Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., April 07, 2009 Nisan 13, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:31 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File

Dumpster dive design By Yuval Saar Ori Ben-Zvi waited to make the traditional post-army backpacking trip until after he completed his bachelor's degree in industrial design at the Academic Technological Institute in Holon, 10 years ago. According to him, the hedonistic and unsatisfying experience aroused a flurry questions in him about the backpacking phenomenon. He finished his master's degree in Melbourne, Australia: The subject of his research was the relations between backpacking culture and rural destinations in developing countries. He was trying to examine how a backpacker can contribute to the host without imposing on every good spot as if it were his own. Advertisement Thus, for example, he designed a solar battery charger, part of which can be left with the host, or a hammock that is printed with signs and symbols that can help in communication between the backpacker and the host. Four years ago, Ben-Zvi returned to Israel and in parallel to his work as a designer began to teach industrial design at the Technological Institute with an emphasis on the environment and society. Since then, this field has become one of three tracks for specialization that are offered to students in the department. A year ago Ben-Zvi set up the Ubico studio, which is currently launching its first series of products. Ben-Zvi's design outlook focuses on designing for quality of life. An example of this can be found in his furniture, which will be shown in the Artezackhen exhibition at the Farm Gallery in Holon starting April 10. There, Ben-Zvi will show Drawer Plan - pieces of furniture that are based on his collection of drawers. Lala leg, for example, is a drawer to which he has added legs and which has become an amusing book or magazine rack that can be rested against the wall. Ben-Zvi finds his raw materials in municipal garbage bins, discarded on the street, at dismantling sites such as the one at Hiriya and in places where construction waste is sorted and they donate raw materials to him. "People who are in this field are ridiculously friendly," he says. "There are already those who call me and tell me that they are taking apart a kitchen and ask me whether maybe I need something." Nevertheless, the effects of the recession are also evident in the recycling business, as less building has created less waste. Ben-Zvi says that before Passover last year there was a lot more discarded on the streets than there is now. Sometimes when he gets an order now, he has to buy the raw materials. "The equation in the field is unpredictable - where to get things, what can be done, it all borders on the random," he says. Even though he calls the drawer on legs "a small and silly readymade object," anyone who wants to buy it will have to pay the very non-throwaway starting price of NIS 550. Serving boards and cutting boards made from doorframes sell for NIS 250. Ben-Zvi says the high price tag is a reflection of labor costs. "The payment is for the designer's time," he says. "Nearly every item is put together by hand and for that a lot of patience is needed. It takes a whole day to convert each drawer into a cupboard of shelves, because there is no standardization of the raw materials in the process and each drawer comes in a different size and is made of different materials." The challenge, he says, is to create a functional object that will be desirable despite the image of recycled furniture, one that will be possible to sell at a reasonable price. In the meantime only someone who has money can buy recycled furniture. "I know that I am preaching to the converted," he says, "that this still remains within a narrow design clique and that there is a degree of the esoteric here. Recycled furniture still hasn't succeeded in creating a real change. Maybe just a change in thinking, but even that is something. In the meantime, what is occupying me is how to make recycling industrial, and how to produce products that can live in the suburbs too, and not only in the small Tel Aviv niche." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fighter for peace Gaza doctor whose three daughters were killed during Gaza op gets Nobel nomination. Determined diplomacy Obama: U.S. 'strongly supports' two-state solution, vows to continue peace process.

Read & React IDF chief: Troops' Gaza testimonies are completely unfounded Responses: 179 Arab professor says booted from eatery over bartender's 'racist' T-shirt Responses: 65 Alex Sinclair: This Seder night, spill some wine for Gaza's dead Responses: 83 Obama arrives in Turkey on first official visit to Muslim country Responses: 54 More Headlines 23:55 Netanyahu invited to Egypt for official visit 22:59 Peres: 'Devious' Iran hiding nuke ambitions 22:30 Israel pledges to work with U.S. for Mideast peace 20:50 Blair urges Netanyahu not to abandon peace talks 22:10 'Grave concern' over Israeli missing in Italy quake 21:20 IDF to impose closure on West Bank ahead of Pesach 20:25 Have the first Israelite sites built after Exodus been found? 11:13 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel 21:39 Ashdod pedophile gets record 45 years in jail 13:33 Amos Harel / What North Korea's missile means for Israel and Iran 20:07 Iran may seek compensation for seizure of suspected arms cargo 19:28 Livni blasts Netanyahu as being 'easily blackmailed' 21:42 Officials: Kinneret to suffer irrevocably if water not conserved 18:54 U.S. judge allows deportation of accused Nazi Demjanjuk Previous Editions Select Day 06 apr 05 apr 03 apr 02 apr 01 apr 31 mar 30 mar 29 mar 27 mar 26 mar 25 mar 24 mar

Special Offers Advertisement Spring Specials-Dan Hotels Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$ Dead Sea Skin Care Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off! Camp Kimama Israel 2009 The best place for your children this summer Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results

Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved