Category: Design

A Library Slide by Moon HoonApril 17

A Library Slide by Moon Hoon slides libraries books architecture

Architect Moon Hoon recently designed the Panorama House (scroll down), in Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea. One of the most unique features incorporated into the home is a wooden slide built directly into a library which also functions as a stair-stepped home theater seating area. Via the architect:

The basic request of upper and lower spatial organization and the shape of the site promted a long and tin house with fluctuating facade which would allow for more differentiated view. The key was coming up with a multi-functional space which is a large staircase, bookshelves, casual reading space, home cinema, slide and many more. The client was very pleased with the design, and the initial design was accepted and finalized almost instantly, only with minor adjustments. The kitchen and dining space is another important space where family gathers to bond. The TV was pushed away to a smaller living room. The attic is where the best view is possible, it is used as a play room for younger kids. The multi-use stair and slide space brings much active energy to the house, not only children, but also grown ups love the slide staircase. An action filled playful house for all ages.

See many more interior and exterior photos over on Contemporist. (via soft shock)

The BioniCopter: A Robotic Dragonfly by FestoApril 14

The BioniCopter: A Robotic Dragonfly by Festo robotics insects flight

The BioniCopter is the latest robotic marvel from German technology firm Festo, a company known for the creation of numerous devices that mimic wildlife including birds, jellyfish and penguins. Meant to mimic the motions of a dragonfly the BioniCopter is capable of flying in all directions including backward, and can also hover indefinitely in the same spot. Via Festo:

In addition to control of the shared flapping frequency and twisting of the individual wings, each of the four wings also features an amplitude controller. The tilt of the wings determines the direction of thrust. Amplitude control allows the intensity of the thrust to be regulated. When combined, the remote-controlled dragonfly can assume almost any position in space. [... ] This unique way of flying is made possible by the lightweight construction and the integration of functions: components such as sensors, actuators and mechanical components as well as open- and closed-loop control systems are installed in a very tight space and adapted to one another. With the remote-controlled dragonfly, Festo demonstrates wireless real-time communication, a continuous exchange of information, as well as the ability to combine different sensor evaluations and identify complex events and critical states.

While many other remote-controlled dragonflies exist, many of which are available commercially as toys, the BioniCopter is the first device that can mimic the function of a plane, a helicopter, and a glider all in the same device. Learn more at Festo. (via rhumboogie)

FLUIDIC – A Sculpture in Motion: An Interactive Field of 12,000 Spheres Illuminated by LasersApril 9

FLUIDIC A Sculpture in Motion: An Interactive Field of 12,000 Spheres Illuminated by Lasers multiples light interactive

FLUIDIC is the result of a unique collaboration between Hyundai’s Advanced Design Center and Berlin-based studio WHITEvoid. The interactive light sculpture is made from 12,000 suspended spheres that act as three dimensional pixels, or voxels. Surrounded by 3D cameras the piece can sense viewer’s motions which are then translated into light patterns, but amazingly the light supplied to the individual voxels is fully external. An array of high-speed lasers project into the cloud to create the dynamic visuals in real-time. Via WHITEvoid:

A seemingly floating point cloud above a water pond and consisting of 12,000 translucent spheres marks the heart of the installation. Due to a complex computer algorithm the spheres are arranged seemingly random within the cloud. At the same time the algorithm observes the positions and projection angles of eight high-speed laser projectors that are being arranged around the artwork. They are sending out beams scanning through the arrangement of the cloud. Generating bright and dim light points, this creates a highly organic and natural distribution of voxels (3D pixels). Emerging lines and shapes finally form graphical compositions without any sweet or blind spots. Keeping the same density and intensity the FLUIDIC graphics enables their viewers to observe and interact with it from every point of view.

FLUIDIC will be on display at the Temporary Museum for New Design in Milan through April 14th.

If you liked this project, there are several other artists working with interactive light fields lately, many of which have appeared here on Colossal including the flexible Firewall, the Water Light Graffiti system and also Submergence.

The Rubber Barber: Make a Mistake and Give Your Eraser a Fancy HaircutApril 8

The Rubber Barber: Make a Mistake and Give Your Eraser a Fancy Haircut rubber office erasers

Designed by Chen Lu Wei for Megawing this fun set of four erasers lets you assume the role of barber while you work, all you have to do first is make a mistake. By using the eraser you slowly shave away the rubbery hair surface resulting in a funky new hairdo for your desktop pal, effectively turning an act of destruction into an act of creation every time you erase. Pretty sure my kid would just start with the face. May or may no be available here. (via co.design)

Stop Motion Chalk Tetris by Chris CarlsonApril 3

Stop Motion Chalk Tetris by Chris Carlson video games stop motion chalk animation

Denver-based artist Chris Carlson who is known for his work with 3D chalk illusions created a great stop motion Tetris game. The shading, perspective and motion is incredibly spot-on. You can see more of his video game and pop-culture influenced chalk drawings over on Tumblr. (via the awesomer)

Contact 1: A 200,000 Piece Sci-Fi LEGO Masterwork by Mike DoyleApril 2

Contact 1: A 200,000 Piece Sci Fi LEGO Masterwork by Mike Doyle science fiction Lego

From the brilliant mind of New Jersey artist Mike Doyle (I’ve previously featured his spooky victorian houses), comes Contact 1 the first in a series of grand scale LEGO works “celebrating extra terrestrial contact events, spiritual beings and unique worlds.” The towering world is the culmination of some 600 hours of work using 200,000 individual bricks and stands nearly 5 feet high by six feet wide. Doyle is offering limited edition prints and DIY instructions on how to create individual portions of Contact 1 over on Kickstarter.

Minimalist Split Wood Lights and Sculptures by Split GrainMarch 28

Minimalist Split Wood Lights and Sculptures by Split Grain wood lighting

Paul Foeckler over at LA-based Split Grain is making some pretty stunning lights and other sculptures using pieces of California cypress trees. The artist says each light can involve up to 100 hours of labor as he selects the right section of wood, slices, sands, and reassembles each piece. See several more of his recent pieces over on Etsy. (via take over time)

New Quilled Paper Portrait from Yulia BrodskayaMarch 27

New Quilled Paper Portrait from Yulia Brodskaya quilling portraits paper illustration

Russian paper artist Yulia Brodskaya (previously) just finished her latest artwork, an intricate portrait of an older woman smoking a pipe using a colorfully explosive palette of quilled paper. Brodskaya lives and works in the UK where she illustrates with paper for dozens of the world’s largest brands and publications. See much more here.

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