This contraption is part of a collection called 'Weeds, Aliens and Other Stories'. Using the passion of the British for their gardens as a metaphor, the designers proposed prototype objects that examined the sense of alienation and frustration that lies beneath the surface of our personal relationships. Many of their solutions were witty and ironic, but the humour barely concealed a darker layer of anxiety. These prototypes are not intended to be mass-manufactured, but are intended to allow reflection on our relationships with objects, with nature and with each other. As such they show an interest in the conceptual content of designed objects that has inspired much innovation amongst contemporary designers.

This is called Cricket Box, and the designers described it as a drawer for collecting garden sounds. They wondered whether the sounds of a summer's day could be captured in this drawer to brighten winter evenings. Arguably it is a whimsical, impossible notion, but it is appealing none the less.