The 100m Phoenicia Superyacht Design By Igor Lobanov

Designer Igor Lobanov has revealed his latest innovative design concept to Super Yacht Times. He stated that Phoenicia it is an explorative study, focusing purely on the design elements themselves. This concept amalgamates various historical influences with a new modern design.



above: original sketch for the Phoenicia

The model explores a 100+ meter superyacht with generous open deck space, particularly aft of the yacht including a helipad; a feature which is usually seen on large motor yachts rather than a sailing yacht.



Another key element of this model is an all surrounding open deck arranged as a gallery with a pattern design as a feature. One of the proposed patterns has a special Arabian influence.



Additionally Phoenicia has a very unconventional bow, which has a hint of ancient Greek influence. This design gives the feeling of 1000 years of history of an “ancient royal ship” with the appropriate name concept of "Phoenicia". Phoenicians are believed to be the people who influenced the Greek alphabet. From the Greeks it was then passed to Romans as Latin and to Slavs (and even Mongols) as Cyrillic. As a result a wide range of nations from Australia to Russia are now using letters that derive from those once created in the small area of Phoenicia.



Also known for trading across the whole of the Mediterranean, the Phoenicians influenced many nations and cultures that lived around sea. The Phoenicians are a link between East and West, between modern Muslim and Christian cultures. Hence, this name is symbolic and appropriate to the design of Phoenicia. This concept is an expression of how we should continue to explore different shores, different cultures and the various way of life.

By Rosie McCall for the Superyacht Times.com
images courtesy of Igor Lobanov

Winged Goddesses. Psyche II - Nudes & Butterflies By Carsten Witte.

Pysche II is a series of photographs by Hamburg-based photographer Carsten Witte, whose work often combines elements of nature and flora with the female form.

Wacky Wooden Spinning Chair For Kids And Grown-Ups By Jaanus Orgusaar.

Designed by Jaanus Orgusaar, the Spinning Chair Accelerator was inspired by the Cern accelerator [the world's largest particle accelerator].



Made of lacquered bended birch plywood with leather handles, the spinning chair is the opposite to the rocking chair. When the rocking chair calms and puts you at ease, the spinning-chair energizes and stimulates. The vibration from the spinning of the metal ball inside awakens your spirit and renews your cells.




After 6 spins, you end up where you started. It is a hilarious and playful ride for both kids and grown-ups.


Dimensions: 1400 x 1400 x 700 mm, 20kg
Materials: 4mm bended birch plywood, 2mm plywood, cable pipe, metal ball, leather handles
Finishing: matte lacquer

Price including VAT, shipping not included: 1.200,00 EUR at designspray or £ 1075.00 GBP here at Bouf

Zoe Cassavetes' Shoots A Short Film For Fashion Brand Miu Miu

Branded entertainment in the form of short films or webisodes [and in some cases, let's face it... just reeeallly long commercials], are designed to run on the internet and to be shared through social networks. These are rapidly gaining popularity amongst many companies, particularly fashion brands. Ryan McGinley shot a short film for Pringle of Scotland starring Tilda Swinton, and Chanel has produced a few, one starring Audrey Tatou and one shot by Martin Scorsese for their men's fragrance, Bleu, starring Gaspard Ulliel to name just a few examples.

Another Coffin Couch - The Heretic From Autum.

A few years back, I introduced you to Coffin Couches, a company that makes couches from actual recycled, well... re-purposed, steel coffins.


above: One of Coffin Couches' many custom options

Not alone in this creepy concept, Autum, a Los Angeles based store that produces limited edition items, has created The Heretic, a black Italian leather sofa hand-made from an 18 gauge steel coffin and produced in a limited edition of three.








Features:
* Hand Made USA
* Custom Built From an 18 Gauge, Steel Coffin
* Welded Underside For Durability
* Custom Hand Sewn Seating Area
* Airbrushed: Gloss Black / Pewter Trim
* Black Italian Leather: Life Marks & Grain Variations Will Occur
* Laser Engraved ID Plaque
* Limited Production Run of (3)
* 81.5″ x 31″ x 26.5″
* Complimentary Domestic Shipping / International Orders: Contact Us




 Price? $4,500 USD
Buy it here

the fabulous photos are by photographer Phillip Ritchie , courtesy of Autum.

Google's 'Under The Sea' Interactive Steampunk Doodle -An Homage To Jules Verne

A minor coincidence, given that my post today featured the 15 blown glass fish bowls by Roger Arquer, but today's Google logo features an underwater view in honor of Jules Verne's birthday.


above: author Jules Verne

To celebrate Jules Verne's birthday, Google's doodle logo, which is interactive, has been transformed into an underwater vessel - a Nautilus - an homage to the author of the classic 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, of which the original cover and title page is shown below:



The interactive logo allows iOS users to control the view from a Jules Verne-esque submarine by taking advantage of accelerometers found in iOS devices like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

Check it out

Unusual Blown Glass Fish Bowls By Roger Arquer.

This project presents fifteen different pieces that explore variations of the iconic image of a fishbowl. Each piece examines a topic or suggests a solution to a different issue, as human qualities are being attributed to a fish.





Thoughtful and yet playful, the hand blown glass FishBowls relate with Birdland and MouseTraps, two previous projects by Roger Arquer that also explore variations.

Under Candlelight tells us about candlelight floating on water for a romantic evening:


XS or XL tells us about relationships between big and small fish living together:



Dear Neighbor tells us about the delicate relationships we have with our close neighbors:


Pure Life tells us about purifying the water directly when refilling the bowl:



Chill Out / Warm Up tells us about how we can control water temperature adding hot water or ice in the small receptacle:


Russian Dolls tell us about how big the fish wants to grow. If it stays in the small bowl, the fish will keep small. If it goes to the big, it will grow:



Bottle Vase tells us about how we use objects for another purposes other than their original function:


Private Matters tells us about privacy for the fish:



Hanging From a String tells us about playfulness in an apparently threatening situation:


Do Not Piss Me Off tells us about the power to decide between the life and death of the fish:


Above Water tells us about sharing the water between the fish bowl and the plant:


Wishing Well tells us about cultural traditions related to throwing coins on wells or fountains:



About The Artist:

Roger Arquer was born in Barcelona, Spain in 1975. Graduated in Design at ESDI, Barcelona (1994-1998). A year after his graduation, he moved to New York City (1999-2003) to work as industrial designer. After New York, he moved to London to attend an MA in Design Products at the Royal College of Art (2003-2005). During the summer break in RCA he worked as designer in Zurich (Switzerland). He set up his own design practice in London after RCA.

Since he was student he has received design awards, such as Opus Design Award (Japan), Coram Design (Netherlands), Adi-Fad (Barcelona), RCA Society/Thames Hudson Book Prize (London), among others.

He also has been exhibiting his work: Design Mart Design Museum (2005-6), British Council Design Exhibition (Milan 2005), aRChAeology at Royal College of Art (London 2005), or Park and Products at Serpentine Gallery (London 2004), On/Off Design Experience (Seoul 2005), among others.

all text and images courtesy of the artist.
Roger Arquer



In a funny little coinkidink, today's Google Doodle also takes place underwater where the fishies live, be sure to check out the post on the interactive Jules Verne homage here.

2011's Hottest Pitchman? Marshall Mathers aka Slim Shady aka Eminem In 3 New Ads.

above image courtesy of the UK Guardian

Christina Aguilera botched the National Anthem at Super Bowl, the Black Eyed Peas halftime show was a disappointment and the match-up between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay packers proved to be an exciting one.


above: a still from the Superbowl's Chrysler 200 ad featuring Eminem

But two of yesterday's most talked about commercials that aired during the Championship Game both featured someone who'd been laying low in terms of screen time for the past few years, Marshall Bruce Mathers III, aka Slim Shady, aka Eminem. And that's not all. In addition to these commercials featuring the rapper, the 53rd Grammy Awards - in which Eminem has earned 10 nominations - is being promoted with a visual and aural 'life story' of the Midwest celebrity.


above: The 53rd Grammy Awards features the rapper's career in their latest campaign

As a Claymation pitchman in the Lipton Brisk ad, he effectively pokes fun at himself. As a Die-hard Detroiter, he adds an edge to the Chrysler 200 launch ad, which has proven to be a sentimental favorite. In the Grammy promo, his career is chronicled as part of the Recording Academy's 'Music Is Life Is Music' campaign.


above: Eminem is a claymation character in Lipton's latest Brisk ad

In case you missed them, here are the three tv commercials presently on the air, featuring Eminem.

Eminem in the Chrysler 200 ad:


Eminem in the Lipton Brisk ad:


Eminem promotes the 53rd Grammy Awards:


Talk about a comeback.