First and foremost, there’s the jagged silhouette with its massive triangular planes, the sharp ridge of the roof smoothly transitioning into the walls on all sides. Its sheer aerodynamic angularity makes it stand out from the crowd. When working with such a small space, most designers choose headroom over visual flair, but with the Base Cabin, it’s hard to deny just how cool the sacrifice of that space can ultimately look.

Then there’s the choice of stark matte black for the entire exterior, punctuated by a handful of well-placed windows and double-width folding glass doors. The black rubber stretched across the cabin’s lightweight steel frame produces an overall effect of abstracted mountains, and it makes the whole structure easy to tow.

Inside, marine plywood lines the floors and ceiling for a feel that’s clean, modern, and only about a million times more pleasant than the average plastic camper. That’s exactly the point for the Victoria, Australia-based Base Cabin Building Company, who hired Studio Edwards to come up with a “considered, functional, and flexible space that provides a fresh design approach to the micro-home typology.”

As you can see, the resulting product is a camper for lovers of architecture and design — and one that many people would be proud to travel with. The only downside might be all the curious onlookers who will want to ask questions about your highly unusual cargo.

It’s remarkable just how much Melbourne-based British architect Ben Edwards managed to fit within this “cocoon,” including a bathroom and storage space. The built-in window seat with bookshelves underneath is a particularly nice touch, situated beside a rear window that opens completely to the outdoors. Unlike many tiny houses, there’s no loft in the Base Cabin, but its high ceilings negate the claustrophobic feeling that can come with smaller campers.

“The design is inspired by the A-Frame cabin and iconic airstream trailer,” says Edwards, adding that “the A-frame is structurally efficient and uses less material than conventional portal framed buildings. [The Base Cabin] is mute in its appearance and clad in black rubber to blend into its surroundings.”

“A cozy sleeping space sits below the A-frame roof, with triangular windows framing views [of the outside world. The cabin comes] complete with a central bathroom and shower bathed in light from the roof-light above. A kitchenette to the rear of the cabin provides kitchen functionality, with a window seat and fold-out table adjacent to a large operable glazed facade.”

Naturally, sleek modern architecture on wheels also costs a bit more than the average camper. The price of this cabin starts at $99,000 AUS, and only three have been built so far. If you’re intrigued, check out Base Cabin’s website for contact information, or follow the brand on Instagram.

The post Base Cabin: Dramatic Black Mobile Retreat by Studio Edwards first appeared on Dornob.

A new collection of bold, creative garments from Japanese designer Rie Sakamoto integrates fringe into various garments in surprising ways, all using the most unexpected of materials. “Rubber Collection” takes an object you’d never normally associate with fashion and uses it as the one and only component of a dress and shawl-style jacket: the humble rubber band.

Thousands of ordinary rubber bands are knitted together like more traditional fibers to create these ultra-stretchy orange garments. Sakamoto, a graduating student at Japan’s Tama Art University, knitted them all into panels that resemble coarse linen thread from afar.

A recent piece from Spoon & Tamago explains that: “For her thesis exhibition, she decided to turn her eyes to the lowly rubber band, a stationary item overlooked in contemporary design [that] values functionality and scarcity. Working entirely with rubber bands, which have limited functionality and are definitely not scarce, Sakamoto created a line of garments that were on display at an exhibition in Tokyo last week.”

Sakamoto says she realizes that the rubber band has more functionality than meets the eye, and that its underestimated aesthetic value is really only limited by our own imaginations. Out of a range of her “Rubber Collection” sketches, it looks like only two have actually become real garments, but they show off the designer’s premise with ease, and the fringed collar, armholes, and hemline are all nice touches.

The designer also notes that the material makes the garments highly versatile, since its unusual degree of stretch will enable them to fit on a wide range of body sizes and shapes. That’s definitely something we could use a lot more often in fashion — especially now that the archetypal stick-thin model showing off clothes that aren’t realistic for most people has finally grown stale.

Rubber bands are certainly a far cry from the sort of avant-garde materials rising in popularity among buzzy fashion designers like Iris Van Herpen, including 3D-printed filament, thermoplastics, LED lights, wearable technology, and even biotech materials more closely associated with medical innovations than clothing. But for Sakamoto, that appears to be part of the point. Rubber bands aren’t high tech. They aren’t particularly exciting. They aren’t exactly sexy, either, but they’re readily available all over the world, and in the right hands, they can be art.

One has to wonder, of course, how comfortable rubber band clothing really is, especially when you have body hair. Imagine all those rubber stitches grabbing hair all over your body and pulling at it — ouch! Still, “Rubber Collection” is a fun illustration of the fact that all sorts of overlooked materials already exist, and we just have to be creative enough to see their possibilities.

You can follow Rie Sakamoto’s work on Instagram. Plus, check out more futuristic fashion design and innovative new materials, from digital accessories to recycled ocean plastics, in our Fashion & Style section.

The post Rubber Collection: Clothing Made of Knitted Rubber Bands first appeared on Dornob.

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“Dropping a brick” is a very crude euphemism for a bodily function, but now it also means doing something positive for the environment. In this case, the “brick” is actually made of bio-based rubber and meant to help save billions of gallons of water from being wasted every year.

Eco-conscious people (and people who want to save money on their water bill) have been putting bricks or rocks into their toilet tanks for decades. The object in the tank displaces water and tricks the toilet into using less water for every flush. The problem with this method is that heavy objects can damage porcelain toilets, and over time bricks disintegrate and do foul things to your home’s plumbing.

Drop-A-Brick is the modern equivalent to that old trick. It’s a rubber casing filled with eco-friendly hydrogel: a highly absorbent material that can expand up to 200 times its original size when it comes into contact with water. The brick ships flat at about nine ounces, but when you fill it with water and the hydrogel expands inside, its weight increases to four pounds. This weight is enough to displace about half a gallon of water when dropped into your toilet tank.

Each brick can save approximately two gallons of water per day per person. For a family of four, that’s about 50 gallons per week. If every household in the state of California used it, that would translate to saving six billion gallons of water in only three months. For a state that’s experiencing an emergency-level drought, this simple but effective product could be life-changing.

Project Drop-A-Brick is a not-for-profit grassroots foundation dedicated to saving water in homes across America. Their IndieGoGo campaign promises incentives that will not only get you your own Drop-A-Brick, but that will also provide Bricks for communities in California most affected by the drought.

The post Rubber Toilet Brick Can Save Billions of Gallons of Water first appeared on Dornob.

Back when humans were little more than hairy newborns trying to figure out the world around them, fire was both a comfort and an essential life-giving force. As we as a species have matured, we’ve developed the convenience of electric lights but moved away from the warmth and familiarity of the fire. An indoor campfire isn’t exactly recommended for safety reasons, but this table lamp brings the vibe you’re looking for.

The Iri lamp from Shift and Notwaste, a design company in Mexico, brings the campfire feeling indoors. Its shape is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the shape of a bonfire, with supporting sticks below and a flame-shaped top. The black rubber cords that run around three sides of the lamp dampen the light a bit to create a gentle, textured illumination not unlike that of a flickering fire.

The natural materials used in the lamp’s construction give it a lovely traditional appeal. The modern construction method and single light bulb let the little lamp blend in with any decor, bringing just a bit of the outdoors in.

More from the designers

“The Iri lamp is our most recent collaboration with Notwaste design. Notwaste is a brand whose premise resides in the responsible use of materials, predominantly OSB, and their mantra for “not wasting”. We believe this responsibility stems from a sense of purity, honesty and an environmental conscience, our connection with the natural world. Following the brand’s concept, we decided to tackle fire as a natural element and purest source of light. The result inherently became a lamp that explores the connection between man and nature. Iri is a reflection on man’s long history with the most basic and natural form of generating light: fire. Its design derives from a bonfire’s basic setup, the shape and form of a flame, but also echoes on the way we consume resources to create light and energy. Ultimately Iri combines Notwaste’s signature OSB and black rubber with modern technology and artistry to produce a simple yet thought provoking artifact.”

The post Indoor Campfire? This Charming Table Lamp Makes it Possible first appeared on Dornob.

This organic-looking structure is the perfect place for kids (or adults) to get away from the world for a while. The Knit Fort got its name from the way it is constructed; the reclaimed wood pieces held together with rubber cord make it look almost like it has been knitted from fabric.

The walls of the little house are flexible thanks to their unique construction and can be moved and shaped into different configurations to suit the tastes of the inhabitants. Designed by Matt Gagnon, the Knit Fort is as much for adults as it is for kids.

The structure’s unique construction method allows for plenty of natural light to shine in. Spaces between each wooden block let in rays of sunshine, illuminating the entire interior space.

According to Gagnon, the structure can be used indoors or outdoors, as a fort, sunshade, conference room, or even a room within a room indoors. The construction method makes it easy to scale the structure up or down, depending on needs, by simply adding or subtracting columns to give the end user a completely customized place to play or work.

“An organic assembly of thousands of wood sticks hand stitched together using cues from knitting to create undulating forms that remain flexible creating a surprisingly soft enclosure from hard parts. We have made lights, screens and structures using the technique.”

About Matt Gagnon

“Matt Gagnon studied architecture at Cornell University then worked for Gaetano Pesce and Frank Gehry. In 2002 Matt started his own studio in Brooklyn NY to pursue design and making at all scales. Over the years Matt has taught design at Otis College of Art, Parsons School of Constructed Environments and has been invited to speak at Savannah College of Art and Design, Woodbury School of Architecture, City College of New York and University of Central Oklahoma. His work has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Metropolis, Surface, Interior Design and Dwell and has been exhibited internationally. In 2010 Matt moved the studio to Los Angeles.”

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Stretchable silicone designed to be child-safe, this fun DIY fort making kit encourages children to assemble anything from small fantasy structures to full-sized play spaces out of natural materials in their environments.

Designed and created by Christina Kazakia, Stick-lets are a simple but powerful and versatile toy made to stimulate the imagination.

The colorful Fort Kit contains various sizes and shapes made for joining two or more sticks or branches. Strong, durable and weatherproof, they can be left outside as part of temporary construction projects.

And, of course, the connectors can be saved and the wood is naturally recyclable, reducing environmental impact and encouraging outdoor play. They can also be attached to bamboo branches, fences or other found objects.

“STICK-LETS® were invented by industrial designer and mama of two, Christina Kazakia, while studying at Rhode Island School of Design. Her passion for play-based learning and nature empowered her to create tools to help reconnect children with the great outdoors. Her fondest memories took place immersed in Mother Nature –– building forts, exploring the forest and nurturing her imagination. She hopes today’s children will reflect on similar experiences later in life. The business launched in 2012 and the studio is based out of Philadelphia, PA.”

“One by one my friends and I went around the dinner table sharing our favorite childhood memories. It quickly became apparent that they all took place in the great outdoors. This realization made me wonder if children today will have similar stories to share when they are adults. Will today’s youthful experiences become memories that illicit a yearning for days of unstructured activity, unsupervised play, and risk-taking- much like ours did? Will these memories incite a need to preserve our natural resources if today’s children are not provided the same opportunity to love and appreciate nature? These are my concerns and the driving force behind STICK-LETS®. “

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Generic disposable containers take on new dimensions with a simple twist or touch of decoration. These three solutions show how a little extra time or material can go a long way.

Take the essentially two-dimensional Pimavera Vase, for instance – simply drop in your old bottle and voila, you have a neat receptacle for a single perfect flower.

Cover It does what the title suggests: a net sheath slips around the outside of the container, conforming to it but also transforming it. A do-it-yourself version of this would be oh so easy, too.

The Lace Vase extends the same principle upward, combining a flexible silicon rubber sleeve that snugly hugs the top of the container while opening the neck upward to turn an inwardly-tapered bottle into an outwardly-expanding vase.

The post 3 Lovely Ways to Upcycle Glass & Plastic Bottles into Vases first appeared on Dornob.

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This set of strange furniture is designed to fit a peculiar purpose: each part is made to seem like a piece of art, or, more specifically, a one-off artwork with a functional side to it rather than mass-produced furniture made ready to order at little notice.

From a wide-legged wooden bench with rubber-loop cushions to a curved-wood chair and fiberglass lounger, each work by Aaron Asedo does a remarkable job of looking as much like a singular sculpture as the start of a furniture line.

Designed to fit into a UPS shipping box, the Loops Bench “brings modern design to knock-down furniture. Built utilizing CNC milling, over 1200 holes were drilled into PETG plastic, which allowed for the unique weave pattern. The translucent plastic, against the warm maple grain makes this piece a focal point of any room.”

Palm, above, is inspired by boat construction.

“Palm was created to narrow the gap between furniture found in the studio market versus designs that are sold in mass production. The early design stage concentrated on the capabilities of steam bending and experimented with different materials. Through research, the importance of the CNC tooling was established, and transformed Palm into a modern innovation. The advances in computer 3D modeling allowed for the table to be offered at two price points; the higher price point can be milled from beech or walnut wood, and the lower price point can be milled from 3/4 sheet stock. Both materials lend themselves to different aesthetics, which are successful at both price points. Shown here is the Studio Market version.”

The Nessy Lounge Chair, believe it or not, was inspired by artichokes. “This work experimented with new materials and techniques, such as fiberglass and inlay work. This hand shaped chair carries a warm appeal, which attracts the user to engage in different sitting positions.”

Design is in the details: some have degrees of symmetry while others are entirely asymmetrical and some employ traditional construction techniques while others use highly offbeat joinery and innovative building methods.

Part of the success of this strategy lies in the avoidance of sets or series per say – each design is surprisingly different from the last in terms of form, material and overall aesthetic, thus more similar to disjunctive works of art than conjunctive or uniform parts of a whole.

The post Strange Sculptural Furniture by Aaron Asedo first appeared on Dornob.

The cord that plugs it into the wall – an inconvenient-but-essential element in nearly any lamp or lighting fixture. Sometimes you can hide the power source by covering the wall sockets and snaking cords with furniture, or you can embrace the cord and make it into the core concept of the design. During the day the bright orange speaks for itself, and at night the rhythm of light passing through each layer reveals the single cord surrounding the whole lamp.

Craighton Berman clearly chose the latter path in crafting a simple frame around which a wound extension cord turns into the very visible outer structure of this object. While it is currently only a table lamp, one could equally well picture (as his drawings above demonstrate) other household lights along the same lines – suspended by third own strand of cable from the ceiling, standing tall around framework on the floor or hanging loosely from the wall.

Beneath the all-encompassing spiral of the bright orange extension cord visible on all sites lies a relatively simple and compact structure. Two slot-together pieces of cut-to-shape plastic hold the whole system up after they are interlocked. Grooves cut in their sides make for a consistent wrap of the attached cord and a single bulb sits simply at the center of the entire array.

From the designer’s site:

“Coil reduces the domestic table lamp to the absolute minimum of defining elements. A single electrical cord coils around what appears to be an empty volume, defining the iconic form of a table lamp and ultimately powering a single light bulb.”

“The entire lamp is created exclusively from a 100 foot extension cord that has been wrapped around a laser-cut clear acrylic form. This simple transformation elevates the status of the humble extension cord to the realm of domestic design. Coil Lamp is in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.”

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Clean modern lines, wood and metal supports … one could almost imagine this being sold at your local contemporary furniture store for thousands of dollars. Except: that comfortable-looking lining threaded between the structural frame is an ordinary, everyday recycled garden hose. Total cost? About twenty bucks.

A few pieces of plywood, threaded metal rods, washers and bolts are all that is needed to construct the supporting elements on the sides of the seat. The standard-sized rubber hose is then woven between holes punched in the ply.

By stretching the length of hose tightly across the frame, weight becomes evenly distributed along all lines of rubber that stretch to create the comfortable and flexible surface of the finished furniture object. Pivot joints at the front and back of the main seating element allow for various heights and angles and thus maximum comfort.

“Nearly every job site or good-sized shop has rubber air hose for running nail guns or a multitude of other tubes. The hose in this project is 3/4″ in diameter, about 45 feet long, and is made from tough, flexible rubber. In a former life it was used to run a spray gun for lacquering cabinets. After developing leaks at both ends, it was retired. The rubber is in decent shape, but it shows its age with hairline cracks and thick coating of grime. It was easy to clean with some denatured alcohol and rags. Once clean, cut off the brass or steel fittings at each end.”

“The resulting chair is really comfortable. It feels like sitting on rubber bands. The trick is to have narrow enough spacing and a tight-enough weave so that your weight is evenly distributing across as many lengths of hose as possible, which will in turn evenly distribute the stress on the hose, preventing sagging and long-term decay.”

Get the full details at Instructables.

The post How to: Recycle Rubber Hoses into a Chair first appeared on Dornob.