Explanation from Petr:
The exhibit is an active relaxation and rehabilitation bath with special features that permit the changeability of water volume (0-410 L) and provides a pleasant form of relaxation due to its continual and smooth changes to the ergonomical shape of the structure. The bottom contour of the bath adjusts in order to conform to the required position and height of the user. The various geometrical changes to the shape enables the bath to be “shortened” for example, creating a backing for the legs in order to maximize on comfort.

For the purpose of saving on water consumption, one can simply change the depth of the bath so it becomes shallow or select a shape that is most suitable for the user. The changes to the shape of the bath floor can be modified & readjusted anytime. Another wonderful trait of the bath is that it is equally convenient for bathing children, because one can adjust a safe depth of bath, reducing risk of drowning as well as being equipped with soft finish of the base. In addition to creating minimal dimensions, the bath itself can be used as a baby changing table. Getting in and out of the bath tub is simple and effortless. There’s no need to climb over edges of the bath. This way, it is beneficial for people with physical disability or those completely immobile.

Uniquely, in this bath we can experience an unmissable feeling of soft, rippling of the bath floor during bathing or when having a massage. This is a new form of relaxation which we can daringly refer to as “kinetic therapy”. The type of technology used forms system of 10 pneumatic pistons (compressed air powering pistons) and includes inclinable segments covered with soft upholstery. This lining creates a pleasant feeling without causing pressure on the body even in the case when the bath is low filled or during the filling or draining of the bath tub. The movable segments are covered by special, highly elastic, hygienic and strong foil (used in the concept of BMW Gina. The geometric shape of the head rest can be partially changed and is also made from movable structures, covered in flexible foil. The type of material`s used are synthetic rock (e.g. ceramics, plastic shroud), glass, elastic foil.

Other systems used are classic hydro/air massaging jets capable of being rotated and powered by electric motor. The connection to mains water supply, water outlet, air and hydro massage jet is through flexible hosing. The bottom of the tub is sealed and the whole base can be raised or lowered over a flat surface of the inner side-panels of the bath. That is how water tightness is ensured.

Everything is controlled electronically with a remote control. As a result, it is possible to select filling/draining of the bath, change water temperature, adjust hydro/air massage settings (duration, intensity, cycle program) and change the shape of the bath floor whit comfortably resting in the bath tub. This is done with the help of sensor button on the display of a remote control. The geometry of the bath can be altered simply by means of accessing touch display screen on the remote control. Naturally, the program remembers previous settings and if the conditions allow, the bath immediately fulfills the command of the user. Simultaneously however, whilst making the change, the height of the water surface, its volume and temperature as well as the total water consumption is electronically monitored.

The filling of the bath is possible through water inlets positioned right beneath the head rest, whilst draining is carried out through the segment located in the middle of the bath tub. If we were to come back to the principle of shaping the bath floor, an alternative method exists, which replaces pneumatic pistons and electrically tilted segments with air pouch system (ballonet). In addition, the foil covering the surface of various segments can also be replaced with a variety of other materials available on the market, that have similar properties.

Designer : Petr Kubik

Populous says :
Incheon Metropolitan City is a world class city, and this will be an innovative design, benchmarked against world’s best practice.

The multipurpose stadium builds on the design developed by Populous for the main stadium for the 2012 Olympic Games in London and illustrates a new level of sustainable design in public infrastructure built for major events such as an Olympics or an Asian games.

The key to the stadium’s success will be reducing it down and linking it into the surrounding parklands, to make it an open accessible building, for its people. This way it can achieve a connection with the community that is vital to securing its long term sustainability and a true legacy for the people of Incheon.

Designer : Populous and Heerim Architects and Planners

Martin interview with Electrolux :

What was the inspiration for your concept?
In my opinion, everything I have ever seen, read and heard is my inspiration. Every experience stays somewhere inside you, and if you are lucky, it will come out at the right moment. If I look back, this particular concept was definitely inspired by the book The Naked Sun from Isaac Asimov, the R2-D2 robot from Star Wars, an egg, insects, and whatever else I see every day.

How does your concept fit into this year’s competition theme “Designs for the next 90 years”?
Ninety years is very long time. Nearly four generations will pass through, every one of them with its own dreams, desires and possibilities. One long lasting dream is to reach the stars, but before that, we will have to reach Mars to see whether or not we can live without Earth. This is the time where my concept is relevant. At that time, we won’t think of machines as dumb boxes with buttons, but more as partners that obey our commands, but still have their own minds. They will be more autonomous and think and make decisions on their own. It may sound frightening, but it isn’t scarier than the first arrival of trains to the cities.

What are the main consumer benefits of your concept?
One thing you notice on Mars is the silence and serenity. That’s quite good for one week’s vacation in the countryside, but for modern people it’s very depressing to live in such a place for several months or years. Therefore, the main benefit of Le Petit Prince is that it’s not just a machine, but more like a pet or silent friend that you can speak to when you aren’t in the mood to talk to people. On top of that, it is a good gardener that grows any plant you want or need to bare life or just for its beauty.

Describe the consumer research behind your concept.
Well, I must admit it’s difficult to do any real research behind the concept since it’s designed for Mars. However, some of my friends said it’s cute (I always thought some of them have to be from Mars) and I consider their feedback sufficient.

What kind of materials would you use to build your concept?
Metallurgy, glass production and synthetic plastics have been used for a long time and will probably continue to be used in the next hundred years, so I didn’t feel an urge to use new yet unknown materials. Nanotechnology made giant leaps in the last few years and it will improve properties of material surfaces in the future, so they will be even harder and more resistant than anything we know today. More effective (even transparent) are solar panels, etc., but this evolution will not affect the fundamentals of my concept.

Designer : Martin Miklica

[Press Release]

Inspired by the brilliant inventions of Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin in the 19th century, the Tambour Mystérieuse embodies peerless watchmaking genius: with the finesse of a conjurer, this Louis Vuitton montre à complication somehow completely conceals its own mechanism. The hands hover on an astounding system of transparent sapphire discs; no trace of the watchworks is detectable by the eye. Prowess beyond compare, causing time to float as if by some other-worldly bewitchment.

This is a first in the luggage master’s history: a timepiece entirely created, developed, and assembled in the Louis Vuitton watch-making workshops in Switzerland. Perpetuating the prestigious institution of traditional craftsmanship, every element of the calibre “LV115” is rigorously handmade, a technical masterpiece of 115 components. The unprecedented power reserve, too, stands as testament to pure watchcraft virtuosity: 8 days – 8 hours. A tip of the hat to this lucky number, this timeless talisman. Three models have materialized: the first, a resolutely technical creation of clean, minimal lines; the second is classic, sophisticated, accented in brown or gray; the third, a supremely feminine model radiating an aura of jewelled artistry. Though such a triptych may cast the semblance of a silhouette, only the owner of the Tambour Mystérieuse holds the key to the true identity of the timepiece. For, to ensure each Tambour is unique in the world, Louis Vuitton provides a thousand and one ways to claim it as one’s very own.

From a vast spectrum of possibilities, each personality summons its own reflection; yellow, white, or red gold or platinum…diamonds, rubies, or sapphires…brilliant or baguette cut… Reminiscent of a conductor nightly bringing forth a new symphonic spectacle with his baton, the owner of the Tambour Mystérieuse weaves a myriad of choices into an original composition, in which sameness and conformity shall never hold a place. And for the ultimate chic, the watch’s oscillating rotor can be inlaid with one’s own initials, golden marquetry on an unseen sapphire heart. It is far from a mere accessory; the Tambour Mystérieuse is the very breath of a lifestyle.

Lastly, as homage to such extraordinary watchcraft, Louis Vuitton has conjured a case that itself is pure originality: a genuine trunk, prepared exclusively for the Tambour Mystérieuse in the historic Louis Vuitton workshops in Asnières. All the traditional practices are honoured in its making, every standard that has meant the longstanding success of the brand. This tiny treasure chest can also be personalized, from the choice of leathers to the lining’s colour; even the legendary LV lock, with a wave of the wand, can have a number matching that of other luggage pieces brought to life by their Monogram maker.

It is a passion for excellence that has drawn such acclaim for Louis Vuitton in the very exclusive world of fine watch-making. Only an elite few – chronometer connoisseurs and luxury timepiece aficionados – will capture the magic, the exceptional savoir-faire of the Tambour Mystérieuse.

From : Louis Vuitton

This phone includes a giant, bright, flexible and energy-saving OLED screen which is the only way of interacting and can independently produce required buttons and wipers for operating a program. Aside from that, the ergonomic shape of that phone allows to place the phone comfortably over a palm. There is a foldable stand at the back surface of the phone that can be used to place it as a lucrative alarm clock or can be used as an elegant lamp using the brightness of the OLED screen.

Designer : Ilya Tkach

The elevator is actually an allegorical crane, placed right there where they belong. You can resemble the bridges that intersect into the museum with the arms of a crane, placed over the historic staircase and the boardroom, locking them in place. The Museum of Wellington City and Sea is known as ephemera to many of its exhibits and considering this fact the intrusion moved from solid to ephemeral. The administrative areas are represented by the solid part and the ephemeral symbolizes the exhibition areas of the museum. This project challenges the concept of ephemeral not only via temporality and movement but also through light, glass and reflection.

Designer : Nazia Kachwalla

Text from the website:
Dr. Jim Levine of the Mayo clinic discovered that if people are active throughout the day by being reminded to move or stop being inactive they could keep their metabolism from shutting down and therefore be able to lose unwanted weight. Through his research he strove to better understand the benefits of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and came up with the concept for a wearable device.

He determined the key was a system that could calculate an individual’s metabolic pattern and measure calorie burn throughout a day’s activity and then relay targeted caloric intake to the user. He needed a device that not only monitored and measured an individual’s every movement in a 24-hour period but also prompt the individual to get up and initiate activity before their metabolism slows. The Pelegrin Partners licensed Dr. Levine’s technology and founded the company to take this important weight management opportunity into commercial practice.

Designer : Worrell

HM3’s twin cones indicate hours and minutes respectively, with the hour cone capped by a day/night indicator. An over-sized date wheel – the wheel is actually a larger diameter than the movement – allows for large, clearly legible numbers, with the date indicated by a neatly engraved triangle.

The movement of HM3 has been literally turned upside down to allow for an uninterrupted view of the solid gold winding rotor and the animated oscillations of the balance wheel. The technical challenges in inverting the movement were considerable; however, Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, winner of the inaugural award for Best Watchmaker at the 2007 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, and his team at Agenhor not only met but surpassed the challenge.

Turning the watch over reveals the technical secret behind the inverted movement: two large, high-tech ceramic bearings that efficiently transmit power up to the cones and the date wheel.

Designer : Maximilian Büsser and Friends

Sergio says “Outside the car industry technologies have been developed in order to regenerate power, like kinetic watches, wind turbine, geothermic energy absorption even a sustainable dance floor is developed that regenerates the energy from the bouncing of the floor.

Around those ideas I designed a car with a central kinetic axis that generates the power of the movement as the vehicle turns like two attached motorbikes.

Second, I thought electrical cars should be designed aiming for sensations and not for speed in order to preserve the batteries longer. At high speed the battery range drop considerably, so this vehicle would provide sensations at lower speeds.

Drivers that have lived in a virtual computer game word that want to drive a vehicle closer to a spaceship, something that can provide them with different sensations.”

Designer : Sergio Loureiro

[PRESS RELEASE]
GTbyCITROËN
CROSS OVER TO THE VIRTUAL WORLDWith GTbyCITROËN, a show-car presented at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, Citroën becomes the first vehicle manufacturer to cross over to the virtual worlds: An original take on a road car, GTbyCITROËN is a style replica of a vehicle from the digital world. The car is the result of a partnership between Citroën and Polyphony, designer of the driving simulation game Gran Turismo 5 on Playstation 3. Already shipped in more than 50 million units worldwide, Gran Turismo is renowned for its quality, design and realism.
In the game, GTbyCITROËN features an electric drive train powered by a fuel cell with no pollutant emissions. It is a car designed to square up to the strongest competition.

“GTbyCITROËN shows how the worlds of virtual and real-life motoring can join together to create a truly innovative partnership. We were delighted that Citroen approached us and gave us the opportunity to combine our creative strengths to build this very special concept car. To see the car take shape in game and then for real has been a truly unique experience as our work normally stays in the digital world. I just hope I can get behind the wheel of GTbyCITROËN and drive it on a real race track!” – Kazanori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital Inc and creator of Gran Turismo

Performance first and foremost
GTbyCITROËN is geared to the world of motor racing, with its dynamic styling, sculpted lines and sharp graphics. The rear end is oversized, made exaggeratedly long in order to create an effect of retinal persistence. The idea is to make the concept car even faster visually. The white-to-grey gradation on the body side further underlines this impression of continuous movement.

Top-level driving
The cabin of GTbyCITROËN, designed to seat two adults, expresses the grand touring vision behind this show-car. The on-board ambience allies premium, extensively worked materials with a more high-tech effect for the driving position.

The layout of the low driving position was dictated by driving pleasure. The aim is for the driver to be able to concentrate on the road, assisted by a head-up display clearly displaying driving information.

RACING SPIRIT BY CITROËN

Power and flowing lines
The design of GTbyCITROËN reflects a quest for optimal aerodynamic design. The show-car is a vehicle of flowing, taut lines, stretched to the extreme. The cleanly drawn sides, ribbed at the top, and the pearlescent shade of the bodywork enhance the vehicle’s sleekly muscled looks.

The determined look of the front end is enhanced by wide air intakes and clear-cut horizontal headlamps. The headlamps feature penetrating blue LEDs in order to light the road effectively and keep rivals at a respectful distance! The chrome chevrons on the smooth bonnet express the Marque’s identity.

The carbon rearview mirrors on their finely profiled supports appear to be suspended as if to cleave the air, giving GTbyCITROËN an excellent on-road stance.

The large wraparound windscreen flows seamlessly into the roof and on into the rear mobile airfoil with its exaggeratedly long shape. The fast-flowing lines create the impression of a car in perpetual movement. The whole body expresses performance and continuous movement.

GTbyCITROËN also expresses strength and power through generous volumes, (length: 4.960m, 2.080m and height: 1.090m) underlined by strongly marked wheel arches. The diamond-effect 21-inch aluminium wheels enhance the car’s sporty personality.

Exceptional handling
The interior design confirms the vehicle’s dynamic and powerful style. The interior of GTbyCITROËN, designed to seat a driver and co-driver, expresses the racing spirit of this concept. The on-board ambience allies rich, premium, extensively worked materials with a more high-tech effect for the driving position, inspired by the world of motorsports.

Looking beyond the spectacular visual effect, the gullwing opening of the two doors gives GTbyCITROËN a level of accessibility rarely seen on this type of vehicle. The driver and co-driver can therefore slip into their seats and get out on the track as quickly as possible.

The dark interior of this show-car is a surprise, compared with the light bodywork. Upholstered in black leather with subtle touches of rare materials such as copper and steel, the cabin of GTbyCITROËN is distinctly sporty.
Two padded racing seats upholstered in dark leather, each fitted with a four-point harness, enfold the driver and passenger for exceptional driving sensations. Placed low down to highlight the impression of speed, the elegant seats are a perfect fit with the rest of the interior.The top-stitched leather of the door panels and floor adds to the opulence of the interior.

The driving position expresses the spirit of competition. The design was objectively guided by the motivation to win.

The dashboard, with its clean uncluttered design, flows into the receding lines of an imposing copper sculpture. The thrusting modern lines of the sculpture become the central tunnel of the vehicle, illustrating the power of GTbyCITROËN and appearing to catalyse its strength.

Created in a twist of this same copper sculpture, the leather-and-steel steering wheel also reflects the sporting spirit of the cabin.

To promote maximum concentration, the driver of GTbyCITROËN has a head-up display for driving information. Using red LEDs, this system projects key driving information – such as speed and navigation data – onto the windscreen in the driver’s direct line of vision.

The head-up display makes a significant contribution to safety with its direct read-out. Drivers assimilate data more quickly and do not have to look away from the road.

Aerodynamics optimised to combine performance and driving sensations
Special emphasis was placed on the aerodynamics and flowing design of GTbyCITROËN, these being key Citroën values. The objective was to enhance the vehicle’s dynamics and to create exceptional driving sensations.

Looking beyond its taut, dynamic lines, this racing car features innovative equipment such as enlarged air intakes at the front, a flat underside, and a mobile spoiler and air diffuser at the rear. All these features play an active role in reducing lift and – above all – drag, to pin the car to the ground.

With its flowing lines, original architecture and its use – in the game – of what is potentially the best environmental technology, GTbyCITROËN embodies the sporting spirit as seen by Citroën and underlines the Marque’s ambitions to meet new challenges.