What I mean by “environmental design”

Some of you have heard me fling those words around for a while now, but by the glassy-eyed stare and obligatory nod, I keep telling myself to explain it better. To me, environmental design takes design principles and applies them to ergonomic and functional (yes, functional!) products, efficient yet uncluttered spaces (to be paired with interior decorating), or policies and practices. It’s basically this: creating something usable or livable, sometimes better than its equivalents are currently doing, without sacrificing beauty. Right now, a lot of these projects are still in their concept stage and most of them probably aren’t usable… but that doesn’t mean they won’t ever be. Below are some of my favourites.

LED lights in the shape of a pear tree, by Nick Foley

With the pears charging as they “grow” and held by magnets, but you can take them off and carry it around like any little lamp. This is beautiful, clever, and energy efficient to boot. I hope it’s on the market by the time I have my own apartment. More pictures here.

iWaveCube Microwave, by the Sharper Image

Whether microwaving food is good for you or not is a different debate, but you’d probably find one in most people’s kitchens. This product is marketed poorly, as a “personal” microwave. It’s ridiculous, people don’t need a secondary microwave, but if you’re like me and you rarely use the microwave except to reheat leftovers once in a while, microwaves are efficient and this one especially will save you some counter space. Perfect for a dorm without kitchen amenities, or for small families. More here.

Roadster, by Tesla Motors

If you follow cars at all, you’ve probably heard of this beauty. It’s definitely a pricey vehicle at around $100,000, but this is what you get: a fully electric engine (which means never going to the gas station again) so you charge them like you would a battery–at your own convenience, I might add, a 0-60 mph acceleration in under 6 seconds, and a really hot set of wheels. Tesla’s also offering a solar panel to put on the roof next year, which will charge the car about 50 miles without using the grid. To be fair, the electric car is not new. It’s actually about as old as the internal combustion engine. So why all the attention? My guess: an amazing, practical, functional design. And of course marketing. More info here.

Sidwell Friends School

This is a school in Washington, D.C. where the kids of all the rich and famous attend. If my middle school looked like that, I’d definitely go in every day… oh wait, I did anyway. This school consumes 60% less energy and 70% less water, by maximizing daylight and having censors shut off lights that aren’t in use. There are PV panels on the roof. Treehugger did a great feature on this building here, so click that for more details. Me? I think it’s a gorgeous building.

Top 10 Movies of 2007

Yes, I realize this is nearly a month late, and 2008 is well-underway. I originally submitted this to Alte Sententiam, and I thought I’d include here for your viewing pleasure.The year 2007 was a great time for film, at least films to my taste. Maybe it’s a consequence of living in New York City and being able to see the films before everyone else, even ones that don’t make wide release. Therefore, I bring you my top ten list of faye-vourite movies of 2007. Even so, I couldn’t include them all, yet I would still like to briefly acknowledge The Simpsons Movie and Enchanted, which were both ridiculously fun, and the very emotionally-charged Namesake. A special mention also goes out to Paris, je t’aime*, a culmination film centred around one of the loveliest cities in the world.

Disclaimer: The following list is limited to films I have had an interest in or opportunity to see, and is obviously not comprehensive and is entirely subjective. Unfortunately, however, I did not manage, but would have liked, to see the following: Zodiac, The Kite Runner, Disturbia.

Extra note: I compiled this list before I had a chance to see Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, which was stunning. Doing it again, I would put it at number 6, but as for now, the old list still stands.

Onward!

1. Ratatouille

I never really cared much for branding, but if I see ‘Pixar’ stamped anywhere on a film, I’m sold. This is a studio whose featurettes are nearly as interesting as their movies; their creative process is nothing short of inspiring. Someone said that Ratatouille became “the canvas for everybody’s best work,” which is something Pixar genuinely embodies—and every individual’s role in the film, big or small, from executive producers to custodial staff, was dutifully recognized in the credits. It is quite clear that the people who made this film loved their jobs, whether they rendered hair or scored the film or drew the closing credits. Pixar chooses voice actors to match their characters, not the other way around, and the dialogue is timeless, devoid of any pop culture references which will inevitably be obsolete in a few years (take a hint, Dreamworks). Every aspect of Ratatouille is done with the utmost attention and care. Ratatouille radiates the very sweet message to follow your own convictions, regardless of the odds against you and how unpopular or unfeasible they might seem. Pixar has made the best film of the year, live-action or animated. Props!

You might like it if you liked: The Incredibles (2005), Finding Nemo (2003), any Pixar film ever more »