Mashing up maps into a real object

This is not the sort of thing I often blog about, however this product really struck me. Fluidform (in Austria) are selling these beautiful beech bowls shaped like a map contour. I love this idea. I was thinking I’d like to buy one centred on where I proposed to my wife. Maybe when I have some spare money for a real luxury item. It seems like the kind of thing you would keep forever.

I find it’s a real sign of growth that a company is using an openly available web service to create physical products. Not only does this product rely on the availability of the service, it also gives them access to vast amounts of data that would be prohibitive for them to buy themselves. This means they can make bowls which are meaningful to people without needing to know why. I look forward to seeing more mashups like this. via TreeHugger

Technorati Tags:

mashup, google maps, bowl, soa, roa, design, beautiful