Out of many prefab house concepts I’ve seen lately, this one stand out. Created by New Zealand based architect studio Atelierworkshop, this house is a beautiful reincarnation of a prosaic shipping container. Just like a regular container it ships anywhere in a truck or a helicopter, attaches easily to any plot of land and allows comfortable existence for two adults and two children. The interior includes bunk beds, double bed room, dressing room, kitchen and bathroom. The space can be zoned with dividers, creating great versatility. Exterior canvas screens provide privacy when needed. The container house is environmentally clean and self-sufficient. It can even be suited to remote or non-service supplied land. Atelierworkshop is looking for partners to mass produce the concept.
The Klaffi-hylly (clapperboard) shelf by Finland based studio ELSA is a multifunctional and adaptable item. This shelving system is built with small spaces in mind, it allows you to fold the shelves you are not using and slim the unit down. Klaffi-hylly can fit many storage needs, you can use it for magazines, books, DVDs, CDs, cookbooks, dishes, collectibles… It can also work well as a bedside table/shelving unit or an entryway item. The piece comes in solid oak, ash and white birch and is available in natural, black, white, orange and light blue finishes.
Earlier this week I featured a video about furnishing a tiny room. One of the products in that footage was so clever, I thought it deserved a special mention. The Tiefschlaf bed by Linda Altmann und Oliver Krapf consists of six panels. The headboard element is an option. The bed can be easily assembled and secured with straps. And if you need to free some space – you can take the elements apart in minutes and store them neatly on top of each other. A definite hit for any studio apartment, Tiefschlaf has already won the Interior Innovation Award at the IMM Cologne 2013. I personally love the fact that in addition to being portable, the piece has an elegant, “eamesy” vibe. It doesn’t look like a temp item at all. Made from wood veneer, the bed comes in two sizes and three finishes.
Here is one truly inventive small dwelling. Small and also versatile. The story of this unusual home goes back to the year 1996, when Barcelona architects Eva Prats and Ricardo Flores were hired to convert an old community laundry into a penthouse. At just 27 square meters (290 square feet), the space was minimal; it was also just a temporary home for the clients. Since the owners only intended to use the space a couple weekends per month, they didn’t want to build anything fundamental and laborious. Minimal work was their reqiest. Prats and Flores delivered their solution in the form of two suitcases. The above video, shot by Fair Companies, takes us through a day in the life of the Casa en una Maleta (House in a Suitcase), where all the furniture, housewares, and other living whatnots come out of the two trunks, placed in the middle of the room. Enjoy!
Verso Shelf is a minimalist and versatile piece, created by Finland-based designer Mikko Halonen for furniture brand One Nordic. Slick and transparent, the piece allows you to store (and display) things without physical and visual clutter. The shelf comes with three magazine stands, which can be attached to any of the ladders of the shelf, at the height you prefer. Thanks to this clever addition, you can use Verso for clothes, accessories or whatever comes into mind. The piece is available in two sizes and three colors – black, white and natural wood. Check out the video after the break to see what a snap it is (literally) to assemble the product.
If you are a bookish person I doubt you can stay impartial to this table/bookshelf/bookmark. Booken by Raw Edges, designed for Italian furniture brand Lema, is every bookworm’s wet dream. It uses books as building material and in turn provides an attractive display for them. It also allows you to recycle the volumes you’ve read once and have no intention of coming back to. “We were inspired by the fact that people do not re-read the novels that are so often on the shelves,” designers explain. “Most books are usually read once and not re-read, and then we thought, why not use the volumes as if they have a plan? Of course you can always remove the book and read it, but at the same time the books take on a new role.” I also remember that Shay Alkalay of Raw Edges has been toying with the idea of a bookcase like that for a few years now, even built one for his personal use. It is pleasing to see that commercial birth has been finally given to this concept. Booken is displayed as part of Lema’s exposition at this year’s IMM Cologne.
(spotted on If It’s Hip, It’s Here)
Here is a rather unusual treat – a fascinating video shot by the German science magazine “Galileo” about furnishing a small room. A really really small room. Even though the recording is in German – the struggle is universal and should resonate with every showbox dweller on the planet. As for the space-saving ideas shown, they are quite remarkable. Enjoy!
(Thank you, Heiner!)
– Beautiful site! Interactive collection of Leonardo’s works.
– A bird nest made from a planter? Yes!
– Mind-bobbling sculptures by Tomohiro Inaba.
– Death Star ice mold – every proper geek needs one (I do).
– Absolutely beautiful animation about nature and science – Ode to a Flower.
– What a great idea – a to-do list for things you want to do, not the things you have to do.
– Ever had to clean a big fondue dish? If you have – you’ll appreciate this little invention. Fondue Mugs.
– A world without textiles is a ridiculous place according to this funny new IKEA campaign.
Have a lovely weekend, folks!
How adorable is this? The Hold On Tight shelf by Colleen & Eric features two built-in bookends – one fixed and one moving. The idea that is both cute and sensible. Designers elaborate: “Your books are no longer in danger of toppling over. Over-sized wing-nut allows bookend to slide into place and be secured wherever it’s needed.” The shelf comes in beech, walnut and oak, covered with water based stain and all natural shellac finish. The aluminum cube and wing-nut are powder-coated.
belTable by Marcin Pogorzelsk is a very clever idea. Instead of screws, glue or other assembly nastiness, the piece is held together by a single belt (belt, belTable – geddit?). “Our designing goal was to minimize mechanism of a table and reduce problems with transportation and putting together at home,” – says the designer. Indeed. To put the piece together just thread the belt through the holes in each of the legs, and you’re done. The disassembly is equally a snap. Wonderful.
