Blocco Chair by Naoto Fukasawa for Plank

Blocco chair reflects Mr. Fukasawa's sensitivity for natural material. The wooden chair is suitable for use both as public environments chair (such as restaurants or cafes) and for private home. It is stackable to respond to the functional requirements for public environments.

Blocco chair in use at Restaurant Stereokitchen in Beirut. By Plank

Blocco is available in natural ash wooden lacquered, black stained lacquered or colored with a matt open grain in grey, white and blue.

Meteo by Naoto Fukasawa for Magis

What do you expect most from a weather gauges? Its function and accuracy of course. But Naoto Fukasawa gives more for you: a set of fully functional weather gauges with style.

Meteo is a set of weather measuring equipment consisting of a thermometer, barometer, and hygrometer which - as the name suggest - each serves to measure temperature, air pressure, and humidity. Mr. Fukasawa design Meteo for Italian brand Magis.

"There is a certain appeal about gauges that we find on cars and air planes," says Fukasawa. He speaks from a design standpoint, of course. And it is applied to the design of Meteo. However, However, users with technical requirements over design do not need to be skeptical. Meteo serve your needs with full capability.

These harmonious weather gauges trios comes with stand so can be placed all together. They can also be mounted on a wall, independently.

Itka Tavolo 35 Lamp by Naoto Fukasawa

Not many technical innovations can be performed on a lamp. But for design aspect, possibilities for improvisation almost unlimited. It seems like that's what Naoto Fukasawa when designing Itka Tavolo 35, a table lamp which is basically a combination of three energy-saving light bulbs placed in a single structure.

Naoto Fukasawa design Itka Tavolo 35 in 2008 for Danese Milano by exploring three aspects: aesthetics, performance, and energy savings factors. The result is a table lamp with iconic rounded shape, simple yet elegant. The table lamp made ​​of satined opaline glazed frosted glass PVC-covered structure in white painted metal. Itka can also be affixed to the wall or to the ceiling.

In-depth study of the patterns of distribution of light and power consumption saving factor gives basic knowledge for Fukasawa for designing energy-saving lamps with the optimal performance that can be given. Itka Tavolo 35 beam spread gently and evenly into all angles, without disturbing shadow effect.

Itka Tavolo 35 specs: 

Manufacturer: Danese
Product Family: Danese Itka
Designer: Naoto Fukasawa
Bulbs: small version: 3 x 11W 230V E14 energy saving lamps. large version: 3 x 22W 230V E27 energy saving lamps.
Dimensions: small version: diameter 350 mm, height 105 mm. large version: diameter 500 mm, height 162 mm.

The Ottawa Collection by Karim Rashid for BoConcept

Karim Rashid is one of designers who believe that designing something is more than just serve a function. To him functionality is essential, but at the same time he wants to move people. "You concentrate on the object but there should be a sense of humanity too. Something soft that touches you and makes you feel at ease," says Karim.

The approach produces a variety of product design with bright colors and a sensual curves; an approach that he describes as "sensual minimalism". And again the approach is expertly showcased through the Ottawa Collection (2012), an extensive collection of dining room consisting of chairs, dining table, sideboard, rug, and accessories with style immediately recognizable as his trademark.

Karim designed the Ottawa Collection for BoConcept, a Denmark-based global retail furniture chain. The design is unique, combining sensual minimalism and functionality offers the features and details that serve the needs of the urban environment. Partially table and chairs design from Ottawa Collection gave Karim Rashid the Red Dot Award winner as well as a Good Design Award.

Perhaps become an important question of how a collection that was made for - and manufactured by a Danish company named a city in Canada? Well, Rashid was inspired by the City where he studied and graduated from college 30 years before he was designing this collection. His designs for BoConcept were inspired by both the Canadian and the Danish landscape.

Through the following video Karim Rashid shows his vision and design philosophy applied when designing the Ottawa Collection:

Üstra Bus Stop by Jasper Morrison

In 1992 Jasper Morrison designing a stainless steel and glass Bus Stop for Hanover City, as a project organised by Peter Ruthenberg for Üstra, the Hannover Transportation Authority.

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Marc Newson‘s Ford 021C Concept Car

Marc Newson's Ford 021C as a concept car was first introduced at the Tokyo auto show in 1999, created as a styling exercise only and is not intended to be mass produced. The color of the car at the beginning of its appearance is orange Pantone ("021C" in the Ford 021C name refers to the Pantone color chart number), before being repainted into a lime green when it is displayed again in the Newson's designs special exhibition event entitled "Transport" at the Gagosian Gallery on West 21st Street in Manhattan.

Marc Newson designed the Ford 021C at the request of Ford's design director J. Mays. The car was powered by a 1.6 L Zetec engine producing 100 PS (74 kW; 99 bhp) driving the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. The retro 1950s-inspired Ford 021C has four seats with 3,601 mm (141.8 in) long, 1,648 mm (64.9 in) wide with a wheelbase of 2.485 mm (97.8 in).

Philippe Starck for Kartell Louis Ghost Chair

A classic Louis XVI chair made from a single piece injection-molded transparent polycarbonate? Who dares enough to tinkering with the seat of the king? Well, none other than Philippe Starck.

Designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell, Louis Ghost Chair (2002) is a postmodern visual play creation that combines a unique French baroque style in the past with the latest technical innovations. This chair is one of the most prominent examples of the use of translucent injected polycarbonate in a single mold, resulting in the appearance of transparent like crystal cursory look fragile, but in fact strong and stable. "It has a mix of materials and styles based on our shared memories. We all own this piece in a way. The chair is well balanced; I try to be balanced myself," Starck said in an interview with the Dallas Morning News.

Alpenio.com

Made in Italy, Louis Ghost Chair suitable for indoor and outdoor use in residential and commercial settings.

Jonathan Ive's (RED) Leica M Camera

(RED) Leica M designed by Ive and Newson

Apple's Senior Vice President of Design Sir Jonathan Ive rarely design something outside of Apple products. But for the sake of charity he does it with pleasure. With Marc Newson, he designed a special (RED) Leica M camera then auctioned off, and the result is donated to charity through U2 frontman Bono's (RED) Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

Both designers changed the original classic look of the Leica M camera into a modern design with a sleek, stylish Apple thew. The camera body wrapped with a single block of aluminum features more than 21.900 laser-engraved holes. This micro-holes in addition to filling the aesthetic appearance also has a practical function to strengthen grip. The entire process of redesigning the Leica M took more than 270 days with more than 50 engineers involved.

"Leica represents the confluence of precision engineering, world-class technology and design principles lens which elevate both function and form," said Ive, while Newson said that "The Leica object embodies the most iconographic qualities of a camera. It ended up being kind of a process of distillation and sort of concentration."

The (RED) Leica M finally has sold for more than $ 1.8 million at the RED charity auction at Sotheby's auction house in New York on 23 November 2013.

Eames LCW (Lounge Chair Wood)

The Eames Lounge Chair Wood a.k.a Eames molded plywood chairs have a romantic history. The idea behind the design of the chair is born from the imagination and experience of the husband and wife team Charles and Ray Eames. All originated from the early 1940s when Charles Eames worked as a set painter at MGM studio. In their spare time they were developing wood-molding techniques. Ray, who had formal training as painter and sculptor conduct experiments in their apartment. The technique they developed then take them to new opportunities, when Charles resigned from MGM to focus on serving the U.S. Air Force demand for plywood splints, glider shells, and stretchers. Their Splints designed with compound curves to mimic the shape of human leg. Later, experience in shaping plywood into compound curves gives both the inspiration and capability to develop Lounge Chair Wood.

Following Charles and Ray Eames relationship with Herman Miller furniture company, the Eames LCW was produced from 1946 until 1947 by Evans Molded Plywood of Venice Beach, California for the Herman Miller. Herman Miller then moved the production of the chair to Michigan from 1947 until present. For Europe market, Vitra became the only producer of Eames furniture and, with Herman Miller, the only two companies producing chairs licensed by the Eames estate as represented by the Eames Office.

The Eames LCW earned many recognition, one of them from TIME Magazine that called the design "something elegant, light and comfortable. Much copied but never bettered." The magazine acclaim the chair as The Best Design of the 20th Century.

Polaroid SX-70 by Henry Dreyfuss

Image: Wikipedia

Introduced in 1972 and produced from 1972 to 1981, the Polaroid SX-70 received warm welcome and very popular in its time. It is an expensive camera used by top photographers and graphic artists like Helmut Newton, Ansel Adams, and Warhol.

Henry Dreyfuss include many sophisticated detail in the design elements of this camera. Decision to choose folding SLR camera as form factor itself is already need a complex light path system, utilizing three aspheric reflector shapes placed at unusual angle to create an erect image on the film and an erect aerial image for the viewfinder.

The camera body is made of a rigid plastic that is coated with a copper-nickel-chromium alloy that gives the impression of metallic colors (called glass-filled polysulfone). Many mechanical components made of high-precision plastic molding. Flash systems, motor drives and camera's electronic components powered by 6-volt "PolaPulse" battery.

Garbo Waste Can by Karim Rashid

A waste can can be designed in a stylish, glamorous and sensual form. What's wrong with that? And Karim Rashid do it perfectly. Since its introduction, Garbo (along with its smaller version, called Garbino and Garbini) was greeted with enthusiasm and has sold millions of units.

Umbra Inc. as the manufacturer offered Garbo in a series of striking colors and sizes. And it's not a coincidence when Garbo move from just a best-selling product in retail stores to a product design star. Design community likes the shape and the idea behind it as same as common people like its versatility. Publicity comes from media such as Vogue, Domus, and Interni. People began to shift using Garbo from its initial function as a garbage can into other more 'respectable' purpose. Umbra is now described Garbo as an alternative storage medium.

Rashid himself has one worry that the huge success of Garbo will overshadow his work in other fields such as furniture and lighting. '' I'd hate to think it MIGHT be like a hit song that ends up on VH1's 15 years later, '' he said.

Marc Newson's Pentax K-01 Mirrorless Camera

As a full-featured mirrorless camera, the technical specifications of the Pentax K-01 may not be surpass other cameras in the same class. But K-01 have the power in its unusual aspects of the design, thanks to the touch of the hands of the Australian industrial designer Marc Newson.

Pentax K-01 has a 16 Megapixel CMOS sensor, the K-mount lens support with built-in image stabilization (sensor-based), many special effects and scene modes, manual controls (of course), and 1080p video recording. Interestingly, K-01 is the first single-lens mirrorless interchangeable camera (SL camera) which is compatible with lenses from a typical SLR camera without the use of an adapter.

If you assume this camera offered with a premium price for the famous designer name behind it, try rethink. K-01 has a relatively standard price. You can go body only for $ 749, or with an additional 40mm pancake lens for $ 899, or with a dual lens kit (18-55 mm and 50-200 mm zooms) for $ 999. Reasonably priced if you are used to dealing with high-end mirrorless cameras or DSLRs. Pentax provides K-01 in three colors: black, white, and yellow.

The Pentax K-01 was selected as a Product Design winner at the 2012 red dot design awards, and for a Gold award at the German Design Award 2013.

Russel Wright Residential Melamine Dinnerware

"Residential" melamine dinnerware is Russel Wright's first Melmac line plastic dinnerware for home use began to produced in 1953 by Northern Plastic Company of Boston. Home Decorators, Inc. of Newark, NY, continued production of "Residential" following the long lasting popularity of the melamine dinnerware. Russel Wright's Residential fabricated using high quality melamine material that is heat resistant, dishwasher safe and shatterproof.

Since the initial launch, Residential be one of the most popular melamine dinnerware in the United States, with gross sales of more than $ 4 million in 1957. In terms of aesthetic achievement, Russel Wright's design touches make it into an iconic masterpiece that was awarded the Museum of Modern Art Good Design Award in 1953.

The Braun SK4 Record Player (1956)

In 1956, the same year when Braun founded its first design department under the leadership of Dr. Fritz Eichler in cooperation with the Ulm School of Design, the company introduced the SK4 record player designed by their young designers, Dieter Rams and Hans Gugelot.

The famous SK4 pave the way for Braun to brace their image as a respected company with elegant product designs, and Rams who later became head of design for Braun for nearly 30 years.

Eames Plastic & Fiberglass Armchair

Charles and Ray Eames described one of their intentions as furniture designers as "Getting the most of the best to the greatest number of people for the least." This principle led them on designs that utilize plastic as one of the main material. The Eames Molded Plastic and Fiberglass Armchair is one of their work which refers to the principle. The chair included in the competition held by the Museum of Modern Art entitled 'International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design'.

The process of design and development of the chair before mass-produced involves tremendous effort. The chair was made ​​with the latest technology (at the time) of hydraulic molds similar to those used for shipbuilding by Zenith Plastics manufacturing company, in addition to the shaping process of fiberglass with metal molds using hydraulic pressing machine. Zenith started production of the chair in 1950 for Herman Miller. For Europe market, Eames Fiberglass Armchair made ​​by Vitra in 1957, who obtained a license from Herman Miller.

Eames fiberglass armchair was Offered in a variety of colors and Several bases, Including wooden base and the famous "Eiffel Tower" metal base. The fiberglass armchair was included in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in 1950.

Superarchimoon Floor Lamp (2000)

Designed by Philippe Starck in 2000 and manufactured by Flos, Superarchimoon Floor Lamp has an unusually large size but aesthetically pleasing in every aspect and makes a fantastic feature in a large room. Starck chose aluminum diffuser as support, with gray painted assembly composed of tubular aluminum arms and tie rods, stainless steel springs, and die-cast aluminum joints. The bulb used was 1 x 205W E27 Energy Saving Halogen bulb HSGs with acid-etched pressed borosilicate hand-blown glass diffuser internally covered with a cream pleated silk shade.

Superarchimoon floor lamp providing direct and reflected light, in addition to using the mechanism of six counterweights allow the lamp to be adjusted to whatever position is desirable. A dimmer is featured on the power cord.

V+ Volteis Electric Car

With concern on ecology and the environment, the legendary industrial designer Philippe Starck create eco-friendly electric vehicle that at a glance more resembles a golf cart than a 'normal' car. V+ Volteis is the result of collaboration between Starck and VOLTEIS, an electric vehicle specialist automotive company based in the Rhône-Alpes region, 70 km south of Lyon (at Davezieux). The vehicle exhibited premiere at the Geneva Auto Show.

The front-wheel-drive V+ Volteis weighs about 1600 pounds, powered by a 4-kW motors that can reach a maximum speed of 40 mph and a maximum range of 37 miles. These specifications, coupled with its design factor, perhaps making people think that this vehicle was made to prioritize form over function.

TW 2000 Stadtbahn (Light Rail)

Image: Wikipedia

Designed by duo industrial designer Jasper Morrison and Herbert Lindinger, TW 2000 light rail is the answer to the needs of Hanover City to improve their transportation systems. Although technically the old rail system that runs over the years, the TW 6000, can still be used and produced, Hanover public transport operator decided to build a new system with better technology, while remaining compatible with the design of the old system.

Based on the design created by Morrison and Lindinger, TW 2000 manufactured by Linke-Hofmann-Busch from 1997 to 2000. After the official presentation to the public on 27 April 1997, TW 2000 began to operate on September 1, 1997. TW 2000 have been built in two versions, TW 2000 with two cab on each side, and TW 2000 with a single cab with an open gangway at the rear end.

Tomo Sofa by Naoto Fukasawa

Tomo means friend in Japanese. The three-seater sofa has a compact linear design with a minimalist appearance. The internal structure in painted steel and poplar plywood material. Tomo Sofa comes with completely removable fabric cover, Filler in variable-density polyurethane foam that add comfort, and adjustable thermoplastic feet. Fukasawa brings a perfect mix between strength and lightness, which makes Tomo Sofa aesthetic elements in a variety of settings.

Lockheed Lounge by Marc Newson

An international design icon that established Marc Newson as a prominent designer, 'Lockheed Lounge' (as an initial version entitled LC1) first displayed in Newson' graduation exhibition at Sydney College of the Arts in 1983, before commercially launched - and produced in a limited edition - in 1986 at a Sydney gallery where it created an overwhelming sensation.

The success of LC1 prompted him to continue working on the piece. From 1986 to 1988, the LC1 reshaped into a smoother and more flowing form, called the “Lockheed Lounge” after the American aircraft manufacturer. With dimensions of 86 x 166 x 57 cm, 'Lockheed Lounge' is made using fiberglass materials, polyester resin / polyurethane and riveted sheet aluminum, where the last material giving the impression of an airplane fuselage.

Braun SK2 Radio (1955)

Mid-50s to late 70s was a golden period in which Braun establish fundamental principles and product design works that became known until now as the "Braun design". This period began in 1955 when Braun attracted international attention - and critics - with its entire redesigned line of radio sets on display at the Düsseldorf Radio Fair. SK 2 Radio became one of the products in the line. Although not reach prime achievement as design icons like it counterpart SK 4 (both the work of Dieter Rams), the SK 2 managed to steal the public's attention and is considered as part of the history of the classic Braun.

Coffee Urn by Russel Wright

Most popular with his dinnerware designs - which came from the belief that the table was the center of the home, Russel Wright also produced a number of other designs (textiles, furniture, and spun aluminum dining accessories) that became iconic. One of which is the coffee urn. Made from spun aluminum and walnut in ca. 1935, Russel Wright' coffee urn has a spheric design that is reminiscent of the futuristic tools in the science fiction films of the era.

Murray Mercury Pacemaker bicycle

Originally produce fuel tanks, fenders, and other automobile parts, Murray Ohio Manufacturing Company began production of bicycles, mostly for the youth market in the mid-1930s. In 1939, Murray introduced its Pacemaker Series Mercury bicycle at the 1939 New York World's Fair, specially designed by industrial designer Viktor Schreckengost. The expensive bicycle at the time, however, was produced only in limited numbers until 1942.

Armchair "Statton" by Russel Wright

Designed by Russel Wright (1904 – 1976) in 1950 and manufactured in 1951 by Statton Furniture Company at Hagarstown, Maryland, United States. The armchair "Statton" was one of Wright's popular furniture design, along with line of Art Deco American Modern "blonde" wooden furniture produced by the Conant-Ball company. The item is a collection of Brooklyn Museum, and on view in the museum' Luce Visible Storage and Study Center, 5th Floor.

IBM Selectric Typewriter (1961)

IBM Selectric Typewriter

In 1956 Thomas J. Watson, Jr. commissioned influential American industrial designer Eliot Noyes to create IBM's first house style program. Noyes spent years working on the project, collaborated with Charles Eames, Paul Rand, and Marcel Breuer, which result in the IBM Selectric typewriter design. The Selectric typewriter was introduced on 23 July 1961. Selectrics typewriter line was a highly successful model line of electric typewriters, eventually captured 75 percent of the United States market for electric typewriters used in business, before IBM replaced the line with the IBM Wheelwriter in 1984, and finally turn its typewriter business to Lexmark in 1991.

Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman

Charles and Ray Eames design the classic Eames Lounge Chair (670) and Ottoman (671) in 1956 for the Herman Miller furniture company. Since its initial creation, the chair has been in continuous production for U.S. market, and licensed to Vitra and Fritz Becker KG (German furniture company) for the European market. Become iconic with Modern style design, Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman are now part of the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.

KitchenAid Stand Mixer (1937)

Egmont Arens' 1937 Model K Stand Mixer

A classic example of how good design will last a long time, the KitchenAid Stand Mixer by Egmont Arens remains very successful today. Arens re-designed the original Stand Mixer in 1937, years since the product was first introduced in 1919. KitchenAid said, "The first mixer was introduced in 1919, but it was Arens' 1937 Model K design that really captivated consumers."

The Studebaker Starlight Coupe

1950 Studebaker Champion Regal DeLuxe Starlight Coupe

From 1947 to 1952 Studebaker Corporation offer the Starlight coupe as a unique 2-door body style in its Champion and Commander model series. The model designed by Raymond Loewy (prolific industrial designer who is also known as the Royal Dutch Shell logo designer and PRR S1 steam locomotive).

Armchair 400 by Alvar Aalto

Armchair 400 (1936) designed by Alvar Aalto. Armrests, natural lacquered birch or lacquered black. Seat with reindeer fur, zig-zag springs, polyurethane foam and polyester wadding. Back with polyurethane foam and polyester wadding.