Hasta La Gadget!

Much is happening recently with vertical gardens and other urban architecture, including some high-end, self-contained models we’ve seen recently.

Hokkaido Sanyu Corp. has developed a system for green walls called River Re Wall that looks like a miniaturized riverbed or garden turned on its side. Behind the moss-covered wall panel is an irrigation system that ensures all-around healthy greenery and generates a faint, trickling sound of water. The sound is designed to create a sense of real, living nature, as well as encourage relaxation.

As part of their campaign to demonstrate the applications of such a system, Hokkaido Sanyu has established the Miino Brand of indoor fine art green walls. A number of these were on display at the recent Art Fair Tokyo. Priced at ¥700,000 to ¥2,600,000 ($7,000 to $26,000) these painting-sized “living” wall panels draw inspiration from traditional temple-style meditation gardens.

Meanwhile up the road at Tokyo 101, another art fair part of the loosely organized Tokyo Art Week, Sony Digital Entertainment had a booth to display the Charart project. Under the slogan “digital comic to real art” Charart takes popular characters from Sony Digital Entertainment comic series and turns them into the subject of fine art collectibles by the original artists. Sony Digital Entertainment was a main sponsor of Tokyo Art 101.

Think the world is your oyster? Think you’ve got it all figured out? Think again, bub. ENESS’ appropriately named Humble Telescope is an interactive installation that presents a 3D simulation of our entire known universe to anyone who dares peer in. Viewers simply point the “telescope” in any direction, and instantaneously they’re presented with what exists in that specific area of space. The sheer magnitude of it coupled with the views from beyond seek to remind us of just how small we are in the grand scheme of things, and quite honestly, we’re tearing up just thinking about it. Grab a tissue and head past the break for a life-changing video.

[Via OhGizmo]

Continue reading ENESS Humble Telescope brings space to you, your ego down a notch

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Science

ENESS Humble Telescope brings space to you, your ego down a notch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For those of you who love Japanese design, particularly architecture, you can get your fix with an on-site visit or simply stay up-to-date with design fanatic Jean Snow’s blog. For a more inside perspective, CScout friend Roland Hagenberg has just released a new book bringing together years of interviews with legendary Japanese architects about their creations and philosophies of design.

Roland Hagenberg with photographer and artist Nobuyoshi Araki via Die Presse (German only)

Entitled 20 Japanese Architects, the bilingual (English/Chinese) is an expansion of Roland’s previous book 14 Japanese Architects and includes in-depth and thoughtful interviews with architectural visionaries ranging from Jun Aoki to Kengo Kuma. It also features many monochrome photos of the subjects and their works, all taken by Roland as well.

Roland interviews architect Toyo Ito. More in Roland’s YouTube Channel

We worked with Roland last year on the MINIInternational Magazine Kyoto Mash-Up party, for which he produced this video on Kyoto and its intersection of Japan’s ancient traditions with modern design and lifestyle.

Unfortunately, 20 Japanese Architects is only available in Taiwan at the moment, but stay tuned to Roland’s Angry Cactus Store for more of his works and future releases.

We’re suckers for power-strip designs. As gadget nerds, we’re constantly faced with overloaded circuits and blocked ports. For the latter, there’s this design by Jeff Carter that neatly overcomes the limitations presented by the ubiquitous (and ridiculous) side-by-side strip design. Regarding our excessive power issues, that’s easy: more interns to shovel the coal and kittens.

Continue reading Movable Power, like Paris, is a conceptual feast

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Movable Power, like Paris, is a conceptual feast originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 05:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What a lovely concept. This iDream pillow from Studio Psyho located in Ukraine shows images of what you may be dreaming of while you sleep. The pretty and simple designs include a flying person, headphones, breasts, a little birdie and more. So what’s going on in your subconscious?

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