100% Design London: Tomoko Azumi’s birdhouse goes Victorian with a reclaimed tile roof

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At the annual 100% Design London show, the contemporary architecture and interiors extravaganza that closed here Sunday, design consultant Tomoko Azumi showed prototype birdhouses and bird feeders made from reclaimed Victorian roof tiles. The result was inspired shelter for London’s blue tits, wrens and small garden birds.

Cut with a laser and water jet, each oddly shaped tile forms a waterproof roof. A delicate, laser-etched Victorian facade adds a note of craftsmanship and whimsy. The weight of the roof tile keeps it securely on top of the house, and it can be easily removed for cleaning.

“Birds come back next season only if the house is emptied and cleaned,” said Azumi, a member of the Ten design collective, whose mission is ‘an exploration of our varied perspectives on the complex issues of sustainability within design using digital manufacturing technologies.’

-- Kristin Hohenadel reporting from London