The Lotus 23, or: umbrella 2.0
By Ryan Block 
posted Apr 22nd 2005 5:26PM
posted Apr 22nd 2005 5:26PM
We can definitely think of a few things around the house that need a gadgety update or at very least a spicy redesign, and despite the ready abundance of $3 umbrellas made available by mysterious cart-wheeling street vendors at the first signs of precipitation, something tells us that Andy Wana's Lotus 23 may be the true way to go. The device won the Gold 2005 Australian Design Award for its fully retractable umbrella screen, which is pushed out of its housing tube-worm style; flexible ribs stand up to harsh winds, instead of breaking and buckling. Andy, make one in Burberry plaid and we're like, so there.
oh my gosh, he totally stole my idea! i have sketches in my ComputerScience101 notebook with this idea in it! doh!
Hopefully the kid will get some money when companies start mass producing his idea. Pretty sweet concept, I'd buy one.
I WANT ONE!!!! lmao, they look sweet. not much use in San Diego...
Burberry plaid - straight from the House of Chav!
http://chavscum.co.uk/ - ugh.
I saw the subject heading and misread it as "Lotus 123"... Showing my age here...
It’s about time someone redesigned the umbrella... now lets redesign the spoon and we are all set to go.
Very cool, so how do I buy one?
THANK YOU for all the comments regarding my project. It is very inspiring and moving to be able to reach out to people around the world with a humble design.
You can find out more about Lotus 23 within the next 2 weeks or so at www.andywana.com.
Congrats Andy! I'll definitely hope that you'll get some investors to license out this design. I would love to buy several to buy and give to family. What are somethings you are looking into? Where do you hope to make more design contributions?
DarkHorse, thank you so much for your praise. These comments, praises and constructive criticisms meant so much to me. To be appreciated and acknowledged for a humble personal project is very inspiring and uplifting.
I am very much driven to get this product made ASAP and I am currently on the lookout for keen investors and manufacturers to get Lotus 23 to be a REAL mass produced product. I am optimistically cautious and very hopeful that the project will go further than its current state.
The e-mails I received from people all over the globe have been so overwhelmingly positive that I don't feel like disappointing any of them at all.
I only pray that I'll have the opportunity to do these sorts of projects again in the future. To do projects that offer genuine ideas rather that superflous ones. I have also been very fortunate to have great like-minded people who help me realize my vision.
By the way, I've started a list of people/potential buyers who are interested in this product and I promise that once the first Lotus 23 batch is ready to be shipped, everyone on the list will be notified immediately.
If you want to be included in the list, you can drop me a line along with your e-mail address to design@andywana.com
And don't worry, I don't like SPAM either.
DarkHorse, thank you so much for your praise. These comments, praises and constructive criticisms meant so much to me. To be appreciated and acknowledged for a humble personal project is very inspiring and uplifting.
I am very much driven to get this product made ASAP and I am currently on the lookout for keen investors and manufacturers to get Lotus 23 to be a REAL mass produced product. I am optimistically cautious and very hopeful that the project will go further than its current state.
The e-mails I received from people all over the globe have been so overwhelmingly positive that I don't feel like disappointing any of them at all.
I only pray that I'll have the opportunity to do these sorts of projects again in the future. To do projects that offer genuine ideas rather that superflous ones. I have also been very fortunate to have great like-minded people who help me realize my vision.
By the way, I've started a list of people/potential buyers who are interested in this product and I promise that once the first Lotus 23 batch is ready to be shipped, everyone on the list will be notified immediately.
If you want to be included in the list, you can drop me a line along with your e-mail address to design@andywana.com
And don't worry, I don't like SPAM either.
Andy: Your Lotus 23 Umbrella seems very unique. What is going on with a production model?
Hi Andy,
I would love to go on your list of buyers.
It's hard to keep the superlatives down to a reasonable level. Suffice it to say that you appear to have come up with a truly unique re-design of an age-old product. Lateral thinking at it's best.
It just amazes me as to the number of design flaws, problems and gripes with the traditional umbrella that you have addressed and overcome with your design. I'm sure I will not be the first to have advised you of the necessity of patenting a unique idea. If nothing else, it provides time to develop and commercialise the product.
Well done Andy.
Kind regards,
John Ranieri
Hi ANDY, (' I'm french, sorry for my english...)
BRAVO ! It's superb !! I try to send you an email but no answer... I am a 26 year old French who has just created my little company.
I will be very delighted by be able to work with you
it is a product with pure lines, really very beautiful, with beautiful colors.
In my country or it often rains... ;o))))
Julien (petitbiston@gmail.com)
Thanks Google for the translations ;o))))))