design – Page 128 – DesignApplause

eames plywood elephant.

Mar 6, 2008

If you like Eames, a collectors item, a childs toy resurfaces.

During the early 1940s Charles and Ray Eames developed a successful technique for molding plywood into three-dimensional shapes, which led to the creation of a variety of furnishings and sculptures. The Plywood Elephant, in particular, has attained legendary status among collectors. Designed in 1945, this piece requires complex fabrication methods. Only two prototypes were produced, both of which were subsequently displayed in an exhibition at the New York Museum of Modern Art. Today only one known model remains in the possession of the Eames Family.

Charles and Ray Eames were fascinated by elephants. Many images of these gentle giants are found in Charles’ photographic documentations of Indian culture and the circus world. The Plywood Elephant was designed as a toy for children, but also as a striking sculptural object that makes a statement in any environment with its vigorous curves and delightful character. There is a playful charm in the way that the Eameses used juvenile motifs to create a vibrant, cheerful idiom that appeals to adults as well as children.

June 17, 2007 marked the 100th birthday of Charles Eames. To commemorate this occasion, Vitra is producing a limited Anniversary Edition of the Eames Plywood Elephant. Designed in 1945, this piece attained legendary status in spite of the fact that it never went into production.

The 2007 Anniversary Edition of the Eames Plywood Elephant is strictly limited world-wide to 1000 pieces in each of two versions, natural maple and red stained maple. The serial number of each Plywood Elephant is engraved on a small aluminum plaque. DA is sorry this post is so late in coming. Check with Vitra to see if any are still available.

water. money. power.

Mar 4, 2008

above> tu_fin

All you need is water, money, a Darth Vadar fetish. One you burn calories. One you burn 951 gallons an hour. Both burn holes in pockets.

There is little info on the Tu-fin save a link to their site. “TU_FiN Walking on Water—das Fun und Fitnessboot.” But here is a story on Wally…

118 WallyPower (above) is a high speed luxury yacht created by Wally Yachts. It is narrow and angular in design with black glass housing. It is 118 feet long and is capable of reaching speeds as fast as 60 knots (70 mph, 110 km/h).[1] It is capable of this feat due to three Vericor TF50 gas turbines generating 16,800 HP. The three gas turbines each drive a Rolls-Royce Kamewa water jet, two steerable outboard and a non-steering booster on centerline. The steerable water jets also have a diesel engine input for a 370 hp Cummins diesel hence these two wing drive trains are Combined Diesel and Gas Turbine (CODOG). The 118 WallyPower won the MYDA, Millennium Yacht Design Award,[2] organised by Seatec (the yachting and shipping technology show of Carrarafiere) for the “Layout of the Third Millennium.” The WallyPower is also being honoured by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art as the sole boat in its major architecture and design exhibition, ‘Glamour: Fabricating Affluence’, which ran from October 9 2004 to January 16 2005.[3] Wally Yachts has only produced one, and it currently resides in the Mediterranean.[4] The 118 is known by most from its role as the “Renovatio” in the 2005 science-fiction film The Island.

Construction
The sleek lines of the 118 WallyPower are the result of an extensive R&D program that included the tank testing at the SSPA facility in Gothenburg, Sweden, and smoke testing in the Ferrari Wind Tunnel Facility in Maranello, Italy. The air inlets of the gas turbines were optimised to verify any turbulence and back flow of the exhaust gas on deck and living areas, and to have further confirmation of the geometry of the hull and superstructure.

The bottom of the hull is built in solid fibreglass. Topsides, from the waterline up, are hybrid fibreglass/carbon composite with balsa core. On deck this becomes a Nomex/full carbon composite. The deck superstructure is made of a carbon frame to which the glass panels are glued. The glass is composed of Lexan and a triple laminate of glass. The interior bulkheads and cabin soles carry no structural loads so they are constructed entirely of thin wood and laminate veneer skins with cores. At speed, the 118 WallyPower is comfortable and stable as a result of the deep V (22 degrees) hull shape combined with a straight stem bow designed to pierce waves. The bathfixtures and dining tables are even made from carbon composites to reduce weight.

The 118 WallyPower’s chameleon-like paint finish is metallic dark green and changes reflections and colour depending on the light and landscape. The 118’s deck, cockpit, navigation, dining and saloon areas have been conceived as one continuous element. Inside the superstructure, the atmosphere is that of a New York style loft. The open space incorporates three areas, from stern to bow: The saloon, the dining/seating area, and the navigation cockpit. Transparency is a main feature of the yacht’s interior. When dining, guests can enjoy the 360-degree view. Underneath the table, the skylight allows light to filter down to the lower corridor. The lightweight carbon fibre dining table seats eight people, and the port and starboard teak cabinets alongside serve for storage of china, silverware and glassware. The dining and lounging cockpit is forward of the superstructure, to provide maximum privacy as well as being in the coolest area at anchor, away from the engines.

Two fore dining tables can be mechanically lowered to provide a large cushioned relaxing area in the bow of the Wallypower. Inside the yacht the owner’s stateroom is forward, featuring a king size bed. Plenty of storage is provided by the side cabinets. A 20″ plasma screen is mounted in the aft bulkhead. The cabin has plenty of natural light coming from the top skylight. Two identical guest cabins feature queen size beds and en-suites. Each cabin has a 15″ plasma screen in the aft bulkhead.

The spacious galley includes the crew mess, again featuring a 15″ plasma screen. The galley (kitchen) is equipped with a professional oven and stove, as well as plenty of fridges, and is made enitrely of stainless steel, including the ceiling.

Technical specifications
The cost of the 118 Wallypower is US$24.83 million for the triple gas turbines or $16.55 million for the twin diesels only. It has a range of 1500 miles at 9 knots, or 300 miles at 60 knots. The fuel capacity of the 118 is 22,000 litres or 5812 gallons. If the gas turbine engines are all out, the 118 WallyPower uses 14 gallons for every mile at 60 knots. At this rate it uses 951 gallons an hour. The displacement of the 118 WallyPower is 95 tons. It can accommodate 6 guests and 6 crew.

via wikipedia and today and tomorrow

Jano.

Mar 3, 2008

What do these two bikes have in common? Two wheels? We can feel the love.

Designer Roland Kaufmann has gone and built a bicycle out of wood. He calls this cycle Jano, and says it’s a dual bike, equally at home trekking cross-country or taking its rider to and from work every day. This project has gone beyond some vaporware CAD drawing—he’s actually built a great-looking prototype, riding this bike around and impressing everyone in sight. Although Kaufmann never reveals the exact weight of his wooden bike, he extols the virtues of using wood which is pretty innovative. Why wood?

“Did you know that wood is up to 10 times stiffer than fiberglass and nearly 6 times stiffer than a kevlar/epoxy composite? Using wood and epoxy industry created some of the world’s best multi-hulled sailboats, sprint kayaks and rowing shells. lightweights. Quicker in acceleration. Easier in maneuvering. More convenient to carry. Straightforward to maintain and visually divine. A swan among ducks. So why not also using this material for a bike?”

He uses wood veneers glued together into a unique configuration, which he says gives the resulting frame more stability while still reducing its thickness. Cyclists, will this work? Sure looks great, an example of superb craftsmanship.

via GP Designpartners, Treehugger, and gizmodo

about ron kovach

Charlybox.

Mar 3, 2008

Much like a canteen for campers, this simple design is a compact carrier for your pet’s food and water. Made of two halves, the Charlybox includes a two-liter canteen for fresh water, and two bowls for water and kibble.

Great gift for a pet owner. Or treat yourself if you are an outdoors type person.

Via Design Within Reach (DWR) and petmonologues

Quaranta concept.

Mar 3, 2008

Italdesign Ggiugiao Quaranta concept powered by Toyota Hybrid Synergy drive

Uncompromising innovation in Giugiaro tradition

An ‘extreme’, clean-technology project embodying 40 years of styling research and engineering celebrated by Italdesign Giugiaro in Geneva

The ‘Quaranta’ project is a concept car designed to celebrate Italdesign Giugiaro’s forty years of business in styling and technological research at the service of the automotive sector. The Quaranta, world-premiered at the 2008 Geneva International Motor Show, is a synthesis of Italdesign Giugiaro’s unmatched experience of automotive design: from city cars to super sports-cars, from MPVs to medium-engined saloons up to and including luxury flagships and environment-friendly SUV, not to mention light/heavy duty commercial vehicles, in complete cooperation with leading manufacturers all over the world. (more…)

Macbook Air update 1.

Mar 3, 2008

Apparently, the Macbook Air is selling well enough to be unavailable in many stores and require a 5-7 day wait for online orders. Despite the high price, the super-thin laptop is often selling out the day a shipment arrives at an Apple Store according to research done by Ars Technica. Of course, without knowing just how many Macbook Airs Apple is manufacturing, this could just as easily be a case of Apple not making all too many in the first place, making demand seem higher than it really is. What do you guys think, have you seen lots of them out in the wild or is this just a case of distorted perceptions? (more…)

Product of the week. 3/3/08.

Mar 3, 2008

Simplehuman’s handsome new Steel Frame Dishrack makes years of mildew-prone materials and leaky drip trays a thing of the past: It features a bamboo knife block, an under-the-drip-tray spout that pivots to drain excess water into the sink, and a fingerprint-proof coating that will keep the thing as pristine as the stainless-steel appliances it’s meant to mimic; $70.

via: i.d. magazine