Dutch designer Maarten Baas has created a timer in collaboration with with kinetic objects company Laikingland that's specifically designed not to be accurate.

Called Just About Now, the device is started by scooping sand from a bowl into a glass funnel.

From there the sand trickles down into a brass cup that's attached to a beater, before leaking back into the bowl and causing the beater to strike a gong when the cup is empty.

Baas intends it to be used for measuring periods of time that don't need to be precise, like taking a nap.

The piece was presented at Ventura Lambrate in Milan, alongside the Cacophany Bell by Tord Boontje that we featured in our earlier story.

The Ventura Lambrate design district took place from 17 to 22 April. See all our stories about Ventura Lambrate 2012 here.

See all or stories about Maarten Baas »
See all our stories about Laikingland »

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Just About Now by Maarten Baas with Laikingland

Just About Now is a sand timer that indicates the passing of time with the sounding of a gong.

Developed in collaboration with Maarten Baas.

“I’ve always had an interest in ways to indicate time. In spite of the fact that time is very abstract and very relative, in the western world it’s normal to indicate time very precisely. Apart from things like train schedules or the duration of sporting games, the exact time is often irrelevant. A coffee break, a meditation, a nap, a business meeting, they could take a few minutes longer or shorter than an exact amount of time. This is why I wanted to create a timer that bangs a gong, more or less after the amount of time you indicated.

“There are several objects that illustrate time in a more poetic way, like Mieke Meijers ‘Relativity’ Time pieces or my own ‘Real Time’ series, but a timer hasn’t yet been made that is adjustable and gives a sound after a while. That’s why we developed ‘Just About Now’” - Maarten Baas

Year: 2012
Materials: Oak, glass, ceramic, sand, brass.
Dimensions: Height 320 mm Width 435 mm Depth 185mm
Power: Sand
Colour: Natural
Price: On request
Availability: September 2012

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with Laikingland appeared first on Dezeen.

Melvin the Mini Machine was shown at Ventura Lambrate in Milan last month and is now off on it's travels, sending postcards from each new location.

It also uses a smartphone attached to one lid to record it's surroundings, then uploads the pictures to Twitter, Facebook and its own blog.

The project is a development of HEYHEYHEY's Melvin the Machine installation that was originally built in a warehouse on the outskirts of Eindhoven in 2010 - see our movie about it here. Both are Rube Goldberg machines, named after the American cartoonist and inventor's humorous illustrations of overly elaborate systems for simple tasks.

See all our stories about Ventura Lambrate »

See more machines on Dezeen »

Here's some more information from the makers of Melvin:

Melvin is a Rube Goldberg machine

Melvin the Magical Mixed Media Machine (Melvin the Machine or simply Melvin for friends) is a Rube Goldberg machine with a twist. Besides doing what Rube Goldbergs do best – performing a simple task as inefficiently as possible, often in the form of a chain reaction – Melvin has an online identity as well, which he uses to connect to and interact with his audience

A brief history

When we built our first Melvin late 2010, we built it BIG because it needed to entertain loads of people all at once. After its initial (online) succes, a lot of people, companies and festivals enquired about its availability to do a show. After some phone calls and e-mails back and forth the conclusion was always the same: Melvin was simply too big and expensive to rebuild.

So what’s new?

Early 2012, we had some time to spare and we felt the need to challenge ourselves once again, so we set out to build a new Melvin. This time around we could determine our own boundaries and that’s why we decided to build a travel version that ‘sends’ its own postcards and interacts (in some way) with the people around it. Like a proper traveler, one could say.

On the road again

In short, this new Melvin is a Rube Goldberg machine specifically built to travel the world, and let‘s be honest, we like the idea of going with him whenever and wherever we can.You can find out more about where he’s already been right here. Information on how the new Melvin works, its different parts and how to contact us can be found here.

Sending his love

Conveniently built in two old suitcases, Melvin the Mini Machine is a Rube Goldberg machine specifically designed to travel the world. Each time Melvin fully completes a run, he ‘signs’ a postcard and sticks a stamp to it - making it ready to be sent.

Let‘s get non-physical

Like its bigger brother, Melvin the Mini Machine also has an online non-physical side (you’re looking at it right now) which he uses to connect to the people he meets. More on that subject later...

Interactive by default

As soon as Melvin is set up for a run, he starts gathering geographical data, which he uses to determine where he is in the world. He will then publish that info on this site and through his Twitter account and Facebook page.
If everything goes according to plan, you’ll be seeing a lot more markers appearing on the map above in the coming months.

Truly mobile

To gather the GPS information Melvin needs to determine where he is, and to make sure he’s truly mobile, we fitted him with a smartphone equipped with a camera that we use to interact with his audience.

...and how does that work?

Not only does Melvin map where he is, he also takes pictures of his surroundings and the people he meets - pretty much like a real tourist or traveler. So, don’t be surprised to see yourself on the map when you’ve seen Melvin the Mini Machine in real life.

The mark of the Melvin

We encourage people who come watch Melvin do a run to wear a marker (or glyph). These markers can be read by Melvin’s smartphone and be used to see how many people attend a run, how big or small they are, how far away they are from the machine, and so on. We can even superimpose images on the markers.

Concept, design and production by HEYHEYHEY
Starring Steye van Dam
Co-production and support: PostPanic
Camera: Diderik Evers
Music: "The wonders of the world" by Woody Veneman
Editing: Ine van den Elsen
Sound: Joris Tillmans
Styling: Annemiek Swinkels
Programming: Maarten Witteveen
Clothing by Magda
Smartphone sponsored by Blue Mango Interactive

See also: Melvin the Machine

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Watch this movie on Dezeen Screen »

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by HEYHEYHEY appeared first on Dezeen.

Hackney designer Philippe Malouin worked with traditional craftsmen from Beirut to create a series of bowls and plinths by shaping wooden blocks made of many smaller, tessellating batons.

Commissioned by Carwan Gallery, his Extrusion project combines the techniques used to make decorative wooden inlays with those of a lathe-worker.

The constructed block would normally be sliced into thin layers and used to decorate boxes but Malouin freezes the traditional process at this point and hands it over to be turned on a lathe.

The Extrusion collection was shown at Design Days Dubai in March, Ventura Lambrate in Milan in April and will travel back to Carwan Gallery in Beirut this summer.

Born in Canada and graduating from Design Academy Eindhoven in 2008, Malouin now has a studio in Homerton and you can read all our stories about his work here.

Here are some more details from Malouin:

Carwan Gallery was kind enough to invite me to visit Beirut last year. During my visit, I was taken around the city to visit the many inspiring landmarks, including the Oscar Niemeyer international fair (below). Construction stopped in 1975 at the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war and was never restarted. We also visited local craftsmen and manufacturers in order that we might produce the gallery’s next collection in Beirut.

One specific craft interested me, which was intarsia making. Intarsia makers produce amazing wood-inlayed and patterned boxes. These inlays are used only for decorative purposes on the outside of the boxes. I was especially interested in the way in which a thin patterned sliver comes to life from a bigger ‘wooden sushi roll,’ which will be sliced into wafer-thin pieces in order to be inlayed on the exteriors of the wood boxes.

The geometric patterns were very beautiful, but it’s the ‘wood-sushi’ block itself that inspired me the most. I was also interested in using more than one craft, or more than one craftsman in order to realize the final piece. I was introduced to a local lathe-worker and the idea came together: I wanted the intarsia worker to create intricately patterned wood logs to then give to the lathe-worker, who would transform them into objects.

Designed in Hackney map:

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Key:

Blue = designers
Red = architects
Yellow = brands

See a larger version of this map

Designed in Hackney is a Dezeen initiative to showcase world-class architecture and design created in the borough, which is one of the five host boroughs for the London 2012 Olympic Games as well as being home to Dezeen’s offices. We’ll publish buildings, interiors and objects that have been designed in Hackney each day until the games this summer.

More information and details of how to get involved can be found at www.designedinhackney.com.

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for Carwan Gallery at Ventura Lambrate appeared first on Dezeen.

Milan 2012: Bangkok designers THINKK studio have created a lamp that slots together like a children's toy.

The designers simplified the product into three basic components; a base, a body and a shade.

A marble block base balances the lamp and has a serrated edge for holding pencils.

The octagonal oak body can be rotated to position the lamp at different angles, while an LED light sits within a metallic red, yellow or white shade.

The lamp is being presented at Ventura Lambrate in Milan this week. Click here to see another adjustable lamp they are exhibiting.

The Ventura Lambrate design district is open from 17 to 22 April. Download the free map and guide here and see all our stories about Ventura Lambrate 2012 here.

Here are some more details from THINKK studio:

Const uses "play" as a methodology for design process. The main idea behind the desk lamp CONST are three basic components; base, body and shade. Keeping in mind these simple elements and their role, Const playfully combines expression with function. The marble base keeps the octagon-shaped wood body balanced and the same time one can adjust the angle of the shade by rotating it. CONST gives one the ability to have fun with functionality.

Materials: Marble / Oak Wood / Aluminum / LED Light Dimension: 27x25 h35

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at Ventura Lambrate appeared first on Dezeen.

Milan 2012: British designer Lee Broom is showcasing furniture and lighting at an exhibition styled like a British public house at Ventura Lambrate in Milan this week.

Oak panelling and etched glass windows salvaged from an old English pub line the walls, while an reclaimed oak bar is positioned opposite.

Lighting suspended from above includes crystal light bulbs cut like whiskey decanters, which Broom is launching at the show. Read more about them in our earlier story.

The Ventura Lambrate design district is open from 17 to 22 April. Download the free map and guide here and see all our stories about Ventura Lambrate 2012 here.

Here's some more text from Broom:

Launch Of Lee Broom, Public House
Salone Del Mobile 2012
17 – 22 April 2012

This month, the critically acclaimed British designer, Lee Broom, will launch his first, solo exhibition in Milan during the Salone del Mobile. Entitled Public House, the show will mark the fifth anniversary of the Lee Broom brand, showcasing a selection of Broom’s hero pieces in one curated space, for the first time.

Inspired by the age-old institution of the British pub, with a multi-dimensional, surreal twist, Public House will bring a truly British experience to the Ventura Lambrate design district. Reflecting a common theme in Broom’s work, materials used within the exhibition will be of authentic British origin, reclaimed from old pubs. Deconstructed oak panelling, etched glass and an ornate wooden bar will act as eclectic, statement backdrops to Broom’s British designed and manufactured collections.

This cultural amalgam of old meets new is reflected in Broom’s collections on show. New pieces, including a striking light and exciting new editions to existing products, will complement Broom’s core collections, showcasing the scope and variety of his work.

Public House will also complement the launch of Broom’s collaboration with renowned international Scotch whisky, Ballantine’s 12 Year Old. Broom has designed an exclusive serving ritual, influenced by vintage crystal whisky decanters, with a very modern twist, to be launched at the exhibition.

“I am very excited to be exhibiting for the first time in Milan. I wanted to showcase my work in a quintessential British environment, creating an experience for visitors which they could usually only experience in the UK.” - Lee Broom

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at Ventura Lambrate appeared first on Dezeen.