Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Enclosed Self-Sustaining Floating City: Future of Humanity?

Posted: 18 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

floating city of the future

Based on current climate change, there seems to be a good chance that we will have to restructure our way of life within the next several generations. Futurist Phil Pauley has been concocting the perfect underwater city for future humans who may have to abandon land.

biosphere 2 underwater city

Pauley’s Sub-Biosphere 2 proposes creating an entirely self-sustaining civilization that will float in the ocean. The biosphere will need no air, water, or other resources from the outside world because the closed ecosystem will provide everything the residents need.

futuristic underwater city

The futuristic structure will consist of one central “support” sphere and eight off-branching smaller spheres. Each smaller sphere houses about 100 families. Each of the nine spheres contains its own ecosystem, providing the entire structure as a whole with everything it needs to survive. It would certainly be a change from the world we inhabit today, but it could be the idea that will keep the human race afloat (pardon the pun) in the coming centuries.


    

Slurp Up: New ‘Soup Sticks’ Combine Chopsticks & Straw

Posted: 17 Dec 2013 08:00 PM PST

soup sticks

With the rise of Pho and popularity of other soup-and-stuff dishes, the time seems right for this useful adaptation of classic chop sticks to serve as soup straws. And in some cultures, slurping loudly is not just acceptable but expected, so try not to worry too much when you get toward the bottom of your bowl.

soup sticks design

A series of small and stylistically-integrated holes at the bottom (narrow end) of each stick give way to a hollowed-out passage leading up to the the broader end you typically hold, making it easy to switch between picking up and sucking up food from below.

soup bowl chop sticks

soup sticks detail

From their designer, Julian Lechner: “Chopsticks that are also straws is the simple, functional conceptbehind the Soup Sticks. A product proposal aimed at improving the eating experience by allowing solids and liquids to be easily consumed with a single implement.”


    

Wobble, Spin & Tilt: Buoy Chair Promotes Active Seating

Posted: 17 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST

portable office stool

Beyond conventional ergonomics, many office dwellers are beginning to realize that a good seat can be slimmer, sleeker, cheaper and promote more activity than a traditional Aeron or its executive equivalent.

bouy chair pics

More affordable than the Swopper and more stylish than a fitness ball on casters, the Buoy chair from Turnstone (manufactured by Steelcase) is a dynamic seat that encourages (and rewards) playful interaction. Sitting down in it one can sit still but feels compelled to twist and turn, and “Research shows that physical movement can benefit memory retention and learning; and small movements done frequently throughout the day can burn as many calories as going for a 20-minute run.”

mobile light chair

Aside from its lightweight construction (just 20 pounds), it is also easy to grab and move thanks to handles built into the sides, and the height is adjustable as well. And if its weight makes it feel fragile, forget it: these things get set out, used and abused at conferences, science museums and other high-traffic areas and events.

ergonomic meeting chair design

“People don’t always sit still. They move. They adjust. They wobble, spin and tilt and so does buoy! It’s a healthy seat for active sitting. And it’s light, so it goes where you go. Need to have a quick meeting with your team? Pull up a buoy. This is seating that bucks the trend of sedentary lifestyles and work styles. It fosters wellness by encouraging motion.. Buoy is about a new way of interacting. It’s for collaborators. For friends who gather to chat. For students who work together over computers and books.”


    

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