501 design studio: rainbow ruler
the 'rainbow ruler' consists of a repeating pattern of seven-colored acrylic resins, replacing numbers with color. a good alternative for those who are visual learners, and not so numerically inclined.
updates
stay up to date with all the latest topics to be featured on designboom with our dedicated tag overview. we've collated the most recent themes in the worlds of art, architecture, design and technology for your easy reading: from emerging architecture studios to new design trends to relevant events from around the globe.
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tanimatsumura: 'waft' stool
a stool made of hybrid plywood (laminated aluminium and beech wood) whose twisted form is meant to give the idea of 'leaves floating in the air'.
rhea jeong: pablo's heart 01
'pablo's heart-01' (pb-01) is a next generation electronic sampler which experiments with sound through different mediums.
flash card kit: 'hello haptic'
'hello haptic' is a flash card kit for visually impaired children to learn various sensory experiences about nature.
urfun lab: bookshelf chair
drawing their starting point from ladders that are of common use in daily manual activities, urfun lab has reinterpreted its shape to create an all-in-one bookshelf and seat.
urfun lab: storm water pipes
for their recent installation, urfan lab surat from india covered industrial storm water pipes with colored cellophane paper, turning them into a vivid public-art installation instead of allowing them to remain as ungainly stacks by the roadside.
makoto orisaki: 'or ita' rotary cardboard cutter blade part 1
japanese designer makoto orisaki has created a simple tool which can easily perforate cardboard, allowing one to fold the material in any preferred way.
makoto orisaki: 'or ita' rotary cardboard cutter blade part 2
as a follow-up to part 1 of our coverage on the 'or-ita' rotary cardboard cutter blade, we now present the the six japanese designers and architects plus the works they created, as a means of demonstrating the capabilities of the cutting tool.
kamkam: dressed up furniture series
'dressed-up furniture series' by korean studio kamkam consists of four items: dressed up stool, cham cabinet, cham bench and belt felt decorated with clothing elements such as belts and buttons that are used to close the cabinet doors.
kamkam: an furniture
based on 'Ax' paper sizes the piece can be transformed from an individual cabinet to numerous storage units and a shelf.
zumtobel: capix
spotted at the 13th edition of designers' saturday in langenthal, switzerland is zumtobel's new solution to facade lighting. the LED chains are capable of running complete video sequences and messages on building facades.
sensorial aria installation by atelier oï at designers' saturday 2010
consisting of an earlier product by the swiss design studio called 'danseuses', the installation is a sensorial composition of movement, sound, air, light, dance and perfume.
jurgen lehl: babaghuri
jürgen lehl's clothing married eastern and western fashion. he is intellectually reductive in his approach to design, reexamining and reducing details to produce unpretentious simplicity. lehl's fashion creations are popular in japan and are sold there in over 40 boutiques. meanwhile his shop 'babaghuri' provides handmade crafts to treasure.
tokyo design week 08: juergen lehl at design tide
yatara stool by juergen lehl ( photo by noriko matsumoto) the babaghuri shop in tokyo showed a wild weave bamboo and stainless steel stool...... »
bram boo: designer of the year at biennale interieur 2010, kortrijk
using wood as his main material the belgian designer creates pieces that are influenced by people's daily habits.
daniel jo: green tea set for o'sulloc
korean ceramist artist daniel jo created a green tea set for korean tea house o'sullac. he participated in the tokyo designboom mart 2010.
daniel jo: wave + promise
intended as an ornamental collection, 'promise' consists of handmade ceramic birds and clouds.
ryohei yoshiyuki: simple wooden hand fan
the material ryohei yoshiyuki used for his hand fan is white ash, a left over material of a working process of a local japanese furniture manufacturer. the designer intends to promote hand-powered tools instead of the use of electricity.
ryohei yoshiyuki: time of the sky II
a watch that displays different colors of the sky every few seconds, making reference to the real sky.
endangered species design competition results
a designboom one-month-only-design-scholarship-contest: 2078 participants from 86 different countries participated and the winners are...
'red list with red fonts' by attila ángyán endangered species graphic design competition
this shortlisted entry consists of a new font style that integrates graphic representations of 26 threatened animal species with a letter of the alphabet.
shigeki fujishiro knot basket
hang it on a wall, use it on the floor as a laundry basket, or even a magazine rack. made entirely with knots, this adhesive-free product is made of 100% polyester and will also make an ideal companion for outdoor adventures.
shigeki fujishiro
'eiffel' by japanese designer shigeki fujishiro is of course named after the steel-structured tower masterpiece and is made from pure pulp and recycled paper.
tokyo llove hotel part 3
room installations by joep van lieshout, scholten & baijings, richard hutten; pieke bergmans, hideyuki nakayama, yuko nagayama, jo nagasaka; and ryuji nakamura. design of wallpaper by thonik.
tokyo llove hotel part 2
based on the japanese phenomenon of the love hotel, this pop up LLove hotel was created by eight japanese and dutch designers with themed rooms that are installations, where people can actually make a reservation and stay over night.
dave rittinger: zero footprint shirts leaf series
the 'zero footprint shirts: leaf series' is an exercise in embracing ecological consciousness, illustrating how beautiful and also unpractical extremes can sometimes be.
kengo kuma chosen to complete V&A dundee project in scotland
kengo kuma's proposal aims to encourage new relations with the river and the waterfront, facilitate unexpected visual lines, and create a vibrant and dynamic public space on the water.
snohetta: V&A at dundee shortlisted design
snøhetta's shortlisted design takes advantage of the project's site right next to the river tay, and heightens this connection by building the museum to float on the surface of the water.
miriam aust: a book shelf that gives your volumes presence
each crate is oriented in height and depth, based on a pair of books, creating an individual frame around them. the books are slid into grooves within the frame, thus forming small hinged storage spaces within.
miriam aust: 'vase & leuchte' at interieur 2010 kortrijk
the german designer brings the garden home by combining domestic objects with plant cultures.
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competitions 
grippin’ $ 3,000.00 USD deadline: april 30th, 2027 
Museum of Emotions #9 $ 9,140.00 USD deadline: february 22nd, 2027 
Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2027 $ 56,305.00 USD deadline: september 15th, 2027 
Compasso d’Oro International Design Award 2027 deadline: january 20th, 2027 
New York High Falls Riverfront Market $ 10,000.00 USD deadline: january 18th, 2027 
2027 MUSE Design Awards deadline: april 15th, 2027 
Marca Corona Award 2027 | Contest for artists and designers under 35 $ 1,675.00 USD deadline: january 11th, 2027 
L A M P International Lighting Design Competition deadline: october 31st, 2026 
Architectural competition for the design and supervision of the construction of the project “Limassol Arts Centre” $ 29,800.00 USD deadline: march 22nd, 2027 
2026 London Design Awards Season 2 deadline: december 17th, 2026 all competitions
grippin’ $ 3,000.00 USD deadline: april 30th, 2027 Museum of Emotions #9 $ 9,140.00 USD deadline: february 22nd, 2027 Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2027 $ 56,305.00 USD deadline: september 15th, 2027 Compasso d’Oro International Design Award 2027 deadline: january 20th, 2027 New York High Falls Riverfront Market $ 10,000.00 USD deadline: january 18th, 2027 2027 MUSE Design Awards deadline: april 15th, 2027 Marca Corona Award 2027 | Contest for artists and designers under 35 $ 1,675.00 USD deadline: january 11th, 2027 L A M P International Lighting Design Competition deadline: october 31st, 2026 Architectural competition for the design and supervision of the construction of the project “Limassol Arts Centre” $ 29,800.00 USD deadline: march 22nd, 2027 2026 London Design Awards Season 2 deadline: december 17th, 2026 
