Hasta La Ideas

As a human who has, on multiple occasions, ended up buying milk from the supermarket only to find that there’s already milk in the fridge (Jerry Seinfeld even has an entire bit about this), I can attest that the Fridge Eye is just a simply brilliant product. Just imagine being able to peek into your fridge while you’re at the supermarket, so you know exactly what you need to stock up on… just the thought of it makes me dance a little. The Fridge Eye is, as its name suggests, a camera that helps you glance into your refrigerator from a remote location, to know if you’re running low on fruits, veggies, frozen pizza, or pudding cups because your sibling or annoying roommate keeps snacking on them. How it works is simple. The product retrofits onto any refrigerator to turn it into a smart one. Every time you close the fridge door, the Fridge Eye takes a snapshot of your fridge and sends it to your phone using your home Wi-Fi. While you’re at the grocery store, you can easily see the latest image of your fridge to keep a tab on what stuff you need to re-stock on. Neat, isn’t it?!

Designed by Munich-based company brezzl., the Fridge Eye is designed to work with any fridge, attaching to a wall on the fridge, or a cabinet on the fridge-door. The wireless device runs on batteries, and boasts of a battery life that spans years. The trick is in the way the Fridge Eye is programmed. It isn’t a camera that streams video footage on command, it just sends you a picture of your fridge’s interiors every time the door shuts. The Fridge Eye uses a temperature-sensor to identify when someone opens the fridge door (i.e., when the temperature suddenly drops), and it conveniently clicks a picture once said person has shut the fridge door. This clever process means the Fridge Eye really doesn’t run out of batteries for years… and on the off chance you open your fridge door a lot, the Fridge Eye can easily by charged via a Type-C charger. Setting it up is simple too. Just place the camera at a strategic location, giving it a clear view of the fridge’s interiors, and connect it to your home Wi-Fi. The Fridge-Eye is equipped with a wide-angle lens that can capture most of your fridge’s interiors… and get this, brezzl. is even working on image-recognition, so the camera can easily craft shopping lists for you, sending them to your Android and iOS smartphones so you can even re-stock your fridge from your bedroom or your living room.

The genius of the Fridge Eye is that it appeals to consumers as a product that helps them save time and money (by preventing duplicate purchases), but in reality, it also helps drastically reduce food wastage, because you now know exactly what and what not to purchase. Designed to fit onto any refrigerator, and last practically years without needing a recharge, the Fridge Eye is just a simply brilliant product that’s supported by an idea that’s sheer genius! Now if only the Fridge Eye reminded people to carry shopping bags as they step out to the supermarket!

Designers: Vladislav Svetashkov & Kirill Andushchenko

Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $130 (39% off). Hurry, only 13/62 left!

Fridge Eye – Turn Your Fridge Into a Smart Fridge

Save time and hundreds on your grocery bill by streamlining your trip to the grocery store by knowing exactly what you have and what you need.

Easy to Install & Connects to your Mobile in Seconds

1. Install the app and configure.

2. Attach the camera to your pantry or cabinet. Anywhere with a door that you store food is the perfect fit.

Know exactly what’s in your fridge.

3. Enjoy your new smart fridge.

Fridge Eye Captures the Perfect Shot

Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $130 (39% off). Hurry, only 13/62 left!

A canopy supported by slim white columns covers a hotpot restaurant by MUDA Architects in Chengdu, China which hugs the edge of a lotus pond in a eucalyptus forest.

The Garden Hotpot Restaurant is located at the edge of the Sansheng Township in a suburb of Chengdu, and specialises in the area’s traditional cuisine where a simmering pot is served at the table.

MUDA Architects designed the restaurant to have a minimal impact on the local landscape and ecology.

“The natural landscape of the site is beautiful but complex,” said the practice. “Eucalyptus trees must be preserved, and the terrain is torturous with a two metre drop.”

After mapping the terrain closely, MUDA Architects responded with a simple, lightweight structure with a curved form inspired by steam rising from a hotpot.

Garden Hotpot Restaurant has no exterior or internal walls, only thin steel pillars, with decking below and a roof above.

The structure hugs the banks of the pond closely, growing and shrinking in width in response to the landscape and nearby trees  to “blur the boundary” between the building and nature.

As well as providing seating areas for diners, a low wooden balustrade runs along the restaurant’s perimeter to form a viewing walkway that frames panoramas of the surrounding landscape.

“Thin columns are evenly distributed on both sides, and the free curve of the roof forms several transparent viewing frames, so that different views can be appreciated during the process of walking,” said the studio.

Garden Hotpot Restaurant ‘s platform was constructed using anti-corrosive wood, and the thin steel columns support a galvanised steel roof raised three metres above the ground.

The structure was designed to be welded together quickly and easily in order to allow local workers to take part in the process.

The building forms the first phase in a wider renovation commission for the popular tourist area of Chengdu that MUDA Architects won in 2018.

MUDA Architects was originally founded in Boston, US, in 2015, before setting up offices in both Beijing and Chengdu.

Many new projects in Chengdu respond to the area’s popularity as a tourist destination. Recent schemes include The Budapest Café by Australian practice Biasol, designed in pastel hues as a nod to Wes Anderson’s film The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Photography is by Arch-Exist unless stated otherwise.

Project credits:

Client: Xinhua Nufang Restaurant
Architect: MUDA Architects
Chief architect: Yun Lu
Design team: Yun Lu, Jiandan Xu, Qiming Sun, Xue Chen, Yixiu He, Xiaoqiao Liu, Dian Rong, Shangyun Zhou
Construction supervision unit: Chufeng Architectural Decoration Design Co., Ltd
Construction supervision team: Xianyong Wu, Fei Jiang, Wenjie Tang, Songlin Li
Construction team: Hao Chen, Chuangui Zhou, etc.

The post Snaking canopy covers open-air hotpot restaurant in Chinese forest appeared first on Dezeen.

Reflecting on last week’s climate summit, we’re showcasing alternatives to concrete in this week’s new Pinterest boards. Branch out with our spruced-up boards featuring cross-laminated timber high rises, bamboo structures and enclosures with rammed-earth walls. Follow Dezeen on Pinterest ›

Main image shows the dazzling lighting effects from cross-laminated timber walls and latticework in a refugee camp designed and built by architecture students.

Open the Pinterest app on your phone, tap the camera icon and scan the below Pincode to explore Dezeen’s feed.

The post Ditch concrete and steel with our Pinterest boards unearthing alternative building materials appeared first on Dezeen.

The Apollo 11 mission, if anything, acted as a massive event in human unity, as people across the globe gathered in front of their television sets to talk about mankind’s greatest space achievement. 50 years later, the moon landing is still our biggest space exploit till date, and is even today considered as an achievement for mankind, rather than for just one country. In that very spirit, Rafal Czaniecki designed the SVPER11 watch, a testament to man’s most exciting journey into space, complete with tiny details that pay tribute to the moon and the landing site.

The SVPER11’s most distinct detail is its 3D watch face, complete with contour lines and 3D surfaces that take inspiration from the Apollo 11’s landing site in the Sea of Tranquility. Centered exactly at the landing site, SVPER11’s seconds hand comes in a red X shape, mimicking the feeling of a sweeping radar as it scans the lunar surface. A Japanese Seiko movement allows the seconds hand to have a sweeping action, making it truly look the part. Speaking of looking the part, the watch’s crown is inspired too. The red hexagonal-gear crown takes direct inspiration from the Apollo 11 Spacesuit’s red oxygen valve, giving the watch yet another beautiful easter-egg in its design details. As far as easter-eggs go, a final detail lies hidden in the watch’s metal clasp. On the underside of the clasp are etched the exact lunar coordinates for the Apollo 11 moon landing, making the SVPER11 an absolutely perfect watch for any space-fanatic! The watch comes with a mineral glass upper, complete with a scratch-proof sapphire coating. The watch face underneath is simple and sophisticated. Other than the SVPER branding, the watch switches out the numbers for stick-markings, making it truly universally appealing.

SVPER11 isn’t just another moon-inspired watch. It’s a watch that is truly Rafal Czaniecki’s magnum opus as an industrial designer. The watches come in a spectacular set of colors, ranging from Lunar Red to a black variant, and even a white one, in keeping with the moon’s black and white surface. There’s also a golden Kapton variant, taking inspiration from the astronauts’ golden-foil space blankets. The watch’s body is made from a single piece of stainless steel, and it comes with a special ceramic plaque at the bottom, paying tribute to everyone at NASA who worked on the lunar mission. Lastly, the watch packs an accented nylon strap with a silent velcro, making it look truly out of this world!

Designer: Rafal Czaniecki

Click Here to Buy Now: $230 $350 (34% off). Hurry, for a limited time only!

About SVPER11 Watch

The NASA Apollo 11 Moon Landing Mission Inspired watch with 3D topographic face.

In 4 Moon-landing Inspired Color Combinations

Inspired by the endless space void with NASA red accents beaming through the darkness.

Inspired by the unknown of the dark side of the moon. Minimalist and sophisticated.

Inspired by the pure white Apollo 11 space suit, featuring white nylon strap and NASA red and blue accents.

Inspired by the material used in space blankets on the moon lander (golden foil protectors).

The Dial

They explored many design elements and motives, but the one that was most captivating was the Apollo 11 landing site, The Sea of Tranquility.

Based on the NASA maps of the moon, they created 3D topographic map, that became the face of the watch.

300 tons. That’s the pressure applied multiple times to the brass disc that become the dial. Each layer is only 0.1mm thin.

The Crown

The crown of the watch is inspired by bt the Apollo 11 spacesuit. The shape is reminiscent of the oxygen valves from the front of the spacesuit.

The Glass Dome

They covered the mineral glass with a layer of Sapphire and additional anti-reflective coating. The shape of the dome flows smoohtly with the curvature of the case.

The Movement

They decided to use SEIKO Japanese movement – VH31. It’s unique as it allows the second hand to beat 4 times per second, giving an impression of smooth radar-like movement. Constantly marking the location of the Moon landing.

The Case

Made out of stainless steel 316L. THe steel mono-block design is minimalistic.

The Caseback

Made out of technical ceramic that adds almost glowing quality to the surface.

The Strap

Custom clasp and added military-grade nylon strap with silent velcro. On the reverse side of the strap, you’ll find exact coordinates of the landing site, laser-etched into the metal surface of the buckle.

Click Here to Buy Now: $230 $350 (34% off). Hurry, for a limited time only!

It only seems fair that kids learn how to play the guitar on a guitar that’s designed for them, right? I mean, you don’t teach a 6 year old how to ride a bike on an adult-sized bicycle. Back in 2010, Loog was started by Rafael Atijas as a Master’s Thesis at NYU. It slowly, over less than a decade, grew into a movement that saw support from thousands of children, parents, teachers, and even musical legends from bands like The Rolling Stones, Metallica, and Johnny Marr. The Loog is essentially the child-bicycle equivalent of a guitar. Scaled down to fit a child’s frame and hands, the Loog is a miniature electric guitar (available in 3 and 6 string formats) for children to learn to play on. It comes with an in-built amplifier, so you don’t need to invest in an external amp (or worry about hassled neighbors), and even packs flash-cards that teach children guitar essentials, and an augmented-reality-enabled app that can help kids learn to master the instrument at a young age… because the best time to learn an instrument is when you’re young, right?

The Loog comes in two formats. The 3-stringed is easier to teach younger kids, because getting kids to play bar-chords early is difficult (I still can’t master them and I’ve been playing the guitar for over a decade). Still completely playable, the 3-stringed guitar helps kids master the easier chords (which usually comprise of just 3 notes), and comes in a Mini, the smallest size available, and a Pro, which is perfect for kids above the age of 6. The Pro VI is a 6-stringed larger version for kids entering their teenage years, and is essentially a proper 6-stringed electric guitar scaled down to be kid-friendly. Each guitar comes fashioned with all the embellishments you’d expect in an electric guitar. Loop-pins for a guitar-strap, volume and tone-knobs, a quarter-inch jack output for an amplifier, and even an in-built amp that allows the kid to play the guitar anywhere without needing to lug an external amp around. Oh, it even backs built-in distortion, because what fun is an electric guitar without that recognizable rock-flavor?

Designed as more than just an instrument, each Loog comes with an entire educational component that guides kids through the music process. Flash-cards help kids pick up chords to play, while the app uses augmented reality to guide learners through more complex routines. The app even helps kids figure out how to tune their guitar, and an in-built songbook helps them pick up popular guitar-friendly tracks (because personally, kids need to listen to more Queen and less Marshmello, amirite?)

But more than anything, the Loog isn’t just a tiny guitar or an app, no sir. It’s an ecosystem designed to get children interested in playing a music instrument… which, as a child who was pushed to learn singing at the age of four, and the guitar at the age of twelve, I can definitely attest is an incredible thing. More children should learn how to play musical instruments. Music can have a calming effect on children from an early age, help them acquire better motor skills and hand-eye-coordination, and form closer bonds with other kids and people through the power of the instrument. Let’s just also admit that the Loog makes any kid look like a complete rockstar!

On a side note, the 6-string model is totally suitable for adults!

Designers: Rafael Atijas & Joaquín Uribe

Click Here to Buy Now: $99 $150 (34% off). Hurry, only 6 days left! Raised over $350,000.

Loog Guitars: Built-in Amplifier & Speaker + App with Augmented Reality.

Electric guitars designed to make it fun and easy to play music. Loog guitars come with flashcards that teach you how to form chords, and an app that gets you playing songs on day one. They have songs by The Beatles, The Stones, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars and more, and you can play karaoke-style and learn through Augmented Reality.

Who Is It For?

Anyone who ever wanted to play guitar! Loog guitars are especially helpful for children, who can easily -and comfortably- form chords on Loog’s slim 3-string neck.

Learn on a Loog. Play Any Guitar

Their 3-string guitars use the first three strings -and tuning- of a regular guitar. Therefore, finger placement and everything you learn can be applied on a 6-string guitar too. It’s a seamless transition, approved by educators, that allows kids to learn on a Loog and then play any guitar.

And for grown-ups and those who are ready for a 6-string neck, they now offer the Loog Pro VI: a 6-string guitar that also pairs to the Loog app, allowing you to learn guitar through Augmented Reality!

The Loog Guitars – Mini, Pro & Pro VI

The Loog guitars come in three sizes. And have a built-in amplifier and speaker. And they did it in a quite subtle way; there’s virtually no extra weight, no awkward knobs or controls.

Here’s a demo of the Loog Pro VI Electric. Sound is from the built-in amp and speaker. You can still plug your Loog to an external amp if you want to. (Side benefit: Your Loog is now a pretty cool travel guitar!)

Loog Mini Electric. Recommended ages 3+.

Loog Pro Electric. Recommended ages 8+.

Loog Pro VI Electric. Recommended ages 12+.

The Loog App

You get an instrument bundled with everything you need to learn to play songs. There are flashcards that teach you how to form chords, and an app that gets you playing songs on day one.

The Loog Guitar app has an AUGMENTED REALITY feature that allows you to learn guitar using the selfie camera.

Here’s an unedited video showing the current development state of the app. The iOS version (iPad and iPhone) is almost ready and we’ll have an Android version too.

Tuner

The Loog app also has a tuner, video lessons, games, and a digital songbook so you can learn to play guitar by playing real songs.

Click Here to Buy Now: $99 $150 (34% off). Hurry, only 6 days left! Raised over $350,000.