Studio Padron designed and built a tiny cabin entirely from mature felled oak trees acquired from another home’s construction waste.

As the old saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” When it comes to home construction, waste produced during the building process opens the door for more opportunities. While many home builders and architects plan homes around the site’s preexisting trees and landscape, sometimes felling trees can’t be avoided. After finishing work on a new home, Studio Padron, a US-based architecture firm, utilized the felled trees collected during the home’s construction and built a tiny black cabin to function as the home’s standalone library.

Calling the bookworm’s oasis Hemmelig Room, or ‘secret room’ in Norwegian, Studio Padron built the entire tiny cabin from disused mature oak trees that were felled during the main home’s construction. From the outside, Hemmelig Room finds a geometric structure clad in blackened timber. Following the main home’s construction process, the felled oak trees were cut into large, rectangular log sections that were left to dry over several years before building Hemmelig Room.

Inside, the blackened timber reveals the oak tree’s raw, polished form. From top to bottom, Studio Padron outfitted Hemmelig Room’s interior in nonuniform timber panels that merge with cavities to create bookshelves. Besides that, floor-to-ceiling windows bring the quiet space closer to the outdoor landscape. Equipped with a wood-burning stove to keep the space warm year-round, guests can enjoy enough space for a bed, armchair, and writing desk.

Designer: Studio Padron

The post This tiny black cabin is built from felled oak trees acquired from a home’s construction waste! first appeared on Yanko Design.

As a product designer, you’re probably fascinated by successful crowdfunding campaigns–because whether or not the vendors actually deliver the product, the campaigns are a barometer of current consumer tastes and desires. These can often be surprising. There’s bound to be several items on this list that make you go, “Whoa, they clocked how much?“

Sometimes the crowdfunded inventions are an improved version of an existing object. Other times it’s an entirely new object. Sometimes they’re tools that help you make things, other times they’re meant to improve the UX of some chore. A lot of the successful campaigns target a subculture that the market is not adequately serving.

If you look over this list of what crowdfunding campaigns did well this year, I hope it will encourage you to come up with your own ideas and consider crowdfunding them in 2022. Ask yourself if you could have pulled off any of these ideas below yourself—or done better!

Target Market: General – Promises Better UX for Some Mundane Task

PressDrain

A tub/shower drain that cuts the hair stuck inside when you step on it, supposedly keeping the drain clear.

Funding Target: $1,000

Actually Funded: $167,517

LensHD

An automatic eyeglass lenses cleaner.

Funding Target: $1,000

Actually Funded: $369,908

Couch Console

Stores snack food, drink, remote control, tech objects on your couch, so you don’t have to reach all the way to the coffee table.

Funding Target: $15,000

Actually Funded: $2,380,072

Edge

Magnetic charging brackets that allow you to stick smartphone or lights off the side of your laptop.

Funding Target: €10,000 (USD $11,308)

Actually Funded: €520,962 (USD $589,127)

Snactiv

Wearable chopsticks, for eating messy snacks while using a computer.

Funding Target: $20,000

Actually Funded: $41,700

Monchi

A snack container designed to let you eat without touching the food.

Funding Target: SGD $12,000 (USD $8,833)

Actually Funded: SGD $ 34,559 (USD $25,452)

Target Market: Digital Fabrication Enthusiasts

ScanMira

A 3D-printed mirror holder to make 3D scanning with an iPhone ergonomically easier. Optional turntable with remote control.

Funding Target: CAD $1,000 (USD $780)

Actually Funded: CAD $28,225 (USD $22,023)

LaserPecker 2

A small, handheld or desktop open-bed laser engraver/cutter.

Funding Target: HKD $77,530 (USD $9,941)

Actually Funded: HKD $45,971,347 (USD $5,894,609)

Target Market: Home Cooking/Food Enthusiasts

The Midnight Slice

An ergonomic pizza slicer designed by an ex-aerospace-engineer.

Funding Target: $25,000

Actually Funded: $235,664

The Misen Oven Steel

A 10″ x 13.5″ steel plate that you place in your oven to stabilize the temperature while baking.

Funding Target: $25,000

Actually Funded: $1,700,994

Target Market: Cyclists

Titanum MyTi

3D-printed titanium bike pedals.

Funding Target: €24,700 (USD $27,938)

Actually Funded: €59,173 (USD $66,929)

Target Market: Cyclist-Photographers

Makers in Motion Camera Strap

A fast-access camera strap for cyclists.

Funding Target: $6,000

Actually Funded: $12,431

Target Market: Photographers

The Alice Camera

A camera body with a micro 4/3 lens mount. Your smartphone serves as the monitor.

Funding Target: $26,822

Actually Funded: $192,004

Target Market: Tech Lovers

The Nixoid Next

A Nixie tube wristwatch.

Funding Target: $10,000

Actually Funded: $364,207

Splay

Book-sized object that unfolds into a monitor or projector.

Funding Target: $10,000

Actually Funded: $335,903

Sirius Earbuds

Heavily-styled, low-cost wireless earbuds.

Funding Target: $10,000

Actually Funded: $443,120

Target Market: (Probably Hobbyist) Creatives

The Drillog Dip Pen

A metal pen that you dip in ink, like a quill.

Funding Target: ¥1,800,000 (USD $15,739)

Actually Funded: ¥21,134,419 (USD $184,800)

Target Market: Unknown (i.e. “Who the F buys this S”)

EDC Fan

A titanium folding fan for…breaking windows.

Funding Target: $10,000

Actually Funded: $215,183

The Meazor

A handheld digital measuring tool.

Funding Target: HKD $233,030 (USD $29,879)

Actually Funded: HKD $2,130,502 (USD $273,170)

The Re-Ruler

A magnetic transforming multi-part ruler.

Funding Target: HKD $10,000 (USD $1,282)

Actually Funded: HKD $638,189 (USD $81,828)

Hexagonal Ruler 2.0

Metal hexagonal drawing aids.

Funding Target: HKD $20,000 (USD $2,564)

Actually Funded: HKD $511,015 (USD $65,522)

Stoggles

Safety glasses with extra plastic on sides. I’m not kidding about the manufacturer’s suggested application, which is to prevent you from touching your eyes through the sides:

Funding Target: Unknown

Actually Funded: $3,057,412

_________________________

On the flip side, you may want to check out:

Kickstarter Projects That Made It Into the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum Store

Thatched beachfront bungalows overlook the Indian Ocean from this hotel named Kisawa Sanctuary in Mozambique, which was built in tandem with a marine conservation centre.

The Kisawa Sanctuary occupies 300 hectares of forest, dunes and beachfront on the southern tip of Benguerra Island, which lies 14 kilometres from the Mozambique mainland.

It is the first hospitality project created by entrepreneur Nina Flohr, whose studio NJF Design collaborated with skilled local weavers, thatchers and carpenters to realise the project.

Opened in November 2021, the hotel comprises 22 suites in 12 thatch-topped villas arranged within the dunes.

“Some lie on the calmer cove side, others shelter in the dunes on the ocean side, yet all are carefully positioned within their own secluded plot; providing maximum privacy and optimum appreciation of the natural environment,” said the hotel’s team.

Built without the use of heavy machinery, the wooden structures across the site are thatched and clad in a variety of styles based on the regional vernacular.

Guest bungalows are shaped like long villas and covered with wavy patterned roofs, echoing the form of waves.

Inside they have mottled plaster walls and wooden floors covered with large rugs. Colourfully printed textiles add warmth and variety to the neutral decor.

Woven-grass door panels slide across to open up bedrooms and bathrooms to living areas and the outdoors, allowing breezes to pass through.

Timber decking wraps around the bungalows, and forms paths to further terraces that support cabanas and surround swimming pools.

Locally made contemporary furnishings are mixed with crafts and artefacts from across Africa to lend an authentic feel to the interiors.

The communal dining spaces across the resort have a similar design treatment, and serve traditional cuisine made from fresh seafood and produce, with a zero-waste policy and using no processed ingredients.

A wellness centre hidden in the dunes is formed from clusters of thatched round volumes with conical tops.

Alongside the hotel, Flohr also launched the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies – a research hub for ocean conservation.

“Their parallel operations create a new, symbiotic business model whereby for-profit hospitality contributes directly to non-profit marine science and research,” said the team.

Resort guests are able to participate in the research efforts through activities like excursions on the research vessel, which is used for tagging and monitoring local shark populations.

“The pairing of cultural celebration and environmental conservation at Kisawa presents a new, forward-looking narrative for both Mozambique and island escapes,” the team said

Located in the south-east of the African continent Mozambique is growing in popularity as a tourist destination. Sussurro, a series of private bungalows in the southern part of the country, took home three prizes at the AHEAD MEA 2021 awards.

The post NJF Design creates thatched resort surrounded by dunes in Mozambique appeared first on Dezeen.

Benjamin Hubert of experience design agency LAYER has designed a meditation headset for US start-up Resonate. The headset features an LED light matrix that allows powerful meditation to be attained simply and effortlessly, regardless of level of experience. In a world where we are increasingly exposed to stressors – from the recent pandemic, to constant screen time – this kind of immersive meditation is more important and relevant than ever before. Resonate will launch at Design Miami 2021, which takes place from Dec 1 to Dec 6. Invite-only collectors’ editions will be available at the fair, while the production units will ship in early 2022.

View the full project here

My AirPods are one of my prized Apple possessions! I use them multiple times in a day, whether’s it’s for calls, to watch videos during work breaks, or to listen to some pumped-up tunes during my evening jogs. You’ll find them around me almost all the time. I’m sure there are other AirPods addicts in the house, and for those individuals, here’s a collection of AirPods accessories that we swear by! From a sleek AirPods Max charger that doubles up as a magnetic stand to an AirPods Pro case shaped like a camera – these nifty product designs will completely elevate and enhance your AirPods experience. They serve as the perfect sidekick to your AirPods, either by taking the best care of them, boosting their functionality, or making sure you never lose them again. These are a must-have for all AirPods fanatics!

1. Power1

Power1 takes portability and functionality to a new level giving you a system that’s doubly useful because it doesn’t just charge and protect for your iPhone… it charges and protects your Airpods too and ensures they are always with you and ready for use. Designed as an evolution of traditional battery cases, Power1 not only holds an extra battery but also manages your Airpods like no other system. Armed with a proprietary design, Power1 comes with two modes. One, where it charges your Airpods only (up to 30 times on a full battery), and a second mode that charges your Airpods as well as your phone, giving both gadgets full advantage of Power1’s 3000mAh internal battery. Power1 uses its intelligent power monitoring system to see which device is running low on charge, supplying power to them accordingly. Using its USB-C port, when you plug Power1 into an outlet, its priority charging feature kicks in, routing power to your phone and Airpods first before charging its own internal battery.

2. The Max Stand

The Max Stand has a simplistic elegance that you’d almost expect from Apple before you realize that Apple’s solution for storing the headphones when not in use is a weird handbag-esque object that most people wouldn’t really want to carry around on display. The Max Stand, on the other hand, is simple, nondescript, and highlights the product it’s charging – making the AirPods Max look like an ornament on your desk that you can easily pick up and wear when you need it.

3. The Snapshot Case

The Snapshot case for the AirPods Pro comes with a camera-shaped design that neatly houses an AirTag inside the faux camera lens. Aside from looking like a tiny little point-and-shoot, the Snapshot protects your AirPods Pro from physical damage as well as theft. The all-silicone design helps absorb shock, while still enabling wireless charging… and the fact that you’ve now got an AirTag strapped to your AirPods Pro makes it really easy to use the Find My feature to track the exact location of your earphones.

4. The Chargepuck

The Chargepuck acts as a replacement for the wireless charging dock or mat you’ve probably got lying on your desk or somewhere at your bedside. Instead of being a static device that sits plugged into an outlet forever, the little puck sits attached to your iPhone and comes with its own retractable cable that lets you plug it in anywhere. The Chargepuck isn’t a battery pack (it doesn’t have its own battery inside it), but rather, it’s a charging apparatus that sits attached to your phone and lets you charge three devices at the same time.

5. Antón’s redesigned AirPods Pro Case

Antón’s redesign turns the Apple AirPods Pro case from something that looks like a ‘box of floss’ to a really classy-looking ‘chewing-gum-stick dispenser’. The rounded-box shape gets ditched for a taller and sleeker capsule shape, with lids on both ends, allowing individual earpieces to fit into each end of the case. Sure, the redesign presents some structural issues – like where would one place the Qi charging coil or the battery, but what Antón’s concept really provides is a sense of variety, while sticking to Apple’s design philosophy of building sleek products. The redesigned AirPods Pro case also fundamentally changes the UX of the AirPods. The two separate openings house the left and right earphones, and while they do that, they also hint at behavior that’s common within the AirPods user community of using just one AirPod at a time to maximize battery life.

6. The Air Omni

The Air Omni’s biggest defining feature is that it comes built to dock the iPad too, which should honestly be given the same status as the iPhone, Watch, and AirPods… after all, the iPad is a mobile device too. Designed for not just charging but docking too, the Air Omni comes with a dedicated pop-up wireless charging hub for your Watch, specified wireless charging zones for your phone and AirPods, and a stand that lets you dock the iPad vertically and charge it via a cable – all while complying with Apple’s MFi charging standards. The docking zone’s unique design is truly innovative as it shapeshifts to let you alternate between docking your iPad as well as your iPhone.

7. iPhone 13 Pro-esque triple camera module

This idea presents a flip iPhone with iPhone 13 Pro-esque triple camera module comprising an 8K capable pro-action camera. The flipping device has a curved touchscreen Retina display and the discussed camera module on the outside – split over the two halves separated by a durable hinge. The cute box-like design – when it’s folded – actually hides a pair of newly designed AirPods Pro mini in a cozy housing for each earbud.

8. The Genki Audio Lite

Designed as a sleeker upgrade to Genki’s Bluetooth adapter from 2018, the Genki Audio Lite is a tiny, plug-and-play Bluetooth module that fits right into your Nintendo Switch Lite, allowing you to connect Bluetooth earphones and speakers to your gaming console. The Genki Audio Lite’s tiny size adds a great deal of functionality to the already capable device. You can now use your TWS earphones, AirPods, or even the AirPods Max with it, allowing for a portable, private gaming session. The Genki Audio Lite comes with Bluetooth 5.0 and is equipped with aptX high fidelity low latency codecs that provide lag-free audio while you game.

9. Zens’ Magnetic Dual Powerbank

Zens’ Magnetic Dual Powerbank comes with an internal 4,000 mAh battery that’s good for 1.5 full smartphone charges. The power bank is MagSafe compatible on one side too, allowing you to easily snap your iPhone to it without worrying about alignment. The other non-magnetic side is good for your AirPods, or potentially even a second smartphone (if you’re that kind of person). The power bank is perfect for all your on-the-go charging needs, although it comes with its own flip-out kickstand for when you’re working at a desk and want your phone angled towards you.

10. AirFly Pro

Twelve South has come up with their AirFly Pro. A wireless headphone adaptor, AirFly Pro is “the missing link between wireless headphones and wired headphone jacks.” It lets you connect your AirPods, AirPods Pro, or wireless headphones of any brand to devices (lacking Bluetooth connectivity) with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The dongle allows two people to listen to music or watch a movie, making it a splitter! You can finally share/watch things wirelessly with your friends if you’ll share the same taste in entertainment that is. The AirFly Pro also connects with the Nintendo Switch, enabling you to listen to the audio using your favorite wireless headphones while playing your favorite game!

The post Top 10 AirPods Accessories of 2021 first appeared on Yanko Design.