Toolbox

Toolbox is a professional office located in Torino, Italy in an industrial space. I love the little cell phone room!

The aim of this design is to create a cohesive design concept that still embraces the diversity of the work group. The designer modulated similar volumes with different materials including cork and rubber. This approach allowed the designer to create a variety of spaces with different levels of function and privacy.

The lobby features 400 undulating cubes, and cute icons were designed and placed next to rooms to indicate that room’s function.

Concept: Aurelio Balestra, Giulio Milanese, Caterina Tiazzoldi
Design: Caterina Tiazzoldi
Team: A. Balzano, G. Bonavia, H.Cany, L.Croce, M.Fassino, M.Pianosi, C.Caramassi
Photos: Sebastiano Pellion di Persano, Helene Cany

Urban Case

If one product at ICFF (International Comtemporary Furniture Fair) really caught my eye for multi-functional use, it was the Ledge byUrbancase. This wall-hung piece can do duty as a TV stand, desk, media center, entryway table, or even a bookshelf. It has a drawer unit on the left, and a drop-down pull-out shelf on the right. There is a space for cables and an optional wall-hung shelving unit as well. What would you use it for?

Comb Over

Tel Aviv-based Meirav Barzilay graduated with a Bachelor of Design from the Holon Institute of Technology (HIT) in 2008.

She says of her design aesthetic: “I enjoy exploring various materials, such as fabric and metal and finding different ways to use them. My design is inspired by traditional crafts on the one hand and serial-production on the other, constantly striving to mix the two, test the borders of design and find new ways of looking at things.”

Comb Over
Comb Over is a felt carpet that was inspired by the comb-over hairdo commonly used by balding men. The carpet demonstrates how beauty can be found in the blemishes of old age, which we usually try to conceal. The carpet generates various possible usages, such as covering yourself with the long strands or making a “ball” out of them to rest your head.

Vapur Anti-Bottle

The Vapur Anti-Bottle reusable water bottle just launched in Canada. Vapur will hopefully help the growing issue of disposable plastic water bottles by offering a reusable, eco-friendly option. The biggest difference between the Vapur and traditional reusable bottles is that Vapur is flexible, stands upright when full and can be rolled, folded or flattened when empty, easily fitting into purses, briefcases and even pockets.

Distributed exclusively in Canada by The Tate Group, the innovative design of the Vapur Anti-Bottle maximizes space when empty and can hold up to 16 ounces of liquid when full. The highly durable bottle is freezable, dishwasher safe and BPA-free (Bisphenol A), which means it can be safely reused again and again.

From design and manufacturing, to shipping and distribution, right through to consumer use, the environment is considered throughout each step of the Vapur life cycle. The packaging is made from recycled paperboard and is printed with soy ink, using wind power for the printing process. Manufactured in the United States, Vapur is lightweight and ships flat, providing dual environmental benefits — up to 5 times more bottles per shipment container means fewer trucks on the road, lower fuel consumption and reduced carbon emissions. I gotta get my hands on one of these puppies.

Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas by Frank Gehry

I don’t think I’ve ever said “I want to go to there” about a hospital, so I think this is a first. Check out these great photos courtesy of World Architecture News (WAN) of Frank Gehry’snewest project, the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. My brain sure is healthy enough to know that this is an incredible building. The building officially opened on Friday.

The building is made up of two wings joined with a courtyard: the dramatic steel wing being the Life Activity Center and the simpler, subtle four-story clinic section where patient rooms and research space is located. The Life Activity Wing looks like someone took a steel building and crumpled it up in their hand like a piece of paper.

According to WAN, Gehry decided to design the building because he, like founder Larry Ruvo, has been affected by degenerative brain diseases. Ruvo’s father had Alzheimer’s and Gehry’s analyst’s wife had Huntington’s disease. Therefore, this building is like a tribute to those they lost, and also a beacon of hope for finding treatments or cures for these unfortunate ailments.

Photos by Wade Zimmerman.

Riveli Shelving

Mark Kinsley, who is the owner of Riveli Shelving, a product designer, struggled with space issues in his small Chicago studio, so he developed a space-saving shelving unit for his own personal use. However, he soon realized that he wasn’t the only one with space problems, so he partnered with Iconic Revolution and is now offering these fold-down shelves for sale. Not only do they fold up and down in many configurations, but you can customize them by creating your own design on the front of the panels. Therefore, they also act as artwork. Imagine the residential and commercial applications of this product!

He is currently in search of a manufacturer who will help him create a drop-in panel system so that you can change out the panel designs.

Rainbow MacBook Keyboard Decals

I don’t know what purpose, other than aesthetic, these keyboard decals from the Etsy shopopenandclose could serve, but I LIKE ‘EM!

Townhouse in Sweden by Elding Oscarson

One of these things is not like the other.

If you guess the townhouse in the middle — you are right! This townhouse in Landskrona, Sweden by Elding Oscarson is quite different than its neighbors.

The narrow site is sandwiched between very old neighboring buildings. Three thin slabs are projected into the open volume, softly dividing its functions. The continuous interior space is opening up to the street, to an intimate garden, and to the sky.

We Make Carpet

We Make Carpets creates temporary carpets from every possible material in different settings. We Make Carpets are Bob Waardenburg, Marcia Nolte, and Stijn van der Vleuten.

Toast It

Toast It is a cork bread-shaped trivet/coaster from Brazilian design studio Oiti, which is run by Patricia Naves.

Wall-mounted BBQs

I wanted to share the idea of wall-mounted BBQs.... They are great for small spaces because they leave precious space available for you to enjoy. They also have a second benefit: as they are wall mounted, they are stable. That is a key attribute and crucial to safety in any busy, small space. My favorite is this wall barbecue made by Focus:

It consists of a steel firebowl that folds up, so that when it is closed it takes up limited space. Attractive in both its open and closed positions, the barbecue is also practical, offering a range of cooking heights. It is easy to mount on any wall. The generous firebowl allows the barbecue to be used a number of times without having to empty out the ash. When you shop for wall-mounted, check they have a back panel to protect the wall from grease and fumes.

D-House Renovation in Massachusetts by Bunker Workshop

Bunker Workshop, a Boston-based multi-disciplinary design firm, recently completed a renovation in Boston, Massachusetts. The brief called for an optimized storage solution for a kitchen in a small historic Boston apartment. The result is a modern, open, yet well-defined kitchen space that fits comfortably within its 19th century surroundings. The project was executed on a tight budget of under $15,000.