This week, designers responded to the coronavirus outbreak

Oliver Jeffers coronavirus awareness artwork

This week on Dezeen, designers put their skills to use in response to coronavirus by 3D-printing ventilator valves and sharing critical advice.

Italian start-up Isinnova has begun 3D-printing the crucial valves required for hospital ventilators, which help patients suffering from the coronavirus Covid-19 to breathe.

The company’s first prototype was developed in just six hours after finding out that the usual supplier for a hospital in Chiari was unable to meet the increasing demand for the valves.

Graphic designers get creative to show support during Covid-19 outbreak
Graphic designers get creative to circulate helpful advice during coronavirus outbreak

Elsewhere, graphic designers took to social media with artworks to encourage more people to follow the vital steps needed to slow the spread of Covid-19.

Among the artists was Juan Delcan, who told Dezeen that “even though we are not doctors or nurses… we artists can help by creating something useful”.

Fountain of Hygiene hand sanitiser competition 
Fountain of Hygiene competition calls on designers to rethink hand sanitisers amid coronavirus pandemic

To highlight the importance of hand-washing, Bompas & Parr launched The Fountain of Hygiene competition that invites designers to create new forms of hand-sanitiser pumps.

In Dubai, curators of the Global Grad Show called on universities and students to develop solutions for the issues that have resulted from the spread of the disease.

Italian architect Vittorio Gregotti dies of coronavirus
Italian architect Vittorio Gregotti dies of coronavirus

The designers’ efforts coincided with more event postponements this week as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, with Clerkenwell Design Week, AIA and NYCxDesign all being delayed.

It was also announced that Italian architect behind the Barcelona Olympic Stadium, Vittorio Gregotti, had sadly passed away aged 92 after contracting the disease.

“Glimmer of hope” as studios in China reopen after coronavirus shutdown

However, there were signs of hope as studios working in China told Dezeen that life was returning to normal in the country, as it recorded its first day with no new reported cases.

An architect at David Chipperfield’s Shanghai office said that “the condition in China is improving quickly, a positive sign that Europe and other parts of world can get through it too”.

Exploded View CLT bridge by Paul Cocksedge
Paul Cocksedge to install CLT bridge over Cape Town river

Elsewhere, Paul Cocksedge hit the headlines after revealing plans to install a bridge made from cross-laminated timber over a river in Cape Town.

IJP Architects and AKT II also unveiled a bridge proposal named Dubai Creek Footbridge, which will have views of the world’s tallest structure being designed by Santiago Calatrava.

Cockle Bay Park by Henning Larsen for Sydney, Australia
Henning Larsen designs Cockle Bay Park skyscraper on Sydney waterfront

Henning Larsen revealed visuals for a skyscraper in Sydney, which will be 183 metres at full height and form part of Cockle Bay Park on the city’s waterfront.

In Chicago, SOM’s consulting design partner David Childs updated his design for a pair of towers in the city after his initial proposal was halted.

“My studio is a giant version of my bedroom when I was nine years old” says Thomas Heatherwick in Dezeen’s latest podcast

In an exclusive interview, photographer Alastair Philip Wiper told Dezeen that he doesn’t “want [his] pictures to tell people what they should think”.

Dezeen also released its second Face-to-Face podcast, during which Thomas Heatherwick speaks to editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs about his childhood fascination with engineering and distaste for architectural discourse.

Ogimachi House by Tomoaki Uno Architects
Tomoaki Uno Architects creates peaceful home to be “healing architecture”

Projects that sparked readers imaginations this week included a wooden house in Japan described by its architect as “healing architecture”, a Spanish dwelling with an underground concrete extension and a village residence in India composed of irregularly stacked boxes.

The post This week, designers responded to the coronavirus outbreak appeared first on Dezeen.

Barry Callebaut 3D-prints intricate desserts in Belgian chocolate

Barry Callebaut 3D-prints intricate desserts in Belgian chocolate

Chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut has set up a dedicated 3D-printing studio for desserts, providing chefs with an opportunity to create bespoke designs that can be reproduced at scale.

The Barry Callebaut Group‘s global decoration brand, Mona Lisa, is responsible for launching what the group described as “the world’s first personalised 3D-printed chocolate at scale”.

Chefs can develop their own intricate or unique creations in collaboration with Mona Lisa 3D Studio, which will reproduce them in the desired quantity using its advanced printing technologies.

Barry Callebaut 3D-prints intricate desserts in Belgian chocolate

“Mona Lisa 3D Studio enables you to wow your guests or customers with unseen chocolate experiences, and with innovative shapes and designs that were impossible to be produced before,” said the brand.

“It is the first and only studio in the world where we 3D-print your creations or designs in real, delicious chocolate at scale,” it added. “And where you can co-create with our design teams to explore new ideas, shapes and experiences.”

Barry Callebaut 3D-prints intricate desserts in Belgian chocolate

The printing process was developed in response to increasing demand for more experiential dining, particularly among millennials.

The technology allows chefs to devise desserts that are more personalised or interactive, and therefore more likely to be shared on social media.

Barry Callebaut 3D-prints intricate desserts in Belgian chocolate

Mona Lisa 3D Studio partnered with renowned pastry chef Jordi Roca of Catalonian restaurant El Celler de Can Roca to develop a signature dessert for the project’s launch that showcases the possibilities of 3D-printing technology.

Roca collaborated with designer Andreu Carulla‘s technical studio ACID to devise the Flor de Cacao – a 3D-printed chocolate dessert that resembles a cocoa bean.

When hot chocolate sauce is poured on top, the printed form opens up like a cacao flower.

Barry Callebaut 3D-prints intricate desserts in Belgian chocolate

“This new way of working with chocolate is going to take consumers by surprise,” said Roca, “with previously unthinkable shapes produced at scale and with impressive precision.”

“I’m usually inspired by the things I can’t do as they represent a creative challenge,” the chef added. “But now I can take my chocolate craftsmanship to the next level. I can imagine any new kind of design and it will come to life.”

Barry Callebaut 3D-prints intricate desserts in Belgian chocolate

A team of designers at Mona Lisa 3D Studio will work with chefs and customers to develop personalised chocolate decorations through a process involving digital prototyping.

The approved designs can then be reproduced quickly and affordably at scale using the company’s patented printing technology. The brand is initially targeting chefs, hotels, coffee chains and restaurants in specific European countries.

For the project’s launch event, Roca also developed You, a personalised dessert with the name of the guest rendered in chocolate.

Roca’s handwriting was digitised and translated into a ribbon-like printed form that became the centrepiece of the dessert.

Barry Callebaut 3D-prints intricate desserts in Belgian chocolate

Several other designers have experimented with printing chocolate and other foodstuffs in recent years.

As early as 2013, designer Janne Kyttanen told Dezeen that food would be “the next frontier” for 3D printing. He supported his claim with a series of prototypes for printed pasta, breakfast cereal and burgers.

Dutch design studio Michiel Cornelissen Ontwerp has developed a proposal for a chocolate printer that would produce objects sent to it through an app, while Italian bioengineer Giuseppe Scionti has 3D printed a vegan steak from plant-based proteins.

The post Barry Callebaut 3D-prints intricate desserts in Belgian chocolate appeared first on Dezeen.

A modular cat tree for when your pet is also your co-worker!

Okay, we can all agree there is never enough cat content (barring ‘Cats’ the movie) and we always want to give our pets everything ‘they’ (read: we) dream of. I know people who would buy furniture for their cat than actually getting a coffee table for themselves. And now that we all are spending more time at home with our cats, the territory that was usually theirs for half the day is now a shared space. Your pet is also your co-worker now so it is important to keep them occupied while you focus on work and since most of us live in shared apartments or small flats, it is important that we don’t buy a cat palace but invest in a more space-saving structure like Catssup.

This particular piece of cat furniture is extremely easy to set-up and seamlessly integrates with your current home setting minus the bulkiness of a conventional cat tree. In 2020, it is all about how modular the product is and that applies to pet furniture too. With Catssup you can create a DIY jungle gym by simply clamping the different parts onto existing furniture and changing the set-up whenever ‘you’ (read: your cat) need. The best part is that it doesn’t require any floor space so if you want to lie down and WFH – you absolutely can with the extra room!

The Catssup set includes a Dot Step, a Sleeping Pill, a Space Ball, a Cloud Lounge and a Climbing Tower – I would just like to say that I strongly believe human furniture should also have fun labels like this and maybe we would be more invested in it. The Dot Step is a circular attachment that lets your pet explore vertical places with the Cloud Lounge and Sleeping Pill are resting attachments. The Space Ball and Climbing tower are play pieces to keep your cat entertained, especially during virtual meetings. All you have to do is screw and clamp for rearranging the pieces suited to different functions. The C-clamp is adjustable so it will fit horizontal boards/surfaces easily.

Pet furniture > human furniture.

Designer: Catssup.

Farah Al Qasimi’s Public Photography Exhibition, “Back and Forth Disco”

On display in 18 NYC neighborhoods, a celebration of rich and unique cultures

Click to view slideshow.

Abu Dhabi-born, New York-based photographer Farah Al Qasimi‘s newest exhibition, Back and Forth Disco, presents itself in the unremarkable nooks and crannies of the city, offering visual stimuli to those waiting at or passing by 100 public bus stops. NYC’s Public Art Fund commissioned the 17 new works, and installed the pieces in pairs across the five boroughs. They embody Al Qasimi’s recognizable style and aim to “isolate and highlight the beauty of seemingly inconspicuous moments amidst New York City’s visual and audible noise.” The photographs are subtle, but rich with cultural identity and provide beautification to otherwise dull or advertisement-covered spaces.

“It’s really a beautiful thing to see that sense of style,” Al Qasimi explains in a video statement. “It’s something that’s highly individualized, but I think it can be political. When you walk into a space that feels like you’re transported there’s an ownership, right? It really got me thinking about New York as a point of entry for so many immigrants who are coming from all over the world, and particularly the Middle East.”

For the project, Al Qasimi captured images of customers, storefronts, and shelves and decor inside businesses that are proud of their imported culture—whether it’s by selling garments from their homeland or adorning their store with motifs from a particular culture or region. Al Qasimi stirs feelings of desire, pride, and a sense of home through these images of decorations and products.

“There’s a way to access memory and desire and aspiration and location through objects. There’s so much more to them than just these tchotchkes that we collect. Even though I want to be a little more critical of the need to shop, I feel it. And I think that it can be really transformative, and really affirming for some people. It allows them to build a world in which they see themselves mirrored,” Al Qasimi explains to the Public Art Fund.

Beautiful as they are, the photographs that compose Back and Forth Disco also act as opportunities for education, awareness and community. Using the entirety of the city as her subject, and employing space typically reserved for advertisements, Al Qasimi tethers the population to one another by celebrating these nuances and differences. Whether it’s “Bodega Chandelier,” her shot of “an elaborate crystal light fixture that dominates the ceiling of a Yemeni-owned bodega in Ridgewood, Queens” or “Parked Car,” a photograph where “garlands of artificial flowers from an Indian wedding decorate a polished gray car,” each image offers a taste of unique and vibrant beauty.

Back and Forth Disco is on display citywide, in 18 neighborhoods, through 17 May.

Images courtesy of the Public Art Fund

Pentagram designs branding for CBD sparkling drink Fountain to "stand out"

Fountain branding by Pentagram

Pentagram has created the brand identity for Fountain, a craft CBD sparkling-water drink, to feature curving lines modelled on the shape of the letter “f”.

Fountain branding by Pentagram

Fountain is a New York City drink brand of carbonated water infused with hemp-derived CBD and all-natural flavours, including cucumber, passionfruit, tangerine and mango.

Also known as cannabidiol, CBD has grown in popularity as a legal, lighter strain of cannabis that can be used to reduce stress and anxiety, and induce calming effects.

Fountain branding by Pentagram

Pentagram partner Michael Bierut said he wanted to create an identity that would stand out among the competition. According to the team, both CBD and sparkling water industries have grown significantly in recent years and are now billion-dollar industries.

“Pentagram designed a colourful brand identity for Fountain that helps it stand out in the category,” the team said.

Fountain branding by Pentagram

For the logo, Pentagram chose to mimic the look of the letter “f”, taken from the drink’s name. It takes a single lower-case “f” and adds several curved lines in incremental order to it.

The design is reflected across the face of the aluminium drink to create a mirrored image.

Colours used on the cans vary depending on the flavour, hues of green and blue are used on the cucumber variety, while bright yellow and orange adorn the mango.

“The logomark is built of a linear pattern inspired by the name and organic ingredients, and can appear in a variety of colours for different flavours,” Pentagram added.

Fountain branding by Pentagram

A sans serif wordmark set in Avant Garde type spells out “fountain” to accompany the logo. This font shares similar geometric forms and stroke weights with the logo. Pentagram redrew the lowercase “f” for the word so it matches the version in the logo.

Fountain branding by Pentagram

In addition to the beverage cans, the geometric patterns are used on Fountain’s colourful promotional materials, packaging, advertisements and store display boards. The New York company has also added the logo and linear patterns to other objects, including coasters and apparel such as sweatshirts and tote bags.

The popularity of CBD has grown in US states in recent years as it offers a way around tight marijuana legislation. Also in New York City is the Standard Dose store, which sells a range of CBD-based products.

Fountain branding by Pentagram

Pentagram is a design consultancy established in 1972. In addition to the New York office that worked on this redesign, the company operates several other offices in San Francisco, Austin, Berlin and London.

Its other branding projects include a redesign for Mastercard, which involved removing the company’s name from the logo and new branding for Yahoo that gives the Internet company a “21st-century identity”.

The post Pentagram designs branding for CBD sparkling drink Fountain to “stand out” appeared first on Dezeen.

NASCAR Replaces Canceled Races With Esports Invitational

After canceling the NASCAR circuit’s next three races, the organization quickly opted for an innovative alternative. By expanding upon an 11-year-old simulated racing league NASCAR already operates (exclusively for SIM racers and not real-life drivers), the next three races will commence virtually on a video game version of the Homestead-Miami Speedway. All of the sports most popular drivers will control cars from simulator stations—like the type typically found in arcades—and announcers will provide commentary remotely. The race, officially called the FOX NASCAR iRACING ESPORTS INVITATIONAL, will be televised on FOX’s major channels (FS1 and the FOX Sports app) on 22 March. Given the inherent dangers of the sport, and the longstanding lobbying done in favor of switching to simulated races, this could be a glimpse into the sport’s future. Read more at NASCAR’s blog.

Companies rally to produce crucial supplies in the fight against coronavirus

Companies rally to produce crucial supplies in the fight against coronavirus

Elon Musk, car manufacturer Vauxhall, Gucci parent company Kering and beer maker BrewDog are among the brands that have offered up money and production lines to create the items needed to treat and contain the coronavirus.

Manufacturers of essential medical devices such as ventilators and antiviral products such as hand sanitser are struggling to keep up with the unprecedented demand, as outbreaks of coronavirus continue around the world.

In response, numerous companies with similar production capabilities and material resources – including automotive, cosmetics and alcohol manufacturers – are stepping up to bolster the supply.

Engineering companies explore manufacturing ventilators

Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk tentatively offered his companies’ support in producing more ventilators, as European countries and the United States report shortages.

We will make ventilators if there is a shortage,” Musk tweeted

Ventilators are life-saving medical devices that are used to mechanically fill the lungs of patients with oxygen, which can become infected and fill with fluid in severe cases of coronavirus.

“Tesla makes cars with sophisticated hvac systems,” Musk added. “SpaceX makes spacecraft with life support systems. Ventilators are not difficult, but cannot be produced instantly.”

In the UK, car manufacturer Vauxhall has said that it can 3D-print ventilator parts in its Ellesmere Port plant, in response to an appeal by prime minister Boris Johnson.

The UK’s health secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that the National Health System’s 5,000 adult-sized ventilators would not nearly be enough to meet demand, while the German and Italian governments have placed orders for another 10,000 and 5,000 units respectively.

Other car brands including Rolls-Royce and Jaguar Land Rover, as well as General Motors and Ford in the US, have also said that they are looking into the practicalities of how they could help. Multinational plane manufacturer Airbus is doing the same in its teams across the UK, France, Spain and Germany.

However, experts including Helen Meese, founder of medical technology consultancy The Care Machine, have cautioned that the industry’s stringent regulations could stand in the way of production.

She told CNN Business that “being able to turn production lines manufacturing processes over is not something that can be done overnight, it will take many weeks”.

Alcohol and cosmetics brands turn to hand sanitiser

As stocks of hand sanitiser and its constituent ingredients are running low across Europe, UK brewery BrewDog, Deeside Distillery, Verdant Spirits and LVMH have all repurposed factories to begin production of the antiviral gel.

Hand sanitisers are effective against viruses provided that they have an alcohol content of at least 60 per cent, meaning they can help to slow the spread of the pandemic alongside regular hand washing.

LVMH, the French conglomerate behind fashion house Louis Vuitton, is retooling three of its cosmetics factories to produce 12 tonnes of sanitising gel, which will be delivered to hospitals in Paris free of charge.

BrewDog is making the product in its distillery, with the aim of providing it to those in need from next week. Deeside Distillery near Aberdeen and Dundee’s Verdant Spirits will also begin production in the weeks ahead.

Italian fashion houses show their support

With stocks of medical equipment running low in Italy, Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli, CEOs of the Prada Group, have contributed six fully equipped intensive care and resuscitation units to hospitals in Milan.

Italy is now the world’s worst-affected country, as the death toll has overtaken that of China and hospitals are struggling to accommodate the influx of patients.

Others have opted to donate money instead, with French luxury group Kering donating £1.82 million to health care organisations in the country’s worst-affected areas.

After recently resorting to live streaming its Milan Fashion Week show due to coronavirus fears, Giorgio Armani is giving £1.14 million to four hospitals in Rome and Milan.

The post Companies rally to produce crucial supplies in the fight against coronavirus appeared first on Dezeen.

Låpsley: Speaking of the End

From her album Through Water, Låpsley (aka Holly Lapsley Fletcher) has released the serene “Speaking of the End.” At first featuring only a piano and Fletcher’s silken vocals, background singers join in after two minutes, creating a delicate ballad. The accompanying video (directed by Steph Wilson) complements the song with its tranquil, slow-motion underwater scene.

Sourced Craft Cocktails’ Home Deliveries Benefit the Bartender Community Twofold

In NYC, Dallas, Austin and San Francisco, Sourced Craft Cocktails aims to aid the bartending community twofold. First, it safely puts local bartenders back to work in the comfort of their own home (at $15 an hour), preparing a select menu of mixed drinks with locally sourced spirits and fresh fruit. Second, a portion of the proceeds go to the USBG Bartender Relief Fund. 750ml bottled cocktails can be ordered from the Sourced Craft Cocktails site and they each yield 12 drinks. All orders placed by 3PM local time will be delivered same day. Read more at Sourced Craft Cocktails.

To maximize usability and access, the SPLIT travel case has TWO front-faces

Call its design ambidextrous or two-faced or whatever you want, the SPLIT suitcase makes an important observation when it comes to packing for travel. There’s a difference between organization and access. Your travel case may have multiple slots and compartments to organize your items, but they’re all accessible through the same opening… so whether you want to grab something as small as your sunglasses case, or something as bulky as your jacket, it takes you the same amount of time and effort because your bag may have multiple compartments, but it has only one pathway of access.

That distinction is Split’s design brief. It comes with an organized central space for your items like most travel cases, but where it truly differs in its design is in the fact that it’s accessible from two sides, in two ways, for two reasons. There are items you pack with the intent of unpacking at your destination, and items you pack but may need to instantly access at any given point of time, like your laptop, ebook reader, passport, tickets, sunscreen, etc. SPLIT’s design takes cognizance of this dichotomy of need and comes with access flaps on both sides of the bag… one opening traditionally, for storing larger items that don’t need to be accessed easily, and another letterbox-style flap that lets you easily dip into your bag to grab your laptop or headphones.

Organization and access are what give the SPLIT travel case its edge. The bag comes with essentially two front-faces, eliminating the back panel, which usually houses the telescopic handle. Instead, the handle covers the sides of the SPLIT, giving you a bag you can easily wheel beside you rather than tugging behind you. The insides of the split come well organized for all sorts of travel, be it for leisure or work. A divider panel splits the inner mass into two, while acting as a detachable sleeve for your laptop, power-bank, mouse, etc., while a variety of SYSTEMA organizer soft-boxes let you separate your clothes, shoes, toiletry, etc. The SPLIT secures all your belongings with industry-leading YKK zips and a TSA lock that lets you lock and unlock both flaps on either side, and USB ports on the outside to charge your phone while waiting at airport terminals.

Built with a robust hard-case ABS outer, the SPLIT comes in three variants – Light, Business, and Premium, sporting different panels ranging from hard plastic to ballistic nylon, and even premium leather. The Business SPLIT gives you an extra slot on the inside for a tablet, and for business cards, while the Premium comes with the SYSTEMA organizer-boxes included. You even get a slick leather ID tag to complement your leather bag!

Designer: Appercase Design

Click Here to Buy Now: $249 $350 ($101 off).

SPLIT – The Dual Access Carry-On Suitcase

The SPLIT suitcase by Appercase design is a premium carry-on roller with horizontal and vertical openings on both sides for easy access to your essentials and dedicated pockets for laptop, cables and documents.

All the space you need for personal organization.

Adjust the interior space according to your business and personal needs.

For maximum security and selective opening (front and back panel).

Optimized interior space and increased stability, in a unique, sleek design.

Choose Your SPLIT

LIGHT With minimal interior organization, LIGHT is made from the best polycarbonate materials. The design is focused on durability and simplicity and the construction of the model allows maximum storage space for your personal belongings. Think less is more.

BUSINESS prioritizes the organization system that is made out of ballistic nylon fabric and provides a fully formulated luggage interior layout with assembling compartments for laptop, tablet, business cards, pens and many other items, keeping all of your devices and belongings safely stored while you travel.

PREMIUM design is made with leather and offers the ultimate comfort. Fitted with a full interior organization system with laptop and tablet pockets, it comes with an additional set of three removable organizer items from our SYSTEMA collection, included to complete the custom layout of this exclusive suitcase.

Gallery

Click Here to Buy Now: $249 $350 ($101 off).