A revolutionary new bicycle design, created at Purdue University by Industrial Designers…Scott Shim, Ryan Lightbody, and Matt Grossman, may give parents less concern when teaching their children how to ride a bike. The 16-inch-wheel bicycle looks like a tricycle, but as the child gains momentum and learns to balance, the two rear wheels shift inward to merge into one wheel. This causes the balance to gradually shift from the bicycle to the child. This was there first attempt ever at designing a bike before and you’d have to say they did fairly well. Their design topped 853 entrants from 56 countries to win the $15,000 first prize in the 9th International Bicycle Design Competition in Taiwan late last month.

Both Ryan and Matt have been students of Scott Shim and claim the three worked very well together. Ryan is a Purdue ID graduate who presently is a designer at Strategix Vision in Bosman Montana, Matt Grossman is a current ID student at Purdue, and Scott Shim is assistant professor in the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue.

10:13 AM - Apr. 28, 2005

Flooring Tip

Shaw Laminate - Natural Sensations

Description: Experience a new dimension in laminate flooring with Natural Sensations, featuring the unique VersaLock glueless flooring system. This revolutionary product advancement allows your floor to be installed quickly and without glue so there's no messy cleanup and you can walk on it right away! Shaw Laminate Long-lasting beauty and carefree maintenance have helped make laminate flooring the industry's fastest growing product. Shaw Laminates provides consumers all the benefits of this latest flooring technology, offering an extensive collection of visuals and textures that range from traditional hardwood to natural stone.

9:38 AM - Apr. 26, 2005

Feng Shui Tips

1) There should be no shoes or slippers lying around outside the main door of your house. Remove it if you can. Allow that space at the main door to be free and clear. The chi (energy) rides with the wind and will collect all the smell of those shoes and slippers into your house causing sickness. Ch’i then travels about in your house looking for water to stay but if there are no water fountains or fish tanks, then the Ch’i will be dispersed by wind.

2) There should be no television sets in your bedrooms: If you cannot get rid of that habit then after watching the television cover it with a plastic table cloth. Remember it has to be plastic and not simply cloth.

3) There should be no mirrors opposite your bed or at the side of your bed. Mirrors opposite the bed can attract a third party to the relationship. Therefore, do not place mirrors anywhere you like and especially in your bedroom.

4) Place an indoor water fountain in your home, position in a favourable area to attract whatever you want in your life.

5) If you already have a fish tank in your house, be careful. A fish tank placed correctly can bring about greater fortune, as you will tap on the "Divine Water Dragon's Den". But if you tap wrongly, it can cause you to have lawsuits, bankruptcy, work pressure, troubles and problems. If you noticed any of these after placing the fish tank for approximately four months, shift your fish tank to another location. 

6) In your kitchen, ensure that opposite your stove there is no refrigerator, washing machine, washbasin and toilet. The fire and water crash causing family members to have disagreements. 

7) Try not to allow children to sleep on mattresses on the floor. Yes, this allows young children not to fall off beds but it also causes young children to fall sick frequently. The reason is: chi is not able to flow underneath the bed. Ideally, chi should circulate around the mattress where our children sleep to allow them to be healthy.

8) For young children, try to have their back to the wall when they write. It is important there should be a solid wall behind a children's writing table. This allows the child to have support so that he can sit there and study longer rather than for only half an hour and then they tend to move about because there is no solid wall behind their back. Adjust your writing table.

9) Do not allow children to sleep on double bunk beds even if it means saving space. The child sleeping underneath will not have "fresh chi" and so his health might be weak. But if due to space constraints, then monitor your child's health if not add in a metal 6 rods wind chime or a crystal sphere, to break up the "stale chi" around his bed.

10) Your bed should always have a solid wall behind you. This is important if you wish to have a good rest. A solid wall simply means that you can go into deeper sleep and therefore enabling you to have good rest so that when you wake up in the morning, you will feel fresh and well rested. This also allows you to be able to concentrate on your work better.

9:25 AM - Apr. 24, 2005

Feng Shui - Influencing Interior Design

Feng shui is the study of the relationship between people and their environments.  Our homes and work spaces are mirrors of ourselves.  These spaces affect us and we affect our spaces.  Our environment is a dynamic force that is constantly responding to the intentions of those living there.  Most of us want our homes and businesses to be places that heal, restore, balance, prosper, and encourage growth. Unknowingly, however, our spaces often do just the opposite.  Whether it be rearranging furniture, or introducing a new texture to a room, feng shui is simply the art of consciously making design choices that support our life's path, whatever that may be!

9:11 AM - Apr. 21, 2005

The Barcelona chair

Mies van der Rohe designed a chair, especially for the Barcelona Pavilion, consisting of a leatherupholstered metallic profile that over the years has become an icon of modern design. To such an extent, in fact, that the Barcelona chair is still manufactured and marketed today.

8:57 AM - Apr. 18, 2005

Fiera Milano 2005

This was in the Milan's International Modern and Contemporary Art (MiArt), I can't find the designer's name, but I really liked it! It's bright, functional, simple and modern.

8:43 AM - Apr. 16, 2005

New Project

I'm very excited today, cause I'll have an opportunity to show my work in a magazine! Well, frist I'll to work on a project and compete with a lot of other people. The best five will be on a very good design magazine. Even if I don't win, it will be great for me to work on something new and feel free to let my imagination loose.

8:34 AM - Apr. 12, 2005

Alvar Aalto

One of my favorite designer is Alvar Aalto and this is one of my favorite pieces! Architect, Furniture, Glass and Lighting designer. Worked closely with his wife Aino Aalto. In 1927, he began working with bent wood and glue and used this technique for the now world-famous Paimio furniture. In 1935, he founded Artek where he continued to develop his laminated-wood furniture.

8:20 AM - Apr. 8, 2005

So sleepy

Just spent all night working, I had a project due today and I had to start it all over again because my client didn't like it at all... That's one of the hard parts of my job, you have to combine your client's taste with your own style, and sometimes you just don't have time to work and can end up drawing the night away...

8:22 AM - Apr. 5, 2005

Hi!

It's my first time here, I'm Gwen and I'll be writing about how it is to be an interior designer. So, I hope you all like it, and be free to post comments, ok? Kiss!

8:18 AM - Apr. 3, 2005