Posts in Industrial Design

More goodness from the San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives on Flickr. These fantastically-yellowed photos, probably taken at the Skunkworks facility in Palmdale, CA in the 80’s, almost look like illustrations.

If you’re a Dieter Rams fan and happen to have €350,000 that you are itching to spend, then look no further than here.

Because six SK4’s (and 994 other Braun items) are better than one.

[vimeo 57483353 w=450&h=253]

Vitsoe has just released a great video depicting an apartment in Munich lived in by two Vitsoe veterans who have been living with the shelving system since the 60s.

Dieter Rams and general design aficionados will appreciate the various items presented on the shelves.

You’re looking at the first experimental vertical take off & landing (VTOL) jet, and one of the first jet-powered drones known as “Project Firebee”. From the San Diego Air & Space Museum account on Flickr, which makes for a great Apple TV screensaver, if i do say so myself.

A few past greats from JBL’s heyday. Love old product shots like these from magazines; the color and that gradient background style add so much.

Came across these great images of some vintage Heuer timepieces. Love that old LED style number readout, particularly on the Microsplit box.

Last two images via Døgen (who has an insane watch collection)

Why Design is a great video series by furniture company and all around design icon Herman Miller, which profiles some of it’s best designers:

At Herman Miller design is the language we use to ask questions and seek answers to the problems our customers face. The design process is a journey into the unknown—or as George Nelson once quipped, “I have never met a designer who was retained to keep things the same as they were.” Before we decide what we do and how we do it, we like to begin by asking the question “Why?” In Why Design, a new video series, we explore the world through the eyes of our designers, and share something of why we value their point of view.

Each Monday morning, from September 10th through October 29th, Herman Miller will launch a new designer profile at Why Design. The series includes:

9.10.12 – Yves Béhar – “Surfing Is Like Improvisational Jazz”
9.17.12 – Don Chadwick – “The Camera Becomes an Extension of Your Eyes”
9.24.12 – Ayse Birsel – “Your Life Is Your Most Important Project”
10.1.12 – Irving Harper – “Paper Is a Versatile Medium”
10.8.12 – Gianfranco Zaccai – “Great Food Should Be Like Great Design”
10.15.12 – Studio 7.5 – “Design by Its Nature Is Collaborative”
10.22.12 – Steve Frykholm – “It’s the Breaks That Allow My Mind to Refresh”
10.29.12 – Sam Hecht + Kim Colin – “We Need Contrast and Tension to Be Able to Create”

I think this video is legit, we’ve been holding off on posting anything, would love your thoughts on what you guys think. Here’s what i’m loving:

– headphone jack at the bottom
– new connection port
– looks like we have less glass on the back
– larger screen, slimmer body

which brings up questions…

– will the headphone jack be in the way?
– what do we do with the 5 or more $20 iPhone cords we have?
– will it feel less like a precious possession? 😉
– will this make it less durable than it already is?

The effect that Dekotora has on the senses is profound. Imagine for a moment that you’re walking home late at night through a less trafficked, industrial area. Out of nowhere a garage door springs to life and the seismic presence of a 12 cylinder diesel barks to life. The next thing you know, a 10 ton monstrosity, cobbled together with jukeboxes, arcade machines and laser guided disco lights, is quickly bearing down on you. Such was my introduction to the relatively nonexistent presence of decorative commercial trucks operating in the greater New York City area.

A rare sight in most corners of the world, Dekotora is the Japanese discipline of decorating industrial and commercial vehicles with anything that reflects, glows, or flashes. It’s inspiration is drawn heavily from Gundam & arcade culture, something that much of the neon-marinated citzens of Tokyo can relate to.

Surprisingly, these are not “art cars” – they are fully functional and go about their daily tasks just as you see them here. Alot of these vehicles can be seen during business hours, backing up to loading docks, stopping for weigh stations or filling up at diesel pumps. Granted, some of the trucks above may be for shows only but from what I’ve read a lot of drivers do it to liven up their job and set their truck apart from the rest.

I really love the amount of detail that goes into these, I hope someday I’m able to get a closer look, I feel like I could spend a whole day looking at all the little bits and pieces. Yellow Magic Orchestra never reached the audience they deserved in the US so hey guys, here’s our chance to make up for past mistakes, you know that broken Bally machine in your aunt’s rec room? Or that Wurlitzer collecting dust in your garage? Throw a copy of Solid State Survivor in there and glue that shit to your truck man.