Never Ending Winter
Text by NoéMie Schwaller
Zürich, Switzerland
19.02.09
At the moment design lovers have no choice but to look out of their carefully styled living rooms at their snow-covered balconies full of uninspired furniture and other articles from the local DIY store.
The winter seems to have established itself here and is showing no signs of relaxing its grip, and at the moment design lovers have no choice but to look out of their carefully styled living rooms at their snow-covered balconies full of uninspired furniture and other articles from the local DIY store. It's high time to improve this view and at the same time to give our hungry town birds a touch of springtime – but the bird feeders we describe here have not just been designed to make the birds a little happier.
Development aid for balconies
The Berlin designers rephorm have developed objects for the interface between the interior and exterior urban space.
The rephorm designs are not alien objects which have to be screwed on somewhere any old how – instead their design enables them to blend in with their habitat. Areas which have so far been impossible to use now become an extension of the living area, while useful accessories provide us with an individual urban experience of nature.
This futuristic-looking resting place for birds indicates both to our feathered friends and to passers-by that this is the residence of someone for whom the love of animals and the love of design are not two mutually contradictory things.
The alternative to the classical bird house made of tree bark and roofing tarpaper: this bird house made of polyethylene fits into all standard sunshade holders. Design: rephorm.
The alternative to the classical bird house made of tree bark and roofing tarpaper: this bird house made of polyethylene fits into all standard sunshade holders. Design: rephorm.
×Cantina Bird Feeder
Characteristic for the creations of German industrial designer Flo Viererbl is the link between functional clarity and formal individuality – combined with a high level of aesthetic appeal. The products based on these designs impress by their outstanding material quality and high quality appearance. Today the extensive task spectrum of his studio ranges from the conception of widely differing showrooms via the design of furniture and accessories for the interior and the garden right down to the development of sports equipment.
Cantina is probably the most upmarket bird feeder: in fine white porcelain and stainless steel it pleases the human desire for organic beauty of form while providing birds with their food in a hygienically clean way and protecting it from the rain. The bird house is either suspended from above or placed on three stainless steel supports to make it inaccessible to cats.
Pascal Charmolu für Born in Sweden
Born in Sweden has a passion for combining highly innovative design with unexpectedly simple product solutions. This award winning bird feeder is manufactured from recyclable plastic, it can be mounted on any smooth window pane, thanks to an innovative double-sided suction cup. The carefully selected materials can cope with extreme temperatures as well as UV rays. It is designed for small birds and features a drainage hole at the base of the bowl.
Feeding ring by Tools Design
Tools Design was founded by Claus Jensen and Henrik Holbæk and since its establishment has won more than 150 awards. Their workshop is located on a former industrial site in the north-west of Copenhagen, where they have been developing innovative products since 1989. The Tools Design products are based on a simple and innovative approach. Their product philosophy is «to put “something extra” into it» and is distinguished by the transformation of industrial design and communication into lifestyle design.
The feeding ring by Tools Design withstands wind and weather without any difficulties. The bird food receives ideal protection from the round form, and small birds such as blue tits and sparrows can get at the food easily through the two small round entrance holes. Suspended from a tree or bush or even a pergola the glass feeding ring makes an eye-catching addition to any garden in winter.
Practical and decorative: the new feeding ring made of mouth-blown glass by Eva Solo.
Bird Table by Tools Design
The bird house by Tools Design is also an attractive and innovative variation. This elegant bird feeder designed for Eva Solo works like an automatic feeder and also protects the food against damp. When the birds eat the food a new supply automatically drops into the bowl. It can be set up simply by pushing the stainless-steel foot into the ground, while the plastic bowl and glass are easy to clean.
The Eva Solo feeder can hold up to five litres of bird food, which provides a continuous supply as it is consumed. Design: Tools Design
The Eva Solo feeder can hold up to five litres of bird food, which provides a continuous supply as it is consumed. Design: Tools Design
׫Since I was little boy I always wondered about shapes in the environment. Especially I was wondering about the reason for certain shapes.» says Niels Smeltink who graduated 2008 with honor at the department of man and Mobility of the Design Academy Eindhoven. His design «Urn» marks a place at which death leads to new life. Circle of life.
