Two of my favorite things...

As a parent, it's always nice to see "fun design" interact with "tweak-my-child's-imagination-because-so-many-toys-on-the-market-are-mind-numbing."

Well, this next item up for bid isn't even a toy but the designer hit the needle right on the stitch.

Remember making lava courses out of couch cushions? Military battles out of twig forts and army men? Here's your very own racetrack (NASCARPET?).

The idea that this rug was "inspired by children's gestures" is perfect. I look at it and automatically picture my 6-year-old-self racing matchbox cars for hours and hours, until the enevitable fight that comes from my brother's incepid cheating. It does, however, make me think that if this rug was inspired by the gestures of children, was my carpet designed by middle fingers? We fought quite a bit...

Chuck Hoberman, the real Transformer...

Every so often a mad scientist will hit the design world with something that completely blows me away. Chuck Hoberman is one of those people.



The Hoberman toy line creates and transforms, stretching the possibilities once constrained by the bounds of Lincoln and his logs. Established in 1995, Hoberman continues to push the limits of invention using cutting edge technology.

The “expanding geodesic dome,” Liberty Science Center, NJ:



And it doesn't just stop at toys. His medical adaptations of transformational technology are beginning to reshape the bounds of design.

It's no wonder he's one of the Pecha-Kucha people.

Hoberman's Theory.

More? A great interview via PingMag.