Homeless Furniture Designer

"To whom does design address itself: to the greatest number, to the specialist of an enlightened matter, to a privileged social class? Design addresses itself to the need." -Charles Eames


Found object bench/daybed with storage space. High-density polyethene and chipboard.

Categories:Furniture

Eames Aluminum Group Lounge Chair - 50 Years Old

This year is the 50th anniversary of the Eames Aluminum Group chairs by Herman Miller.

I fell in love with this chair and ottoman back in 1979.
Back then I was working at the Hub Bookstore on the University of Florida campus, and I'd often wander over to the Students' Union building to have my lunch in the student lounge, where there were a dozen of these chairs. I started coming back just to relax in the chairs!

"Aluminum Group chairs were originally developed in 1958 as a special project by Ray Eames for a private residence being designed by Eero Saarinen and Alexander Girard.

"The seat-back suspension was a major technical achievement and represented a departure from the concept of the chair as a solid shell. Wonderfully comfortable, strong, yet lightweight..." -Hive

"To whom does design address itself: to the greatest number, to the specialist of an enlightened matter, to a privileged social class? Design addresses itself to the need." -Charles Eames

Categories:Furniture

Inka Cafetiere Coffee Press

I spent this afternoon window shopping in Hayes Valley. Their are many fine restaurants and art galleries here, but I was looking for cool and clever home accessories. Scandinavian Details, at 364 Hayes, is just the ticket.



Designed for Alessi by Guido Venturini, the Inka Cafetiere is molded in thermoplastic resin, glass and steel.

Capacity: 0·7 litre
Dimensions: 16 cm x 12 cm x 25 cm tall
Colours: Green and Dark Brown

$88 at Scandinavian Details on Hayes Street, or online at Alessi.

Unmolested Mini 1000

This is what a typical Mini looked like in the early 1970's. Those special edition Mayfair/Ritz/Chelsea/Park Lane/Sprite/replica Cooper models came late in the production run (1959-2000).

I saw this one today in the Marina District of San Francisco.

Note:
-orange/red colour popular at the time
-square tail lights with no reversing lights
-no Austin or Morris badge. Just Mini 1000, pronounced "Mini Thou' "
-Leyland badges on both front wings
-no bumper over-riders
-no white roof
-no door window vents. Those were Australian.
-wind-up windows
-no door pockets
-instruments in the centre of the dash
-full width parcel tray in front of the driver and passenger
-vinyl seats with no head restraints

The only things out of place on this car are the trim-rings on the wheels, and the black instead of chrome mirrors. I don't remember those.


Update 4/27/2013:
And here's how the car looks five years later listed for sale on Craigslist:

Categories:Cars

Concept Phone and Headset

The Bluetooth headset is the mouth-piece of this concept phone, and it is recharged by the phone. Designed by Sunman Kwon.

Thanks Gizmodo and Concept Phones
Categories:Gadgets

Police Rover SD1 Delivers a Live Liver

3.5 litre V8, 5-speed gearbox, rear wheel drive. Made from 1976 to 1986.
The Rover SD1 replaced the Rover P6 and Triumph 2000/2500 as British Leyland's luxury executive car.

The police version had much stiffer suspension, stronger brakes, no thick pile carpets, no electric windows, no sunroof and no air-conditioning. Extra electrical power and wiring were factory installed to power radios, sirens, lights and other necessary equipment.





Thanks Doug's Rover SD1
Categories:Cars Movies

Water Balloons

An advertisement for Schweppes:

Thanks IBIA

Grenade Lock

The Deemeed Grenade lock is designed to fit through the cross-drilled holes on a motorcycle disc brake.

The cool thing is, you can clip it to your belt while you casually ride around.

Categories:Cars Gadgets

Tyres Squeal When They're Happy

For most of the year I drive on R compound DOT tyres that have superb grip but almost no tread. So this winter I went shopping for rain tyres. My only requirements were that the tyres be cheap and good in standing water.

There were many brands to choose from, all priced around $150 each.
And then there was this tyre for $85 $75:

I wasn't expecting much from them in terms of grip on dry roads. I'm happy to be wrong about that! These tyres have very good cornering grip. The tread is thick, but it doesn't "squirm". The car is stable at the cornering limit. I'm impressed. And did I say they were only $85 $75 each?

Kumho Solus HP4
205 55 16 89h

Categories:Cars

Skoda TwinDoor

VW's Czechoslovakian Czech Republic division Skoda released the new "Superb" at the Geneva Auto Show. The flagship Skoda model is based on the Passat and will come equipped with a hatch that can be opened in two ways: like a normal boot lid or like a rear hatch.

Photos from Jalopnik
Categories:Cars