Samsung hasn’t changed its smartphone design architecture since 2015, and Apple its one major competitor has broken the jinx by designing the iPhone 14 from the inside out as one of the biggest updates in half a decade. At the announcement event, Apple did hint about iPhone 14’s repairability ease but nothing like they could have, and that’s a surprise. They should have made it their pivotal agenda alongside the Dynamic Island interface exploits to gain more traction.
Just like it is with iFixit, now’s the time for Apple’s new cherry to get the undressing treatment to reveal fresh new details. Earlier in the year, Apple launched the Self Service Repair Program for the iPhone SE, 12 and 13 models. The initiative has genuine Apple parts and tools for DIY’ers who want to shred apart their Apple devices. Now, with the iPhone 14, Apple has made things a whole lot easier.
The inside of the iPhone has been revamped as compared to the predecessor just to make it ultra-easy for repair tasks. The removable back and front glass are something to behold, as Apple has mounted all the internals on a new midframe. That means you’ll not have to shell out tons of money if you break the glass. Earlier it was $500 upwards but with this redesign the number will drastically reduce to $169 – $199 for a cracked screen iPhone 14 or 14 plus models.
According to iFixit, Apple has refreshed its approach to the design with just one thing in mind – to make it easier for repairs if something goes south. The adhesive on the back is less aggressive and a couple of screws open up the access to the front as well as back. The teardown also reveals the amount of space on the inside to fit the plethora of antennas, camera sensors and Qualcomm X65 modem. Overall, the smartphone scores an impressive 7 out of 10 repairability score which is a rarity for an Apple device.
iFixit is also working on the iPhone 14 Pro Max teardown and I’m excited to know what’s under the hood of that big boy. One thing is for sure, it’ll have nearly about the same repairability score!
A retreat designed to look so beautiful, it’ll instantly melt your stress away.
Designed by Thilina Liyanage, this Yoga & Wellness Retreat concept takes the shape of a peacock mid-dance, with its plumage spread out in a large fan, creating a shelter underneath. Liyanage’s style has heavily leaned on nature-inspired architecture, with the use of natural materials like wood and bamboo. The Yoga & Wellness Retreat is no different, with a design so instantly iconic, you’d recognize it from a mile away!
Designer: Thilina Liyanage
Designed to be instantly eye-catching, the massive peacock-inspired yoga center hovers above the ground, making it visible from a distance. The structure is made primarily of bent bamboo, with fabric draped over parts of it to help cut sunlight during harsh sunny days. The retreat’s most impressive feature, however, is the presence of lights on all of the peacock’s tail feathers. These light up at night to create a light show that simply sparks childlike joy!
The dome-shaped space uses a ‘tesselation’ of three peacocks, creating three points of entry for the yoga center. Located amidst a forest with a water-body on one end, the retreat is as idyllic as it can get, and just spending a couple of days there is guaranteed to melt your stress away! The circular space can be used for yoga, meditation, tai chi, among other activities that help rehabilitate people mentally and physically.
Simmering with rave party energy, the new drum-heavy Floating Points track “Problems” borrows elements from UK garage to create an absolute banger. The video, directed by frequent collaborators Hamill Industries, features dancers within lights that created using vector rescanning. “‘Problems’ is meant to agitate every single room that its ecstatic sound waves reach,” Hamill Industries says in a statement. “We wanted to celebrate it with movement and dance and reshape it through sound, by using techniques that allow the signification of images. We have used lasers that spin and move with the music, making visible their sinuous shapes. It was important that this video shaped the electrical feeling you get when being on a dance-floor, the urge of dancing when sound waves reach your ears.”
Meet the Tetris Bookcase, a piece of furniture that really needs no further elaboration! Designed to combine furniture and fun (or what I like calling fun-iture), the Tetris Bookcase comes with multiple brick-inspired modules that stack into a larger empty cabinet. Inspired by the iconic brick-stacking game, the bookcase’s individual modules fit snugly into a larger cabinet based on any orientation you want, or can even be used as independent shelves placed anywhere in your interior space. Who knew decorating your space could literally be a game?!
Designer: Fujun Wang
The Tetris Bookcase has an unusual approach to DIY that seems less instructional and more fun. You literally build the shelf out as if you’re playing a massive game of tetris, and if you mess up? Well, that’s just an excuse to play some more!
The bookcase is made of aluminum alloy, offering strength while being lightweight. Each individual module is powder-coated to give it its vibrant color, while making it resistant to damage and corrosion.
The Tetris Bookcase is a winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2022.
The computer mouse today may look a bit different compared to its first incarnation, but the fundamental design of this important input device hasn’t exactly changed over the decades. That, unfortunately, also means that the problems associated with this old design haven’t really disappeared either, especially those that cause physical injury over time. There has been a great deal of interest lately in redesigning the mouse to be more ergonomic, but not everyone agrees that changing the shape is enough. This design concept, for example, takes a very different approach to resolving the problem of repetitive strain injury or RSI, mostly by shifting the movement away from the arm and wrists and giving your upper body a workout instead.
Designer: Simon Hochleitner
The computer mouse and even the computer keyboard are very unnatural interfaces as far as our bodies are concerned. Especially with the mouse, the hand and the arm it’s attached to are forced into an unnatural position, whether it is in motion or at rest. The movements associated with prolonged and repeated use of the mouse eventually lead to what is sometimes called “mouse arm,” as well as the injuries that come with it. You might think that your arm is getting some exercise, but it’s really the wrong kind of movement and resting position that actually causes those injuries.
Ergonomic mice can only do so much since it simply shifts the tension and strain to other parts of the hand and arm. Orthopedists and physiotherapists might have a different idea on how to solve this problem, and it unsurprisingly involves using correct movements and posture. What may come as a surprise, however, is how this can be done by simply changing the way we use the mouse.
James Dyson Award national winner Orbit redesigns the mouse not by changing its shape but by changing the way we move it across a flat surface. Instead of simply sliding over a mouse pad, Orbit has three resistance bands that hold the “mouse” in the center. To move the mouse, you have to exert a bit of effort to counter the resistance, which, in turn, shifts the force to other muscle groups, particularly the ones responsible for posture. With this system, the body is forced not to slouch and use those upper body muscles instead of relying on wrist and forearm muscles to move the mouse.
Orbit actually does change the design of the mouse by turning it into a joystick. Unlike a typical joystick, however, you still have to move it across the surface, much like a mouse. The only difference is that the joystick shape keeps the arm in a more natural position to reduce stress. The touch-sensitive ring on top acts as a mouse wheel so that you don’t have to change your hand’s position or stop the movement just to use it. There is also a “flat” version that more closely resembles a traditional mouse that’s designed for gamers.
Whether it’s changing the shape of the mouse or adding some resistance, it’s encouraging to see designers challenging the status quo when it comes to this input device. It might still take some time before the industry embraces these ideas, but increasing awareness about the problems with computer mice is an important first step in changing people’s perceptions.
Danish studio Henning Larsen Architects, local studio KPMB and landscape architecture studio SLA are set to convert an airstrip outside of Toronto into a residential district.
Downsview Airfield, 15 kilometres northwest of Toronto, will be turned into a residential and commercial district with strong transport connections to the city.
The development will be arranged around the two-kilometre-long runway, which will be turned into a “pedestrian corridor” that links the communities built within the 520-acre site.
Ten districts housing around 80,000 people in mostly single-family residences will be spread out on the perimeter of the pedestrian corridor within 40 hectares of parks for new residents as well as locals in the surrounding neighbourhoods.
The Framework Plan will convert Downsview Airfield into a residential and transit hub
More than one million square metres of commercial space will be added to the site. The plan recommends that historic buildings such as an airport hangar be repurposed.
The three core studios interacted with over 3,000 people in their development of the master plan to ascertain what locals would like to see in a new development. Construction of the district will take place over the next 30 years.
The plan outlines the greenspace and redevelopment of the railroad along with the implementation of the districts, but the official number of buildings on the site has yet to be approved by the city.
The airfield will be turned into green space connecting the communities with the environment
“It’s like the world’s largest infill project you can possibly imagine,” said KPMB principal Kevin Bridgman.
Situated at the confluence of two ravines, the community will connect to an adjacent park as well as the city’s transit system, allowing future residents to commute easily into the city.
Construction and designs will be filled in over the next 30 years
Having the park built along the runway allows for flexibility as the district’s plan evolves, according to the studios.
“You start with water and parks and biodiversity,” said Bridgman.
“You don’t start with blocks and buildings, you start with what matters to people and what is going to be there much longer than the buildings and the people.”
The planners envision mid-rise buildings filling the site
Henning Larsen Architects principal Michael Sorenson said that this approach allowed the planners to create density without using high rises. Three train stations already exist on the perimeter of the site.
Sorensen named Paris and Barcelona as examples of cities with high densities that do not have large numbers of high-rise buildings.
“We haven’t invented anything new,” he said. “We’ve just taken kind of the best of all worlds, and now put them together into a new framework.”
“So this is almost quite the opposite of suburbanization,” he added.
Thousands of locals were asked to give input into the masterplan
Using the 15-minute city model, the plan allows for a connected community that anticipates a car-free future.
“That’s the next level of district planning that really supports this overall approach to planning and there, you will really start to see you know how the streetscape start to develop, how the files are structured and how the abilities start to them and how they importantly, interact and kind of stitch everything together,” said Sorenson
Three transit stations will connect the site to downtown Toronto
Bridgman, who is familiar with the strict building codes in Toronto, said that the orientation of the airfield will make for a more ideal living environment.
The airfield, which is oriented with the wind, allows for a reconsidered grid that shapes the plazas and lots in a way that can “really harness the sun”.
The studios agree that the multi-generational aspects of the project will allow for flexibility in design as trends change.
“It’s gonna be exciting to see how with future generations this will grow organically as a place of design experimentation,” said Bridgman.
The site will use the angle of the airfield to better reap the benefits of the sun and wind
The framework plan follows a series of other massive city planning initiatives that seek to create new communities on unused lands. This year, the Saudi Arabian government revealed the designs for The Line – a 500-kilometre-long linear city meant to house nine million people.
Recently, an influx of developments designed by international firms have been announced in Toronto. Adjaye Associates, Alison Brooks Architects and Henning Larsen are set to contribute buildings to a sustainable development along the city’s waterfront.
Lamps come not just in many forms but also in different intensities and with different purposes. Some lamps are made to shine brightly in order to provide sufficient illumination, while others have a softer glow in order to set the ambiance of a room. Most of the time, these different functions are performed by different lamps, mostly because it’s difficult for the same design to serve the same purpose. Sure, you may be able to control the light’s intensity, but its direction and diffusion are entirely different things. This lamp concept, however, tries to prove that such a thing is possible, and it looks a bit to the heavens to find inspiration.
A lamp that can provide both bright directed light and soft diffused illumination is going to be a winner for many people. Such a lamp would naturally save space and money, performing two functions in the space of one. It’s harder to pull off, though, given the different purposes they serve and the different requirements. It’s not impossible, though, especially with some creative and unconventional thinking, taking inspiration from unlikely sources.
As its name suggests, Orbis takes inspiration from the orbit of heavenly bodies, specifically that of the moon around the Earth. The cylindrical lamp holds a bulb standing as a pillar in the middle. A slider on top lets you direct where the bright light shines and whether it occludes part of the light or not. This is almost similar to how the moon travels across the night sky or how its different phases only show part or all of its face.
The moon’s light is also less harsh than the sun’s, and the Orbis lamp also provides that kind of lighting. A button at the top activates a ring of light on top, which has a softer glow and is perfect for a night or mood lamp. This way, a single lamp can provide two kinds of light for your room, letting you choose what to use for which purpose. Perhaps you want a more directed and brighter light while reading before bed and then switching to a gentler light when you finally want to sleep.
If not for the cord that gives power to this lamp, Orbis could be placed almost anywhere, whether on a desk or beside your bed. As far as structure goes, it isn’t exactly revolutionary, but its unusual design and mechanism successfully turn it into an interesting piece of decoration and lighting in any room.
NASA’s Apollo mission photographs have been widely circulated for decades, but now remastered versions of the images have been revealed. They appear in a new book called Apollo Remastered, which is filled with photographs from the archive, immaculately restored by Andy Saunders. It’s quite remarkable, when considering the sharpness of the original images, which—Tim Peake, an astronaut who introduces the book, says—is what sparked conspiracy theories in the first place. “Because of the lack of atmospheric haze, the clarity with which you can see in space is incredible. You can see very far and it makes judging distances hard,” he writes. “There’s no haze, no dust. Because of that there’s no scattering of light, so the shadow is crisp and sharp. This is what triggered so many conspiracy theories. People thought: ‘That’s the light you get in a studio.’ And they’re right, but you don’t get that outdoors on Earth. For me, that’s what’s so authentic about these pictures. I think: ‘This is what I relate to. This is space.’” Take a look at the stunning pictures, and read more from the book, at The Guardian.
Pale-grey brick clads this compact residence with a courtyard on the outskirts of Montreal designed by local architectural studio Dupont Blouin.
MI-2 Residence is located in Laval, a suburban island north of Montreal, separated from the city by the Prairies River. Although it is now a part of Greater Montreal, the island initially developed as a vacation getaway from the city.
Dupont Blouin designed a residence in Laval, Quebec
“Modest in size, this bungalow-style house is inspired by the vernacular of Laval architecture at a time when the island served as a vacation spot,” said Dupont Blouin, a firm led by architects Marie-Josée Dupont and Olivier Blouin.
The low-slung home was completed in March 2022 and encompasses 1,850 square feet (265 square metres). It is one of three brick homes that make a “triptych” completed in the vicinity by the studio.
The home reverences the style of old vacation homes on the island
The building is topped by a gently sloping roof and is close to homes on either side.
“To compensate for the unattractive nature of the land and lack of privacy, [we] were able to compose an enveloping and peaceful architecture,” said the studio.
The entry is finished with terrazzo flooring
A small alcove on the front of the building marks the entrance, providing an area protected from the heavy winter snow.
There is a small mudroom immediately off the entrance, which the architects finished in a colourful terrazzo on the walls and floors. This landing, which also leads to the garage, is a few steps lower than the rest of the home.
White oak flooring was used throughout the home
A few steps up, the kitchen and dining room have a much more minimal palette.
“White oak floors, white walls and light grey ceramic tiles dress the residence with simplicity and minimalism for bright and comfortable interiors,” said Dupont Blouin.
On the south side of the home, the architects carved out a small courtyard, which is visually screened from the street by a patterned brick wall.
The centre of the home has a courtyard
Three large sliding glass doors around the courtyard help to bring more light to the centre of the home without jeopardizing privacy.
“The interior courtyard is born from the void created between the front façade and the living room,” explained Dupont Blouin.
“The courtyard allows for outdoor enjoyment in complete privacy,” the studio added.
The courtyard is connected to the home with sliding glass doors
This feature also helps brighten the living room, which occupies the centre of the plan and is near the kitchen, without having a fully open layout.
“To avoid wasting space for a hallway, the living rooms overlap and naturally create a circulation axis to the bedrooms,” the architecture studio explained.
The home’s two bedrooms are located at the west end of the home.
The larger of the two rooms enjoys its own ensuite, while the smaller one shares a bathroom with the rest of the home.
The home has two bedrooms
Dupont Blouin also included a home office, which faces the courtyard on the South side of the home. According to the architects, this space gets the best morning sunlight.
Depending on which part of the world you live in, elderly or senior citizens living on their own may either be an uncommon occurrence or a growing problem. If you live somewhere where the latter is becoming more prevalent, you may also see several products that are now trying to solve the problem of alienation and loneliness that comes from older people living alone. There are of course the usual gadgets like smartphones and tablets but there may be some limitations to those for the elderly.
Designer: YoungEun Ahn
The Puppimily is a touch screen speaker that uses Artificial Intelligence to help out those who may have some visual and aural difficulties because of their age. But it’s more important purpose is to help the elderly deal with the psychological issues of living alone by connecting them with loved ones through the device. The design of the speaker is that of a puppy as both the word and the animal itself evokes a certain comfort and warmth with the name itself a mix of puppy and family.
The main colors of the device are black and white with the colors coming into the display and representing the different interactions that the user may have. There is also a character that can help express the different emotions from the user. LED lights and the movements of the speakers’ ears may be used to indicate certain emotions or indicators like yellow for notifications, blue to indicate that they are listening, etc. The monitor can move 360 degrees from left to right and 60 degrees from top to bottom.
The icons shown in the display are intuitive and easy to understand and there are no more than five icons at a time to avoid confusion. There are also very few buttons to make it more user-friendly for the elderly. There are only three in the body: up, down, and the power button. The device uses intuitive visuals, text using voice recognition, voice recording, and other AI-powered functions that will help lessen the burden of being on screens too much. But on times when you need to do video calls, you can do so on a wide screen with other intuitive elements added.
I don’t know if we really do need another gadget to add to the one million ones in the market but this concept does have a different market in mind. The smallish screen based on the renders may be a deterrent to elderly people’s use since they prefer to have a bigger screen so maybe if it does become an actual product, this is something they can improve on.
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