From Maruja Fuentes.

I don't know about the elbow rest portion, but the sitting spot has excellent potential for bus stops, DMV's and the like. That is to say, potential for very hip versions of those places.

What time is it? Well, time first began in...

Hans Tan Studio wants to tell you what time it is in as many words as possible on a sign that displays the time, offering a visual interpretation of a clock in paragraph form...all of which, at quarter till three (you'd think writing a repetitive, redundant, run-on, redundant sentence would be fairly easy, but you'd be surprised).

This work, Idea of a Clock II, is a literal conversation piece, playful in both form and function. I love how it drags out the normal function of a time-piece, forcing the viewer to read the time instead of telling the time. We could all use a little slowdown nowadays.

Although I don't normally post about installations like this, I found it too hard to resist. It's neat in an I'd-never-need-to-purchase-that kind of way.

In essence, the design is the sentence itself, where language is used to convey a clock as an idea, reducing a timepiece as an object to the immateriality of an "idea piece". The idea behind a designed object finally loses its pretense with matter and stands in front.

2007 IDEA Awards

The 2006 IDEA awards came in a while back, so I thought I would post a few of my favorites:



Verdi Lawnscaping System

Verdi is a low-maintenance modular landscaping alternative to traditional grass lawns. The pre-seeded interlocking tiles with built-in irrigation practically eliminate the need for high-pollution mowers and inefficient water usage. The entire system is connected to a pump that circulates gray water through the tile network. Modular accessories, such as solar-powered light tiles, shrub planters and path tiles, give Verdi a versatility unavailable to most backyard do-it-yourself enthusiasts. The tiles can be fitted with a variety of inserts, including recycled glass composite, bamboo or molded recycled plastic, to extend the aesthetic possibilities, transforming any space into a beautiful, environmentally sensitive oasis.

Sync Handwashing System

Sync is a no-touch hand cleansing and drying system for public restrooms. Simply hold your hands over the drain and the system does the rest. High-pressure jets spray a mist of ozonated water that sterilizes germs without the need for soap. The fully cyclical airflow dries hands quicker than standard hand dryers. Sync’s large, continuous surfaces make cleanup easy, and since there are no flat surfaces, water doesn’t pool for dirt and bacteria to gather in. The system is also naturally handicap accessible since knobs are not necessary. Among its other benefits are improved restroom traffic flow, reduced water usage and the elimination of disposable hand towels.


Green Air

GREEN AIR is a low-cost, space-efficient air purification system that uses plants to reduce toxins in the air. The wall-mounted ceramic planter contains a small 115 VAC fan that slowly pushes air through the soil to the plant’s roots, a process that breaks down toxins equal to that of 15 regular plants. A conical bottom allows users to easily replace plants without interfering with the fan. GREEN AIR’s organic, twisting form appears to wrap around the plants in an elegant, nurturing manner, and its matte, textured ceramic exterior is a soft contrast to the plant’s dark, glossy foliage. Because over-watering is the number one reason indoor plants die, an ambient temperature sensor, which looks like a droplet of water, changes from blue to brown to indicate when and how much water the plant needs.