GUEST POST from Kevin Roberts

Since the release of James Cameron’s Avatar last year, 3D films have become a hot trend. With films like Alice in Wonderland and the release of state-of-the-art 3D televisions from companies like Samsung and Toshiba, it seems like everyone is interested in making flat images into three-dimensional experiences.

The Japanese design firm Nendo, on the other hand, has turned this idea on its head. They have designed a series of household items (chairs, coffee tables, lamps) that appear to be simple, two-dimensional line drawings, but are actually real three-dimensional objects. The two collections (“Thin Black Lines” and “Blurry White Surfaces”) have been on display in London since September 20 (in fact “Thin Black Lines” is housed at the Saatchi Gallery.)

Nendo’s proclaimed mission is “giving people a small ‘!’ moment.” Those rare “wow” experiences that can sometimes give you a real jolt. With these two collections, they’ve succeeded. These are addictive to look at, and they stimulate the senses in a truly original way.

Clockwise: stool, chair, bowls, vases. Image source: Design Boom

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