Hasta La Ideas

It’s 2022 and we need to get as eco-friendly as we can! We can no more continue living the way we always have, ignoring the needs of the environment and being insensitive to Mother Earth. Living a more conscious life also includes taking into consideration our energy sources. Curbing fossil fuel consumption has now become a priority, and we have a more positive energy source in mind as an alternative – the Sun! Solar power is taking the world by storm. Designers and architects are coming up with solar-powered products, homes, hotels, offices, and automobiles! Solar energy can be used to power almost every object we use in our day-to-day lives. Hence, we’ve curated a collection of product designs backed up by the sun for you – from a fleet of autonomous sail drones powered by the sun to a backpack with its own solar panel!

1. The Generark HomePower 2

The Generark HomePower 2 is a backup battery for your home that’s cheaper than setting up a generator or shelling $12,000 on a Tesla Powerwall, it’s also classier and less noisy than those gas-powered generators that definitely seem archaic. Recharging the HomePower 2 can happen in multiple ways. The backup battery kit comes with an optional set of solar panels that can be set up anywhere, replenishing your HomePower 2 in hours… or you could just traditionally plug the generator into a socket in your house and juice it up for a rainy day. Once recharged, the HomePower 2 can hold onto all that energy for an entire year, making it much more affordable and easy to maintain in the long run.

2. The ROOTS Solar Scale concept

The ROOTS Solar Scale concept is an attempt to modernize this critical medical equipment without making them too complicated to use or too expensive to maintain. For one, it is completely digital, which removes the risk of getting inaccurate readings over time. It is also solar-powered so that electricity won’t be an issue. The design is also meant to be lightweight and easy to carry around, even on foot, taking the form of a backpack when not in use. The weighing bowl inside creates a safe structure for the infant to lie in, while the stiff hinge prevents the lid from accidentally closing with the child still inside.

3. The Kalk AP

CAKE has been on a quest to develop sustainable electric bikes with its first custom-built electric off-road motorbike introduced in 2018. Then the Swedish marque again surprised motorheads with the funky modular bike dubbed Ösa which could be personalized depending on the specific needs. Now CAKE wants to protect the African wildlife from the impending threat of poachers. They call this new version the Kalk AP (for anti-poaching), and it’s solar-powered for good measure. The clean energy-powered drivetrain means less noise which in turn means minimal disturbance for the native wild animals in their habitat, and also a means not to alert the poachers on the prowl. The bike doesn’t need to be hooked to the electrical grid for a charge, adding to its versatility in operation sans any time delays. This two-wheeler is based on the original Kalk bike that created quite a buzz when CAKE burst into the scene.

4. Thundertruck

Designed by Wolfgang IP, the sharp-looking multi-purpose EV takes on the current automotive design principles to bring superior on and off-road performance to the fore. According to them, Thundertruck is crafted for the outdoor enthusiasts and young crowd who don’t like living within the boundaries and following the herd. The extra edgy truck (so sharp even the Cybertruck seems blunt) is inspired by the Australian Outback and honed by state-of-the-art technology adapting to any terrain and adventure coming it’s way. It goes from 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds flat, boasting its high-performance electric motor capabilities. The advanced driver assistance systems ensure safety on dangerous trails as the scope of driving errors is always there.

5. Elves

For eco-conscious travelers and adventure seekers who want their environmental footprint to be minimal, this collection of mindful camping accessories is the way to go. Made with the idea to give your camping a glamping lift – sans environmental impact, the glamorous camping accessories have a sensory appeal and are all powered by clean energy. Yes, everything from the tripod-style fire pit to the drip coffee brewer and the hanging pendant lights to tableware is powered by the sun. The reimagined camping gear is made in a way that it can charge by the day and emit by night providing you an exciting experience out in the wilderness.

6. The A’seedbot

With an end goal of turning uninhabitable sandy terrain into a lush green landscape, the A’seedbot drives around autonomously through the day, pulling power from the solar panels mounted on its upper surface. With an undeniably strong Wall-E vibe, the A’seedbot’s prime duty is to help cultivate barren land. Operating autonomously and entirely alone (I’m pretty sure Pixar should make a movie on this), the A’seedbot begins its journey every morning, paddling across the sand with its propeller-style feet that push it forward, while the rear end of the robot helps plant seeds into the soft terrain.

7. Saildrone

This fleet of sail drones is comprised of solar and wind-powered USVs that acquire data on climate change and weather conditions through AI technology and over 20 advanced sensors, leaving a minimal carbon footprint while exploring international ocean waters. Amounting to around 1,500 pounds, each sail drone comes equipped with a photovoltaic sail that’s designed to keep each sail drone powered up as it sails right into the eye of a hurricane. All in an effort to understand hurricanes and global weather events, for years Saildrone has been developing the technology necessary to map the ocean floor while measuring water temperature, salinity, and chemical composition. Once programmed for navigation, the said drones can sail autonomously from waypoint to waypoint.

8. CBX Solar

An exquisite carrying option worth every type of off-road vehicle, the durable CBX Solar with trail-ready aesthetics features an integrated solar panel for charging up to two portable devices when you’re off-the-grid. The premium Yakima cargo box with its interesting blend of modern outlook and functionality features 2 USB ports that can help charge anything from portable devices to camping gear with a USB port. For the adventurers keeping track, this solar cargo box boasts an angular finish and stealth-like texture on the outside and on the inside offers 16 cubic feet of cargo space. This space is ample to suck in tents, sleeping bags, camping gear or anything else you have to throw into it. A removable torque limiting knob helps fasten the cargo box to the roof rails securely, while a dual-sided opening makes the box really easy to reach out from either side of your vehicle.

9. The Seeon 180° backpack

The Seeon 180° backpack is easily the most advanced bag I’ve ever seen… and I’ve been writing about innovative bags for 6 years now. The fact that it carries your luggage from point A to point B is an incredibly small part of what the Seeon 180° backpack does, but an incredibly important one too. The bag even has solar panels and a built-in power bank to allow these features to operate, as well as to charge your gadgets… and if that wasn’t enough, the bag has its own light-strip that automatically illuminates in the dark, allowing cyclists and other pedestrians spot and avoid you while you’re walking on the pavement or crossing roads.

10. Drobo

Rather than heading to the pharmacy to get the medicines, this autonomous robot brings home the needed supplies in a safe and secure manner. Even more vital for the elderly or patients who cannot visit the pharmacy due to underlying medical conditions. The robot has a large screen to display the instructions about the medical product that’s being hauled for a smooth and informative process. The USP of this medicine delivery robot is its onboard drone that attaches to the back. When it is time to deliver the medicines, the drone attaches to the delivery compartment courtesy of the rails and flies straight off to the patient’s window for a hassle-free and safe hauling of vital medicines. The drone has solar panels on top to soak up the sun’s power for a flight anytime, anywhere.

The post Top 10 solar-powered product trends of 2022 first appeared on Yanko Design.

Relying heavily on the Vespa (and even SMEG’s) soft, rounded, colorful, fun-loving image, the SMEG Futro is an e-scooter concept that embodies the feeling of driving down to the beach, the park, or the lake for a lazy Sunday. The scooter’s curved form language is a direct inspiration of SMEG’s own design styles and leans heavily into the golden age of Italian automotive design (when companies like Vespa and Lambretta came to be), while its side panels open up to reveal a whole host of picnic items and tiny kitchen appliances, all the way from tiffins and thermoses to even a toaster and wine cooler!

This unique niche approach seems rather interesting, as the SMEG Futro positions itself as the perfect recreational two-wheeler. Meant clearly for lounging, the Futro doesn’t come with a spare tire stored in its side panels… instead, its panels open up to reveal a comprehensive picnic kit. The Futro comes fully equipped with thermoses to store tea and coffee, cups to serve them, tiffin-boxes for food, platters for sandwiches and cheese charcuterie boards, cutlery to dig in, and perhaps two of my favorite features, a literal toaster and wine-cooler! The two electrical appliances run on the Futro’s own detachable battery unit (which can be found right under the seat), giving you a comprehensive picnicking experience that’s sure to have everyone around you feeling jealous!

The overall scooter’s aesthetic feels like a culmination of a few design languages, including SMEG’s own visual aesthetic, combined with the likes of modern-day scooters like Vespa, NIU, and Gogoro. The scooter sports a ring-light on the front, with two indicators below it and the SMEG branding in between. Like the Vespa, the scooter uses a glossy finish complete with chrome accents and leather trims to look like a modern classic. Its dashboard, however, is an entirely modernized touch-sensitive display that lets you access Futro’s laundry list of features, including a navigation dashboard, and even a music player that serves as the perfect accompaniment during your picnic!

The SMEG Futro comes in a deliciously vast range of pastel colors that look incredibly eye-catching from afar. The muted color schemes are a hat-tip to SMEG’s kitchen appliances that sport the same pastel shades to blend into your kitchen’s decor.

Designer: Joon S.

The post This Vespa-inspired SMEG e-scooter is perfectly equipped to carry your picnic items with you first appeared on Yanko Design.

From Grammy-nominated drummer and composer Mark Guiliana’s latest full-length record, Music For Doing (released 28 January), the experimental track “Song for Investigating Consciousness” incorporates the unexpected as it expands and contracts across its more-than-five-minute runtime. For the single, Guiliana is joined by David Binney on sax and Daphne Chen on violin; each lends additional theatrical dimension.

Imagine, after a long day, you walk into your home and pleasing music (you had preset) begins to play. The air purifier kicks in simultaneously to ensure, no matter how much pollution you have inhaled outside, the air at home is clean, fresh, and welcoming. Designed in form of a turntable, AETHER is a concept that makes this possible.

Clean air is important for lungs and blood circulation. In fact, it is important for our well-being. And since the pandemic has pushed us all into the confines of our homes, we are spending approximately 90 percent of our time indoors. Researches prove that the concentration of certain pollutants is often up to five times more than the typical outdoor air. This means the air we breathe at home, in spite of believing it is the freshest, is not clean.

Designer: Hyunbin Yang

A nice air purifier can help improve the air quality indoors, helping you reduce allergens and other pollutants. But a good air purifier needs to be really powerful to do so and pleasing enough to be placed in any room of the house. Combining the goodness of air purification and music with an aesthetically pleasing form factor, designer Hyunbin Yang has conceived the AETHER. This Bluetooth speaker and air purifier in the shape of a modern turntable can be a centerpiece of disguise no matter where you choose to place it at home.

The speaker is controlled remotely by a smartphone or smart device to play any music you like, well before you set foot into the house. So, the time you have can be spent on other tasks, while the mood of the house is already set. The biggest advantage that the AETHER has over the other air purifiers we have seen in our time is the convenience with which the air filters can be swapped. Here changing the filter is as easy as replacing a vinyl on the turntable.

AETHER, like most gadgets these days, features a USB Type-C port for charging and has two speakers one on either side to deliver handsome audio, you’d want to appreciate. In the middle of this turntable is the air purifier display while a push bar on the frame allows you to toggle the air purification strength. Alongside the volume knob, you have a button to turn off the speaker, when you want to. Though there is a lot of work that needs to be done to make it a valuable air purification device we’d want to vouch for, for now, we are simply floored by the portable design, color combination and of course the idea of combining the two things we need to make the home environment cleaner and lighter.

The post Turntable and air purifier merge in one appliance to create a clean ambiance in your home first appeared on Yanko Design.

Milan-based Reveria Studio has renovated the interiors of an elegant villa at a Lake Como hotel to echo the cinematic but welcoming nature of traditional Italian houses.

The studio updated the interiors of Villa della Quercia, which is a standalone villa within the Mandarin Oriental Lake Como resort hotel in Italy.

Reveria Studio completely revamped Villa della Quercia, which contains a living area, kitchen and dining space, one bedroom and a bathroom.

Each room was renovated to reflect the colours and atmosphere of Lake Como as well as the traditional principles of Italian design.

“The project is led by elegance, clean shapes, material consistency and handcrafted design objects,” explained Reveria Studio.

“Italian design is, above all, the foresight to make rooms welcoming and comfortable – making you feel like the protagonist of a scene from a [Federico] Fellini film, and at the same time, a guest in a friend’s house.”

A palette of both deep greens and warmer, more neutral tones defines the villa, while local Cipollino and Emperador Light marble, dark wood and burnished brass feature in the design.

Reveria Studio replaced the living room’s existing gold floor with Italian herringbone parquet flooring, which the firm described as typical of classic Italian villas.

Light-coloured walls have been adorned with a geometric metal structure from which various artwork, mirrors and other decorative elements can be flexibly hung, while wallpaper created with traditional Como silk also features in the interior spaces.

Every work of art that features in Villa della Quercia is the result of a collaboration with Milan contemporary art gallery The Pool NYC. Artists whose pieces are included at the hotel were also invited to experience the resort before creating their work.

“Each area of the villa has its own identity, feeling and texture,” continued Reveria Studio.

Other renovations in the living area include elegant sconce lights and rustic-looking green chaise longues, as well as a retro alcove featuring a petite but decadent drinks cabinet.

The headboard of the villa’s only bed was also upholstered with decorative fabric that contributes to the eclectic atmosphere of the rooms.

Reveria Studio also renovated the outdoor terrace of hotel’s Italian-Japanese L˜ARIA restaurant as part of the project, which involved changes such as dining tables clad in the same local marbles that were used in the villa, and large sun umbrellas that shade guests from the harsh sun.

“The redesign is a balance between intimacy and sociability, Italian and oriental culture, tradition and marine style,” said the studio.

Led by Laura Delfina Sari and Diego Paccagnella, Reveria Studio is an architecture, interior design and styling studio based in Milan.

Other projects at Lake Como include Villa Molli by architect Lorenzo Guzzini – a moraine stone house with an infinity pool that overlooks the water.

The photography is courtesy of Reveria Studio.

The post Reveria Studio revamps villa overlooking Lake Como appeared first on Dezeen.