After two weeks off, the round-up returns!  So much to cover, so little time.

Fast Company Interviews The Greatest Designer Alive:

Dieter Rams

Recently I was asked to create a vision statement for MAK‘s design department – sort of an overview for our guiding concepts and ideology. I had to envision a snapshot of what I want the department to be and how I want the department to be seen, and in that brief synopsis, I referenced my personal hero Dieter Rams extensively.  If your in the design game and don’t know Dieter’s 10 principles of good design, you should.  If you like your iPhone, your iPod or any of the other elegant “i”-prefixed devices coming out the Apple Industrial Design Group, you should know Apple’s Sr. VP of Industrial Design Jonathan Ives has been accused of stealing everything he’s ever done directly from Mr. Rams.  Ives hasn’t “stolen” anything by the way, but once you’ve seen Rams’ work, the German designer’s influence on Apple is unmistakable, which is probably why Modernica called him: The man behind the man behind your ipod.

Best know for his consumer product designs for Braun, Rams’ functionalist approach created products that endured in an industry dominated by planned obsolescence. High on my personal list of enduring design nuggets to someday acquire is his 1956 SK 4 Phonograph seen below.  Nicknamed “Snow White’s Coffin, one of these beauties is part of MoMA’s permanent collection.

SK Phonograph

Fast Company’s Co Design interviewed Dieter in what turned out to be a rare and fascinating look into the mind of a living legend.  You can see the video interview here along with a great little piece about planned obsolescence.

Normal Projects | Architecture’s Unfolding Apartment

Photos Courtesy Normal Projects | Architecture

Being a firm that focuses on remodeling, we at MAK are often asked to add additional space.  When you love where you live but your house isn’t keeping up with your changing needs (or perhaps your growing family) it doesn’t take long for you to realize you need to give someone like us a call.  Sometimes our clients just need more space, but often times, our assessment indicates that they probably just need better, smarter space.  Since better, smarter space can be a lot more affordable than additional space, I like to pay attention when I hear about creative solutions for compact living.

Even though the unfolding apartment by Normal Projects | Architecture was completed over 4 years ago, somehow it made it’s way around the world wide interweb this week and it reminded me of this tiny Hong Kong Apartment I saw a few years back.

More Scrap Lights!

Photo courtesy graypants

Last time I posted about the Michael Wolke Up-cycled Cardboard Pendants I found on Contemporist and this week, graypants reminded me that great minds often do think alike.  While I don’t think I can give up the vintage  Nelson Bubble Lamp over my dining table, I do think I need to find a place for one of these beauties.

Ceiling Fan Round-Up

This week we finally got some summer weather here in the central valley and between our client and personal projects, and the new fan-less suite I’m currently occupying, the subject of ceiling fans was a hot topic around the water cooler.  Thankfully, Remodelista’s 10 easy pieces hit my inbox just in time.

If your in the market for a new fan, check it out, but remember the California Building Code mandates that any outlet boxes or outlet box systems used as sole support for ceiling fans must be marked by their manufacturer as suitable for this purpose and cannot support ceiling-suspended fans that weigh more than 70 lbs. In most cities a quick permit and electrical inspection will be required, so check with your local building department or call a licensed contractor or handyman before installing. Personally, I’ve got my eye on the Fanimation Zonix -I love the clean lines and I think the walnut blades are the perfect compliment to our new flooring.  More on that later!

Cheers