Hasta La Ideas

Stunning explorations in physical interface design from an MIT Media Lab student

by Meghan Killeen

Boasting a list of innovations of sci-fi proportions, designer and researcher Marcelo Coelho paints a future that is both accessible and immediate. Referencing daily materials and human behavior, Coelho creates objects that feel technologically tailored and socially integrated. After completing his BFA in Computation Arts at Montreal’s Concordia University, Coelho relocated to Cambridge, MA, where he is currently a PhD candidate at the MIT Media Lab as a member of Fluid Interfaces Group. Focused on enhancing the human-computer relationship, Fluid designs interfaces that are as informational as they are experiential by seamlessly integrating digital content with the physical world.

Projects include luminary technology like Coelho’s magnetic lighting installation, “Six-Forty by Four-Eighty,” created in collaboration with studio partner (and co-creator behind the Rube Goldberg music video for OK Go) Jamie Zigelbaum for the 2010 Design Miami/Basel forum. The 220 pixel-tiles that comprise the installation are modified in color, wall placement and lighting speed, with the human touch serving as an inter-connective conduit between each tile. By bringing the pixels off the screen and on the wall, the focus is on “the materiality of computation itself”—an innovative concentration that earned Zigelbaum + Coelho the 2010 W Hotels Designer of the Future Award.

Merging the fundamentals of technology with edible essentials, Coelho (in collaboration with Amit Zoran) have pioneered the culinary futurism of “digital gastronomy” with a conceptual design called Cornucopia. Featuring four prototypes, the project examines the fusion of ingredients in harmony with new cooking modalities. “Cornucopia emerged from a desire to imagine what it would be like to cook with the aid of computer-controlled machines, which could not only help with the food manipulation process but also bring in massive amounts of information,” explains Coelho. Ranging from a customizing candy maker (The Digital Chocolatier) to a 3D food printer (The Digital Fabricator), each prototype encourages experimentation with food.

Coelho proves that the discerning palate isn’t just relegated to cooking with his Art-O-Meter prototype, a device that evaluates the artistic taste of an attending audience at an art exhibition. Using a sensor, the Art-O-Meter records the amount of time that the viewer stands in front of the artwork, which is measured against the total length of time for the exhibition. Despite the ingenuity of the product, Coelho indicates that the response was divided into two camps—”the people who loved it because now they could finally tell the good art from the bad art, and people who hated it because they believed that now science was able to measure the quality of an artwork in a quantitative way.”

Again mixing organic materials with scientific application, Coelho creates computers out of a substrate of paper and circuit boards using a method dubbed “pulp-based computing” Coelho says this project “shows how we can create artifacts that behave in computational ways but still carry with them the physical and cultural qualities that we normally associate with paper.” He envisions this method as manifesting in the potential forms of self-updating boarding passes or digital newspapers that mimic the texture and behavior of the printed format.

Coelho continues to explore human interaction with technology through kinetic clothing designs created in conjunction with electronic textile studio, XS Labs. “Developing a new kind of kinetic fabric was a way to create a textile display that looked and felt like fabric, rather than an LED screen,” states Coelho. The designs display anthropomorphic functions like body heat activated coloration and a floral accent that blooms every 15 seconds.

Looking towards the future, Coelho observes, “Technology plays an incredible role at reconfiguring how we experience the world and the really exciting part is that the human-computer chapter has barely started.”

Coelho’s luminescent installation project, “Six-Forty by Four-Eighty” will be on display at the W Hotels St. Petersburg Premiere Event and then at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. in June 2011.

The Audi Icons series, inspired by the all-new Audi A7, showcases 16 leading figures united by their dedication to innovation and design.

Tweet to win a one-off design object made by one of our featured Icons

By now, you’ll hopefully have read one or more of the profiles we’ve been producing as part of the Audi Icons series, highlighting the work of emerging creative figures like Leon Ransmeier and Rafael de Cardenas. Though the individuals we’re profiling work across a spectrum of disciplines, they all possess a similar dedication to their distinct vision and craft—whether it be paper art or industrial design.

True to one of our mantras, “Always More,” Cool Hunting is curious about other such unique creators that we may not already know about. Readers can either tweet the name of the person they think deserves Icon status with a link to examples of their work (be sure to include @CoolHunting with the hash-tag #A7Icon), or pay a visit to our Facebook page and leave a comment with a name and link—and yes, you can submit yourself if you’re feeling confident.

Readers have until mid-June to submit suggestions, and the most compelling entry will win a one-off item currently being produced by one of the Icons. We’ll reveal the designer and their item at a later date, but for now, start letting us know who you think is Icon material!

See the full terms and conditions below.

Official Rules for the Audi Icons Contest

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. THIS PROMOTION IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH OR ADMINISTERED BY AUDI OF AMERICA INC. IN ANY WAY.
1. Eligibility
The Audi Icons Contest (the "Contest") is administered by Largetail LLC and is open to U.S. residents age 18 and older in all jurisdictions where receipt of prizes or entry in the Contest is not prohibited by state or local laws, rules or regulations. Employees of Largetail LLC or any of its respective affiliates, participating sponsor or any other company involved with the design, production, execution or distribution of the Contest and their immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members of each such employees are not eligible. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited. Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules and Largetail LLC’s decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.
2. Administrator
Largetail LLC (19 W 21st St #702, NY, NY) is the sole Administrator of the Contest.
3. Timing
The Promotion begins on May 16 2011at 12:00 PM Eastern Time ("ET") and ends on June 23 2011 at 11:59 PM ET (the "Contest Period"). Administrator’s computer is the official time keeping device for this Promotion.
4. How to Enter
Entries may be made in one or both of the following. To enter via Twitter, send a Tweet from your account naming the person you think is an Icon. You must use @CoolHunting #A7Icon in your Tweet to be a valid entry. To enter via Facebook you must first “Like” Cool Hunting. Anyone who “Likes” Cool Hunting may then leave a comment including the name of the person you think is worthy of being an Icon on the page featuring the A7 Icons story. General Conditions Regarding Entering: One entry per Twitter address or Facebook profile (entrants may enter multiple times but must use separate Twitter or Facebook account for each entry). Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and may result in disqualification. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible or misdirected registrations, which will be disqualified. Potential winners may be required to show proof of identity. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of the rightful winner, Largetail LLC will gather proof of identity from the disputing parties and will solely be responsible for choosing the winner. There is no charge for entering, and free Internet access is available at many public libraries. Any information you provide will only be used to administer the promotion and in accordance with our privacy policy.
5. Winner Selection
Largetail LLC will select a winner at random from all of the eligible submissions during the duration of the Contest.
6. Verification and Notification of Potential Contest Winners
ALL POTENTIAL CONTEST WINNERS ARE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY SPONSOR WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE CONTEST. Potential Prize Winner must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. Potential Contest Winners will be posted on the following web page: http://www.coolhunting.com/design/audi_icons_contest.php. Potential winners must respond within 7 days of his/her name being posted. In addition we will attempt to alert the Potential Grand Prize Winner using the email address you supplied with your entry as a courtesy but we are not responsible for any technical malfunction or lost notifications. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THE WEBSITE ADDRESS ABOVE AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THIS CONTEST TO SEE IF YOU ARE A POTENTIAL WINNER. Once the potential winner has been verified to the satisfaction of the Sponsor, the Sponsor will arrange for prize fulfillment. If the selected potential Contest Winner is determined to be ineligible by the Sponsor, or fails to respond within the required time period, the potential winner forfeits prize and is disqualified. In the event that a potential Contest Winner of a prize is disqualified for any reason, Sponsor may in Sponsor’s sole discretion select a different winner from all remaining eligible entries.
7. Prize
The "Prize" includes: Limited Edition Art Object valued at $2,500. Winners are responsible for all taxes and fees associated with prize receipt and/or use.
8. Odds of Winning
The odds of winning will depend on the number of entries.
9. Release
By entering this Contest, entrant agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, distributors, agencies, and each of their respective member companies and each such company’s officers, directors, employees and agents (collectively, the "Released Parties") from and against any claim or cause of action, including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property, arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use or misuse of any prize. Entrant also agrees to hold harmless Audi of America Inc. and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, distributors, advertising/promotion agencies and their officers, directors, employees and agents from and against any claim or cause of action, including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property, arising out of participation in the Promotion or receipt or use or misuse of any prize.
10. General Conditions
Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Promotion, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Sweepstakes, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or any other promotion or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.
11. Limitations of Liability
The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Contest or receipt or use or misuse of any prize. If for any reason an entrant’s entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost, or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, entrant’s sole remedy is another entry in the Contest. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. In event that production, technical, seeding, programming or any other reasons cause more than stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of prizes as selected by the judging panel among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims.
12. Disputes
Entrant agrees that: (i) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, or any prizes awarded, other than those concerning the administration of the Contest or the determination of winners, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; (ii) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved exclusively by the United States District Court or the appropriate New York State Court located in New York, NY; (iii) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Contest, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (iv) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses , and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Sponsor in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York.
13. Entrant’s Personal Information
The only information collected is a Twitter or Facebook account name will be used to contact winners. It will not be used for any other purpose, nor it will be kept, sold, rented or otherwise distributed.
14. Promotion Results
For Promotion results and/or a copy of these Official Rules, send a hand-printed, self-addressed, stamped envelope to Audi Icons Contest, c/o Largetail LLC, 19 W 21st St #702 NY, NY 10010. Requests for the winners list must be received by June 23rd, 2011. VT residents may exclude return postage.

A young minimalist takes on the challenge of designing for everyday life

A kind of Shaker simplicity marks the work of Leon Ransmeier, a beauty that results when an object is exactly what it’s meant to be and nothing more. A humidifier is a pristine bucket filled with water; an extension cord wraps itself neatly around a flat white spool.

Some designs are, in fact, so pure of purpose that they can stump those of us surrounded by less thoughtful objects. When we asked if it was possible to get money out of bubble piggy bank—little more than a clear globe with a slot in it—without smashing the whole thing to bits, Ransmeier reminded us, “They were designed to save money, not spend it.”

In spite of being a fresh 31-years-old, Ransmeier has already had a long time to consider form and purpose. His father is a ceramicist, and the young Ransmeier spent his childhood in a studio watching clay morph from paste to art, while learning how to make objects on his own. Focused on furniture design, after graduating from RISD in 2001, Ransmeier moved to the Netherlands with design partner and former girlfriend Gwendolyn Floyd.

In Eindhoven he founded Ransmeier Inc., but it was only after he and Floyd moved to Rotterdam and started Ransmeier & Floyd in 2005 that they began attracting serious interest. A dishwasher rack comprised of pliable polypropylene nubs, arranged algorithmically in density to hold spoons, knives and plates, was included in the 2006 National Design Triennial at the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. They created products for Droog among many others.

“I was influenced and inspired by the Dutch approach to design that emerged in the 1990s, and I still believe that this devious and conceptual approach to design is an important chapter in history,” said Ransmeier, referring to that definitively quirky, minimalist concept still on display at internationally renowned design stores like Moooi. He was lured back to NYC after a providential set of circumstances—”My visa was long expired”—and the offer of the creative directorship of design firm DBA, a firm he founded with partners Erik Wysocan and Patrick Sarkissian.

The term “DBA” is meant in the legal sense, as a placeholder for the greater number of hats that each member of the company wears—not only that of a designer, but that of environmentalists and civically-minded individuals. One of DBA’s current products, the 98 Pen, is a simple black roller ball made at a wind-powered facility; another, the Endless Notebook, is 100% post-consumer waste, comprised of folded booklets slipped into a slim envelope. Perhaps a compostable pen seems like a relatively small tweak—still, taking into account the many toxic, plastic ones strewn across desks all over the United States, it might make more of a difference than you’d think.

“The issue with a lot of ‘sustainable design’ is that the focus is predominantly on the sustainability of the product without a strong focus on innovation or creating timeless, beautiful objects,” Ransmeier said. Utility, beauty and sustainability aren’t mutually exclusive goals, and focusing on one goal above the others is to the detriment of them all. “Creating objects that can be immediately dated as being a part of the ‘sustainability trend’ quickly makes them obsolete and inherently unsustainable.”

In addition to designing, Ransmeier now takes time to teach—”At the moment I’m finishing up a semester at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, teaching an undergraduate industrial design class”—occasionally commuting from his NYC home to do so. “It’s important to realize that industry and the man-made environment are not separate from what people perceive as ‘nature’, but are interdependent and inherently connected,” he continued. And simply and beautifully so, if Ransmeier had his way.

The Audi Icons series, inspired by the all-new Audi A7, showcases 16 leading figures united by their dedication to innovation and design.