Hasta La Ideas

Architecture studios Grimshaw, HWKN, WHY and Farshid Moussavi have partnered with metaverse company Pax.world to create a series of virtual hubs informed by the ancient Silk Road.

Each architecture studio designed a metaserai – a concept referring to caravanserai, which were roadside inns on the Silk Road – where users of the metaverse can trade, attend cultural events, and network.

Pax. world founder Frank Fitzgerald began to create spaces in the metaverse during lockdown when he became frustrated with doing business and socialising via teleconferencing.

He launched Pax.world, which claims to be the world’s first true virtual society, this month. The platform lets users host events includings concerts, trade shows, lectures, parties and festivals in the virtual Metaserai buildings.

The Metaserai designed by Grimshaw has a rectangular shape and floats above its location with visitors entering the space through spherical gates.

Once inside, their interaction with other users generates a flow of data up through the suspended structure. These interactions create other, bespoke spaces, forming what the studio calls “shape-shifting” architecture, which were generated by a kit of parts based on various human interactions.

“Experimentation with design, technology and materials is an inherent part of Grimshaw’s history and legacy, enabling us to transform the experience and outcomes of our built environment,” said Grimshaw partner Keith Brewis.

“Engaging with the metaverse as it matures, and working with Pax.world, we are also experiencing the empowering nature of the digital world: Grimshaw’s metaserai acting as a place where users can create rather than consent to their own environments.”

HWKN‘s created a metaserai named Paxton with a multi-level hexagonal form. Located in the desert, it includes a giant amphitheatre for concerts, wallless galleries for art, meeting rooms that open to the sky, and a rooftop garden with exercise facilities.

“Paxton is a world you choose to enter in order to explore, change, and grow,” said Matthias Hollwich, principal and founder of New York architecture firm.

Farshid Moussavi Architecture‘s metaserai features event spaces arranged around three large circular courtyards, with open views to communal halls. The exterior of the virtual building is mirror-clad, reflecting the surrounding scenery.

WHY designed an interactive blooming garden for its metaserai. Visitors are welcomed into an open plaza with a tree at its centre that grows outside of the roof through a central void.

Curated art galleries, waterfalls, “painted” timber and stone are featured in the space, while floating islands with pools are surrounding the main structure.

“Our spaces are intended to be a place where people can be and become the most illuminating and imaginative version of themselves,” said WHY buildings director Andrija Stojic.

“They visit not only to encounter new worlds, but to immerse themselves in community and collaborate with like-inspired peers,” he added.

According to Fitzgerald, Pax.world is a fully functioning virtual society governed by DAO (Decentralised Autonomous Organisation) and with an economy built on its $PAXW token.

“Pax.world is the metaverse for grown-ups and as well as creating functionality and governance that will allow people to trade, network and experience culture as never before on a virtual platform,” he said.

Pax.world is partnering with a series of non-profit organisations and NGOs to develop solutions to issues such as sustainability, democracy, diversity and privacy in the metaverse. Pax.world is now open to landowners and will launch to the public in early 2023.

Large numbers architects and artists are invited to create mind-bending structures in the metaverse. In July this year, metaverse community The Row has launched with 30 virtual properties created by artists including Daniel Arsham, Misha Kahn, and design studio Six N Five.

Photography is courtesy of Pax.world. 

The post Grimshaw and Farshid Moussavi create metaverse social spaces appeared first on Dezeen.

Architecture office OHLAB has renovated a historical apartment building in Palma de Mallorca introducing contemporary elements including a meandering wooden walkway that contrast with the original features.

Can Santacilia is a 3,300-square-metre residential development containing 15 apartments and common areas distributed across two adjoining buildings in the heart of Palma de Mallorca’s old town.

Parts of the existing building appear to date back as far as the 12th or 13th century, although the main building as it stands was erected in the 17th century and was subsequently modified in the 18th and 20th centuries.

Local architecture and design office OHLAB was tasked with overseeing a modernisation project involving repairs to the existing structure, as well as the sensitive restoration of key original features including the main central courtyard.

“The building was abandoned and in a really bad shape with some parts about to collapse, while the best parts did not meet the most basic living conditions,” OHLAB directors Paloma Hernaiz and Jaime Oliver told Dezeen.

A carefully conducted restoration process placed emphasis on maintaining the historical integrity of the building whilst adapting it to meet the needs of its new occupants.

“We had to do a thorough and intensive renovation of the whole building,” the OHLAB architects explained.

“The distribution was changed and reorganised, new partition walls and layouts were added to accommodate the housing proposal and new installations were required to adapt the apartments to contemporary comfort and energy-efficient standards.”

The project preserves the original features that make the building unique, such as the wrought-iron balustrades, stone columns, traditional courtyard and a wooden coffered ceiling that was uncovered during the restoration.

The courtyard was enclosed in the 20th century, with blank walls used to conceal a parking area. Based on other traditional buildings in the city, the architecture studio restored this space to how it might have looked in the early Baroque period.

The courtyard’s typical staircase and porched gallery were retained and two arched openings were added – one alongside a new indoor pool and the other in front of the entrance, supported by a pair of ionic columns.

Internally, the common areas of the two buildings are connected by a wooden walkway that mitigates a height difference of approximately 90 centimetres.

The studio said the walkway was designed to take users on a journey, “as if discovering an archaeological ruin”, leading them past some of the building’s key historic features, including a fireplace, a stone arch, a tiled floor and ornate plaster mouldings on the ceiling.

Architectural interventions were implemented using a material palette that clearly separates them from the existing structure. The walkway was made from light oak that was also used for other circulation areas including a staircase and the lift interiors.

“We added pieces that are always clearly new and contemporary,” explained Hernaiz and Oliver, “with shapes and materials that in no case want to imitate or hide the ancient ones.”

The contrast between old and new is also evident in the apartments, some of which feature modern mirrored volumes used to partition the existing spaces whilst maintaining their overall proportions.

The mirrored boxes never reach all the way to the ceilings, ensuring the original wood-beam construction or decorative mouldings remain visible and uninterrupted.

“The mirror box disappears in its reflection, giving back the space stolen by its presence and returning a complete image of the room,” the OHLAB architects added.

“Only when you get closer, do you realise it’s a contemporary partition that lets you enter into another space, made of stone.”

One of the most surprising discoveries made while stripping back the dilapidated interiors was an ornate medieval ceiling made from painted wooden beams and coffers, supported by a central stone pillar.

OHLAB claimed that this find prompted the redesign of 40 per cent of the total project, including six of the 15 apartments, in order to persevere the integrity of the coffered ceiling and incorporate it into one of the living spaces.

The palette used throughout the public and private spaces favours natural, local materials chosen to emphasise the building’s history and Mediterranean character.

Stone and timber structural elements was combined with plaster and wood mouldings, mortar and lime coatings and floors in ceramic and wood finishes.

High-quality fixtures and details in local stone, bronze, porcelain and textiles including local linen and cotton enhance the premium feel across the interior spaces.

Hernaiz and Oliver originally founded OHLAB in Shanghai in 2007 before moving to Madrid and eventually settling in Palma de Mallorca, where they head up a team of 18 architects, interior designers and engineers.

OHLAB’s previous projects include an apartment block in Palma de Mallorca covered with thin wooden slats that shade the interiors, and a standalone villa at a hotel on the island with a window designed to frame a panoramic view of the landscape.

The photography is by José Hevia. 

The post OHLAB celebrates historical details at Can Santacilia apartments in Palma de Mallorca appeared first on Dezeen.

Given their marketing strength, you’d think that Samsung and maybe Huawei are the only ones doing foldable phones, with a bit of Motorola on the side. Of course, there are now a few more players in that arena, especially when you turn your attention toward the East. It’s a relatively nascent market compared to the larger smartphone industry, which means there’s plenty of room for improvement but also plenty of temptations to just go with the flow. There are still plenty of unanswered questions regarding foldable phones’ design, from the reliability of its hinge to the very purpose of their existence, but those doubts never stopped companies from attempting to innovate and search for answers. OPPO, for one, seems to have done quite a lot of work for its second-gen “horizontal” foldable, so we take the OPPO Find N2 in our hands to check how much has improved and how much has remained unchanged.

Designer: OPPO

Aesthetics

It’s almost too easy to think that once you have seen one foldable phone, you’ve already seen them all. After all, there are only so many ways you can fold a device, given the limitations of today’s technologies. Right from the start, however, the OPPO Find N bucked the trend to show that there is a slightly different way to design a large, horizontal foldable phone, and the Find N2 iterates over that design almost to perfection.

Unlike all the rest from Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, and Vivo, the OPPO Find N2 maintains the more familiar aspect ratios and shapes of phones and tablets. When folded closed, the “phone” isn’t an awkwardly tall and narrow piece of screen real estate that makes it difficult to even peck a few words on it. When opened up, the “tablet” is closer to a landscape or horizontal aspect ratio that’s more typical of these slates. That means you won’t have to constantly rotate the phone after opening it to watch videos properly or take advantage of split-screen functionality.

While that basic form has remained the same, OPPO’s second foldable phone does change things in subtle yet meaningful ways. You might not even notice how thinner it is compared to its predecessor, but it adds up to make the device more manageable in your hand. You will appreciate how light it is, though, which isn’t exactly surprising given how smaller it is compared to most foldables of its kind. OPPO also made important improvements in both the look and feel of the device, starting with the anodized metal frame that tastefully matches and accents the phone’s color. The back material has also been changed from glossy glass to a matte texture that helps a lot with grippy-ness. There’s even a vegan leather model that makes the phone look classy while giving something your fingers will enjoy as well.

The OPPO Find N2 is undoubtedly a beauty to behold from any side or angle, especially thanks to how it folds completely flat and how the crease at the fold is nearly invisible. One design aspect that might be a bit divisive is the camera bump, something that it inherits from the first Find N. A bit like the gorgeous OPPO Find X5 Pro, that bump slopes gently upward. Unlike that award-winning design, however, there is a clear demarcation around the camera island, creating an abrupt stop in eye movement. Admittedly, it’s a minor detail that others might actually find tasteful, especially compared to more obnoxious camera bumps on other phones, foldable or otherwise.

Ergonomics

The driving force behind OPPO’s decision to stay off the beaten foldable design path is the ease of use rather than mere technological demonstration. Its smaller size and more familiar aspect ratios make it easier to hold and use even with a single hand, something that’s rare with regular phones these days. Although it might seem like you’re sacrificing screen size, what you’re really getting is a more practical and ergonomic device that looks great and feels just as great in your hands.

OPPO’s “waterdrop” hinge design has always made it possible to close the phone completely flat, which means it takes up less space and is effectively thinner when folded. The OPPO Find N2 further optimizes this design by making the device thinner and, more importantly, lighter, mostly by improving materials and reducing the number of parts needed in its Flexion Hinge. All of these result in a device that’s comfortable to use and puts less strain on your hands and arms. Given how you’re likely to enjoy using it for hours on end, that’s a rather significant quality of life improvement.

At the same time, OPPO has taken pains to also make sure you’re able to hold on better to the phone to prevent accidents. That switch to matte glass for the back adds a bit of texture that helps your finger grip the device better. But if you still fear your clumsiness, OPPO generously includes a two-piece protective case in the box that matches the phone’s color for added peace of mind. It’s the typical silicone case, though, so it does take away some of the phone’s stylish beauty.

One of the biggest improvements in the OPPO Find N2 is something that you can’t see. The company’s second-generation Flexion Hinge features improved durability thanks to the use of new materials like carbon fiber and high-strength alloy. It also has 38 fewer parts than the previous-gen hinge while delivering improved robustness and reliability. For example, it can now stay open at any angle between 45 to 125 degrees. This is part of the reason why the Find N2 is lighter and more usable, without compromising its functionality.

Performance

The Find N2 is no slouch when it comes to internal components either, though it is a tad late to bear the latest mobile processor. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, however, is very much cable of handling anything you can throw at it, especially when you consider the 12 or 16GB of memory you can utilize. In terms of raw power, there really isn’t much to complain about, and the phone will serve you well whether you’re binging the latest streaming shows, playing your favorite mobile games, or even being productive with work tasks.

Both displays on the OPPO Find N2 are top-notch, and not just because of their aspect ratios. The external 5.54-inch 2120×1080 AMOLED display is bright and vibrant, and its 120Hz refresh rate is decent even for games. The main star is, of course, the internal 7.1-inch 1920×1792 AMOLED LTPO screen that can dial its refresh rate down to 1Hz to preserve the battery. This flexible screen is just as delightful and colorful as any other, but, more importantly, the crease that splits it into two areas is barely visible at any angle. Your finger won’t be able to tell it’s there, either, which is a far cry from the dip that even the Galaxy Z Fold 4 still has at this point.

One problem with most foldable phones is that there isn’t much space to cram large cameras inside them. It’s no surprise, then, that the OPPO Find N2’s set is no match for some of the latest flagships in the market. That being said, it’s actually not bad at all, despite what the specs sheet might suggest. It definitely helps that the famed Hasselblad had a hand in fine-tuning the photography experience, especially through the software and filters. OPPO’s dedicated imaging NPU, the MariSilicon X, also deserves credit for the cameras’ performance, particularly when 4K content is involved.

The 50MP camera on its own produces excellent photos even in low-light situations. The ultra-wide camera gets a decent 48MP sensor, so you’re not actually sacrificing quality by switching to a more panoramic shot, though there are telltale signs of lens distortion at the edges. Just as impressive is the 32MP sensor on the telephoto camera, something that you won’t expect for close-up shots. The 32MP front-facing cameras, both inside and outside, are also good and won’t leave you wanting when it comes to selfies and video calls either.

The Find N2 runs OPPO’s ColorOS 13 version of Android 13, which offers a beautiful and fluid interface as well as plenty of options to customize your experience. What makes this version different are the gestures designed to make it easy to take advantage of the form factor, specifically in “splitting” the screen between two apps. That said, OPPO could only do so much to nudge Android apps to behave well in this context. You’ll find some apps still don’t play nice with foldable phones, but that is a flaw of the platform more than the hardware.

Sustainability

While OPPO is blazing a trail when it comes to innovating on foldable phones, it isn’t making inroads in changing the narrative around sustainability. There are always small steps forward, like the use of recycled paper or the reduction of packaging size, but the phones themselves mostly remain beautiful yet harmful products of human ingenuity and creativity. OPPO has also yet to jump on the slowly growing trend of making its phones more easily repairable by third parties and even owners themselves, but the complexity of a foldable phone makes that a non-starter anyway.

The OPPO Find N2 does at least improve the phone’s reliability a bit so that it won’t find itself in repair shops too soon. The reduction of the number of parts that make up the new hinge also translates to a reduction of the things that could potentially break. Improving the phone’s overall durability might not be a big sustainability gain, but it at least helps prolong the lifetime of a product and delay its arrival in landfills.

One of the three available colors for the Find N2 also uses vegan leather to offer a luxurious aesthetic that doesn’t harm the environment, particularly animals. Vegan leather, however, is also a bit controversial in how it has become somewhat of a marketing buzzword. When implemented properly, however, it’s still a more viable alternative to other non-sustainable materials that make a phone look dashing.

Value

The first foldable OPPO phone challenged the status quo of this niche market with a design that proves there’s still another way to do things. The OPPO Find N2, then, is a refinement of that design that smooths out the rough edges to deliver a product that is almost perfect, at least for what its intended goals are. Stylish and handy, the Find N2 offers a foldable device that feels like a finished product rather than an expensive prototype. Its design is clearly informed by the need to have something comfortable, usable, and aesthetic rather than simply flaunting technical and engineering innovations.

For all its strengths, the OPPO Find N2 has one critical flaw that makes all of the above almost moot and academic. It won’t be available anywhere other than China, at least not in the immediate future. And while you might be able to purchase it through third-party retailers, the software experience might be so different that it detracts from the enjoyment of the device. Fortunately, OPPO hasn’t closed the door on the possibility of a global launch, but it’s taking a wait-and-see approach in order to measure market interest.

Verdict

Many people still doubt that foldable phones, both the larger ones and the clamshell designs, are the future of mobile phones, but it’s hard to deny that they will play a large part in their development. As components become more accessible, more companies will be putting out such devices to the point that they will become commonplace. For now, however, there are only a few that dare dip their toes in that market, and even fewer who dare to be different.

The OPPO Find N2 is clearly a rare breed, not only because of how much smaller it is but also because of its focus. While all phone brands will naturally claim that they are designing for usability, OPPO takes that mission to heart. The result is a foldable device that is elegant, delightful, and practical, able to fit seamlessly into everyday life just like their non-foldable brethren.

The post OPPO Find N2 Foldable Phone Review: A Design Marvel You Can Fit in Your Hand first appeared on Yanko Design.

Promotion: creative think-tank Be Open has launched an international competition inviting students and graduates to come up with innovative ways of advancing sustainable energy systems.

The Better Energy by Design competition is open to students, recent graduates and young professionals from across the globe who specialise in the fields of art, design, architecture and media.

In launching the competition, Be Open hopes to raise awareness of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – namely the seventh goal (SDG7), which aims to ensure that everyone has access to affordable and clean energy.

Participants are tasked with devising new technologies and designs that will advance SDG7 by speeding up the move towards low-carbon energy infrastructures.

“It is agreed by the world’s leaders that SDG7, calling for affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030, lies at the heart of all of the SDGs, and without progress on SDG7, it will be impossible to achieve the 2030 Agenda,” said Be Open.

“We strongly believe that creativity is integral to the shift to a sustainable existence,” the foundation continued. “To attain the UN’s SDGs, we need to think outside of the box.”

Submissions are free of charge, and must be based on one of three themes: Powered by Renewables, Save More Energy or Reducing the Energy Gap.

Entrants have the choice of entering individually or as part of a team. If entering as part of a team, each individual within the team may also submit their own project, in addition to the team project.

Those who wish to take part must submit their entry online via the competition website by 31 January 2023.

An international jury will make 50 honourable mentions out of all submissions before selecting first, second and third prize winners, who will be awarded €5,000, €3,000 and €2,000, respectively.

There will also be a Be Open’s Choice prize worth €3,000 – the winner will be chosen by the foundation’s community members out of 50 honourable mentions.

A further Public Vote prize worth €2,000 will be awarded, based on a majority vote from votes cast online.

Better Energy By Design is just one of a series of competitions that Be Open has run over the past four years, with each competition focusing on a specific SDG in a bid to further the UN goals.

To submit an entry, or to find out more about the competition, visit the Better Energy By Design website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Be Open as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

The post Call for entries to Be Open’s Better Energy by Design competition appeared first on Dezeen.

Chez ibis Styles, chaque expérience est unique et mémorable. Quelle que soit la destination, nous avons tous besoin de vacances, seul, en couple ou en famille. Nous avons tous des attentes aux critères précis quant à la qualité d’un hôtel : le lieu, la décoration, l’atmosphère, le service ou encore le budget…

Aujourd’hui, ibis Styles propose une gamme d’hôtels économiques à styles multiples situés au cœur des plus grandes villes et en périphérie. Total look loft industriel, décor de bateau, ambiance bistrot contemporain, univers graphique, style nomade ou encore mobilier techno-pop. Chaque hôtel a sa propre personnalité. ibis Styles offre un caractère affirmé et nous fait plonger dans un décor à la fois créatif et personnalisé, des espaces qui puissent plaire aussi aux enfants, avec un confort et une qualité de service constants, tout ça avec un prix accessible. Zoom sur notre sélection ibis Styles avec le top 3 de nos hôtels favoris :

• IBIS STYLES BORDEAUX SUD : ÉPOPÉE POP ART

Confort, convivialité et décor unique. Idéalement situé, proche de toutes commodités pour visiter et à 15 min de l’aéroport, cet hôtel nous offre une atmosphère pop art chic aux pièces colorées et aménagées avec goût.

Cliquez ici pour découvrir l’histoire de l’hôtel et réserver votre chambre.

• IBIS STYLES LA ROCHELLE THALASSO : OCÉAN DE RELAXATION

Une bouffée d’air marin. Entre campagne Charentaise et océan, vous pourrez profiter du spa, d’un sauna et des espaces d’eau de mer. Une expérience abordable dans un cadre à couper le souffle, de quoi vous permettre de savourer chaque instant.

Cliquez ici pour découvrir l’histoire de l’hôtel et réserver votre chambre.

• IBIS STYLES SALLANCHES PAYS DU MONT BLANC : DÉTENTE AU SOMMET

Un panorama de reliefs : cet hôtel est niché au bout de la vallée de l’Arve, au cœur des paysages grandioses de Haute-Savoie. Le point de chute idéal pour découvrir les hauts sommets alpins. Déco vertigineuse, cadre tout confort au cœur du Mont-Blanc.

Cliquez ici pour découvrir l’histoire de l’hôtel et réserver votre chambre.

Faites le plein de créativité  et réservez un hôtel ibis Styles dans la ville de votre choix ici.