Creativity « 360Photography

RSS

Archive for the ‘Creativity’ Category

Secret Engagement: Flat Ring Case Enables Surprise Proposals

10 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

flat pack wedding ring design

As soon as someone pulls out a ring box the (wedding bell) alarms start sounding, hence this ingeniously slim alternative that packs flat into pockets and still doesn’t reveal its purpose once presented to a significant other.

surprise wedding ring reveal

wedding ring flat case

wedding ring case context

wedding ring case scale

From its creators: “Clifton is a unique engagement ring case that can be easily slipped into the pocket or the wallet. The discreet design allows the case to be easily hidden without showing much profile. At approximately 1 cm thick, Clifton presents the ring with a delightful flower blooming effect when opened, enchanting the moment.”

wedding ring background work

wedding ring creation design

wedding ring process photos

While there are many other ways to surprise someone on this kind of special occasion, this approach seems particularly elegant as a solution. Its creator, Andrew Zo, is a packaging designer who delights in the unboxing process and has won awards and acclaim for this and other work done for both domestic (Canadian) clients and international businesses.

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Blocked Out: 10 Closed & Abandoned Hat-Making Factories

10 Nov

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

abandoned hat factory tioronda 1
The golden age of hats – what George Costanza called a “bald paradise” – has long passed and along with it, so have hundreds of huge hat-making factories.

abandoned hat factory tioronda 2

abandoned hat factory tioronda 3

abandoned hat factory tioronda 4

Located on the eastern shore of the Hudson River in Beacon, New York’s Byrnsville neighborhood, the Tioronda Hat Works opened in 1879 and closed (as the Merrimack Hat Company) in 1949. The brick buildings were used sporadically as warehouses over the succeeding decades and since about 2010 have been undergoing an agonizingly slow demolition. Kudos to Flickr user Ron Johnson (Ron EJ) for these exquisite photos of the former Tioronda Hat Works taken on May 5th of 2013.

Canada: America’s Hat

abandoned hat factory Guelph 3

abandoned hat factory Guelph 2

abandoned hat factory Guelph 1

Hats were one of the chief reasons the European great powers sought to colonize northern regions of the New World: the place was practically overrun with beavers and beaver fur was essential for hat-making. Times and fashions change, and tri-cornered beaver fur hats are SO 18th century (or so 1966, if you’re a member of Paul Revere & the Raiders). This abandoned hat factory in Guelph, Ontario was visited by Flickr user Dave (creativephotography64) in early August of 2012. Not a hat in site, nor a single beaver. Dam.

Chillin’ In Chile

abandoned hat factory Villa Alemana Chile

Abandoned hat factories can be found almost anywhere in the world including Villa Alemana, Chile, a few minutes drive from Valparaiso. The abandoned building above contains a host of salvageable hat-making materials and equipment though the locals appear only interested in ‘boarding on the work tables.

British Beanies

Wilson & Stafford Hat Makers factory 1

Wilson & Stafford Hat Makers factory 2

Wilson & Stafford Hat Makers factory 3

Wilson & Stafford Hat Makers factory 4

Parts of the abandoned Wilson & Stafford Hat Makers factory in Atherstone, Warwickshire, UK date back to 1828 but the company only acquired full ownership of the site in 1896. From then on it was clear sailing: Wilson & Stafford eventually became the UK’s last remaining felt hat maker before finally slipping into liquidation in 1999. The factory buildings are mostly empty these days but still exude abundant character and the redolent atmosphere of good times past. A tip of the cap to Flickr user Ben Garratt (mookie427) for these outstanding images of a factory without a cause.

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Blocked Out 10 Closed Abandoned Hat Making Factories

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Drawn & Quartered: Architect-Designed Log Wedge Birdhouses

09 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]

log metal birdhouse below

Applying architectural logic to a bird’s eye view, these natural-material dwellings utilize fallen trees to create familiar and eco-friendly habitats for your feathered friends.

log unique wedge birdhouses

log birdhouse sketch processes

With concept and design development by Moger Mehrhof Architects, log quarter-sawing by Brandywine Woodworks, metal from John Madarasz and photos by Barney Leonard, this was a collaborative project taking into account the skills and abilities of all parties.

log birdhouse source material

As with so many great designs, the end product is surprisingly simple – it recalls traditional pie-shaped birdhouses and uses a minimal amount of materials and effort to achieve its results.

log architecture birdhouse design

And though birds may not make the same requests as human clients demanding unique abodes, the resulting semi-organic structures are necessarily unique, following the form of the logs from which they are cut. Log cabins for birds, if you will.

log birdhouse design detail

Another great aspect of the result: the plans and sections are relatively simple and the materials readily available, making for great do-it-yourself inspiration for anyone with a cabin in the woods.

log birdhouse with snow

As with human homes, these spaces are also designed to weather various conditions – the roofs are sloped and will shed excess weight as well.

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Outings: Bring Classic Art to the Streets with Your Phone

08 Nov

[ By Steph in Drawing & Digital. ]

outings interactive street art 2

Anonymous subjects from under-appreciated paintings that hang forlorn in secondary museums, overlooked and nearly forgotten, come to life in the streets with an interactive art project called ‘Outings.’ Dreamed up by French artist Julien de Casabianca, the ongoing, international participative project invites you to snap photos of lesser-known portraits hanging in museums, print them out and paste them onto urban surfaces in cities like London, Paris and Madrid.

Outings interactive street art 1

outings interactive street art 3

outings interactive street art 9

Taking these characters out of their cultural and historical context, participants breathe new life into them, appointing them as watchers over a new and unfamiliar world, making their faces far more visible than they are when hanging in small frames beside more famous and notable works.

outings interactive street art 4

outings interactive street art 5

outings interactive street art 6

The process is simple: discreetly capture any images you like in a museum or gallery with your phone and follow the Outings Project instructions for importing and editing the image in Photoshop. Have it printed in a local shop, and then use wallpaper glue and a brush to adhere it to a wall – the grittier the better, for proper contrast. Get more info and apply for a grant for the price of printing at the Outings website.

[ By Steph in Drawing & Digital. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Urban Dog Tags: Wear City Grids Around Your Neck & The World

07 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

urban dog tag design

Like giant-sized fingerprints, urban grid patterns are unique to each city – this project turns that individuating property into an wearable asset, allowing you to hang you hometown or favorite metropolis around your neck as a point of pride.

city dog tag laser metalk

nyc etched metal necklace

Currently in crowdfunding on Kickstarter, the Urban Gridded Dogtag set is a “collection of unisex accessory so that architects, cartographers, urban planners, urban explorers, nomads, travelers, jet setters” and others can enjoy. New York City, San Francisco, Paris and Tokyo – can you tell which is where? Many more are also shown below.

urban dog tag wearing

urban dog tag concrete

urban dog tag options

The tags come in laser-cut black, gold-plated or stainless steel, with circular variants also available for those who want something without the implicit military reference. Many major cities have already been ‘unlocked’ and further ones will become available depending on how well-funded the campaign becomes before it closes (just one week left!).

urban gridded dog tag

From the creators: “Each piece is carefully designed to capture the cities underlining iconic street network as a lace-like pendant. The information is sourced from gps data by openstreetmap to ensure accurate portraits of the city. With chemical etching technology, the pendants are produced on thick .020″ Stainless Steel with a high level of detail, consistency, and quality. We strive for the component of the dogtags to be locally sourced, made in the USA. Including packaging and mailing supply.”

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Concrete Retreat: 100 Sq Ft Home in WWII Dutch Defense Bunker

06 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

bunker house underground design

Sleek and multi-functional custom wood, glass and steel elements are set against a little-modified industrial concrete and metal backdrop in this stunning subterranean conversion project, turning a dilapidated war bunker into a cozy contemporary vacation dwelling.

bunker house entry door

bunker house glass metal

bunker bunk beds view

With strategic insertions, additions and slight modifications by B-ILD (photography by Tim Van de Velde), efficiency was paramount in the transformation of this tight space into a retreat that easily sleeps four (or more if need be).

bunker house living sleeping

bunker house bunk beds

bunker dining room

bunker house floor plan

Bunked beds allow sitting during the day and help stack sleepers vertically at night, all with sliding drawer space below, while stools double as coffee tables, night stands or steps as needed – no piece of furniture has only one use.

bunker house concrete wood

bunker house exterior deck

Board-formed concrete and rusted metal add texture and character to the interior, a defunct coastal defense outpost, contrasting on the outside with a floating wooden exterior deck space for relaxing and entertaining.

bunker house door detail

bunker house minimal kitchen

bunker kitchen

A bare-bones kitchen along the entry hall features basic plumbing and cooking accessories, all tucked up against the wall with the bare minimum necessities included for simple meals and cleaning.

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Workout Computer: Get Fit with a Punching Bag Keyboard

06 Nov

[ By Steph in Gaming & Computing & Technology. ]

workout computer 1

Combine two seemingly disparate activities – working at a computer, and working out – with a keyboard that consists of a series of punching bags representing each character. ‘Workout Computer’ by design studio BLESS makes typing up a document a full-body, muscle-engaging effort for an experience that’s the polar opposite of most sedentary, seated working environments.

workout computer 2

workout computer 3

Punch, kick or step on each component to write out a paragraph, and then hit the ‘print’ bag to preserve what you’ve composed. Intending to blur the boundaries between work and leisure activities, making the act of typing on a computer far more physical, the computer encourages increased activity to keep office workers from going soft.

workout computer 5

workout computer 6

The installation was presented at the second Istanbul Design Biennial, inviting passersby to experience it themselves. The users watch their chosen letters pop up on the computer screen, and then wait for it to be printed at the end of their impromptu boxing session. “Personally we would love to be, at the end of the working day, physically as exhausted as mentally,” the designers told Dezeen.

[ By Steph in Gaming & Computing & Technology. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Fold-Out Life: 13 Space-Saving Expanding Room Elements

06 Nov

[ By Steph in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]

Fold Out My Space Play Area

Murphy beds and small table surfaces aren’t the only interior elements that can pop out of walls or freestanding cabinets to offer extra function when it’s needed. Entire kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, offices, play areas and even balconies can be unfolded or pulled from nearly-flat surfaces to make small spaces more versatile, shifting their purpose altogether within minutes. See 12 more ultra-compact fold-out room systems.

Furniture Pops Out of Flat-Pack Mat

Fold Out Flat Pack Mat 2

Entitled ‘Land Peel,’ this piece by Shin Yamashita is a flat floor mat with elements that pop up to create a variety of seating and working/eating surfaces.

My Space Fold-Out Play Area for Kids

Small living spaces rarely have enough room for an entire children’s play area, but fold-away solutions create one when it’s needed. My Space by Liya Mairson packs almost entirely flat when not in use, but pops up into a fun little private play space within minutes. Since it’s made of cardboard, it’s light enough for kids to set up themselves.

Pull-Out Dining Room

Bench seating, a dining table, and even an overhead light pull out of this compact pull-out dining room design, which also contains storage space.

Expanding Fold-Out Balcony

Fold Out Expanding Balcony 2

Get access to the outdoors from an upper-level apartment or condo in under a minute with this cool pop-out balcony by Hofman Dujardin Architects. It looks like a window when closed, but opens up to offer a small but valuable temporary outdoor space.

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Fold Out Life 13 Space Saving Expanding Room Elements

[ By Steph in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Flowering Potholes: Lovely Tile Plants Fill Ugly Street Voids

05 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

flower art street rose

An uniquely elegant solution to a dirty everyday problem, these gorgeous handcrafted tile mosaics are turning unfilled potholes back into functional pieces of city street surface all over Chicago.

flower art context view

This time with an emphasis on beautification, mosaic maker Jim Bachor is back at it again. He is somewhat widely known in the area for using Chicago flags and and other city-themed infill to patch problematic holes in the urban fabric previously.

flower tiles city streets

flower tile chicago artwork

More on the artist’s background and inspiration: “Volunteering to work on an archaeological dig in Pompeii helped merge these two interests in to my art. In the ancient world, mosaics were used to capture images of everyday life. These colorful pieces of stone or glass set in mortar were the photographs of empires long past. Marble and glass do not fade. Mortar is mortar. An ancient mosaic looks exactly as intended by the artist who produced it over two millennia ago. What else can claim that kind of staying power? I find this idea simply amazing.”

flower artist tile chicago

In part, his work on the streets aims to draw attention to the 500,000+ potholes that remain unfixed at any given time, in part a byproduct of the harsh temperature shifts from winter to summer and back again (or as is said in the Midwest: ‘winter and road repair’ seasons).

flower pothole infill art

flower mosaic pot holes

“Using the same materials, tools and methods of the archaic craftsmen, I create mosaics that speak of modern things in an ancient voice. My work locks into mortar unexpected concepts drawn from the present … it surprises the viewer while challenging long-held notions of what a mosaic should be. Like low-tech pixels, hundreds if not thousands of tiny, hand-cut pieces of Italian glass and marble comprise my work.”

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Guerrilla Signage: Designer Fixes Street Parking Sign Stacks

05 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Guerilla Ads & Marketing. ]

signage evolution deciphering

Anyone who has parked in a major metropolitan area has seen something like this: a vertical array of signs that provide a confusing (sometimes even self-contradictory) instructions about when you can park based on time of day or year, type of permit and other conditions.

crazy sign stack

sign hack test run

Nikki Sylianteng, having gotten one too many parking tickets, decided to do something about the problem, developing, refining and ultimately deploying a solution on the streets to get actual feedback.

signage process analysis

parking schedule test

Titled To Park or Not to Park, this ongoing project started as an independent and informal attempt to see if there were better options out there but has since progressed to a council motion in Los Angeles to test such signs in a more official capacity.

street sign test copies

street sign send out

For additional feedback, Nikki has sent copies of the modified signage to people in other parts of California and Minnesota to see how they fare in different cities and settings.

sign schedule progression

signage section process

Combining various signs into one, the time is presented along the y-axis and the date on the x-axis. Green bars indicate acceptable times to park and red bars are used to indicate otherwise. Sometimes additional complexity needs to be addressed when permits come into play or the school year is factored in the mix (not always corresponding just to days of the week).

sign stack analysis

From the project’s creator: “My strategy was to visualize the blocks of time when parking is allowed and not allowed. Everything else was kept the same, the colors, the form. My intention was to show how a small but thoughtful change can make a big difference by save drivers a lot of time, stress, and money. I tried to stay mindful of the constraints that a large organization like the Department of Transportation might face for this seemingly small change.”

360Photography

Archive for the ‘Creativity’ Category

Secret Engagement: Flat Ring Case Enables Surprise Proposals

Blocked Out: 10 Closed & Abandoned Hat-Making Factories

Canada: America’s Hat

Chillin’ In Chile

British Beanies

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Blocked Out 10 Closed Abandoned Hat Making Factories

Drawn & Quartered: Architect-Designed Log Wedge Birdhouses

Outings: Bring Classic Art to the Streets with Your Phone

Urban Dog Tags: Wear City Grids Around Your Neck & The World

Concrete Retreat: 100 Sq Ft Home in WWII Dutch Defense Bunker

Workout Computer: Get Fit with a Punching Bag Keyboard

Fold-Out Life: 13 Space-Saving Expanding Room Elements

Furniture Pops Out of Flat-Pack Mat

My Space Fold-Out Play Area for Kids

Pull-Out Dining Room

Expanding Fold-Out Balcony

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Fold Out Life 13 Space Saving Expanding Room Elements

Flowering Potholes: Lovely Tile Plants Fill Ugly Street Voids

Guerrilla Signage: Designer Fixes Street Parking Sign Stacks

Pages

Archives

Categories

Archive for the ‘Creativity’ Category

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Origami Kayak: Packs Flat, Folds Up to Form its Own Case

Radical Rings: 31 One-of-a-Kind Ring Designs & Ideas

MegaFaces: Massive Display Enables 3D Selfies at Sochi

Canada: America’s Hat

Chillin’ In Chile

British Beanies

Next Page – Click Below to Read More: Blocked Out 10 Closed Abandoned Hat Making Factories

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Meltdown: 10 Semi-Sweet Abandoned Chocolate Factories

The Bucks Stop Here: 9 Closed & Abandoned Dollar Stores

Punched Cards: 12 Abandoned, Closed & Boarded-Up Bingo Halls

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Crafty Modernist Birdhouses Sing Mid-Century Melodies

Wowsa: Organic Architect Oshatz’s Wilkinson Treehouse

One-of-a-Kind Dollhouses Designed by 20 Famous Architects

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Small World: Mini Wooden Cutouts Take Over the Streets

Retro Redial: 8 Creative Phone Booth Conversion Projects

Phonebloks Unlocked: Google Backs Modular Mobile Phone

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Wear You Live: T-Shirts and Totes Printed with City Maps

Guerrilla Lace: Prettied-Up Urban Surfaces in Poland

Super-Sized Urban Plant Tags Identify City-Specific Species

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Fossilized Retreat: Log Cabin Remnants Recast in Concrete

Suburb-Terranean: 70s Bunker Home Simulates Day & Night

Hunker in the Bunker: 15 Cool Converted Concrete Shelters

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Future Typing: 15 Creative Keyboard Designs & Concepts

Tap That: 10 Terrifically Techy Keyboard Concepts

Skin Deep: 19 Epic + Creative Computer Case Mods

Furniture Pops Out of Flat-Pack Mat

My Space Fold-Out Play Area for Kids

Pull-Out Dining Room

Expanding Fold-Out Balcony

Next Page – Click Below to Read More: Fold Out Life 13 Space Saving Expanding Room Elements

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Fold-Out Room: 12 Ultra-Compact Living Pods & Systems

Prototype to Reality: Super Space-Saving Bedroom Set

Small Space Design: 15 Fold-Up, All-In-One Bathrooms

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Urban Infill: Colorful Tile Mosaics Patch Potholed Streets

Sci-Fi Staple: Star Wars Mosaic Made of Surprising Material

Sand Paintings: Temporary Street Art Will Blow (You) Away

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Social Signage: Digital Street Sign Gives Dynamic Directions

Permanent Parklets: São Paulo Turns Street Parking to Parks

WTF Is Street Art? Poster Boy Edits NYC Sign by High Line

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Blocked Out 10 Closed Abandoned Hat Making Factories

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Fold Out Life 13 Space Saving Expanding Room Elements