The Alchemist

A few weeks ago I went to the Dutch Design Week, totally forgot to post something on my blog. But for the last Coolhunt, I thought maybe I can use one of the things I saw!

What is it?
The alchemist is a graduation project from Nina van Bart.
In her project, the bathroom will become a laboratory where substances react with each other to give new super sensory experiences.

This new body care products will react to each other and it creates a new way of experience when you are busy with your own body.

A chunk of stone will become soap in your hands.

Cream in the shape of a ball, where you can insert your finger, is useful to make it easy to smear it over your face.

crystals will become shower gel.

bustling, titillating tonic.

A large bulb where you can pull wimps over and over.

Why is it cool?
‘Life has been hectic in the society in recent years. After the economic downfall one starts wondering what is really meaningful in life. Caring for one self, spending time with attention and a deep sense of importance intensifies the experience of wellbeing’, says Nina. This laboratory is a good example for it.

The alchemist is associated with the phase Authenticity and Experience in the product. Each product in the lab will regain an extra dimension/ their own experience. And it’s real, you will not be influenced by the packaging. None of the products has the same shape. That makes it special for a lot of people.

Why has it future growth potential?
As you can read above, people want to give more attention to their own bodies. Nina van Bart speelt hier goed op in. Door mensen langer stil te laten staan, they will create another world in the bathroom. What gives them rest.

In this video below she shows the effect of the products very well:

This was already my last Coolhunt for the sector Leisure.
I hope you enjoyed reading my Blog!

For more work from Nina you can go to her site: http://www.ninavanbart.nl/
And you can also go to these links:
http://www.bright.nl/chemie-de-badkamer
http://blog.tlmagazine.be/2013/10/now-future-the-alchemist/

The Hälssen & Lyon tea Calendar

Hello again!

When I saw this Coolhunt, I loved it at the very first moment.
Unfortunately, this is not for sale, but I definitely think it’ll be back in the future. I hope you feel the same way about this product as I do!

What is it?
The German Hälssen & Lyon is one of the largest and oldest tea suppliers in Europe. As a gift for co-operating companies,  they made a special calendar this year.
The halssen & Lyon tea Calendar is a calendar made from pressed leaves.
This calendar consists 365 strips of tea (one for each day of the year). You only need to add hot water and it will return into tea.

Why is it cool?
It brings a unique experience, every morning. Each leaf has a unique flavor. And it’s also good for the environment, because you haven’t wasted a sachet for each cup of tea.

It belongs to the phase Living Room Society (experiences which are less over-marketed). Tea is also a moment which you can share with your friends and family. You can all have your own Calendar and bring a leave with you. It’s also an product that brings experience with it, because it’s personalized tea. You are aware of the day of the year, you are standing still at the moments that come and go.

Why does it has future growth potential?
In this time, it is important for companies to personalize products. This is a good example because the entire calendar is intented for one person. Every morning you can take a moment of rest with your own cup of tea. You are reflecting again, on new taste and sensation.

references:

tear-off a daily drink with the halssen & lyon tea calendar

http://www.dutchcowgirls.nl/offline/6570
http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2013/the-halssen-lyon-tea-calendar/

Ark Nova; the portable Inflatable Concert Hall

Coolhunt. 3 – Ark Nova

What is it?
The NEW ARK is a purple inflatable concert hall with a fairytale interior.

In the space there’ll be room for about 500 people. Everything what they need for the Ark Nova will fit on one truck. The purple stretchable plastic membrane can be inflated to a thick donut shape after unloading (which takes 2 hours).
Inside the building you can see magical light, and a tunnel across the globe makes an even more organic shape.

This project is designed by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki and he made this along with the Indian- born Britisch artist Anish Kapoor.

Why is it cool?
The initiative came from the traveling Lucerne Festival. It has a close relationship with Japan for years. ”This inflatable concert hall has been designed in order to bring hope and promise to survivors of the massively catastrophic earthquake of 11 March 2011 and those mourning the loss of loved ones”.
Normally the festival takes place in the now affected city Matsushima, but there isn’t a concert hall anymore for the festival where they can be hosting.

It also refers to the Ark of Noach, in the hope that it will become a symbol for a quick recovery after the Tsunami. ”Of course, this ark cannot carry people and animals to escape the Great flood, but it manages to load the Ark Nova with music and art to rebuild culture and power afther the disaster”.

This actually is an enlarged idea of the living room society. You share your experiences with a large group of people and you can be together with friends and family.
So you experience the experience in the product.

Why has it future growth potential?
Music is very important all over the world an it’s an alternative to escape from the negative reality. It’s also a good solution to create large spaces without costing to much time to build it, and it saves money because it’s movable. They only have to build the Ark where and when needed.
You can use it at festivals, for staff & visitors it will be a great solution to make large covered spaces. In countries such as the Netherlands it rains very often, and with this solution they can pass several gigs during heavy rains.

References:
http://www.bright.nl/opblaasbare-donut-voor-concerten

ark nova inflatable concert hall to tour japan’s flood-hit areas

The World’s First Mobile Inflatable Concert Hall ‘Ark Nova’ to Tour Quake-Damaged Japan

http://www.spoon-tamago.com/2013/09/24/the-worlds-first-inflatable-concert-hall-will-begin-touring-ravaged-areas-of-japan/
http://www.hetnieuwsvandevooruitgang.nl/2013/10/opblaasbare-concertzaal-voor-post-tsunami-japan/

The Disney Storylight

Coolhunt. 2 – The Disney story light

What is it?
The Disney story light is a lamp just like the living colors lamp, but with Mickey Mouse ears. This is a cool new gadget for the childrensroom.
This lamp will light up every color of the rainbow when you are telling Disney stories from one of the Disney E-book stories like Rapunzel, Toy Story and Monsters Inc.. This lamp works together with the Disney storytime app for IOS and you will get it standard delivered with the lamp.
Once you turn a page, the color of the lamp will change, based on the illustration at the new page.
The child can moreover also change the colour of the lamp at every page of the story.

Why is it cool?
This lamp offers your child an extra experience during the reading.
Disney story light brings stories to life with light that creates a magical atmosphere.

The lamp belongs to the phase virtuality & involvement, because with this lamp the reading experience gets an extra layer.

Why has it future growth potential?
In this time people find it very important to have an experience with a particular product or service.

“By expanding the Hue family, both in terms of bulb types, availability and features, we want to give more people the opportunity to use light actively and meaningfully in their everyday lives and to create personalized experiences that provide so much more – light which can actually enhance how you live. With Hue we provide you with the tools to personalize your lighting just the way you want it and wherever you want it, so that now you really can light your life.” said Filip Jan Depauw, Senior Director, Philips Lighting.

But before it can have future growth potential they have to do something about the price of this light.

References:
http://www.bright.nl/mickey-mouse-lamp-kleurt-mee-tijdens-het-voorlezen
http://www.stylecowboys.nl/Lifestyle/3630
http://www.wijbrabant.nl/nieuws-overzicht/apple-gaat-mickey-mouse-lamp-van-philips-verkopen/#.UoNZURZse04
http://www.newscenter.philips.com/main/standard/news/backgrounders/2013/20130709-storylight.wpd#.UoNqOBZse04
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/11/05/philips-announces-new-connected-led-downlights-spot-lights-disney-branded-storylight

 

EEN MAAL

Hello!
Here yet another post on my blog:)
For school we’ve got to search five new Coolhunts. This time it’ll be about the Experience: Economy.

Coolhunt 1. Een Maal

What is it?
Eenmaal is a Dutch popup restaurant in Amsterdam. It’s a collaboration between designer Marina van Goor and Agency Van de Jong. Eenmaal is a restaurant which is specifically designed to be eating alone. The translation of Eenmaal in English is ‘one time’ or ‘one meal’. The pop up restaurant opened twice this month.

“Eenmaal is just like any other excellent restaurant, but totally unique in one thing: it only has tables for individual persons. Where you might usually go out to eat with company, at Eenmaal you are your own company. It is the perfect place to dine in pleasant solitude; an exciting experiment for those who never go out for dinner alone and an attractive place to eat for those who already enjoy doing so,” says creator Marina van Goor.

Why it is cool?
They are trying to eliminate the social taboo for alone eating.
A visitor summarized the concept behind Eenmaal nicely: this restaurant  is making from an uncomfortable situation something comfortable. Eating Alone out can be in our by internet connected world an inspiring experience – just because you can be disconnected

If I have to divide Eenmaal to a phase I will chose for Phase.3 Authenticity. This is real, people who want to eat alone in a restaurant don’t have to hide themselves anymore.

Why has it future growth potential?
The opening of Eenmaal received a lot of national and international media attention and the restaurant was completely sold out.

“The launch of Eenmaal produced more than we could’ve hoped, a global converation about eating out alone. Apparently eating out alone is from the Netherlands till far in Brazil, China and India an innovative idea, because printed media, radio- and television producers from all around the world took notice about Eenmaal. ”, says Marina van Goor, social designer and initiator from Eenmaal.

References:
http://ontwerpstudiomarinavangoor.blogspot.nl/
https://www.facebook.com/popupeenmaal/info
http://blog.vandejong.nl/post/58047774453/eenpersoonsrestaurant-eenmaal-krijgt-vervolg
http://www.culy.nl/inspiratie/eten-in-je-uppie-bij-pop-up-restaurant-eenmaal-in-amsterdam/
http://www.elle.nl/eten/culinieuws/De-food-events-van-november/Herfsteditie-Eenpersoonsrestaurant-Eenmaal-Amsterdam

GLOW Eindhoven

Hello everyone!

I had to go to an experience for school. I chose GLOW Eindhoven because I have tried to go for two years and it never actually came out. A lot of people around me told me every year how nice it was so I got really curious.

So on Friday evening, I finally went to Eindhoven GLOW!

The experience
In this concept they put the center of Eindhoven in the sign of light-art for 8 days. The city center is transformed into a huge (temporary) museum.
Artists and designers from the Netherlands and abroad are showing their light art- and design applications, which have been realized by the use of new media technologies like computers, sensors, animation, but also more known projection techniques.

The entire route could be found over the internet or by using an information booklet. The route was also visible thanks to the street lamps which were colored red and there where traffic regulators who helped the great amount of people to cross the road.
There was a light show to see at the Philips Stadium, and a guard escorted me to the elevator because I was walking with a crutch. I thought the staff was very friendly!

Eindhoven is known as the City of Light, which originates in the launch of the Philips bulb factories in this city. Later, this resulted in many modern applications.

This year the theme of the festival is ‘Urban Playground’, in other words, a large playground for light-artists. Various light-artists showed in a unique way that by playing with light the reality can be experienced in a totally different way.

Psychosocial context
As you can read, I heard about GLOW regularly and had, therefore, already kind of a prior knowledge about it. I went with my mother and sister and thought it was important to have a nice evening and to discover what sorts of of different lighting techniques the artists used.

My expectations were pretty high. I heard about the Philips stadium already, that they putted cd’s on the seats which would gave a very nice effect. I was thereby focused to see these effects, they were a little bit disappointing but otherwise the light show was spectacular!
There were also involved several primary schools from Eindhoven.
As a visitor of the festival for example you could paint a specific surface of LEDS with water at the piece ‘Water light Graffiti’. When the LED lights get in touch with water, they will light out of nowhere.

With some work I had the idea that I could look at it for hours.

Experience
For me this was definitely a memorable experience. I learned a lot about light art and thought it was a well organized festival with very impressive work. It was very interesting to see how much you can do with light!
I will not forget this and I hope that I can go again the next few years!!

E.E Phase
Glow can be divided in  Phase 4. Virtuality and involvement.
They use a lot of new technologies.

If you want more information about GLOW, go to these links:
http://www.gloweindhoven.nl/website/glow/glow.php?action=home

GLOW Eindhoven

I hope you enjoyed reading this post and see below for the pictures!!

Citytrip to Gent

Hi!

I’m sorry that I haven’t post anything new on my blog lately.

On my last birthday, which was January the 3th, my oldest sister gave me an overnight stay in a city of my choice. Eventually, we found a location and date, and headed over to Gent for the weekend!

We slept in a very nice hostel (hostel47), and it looked all fairly new. If you ever are planning to go to Gent, I could definitely recommend this to you.

In the two days we were there, we walked around a lot in the city, saw great things, went shopping, saw ‘The lamb of God‘ (which is the most well-known work of the painter brothers Hubert & Jan van Eyck). We went to the Design Museum too, but that was a little bit disappointing, because we thought we’d see a lot of new design. Apparently not..

We also ate a real belgian waffle, had dinner at a nice Italian restaurant and in the evening, we went for a drink at a pub called ‘mosquito bar‘.

In short, we had a really nice weekend!

Some pictures we took:

        funny key rack!

Hostel47

GENT

stopover at Antwerp Central