A binary typewriter with keys for just zero and one
A tube amp wireless router? A binary code typewriter with only a zero and one? A record player that can play 4 records – vocals, guitar, base and drum – at the same time? These are all gadgets that almost seem like they could exist, but of course they don’t. And you won’t see them being funded on kickstarter anytime soon either. They’re imaginary gadgets thought up by the creative minds of Pantogram, a Japanese model making company.
First the robots came for our jobs. Then they came for our chess tournaments. Now, they’re coming for our martial arts too. Meet MOTOMAN-MH24, a robot who, depending on where you stand on the spectrum of robotics, is either a piece of metallic awesomeness, or an absolute nightmare.
Kei Meguro is a Tokyo-born illustrator and graphic designer. After moving to NY for art school she settled down in Brooklyn where she’s not only cultivated her photorealistic aesthetic but also established herself as a freelance illustrator with clients around the world. Now, for the first time, the 27-year old’s beautiful pencil-drawn portraits are being exported back into Japan for an exhibition titled “Juxtaposition.”
Ever wanted to experience the perspective of a race car driver? Or the detective in a murder mystery? Well YouTube is making it possible. It was just 3 months ago when the video streaming service announced that they had begun supporting 360-degree perspectives. And film makers are beginning to take advantage of the technology. One of the more interesting projects that truly captures the allure of allowing the viewer to look in any direction – not just where the camera is pointing – is this short film that was shot in a single take throughout the backstreets of Tokyo.
Image by Destination New South Wales
Now through June 8, 2015, Japanese spatial designer Masakazu Shirane has installed Light Origami, a giant 3D kaleidoscope constructed using over 320 different origami shapes. Visitors to Vivid Sydney, an 18-day festival of light, music and ideas, can enter the structure, which acts like a kaleidoscope when different spectrums of light are projected into the space.
the main lobby of the newly renovated Grandbell Hotel Shibuya | all photos by Nacasa & Partners
Want to stay in room that only comes to life when the lights are turned down? What about a room whose wall decorations are all functional canvases? Well Hotel Granbell Shibuya might be the place for you. The design hotel underwent a major renovation and reopened for business last month.
a bearded smiley face carved from Haagen Dazs’ kinako kuromitsu flavor
Some artists create on canvases. Others use wood. But if the medium presents itself to the artist, it can really be anything. All you need is a creative mind. Case in point, Makoto Asano, a Japanese artist who decided he would create art from carving ice cream. Specifically, smiley faces into Häagen-Dazs ice cream cups using the flimsy plastic spoon provided to him.
a sea horse (left) and mandrill (right) created from balloons
We want Masayoshi Matsumoto at our next birthday party! Although, admittedly, it may be difficult to get the kids to request things other than swords, shields and helmets. Elevating the realm of balloon art and taking it to new heights, Matsumoto uses balloons of all sizes to create intricate, detailed animals and plants that appear to be made from something – anything – other than inflatable rubber. But Matsumoto assures us the he never uses adhesive, markers or stickers to augment or enhance his creations.
Japan is home to some of the most historic and visually stunning craft work, with different parts of the country boasting their own local, home-grown design. But when two of these traditions come together in a marriage of 18th century craftsmanship and technology they give birth to some beautiful children.
chalkboard art of Mt. Fuji created by 2 students at Mito Sakuranomaki High School in Ibaraki | click images to enlarge
Over the past 2-3 years there’s been an increasingly popular trend amongst students in Japan. Taking advantage of their drawing skills, classroom facilities and, most importantly, some downtime in-between classes, students have been creating immense artworks on classroom chalkboards using nothing but the chalk provided to them, assumingly leftover from the previous lesson. The pictures often get posted to social media and go viral. Amongst the many eyeballs that noticed the works was Japanese chalkboard maker Nichigaku.
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Retro MUJI Ads Created by Graphic Designer Ikko Tanaka
