Treehugger's Dominic Muren wins Designboom Competition!
by TreeHugger 
on 04.24.05
Treehugger contributor Dominic Muren just won first prize in the "Doorway to Paradise" Competition!
This design competition,which attracted thousands of fascinating entries was judged by Philipe Starck, Peter Gabriel, Oiviero Toscani and Luca Trazzi.
Treehugger thinks it wonderful that of all 3652 high-tech, conceptual and sometimes crazy ideas, they picked as winner a simple, elegant, easy to build, why-didn't-I-think-of-that musical door based on an african tongue drum. How fabulous that he is a treehugger! ::Designboom via ::nearnearfuture by [LA]
1) Melody Door
2) Door in use
3) melody door assembly
designer's own words:
The melody door brings the fun and customization of ringtones to your home. Now anyone announcing themselves with a knock can be as playful as the want to be. Ever wanted to tap out "Taps" to wake someone up in the morning? Or how about chopsticks? One full octave of notes gives you a range of choices, while the design of the door fits nicely with a modernist aesthetic. With melody your knock is as unique as you are.
Dominic Muren is an engineer/product designer living in Chicago, Illinois, and spending his grownup time (AKA day job) as a toy designer. He's fascinated with sustainability, not only of materials and processes, but also of social systems, like manufacturing plants which are so comfortable that workers enjoy going to work, and local manufacturing that re-invigorates economies. When he's not actively tree-hugging, he is either editing IDFuel, The Industrial Design Weblog or spending time scheming the next big social engineering product.
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This is such a poetic and beautiful idea. I sit here moved by the simplicity and happyness of it all.
Congratulations.
Congrats Dominic. Beautiful design. It sings!!!!!
Pierre Matisse, the grandson of Paul, has done musical public art around Cambridge MA, most notably the musical instruments in the Kendall Square T station. Around the same time, he did a musical fence for City Hall. It was a beautiful piece that sounded wonderful, steel tubes of different lengths that could be struck to play notes like some huge xylophone. Unfortunately, it became a nuisance as people played it late at night after the bars closed.
It had to be moved away from City Hall. I think they put it up in a park but it also had to be moved from there as well. Same reason - too much noise/music.
Now, I believe it has been installed at the De Cordova Museum in the suburbs. Either that or it was scrapped.
May the musical door meet a much more pleasant fate.
well deserved. nice job, mon. now post some dev work on the Core forum already!