Design WOO

Gourmet Guru Michelin star chef Juan Mari Arzak, thinks Molecular Cooking is the next step in gastronomical heaven. Presented here are three design concepts – Lunar Eclipse (bowl), Fama (long plate) and Bocado de Luz (serving plate), that take culinary expertise to celestial planes. Juan Mari & his daughter Elena Arzak feel that presentation skills not only entice the palate but also dynamically alter the sensory experience during a meal. “The simple act of placing food on the plates or pouring liquid into the bowl triggers sensory stimuli and causes them to react.”

Juan Mari Arzak says, “Molecular gastronomy has developed from a handful of exponents into a global phenomenon. It has led to the adaptation of scientific laboratory equipment and the invention of new kitchen technology, which makes it a small step to explore the presentation of dishes. The combination of our food creations on the multi-sensorial bone china concepts adds an extra dimension to the dining experience.”

Images Courtesy The Philips Design Food Probe Project.

Designers: Philips Design

The idea of a lit-up handrail for public places is not quite new, but adding the features of an e-paper display with laser-engraving tech is unique. The Light Handrail is just this concept, with e-paper displays lined at appropriate distances. Usage scenario includes doling out advertisements, mock-up scenes or useful information like how to find the nearest exit during an emergency. In auditoriums and dimly-lit places, this hand-rail can be an added attraction, like the exotic flower one greeting the visitors!

Designers: Zhi-Jie Liu & Si-Jie Wang

Curiosity Killed The Cat

If you see the Touch Intrigue on the road, wouldn’t you be tempted to just pass by and run hands on it? Intrigue, curiosity and our urge to touch, all culminate into this experimental “Touch Powered By Intrigue Concept.” A working prototype placed in a busy mall and sidewalk proved that people subconsciously are curious, and this often leads to physical interaction. These weed inspired protrusions harness energy from the touch via the use of piezo-ceramic cores molded within the stems of the product.
As these flex, a current is generated and used to light electroluminescent wire at the head of the product, providing vital user feedback. This makes “Touch” completely self-sufficient.

The most exciting aspect behind the concept is the theory, and the possibilities of a deeper understanding of human behavior have for future products and services, especially in relation to power consumption and energy sources.

Touch invites intrigue and interaction!

The brainchild of Brazilian designer Maurício Sampaio, the “Sampdesign Neo” is an electric vehicle for urban use that offers a safe and sustainable ride on cramped city roads. Powered by three engines embedded in each wheel, the three-wheeler features an exterior surround by LED lighting, which makes it extremely safe during night rides. The zero-emission vehicle comes equipped with buffers that generate energy, smart rubber that totally isolates the cabin from the outer world and an air conditioner, which allows occupants to choose the internal temperature. The entire body, including the translucent, of the Neo uses biodegradable plastic that makes it environmentally friendly altogether.
The small size of the vehicle helps to solve the problem of traffic chaos in large cities. Commuters can access the vehicle through a single door that opens from the front. Capable of reaching a top speed of 90 km/h, the Sampdesign Neo has the maximum range of 300 km per charge, thanks to the lithium-ion battery. With the Neo, commuting on city roads won’t be chaotic anymore.

Virtual reality was once the holy grail of computer science and interactivity. It promised to free us from the limits of our bodies and allow our minds to roam free in a universe completely within our control. It was touted as the future entertainment medium with applications in science and medicine but designer Vagarsh Saakyan thinks it could be our whole way of life.

As the human population continues to grow, space will become a premium. Our resources exhausted and with no land left, we have to move our megatropolises into the virtual world. In virtual reality, cities can be as big as needed. There are no limits. People can envisage how they live and how they get around. You may prefer to ride around in a space age urban buggy like the Voila Voila (pictured) or go retro and handle business in a horse and carriage.

So what do you think? To be honest the world I’d live in would resemble nothing like science fiction or reality. It would be the Kingdom of Care-O-lot, and we would all be Care Bears, and we would ride around on cloud cars and take weekly excursions to the Forest of Feelings to visit our Care Bear Cousin friends. Is the future now?

Designer: Vagarsh Saakyan