“LUV (I KNOW I WANT THIS FOR REAL)” is another ’80s-inflected jam from singer-songwriter Q (aka Q Steve Marsden). Following the thread of his previous singles “TODAY” and “STEREO DRIVER“, the latest track encapsulates Marsden’s genre-defying panache: it’s retro with synths and an alluring, compressed beat but remains contemporary. With the artist’s soulful vocals and robust percussion, the single is a lush bop.
Once upon a time, buying a table involved troublesome and inconvenient shipping arrangements because the furniture either comes pre-assembled or didn’t have any way to disassemble it anyway. These days, however, it has become trendy to buy flat-packed furniture, especially if they come with minimalist designs. These are easier to transport, sometimes by the buyers themselves, and are possible to take apart store away when they’re no longer needed. The trade-off, however, is often the complexity and difficulty of assembling the things on your own. Fortunately, more creative furniture designers have come up with new ways to simplify that process, and these wooden tables demonstrate how an easier process doesn’t exactly make the furniture less stable.
Designer: Ivan Nuño
Thanks to the prevalence of minimalist designs and the popularity of stores like IKEA, it isn’t uncommon these days for many people to prefer tables and chairs that arrive at their doorsteps in pieces. Logistics like transportation and storage can be cheaper, and it’s also not that much work for those already used to putting things together themselves by hand. The latter, however, doesn’t cover the majority of buyers that need simpler steps to follow. Unfortunately, simplicity can sometimes also mean fragility, and some might find their tables loosening in critical areas.
To correct that problem, Studio Nuño designed a new type of joinery that it says reduces the assembly time down to just a few minutes while still maintaining structural strength to bear the weight of everyday use. You simply insert the legs into the slots beneath the tabletop, slide in a supporting piece, and screw that piece down with an Allen wrench. The legs come in three or four distinct pieces for the side table and coffee table, respectively, so there are no confusing angles or combinations to worry about.
Although not an inherent property of flat-pack design, many products that come in this form often have a pinch of sustainable design as well. Studio Nuño, however, takes it to a whole new level by making sure both the product and its packaging are environment-friendly. The wood for the tables, for example, is made from Baltic birch plywood coated with high-pressure laminate made from recycled materials, while the joinery uses recycled steel. The packaging is devoid of single-use plastic, using 100% recycled and biodegradable materials. It even uses eco-friendly tape to keep things together.
Studio Nuño’s tables don’t skimp on the aesthetics either, fully embracing a minimalist design that blends well with any theme you might have running in your home. Simple and sustainable, this coffee and side table pair offers a fresh look at how furniture doesn’t have to be complicated to be beautiful or sturdy. At the same time, its simple assembly also proves that you don’t have to sweat too much to have a sturdy and reliable table for your use, whatever that may be.
The post This side and coffee tables have sustainability and simplicity ingrained in their DNA first appeared on Yanko Design.
A terrible business to have gotten into in the late ’90s: Manufacturing newspaper boxes. But a great business to be in now, is collecting, refurbishing and repurposing them. Now that digital media is nearly finished eviscerating its dead-tree victims, the market is awash in newspaper boxes that no longer have a purpose.
Pennsylvania-based Impact Racks started out as the first kind of company, and has now transitioned into the second. “Every week, we drive hundreds and hundreds of miles to pick up retired racks,” writes the company, which has been in business for 30 years. “Often these are racks we initially sold to the newspapers.”
“We bring them back to our shop where we begin the upcycling process. After removing the head of the newspaper rack we sand down the entire box. Next we prime and coat them with fresh paint and decals.”
Fans of branding will appreciate that Impact Racks still has all of the original stencils.
Buyers have repurposed the racks into record-playing stations, Little Free Libraries and donation boxes.
The racks run from $260 to $450, depending on options. And “each purchase,” they write, “helps to keep around 85 lbs. of metal out of the landfill.”
Researchers at Melbourne, Australia’s RMIT University developed an acoustic device that can remove performance-inhibiting rust from batteries, tripling their lifespan and, hopefully, reducing how frequently they are discarded. The researchers used MXene, a nano-material that holds promise as an alternative to lithium batteries, yet is prone to rust. They discovered that high-frequency sound waves cause the MXene battery to vibrate with enough force for the rust to fall off. Battery longevity is crucial to the environment as 74 million metric tons of electronic waste are expected to end up in landfills globally by 2030, according to the UN’s E-Waste Monitor. The new method opens opportunities to improve the use of technology while decreasing pollution. Learn more about it at The New Daily.
Image courtesy of RMIT University
The first edition of our new monthly Dezeen In Depth newsletter features an exclusive interview with Norman Foster, in which he defends concrete buildings against “dangerous myths”. Subscribe to Dezeen Debate now.
The British architect explains his studio’s approach towards sustainability – “we have to have a more holistic, wider view” – and his views on concrete, timber and aviation in this exclusive interview.
Foster argues that over the past 55 years, Foster + Partners has been designing buildings with an environmental focus that “seek to challenge the status quo” by “reducing energy and encouraging contact with the natural world”.
He cites the HSBC tower in Hong Kong, Apple campus in California and Bloomberg HQ in London as examples. Read the full interview ›
This month’s newsletter also features an opinion piece in which Holly Nielsen pours doubt on the value of the metaverse and we publish the results of an exclusive Dezeen survey exploring how Brexit is impacting UK architecture studios three years on.
The lead image is by Nigel Young courtesy of the Norman Foster Foundation.
Dezeen In Depth
Dezeen In Depth is sent on the last Friday of every month and delves deeper into the major stories shaping architecture and design. Each edition includes an original feature article on a key topic or trend, an interview with a prominent industry figure and an opinion piece from a leading critic. Read the latest edition of Dezeen In Depth or subscribe here.
You can also subscribe to our other newsletters; Dezeen Agenda is sent every Tuesday containing a selection of the most important news highlights from the week, Dezeen Debate is sent every Thursday featuring a selection of the best reader comments and most talked-about stories and Dezeen Daily is our daily bulletin that contains every story published in the preceding 24 hours on Dezeen.
The post First edition of Dezeen In Depth features exclusive interview with Norman Foster appeared first on Dezeen.
Dezeen School Shows: we’ve picked eight student projects that feature in Dezeen School Shows that use 3D models to display design solutions.
These undergraduate and postgraduate architecture students have created models from materials such as wood, plastic, clay and fabric using techniques including laser cutting, 3D printing and construction by hand.
Physical modelmaking has been used by architects and designers throughout history to represent building concepts throughout the design process, from initial ideation stages to final scale models.
Hand-making architectural models is an activity that is being gradually replaced by the use of digital CAD visualisations and renderings.
Models featured in this roundup include a demonstration that represents a proposed barrier against desertification, a conceptual model for a pavilion created by fabric tension, and a sectional model that illustrates the design of a subterranean greenhouse.
These models come from students enrolled on architecture courses at international institutions including UCLA, University of Hong Kong, City College of New York, SCI-Arc, Washington University in St Louis, California Baptist University and the University at Buffalo.
Boattega Veneta and The Current by Mariella Hirschoff
Designed by student Mariella Hirschoff, this project is a cultural centre informed by Native American Bull boats – small circular vessels made from buffalo hide stretched over a wooden frame.
The model illustrates the construction of the building’s skeletal frame and canvas skin, which is fastened to the timber using a variety of securing connective methods.
“The boat’s ribbed frame and organic material, as well as the flow of water, are incorporated into [my] final project, The Current, which features an undulating roof that shifts in height according to the programs within,” said Hirschoff.
“Integrated with the Erie Canal shoreline, The Current houses a cafe, gift shop, main gallery, learning centre, conservation workshop and an enclosed wet dock, with public docks, a bridge, outdoor terrace and publicly accessible green spaces.”
Student: Mariella Hirschoff
School: University at Buffalo
Course: Bachelor of Science in Architecture
Nests and Thresholds by Jacob Dunsmore
Jacob Dunsmore chose to examine the increasingly common concept of creating dual uses for buildings, and the way in which the line blurs between one use and the other.
The model he created to illustrate this investigation represents two interconnected buildings nestled within each other, and is made out of plywood.
“By imagining two buildings nested one inside the other, the studio and project interrogate not only the threshold between the building and the world, but within the many thresholds that reside within the architectural object itself,” said Dunsmore.
“The current indeterminacy between living and working, brought about both by crisis and our increasingly ‘seamless’ and ‘interconnected’ work-anywhere and live-everywhere model, has radically altered our understanding of boundaries.”
“Binary distinctions between living and working, inside and outside, private and public, individual and collective, have become difficult to pin down.”
Student: Jacob Dunsmore
School: UCLA
Course: House to Housing
Resonate Structure by Chan Shu Man
Chan Shu Man’s postgraduate thesis centres on the use of structures to help quell the desertification of inner Mongolia, which is accelerating as a result of mining and other human interference.
The theory was tested by using a model combined with sand to demonstrate how the bank of sand builds against the curved structure when blown against it by the wind.
“The thesis speculates the potential of resonance structure responsive to the dire desertification of inner Mongolia, where deforestation, widespread mining of oil, coal, and other human activities are constantly turning the once fertile lands into sandy plains,” said Chan Shu Man.
“By adopting the prevalence of sand material and natural wind forces, a built structure proposal is tested to heighten the intimate relationship with the immediate desert environment.”
Student: Chan Shu Man
School: University of Hong Kong
Course: Master of Architecture Thesis
Gravitational Tectonic by Amy Ho, Aakanksha Maharjan and Florim Zharku
Architecture students Amy Ho, Aakanksha Maharjan and Florim Zharku centred their project around the application of traditional building materials to modern construction methods.
Gravitational Tectonic sees robotics and 3D printing merged with clay to produce intricate lattice-like structures.
“This studio engages with a current movement in architecture and design that seeks alternative methods for fabricating architectural systems to promote the principles of ecology, sustainability, upcycling and circularity,” they said.
“The project explores novel approaches to sustainable and ecological design in architecture that promote biodiversity through natural materials, artificial systems and living organisms.”
Students: Amy Ho, Aakanksha Maharjan and Florim Zharku
School: City College of New York
Course: Bachelor of Architecture Studio: Robotic Ecologies
Flora Conservancy Community Centre by Cody Heller
Cody Heller’s Flora Conservancy Community Centre draws on South American Walipini – a type of greenhouse that consists of a roof covering a below-ground pit.
The model uses multiple materials including plywood and plastic to show a sectional view that illustrates the submerged elements of the design.
“Centralised by the surrounding garden beds with a lantern-like object embedded within the earth, the greenhouse presents itself as a hub for the Flora Conversancy’s social and economic ambitions,” said Heller.
“The project aims to curate public experiences across the site through moments of view-making, attempting to isolate the visitor in a green that verges on utopian paradise.”
Student: Cody Heller
School: Washington University in St Louis
Course: 317 Core Studio, Master of Architecture
A group of students from the University at Buffalo experimented with the bending of plywood to control the way the material warps.
The three large-scale prototypes were built from three-millimetre-thick plywood sheets to demonstrate the potential of warped plywood when applied to larger architectural and design contexts.
“Since the seams between parts never align between layers, bending can occur naturally without an awkward accumulation of thickness,” they said.
“The natural wood grain is strategically oriented to the structure’s geometry, allowing tighter bending radii and increased stiffness where necessary.”
Students: Tyler Beerse, Ollie He, Jamie Jones, Bhalendu Guatam, Marissa Hayden, Josh Barzideh, Tom Cleary, Sam Goembel, Lovepreet Kaur, Nick Hills, Camilo Copete and Ben Starr
School: University at Buffalo
Course: Graduate and undergraduate programmes
Transcendence Analysis in Structure by Trinity Shizumi Kam Yuk Shiroma
Architecture student Trinity Shizumi Kam Yuk Shiroma explored the structural and aesthetic qualities of using solid elements combined with fabric in structures.
The model has a 3D-printed base with vertical uprights, which is overlaid with a fabric sheet anchored to the base and drawn upwards by wires.
“[I] explored the topic of transcendence through structural-volumetric considerations,” said the student.
“The tension of the fabric creates arched volumes and thresholds between each ground anchor.”
Student: Trinity Shizumi Kam Yuk Shiroma
School: California Baptist University
Course: FA21 ARC410
Inflected by Mengyao “Cooper” Liu
Mengyao “Cooper” Liu’s thesis proposes a design for the National Cultural Museum in South Korea, which has a fragmented structure that houses a myriad of different spaces in contrast with traditional museum design.
This sectional, mixed-material model aims to demonstrate this faceted layout while showing how each is interconnected.
“One of the most inescapable realities of realising buildings is the assembly of parts,” said Liu.
“By using the logic of exploded axonometric drawings, pulling, sliding and shifting are used in this thesis to show inflexion moments in the process of designing buildings caused by the unstable part-to-whole relationship.”
Student: Mengyao “Cooper” Liu
School: SCI-Arc
Course: Graduate Thesis
Partnership content
These projects are presented in school shows from institutions that partner with Dezeen. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
The post Eight student projects that communicate concepts through physical models appeared first on Dezeen.
Greek eyewear brand Enlite makes these Supernatural eyeglasses and sunglasses out of wood:
Specifically, they’re made from multiple layers of Cherry veneer, with a polymer finish applied for durability.
To produce the frames, Enlite turned to Athens-based CNC fabrication firm Kkervvit. On the latter’s website, we found these process shots of the frames being cut by their five-axis CNC, which were fun to look at. The frames are actually cut from both sides, requiring flipping the workpiece and moving it from a convex to a concave jig halfway through. It’s not visually clear how they do the indexing, so if any of you know, please comment:
Prices for the Supernatural line run €270 to €350 (USD $293 to $380).
Someone over at Karv Design, a Thailand-based CNC fabricator of plywood objets d’esign, loves the famous “Great Wave off Kanagawa” woodblock print. So much so that they translated Hokusai’s work into, of all things, a desk organizer:
And if you’re wondering what this bit, which does not appear in the print, is…
…here’s your answer:
While the shape admittedly does not lend itself well to the object it’s trying to be, it did make me smile.
Sustainability will be the dominant trend driver in 2023. We have heard this before, and it is true, but what does this really mean? What are the practical, specific examples of how and why sustainability will drive trends into 2023 and beyond? Great design has the ability to condense five hundred pages down to three by simplifying the complex. Here are some specifics of sustainability as trend-driver through the eyes of designer Scott Henderson.
The global pandemic has affected us all profoundly in one way or another. This is reflected not only through its obvious impacts, but also in ways our innate human resilience has pushed what to make of it to the back of our minds, where its effects still linger. However, the night is always darkest before the dawn and profound events like the global pandemic will drive exciting and positive trends in the world of consumer goods with long lasting benefits.
Supply Chain, Tech-backlash, Romance and Mud
One of the countless disruptions resulting from the global pandemic has been a halt to the relentless armada of cargo freighters that crisscross our oceans – all grinding suddenly to a watery, carbuncled-encrusted stop. This pileup on the seas may not sound like a driver of new trends but it couldn’t be a greater one. Consider this: Before the pandemic, there were 6,000 container ships zipping across our vast oceans at any given moment, with a combined capacity of about 24.6 million TEU’s (twenty-foot equivalent units). Translated to plain language, that is quite a few air fryers and coffee makers. These ocean going freighters burn some of the lowest forms of fossil fuel – a corrosive, sticky and dirty goo called Bunker Oil – generating a whopping 1.2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide – equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from over 205 million cars. These legions of ships release more toxins into the air than many small countries do. While we may feel pride in turning down a disposable grocery bag as we gallantly struggle with nestled bundles in our crooked, tired arms – even sacrificing the occasional dozen eggs for the warm, fuzzy knowledge that we’re saving the planet – we may not be considering that there are bigger forces beyond the horizon that are crushing our efforts like June bugs. Hence:
Supply chain disruption equals sustainability and a greener planet. Making your product locally eliminates ocean freight costs and lead times, port duties, insurance, very high minimum order quantities resulting from manufacturing runs being tied to ocean container capacities – but perhaps the greatest benefit to making your product locally is the positive environmental impact it has when the container ship stays in port.
Design is often tied to technology, and to quote my friend and colleague Gabriele Chiave, Design Director at Marcel Wanders’ Studio in Amsterdam, “technology makes designers look like magicians”. We have seen improbable shapes emerge from the world of Computational CAD. The latest in computer-generated-design that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to think well beyond the human mind’s ability to process three-dimensions, leading to intricate, lattice-like forms that resemble seahorses and deeply layered industrial spider webs – coiling up and around corners, curves and bends. As is the irony of life, however, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
Take a look at the hydration market for example. Dial back ten years and reusable water bottles were overflowing with design – with their double-molded silicon grips, non-skid bases, retractable spouts and flip-tops. Today, the market leaders have proven once again that keeping it simple is by far the winning strategy. Today’s must-have water bottles offer nothing more than a jar and a cap. From S’well bottle to Yeti, less once again triumphs more. To be able to see at a glance how something is made – and more importantly – to imagine it being made on a workbench in a dimly lit shed on a hill at dusk, is to experience its craftsmanship, its authenticity and its desire to de-clutter our lives and minds.
The Super Soaker is dead! As an industrial designer, when I am asked to design a new line of home goods for a leading consumer products manufacturer, I never limit myself to research only within that specific market segment, but instead I look at all products, markets, architecture, culture and even art for inspiration. Recently, I was asked to design a series of professional tools – things like tape measures, drills, and hammers. Immediately, I realized that the entire tool market looked like the exaggerated Super Soaker water guns that my kids used to squirt each other with on the patio all summer. Excitedly, I went to work on my “moods boards”, mixing together photos of actual Super-Soaker water guns with those of real, professional power tools – and it was impossible to tell the difference between them at a glance.
How about the motorcycle industry? Dial back 15 years to 2007 and have a look at the Kawasaki Ninja – basically a Super-Soaker on two wheels. In contrast, on today’s Brooklyn streets, you can’t walk ten feet without spotting a Triumph T-120 – a classic motor bike reminiscent of the Bonneville – updated with design improvements that stem more from the world of fashion than that of transportation design. Classicism with a fashionable twist has arrived and the era of facets, triangles, vector shapes and crystals – otherwise known as the Super Soaker aesthetic – is as dead as Julius Caesar.
Starring at our four walls, our cats and bobble-heads during the pandemic is a formula that has us craving wide open spaces. It’s not just any outdoor space we crave though – we want them muddy, foggy and damp – probably related to our fears of a dried up, cracked and dusty planet baked relentlessly from global warming. Enter the mist-covered forest as a backdrop for powerful inspiration. The trend resulting here will be designs that evoke thoughts of water and the well-hydrated- sparkling purity that symbolizes health and vitality. Fresh from the pool, ocean or lake – the wetter the design looks, the better it will sell. Back to my tool design project: While working on these implements, I didn’t imagine them on a contained construction site surrounded by perfectly framed lumber, plywood, and random stacks of sheetrock leaning into the scene. Instead, I found myself conjuring images of the steep, jagged, evergreen lined mountainside – with flannel shirts and knee high rubber boots on the workers that would wield them – wet sawdust and 2-cycle engine oil caked on their well-used sides.
When we think of cast iron cookware, imagining these heavy pans on an expensive professional range next to a sub-zero refrigerator and granite countertops is so yesterday that I’m asleep while I write, whereas imagining them over a roaring campfire on a mist-covered beach with mini-pitons cutting through the foggy surf is so much more intriguing. The complimentary colors of the orange flame contrasted against the blue-gray fog vibrate in our minds as we aggressively click the add-to-cart button, eyes welled and brimming. Today we want to brave inclement elements with the goal of warming up afterwards – cupping our mug of soup with both hands as the lactic acid tingles in our limbs. It means the planet is working and there are elements out there to brave in the first place. The pan we buy will last forever and therefore command the unheard of price point that we will happily pay because we recognize sustainability through its timeless quality. The next time you design a product or experience think about mud and rain instead of sun and palm trees, and watch the dollars wash up on your own rocky cove.
Designers often think of geometric shapes as being man-made, while classifying shapes found in nature as organic. The truth is that any shape the human mind is capable of contemplating stems from nature. Consider the bubble: This is a pure circle no matter how you slice it, and its sole reason for being is to house the maximum amount of internal volume using the least amount of surface area to do it. The bubble is perfection in design, and its form definitely follows its function. Consider the hexagon: This six-sided shape must be the product of the draftsman and not the hand of God, yet it is everywhere in our terrestrial world in form of honeycombs, insect eyes and lake beds, and in our extra-terrestrial world in the shape of perpetual storms on the pole caps of Saturn. Consider the mountain stream awash in radiant sparkles, universally thought of as beautiful through its connotations of health and purity – and the reason we all like shiny things. Nature will guide design trends in 2023 as it always has, but will do so consciously rather than subconsciously through of our awareness of it and our desire to replicate its genius.
Sustainability is a broad term that is very loosely used. Like all great design however, God is in the details. Scott’s definition of sustainability-as-design-trend-driver for 2023 will be wet, classically artisanal, informed by an understanding of our natural world, and locally made.
Scott Henderson is an Industrial Designer based in Brooklyn with a wide range of Fortune 500 clients and a long history of successful products. With over 100 patents in the U.S. and Europe for projects as diverse as housewares and home accessories to consumer electronics, and furniture, his work has been widely recognized in exhibitions, awards programs and in the press.
This article first appeared on the blog of the Messe Frankfurt Ambiente Trade Fair.
Dezeen Showroom: Canadian furniture company Allseating and industrial designer Mike Shields have collaborated to create a seating collection that adds a “home-like” feel to workplace and corporate settings.
Rühe – named after the German word for rest – is a seating range that contains different sizes of chairs and sofas for use across public interiors.
Each piece was designed to have enhanced ergonomic and hygienic properties.
The chairs and sofas in the collection are made from slim, lightweight steel frames that feature gently curved armrests.
“Thoughtfully crafted to evoke a home-like feel that is calming and comforting, Rühe’s carefully selected design elements promote health, wellness, and cleanability, all while offering superior durability and support for all users,” said Allseating.
“The shape of Rühe’s arms was designed to mimic the gesture of welcoming arms that humans make in social situations and acts as a warm invitation for users to relax and take a seat.”
Available in a range of frame finishes and upholstery, the seats have channels between cushions that allow users to remove debris easily.
The collection also includes tables and optional power modules for AC or USB charging.
Product: Rühe
Designer: Mike Shields
Brand: Allseating
Contact: customerservice@allseating.com
Dezeen Showroom
Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen’s huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.
Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.
The post Rühe seating by Mike Shields for Allseating appeared first on Dezeen.
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