Design & Architecture (designers)

Though we've featured Josh Jakus' Eggflat before on TreeHugger, his inclusion in HauteGREEN 2007 (take a look at the rest of our Sneak Peek series for more) gives us a chance to take a closer look at his work. Eggflat, designed as a sculptural tabletop piece that folds flat for storage and unfolds to function as sort of a catch-all, elegantly holding whatever you need to be handy evolved out of an experiment in creating three-dimensional objects through bending surfaces along seams. It's made from industrial pressed wool felt recovered from factory excess, and because it folds flat for shipping and is very light, most wholesale orders can be slipped into an envelope or small box. Aside from being physically flexible itself, the product's design emphasizes flexibility in the use of materials -- it's a mish-mash of wool (85%) and mixed fibers (15%), meaning the formula could be rearranged or substituted depending on the available materials. It all fits with Josh's design ideals; he's dedicated to making experiential connections between form and function, and uses materials in their simplest form so intrinsic qualities show through and pursues a rigorous design efficiency that strives to get the most impact out of the fewest moves. Head to his website for more, or see his work up close and personal starting May 19 at HauteGREEN 2007. ::Josh Jakus and ::HauteGREEN 2007