Hasta La Ideas

Two years into the pandemic, we are happy to see live events being held in most parts of the world. We remember in early 2020 when conferences and exhibitions were being canceled left and right due to the threat of coronavirus. We’re glad to know live exhibits and physical events have successfully been staged in the past few months.

There will be more and we hope the pandemic will really be over soon. There are some changes now because of requirements like proper social distancing. We feel that more changes and developments will be introduced in the future as more companies and brands join such exhibits.

Designer: Atelier Alter Architects

One significant change could be the design of booths or pavilions. To make things more sustainable and reduce waste, a team at Atelier Alter Architects has come up with a pavilion design that can be re-used with a different function and moved to a different place. This solution is for the common problem of construction waste after an event is over.

Atelier Alter Architects managed to create a structure that could be easily dissembled and then moved to a different location. The idea is the structure comes with single parts that may be customized according to requirements. The whole system can be used to function as a booth with lounge seats for guests and potential clients.

Officially called the ‘Inverted Sculpture, this exhibit space is ideal for eco-conscious brands that want to reduce waste. Of course, zero waste is a challenge to achieve, but, at least we have more sustainable and greener options as innovations are being introduced. The platform alone can be considered a work of art already. Add the items and products a brand needs to showcase, and you get a visual treat.

The system features widely distributed folded skin made of glass reinforced concrete (GRC) and steel frame. The duo-purposed exhibition pavilion sample here is only 24 sqm. The height of the platform can be set, but we suggest promo materials are placed at seat level. When used outdoors, a cantilevered roof helps block the sunlight.

Atelier Alter Architects is based in Beijing, China, and has already done a few projects. Its designers, engineers, and architects show a different approach to architecture. The company’s works are believed to offer everyone an “objective field to think, feel, and live.” Its goal is to make people embrace their role as observers in the society, responding to the world’s dynamism. Every work by Alter Architects is aimed not to be imitated but to be criticized and really make people think.

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Designed with a vision towards the future yet rooted firmly in tradition, the Goldreed Industrial Design Award is an international design prize driven by globalization, specialization, and market orientation. Based out of Xiongan New Area of China, the award was originally created to discover the future of design, inspire the quality of future living and empower the design of future cities by exploring the Chinese concept of “harmony”.

The award, which is free to participate in, is targeted towards designers, design teams, design studios, companies, universities, and institutes from all countries and creative fields. Entries can either be real products or conceptual in nature, while aligning with the Goldreed Industrial Design Award (GIDA) mission to help lead a better lifestyle, upgrade industries, and balance the city life with nature.

The Goldreed Industrial Design Award is spread across 8 different categories – Manufacturing Equipment, Transportation Means, Home Life, Culture & Creativity, Sports and Healthcare, Public Facilities, Information Processing, and Communication Design. Among the entries, the jury nominates 100 designs for winning the GIDA, of which only a select few win the Good Design Award, the Future Star Award, and the Gold Award, with one sole entry winning the Best of the Best Award. Winners of the awards win a grand total of 4,500,000 RMB ($706,680), with the Best of the Best winner getting 1,000,000 RMB ($157,040) as a cash prize.

Winners are presented with their award at the GIDA Award Ceremony held during the Hebei International Industrial Design Week in September. The award ceremony is attended by media personnel, industry personnel, and even venture capitalists. Aside from the cash prize and trophy/certificate, GIDA winners are also given exclusive opportunities to connect with potential clients, business partners, and the media. Winning designs are additionally displayed at both virtual and physical exhibitions for the duration of the year. Here are a few select winners from the 2021 Goldreed Industrial Design Award!

Click Here to visit the GIDA website and participate for free!

High-privacy Forward Layout Sleeper EMU (Best of the Best)

In order to adapt to the complex operating environment of China’s high-speed railway and the needs of long-distance routing operation, Mr. Huang Junhui and his team pioneered the design of a new type of large capacity and high privacy longitudinal sleeper EMU. This new sleeper holds a capacity of 60 passengers, a 50% increase from the previous 40 passenger capacity. Additionally, it also provides extra comfort, while giving each group of passengers their own private quarters, reminiscent of the pod hotels found in Japan!

Uphold Cup (Good Product Design Award)

Designed on the principles of Origami, the Uphold Cup is a foldable, portable travel cup that goes from tumbler to a flat-packed disc when not in use. The cup’s materials are food-grade, BPA-free, and can carry beverages of up to 100°C in temperature. The Uphold Cup uses polymer Polypropylene (PP) as its body material which is relative stiff, while also providing the ability to fold multiple times (live hinging) without breaking.

Island (Future Star Award)

Island is a conceptual double-decker driverless tram designed for the city of Hong Kong to be used in the post-pandemic era. Island is an exemplary blend of industrial design, transportation design, public design, urban mobility, and sustainability. Using public transport is crucial to keep pollution levels low especially when the virus going around attacks your respiratory system first. Making sure that public transport facilitates social distancing was also given the utmost importance during the design process. “We wanted to reimagine public transport in the post-COVID era from a prevention perspective. Especially in the densely populated city of Hong Kong, where social distancing is hard to achieve.

De-Noising Pillow (Future Star Award)

Designed to work not just as a neck pillow, but also as earmuffs, the De-Noising Pillow is perhaps the ideal travel accessory. It gives you the ability to cushion your neck, while also covering your ears in case you’re in a particularly noisy environment. Moreover, the pillow can merely be rotated to be used as a forehead pillow so you can rest your head on a table. Multiple birds with one stone, eh!

X-ferry Bus (Future Star Award)

This innovative vehicle bridges the gap between ferry-buses and aerobridges. Given that not every airport is large enough to provide a skybridge for all flights, the X-ferry Bus conveniently offers a nifty alternative with its massive hydraulic cabin. The bus looks and functions like a normal ferrying vehicle. It carries passengers from the gate all the way to their flight, but instead of getting them to deboard and climb up the stairs to the plane’s entrance, the X-ferry’s entire passenger cabin lifts upwards, docking into the plane’s entrance! Passengers can climb out of the bus and directly into the plane – a feature that’s convenient for passengers, especially disabled ones, and even more so in bad weather conditions!

Pop-Up Booster (Good Product Design Award)

The Pop-Up Booster is a portable, foldable booster seat that relies on origami folding patterns to become a strong, sturdy seat when opened, and fold down to a flat profile when you’re done using it. The super-strong origami structure is designed to withstand as many as 20,000 impacts of up to 75kg. It’s also designed to securely hold your baby using its 5-band harness, fits most chairs, and is perfect for on-the-go families and hospitality spaces.

AIREADER (Good Concept Design Award)

Although the AIREADER looks a lot like a fancy successor to the Google Glas HUD display, it is, in fact, a wearable for the visually impaired, acting as a pair of eyes for them as they navigate the world. Studies have shown that about 80% of blind people actually retain vision and still respond to light. AIREADER is a future blind reading device based on user experience design and AI algorithm. It uses the remaining light sense of blind people to propose the design concept of “light signal prompt”. A scanner sitting on the front of the device observes the world, relaying it to the wearer using powerful light signals that flash directly into the wearer’s eyes. This allows them to rely on a sense that was once dormant, alleviating the load on other senses like their sense of touch or hearing. With the support of AI algorithms such as text recognition, item recognition, and gesture recognition, it’s possible to give blind people the ability to achieve reading, object recognition, and road signal recognition.

NEOLIX X3 (Gold Award for Best Smart Design)

NEOLIX X3 is the world’s first commercially available unmanned vehicle for commercial use. Equipped with Level-4 autonomy, NEOLIX X3 has the ability to autopilot in all scenarios and at all times, allowing it to meet the needs of different operational scenarios: logistics, distribution, retail, security and sanitation, etc. Aside from being autonomous, capable, and versatile, the NEOLIX X3 can hypothetically work 24×7, thanks to its battery-swap technology that lets you easily swap out an old battery for a new one, reducing down-time during recharging.

Click Here to visit the GIDA website and participate for free!

The post The 2022 Goldreed Industrial Design Award is looking for designs that capture innovation, sustainability, and harmony first appeared on Yanko Design.

Every woman loves some good old ‘me time’. That rare or non-existent hour where we get to relax, unwind and practice some self-care. Engaging in ‘me time’ seems almost impossible these days, but just because we cannot carve out a specified duration for it in our daily routine, doesn’t mean we cannot somehow integrate taking care of ourselves into our lifestyle. It’s very important to take care of our body and to listen to its needs, whether it’s diligently following a skincare routine, putting some extra effort into maintaining the health of your hair, or even taking a look at the general wellbeing of our teeth. And, we’ve curated a collection of product designs to help you do exactly that! From a foldable hair dryer that you can carry almost everywhere to a unique tweezer to painlessly remove ear hair – we’ve curated a collection of innovative designs to help you simplify and improve your everyday grooming process. Enjoy!

1. The Foldable Hair Dryer

This concept design is more compact and portable. The Foldable Hair Dryer is unique because it can be folded into a smaller form. The hairdryer part is cylindrical with the usually interchangeable tip. The handle can be moved to cover the tip and transform it into a smaller unit.

Why is it noteworthy?

The folded form of the hairdryer reminds us of either an umbrella or a water bottle. Of course, it’s more like a bottle with the handle, but others may even say it looks like a Victoria’s Secret perfume bottle, especially with the colors available: Maroon, Green, and Gray.

What we like

• Can be folded into a smaller form
• Easily portable
• Available in a variety of alluring colors

What we dislike

• We’re not sure how quickly it may heat up
• Product material is still unknown

2. The Shower Scrubber

With a dual-sided design that lets you choose between a softer massaging side and an effective exfoliating side, the Shower Scrubber comes from the folks at Casamera, who shook up the industry with their ridiculously comfortable and absorbent bath towels and robes earlier this year. The Shower Scrubber comes with a radical new redesign, sporting a honeycomb pattern on one side, to open your skin pores, and a walnut-shell textured surface on the other side, for scrubbing off dead cells to leave your skin shining.

Why is it noteworthy?

While Konjac sponges aren’t new (the internet’s absolutely littered with them), the Shower Scrubber unlocks its true potential with its design and the various infusions. The large guitar-pick-shaped design comes with a honeycomb texture on one side, inspired by Casamera’s waffle-textured towels. The honeycomb texture helps gently massage and pamper the skin (especially around the face), open the pores, and more importantly, is incredibly effective at building up a lather. The other side, however, is a textural contrast, as the sponge comes with particles of walnut shells suspended within the surface, offering an exfoliating experience that’s great at removing dead skin on your body to reveal shining, supple, radiant skin underneath.

What we like

• Dual sides to meet the different needs of your skin
• Biodegradable

What we dislike

• Not sure how well it would work on sensitive skin

3. Nikken’s Ear Hair Tweezers

Designed to work partly like a pair of tweezers, but also like a tiny epilator that easily grabs and plucks hair, the Nikken Tweezer is so easy to use that you can use it by yourself without any assistance.

Why is it noteworthy?

The unique pair of tweezers work safely, eliminating the need to go to a hairdresser or take a pair of scissors to try and groom yourself on your own. They’re easy to operate and work equally well with ear or nose hairs. Unlike scissors, which are incredibly unsafe when used by yourself, or regular tweezers, which are great at plucking hair that you see, but hard when it’s hair you can’t see, Nikken’s Ear Hair Tweezers sport a key difference. The tweezer’s ends have a tiny spring in between that grabs onto any hair that gets caught in the spring’s spirals, letting you easily grasp multiple small hairs and pull them at once.

What we like

• Lets you easily grasp multiple small hairs and pull them at once
• Nikken’s spring has a square cross-section, allowing it to hold hairs tighter so they don’t slip out of the tweezer’s grip while pulling

What we dislike

• Not sure how well it would work for nose and eyebrow hair

4. The PURE 2-in-1 Electric Oral Care Kit

This Dyson-inspired oral care essential system is promised to have long-lasting durability. It doesn’t just look like something Dyson would introduce in terms of the colors and aesthetics; it also practices the same sustainability principle. It’s an electric toothbrush and water flosser in one.

Why is it noteworthy?

Like any Dyson product, the PURE 2-in-1 Electric Oral Care Kit offers innovation, reliability, and functionality. It is a creative system that saves space and allows more straightforward operation. You can use it either as a toothbrush or a water flosser when you need to deep clean your mouth. Just change the head module if you want to use the water flosser mode. There is a built-in airflow fan that can keep the brush head clean. It also prevents moisture so you can be confident your toothbrush is not contaminated.

What we like

• It comes with a built-in water container for the water flosser
• The brushes and the handles are stored inside to keep your bathroom clutter-free

What we dislike

• It’s still a concept!

5. The Dyson Coralle

The Dyson Coralle hair-straightener features flexing plates that bend according to your hair’s volume. The flexing plates curve around the locks of hair, heating them evenly from all sides while making sure to straighten them without flattening or damaging them. The curved copper plates, an industry first, come with tolerances as low as 65-nanometers (thinner than an individual human hair) and flex around your locks of hair to straighten them without reducing their volume.

Why is it noteworthy?

On the inside, the Coralle comes with a maximum heat setting that’s 40 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than most straighteners. Dyson’s engineers say that with the curved plates that distribute heat evenly, the straightener actually works just as efficiently as regular straighteners, with lesser heat. Moreover, the Coralle’s internal chip performs temperature checks 100 times per second to make sure it performs optimally with no temperature or performance deviations.

What we like

• Designed to be wireless
• Straightens your hair without flattening or damaging them

What we dislike

No complaints!

6. Nike LED Mask

This beauty device was aimed at expanding passion and potential through the CMF (color, material, finish) so the user can get comfortable quickly by identifying with Nike’s existing sporty and refreshing image. The form is smooth and sleek, you almost have an instinct that it will fulfill its purpose and that is what makes a design convincing – the trust through visuals because it is the first impression that leaves a mark, right?

Why is it noteworthy?

The mask has a very futuristic aesthetic and if we are going to wear masks in our new normal world, then we might as well wear one at home for some time if it takes care of our skin and reduces the need to go out. We don’t know what the future holds but I’d rather face it with good health, abs, and glowing skin.

What we like

• An LED mask means no need to touch your face

What we dislike

• It’s still a concept!

7. The Squared Dryer

Unlike its bulbous, bulky ancestor, the entire hair-dryer is slender, foldable, and has the footprint of a small square box. The air blows out as a result in a vertical channel, allowing you to cover a larger part of your hair when held upright. Easy to slide into dresser drawers, or just as easily display proudly on top of the dressing table, the Squared Dryer even comes with a slick snap-on container for wire-management so that that unsightly cord isn’t all over the place. Plus, would you look at that absolutely delicious gradient on the base?!

Why is it noteworthy?

There’s no reason for the hair dryer to look the way it does. Here’s an image of the first-ever hair-dryer by Alexander Godefroy and it’s easy to see that we’ve done little to give it a radical makeover. Well, all that changes with the Squared Dryer by Jiyoun Kim & Junyoung Jang. The new, unapologetically radical, slender hair-dryer is a boon for every dressing table.

What we like

• A slick snap-on container for wire-management
•  Easy to slide into dresser drawers

What we dislike

• Interesting form, but unsure how ergonomic and comfortable it would be to actually operate

8. Air Spa

You know that age-old trend of drying yourself with a towel after a shower? Boring, no? And pretty time-consuming too, if you ask me. I mean it’s 2021, we definitely need a cooler way of drying ourselves. I guess BDCI Design thought the same because they designed ‘Air Spa’…a body dryer! Yes, you read that right. The South Korean design consultancy created a dryer for your body, and defines it as a “refreshing bathroom experience”. The tall vertical appliance blows out air to dry your body after you take a shower.

Why is it noteworthy?

So, where does the spa bit of ‘Air Spa’ come into play? The appliance’s unique form and height support various little holes that blow out air. These ‘air holes’ feature multiple layers, and can be positioned vertically or horizontally, however you prefer. So, you have air blowing at you from different angles and positions, mimicking the experience of a massage or spa. It’s almost like a wind bath if you ask me. And, it could be the ultimate last step in unwinding after a long day at work.

What we like

• Air Spa’s interesting height makes it perfect for users of all ages. The vertical appliance can be used for children and adults alike
• Reduces our laundry load!

What we dislike

• Unsuitable for tiny bathrooms with space constraints

9. Clip

Whichever toothbrush you prefer, replacing frayed bristles comes at a price. It’s costly, wasteful, and inconvenient. That’s why Edo Kim and Yeseul Kim, designers based out of London, designed Clip, a minimal toothbrush with a replaceable head.

Why is it noteworthy?

Citing the high number of materials used to create conventional toothbrushes, Edo and Yeseul made sure to design Clip so that far fewer materials are needed for manufacturing. Made from recycled polypropylene, Clip takes on the traditional shape of manual toothbrushes. Clip’s hollow unibody also remains intact over time and use due to polypropylene’s highly durable, long-lasting makeup. Compared to manual toothbrushes on the market, Edo and Yeseul decided to use far less plastic and nylon, replacing both materials with recycled thermoplastic.

What we like

• Replaceable head
• Made from recycled materials

What we dislike

• There are other similar designs on the market

10. Cleanyst

Cleanyst’s modus operandi is simple. The device costs $99, and Cleanyst ships a variety of pre-mix sachets to the users. The user loads the sachet into the appliance, plugging Cleanyst’s bottle at the base, and loading the machine with your own tap water. Cleanyst’s simple UI guides users through the production process and voila, in a matter of minutes, the bottle is filled with the liquid cleaner of your choice. Cleanyst even lets you add essential oils to the mixture to create special blends, so you can easily make yourself a lemon-scented dish cleaner, or a lavender handwash. Cleanyst’s solvents are natural and plant-based, making them milder and easier on your skin, but just as effective on dirt and grime.

Why is it noteworthy?

Roughly 80% of the shampoo, shower gel, handwash, liquid detergent, dishwashing liquid you buy is just plain water. Imagine paying money to have 80% water and 20% chemicals shipped to you from various parts of the country. Sounds counterproductive, right? Cleanyst tries to hack that system. Practically a Nespresso-esque device for all your household liquids, Cleanyst lets you produce your own shampoos, detergents, handwashes, and conditioners at home.

What we like

• Lets you produce your own personal care items

What we dislike

• We’re not sure how suitable the special blends are for different skin types

The post Products designed to help women simplify + upgrade their daily grooming routine first appeared on Yanko Design.

From 23 to 27 March, Decentraland—the popular blockchain-based, 3D virtual world—hosted the world’s first Metaverse Fashion Week, a showcase expanding the boundaries of fashion in the metaverse. It’s still nascent but we expect continued evolution and development in the space and are monitoring it closely. “The biggest drawback is that the visuals are fairly basic, in part as a compromise to allow the experience to work smoothly on the internet’s present-day infrastructure,” writes Marc Bain, making it difficult to capture details on clothes and present more complex garments. Coupled with the lack of interactive components for the audience, basic visuals made virtual runways less effective. Aspects that did shine were digital wearables (some of which sold out) and the convergence of 2D imagery in 3D worlds, which was evidenced in Auroboros’ immersive space created with Grimes. Overall, this new frontier presented challenges as well opportunities. Check out the feature on Business of Fashion for the full review.

Image courtesy of Marc Bain

The future of an autonomous world may be possible with inventions, innovations, and ideas like this. The GOGO Ride Sharing is a concept that is designed especially for the commuters of Chicago. However, if this becomes a success, it can also be implemented in other states and even countries.

The designer’s idea may be four years old, but it can still be used, especially during this pandemic. This actually reminds us of the Ford Clint Autonomous Vehicle Interior. This time, we see an autonomous ride-sharing service that includes an app and a modular interior for future vehicles.

Designer: Conner Stormer

The system requires users to use and access the Gogo app. Your frequented locations are saved automatically within the app. This allows easier access for faster use during future rides.

Within the GOGO app, you can also view the places of your friends, family, and other contacts. In addition, you can check out new connections by linking with other social networks. The more contacts and connections, the more the app can remember and provide information that you need.

The app lets you customize passenger preferences. For example, riders can control and check who they will be paired up with. Usually, like most ride-sharing apps, Gogo connects riders that travel similar routes. Users can also select to add passengers as potential ride buddies. You can set your profile to private if you want more privacy and security.

The modular interior also allows a more customizable commuting experience. It comes with a monitor table that can hold up to the wall when you don’t need it, allowing riders to sit back and relax simply. The interior system also provides the commuters peace of mind as their stuff is secured and safe.

There are individual rail-mounted seats that slide together. The system creates a shared space for pairs or a group of four. For easier identification of one’s seat, there’s LED lighting in the seat landing on floor panels.

The GOGO Ride Sharing Serving is ideal for a night out with your friends or business meetings on the go. The modular interior allows riders to configure the seats, while the mobile app will enable you to choose if you want to share the ride with another passenger or more. Ridesharing actually has benefits including the freedom to be entertained on your own (play games, surf the web, watch a TV show), meet new people, be productive by preparing for work or catching up on the news, and efficiency. Ridesharing is also good for the environment, your expenses, and traffic.

The post GOGO Ride Sharing System for Chicago lets you choose other passengers first appeared on Yanko Design.