The Design blog

Devised by Italian designer Davide Anzalone, the “Teseo e Arianna” is a system of products for the beach rescue services that makes rescuing easy, safe and quick, while maintaining the environmentallyy friendly measures. Powered by solar energy, the Teseo+Arianna comprises a Tower (Arianna) that includes solar panels and radio remote control, together with a vehicle (Teseo) that generates power from a water jet engine. Featuring driverless assistance, induction electric power, CO2 cartridge and an easy plug in-off battery, the rescue system also boasts a refreshing design to accomplish prompt and secure rescue operations. The beach-guard solar rescue system just improves the first life support on board thanks to its intelligent automatic driving system.

Based on the traditional Chinese principle of ‘balance’ from five element theory, the SPF Architects has come up with a unique architecture dubbed “Zhuhai Opera House” that gives an appearance of huge pebbles stacked one on top of the other. Located in the city of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province (China), the opera house will accommodate a 1500 seat auditorium, large plaza gathering space, rehearsal hall, restaurants and other public amenities. Drawing its name from the Chinese word ‘dieshi’ meaning ‘a stacking rock,’ the structure incorporates the critical geographic and cultural element of Zhuhai city. While the natural elements are enforced by a forest behind the structure, which gives an impression of growth and sustainability.

Riding down the street on the roller-skates may give a thrilling experience to the rollerbladers, but it requires a lot of physical effort to move forward and balance the body weight on the skates. Taking the physical aspect out of the skating, Israeli designer Shay Shafranek has designed a small device that promises to make roller-skating an effortless task. Called “Speed Bat,” the rollerblades is essentially an electric motor, with a stick, which is designed to take the rollerbladers far and fast on steep tracks, even without putting too much strain on their body. Check out the video after the jump.

Presenting a compact and smart alternative to the traditional cars, designer Tobias Bexten has come up with a city vehicle that looks perfect for short distances rides like shopping-tours down the street or the way to workplace. The “Stem,” as the designer calls his vehicle, is a three-wheeled vehicle that offers space for goods in the case module, located in the front of the vehicle, which when not required can be removed from the vehicle. Generating power from an electric engine with lithium-based accumulator batteries of newest technology, situated under the seat, the Stem runs on solar energy filled at parking lots and rental stations. Featuring a clean surface and precise edges to emphasis the functional elements of the vehicle, the urban vehicle presents an uncommonly forward leant main body that stems against the driving direction.

Displayed at the ZERO exhibition during Tokyo Design Week, the “PITIN” from Muu Design Studio, a Tokyo based store, is a refreshing bicycle stand that doubles as street furniture (table), while the cycle seat becomes the seating for the bikers. You may ride your bike straight into the stand, which locks the front wheel and provides an instant table to have snacks, rest and work on your laptop or notebook in the busy market place. Finished with bendable steel plate, the PITIN apart from a neat and sleek design also offers a smart and multidimensional solution to the growing problem of bike parking as well as outdoor furniture for public places.

With power vehicles emerging thick and fast for the common users, chasing criminals has become a perilous as well as difficult task for the cops. Offering a solution to the trouble, Indonesian designer Andi Dewanto has designed an Unmanned Racing Vehicle (URV) that moves briskly on both busy market roads and highways. Hailed as “3Wheeler,” the URV concept is a three wheeler with difference that breaking away from the conventional three wheelers features two front wheels and a single rear wheel. With compact size and high speed chasing, the 3Wheeler is gonna give a tough time to the criminals on the streets.

Drawing inspiration from a variety of objects, Australian designer Leon Fitzpatrick has designed a modular prefab or home called “Echelon” that appears to be a pursuit to a perfect refuge, other than aesthetics. Made from concrete and polyurethane, the modern home includes large concrete sections, which slid back and forth to create not just a different experience of space, but also controls the interior light. While the furniture consists of a concrete base with light weight and removable seating surfaces that the users can arrange according to their needs and interior decoration. In short, the modular prefab giving a new dimension to the mobile homes presents an ideal blend of performance, comfort and mobility.

The toilet is the most common and iconic accessory in a bathroom, the one that we used every day and we past without notice. Going beyond of what we have these days, Mexican designer Cesar Estrada has designed an innovative toilet called the “HT4” that accommodates all, from kids to handicapped and elderly people, with equal ease. Featuring moving arms that you can adjust in different positions for balance and comfort that also help people to stand and sit, the HT4 also includes an adjustable seat that goes higher for people without strength in their knees and legs and bends to the needs of different users. In addition, the HT4 has an ergonomic back for resting and comfort. And all its lines are based on ergonomics for the best comfort and balance, which can be very useful for handicapped people or just for having a good rest.

Contributing a new point of view and sparking more significant advancement, the Mike and Maaike, an industrial design studio that takes an experimental approach to design, is out there with a concept car that promises an optimistic new future for the auto industry. Hailed as the “ATNMBL,” the autonomous vehicle comes with no steering wheel, brake pedal or driver’s seat. You may call the vehicle by phone and access it from the curbside through an electric glass sliding door into a standing-height entryway. Looking looks like a micro-architecture, the ATNMBL presents densely packed mechanical components that add extra interior space to the vehicle.

Designed to function off-the-grid, where photovoltaic cells and a small vertical axis wind turbine generate the required amount of electricity to power the home, the Homestead House by Michael Jantzen is an innovative design for alternative housing that explores the potential use of renewable energy generating systems and recyclable materials to reduce the carbon footprint of its owners. The modular house is to be made from recyclable steel sheets, which are to be bolted together for easy disassembly. Being easy to disassemble, the house can also be reconstructed at any preferred location without spending too much on the entire process. Once the steel arches are bolted together, they don’t require any additional material to hold the house together. Other than on-site energy generating systems, the Homestead House harvests rainwater through the roof arches and directs it to water storage tanks that can be placed underground. Passive solar techniques are used to heat and cool the interiors according to seasons and the requirements of the homeowners.