Gizmodo: transform

Fotel Designer Chair Transforms From Rocking to Stationary in 20 Seconds

Dan Nosowitz — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:20:00 EDT

If you're a grass-is-always-greener type, you might have trouble settling on one type of chair: Arm or rocking. This Fotel chair is actually both, and manages to look pretty slick at the same time.

It looks like you can just rotate the non-seat part of the chair (carbon-fiber armrests and legs) while keeping the seat steady to transform it from a rocking chair to a standard armchair, which is such a simple idea we can't believe we haven't seen it before. The seat itself is made of stretchy elastic like in some office chairs and we can assume the whole chair is very light—but not inexpensive. We're not sure if the chair actually exists to be bought anywhere, but an idea this simple probably won't stay conceptual for long. [Yanko Design via Boing Boing Gadgets]

14 Build-Them-Yourself Modular Gadgets

Sean Fallon — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:50:00 EDT

Modular gadgets are great because they are part toy and part serious technology. In other words, when we reconfigure a device, it reminds us of how much fun we had (and still have) with Legos and other building toys. The folks at OObject have put together a list of 14 modular gadgets and concepts—like Bug Labs, the Modu cellphone and, of course, the International Space Station. Hit the link to check out the rest of the list. [OObject]

Vertical Patio Transforms To Save Precious Outdoor Space

Sean Fallon — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:55:00 EDT

There is no doubt that the big trend right now in home design is about saving space. However, many of the designs we have seen in the past focus on the interior. The Vertical Patio from Pique Architecture takes the concept outdoors with a design that gets the most out of a small backyard using an elaborate fold away design.

The customer that commissioned the patio wanted to incorporate a grill patio, hot tub, changing room, dining table, bar, stool, reading area, and security gates into the design while still keeping things as open as possible. Amazingly enough, Pique managed to deliver—but I can't say that I would dig this massive wooden eyesore jutting out from the back of my house. [Pique via Dwell via Treehugger]