Super Egg

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Piet Hein

...popularized (and named) the "super-ellipse", which is something in between the rectangle and the ellipse (Salt and pepper shaker set and dining tables now come in super-ellipses). In 1964 he was asked to solve a traffic problem of Sergel’s Square in Stockholm. A traffic loop was needed in the roughly rectangular city center. A circle would not work, an ellipse wasted space in the corners and a rectangle would not allow fast traffic flow. The super-ellipse solved the problem. This form also came in a 3D version and was called "the super egg" or "the super-ellipsoid". The super-ellipse went on to a career in furniture and industrial design in the 50's and 60's. It also stars as the body of Big Mike, the Viridian mascot used by the Viridian environmental cult group. Super egg design ranges from the salad bowls in your home to Swedish city centers.

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