Our Favorite Things Vol. 19

Vintage Edison Bulb: The Buster

London’s design label Buster + Punch declares they have created the world’s first designer LED bulb. With the energy efficiency of today, the Buster Bulb lets your nostalgic flair flourish. The resin light pipe at the center of the bulb is where all the magic happens. It allows the bulb to create a subtle ambient light, while at the same time throw focused spotlight onto tables and surfaces below. This bulb consumes just 1/20th the energy of traditional bulbs.

Fake Cumulus Clouds

What are fake cumulus clouds doing in the MUDAM Museum in Luxembourg? They appear to have a life of their own, inflating slowly when the sun comes out. Within two minutes the space is filled with multiple solar-powered “clouds,” providing shade to the museum goers below. Studio Toer of The Netherlands is behind this ingenious design, also known for its Cumulus Parasol, a solar-powered cloud-like umbrella for your patio table.

An Experiment in Co-Housing

Winners of U.N. Habitat’s competition for urban mass housing, architecture startup Improvistos have designed an experiment in co-housing. Alfafar, Spain, suffering from a poor economy and high unemployment, was ripe for their humble plan to revamp 7,000 apartments with minimal structural changes. The goal: a time and space swapping redefinition of the usually hard and fast rules about what is mine and what is yours. Read more about this undertaking.

Wood Bike Hanger

Modern. Simple. Yum. Latvia-based Woodstick crafted this beautiful little wood bike hanger with its own special character. Named “Iceberg,” it is a pleasure to behold from all viewing angles. Like all of Woodstick’s products, it is fully handcrafted using natural materials, in this case Oak and Birch wood.