Cool Hunting
by Jack Shaw
Andrea Ruggiero brings green design to the backyard BBQ with his disposable UFO (Unidentified Feeding Object) Plate that's reborn as a birdfeeder after use—a concept he originally came up with as part of InDisposed, a recent exhibition centered around rethinking disposable products.
Taking on the challenge of creating an environmentally-friendly disposable household object, the NYC-based designer looked back to his childhood in Italy where disposable products are described as, "usa e getta," which literally translates as "use and throw." This natural action served as the main idea behind the UFO.
Made from potato starch, guar bean gum and a seaweed-like binding agent, the stylish nine-inch diameter plates take the form of a disc shaped shell encrusted with birdseed on the bottom. In use, the UFO stands up to liquids and acidic foods and is nontoxic and vegan. When diners finish their meal, the fun begins; just find a tree, aim the tableware-cum-frisbee and let it fly. As the plate shatters it leaves behind a little treat for the local wildlife and the solid parts biodegrade in about two weeks.
Picnickers and birds will have to wait for the two-in-one plate, however; the UFO is currently only in the prototype stage.
|
previous entry Dorset Cereals |
next entry Cool Hunting Video Presents: Alberto Alessi |
The Sèvres Vase Clock, a prototype by Georgios Maridakis, indicates the hour with an audible knock. Just place the vase of your choice on the brass and wood stand and the hammer will strike the vase each hour. Each vase makes a different sound, but adding different amounts of water for different pitches and notes takes it one step further. The modern take on...
by Laura Neilson The design competition at this year's Greener Gadgets Conference showcased ten innovative finalists, each utilizing technology to facilitate greener lifestyles. By and large, the majority of the conceptual gadgets functioned on energy "metering" ideas, including the winning design, The Tweet-a-Watt (pictured above right), a power meter that automatically publishes your power usage wirelessly via Twitter for friends and followers to see. The...
For a chair prototype called the Conolounge, Chilean designers Onceneto tapped La Tercera newspaper for leftover paper printer rolls. A steel support provides structure and adds a fetching bright green accent. It's a clever example of creative reuse that reminds us of a less conceptual and more practical version of Julian Lwin's Biotube Bench. via Treehugger...
Swedish designer Jantze Brogård Asshoff (also behind the new Ikea chintz) has dreamt up Greenhouse, a trash bin the shape of a house crafted as an attractive solution to storing household waste. With the porch functioning as the pedal opening the roof lid, it's a clever marriage of forms that lends a touch of unfussy whimsy to the kitchen. Still in the protoype phase,...
Made from Bic pens by Madrid-based design studio enPieza, the Volivik chandelier pays homage to "the movement of Charleston fringe and the rhythm of Baroque patterns...the shape of a bulb, [and] the Bic ballpoint pen as an 20th century design." The transluscent version does what chandeliers due best, refracting and casting delicate patterns of light onto the walls and ceiling. Limited to an edition...
Made from recycled die-cut felt that's leftover from the manufacture of ukulele picks, the Ukulele Trivet by the Los Angeles architecture firm Fung + Blatt is an example of creative re-use that's not only clever and aesthetically pleasing, but useful as well. Highly touchable, the thick softness of the material lends a warm presence to any dinner table. Treated for heat and stain resistance,...
Emogayu Ceramics
Box 185 Clothing
Jo Ratcliffe x Edun: War Child T-Shirts
ExIT Shoes
Cool Hunting Guest Curates Etsy
Tumi Vapor: Polycarbonate Travel Bags
Big Shots: Andy Warhol Polaroids
Frank Hülsbömer: The Fiction Of Science
Lama Hourani Jewels
