Products
Brace Candelabra
The Brace candelabra is based on two of the 6 classic ‘simple machines’ – the inclined plane and the wedge. The heavy, plated steel wedges slide effortlessly in their angled pockets and hug the candles against the wall of the socket. The result it a physical and satisfying interaction that feels great to touch and to use.
Brace was presented with the American Design Club and Roll & Hill for their “Curse the Darkness” exhibition, and selected Best In Show.
Cinder Speakers
Daniel Ballou and Dashdot are developing a system that transforms the humble cinder block into a high fidelity speaker. Concrete is a low resonance material that minimizes vibrations and reduces coloration of pure sound delivered by the drivers. A drawback of course is that it’s heavy to handle and ship, and labor intensive to mold. However, cinder blocks are available throughout the world for about a buck (or free in a construction site trash pile).
The Cinder Speaker ships as a pre-assembled and pre-wired front panel, including a 5” driver, tweeter, crossover, and input jack. The back panel includes mounting hardware that spans the cinderblock and seals the enclosure.
The cinder block comes from your local hardware store or your neighbor’s backyard.
In ‘backburner’ development for over a year, we are in the fine tuning stage, selecting final components and vendors. The retail price target is $150, and those interested in updates and project status should email cinderspeakers@danielballou.com
Very Nice Bike Rack
The Very Nice Bike rack comes in 2 versions, a wall mount and floor stand. The wall mount is best suited for horizontal top tube bikes weighing in at 25 lbs or less. The floor stand will hold just about any bike, and comes with felt spacer pads to accommodate various tire widths. Bent plywood / walnut veneer / white powder coated steel hardware.
Limited production. Sold out.
Who’s There Chair
In the movies, jamming a chair under the doorknob can keep a threat away. That idea seldom works in reality. This chair plays on that Hollywood icon of defense, while making it functional. The back structure is steel and has leveling feet (like an extension ladder). A notch in the backrest is at the perfect height to interface with a doorknob, and rubber grips on the feet keep it in place.
One off prototype – Solid Maple, Steel, Stainless Steel
Cargo Containers
Living and working in Long Beach means watching 80,066,130 tons of cargo come in and out of the city every year. The ubiquitous metal storage container is everywhere. Everyone in the industrialized world knows the iconic container, and many see them on a daily basis.
Here, you have a ceramic version scaled to become a useful storage container for the home. It’s likely that whatever is stored inside, has seen the inside of a cargo container before. A reminder of what goes around the world and makes the world go round for the last 50 years.
Produced and distributed by AREAWARE
Book Ends
Books that have met their end become book ends. Just books – no glue, no fasteners. Rubber feet keep them from sliding. Were sold exclusively at OPEN bookstore in Long Beach.
Limited production. Sold out.
Info
Daniel Ballou is an industrial designer living in Long Beach CA.
In 2007 he founded dashdot, a design consulting studio that operates in a wide range of industries including consumer products, apparel, and housewares.
Ballou Projects are self authored explorations, ideas, and experiments.
News
April 2013 – Bookends are included in the exhibition “Around the book. Between Art and Desgin” Curated by Beppe Finessi and sponsored by Foscarini. On display at the Museo Poldi Pezzoli during Milan Design Week 2013
March 2012 – Who’s There Chair included in the exhibition “Threat: Objects of Defense and Protection” with the American Design Club. On display in Brooklyn NY from March 9th to 12th, 2012
March 2012 – Some projects featured on Core77
December 2011 – Cargo Containers are in the New York Times and Azure Magazine holiday gift guides
July 2011 – Very Nice Bike Racks featured in Artbox Magazine