Italian bathroom manufacturers Cielo have taken their latest design cues from the Milan catwalks. With snake and aligator skins currently the de rigeur adornment of fashion accessories such as bags and shoes, Cielo have taken the trend one step further, into the bathroom. The Jungle range comes in various colours and styles, all of which give a leather like look to the ceramic surfaces.
The Cielo collection is available here.
500 Pencils is a unique idea that takes the simple coloured pencil and turns it into a creative and impressive idea. Over a span of 20 months Felissimo sends out a customised monthly selection of 25 coloured pencils. The range of colours includes pretty much any colour imaginable; Russian Sea, Red-Tailed Cat, Baby Shrimp, Cinnamon Spice etc. The pencils come with their own acrylic display cases which means you can create your own impressive and colourful wall installation out of the myriad of colours.
As per many of German designer Konstantin Grcic designs, the Extrusion Table's minimal profile hides the complex technical development that has gone into creating this piece. The table top is crafted in extruded aluminium, while the solid base is in stone, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Bd Barcelona is available locally here.
Inspired by Victorian decadence, these lights combine a contemporary free blown glass form with variations of fabric tassels. By blending these elements the lights sit equally well in both modern and period interiors.
Here's a sweet ride for your racy toddler. Designed by students from the University of Art and Design Halle Germany, the Ottos was on display at the young designer exhibition - The Satelite Salone in Milan earlier this year. Constructed from recycled bike parts, the rocking chair is an excellent example of young and innovative design.
On display earlier in the year at the Milan Fair, the Fernanda Armchair by Baxter is a unique take on an old style leather sling chair.
Baxter is available locally here.
Designed in response to the on going issues of public transportation between outer suburbs of major cities in the US, The Airbia is inspired by zeppelin technologies, engaging the idea using helium to hover, a proven sustainable and economical approach to energy consumption.
The proposed airship has a capacity to carry 400 people and travel at an average of 150 km/h speed on a hight between 30 – 500 meters. Instead of having a major airship station, Airbia proposes a more dispersed network of station-platforms, that consist of staircases, lifts and ticket spaces. This way the system becomes much more flexible, since these drop off – pick up platforms can be placed almost anywhere in the city.
With lack of on ground infrastructure one of the biggest issues facing cities, and the obvious financial costs related to creating railway lines and underground tunnels, the Airbia offers up a unique alternative consideration for the planners of future cities.
The design collective known as SMOG Milano, always present an interesting array of objects at each years Satelite Salone. This year was no exception, my favourite piece is this handy little cup and saucer set.
For more of their work go here
A fantastic example of Frank Lloyd Wrights signature style modular patterned masonry, the La Miniatura was constructed in 1923 in Pasadena California. It's method of construction consisted of stacking concrete blocks three inches thick, cast in molds, next to and on top of one another without visible mortar joints. Wright's attitude to using concrete made him a unique icon amongst other great architects of the time.
"What about the concrete block? It was the cheapest (and ugliest) thing in the building world. It lived mostly in the architectural gutter as an imitation of rock-faced stone. Why not see what could be done with that gutter rat? Steel rods cast inside the joints of the blocks themselves and the whole brought into some broad, practical scheme of general treatment, why would it not be fit for a new phase of our modern architecture? It might be permanent, noble beautiful."
And indeed it was, and still is.
