Exposed

Visual communication

Posted on February 29th, 2012 BY

  • Urform 01
  • Urform 02
  • Urform 03
  • Urform 04

Besides a good friend, Bas de Boer is a brilliant designer, great photographer and founder of Urform; a small Amsterdam-based design studio that produces identities to match the ideas and philosophy of brands and individuals.

    “Our curiosity makes us look beneath – or far above – the surface to find and refine the essence of a brand’s existence. We create a complete language instead of a single word, taking care of every aspect of a brands’ creative context by offering a blend of creative thinking, practical solutions and with attention to detail. We believe design can be an effective tool to guide people to- and through a brand.” — Bas de Boer.

      So now and then, Bas and I meet while enjoying a nice cup of coffee or diner. We speak about the things that keeps us going and show each other a small glimps on the projects we work on. I always looking forward to talk with him. He speaks with so much passion and his conceptual ideas conveys great inspiration. There’s more to Urform’s designs than meets the eye.

        Today, Bas de Boer shared Urform’s new published website, with lots of new work exposed; from a knitting artist to a bicycle pump manufacturer, from small individuals to Levi’s new Made & Crafted label. Explore the visual and conceptual beauty within Urform’s creations. Expect to see more work from Urform on asmileinthemind in the future.

Object

Architecture for people

Posted on January 30th, 2012 BY

  • Klassiker Lounge Chair 01
  • Klassiker Lounge Chair 03
  • Klassiker Lounge Chair 02

Inspired by the human form, the beautiful Klassiker lounge chair was designed by Minwoo Lee to comfortably hug both the back and bottom of the seated person. What I like about this chair is the high back with the well-round edges together with the warm colour from the polished oil finish. This design makes the Klassiker lounge chair an elegant choice for classic and contemporary rooms alike.

Subject

Chasing the sun

Posted on January 27th, 2012 BY

The Lapin Kulta Solar Kitchen Restaurant is based on a solar kitchen concept where the food will be cooked by pure solar energy. A nature-driven process that changes our perception of the kitchen, of cooking, of food, of drink and all of these in relation to nature. Testing people’s flexibility: if it rains, they have to adapt, reschedule and deal with the nature-dependent delays.

    Depending on the day’s sunshine, the nature-driven kitchen will be able to serve a solar barbecue, meals prepared at lower temperatures or salads. The solar heat affects the taste and texture of the dish in a surprising and positive way, producing a completely different taste experience.

      The restaurant aims to follow the sun through Europe this summer, visiting a range of cities where it will present this extraordinary culinary concept. Joining forces to bring this about are designer Martí Guixé, Finnish food visionary Antto Melasniemi and Lapin Kulta beer.

        They also provide a blog with some nice video content, where you can follow the journeys of Lapin Kulta Solar Kitchen Restaurant. One of my favourites is where Antto Melasniemi is testing the solar kitchen, preparing his first solar egg.

Object

Waterproof

Posted on November 22nd, 2011 BY

  • Foldboat 01
  • Foldboat 02

Foldboat is an accessible flat-pack leisure boat designed for flat water environments. The project is created by product designers Max Frommeld and Arno Mathies. They currently created two versions, Boat One and Boat Two. Both are rowing boats that are made from a standard sized sheet of plastic, that requires two minutes to be assembled by two people.

    They almost look identical in appearance, but distinct in functionality. Boat One folds into an easy to carry pack and Boat Two remains in a flat sheet. Each boat is equipped with a pair of oars, made from ash, with plastic blades and waterproof, floating cushions that users can hold onto if the boat should capsize. These simple and functional designs could be very useful for water lovers or campers who have limited storage space, particularly in urban environments. Not to forget boat renting companies or NGO’s in the case of flood hazards.

Subject

A warm welcome

Posted on November 16th, 2011 BY

    Winnipeg is a city located on the Canadian prairie. It is the coldest city of its size outside of Siberia. The Red and the Assiniboine Rivers meet in the centre of the city and consists out of many long skating trails. But with temperatures that drop to minus 45ºC for long periods of time, creating opportunities to find shelter from the Siberian winds greatly enhances the ability to use the river skating trails. Therefore, Patkau Architects created these shelters.

      The idea consists of a cluster of intimate shelters, each accommodating only a few people at a time. They are grouped as a small herd. Standing with their backs to the wind like buffalo’s, as they huddle together shielding each other from the elements. The plywood and timber shelters create dynamic solar and wind relationships that shift according to specific orientation, time of day and environmental circumstance. These structures are delicate and alive. They move gently in the wind, shaking off any snow that might stick to their surfaces and provide a perfect spot for the people to rest and warm up while enjoying the beauty of winter.