sleek profile gives it a jewellery feel.

We love the idea of a whole audience sitting in an opera house wearing these things—the image evokes a sort of undersea sci-fi quality.

Click through for more.

Scenter

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I love the wood-appears-like-paper kind of look in furniture. Designer Kino Guérin shows exactly that in some of his limited edition furnishings and objects. He utilizes a vacuum press laminated process that leads him to new discoveries in the forms of his pieces, paving a way for more innovative uses of wood.

©2010 Design Milk | Posted by Catrina in Home Furnishings | Permalink | No comments | Tweet This | Share on Facebook
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Itay Laniado, whose Family Photos project we blogged last year, has created a new series that utilizes tension, comprising of three projects: a walking stick, a ladder and a wallet.

The walking stick is made from a broom handle that's split partway down the middle and held in tension by an orange cord and a wooden strut. Simple enough, but also weird and ingenious.

His wallet is equally direct: a routed block of hardwood provides a cavity for change and bills; a credit card is rubber banded over it to close it up.

Finally, the collapsible ladder—the series' centerpiece—is held together by a ratcheting strap clamp, which also forms two of the rungs. The ladder packs down compactly, with the legs tucking into the routed grooves that held them up.

It looks a little scary, but Laniado seems confident enough.

Much more after the jump.

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On rereading S. Neil Fujita’s 1968 job manual, Aim for a Job in Graphic Design/Art.

Launched at the recent Design Indaba, Haldane Martin's Baba Papa Lounger (above) was one of the highlights of this year's exposition. The undulating, meshed structure, manufactured from roughly 80% recycled stainless steel wire, was inspired by the worn surface of beach pebbles. Sun bathers not to worry, the lounger... Brian Fichtner