Hasta La Ideas

Following the death of Richard Rogers last month, we’re republishing a series of exclusive interviews we filmed with the British architect in 2013. In the first, Rogers spoke about architects’ responsibility to society and his work process.

Rogers, who passed away on 18 December aged 88, spoke to Dezeen to coincide with a retrospective of his work at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Rogers was one of the world’s best-known architects and famous for his pioneering high-tech architecture.

Among his most recognisable work is the Centre Pompidou in Paris, which he designed together with Renzo Piano, and the Lloyd’s building in London.

In this interview, filmed at the Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners office in Hammersmith, west London, he discussed how architecture is dependant on teamwork and how the final design can change direction during its development.

Read on for a transcript of the interview below:

“I’m Richard Rogers, an architect. I live nearby here, I cycle every day. And I have been in this office for over 30 years.”

“The Royal Academy has asked whether I would like to do an exhibition about my life, not specifically about my work – I’ve had a touring exhibition for the last 10 years about work – but more about the thinking, and a section through eight years of life.”

“We’ve decided to call the exhibition Inside Out, partly to do with how I often put structure and ducts on the outside of buildings for functional as well as aesthetic reasons.”

We have a responsibility to society, we have a social responsibility

“But the real title is Ethos. And the idea is that we have a responsibility to society, we have a social responsibility. And that gives us a role as architects, which is more than just answering how a role may do to the client but also to answer the passer-by and society as a whole.”

“On one wall, it will say: ‘A place for all people, all ages, all creeds, the rich and the poor.’ That was actually the first paragraph that I wrote with Renzo when we entered the Pompidou competition and several hundred people competed for it.”

“But it also shows the heart of this exhibition, because that gave us the way of handling the Pompidou not just as a building, but a place, which I’m much more interested in.”

“Then on another wall, there will be the Hellenic oath, which is: ‘I will leave the city more beautiful than I entered’.

“It’s an oath that each citizen made and it’s an oath, which I would like to think we are all trying to do and using beauty in a very broad, shall we say, Greek way, democratic and intellectual. So not just purely aesthetic.”

“I work very much with colleagues, with friends. Architecture is about teams. The idea that you suddenly wake up and do a sketch is not true – the only time when I do that, I usually wake up with a hangover the next morning, because it never works. You do it piece by piece.”

“When the chairman, the lawyers at the end of doing the building, they say, well, why didn’t you tell me what it looked like? I say to them: ‘because I didn’t know.'”

“It’s probably like any work, whether it’s a film or book. It has its own inertia, it changes directions. Now obviously you have to do, working with drawings, you can’t change it easily.”

“And also the scale changes. I mean, the scale in your mind, the scaling models, slowly gets more and more attuned to what you’re actually doing and has in itself a reaction to what you’re doing.”

“Because that’s how it works. Because you can’t see – any more than you could imagine 500 pages, you can’t imagine a building as a complete [building].”

I enjoyed myself much one the last third of my life that I have in my first third

“In this room, there’s also a very important moment which is a film. It’s a film that tries to say what ethos is. It’s based, funnily enough, on my mother’s watch, which I always wear which is a Bulova, which has beautiful workings in it, some 50 years old now.”

“And it sort of explains my work through it, through that watch. And then it has all the people I’ve worked with, which are hundreds, and I have had amazing colleagues.”

“I was appalling as a student all my life. In fact, I often say I enjoyed myself much one the last third of my life that I have in my first third.”

“My first third was hell, as an Italian arriving in 1939 in England; that was a bad move to start with. Everybody said I was stupid. And then I found out that actually, I had learning difficulties.”

“So maybe it sort of gave me a lot of problems for the first 30 years, but the last 30 have been fantastic.”

The post Architects should try to “leave the city more beautiful than when we entered” says Richard Rogers appeared first on Dezeen.

Now you won’t have to worry that even your power bank will be out of juice when you need it the most.

We have become so dependent on electronics that run on batteries that it is both ironic and tragic that the batteries themselves haven’t made any great leaps forward, at least nothing that consumers can already rely on. Smartphone manufacturers have resorted to speeding up the charging process to compensate for the same old batteries they use inside, but sooner or later, people will still reach for a power bank. Those portable batteries, however, haven’t seen any major innovation in the past years either, at least until Elecjet brought the fastest charging high-capacity power bank in the market.

Designers: Samuel Gong & Wade Lin

Click Here to Buy Now: $69 $100 (31% off). Raised over $300,000.
Click Here to Buy Now: The Bundle for $129 $200 (35% off). Hurry, exclusive deal for YD readers only!

Your typical phone today charges multiples faster than its predecessors, even if the batteries inside them have stayed the same for years. That’s not the case with power banks, however, that make use of those same batteries. The larger they are, the longer they take to charge. So when Elecjet boasts that its 10,000mAh Apollo Ultra can charge to full in just 27 minutes, people should definitely take note. Imagine having to head out of the house of the office in half an hour with your phone still fully charged. Based on past experience, you know that your phone won’t last the whole day, so you grab your power bank for good measure. Unfortunately, you realize that your safety net itself is completely empty, and you only have 30 minutes to charge it. With Elecjet’s newest power bank, that’s never going to be an issue.

In 27 minutes you get enough power to charge 3 x iPhone 13 Pro.

Graphene is a single sheet of graphite – one atom thin but still hundreds of times stronger than steel. It is the world’s best conductor of heat and electricity, that means insane charging speeds with no overheating.

Elecjet’s secret sauce is graphene, one of the few major advancements in battery technology today. With this material, even just 7 minutes is enough to get the Apollo Ultra to 37%, which should be sufficient to fully charge your phone once. Plus, graphite is less prone to overheating, and Elecjet claims the battery pack won’t ever exceed 43°C while in use.

Aside from the high-capacity and insane self-charging speed (27 minutes), the Elecjet Apollo Ultra has other benefits. It’s quite small, smaller than some smartphones even, making it highly portable. It supports passthrough charging as well, so you don’t have to waste time and charge both the power bank and your phone at the same time. It can even charge some laptops with its 65W USB-C output!

Thanks to that same graphene battery tech, the power bank can handle more than 2,500 charge cycles, equivalent to 7 years of use. With a large 10,000mAh battery, a 27-minute charging speed, and a lifetime that could even outlast your phone, the Elecjet Apollo Ultra is not only impressive, it might very well be the only power bank you will ever need.

Click Here to Buy Now: $69 $100 (31% off).
Click Here to Buy Now: The Bundle for $129 $200 (35% off). Hurry, exclusive deal for YD readers only!

The post Elecjet Apollo Ultra 10,000mAh power bank charges faster than your phone first appeared on Yanko Design.

I cannot forget the countless hours of gaming on the PSP when hours seemed to pass like minutes. The mere idea of playing high-end games like Killzone: Liberation or Gran Turismo on a portable handheld console was like a dream come true back then. The PSP-1000 and the last version PSP Street – both got discontinued after the holiday season of 2014. It was the end of a glorious era for Sony who has taken a strong grip on the gaming market with the bigger PlayStation consoles. The PlayStation 5 being the current generation, and one of the most powerful and good-looking in the entire line-up.

When my creative bits are churning up in my head, the odd time or two I wondered about a modern handheld PSP that could level up on the performance being offered by the gaming phones like Asus ROG Phone 5, Red Magic 6S Pro and the just-released IQOO 9 Pro. A dedicated Nintendo Switch-like Sony handheld, which I have so many fond memories of from the yesteryears. Designer Andrea Gallarini and Nicola Pezzotti have just made my wish come true in the form of a 2022 PlayStation Portable that elevates to the new era of portable gaming in style. They’ve preserved the classic features of the popular gadget, and mashed up the sharp lines and shapes to appeal to Generation Z users.

As per the designers, they’ve preserved elegance as the key element without overshadowing the ergonomics, functionality and aesthetics. The gadget gets an ultra-HD OLED screen for immersive visual gameplay elements and the thermal management is taken care of via the front grid ventilation. The overall design bears the PlayStation 5 and Dualsense resemblance in the buttons, directional pad and the right and left sticks. To keep up the overall user experience, there are dual surround sound speakers and volume toggle buttons.

The wireless charging pad sandwiches the PSP in profound style and has the obvious PlayStation 5 inspiration that I absolutely vouch for. Since we are talking of a 2022 gadget, online gameplay is given precedence. The PSP concept gets full PlayStation Connect compatibility – opening up a wide library of playable titles that can be enjoyed with other PSP users or even a buddy who’s on the bigger PS5 console and DualSense controller. The option to use the handheld console as a controller while the visuals are outputted to a big TV screen is also possible.

Would I go for a handheld gaming console like this one if it becomes a reality someday – if Sony is already considering one? Of course, with both hands – that combo of black and off-white on the front and rear of the gadget is an invitation enough!

Designer: Andrea Gallarini and Nicola Pezzotti

The post Next-gen PlayStation Portable is bad news for Nintendo Switch first appeared on Yanko Design.

Computer modelling was used to design the angular wall surfaces of Rotterdam‘s newest theatre, to ensure a completely even distribution of sound.

Theater Zuidplein is a major new cultural venue for the Dutch city, housing two auditoriums, a restaurant and a library.

While the building was designed by architecture firm De Zwarte Hond, experimental office Studio RAP was tasked with shaping the interior of the main theatre.

Working with engineering firm Arup, Studio RAP’s ambition was create a wall surface design that optimises the acoustics of the 600-seat auditorium.

Using digital technologies, they developed an extremely multi-faceted surface that is calculated to bounce sound evenly across different parts of the interior.

“The project was designed using algorithms, which resulted in a rippling ocean of thousands of triangles,” said Wessel van Beerendonk of Studio RAP.

The design process involved simulating a wide variety of different types of performance – across theatre and music – and measuring the effect of different curvatures on the reflection of the sound.

The wall surfaces were then “digitally kneaded” using parametric modelling software, to find the best all-round geometries.

The next step was to transform this organic shape into something easy to manufacture. This involved dividing up the entire interior into approximately 6,000 triangles. Some of the triangles are flat, while others are folded.

“The result is an even distribution of sound across the entire auditorium, so that every member of the audience can fully enjoy the show or concert they came to see,” said Studio RAP.

These triangles are made from aluminium-composite, in a bold shade of red that gives the auditorium a distinct identity.

This is emphasised by the differences in light and shadow across the panels, due to their varying orientation. The effect is further amplified by the seating upholstery, which is also various different shades of red.

The auditorium’s other features include a versatile layout, designed to adapt to a varied programme of performances.

For events where guests stand or dance, it’s possible to convert part of the stage area into additional space for spectators. The ground floor and balcony can also be separated off thanks to a moveable wall.

Theater Zuidplein forms part of Hart van Zuid, a newly developed area in the south of Rotterdam.

Both the main theatre and the smaller auditorium are located in the side of the building that faces the bus and metro stations, to act as a noise buffer for nearby residential buildings.

The building has a masonry structure, with a facade that curves outward to create a curved recess.

Here, a semi-transparent wall of anodised aluminium presents a patterned surface, encouraging visitors to enter.

“By day, the semi-open facade creates a beautiful play of light inside, and by night, the facade illuminates from within to highlight the inviting entrance,” said De Zwarte Hond.

The building’s lobby, with interior design by BURO M2R, was imagined as “a living room for Rotterdam-Zuid”.

Featuring flexible, mobile furniture elements, it can configured in different ways to host various community activities.

“The high lobby forms the heart of the building,” said De Zwarte Hond. “Every function is directly or indirectly connected with this space, where there is always something for people to do and discover.”

Theater Zuidplein’s auditorium was longlisted for Dezeen Awards 2021 in the civic and cultural interior category.

The category winner was MuseumLab, a lightning-struck library converted in a children’s museum in Pittsburgh.

Project credits

Client/tenant: Municipality of Rotterdam
Developer/owner: Hart van Zuid (Ballast Nedam, Heijmans)
Architect: De Zwarte Hond
Interior design lobby: BURO M2R
Design theatre wall: Studio RAP
Contractor theatre wall: Aldowa
Acoustics consultant theatre wall: Arup
Acoustics and building physics consultant: dGmR
Theatre consultant: Theateradvies Amsterdam
Structural engineer: Zonneveld
Building contractor: Hart van Zuid
Services (design and realisation): Hart van Zuid
Process management: Municipality of Rotterdam
Users: Zuidplein Theatre and Rotterdam Library

The post Theater Zuidplein’s multi-faceted auditorium promises perfect sound in every seat appeared first on Dezeen.

Dreamlike tracks, blissful instrumentals, sentimental serenades and other releases from the week

Röyksopp: (Nothing But) Ashes…

Despite stating that their 2014 album, The Inevitable End, would be their final LP, icons of contemporary electronic music Röyksopp (aka Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge) have released rarities and B-sides since then. Now they return with a new track called “(Nothing But) Ashes…” which could possibly tease a new project dubbed Profound Mysteries. The moody two-minute track opens with soft keys before introducing dark strings and then expanding through the warbling synths and twinkling effects that the Norwegian duo has mastered.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra: SB-09

Each year, Unknown Mortal Orchestra releases an instrumental song over the holiday period and the latest, “SB-09,” provides listeners with 19 minutes of laidback, meandering, genre-blending bliss. With Ruban Nielson on guitar and his brother Kody on percussion, the song comprises elements of post-punk, surf-rock, reggae and more with tropical guitar, barking dogs, voices and other effects. On Twitter, Nielson said the shapeshifting track is “dedicated to chance.”

Bats: Golden Spoon

Bats—the solo project of Nashville-based singer-songwriter Jess Awh—recently shared “Golden Spoon,” an easygoing indie track whose endearing instrumentals ease its heavier, grief-laden lyrics. “‘Golden Spoon’ is a song about the grey area between habit and addiction, and what it’s like to love someone who is in that area. More broadly, I think it’s about how to love a person you can no longer completely connect with,” says the artist. These themes, coupled with scenes of the band hanging around in the accompanying music video, make for an approachable, lighthearted song on heartbreak.

KAYA feat. Kuya: Harana x Half Free

Romantic and dreamy, “Harana x Half Free” by Brooklyn-based rapper and poet KAYA comprises two parts. The first half, “Harana,” is an R&B-laced take on the Filipino rural serenade tradition where young men formally meet single lady visitors. Then, the tempo picks up for the hip-hop counterpart, “Half Free,” a term KAYA uses to describe the Filipino diaspora in NYC. This section sees KAYA, along with frequent collaborator Kuya, trading smooth, enchanting verses. Altogether, the music video, filmed in Queens’ Corona Park, mistily encapsulates a celebration of being Filipino American, finding liberation in—and beyond—identity.

Curtis Godino Presents The Midnight Wishers: No Place Like Home

Masterminded by multidisciplinary artist, songwriter and producer Curtis Godino, with lead vocalist Jin Lee, and singers Racheal Herman and Jessica McFarland, the beguiling act Curtis Godino Presents The Midnight Wishers will release their debut album on 11 February via Shimmy-Disc/Joyful Noise Recordings. From the scintillating self-titled LP, which began as Godino’s pandemic pastime, initially recorded on his eight-track tape machine at home, the track “No Place Like Home” lays forth the uncanny, dreamlike sonic aesthetic, complete with glockenspiel and organ. The accompanying hazy music video (filmed by Godino) doubles down on the hypnotic Lynchian vibes.

Sondre Lerche: Turns Out I’m Sentimental After All

Accompanying the announcement of Sondre Lerche’s forthcoming double album, Avatars of Love (out 1 April), the sensational Norwegian singer-songwriter has released two preview tracks, “Cut” and “Turns Out I’m Sentimental After All.” The emotionally engrossing sonic and lyrical environs of the latter immediately swept us away. “‘Turns Out I’m Sentimental After All’ was the last song I wrote before leaving LA right as the pandemic started,” Lerche explains in a statement. “I like the contrast between it and ‘Cut,’ which it follows on the album. ‘Cut’ tries to capture an ephemeral feeling that may not even be real, while ‘Sentimental’ can’t help but fall back into nostalgia.”

Kevin Holliday: Expensive Taste

Following his OMNI EP from last year, Kevin Holliday now releases the bouncy, funk-inflected R&B tune called “Expensive Taste” with an animated video that premiered on Fader. Writing from two perspectives, Holliday provides both sides of the song’s story. With a vibrant bass line, subtle synths and effortless vocals, it’s an infectious bop from the Brooklyn-based artist.

Listen Up is published every Sunday and rounds up the new music we found throughout the week. Hear the year so far on our Spotify channel. Hero image courtesy of Bats