Tuesday, January 24, 2012

IMM Cologne 2012: Digital Crafting Collection by Great Things to People.


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Is a Chilean "parametric design and digital fabrication" studio that recently presented the three new projects that comprise their Digital Crafting Collection at the IMM Cologne 2012.
[The concept is] based on the implementation of digital design methodologies and the experience and the know-how of Chilean artisans, who feed and contribute to qualify each "generative algorithms" or DNA. Through this concept gt2P has succeeded in communicating its ability to investigate, explore and experiment with new materials and processes, and integrate technologies CAD/CAM with  and knowledge.
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This isn't the first time we've seen nature-inspired or otherwise organic applications of 3D modeling and fabrication techniques used to created organic forms:comes to mind, as do  and However, the Santiago-based studio sets itself apart by incorporating local materials and traditional techniques in these three disparate "digital crafting" exercises, each of which is characterized by gt2P's highly formal approach.
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The is a vaguely biomimetic furniture construction system, centered (literally and figuratively) on a single connector piece that is fabricated with a combination of digital and traditional techniques:
From these molds a cast of silicone is shaped (negatives). Then, the 3D printing is removed from the inside and filled with wax (positives). When removing the silicone mold, the wax is covered with a ceramic shell made of a kind of glue and sand. A casting cone is made to bring the metal into the shell, melting the wax at the same time.
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The legs of the occasional table were turned by hand, taking as reference the 3D printing pieces, and its cover was cut by laser. Finally, the wood was treated with varnish effect of "not painted", so that it retains its natural color, look and texture. This integration of digital and traditional processes made it possible to move from the 3D printing to the craftsmanship, to obtain unique pieces.
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The side table itself is "made of steel and wood," with locally-sourced legs: "Suple is the first Chilean design that uses Raulí with dual FSC and Fairtrade certification in its manufacturing process."
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Nike's latest piece of wearable technology is the , which resembles a futuristic, minimalist watch. The device contains an accelerometer that tracks your motion and calculates calories burned. Sound boring? It could have been—but like Apple, Nike has designed the product to be part of an ecosystem in order to ensure the sum exceeds the parts, and to provide the user with a new, novel experience.
In this case the ecosystem consists of the FuelBand and your smartphone or your laptop. Through either of the latter two devices, you program in your daily targets for the energy you'd like to expend.
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Young Italian designeris pleased to present his latest project, the "Mino" garden gnome, a traditional lawn ornament made of compost:
The garden dwarf tradition is older than what is commonly believed. Originating in XVII century Germany, garden dwarfs were exported by an English nobleman to decorate his garden, and they have now become the globally widespread kitsch ornaments that we all know. Despite its jazzy colours, the modern dwarf is a melancholic figure, condemned to a purely decorative function within a domesticated and artificial environment. Mino, on the other hand, lives in a garden full of life, destined to survive for one season only to then die with pride by feeding the surrounding vegetation.
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The designer notes on that he's currently seeking a company to invest in his ..........
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This egg-shaped device is the  a "360-imager" (basically a digital camera with a wraparound lens) due to hit store shelves later this year. The Montreal-based company of the same name is betting that the simplicity of "Tammagraphy"—users can capture navigable panoramas with just one click—will adequately trump the current method of shoot, spin and software-stitch so that consumers will want to shell out the roughly $200 to own one. I'm not sold on the bulky form factor, but I also underestimated, pre-Facebook, how badly people want to share photos with each other.
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Charles and Ray Eames were two of the most multi-talented artists of the 20th-century, but since they eschewed the term "artist," considering it pompous, let's instead call them creators. As creators, their creative vision wasn't limited to the furniture for which they're perhaps best known for, but it extended to architecture, landscape, sculpture, painting, ceramics, books, toys, exhibitions, graphics, industrial design and film. "Charles and Ray Eames wanted to bring the most magnificent experience that you could have with your eyes to the largest number of people," said art critic Jed Perl. "I don't think there's anything more important for an artist to want to do."
Perl was one of several critics who appeared in a documentary narrated by James Franco that just ended its run in New York. It profiled the Eames as a couple, focusing more on "affection than investigation" and providing a nice counterbalance to PBS' "dutifully dull American Masters series," which aired last month.
Since so much of film has recently focused on telling the Eames' story, I thought I'd take a moment and look at the films the Eames themselves made, especially since so little attention was paid to them in the documentary. We get a little mention from Paul Schrader, who wrote Taxi Driver, a film that was snubbed by the same critics who looked down their noses at the films the Eames were making, but even Schrader isn't all compliments, calling their films a mix of "self-expression and vanity."
The Eames made over one hundred films, yet little is known about them. There's a very logical reason for that. First, they're exceedingly hard to come by; the majority aren't available to the public, though I was happy to see that The Films of Charles and Ray Eames, a 6-disc set with 32 films including "Powers of Ten," is available through Netflix (not Watch 

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Here's an item from America's past I would not have imagined would make a comeback: The teardrop trailer. First produced during the Great Depression and designed in the Streamline Moderne style, the towable campers were lightweight, economical alternatives to full-sized trailers. They typically offered sleeping/lounging space, storage, and a makeshift cooking/food prep surface. Gas prices being what they are these days, teardrop trailers are back in vogue; some models are so light they can be towed by microcars and even motorcycles.
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Ohio-based  employs Amish craftsman to produce seven different models, ranging from diminutive 4-foot-wide models to larger 6-footers:
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