One of the hallmarks of design innovation is the ability to take something that’s mundane and transform it into something new and exciting. Well we can’t think of a more fitting example of that than the wildly creative and fun dumpster pools that popped up on one of New York City‘s busiet streets, Park Avenue, this summer. Made from actual dumpsters that were cleaned out, painted and fitted with all of the appropriate parts, these unlikely watering holes really made a splash with the public. Talk about taking something that is trash-y (literally) and turning into treasure through the magic of smart design!

Conceived by Macro Sea, the pools began humbly as guerrilla installations in a backyard of secret location in Brooklyn. Jocko Weyland, David Belt, and Alix Feinkind, the founders of Macro Sea said that their hope for the project was that it would show people that “with not too much expense you can creatively reuse what is basically considered urban detritus and make something really cool and fun and also fairly easy to put together.” Our thoughts exactly!

And it’s pretty obvious that the design trio succeeded in their goal because this summer, the New York City Mayor’s Office and the Department of Transportation invited them to participate in NYC’s Third Annual 2010 Summer Streets event. Hundreds of New Yorkers dumpster dove (literally) in Macro Sea logo-emblazoned pools and hung out at the surrounding “lo-fi country club.” Lined up along Park Avenue and decked out with all the trimmings you would expect a real pool to have (safety railings, depth indicator signage, and even lifeguards, you could hardly recognize these big, red former trash receptacles. This is one case of clever adaptive reuse that was executed swimmingly.

+ Macro Sea

Many of us have tried to do our part in eliminating plastic bag usage, toting along a varied assortment of trusty reusable bags on shopping trips (or guiltily buying even more from their omnipresent hangout next to the checkout counter). But often every item we toss in those bags is contained within layers of packaging. Taking this into consideration and taking the leap to eliminate most food packaging, Catherine Conway opened the Unpackaged Grocery Shop in London.

The shop is essentially a thoughtful expansion of the small bulk foods sections in regular grocery stores. Most of the store’s product is sold sans-packaging, and the small amount of goods that do have packaging are easily recyclable. Customers are encouraged to bring their own selection of containers to fill as needed, and reusable containers and bags are available for purchase and/or borrowing when needed.

Nuts, grains, beans, rice, herbs, spices, and dried fruit make up many of the dry staples sold at Unpackaged. But wait, there are also refillable oils, vinegars and natural wines too. And of course, in keeping with their vision, all of their goods are certified organic or from sources known to have sustainable practices. All this is presented in an understated and inviting, old market-style setting with black & white check floors, hand-written label cards and generous silver scoopers.

The concept is a great one in many ways. It eliminates all of that pesky landfill excess, and it also saves both the manufacturer and consumer money, with one less step separating the two. But it also allows customers to customize their purchases more, both in how much of what they buy and in what they choose for packaging.

I often don’t finish off jars of spices before they are no longer fresh. With more options like Unpackaged, I can buy 1/4 the amount that usually comes in a jar, keep reusing the same jar for fresh spices, and be much more efficient. This way, I’m also more aware of what I’m using and how much, and can adjust my buying habits accordingly.

And the most fun part…being able to customize the containers you choose for your goods. Prefer to keep your rice in a shoebox? Now you can bring that special shoebox straight to the store, and have your rice ready to go. But maybe you’re not the shoebox type, and prefer to keep your grains, nuts, oils, etc in reusable glass jars (because they are just begging to be re-used, right?).

Designer Jorre van Ast wisely honed in on our natural inclination to refill those jelly, salsa, and sauce jars with new ingredients in his Jar Tops for Royal VKB (http://shop.royalvkb.com/shopexd.asp?id=411&menu=2). The polypropylene lids fit onto generic jars, transforming them into jars-with-a-purpose, as shakers, cruets and pourers. With a couple sets of the jar tops, some old jelly jars and a few reusable bags in hand, you can go from Unpackaged (if you live in London) to home and back again without creating any waste.

Anytime an article about alternative building methods makes it way to my desk or rss reader, I’m fascinated about what I learn — and about what’s happening in this hopeful field. But I’ve never been as intrigued as I am by the building method I learned about last month: Superadobe.

Superadobe was developed over 30 years by architect Nader Khalili. It’s a building system that uses only two materials, earth and barbed wire, and it was created with the idea of “housing as a basic human right, and on the economic empowerment of people by participating in creating their own homes and communities, while at the same time addressing today’s global needs: preserving natural resources and energy, halting deforestation, slowing pollution and global warming, promoting health, healing communities and cultures shattered by globalization, sheltering the homeless and refugees.”

Although it’s new-to-me, Superadobe is apparently well-praised already:

Reuters International News agency: “I thought it was amazing. It is a hidden treasure,” said Omar Bakhet, director of the Emergency Response Division at the U.N. …”I don’t think there’s a risk, it’s a proven technology, it’s cost effective, you need very little building material, just what nature gives you. So simple it can be learned by everybody.”

CNN: “They meet all building codes, are energy efficient, weather tight, and so solid they passed the most gruelling stress tests.”

BBC: “The buildings are cool in summer and warm in winter, probably the most environmentally friendly homes you’ll ever come across.”

Since hearing about it, and studying what I can find on the topic, it seems to me that Superabode is design-problem-solving at it’s best. It’s a material that can be formed and shaped to be both beautiful and functional. It’s made from materials that are universally accessible. It’s almost free. And once trained in the building method, virtually anyone can build themselves a home with it. Impressive!

You can find lots of photos of structures made with superadobe here.

Though the step of separating recycling from our trash has been demanded and (relatively) well implemented for years, composting has been slower to catch on. One big de-motivator to bringing composting into our daily routines is a lack of resources, especially in urban areas. But some cities have finally leveled the playing field, facilitating composting by putting citywide programs in place. San Francisco, Minneapolis, Toronto, and Boulder all have curbside composting programs in place, and in San Francisco separating compost has been mandatory since 2009.

San Francisco bin system: compost (green), recycling (blue), trash (black)

Now that we city dwellers can walk out our doors and neatly dispose of separated trash, recycling, and compost bags, what’s stopping us? Food scraps can account for around 30% of the trash in landfills, and adding composting to our daily routines can hugely decrease our landfill impact—this should be a no-brainer.

One well-known deterrent is the perception that compost is, simply put, gross; the act of micro-organisms decomposing organic material can be some pretty nasty business, after all. Slimy fruit and vegetable pieces and parts, rotting, decomposing, and mixing together, don’t exactly make composting the most enchanting chore. Those blessed with outdoor space and gardens can accept the “ick” much more easily than urban dwellers, with outdoor compost bins and the added benefit of seeing the results of their hardwork in their own gardens.  The simplest answers are small, out-of-sight counter bins that keep your rubbish airtight and out of sight before you take it to the curb.

The company RSVP International makes several simple designs of “compost pails.” The functional and subtle bamboo, stainless steel, and ceramic pails look nice enough to sit on your counter while what’s inside goes undetected. Each has a plastic liner, lid with vents, replaceable charcoal filter in the lid to keep odors contained, and handle for easy transport to the curb or backyard compost bin.

RSVP International’s Bamboo Compost Bin

Designer Chris Kirby produced a more artistic take on the issue with the “Compost Vase.” The two-part ceramic vase can be used for scraping food waste into while cooking or as a bone dish on the dinner table, and then regally stands on end. Kirby hopes his solution “affords an esteemed treatment of food waste collection.” The well-considered white ceramic ‘vase’ puts a new perspective on what we think of as ‘trash’ and how we deal with it.

Chris Kirby’s Compost Vase

Fuccillo’s freezer bin, up top, offers a simple but unique approach to the compost container. Essentially a small silicone tub, the idea behind the bin is to collect your organic matter in the freezer, keeping it from rotting and stinking while in your home. It’s designed to fit into even small freezer/fridge combos. To empty, you simply pop out the flexible silicone bottom.

For those who still want to create their own compost in their kitchens and can afford to go higher-tech and automatic with the process, Nature Mill created indoor self-composting bins. Just plug in the motorized bin, scrape your leftovers into the top compartment, and push a button. The sealed tumbler breaks down fruits and veggies, but also meat, fish, dairy, and pet waste. A light indicates that the ‘dirt’ is ready to go within a few weeks.

Nature Mill’s Compost Bin

Though these examples go a long way towards making composting more appealing, there is still a need for design solutions that can make the process second nature for us all. Recognizing this, Quirky, a “social product development company,” partnered with online retailer Uncommon Goods to develop a new design for kitchen composting.

The result is Keiro, a “kitchen compost grinder.” Keiro adds an extra component to the airtight counter bins, basically allowing you to shred your food waste. The shredder boasts a sustainably-produced BioResin material and a replaceable filter. The grinding and breaking-down of the organic matter makes it more compost-ready, whether it’s headed to the curb for city collection or your backyard compost bin.

Quirky Keiro Kitchen Compost Grinder

We still have a ways to go before composting becomes as second-nature as recycling and taking out the trash. But, it’s nice to see the issue being dealt with in different ways, especially knowing that getting over our smelly food scraps and composting them can decrease landfill size and create nutrient-rich soil for plants.

As consumers, we are in a state of constant craving, guided by our radar for all that is new. Sadly, this insatiable desire is not in keeping with a sustainable lifestyle, so a product that allows us to show the world our latest face without disposing of an item and replacing it with something new is a real treasure. Meins Taschen is just the ticket.

Designed in Cologne by Gudrun Geyssel, the Meins Taschen series of bags has been created to be personalized by the user. Each bag has a group of plastic windows that are used to reveal hints about the user’s personality. Insert small objects, photos or special bits of ephemera that speak volumes about jobs, hobbies or passions. Or simply items that make you happy. Follow a theme or go random. The beauty of these bags is that your mini “installation” can be changed up at will. No need to buy a new bag.

The sturdy Meins bags are handcrafted out of used sailcloth and have from one to four transparent windows that display small treasures. The windows have Velcro closures, so it is very easy to make changes. The sailcloth is a light, neutral colour with orange stitching that makes it more unique – the simplicity of this fresh palette has been chosen to contrast with our already hectic lives.

Imagine a scenario where two Meins owners meet and acknowledge their great taste. What if they each had items that could be exchanged? Isn’t it more interesting to engage in dialogue to find common ground than to merely glance at a trademark to determine tribe?

The Meins Taschen concept is valuable because it allows us to reflect not only upon items we already have and love, but ideas and memories as well. Why succumb to the logos and branding of others, when we have the chance to act as our own designers? And if a bag can promote communication and interaction at a time that is too often cold, well, that’s another kind of sustainability that we need to cultivate.

What if you could pack a lamp in a suitcase or briefcase? With no protective bubble wrap. No foam peanuts. What if it took up no more space than a folded pair of jeans? It sounds very Jetsons to me, but clearly, the future is now. If you have a 100 foot extension cord and Craighton Berman’s DIY Coil lamp kit, you can have a good-looking table lamp whenever and wherever you’d like one.

Take a look at these photos to see how it works:

Start with the DIY kit and an extension cord.

Attach the lightbulb adapter to the receiving end of an extension cord.

Then wrap the extension cord around the lasercut acrylic form. And voilá. You’ve got a table lamp.

To be honest, I’m not sure how many times I’ve needed to pack up a plug-in light source, but in addition to its portability, there are several things I admire about this lamp design:

1) The simplicity of the idea. As described in the product description, “It reduces the domestic table lamp to the absolute minimum of defining elements. A single electrical cord coils around what appears to be an empty volume, defining the iconic form of a table lamp and ultimately powering a single light bulb.”

2) The way a common industrial/household item is made beautiful. “The entire lamp is created exclusively from a 100 foot extension cord that has been wrapped around a laser-cut clear acrylic form. This simple transformation elevates the status of the humble extension cord to the realm of domestic design.”

3) The accessibility of the design. Once you can see how it’s put together, it’s clear than anyone can make one. No special skills are required. No specialized tools. In fact, no tools at all except a pair of hands.

This feels like something you might find being sold in a high-end design outlet, available only through an interior designer. Or. It’s easy to imagine it being mass-produced via an outlet like Ikea. It also seems fitting for an emergency housing situation, when more breakable materials wouldn’t be appropriate.

What do you think? Do you like this concept? Do you like it enough to put a coil lamp in your house?

As ubiquitous as traffic lights are, they’re a technology with a history that is surprisingly sparse and lacking in history. In 1869, the first red/green traffic light was installed, outfitted with gas lights that were manually turned on at the base. In 1912, there was an upgrade to electric, and in 1920, yellow was added to the mix. Which brings us to 2010, when we’re still using virtually the same system as we we did 90 years ago.

The Eko Traffic Light concept incorporates a simple design change that improves the traffic light technology by leaps and bounds. The change is this: instead of sitting in front of a static red light, this design tracks the progress of the light’s time. The perimeter of the light will illuminate, one block at a time, until the entire border of the light is lit up. When this happens, it’s time for the light to change to green.

Environmentally, the idea is brilliant. Drivers, knowing exactly how long they’ll have to wait for a green light, won’t feel compelled to keep their foot on the gas, ready to race away at any minute. Drivers can even turn off their engines and cut carbon emissions while waiting for the green light. Timing cycles can vary from about 45 to 120 seconds, so turning off the engine isn’t unrealistic.

For pedestrians: no more speed walking across the street, furtively looking left and right to be sure the light hasn’t already changed. Some crosswalks already have a “count-down” system of sorts, but outside of urban centers, crosswalks can become a bit of a free-for-all, and this system offers a welcome extra layer of safety.

Perhaps most relevant of all, the stress of red lights is eliminated by adding one key element: information.  Much like waiting at an elevator, the sense of unknowing when you’ll be on your way is a source of anxiety.

The beauty of this design lies in its simplicity. Traffic systems are an established and complicated world; making even small changes to the overwhelming amount of traffic signals (in NYC alone, there are 11,871) is a giant undertaking. Although any single change would rock the boat, Eko Light isn’t asking much, just a replacement of one light.

Look in your kitchen; those handle connections on the pots and pans under your sink are kinda icky. For one, any seam between two different materials (even those lovely rivets so popular on the interiors of name-brand frying pans) serves as a gather point for bacteria and gook. Some super-high-end cookware even uses external weldments rather than rivets to moderate this problem. Such connections, however, while extraordinarily sanitary, also happen to conduct heat quite well, so the handle is often hollow, but then rarely comfortable. Those handles become a liability when users transfer the pot from browning on the range to cooking in the oven, since oven mitts (with their own set of problems) are needed for removal. An alternative solution is to use plastic, but for baking, that same plastic handle will chip or wear. Further, for those of us who machine wash our pans (yes, you, even though the instructions tell you not to), the external handle often takes up unwanted washer space, occasionally blocks the spray nozzle mast, and sometimes breaks stemware (see, we told you that you weren’t supposed to put that in there).

On a parallel path, ergonomic handle technology for all other (non-oven) kitchenware has been on a steady rise since Sam Farber created Oxo for his wife Betsey’s arthritic hands. The rubber handles in our spatula drawers are a far cry from the chippy hard nubs that project from the sites of our pots. That’s why it’s so refreshing to see student work like that of Alberto Vasquez which happens to be pretty, cleanable and completely designed for disassembly. Even though cookware isn’t exactly the sexiest product for a young designer to attack, Vasquez manages to make it curvaceous and sleek. Although a fair amount of product testing might be required to make sure that the interior lip of those handles doesn’t interfere with the food, we can guarantee that the clip style of the handles provides plenty of space for water and detergent to spray, splatter and clean (in the sink or the, ahem, washer). Further, the metal component of the pot is held tightly enough that it won’t spin even when flipping omelets Julia Child style.

The double pot handles are of arguably less utility, since it becomes a two handed job deep inside the oven, but the deep finger grooves and lengthy side plate should keep fingers cool and happy. According to the designer, the handle is made of a polymer that can handle 300-400 Celsius, so you could probably even put it in the oven by accident without incident. It’s also quite nice to see Alberto’s design and ideation sketches, which are pretty enough for Pininfarina, even though they’re destined for the kitchen. Perhaps if someone hires this kid, we’ll be able to find them there.

Does it get more eco friendly than a light that literally uses sunlight? Sure, by this definition a skylight is a light too… but in a way, isn’t it?

The Tunnel Solare VELUX by Lovegrove is just like it sounds… a sun tunnel! From your ceiling to the outside world… and the light comes in, bounces off the hanging pod, reflecting up to the larger fixture ~ and illuminating the whole room ~ creating anything from an ambient glow to a pretty bright room depending on the weather conditions. Industrial designer Ross Lovegrove in the video on the Velux site seems to take quite a bit of pride in creating something “neutral but not boring… and that’s not easy” ~ and i agree it is certainly key to “not to use energy, when we absolutely do not need to use energy”

Here’s a video of Ross Lovegrove talking about the Sun Tunnel!

See more pics of it in use and close up on the next page…

As sustainability becomes an increasingly inevitable design element, designers are approaching this unwritten brief from various directions. In our last post, we looked at lighting design from an almost purely granola perspective (or edible, at any rate) – this time the point of view and execution are solidly industrial. Both will appeal, but perhaps to different users.

There may be an element of playfulness to the Allsteel Link light designed by Peter Stathis of San Francisco’s Virtual Studio, but the energy-saving aspect manages to outshine the task light’s good looks and fun factor. The combination of sustainability, performance and style led to the ICFF Editors Award for Best Lighting at New York’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair in 2008, when Link was first unveiled.

Produced by Pablo Designs, the Link’s head, which also functions as its handle, is fitted with 18 high-power LEDS. Only 7.5 watts of energy are used – that’s 97% less than task lights with incandescent light bulbs and 40% less than compact fluorescent lamps. In the long run, Link will last for at least 20,000 hours, or a minimum of 10 to 15 years of daily use.

Apart from the energy savings, Link’s carbon footprint is considerably less than most. Its internal wiring has been eliminated, thanks to a conductive aluminium skin that delivers the power. The use of minimal components results in low waste manufacturing and the ones that have been used are designed for disassembly, so the light is also 97% recyclable.

Stathis stresses that the energy-saving result is the single most important sustainability factor in the success of the Link. “It cannot be underestimated how significant the advanced high-power LED array, functioning with a very low electrical consumption, offers to a positive environmental contribution.” At the same time, the designer acknowledges that more comes into play and that the process as a whole must be considered. “By radically minimizing the number of component parts typically necessary for this type of lighting fixture (all charged with performing more than one single-function), and reducing their overall mass to only that which is deemed essential, a behind-the-scenes goal of hyper-efficient manufacturing and best environmental stewardship is achieved.”

The Tool/Toy approach was significant in Link’s conception. Stathis explains, “Simply put, a Tool/Toy highlights a combination of hard performance needs and soft emotional wants, signaling a new, complex and contradictory set of values shaping those products striving to find authenticity in today’s marketplace. People NEED tools to satisfy particularly definable physiological and functional purposes. People WANT toys to represent their social image and satisfy their more emotive needs.” This element allows users to play with Link while getting the most out of it. The halo-like head offers 180-degree movement when adjusted to provide precise task lighting; it might not be exactly like grabbing the brass ring, but a certain amount of satisfaction is derived from making the adjustment. Cool heads will prevail, of course, and this is made possible by a solid-state chip-on-board LED technology that keeps hands comfortable when directing the flow of light.

Link’s cradle-to-cradle design is based on clean manufacturing that allows it to be European RoHS compliant and currently surpasses all upcoming California energy mandate standards. Its efficiency is derived not only from its sensible use of energy, but the employment of essential elements only.