Posts Tagged ‘product design’
Crumpler Store, Melbourne
April 1st, 2013 – When Crumpler’s Creative Director, Sam Davy set out to shape the bag company’s 12th Australian store, he was bound and determined to build an interactive space and unique consumer experience that reflects both the local environment and creative path of the brand’s original design ethos. Crumpler partnered up with local creative and award-winning architect Ryan Russell, of Russell & George, to cultivate this vision for their new retail space in Prahran, on the south side of Melbourne.
The design of the store is based on the abstraction of a pixel. A space that merges lighting and different media to create a fractured urban landscape of light and moving images. Russell and Davy worked closely to design a dynamic space that frames and illuminates the products.
A three dimensional grid of light was introduced to showcase Crumpler’s vibrant bags and provide an energetic backdrop for a landscape of moving images, piles of grey rock, and grey concrete.
Davy explained that the “raw, contemporary textures and use of light and film projection within the store not only showcases the products but the design has enabled a regeneration of this iconic site on the corner of Chapel Street and High Street.”
Beyond the lightsaber grid, monochromatic finishes, and grey rocks piled along the floors – Russell made sure that Crumpler’s colorfully crafted goods would rightfully remain the center of attention.
Photography By Dianna Snape
When Nature Calls Toilet Paper Capsule, Alberta
March 25th, 2013 – When Alberta College of Art & Design asked their design students to create something that generates social or economic value, students Sarah Jensen, Janet Molchanko, Amy Pon, and Morgan Smith immediately thought of one thing – number 2. An adventure in the great outdoors comes at a steep compromise of comfort, and when nature calls, leaves don’t always do the trick. In response to the discomfort of forests-sans-toilets, Jensen, Molchanko, and Smith created a waterproof toilet paper capsule made from a 2L plastic soda bottle, a resealable bag, reflective tape, silicone, twine, and recycled paper. The capsule is designed be hung and has an optional light attachment, for those late night rumbles. Now, at one point or another, every camper has made some sort of make-shift toilet paper holder, but kudos to this crew for refining it, packaging it, and giving it a clever name, When Nature Calls.
Ella Earbuds by FRENDS
December 30th 2012 – A team of designers based out of the charming little surf town of Encinitas, California think headphones should be as gorgeous as a piece of fine jewelry. Frends, (a suitable name for the creative team who are a tight knit group of comrades) created dainty earbuds that are the audio equivalent to a pair of classic stud earrings transformed into a genius sound machine. The Ella Earbuds are crafted out of materials that are usually reserved for luxury goods and the team has used particular jewelry-making techniques for the construction, causing detailed form to meet function and high quality.
Frends recently released two pairs of headphones; the Taylor, a larger yet feminine pair of headphones, and the Layla, the mini version of Taylor – both designed to be a more feminine solution to clunky headphones. Ella is the third addition to the collection; a meticulously handcrafted metal design that comes in Gold, Rose Gold, or Silver. The soft touch fabric cord comes with an easy three-button mic with volume, music and phone control. We owe a massive thank you to these southern California creatives who are giving the world a stunning alternative to the traditional over-sized chunky headphones!
Tread Carpet By Martín Azúa
Esparto grass is a traditional material which is manufactured into soles of sandals – a perfect choice in material for a carpet full of connecting footprints. The Tread Carpet is the design of Barcelona based design firm Martín Azúa, but is hand crafted by artisan woman from the region of Murcia, in South East Spain. The Tread Carpet is not a plush rug you sink your feet into after a hard days work, actually, its quite the contrary feeling. The Esparto grass is strong and tough, originally created to outfit a commercial Camper shoe store. This is a subtle, yet impressively clever piece, that is sure to add flare to your living room.
(Photography: Copyright Martin Azua)
Union Suiza Vases By Martin Azua
If there’s one thing that you can count on with Valentine’s Day it’s that offices around the globe will be inundated with undoubtedly tacky arrays of floral arrangements. The only thing worse than carnations would have to be the hideous, heart-shaped vase that they came it. You know the one. Well, how cool would it be to have your blooming buds delivered in one of Martin Azua’s beautifully geometric Union Suiza vases?! Awesomely angular and multi-faceted, these gorgeous vases are works of art with or without flowers.
Invisible Speaker
Best Buy just got owned. We’re talking about People People’s new invisible speaker. It kind of puts the whole, ‘It’s better to be seen and not heard’ thing on its head. In this case, it’s better to be heard. Miraculously enough, the speakers come with a small wifi antenna that can plug in to any computer, music player, or smart phone, not to mention old stereo or vinyl equipment. Not only can you count on high quality sound, but the speaker is also eco-friendly. Instead of arriving in a huge box, spilling over with Styrofoam packing peanuts, this baby ships in a small, flat package that arrives in your mailbox. The glass sheets that compose the box can then be ordered from a local glass repair shop, reducing shipping up to 90% and supporting local craftsmen. Talk about an economical and ecological solution. Dream on Best Worst Buy.
The Lightweight Lamp
Leave it to a dumbbell to inspire a smart lamp. Nightshop’s Lightweight lamp is made entirely of PVC materials and it stitched with a lattice of brightly colored interwoven wires. Founded by Ward Van Gemert, Adriaan Van Der Ploeg and Jordan Artisan the Lightweight lamp is the Nightshop’s premier product. The fixture itself measures 35 inches long and is equipped with two E27 screw fittings, one for each side of the ‘dumbbell.’ When lit the Lightweight emanates a warm, neutral glow perfect for a cozy reading nook or the occasional set of bicep curls. We kid! We kid!
