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What can the world's poorest 'hoods teach us about city planning? Lots, according to architects and urban designers Pavlina Ilieva and Kuo Pao Lian. Grist discusses sustainable urban design lessons from the slums. It's a Tree Life: The first offline project from The Cool Hunter will feature tree homes designed by top architects from around the globe. The exhibition is slated to......read more
We'd like to thank Roca and Gabriel and Oscar Buratti for the gorgeous and uber efficient sink/toilet combo. The all-in-one sink and toilet are made from vitreous china, designed to maximize space and conserve water. The technology uses waste water from the basin to fill the toilet cistern, thereby reducing water usage by up to 25% compared to a standard dual-flush toilet. The basin in W+W......read more
Ralf Kittmann took home an IF Design Award for his electric bicycle concept HMK 561. This ultralight zero-emission bike concept and design is clearly novel. Unlike most concept designs we see, Kittmann created a working prototype constructed from conductive carbon fiber, which is not only an excellent conductor of electricity, but also acts as a capacitor that can store energy. Energy from the......read more
If the founders of YikeBike have their way, the future of personal urban transportation will evoke memories of the 19th century. Known in e-bike circles as a "mini-farthing," the penny farthing-inspired design features a large front wheel, small rear wheel, and mustache handlebars. Unveiled recently at the Eurobike conference, the carbon-fiber, battery-powered YikeBike is both super......read more
Yu Jordy Fu's recycled paper Cloud Lamps launched in early 2009, so we're about a year late on this one (so like a century in real life time). But since SHFT just got going a couple months ago, and since the lamps are so AMAZING, we figure it's okay to revisit. Handmade from recycled paper, the Cloud Lamp Collection takes a distinctly contemporary approach to the ancient Chinese......read more
Mostly missed in the U.S. press but last year (even I just discovered it) was this innovative campaign led by the government postal services of Finland and Chile calling attention to the need to ‘Preserve the Polar Regions and Glaciers.’ Over 30 more countries joined in and some of them produced some spectacular collectible stamp sheets. Here are my 7 favorites: 7. AlandThe tiny......read more
JIA Inc. partnered with Gearlab from Taiwan to create a one-of-a-kind coffee pot made from their native zisha and bamboo. Zisha, also known as purple clay, is natural clay unique to China, found around Taihu in Jiangsu during the Northern Song Dynasty (1000-1200 A.D.). When fired, the purple clay assumes a fine and sandy texture that retains the temperature of the tea held inside longer than......read more
Emeco (The Electric and Machine and Equipment Co.) has been manufacturing alumunum chairs in Hanover, Pennsylvania since 1944. The Philippe Starck-designed Heritage collection, made from 80% recycled aluminum, puts a tastefully contemporary spin on the classic Emeco look. The line includes various stackable seats and stools, along with a couple cool rocking chairs. According to Starck, the key to......read more
If only these were around when I was working as a laborer, inhaling gas fumes and slowly going deaf by the roar of the power generator. Unlike internal combustion generators, Mobile Solar Power's transportable solar generators create zero emissions, zero exhaust and zero noise. There may be a few zeroes on the price tag as well, but with only a few moving parts and no need for oil or......read more
