gilbert13 Fold Shelf

For a recent project that I’ve been trying to work out in my mind, I’ve been thinking of how to use curves for strength along several axes. So my interest was piqued when I saw this. UK designers Angela & Mark Gilbert of gilbert 13 made this shelf that is made from a single sheet of steel, laser cut to guide the folds that define the finished shape.

via designboom

Studio Lim’s Sound Pot

Studio Lim conceived these gorgeous speakers. They turn on when you touch the knob. Volume is controlled by rolling them around on your table. To turn off you put it face down. But the best thing is – they are made from Porcelain! Nice shape, too. And they look wireless from the pictures.

via notcot

Tool Jewelry

Just looks good, right?

via designboom

USB Power from the Wall

Here’s a good idea from Fastmac i found on Notcot– the TruePower UCS Power Outlet. It is a USB charger that is integrated into a wall outlet. Pretty cool idea but in my world I am never close enough to the wall outlet for this to be convenient. I prefer this:

Crayon Rings from Designboom

Fun!

Nine Stories Furniture

Andrew Rumpler’s studio Nine Stories Furniture is just down the hall from ours here at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Andrew does the coolest things with reclaimed materials – these are pics of a few of his tables made from auto body metal from vintage automobiles. All the other metal parts you see are pieces Andrew custom fabricated – note the bent laser-cut leg braces made from stainless. Rumpler does nifty stuff with wood too – he has some really nice laminated wood bicycle handlebars (i sadly don’t have any pics yet…).  Andrew is also making a gorgeous new chair that is build from reclaimed piano keys. I can’t wait to get a picture of it up here when he is finished!

You can also see a writeup of his work here at Apartment Therapy.

Tools – the Basics

I started to build my tool collection when I first returned to NYC in 1998 after a few years on the road with circuses. I had learned to build while working with circuses so my first purchases were of the tools that I had found the most useful while on the road. This is what for me is the basic kit. I bring these tools everywhere – to any jobsite no matter what I think I’ll be doing. With these you can improvise & make nearly anything:

Hammer
Cordless drill (DeWalt 12v)
Bosch Jigsaw
Combination Square
Tape Measure
Utility Knife
Drill Bit set
Phillips driver with countersink combination
Pliers w/wire cutter
10-in-one screwdriver set

Minus the Bosch, this list is what I like carpenters to bring to my job sites. Anything less and they will be using tools you may need (sharing a cordless drill or tape measure is insane), and anything else is a bonus.

Genexis theater by ARUP/WOHA

Very nice.

(via designboom)

Sou Fujimoto Architects

I must admit to a weakness to looking at piles of boxes. 

The  text in The Design Blog describes the concept:

Designed by Sou Fujimoto Architects, the collective housing project comprises five dwelling units, including the owner’s unit. Every dwelling unit comes with either two or three independent rooms of prototypical house shapes. The rooms on the different floors are connected to each other with outside stairs. When you pass along these stairs, each dwelling unit is realized by the experience of two rooms. The architects think of this collective housing as the miniature of Tokyo.

(via notcot)

Best Made Axes

If I needed an axe, I’d get one of these from Best Made Co.

(via Made in England)