The Shelf #3

Not got the time to read? No problem, here’s the roundup

Shelf #3:

Magazines are back baby! (they never really left let’s be honest)

My Wife found a copy of this magazine in Bath but it was the design edition and unfortunately was only a display copy. In trying to find it we checked out the full site and saw the Tech Edition - once I saw it I immediately ordered it, the design of the cover and layered sections alone sold it.

The "What": A Magazine focused on Technology through the years curated by Massimo Banzi, co-founder of Arduino, together with Cecilia Botta, technology historian and Head of Memories at Promemoria Group, the magazine’s publisher. The Promemoria group are the leading authority in the world of heritage and historical archives and, through Archivo, create four thematic issues a year, each curated by a Guest Editor with deep expertise, offering access to worlds where past, present, and future converge.

The "Why": It’s an incredible well designed, researched and put together magazine that is well worth the £26 or so pounds. The quality is that of a coffee table book 3 times the price and pulls you into to the future and past simultaneously.

Now we just need to find somewhere to buy the design issue!

Anyone that knows me knows I’m a sucker for a cool motorbike, even more so when it’s based on a classic. The classic Bonneville is one of my all time favourite bikes and Triumph one of my favourite manufacturers, so it’s safe to say this on the Christmas List.

The "What": A 400cc recreation of the 1960’s bikes, Triumph have created a more accessible bike, whilst retaining the charm and character of one of their classics.

The "Why": A mixture of classic and modern, from design to accessibility. In using the smaller 400cc engine and low seat height, Triumph have turned one of their icons into an entry level bike for new riders. I’m not sure of the price yet but fingers crossed it isn’t too crazy!

Tom Sachs has joined up with Nike again for a new take on his General Purpose Shoe for their ongoing partnership. I’ve been a big fan of Tom Sachs for a while and for some reason loved his take on the Nike trainers since the first release.

The "What": A new release of the General Purpose Shoe by Tom Sachs and Nike. The new iteration features a an ECCO leather upper and premium features for the first time on the GPS. The name was inspired by Tom Sach’s school days when he would wear trainers instead of dress shoes and, use marker pen to colour over the logo until the trainers could pass for something more formal.

The "Why": It’s fun, it’s functional and a product by two of the greats. This would work in both formal and everyday settings and I bet their damn comfy!

This week me and my wife attended Clarkenwales, a live, pop up workplace which sits somewhere between a networking and product showcase event. One brand that caught our attention was Modus. We instantly fell in love with this stool and even got given a mini Bob!!!!!

The "What": Bob is a characterful stool made from recycled cork. It’s crafted from the waste produced in wine bottle cork manufacture (so cool). The stool features a concave seat with two finger holes to allow for easy lifting and moving. The Bob was designed by Michael Sodeau.

The "Why": It’s functional and I’ve never seen a piece of furniture have so much character, just look at him!! Furthermore, 5% of profit from the sale of every Bob stool is donated to Movement On The Ground, a charity working to improve the lives of refugees. Modus you are legends.

Our Mini bob at home

I am a big coffee drinker, any form, any time. I’m also a lover of sleek design and objects. My bank account howver, is not.

The "What": A Coffee set combining an iron stand with a conical stainless steel dripper. It features a wedge based height adjustment mechanism and finished with a baked on Japanese lacquer called Urushi. This finish gives it a deep, dark-brown aesthetic. It’s a simple but elegant design by Dai Furuwatari.

The "Why": Coffee is a big part of peoples day and we spend a lot of time, money and effort into making it, so the tools we use should match that effort. This is a prime example of Japanese design and craft at it’s finest. If you love your coffee, use good tools.

Everyday carry items are common these days, but not many of them are scissors. It’s often knives, torches or wallets. CW & T continue there interesting product releases with a new pair of foldable, titanium handed scissors.

The "What": Little Scissors with machined Titanium handles and VG-10 blades. These fold into a small footprint but are made to be comfortable to cut, unlike those plastic ones they made you use as a kid.

The "Why": I feel like scissors are often overlooked, most of us will go to a pocket knife or multi tool, but a pair of scissors can be super useful on the go. These are a clever design that you can chuck in your bag or pocket and the use of titanium and VG-10 blades will keep it lightweight.