2Modern Design Talk - Modern Furniture & Design Blog

Digital Design

Designing with a computer- is it really that much different?  Whether it’s a mouse or a pencil, it seems we have all been using laptops long enough so the design shouldn’t be effected that much… but it is.  When we get behind a keyboard and start drawing, the lines seem to go straighter-farther-faster and the methods and systems of proportion in design get pushed a little bit further.  The designs have a particularly structured quality, whether it be conceptual or detail, this is something that computers work with very well. 

 

      Then there’s CNC.  This pushes the idea of digital design further.  The project is designed on computer and the drawings are refined and used to run the computer-controlled cutter during the manufacturing process.  Modularity and the use of systems are often seen in the digital design process and this modular or system will be used some how in the manufacturing process.  CNC cutters adapt very well to sheet materials (plywood, resin panels, manufactured wood boards,…) so they work well with many of the newer materials that have come out on the market.  Some of the sharpest designs use the simplest edge and connections, accentuating the qualities of the materials in their designs.  

 

Great chair design by Sebastien Wierinck Studio.  One of the unique qualities of CNC cutting is its amazing accuracy which means the connections in the chair will fit perfectly. 

Panel Furniture, Sebastien Wierinck Studio

CNC cutter 

Cafe du 104 (Paris, France),    Sebastien Wierinck Studio  

Dinner in the Sky

 

Impress them or scare them to death, or why not both?   Either way it is original.   Dinner in the Sky is hosted at a table suspended at a height of 160 feet by a team of professionals.  Benji Fun, a partner in this event, is the worldwide leader for this type of activity.  The table can accommodate 22 guests at a time during an 8 hour session in which they are strapped in like a rollercoaster ride.  Safety first.  

The based in Belgium the crane can be driven to any accessible location.  America has one in Las Vegas.  Surprised?

Dinner in the sky also is available for events and parties and can add an additional platform for performances or even weddings where you can bungee jump off afterwards to celebrate the nuptials. 

Sounds like fun, an adventure and something you will talk about to all your friends.  It does however beg the question … what happens when you drop a fork?  And oh yes…where is the Ladies Room?

For more info:  www.dinnerinthesky.com  and www.dinnerintheskylv.com

Have a infinitely modern day!

The Verticle Village

Graft Lab are the creators of this amazing spider like complex in Dubai known as the Vertical Village. A reseidential, hotel and entertainment development that harnesses the most powerful renewable energy source in the desert, the sun. This multi-use building and accompanying massive array of solar collectors was designed to work smarter, not harder, and is expected to earn it a LEED Gold certification when it is completed.

The solar roof behaves much like a leaf, with veins that break the solar field up into serviceable units to provide structure but also transport energy, in this case hot water, back into the building where the energy is used to significantly reduce air conditioning consumption and provide hot water.

Aside from its energy- harvesting features, the Vertical Village is also quite breathtaking. The way that the buildings have been sliced and tilted gives each one a unique, futuristic look. Beneath the roof lies an urban scale entertainment district of cinemas, restaurants, shops and a theater.

Aroma Lisa

Sydney's historic Rocks district held it's 12th annual Aroma Festival which features the smallest of roasters next to bigger coffee houses, all offering their roasts and blends to the public.

This festival is popular amongst Syndeysider's with it's variety of stalls that feature coffee, tea, spices, chocolates and other sweet offerings but I think the Mona Lisa, made up of 3,604 cups of coffee and milk, stole the show!



Here is a stop motion video that shows the process... pretty cool stuff.

Makes me want a Flat White!

via

--sdotg--

Urban Cycle Round Up

Think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world.  ~Grant Petersen

From simple to complex, a plethora of bewitching bikes are popping up these days, marketing themselves towards ...well...everyone! Whether you prefer to sweep the streets in a Tron-bike look-alike or ride easy with "ninja-quality quietness", you are going to eventually stumble across a modern model that fits your style. A few finds are posted below.

Teague Urban Bike Concept

Aside from resembling something out of the movie Tron, this bike features electric turn signals, a luminescent frame, and counterweighted foot pedals!

 

For more information, hop on over to their online booklet.

The District by Trek

The District is simplicity at its best. Complete with a "worry-free, lube-rejecting, lighter-than-any-chain-you’ve-ever-owned belt" you can coast freely with just a few pedals. Jaw dropping good looks have some calling it the Rolls Royce of cycles. The "chain" is actually a carbon composite belt made by the same Denver-base company that creates Harley Davidson drive belts. 

The Folder

"A bike that folds rather than a folding bike was the inital aim" according to Dominic Hargreaves, the designer of this seemingly effortless cycle. I hope you click on over to his webpage and check out the video that demonstrates the ease with which this bike actually folds in on itself to the width of its wheels!

UO Bike Shop

If you need just a little more control over your choice of two-wheeled transportation, Urban Outfitters may have just the thing. They recently teamed up with Republic Bike to offer custom purchases through their website. Boasting 100,000 combinations between components and color, these beauties come in at just under $400 and offer a mere 7-day wait time. 

One last thing...
The final piece of bicycle heaven that I am going to let you explore all on your own...
Biomega's Copenhagen. No chain and no belt. Love. Not to mention Beatrice Santiccioli is responsible for the color palette (She has worked with the Apple Design team on the IMac and Ipod colorways!)

Have a great weekend!

a stay at the ace.

Recently I had the opportunity to stay at the new Ace Hotel in New York city. The Ace opened in Spring 2009 and immediately generated a ton of buzz on the interwebs from design bloggers who were invited to preview its digs. Since then, the hotel has been featured in numerous design-focused, culture, and fashion magazines, including Wallpaper, W Magazine, GQ, and Monocle.

Albeit brief, our stay at the Ace was quite enjoyable, rooms feature Smeg refrigerators, well stocked with mini bottles of Veuve Clicquot; a provisions station, with tasty snacks from all over the US (my heart was won over when I noticed the hotel included Utz potato chips in its snack selection -- which reign from my home state of Pennsylvania and happen to be the best potato chips on the market); and a snazzy red lacquer turntable, accompanied by six dance-worthy albums. Clearly these Ace people know what they're doing -- it's all about details for me, too.

And my favorite detail of all? The tiny bar of marbleized pearl and charcoal soap on a rope hanging from a hook above the sink. I made a mental note. Later that night, upon returning to the hotel, I spotted the soap sitting on a shelf behind the concierge and immediately purchased a few bars of Pearl Plus soap for myself. It's normal to buy soap at 5 a.m., right?

The next morning after a quick stop off at the hotel lobby photo booth , we grabbed a croissant and a cup of Stumptown coffee and slowly reentered the sweltering summer heat, soap on a rope in hand and smiles on our faces.

american hotel stories.

If you enjoy consuming Hollywood history, secrets, and insider details, then you'll love American Hotel Stories published by Assouline. The book trails some very famous and often elusive legends (Marilyn Monroe, Al Capone, Jack Kerouac) across the country during their stays in various American hotels -- that are legendary in their own right -- along the way disclosing some very titillating tales. Additionally, author Francisca Matteoli compiled an appendix of the country's most novel hotels so that you can live adventurously, too.

vessel workplace dish set.

 I try to pack my lunch most days, and inevitably I use plastic utensils that wind up getting thrown out. That's why I love Vessel's Workplace dish set -- it's a great way to be environmentally friendly at work. Featuring a cup, plate, bowl, utensils, and a place mat, the set packs up into a tidy self-contained kit when you're finished eating. It's genius, and the Earth will thank you!

Modern Roots

This one probably best fits under the category "did you know?"

Do you recognize this chair? Design enthusiasts among us may.

It's a replica of one created circa 440 B.C., Classical Period Greece and called the Klismos. This graceful, clean lined, wood side chair was the most influential furniture piece invented by the ancient Greeks and a design that has no doubt influenced countless other designs of modern times.

Check out the beautiful modern renditions of this classical masterpiece by Donghia below.

Compassionate Modern? Supporting 3rd World Artisans

  You've heard the phrase doing well by doing good? How about doing well by good design? A couple of globally conscious entreprenuers launched Exotic World Gifts last year to bring the creations of remote villages to market, in turn providing the artisans a sustainable income. The clean lines of these bamboo, cinnamonwood and olivewood handcrafted trays, bowls and servers from Bali and Africa would grace any modern table!