Hasta La Ideas

Designed as a minimalist reinterpretation of the iconic yurt found in the steppes of Central Asia, these futuristic housing solutions are a part of designer Batyrkhan Bayaliev’s Kyrgyzstan 2122 visual project.

Yurts are a common, if not signature motif of the Central Asian landscape, found in countries like Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, and eastern Kazakhstan. The primary housing for nomadic tribes, the yurt or ger is a portable, round tent covered with skins or felt, relatively unchanged even today. Kyrgyzstan-based design Batyrkhan, however, feels like they need a makeover, especially for a future where the nomadic lifestyle may not be too feasible, given the issues posed by climate change.

Designer: Batyrkhan Bayaliev

A rather modern reinterpretation of the traditional yurt, Batyrkhan’s yurts are cuboidal instead of cylindrical and are permanent concrete structures instead of tents. As a hat-tip to the yurt’s iconic design, however, these modern establishments have frosted glass windows in the shape of a yurt, capturing the iconography of the traditional tent. Batyrkhan’s modern yurts are spacious and have two levels for accommodating more people. Designed to be built on much colder ground, the yurts are like modern-day igloos, with no discernible windows or ventilation on the side. This helps maintain a liveable climate inside these houses, protecting the residents from the harsh weather of the cold landscape outside.

These new yurts look as iconic as their original counterparts, and make for rather wonderful colonies when paired together. They have an aesthetic that’s both refreshing and unmistakable, and glow rather wonderfully at night thanks to the internal lighting and the frosted glass windows.

The post These brutalist concrete yurts were designed to adorn the future of Kyrgyzstan’s landscape first appeared on Yanko Design.

Designed to make rescuing human lives efficient, the Fold And Rescue lifeboat flips closed while in storage, thanks to its origami-inspired form.

The inspiration for the Fold And Rescue came from the paper boat itself, showing how inspiration can travel in both directions. Unlike an inflatable lifeboat that poses the danger of deflating or not inflating correctly, the Fold And Rescue is made from a naturally buoyant material, and just needs to be opened to be used. In its folded form, it occupies a third of its original space and can be stacked together. When needed, just open the boat out and you’ve got two seats that can comfortably fit 4-6 people.

Designer: Industrial Design College of LAFA

The Fold And Rescue was designed to address the problem of insufficient number of lifeboats in the ship’s stockpile. It comes with a self-locking mechanism built into the benches, so the boat never accidentally closes shut when open. Each boat is made from a naturally buoyant material, and comes with a flat base that keeps the boat from tipping over by accident. The Fold And Rescue is also equipped with an oar on each side, making navigating to safety easier.

The Fold And Rescue is a winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2022.

The post Origami lifeboat can be flat-packed while storing, and opened on command first appeared on Yanko Design.

Benches are common in public spaces like playgrounds, airports, and malls. They are a convenient place to sit while waiting for someone or rest after walking. Benches also serve a decorative purpose, adding a style to the surroundings or a room. They come in different types like a garden bench, indoor bench, storage bench, or planter bench. We have seen a lot of well-designed pieces and have a few favorites like those minimalist yet elegant and come with designs that will make you think. The Arch Bench here is an ideal example of that.

Designer: Shinya Oguchi

Benches are ubiquitous like chairs, but they can be more useful as they can sit more than three people. Industrial designer Shinya Oguchi revisited “what makes a bench a bench”. He experimented on different widths of the bench, using paper mock-ups. He found a solution for a new structure for a bench that would also look beautiful like a sculpture: the arch shape. This then resulted in a new furniture concept called The Arch Bench.

The Arch Bench’s design seems impossible to ordinary eyes, but making this a sturdy item is the arch structure. Arches generally work by transferring and distributing the weight through the arch to a supporting foundation. As a result, they can support mass placed on top of them. Used in this conceptual piece, the structural strength of the arches has allowed the bench to carry a heavy load and offer more support to the seat.

From afar, The Arch Bench appears like an arcade with two arches in the middle and one half-arch on each side. The converged points below serve as the legs, giving more support to the structure. There are a total of five divided parts screwed by short bolts, firmly holding the bench together.

So the bench can carry the load of three persons, but is it comfortable enough to use? It probably is because of the gentle curves on the seat compared to those with flat seats. According to the designer, the seats are curved in response to the arch structure, inviting people to rest and sit on the bench, even for a while.

The Arch Bench is a minimalist piece of furniture with thin lines and a lightweight appearance. It uses a very thin sheet of metal known for its lightness and durability. The metal sheet is cut and curved to produce the ranged arch structures. The bench comes with a white matte finish that looks like a sheet of paper.

The Arch Bench is one beautiful sculpture-like piece of furniture that takes advantage of the arch shape and a super thin but strong medium. Its minimalist design shows that balance and proportion in furniture design are essential. Everyday items with a streamlined style like this bench give a sense of calm, order, and strength in this stressful world.

The post The Arch Bench demonstrates how ranged arch structures work and carry a heavy load first appeared on Yanko Design.

Air New Zealand unveiled their plans for the future of flying which include Skynest sleep pods. These lie-flat options for travelers in economy are structured as “six single bunks split over three levels, complete with privacy curtains.” Passengers can book them to sleep mid-flight, along with a “pillow, sheets, blanket and ear plugs, as well as lighting designed to be suitable for sleeping.” They will be available for four hours at a time. There will also be snack stations, a business-class suite with a sliding door, new fabrics and color schemes drawn from the hues of the tūī—a bird native to New Zealand. The changes are mostly driven by the fact that many destinations outside the country are a good 10+ hours away. The company’s CEO Greg Foran says, “New Zealand’s location puts us in a unique position to lead on the ultra-long-haul travel experience. We have zeroed in on sleep, comfort and wellness because we know how important it is for our customers to arrive well-rested. Whether they are heading straight into a meeting, or to their first holiday hotspot—they want to hit the ground running.” Read more about the amenities, rolling out in 2024, at Stuff.

Image courtesy of Air New Zealand

The world of freelancing full-time offers many perks to those who want to work for themselves: it’s flexible, fulfilling, and sometimes more profitable than if one had a traditional salary. For those dodging a traditional 9-to-5 job, it may seem like an ideal option. However, it also comes with the great responsibility of being fully in charge of one’s money. It includes keeping track of invoices, finding new clients, and making sure deadlines are hit. Most importantly, a full-time freelancer must be cognizant of their money flow and getting paid what they deserve.  

Here are four money tips for freelancers to keep in mind.

1. Don’t accept low-paying (or no paying) work

Seasoned freelancers who have a strong portfolio may not encounter this as much as those who are just getting started freelancing. Either way, it’s crucial to remember your worth—and even if you’re just getting your feet wet in the freelancing world, it doesn’t mean you have to accept low-paying (or no paying) work. Always accept jobs at your rate.

There are countless tools online to help freelancers see what rate is appropriate to set. Apps like Wave can help one price their work and make the money they deserve.

2. Look at competition

Which freelancers do you follow? More importantly, whom would you consider your competition in your freelancing field?

Take a closer look at your competitors and the rates they charge to gain a better sense of what you should (or could) be charging. Looking at your competition is also a great way to gain inspiration and stay on top of current trends in your field and will help you earn more money as a freelancer.

3. Negotiate your rate

Rates aren’t always set in stone. Once your editor tells you how much they offer for a piece, always try to negotiate for more. Remember: negotiating is part of freelancing. Here are some further tips for negotiating.

4. Stay organized

Organization is key for freelancers. Not only do you have to organize pitches and stay on top of deadlines, but you also need to make sure you’re submitting invoices and getting paid on time. A way to ensure this happens is by being as organized as you can—and thinking one step ahead when it comes to all of these moving components.