Floating Garden by Duende

It's not surprising that fish are one of the most popular pets. This floating garden cleans the fish tank as well;

'The fish tank is a microcosm that reflects human concerns: within the finite space of its architecture the main issue that conditions the well-being of its inhabitants is waste management. 'Floating Garden' by Benjamin Graindorge and Duende Studio brings an innovative solution to the daily maintenance constraints of freshwater aquariums with a filtering system that is 100% natural: a cushion of sand + plants that adapts to each and every model. Its recycling principle based on hydroponics does away with the chore of regular water changes and proposes a new domestic- scale typology, between the decorative glass vase and the water purifying plant.'

Boris Bally

A quick look at the website of Boris confirms two things; He's been around for a while and made many wonderful things.....and a quick look simply won't be long enough.

I love the experimental work such as this lamp made from a recycled hard hat and old plumbing. Kind of looks like a pumpkin on a stick at first glance. Beats Ikea.

BTW, so sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been travelling for my day job as a photographer. Promise not to go awol for quite so long again.

Renew Newcastle

A great initiative happening in Newcastle, Australia...called Renew Newcastle.
Also tipped to include an 'Upcycling' store by Nick Nelson inspired by the Cool Green Stuff book.
'Renew Newcastle has been established to find short and medium term uses for buildings in Newcastle's CBD that are currently vacant, disused, or awaiting redevelopment.
Renew Newcastle aims to find artists, cultural projects and community groups to use and maintain these buildings until they become commercially viable or are redeveloped.
Renew Newcastle was founded to help solve the problem of Newcastle's empty CBD. While the long term prospects for the redevelopment of Newcastle's CBD are good, in the meantime many sites are boarded up, falling apart, vandalised or decaying because they are is no short term for use them and no one taking responsibility for them.
Renew Newcastle has been set up to clean up these buildings and get the city active and used again.'
A lateral thinking repurposing exercise with many benefits.

Utopian Creations

I really like the word 'upcycle' which is the practise of this Australian jewelry designer, Utopian Creations.

Not just recycling into same same, or repurposing, but creating something of greater value, 'moving it up in the resource chain away from the rubbish tip'.

Silver and copper is extracted from X-ray film and mobile phones to create beautiful contemporary pieces.

It's true, we don't exactly NEED jewelry, but most of us love it and if it can be made in this way then there's no reason we can't all be shiny and happy.

Reddish Studio

Some more cool work from Reddish

'Louis 900 is a series of lamps made by the use of antique furniture legs from various periods and origins. A simple set of actions transforms each antique leg into a contemporary light.Although sharing the same minimalist structure, the different antique styles add their own story to the final design.'

And another fantastic Menorah; 'Menorah is made of old candlesticks from around the world. These rescued candlesticks, which once played an important part in different family ceremonies, are now reused and united to form a candelabrum. The different parts of the Menorah are now sharing their life stories.'

Stuart Haygarth

People often ask me, especially journos, who my favourite creator is from the Cool Green Stuff book. I could sit on the fence and say, 'there are so many wonderful designers I really can't choose'...but I will say I was tickled pink when told that Stuart Haygarth's 'Millennium Chandelier' would be on the cover of the UK version of the book (called Cool Hunting Green in non-US markets).

This is another creation from Stuart, called 'Spectacle', created in 2006. Stuart's website says; 'Spectacle is created from over 1000 pairs of prescription spectacles which are linked together to resemble a traditional tiered chandelier. By using prescriptive spectacles which were once an essential tool for seeing an interesting analogy is drawn between their old and new purposes. A mirror ball light effect is produced as the light is refracted through the several layers of lenses.'

Sculp(IT)

Pieter Peerlings & Silvia Mertens of Sculp(IT) in Antwerp, Belgium, have created this space from not very much space at all. Wedged between two city buildings and comprising only 60sqm of living space, they have managed to create somewhat of a statement about how much space not to use when developing accommodation.

There is even a bathtub on the roof! Remind me to drop in to Antwerp to see this one day.