Montreal based design firm recently won a prize at the Caravan Salon in Germany for their solar-diesel hybrid Volkswagen micro bus. So far the camper only exists as a series of computer renderings and video animation. This new design is clad in a light maple veneer and if built, it would use gas or diesel hybrid power combined with rooftop solar cells. See the Verdier website for more information.
You know you’ve created a great product when people build and wear it as a Halloween costume...
[Vote for the ugliest building at the column to the right]
Talking about ugly, I don't know what to say to the architects who designed the following buildings. I guess I should say... congratulations for coming up with such horrendous structures. So here they are in no particular order:
Tuk Chang
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Architect: Arun Chaiseri Group
Tuk Chang translates as ‘elephant building’... does this really look like an elephant?
Russian Embassy Building
Location: Havana, Cuba
Architect: Unknown
I am still trying to figure out the concept behind this horrific chunk of concrete.
Hotel Sofitel
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Kikutake Architects
This looks like a Christmas tree made in a Commodore 64.
Ryugyong Hotel
Location: Pyongyang, North Korea
Architect: Baikdoosan Architects
This ugly building was left unfinished in 1992 and the crane is still sitting on top of it.
Taipei 101
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Architect: C. Y. Lee & Partners
Some of you might disagree with me here, but to me the tallest building in the world right now looks like a giant robot with a belt.
Torre Velasca
Location: Milan, Italy
Architect: Belgiojoso, Peressutti & Rogers
Another massive piece of concrete with no grace. Is sad that is located across the historical and beautiful Milan cathedral.
Oh groovy '70's couches... what we're designers thinking back then!
The Sure Fit Company organized a contest to find America's ugliest couch, which ended last August. I can only show you one... they're waaay too ugly to post.
Check the Sure Fit website to see the top 10 finalists. Boy! Those are ugly!
I bumped into these pictures tonight and I couldn't resist posting them. Check out the best vomit machines our planet's structural engineers can create.
Via Static
This is a rendering for a brand new housing development in Denmark, designed by Danish architecture firm Bolgen. I couldn't gather much information about it, but the design is stunning. Interesting design, isn't it?
Via Contemporist
'Fuerzabruta', one of the most unique shows out there, will be performing in NYC until February 17. The show by Argentinean Company De La Guarda is a jaw-dropping blend of aerial and aquatic acrobatics with a dose of dance and theater. The performers move between three stages: ground, air and underwater; and being general admission, the audience stands throughout the performance. Fuerzabruta will be performing at the Daryl Roth Theatre. I would love to see them live on my December visit to NYC. If I do, I promise I’ll tell you all about it.
Back to Daytona for business, so no chance to write while I'm here. This magazine will resume on Tuesday night with a Pompomist special, a flock of beautiful pictures and other interesting articles. So hang in there.
Two more days... just two more days...
A Giant Swiss Army Knife from Wenger is on sale now over at ThinkGeek, providing all you need to stab yourself in 85 different ways for paying $1000 for it (plus shipping).
Created to celebrate Wenger’s 100 year anniversary, it contains 85 tools which can be used in over 100 functions, making it the world’s largest Swiss Army knife. Even though it weighs three pounds, it includes a key ring… good luck carrying this one!
Robert Bechtle [painter, 1932 - present]
‘61 pontiac - oils on canvas, 1968
cream pie - oils on canvas, 1979
safeway interior - oils on canvas, 1974
untitled (modern sleep) - oils & acrylics on canvas, 2005
sand beach - waterborne automotive paint on unknown surface
If you and your partner like to wear jeans, these are the perfect pair of pants for you! Is the ‘For me for you’ jean, inspired by how couples hug each other while walking together. Designed by InsightOutsight: a design studio based in the UK.
Via Design Spotter
This is the wonderful, yet sometimes delightfully morbid, work of Slinkachu, a London based artist. His specialty is creating miniature figures and objects and placing them in such a way so as to tell a rather hysterical story. The closer you look, the more interesting and surreal it gets... almost believable. I love the long row of Starbucks storefronts.
Slinkachu has his own weblog where you can see his entire collection.
Due to some technical problems, I was only able to post one article last night. I was really looking forward to posting since I had some great topics to write about, but unfortunately I had bad internet connection. Hopefully tonight I won't run into the same problem. My apologies.
Check your Pompomist friend site tomorrow for some new/interesting stuff.
Thank you.
Now here's a new approach to the usual light bulb. Is called 'Lamp/Lamp': a two socketed light bulb designed by Hironao Tsuboi. Is design goal is to bring the utmost simplicity with a twist to everyday products. Stunning!
Via PingMag
Can you imagine? A rusty old shipping container turning into a fancy cafe at the touch of a button? Well, here I present you Illy's Quick House designed by Adam Kalkin.
With the push of a button, it opens in 90 seconds like a flower and transforms into a fully furnished and functional space.
The container... I mean the cafe, will be traveling the US and the next stop will be NYC. It will be set up and accepting visitors in Columbus Circle between November 28 and December 29 of this year. I will be visiting this cool piece of outside-the-box (or inside-the-box, I guess) design the last week of December, so stay tuned for some Pompomist pictures... plus I can't wait to enjoying a delicious Illy espresso.
Wait a second! What's that toilet doing outside in the open!?
Via Cool Hunter
This is a new addition to my 'I-Love-Bookcases' collection. Interesting design by Dutch firm Sloom & Slordig: very cool but impractical... at least in my little apartment.
Via Pan Dan
Yep, the wonderful and long anticipated BANG Music Festival, initially scheduled for November 10th and 11th, has been canceled or 'postponed' until further notice. All tickets already purchased will be refunded... including mine, which I bought about a month ago.
I am a big fan of this festival and have been attending every year since it started back in 2005. What a bummer!
At least, The Bravery is still scheduled to come that same weekend, performing in a small live venue. See you soon Bravery!
Efterklang (or reverberation in English) is a Danish post-rock group. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term post rock, it means (courtesy of Wikipedia): “using rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes".
Their new album 'Parades', released on October 14th, is a seriously impressive production: big in scale, highly sophisticated yet intimate in feel. Efterklang has an exquisite sound, so detailed it actually demands a good pair of headphones.
Check out their wonderful video created by graphic designers and animators Hvass & Hannibal and Ufex, who also happen to design their album cover. One of the best music videos I've ever seen.
Jewelry designer Stacy Saunders has created a new collection called La Pisette featuring simple, chunky rings of semi-precious stones, like this amethyst one for example. What I like the most is the simple, sort of archaic stone setting... beautiful.
Via MoCo Loco
