The Donut Project

This bench by Frank Cresencia is stunning:

Splay Bench explores the relationship between the interior and exterior spaces created by furniture. Here, slats are used as an opportunity to create an exterior surface, while exposing the interior space between them. The inverse barrel form is sliced so that the relationship is between the bench and the floor of its environment, not the surfaces of the piece alone.

You can purchase it at Voos Furniture, only $1,800.

(via BLTD)

The Water Bobble, designed by Karim Rashid and produced by Move Collective LLC, is an everyday water bottle with a twist.

Each ‘bobble’ features a carbon filter that allows users fill their bottle with tap water, and enjoy clean, freshly-filtered water. The water bobble was created in an effort to reduce our daily waste of money and resources on bottled water.

Americans alone spend $17 billion every year to slake their thirst for portable water. The costs are not limited to our wallers, either: nearly 1.5 million barrels of oil are used to make plastic water bottles. Most of those bottles are casually discarded. They end up in our landfills, in our oceans, littering our sidewalks.

It’s nice to see a designer like Karim Rashid step in to design something beautiful that people will want to own. The only way environmentally-friendly alternatives can succeed are to offer something that the everyday wasteful monotony doesn’t offer. Many times, great design can be the x-factor. Rashid has made an object that people will want to own.

It’s also nice to see something beautifully designed offered at an ‘everyman’ price – $9.95. Check out the slick www.waterbobble.com for more information, and to order a bobble. Retail stores will begin carrying these March 1.

As a sidenote, the web site is very nice, with some beautiful transitions.

What do you think? Would you give up your daily water bottles for an everyday bottle that offers clean water, no matter the source?

FINALLY.

As expected, Apple just released their newest product to the masses. It’s called the iPad (really, Apple?). Rumors of an Apple tablet have been swirling since 2003, so it’s exciting to see a product with this much hype behind it finally launch.

While a tablet computer is nothing groundbreaking, Apple again is looking to redefine the way we view and interact with content on their new device. Just like how the iPod changed the way we listen to music, and the iPhone changed the way we quiet screaming children, Apple is betting their new iPad will change the way we use media — especially movies, games, ebooks, magazines and newspapers. Will it work? Time will tell, but my money is on “most likely.” It’s going to hit a real niche of buyers to who want the ultra-mobile lifestyle at an affordable price point.

Some specifications for the new iPad device include:

•  9.7″ IPS Display, 0.5″ Thin, 1.5 Pounds

•  16-64GB storage capacity, 10+ hours of battery life

•  It can run just about all iPhone/iPod Touch apps (and iWork) out of the box, basically functioning like a big ‘ol iPhone

•  WiFi & 3G connection

The iPad will be available for purchase in about two months and starts at $499. 3G data plans will be supplied through AT&T and will range in price from $14.99-29.99 a month without a contract.

Head over to Apple.com/iPad for the full release! Be sure to watch the video to see it in action.

Since I don’t have cable, I missed this. Really inspiring clip for the Colbert Report. Emily Pilloton founded Project H on this simple idea…

Project H Design connects the power of design to the people who need it most, and the places where it can make a real and lasting difference.

In light of the recent earthquake in Haiti, this design approach is now more important than ever.

Project H

Have an iPhone? Then all you need to take credit card payments from potential buyers, anywhere, is Square – a new accessory that plugs into your phone and allows you to swipe a customers’ card and accept payments, anywhere. As a payer, you can create a Square profile which will allow sellers to use photo verification, and email/text your receipts to you. You can also login to the Square site and view your receipts securely.

In February 2009, Jim McKelvey wasn’t able to sell a piece of his glass art because he couldn’t accept a credit card as payment. Even though a majority of payments has moved to plastic cards, accepting payments from cards is still difficult, requiring long applications, expensive hardware, and an overly complex experience. Square was born a few days later…

Shouldn’t all receipts be this clear and beautiful:

Square does good too – paperless transactions are friendly to the environment and a penny from every transaction is donated to the charity of the sellers’ choice.

Square is currently in limited beta and will begin rolling out early 2010. Eventually it will actually work with any device with a headphone jack and internet connection, but it will initially work on the iPhone/iPod touch only. Follow them at www.squareup.com or @Square.

Gorgeous furniture pieces from Egg Collective make me want to decorate immediately! A group of four women who met in wood shop at architecture school, their beliefs and collective effort keep them going, even though they work only from a virtual office and live in completely different areas.

It is important for us to create, investigate methods of craft and production, think about the future of the built world, and be mindful of our environment. We design because we find questions in some of life’s most simple tasks that are still unanswered. The result is something beautiful, functional, responsible, and innovative.

The Pill Table is probably my favorite, but honestly, I can’t decide! Enjoy more of their thoughtful pieces here.

via sharesomecandy

Original 1950s 300SL Gullwing

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2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

The original 1950s Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing is one of the most beautiful, iconic vehicles ever made. Imagine you’re a designer at Mercedes-Benz and the assignment comes across your desk to create a modern interpretation of one of the most famous cars of the twentieth century. Personally, I’d have a heart attack from excitement and nervousness.

This is what Mercedes has tried to do with the 2011 SLS AMG. The design cues are obvious – long hood, large open Mercedes grill, squat rounded rear, and of course the ‘gullwing’ doors. It comes with a 6.2L 571HP engine that transfers power through a 7-speed rear-mounted sequential transmission – which is good for a 0-60mph time of 3.8 seconds and a limited top speed of 197mph. (For reference, the original had a 0-60 of ~10sec and top speed of 160mph)

This car is a bargain at an estimated $200,000 when you consider that an original 50s-era 300SL will run you atleast $500,000, if you can find one. Only 1,100 made their way to the states 50 years ago.

So what do you think? A new, modern icon? Or the butchering of a classic? See a short driving video and more photos after the jump.

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The OWLE Bubo is an anodized billet aluminum iPhone mount designed to turn the iPhone into a legitimate camera/camcorder. The iPhone slips into the back of the OWLE, and you are able to add lenses, microphones, lighting elements, filters (and whatever else they think of) to the iPhone. The OWLE contains 4 different tripod mounting locations which is more than enough to do whatever you need to do.

I had the pleasure of holding one of these at a design event recently before launch – and man, what a solid piece. The iPhone sits safely in it’s place, and the accessories attach solidly to the mount. It was really impressive how nice it was to hold.

Check out this light-hearted informational video to see how it works:

The OWLE Bubo is debuting at $99 right now, but will go up to $129 eventually. You can buy directly from the creators at www.wantowle.com.

I thought the idea from Shi Yuan of using heat sensitive paint in unexpected ways is so fantastic! From wallpaper that changes as the radiator turns on, to a calendar that disappears as the day does, I love the idea of using heat sensitive paint all over your home. Do you think it’d be lead based? Enjoy more pictures from the project here.

So, you’re a designer, and you love typography… but do you love type this much? Barriviera Cappe makes range hoods and has created ‘Kappa’ – a range hood in the shape of a bold, sans-serif ‘K’ – K for Kitchen?

No word on pricing, but I can’t imagine they are cheap.

(via Apartment Therapy)