NACI Architecture has recently designed two new Cathcart schools in Snohomish, Washington, which were designed to bring nature into the classroom. The school sits within a second-growth forest and the campus has the backdrop of mountains and trees. Practically every aspect of the Cathcart building design embraces nature and the natural landscape. The architects of the school say “Integration of the site's memory should hopefully raise students' and the community's awareness of the fragility and importance of our natural habitat."
In David Stark's new book – "David Stark Design" – he discusses processes and strategies for creating post-it art, among other projects. Stark uses his refrigerator as a canvas to create art with colorful post-its. He appreciates the ability to easily change the interior decoration of his home without damage and intensive clean-up.
Japanese designer Ryohei Yoshiyuki has designed a new watch, intended to draw us from the confines of our technology. The watch is supposed to unglue us from our laptops, smart phones and desktops, getting us in touch with the natural time teller – the sky.
The gadget, called “Re: Time of the Sky,” shows colors that correspond with the blues of the sky, instead of traditional hour and minute hands and digital readings. The watch shows one of 24 shades of blue for each hour of the day. The side button on the watch will reveal the saturation of the sun...
New England resident Dalton Ghetti has been carving models for years: a saw, a chain, letters of the alphabet. The kicker? He carves these items out of pencil tips. Using an X-acto knife and a large dose of patience, Ghetti has created incredibly detailed and impressive works out of a mundane and somewhat outdated format.Originally from Brazil, he now lives in Bridgeport, CT and is a carpenter by trade. He is currently working on a collection of teardrops, one for each victim of the September 11th attacks. He carves one every day, and should be finished by 2012.
In an effort to combat the increasing number of hours British citizens spend on the couch each week, the National Trust has arranged the creation of large grass sofas. The Trust has installed and grown ten couches, distributing them across British towns.
The installations, which are useable, encourage citizens to venture outdoors, while providing them with the familiarity and comfort of a couch. With obesity on the rise in the western world, encouraging people to get outdoors is one of the first steps in healthier living.
Pilot has launched a new site devoted to transferring your handwriting into a font. At pilothandwriting.com you simply print out a sheet, fill it with samples of your own handwriting, and then using your webcam or scanner input it back to the site. The application takes these samples, measures letter space and creates connectors. Once you have created your font you can type documents and send emails. The Pilot Handwriting site is simple and easy to use .
The Transport for London organization asked artists to design a new representation of the skyline for their promotional materials. The winning design, by Richard Coward, is breathtaking. He rejects the idea of a 2d skyline, making his version range above, below, behind, around and through the frame. Obvious, if you think about it. He fills all of the space with stark black buildings, but the landmarks pop out effortlessly.
I'd like to see one for Philly.
Design*Sponge – a daily website devoted to design – featured a neat article about using books as coffee and side tables. Stacked on top of each other, these books provide a clever and stylish way to put books you’re not reading to use. If you don’t have that many books, summer yard sales across the city can provide you with the tools for a great home project.
Kevin Scott – a twenty one year-old British design student from De Montfort University – earned a Business Design Centre New Designer of the Year Award for his bendable bike, which through a twistable frame forms into its own lock.
Scott has created a real prototype. With the £500 in prize money, Scott plans “to outsource production of some of the key components to allow for full testing.”
Approximately 52 bicycles are stolen each day in London, according to the Daily Mail newspaper. Instead of installing objects that will more safely secure bicycles, Scott saw the potential for...
