Category: Industrial design

W-eye by Matteo Ragni

These wooden spectacle frames are the result of a collaboration between Milan-based designer Matteo Ragni and wood-enthusiast Doriano Mattellone of the MA-wood research laboratory. The glasses are called W-eye, and are made from layers of wood which have been coated with aluminum. This mixture allows the wood durability and flexibility, and makes for surprisingly lightweight frames. The glasses are also hinge-free, with no hardware to interrupt the flow of sensuous wood. The glasses come in a variety of styles and are available in six different shades of wood: ebony, zebrano, mahogany, cherry, ash and walnut. Each pair of glasses is hand-crafted and guaranteed to sit evenly on the face, ensuring perfect vision.

It is the lack of hardware and integrity of material which attracted me to these glasses. The lack of hardware gives the frames a simple elegance; they look as if they have been effortlessly carved from a single piece of wood. The wood -the mahogany is my favorite- looks incredibly luxurious compared to the materials traditionally used in eyeglass design. W-eye pushes the boundaries of eyeglass design to give us a product that is both stylish and well-crafted.

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EiMIM Pen

Dallas, Texas based industrial designer Will Hodges recently introduced me to his Kickstarter project for the production of the beautifully designed and minimal EiMIM Pen. Not disimilar to the hugely popular Pen Type-A, Hodges’s design makes use of 6061 aluminium material as well as the strongest Neodymium magnets commercially available.

The simple and elegant design of this pen has a solid, smooth surface, devoid of branding, which sits neatly into its magnetic base. Each pen will come with a choice of black or blue in 0.25mm, 0.3mm, and 0.4mm Pilot Hi Tec C insert. The EiMIM Pen will have a machined, glass bead blasted, and powder coated finish.

Having already ordered this pen, I will be sure to update you on my experience with it and provide a thorough opinion. In the meantime, I think this project is certainly worth backing.

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For Your Eyes Only Mirror

Bart Lens is the designer of this little mirror, cleverly titled For Your Eyes Only. The mirror is meant to be hung at eye level, but also functions well when hung vertically. The mirror is only a small strip, with a slight curve on the end. The subtle curve gives the mirror a unique and playful quality. Bart Lens describes the curve as being reminiscent of an eyelash.

Like all mirrors, For Your Eyes Only adds light and depth to a room, but this mirror is so simple I think you would have to look twice to find where the light is reflected from! I love how Bart Lens turned an average object into a fun piece of artwork. I admit that this mirror is not the most functional, but it is a beautiful wall piece and certainly a conversation starter.

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Balance Lamp

This minimal lamp was created by Netherlands based designer Mieke Meijer for the ‘Untouchables’ show by Dutch Invertuals. The idea of the exhibition was to portray the live we live in the rapidly changing world. Mieke Meijer’s respons to the theme was that finding the right balance is the key. The lamp she presented resembles the static equilibrium of a tower crane. She translated the theme of vulnerability into a lamp that consists of two balancing wooden posts connected by a single wire.

Another beauty of this project is in the combination of high bright LED technology with tactile materialization. The LEDs are hidden within the horizontal post. When the brass strips touch, the electrical circuit is closed and the light turns on. You can adjust the position of the lamp by moving the horisontal post, and by bringing it down you can turn the light off.

Watch the video to see the object in action.

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Sixties Lamp

Sixties is a table lamp designed by the Russian industrial designer Maxim Maximov. As its own name indicates, the lamp has been inspired by the designers of the 1960s, particularly the works of Dieter Rams, as well as displaying a strong resemblance to a pipe or a bendy straw.

The design is very simple and has no unnecessary details, but at the same time the result is very useful because with its adjustable neck you can direct the light where you need it.

The Sixties lamp has been made in plastic and is available in a variety of colours.

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Jorge magazine rack

Jorge is a magazine rack designed by Barcelona-based multidisciplinary studio Gauzak for company Quattria.

Part of a collection of three pieces (Marc, Camps & Jorge; a coffee table, an umbrella stand and a magazine rack, respectively), it’s executed in steel rods, a material that subtracts visual weight as it creates void volumes. It stands as a simple, straightforward structure, that could very well go unnoticed as it blends into its environment, or draw attention precisely because of its simplicity.

Combined with the leather handle, an elegant touch to the piece that provides it with a better grip for moving, both materials (steel and leather) have the quality to age well and be sober, lasting products, as intended by the designers.

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Time

This clock rebels against the very thing clocks traditionally represent: time. Ironically, this clock is named Time, although more often than not the actual time is hidden from view. Studio Like This has designed this analog clock so that the hour can only be read when it is approached front-on. Through the use of modern nano technology, the classic hands disappear when viewed from any other angle.

Time requires one to hunt for the hour. It creates an extra step in our time-seeking process by forcing the user to physically move one’s body in order to know the hour. Consequentially, the classic question “what time is it?” creates a moment of philosophical analysis. One is compelled to also ask why knowing the time is important in that moment.

It is a human compulsion to constantly ask the time and we are reminded of its passing everywhere we look. Thinking about how much time has elapsed or the limited time we have can be stressful and oppressive. This clock attempts to return us to our current task by allowing the reminder of time to fade into the background. Time fights against its very presence, enabling us to finally dwell in the present.

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Flying Surface

The most important thing is the nature of the item, its essence.

This is the way Jean Nouvel describes his project Flying Surface, because he thinks of this piece more as luminous object rather than a luminaire, looking for the essence of light.

Flying Surface has been developed for the illumination company, Troll in 2006, and it is essentially made with a stretched fabric and produces a floating-like surface when its inside light is switched on.

I think that this is perhaps the most minimalist lighting design that can be made. What can be more simple than a surface of light without anything else?

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Quadra Lamp

I was recently introduced to AGFronzoni.com, which celebrates the life and works of Italian minimalist designer, architect and teacher, AG Fronzoni.

In 1962, Fronzoni designed this attractive light fitting, Quadra. Made from steel with a white, black or polished finish, Quadra can be installed on brick walls or ceilings, and measures just 8.66″ x 8.66″. The lamp was nominated for a Compasso d’Oro in 2004 and is manufactured by Italian lighting company Viabizzuno.

With its simple form as a perfect square, and soft lighting, I think it’s a fine example of the great work Fronzoni has produced over the years.

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black&black

K% is an exciting new venture, born from the collaboration between famed Japanese design studio Nendo and K Projects from Singapore, with Oki Sato, Nendo’s prolific co-founder, as a design director. The début collection, K% is currently showing at Salone del Mobile 2012, is called black&black. Purposely reduced to one colour, the line explores the relationship between structure and function. There is no distraction of new techniques or unusual materials. All pieces are made out of wood or metal.

The black&black collection is comprised of 15 objects, all following Nendo’s minimalist aesthetic. Sato elaborates:

It is exciting to be able to expand the original idea of Nendo into other parts of the world, starting with K%. We hope to bring a little bit of inspiration to everyone’s home through our products.

Collaborators for black&black are Singapore design firms Stidio JuJu and Exit Design. They each contributed an item to the collection.

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