1.16.2008

cross my heart

there's a london-based industrial designer genius who's recently made me swoon ~ his name is michael cross and his work is incredible.
just take a look to see what i mean......

{sprinkle is a carpet in thousands of pieces that you throw and scatter into islands of carpet wherever you want them. the pieces always land the right way up like shuttle-cocks, and their silicone bases make them stick to the floor. then when you need to clean it, you just scoop it up and throw it in the washing machine.}


{in september 2006 michael cross showed the first stage prototype of this epic project in dilston grove, south-east london. the bridge is a series of steps which rise up out of the water in front of you as you walk from one to the next, and then disappear back underneath behind you as you go, leaving you stranded with only one step visible in front of you, and one behind. the bridge ends in the middle of the water, where you find yourself totally isolated and cut off from the shore. you return the way you came. the mixed feelings of peace, isolation, relaxation and fear that the piece elicits are powerful. the project is on-going and will ultimately lead to a permanent installation in a lake.}


{in 2004 michael cross spent two weeks in the late geoffrey bawa's fairytale retreat "lunuganga" in sri lanka. there, in the flooded gardens, they began their response to the place ~ a piece which aims to bring a little of the feeling of the teeming flooded jungle into the cool western living room. cast in polyurethane the piece functions as a shelf or hanger.}



{thanks jendita for the tip!}

10 comments:

tangobaby said...

I LOVE that carpeting! What an idea!

I want you to find this chair for me. We need it.

http://16sparrows.typepad.com/16sparrows/2008/01/book-lovers-uni.html

Red Shoes said...

Those little carpet things remind me of tribbles...

studio wellspring said...

i'd be more than happy to find you a chair tangobaby ~ let's discuss in detail on friday.

red shoes ~ i apologize for my ignorance, but what are tribbles?

tangobaby said...

Before you were born, back in the olden days, there used to be a television show called Star Trek, that was required viewing after school. Tribbles are a cult icon of the series. Of course you know I have it on DVD...

As for the chair, I want that one. It's so perfect.

studio wellspring said...

thank you ever so much tangobaby for helping my dense head this afternoon. i didn't realize upon 1st reading that you had included a link to the actual chair you wanted. now i've checked it out & will give you my findings momentarily. it isn't cheap ~ but is super awesome.

oh and thanks for the info on the tribbles. ha!

Maryam in Marrakesh said...

Wow, this designer seems like a visionary. I am wondering about the carpet concept and if it really works. I had a picture in my files of that book shelf made out of a branch. I wanted to reproduce it with a real branch but it is so much trickier than you think.

/// said...

OH YUMMMYYYYY! :)

paris parfait said...

I have a friend in England who has that carpet and it really is fun and stylish, not to mention cosy and comfy to sit on!

studio wellspring said...

yes, maryam, the genius {as in any art form} is that it {the design, the performance, etc} looks so easy & simple yet it's really very difficult to do. mr.cross has clearly perfected this.

tara ~ i'm so glad to hear a report on the actual look & feel of the rug. i'd just love to step out of bed on to this in the morning.

Vineeta said...

OMG! What ideas- I cant say which is better. I agree with Maryam, he is a visionary. I loved the assemblable carpeting & the the rising one step at a time brigde. Im wondering how it must feel standing in the middle of the lake.