Icon Buzz - Designs & Arts

The Long Chair, created by Schemata Architecture in Tokyo, is devilishly simple: take a single tube of stainless steel and bend it into a chair profile over and over. Stack enough of these chair outlines side by side, and you have an actual chair. Stack even more, and you have a bench. Even more, and you have a reeeeeeally long bench.

Probably a pretty uncomfortable bench, I’m guessing — not to mention one that you’d have trouble moving and no doubt gets really cold in the winter. This one’s definitely more cool art project than practical urban fixture, but the wicked shadows in the gallery below still make us want one.

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Any one who has ever used a laptop the way its name suggests, knows that these things get pretty hot after a while, so having some kind of support that keeps the computer and your body separated and cool is a good idea. While there are plenty of so called cooling pads on the market, most are hard and uncomfortable. This log pillow from Intelligent Forms Design on the other hand is nice and cushy, with plenty of space between the logs that allow air to circulate. The front log also acts as a soft but supportive wrist rest. Made from natural materials like hemp canvas and using buckwheat hulls for fill material, there’s a literal aspect to the tree hugging part as well.

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I like designs that are so simple and clever, that they make you slap your head in one of those V-8 moments. This sofa design from South Africa’s XYZ Design is a perfect example. By simply rotating the center cushion, you can quickly convert it from a three seat sofa into a comfy looking chaise longue. No word on whether there are plans to sell this beauty, but it looks to me like the kind of thing Ikea would have.

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