arik levy: water=life pebble bottle opener

arik levy: water=life pebble bottle opener


image © designboom


'water=life' is a pebble-shaped object which aids in opening water bottles.
presented during the fall edition of maison et objet 2011, the simple device has been developed by paris-based designer arik levy
in collaboration with omabia, an organization whose objectives focus on improving everyday life. produced by guzzini,
levy's design has a poetic and functional concept - to facilitate and improve access to water and other drinks.

we have all experienced situations such as hearing a child or an elderly person asks an individual to help them
with the task of opening a bottle. 'I wanted to create an enigmatic object that does not give itself away too fast
and of which one can appreciate the appearance as well as the functionality. a river-stone was the inspiration.
water comes from the rocks in this case it's a river-stone that gives us access to water
.' - arik levy

the stone can be placed on the screw-cap lead of a bottle, the cone with its multiple radial pressure lines serving as a hooking device
to latch onto the lid. applying very little pressure and turning the pebble allows one greater leverage to successfully snap the cap's
lead security band and open the bottle effortlessly. after use, the river-stone can be placed back on a flat surface,
going back to being an object of nature.



image © designboom




image © designboom



image © designboom



image courtesy arik levy



images courtesy arik levy



image courtesy arik levy


image courtesy arik levy



image © designboom

anita db
09.14.11  
19
What about trying not to consume bottled water?

Encouraging it`s use is a lack of responsibility considering our planet`s sustainable urgent needs.

Even if the product can be applied to PET bottles in general he should have explored and communicated the bottled water issue as an experient and conscious designer.

We can`t also forget that he could have explored the product functionality with less material
Victor Verardo   09.14.11
Useless...and not ecological product i think
Harry D   09.14.11
I've never heard someone have trouble with opening a bottle of water, maybe a jar, but not bottle.

Anything made to looks like a pebble has been for the sauna/spa/wellness nonesense image. So much critique for this i cant list them. I just can't believe a designer of his stature would come up with this.
Leonardo da Nawmsayin   09.14.11
I live in a city where the water is full of calcium and bottled water is a must. I always struggle to open the caps so this will be very handy! My friends will be very happy to know I have found a solution that does not require their assistance! :)
weakling/bottled water consumer   09.14.11
This design comes in handy for people with Rheumatoid arthritis or with similar disorders. I really think it will make life easier for some of us. But I agree with Leonardo about the nonesense image (it just feels like the pebble was first). To our eco-friends: Don't use white lines or spaces in your comments. All white will need lots of energy to display on all our screens. Thank you. Could these pebbles have been made out of recycled PET-bottles?
Ro Pols   09.14.11
The Stoneman again! Haha!

But I def like this kind of gadget! Something for my grandma but she doesn't even remember my name now :(
Hannes Grebin   09.14.11
Does it only open water bottles? If someone has trouble opening water bottles they would probably also have trouble opening other closures.
Bruno   09.15.11
just more landfill congratulations
Jack   09.15.11
We need to stop drinking bottled water.
ELB   09.15.11
Absolute garbage. Sad to think designers are still in this mindset.
Bevan Suits   09.15.11
I guess most of the readers here still don't get how designers work. If you are a professional designer and not just a rich kid doing design for fun, you need to do projects for paying clients. And obviously this is such a project - a client wanted this product developed.
The people criticizing products like this probably buy the latest Apple-gadget each year and think they are on top of the design game.
didi   09.15.11
@ didi
You make a weak point by sidetracking the arguement. So what if it was a comission? there's infinity ways to get the job done of opening a water bottle but its got the most tacky shape imaginable. I'm not going to hate on Arik because of this and i think he finds it tacky himself. He probably had some really great stuff that was put aside by the ones that call the shots in the end. It doesn't change the fact this is downright CORNY.
L. da Nawmsayin   09.16.11
crime
meduzoid   09.17.11
There are certainly more bottles than just water bottles that open like this. The elderly, people with certain arthritic conditions and others could use this device.
Janice   09.18.11
@weakling/bottled water consumer

What about filtered water? No need to pointlessly consume plastic bottles.
This is just bad design.
MK   09.19.11
@didi
Someone like Arik Levy is probably at a point in his career where he can choose the projects he becomes involved in. Something like this will do more harm to his image as a good designer than the paycheck is worth.
MK   09.19.11
useless + designless = crise responsability
Joe   09.19.11
This is an interesting concept. I wonder if the decision to make a pebble shaped opener is more of a form or function solution(probably both)? I'd like to see the design timeline of this product, from the initial sketches to rapid prototype to the final product. As someone who is just becoming interested in design, thinking like a designer is a skill I'm trying to develop and improve.
Paul   09.19.11
simple stupid
david   09.24.11

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