These building numbers, called Our Common House, double as birdhouses. Designed by Poland-based industrial designers Mikolaj Nicer and Pawel Frej, they're intended for cities. "Urban bird populations are often the best opportunity for interacting with the wildlife a city dweller … | Continue reading
For those of you with SLA 3D printers, Formlabs' Flexible 80A Resin yields a material similar to rubber and TPU, with that magic balance of stiffness and stretchiness.The company recommends it as a substitute for silicone, urethane, TPU or rubber parts like handles, grips, overmo … | Continue reading
This bizarre Renaissance-era object is housed in the Imperial Armoury of Austria's Kunsthistorisches Museum: It's called a lantern shield, at least by those who discovered it; there is no text record of how the thing was actually used. But what is apparent is that there was a sma … | Continue reading
October 7th is Manufacturing Day, where thousands of manufacturers on the Manufacturing Institute's rosters will open their doors to the public, to show you what they make and how. While the event is primarily geared towards recruiting new workers, the free visits also serve as e … | Continue reading
Empa, the Swiss materials and technology research lab, has partnered with the UK's Imperial College London to create flying 3D printers. Inspired by bees and other flying insects that work together to build things, the research team is working on drone swarms that can carry small … | Continue reading
Rocketbook reusable notebooks have revolutionized the way millions of people use and digitize handwritten notes at work and in the classroom. In the past few years, we’ve become a disruptive force in the notebook industry by delivering a unique blend of digital and physical innov … | Continue reading
Peequal is the name of a porta-potty system designed by, and specifically for, women. UK-based college buddies Amber Probyn and Hazel McShane, who worked at music festivals together during summers, became fed up with the long lines for women's bathrooms. The wait times, the duo s … | Continue reading
In America, we're only called upon to sort our recycling into three or four categories. (And even that, we can't get right.) But overseas, it's not uncommon to see eight, nine, ten different recycling groups, and these often yield objects of vastly different scales; for instance, … | Continue reading
Here's a fantastic and revealing interview with Naoto Fukusawa, shot in his Tokyo studio. The legendary industrial designer not only covers his backstory and how he got into design, but also discusses his design process. He also touches on how he reconciles industrial production … | Continue reading
As of today, there's a new G-Shock in town with a more subdued design: The Pyra x G-Shock GS2100, an updated version of streetwear brand Pyra's GA2100."Pyra have teamed up with G-Shock to design a watch for the elements. The GS2100 is the slimmest G-Shock model and features a car … | Continue reading
In 2005, a church was being renovated in Christopher March's hometown in Austria. The old pews were discarded for new ones. March, an industrial designer, found the wobbly pews beyond repair, but managed to salvage some seating surfaces. Seeking to make them usable again, he rigg … | Continue reading
Developed in Australia, these MaxTrax recovery boards look to give the competing Go Treads a run for their money. Made from fiber-reinforced nylon, the MaxTrax features six handles and have tapered ends that can be used as a shovel for digging out. There's a thoughtful included l … | Continue reading
At Ruffwear, we believe success goes beyond making great gear. Started as a one-person endeavor in 1994, Ruffwear has gained the support of dogs and humans around the world and is one of Outside Magazine's 100 Best Places to Work. Known for innovative products that help people an … | Continue reading
Do you know what's in your water? The answer can vary wildly, depending on where you live. Water quality is unfortunately a growing problem across America, and contaminants in the local supply can make a huge, immediate difference in public health. Water supplies across the count … | Continue reading
It would be neat if every ID school had one of these. Switzerland's ECAL has an online Digital Market where they sell the .stl files of objects designed by Master Product Design students, alumni and faculty. The nature of most of the objects is functional but designey. Some examp … | Continue reading
Visually this might drive me crazy, but I must admit the thinking is outside-of-the-box. This is the Schräg modular shelving system, by Zurich-based product designer Christian Spiess:"Due to the slight angle of the shelves this rack is perfectly stable without additional struts," … | Continue reading
Austria-based industrial design consultancy Salz designed this solar water heater for emerging markets.While conducting research in an impoverished area of Mexico, Salz learned that residents were scraping by with two different sources of heat, and suffering for it:"Most families … | Continue reading
This Flis table series is by Jonas Finkeldei, a Germany-based product designer and carpenter. The flatpack tables come in different sizes, and the joinery method is interesting: It appears to use some variant of dovetail keys to slide the pieces together. No tools necessary. Chec … | Continue reading
Cafe Racer for Kids.The "Moto Rocker" is a unique rocking motorcycle for the youngest biker. All details of an actual motorcycle are designed and applied to the Moto Rocker to mimic the true feeling of riding. Every rider's name is placed on the frame bracket making it their own. … | Continue reading
Although we have copious amounts of objects around us, many of us only have a handful of products we genuinely value. This phenomenon raises a meaningful conversation around how we choose to own, value, keep, and pass down certain products.The Useless Object series is a collectio … | Continue reading
I believe we're in the early days of what will become an enduring object: The electrically-powered personal cart. There already seems to be a standard form factor, as evinced by the Donkibot and now the similar Outisan e-Wagon. The Donkibot The Outisan e-Wagon Both consist of two … | Continue reading
Studio Drift, a Dutch firm that creates "experiential artworks," created this incredible drone show for this year's Burning Man. I watched it on a monitor, without the drugs, and was blown away; I can't imagine what this was like in-person while tripping balls.Festival attendee V … | Continue reading
Swiss industrial designer Benjamin Thut took the design of the classic bi-level toolbox, and turned it on its side to create this Tool Cabinet 490 mobile workstation. "Can be placed anywhere in the room and also cuts a fine figure in the office. Available in red, white and black. … | Continue reading
"Most [keychain] carabiners are cheap and crappy, and at best they last a few years," says mechanical engineer A.J. Huff. In a bid to create a longer-lasting one, Huff designed this spring-free, flexure-based carabiner made from titanium:Huff built a rig to repeatedly flex the ca … | Continue reading
In South Africa there's a practice called Gusheshe, which involves using vintage BMWs to burn donuts and drift back and forth at low speeds. The point is to break traction at the rear tires while maintaining control of the car, often within a small or confined area of pavement, a … | Continue reading
"Pod Tent is a freestanding pod that limits distractions in the open office," Steelcase writes. "Its unique and organic shape adds a compelling and unconventional visual aesthetic to the modern workplace." I can't deny that it adds some visual pop to what might be an otherwise bo … | Continue reading
Earlier we looked at how design helps first responders move patients at accident sites, with a cleverly-designed scoop stretcher.Here we'll look at a similar problem, further down the line of care. In hospitals, bedridden patients often need to be repositioned within the bed: Rol … | Continue reading
Japanese spa chain Goku no Kimochi has developed a machine-washable, user-configurable blanket based on udon noodles."The temperature can be adjusted comfortably at any time. If you feel hot, unfold the noodles, and if it's cold, close the noodles.""The lace in the photo is inclu … | Continue reading
Japanese appliance manufacturer Thanko has released the Makasetei, a "fully automatic ramen maker."It's essentially a coffee machine without the hotplate. Pour cold water in, put the cup beneath the chamber and the machine does the rest, in three to five minutes.It's height-adjus … | Continue reading
In Japan, not disturbing others in public is a central feature of the national personality. In America, bothering other people is treated as a right, a privilege and a life goal.So it's no surprise that this Mutalk, a Bluetooth microphone that mutes your voice to those around you … | Continue reading
These bizarre Trisqucle scissors are by Japanese scissors manufacturer Zencix.The name is derived from "triangle, square, circle."I could find virtually nothing about them, except that they've been in production since at least the 1980s; auction site Worthpoint is selling a vinta … | Continue reading
This clever little gizmo is by Elevation Lab, an industrial design firm that evolved into a brand, following a wildly successful iPhone dock they designed and Kickstarted in 2012. Today the company designs and sells both desk accessories and Apple accessories.Called QuickDraw, it … | Continue reading
This fascinating TourBox Elite object looks like a teaching aid for a UI course: It features buttons, a dial, a scroll wheel, a knob, a D-pad, et cetera. It connects to your computer via Bluetooth, and each controller can be assigned a function of your choosing.Some suggested app … | Continue reading
Porta-potties are typically miserable experiences, being dark, dirty and smelly. German mobile sanitary unit manufacturer Toi Toi & Dixi seeks to rectify this with the design of their Toi Water Up unit.For one thing, the units are well-lit. Though the freestanding units are conne … | Continue reading
In 2014 Estonian computer programmer Ahti Heinla, a co-founder of Skype, participated in NASA's Centennial Challenge. The competition was to design robots that could retrieve samples on the moon.Heinla was participating in the Challenge for fun, but he and Janus Friis (Skype's ot … | Continue reading
South Korean robotics company Omorobot produces this DonkiBot, a self-powered electric utility cart. Conveniently, the cart is collapsible and easily stowed:Also convenient is that the cart follows you. It's strong enough to power up hills, and smart enough to not roll into you w … | Continue reading
This Moodable lamp was done by Alissa Wolter, when she was studying Product & Interaction Design at the Kunsthochschule Berlin. "Moodable is an interactive lamp that can be adapted to various situations. The light quality can be changed by a simple and intuitive motion: opening … | Continue reading
When hydraulic fittings fail, the results can be catastrophic, as we saw here. Hydraulic hoses themselves are also vulnerable, which is why machines like this tree-processing behemoth will have their hoses wrapped in protective spirals made by companies like Caplugs:But how do th … | Continue reading
On the one hand this Entropy Chair, by décor company Philips Collection, is visually interesting and seems designed for inclusion in artsy movies. And it provokes curiosity; if I walked into a room containing this, I couldn't not sit in it.On the other hand, I can't imagine this … | Continue reading
For some reason, if I walked into someone's home or studio and they had repurposed a broken chair to use in this manner, I'd be impressed that they could wring utility out of it:However, if I learned that the piece was purpose-created to provide "the perfect illusion of a chair m … | Continue reading
This modernist Niko waste bin is by Zurich-based industrial designer Fabio Rutishauser.Initially I thought the "tongue" was meant to be slotted between two desks back-to-back, like detectives on a cop show always seem to have, but in fact it's meant to stand as-is. "The inclinati … | Continue reading
This urban-looking Nomoto object was designed by Michigan-based industrial designer Joey Ruiter. "I wanted to create a piece that is museum-worthy that's completely unnoticeable and so familiar, you're just going to walk past it," Ruiter writes.So far, so good. Then, the surprise … | Continue reading
When kitchenware manufacturer Zyliss wanted to produce a grater, they turned to Rodd, a UK-based industrial design consultancy. "We were asked by Zyliss to identify innovations," the firm writes, "to help differentiate their next generation box grater. Their kitchen tools are kno … | Continue reading
This object might seem silly at first, but it's actually quite smart.Dr. Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg is an architect, an architecture professor and the Director of the Institute for Health in the Built Environment. Like all architects, he knows the importance of designing workspace … | Continue reading
In modern spaces, coat racks are typically wall-mounted. But in factories of the early 20th century, windowed walls were important sources of light, and what little solid wall space existed was in short supply.Thus the existence of this object, a freestanding dual-sided coat rack … | Continue reading
Earlier we looked at Stackabl, a line of furniture produced from industrial off-cuts. Designed by Toronto-based design firm Stacklab in collaboration with New York gallery space and furniture retailer Maison Gerard, the Stackabl online configurator allows designers to create thei … | Continue reading
The Valencian dish of paella is named for the dish-like pan it's cooked in. That pan has been around for centuries, and cooks around the world have mastered its use. But for those who aren't paella pros, there are two paella-specific inventions that make cooking it easier.The fir … | Continue reading
Here's a dozen-and-a-half sounds you'll recognize if you were alive in the 1970s, '80s or '90s. All of the sounds are created by interacting with these then-everyday objects: It's incredible to think that of the 18 objects depicted, 17 of them are now all in our phone. Have we l … | Continue reading