Peeing and washing hands in the same urinal stand sounds a little bizarre to me, but I have no clue how are you guys going to react to this. Designer Yeongwoo Kim has developed a simple green urinal that incorporates a radical hand washing concept to offer a one-stop bathroom. Dubbed the “Eco Urinal”, this urinal and sink combo is designed to save a water flush cycle.

After the men are through with their job, the water they use to wash their hands is used to flush the urinal, reducing the water consumption. The design that encourages gray water utilization will give a helping hand to the environment. The Eco Urinal concept won a 2010 iF Concept Design Award from International Forum Design.

Via: YankoDesign

Andy Warhol may have brought Campbell’s Soup to iconic pop art status, but there’s one designer bent on redefining this can with a more practical use. Designed by Willem Heeffer for FUSE, an interiors and vintage furniture company, the ‘Can Light’ is a cool new lighting solution that re-purposes old cans of Campbell’s Tomato soup and Heinz Beanz into funky new pendant lamps. By breathing new life into unwanted trash, Heeffer has created a popping retro piece that gives a colorful nod to both Mother Earth and Americana.

+ Willem Heeffer for FUSE

The complicated connections exhibited in circuit boards definitely give way to a medium that’s perfect for futuristic creations. But there is one man out there who is more interested in taking those boards back in time. With an artistic vision and a pair of skilled hands, artist Theo Kamecke is repurposing old circuit boards into exquisitely decorated interior accents. More than just a collage of broken boards, each of Kamecke’s pieces have been painstakingly crafted, drawing inspiration from ancient cultures. With their intricate patterns and polished aesthetic, many of his pieces could be easily claimed as relics of the Byzantine Empire.

To create his incredibly intricate chests, sculptures and boxes Kamecke uses a technique called marquetry, a popular veneering method used by furniture makers. But unlike the traditionalists who are keen on the use of wood, bone and shell, Kamecke’s take aptly incorporates the technology of this day and age. With each piece of  circuit board, he careful discerns the embedded pattern and then transfers it onto the furniture that he builds himself from hardwood. And like a true artist who often finds himself in the wraths of self-conflict, though he says he doesn’t like carpentry much, he constructs every one of his pieces to be certain the form is correct.

All of Kamecke’s circuit boards are from his collection of vintage remnants dating back to the late 60s. But don’t call this guy a computer geek — he says he’s in fact “down there on the lower rungs when it comes to technology.” What Kamecke really hopes is that his work will be appreciated by anyone who understands and sees beauty in technology .

+ Theo Kamecke

Ign. Design has always been know to make spectacular wooden furniture, from tables to beds. Their newest bed design is called ‘IGN.TIMBER.NIGHT’ and it gives out a zen-like feeling when you take a much-needed rest. The frame of the bed is made out of either oak or walnut wood.

According to Trendir, the frame “features a gorgeous, multi-toned grain and it’s all raised up on feet.” Ign. Design had always found a way to incorporate sustainable elements into their designs and this bed frame is the perfect example.

Via trendhunter

We've covered the Ashden Awards before because they find and bring attention to technologies around the world that are helping to drive a sustainable energy revolution.

They've highlighted various cookstove technologies that replace or cut down on firewood and charcoal use and other innovations that are helping to decrease the global dependence on fossil fuels and resources that encourage deforestation.

They've just announced the latest round of winners, and the solar lantern [PDF] from India-based D.Light Design is among them.

Called the Kiran, it is not only (in the company's words) the world's most affordable solar lamp, but it is four times brighter than kerosene lamps, which in India and many places where there is likely to be demand for this kind of technology, is the most common sources of light.

From the Ashden Awards announcement:

Each year 1.6 million women and children die as a result of indoor air pollution, much of it from kerosene lamps. But for the 1.6 billion people across the world without electricity there has been little alternative. D.Light has provided that alternative thanks to a cheap, reliable solar lamp. Over 220,000 units have already been sold in over thirty countries via a network of rural entrepreneurs. As one of these entrepreneurs says, ”this will do to kerosene what mobile phones did to letters”. Check out the other Ashden Awards 2010 winners—they span the globe and availability of renewable resources, from solar to hydro to biogas.

The Orbis Shower from Hugh Thomas is an interesting shower that resembles a spacecraft.

The Orbis Shower provides a unique bathing experience as it sprays you from above, the sides, as well as from underneath. The Orbis Shower also has a lighting feature which uses six multi-chip LED lights, creating some mood lighting while you clean. The Orbis Shower can also be mounted onto the wall to create a free-standing shower unit.