Design Green

March 10, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

As a firm believer that sustainability is not just environmental, but social impact, here's an event to attend if you're in the San Francisco area. This Thursday, March 12th, from 6:30-8:30 two talented design students from the Academy of Art in San Francisco will present an exhibition of social design innovators, as an "exploration of design for social change." Their thesis project-turned-real-life-initiative, called the SoftSpot, will take form through both this exhibition and a variety of other educational and resource-based components. Visit their website for more info- hope to see you there!

March 9, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Biomimicry combines with reuse and aesthetics in Jungmo Kwon's gorgeous SUP.SOG lighting fixture. The hanging chandelier is made from the most vernacular of materials, corrugated cardboard, overlayed in a collage of delicately cut pieces to create a "dancing light" effect. The designer's intention was to be more aware of the materials we discard, and to draw inspiration from the natural chaos found within nature.

Via Moco Loco

March 5, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

One of my biggest beefs with the design industry is its move towards all things digital: a lack of connection with materials, making, building, and understanding the actual physical qualities of our environments. Craft projects are a start, but Instructables takes DIY to the next level, with a MacGyver-genius twist on the usual homemade projects. Next time your project needs a surge of energy, check out Instructibles and start making something (anything from a Lego flash drive to a water-jug-bookshelf): I can guarantee it will inject new insight into your design process.

March 3, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (1)

One of my favorite festivals is Holi, a yearly celebration in India that takes place in late-February, early-March. It is a celebration of color, the seasons, the triumph of good over evil, love, and "the sweetness of relationships." Aside from the poetic cultural history of the event itself, its images provide a stunning and unparalleled display of color, as individuals literally paint the town red with colorful powders and paints. If you're stuck in a rut, uninspired by mid-winter greys, check out this Flickr slideshow of the Holi festival (this year's Holi is next week, on March 11th!).

March 2, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Last Friday in New York, the Greener Gadgets Conference convened for its second year, the highlight of which (among others) was Allan Chochinov of Core77's announcement of the competition winners (who were elected by the audience via Clap-O-Meter). The winners included clever feats of technology and energy awareness, from the Tweet-A-Watt (above), which alerts the user of their power usage via Twitter, and the Power Hog (below), the adorable power consumpti...Read More