Hasta La Ideas

Berlin-based consultancy jüngerkühn, founded by industrial designers Konrad Jünger and Verena Kühn, used generative design to create these SKO objects: A handtruck and an S-hook.

“SKO – standing for ‘soft kill option’ – is a method from bionics for improving the load behaviour of structures. With less material SKO optimized objects can obtain greater stiffness, allowing for resource-saving, use of alternative materials and ultimately creating more sustainable products. Via special software the distribution of forces within a component can be classified into high and low stress areas.”

“Basing on such calculations two conceptual designs for a sack barrow and an s-hook were developed. In both cases the goal was to translate the highly complex computer generated geometries into well structured, clear-cut frameworks. While the barrow gained a rather striking silhouette due to its intricately executed bracings and intersections points, the s-hook, that is typically known a a rather simple, two-dimensional shape got an update to make it more robust and elaborate.”

“Due to their ultra lightweight construction, both products can absorb traction as well as compressive force better than their antetype, making them much stable.”

I like both of these a lot better than the paradoxically organic yet unnatural forms generative design often yields.

UK-based Rob Ives spotted this unusual DIY hinge. As he explains:

“It’s lambing time here in the frozen north (Cumbria UK). The farmers are keen that the gates to the fields remain closed. They have a few different mechanisms to close the gates automatically. These range for springs to heavy stones on chains with various levels of polish and complexity. We came across one I hadn’t seen before today and I think I needed to consult with an estate agent or an architect how these were done!”

“The mechanism uses the weight of the steel gate to keep it closed. As the gate is opened the nylon wheel rolls up a slope lifting the gate up on the hinge. Let go of the gate and the wheel rolls down the slope closing the gate. Neat.”

Ives, by the way, is actually a designer of build/make kits for kids. You can check out his stuff here.

Here’s another clever build, for a fence that allows you to step over it (source unknown):

Lastly, one other DIY way to prevent an animal from escaping a fenced-in area:

A stunning flight of fancy and a peek into Lincoln’s budding future, the Model L100 Concept car is unlike anything I’ve seen this year. A wildly crafty electric concept car inspired by the brand’s very first luxury sedan, the 1922 Model L, it is fit for a sci-fi movie debut to be precise. The “100” in the namesake marks the 100th anniversary of the brand, and what a time to debut such an eye-popping creation.

According to Joy Falotico, president, Lincoln; “With the Model L100 Concept, we reimagine what the Lincoln sanctuary can look like for our clients of tomorrow and take a big step toward our next chapter.” And I totally agree, as it’s been deemed a featured marque of the ongoing Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Monterey.

Designer: Lincoln

The door on the autonomous damsel spread like a ladybug’s wings, and describing it already traverses me to a wonderland. Highly tailored for aerodynamic efficiency, this Lincoln concept is made to be larger than life, literally. The integrated headlamps take a U-shape following the circumference of the glass hood and the elongated roofline fuses into the rear. The upper backend of the car lifts entirely along with the doors which creates a never-before-seen luxury space on a concept. And yes, how could I forget to mention the jewel-inspired chess piece controller (for a steering wheel) that according to Lincoln “captures light and depth by redefining the vehicle controls inside the cabin.” Since the four-wheeler will be mostly autonomous, the owner won’t need much of the fancy yoke.

The interiors are as luxurious and future-forward as they could get. There are vegan-free inserts, soft white seats complemented by recycled suede, a digital floor and a canopy projecting animated scenes on the floor and ceiling.  The front row seats flip over to face the rear passengers for a social-centric lounging experience. The maker likes to refer to this one as an opulent “personal sanctuary” cabin.

Model L100 is not just about hypnotic looks on the outside as well as inside, as it comes with a next-generation battery cell and packs technology for advanced electric performance. Although Lincoln doesn’t detail the exact specifications of the electric drivetrain, I assume it’s going to be powerful and energy efficient.

The post Lincoln Model L100 is an opulent EV with huge suicide doors and chess piece control input first appeared on Yanko Design.

One thing that all Apple fanatics are wondering almost all the time is – what will the Apple car look like?! And the curiosity has heightened ever since rumors have been milling around in the air, that it could possibly launch in 2025! This is based on a new report by reliable leakster, Mark Gurman who has inside information on the car’s development.  This electric car is probably the most anticipated automotive design we’ve seen in a while, and it’s been a long time coming. Though we may not know much about it, one thing is for sure – it’s going to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. As we wait for the release of this innovative automotive, here are some of the best Apple Car concepts we’ve come across! These inspirational concepts will have you itching to see the real deal on the road very soon.

1. AI-designed Apple Car

Meet the Apple Car, from the mind of an AI. Designed by Dall-E 2 based on a text prompt from designer, educator, and YouTuber John Mauriello, this Apple Car is fascinating for two prime reasons – the car’s design itself, but more importantly, the underlying AI technology that ended up creating the car. The genesis for this idea came from Marques Brownlee’s own efforts with DALL-E 2. In a YouTube video, Brownlee demonstrated how simply typing the words “Apple Car” resulted in a car that looked like the apple fruit. This became a starting point for Mauriello, who instead, decided to tweak the prompt a little to get more specialized results. Mauriello told the AI to design a “Minimalist Sportscar inspired by a MacBook and a Magic Mouse, built out of aluminum and glass”, while also specifying it to design something in the style of Apple’s former design head, Jony Ive.

2. The Apple One

Meet the Apple One, a sophisticated-looking SUV created in the image of the company behind the iPhone. Peisert’s Concept One embodies all the good aspects of Apple (and a few unsavory ones) into a design that’s meant for the entire family. It’s a luxury car, but it isn’t a sedan. Instead, the Apple One is a one-for-all sort of SUV that accommodates 4 or more people pretty spaciously. Its proportions (and especially that headlight) feel slightly like a cross between the Tesla Cybertruck and the Rivian SUV. The design is mildly angular but doesn’t come with any edgy surfaces or straight lines. Instead, everything curves rather organically… a feature also seen in the continuous curves found on Apple products.

3. The Apple Car AVA

The Apple Car concepts we’ve come across have ranged from practical ones to completely crazy ones. This one lies in the former pool with its well-sough out design. The designer envisions the concept for the year 2026, so it’s not far off the rumored timeline. The AVA concept has the familiar contoured silhouette on the corners, and the streamlined flowing aesthetic associated with the Apple product line-up; especially the current iPhone 13 flagship. The balanced aerodynamic front and rear built of the four-seater sedan look attractive, and highly practical to say the least.

4. Apple Autonomous Concept

This two-seat pod for Apple foresees a future where Apple cars will be self-driving from pillar to post carrying and dropping off passengers and quietly moving back to their defined parking spot like a decent Roomba in the house. This 360-degree movable autonomous car has a door that flings open to reveal a cocoon-like cockpit with two comfortable seats. Since it is designed from Apple’s perspective, it has a nice sheen and a clean finish. The renders suggest the nice reclining structure of the pod will house occupants comfortably whether on the city street or on the expressway.

5. Vanarama’s Apple Car Concept

The concept renderings for this Apple Car are looking a tad inspired by the Cybertruck and Model 3 and are quite detailed as they showcase the Apple Car in all its glory from the exterior as well as the interior. The pillarless design of the glass cover (with the sunroof and windshields) stems from the US10384519B1 patent that revolves around the philosophy of creating a vehicle sans the need to extend the chassis above the doors. The adaptive doors come courtesy of the patent US10384519B1. The interiors are also not left to chance as the large touch display extends across the dashboard thanks to the Patent US20200214148A1 inspiration. Things go even more into the details with an Apple car software with all the controls and information aided by the intelligent driving assistant.

6. The Apple iLine

Called the Apple iLine, it comes in two versions – the Apple iLine and the Apple iLine mini which is smaller than your MacBook. The iLine normal version has a detachable pole that attaches to the footboard when you need to head to the grocery store in a jiffy. The iLine mini only has a footboard and three wheels. The future-proof commuter keeps up with Apple’s design philosophy, as the designer incorporates the Apple button shape on top of the pole to switch On/Off the personal commuter. This button also doubles as the user identification tool, as the user touches the middle of the touch screen controller to authenticate. The liner shape on the front and back has the backlight for nighttime commuting.

7. The Apple iV

The Apple iV (iVehicle, or iVan) minivan would come with a clean, no-nonsense design language best associated with the brand, along with the glowing Apple logo once seen on the company’s MacBooks. Available in the three colors often associated with the brand’s image (white, space gray, jet black), the iV looks large enough to seat well over 4 people, but the presence of only two doors would indicate a seating pattern that’s different from that commonly found in minivans. Look carefully and there’s a green dot beneath the Apple logo on the front as well as the back, possibly indicating the presence of self-driving sensors.

8. Ali Cam’s Apple Car 2076

According to some sources, the Apple Car will not have any driver’s seat or even driving controls which could be a bummer for motorheads who love the feel of controlling their machine. What the Apple Car will look like is anybody’s guess but to give a close idea of what it may be like, Ali Cam’s Apple Car 2076 is a good reference point to take home some inspiration. Adopting Apple’s sharp design aesthetics, the car looks like a mouse shaped like a car at first glance, but then you realize it’s actually a minimal car concept. Loaded with advanced driving systems Ali envisions the blueprint far in the distant future – the year 2076 to be precise. The choice of year apparently is the 100the anniversary of Apple ever since it was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne.

9. iCar

Designer Ashish Gogte’s take on the Apple Car seamlessly integrates into the existing Apple ecosystem – a feature that current Apple users value the most. Ashish likes to call it the iCar, and the vehicle has an upright stance like the Apple Mouse 2. Modularity is at the core of this concept Apple car – wherein the front and the rear wheel assembly is swappable with a different one. Furthermore, the driving assembly has the battery integrated into the design to keep the modularity aspect at the forefront. We can even swap the drivetrain with a more powerful version or any future updated chassis that Apple designs. This brings a practical scalability aspect to the concept car, which is, in a way, intriguing.

10. Honda E x iMac G3

While you might want to dismiss this as the future of the Apple Car, still the design looks interesting if ever there was a low-rung variant of the Apple car like the iPhone 12 Mini. While it might not turn any eyeballs, still it is an interesting take, mashing up the Honda E with the retro iMac G3. It has the G3 split-color design draped in Platinum Pearl White front and a transparent Bondi blue black-end. Sure nostalgia is the dominating emotion here, but pitting it against a Tesla Model 3 won’t be a good idea.

The post Top 10 Apple Car concepts that could hit the road in 2025 first appeared on Yanko Design.

As the brand celebrates 100 years, it aims to redefine luxury travel with its first concept car

For the first time in its 100 year history Lincoln has created an actual concept car. The Model L100 Concept’s debut at Monterey Car Week, just ahead of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Élegance, simultaneously pays homage to the 1922 Model L (which the brand calls its “first luxury vehicle”) while encapsulating its vision for a future mobility experience and design elements to come.

“We were liberated from constraints,” Lincoln’s Design Director Kemal Curic shared at the premiere. “I feel like this vehicle is a supercomputer on wheels.”

Created as an autonomous automobile, the Model L100 Concept features a pair of 16-foot-long doors and clamshell roof as well as a center console “chessboard” and controller. Replacing a traditional steering wheel, the controller (imagine a crystal paperweight in the shape of the car) is moved around the console, a screen surface triple the side of an iPad. Forget floor mats—your feet rest on a larger, digital programmable screen. Recycled suede lines the interior, which can be configured as two rows of seats or a more social, booth-like hub.

“How does this transform our concept of luxury vehicles,” Curic questioned. “It allows us to completely rethink aspects such as entry and exit, controls and interfaces and interaction between passengers.”

Executives and engineers on the Model L100 Concept “allowed us to reimagine, outside the constraints of what is a Lincoln historically, what luxury travel can be,” said Ryan Niemiec, Lincoln’s Interior Design Chief.

Model L100 Concept all but removes the physical act of driving from the vehicle and instead offers up a curated, contained space with the ability to transport passengers. Several feet longer than a Navigator, practical details like parking and storage weren’t addressed (it is a concept vehicle). Charging is as easy as parking over an inductive charging plate.

“It is a both a grand gesture but also a way for us to redefine the way a vehicle expresses itself. Obviously lighting is the new chrome, that’s something we can apply to production vehicles. When we think about interior space, we want to make sure we’re rethinking what are luxury materials. Is used to be rare woods and leathers. Now, consumer preferences are changing.”

Lincoln executives as well as parent brand Ford Motor Co. hope the unveiling produces not only excitement but insight. Consider it a kind of crowdsourcing for the EV/AI age of vehicle production.

“Now that it’s out there, people can come in and say what they like and don’t like, if it feels like Lincoln or not. We can take this [feedback] and it will help us create a next generation of products,” said Anthony Lo, Ford Motor Company’s Chief Design Officer.

While the emphasis around car design has largely and historically been from the outside in, Niemiec and Lo both noted that with Model L100 Concept it was far more of an inside out approach.

“Imagine travel as no longer a burden but a reward. Think about the golden age of flying, when people dressed up. There was something magical. It meant something. And that’s the mindset that we are trying to bring back with this concept—the ability to look forward to every part of the journey. The journey is the reward.”

In addition to marking the marque’s centennial anniversary and encouraging consumer participation, Lo believes that the Model L100 Concept has the potential to inspire both outside the company, and perhaps more importantly, within. “I think it is a product that help the designers and others in the company,” said Lo. “They can say ‘wow, we can do that with a Lincoln.”

Images courtesy of Lincoln