A great example of universal design

Design accessible for all of us - young and old, small and tall:

source

Royal Ontario Museum Washroom, design by Canadian architecture firm superkül 

This design was awarded the top prize in the Shape the Future competition. 

The elegant undulating Corian countertop integrates several bathroom fixtures and functions into its sculptural shape.

A portable collapsible sofa

source

Its name is the Origami Sofa. It is a convertible-seating piece created using Japanese origami techniques designed by Yumi Yoshida:

Win a Free Piano…

This is a post by a guest blogger - Ryan Ban from Universal Music Group.
" I would like to sharewith you a contest we are hosting that I feel that you and your audience would really enjoy.  The contest is free and being held at www.crazyliszt.com – a website that honors one of history’s greatest musicians whose works contain much mainstream appeal that people don’t even realize (his works have been featured in many movies, cartoons, commercials, etc.).

The competition is easy: since Franz Liszt was known for his crazy, hedonistic lifestyle, people simply post a short “liszt” of their craziest vices and vote on their favorite “liszts”.  The “liszt” with the most votes wins a trendy, fashion-forward 44 key Baby Grand Piano from Schoenhut (valued at over $2000).

For this competition through crazyliszt.com, simply click on the link provided and list your 5 craziest vices.  After submitting yourself, browse through the ‘liszts’ and vote on your favorite.  The ‘liszt’ with the most votes wins this trendy, fashion-forward 44 key baby grand piano from Schoenhut (valued at over $2000)!!

Denim Afterlife - RECYCLED DENIM CHALLENGE

Last year I wrote about the DENIM EVERYWHERE Trend - it is still the order of the day and probably will continue to be. But what we do with our favorite denim after its expiration date? Ecouterre recently publuished  7 Unexpected Ways To Recycle Old Denim Jeans.

Do you have an idea how to incarnate your favorite jeans into a new garment or accessory that can offer them a second lease of life? To help kick off Gap’s nationwide denim recycling drive, Inhabitat have partnered with the Gap 1969 Style Stream to source out the most creative denim reinventions on the planet. If you’ve wrangled an old pair of jeans into a dress, a piece of jewelry, or a conversation-starting handbag, enter the RECYCLED DENIM CHALLENGE and send your photos by 11:59 p.m. ET on October 20, 2010 for a chance to be featured on Inhabitat, Ecouterre, and the Gap 1969 Stream, and a chance to win a $200 Gap gift certificate!

Solutions for the compact homes of 2050

This is one of my dreams (almost) fulfilled: a closet that cleans clothing!Almost, because it is just a concept of one of the Finalists of the Electrolux Design Lab 2010 - 
the Clean Closet by Michael Edenius, Sweden is essentially just that - a closet that cleans clothing. Textiles are scanned for impurities and cleaned accordingly with molecular technology that removes dirt and odours. It combines in one the laundry basket, the washing machine, and drying cabinet to save space and, as no water is used in the process, is kinder to the environment.
You can see the rest of the finalists at100% Design on September 23 where Electrolux paints a super-urbanised future London. Another my favorate is a fridge hung outside your window to save space and energy.

Electrolux: the search for Kitchen Stars continues!

The kitchen is a major force for social networking – a place used for more
than just creating meals. That’s why Electrolux have conducted a global
search for kitchen anecdotes. The search provided all manner of unusual,
intriguing and inspiring stories. Now the search for Kitchen Stars continues.
Electrolux have 89 Kitchen stories and are looking for one more to help them
celebrate their 90th anniversary. Your story could be the one that helps create
the next revolutionary kitchen product. You qualify as a Kitchen Star if you have one or more freestanding or built-in Electrolux appliances in your kitchen and have a story to tell about a moment
when you felt like a star in your kitchen. For inspiration, check out electrolux.com/kitchenstars. If
you have something great to share then upload your story together with a
picture of your kitchen there. Then simply tell
everyone you know to vote for your kitchen moment to see if you can
become a winner.
The prize?
This is not only an opportunity to join an illustrious group of Kitchen stars, the
90th Kitchen Star will also receive the iconic Electrolux ErgoRapido.By uploading a photograph and a personal “Kitchen Moment”, contestants will compete to become the official 90th Kitchen Star and get the chance to win the iconic Ergorapido vacuum cleaner.
All contributions will be uploaded in a separate gallery on the website and the winner will be announced sometime around the beginning of 2010.

See your product here

LED - Emotionalize your light

LED - Emotionalize your light is an Idea Contest energized by OSRAM. Everyone is invited to submit ideas and win a prize!
What are "emotional LED solutions" - a special form of LED illumination designs which create an atmosphere that not only positively affects our wellbeing but also gives rise to moods and emotions. Rooms with an individualized and emotional LED light concept spread a feeling of harmony and relaxation. The resident can escape from everyday life and strengthen him or herself for daily challenges. In turn, this energizing promotes health and wellness.
Details are available at: LED - Emotionalize your light

Call for entries: Designs for the next 90 years

The Electrolux Design Lab 2009 global design competition invites undergraduate and graduate industrial design students around the world to create thoughtfully-designed home appliances that will shape how people prepare and store food, wash clothes, and do dishes over the next nine decades.

A limited number of finalists will be invited to participate in the final event in London September 24, 2009, to present their entries to a jury of high-level designers and experts. The jury will review the entries based on intuitive design, innovation and consumer insight and then select a winner.

Submit your innovative home appliance ideas for the next 90 years, deadline May 31.

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home furnishings

First Bulgarian Design Biennial

Finally it is a fact - the first Bulgarian Design Biennialwas open
last week with a large exhibition of projects from all fields of design and will continue until October 29th. A three-day conference followed with a Night of Design packed with young design-lovers.
(right - something I liked: a speaker by „Everything-but-the-box”)



A project from each field was awarded, but the design I liked most did not get any award. Still I consider it a very good example of the talent of contemporary Bulgarian designers. It is the HUG armchair by Ilian Milinov. I would like to have one, What do you think?

(picture from brainpickings.org )

Доста закъсняло, но безспорно много необходимо, първото Биенале на Българския Дизайн вече е факт. На откриването на 8 октомври в галерията на "Щипка" 6 залите бяха препълнени - главно от млади хора. Интересът продължава - гостите, поканени за участие и като членове на международното жури, отбелязаха този факт: и след откриването, през дните, когато течеше конференцията, залите продължаваха да се посещават много активно. За разлика от интереса, проявен от институциите, пряко свързани с дизайна в България. Очевидно те все още не са наясно за ролята на дизайна в съвременното общество. Не може да се каже и че показаните работи са предствителна извадка на българския дизайн, но това биенале все пак е първата значителна крачка към опит за позиционирането му на световния пазар. За съжаление, както отбеляза и журито, унас само графичният дизайн е на експортно ниво, за това и голямата награда беше дадена за книгата Visual Cut Bulgaria. Аз смятам, че имаше продукти, които не бяха оценени достатъчно. Два от тях, показани по-горе, са добър пример и за наличие на индустриален дизайн с качество, сравнимо с показвания по света.

Можете да видите някои снимки от Биеналето тук и тук

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Electrolux Design Lab 2008 competition

Electrolux Design Lab 2008 invites industrial design students around the world to create tomorrow’s home appliances for the Internet generation, deadline May 30he theme is "Home appliance designs for the Internet generation".
Here is an excerpt of the press release:

"The Internet generation comprises brand-conscious, busy young
professionals between 25-35 who are independent, concerned about the
environment, and whose lives are intertwined with technology and online
social networks.
This year’s submissions should be for 2-3 years into the future and address
food storage, cooking, and/or washing.
“We are looking for daring ideas and solutions,” says Henrik Otto, Head of
Global Design at Electrolux. “Entries should reflect the iGeneration’s core
interests and concerns like mobility, convenience, time, materials,
personalization, entertaining, technology, and sustainability.”
The Design Lab 2008 has a First Prize of 5,000 Euro and a six-month
internship at one of Electrolux’s global design centers. The second prize is
3,000 Euro and third prize 2,000 Euro. For more information about the competition, high-resolution photos of previous finalists and their concepts, broadcast quality b-roll, and to watch
videos from last year’s competition on Design Lab TV, visit
http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/.
Look at the Design Lab 2008 invitiation video from with Henrik Otto, head of global design at Electrolux. Here is the link:
mms://od2-ms.unbn.unit.net/swe/electrolux/designlab_2008/designlab08_080214.wmv




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home furnishings

ceramics for breakfast competition results - designboom

Designboom published the winners from the competition "Ceramics for breakfast...". There are a lot of interesting ideas, but this one - 'tropics ' design by : luis ramirez from cuba (which is not from the 3 winners) - I like most. Practical, pleasing to the eye and very useful - that should be the role of design for home, according to me.

ceramics for breakfast tropics - designboom

And this one: nold by Margriet Foolen from Netherland. designer's own words:It is very healthy to cook in them because you don’t need to use oil or butter and all the vitamins and minerals stay in the food. Depending on the amount you’re cooking, you choose the deep or the shallow part. Colorful, heatproof silicon rings make the bowls stackable. When they come out of the oven you can place them directly on the table and eat out of the bowls.

...or these playful snap cups design by : angela schwab + angela schwab from usa. designer's own words:3 oz ceramic cups hold a double espresso, shot of sake, or tajut of wine. Large clothing snaps are imbedded into ceramic cup walls to create a point of unconventional connection: accessory handles and stems attach for cup customization, and snaps transform cups into building blocks for play and display.

And I just have to show you this solt and pepper ceramic family of ghosts - they are great! So talented implementation of an idea that is not much new, but look at their faces - the three of them show a different shade of the same emotion and each of them has specific expression on their face - the father, the mother and the child! I think that the jury has missed very promissing talents.

booh salt and pepper, design by : aleverson ecker + henrique j. serbena + r. luiz pellanda jr. + holaria cerâmica contemporânea from brazil