Perfect engineering solutions

I have love for a certain kind of engineering solution which presents a kind of charmed confluence of design, materials, and technical capacity, such that even when technology improves they remain beautiful and relevant. (Vinay Gupta suggests calling these “terminal designs”.)

The prime examples for me include

• The Douglas DC-3 airplane
• The AK-47 rifle
• The hexayurt
• The Honda Cub motorcycle
• The monobloc chair
• The swivel potato peeler
• Converse “Chuck Taylor” All-Star shoes
• Leica M series cameras
• Skilcraft government pen

Talking about this on Facebook, friends had some other great suggestions.

• The Polaroid Land Camera
• The Emeco Navy chair
• The Fender Stratocaster guitar
• The series Land Rover car
• Jerrycans
• The Bic Cristal pen
• The Zippo lighter
• The Pentax K1000 camera
• The Piper Cub airplane
• The Volkswagen microbus
• The Browning M1911 pistol
• The Laser dinghy
• Lego bricks
• The safety pin
• The Cerviscope
• The Leatherman multi-tool
• The Lifesystems survival whistle
• The гранёный стакан faceted drinking glass
• The Maglite flashlight
• The Shure SM-58 microphone
• Dr Martens boots
• British electrical plugs
• Brown Betty teapots
• The Stanley unbreakable vacuum bottle
• The prism sharpener (for pencils)
• The kelly kettle
• The “woobie” poncho liner

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Wired has a nice little piece about a collector of perfect little designs.