Design Museum

curlyclio

17:53 on Wednesday the 17th of February 2010

Listening to: Signs (MMMatthias Remix) by Bloc Party

Visited the Design Museum on London's South Bank today for the Brit Insurance Designs of the Year. These are just a few of the fantastic designs they're showing, and if you get the chance you MUST visit!

BMW's Gina Light visionary model. The "skin" is replacing the metal or plastic we've all become accustomed to, and is made from a special, flexible, highly durable and extremely expansion-resistant fabric material. I'm looking forward to having one in 20 years time.

The Brandhorst Museum in Munich has been specially designed to create a perfect environment to display art in.

"The Idea of a Tree" by Mischer-Traxier blew my mind when I read the description. The machine in the photo on the left has been specially programmed to apply thread and glue to the pillar which turns throughout the day. The colour of the thread is dependent on the intensity of the sunlight, the result of a varying amount of sunlight is shown in the photograph on the right in the finished pieces. As you can see the pieces can be used as lampshades or stools!

This stuff is called Sugru. You can buy it in bags, and you can mold it for whatever use you can think of. Very useful I think.

A very simple concept, this would amuse me for hours and I'm thinking of making one myself to have in my room so I can play with it whenever I need calm. The name 'L-E-D-LED-L-ED' is a very good explanation of the piece - hundreds of circular LED lights are attached to horizontal strings, and can be moved from side to side and spun round. So you can create your own image or piece of art within this design, and it is completely mesmerizing.

By Ayala Serfaty 'Soma' is a beautiful piece of design and construction. Made of thin glass filaments this piece (meaning 'body' in Greek) is very organic, and reminds me of rock formations, mineral and crystals.

'Hope' chandelier by Luceplan. Most traditional chandeliers revolve around the same concept of the reflective characteristics of crystal. It's made of a molded polycarbonate in leaves, within which are micro prisms that create beautiful reflected patterns.

Basically, go and see this exhibition for yourself if you can!

Listening to: All My Loving by the Beatles