Posts Tagged ‘ German ’
Karl Lagerfeld opened his first store in Paris. Known for his work at Chanel, it’s for his own brand Karl that the designer, adopted by french culture created this store in Saint Germain Des Près. The hip neighborhood has now his very own place to shop for some premium fashion.
Take a look at the result of collaboration of German vehicle division SMART and fashion designer Jeremy Scott – a limited edition electrified “ForTwo”. This electric vehicle is equipped with wings that illuminate like igniting rockets to form avant-garde rear taillights, the feature becomes the central design element of the car body, accentuating its futuristic approach to transportation. Based on the current production version of the “Smart ForTwo Electric Drive”, it has the capabilities of accelerating from 0-60 km/h (37 mph) in 4.8 seconds, achieving a top speed of 125km/h (78 mph). Its 17.6 kWh lithium-ion battery enables the urban two-seater to travel approximately 145 kilometres in city traffic without producing any local emissions. Painted in bright white, chrome accents in the front headlights and grille, mirror caps, and tridion cell contrast to appear like a ‘glistening jewel’. The interior is outfitted in fine white nappa leather for the instrument panel, seats and door trim while the centre panels in the doors boast extravagant diamond stitching as a further sign of elegance and freedom.
German textile designer Elisa Strozyk is showcasing her wooden textiles carpet made from veneer offcuts. Her technique in creating this piece is to laser cut the veneer pieces and bond them onto fabric. The wooden carpet can lie flat on the floor, but can also be playfully positioned due to its surprisingly flexible form. Conceptually, her work intends to look at materials in new ways. She is interested in re-evaluating our presumptions about the resources we use, especially as our environmental wealth continually diminishes today.
The Cosmic Motors Detonator is an unique concept created by German automotive futurist Daniel Simon for his futuristic vehicle design company, “Cosmic Motors”. Simon calls this futuristic bike a “street cruiser bike built for humanoid droids.” Simon obtained his degree in vehicle design in 2001 at the University of Applied Science in Pforzheim, Germany. After completion, Simon went to Barcelona and designed concept cars for Bugatti and Lamborghini, followed by five years at the VW Group’s Advanced Studio where he is currently designing virtual vehicles for his brand Cosmic Motors. He has published a book, “Comic Motors” and continues to offer his services to premium carmakers while designing his own concepts.
This clean gorgeous house called Dupli Casa that was originally built in 1984. Over the years it has had many extensions and modifications. The new building echoes the “family archeology” by duplication and rotation. Lifted up, it creates a semi-public space on ground level between two layers of discretion. The spatial configuration of the villa performs a sophisticated connection between inside and outside and offers spectacular views onto the old town of Marbach and the German national literature archive on the other side of the Neckar valley.
It’s a common desire among everyday folk: we often say we’d like to read more, if only we had the time. While it’s unlikely to fill your noggin with the prose of Hemingway or the poetry of Whitman, a new wristwatch from Biegert & Funk promises to quench your thirst for words and literally provide you with the time. Known as the QLOCKTWO W, the timepiece is a portable revision of the company’s original wall clock, both of which display the current time in everyday language. Priced at €550, the watch is scheduled for arrival this autumn and will be available in black or stainless steel variations, with either rubber or leather bands. As another option, those who find English far too mundane may spring for the Deutsch version. Curious shoppers will find the full PR after the break.
A while back I reported on a furniture collection by Aston Martin. Since then it seems like another car company has jumped on the same train. The new furniture collection by Mercedes-Benz Style will be making its world debut during Milan’s “design week” with a special Fuorisalone event. The collection is made and distributed worldwide by Formitalia Luxury Group and brings the reality of research and material quality that is inherent in Mercedes automotive products into the home. The presentation will take place from 16th April till 21st April 2012 at Mercedes-Benz Milano S.p.A., Via Daimler, 1 – 20151 Milano.
E-volo, the German team that flew a manned, electric, 16-rotor multicopter last October, will launch a two-seater version this spring — and a commercial model will go on sale in 2013. Fall’s test flight only lasted 90 seconds (video below), but according to E-volo the multicopter is capable of flying for 20 to 30 minutes on a single charge.
Piloted by the physicist-cum-maniac Thomas Senkel, the E-volo Volocopter (VC 1) is basically a scaled up version of a remote-controlled robotic quadcopter or hexacopter. The multicopter obviously has to have space for a human, though — which as you can see in the picture above is a chair attached to a… space hopper.
Each of the 16 rotors is powered by its own lithium-ion battery, and a central computer translates the pilot’s controls into smooth, three-dimensional movement. By default, the multicopter just hangs there, and according to the pilot it is very easy to control. In recent weeks, both the state’s governor and the local mayor have visited the Karlsruhe eMobilitätszentrum, where the Volocopter is on display, and congratulated the E-volo team on their impressive, pioneering work.
The obvious advantage of a multicopter is safety: It has all the benefits of a helicopter, but no overhead rotor — so you can eject and/or parachute to safety. E-volo maintains that the Volocopter is easy to pilot — and indeed, none of the usual factors that make flight complicated (pitch, minimum speed, stall) are present with the Velocopter.
There are plenty of issues, though. First, lithium-ion batteries have excellent power density (power-to-weight), but E-volo will still struggle to increase flight time without a major battery breakthrough. Instead, E-volo suggests a hybrid system with batteries and an internal combustion engine, much like a Toyota Prius. The propellers are an issue too — they need to be protected, which adds weight. Adding a second seat (and another human) also adds a huge amount of weight. As weight goes up, the multicopter’s size and surface area increases (larger motors, larger/more propellers). As you can see in the concept images below, though, the E-volo team is actively working on all of these issues.
As for applications of a commercial multicopter (due in 2013!), well, the only limit is your imagination. They would be fantastic leisure craft, either for puttering around the local countryside or on safari. Imagine going to see Ankgor Wat or the Taj Mahal or the Eiffel Tower, and being able to fly around it. Multicopters would make ideal taxis, too, or ambulances. Ultimately, a multicopter is just a posh jet pack — and who hasn’t dreamt of flying around with a jet pack? There is no word on how much the commercial Volocopter will cost, but the parts are fairly inexpensive — we could be in for a pleasant surprise.
German design firm Paperlux created a deformable paper magazine cover for the November issue of Novum, a German design magazine. Paperlux has posted a fascinating making-of video showing the incredibly elaborate production process for the magazine cover.
The urban art of the German graffitist Tasso is all incredibly detailed and life like. I wish I had more to write about his background, but I don’t speak German, and my translator is at work elsewhere. BUT, if your interested in more of his work you can take a look right here.
High functionality, fine materials and impressive style characterise the new AMG Selection 2011 of first-class accessories. The products are available in a business line for the office and commercial environment and a casual range for sport and leisure. The collection includes items such as a functional laptop trolley suitcase in leather/nylon with variable interior compartments for clothes, a laptop and cable compartment plus wheels with AMG styling. Other business accessories include a documents case with credit card and organizer compartments, a matt-finished aluminum retractable ball-point pen, a wallet, a key case plus a credit card holder. Finally, the sports and leisure items in the AMG Selection 2011’s casual range include practical windcheaters, polo shirts and caps for women, men and children. he collection includes the compact or full-size umbrella with a leather handle, Teflon coating, fiber-glass ribs and an embossed AMG logo, plus a leather sports bag, a key case and ring in carbon fibre/leather plus a matching lanyard in AMG-look. For model car enthusiasts the AMG Selection 2011 also offers the gull-wing SLS AMG as high-quality 1:87, 1:43 and 1:18 scale models.
Bulgarian photographer Lyubomir Sergeev seems to come with consistent heat when it comes to his photography. The set of photos in this post are all in a campaign for a company named Affect Media. Each shot is a creepy contradiction (i.e. Nun with Gun) and is masterfully composed down to the tiniest details, (like the tattoo’s on the ballerina-man’s legs). This collection is definitely one that I look at over and over again, and constantly find new subtleties that slipped my eye before. I wish I could give you more info on Lyubomir himself… but I don’t speak Bulgarian (yet).
I know its been a cool little minute since I put an automotive post up. It’s not because my interest in cars has been extinguished, but simply because I was waiting for the perfect vehicle to throw up next, and now I think I’ve found it. The Ferrari 612 GTO is a very interesting proposal by German Sasha Selipanov. The concept combines design elements from the current Ferrari model line-up – such as the front headlights – with Aston-Martin-like proportions and styling cues from the past – the whole rear end with its prominent shoulders is reminescent of the sportscars of the 1960′s such as the 250 GTO. Check the method, and tell me you wouldn’t want one.
I happen to know a very attractive woman who has a passion for Porsche’s the way I have a passion for very attractive women, so when German sports car manufacturer Porsche very recently revealed a new limited edition variant of its 911 model, dubbed Black Edition, I knew I had to put this up for her. Available as a coupe or convertible, it features a unique appearance with a plain black exterior, black brake calipers, and 19-inch 911 Turbo II bi-color wheels.
Inside, the cabin is nicely equipped with partial leather seats, a sport steering wheel, aluminum look trim, a painted center console, and Black Edition door entry guards. In addition to that, a BOSE Surround Sound-System is fitted as standard, comprising 13 loudspeakers including an active subwoofer and central speaker as well as a seven-channel digital amplifier, delivering a total output of 385W.
Also standard on the Black Edition models is satellite navigation, and a universal audio interface in the central console storage compartment that enables an MP3 player to be connected to the audio. Every 911 also features rear ParkAssist, cruise control, automatic dimming anti-dazzle interior and exterior mirrors, and rain-sensing windscreen wipers. Power comes from a naturally-aspirated 3.6-liter flat-six engine with 345 PS (254 kW / 341 hp) and 390 Nm (288 lb-ft) of torque.
Paired to a six-speed manual transmission, the coupe accelerates from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds while the convertible does the same task in 5.1 seconds. Regardless of body style, the top speed is 289 km/h (180 mph). It comes with a price tag of $81,300 for the coupe, and for just an extra $10,000, you can get the cabriolet for $91,300. They’re due to arrive in the spring.
This year marks the 30th birthday of Audi’s now famous quattro all-wheel drive system. One of the seminal Audi cars was a limited edition, short-wheelbase plastic-bodied extreme machine called the Sport Quattro — the vehicle that helped launch Audi’s successful run of world championship-winning rally cars. That car serves as the source of inspiration for the Audi Quatto concept, which is bowing at the 2010 Paris show.
Loosely based on the Audi RS5, the Audi Quattro concept sits on a wheelbase that has been shorted by almost 6 inches. The rear overhang was shortened by 7.9 inches, and the roofline was lowered by 1.6 inches. Together, these reductions add up to a much tighter package and more muscular proportions. To help bring the weight down to 2,900 pounds — roughly the same weight as the 1984 Sport Quattro — Audi replaced the steel body of the production RS5 with a custom aluminum spaceframe architecture clad with carbon fiber panels. The RS5′s V-8 and dual-clutch transmission was also swapped out for a turbocharged five-cylinder and a manual six-speed gearbox (another nod to the original car), further reducing weight.
Unlike the Sport Quattro, which was a token 2+2, the Quattro concept only has room for two adults and rolls on a 102.4-inch wheelbase. Behind the seats, there’s space for helmets, a roll cage, or a couple of fire extinguishers. The actual cargo deck extends further, with Audi opting for a classic trunk lid in place of a hatch. The undersides of the Quattro concept’s carbon body panels were left unpainted in another weight-saving measure.
With the exception of wheels, tailpipes, and a signature set of Audi LED light banks, the exterior is pretty straightforward. As a world first, the LED headlights boast dynamic components that vary from horizontal to vertical, and from slit-eyed to wide open. Instead of conventional turn signals, the new light units integrate amber streaks out front and moving yellow brackets at the rear.
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Here is a collection of 60 ridiculous examples of sweet graffiti pieces from all around the world collected by a German website. Here are only two of the examples of people getting up in a major way.
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