NEWS STREAM

Bench Update

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:46:00 GMT

Wow, it has been way too long since our last blog post!

First and foremost, an update on the bench project we worked on for Morgan at Bikram Yoga Calgary South is long overdue. This project was actually installed back in November, and after some searching I found a few pictures that were taken at different points in the fabrication process.

Messing around with the router and the sweet wood name plates we had made. Thanks to Bob at Vivid Expressions!

Eventually we sorted out the inset depth and made a quick jig that we would later use to make sure each name plate was in the same spot on every bench.

Staining the benches before the trim was applied. Each bench was made of laminated strips of Douglas Fir which gave a really cool effect when the stain was applied. Some strips soaked up a lot more stain which gave the benches a lot of visual depth. You can also see where the name plate will eventually go on the bottom left.

This is almost a final 4' bench top. The darker Poplar trim has been applied and Current name plate installed. A few coats of sealer and she'll be done!

This picture shows one of the concrete bases just after it came out of the mould. The walls are only about 3/4" thick and the stepped down corners made for a really interesting fabrication procedure. We'll keep that hush hush though at the request of Justin and Carly of 2Stone Designer Concrete who helped tremendously with the mould design and fabrication. We can't say enough about 2Stone; they really taught us a lot about the fabrication process and their expertise came in very handy with the mould design.

Getting the consistency of the liquid concrete took a few test iterations. The balance between porosity, setting time, and ease of material flow through the mould was pretty tight. We really love the raw, porous texture. On this pour, the concrete hadn't quite set up completely. The edge quality suffered a bit because the wet material stuck to the inside of the mould. You can see the white fibres poking out which were added to the mixture to strengthen the final material.

Check back to see the final pictures of the benches installed at Bikram Yoga Calgary South!

Seating Project

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:49:00 GMT

Stay tuned for the new custom designed concrete and solid wood benches!

BETACUP: Final Submission

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 22:25:00 GMT

Take a look at our proposed solution for the Betacup competition. We are hoping to get comments and feedback over the next 14 days!

You can click both images to go directly to our submission on Jovoto website.

The Story of Stuff

Mon, 10 May 2010 22:01:00 GMT

As industrial designers we are always thinking about the impact of the stuff we design. This little video has been around for a few years now and really makes you think. Take a look if you haven't already.

Via Story of Stuff

Betacup Submission

Mon, 10 May 2010 22:01:00 GMT

For those of you who haven't heard, Betacup is an organization that partnered with Starbucks and many other respected sponsors to come up with a solution to the current problem of throw-away coffee cups.

Check out our initial ideas for a more sustainable paper cup on Jovoto! Comments and feedback are much appreciated.

Great Online Material Resource

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:02:00 GMT

Materia.nl is an online database of a wide range of materials. From traditional to incredibly innovative, these materials are a great source of inspiration for new projects. The materials are categorized into several groups, so searching for something you already have in mind is easy. One could spend hours browsing through what they have! Singing up for an account is free. Finally, if you want to purchase a particular material, you can do it right away as the contact information of the producer is posted.

Below are some examples of the kinds of things one can find on Materia. Left: Aluminum foam, middle: Horse hair weaving, right: Extrema - a coated fabric with a velvet surface.

Via www.materia.nl

Cool Handles by Fendley Knives

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 21:53:00 GMT

We came across this pretty interesting use of denim fabric and epoxy, used to make a great looking knife handle. The guys at Fendley Knives have been experimenting with a process originally developed in the 1950's. They go through their whole process, explaining everything along the way, including many pictures. Finally the laminated material is put through its paces through a rigorous testing phase. It's pretty tough.

If you're interested to learn more about this material, follow the link.

Via Fendley

Cocoon Light Revisited

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:49:00 GMT

We've recently had some time to rework a lighting design from a few years back. Check out our experimentation with laminating and forming beech veneers.

The first test run shows that the form is starting to come along, curving as desired. We still have to work on the edge details.

The clamping process resulted in some unexpected (but interesting!) wrinkles. Good to know...

We worked out the wrinkles in the second test but still need to tweak the mold to allow for the desired spacing (as simulated with the post-it pads).

After trimming the edges some cracks appeared. We're still working on lamination and trimming techniques.

We'll continue to post process updates on this and other projects. Stay tuned for more!

Garden in a Bag

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 20:39:00 GMT

For those of us who wish they could grow their own fresh herbs year round, but do not have the space (or climate) to do so. A great idea from Inhabitat Shop!

Via Inhabitat Shop

Nice use of materials

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:07:00 GMT

We came across Because We Can out of Oakland, CA. We really like their whole company philosophy, not to mention these sweet benches. It's amazing what a little creativity and elbow grease can do.

via BecauseWeCan.org

Tire re-use at its best!!

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:56:00 GMT

Made by Mirko Siakkou-Flodin, these used tire sculptures are amazing! Imaginative, well-made and most importantly: recycled. More of this please!

Via Oddee.com

The Vendor Client relationship – in real world situations

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 01:19:00 GMT

This is a funny (but so true) video showing some situations designers face using examples from other fields.
Take a look!

Via Drawn.ca

Blog Upgrade

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 02:52:00 GMT

Our news blog has been made better with more functionality! Now you can browse the posts more easily and post your comments right to our website.

We hope to hear from you!

Take a look at what we've been taking a look at!

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 02:50:00 GMT

d.school

Graduate program at the Stanford Institute of Design

Bruce Mau Design

Incomplete Manifesto for Growth, Institute Without Boundaries

Core77

Daily design posts and plenty of inspiration

Calgary Home & Interior Design Show Snapshot

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 01:20:00 GMT

Take a look at our photographs from the Calgary Home & Interior Design Show! Many thanks to everyone who visited our booth!

To see the image gallery, click the image below:



To see a video of our sketching process, see the video below: