In Brooklyn alone, there are 596 acres of vacant land just sitting there gathering garbage and gravel. Imagine if that was all green space, growing plants for food and providing parks for BK denizens. That's precisely the vision of 596 Acres, a public project which encourages people to connect with empty lots in the city. The group's actions range from guerrilla seed bombing to pushing for......read more
With its emphasis on openness and space over creature comforts like, say, a living room, loft living is perfect for young creative types who are more interested in throwing dance parties than dinners. But there comes a time when what you really want in a home is a cozy spot to watch TV. Adrian Jones knows this well. The designer had been living in his top-floor loft in Brooklyn for nine......read more
In east Africa, where access to reliable electricity is a rare luxury, small-scale renewable power is playing a transformative role in people's lives. In the New York Times, Elizabeth Rosenthal reveals the story of a rural Kenyan family whose whose small rooftop solar panel delivers enough power to charge their new cell phone and run four bright lights. The solar panel cost the family $80. ......read more
In Sunday's New York Times Magazine, "Consumed" columnist Rob Walker (author of the excellent Buying In: A Secret Dialogue between What We Buy and Who We Are) looks at the work of Design 99, a Detroit-based creative duo using art to transform space in the troubled city. Two years ago, the husband-and-wife team purchased a house in East Detroit (for $1,900!), which they equipped......read more
With its newly unveiled Light Touch product, UK company Light Blue Optics envisions a total revolution in the way people interact with personal media. By freeing multimedia content from the confines of the small screen, it has the potential to do just that. Using holographic laser technology, Light Touch is said to transform any flat surface into a touchscreen, making the applications almost......read more