materials

party dress seamless mit fashion show

“On Wednesday, January 30, fashionistas and techies will unite at SEAMLESS: computational couture, a fashion show and celebration that fuses cutting-edge style with the latest advances in technology. At this evening event that kicks off at 8 p.m., the Museum of Science exhibit halls will be transformed into a catwalk for “computational couture,” showcasing 20 selected, emerging designer teams from around the globe and creations that push the boundaries of wearable technology. Models wearing the interactive clothing will strut to live media performances by video artists sosolimited and DJs Eddie O and Mike Uzzi of Zero G Sounds.”

Above: Party Dress by Dana and Karla Karwas (New York):“Party Dress functions as a pavilion worn exclusively by five women that seamlessly injects architecture into fashion by using the body as space. The dress begins as a shared, bustled garment that gradually unfolds to create a temporary, inhabitable structure. Each seam, each dress, and each body are interconnected by a single, amorphous surface of flowing material.”

“With room for spectators beneath the fabric, Party Dress flirts with traditional concepts of public and private space while adding sparkling wit to the conversation between fashion and architecture. Party dress works across multiple scales and environments, unraveling conventional notions of space, materiality, and temporality.”

I’ll be covering the event so look out for more posts in the next few weeks. Otherwise if your in the Boston area, get your tickets here!($15)..oh, fyi, Project Runways Steven Rosengard, will be th MC.

2008 Seamless show info
Boston Science Museum Tickets<

mark khaisman tape art

Who says ya can’t make something cool with translucent brown tape. Mixed media artist Mark Khaisman layers several pieces of tape on Plexiglas panels to create these mesmerizing rustic illuminations with textures much like a knife painting with broad wide strokes. Very cool, time lapse like retro, and mysterious… I’ll have to make some myself. (I love tape).

I’ll post a bunch of his pieces after the jump.
Mark Khaisman webpage
via spluch

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china bans plastic bags

Wowzers… awesome!

“It started with San Francisco, Hong Kong, then Melbourne and other cities, and now, beginning in July, all plastic shopping bags in the entire country of China will no longer be free. As part of China’s attempts to reduce their extreme pollution problem, the policy will call for a small charge for plastic bags in China that must be shown clearly in all supermarket receipts.

Furthermore, ultra-thin plastic bags are now banned from being produced at all. As part of this effort, the government is encouraging the use of reusable bags and cloth sacks, and increasing efforts to recycle all plastic bags still in use.”

Via Inhabitat (Source IHT)
Australia does the same via Treehugger.

I’ve have a few reusable bags, but always forget to bring them to the store. Until it’s law, I’m going to forget, and besides, I use my paper bags as trash cans which has been handy.

FYI: statically and visually according to Chris Jordan, we use “60,000 plastic bags every 5 seconds in the USA alone!” (1.14 million brown paper supermarket bags are used in the USA every hour.)

I guess it’s time to go pick up one of those cool reusable bags:
Porter Grocery Tote (paper like plastic bag)
– Muji portable Bag, (I can’t find online, but it’s in the nyc soho store)
Flip and Tumble (A bag that turns into a puck)
AMT Shopper Bag (Louis Vuitton like print bags)

update: I was just at Wholefoods and they said they were starting to ban usage of plastic bags this week/month! Ah, heres an article.

ted 2008 th big questions

The 2008 TED Conference schedule of speakers has just been announced! This years event will take place in sunny Monterey CA as well as a new simulcast lounge in snowy Aspen CO for some lucky individuals!(major party!)

Lots of big questions, unknown exciting speakers, and ideas to numb your brain!…this should be good!

If you have not heard of the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference, catch up to their videos on TEDtalks , my 2007 TED recap, or some of my favorites.

toe come play

Thought of the week: What happens in Vegas never happened! 😉
Goal of the year: Be a design disruptor!

Funny: Best Wedding Dance Ever!
Read: Time Managment eBook for the Creative!
Tech: Aptera Car(300+mpg) Test Drive via PopularMechanics
Consumer: 5 yrs, 6 ipods, $1495!
Neat: A worthy travel pillow!
Art: Nice drawing!
Cool: Scissor Bracelet via Notcot
Challenge: National Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge

This past year I’ve been incredibly fascinated and inspired by Adam Kalkin’s disruptive, poetic, rustic, and rather playful spacial creations redefining what things could and perhaps should be. His projects show exploration, curiosity, and an incredible sense to imagine like a kid again while being stuck in an adults body which I love.

Check out this great video summary of Adams work and personality via Dwell Daily Blog. For a peek at some of his other whimsical creations:

12 Container House
– Push Button House, NY Times or TheCoolHunter.
Bunny Lane House via ApartmentTherapy
QuickHouse via inhabitat

Adams work reminds me of one of my other favorite sustainable architectural firms: Lot-ek (video, Recycled Airplane Library)

Paper Logs Log

Here’s a pretty nifty way to be a bit more sustainable. Take all that paper you waste daily and mash it up into usable paper logs for bonfires during the frigid winter. I’ve always made knots out of newspapers to start up fires, but this ideas pretty cool if it works. Reminds me of those can crushers for recycling, but now ya just mash up layers of paper, and you get “paper logs” for usage 😉

via ApartmentTherapy
DIY Source: two3five.com

update: A Newspaper Brick Maker! Buy Here!

EG Conference Entertainment Gathering

Being a bit bummed I couldn’t make it over to this years wonderful EG conference gathering (the Entertainment Gathering) which started last night, I’m glad to see that their (matt) live blogging it. It’s very textual and less visual but hey, it gives the scoop on the awesome line up of speakers and hopefully they’ll release some kind of video archive if they jump on the bandwagon of conferences alike. I think Matt’s going to add pictures and videos since he’s live blogging like a mad man with spell checks then fixing it all up in the later hours enhancing his posts with images etc.

If your at EG, send me some updates, otherwise, I’ll be reading up on the live blog and searching for any incredible stories for the next 2 nights!