new (photo) toy for me

i love to take photographs... and i just got a new gadget to express myself::

a new canon powershot sd 790 is (canon ixus 90 is).
by:: canon (japan)

i like the simple slic design in retro style, and the metal camera body. also some of the features, such as ...

:: face detection technology

... ensures superb people shots by automatically setting optimum focus, exposure, flash and white balance. face select and track lets you choose and track your primary subject, so you never lose a special face in the crowd ::

:: motion detection technology

... there’s no need to worry about blur with motion detection technology. this clever feature compensates for camera shake and subject movement while maximizing image quality ::

... come in handy when dealing with moving objects, such as concrete*tots :-)

unfortunately, there is no review yet @ my favorite camera review site
digital camera resource page by jeff keller (s.f. bay area, ca)
:: an unofficial resource for current and future owners of digital cameras. it is aimed more towards the consumer end, rather than the high end professional cameras ::

at least they have one @ steve's digicams (page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, sample pics)

ecosmart concrete

concrete goes 'green'. thanks!

:: there is an increasing demand for concrete worldwide, estimated to double within the next 30 years. how can that demand be met without a corresponding increase in greenhouse gases? by using supplementary cementing materials (SCM) to replace a maximum amount of the cement in concrete, we can reduce energy and resource consumption, reduce CO2 emissions, and lessen the negative environmental impact. there is a further environmental benefit in that most commonly used SCMs (such as fly ash) are waste products and would otherwise end up in landfills
'ecosmart™ concrete' is produced by replacing cement in the concrete mix with an optimum amount of supplementary cementing material, such as fly ash, a by-product of coal fired power plants ::

by:: ecosmart™ foundation inc. (vancouver, bc, canada)

concrete that 'eats' air pollution

:: 'tx active' is a photocatalytic principle for cement products which can reduce organic and inorganic pollutants that are present in the air....
since its first utilization in rome, the development and improvement of this type of cement has been relentless; if the early cements were effective in keeping the surfaces clean, the level of photoactivity of the new environment line is such that it abates the organic and inorganic substances responsible for air pollution. ::

by:: 'italcement' (italy)

the active principle 'tx active' was used for the first time in 1996 for the production of the precast blocks that, once in place, would have formed the three imposing sails in the 'dives in misericordia' church designed by richard meier in rome.


see article in 'ny times' :: the vatican's modernist moment; a church designed by richard meier is consecrated in rome ::

project:: jubilee church (la chiesa del dio padre misericordioso) rome, italy 1996-2003
architect:: richard meier (us)

glass tiles made from recycled glass

i really love glass tiles... and this tops it. tiles made to 100% from recycled glass. every used wine bottle will end as a design object... ;-)

:: blazestone tiles are crafted entirely from post-industrial and post-consumer glass; they add no additional oxides or colorants. each tile is handmade from unique combination of glass that give their tiles their distinctive appearance and subtle color variation. 'bedrock' blazestone shows how beautiful sustainability can be. ::

by:: 'bedrock industries' (seattle, wa)


found @ 'cribcandy'

mid-century inspiration - mod chair

that's the 'stingray' rocking chair. mid-century mod design - 'eames' inspired. it really reminds me of the 'eames molded plastic rocker' (1948).
there is a plastic version, a veneer version, and a upholstered version of the 'stingray' chair.

red dot award: product design 2008
:: the 'stingray' rocking chair resembles gentle sea waves. its appearance is an interesting new interpretation of the plastic version of the curved chair created in 2002 as it is now manufactured in veneer. the chair is available, for example, in african macassar ebony wood, whose grains emphasise the organic form of the stingray, whose shape was inspired by the sea. the new version of the 'stingray' is also available with a cushion that invites to extend the hours of comfortable relaxation. due to the curves of this chair the cushion is made of several pieces. here, as well, the inspiration from the sea is evident. the veneer and the comfortable cushion lend the 'stingray' a trendy look establishing new possibilities for a modern, yet cosy interior. ::

i would love to have the black plastic version! nature-inspired and still very simple...

design:: thomas pederson ('spark', denmark)
made by:: 'fredericia' (denmark)

'milk gone bad' table lamps

:: two different artistic experiences come together in this project. anatomicfactory’s objects meet bombo’s illustrations, giving us food for thought on the ambiguity of products that often have a hidden second nature. 'milk gone bad' is a collection of eight lamps somewhere between toys and furnishing complements. made like milk cartons, each piece is one of a series. the light turns on to show the product’s real contents, a startling imaginary world of mold. ::


what a cool table lamp! i really like the idea and the illustrations...

do you see the mold? i do...

design:: 'anatomic factory' (italy)
illustration:: 'bombo' (italy)

'arne jacobsen' restaurant

my hubby was (stylish) out last week... i'm jealous. he was invited to have dinner+jazz in 'restaurant jacobsen' on the coast line of the baltic sea::

facade facing the coastal road

ground floor

'restaurant jacobsen' in klampenborg, north of copenhagen (denmark).
it is part of arne jacobsen's building complex 'bellavista' (1932 - 35) (see images) on the coastal road in klampenborg (denmark). at that time the buildings were called 'the dream of the a modern lifestyle'.

inside you can find examples of vintage arne jacobsen's design for tables and chairs:: 'ant' chair, 'series 7' chair, 'swan' chair, 'egg' chair, ...

architect:: arne jacobsen, bellevue scheme 1932 - 37
restored by: architects MAA PAR ladegaard and christiansen (denmark)

see also @ 'arcspace.com'

amazing 'little field of flowers' rug

what a rug!
'little field of flowers' shows a beautiful textured pattern that comes to life! it is amazing and quite stunning. fashion forward and design savvy - this rug will amaze!
these flower shaped pieces of felt gives this carpet a beautiful appearance. its surface is full of constant movement and volume. It is a modern rug which asks to be touched, caressed, experienced. it is truly unique and each rug is intricately handmade using a hand loomed technique.


it received a 'red dot award' in 2007 in product design

design:: 'studio tord boontje' (bourg-argental, france)
for:: 'nani marquina' (barcelona, spain)
materials:: hand loomed, dyed felt 100% wool

:: 'little field of flowers' is a rug that integrates the classical flower ornament in an innovative composition. the flowers are not woven into the rug as a pattern but are individually punched out and appliquéd afterwards by hand. the result is a shimmering carpet strewn with blossoms, the look and feel of which is reminiscent of a real meadow of flowers. in living spaces it becomes an eye-catcher that provides space for daydreams. ::

cool ethical pots

recently i posted this about my new ::concrete:: planters in my bathroom. now i was asked where i got them from.

in fact they are fake. it's 'terracino lite'
:: an evolutionary range of eco-products made from a combination of terracotta and 100% natural elements. it has been developed and created to offer a unique item to meet all of the requirements of the plant pot enthusiast, namely light weight and a healthy environment for the plants thanks to its natural water absorption and release.
'terracino lite' is available in 3 color shades: terracotta, charcoal & green. ::

i choose charcoal that looks like concrete. i like this product. very light weight!

they are made by 'terracino pro natura' (italy). and this is an ethical manufacturer.
their code is based on a few but very perceptual conducts, a factory brand must accomplish to be considered as 'ethical'::
- NO to child labor
- NO to forced labor
- YES to a minimum impact to the environment ...
- ...

organic and fairtrade fashion

'armedangels' (cologne, germany) is a fashion label that combines style and ethics. it creates stylish fashion made with
:: an uncompromising rejection of child labor, wage exploitation and environmental pollution. ::
everythings @ 'armedangels' is made from 100% organic cotton and manufactured under 'fair trade' standards. the best is they donate part of the money to the charity 'read india' in pratham/india that helps kids to learn writing and reading.


the same is true for santa monica (ca) based label 'social awearness'. they also follow the philosophy organic, fair trade, no sweat shops, ...

:: if we all do a little today, it will have a huge impacts on tomorrow ::

i couldn't agree more...

new schoolbag for concrete*tot

little concrete*tot will enter school in august. we started to look around for the best schoolbag in terms of design, safety, and ergonomics... we bought a 'scout' schoolbag for the older concrete*tot about 2 years ago. and we still like it. what we love about the 'scout' is::
- light weight
- fits perfectly (even suitable for little kids)
- a lot of safety features (such as reflective materials)
- long lasting
- 97 % recyclable materials
- contains no harmful and allergenic chemicals
now they have a new 'scout mega' schoolbag::


it received a 'red dot award' in 2007 in product design

:: the 'scout mega' is a schoolbag for primary-school pupils which features a 360-degree safety concept and an innovative flat design. shaped side pockets made of a newly-developed reflexite combined material optimise the angle of incidence of vehicle lights from street traffic. reflective carry straps further increase the safety of the schoolbag. an intelligent body construction makes it 20 per cent lighter and gives it high stability. a separate, two-part organiser with a special colour code can be used as required for optimal packing of the bag according to ergonomic criteria. the back padding is ventilated and ergonomically shaped. the functional design allows easy opening of the top flap and provides a large interior space. the flexible carry-strap attachment adjusts to any clothing the child may wear. ::

like a said - a well thought-through product. a synthesis of uncompromising safety, ergonomics, function, and style. i think we found the candidate that we will check out for sure. ;-)

design:: dirk fleischhut, martin hoffmann, andré lüthy (estragon gmbh, zürich, ch)
by:: 'alfred sternjakob gmbh & co. kg' (frankenthal, germany)

the originial - 'mod vintage bike'

a couple of days a ago i blogged a post about viva's 'milla miggla' bike
::mod vintage bike::
please see the comment. apparently the original design is from jens martin skibsted of 'biomega' (denmark). and i don't like copy-cats! so, here is the bike 'copenhagen' from 'biomega' for your own comparison::

:: designed by 'skibsted', this is the fifth generation of our in house designed bike. the copenhagen (cph) bicycle is the quintessence of danish and scandinavian design - minimalist and practical in its approach. the beauty lies in its simplicity - all you need is there and what you don't is not.
wallpaper magazine chose the cph as the most promising means of urban transport, together with the 'bmw c1', and they voted the same model as the 2nd-best line of products in danish design, after 'georg jensen'.
the copenhagen has been displayed at numerous exhibitions such as “20th century design” at the danish museum of decorative arts, the touring exhibition “dreams on wheels” and countless more. ::

again, i really like the :: patented 'new tightening system' biomega shaft :: drive
:: ... a unique biomega innovation. a special integrated transmission offers a host of advantages: no greasy trousers, hardly any maintenance and extreme durability. tech-heads: this shaft has less transmission loss than the average chain - where chains rust and destroy your jeans, the shaft just gets smoother and smoother. ::

also very innovative is the stem design.
:: machined from a solid piece of aluminum, the mark newson designed stem is a beautiful piece of industrial design that also incorporates another biomega innovation. the design eliminates the steer tube cap found on many stem designs providing for a better seal that protects the headset against corrosion. ::

i couldn't agree more! a beautiful and simple frame design, uncluttered by cables or chain as cables are routed inside the frame...
:: the bike also minimizes maintenance: the shaft- driven train eliminates all of those oily sprockets (saving your trouser legs), and the disk brake and internal consecutive gears and cables protect its mechanics from the elements. ::

this is the perfect, stylish solution for our city bike needs! i need to make a test ride!


design:: jens martin skibsted (designer, founder and ceo of 'biomega', denmark)
made by:: 'biomega' (denmark)


btw:: find more details about jens martin skibsted's design @ 'oeo'
and his blog here.

more style - less work

i like diy projects & i like large italian floor tiles (1 m by 3 m). with new materials like this one it's getting easier every day.

renovate the floor of your home w/o demolishing before saves time and money
:: ... 'kerlite plus', the ceramic solution you were looking for to renovate that old flooring. with a minimum height increase – from 3 to 3.5mm – 'kerlite plus' has a tough fiberglass mesh backing, doubling its cladding potential. the sky’s the limit for this stunning, minimum weight tile. with 'kerlite' it’s easy to lay new flooring in your home. but more than that, it’s economic and simple. 'kerlite plus' can be installed directly over existing flooring in wood, ceramic or any other compact type of surface. this is because the underside of the ceramic slab has been reinforced with a dense fiberglass mat. as well as allowing excellent heat conduction, this minimum thickness mesh ensures the tile sticks solidly to the adhesive spread on the substrate. with just 3.5mm additional floor height there’s no need to adjust the level of doors and jambs. ::

by:: 'cotto d'este' (italy)

cool bike ... for hubby?

this is the ultimate gadget for the city nomad...

:: light up the night :: with 'puma's 'glow rider' glow-in-the-dark bike (in two colors). i really like the orange one that glows yellow at night.


:: the glowing paint sucks up sunlight during the day and lets it loose after the sun sets. ::
that's the ultimate safety feature.

the bike is actually based on the danish 'biomega' bike.
the biomega 'boston' is a folding bike and has an integrated anti-theft device.
:: the unique locking system uses a 'down tube' chain lock, which is integrated as a structural part of the frame. if the lock is broken so is the bike - why steal it then?
the quick & easy semi-folding mechanism & folding pedals makes public transport, cars & elevators more accessible. built for town convenience, the bike goes where you go. ::

this is the perfect, stylish solution for hubby's city bike needs!

'puma' urban mobility bike 'glow rider'
design:: jens martin skibsted (designer, founder and ceo of 'biomega', denmark)
made by:: 'biomega' (denmark)

'hand-made' chair

'do hit' chair - this steel cube (sledge hammer included) can be 'hammered' into the desired shape... also ideal for letting off some steam ;-)
:: smash, hit and pound it into your own perfect piece of functional art ::

material:: 0.04" thick steel
design:: marijn van der poll (design academy eindhoven, nl)
'droog design'