th comments
cb8888 said: "Thanks to Graydon , its a terrible story but the rush for sensationalism of seems to have overrun the facts. Even if ice breakers were available no..." [read]

said: "Technically Venice has been flooded for years. The buildings are built upon limestone which is resistant to erosion from water. However, the wate..." [read]

quikboy said: "Great! Just in time for the Summer Olympics! They should do this in Houston too!..." [read]

Eric said: "I'm in full support of the use of reusable bottles over disposable. However, I do question the wisdom of the following line... "Using paper..." [read]

Mackenzie said: "Larry: I recall the Gondola tour guide saying they have boats going up and down the river treating it in-place. The Gondola tour guid..." [read]

MGB said: "Keep dreaming. The power from sound is much-much smaller (several orders of magnitude) than is needed for any normal electronic device, especially..." [read]

It Slices, It Dices: Bookseat -- Take a Seat, Read a Book

by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 03. 3.08
Design & Architecture

Bookseat combines a bookshelf and a chair

The idea of combining a chair and a bookshelf makes a lot of sense to us; since we spend most (if not all) of our reading time seated, it follows that we should have ready access to our reading material. We've seen a few of these ideas before -- check out the geometric Bibliochaise and multi-functional Bookinist, which includes a reading lamp, cup holder, and even a wheel for easy moving -- and now add Bookseat, from Toronto-based Fishbol Design Atelier, to the growing list.

Noted as one of the "Ten Must-Sees" at the recent Toronto Interior Design Show 2008, Bookseat combines suavely-bent plywood with smart use of space to create an elegant, useful piece. It'll be available with a felt cushion in customizable colors sometime this spring. Hit the jump to see the chair in various stages of production and at the show. ::Fishbol Design Atelier via ::Design Spotter

Read more: It Slices, It Dices: Bookseat -- Take a Seat, Read a Book

Sneak Peek: Ryan Frank's New Design For Milan 2008

by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 02.29.08
Design & Architecture

ZiG-multiple.jpg

Our favourite 'free-range' designer Ryan Frank has been honoured with a special invitation to this year's Salone del Mobile in Milan. The world famous gallery Post Design, which has exhibited luminaries such as Ettore Sottsass and Ron Arad, has commissioned Frank to create a piece of furniture for the fair in April. Frank's response is Zig (pictured above). This funky modular shelving unit is made from solid bamboo, stained with natural colour, and has large castor wheels to make it easily mobile. The image above shows four units linked together to create a continuous storage system. Click over the fold to see a single Zig. We think it's fantastic that a gallery, with a design heritage as rich as the Memphis brand, is choosing to commission contemporary designers, like Ryan Frank, who push eco-design in new and exciting directions.

Read more: Sneak Peek: Ryan Frank's New Design For Milan 2008

It Slices, It Dices: Ex Libris Bookshelf and Table In One

by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02. 8.08
Design & Architecture

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Taking inspiration from its own Ptolomeo and Ptolomeo Wall book shelf designs (pictures below the fold), the Italian designers at MOCO have applied the same space-saving, hidden shelving ethic to "Ex Libris," the table whose legs double as book storage. A great companion to Bookinist and Bibliochaise -- two chairs with a similar goal of combining seating and storage -- Ex Libris was unveiled last month at Maison & Objet in France.

We'll add this to the list of best small space shelving solutions. And it might just be the smartest table we've ever seen. ::MOCO via ::Freshome and ::Trendhunter

Read more: It Slices, It Dices: Ex Libris Bookshelf and Table In One

Best Small Space Shelving Solutions

by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02. 5.08
Design & Architecture

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No matter how small you live, and how much clutter you can live without, storage is one thing it's always easy to run short on. The good people of Apartment Therapy have looked in corners, stairways, closets and even doorways to find the hidden places to stash books and other stackables we need to keep around. Their 8 best small space shelving solutions include the wrap-around ceiling shown above, plus a few more than include space efficiency tricks like floating and folding. They're great ways to get the most out of whatever space you have; hit the jump for pics of our favorites. ::Apartment Therapy

Read more: Best Small Space Shelving Solutions

Clevr: Balkony, the Modular Sitting/Eating/Growing Furniture System

by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.25.08
Design & Architecture

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Stuck with a tiny balcony? Looking for a smart way to maximize space? Look no further than the design by Christian Lessing, whose modular furniture system adds clever multi-tasking to a previously useless (or less used) space. It's got modules for seating, tables and flat surfaces that are handy for plants, especially if it's out on a balcony or adjacent to a window; though it's designed for balconies, this design is a great way to maximize space anywhere.

We could see this doing good work in a breakfast nook or similarly small space; sit for a quick meal and then turn it over to your plants while you're gone all day. Clevr. ::Christian Lessing via ::Josh Spear

Zweifach Shelf: Flat-Pack, Break It Down Storage

by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.26.07
Design & Architecture

zweifach-shelf.png

Put the words "flat" and "pack" together, and TreeHugger usually needs a towel to contain the drooling; there are few things we like more than the ability to change dimensions, create structure from wafer-thin materials and make efficient use of materials in manufacturing and space when shipping. With that in mind, we submit for your consideration: the Zweifach Shelf.

Designed by Simon Schappi and oddly reminiscent of Kindergarten, each double cubbie starts as three separate, flat pieces; spend a few minutes folding and fitting, and a modular shelf is born. This is one of our favorite things about this design: you can build only as much storage as you need; the modular, stackable system lets you expand and contract your storage as the volume of your stuff fluctuates. Empty a box or two out? No need to waste space with empty storage; just break down one of the boxes. Perfect for a small apartment dweller, frequent mover or anyone who doesn't want to kill extra space with storage you don't need. ::The Formsons via ::swissmiss

Books to Go: Modular Shelving for Multi-Use Space

by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.10.07
Design & Architecture

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A solution for those who move a lot, for people who are really on the go, or for anyone who changes the function of their living space with regularity (with a Murphy bed, let's say), Books to Go is a handy, modular bookshelf by UK designer Rose Cobb. Adding a combination vice/handle and wheels (isn't everything better on wheels?) to a more traditional bookcase adds easy moving functionality to the normally static, dust-collection shelf.

We could see this working well for small apartment dwellers and fans of multi-use living rooms everywhere. Contact the designer for more info on the wheeled wonder. ::Rose Cobb (site under construction) via ::Yanko Design

Bend it Like Piegato: Flat Pack Shelving

by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10. 5.07
Design & Architecture

shelving-flat-pack-piegato.jpg

Made from just a single sheet of laser-cut steel, and requiring just two screws to mount it on the wall, Piegato shelves are a great way to add storage using minimal space and materials. You get to decide how its configured -- the shelves can be packed flat as a piece of paper and shipped in a big envelope -- and thanks to some pretty thoughtful design (the bottom braces that keep the individual shelves from folding like a taco), the shelves can hold a surprising amount of weight; we're surprised to see lots of books on the shelves, but the designer swears it's true.

Because the shelf system is a single piece of steel, this baby is also highly recyclable, if/when you decide it's useful life is through; we could definitely see this in the downloadable design realm. Check out more at ::Piegato via ::MoCo Loco

We'll be working on better category archives soon. In the meantime, take a look at the weekly archive if you really want to dig around, or use the search box at the top of the page.

TreeHugger breaks it down for you in a series of in depth how-to articles that will help you green your life. No time like the present!

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