Superheroes are hitting the big screen hard these days, and comic books are more popular and finely illustrated than ever before. So what’s missing? How about a minimalist approach to the symbolism behind the heroes, the logos as art with a vintage poster appeal. Take a gander at these pop art inspired poster designs by Marko Manev and see if you can recognize them without reading the names at the bottom.

Link

Dr Mike Page, the originator of the The Cube Project, is giving you a tour in the ultra-compact eco-home in which one person could live a comfortable life with minimum impact on the environment.

Constructed from a variety of sustainable materials, the Cube provides everything that a single person (or two friendly people) might need.

Within its 27 cubic metres it includes a lounge, with a table and two custom-made chairs, a small double bed (120cm wide), a full-size shower, a kitchen (with energy-efficient fridge, induction hob, re-circulating cooker hood, sink/drainer, combination microwave oven and storage cupboards), a washing machine, and a composting toilet.

Lighting is achieved by ultra-efficient LED lights, and the Cube is heated using an Ecodan air-source heat pump, with heat being recovered from extracted air. It has cork flooring and there is two-metre head height throughout.

Also see these two previous Neatorama posts:

• Tiny House Built in Single Parking Space
• Living in 90 Square Feet

via Pusha

How many things do you own? Whatever it is, it's probably a lot more than the things tech entrepreneur Andrew Hyde owns. The extreme minimalist was photographed above with the 15 (or so) things that he owns:

The first question someone asks me when I tell them about the project is “How do you define something you own?” Great question, but that is a lie. The first question is always “Do you do laundry? How many pairs of underwear?” I’ll never get a stranger’s obsession with my knickers, but that is *always* question #1. Question #2 is the “What do you own?” countdown, which is both fun and annoying to answer.

I don’t have a permanent address or a second pair of jeans. Forgive me if I don’t want to answer it, but it takes a bit of emotion to go from an overconsumer to a minimalist, and perhaps even more emotion to think about it all the time. When I get up in the morning, I wear what is clean. That is my thought process. Then I’m out the door. When I am asked about what I own, I have to think about it deliberately. Imagine everything you own? Name it. Longer list than mine, but you still have to justify things as you list them, which is exhausting in a way that makes you pair emotion with physical objects. [...]

So, back to everything I own. The “rule” of ownership is the express-lane checkout rule. If you were checking out in a grocery store, what would be counted as one item in your bag? A six-pack of beer would be one, right? I count my things as resellable items I would be pissed if someone took.

Coffee cup? No. Jacket? Yes. iPhone and headphones? One thing. Simple enough?

Here is the list, as of May 2, 2011. I made a similar list in Colombia. Scott Berkun also did an interview around that time too.

Arc’teryx Miura 30 backpack
NAU shirt
Mammut rain jacket
Arc’teryx tshirt
Patagonia running shorts
Quick Dry towel
NAU wool jacket
Toiletry kit
Smith sunglasses
Wallet
MacBook Air
iPhone 3GS
NAU dress shirt
Patagonia jeans
Running shoes

Link (with podcast of interview with ABC Radio News' Dan Patterson)

Tired of clutter? Most of us settle on doing Spring cleanings, but 22-year-old software engineer Kelly Sutton decided to take matters to the extreme.

Matthew Danzico of BBC News has the fascinating story of how Kelly has decided to get rid of almost all material possessions in his life:

Mr Sutton is the founder of CultofLess.com, a website which has helped him sell or give away his possessions - apart from his laptop, an iPad, an Amazon Kindle, two external hard drives, a "few" articles of clothing and bed sheets for a mattress that was left in his newly rented apartment.

This 21st-Century minimalist says he got rid of much of his clutter because he felt the ever-increasing number of available digital goods have provided adequate replacements for his former physical possessions.

"I think cutting down on physical commodities in general might be a trend of my generation - cutting down on physical commodities that can be replaced by digital counterparts will be a fact," said Mr Sutton.

Our pal Boing Boing has a follow-up with Kelly about the nitty gritty of his new lifestyle:

The greatest thing gained from Cult of Less has been an unprecedented amount of physical freedom. This is obvious to those that have read Tim Ferriss' 4-Hour Workweek. Ferriss takes owning nothing to an extreme and comes across as brackish in his suggestions, but there is an important point to take away from the book and accompanying blog. A willingness to drop your stationary physical possessions and move is the greatest freedom I have found in this project. Sure, you could get by without a bed, furniture and a few other essentials, but you will be miserable. No one wants to sleep on a floor if they can help it.

Instead, I've found that a lack of attachment to my possessions to be the biggest win. My bed isn't important enough to me to haul more than a few blocks, should I move. Chances are, the person moving into my apartment after me would like a bed. Leaving it for them will be a nice move-in present.

I proposed this lifestyle to my wife, who proceeded to laugh at me as she pointed out the futility of doing so with three children and the irony of making a living selling people stuff they want but don't need on the NeatoShop.

Link: Cult of Less