Archive for October, 2006|Monthly archive page
NTU Professor’s Feedback Survey
Comments (4)Nestled in a peaceful corner of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University sets the stage for what I think might be the funniest feedback surveys for a professor. You just must watch it and enjoy the creative and funny responses that his past students wrote to him, obviously admiring his baldness and his moustache.
Just one example out of the many:
“Is your moustache the source of your wisdom? If so, please dont’ set such difficult questions, because most of us don’t have moustache.”
Man, wish I was there! And the professor is really cool too, winning numerous “Best Teaching” awards.
Next Generation Insights
If you are *gasp* a clueless adult trying to figure out what’s going on in the world of teens and technology in the US, and have an hour or so to spare, be sure to check out this video. Guy Kawasaki, a famous venture capitalist, moderated a session that hosted a few youths from 15-24 years old, where he threw questions in an attempt to discover what makes youths in US click.
As much as it sounds like one of those efforts to connect with the youth *ahem*, the interaction is actually pretty lively and interesting, leaving little nuggets or sneak peeks into a typical US youth’s perspective.
Rob Zinn: Expansion Wall Sconse
This wall-lighting looks just like any other at first glance; in fact, the thing that first drew me to it was the realization that this type of fixture is known as a “sconse”. Upon closer examination, I came to realise that it is clever in a subtle and specific way.
A standard, more straight-forward way to design this would be to use various coloured panels to create the layered-lighting effect. In this one, a bit more thought was invested in the design process. Instead of simply using colored plastics, this sconse consists of 5 white plastic panels – it’s only the reverse side that is printed with vivid colors. When the white light is shone from the central axis, colored lights are reflected onto preceding planes, making it seem like the planes are colored.
Thus, when switched off, it is a subtle, subdued piece of sculptural whiteness; when switched on, it becomes a retro-ish and brightly-colored focal point in the room, giving a more layered character to a simple object. Well done, Rob Zinn (the designer)!
[Found this product on 2modern.]
“Innovative” products
While the Japanese have a monopoly on useless inventions, some Swiss aren’t content to letting the Japs get all the limelight. Reinterpreting daily objects in a different – and often bizarre/enlightening/amusing way, these designs gives a whole new life to everyday objects:
Many more here!
Francois Brunelle – Lookalike Project
Canadian photographer Francois Brunelle shoots photos of two people who’re not related, but look alike. As you can see from the examples above, these strangers could easily pass off as siblings. In fact, if you just showed me the pictures, you’d probably have to work hard in convincing me that they’re not indeed twins. There is very minimal photo-editing (only for distractions like dusts etc).
The photographer’s site, and more pictures here.
Scott Wade – Drawing in Dust
Dust on cars have always been an invitation for passer-by to vandalise: whether it’s some expletives or more well-meaning “Wash your car now!”, it’s always a canvas for creative expression. And that is exactly what Scott Wade did using dirty cars to create some rather detailed paintings.
Though I still wonder, exactly how do you accumuate that much dust on a car?
More pictures after the jump.
Fitzsu Grand Prix
The Fitszu Society, a home accessories store, took their iconic PLAYSAM car and invited many designers across the world to give their interpretation/design of the original toy car, including Karim Rashid, Syd Mead, Yves Behar and Richard Meier. It’s certainly interesting to see each person impart their design characters into the toys, which will then be auctioned off for charity.
Now now, why can I instantly guess that Michael Graves was one of them?
Visit Fitzsu for the full collection.
[via NOTCOT]
Miwa Koizumi – PET bottles
If you didn’t have enough of poetic underwater sea animals (like in the Ariston ad), here’s more! Artist Miwa Koizumi creates a world of underwater wonder with discarded PET bottles.
In another project, he created some extremely organic and effusive forms, apparently by suddenly freezing liquid plaster.
Visit his site here!
One Man builds the modern Stonehenge
The Stonehenge was estimated to have been built more than four thounsand years ago, and it has thus aroused curiosity and conspiracy theories alike as to how it was built. Some attributed the effort to aliens, considering the physical impossibility of humans in moving, erecting and constructing those stones that weigh more than 20 tonnes each.
One man decided to see if he could build the Stonehenge without employing any modern technology – and to build it by himself. He proved that with some clever method and a lot of perserverance, it is possible to emulate the effort. See how one man lifts and moves tonnes of stone in the quest for the Stonehenge.
“Give me a long enough lever and a place to stand, and I will move the earth.” – Archimedes
Nobumasa – Japanese Graffiti
While there are some artist who’d meticulously plan the layout of their drawings, Nobumasa is not one of them when he works on the Japanese Graffiti project at Space Force, Japan. He allows his drawing to crawl and sprawl across the wall as his imagination takes him. Drawing inspiration from the Japanese Sumie drawings, his work is testament to a wealth of fascinating and sometimes absurd imagination. Drawings that do not need to follow logic – spacemen, candies, machines, buildings, superheroes all mingle among one another as if they were already in their most natural habitats. The public is sometimes invited to contribute ideas of what they want drawn on the wall too.
See the entire image here!
See more details on PingMag.
