November 2009 Archive

Monsters sink

This eye-catching design is one of the short-listed entries in Designboom's Green Life Contest. A cute and clever variation on the humble sink, the Mons Lavabo is both child friendly and highly functional.

Designed by Teng Chuan Tey and Romualdo Faura Bernabe from Spain, this friendly sink is designed specifically for kids in a deliberate attempt to improve their hygiene habits. It's enclosed shape helps prevent splashes, it has a built-in motion sensor to control water flow and it dispenses soap from it's single "tooth".

To top it all off it's environmentally freindly as well. Made from Duralmond (biodegradable and recyclable crushed almond husks), it really does have a light eco-footprint.

So this friendly looking monster sink encourages kids to wash their hands, improving personal hygiene habits whilst saving water and it's manufactured with biodegradable & recyclable materials... I want one!

Less is More

In this new age of sustainable design it is sometimes difficult to sort out the good from the bad in terms of green innovation. For designers, the merits of one development path over another are often shades of grey rather than black & white, with complex issues having to be closely examined to determine their eco-benefits.

One method we've utilised at Katapult is beautiful in it's simplicity, the old adage of "Less is More" rings true. In terms of product design and development, it is far more difficult to develop new products that are simple and minimalist, but still achieve their goals, compared to developing products that have all the "whistles and bells" because it is very easy to keep adding components and processes to solve design problems.

The danger with this "add-on" process is that products become complicated and costly to make, use more resources to manufacture and transport, and generally become less than a delight to use.

The opposite approach is to subtract. We look at ways to reduce components, materials and processes so that the product becomes paired down to it's perfect, minimal sub-set. This reduces the manufacturing costs so clients love it, it generally reduces the environmental footprint so we love it and it invariably makes the product look and function better so the customers love it. Everyone's a winner!

Interestingly this in-house approach has now started to get some mainstream traction. Look at Apple products - simple and beautiful. Check out the comeback of the fixed gear bike (images above) as an example of people wanting to uncomplicate their lives, simply to remove unnecessary clutter. Also, check this recent article on the topic in eco blog, Greenbiz.

The philosophy has even extended to user interfaces and software. Check out 37signals for a range of business software that does the basics really well without filling your life with unneeded features.

Next time you want to develop a considered product from a complicated brief give us a call and we'll help simplify your life.

Hi-tech meets high art for charity

Lance Armstrong is becoming as well known for his tireless charity work as he is for his incredible cycling career where he won an unprecedented 7 Tour de France races between 1995 and 2005.

His latest fundraiser is a combined effort between his cancer support charity Livestrong, bike manufacturer Trek and apparel giant, Nike and involves getting prominent contemporary artists and designers to decorate a series of Lance's race bikes.

These bikes were then used in various races as part of Lance's much publicised comeback and are currently being exhibited and subsequently auctioned off by Sotheby's to raise money for the Livestrong charity.

The state-of-the-art Trek racing bikes have been embelished by the likes of Damien Hirst, Marc Newson, Shepard Fairey, Yoshitomo Nara, Kaws and Kenny Scharf, producing one-off works of art that have actually been raced by the great man.

Apart from the artwork, each bike features the numbers 1274 and 27.5. The former signifies the number of days Lance was in retirement prior to his comeback, the latter the number of people who succumbed to cancer in that same time period. Astonishing numbers indeed.

Says Armstrong of the bikes, "I'm not a gearhead, and my garage is anything but a cycling museum, but I can honestly say that letting go of my bikes has never been harder. From Damien Hirst's masterpiece Tour de France "finale" Trek Madone covered in real butterflies, to the KAWS "Chompers" cycle that I broke my collarbone on in the Vuelta Castilla y León, every ride is a treasured piece of personal history that I'm proud to offer up to benefit LIVESTRONG."

Technology, art and humanitarianism come together. Perhaps it is... "all about the bike!".

Smart sustainable design

D.light Design is a fast-growing international consumer products company serving people without access to reliable electricity. They've developed a range of clever solar powered lamps, the latest of which, The Kiran, provides effective, low-cost, portable lighting for people without easy access to electricity.

This adaptable lamp provides up to 8 hours of light from a day in the sun, giving people in disadvantaged communities a eco-friendly alternative to the traditional kerosene lamp.

The US$10 purchase price is within reach of the target consumers and, once purchased, this little lamp provides better lighting than the fuel powered alternatives whilst remaining totally free of any ongoing costs.

If you're interested in these types of products also check out the Australian based company Barefoot Power who are doing similar products for poor communities in developing countries throughout Asia and Africa.

Great examples of cutting edge technology being put to work in low-cost products to fulfill a real need and empower communities. Need some clever design solutions with a sustainable edge? Contact us.