Inhabitat » JORRE VAN AST: New Tools for Old Problems

October 26, 2006

JORRE VAN AST: New Tools for Old Problems

by NK

Inhabitat, Jorre van Ast, Table Clamp, Clampology

Jorre van Ast has a knack for realizing common problems that plague us in our daily lives – especially the ones we aren’t aware of. An industrial designer, his projects approach these problems with a sort of make-shift attitude, resulting in creative solutions that critique our use of everyday objects.

With his “clampology” and related “clamp a leg” products, van Ast makes ordinary objects more convenient to use, making them easily accessible and versatile.

Inhabitat, Jorre van Ast, Clamp, Clampology

With van Ast’s “jar tops,” he gives consumers the ability to specialize the function of standard jars, simply by interchanging the lid to one that pours, shakes, sips, or stores.

Inhabitat, Jorre van Ast, Lids, Jar tops, Jars

Jorre van Ast exhibited his work at the recent Interieur 06, winning best overall entry for his Clampology system.

+ Jorre van Ast

(thanks, Serge!)

6 Responses to “JORRE VAN AST: New Tools for Old Problems”

Dan Freedman Says:

October 26th, 2006 at 10:04 pm

College students have been turning doors into desks for years now with even less waste. Why install legs, when file cabinets can do the job and supply storage space as well. You want to see innovative design solutions, see how college students fit their whole lives into a 12 foot by 8 foot room. Also, those jar tops look like a lot more clutter in the kithen than anyone is interested in.
Sorry for being Mr. Negative!

Sham Ramachandran Says:

October 27th, 2006 at 9:22 am

Its a nice idea. And with those clamps its only limited to our imagination what we can make a table. But i see a problem with those legs. Since its perpendicular to one side of the table, a person walking near by can hit the leg and hurt his leg. You guys might think its not possible. Trust me. It is very possible. My mother changed the top of the dining table back home and when the carpenter finished the job, it dawned on her that the new top is smaller and its perpendicular to the leg. From that day onwards everyone in my family had a taste of hitting their leg against the table leg. And my mom got hit the most. But good idea, i must say.

dr. miguel stroe Says:

October 27th, 2006 at 12:13 pm

am intersted in your useful line of products. Would you be so kind to send me your price list

Joe Prole Says:

October 29th, 2006 at 8:40 am

I am sat at mine now. It’s from the IKEA bargain basement (cost £10 / 20 dollars ish?) and is held up by a bass guitar amplifier (largely un-used however, but still in a usable position) and a cabinet of draws. It’s long and deep, but no desk is ever big enough as you always find more stuff to put on it.

Also, Alan Partridge did this years ago with his toilet door table (impractically balanced on a black and decker workmate bench), pocket torch chandelier, and car headlights illumination / ‘fuul beem’ / ‘let’s go nuclear lyn’.

hlwimmer Says:

October 30th, 2006 at 1:17 pm

re: table legs… while lower-fi versions can certainly be had (the same crit could be had for jut about anything newly designed, no?), the contrast between something as considerd/refined as this simple design with something as beat as the sample door is aesthetically quite nice, methinks.

Justin Porcano Says:

October 31st, 2006 at 7:02 pm

I think these clamps are a brilliant solution to failed attempts i’ve seen of the same concept. this is the first one handled simply and functionaly. Nice Job! All the nay-sayers should concentrate more on the strong thoght behind these concepts - and for the most part, executed very well.

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