Hasta La Ideas

Did you know that athletes can start to lose their muscle strength in about three weeks if they’re not working out, according to a 2013 Trusted Source study. The one thing our educational system fails in establishing is the importance of discipline in taking care of our bodies, and the difference between taking a day off to sleep in vs taking a week’s break in case life throws us a hurdle. Covid-19 threw the entire world a hurdle from which we are recovering, and entering the world in a new norm is causing its own anxiety. The one thing that helped us retain our sanity is to continue with our routines in the WFH routine. The designs showcased here will help you continue with your routine whether you work at home or in an office, and ensure you don’t lose that hard-earned muscle tone!

Oliver Perretta’s Kondition was inspired by a piece of furniture that actually resembles a standard workout bench, IKEA’s BEKANT series. Both IKEA’s BEKANT and Perretta’s Kondition have similar personalities as they appear as modest, simple furniture designs whose true essence shines through in their ability to blend into any given room. At first, an unassuming side bench or low-rise table during living room hours, and then, an adjustable home workout with a sliding bench come gym time. Perretta was certain to make bullnose corners for Kondition’s workout station in order to enhance both the piece’s adaptive nature and its approachability in its inherent baby-proof design. Additionally, Perretta plans to utilize aluminum extrusion in any eventual construction process as that would ensure a high strength to weight ratio for more intense workouts. Stamped panels also make for easy and deep cleaning so that job won’t ever feel stressful after a good sweat.

A space-saving work + workout setup designed for your mind & body! It has been one year of WFH and we all have quickly realized the need for furniture that can serve dual purposes and optimize space when we are working at home/living at work. Especially for the urban demographic that lives in compact apartments, it is a challenge to create a home office and also have space left for exercise equipment – another lifestyle change we have adapted to! This innovative desk design uses wall bars at its core with modular attachments that let you use it as your 9-5 set up and then transform it into beast mode. Made in Germany, wall bars offer a particularly wide range of possible variations. In addition to many training options, the combination offers a functional workplace. The desk module is attached in a few seconds, without tools. The height is flexible, so it can be used as a desk or as a high table. After work, the desk module can simply be unhooked and folded in so that it can be stowed behind the wall bars, under the bed, or behind the door. With additions like the slide, the kids can find their movement-compensation on the wall bars even after work. These setups work for the whole family and the wooden finish lets it seamlessly blend with any interior aesthetic.

No drilling or screwing is required to fit the wall bars onto any door in your house – making them the ideal option for rented apartments or hostels. The exercise equipment extends well beyond its wall bar advantage. It can be used for sling training, stretching regimes, or isolated muscle training on the cheap. There are countless options to configure it, so you are never bored of repeating the same exercise. The FatMonkey wall bar also combines with your existing fitness bands, sling trainer, and gymnastic rings for circuit and functional training.

The Tempo Studio is a gym-set that comes complete with a display and a motion-tracking camera that actively scans and monitors your exercise in 3D. With built-in exercise routines that are guided by expert trainers performing live exercise sessions, the Tempo is the equivalent of going on a Zoom video call with your gym trainer. Hop onto a personalized live session with a gym trainer of your choice and the trainer on the other side of the screen guides you through your workout. The Tempo Studio comes built-in with a workout mat as well as all the training gear you’d need, and Tempo’s AI-enabled camera module captures and tracks your body’s movement as you work out, allowing the trainer to remotely know where you’re going wrong.

On the floor, the CLMBR occupies roughly 3×3 feet of space or about as much as two doormats. Most of the CLMBR’s gear is oriented vertically, which allows it to do two things – A. Occupy a fraction of the space of a home-gym yet give you all of it, and B. Use gravity to its advantage to make your workouts more intense and effective. The CLMBR uses resistance training to burn calories. It features a pair of moving handles and steps, a lot like an elliptical, but relies on a vertical sliding channel instead of an elliptical one. A sweatproof HD touchscreen sits just a few inches from your face, giving you an immersive training experience along with CLMBR’s in-built surround sound system. The interface allows you to choose from a variety of exercises across multiple experience levels. Face-to-face sessions with top fitness instructors help you burn those pounds, while the screen even gives you a breakdown of your workout in real-time.

No larger than two shoe-boxes kept end-to-end, the Gym Box by James Wall looks deceptively small for a home gym, however, it transforms into an extensive resistance and box-training kit once opened. Complete with an adjustable bench, a step-up box, a resistance platform, and multiple resistance-bands, the Gym Box can be used in a variety of ways, spanning more than 165 exercises to give you full-body workouts for losing weight, toning up, or building muscle mass. Designed to be two things – Compact and Versatile, the Gym Box allows you to fit all your gym-equipment into something that’s small enough to slide under your bed or into the bottom shelf of your wardrobe. It weighs 28 lbs, and measures not more than 45-inches in length, making it perhaps one of the smallest all-in-one home-gyms. Once it opens up, its parts can be configured into any variety of arrangements, or even used independently. The adjustable bench can be set to a 90° angle, or reclined to a full 180°, with 1¼-inch thick steel tubing to ensure it’s just as robust as the equipment you find in gyms.

Getting a multipurpose fitness machine is a good answer to all your excuses, but unfortunately, after a few months, they are left to bite the dust too. Moreover, they take up too much space and most of them are not that aesthetically pleasing. This 3-in-1 fitness wall by NOHrD christened Wall Compact is an exception, and surprisingly it takes up as little space as imagined – no more than your small couch. The home fitness solution is designed by WaterRower’s (expertise in developing rowing machines for over three decades) sister brand NOHrD that focuses on form and function. Their design ideology is centered on the user and the aesthetic appeal of the fitness equipment while still maintaining the highest standards of strength training backed by science.

Fitwork’s design sort of embodies a no-excuse mentality to being fit. Whether it’s the excuse of ‘being too busy’, or of ‘not wanting to go all the way to the gym’, Fitwork combats it by bringing the gym not just to your house, but to your workspace. Designed as a product to let you work and work out at the same time, this crazy hybrid of a desk-chair and treadmill keeps your legs active while you work. Whether you’re sitting in front of a laptop or standing in front of one, it’s the sedentary lifestyle that Fitwork tackles. The setup (which is sure to grab a few eyeballs) comes with an office chair attached to a treadmill underneath, and an elliptical in front. Coupled with an elevating desk, the Fitwork allows you to keep the lower half of your body active while you work, giving you cardio as well as keeping your spine engaged, whether you’re sitting or standing while working. While you’re sitting, your legs naturally rest on the Fitwork’s elliptical, allowing you to pedal away while typing out emails or attending zoom calls without really anyone knowing what a fitness buff you are. Swivel the chair back and boost your desk upwards and you’ve got yourself a standing workout workspace. Activate the treadmill and you can walk while working… or as I call it, walking the walk while talking the talk.

Liteboxer is the only connected fitness platform currently on the market today that offers full-body boxing workouts equipped with Rhythm Technology and expert training. It’s like Dance Dance Revolution but for your fists. Built and shaped like a traditional treadmill, Liteboxer works once users stand atop the base platform, adjust the punch pad’s height as needed, and connect their personal smartphone or tablet devices to the built-in tablet shelf for engaging expert training. Opting for a more physically digital experience, Liteboxer’s instruction primarily takes place on the punch pad so you won’t spend your workouts looking at yet another screen.

Designed to fit an entire fitness studio experience into your closet, the Otari setup folds down into something that occupies roughly the same space as a folded comforter or duvet. When it’s time to get those muscles working and that sweat running, the mat opens up to a full-length exercising surface and clips directly (you can actually use any existing yoga mat too) to the Otari Studio screen, within which lies the fitness experience’s secret sauce. The Otari Studio’s ultra-widescreen guides you through the exercises as you go, allowing you to access Otari’s extensive catalog of exercises brought to you by its world-class trainers sourced from top studios in NYC (you can even grab a preview of their training sessions on Instagram). The screen plugs into an external power source, comes fitted with 2 high-fidelity speakers, and runs the Otari Studio program, allowing you to work out in tandem with expert fitness instructors as the AI camera captures your routines.

For more inspiring home gym setups that don’t convert your interior space into a gym, check out our past collections!

I believe we have arrived in the future when I see things like a fully autonomous street sweeper in action! Trombia Free is developed by a Finnish road maintenance equipment manufacturer Trombia Technologies. The unique thing about this electric vehicle is that it uses less than 15% of the power needed by heavy-suction sweeping technologies that are currently available. By simply doing that it reduces carbon emissions by approximately 3 million metric tons per year!

Trombia Free will be the world’s first fully autonomous street cleaning device that is built to operate in all weather conditions. The performance-heavy vehicle gives a major upgrade to the current competitor products that still rely on suction performance that was invented in the 1950s. “We simply cannot enter 2020s green and sustainable era with such outdated solution. With the globally patented Trombia technology we are able to take down the power requirement dramatically, so turning it into a beautiful and powerful, electrified, and autonomous device has been an exciting journey to this day,” said Antti Nikkanen, CEO of Trombia Technologies.

The electric street sweeper is equipped with a safety margin zone in front of as well as surrounding the unit and works based on its direction. So if a person, animal, or object falls or comes in front of the vehicle, it will register it as an obstacle and stop automatically. The Trombia Free team says the devicr can carry out annual operations spanning over 500 hours of continuous high-power sweeping which is 85% more energy-efficient than manual street sweepers and this also makes it about 15 times more cost-effective. Unlike conventional sweepers, it doesn’t use water but instead combines cyclone filtration, aerodynamics, and humidifier methods to control dust. It is also far more lighter and quieter which enables it to run at night and indoors too! Trombia Free will roll out through a year-long pilot program in 2021, and mass deliveries are set to begin in early 2022.

Designer: Trombia Technologies

La deuxième édition des World Sports Photography Awards 2021 a annoncé les noms de 26 de ses lauréats dans de nombreuses catégories sportives individuelles, démontrant ainsi le pouvoir de la photographie sportive à raconter des histoires et à susciter une réaction émotionnelle chez les spectateurs.

La pandémie de coronavirus ayant eu un impact considérable sur le sport, et donc sur la photographie sportive, les World Sports Photography Awards ont demandé aux participants de fouiller dans leurs archives et ont ouvert le concours à toute image prise au cours des 25 dernières années.

Voici donc un palmarès des clichés sportifs les plus emblématiques, mettant en exergues des champions du calibre de Tiger Woods, Lionel Messi, Usain Bolt, Conor McGregor et Simone Biles, entre autres. Le concours a été remporté par James Gourley, pour son cliché de Rafa Nadal. Prise en 2017 à Wimbledon, la photographie a capturé un moment de concentration intense et un gros plan d’une seule perle de sueur sur le front de Nadal.

Simone Biles at The Superstars of Gymnastics (2019) | Marc Aspland

In The Firing Line (2010) | Bronze Winner Mark Pain

Paralympic Swimmer (2004) | Bob Martin

Not Today (2014) | Daria Isaeva

Mallory Franklin British Slalom Canoeist (2019) | Richard Pelham

The Notorious (2017) | John Barry

The Star of All Stars (2020) | Yip Lampson Karmin

The Race to the Sun. Paris – Nice Cycling Race (2018) | James Starrt

The Smile (2016) | Silver Winner Cameron Spencer

Focus (2017) | Gold Winner James Gourley

Bamboo is gaining a lot of popularity as a sustainable material in the world of architecture! Bamboo is being used to create beautiful and majestic structures, that are green and respect their surrounding environment. It is imperative to build homes, resorts, offices and etc that are in harmony with the natural environment around them. And we’ve curated a collection of impressive architectural structures built from bamboo, that prove sustainability, comfort, and luxury can be combined together! From a luxury resort to a community centre for female refugees – these architectural designs truly represent the versatility and scope of bamboo!

The Ulaman Eco-Retreat Resort made mostly from bamboo is here to show you that sustainability can be well integrated into luxury. Designed by Inspiral Architects, this eco-resort is located in Bali’s Kaba-Kaba village. It has been constructed using materials found directly on the site and the immediate locality which helped the resort become completely carbon zero. Apart from bamboo, rammed earth has been used for the resort‘s ground-level walls. Rammed earth is a wonderful green alternative to concrete which is responsible for more than 8% of the construction industry’s emissions which contributes to 30% of global greenhouse emissions.

You don’t have to be an architect to want to build a bamboo structure of your own thank to the ‘Zome building kit’ by Giant Grass! The studio has made a DIY kit that is basically a larger-than-life LEGO project which can live in your backyard or be scaled up to create a community space. The ‘zome’ is a flexible space that can be used by children to hang out in the backyard, like a gazebo for you to entertain guests in, a greenhouse for seedlings, a creative space in the office, a quiet space for yoga at home, or a glamping tent – it can be anything you want it to be. This DIY kit is perfect for those who want to live sustainability and enjoy working on projects which result in a productive reward. The kit comes with all accessories needed – 350 precision-made bamboo strips, nuts, bolts, and an installation guide to make the 3m x 3m ‘zome’.

Warith Zaki and Amir Amzar plan to use the bamboo grown on Mars to actually build the first colony, named Seed of Life, on Mars. The conceptual colony design is actually a series or cluster of structures woven by autonomous robots from bamboos. The aim of the project is to create structures that do not rely on construction materials being shipped from Earth or to use 3D printing. “After doing a lot of research on Mars colonization, we realized that half of the ideas would go about deploying fully synthetic materials made on earth to build shelters, while the other half is about using the locally available regolith,” said Zaki and Amzar. “Human civilization has yet to build anything on any other planet outside of Earth. That fact alone opens up infinite possibilities of what could or should be used. Sure, 3D printing seems to be a viable proposition, but with thousands of years worth of experience and techniques in shelter construction, why shouldn’t we tap on other alternatives too?”

Architect Rizvi Hassan utilised bamboo to build a community centre for Rohingya women living in a refugee camp. The women can bathe and receive counselling at the community centre. Featuring a circular courtyard, which is sheltered except for an open space in the middle, the centre is called Beyond Survival: A Safe Space for Rohingya Women and Girls. It is located in Camp 25, a refugee site in Teknaf, Bangladesh.

Hague is a student at the University of Westminster where she is pursuing her Masters in Architecture. Her design features shellac-coated bamboo to emphasize the use of biomimicry in different disciplines of design – in her case it is providing eco-friendly architectural solutions inspired by nature. For the main structure, Hague drew inspiration from the Mimosa Pudica plant which closes its leaves when it senses danger and that is how she came up with collapsible beams featuring inflatable hinges. It gave the greenhouse a unique origami effect (it actually looks like paper too!) and also enables the structure to be easily flat-packed for transportation/storage.

This bamboo sports hall in Chiang Mai, Thailand was built by Chiangmai Life Architects. It was modeled after the petals of a lotus flower, and has been built using only bamboo! The use of bamboo ensures a cool and pleasant environment in the sports hall at all times. The structure has a zero-carbon footprint!

Designed by o9 Design Studio, native bamboo and rattan clad were used to build the Chi-bu resort, on the outskirts of Saigon, Vietnam. The materials are all locally sourced, and traditional techniques were merged with cutting edge design philosophies to construct the resort. It consists of seven bungalows surrounded by a river and wild gardens! It’s a relaxing haven!

Casa Covida is a unique home that blends these age-old construction practices with the marvels of modern technology like 3D printing to elevate sustainable architecture to a new level! Even today, earth-based houses are used by almost 30 percent of the world’s population because they are low-tech, affordable, and simple. These are not just tiny huts, they cover everything from hand-made earthen buildings to traditionally modern homes – the binding factor is the use of rammed earth techniques as well as sustainable materials like bamboo or wood. These materials are local and easy to source – what could be easier than to use the earth beneath one’s own feet?

The Eibche by Shomali Design takes the cabin game to a new level by incorporating the best of Balinese culture, modern architecture, and cozy interiors. The elevated structure weaves concrete and bamboo into its design. The team has used locally sourced building materials – wood for the structure and a brick-stone combination for the foundation. The frame is then ‘cemented’ by concrete which brings in a hint of modern minimalist architecture. The designers chose organic materials in order to create harmony with the environment so Eibche showcases a lot of bamboo poles, woven bamboo, coconut wood, and teak wood in both the interior as well as exterior.

These bamboo nest smart-towers were built for Paris…but in the future by Vincent Callebaut! These twirling towers are the perfect combination of architecture meets sustainability and nature!

For more impressive environment-friendly bamboo architectural designs, check out Part 1 of this post!

For our latest lookbook, we’ve found ten projects in the Dezeen archive where kitchens and dining rooms have been combined into one practical and sociable space.

Most homes around the world traditionally had separate areas for preparing and eating food but over the last few decades, the popularity of combined kitchen dining rooms has soared.

These are more informal spaces capable of hosting a variety of activities including entertaining, home-working as well as cooking and eating.

Kitchen dining rooms can also save space in smaller homes.

The ten examples below show some of the best examples from Dezeen’s archive and feature a variety of kitchen layouts including kitchens with islands, peninsula kitchens and kitchens with breakfast bars.

This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous kitchen-related roundups include compact kitchens and terrazzo kitchens.

Lover’s House, Spain, by Isla Architects

Local studio Isla Architects adapted and improved this holiday home on the Spanish island of Mallorca, using a minimalist material and colour palette to “reveal the simple geometry of the building”.

In the kitchen and dining space, matte white cabinets and countertops complement the off-white walls.

A tiled floor picks up the warm terracotta hue of the house’s exterior while utilities such as the sink and hob have clean, unadorned designs that contrast against the rustic wooden dining table and chairs.

Find out more about Lover’s House ›

The Cedars, US, by Michael Yarinsky

The Cedars on Long Island, New York, has a light, open kitchen and dining area with a kitchen corner that features a tiled back wall to demarcate it from the rest of the room.

As well as the larger dining table, the kitchen nook has a breakfast bar for more informal eating that has been painted in a dark petroleum blue to match the cabinetry.

Danish furniture brand Hay‘s black J1110 chairs add an eyecatching graphic touch to the room, while a playful light by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio hangs above the table.

Find out more about The Cedars ›

Marine, Australia, by David Barr Architects

Wood runs through this kitchen and dining space in an extension to a home in Perth, Australia, designed by David Barr Architects.

Wooden cabinets and a wood kitchen island covered with grey stone countertops sit next to a wood-clad wall that hides the oven and various storage spaces.

Above the sink and work areas, open shelves hold a collection of decorative ceramics, while a matching ceramic jug and bowl sit on the wooden dining table. One side of the kitchen island functions as a breakfast bar, complete with ash chairs by Mattiazzi.

Find out more about Marine ›

House for a Sea Dog, Italy, by Dodi Moss

This loft apartment inside a 300-year-old building in Genoa, Italy, was designed to feel as open and spacious as possible. In the kitchen and dining room, a one-wall kitchen in a soothing dark-grey hue sits against a red brick wall.

This leaves space for a dining table and a selection of bentwood chairs with rattan seats. The oven and fridge are hidden away in white cupboards that blend into the wall.

Find out more about House for a Sea Dog ›

Three Chimney House, US, by T W Ryan Architecture

A large kitchen island with a marble countertop sits in the middle of this kitchen and dining room in Three Chimney House in rural Virginia.

With a design that was informed by both modernism and Southern colonial style, the room has been given a striking material palette. A stone floor matches the stone splashback that runs along the kitchen workspaces, while a tiled wall sits below the angled white ceiling.

Mid-century modern Stick Back chairs by Thomas Harlev underline the sparse geometric design while Lindsey Adelman‘s 15 Bulb Drop System chandelier, which hangs above the table, gives the room a sacral feel.

Find out more about Three Chimney House ›

Cabin Son, Norway, by Jon Danielsen Aarhus

The rectangular kitchen in this spruce-clad holiday home in Norway has a small dining area and a sofa for lounging.

The multiuse space features a long single-wall kitchen that holds an oven and sink as well as multiple cabinets.

Colourful shelving above the countertops adds additional storage space and a vibrant touch against the pale-wood walls. A wooden table and black chairs by Danish designer Arne Jacobsen give the kitchen an elegant, modern feel.

Find out more about Cabin Son ›

Casa Meco, Portugal, by Atelier Rua

A built-in kitchen clad in a decorative veiny marble, complete with a matching breakfast island, sits in one corner of Casa Meco’s enormous main room.

Wooden cupboards on either side of the kitchen hide the kitchen facilities. A long table made from pale wood with contrasting black chairs and a black bench can be used for large dinners, while a breakfast bar adds more seating options.

Find out more about Casa Meco ›

House-within-a-House, UK, by Alma-nac

Alma-nac‘s joyful design for House-within-a-House in south London includes an extension that holds the kitchen and dining area. Here, simple white cabinetry and a jet-black kitchen island sit on one side and offer plenty of space for food preparation and cooking.

Opposite, a dining table is completed with vintage-style apple-green plastic chairs. Their bright colour picks up the yellow hue of a sofa in the raised lounge area next to the dining space.

Find out more about House-within-a-House ›

Mài Apartment, Vietnam, by Whale Design Lab

Graphic terrazzo surfaces decorate the kitchen area in this Vietnamese apartment by Whale Design Lab, which has a design informed by American architect Louis Kahn.

The splashback, countertop, breakfast island and floor were all crafted from the material. The organic, curved shapes of the kitchen island and workspaces are mirrored in the grey dining table that sits underneath a small indoor tree.

Bright red Dragonfly chairs by Einrichten Design add a splash of colour to the room.

Find out more about Mài Apartment ›

Quarter Glass House, UK, by Proctor & Shaw

Proctor & Shaw‘s design Quarter Glass House is an extension to a London house that holds the kitchen and dining space and was designed to have as much height and light as possible.

The studio lowered the floor to create more space, and combined exposed timber with duck-egg cabinetry and shiny copper surfaces to fulfill a request for warm and textural materials. A kitchen island with a breakfast bar has practical shelving on one side, and long floating wall shelves add storage space.

A simple white table with rattan chairs can seat six people and overlooks the garden outside the extension.

Find out more about Quarter Glass House ›

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing peaceful bedrooms, wallpapered interiors and colourful kitchens.

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