JetVegas, Zune Giveaway

by Josh Rubin

Thrillist and Jetblue joined forces to create the boozy whirlwind forever to be remembered as JetVegas. It was a sponsor-laden 36-hour boondoggle from New York to Vegas and back, enjoyed by 150 media-types and those who love us. Whether we subscribe to the cliché or just had too much Skyy to remember, what happened in Vegas stays in Vegas.

We teamed up with Zune to put Cool Hunting Video into each goody bag—everyone got a 4GB player preloaded with our 50 most recent videos. Want one? We have a few extra to giveaway to readers. Select CH Video Zune Giveaway in the contact form below and tell us what you think our next video should be about by Thursday, 19 June 2008, 11:59pm EST. We'll choose our favorites from the entries. And, you never know, maybe we'll even produce a suggested video!

photos via Refinery29 and Mediapost

Brad Teasdale Mosaics

by Max Gold

Brooklyn-based artist, Brad Teasdale, blends contemporary concrete and glass design with classical mosaic craftsmanship. Teasdale's aesthetic stems from a juxtaposition of the materials themselves. He combines glass, concrete, wood, and steel to articulate natural contrasts of "light and dark," "grit and beauty" and "permanence and change."

His latest project, "Leela" (which means "god's play in Sanskrit), is a custom installation. To create it, Teasdale combined blown glass (murrini rods) with sheet glass and stainless steel to create an august expression of the unity of form. It has taken Teasdale exactly a year to fashion this piece, perhaps a temporal reflection of his insight into cyclical patterns and natural forms.

We love Teasdale's work because it strikes a perfect balance between fine art and utilitarian purpose. "The stories that I tell represent the conflict and harmony between man and nature", says Teasdale.

Teasdale does custom installations, architectural applications, furniture, and fine art.

Mind Chair by Beta Tank

by Brian Fichtner

Originally included in MoMA's recent Design and the Elastic Mind exhibition, Beta Tank's Mind Chair has been transformed from a hacked polypropylene readymade into a working wooden prototype. The chair features an array of solenoids (electromagnetic coils) attached to the back and controlled by a video camera. The camera transmits information to the solenoid grid, which then inscribes the visual stimuli onto the user's back through a complex series of vibrations.

Initially proposed by the late Professor Paul Bach-y-Rita (a leading figure in the fields of neuroscience and rehabilitation) sensory substitution concepts such as the Mind Chair proffer a future in which the afflicted are given renewed opportunity to interact with the world. According to designers Michele Gauler and Eyal Burstein, founders of Beta Tank, this technology highlights "the brain's ability to process alternative inputs" and could lead to new methods of transmitting information, such as receiving text messages or images through our skin.

The chair is currently seated at Moorfields Eye Hospital in the United Kingdom, where the designers are setting up a lab to run test trials with patients.

via Dezeen

Mindset Six50: Electric/Solar/Gas Hybrid Car

by Josh Rubin

A new auto industry start-up, Mindset hopes to help change our gas guzzling ways by introducing the Six50, a new Li-Ion battery powered electric/gas hybrid that reportedly gets 800 kilometer (496 miles) per charge and tank. Rooftop-mounted solar panels also assist battery charging if need be.

In response to an auto industry that is "too big, too heavy, too expensive," co-founder of Mindset and former Head of Design at Volkswagen, Murat Günak, set out to create a lighter and more efficient car that weighs in at just 650 kilos (1,430 pounds), hence the name Six50. According to recent reports, the prototype made of aluminum and plastic weighs in at around 800 kilos (1,763 pounds), so there is a still a bit of work to be done to hit the target. But even at its current weight the car features a 70 KW (95 horsepower) engine that tops out around 140km/h (75mph) and goes from 0-100km/h in just under six seconds. The body shape is somewhere in between an SUV and wagon, comfortably seating four (although we wish it had four doors). Rounded corners and features give it a friendly look but the big wheels provide an aggressive, stable stance.

The Six50 is expected to hit the European market sometime in late 2009 at the steep price of around €50,000 (about $77,200). Still beats filling up a Hummer.

via Treehugger

Rittenhouse

by Tim Yu

Named for a famous square in Philadelphia, the Australian brand Rittenhouse often grabs my attention as I fumble through racks at local shops. The label is the work of designer Sally McDonald and graphic artist Micah Handorf, both of who worked for PAM and Stussy—the aesthetic bent is evident in the Rittenhouse designs.

Using quality fabrics and subtle details (that still pack a punch), the Rittenhouse range includes comfy and well-designed clothing—cardigans and t-shirts to sweaters and hoodies. Most pieces are fairly plain but the design-duo also specializes in textiles and prints. Colors are deep and super saturated, especially this season's blue which mimics an indigo-type dye. Entirely manufactured in Australia, Rittenhouse offers only a few choice selections each season and I want every one.

Look out for Rittenhouse in your local top-end independent boutiques or online at Oi Polloi.

Also on Cool Hunting" Rittenhouse x Mackintosh Trench Coat