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Franco Marino Cagnina's STC Livebox
Franco Marino Cagnina's Livebox router design for Saudi Telecom looks like vase and acts like a router. Says Franco, "STC was in need of a unique router design that would provoke a positive emotional response. The STC Router successfully bridges the gap between lifestyle and technology with it's flower vase functionality. Wireless internet, Voice over IP, land line telephone and wired DSL are all incorporated into this elegant device.". A quick look at Franco's portfolio revealed a few more innovative designs.
Zig Zag Cat Tower
I think the vase router concept is novel, but it's rather ugly. The logo treatment is too large, the part line down the middle seems unnecessary, and I've seen a more minimal light indications/logos on even the ugliest of routers.
Not only the design is inelegant, the idea behind it is so poor. Are you supposed to pour water in it? what about cables? The brief the designer got sounds interesting, the output is no more than a bad idea. Most likely it will never be manufactured.
I liked the irony of a nuclear cooling tower shaped vase for Saudi Telecom. Franco has a sense of humour.
The flowers they chose for the photo are not really flattering either.