Proof that great design is defined by more than just aesthetics, our next trendsetter Shai Agassi is on a mission to bring electric cars to the forefront of the auto industry.   He is also the founder of A Better Place

A Better Place is dedicated to catalyzing the transition to electric vehicles.  This website offers information and resources, and through it Agassi hopes to enable confident adoption of these vehicles.

Agassi is also working with the Renault-Nissan Alliance to introduce an electric vehicle to a mainstream audience. (In fact this car in the photo looks an awful lot like the Rouge doesn’t it?) I hope he succeeds.  I think we could use it.

Konstantin Grcic was born in Munich and studied carpentry and cabinetmaking at Parnham College in Dorset. He later earned a master’s degree in furniture design at the Royal College of Art in London.  He aspires to make every day objects more beautiful while at the same time easier to use.

May Day, designed for Floss in 1999
May Day is part of the permanent collection at MoMA.  According to Grcic, May Day is not designed to be used anywhere specific, but rather for all sorts of expected and unexpected situations.

Monza, designed for Plank in 2009
Monza connects seemingly contrasting wood and plastic injection molding. Its main character is defined by its back and armrests, which serve the chair’s structure while adding comfort and color.

Learn more and see more here.

Last week Forbes published a list of who it considers the 10 biggest trendsetters in industrial design. So, since they brought it up I’d like to spend the next few days highlighting some of these talented designers, some of which we probably know and some we probably don’t know YET.

Patricia Urquiola is a Spanish designer who lives and works in Milan. She is known for her interior design work and in 2007 edited the International Design Yearbook. Her recent includes projects for some of the biggest names in design- Moroso, B&B Italia, Molteni, Flos, and more.

Antibodi Chaise Lounge, designed for Moroso in 2006

Clip Bed, designed for Molteni in 2003

Visit Patricia’s website here. More tomorrow.

We’ve been seeing a lot of new things lately when it comes to furniture.  I thought inflatable furniture was the most unique thing we’d see for awhile, but apparently not the case.  Today I bring you furniture that glows. 

Designed by Mario Bellini for Meritalia, Via Lattea is a sofa that glows in the dark. Definitely different, Bellini sure gets credit for creativity.  It’s also eco-friendly, which I’m not sure has anything to do with glowing furniture, but nevertheless I’m always happy to see more green products. What do you think, would you want glow in the dark furniture in your home? See more from Mario Bellini here.

As the weather starts to get nicer, outdoor furniture has become quite the hot topic.  Blending nature with modern design, the Ivy Collection is made by a deep-drawing of ironed metal sheet with a metallic rod frame. Inspired by the art of topiary, Paola Navone designed this collection for Emu.  Check out more here.

Showcasing the versatility of metal and offering a look unique to outdoor furniture, the Ivy Collection will modernize your outdoor space.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how tech trends have started showing up in home décor items. Today, I offer more proof.  Inspired by that popular RSS feed button many of us use regularly, this large RSS Feed Lamp from Meninos celebrates the coming together of technology and style.  Useful, intriguing, and undoubtedly nerdy, this lamp offers something unique that I think could work in the right space. Get one here.