Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

I’m beginning to seriously think paper is one of the most versatile materials there are. You’ve got origami, cardboard furniture, plus remember that video of a man using a paper disc mounted on an angle grinder to cut through wood??

Anyway, designers Marion Pinaffo and Raphaël Pluvinage are using paper to build simple machines and gadgets. Titled Papier Machine (a play on the word Papier Mache), the designers compiled a 13-page book where pages can be torn off and folded into various different electronic mini-machines and sensors (that can sense mass, humidity, wind, and even color… all made out of paper!), powered by simple off-the-shelf batteries. The paper electro-toys rely on special types of conductive ink that are screen-printed onto the pages, bringing much more to the table than just colorful visuals. I wonder what we’ll be able to do with paper next?!

P.S. Do check out the Papier Machine website to have a look at all 13 toys for yourself. They’re incredibly intriguing!

Designers: Marion Pinaffo & Raphaël Pluvinage.

Most humidifiers are only used in one half of the year, when it’s dry. They sit and gather dust during the remaining six months. Huira Koo had a brainwave and asked herself, what if the humidifier, when not in use, could integrate into the home decor and become a lifestyle product, therefore having two seasonal avatars. The Mool was created keeping that very insight in mind, serving as a humidifier when needed, and separating into a vase and decorative bowl at other times.

The Mool comprises a glass base, into which you fill the water, and a terracotta ‘umbrella’ that submerges into the water. An intermediary ring made out of cork tightly holds both base and umbrella in place. Mool humidifies the air naturally, through terracotta’s innate properties of absorbing water and releasing vapor. It’s said to have an incredibly long shelf life, resist infection/corrosion, and actually purify the water too, acting as a filter. The Mool doesn’t use a single bit of electricity, and can easily run for years before the terracotta needs replacing. Plus, it makes such a nice vase/bowl when not in use!

Designer: Huira Koo