For some time I had been slowly acquiring books, reviewing books, and recommending books to collegues who were interested in “getting into” interaction design, user experience design, information architecture or usability. This eventually led to me cataloging my list of what I consider the best books in the field. With help from my friend Dave [...]

Alessi has just launched a new product by Spanish designer Martí Guixé; the Seed Safe. It is a beautiful jar, dedicated to collect the seeds from vegetables and fruits we eat so that they can be planted instead of thrown away or composted. Guixé, who has a thing for seeds (see the Plant Me Pet), believes that the Seed Safe is a must in every home, and since "seeds are in some way more valuable than money", planting those... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Alessi has just launched a new product by Spanish designer Martí Guixé; the Seed Safe. It is a beautiful jar, dedicated to collect the seeds from vegetables and fruits we eat so that they can be planted instead of thrown away or composted. Guixé, who has a thing for seeds (see the Plant Me Pet), believes that the Seed Safe is a must in every home, and since "seeds are in some way more valuable than money", planting those... Read the full story on TreeHugger

A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley depicts an ordered society where humanity is tamed and controlled through the use of excessive pleasure.   This pleasure comes in the form of unlimited sex, a designer drug named “Soma,” and a caste system that designs people specifically for their social roles, eliminating unhappiness in the work [...]

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[ Filed under Interiors or in the Bathrooms category ]

It is easy to be misled by designer products into thinking that your own bathroom will be as cool, contemporary, clean and serene as those shown in the picture-perfect catalog photos. That disclaimer aside, however, here are some inspirational images of ten tile, toilet, tub designs combined with sink, shower and lighting layouts that illustrate not only bathroom-specific design ideas but more general strategies and solutions for professional as well as DIY redesign projects.

Architect and urban designer Hector Fernando Burga looks at Haiti through the lens of a Haitian enclave in Miami and wonders what role designers can play in the devastated country's revival.

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[ Filed under More or in the Installation Art category ]

No, not that kind of model home  – the miniature versions that use smaller structures to explore larger architectural ideas, unique plans like turning your house into a waterfall or fully merging it with an existing forest. This is visionary contemporary design at its best – a set of small-scale dreams for now but entirely possible to build to full size as well.

How would you, as a client, feel about a home made to fit on a site filled with trees, but on which you were allowed to cut none of them down? How would you, as a designer, deal with a religious client who demanded a house loaded with relevant symbolism? What new ways could you integrate water – from pools and ponds to flowing waterfalls – in a small home set on the skinniest  piece of real estate you can imagine?

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[ Filed under More or in the Industrial Design category ]

Designs like these starts with a simple slip of language sometimes: ‘hey, what if instead of tees we went with teas – little bags that look like shirts?’ someone asks, and the rest is history – a casual language choice becomes a creative and unique new design idea. Anyone want to try on a tiny tee bag, or wear a tea shirt? Confusing, sure, but clever and cute as well.

Like colorful plastic hangers in miniature form and an alternate material, the triangular paper tops of each tea bag suspend the t-shirt-shaped transparent form below – which can then drop off into a cup while remaining connected via a string like its more conventionally-shaped cousin.