Two Great Designs by Jin-Wook Hwang

The Sound from Wind is an analog musical flute that can be used to make music while riding a bike. The device simply attaches to the handlebars of the bike. As you ride, the wind passes through the chambers and a sound is generated. Similar to a flute, the sound if completely analog. There are also additional button attached to each of the two chambers on the bike that allow you to play different musical notes. This is done by adjusting the air that flow through the chambers them selves.



I think this is an absolutely amazing idea. I would love for someone to pick this up and produce this design so that I can buy it for my bike. Similar to how you can adjust the amount of wind that flows through the chambers to adjust the pitch, you should also be able to adjust it so that no sound is emitted at all. Yet even though this is not a digital device there should still be an off mechanism.

The same artist, Jin-wook Hwang from Seoul, South Korea, also had one other idea that I absolutely adore.




The seedbomb is is a bomb that is intended to be dropped by a plane in barren areas in order to promote vegetation. The bomb comes apart when it leaves the plane and exposes several capsules contained within. These capsules are made of biodegradable material and within each one is soil packed with moisture and nutrients and, of course, a seed. The seed grows within the capsule to protect it from potentially harsh environment surrounding it. Once big enough, the capsule itself will have melted away and the plant will be big enough to grow on its own.




What an absolutely amazing idea! Instead of bombs being used to kill people, an offer of peace and resurrection to war-devastated regions. Encouraging growth rather than fostering hatred.

Creative Designs for Bus Stops

Who comes up with the design for bus stops for a city? Do they think about typical weather conditions for the location? Probably. Why not take into the consideration the local community? I think it would be a great idea if a city commissioned artists from the local community to design a bus stop instead. What kind of fun and interesting designs would they come up with?



I understand the monetary implications for this. Its obviously easier and more cost-efficient to design one, get some company to mass produce 1000 copies and install them throughout the city. Yet think of the personality that it adds.



Quite frankly, I am tired of the same old boring design. I think if the city held a design competition with clear requirements of what they want the stops to have they'd be surprised by the results. Each stop doesn't even have to be unique but one from a set of proposed designs. Still better than what we have today.


(via Design We Trust)

Mutek 2009

I usually go to Mutek every year, the annual music and technology music festival that takes place in Montreal. This year, however, I was unable to make it out there much to my disappointment. I'll have to blame this one on work for not giving me enough time off and also due to the lack of funds because of my future vacation plans. I am VERY depressed that I'm not there right now.

Luckily it seems that Awido is streaming some of the live performances. I am listening to Ezekiel Honig in the Savoy lounge at Metropolis. Clinker, I8U, Novi_Sad and Aun are coming up soon. Not to mention Appleblim, Deadbeat, Moderat, and Mala in the main room.

Sure I'm not in Montreal enjoying seeing the bands play LIVE. Yet listening to the shows remotely is still better than nothing ... thank you modern technology!

For those of you that are there right now... I hope you're having a good time!

Nokia's Headset Design Competition

I didn't know anything about this but apparently Nokia had a competition to design headphones inspired by individual songs. The results were pretty fun. Details about the submitted designs as well as the winner can be found here. My favorite is the headset inspired by Basement Jaxx's Where's Your Head At. The craziness of the headset suits the song really well.

Nature Photography by Kari Liimatainen

Kari Liimatainen is a Finnish photographer. His pictures on deviantART are of beautiful icy and dreamy landscapes.


I love how how the snow has such a tranquil color and its so soothing to look at. The stillness of the forest is palpable. It makes me want to get into my snow pants and jump around in the soft fluffy snow.



As opposed to this image which is the exact opposite, so turbulent, sharp and painful. I wouldn't dare venture out of my blanket and pajamas.

Check out more of his beautiful photographs at his galley.









(via Design You Trust)

Tammy Hoy @ the Charolette Room

The Charlotte Room is a small little pub close to where I used to work. After a major release we would often go down there with the entire team and have a few drinks, play a little bit of pool, and do some team boding/bitching.

The thing I like about the Charlotte Room a lot, apart from the fact that they have a bunch of board games just lying around for people to pick up and play, is the art that they have displayed. There are a group of photographers called the Shadow Collective that always have their photographs displayed there. The Charlotte Room also takes part of the Contact Festival each year here in Toronto.

My favorite photographer who gets featured as part of the Shadow Collective is Tammy Hoy. She takes beautiful, lush, luxurious pictures of run-down decrepit things and places. I really enjoy the vibrancy and liveliness of the colors in the photograph in contrast to the rusty, broken, dead and forgotten things.

The other photographers in the group are also very good. In short, if you are ever around the entertainment district of Toronto and looking for a relaxed environment to hang out and have some drinks and appreciate the art that they have displayed there, I would definitely recommend The Charlotte Room!

Back in the New Year

Its been a really long time since I posted on this blog. I was going well for a while but then things got to hectic at work which starting interfering with my personal interests (ie browsing the web at work).

As part of my new years resolution I have allocated some time, even while at work, to pursue my own interests. Lets hope that I can keep this up for a large part of this new year!

With that said, happy new years everyone! Welcome to 2009!

Although January has been a bit of a lull in terms of events happening in the city, February seems to be quite the opposite. IDS09 is coming up which means that the Gladstone will have their annual exhibition for Come Up To My Room at around the same time.

Additionally, I've been looking at some designs by the artist Lisa Jones. In particular there is one series that she has called Symbiosis Chair which I find particularly appealing.



When I first saw this chair I thought that it was supposed to represent a young tree with many branches, a kind of homage to the wood that the chair was carved out of. Yet observing it further and then looking at her other work it is clear that it is supposed to represent human biology. Although this particular chair is called 'Vasa Intestina II' (which I assume is something about intestines) it seems more like the neural networks in a human brain to me.

Either way, this chair would be very delicate and even uncomfortable to sit on but beautiful nonetheless. I often wish I had a large museum-like house where I could store beautiful things even if they are not functional or practical. Maybe sometime in the future when I manage to become independently wealthy somehow ....