Look at the Niche Zero and tell me it doesn’t possess the soul of a Vespa! The beautifully curvilinear design of the Niche Zero coffee grinder isn’t a result of function, but rather of expression. Inspired by old-timey automobiles (and even appliances), the Niche Zero coffee grinder celebrates the bold, beautiful design languages of icons like Piaggio, Fiat, Alessi, and Olivetti.

The Niche’s commanding presence in your kitchen is a stark deviation from most burr grinders that look to be compact, sleek, and portable. Designed by UK-based brand Niche Coffee, Niche Zero is a specially designed single-dose grinder that refreshes you with not just a cup of coffee, but also with its eye-catching design. The grinder, which comes in either white or black, features a gently curved metal body, retro-style switches, and wooden accents and stubby legs that make it look warm and approachable. On the inside, the Niche Zero comes with 63mm conical steel burr grinders with a step-less adjustment system that gives you precise and complete control over your grind size. Load the coffee beans into the hopper, secure the safety lid, and flip the antique toggle-style switch on the side and the Niche Zero begins whirring to life, delivering a single dose of ground coffee powder that you can then use with your espresso machine, French press, pour-over, cold-brew carafe, or any style of coffee-brewing apparatus you may have!

The Niche Zero measures a little over 12 inches in height (311mm) and boldly sits on your kitchen counter almost like a sculptural piece. It operates at 72 decibels too, which some might consider just a tad loud (if you’re one of them, maybe invest in a hand-grinder).

Each Niche Zero comes in either Pure White or Midnight Black (both equally classy colors, although the white one looks less visually heavy) with oak wood accents. The grinder comes along with a 58mm grind cup (perfect for most portafilters), a wooden-handled cleaning brush, a user manual, and a socket driver.

The grinder itself is incredibly easy and intuitive to use. The safety lid on top helps secure the beans while the machine is operational, and a step-less adjustment disc on the inside even comes with a marked guide that lets you calibrate your grind-size to suit the kind of brewing you plan on doing (finer grind for Espresso, coarser grind for a French press). A single switch on the side lets you turn the Niche Zero on or off, and the grinder’s direct outlet path ensures that no bits and specks of coffee dust remain behind inside the machine. However, a nifty little accompanying brush lets you clean out your Niche Zero every couple of uses.

Designer: Niche Coffee

Compton duo Paris Texas are back with their genre-defying blend of rock, metal and rap on their latest track “girls like drugs.” Between heavily distorted guitar bursts, the pair (composed of Louie Pastel and Felix), effortlessly rap edgy, rhythmic verses and bars. The single is accompanied with a music video directed by Zhamak Fullad and Raheem Hercule that sees the childhood friends being just as mischievous and unique as ever.

An interactive installation examining the influence of shadows on human perception and a pavilion designed for the Burning Man festival are included in Dezeen’s latest school show by students at Monash University.

Also featured is a platform designed to help older Chinese people understand the developing language of China’s younger generation and a research project that explores how urban environments can become breastfeeding-friendly.

Monash University

School: Monash Design, Monash University
Courses: Bachelor of Design/Master of Design
Tutor: Gene Bawden, Head of Design

School statement:

“Positioned at the intersection of several creative disciplines, our Master of Design provides you with a platform to explore advanced principles in contemporary design that will enhance your design practice and provide you with a platform to be an innovative leader.

“This project-based and studio-focused course offers you the opportunity to extend your learning within a specialisation area of interaction design, multimedia design, or collaborative design.

“At Monash, we create the designers the world needs – inventive, purposeful, and visionary. With specialisations in Communication Design, Industrial Design, Spatial Design, or Collaborative Design, our Bachelor of Design degree responds to the increasing global demand for designers who can respond to the complexity of contemporary global society, be inclusive and ethical and contribute sustainably. Our most complex challenges are a call to action for all designers.”

The Embrace by Natkanok Onratn

“The Embrace is a temporary pavilion designed for the Burning Man festival at Black Rock City, Nevada. The pavilion responds to the loss of opportunities for social interaction due to physical distancing requirements in the current global pandemic. It creates a constantly changing spatial atmosphere that embraces its occupants.

“Rays of sunlight are filtered through the structure resulting in a variation of lighting patterns that enrich experiences of its interior.

“People can inhabit the complex multi-levelled structure in various ways. By climbing and exploring, individuals can reach different levels of the structure that afford views out across the desert landscape.”

Student: Natkanok Onratn
Course: Bachelor of Design/Spatial Design
Tutor: Peter Charles

The ÅTERSTÄLL Process by Vincent Chu

“The ÅTERSTÄLL process confronts the waste and environmental impact associated with discarded and broken furniture. Customers have their broken furniture disassembled and placed into the ÅTERSTÄLL process.

“The piece is 3D scanned, from which the artificial intelligence can identify the furniture type, mounting points, and required loads to be supported.

“The new geometry is optimised to minimise material usage, before being 3D printed for the customer, ready for re-assembly.”

Student: Vincent Chu
Course: Bachelor of Design/Industrial Design
Tutor: Dr Rowan Page

POC (Perception, Observation, Connection) by Oly King

“POC is an interactive installation exploring the influence that shadows have on our perception. POC allows people to pause, observe and reflect. It aims to inspire a greater connection to and appreciation for our surroundings.

“The installation is made up of 27 hand-made hybrid letter sculptures, projecting three different composite shadows from three separate angles.

“The viewer is given a torch to explore the darkroom and installation. The projected shadows transform in a state of constant flux as the light navigates the room. Taking the time to observe the present allows us to connect with not only the physical world but also our own wellbeing.”

Student: Oly King
Course: Bachelor of Design/Communication Design
Tutors: Rick Milovanovic and Tristan Ceddia

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea — Title Sequence by Tao He

“This is a sequence for a TV mini-series based on the original science fiction novel by nineteenth-century author Jules Verne.

“The animation brings a new sense of drama to a story over 100 years old. Tools used include Cinema 4D, After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop.”

Student: Tao He
Course: Master of Design/Multimedia Design
Tutor: Jeff Janet

GreyZone: Experience Exhibition by Shangyu Huang, Chongbo Gao, Wanting Qiao and Shen Wang

“GreyZone is a digitally-enabled interactive exhibition that explores the world of a private detective. It allows its audience to understand detective processes by guiding them to observe and explore the detective world in a more detailed way.

“It also enables them to recognise the motive for committing a crime; and explore human emotions such as friendship, family interactions, and personal obsessions.

“The exhibition space — both real and virtual — connects different audience members through a combination of art installation, spatial experiences, electronic screens and AR/VR exploration.”

Student: Shangyu Huang, Chongbo Gao, Wanting Qiao and Shen Wang
Course: Master of Design (Collaborative Design/Multimedia Design)
Tutor: Jeff Janet

Xinyan, Communicate without Barriers by Lan An

“Xinyan is an education platform that aims to help older Chinese people understand the slang and emerging language of China’s younger generation.

“The project is intended to be a game located in China’s most popular communication platform, WeChat. The game operates as a series of quizzes to help users understand and memorize the meanings of new words and phrases, but in a fun and entertaining way.”

Student: Lan An
Course: Master of Design/Interaction Design
Tutor: Dr InDae Hwang

Getting Onboard by Lisa Fu

“When we think about the future of transport, part of its challenge includes how we can best support people to transition to more sustainable travel behaviour and practices.

“As such, the design of dedicated onboard bicycle zones for metropolitan trains in Melbourne (Australia) represents a viable, sustainable alternative to car-based transport, as well as a gateway to more people engaging with micro-mobility travel options.

“Passenger pain points, travel patterns and opportunities uncovered through design research and practice are embodied in the design of the rail interior space, wayfinding, and digital passenger information display systems.”

Student: Lisa Fu
Course: PhD Design
Tutors: Dr Robbie Napper and associate professor Selby Coxon/Mobility Design Lab

An Intersectional, Gender-Sensitive Design Framework for Planning a Breastfeeding-Friendly Urban Environment by Enira Arvanda

“Women who breastfeed often experience complexities and social stigma in public spaces that impact their decision to continue with breastfeeding.

“This research seeks to explore the potential of the urban environment as a breastfeeding-friendly setting. It will investigate environmental features and characteristics that encourage and support women to breastfeed in public spaces.

“This study aims to develop an intersectional, gender-sensitive design framework for planning a breastfeeding-friendly environment that could be implemented by urban designers, city planners, policymakers and other stakeholders.”

Student: Enira Arvanda
Course: PhD (Design)
Tutors: Associate professor Nicole Kalms and dr Jess Berry/XYX Lab

Emergency Department Futures by Troy McGee

“What will the Emergency Department waiting room of the future look like in 2030? 2050? 2100? How will we experience urgent healthcare?

“How will it be delivered. How might we access it? What are the dilemmas, challenges, and opportunities that are afforded by the future?

“This PhD research project explores the Emergency Department waiting room of the future. View the full project at emergencydepartmentfutures.com.”

Student: Troy McGee
Course: PhD (Design)
Tutors: Professor Daphne Flynn, associate professor Selby Coxon, dr Rowan Page and dr Keith Joe/Design Health Collab

Making Space by Dion Tuckwell

“This research project explores how a co-design approach might activate the hidden affordances of collaborative learning environments. So-called ‘Innovative Learning Environments’ (ILEs) suggest exciting new opportunities for a wider range of pedagogies than traditional classrooms, however, teachers are often disengaged, and ill-equipped, to make meaningful use of these spaces.

“Making Space inquired into how teachers might co-create shared strategies by developing participatory action research (PAR) and a co-design approach to collaborative design research.

“Teacher-participants successfully created a community of learning about space and effective integration of ILEs and pedagogy.”

Student: Dion Tuckwell
Course: PhD (Design)
Tutors: Professor Lisa Grocott/Emerging Technologies Research Lab and dr Kate Coleman/The University of Melbourne

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Monash University. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

The post Ten design projects from students at Monash University appeared first on Dezeen.

“Mockup to Market” with Jimmy DiResta is a five-part webinar series View the full content here

Dezeen Showroom: furniture brand Leolux LX has launched a rounded armchair designed by German designer Martin Ballendat “for relaxing and lounging”.

Developed specifically for the contract market the armchair is designed to be a contemporary addition to offices and public spaces, but could also fit in a modern home.

“LXR18 is an armchair for relaxing and lounging,” said Martin Ballendat.

“Perfect for a resting area in an office or public space. But it also fits perfectly in a residential environment.”

The chair is formed of two rounded sections that connect to form a distinctive round shape. The seat and back sections are defined by customisable piping.

As with all of Leolux LX’s furniture, the LXR18 is made to order and can be upholstered in a range of leather and fabrics.

The armchair is also available with a small writing table topped with oak that can swivel over the seat.

It can be attached to either side of the chair.

Product: LXR18
Designer: Martin Ballendat
Brand: Leolux LX
Contact: info@leolux-lx.com

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.

The post LXR18 armchair for Martin Ballendat by Leolux LX appeared first on Dezeen.