Oxford’s Bodleian library—aka the Bod—is one of England’s largest libraries, a 414-year-old research hub steeped in tradition and history. For example, only three types of chair have ever been designed for use inside its walls. Until now, that is: According to Co.Design, the library has chosen a fourth design to replace its older models.
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If you are a fan of the Beatles, disregard this chair. However, if you are a fan of actual bug beetles you are going to love this. This huge and very comfy looking Rhinoceros Beetle chair is fit for a beetle king.
This insect inspired chair by Maximo Riera is all kinds of awesome if you love bugs (and all kinds of awful if you hate them.) As Maximo points out, beetles are the strongest land animal in relation to their size, capable of lifting over a hundred times their own weight. So why not let let them serve as chairs?
I say we genetically alter them and beef them up and put them in our living rooms. Besides, the way the average American is getting fatter, we are going to need some new durable furniture.
Unfortunately, the Beetle Chair is just a one-off design right now, but it would be awesome if we could buy it.
[via designboom via LikeCool]
One of the best parts of chemistry—for a math-deficient person like myself—were the wood-and-wire molecular models that appeared in class from time to time. Those days clearly made an impression on Berlin designer Daniel Becker, too: His new collection of lamps double as molecular models.
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I’ve always daydreamed about what working at IKEA must be like: Creating whimsical reindeer-shaped furniture, testing new meatball recipes, and dreaming up adorable product names. But as the Wall Street Journal reveals today, the process of developing products at the world’s largest furniture retailer is an epic, efficiency-driven numbers game.
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Childhood is about carefree play, but even kids have to move their crap out of the way sometime. Perhaps looking to lay down the law in a stylish way, Torafu Architects designed the koloro-wagon, which converts three stackable wooden baskets into a multi-tiered cart.
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Some people put out pails and bins to collect rainwater when it rains. Others, like the folks of MARS architects, put out benches. They’re very different objects, but they serve the same purpose: to collect rainwater which will be used to water plants, wash cars, hose down driveways, and so on and so forth.
So you might be wondering, how does a bench collect rainwater? Well, it’s all in the cushions. The bench MARS came up with features grooves and seams that direct the water into inlet buttons. The collected water is stored in an underground tank and in the aboveground tank (which is, essentially, the bench.)
The benches are available in three capacities: 500 liters, 1,000 liters, and 1,800 liters, each of which is recommended for certain locations to maximize their usefulness.
The smallest unit does not even require any ground work, and is best equipped for roadside installation; the medium size includes an underground tank and is well-suited for gardens and greenhouses; and the largest one is appropriate for public parks and playgrounds.
The bench came to be after MARS was commissioned by the BMW guggenheim lab to join in on the think tank’s vision to come up with innovations that would benefit cities and urban environments.
[via designboom via Likecool]
Tinkerers, hackers, makers, geeks – whatever you call them, craftsmen who specialize in electronics and software want to customize their work environment. It manifests in lots of ways: custom-built computers, hardware mods and software hacks. But unless they’re also good at carpentry, they may find it hard to personalize their furniture or workstation. That’s where the Kickstarter project called MultiMod kit comes in.
The kits are based on two simple parts: PVC-coated steel poles and clamp joints. The idea is that you can combine any number of poles and joints to satisfy your needs. Add accessories like countertops, casters and hooks and you can build anything from a small tray to a portable 3D printer stand to a multi-monitor battlestation, as shown in the images above and below. Like LEGO, you can easily dismantle and reuse the parts, which means their usefulness is mainly limited by your needs and imagination.
MultiMod is actually a bundled version of parts that you can buy piece by piece under the name Fitz Kits. Honestly I don’t why Cody Wilmer and his partners took to Kickstarter for MultiMods when they already have Fitz Kits setup. That doesn’t make their invention any less useful though.
Pledge at least $75 (USD) on Kickstarter to get a MultiMod kit. The Battlestation kit in the images above can be yours if you pledge at least $95. You can also have a look at the Fitz Kits shop if you don’t need a lot of poles and joints at once.
Billiard tables have become bonafide works of art that some people furnish entire rooms around—but ping pong tables are only just catching up. But the hideous green folding contraptions of yesteryear are quickly being replaced with sleek pieces like this gorgeous Bola Service Table designed by Barcelona-based studio A.P.O.
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I’m sure you’ve bought fruit or had some at home when it was still wrapped snugly in the box in its foam rubber packaging. I remember my cousins and I fighting over who got the stretchy, accordion-like stuff whenever an adult would grab an apple or pear from the box, because it was a toy to us, not trash.
Getting inspiration from this same packaging is Japanese designer Keisuke Fujiwara.
I’m sure his chair’s designs look more than familiar to you, because they resemble that stretchy fruit packaging I was just talking about. The structure, the way the fibers cross and intersect with one another, and the shape of the chair screams “I was inspired by the foam rubber packaging that protected your fruit while it was in transit!”
Apparently, they also feel like the rubbery packaging too, because the chairs are described as being “pillowy soft” and “moldable.” They’ll also “wrap around” anyone who sits in them, making for a very comfortable piece of furniture.
Sitting down for extended periods of time is not good for health, as studies have shown, which is why there are offices in the world who have introduced standing desks. For those unfamiliar, a standing desk is a table that is set at a certain height in which standing is required if you wish to work on it, reportedly giving you better posture at the same time. In any case if you’re a fan of the standing desk and would love if it were a little more hi-tech, former iPod engineer, JP Labrosse, has announced his company’s newest product, the Stir Kinetic Desk.
Basically this desk has two modes, one for those who like sitting, and one for those who prefer standing. A touchscreen has been built into the corner of the table and tapping it twice will activate the desk, allowing it to rise to a standing position. It even comes with a built-in thermal sensor to detect when you have approached the desk. Eventually over time the desk will learn your habits and will know when you’ve had enough of standing and want to take a break. There’s also a WhisperBreath feature which makes the desk rise up and down gently as a reminder that you’ve been there too long and should probably go walk around.
Sounds pretty awesome, huh? The design of the desk itself is pretty minimalist so if a clean and sleek look is your thing, this might appeal to you. The Stir Kinetic Desk is expected to begin shipping in the first half of 2014 and will be priced at $3,890. More information about the desk can be found on its website.
Stir Kinetic Desk Could Be Beneficial For Your Health original content from Ubergizmo. 
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