Here in New York, from time to time I'll still spot broken safety glass in the gutter. Sometimes the burglarized car is still sitting there, the seats picked clean, the glovebox open. I'm amazed anyone in NYC would leave anything in their car to tempt a thief, but I think our declining crime rates are making people complacent.

For those who live in areas where burglary isn't a problem, a car can be a handy place to store things. Off-road vehicle accessories manufacturer Smittybilt makes a line of gear for just that purpose: Their G.E.A.R. seat covers use what looks like the military's PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System) webbing to modularly attach a series of bags, pouches and tool rolls.

The bulk of the G.E.A.R. line-up is made to custom-fit different models of Jeep (CJ, Wrangler, and Wrangler Unlimited models made from the mid-'70s to today), though they also offer Universal models without the seatcovers.

While I like the concept and design, they may need to upgrade their materials; if one Amazon review is to be believed, the front seams frayed after six months of top-down, always-exposed-to-the-sun use. My guess is they used polyester thread rather than nylon, as the former tends to break down under constant UV.

Several readers voiced various plaints about Balzer & Kuwertz's recently-seen Pallet Chairs, but I was most convinced by Scott #2's comment that "Pallets are reused for shipping over and over, so it's not like you're saving materials from the waste stream." According to IFCO—"the largest pallet services company in the county"—"less than 3% of the nearly 700 million pallets manufactured and repaired each year end up in landfills according to a study by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and the USDA Forestry Service."

Even so, pallets remain a compelling material for their pragmatic provenance and rugged aesthetics, as in Toronto-based Dubbeldam Architecture + Design's recent Pop-Up Office. Designed for the How Do You Work special exhibition at last month's Interior Design Show in their hometown, the workspace concept consists of five different modules come in standard dimensions based partly on their source material.

There has been a profound shift in the way we work; when all we need is a surface to work on and a place to plug in, the working environment is no longer static. Mobility, adaptability and flexibility are the new key elements of the modern office.

The POP-UP Office is an installation that explores the evolving way in which we work. Using modular units that can be combined in different ways, the result is a workspace that is simultaneously bare bones and tailored to the individual. Built out of reclaimed wood pallet boards and their frames, separate modules collectively form the modern work place facilitating both individual work and collaboration—a workspace, collaborative space, lounge area and refueling station. In sinuous forms, the reclaimed boards morph from the wall and floor into furniture elements, sanded where the human body comes in contact with the wood and left rough where it does not. The modules are comprised of separate planes (floor, wall, ceiling) and furniture elements that are assembled in different configurations. Modular shelves can be inserted into slots between wall boards, creating adjustable display and storage areas. Smaller ledges slide into gaps between the wood slats.

The possibilities are endless; easily transported, reconfigurable and rapidly deployed, pop-up offices are designed for short term use, atypical applications such as outdoor festivals or disaster relief situations, or start-ups looking for modest office space. With the playful use of materials, lighting and furniture components, each module is made distinct, while being easily reconfigured to fit individual needs. Stripping away the superfluous, the POP-UP Office embodies adaptability—the space itself morphs in conjunction with workplace needs.

I used to teach middle school kids in Japan, and this is one of the funnier things I observed in the classroom:

GIRL: It's hot in here, isn't it?
BOY: It is.
GIRL: Shall I open a window?
BOY: Yes, about five centimeters.

The girl opened the window wide.

BOY: I said FIVE CENTIMETERS!

To say there are a subset of Japanese people concerned with precision is a bit of an understatement. And speaking of block planes, I guess it comes as no surprise that Japan is home to an annual wood-planing competition.

wants a UX Designer
in Los Angeles, California

Fun. Chaotic. Fast paced. Challenging. Rewarding. If you're a UX Designer who dares to be unconventional, you'll use those words to describe your workday at Hulu.

The small but growing team at Hulu wants to add an exceptional user experience designer to their roster who is agile, innovative and has the very spirit of design coursing through their veins. The next generation of premier online video experiences and interfaces could rest in your hands, so only apply for this job if you are up to the challenge.

» Apply Now

As our society seems to grow more tech-enhanced by the minute, so too are we burdened with more gadgets that represent extensions of our bodies (not to mention a host of newfangled gestures and body language). Citing water and impact as the major weaknesses of electronic devices, Luke Mastrangelo recently designed a backpack that offers protection from both, based on a distinctive form factor that follows from its polycarbonate skeleton. "What we carry, why we carry and how we carry has changed dramatically. Prism is a personal project, reflecting on this notion; seeking to answer both a digital and analog challenge."

The 1000D cordura nylon and embedded solar panels aren't breakthroughs by any means, but combined with the internal polycarbonate frame and thoughtful details, the Prism represents a nicely executed personal project, largely unconstrained by manufacturing considerations. Regarding the construction, Mastrangelo told us

The polycarbonate frame was CNC cut out of a sheet of 1/4" thick Lexan, and bent into shape on a cold-steel bender. It's entirely removable, which was a manufacturing decision to simplify the sewing process. Basically the fabric skin is stretched taught over the frame, and then zipped up around it, which keeps the whole system in tension, providing a tesseract of sorts for your laptop/tablet on the inside (think old school egg-drop style). The backpack is 100% functional, the lights, solar charger, rain-proofing, etc.

As we saw with Crumpler's laptop bag, the laptop compartment can be accessed from the side for the sake of expediency.

Images via DesignWeek UK

In 1950s America, few people at all were pursuing careers in industrial design. Charles "Chuck" Harrison was one of them. He had talent and degrees from both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Illinois Institute of Technology, but after applying to Sears for an ID gig, he was rejected for a single reason: Because he was black.

Sears' hiring manager, however, recognized Harrison's talent and was able to secure freelance work for him. Not having any African-Americans on staff was the unwritten rule of the time, but the freelance workaround enabled Harrison to start gaining real-world experience.

One of Harrison's former professors at Chicago was Henry P. Glass, the Viennese architect and designer. As a Holocaust survivor, Glass knew the ugly face of discrimination well, and having observed Harrison's skills first-hand, helped him secure work at a design firm. In 1958, while working at Robert Podall Associates, Harrison updated the design of the popular View-Master toy, creating the iconic form many of us recognize today (even though Harrison's Bakelite had given way to plastic by the time of our childhoods.)

By 1961 American society had begun poking small holes in the racial barrier, and Harrison got a phone call from Sears: They wanted him on staff. Harrison accepted, and embarked on a prolific career in design.

The breadth of Harrison's work is like an industrial designer's dream: Over the next thirty years he designed Craftsman power tools, radios, hairdryers, sewing machines, kitchen appliances, steam irons, televisions and more, spanning objects that you'd find in every room of the American house, including the garage and the toolshed.

Harrison's favorite project was a humble one with a profound effect: The first plastic garbage can. At the time of its release all other garbage cans were metal, which made a terrific racket when the trucks came to pick up the trash each morning. Harrison's plastic can was decidedly quieter. And he doesn't mind that his contribution is largely unsung: "As an industrial designer especially, your audience is neither history nor fame," he writes, "but a couple who worked hard to buy their first home on a quiet street and would love just one more hour of sleep in the morning, even on trash day." On the practical side, he designed the can to nest, meaning they took up far less space for shipping and warehousing.

Harrison, who became Sears' first African-American executive, retired in 1993. Throughout the 2000s he taught product design in Chicago. His full story is captured in his memoir, A Life's Design: The Life And Work of Industrial Designer Charles Harrison.

At Hand-Eye Supply we are aware that the experience of working creatively with a romantic partner can be a different experience than with a strictly platonic collaborator complete with both caveats and advantages. In February we'd like to celebrate those creative couples who make it work, working together.

Our Valentine's Day series featuring collaborators in both love and labor. Our first feature is dedicated to historic coupled creatives, and we'll be releasing following posts about some of our favorite duos in Portland, OR over the next few days! Check them out at Hand-Eye Supply.

I am clumsy. I also like straight-up martinis. Problem is, the more martinis I have, the clumsier I get. So I order them in a rocks glass because I don't want the busboy to have to scurry over there with the long-handled dustpan to sweep up my shards since the shape of a martini glass seems designed for me to mishandle and break.

As one of my product design professors always used to say, "You shouldn't have to adjust to your booze vessel; your booze vessel should adjust to you." (Although he may have used the word "product design" instead of "booze vessel.")

NYC-based design firm AMT Studio, run by French-American-Dutch Eindhoven grad Alissia Melka-Teichroew, has the answer to my problems. Their InsideOut glassware collection comes in smooth, grab-friendly shapes, while the inside retains the classic shapes of champagne-, martini-, liqueur- and shot-glasses.

As for that last one, I've never had a problem handling a shot-glass, I typically have a problem handling the tequila my friend enjoys ordering inside of them. One request, Melka-Teichroew: Please swap out the shot-glass for a snifter!

Anyways, as an added bonus, the double walls provide a measure of insulation, keeping your drink cool just a bit longer.

At Hand-Eye Supply we've been on a long time quest to find a decent tool box. It hasn't been easy. We've found sturdy and dependable toolboxes at hefty price points, and lower priced boxes that are cheaply made and wouldn't hold up to the rigors of even a gentler shop environment (what would that even be, anyways?).

Then we discovered this: The USAG 646 Toolbox—reasonably priced and so red you might get a speeding ticket.

This USAG 646 toolbox is made in Italy out of sheet steel which is coated using electropheretic deposition, a high quality finishing process which produces a durable color and thickness consistency.

The cantilever top is double-handled, with two upper compartments and one large lower compartment. It's nicely engineered so that in the process of closing the box the lips of the lid perfectly overlap. There's a small hole for a light duty u-lock, so you can keep your tools secure.

Images by Markus Greber

My first thought when I saw this was, Jeez--regular mountain biking not dangerous enough, you had to go and do this? But paradoxically, "extreme mountain unicycling" actually appears safer, at least at first blush. Eating it on a bicycle of any kind isn't pretty, but as you can see here, when he wipes he's able to land on his feet and quickly regain stasis:

That's Lutz Eichholz and Stephanie Dietze, whose skillz are impressive enough that Adidas has sponsored them and commissioned a cameraman to record the above video.

According to the Times, the sport was invented in the '90s on America's west coast; I'd never heard of it before since I let my subscription to Unicycle Monthly expire. But even after reading about the sport's origin story, I'm no more clear on whether it's more or less dangerous than on two wheels.

Falls are an inevitable part of mountain unicycling. But riders insist the sport is no more dangerous than mountain biking, perhaps even safer.

"We fall more often than mountain bikers, but we're going slower so it's not as bad," [rider Hans] Van Koppen said. "The same cliffs are out there."

Any thoughts, and can any of you with actual unicycling experience weigh in?

Via Oddity Central

If the raw materials used to create these chairs appear ugly at first blush, well, they've earned the right; for all of their useful lives they've served as broom, rake or spade handles, helping people keep their floors and yards tidy. Core77 fave Reinier de Jong has turned these cast-off items to the more aesthetically pleasing, if equally ignominious, task of supporting your ass.

De Jong's Steel folding chairs retain their original hard-earned patina on their unworked surfaces, but we dig how he's scalloped out the parts that come into contact with your body, revealing the "clean" wood within while bowing to ergonomic considerations.

Got some old brooms of your own? Get in on the action:

You can also contribute to this chair. Donate your old wooden handles of brooms, rakes, spades, flagpoles etc (28 to 29 mm thick) and have it turned into a chair for yourself.

This image passed through our inbox today, it's from a new book on the "Great Houses of New York" Sorry for the small size but a quick google search turns up nothing larger! A few more details about what surely must have been one of the great studio spaces NY has ever seen are available here and here and here. For another larger pic of the space click on through.

wants a Sr. Visual Designer
in New York, New York

You are officially invited to get cozy with a fun, energetic and passionate team of people who are all about your amazing visual design skills, and that knack you have for working seamlessly across multiple departments, teams and brand channels.

Foursquare wants a senior level visual designer with mobile experience who wants to help them design and define the way people experience the world. Confident in their design decisions, articulate and aware of comprehensive impact derived from each design are must-haves.

If you have the qualifications and are free to attend every day, please R.S.V.P. ASAP using the link below.

Apply Now

Can you feel it? We are officially in the thick of awards season and with all those deadlines looming, it's important to keep your dates in order.

The next major program deadline coming up is for the International Design Excellence Awards. Their late deadline for entry is February 25th. While you'll pay a bit more for the privilege of the late entry, all the recognition, glory and bragging rights are still up for grabs to everyone who enters.

If you're curious about what won the judges over in years past, the IDSA website has 12 year's of winners online. You can also check out our favorite winners from 2012 and 2011. Then, imagine what it would feel like to see your work featured there, and go enter!

2013 IDEA Deadline: February 25, 2013 - Enter here

We're counting down to this year's International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago, taking place at McCormick Place March 2-5th. Stay tuned as we bring you the newest designs in cleaning, cooking, dining, appliances and personal healthcare with in-depth coverage and video interviews about our favorite products. With over 2,100 exhibitors from around the world including 400 new companies exhibiting at the Home + Housewares Show for the first time, we are looking forward to chatting with independent designers, industry leaders, chefs and the winners of this year's Student Design Competition about the coming year in homeware design.

If you'll be in attendance at the show this year, be sure to download the app to help you plan your time and navigate the show. And don't forget to say hello when you see us on the floor!

For a taste of what to look forward to from this year, check out our full coverage of the International Home + Housewares Show from 2012 (with news from Dyson, Alessio Alessi, Prepara, Lodge, Marna and a full photogallery) and 2011 (our coverage of AMAC, Cat Cora, Joseph Joseph, Kikkerland, Replenish, Bodum and more!)

There's no consensus on whether it's better to have more, or less, cushioning in a running shoe; this article crystallizes some of the larger theories being debated, enlisting the opinions of an evolutionary biologist who's conducted biomechanical analyses of how the human foot operates during running. But while consensus will have to wait, Adidas isn't. Yesterday they announced their new Boost foam material, "a revolutionary cushioning technology which provides the highest energy return in the running industry."

The foundation of the BOOST innovation is centred on its cushioning material. Based on a groundbreaking development process created by adidas partner BASF, the world's leading chemical company, solid granular material (TPU) is literally blown up and turned into thousands of small energy capsules which make up the footwear's distinctive midsole. With their unique cell structure, these capsules store and unleash energy more efficiently in every stride. Tests conducted by the adidas Innovation Team show that the highly durable material found only in Energy Boost products provides the highest energy return in the running industry.

Here's a quick vid demonstrating the base difference between Boost foam, the industry-standard EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) stuff, and concrete:

While not all of our readers can relate to the American tradition of tailgating, where we gather in stadium parking lots prior to sporting events and hold barbecues out of the back of our trucks, most of you can relate to loading up a car with a lot of gear, as when you're moving. Anything square and boxy is easy to stack and pack; weirdly-shaped things with rounded tops, like barbecue grills, are a nightmare.

Industrial designer Eddie Licitra's Traverse concept solves the tailgating issue handily. It's a flat-fold propane-fired grill with a slim breakdown shape that makes it easy to tuck into a trunk.

That would've been good enough for us, but Licitra's gone a step further and also turned the Traverse into a handy way to get all that BBQ paraphernalia out of the house and into the car: It doubles as a handtruck.

wants a Digital Designer
in New York, New York


A social media savvy, fun loving, swiss army knife type of digital designer is going to have a blast in this job.

Just like the Michael Kors brand, this job is anything but average. They're looking for someone who not only owns their design, UI and usability skills like a boss, they can navigate, design for and create content for all the major social media platforms out there. Success in this role requires a broad range of skills and knowledge that all add up to a complete and thoughtfully produced high-quality web experience.

If you are up for the challenge, throw your hat in the ring today.

Apply Now

As of today, there are only four weeks left to enter the Core77 Design Awards—we've even integrated a handy countdown clock into the Core77 homepage so you don't forget that time is winding down...

Of course, that's still plenty of time for you to put together a kickass entry, and we've got awesome news for those of you who are entering the Consumer Products and/or Equipment categories: We're pleased to announce the final two jury captains for the 2013 Core77 Design Awards program, and we think you'll share our excitement in welcoming these two design luminaries, as well as the 15 others we've already announced—all in one place!

Hit the jump to see all of the previously-announced jury captains!

While it doesn't appear to be an outright Apple-Chevrolet partnership, Chevy has announced that their new Sonic and Spark models will offer integration with Apple's Siri. Called "Eyes Free Integration," Chevy's system will enable iPhone-toting drivers to initiate and answer phone calls, interact with their calendars, play music, hear transcriptions of incoming text messages, and compose outgoing text messages all by voice.

As per the context in which it's meant to be used, one of the system's touches purposely violates a cardinal rule of user interface design: Visual feedback. With Eyes Free, the phone avoids lighting up when interacted with, instead remaining dark to prevent your tendency to look at things that suddenly illuminate, so that you'll keep your peepers on the road.

Two Eyes-Free-compatible apps/hacks we'd like to see:

1. The KITT voice mod, which continually refers to you as "Michael" no matter what your name is.

2. An app that enables you to call out the license plate of the car in front of you that just cut you off. It automatically dials that driver's phone, and you can tell them exactly what you think of them without needing to roll the window down and yell it.

"Where did you learn to DRIVE, you #@#$%*?