Cool Hunting

Design is the Problem: The Future of Design Must be Sustainable
Nathan Shedroff's new book, "Design is the Problem", presents a practical and layman-accessible exploration of sustainable design. In it, he breaks the progress towards sustainability into five parts: learning how to reduce, reuse, recycle, restore, and process. And Shedroff isn't afraid to get in reader's faces about the issue, either, bluntly stating that we need to "get over the guilt or shock or outrage......

Alexander von Humboldt and the Botanical Exploration of the Americas
Prussian scientist Baron Alexander von Humboldt explained aurora borealis and founded modern bio-geography. Less known however, is Humboldt's adventure to Spain's American colonies for what would become the greatest botanical expedition of all time. Now, at the 150th anniversary of Humboldt's death, the beautiful hardcover, "Alexander von Humboldt and the Botanical Exploration of the Americas," collects all primary records of his findings. Humboldt, together...

Domsai Desk Pets
by Laura Neilson Matteo Cibic's desk tamagotchi, an anthropomorphic planter, is an altogether different creation from his contribution to the "Love Design" exhibition at last month's Design Week in Milan. Where his bedside lamp stylishly doubled as a sex toy, the Domsai, which he showed at the exhibition space Monotono, provides a decidedly more G-rated dose of pleasure. Cibic describes his space-agey little tabletop...

Gilbert Rohde: Modern Design for Modern Living
Although known best for his work for Herman Miller, industrial designer Gilbert Rohde's entire output of work is an extensive collection of furniture and interiors, which Phyllis Ross examines in full in her recent book for Yale University Press, entitled "Gilbert Rohde: Modern Design For Modern Living." Rohde broke ground with his ability to fuse innovation and tradition, laying the foundation for modernists after...