Solar Powered Soft Rockers (Video & Gallery) By MIT Professor & Students

Professor of the Practice of Architecture, Sheila Kennedy, and a group of Design, Architecture and Engineering students from MIT have designed solar-energy storing modern wood rockers on which you can lounge and chat or charge. Smartphones, cell phones, mp3 devices, laptops and other gadgets can be connected via USB. What's more, the soft rockers are designed with a solar powered ambient light that gives them a soft glow in the dark.











above: Image by SOFT ROCKER TEAM: Sheila KENNEDY, MIT Professor of the Practice of Architecture; James BAYLESS, KVA UC Intern; Kaitlyn BOGENSCHUTZ, KVA UC Intern; Wardad INAM, MIT PhD Candidate, Electrical Engineering; Jungmin NAM, GSD March I 2009, KVA Designer; Shevy ROCKCASTLE, MIT Smarchs 2011; Phil SEATON, MIT March 2012; Matt TRIMBLE, MIT March 2009, RADLAB; Adnon ZOLIJ, MIT BS 2010, Electrical Engineering

Soft Rockers description and video from MIT:
Recharge yourself and your electronics while relaxing with friends outdoors in Killian Court. The MIT SOFT Rockers are smart, clean energy charging stations disguised as outdoor rocking lounge furniture. Unlike conventional ‘hard’ urban infrastructure, The SOFT Rocker leverages its environment in a dynamic manner by using the human power of balance to create an interactive 1.5 axis 35 watt solar tracking system. Soft power electronics designed for this project charge the 12 ampere-hour battery and store solar energy harvested during the day. Put your body weight in play with an interactive, real time energy harvesting feedback loop that senses how you orient the rocker to the sun. Charge or run any USB device from speakers to cell phones and bring your friends to enjoy cool lighting loops at night for social gatherings.



The leaf-like loop form of the SOFT Rockers explores how standard softwood panels can be mass-customized to adapt to the latitude and sun angle of any site using parametric design software and automated fabrication with a lightweight Kuka robotic arm. The SOFT Rocker combines hi-tech and low-tech design strategies: it produces electricity but engages the body and works like furniture “by hand”; it mixes sun tracking and social dynamics; it is a site specific object and a flexible form family of ‘soft’ wood construction. The SOFT Rocker blurs distinctions between pleasure and work and recasts power generation as an integrated and distributed public activity rather than a centralized, singular off-site project of ‘engineering’.


SOFT ROCKER TEAM:
Sheila KENNEDY, MIT Professor of the Practice of Architecture
James BAYLESS, UC MArch 2014, KVA Intern
Kaitlyn BOGENSCHUTZ, UC BS Arch 2013, KVA Intern
Wardah Inam, MIT PhD Candidate 2015, Electrical Engineering
Jungmin NAM, GSD MArch 2009, KVA Designer
Shevy ROCKCASTLE, MIT SMarchS 2011
Phil SEATON, MIT MArch 2012
Matt TRIMBLE, MIT MArch 2008, RADLAB
Adnon ZOLIJ, MIT BS 2010, Electrical Engineer Vicor, Inc.

MIT gives special thanks to:
• Vicor, Inc. Applications Engineering provided power electronics support. Picor, a subsidiary, provided Cool-O-Ring controllers for battery/load interfacing.
• Global Solar, Inc. Technology Development Team provided advance samples of Gen II flexible photovoltaics.
• LightTape, Inc. Assisted with manufacture of custom electroluminescent lighting materials
• Peter Murray at Fine Finish, Inc., in Waltham, MA.

images and info courtesy of Arts at MIT

Designer Thomas de Lussac's Whimsical Outdoor Benches & Home Decor.

French Industrial designer Thomas de Lussac has a mind for functional whimsy. His many designs for everything from lamps to outdoor benches often incorporate the human element in bright and fun colors.

While he also works in woods and has several sophisticated furniture collections to his credit(and yes, you should see those, too), I am sharing with you some of his more "FUNctional" pieces today.


The Mona Lisa bench:

The You and I bench:

The Tennis bench:

Cosmo and Moonwalk lamps:

Table runner:

Robot Trobo toilet paper holders:


Skull and Bones Wall Sconce:

Freeway Vases:

Welcome Vase (grenade):


Tyrannosaurus Wall rack:


Shop for the many of the above products here at his online store.

Designer Thomas de Lussac:

The Matreshka Russian Nesting Doll Light Changing Chair.

Russian Nesting dolls continue to inspire design in everything from housewares to furniture. Way back in 2008, I wrote a post about Matryoshka Madness and the glut of items honoring the traditional Russian dolls. Then again, in 2009, I followed it up with another Matryoshka related post. As I was getting preparing to publish yet a third, I came across this.



The Matreshka Light Chair by brothers Georgi and Peter Slokoski is a patented innovative product that combines functionality, comfort and whimsy. Inspired by the form of the emblematic Russian doll Matreshka (also referred to as Matryoshka, Babushka or Russian Nesting Dolls), the chair, made of fiberglass, was just introduced this month and will be available for pre-order in May.





The soft curves of the female body come to life in the form of fiberglass in two main colors – white and black:



Not only is the chair a unique shape, but, it's a functional lamp, too. The built-in LED RGB lighting in its upper part can be remotely controlled (and it fades in and out) and allows thousands of color combinations, including white for reading. The base allows endless 360° rotation in both directions.



The chair invites and embraces you, it enhances and dominates your emotions. Touching the chair is a discovery – you subside into a harmony of immaculately chosen materials, skillfully amplified by comfort and functionality.

Beginning next month (May 2011), you can pre-order the chair here
all images and info courtesy of Slokoski.com

The Transport Series. Furnishings & A Pet Bed Inspired By 20th Century Vehicles.

above: The Wallace Pet bed designed by AvroKO can be used as storage, too

Manhattan based AvroKO is a full service integrated design and concept firm that develops environments, lifestyle brands and products. Retail store design, hotel design and restaurant interiors are just a few of their many disciplines. Their own initiated projects include such hip New York eateries as Public and The Stanton Social, and hotel designs for the Starwood group to name a few.


above: the four principals at AvroKO; Greg Bradshaw, William Harris, Kristina O'Neal and Adam Farmerie

But amongst the talented group's designs lies a small line of furniture called The Transport Series. The collection was inspired by cars and motorcycles from the early 20th century and includes a lounge chair and ottoman, a desk lamp, an adjustable table, a stool and even a pet bed, most crafted of cold-rolled steel, walnut wood and leather.

Sophisticated and clubby, with industrial touches from the Machine Age, the furnishings are simultaneously masculine and elegant.










Inquire about The Transport Series here