The con of concepts.
The blend of bleeding-edge design and technology in concept cars has always pumped me full of excitement and optimism. For decades they have given me dilated pupils – from the airbrushed illustrations of my teens to the photo-realistic CGI depictions of now. Millions are spent by automotive designers, technologists and engineers to show off and create these glimpses of the future. Yet it’s a future that never seems to arrive. Where are they?
Now, even I am not so unrealistic as to think that every family with children could use this Pininfarina concept. But look at the roads. This Pininfarina was created in 2005 and still there’s nothing like it on the streets. Surely, after decades of promise, the percentage of street cars that even hint at these optimistic visions should be higher. One Lamborghini per million utilitarian boxes is not enough.
Concept cars still drive me wild. But now they are starting to drive me wild with disappointment. I am realising they are just automotive porn and feel foolish being so optimistic as to believe the future could be so full of excitement and great design. But my disappointment with the makers of these concepts is the strongest. If they are so passionate as to be involved in creating these deceptions, why keep them only as deceptions? If they can’t actually realise their dreams then ours will never be realised either. MDKtm
For more information on Pininfarina see pininfarina.com
Google Drive.
As the tech world gets excited about the imminent launch of Google’s new cloud storage service, here at MDKtm we are also excited about the accompanying graphics. The official logo may be the shape in the yellow box but we prefer this configuration that appears at the end of the launch video. We hope they keep it on in some form. MDKtm
For more information see drive.google.com
Hard flow.
Dune is a stunning collection of modular outdoor furniture by Austrian designer Rainer Mutsch – and they have shot straight to the top of MDKtm’s Object of Desire list. Simple and flowing in form – like ergonomic pebbles – they are created by 3D-molding recyclable cement sheets. Perfect for beside your brutalist concrete home’s infinity pool. I want an entire set now. And a second one for indoors. MDKtm
For more information see rainermutsch.net
War and peace.
Camouflage clothing is not something that would usually register on MDKtm’s radar – but here is an interesting exception. For this coming Spring, street-brand Maharishi are introducing garments made out of fabric from genuine World War Two US Army parachutes. Maharishi have gone to the trouble of having the fabric blessed with incense – and washed in saffron water in India – to exorcise and cancel any negatives from its war-associated past life. MDKtm
For more information see maharishistore.com
Eco drive.
We’ve always loved the Japanese architectural trend of building trees into house interiors and this concept by automotive designer Christopher Prößler takes the idea mobile. A young sapling, placed in the middle of the passenger cabin, acts as a natural air purifier. When it grows too big it can then be planted outside to offset your vehicle’s carbon footprint. A beautiful idea, stylishly realised. MDKtm
For more information see christophproessler.com
New Design.
Iconic architectural minimalist John Pawson has unveiled his plans for the new London Design Museum. The museum will be moving to the site of the former Commonwealth Institute in Kensington and Pawson is responsible for its redevelopment. MDKtm
See more online at designmuseum.org
Cutting edge.
This stunningly minimal lamp by Masoiosare Studio in Mexico has shot straight to the top of the MDKtm Object of Desire list. It elegantly folds out of a single sheet of laser-cut stainless steel and is finished by the simple addition of a strip of LEDs. The Flaca lamp runs on only 6 watts – a tenth of that needed by a normal bulb – making it as minimal in power usage as it is in material form. MDKtm
For more information see en.masiosarestudio.com
Silicon sounds.
Here at MDKtm we have always been obsessed by Chiptune – electronic music created on 80’s games consoles and early computers. As much as we love the early-electro hissings, bleeps and buzzings of an Atari, GameBoy or Commodore 64 pushed to its limits, we are also a huge fan of the lo-res ‘album’ artworks that go with it. In an age of 3D, hi-def imagery it is exciting and refreshing to see what can be achieved by a good sense of design and a relatively small number of pixels. Our favourite exponents of chiptune are Bit Shifter and Minusbaby who can both be found – and freely downloaded – on the brilliantly designed 8bitpeoples site. And – yes – there is a compilation of wonderful 8-bit interpretations of Christmas holiday tunes. Have a blippy Christmas! MDKtm
For more information see 8bitpeoples.com. Check out Bit Shifter here, our favourite Minusbaby album here and the 8-bit Christmas album here.
Design. Covered.
Creative arts publishers Lawrence King are celebrating their twentieth anniversary this year. Firm favourites of the MDKtm bookshelf, their books on art, design and architecture are as beautifully covered as the subjects inside. Their latest must-have is the first ever book to be published on the American design icon Saul Bass. MDKtm
Find out more at laurenceking.com
Cryp-techs.
The cryptex as a security device is as old as history. Brought back into the spotlight by blockbuster novels/movies about Leonardo Da Vinci, it has been updated for the contemporary data era by Crypteks. Previously, secrets written on papyrus were dissolved by a vial of vineger broken by an incorrect combination of spinning cylinders. Now – a USB memory stick is protected by aluminum cylinders with 14,348,907 possible combinations. If anyone manages to get through that, the internal USB will also auto-format and wipe itself after wrong attempts at guessing a further password. The Cryptek USB is a beautifully tooled Object of Desire that’s about to be realised after a huge over-subscription on Kickstarter – the website where projects are furthered by crowd-sourced funding. MDKtm
