I'm definitely not much of a car enthusiast. In fact, my favorite instance of that uniquely masculine childhood activity of pretending to drive involved a good bit of irony-a school friend who'd wrap his arms around a large circular glass table and imitate the motion of manipulating the gigantic steering mechanism on a city bus. So the +Shifter Faucet by Shen Di doesn't appeal to my particular fancy, but that doesn't mean I can't objectively admire its sleek design, its brushed black metal faucet and handle and contrasting copper faceplate, its smooth functionality, its water-saving ethos…

+Shifter Faucet. Designed by Shen Di.

The concept behind +Shifter is akin to that of Eun Ji Byeon's Turn Faucet. Both pieces prompt us to think about water usage by re-contextualizing its delivery. While the latter used the device of an old-school style dial phone, +Shifter equates water output to the ascending gears of the transmission of a non-specified but most definitely stylish automobile (could be anything from a Bentley Mulsanne to a Bugatti Veyron 16.4). Shen's helpful diagram details water output for a given "gear," so-if you're so inclined-you can imagine yourself revving the engine to the desired RPMs... on up the ladder from shaving to toothbrush rinsing to vigorous hand washing.

Sure there's a bit of gimmickry happening here, but it's gimmickry of the most clever and appealing sort. And anyway, from my perspective, the best thing about Shen's piece is that it will force us to be cognizant of our water use, while simultaneously providing targeted delivery that staves off the annoying syndrome of infinite adjustment. And if it gives the occasional motor head and auto connoisseur a daily vicarious thrill, so much the better.

Via woohome.