Hasta La Ideas

Designed to be a yoga retreat disconnected from civilization so you can find yourself amidst nature, the Metamorphosis Yoga Shala models itself on the shape of a butterfly cocoon. It builds on the metaphor of rebirth, or reinventing yourself through yoga… Although the fact that the building has absolutely no straight lines seems to be a humorous play on how humans are never in straight lines when they do yoga either! “The Metamorphosis of the clumsy and worldly caterpillar which transforms through an extraordinary biological process to a graceful Butterfly, is the core idea behind the building form and construction,” says designer Constantinos Yanniotis.

Designer: Constantinos Yanniotis

The building takes on an unconventional, almost surrealist architectural style that’s reminiscent of Gehry’s work with the Bilbao Guggenheim. It even uses metal sheeting on the outside, echoing Gehry’s style, albeit with an almost blobject-ish approach to architecture that would impress fans of Loewy and Luigi Colani. Solar panels on the top of the building help power it using renewable energy. The curved surface of the building proves rather handy by allowing the building to fit more panels in the same amount of projected space.

The yoga shala (or school in Hindi/Sanskrit) sits on a stepped slope, offering a stellar view of the forest and skies ahead. Its design, although unconventional, opens itself up to loads of natural light, thanks to the skylight above as well as the full-length window on the front that overlooks the landscape. The entire building is one singular space, an atrium that’s designed for yoga, meditation, and flow. There are multiple garden islands and orchards dotted around it, and a stone tearoom just in the vicinity for a cleanse before or after a rewarding yoga session.

The inside of the Metamorphosis Yoga Shala is cozy, thanks to its cocoon-like shape and the use of wood all along the interiors. The space is well-planned, with enough floor estate to fit multiple people and give them ample space to move and do yoga. Storage racks and shelves built directly into the walls let patrons keep their belongings like personal gear, exercise equipment, and yoga mats.

The Metamorphosis Yoga Shala is a winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2022.

The post Surreal yoga-center building looks like something out of Frank Gehry’s dreams first appeared on Yanko Design.

I’m the kind of person who wants to get in more exercise this new year but also hates going to the gym or basically going outside to work out. So I’m always on the lookout for things I may be able to use inside the house to burn some calories. I easily get bored with all those workouts on YouTube so I need to have some alternatives that will still help me to lose a few pounds. If said exercise machine is also eco-friendly, of course, that’s better for me and the earth.

Designer: TZEN Studio

Lora is a concept for an indoor rowing machine that is hoping to ease the boredom of working out while still giving you the aerobic workout that you need. It also wants to find the balance between humans and the environment by using plastic and aluminum that can eventually be recycled when the product reaches its end of life. To also help you not get that bored while working out, there is a stand to attach your smartphone or small tablet so you can watch something else while working out.

The rowing machine is made from aluminum alloy and uses a continuous structure. It is able to bring together engineering structure and technology to come up with a machine that will help you burn fat and help lessen waste with its recyclable material. It also has a pretty minimalist design so that when you’re not using it, you can just prop it up against the wall so it will not take up space in your living room or home gym. Product renders show a yellow green striped texture in the front.

While the design and the concept seems pretty good if you’re looking for an exercise machine, the effectivity as an aerobic, fat burning device will be determined when the product is actually made. I’m not into any type of rowing exercise but it would be interesting to see the design and engineering techniques applied to other kinds of exercise machines like treadmill, stationary bicycle, etc.

The post Rowing machine concept uses minimalist, recyclable design first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sculptural walls and tangerine hues feature in a public library by New York studio WORKac that is housed in a former torpedo factory.

Adams Street Library is the first new branch established by the Brooklyn library system in more than 20 years.

Situated along the East River under the Manhattan Bridge, the library is within a historic district in the Dumbo neighbourhood. It is housed in a 1901, multi-storey building that was once a torpedo factory, and later, a recycling facility.

The building now contains apartments and commercial spaces, along with the 6,500-square-foot (604-square-metre) library, which occupies a portion of the ground level.

“The design takes inspiration from this layered history,” said local studio Work Architecture Company, known as WORKac.

“The dialogue between old and new continues throughout the space.”

The original, brick perimeter walls – which have weathered over time – were left exposed. The entrance is marked with a red and white super-graphic that reads LIBRARY.

“This sign was approved by the Landmarks Commission, who noted its creative use of the precedent set by historic painted signs in the neighbourhood,” the team said.

“Visible from across the East River, it gives a clear identity and invitation to this vital public amenity.”

Within the library, historic elements are mixed with contemporary features. Tall, 15-foot (4.6-metre) windows bring in daylight and afford views of the surroundings.

In several areas, patinated brick is contrasted with pixelated, nature-themed murals. Overhead, a heavy timber ceiling was left visible through curved openings.

Spaces are organized around a central pavilion with sculptural walls made of medium-density fibreboard with a maple veneer. A custom pattern was created via CNC milling.

The enclosure features curvaceous openings and niches for book storage and stroller parking.

Within the pavilion is a children’s area with bright orange hues, steps for sitting and playing, and space for storytime. This zone is slightly elevated, enabling youngsters to peer out over the main reading room and look toward the river and Manhattan skyline.

Beyond the central pavilion, there is an assortment of spaces and programming geared toward teen and adult patrons.

Among them are open reading areas fitted with tables with built-in charging stations, and two multipurpose rooms with stackable chairs, foldable tables, whiteboards and kitchenettes.

Additional areas include gender-inclusive bathrooms and a staff zone.

The building serves residents of Dumbo, along with Vinegar Hill and a large public housing project called the Farragut Houses.

The design was influenced by extensive community outreach led by the architects.

The library was designed to put “children at its centre” based on community feedback, which “indicated that children’s spaces and programming were lacking – and important – to residents across the diverse neighbourhoods,” the team said.

Other libraries in New York City include the art-deco-style Brooklyn Central Library, which was recently revamped by Toshiko Mori, and the Steven Holl-designed Hunters Point Library in Queens, which features large, irregularly shaped windows.

The photography is by Bruce Damonte.

Project credits:

Architect: WORKac
Architecture team: Amale Andraos and Dan Wood (principals), Evgeniya Plotnikova and Troy Lacombe (project architects), Zahid Ajam, Nevin Blum, Ania Yee-Boguinskaia, Giorgia Cedro, Leslie Dougrou, Kelly Lee
Structural engineering: LERA
MEP: DOSE Engineering
Lighting: Tillotson Design Associates
Graphics: Linked By Air
Contractor: Shawmut Design & Construction
Code: CCBS Consultants
AV/IT: Cerami
Cost: Costrak Consulting

The post WORKac blends old and new at Adams Street Library in Brooklyn appeared first on Dezeen.

One interesting thing I’ve learned about Germans over the years: In Germany, at least traditionally, there is a very clear line between work and hobbies. Work is something everyone does both to provide for their families and to contribute to the economy; hobbies are what you do after work, for fun. (It seems a distinctly modern American concept that work is somehow supposed to be fun.)

Which brings us to the case of Freiburg-based Otmar Horl. In the 1990s Horl, a mechanical engineer, worked in the machine industry developing machines for toothbrush production. That was his job. As a hobby, he was trying to come up with a better way to sharpen kitchen knives.

Toiling in his basement workshop after hours, by 1993 he cobbled together a diamond-abrasive-coated device that worked to his satisfaction. Horl wasn’t thinking about commercializing his hobby invention; he merely had “a passion for sharp knives” and enjoyed using his sharpener. The invention remained in his basement for 20 years.

In 2014 Otmar’s son Timo, a designer, spotted the odd pieces of knife-sharpening kit in his father’s basement. He’d never seen these items before, and asked what they were. When Otmar explained, Timo became interested. Together they came up with the idea of developing them into a more streamlined sharpening object.

What they came up with is the two-piece, easy-to-use Horl sharpener:

The knife is held in place by the block, which contains magnets.

The rolling sharpener features a diamond coating electroplated onto a nickel bed. This is simply rolled along the knife, providing an idiot-proof way to maintain the sharpening angle.

The rolling process is done on both sides of the knife, then repeated using the other end of the roller, which features a stainless steel face for honing.

To sharpen a taller knife, you can reach the required height by using a thick cutting board or similar.

After two years of refining the design—still as a hobby, both hanging onto their day jobs—in 2016 the Horls devised a small-batch production routine in the basement, set up a website with an online shop, and introduced the device at a trade show. Feedback was positive. The next year they brought their Horl Sharpener to 15 trade shows–and before they knew it, they were moving 2,500 units a year.

At this point, even a German has to see this is no longer a hobby. “Until this point, [it] remained an after-work project for the father and son team,” writes Horl 1993, the company they established. “Upon finishing work for the day in their full-time jobs, they started working for the family business. Working into night assembling sharpeners, preparing product deliveries and taking care of numerous tasks for the website, product brochures, and much more besides.”

Finally the Horls’ invention transcended mere hobby. “At the end of the 2017, Otmar and Timo Horl decided to devote their entire attention to the family business.” The basement and living room were finally returned to their original functions, as the Horls set up shop in a dedicated facility.

Their initial sharpener offered a 15-degree angle only, on both sides. On one of the sides, there is a ledge to support thinner knives:

Last year they released an updated Horl 2 design, with a block that offers both 15- and 20-degree angles; the stepped-ledge side has been done away with, as the magnet strength has been increased to hold thinner knives higher up. The 2.0 also offers a version with a ceramic honing disc, as well as changeable grinding discs.

The company, now 44 employees strong, distributes through over 1,000 retailers in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. (In the United States, Horl sharpeners can be purchased directly from their website as well as on Amazon.) Not too bad for a hobby!

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Note: A company called Tumblerware is selling a seemingly-identical sharpener. This is not an authorized nor licensed copy, but product piracy; Horl 1993 has no relationship with Tumblerware.

Horl 1993’s products are manufactured in Freiburg, Germany. Tumblerware does not reveal where their knock-offs are made.

An extension of the Japanese furniture manufacturer Karimoku, the Karimoku Case Study is carrying out a series of super interesting architectural and interior design experiments. The projects usually include public spaces and residential homes, in collaboration with Japanese architect Keiji Ashizawa and Danish design studio Norm Architects. All the projects share a distinctive identity, with a thread of resonance hanging through them.

Designer: Karimoku Case Study

The Karimoku Case Study #8 is the Hiroo Residence in Tokyo, Japan. The Opus Arisugawa Terrace & Residence in central Tokyo was the subject of the project, and the brand worked closely with Ashizawa to create a space that is minimal, modest, and peaceful. The home is located in a parkside complex in the Hiroo district in Tokyo.

The home has been filled to the brim with furniture designed in some of the previous Karimoku Case Study projects. The furniture from the preceding projects forms a collection of 12 pieces – including armchairs, low sofas, and benches. Two pieces of furniture were specially designed for the Hiroo Residence. These pieces were designed by Ashizawa.

Called the ‘A-LB01’ sideboard and ‘N-DC04’ dining chair, both the designs harmoniously join the pre-existing collection. Featuring a broad, strong, and sturdy form, the furniture designs also boast a light timber finish, which adds an element of minimalism and tranquility to the pieces. The sideboard and dining chair perfectly completely the airy and open feel of the apartment.

Occupying 200 square meters, the home has charming views of a leafy park, hence creating a close connection to nature. The brand drew inspiration from this relationship with nature, to provide the apartment with a rather organic and nature-inspired aesthetic, which is in stark contrast to the otherwise hectic city of Tokyo. The home is marked by an amalgamation of minimalist and traditional Japanese design, as well as touches of contemporary design. Pocket sliding doors, wooden wall hangings, and woven seating elements create an intriguing mesh of different textures. The home boasts a smooth balance of curves and corners, as well as natural and electric light. It has a truly organized, zen-like, and calm appeal to it.

The post This interior design experiment in Tokyo successfully merges traditional Japanese design with contemporary influences first appeared on Yanko Design.