Great constraints seem to trigger great creativity. Pratt students were showing off their creativity at ICFF last weekend with an excellent and refreshing exhibit of works titled Design for a Dollar. The student exercise was, as the title suggests, to design an object that could be made for the cost of a dollar. Exploring and finding different creative solutions to the constraints, the results were quite ingenious and attractive, two elements that (unfortunately) don't always go hand in hand.

Some recent submissions to Fresh MoCo:

The Humble Telescope (above)

Ring with hidden diamond by John Welden

Marvel murals, canvases, window blinds and prints

table/chairs by Nathan Martell

Arg08 by Doryeth Lorena Jimenez

Catwalk is a modular, LED-illuminated outdoor & indoor walkway system, "A more dramatic alternative to your standard brick walkway to the front door". In daylight the modular steel and white polycarbonate structure has a clean rectilinear profile and resembles raised stepping stones over water, at night the catwalk is self-illuminated by low power-sipping LED lights creating a ribbon of light with a subtle interplay of focused and diffused points of light. The surface is non-slip, more so than wood, and is stain-resistant, so easy to to clean. If left on 24 x 7 x 365, each CATWALK module costs only $2 per year to power. After the jump, more from MINIMIS; Arkivos, repurposed from salvaged old filing cabinets and kitchen solid steel counters that incorporate salvaged materials.

+ minim.is

Music instrument maker Yamaha was in Milan this year showing some prototypes for a collection of new keyboard based instruments that fit nicely into lifestyles; there was Key as journey above for those that travel, Key as gift "like a wooden toy, treasured for always", Key between people for music between friends, and Key like jeans for a more personal, relaxed experience. Per Yamaha, "Keys are important; something that everyone possesses. We would like to offer everyone an array of keys, in the hopes of giving the people who come to our exhibition some insight into the bond between people and instruments, and the human relationships that music fosters between people.". Via Dezain.

+ global.yamaha.com

Here at MoCo Loco the in-box is always overflowing. One question we received this week is representative of a certain genre of inquiry: How can I further develop my idea for a great piece of furniture or product?

People with no furniture design experience or background, but with detailed drawings and ideas, most often put this type of question to us. At this pre-prototype stage, they ask what to do and where to go next. So now we ask you, dear readers: How would you respond?

In the meantime, this book might be useful in answering a few questions:Making It: Manufacturing Techniques for Product Design.

11 - the beautiful game is GRO design and Tim modelmakers's new table football table scheduled to be exhibited during Milan Design Week (from April 16th to 21st at Via Forcella 8, Milan). Per GRO Design, "As an object the football table has lacked serious design attention in recent years. While new football stadiums built in recent years have a strong architectural and sculptural beauty, football tables remain less desirable objects as their cost-driven appearance no longer fits in with the designed landscape of modern interiors.". Unfortunately it's a prototype, only one functioning model exists. Why 11? The table is named after the number of players on each side, the term 'the beautiful game' is often used to describe football/soccer and is the title of Pelé's book "My Life and the Beautiful Game".

+ eleventhegame.com