As an act of defiance and rebelliousness against the current trend towards minimalistic high tech gadgets, designers Ingo Strobel and Katja Hiendlmayer have come up with this ironic one-off iPod Island Hub art installation. The minimalism trend is best exemplified by Apple and its products, so it was natural to choose its iconic player as the center of the piece.
The iPod Island Hub is a "frozen spot of stainless Super Mirror steel on your apartment floor" which hosts an Apple iPod Nano and a JBL sound station. The face of the hub features the quote, "The music was new black polished chrome and it came over the summer like liquid night," from Turkish Bazaar, a song by Emmanuel Tops, that loops on the integrated iPod.
I like the statement behind the design, but I find it very impractical in real life. I would surely step into the "island" and break the whole thing. If you do want to own this unique artsy piece, you need alot of cash. In March 30th, 2008 it had an auction estimate of between $3000-$5000. Yup, how ironic indeed! That money would buy me enough iPods to build my own island.
Check out another design that goes against the "smaller is better" trend:
Is Clutter the New Minimalism
Artistic iPod Island Hub
Trend Themes
1. Anti-minimalism - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing products and designs that defy the current trend of minimalistic high-tech gadgets.
2. Artistic Installations - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Creating unique and visually striking art installations that challenge traditional design concepts.
3. Ironic Design - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introducing irony and satire into product design to provoke thought and create conversation.
Industry Implications
1. Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Redefining the boundaries of technology by creating unconventional and artistic tech products.
2. Art and Design - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Pushing the boundaries of traditional art and design by incorporating technology and unconventional elements.
3. Consumer Goods - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Rethinking product design to challenge consumer expectations and create unique and thought-provoking experiences.