Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Hamster Wheel Home Provides Offbeat Dual Living Spaces

Posted: 17 Mar 2014 08:00 AM PDT

in orbit main

Modern life is often compared to running on a hamster wheel: we do the same things over and over, but never seem to get anywhere. This was the subject of an architectural art installation called In Orbit. Two artists lived in the wheel-shaped exhibit for 10 full days – one on the inside and one on the outside.

in orbit dual living space

Each side of the wheel had its own living space, including a wardrobe, bed, desk with laptop and chair, microwave, toilet, and sink. In order to get from one room of the “home” to another, the architectural artists Ward Shelley and Alex Schweder had to move in perfect unison in order to stay standing.

in orbit

The 25-foot tall wheel is made of steel and wood. It was installed inside the Boiler Room, a site run by New York’s Pierogi Gallery. The artists only resided in the odd “home” for 10 days, but the wheel itself remained on display. When held up against the “tiny house” movement, the In Orbit house doesn’t seem entirely crazy. No one would want to live like this, of course, but this imaginative use of space and creative arrangement of furniture and amenities does exemplify the small living lifestyle.

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Current Table: Charge Devices with Diffused Indoor Light

Posted: 16 Mar 2014 02:00 PM PDT

Current Table 1

The idea that an indoor writing surface could charge your small electronic devices by way of solar panels may seem far-fetched, considering that most solar panels require direct sunlight to function. But ‘Current Table’ by Dutch designer Marjan van Aubel not only produces power from diffused indoor light, it does so stylishly with a minimalist, modern design.

Current Table 2

The workstation generates energy from daylight in a method similar to the process of photosynthesis carried out by plants. The glass panels comprising the surface of the table contain dye-synthesized solar cells that use the properties of color to create an electrical current.

Current Table 3

Small particles of titanium dioxide are placed on a piece of transparent glass, which is then dyed orange, helping them absorb sunlight more efficiently. Electrons stored in the titanium dioxide are released in the presence of sunlight, creating an electrical current that can either be used to charge a phone or mp3 player via USB or stored in a battery for later.

Current Table 4

Current Table 6

Of course, the more sunlight is present, the faster each of the solar cells will generate energy. It takes one cell about eight hours to fully charge a battery, and there are four cells for each USB port. The designer envisions the table in use at libraries, restaurants and meeting rooms to provide small amounts of power for gadgets without the need for wiring.