Daily Design Snacks

A bite-sized list of what’s happenin’ now:

biz community
Closed system design named one of 9 trends for 2009

design intelligence
5th Annual Leadership Conference on Design Strategy, Innovation, and Change

the daily yomiuri
Japan: Unusual structures grab attention

exchange magazine
Ontario: Engineering students showcase innovative tech and design project prototypes

oc metro
SiliconSystems wins E.D. Best of Design award

cad cam news
Design Visionaries Releases ‘Basic To Advanced NX6 Modeling, Drafting And Assemblies’ book

it news africa
Fujitsu Siemens “successful in groundbreaking product design”

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2020 Architect project peers into the future, the scientific way

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Manhattan’s shrewder psychics set up shop within staggering distance of bars; after a few martinis, even non-believing tipplers–including, sadly, your correspondent–are more prone to pony up ten bucks for a spontaneous reading on the way home. But alas, that crystal ball is so murky, and so rarely correct.

A better way to predict the future might be to ask experts about particular subjects. “Vision 2020: Considering the World and the Future Architect” is a project that aims to see into the future of architecture:

The project-cum-exhibition, found online at www.2020architect.org, collects prospectives from noted architects, critics, students, leaders and the public to conceive of the future of the built environment, through architecture, and of the future architect. The end hope is to provide a clearer picture of what an architect needs to be, think, act and do to be relevant in the future. Rather than self-conjecture, it asks leaders and the public to come up with issues through a “shotgun” approach. It has already garnered perspectives from noted individuals including Charles Renfro (Diller Scofidio + Renfro), WorkAC, Hani Rashid (Asymptote), Susan Szenasy (Metropolis Mag), Aaron Betsky and others.

Suggestion for the 2020 guys–if the prospectives coming in are on the excessively dry side, we highly recommend you set up shop within staggering distance of an architect’s bar.

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Wireless charging mat

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Just when we find and post what we think is the perfect powerstrip solution (yesterday’s Socket Sense post) we catch wind of another solution that may make the first obsolete.

Powermat’s wireless charging device, scheduled to come out later this year, is both a fine antidote to cable clutter and an expression of minimalism: It’s just a thin, white or black mat.

So, how does it work?

We don’t care! We just want one.

Video of the device below. (You’ll want to turn the sound down if you’re in an office.)

via gadget grid

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Automotive interfaces

When airbags first came out, they were only available in expensive luxury cars; now the tech has trickled down to the lowliest Chery. So we hope the Night Vision system BMW came out with a few years ago for the 7-series (and now 5-series) will eventually make its way into cars all of us can afford. Here’s a video posted last week by Sweden’s Alltom Motor showing the system in action, it’s pretty unreal:

In other auto interface news, Businessweek looks at how Ford has turned to both IDEO and Smart Design in an effort to improve their dashboards. There’s hope for them yet!

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Chris Lefteri’s material world

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That there is Greensulate, a “green alternative to styrofoam” produced by Evocative Design.

Amazingly, this material grows into shape and is made of mushroom fibres, rice hulls and recycled paper. The process is using minimal energy and the material itself is completely green and biodegrades when it is no longer wanted. It is apparently cheaper than petroleum-based products and serves as an alternative to these for both building and packaging insulation.

And this is a video for a levitating lampshade:

Where do we find all this cool stuff, you ask? It’s all from the blog of designer/materials expert Chris Lefteri, author of the Materials for Inspirational Design series of books, as well as a guide to manufacturing techniques for product designers called Making It. The prolific Lefteri also produces a free, downloadable magazine on materials called Ingredients. It’s no wonder Lefteri’s nickname is The Materials Man.

thanks brian!

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imm cologne 2009 Preview: Naked Chair by Out of Stock

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The latest project from cross-cultural design collective Out of Stock is Naked Chair, earning it’s name from it’s minimal wooden frame, folded sheet steel and barebones construction. Super light, the chair packs flat for shipping and can be easily assembled without tools (the seat & backrest are fastened together with wingnuts).

Designers Gabriel Tan and Wendy Chua from Singapore, Gustavo Maggio from Argentina and Sebastian Alberdi from Spain formed Out of Stock after meeting at the Electrolux Design Lab in November 2005.

They’ll be exhibiting Naked Chair and other projects at this year’s imm cologne in Hall 3.1 at Stand Q.032a.

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