astrid dahl

items: unglazed ceramics
designer: astrid dahl, south africa
photos via: astrid dahl
comments: these pieces are made by hand with white clay that is left unglazed. it's incredible how fluid they are considering how difficult it must be to create and engineer them.

krzysztof kwiecinski and centrala

item: apartment rennovation
designer: centrala architects, warsaw
photos via: dwell
comments: krzysztof kwiecinski was moving into an apartment in warsaw that used to belong to his grandmother. it needed updating so he decided to call on centrala's architectural design services to update it for his use. they decided to dismantle all of his grandmother's old furniture, tables, chairs, bookshelves and doors to create a free standing unit to house a kitchen, bath and fold down guest bed. each panel varies to create a beautiful collage of colors and textures. though beautiful, it efficiently makes use of reclaimed materials while also giving krzysztof the comfort of having his grandmother's memory present. so thoughtful.

petting zoo, 70f architects

item: petting zoo, almere netherlands
architect: 70f
photos via: 70f
comments: 70f, a design firm in the netherlands that practices architecture, interior design and product design, was commissioned to redesign a petting zoo in almere that had burned down. the budget was small (mostly donations) so they kept the existing foundation and decided to create a simple design. half of the structure contains a stable and the other half has washrooms, and storage and on the second floor offices. the stable section is only one floor with double the height. the upper portion of the structure is slatted to allow the maximum amount of ventilation. very important when housing animals. a unique aspect of this design is that there aren't any doors. there are a series of folding shutters, some for animals, some for the public. these shutters don't have frames so when closed, they blend seamlessly with the building. the shutters can be opened manually, but also open automatically when the sun rises and close when it sets. the firm describes it as the building waking up in the morning and going to sleep at night. nice. during the construction of the building the lights were left on accidentally sometimes by the construction crew. neighboring residents asked that the lights be left on as the slatted facade of the building became a beacon or lantern for the surrounding park. wow, love this!

airspace tokyo, thom faulders

item: airspace tokyo, screen facade design
architect: thom faulders
photos via: faulders studio
comments: the building was adapted into a residence/photo studio. due to the construction work, a large amount of greenery was removed. this project called for a cover or wrap of the building with similar characteristics of the greenery to provide the same functions it had provided. faulders designed the facade to do just that. light is deflected by the multi layer facade. rainwater is directed away from walkways via capillary action. privacy is maintained because interior views are obstructed by the complex layers of the design. it's interesting that visually it is stunning and draws a lot of attention while also maintaining privacy.

transglass, tord boontje and emma woffenden

item: transglass
designers: tord boontje and emma woffenden, london
photos via: studio tord boontje
comments: tord boontje and emma woffenden designed the tranglass collection with recycled wine and beer bottles. it's amazing the range they were able to create with such simple materials. it was too difficult to edit down the many photos available on their website. each one was more beautiful than the next and i just couldn't resist. some of these items are available online at artecnica. yes, yes and yes.

attua aparicio torinos

designer: attua aparicio torinos, spain
photos via: apartment therapy
comments: love this, alot! for those of us who live in small spaces (and love it), this piece is terrific. simple cabinet design with a bit of color that multi tasks as a table. smart.

rimrock ranch house, lloyd russell

item: rimrock ranch house
architect: lloyd russell
photos via: design crave
comments: this beautiful home is made of recycled materials. but wait, it gets better. it is designed to be able to adapt to the sometimes harsh desert climate where it is located. many of the walls and windows can be opened and closed which provide passive ventilation. the steel canopy that surrounds the home provides constant shade and allows air to circulate. the concrete foundation of the home is quite large which allows it to keep a more consistent temperature. the substantial size of the foundation also provides better stability for the canopy so that it won't blow away during high wind weather. brilliant.

hanger chair, philippe malouin

item: hanger chair
designer: philippe malouin, london
photos via: philippe malouin
comments: the hanger chair combines the functionality of a chair with a hanger. it's handy to have folding chairs around the house to create extra seating for guests. this design makes those same chairs work for you even when your guests have gone. it folds and hangs nicely in a closet and bonus, you can hang your coat on it! beautiful design + double functionality, yes please.

shanghay chair, kibisi

item: shanghay chair
designed by: kibisi, denmark
material: molded plywood
courtesy of: kibisi
comments: kibisi is a design firm in denmark with experience in architecture and industrial design. the shanghay chair is made up of only 4 pieces that make up the seat, legs and back. it is available in many colors and is simple to assemble. this allows people to reassemble them into multi color combinations of their choice. So much fun.

mia cullin

items: four leaf clover carpet and flower curtain/room divider
designer: mia cullin, sweden
materials: four leaf clover: leather and flower: tyvek
courtesy of: mia cullin
comments: mia is a designer and interior architect in sweden. the textile work shown above shows her interests in geometry, hand crafts and origami. the pieces are modular and when joined together, create slightly raised surfaces with geometric patterns. her work is inspiring and beautiful.

molecules, ofir zucker, albi serfaty and ilan garibi

item: molecules lighting collection
designers: ofir zucker, albi serfaty in collaboration with ilan garibi
courtesy of: aqua creations
comments: molecules is a collection of lighting based on the origami art of ilan garibi. the paper is folded by hand into tessellations (2d tiling patterns using only folded paper). these lamps are powered by leds and operated by touch. natural materials, art and technology combine in a powerful way.