The Roof, The Roof, The Roof is generating electricity

Italian company Tegolasolare, has developed a series of terra cotta roof tiles with photovoltaic cells embedded. Allowing for a roof that is both attractive and functional in many ways.

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Kug

No matter how much we like to deny it, we all use non-ceramic receptacles.  I have a cabinet full of plastic and metal travel mugs and they work great. We have to embrace that ceramics have some limitations, and the travel mug is a big one. 

The Kug is a project from Irish design students Ben Millett and Alan Harrison, who created this handy little cup that also doubles as a kettle. It comes with a base station that contains a heating element that will bring your water to a boil. Pretty handy for a quick cupa or for the elderly who don't want to struggle with a full kettle.


Kug Ad from Ben Millett on Vimeo.

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Lift and Seperate

Unfortunately my Google translator is acting up, so I can't tell you too much about these cutting boards. Except they are called Cut & Paste. But, from what I can tell, they are an interesting concept of the cutting board. Combining it with a porcelain dish that can be used as a receptacle. 

Mrs. Rose and I like to cook and last night as I was chopping away at our Chicken/Almond stir fry I was thinking. One of the smartest things that we have gotten for the kitchen is a few dozen tiny little bowls for components. So after chopping or measuring we can set the ingredients aside, ready to go. That sort of efficiency adds to the dishes, but it makes the cooking itself go a lot easier. 

I think this cutting board does the same thing. Creating a depository for the food that you are working with. Keeping it aside and clean ready for the stove. 

My only question/critique is if does the bottom have foot pads? Because if the bottom is raw porcelain or worse glaze, it is going to slide with the cutting, not to speak of the impact could fracture the porcelain. 


Otherwise, quite nice. 


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Well great, you killed it...

You all know, I love pots, both handmade and designed.

I have always had one problem with pots. That is functionality. I believe that many makers wrap themselves in the warm blanket of "functionality" as a defensive posture to protect themselves from confronting the practicality of their objects. Now, I am not trying to attack anyone, I am just say that declaring something "Functional" does not make it so, it actually has to perform.


This mug is a perfect example of declaring something as functional when a) It is not b) it solves a non existent problem.


This mug was created buy the NOTHING dESIGN group, some of who's fluffly little cloud mugs were one of my first ever posts here on Slipcast. and I still find charming.

For that reason I find this object to be even more enraging.


Its declared function is


"The Mug o was designed taking into account that when clean mugs stand upright, dust tends to collect on the inside. The problem is effortlessly solved by sculpting the handle into a right angle triangle. That way the mug can sit sturdily upside down when not in use, shielding it from unwarranted dust"


What the fuck? I'm sorry but that is total bullshit. because do you know what the answer to that problem is? Store your mugs on their lips! I know what a radical idea.  Who ever would have thought of that?

Let me examine all of the things that are wrong with their design.


a) The Handle- Come on. Anyone who has every played with handle design, knows that you have to balance on the top, with a swoop underneath to control the fulcrum point of the mug while drinking. That has been established for millennium. What happens when you set the fulcrum point at a 45 in the middle of the body? It is going to get wonky. Plain and simple.


b) Storing on the Handle- it is going to take up unnecessary space in the cabinet. And it won't be that stable anyway, much less stable the just storing it on the lip.


c) "Minimizing Dust" You know what, If you have you mug sitting around long enough to gather appreciable dust, inside or out. You need to wash that shit. Plain and simple.


ARRRGGGHHHHH!!!


Great, now I'm grumpy...I need a hug




NOTHIGN dESIGN

I Scream

The Porcelain Ice Cream Cone by Virgina Sin.

I have to admit that I am a little conflicted on this one. Being around an Art School I am pretty tired of the whole Porcelain, Styrofoam Cup/Paper Plate/ Mass Disposable object. The whole things is just played out.


I rarely out right critique things here, but I will say that the craftsmanship on these is poor. Believe me I have heard every explanation for every style of finish, and this finish does not fit these objects.

That said, I like them.

Low Carb...good one.

Via

Virginia Sin

Mugs for the Blind

This mug for the blind was designed by Sang-hoon Lee and Yong-bum Lim.
It has a series of sensors that detect fill level and alerts the user as to how full the cup is.


Anyone who is blind, or just tried to fill a cup in the dark will tell you how difficult this can be. As the cartoon demonstrates the only really way is to stick you fingers in the cup.


Which a) Can be gross. b) Not pleasant is the beverage is hot. So this is an elegant technological solution.

Good work.

Link
Via: Neat-o-Rama

Filtered

Water filters are a big deal. A lot of people that I help out have been working with have been designing water filtration devices. Some have been focusing on on the objects like recent grad Liz Sparks and how they function and some have been working on the science behind the water treatment. I don't know enough of the process, but people have been using Charcoal, Iron Bearing Clays, and Colloidal Silver. On a side note, don't use Colloidal Silver. It may kill bacteria, but it will turn you blue, Like this guy (Please click the link, it is amazing!) I'm not kidding, I have seen this happen in person.
Either way, clean water is really important. We take this for granted in the developed world, but there are millions if not billions of people in the world who don't have clean water to drink. Clean water makes all the difference. One of my favorite facts, is that the reason why China and India have such huge populations...Tea. It was the discovery of tea and the boiling of water that is required, that caused the population boom, That is the power of clean water.
So these are some interesting Ceramic Water filters I have found. Of course these are a little fancy for developing nations, but I do love the pretty things!
Via: Book of Joe
7 gadgets
Gaiam

Too bad I found this after the holiday party season

I am a stickler for function. It seems that a lot of ceramics that people declare to be functional are far from it. So I am always on the look out for work that is excessively functional and I think these are a perfect blend of form and function.

via Nerd Approved