Some things are designed for show and others for go. However in some rare cases, the two are married to create a truly functional design.
Here are three inspiring examples that will make you think differently about products, their functionality and design.
Mt. Fuji Musical Road
Mt. Fuji in HonShu Japan is the highest mountain in Japan. That in itself is an epic inspiration/tourist attraction, but there’s something even more special about the journey to the mountain that blends functionality and design. See and hear for yourself…
Apple iPhone
The iPhone changed the face of mobile phones forever. Cell phones went from clunky plastic molds with keyboards to an all-screen multi-touch input device. In its day, the iPhone was also one of smallest and sleekest devices ever made. Let’s face it, most of the phones on the market nowadays are pretty much a carbon copy.
Read more about how the iPhone changed the face of the consumer electronics market here via www.cultofmac.com.
I wonder what could possibly be next for smart phones?
Nanodots Packaging
Disclaimer: I work for Nano Magnetics the makers of Nanodots, and am absolutely obsessed with Nanodots.
Typically when you buy a product, it comes within disposable packaging. It’s usually wrapped in light or hard plastic, within a box, in glass, on a tray…you get the drift. More than likely that packaging gets tossed out soon after you purchase the product or directly after use.
It’s not too often that the packaging is part of product. Except in the case of baller smartphones, boardgames and Nanodots.
On the left is a package of Nanodots as you’d find them in stores, and the right is the post transformed tube.
It’s a feature in every package, which you can read about more here.
And less I forget to mention the epicness behind the designs people create with the product post-purchase. Take a moment to be wowed by the amazing magnetic dot art creations on www.dotpedia.com.
Hopefully this post made you think differently about functional design, especially in your life. Products, things and services don’t have to be stagnant. They can have a life of their own in ways just waiting for you to think of. Lastly, surround yourself with things that inspire you, or else you’ll suffer from not being inspired on a regular basis. Now that would be a shame for an amazing, talented, geeky, smarty pants like you :)
Nokia and iPhone photo via Nokia versus iPhone http://sottyreview.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/nokia5190-horz.jpg
