This mood-sensing radio plays news based on how you’re feeling when you wake up



“Well begun is half the work done!” says Varenya Raj, the designer behind Nidra, a radio that helps people monitor their mood when they wake up.

Right off the back, Nidra looks quite unlike most bedside radios. It sports a half-log-shaped design with a plush button on one end, a soft carpet on another, and a printer in between. The idea behind the Nidra stems from starting your day off on the right note. If you wake up in a less-than-ideal mood, whack the cushion as you would at a game of whack-a-mole, and Nidra plays out positive news. If you’re in a pretty good mood when you wake up, gently stroke the velvety carpet, and Nidra plays news across different categories. At the end of the month, the radio prints out a little docket letting you know where your mood’s been over the last 30 days, helping you chart your sleep schedule as well as mental and emotional wellbeing.

Designer: Varenya Raj

Nidra - Mood-sensing Radio by Varenya Raj

The idea for Nidra stemmed from the concept of ‘time being equal to money’. Created as the ultimate productivity tool (because you’re much more productive and focused when you’re in a good mood), Nidra’s aim was to help office-goers have a better overview of their overall mental health. Needless to say, Nidra’s appeal has vastly evolved thanks to the pandemic, and it’s now more of a general mental-health tool. Strike it on your bad days for a pick-me-up, stroke it on your good days for general news, and Nidra charts how you’ve felt over the past month. It prints out a tiny slip for you to analyze and hopefully retrospect over, so your next month is better than your last.

Nidra - Mood-sensing Radio by Varenya Raj

Nidra - Mood-sensing Radio by Varenya Raj

On the inside, the Nidra contains a button, a force-sensing resistor, a thermal printer, a speaker, and an Arduino UNO computer that powers the device. The button’s designed to be pretty large and cushioned, so you could easily slam it while half-asleep, while the FSR comes with a soft, fluffy cloth similar to dog-fur. Depending on which part of Nidra you interact with, the interactions are inputted and received by the Arduino PC which processes it and appropriately chooses an RSS-based news feed to read out. A tiny button on front of the device lets you control Nidra’s volume too!

Nidra - Mood-sensing Radio by Varenya Raj

GRT Architects perches house for a throuple above tidal marsh in Connecticut

Guilford House by GRT Architects

New York firm GRT Architects has positioned a cedar bungalow above marshland on the Connecticut shoreline, featuring a central courtyard with a swimming pool.

Called Guilford House, the bungalow is clad in cedar and has large windows with charcoal-coloured frames that provide panoramic views of the tidal marsh.

GRT Architects designed Guilford House
Guilford House sits above a tidal marsh

Designed for a throuple – a three-person relationship – the homeowners wanted to include a swimming pool and carpentry workshop in the house design without compromising on views of the landscape.

The architects positioned Guilford House as close to the water as the location allowed, with the bungalow’s longest side facing the tidal marsh and the lush trees surrounding it.

The architects positioned the bungalow close to the water
The bungalow’s windows have dark frames

L-shaped in form, the house is built opposite a separate workshop with a courtyard tucked between the two buildings.

“We created a courtyard defined by the workshop on one side and the home on the other,” said GRT Architects, a Brooklyn-based studio.

“Elongated overhangs create shelter and lend definition to this outdoor room.”

GRT Architects built a central courtyard between the house and workshop
A kitchen garden features in the central courtyard

The courtyard features a kitchen garden and a square-shaped swimming pool surrounded by decking made from Garapa, an unstained and unpainted rot-resistant wood.

On the side of Guilford House facing the tidal marsh, the plot is left unaltered except for short decks that jut out from the bedrooms and provide private seating areas.

The bungalow’s interior and exterior are designed to age gracefully over time without the need for refurbishment.

“We built an aesthetic around long-life materials that need no finishing and therefore no re-finishing,” said the architecture firm.

The bungalow was designed to age gracefully over time
Small decks provide views of the shoreline

“We selected only rot-resistant wood that can be used naturally with no applied stain or seal,” said GRT Architects.

The home’s unstained cedar was installed as an open-jointed rain screen that will grey naturally. This gives the exterior a longer lifespan as it allows it to dry properly.

GRT Architects included custom millwork inside
The kitchen includes a large granite island

Solar panels are attached to the house’s wide aluminium-painted roof with standing seams.

Inside, all of the floors are poured concrete except for the loft’s red oak flooring that was milled from local trees felled during the bungalow’s construction.

The home is single-storey
Living and dining spaces are connected

Custom millwork defines the open-plan interior, including in the kitchen and dining space, which features a large white granite island in the cooking area.

Designed to be wheelchair-accessible, the single-storey home has zero-threshold showers in its two equally sized main suites.

GRT Architects used materials with a long shelf-life
Zero-threshold showers provide wheelchair access

GRT Architects was founded by Tal Schori and Rustam-Marc Mehta in 2014. Other projects by the firm include a textured-brick black house in New York State and a live-work Brooklyn townhouse for an artist couple.

London-based Scott Whitby Studio also designed a project for a throuple featuring a bed big enough for three.

The photography is by Michael Vahrenwald and ESTO.

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NASA Astrobiologist Reverend Pamela Conrad on Human Nature, Spirituality + Science

Pamela Conrad may seem like an anomaly; she’s a NASA scientist (an astrobiologist and mineralogist working on the Perseverance mission) as well as a reverend. In a fascinating interview with Wired, Conrad explains how she personally navigates spirituality and science—with a deep understanding of human nature. In both her jobs, she is tasked with finding answers (Is there life on Mars? What is the meaning of it all?) but she admits, “I fully concede that I am a statistical outlier. I go there because I love the questions.” She tells Noam Cohen that her two different positions actually complement each other, “The difference between a telescope, or any outward looking thing to understand the environment, and the introspection of looking inside is to say, ‘I am a universe, and also I live within a universe.’” Read the full interview at Wired.

Five buildings by famous 20th-century architects realised decades after their deaths

Mies van der Rohe building at Indiana University

As a building by Mies van der Rohe nears completion in Indiana, we explore five buildings by renowned 20th-century architects such as Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright that weren’t built until years after they died.


Baghdad Gymnasium in Baghdad, Iraq, by Le Corbusier

Baghdad Gymnasium in Baghdad, Iraq, by Le Corbusier

When French architect Le Corbusier, one of the 20th-century’s most influential architects, died in 1965 he left behind the plans for a concrete sports centre for the Iraqi capital.

Originally commissioned in 1956 by King Faisal II for the 1960 Summer Olympics, plans were derailed by the 1958 military coup that overthrew the monarchy. Construction on the project began in 1978 under president Saddam Hussein and the sports complex with its 3,000-seat stadium opened in 1980, 15 years after Le Corbusier’s passing.

Find out more about Le Corbusier ›


Four Freedoms Park in New York, USA, by Louis Kahn

Four Freedoms Park in New York, USA, by Louis Kahn

American architect Louis Kahn designed a park to commemorate US president Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1974, but it didn’t open to the public until 2012 – almost 40 years after Kahn’s death.

Kahn, known for his brutalist style, died the same year shortly after designing the park, which languished for decades due to funding issues. Located at the southern tip of Roosevelt Island, the triangular park features rows of trees and a granite monument framing a bust of Roosevelt.

Find out more about Four Freedoms Park ›


Petra Island by Frank Lloyd Wright

Massaro House in New York State, USA, by Frank Lloyd Wright

American architect Frank Lloyd Wright drew up the designs for this house on a private island in a lake in 1950, but it was never realised due to lack of funding. The renowned architect died and the house wasn’t built until over 50 years later.

Steel magnate Joseph Massaro bought Petra Island in 1991, obtained the blueprints and built the house as a summer residence. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, however, refuses to recognise it and even sued the owner when he tried to sell it as an original Lloyd Wright.

Find out more about Massaro House ›


House for an Art Lover by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

House for an Art Lover in Glasgow, UK, by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald designed House for an Art Lover in 1901 for a competition run by a German design magazine. Their entry was rejected for failing to include perspective drawings of the interior but the organiser of the competition eventually published the designs.

In 1989, engineer Graham Roxburgh collaborated with a team of architects to realise the house in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow. The recession hindered construction, but the house finally opened to the public in 1996 – 68 years after Mackintosh’s death in 1928.

Find out more about House for an Art Lover ›


Indiana University

Mies Building for the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design in Indiana, USA, by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe drew up the designs for a building on the University of Indiana (IU) campus in 1952, but the project was forgotten until IU alumni Sidney Eskenazi alerted the university’s president to the plans.

Mies van der Rohe designed the facility while working on his famous Farnsworth House, and it shares many design elements including the white frame and perimeter glazing. The two-story building is now under construction on IU’s Bloomington Campus and will open later in 2021, 52 years after his death in 1969.

Find out more about Mies Building for the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design ›

The photograph of Baghdad Gymnasium is by Nicoleon via Wikimedia Commons.

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These multifunctional magnetic cutlery-pieces snap into half to transform into chopsticks!

Like Yin and Yang, the two chopstick halves make up a whole!

A winner of the European Product Design Award, the One Plus Three is all about combining functionality with elegance. Designed as a series of 3 popular cutlery pieces – the spoon, fork, and knife, the cutlery come with a parting line running through the center along with unusually tipped handles. Pull against the direction of this parting line and each cutlery piece splits into two chopsticks that can then be used to go from eating any other cuisine to eating Asian food! By integrating the tableware, One Plus Three hopes to integrate cultures too!

The One Plus Three’s design is rather elegantly creative. The magnets exist only at the ‘head’ of the cutlery and not the handle. In doing so, it ensures that the tableware stays together when being used as a spoon, knife, or fork. However, flip the cutlery over and separate them into two individual chopsticks and now the magnets get spaced further apart, ensuring that they don’t stick together when you’re trying to eat food with the chopsticks! Each cutlery unit even comes with wooden intermediary handles that act as insulation as well as a nifty grip!

Designers: Lu Hua Bin, Li Jun Jie, Zhang Jun Yi

La Linea outdoor light by BIG for Artemide

La Linea light by Bjarke Ingles for Artemide

Dezeen Showroom: Italian lighting manufacturer Artemide has released a flexible silicone tube light designed by Bjarke Ingels Group that can be moulded and adapted to a range of outdoor spaces.

Called La Linea, the light is constructed from modules of two different lengths that can be combined to create a variety of shapes.

tubes of la linea
La Linea is a modular tube light

“La Linea is a flexible tube of light, capable to freely twist and turn in space according to undefined geometries,” Artemide explained.

“It easily fits into outdoor spaces with fixing elements concealed inside its section and enables countless applications in a broad variety of locations by leveraging on an unprecedented combination of factors.”

La Linea light inside a doorframe
The light can be moulded to adapt to architectural elements

La Linea modules are available in a 2.5 or a 5-metre version and can be connected using discretely concealed joints. Their flexible construction also allows them to be folded to minimise packaging space.

BIG’s team kept the design minimal in contrast with its highly technical inner workings.

La Linea used along tarmac roads
Multiple modules can be joined together to create longer strips of light

The result is a product with “very high efficiency and easy maintenance” that can withstand rough weather conditions and temperatures between -20 and +40 degrees Celcius.

“La Linea turns light into an ideal fixture for outdoor spaces, architectures, parks or public and urban areas to create social and engaging landscapes and promote relations between people and their surroundings,” Artemide said.

Product: La Linea
Designer: Bjarke Ingels Group
Brand: Artemide
Contact: infousa@artemide.net

About Dezeen Showroom: Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen’s huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.

Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.

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20 design projects by L'École de design Nantes Atlantique students

L'École de design Nantes Atlantique students

A lamp that helps individuals with bipolar disorder understand their behavioural changes and a drone programme tackling beaches affected by algae are included in Dezeen’s latest school show by students at L’École de design Nantes Atlantique.

Also featured is a “breadstick” made from discarded fish parts and a platform to help parents of disabled children in India take care of their children.


L’École de design Nantes Atlantique

School: L’École de design Nantes Atlantique
Courses: MDes Care Design, MDes City Design, MDes Food Design, MDes Digital Design, MDes Media Design, MDes Design and Innovation Management in apprenticeship, MDes Transcultural Design – China studio, MDes Transcultural Design – Brazil studio, MDes Transcultural Design – India studio, MDes Design and Entrepreneurship – Le Studio Montréal.
MDes programmes Course Leaders: 
Simon Boussard, Anaïs Jacquard, Arnaud Le Roi, Aude Chaigneau, Matthias Rischewski, Marion Moussu, Eric Mazodier, Hélène Thébault, Benjamin Gagneux and Julie Le Ster.

School statement:

“L’École de design Nantes Atlantique, a top-tier design school in Nantes, France Partner of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Nantes, L’École de design Nantes Atlantique is a private institution for higher education dedicated to design professions, in association with the University of Nantes.

“Since 1998, L’École de design Nantes Atlantique has been located on the technological campus Atlanpole La Chantrerie, in the northeastern area of Nantes (France), housed in a custom-built facility thanks to the support of local authorities. The only design institution in western France, the school benefits from a unique regional situation.

“For more than ten years now, it has proactively followed an outward-looking international development policy: academic exchange programmes, participation in the international association Cumulus, opening four international studios in Shanghai, Pune, São Paulo and Montréal, and several international MDes & BDes programmes organised in English.

“L’École de design Nantes Atlantique is an active member of various academic networks and professional organisations. This includes Conférence des Grandes Écoles (top-tier French higher education institutions), Campus France and got labelled Bienvenue en France by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For many years, its students have been awarded prizes in prestigious competitions. The successful careers pursued by our graduates are good proof of the quality of our teaching methods.”


L'Ecole de Design school show

Anemone by Clara Chanteloup

“Manic-depressive psychosis, or bipolarity, is an incurable psychological illness. It affects the brain, causing deregulation of emotions and extreme behaviour. People who suffer from it go through periods called manic and depressive phases.

“Anemone is a connected lamp with a mobile application that analyzes the development of the disorder. It predicts the onset of these phases thanks to the smartphone’s behavioural measures and sensors installed in the home.

“Its petals unfurl in the manic phase and close in the depressive phase. A true tool for self-knowledge, it facilitates therapeutic follow-up and reduces the likelihood of relapses.”

Student: Clara Chanteloup
Course: MDes Care Design
Email: clara.chanteloup@hotmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Glace à l’eau by Elise Cugnart

“How can we curb the sharp increase in child drownings? How can adults be made aware of the dangers of private pools for toddlers? The game Glace à l’eau is fun and enjoyable while making parents and children feel safe.

“The project was born thanks to a design methodology, user tests and prototyping to create an appropriate solution to this problem. The game is a fair way of giving adults responsibility for supervising children when swimming. The simple and inexpensive activity fits in seamlessly with games played around a swimming pool. It encourages change so that swimming remains a carefree, fun experience.”

Student: Elise Cugnart
Course: 
MDes Care Design
Email:
elise.cugnart@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Seascape by Jules Riché

“On coasts where the beauty of the coastline rivals that of the seabed, mass tourism is taking its toll. Seascape is a breakthrough in the quest to tackle the massive degradation of marine ecosystems.

“This educational underwater walk explores preserved places where visitors equipped with masks and snorkels glide through the water. Seascape invites the diver to go from module to module and complete various activities to recover valuable information.

“Three discovery trails are proposed. Using narration and gameplay designed for a wide audience – and with minimal impact on the ecosystems – Seascape awakens tourists to fun, sustainable and resilient diving.”

Student: Jules Riche
Course: 
MDes City Design
Email:
julesriche.design@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Urban Pixel by Weina Tang

“What kind of city and what kind of social ties do we want for tomorrow? Faced with the rise of robotics and technology, we are experiencing a real ‘urban robolution’. Robots assist us daily, intervening even in the most private areas of our lives. In this context, what happens to human interaction?

“How are social connections created in the city? Urban Pixel is a proposal for urban street furniture. Modular urban pixels are projected onto large public esplanades. Each pixel has a specific function. In addition to bringing conviviality to the heart of the city, Urban Pixel gets people talking about the use of robotics applied to the global urban environment.”

Student: Weina Tang
Course: 
MDes City Design
Email:
orangetangweina@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Sauver 2040 by Emma Boileau

“Sauver 2040 is an interactive virtual reality experience in a museum context. Thanks to a playful and guilt-free approach, it invites 15-18-year-olds to preserve biodiversity. The game reveals the impacts of our lifestyles on ecosystem services.

“Unlike a ‘passive’ approach to raising awareness, it sets the visitor in motion and provides them with a range of possible solutions. It encourages visitors to change their behaviour quickly. The forthcoming inclusion of the project in the NatExplorers exhibition at the Natural History Museum of Le Havre will be a first for the general public.”

Student: Emma Boileau
Course: 
MDes City Design
Email:
boileau.emma@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Brise by Albéric Chevallier

“Green tides are a threat to the environment and the economy. The algae spread a deadly gas and continue to pollute the world’s coasts year after year. Intensive agriculture is the main cause. So how can we avoid fatal accidents and the collapse of tourism linked to this problem?

“Brise is a service combining connected products and digital applications. Autonomous drones fly over beaches affected by green tides. Equipped with gas scanners, they detect the risks linked to the different zones and transmit them to the source. An interactive map, designed for tourists, informs them of high-risk areas and safe places.”

Student: Albéric Chevallier
Course: 
MDes Digital Design
Email:
alberic.chevallier56@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Le P’tit Doigt by Léna Paleczny

“According to an American study, 91 per cent of men always have an orgasm during sex, compared to only 39 per cent of women. This phenomenon is called the ‘pleasure gap’. There are several reasons for this gap: lack of knowledge about the female body, inadequate sexual education or shame related to sexuality.

“Léna wanted to create a discreet and simple tool, tailored to the woman’s body. Le P’tit Doigt is an intelligent vibrating ring composed of sensors for pressure and heartbeat. On the linked application, the user can determine the type of vibration she wants, depending on the interaction with her partner. The pleasure is unleashed, amplified by the sex tool.”

Student: Lena Paleczny
Course: 
MDes Digital Design
Email:
lena.paleczny@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

What we carry with us by Gabriela Muñoz

“How can we humanize the phenomenon of immigration? How can we get away from big data to talk about individual stories and intimate journeys? As an Information Designer, Gabriela created an immersive installation designed for museums. Thanks to Kinect technology, the visitor is welcomed into the migrant’s personal space.

“The migrant tells their story and shares the meaning of objects from their country of origin. After interacting with the objects in the room and conversing with the migrant, the user accesses key statistics on immigration to France. The goal? To make sure that between the small and the big story, there is only one step to take: a step towards others.”

Student: Gabriela Muñoz
Course: 
MDes Media Design
Email:
hello@gabrielab.co


L'Ecole de Design school show

Apérêtes by Octavio Castillo

“In France, 87 per cent of the fish purchased is canned or has been smoked and/or freshly cut. Every year, approximately 215,000 tons of fish waste result, adding to overfishing, climate change, and ocean pollution problems. However, discarded fish parts contain valuable nutritional properties: bones, for example, are rich in calcium, protein and Omega 3.

“They are perfectly edible when cooked over a high heat, once separated from the more delicate flesh. Apérêtes is a tasty and healthy aperitif snack made from mackerel bones. In the form of breadsticks, they are deliciously crunchy and can be enjoyed in good company with your apéritif!”

Student: Octavio Castillo
Course: 
MDes Food Design
Email:
oktyone@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Le Comptoir des Saisons by Sarah Tuncq

“Do you remember the bakery where your parents sent you to get bread? Or the grocery store where you used to buy candy on your way home from school? Between 1980 and 1990, in rural areas, one-third of these small businesses closed. Little by little, the supermarkets caused desertification and isolation of villages.

“Le Comptoir des saisons offers a new kind of food service business. Intended for villages with few or no food shops, it offers inhabitants the opportunity to enjoy various local products on the spot. Using a system of modular panels, it adapts to its location and offers flexible time slots. A real bonus!”

Student: Sarah Tuncq
Course: 
MDes Food Design
Email:
sarah.tuncq@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Convivio by Quentin Colas

“The sociable steam cooker. When they ingest gluten, celiacs develop an immune response that destroys the walls of the small intestine. At present, the only possible treatment is a gluten-free diet for life. However, such a diet quickly becomes a barrier to sociability. So how can people diagnosed with celiac disease be helped to stick to a gluten-free diet?

“Quentin came up with the idea for Convivio: an individual table steamer. The timer is common to all the guests and distributes the energy needed to the cooking modules. Everyone makes their food choices in a friendly and tolerant climate. You can cook, eat and socialize in complete freedom!”

Student: Quentin Colas
Course: 
MDes Design and Innovation Management in apprenticeship
Email:
quentin-colas@laposte.net


L'Ecole de Design school show

Cosmose by Manon Rollet

“A simple and healthy DIY cosmetic homemade cosmetics are having a moment! Somewhat neglected in recent years, they are back in the spotlight, followed by a growing demand for naturalness, transparency and personalised products. But the art of creating cosmetic treatments remains delicate, and this project addresses the attention to the issue.

“How can we easily and safely create handmade cosmetics? Cosmose is a connected in-store coaching experience. Three ingredient distribution modules are connected to a diagnostic interface. The formulas are based on raw ingredients and ‘neutral’ bases. Created to limit the risks of contamination, Cosmose reduces waste and promotes the Do lt Yourself mentality.”

Student: Manon Rollet
Course: 
MDes Design and Innovation Management in apprenticeship
Email:
m.rollet14@laposte.net


L'Ecole de Design school show

Recicla Dia a Dia by Marion Bernardi

“An ecological waste sorting contest in São Paulo In 2018, only seven per cent of the waste produced by the inhabitants of São Paulo was recycled. According to the institutions responsible for waste management in the city, this figure would have risen to 40% if more of the population had sorted their waste.

“In Brazil, selective sorting is still seen as an arduous task. With Recicla Dia-A-Dia, Marion wants to educate children in the ecological sorting of waste, in a fun way that fits into their daily routine. A contest, aimed at elementary schools in São Paulo, is accompanied by a mobile application, a bag of tokens and a network of actors. Regular challenges accustom children to acting for the environment with eco-responsible sorting gestures.”

Student: Marion Bernardi
Course: 
MDes Transcultural Design – Brazil studio
Email:
bernardi.marion@outlook.fr


L'Ecole de Design school show

Mate o feminicidio by Ophélie Moreau

“Brazil has an infamous record rate of femicides. The trivialization of violence against women prevails. According to statistics, there are 13 victims per day, or one death every 90 minutes. Out of love, many women tolerate the intolerable, regardless of their social class, age or ethnicity.

“To raise awareness about gender-based violence and help potential victims escape a toxic relationship, this student has created an online platform designed for smartphones. It offers three components: a serious game, a set of informative data and a self-diagnosis tool for relationships.”

Student: Ophélie Moreau
Course:
MDes Trancultural Design – Brazil studio
Email:
opheliemoreau@live.fr


L'Ecole de Design school show

Have you eaten? by Valentine Milliand-Roux

“More and more young Chinese are going abroad to study. Over time, they are faced with the problem of homesickness. How can we help them stay connected to the close family circle that is so important to them? As an interaction designer, this student has imagined an alternative to WeChat online messaging.

“Although effective, WeChat is not adapted to the complexity of family relationships. In Chinese culture, the expression “have you eaten?” is a way of getting the news. A low-tech way to see if everything is going well. In contrast to WeChat’s fleeting messages, the device’s printer allows everyone to keep a tangible memory of family interactions, a collective memory.”

Student: Valentine Milliand-Roux
Course:
MDes Transcultural Design – China studio
Email:
milliandvalentine@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Light on by Lucile Paz

“In China’s megacities, traditional knowledge is gradually dying out, overshadowed by the context of ever-growing modernisation. How can we protect this cultural heritage and renew it entertainingly? This student used the ‘lattice’ shape or the traditional Chinese trellis for her project.

“The luminous object is composed of wooden discs, covered in openwork symbolic motifs. Associated with an application and explanatory cards, it is linked to a subscription system. At each celebration of the Chinese lunar calendar, the user receives a new disc whose symbolic power is explained by detailed articles and associated legends. Nature, Buddhism and traditions are put (back) in the spotlight.”

Student: Lucile Paz
Course:
MDes Transcultural Design – China studio
Email:
lucilepaz@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Jadali by Andréa Douillard

“Indian hair is among the strongest in the world. While the genetic heritage influences the thickness, shine and length of the hair, hair care also contributes to enhancing its beauty. This student aims to educate users in creating their own haircare ritual and rekindling in them the emotion and pride of a preserved heritage.

“Jadali is the brand imagined for this project. It is a complete and natural set, presented in powder form, for washing the whole family’s hair. It combines the ingredients of traditional recipes in a single product. Ready to use, simple and healthy, Jadali is the Indian hair care of tomorrow.”

Student: Andréa Douillard
Course:
MDes Transcultural Design – India studio
Email:
douillard.andrea@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Dimesha by Ophélie Nollet

“Today, India is a country in transition. Although people with disabilities are starting to be heard and their rights acknowledged, they still remain a discriminated and excluded minority in Indian society. Parents of children with disabilities are destitute and isolated. How can they be helped to take care of their children?

“This student came up with Dimesha, a website for conversations, meetings and sharing experiences, intended for parents of children with disabilities. This service has a strong social impact – it helps federate a community of mutual aid and encourages parents to spend time with their children. In addition, it provides them with the tools they need to take care of their child’s disability daily.”

Student: Ophélie Nollet
Course:
MDes Transcultural Design – India studio
Email:
onollet@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Hope: the resilient park by Baptiste Gironnet

“In hibernation for six months of the year, Montreal’s public space loses its attractiveness and functionality. The snow, extreme cold and wind accentuate the phenomenon of social isolation. Summer parks are deserted. In light of these observations, Baptiste designed a resilient green space, adapted to the summer heat and winter frosts.

“As a result, Montrealers can enjoy urban parks year-round. A mound offers a natural place to enjoy snow sports in the winter and an open-air theatre in the summer. A community bar reinforces social cohesion, offering sports activities, meetings and workshops throughout the year. A concept that can be used in any northern city, HOPe brings a spark of hope to long cold winters.”

Student: Baptiste Gironnet
Course:
MDes Design and Entrepreneurship – Le Studio Montréal
Email:
gironnet.baptiste@gmail.com


L'Ecole de Design school show

Nebula by Bastien Padiolleau

“To grow and thrive, children need a strong relationship with their attachment figure, often their mother. This psychological mechanism allows the child to move from a strong dependence on the parent to complete independence as an adult.

“For two to eight years old suffering from separation anxiety, Bastien has come up with Nébula: an evolving night light that accompanies them as they grow. It facilitates the separation with the parent, thanks to a reassuring nighttime routine. In the evening, the child places a coloured card on the night light. It symbolizes the main emotion experienced during the day. She then chooses a slide from an accompanying book. In this way, she gradually masters her emotions and falls asleep, soothed.”

Student: Bastien Padiolleau
Course:
MDes Design and Entrepreneurship – Le Studio Montréal
Email:
bastienpadiolleauOO@gmail.com


Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and the L’École de design Nantes Atlantique. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

The post 20 design projects by L’École de design Nantes Atlantique students appeared first on Dezeen.

Devendra Banhart + Noah Georgeson: In A Cistern + Into Clouds

From Devendra Banhart and Noah Georgeson’s collaborative ambient album, Refuge (out 13 August), the two tracks “In A Cistern” and “Into Clouds” come together in a nearly nine-minute-long video directed by Nicky Giraffe and Julianna Giraffe. The visuals offer “a meditative look at the life’s journey of two snails, from conception to old age, as narrated by a choir of natural imagery and other bugs,” according to the filmmakers. Prior to this stunning collaboration, Banhart and Georgeson have worked together for nearly 20 years, with the latter producing some of the acclaimed singer-songwriter’s beloved albums.

LEGO’s First Brick Made From Recycled Plastic

After 250 variations, produced by a team of 150 engineers and designers over three years, LEGO announced their first-ever prototype brick made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. LEGO will continue to test the recycled PET product for strength and safety; thus, a production brick should not be expected for at least another year. But, as LEGO shared on Instagram (with an image of the brick), this is already “a big step towards our commitment to make all our products from sustainable sources by 2030.” Read more about the development process at Apartment Therapy.

Image courtesy of LEGO

Watch how a father made this realistic wooden replica of the Lamborghini Sian for his child to ride



65 days is a pretty ambitious timeline for building a Lamborghini from scratch, especially if you’re working alone… but if you’re a seasoned woodworking expert like Trương Văn Đạo, things sort of fall into place. Văn Đạo made this miniature working replica of the Sian Roadster for his son, and meticulously documented the entire process on his YouTube channel ND Woodworking Art. The child-sized Lamborghini isn’t just a replica model though… it runs too, as Văn Đạo demonstrated by driving along on a highway too. The car comes outfitted with automatic scissor doors, working LED headlights + taillights, swiveling rear-view mirrors, a rather nifty (yet slightly toyish) dashboard along with a replica wooden steering wheel, and even a key-fob that lets you control aspects of the car! It’s a tight fit for adults but is perfectly sized for young children. No, there are no seatbelts, but it’s safe to say this Lamborghini isn’t crossing any speed limits.

Designer: ND Woodworking Art

Wooden Lamborghini Sian Roadster by ND Woodworking Art

Wooden Lamborghini Sian Roadster by ND Woodworking Art

Just like the original Sian, Văn Đạo’s replica runs on an electric powertrain. The car doesn’t just sit on a random toy car’s chassis too, everything’s made and assembled from scratch, including the steering fork, the rear-wheel drive, and get this, even the wheels, which are made from wood and then covered with rubber treads! The car is almost exclusively made from blocks of wood that have been glued together and sanded down to a fine surface before being layered with polish (the video shows the remarkable 65-day process in a timelapse), and you’ve really got to appreciate how good Văn Đạo is at his craft for being able to pull this off from start to finish.

Wooden Lamborghini Sian Roadster by ND Woodworking Art

Wooden Lamborghini Sian Roadster by ND Woodworking Art

For final touches, Văn Đạo plugs in the headlights and taillights in, and even puts in the Lamborghini logo on the front and a faux license plate on the back. The rear fins of the car come with the Sian branding too! The car’s doors are operated by pistons that are controlled using the key-fob (view them in action at the exact 08:30 mark), and yes, there are adjustable side-view mirrors too! The video currently stands at above 9.5 million views, although it isn’t the first time Văn Đạo’s attempted something so ambitious. In the past, he’s managed to build child-size wooden replicas of the BMW 328 Hommage, the Ferrari Aperta, and the Bugatti Centodieci too! I’d say his kid pretty much lucked out in the dad department!

Wooden Lamborghini Sian Roadster by ND Woodworking Art

Wooden Lamborghini Sian Roadster by ND Woodworking Art