Naoto Fukasawa

Industrial is the new contemporary. Today, the world of electronics has taken on a distinct, minimalist look and feel. Cell phones, PDA’s, and desktop computers have become more industrialized with design functionality. Very few people have any idea of the mind behind such sleek, spareness. The next time you dial up a song on your iPod, or make a call on your iPhone, you may want to thank Naoto Fukasawa.

Fukasawa is a Japanese industrial designer born in Yamanashi, Japan in 1956. He graduated from Tama Art University in 1980. He lacks the fame of Jonathan Ive of Apple, but many believe Naoto Fukasawa to be the real influence behind those ubiquitous Apple products. In today’s world, modern product design is as much of a business strategy as any other, in fact it has become more important than most. Fukasawa, based in Tokyo, is credited by A-list designers of Intel, Hewlett-Packard, and Apple for the inspiration for sleek elegance. Linar Design’s Principal Ken Wood admits that Fukasawa inspired the Apple Powerbook design that in many ways began the notebook revolution.

A Fukasawa design creates dialogue. One of his famed creations is a humidifier that resembles a Krispy Kreme donut, without the cream. His philosophy is to create “without thought.” He explained this concept in an interview with Business Week in 2007, "When we walk and take steps on the ground, we sense and choose the surface for each step. But this is more about our subconscious response," he continues. "However, being subconscious does not mean to be without thinking. It means that our brain may not be conscious about something, but parts of our body such as hands and legs recognize the environments and react to the situations or to things." read more

For Ultimate Luxury – Go Underground

African safari vacation usually means a stay in a colonial, plantation-style hotel, or perhaps in a resort set in the treetops. Now, the Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge is taking luxury South African accommodation where it has never gone before – underground. Located on a private game reserve featuring 3 more “traditional” accommodation options, the Earth Lodge has been described as the most environmentally sensitive lodge in Africa. The totally-unique design of this 13-suite hotel is actually sculpted into the side of a hill, making it almost invisible on the surface. However, amazing delights await the visitor beneath the ground.

Upon arrival, guests walk down into the earth through a hidden corridor and emerge to an amazing vista of the bushland laid out before them. The hotel itself is an irresistible blend of rustic materials and modern design, using texture, light and space to create a soothing, pampering environment, including wooden sculptures by Geoffrey Armstrong, a renowned local artist. Each suite boasts individually designed furniture, a private plunge pool, an indoor outdoor shower, and a circular, stone soaking tub in a private bathroom with glass-fronted views of the surrounding Sabi Sabi reserve. The only downside? The hotel is so incredible; you may never want to leave for your (included) wildlife safari!

Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve

Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve

Proving Good Design is no longer just for the rich, the City by the Bay is bracing for a massive influx of affordable housing, located right in the middle of San Francisco’s famous Mission District. Arquitectonica, an award-winning architectural firm based in Miami, is going cross-country to create Trinity Place, an enormous, six building, 1,900-unit residential complex that will be the largest apartment development in San Francisco since the years after World War II. One third of those units will either be priced below the going market rates or rent-controlled. – bringing the sublime experience of living in a home designed by a top architect to the masses.

The six glass, concrete and silver metal buildings will be arranged around a central courtyard, which will serve as both a place to interact and a “green lung” providing light and air for the complex’s interior-facing units. The diagonal rooflines will not only add a designer touch, but a practical one as well – they will help to maximize sunlight in the development’s open spaces. Other artistic touches include window openings that are recessed to create shadows and vertical metal fins. It promises to be a welcome new addition to the San Francisco skyline – especially for the hundreds of lower-income individuals and families who will enjoy a rare taste of the good life.