I usually reserve this site for the praise and celebration of design, but I’ve been stewing about this for a few days and just couldn’t let it lie. Apple has on its payroll Jonathon Ive, who is considered by many, if not most, to be the greatest industrial designer of his generation. So, when I first saw Apple TV I was flummoxed. Where was the “oooo,” and what happened to the “aaaaah?” Why didn’t I want this despite having no real use for it and better things to do with my money? You see, this is the effect that most everything Jonathon Ive has designed for Apple has had on me. My brain shuts down and goes into “Shiny! Pretty! Useful! WANT! WANT!” mode, and it usually takes someone wafting cheese under my nose a la the Three Stooges to snap me out of it (for the record, I prefer a nice Stilton on these occasions). So, why, instead, was I thinking, “It looks like someone sat on a Mac Mini?”
I could only reason that Jonathon Ive had nothing to do with this as he was busy with the iPhone or something. That being said, I am still disappointed. Apple had a real opportunity to bring us an innovative product wrapped in an innovative design and fell short, so indugle me, if you will, as I write here an open letter to Steve Jobs.
Dear Steve Jobs,
Regarding Apple TV, WTF? I mean seriously, WTF?
Kindest regards,
Lily
From their site:
2007 marks 25 years since the opening of the Boilerhouse, the original
incarnation of the Design Museum. To celebrate this significant anniversary, as
plans are being made for a major expansion programme, the Design Museum
has invited 25 designers and individuals with an interest in design, each to select
an object that they believe represents the best, or the most characteristic design
of the period.
From the 1983 Alessi Whistling Kettle, to the 2001 iPod designed by Jonathan
Ive for Apple, the 25 selected designs, representing the best of industrial design,
graphics, furniture, and fashion, designed or first manufactured between 1982
and 2007, will be exhibited at the Design Museum in 25/25 – Celebrating 25
Years of Design from 29 March to 22 June 2007. The exhibition will offer a
fascinating overview of the most important moments and developments in
design during this period, as well as an insight into the thoughts of these key
designers and design commentators, including Terence Conran, founder of the
Boilerhouse, fashion designer Paul Smith, designers David Mellor, Jaime Hayon,
and the Design Museum’s Director Deyan Sudjic.
Other selectors include architect Richard Rogers and designer Ab Rogers,
industrial designer Dieter Rams, product designers Richard Seymour and Dick
Powell of SeymourPowell, world renowned graphic designer, visual artist, and
computer scientist John Maeda, and Dutch designer Maarten Baas.
The Design Museum is located at Shad Thames, London SE1 2YD, and is open from 10am-5:45pm daily. For more information on the museum, please visit its site. Information on advanced booking for the 25/25 event can be found at Ticketweb.
These are just too fun to pass up. Product designer Mark McKenna set out to pay homage to some of the greatest modern designers of our times, knowing full well he couldn’t possibly recreate their genius, and really, why would he even try? Instead he found his own unique voice in the Design Emulation Kit, or DEK, for short, a snap apart, snap together kit that emulates lamp designs of Castiglioni, Sapper, Starck, and Maurer. The end result is a bit irreverant in a tongue-in-cheek way, but it’s done with the utmost respect. At $29 each + the cost of a 9 volt battery, this would make a great gift for any design enthusiast.
Shown: DEK4 Achille Castilioni’s Toio Lamp
For far too long pet owners have had to make due with generic pet products that look like, well, pet products. You could, if you so chose, fork over large amounts of cash for frou-frou pet beds covered in leopard print or lace (sometimes both), but there was very little out there for those of us who prefer clean lines, and who would never consider dying our poodles pink–at least not without a good deal of alcohol under our belts and a bet on the table. Thankfully, designers are finally addressing this problem. Bauhaus, 60s Mod, sleek, asian influenced contemporary, it’s all out there. So,without further ado, I bring you my top picks.
Top Pick: Eddie’s Room Pet Cave by The Pet Project, available at puremodern.com Why? I love the simplicity of the design contrasted by the warmth of the walnut, and because I know my cats would love this. In fact, I doubt I would ever see them again, other than bits of their fur sticking out of the hole, or possibly while on their way to their food or litter boxes.
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A few weeks ago I couldn’t help but notice the birds were coming home after wintering in whatever bird resort they fly off to when it’s cold. I say that I couldn’t help notice because the I came home to an entire flock of robins wandering around my side yard. Apparently, they had decided my garden was the perfect place to relax and enjoy some grub (no pun intended), and start work on their summer nests. If 50+ robins in your yard isn’t a harbinger of spring, I don’t know what is. It’s also a little creepy, if the truth be told.
Since my yard was apparently about to become the robin equivalent of an Adirondack camp, and because I possess an over-active imagination, I began wondering just what a bird resort would look like, and started searching for bird houses and feeders that appealed to those more inclined toward modernism.
I was incredibly surprised at the number of upscale, modern bird houses and feeders available, and quite pleased to find that you don’t have to ruin the aesthetics of modern landscaping in order to attract wildlife to your yard. I’ve gathered the creme de la creme, but I have to note one stand out.
As most everyone knows, design is about more than aesthetics, at least really good design is; it’s about marrying form and function. Henrik Holbaek and Claus Jensen of Tools, who design the Eva Solo collection, tend to do this exceptionally well. Three of the feeders and houses featured here were designed by them, but the Eva Solo Bird Box, due out in May has to be the most thoughtfully designed of the lot.
The Bird Box is a white glazed terra cotta bird house with a black plastic lid, and changeable entrance hole The white glaze and terra cotta help resist heat to keep those little, downy chicks warm while not overheating, and the black plastic lid allows interior access when it’s time to take it down and clean it out, or whenever you want to change the entrance hole. There are four entrance hole sizes, allowing you to match the entrance size to the size of your favorite bird, and when it’s time for the chicks to become fledglings, Holbaek and Jensen thoughtfully included a little internal ladder to help the youngsters make their way to the outside world.
Eva Solo’s Bird Box by Hans Holbraek and Claus Jensen.
Available May 2007
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Using traditional glassmaking methods, Mark Joiner has designed and fashioned these incredible belt buckles. While there are (many) set styles to choose from, each one is an individual work of art. You can buy them at Elsewares.
My Favorite:
The Um Carry, by Josh Jakus is made from 2 layers of factory excess industrial wool felt which should appeal to the green in you. The purse is formed by zipping a zipper that is sewn around the outside of the form. When the zipper is open, it lays completely flat. When zipped, the piece turns into an organic 3-dimensional purse. The felt is heathered grey and the zipper tape comes in green, orange, blue, and grey. Jakus also created the Um Tote for those who carry a heavier load. Both “bags” are available at Elsewares.
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These stickers by Ugly Home bring out my whimsical side. There are plenty of other designs to choose from, but these just amused me.
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Need a home office, studio, pool house, or just some place to relax and get away? Modern Cabana has the solution, and can get it in place for you quickly, easily, cheaply, and in style. The concept is simple, a customizable pre-assembled cabana that can be deployed in a few days, without the worries of permits and foundation costs (in most cities).
They come insulated and wired (if you like) and can be configured to encompass 100-1000+ sq. ft.
When you’re a coffee and tea fanatic, Bodum always makes you feel a little squishy inside, but now they have a jaw-droppingly beautiful sake glass.
If you don’t like sake, no worries, they also have various drinkware that is similarly designed. Thanks to a wonderful friend with great taste, I own the So Long stemless double wall wine glasses, and that makes me a happy girl.
