Solar-powered Water Purifier is a completely sustainable way to get clean water

While the world is three-fourths covered with water, not all of it is drinkable. Those who live in cities and even in some rural areas have the luxury of access to purified water, but a lot of people could be miles away from the nearest natural well. Humans need water to survive, however, and people in remote parts of the world are forced to drink unclean, bacteria-laden water just to live, only to get sick from the same. Deploying water purifiers to these locations might sound like the simplest solution, but most of these require electricity which is also difficult to come by, even with solar generators. This concept, however, harnesses the power of the sun in a different way and offers a solution that is sustainable through and through.

Designer: Hans Ramzan

Conventional water purifiers, at least the small ones at homes, clean water by making it pass through different kinds of filters. Some simply require water to go through them using pressure that comes from faucets, while others use electricity to power motors and other electronics. Neither of these methods is feasible in remote areas that don’t even have access to electricity, let alone clean water from natural wells. While you can indeed hook up such a purifier to a solar generator, the use of batteries and electronics still limit the purifier’s sustainability.

Stil, in contrast, uses solar energy, not to power electronics but to clean the water almost directly. It uses the age-old method of heating up water to boiling point and then collecting the condensation as clean, distilled water. Since there is no electricity or electronics involved, this kind of purifier can be positioned and used anywhere, with access to sunlight being the only hard requirement to get Stil to work.

As simple as the process might sound, the design of this environment-friendly water purifier isn’t exactly trivial. The Fresnel lens that collects sunlight, for example, is dome-shaped so that sunlight can hit it from all angles. The metal core is a thick rod that, when heated, causes the water to boil evenly. There is a covered overflow hole that prevents the dirty water from mixing with the clean water. And the parts are made so that they’re easy to take apart for cleaning.

The exterior of the container itself is made from an opaque bamboo composite, making it eco-friendly from start to finish. The level indicator for dirty water is just a strip, but the container for clean water is clear and completely transparent, creating a visual effect that emphasizes the contrast between dirty and clean water. It can be put up on any flat surface or propped up on snap-on metal legs in the middle of an open space for maximum effect. Without cords or heavy motors, Stil can focus completely on just purifying the water, providing up to 12L of clean water that can save thousands of lives.

The post Solar-powered Water Purifier is a completely sustainable way to get clean water first appeared on Yanko Design.

Minimalist stool made from recycled aluminum boasts a carbon footprint lower than the European average

A lot of people have become more conscious about how the things that they consume are produced. A lot of brands and products have also jumped onto this bandwagon or hopefully, new lifestyle. Some of these are just cashing in on an eco-conscious society while some are pretty serious about really creating things that can be sustainable and at the same time, not giving up on the aesthetics and even adding affordability as a consideration. Furniture brand JOY Objects is one of those and their latest piece brings together “progressive design, small-scale production, and reasonable prices”.

Designer: Fredrik Paulsen

The JOY Stool One can be a side table, a chair, or whatever you need it to be. But what makes this minimalist piece of furniture stand out, so to speak, is that it is produced from recycled aluminum and can actually claim that it is produced with a lower carbon footprint. It is actually the first piece of furniture that is based on Hydro Extrusion’s Swedish EPD or Environment Product Declaration. Its carbon footprint is 3.58 kilo CO2 eq. per kilogram of aluminum produced. In case those numbers don’t mean anything to you, it is actually lower compared to the European average in the industry.

In terms of the design, it maintains the minimalist aesthetic we’ve come to expect from Swedish designers but also brings a bit of playfulness to its look. The Hydro Restore Innovate aluminum and recycled acrylic brings it a shiny but at the same time, peaceful and Zen vibe. Its simple square and transparent look means you can use it as a side table for your drinks or books. Whatever you place on it seems to become a bit cooler and instagrammable.

But of course, as stated in its name, it can also be used as a stool. It may look delicate but the aluminum should be sturdy enough to hold a human. I don’t know how comfortable you’ll be on it but at least you would also look picturesque. And the important thing about the JOY Stool One is that the makers mean it when they say they it is sustainable, from the materials to the manufacturing to the packaging. The price may be a bit steeper than other stools but it should be worth it.

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Izquierdo Lehmann cantilevers boxes from cylindrical glass Chilean house

Casa Encoique in Chile

Izquierdo Lehmann has designed a round lakeside house near Lago Ranco in southern Chile that is wrapped in glass with a series of wood-clad boxes projecting from its sides.

Cristián Izquierdo L, a partner at Santiago-based studio Izquierdo Lehmann, designed Casa Encoique in 2021 as a guest pavilion adjacent to an existing holiday home that would allow the site to accommodate multiple generations.

Chilean guesthouse with internal triangular structure and rounded facade
Izquierdo Lehmann designed the guesthouse in Chile

The circular glass pavilion – measuring roughly 125 square meters (1345 square feet) – is embedded in the forest and looks in every direction, and is attached to the main house via an elevated concrete walkway.

The open-plan first floor – featuring living and dining space with a small prep kitchen and 360-degree views – is round. Above, three “boxed” en-suite bedrooms are arranged in a triangle, cantilever out of the circle and are clad in pine that has been dried at 300 degrees Celsius to increase its thermal properties and longevity.

Off-centre metal and eucalyptus staircase within rounded house
It features a metal and eucalyptus spiral staircase

“The main challenge was to solve, in an efficient way, the triangular structure in relation to the circular base,” Izquierdo said.

The upper triangular plan is rotated off-centre to reduce the length of the cantilevers and accommodate circulation space between the rooms, which contains a metal and eucalyptus spiral staircase.

Triangular upper floor within Chilean house designed by Izquierdo Lehmann
The upper triangular plan is rotated off centre

“In the end, the project doesn’t solve the problem – as Louis Kahn would do it in the Yale Art Center where the triangular stair meets the circle in a perfect way – but it manifests that these two orders are fighting with each other, and sometimes they fit and sometimes they don’t,” Izquierdo said.

The converging forms are apparent inside the bedrooms, where the box shape juts outward and the ceiling lifts up where the room connects with the circular form.

A window above the bed not only brings light into the room but holds the triangular truss that merges the box back into the curving perimeter wall.

Large window with view of Chilean landscape next to a bed within house by Izquierdo Lehmann
A window above the bed holds the triangular truss

However, modular construction methods helped to maintain a sense of cohesion on the exterior.

“While the structure of the bedrooms and the staircase make explicit the mismatches of the triangular composition, the vertical modulation of the horizontal carpentry coincides in the boxes and the glazed enclosure, masking different materials and shapes in a common module,” the studio said.

The cladding, as well as the structural wooden elements, were modelled using the studio’s BIM software and precut before being transferred to the remote site, allowing the construction process to be more of an assembly.

Some lines, like the horizontal joints in the exterior glazing, match perfectly to the form.

Pine-clad house with cantilevering rectilinear features in Chile
Pine clads the house’s facade

Additionally, the glass was cut into small modules for transportation to the site and ease of installation for the small on-site crew.

At night, the illuminated form becomes a lantern in the lakeside forest.

Illuminated house that looks like a lantern in lakeside forest in Chile
The illuminated house becomes a lantern in the lakeside forest after dark

Nearby on the east side of Lago Ranco, Max-A also used modular construction to keep costs down on an angled, single-storey holiday home.

The photography is by Cristóbal Palma.


Project credits:
Architect: Cristián Izquierdo L
Collaborator: Pablo Irarrazaval
Structural engineering: FHS (Ernesto Hernández)
Constructor: Constructora Puerto Patagonia

The post Izquierdo Lehmann cantilevers boxes from cylindrical glass Chilean house appeared first on Dezeen.

Link About It: This Week’s Picks

Challenging the male gaze, an oral history of house music, an AR headset that locates hidden items and more

India’s Museum of Art and Photography Will Confront Biases

Bengaluru, India opened a major cultural institution this month, the Museum of Art and Photography (MAP). In addition to the pre-modern and contemporary art and photography within its 60,000-piece collection, the five-story institution showcases textiles, posters and craft in an effort to eschew the industry’s elitism to create wider accessibility. “The entire differentiation between ‘high’ art and ‘low’ art, decorative arts and fine arts, is not an Indian concept,” says MAP’s founder Abhishek Poddar. As such, much of the museum is free to the public with fees waived weekly for any exhibitions that are priced. Their inaugural exhibit, Visible/Invisible, continues the museum’s mission to dismantle biases. Curated by MAP’s director Kamini Sawhney, the show confronts the male-dominated gaze within India’s art canon, presenting works that perpetuate depictions of women as desirable goddesses and opposing them with pieces that allow women to be mortal, vengeful and complicated. The three-year-long exhibit also includes transgender and non-binary artists. Learn more about the museum and its dedication to make space for marginalized communities at CNN.

Image courtesy of Museum of Art and Photography, Bangalore

De La Soul Discusses Their Legacy With Ebro

Back in 2018, years before De La Soul’s music became available on streaming services and before Dave “Trugoy” Jolicoeur sadly passed away, the hip-hop trio spoke with Ebro (via Apple Music) about their catalogue and legacy. The group fought for control of their masters in order to share them digitally for many years; until now De La Soul had ostensibly been “erased from the digital era.” In this never-before-aired interview, Trugoy explains, “The biggest fear is just almost feeling like you’re being written out of history.” Maseo (aka Vincent Lamont Mason Jr) adds, “Being written out of history, let alone financially being taken advantage of.” That said, the conversation centers on their music: from learning from the greats to honing their expressive style, making up their stage names, crafting specific songs and looking back at their inimitable legacy. “We were just expressive kids not afraid to say, ‘This is me,’” Trugoy explains. Listen and watch on YouTube.

Image courtesy of Apple Music

World’s Largest 3D-Printed Neighborhood

3D printing startup Icon collaborated with home-builders Lennar Corp and architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group to create the Genesis Collection, 100 3D-printed homes in the Wolf Ranch suburb of Austin, Texas. These homes not only comprise the world’s largest neighborhood of its kind, but they are also built more efficiently, quickly, cheaply and sustainably than those made by traditional means, while being more resistant to climate change and offering unrestrained design opportunities. Icon uses a Vulcan printer, a 46.5-foot-wide robot that features a crossbar that moves alongside its foundation of two towers and a nozzle that moves from side to side along the bar. It is this nozzle that “prints” (like a piping bag) each layer of their proprietary concrete mixture, Lavacrete, which only requires 15 minutes to dry. Because Lavacrete is pliable and the robot can maneuver easily, the method allows curvilinear designs that are not typically offered at this price point. Learn more at Bloomberg.

Image courtesy of Icon

An AR Headset That Locates Hidden Items

X-AR is an augmented reality headset that combines computer vision and wireless perception to help wearers find hidden objects. Workers trying to locate specific products to fulfill e-commerce orders, for instance, could better locate objects tucked away in boxes or crates with the help of X-AR. Developed by researchers at MIT, the headset can see through cardboard, wooden dividers, plastic containers and other common materials by utilizing radio frequency signals and a lightweight antenna. The antennae picks up the measurements of the room through synthetic aperture radar. This builds a map of the environment which will search for objects with a radio frequency identification tag. When the right one is located, the headset then guides its wearer to the item, displayed as a transparent sphere on the set’s interface. Learn more about the technology at MIT News.

Image courtesy of MIT

Using Sound Waves To 3D-Print Objects

When an object is 3D printed, a computer processes an object’s design and sequentially “prints” each of its layers on top of one another. In a new form of 3D printing from the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research and Heidelberg University, the printer materializes objects by manipulating sound waves, a “touch-less” version of 3D printing. Just as sound can have an impact on the physical world (like when blaring noises cause objects to vibrate), this novel method manipulates acoustic fields to mold tiny matter (typically biological cells) into the desired shape. Researchers first programmed an algorithm to calculate forms through ultrasonic holograms by using GPU acceleration and Google’s TensorFlow. Then, the sonic printer fires ultrasound fields toward a lab dish housing the cells and shapes them into the new object, which occurs all at once rather than in layers. Whereas mechanical printing harms the health of cells, the sound waves move them gently and without contact, allowing them to stay sterile. This opens new opportunities for researchers to 3D print living tissue and viable organs. Learn more at Fast Company.

Image courtesy of Max Planck Institute

An Oral History of House Music

After Beyoncé’s Grammys speech thanking the queer community for creating house music, NPR’s Throughline gathered quotes and anecdotes from various conversations to create a kind of oral history of the genre which began in Chicago in the late 1970s and early ’80s, thanks to Black and mostly gay DJs. The article includes significant moments for the genre: Frankie Knuckles moving to Chicago, the iconic Warehouse club, Jesse Saunders’ 1984 bop “On & On” (often considered the first house music track) and the rise of genres like acid house, trance and drum and bass in the 1990s. Stories and thoughts from Vince Lawrence, Lori Branch, Lady D and others illustrate the ways house is both a worldwide cultural phenomenon and a deeply personal one. “When you really listen to the range of what is in house,” Meida McNeal says, “musically, sonically, but also in the lyrics, you know, it is telling stories of love.” Read (and hear) more at NPR.

Image courtesy of Jes Say Records

Motorola’s Rollable Phone

Motorola has shared their rollable phone concept, an out-of-the-box and clever idea that features a touchscreen that rolls down to wrap around the bottom and back of the device. This allows the phone to essentially change in size, as when it wraps around the back the display is smaller and when it unwraps, the phone elongates vertically. The proof-of-concept can roll by manually double-pressing the side button, or it does so automatically when using certain apps. Watching a YouTube video and turning the phone horizontally, for instance, will trigger the phone to roll upward. In addition, the display at the back of the phone, when the screen is rolled down, enables different types of use. While taking photos with the back camera, it acts as a handy viewfinder. Learn more at CNET.

Image courtesy of Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Super Cool World Ledger Nano X Designed by Nina Chanel Abney

Renowned artist Nina Chanel Abney has teamed up with Ledger for a limited edition Nano X, the company’s pocket-sized cryptocurrency wallet, that’s been adorned with her cheerful, colorful design. It’s available through a raffle that’s open to Super Cool World NFT holders, and entering takes only a few steps. Rather than waiting for a draw, participants will know immediately if they have won. Find out more at Ledger.

Image courtesy of Ledger

Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on social media, and rounded up every Saturday morning. Hero image: an untitled work by the artist JP Singhal from the late 20th century, courtesy of Museum of Art & Photography, Bangalore

This Hyundai IONIQ is a sensuous luxury sedan concept that’ll never come to life

Hyundai is going all out with its IONIQ brand’s lineup of electric vehicles of the future. The timeless design of the EVs in the kitty combines elements of past, present and future automotive aesthetics.

The IONIQ 6 electrified sedan is a grand example of the South Korean automotive giant’s vision of the future, and the dreamy world premiere was an eye-opening representation of the fact.

Designer: Jeeeun Youn

A hatchback eventually graduated into a sedan, the evolution of IONIQ, in general, is the brand’s direction, and we could even see electrified SUVs or performance roadsters in a decade’s time. But before that a creative designer wants us to imagine what an ultra-luxury EV from the Hyundai camp will look like. A stretched luxury sedan that’ll leave nothing to long for if executed to perfection.

This is the Hyundai IONIQ 10 DUKE concept that showcases the epitome of luxury with a sensuous and emotional design. According to the digital creator, it’s a “Timeless Value” design iteration with a long hood. The aesthetics of this reimagined Hyundai EV sedan is concise and edgy to give off a bold vibe. The presence of retro and ultra-modern in the concept is a rarity that even Hyundai would appreciate.

The front carries a very neat and refined design while the rear adopts a voluminous look courtesy of those sharp lines. For the headlights, the same parametric pixels are used to stamp the IONIQ brand authority. Those wheel rims and the front grille section have the same sophistication as that of a Mercedes-Maybach, so there could be some borrowed inspirations here.

That said the ultra-luxe sedan will be something to reckon with for other brands that cater to the rich and famous. But sadly I don’t see this luxury EV on four wheels seeing the light of the day in a future where compact lounge interiors dominated autonomous vehicles will rule the roost.

The post This Hyundai IONIQ is a sensuous luxury sedan concept that’ll never come to life first appeared on Yanko Design.

Claesson Koivisto Rune creates red-painted house in northern Sweden

Swedish studio Claesson Koivisto Rune has completed the Simonsson House in the city of Boden, Sweden, cladding it entirely in red-painted planks of local pine.

Located just south of the Arctic Circle, the dwelling is designed by Claesson Koivisto Rune in line with a series of strict planning regulations on the site.

These dictated a maximum height and floor area for Simonsson House and also required it to have a red roof to match other buildings nearby.

Exterior of Simonsson House by Claesson Koivisto Rune in Sweden
Claesson Koivisto Rune has created the Simonsson House in Boden

To minimise the visual impact of the building volume, Claesson Koivisto Rune split the 220-square-metre home into two trapezoidal, mono-pitched forms, each facing in opposite directions.

“[The project] designed itself out of factual limitations, practicalities and necessities,” studio co-founder Mårten Claesson told Dezeen.

“The best way to realise a proper second floor, working within these restrictions and, at the same time, making the most of the views towards the river, was to use a single pitch roof construction.”

Red-painted house in snow in Sweden
The house is covered in red-painted planks of local pine

Inside, the largest of the two volumes contains Simonsson House’s main living spaces. This includes guest bedrooms and a kitchen on the ground floor, and a lounge and main bedroom on the first floor underneath the steep pitch of the roof.

In the smaller volume are a garage and a sauna, topped by a roof terrace that is accessed from the first-floor lounge and sheltered by a high parapet.

Red-painted exterior of Simonsson House by Claesson Koivisto Rune in Sweden
The house is divided into two volumes

Simonsson House’s entrance is tucked into a corner created where the two volumes meet.

At the rear of the home, the kitchen, living room and main bedroom are positioned to enjoy views of the landscape and a nearby river through large windows, each paired with an openable vent.

“The house was designed on a strict building-cost budget,” explained Claesson. “By making all the windows fixed, we could achieve considerable savings.”

“Each window size and position corresponds to the interior function and the best view from every room,” he continued.

Living room with sloped wood-lined ceiling
The main living spaces are contained in the largest volume

The interior finishes are pared-back, with white walls contrasted by a paved ground floor and carpeted upper floor beneath the Swedish pine-lined ceiling.

A large central staircase, built from Swedish birch, is framed by oversized balustrades that double as slatted timber screens and create a play of light and shadow.

Sauna of Simonsson House by Claesson Koivisto Rune in Sweden
There is a private sauna

Claesson Koivisto Rune is an architecture and design studio that was founded in Stockholm in 1995 by Claesson with Eero Koivisto and Ola Rune.

Previous architecture projects by the studio include a prototype town hall for villages across Ukraine that was due to be rolled out prior to the Russian invasion and the conversion of a 1920s bank in Tokyo into a boutique hotel.

The photography is by Åke E:son Lindman.

The post Claesson Koivisto Rune creates red-painted house in northern Sweden appeared first on Dezeen.

Fourteen homes where exposed cross-laminated timber creates cosy interiors

A bedroom interior with exposed timber

Our latest lookbook features cross-laminated timber interiors, including a colourful German vacation home and a tenement-style housing development in Edinburgh, and is part of Dezeen’s Timber Revolution series.

Architects looking to offset the carbon emissions of a building often choose cross-laminated timber (CLT), a type of mass-timber made from laminated timber sections that can be used as structural building materials.

The material, which is normally made from larch, spruce or pine, absorbs atmospheric carbon as it grows and subsequently retains it during its life in a building.

In interiors, CLT can create a luxurious effect even for projects with a tight budget and gives rooms a light, modern feel.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with split-level living areas, mix-and-match flooring and homes with cleverly hidden lifts.


The interior of a bedroom in Octothorpe House
Photo is by Jeremy Bitterman / JBSA

Octothorpe House, US, by Mork-Ulnes Architects

The natural forms, custom furniture and organic colours and textures that appear throughout Octothorpe House were selected by studio Mork-Ulnes Architects for their resemblance to the surrounding Oregon desert landscape.

The cabin-cum-house was built using American-made CLT for a client that wanted an “environmentally progressive” and flexible design.

Find out more about Octothorpe House ›


Interior of Bert treehouse by Precht
Photo is by Christian Flatscher

Bert, Austria, by Precht

Hidden in the woodland surrounding the Steirereck am Pogusch restaurant in the rural village of Pogusch, this playful tubular guest dwelling was informed by cartoon characters.

It was designed by Austrian architecture studio Precht to feel dark and cosy inside, with the structural CLT walls providing contrast against the black flooring and dark textiles.

Find out more about Bert ›


Kitchen and dining space in Haus am Hang by AMUNT
Photo is by Rasmus Norlander

Haus am Hang, Germany, by AMUNT

German architecture office AMUNT was drawn in particular to CLT’s sustainability credentials when creating this hillside vacation home in the Black Forest.

Designed for a client who wanted to promote sustainable travel, the home features surfaces and joinery finished in shades of green inspired by local tree species and its layout was organised to make the most of natural light.

Find out more about Haus am Hang ›


Kynttilä by Ortraum Architects
Photo is by Marc Goodwin

Kynttilä, Finland, by Ortraum Architects

Structural CLT was used to form the floor walls and angled roof of this 15-square-metre cabin on Lake Saimaa in Finland.

Its gabled form encloses a bedroom and a small kitchen, which feature natural CLT walls. A large bedroom window provides views of the forest outside the cabin.

Find out more about Kynttilä ›


Interior of CLT House in London by Unknown Works
Photo is courtesy of Unknown Works

CLT House, UK, by Unknown Works

Named after its spruce CLT structure, CLT House is a semi-detached house in east London that architecture studio Unknown Works remodelled and extended to open up and improve its connection to the back garden.

On the ground floor, the timber walls, storage and seating areas create a minimal backdrop for the family’s musical and creative pursuits, parties and family gatherings.

A combined kitchen and dining space are housed in a bright yellow rear extension that opens onto the garden’s brick-paved patio.

Find out more about CLT House ›


The Rye Apartments by Tikari Works
Photo is by Jack Hobhouse

Rye Apartments, UK, by Tikari Works

The four-storey Rye Apartments block in south London was designed by local studio Tikari Works, which used CLT for the structure and left it exposed across the majority of the apartments’ gabled walls and ceilings.

This was combined with spruce wood kitchen cabinetry, storage units and shelving. Terrazzo-style flooring with amber and cream-coloured flecks was added to compliment the timber finishes.

Find out more about Rye Appartments ›


R11 loft extension by Pool Leber Architekten
Photo is by Brigida González

R11 loft extension, Germany, by Pool Leber Architekten

The R11 loft extension is a two-storey CLT extension that Pool Leber Architekten added to a 1980s housing block in Munich, creating a series of loft spaces.

Inside the lofts, the structural timber was left visible on the walls, ceilings and floors. The material was also used to create sculptural storage cabinets that double as window seating.

Find out more about Pool Leber Architekten


Barretts Grove by Amin Taha Architects
Photo is by Tim Soar

Barretts Grove, UK, Amin Taha Architects

Amin Taha Architects created this six-storey CLT block, which contains six apartments, between a pair of detached brick buildings in Stoke Newington, London.

“The ability of the CLT to serve as structure and finish removed the need for plaster-boarded walls, suspended ceilings, cornices, skirtings, tiling and paint; reducing by 15 per cent the embodied carbon of the building, its construction cost and time on site,” the studio said.

Find out more about Barretts Grove ›


A CLT split level interior
Photo is by Markus Linderoth

Twelve Houses, Sweden, by Förstberg Ling

The CLT structure that forms the foundations of Twelve Houses by Förstberg Ling has been left exposed throughout the walls, floors and ceilings of the interior living areas, giving the space a warm and inviting feel.

A back bedroom on the first floor overlooks a double-height area of the living room, which has a concrete floor and reddish-brown wall panelling.

Find out more about Twelve Houses ›


Villa Korup kitchen interior
Photo is by Gabrielle Gualdi

Villa Korup, Denmark, by Jan Henrik Jansen Arkitekter

A CLT structure made from Baltic fir was used to construct this home on the Danish island of Fyn, which features exposed CLT panels throughout the interiors.

Designers Jan Henrik Jansen Arkitekter, Marshall Blecher and Einrum Arkitekter treated the material with soap and lye to lighten and protect the timber inside.

Find out more about Villa Korup ›


Interior of Simon Square apartments by Fraser/Livingstone
Photo is by Fredrik Frendin

Simon Square, UK, by Fraser/Livingstone

Comprised of six flats set within a mass-timber tenement-style housing development in Edinburgh, Simon Square has a structural timber frame that has been left exposed internally.

Architecture studio Fraser/Livingstone hoped that the presence of CLT indoors would improve the residents’ well-being. Potted plants and a neutral interior colour scheme provide an added sense of calm.

“When solid timber is exposed internally, the D-limonene the timber gives out has been shown to produce calm environments, with occupants’ hearts beating slower, and stress reduced,” project architect Ayla Riom told Dezeen.

Find out more about Simon Square ›


Interior of the Biv Punakaiki cabin by Fabric Architecture
Photo is by Nancy Zhou

Biv Punakaiki, New Zealand, by Fabric

In an attempt to balance the high carbon levels of the cabin’s concrete floor and aluminium cladding, architecture studio Fabric chose to use CLT for the cabin’s structure, which was left exposed inside.

From the double-height living room, the residents can look up through large skylights that punctuate the ceiling and gaze at the stars above.

Find out more about Biv Punakaiki ›


A cross laminated timber kitchen interior
Photo is by José Hevia

MAS JEC, Spain, by Aixopluc

Catalan architecture office Aixopluc used lightweight materials for this CLT extension, which it added to a traditional Catalan house in the city of Reus.

The building was prepared off-site and erected in just two weeks. Another advantage of using CLT is that the thermal mass of the exposed CLT interiors helps to ensure a comfortable internal temperature when the afternoon sun hits the building.

Find out more about MAS JEC ›


Houten Herenhuis by MAATworks

IJburg Townhouse the Netherlands, by MAATworks

This Amsterdam townhouse was designed to reference wooden Scandinavian homes.

Architecture studio MAATworks arranged it around an angular staircase made from cross-laminated pine wood, which was also used to create the wall and ceilings of the home.

Find out more about IJburg Townhouse ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with split-level living areas, mix-and-match flooring and homes with cleverly hidden lifts.

Timber Revolution logo
Illustration by Yo Hosoyamada

Timber Revolution

This article is part of Dezeen’s Timber Revolution series, which explores the potential of mass timber and asks whether going back to wood as our primary construction material can lead the world to a more sustainable future.

The post Fourteen homes where exposed cross-laminated timber creates cosy interiors appeared first on Dezeen.

This week we kicked off the Timber Revolution

Timber Revolution

This week on Dezeen, we launched our latest series called Timber Revolution, which will investigate the potential of mass timber.

Over the next month, we will publish a series of interviews, opinions and case studies that will question whether mass timber can break steel and concrete’s hold over the construction industry.

Forest
Smith Mordak wrote an opinion piece as part of Timber Revolution

In an opinion piece for the series, Smith Mordak said that in order to realise the Timber Revolution, we must fundamentally shift the way we build to harmonise with tree and carbon cycles.

“We can’t detox our built environment by swapping out fossil-fuelled building materials for timber,” they wrote.

We also published a guide to mass timber in architecture and interviewed the “grandfather of mass timber” Hermann Kaufmann, who said that “timber was being abused”.

Stamps marking one year since the Russian invasion
Ukraine released a Banksy stamp to mark one year since the Russian invasion

To mark one year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, the Ukrainian postal service released a stamp featuring an image by British artist Banksy and the words FCK PTN!

“We wanted the drawing to reflect the feelings of all Ukrainians – the desire to defeat the enemy and finally put him on the ground,” Ukrainian postal service director general Igor Smelyanskyi told Dezeen.

Destruction caused by earthquakes in Turkey
Turkish architects spoke to Dezeen about the destruction caused by last month’s earthquakes

This week, we spoke to Turkish architects about the aftermath of last month’s deadly earthquakes.

Architects in the country told Dezeen that the scale of destruction caused by the earthquakes was exacerbated by poor construction and that improvements to architectural education and practice must form part of the recovery plan.

Cody Dock Rolling Bridge
Thomas Randall-Page unveiled the Cody Dock Rolling Bridge in London

In London, British designer Thomas Randall-Page installed a footbridge that can be rotated by hand.

Called Cody Dock Rolling Bridge, the structure was made from weathering steel and oak and rotates via manual levers to let boats pass.

Milan Fashion Week set
A catwalk at Milan Fashion Week contained 200,000 condoms

We rounded up the key catwalk designs at Milan Fashion Week, including sets designed for fashion brands Diesel, Gucci and Blumarine.

Among them was a catwalk piled with 200,000 condoms, a terracotta room with billowing bales of cashmere and a medieval battlefield.

Silhouette of a person standing in front of a mono-pitched polycarbonate shed on a wooden deck shining light through timber slats on a slope in the New Zealand bush
A shed that doubles as a light sculpture was popular this week

Popular projects on Dezeen this week included a timber and polycarbonate shed designed to double as light sculpturea skateboarding facility for clothing brand Supreme and a London mews house with a louvred oak facade.

Our latest lookbooks featured residential interiors with split-level living areas and open-plan rooms with mix-and-match flooring.

This week on Dezeen

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The post This week we kicked off the Timber Revolution appeared first on Dezeen.

Top 10 outdoor furniture designs to bring your yard to life

Being stuck at home during the pandemic really did teach us a few lessons. One, being, that you can actually do a lot at home, especially in your backyard! It definitely made us realize we shouldn’t underestimate our backyards, they can be locations of major fun, recreation, and relaxation…depending on how we do them up. You can turn your backyard into an ideal date spot for you and your partner, or host a barbecue party! We’ve curated a collection of furniture designs to help you transform these exciting ideas into a reality. These designs will turn your yard into the ultimate relaxation destination. We bet you won’t want to step out of your yard, once you introduce these furniture pieces to it. From outdoor furniture that is made from recycled plastic, but feels and looks like wood to a minimal Scandinavian outdoor chair that will weather over time – these furniture pieces will majorly transform your humble backyard.

1. The Bungalow Luggage

Whether you’re backpacking, planning on fishing, or want to spend time at the lake, foldable and easy-to-carry furniture is definitely going to be on your top priority list. A collapsible furniture range that is relatively luxurious, ultra-lightweight, and packs up into a travel trolley you can tote after you; the Bungalow Luggage by designer Eunsol Lee sets the stage for unique camping experiences.

Why is it noteworthy?

There is no shortage of foldable camping chairs and tables out there. You could even pick a set of tables and chairs off the shelf but this idea of a portable furniture set has its own merits. Unlike the other metal rod collapsible furniture for the outdoors, this one designed for National Geographic is convenient to transport. Just fold up the two chairs and the table into their bags and the trio sits evenly inside a suitcase you can lug along. This ease of portability also comes in handy when you want to fit the furniture in the car’s boot.

What we like

  • Packed in a travel trolley-style sturdy case
  • The metal spokes aligned as hollow table legs become the base for a wooden plank tabletop

What we dislike

  • Doesn’t look too comfy to sit for long hours

2. Stack Stool and Combo Table

A stool and table collection that recently grabbed my attention is Nardi’s Stack stool and Combo table. Designed by Raffaello Galiotto, Italian furniture brand Nardi launched a stool and table collection that features a linear design complemented by strips of wood.

Why is it noteworthy?

Crafted from 100 percent recyclable regenerated polypropylene, the furniture collection has been designed to look like traditional timber furniture. Lightweight and sturdy, both the stool and table can be easily lifted, handled, and transported from one location to another. And the fact that it has the appearance of wooden furniture only adds to its list of pros!

What we like

  • Looks like it’s been made from wood
  • Occupy minimal space once they have been set aside and stored

What we dislike

  • The aesthetics of the collection are quite dull and boring

3. The Böste Lounge Chair

Designed by Stefan Borselius for the Swedish furniture company Skargaarden, the Böste lounge chair is a minimal and sturdy lounge chair that is designed to weather over time

Why is it noteworthy?

The lounge chair is named after the designer’s hometown in Southern Sweden. It is inspired by the classic Westport Chair and is in fact, a Scandinavian version of it. The form of the chair is pretty unique, with the back and seat meeting at an interesting angle, which invites and welcomes users to sit in a gently reclined pose which is great for relaxing and socializing with family and friends.

What we like

  • Features a separate footrest that allows users to lie down fully and comfortably
  • Built using sustainably sourced teak

What we dislike

  • Aesthetically quite similar to other outdoor chairs on the market

4. Plint

Italian design studio Pastina created Plint, a collection of urban furniture for Punto Design. Pastina describes Plint as “more than just a street bench”, and I wholeheartedly agree. The colorful and quirky pieces of this collection are a far cry from the dreary brown benches, we often see scattered around cities.

Why is it noteworthy?

Plint plays with diverse materials, geometrics, and visual perceptions, highlighting the interesting contrasts between them. This makes Plint anything but boring!

What we like

  • The base is modular, hence allowing each piece to be used individually, or to be combined with other pieces to create compositions of various lengths

What we dislike

  • Not ideal for small backyards/outdoor spaces

5. Make.Work.Spaces

This specific micro office is a pretty versatile one! It can be placed in your home, at a corporate office, or even out in public. You can position multiple Make.Work.Spaces in your office, create spaces for employees to gain some privacy away from the office chaos, or for you to work in peace in your backyard.

Why is it noteworthy?

When it comes to working from home – the Make.Work.Space functions as the ideal home office! Besides serving as a home office, it could also be used as a quiet space to simply relax and unwind in as well. Sometimes we do need privacy in our own homes, especially if we’re living with family, friends, or roommates. It’s an economical and efficient way to maximize your living space!

What we like

  • Comes in three different modules to meet the diverse needs of diverse people

What we dislike

  • The option to use the micro-office in public spaces may be difficult to put into reality

6. Gravitas

This new line of outdoor furniture is called Gravitas and the look and design is basically “grated”.

Why is it noteworthy?

It looks sturdy enough to survive strong winds, rains, and snow, although the steel material might make it a little too hot for when the sun is well and truly up during summer. The galvanized grating design for these “all-weather all-rounder” pieces of furniture is perfect for a garden, a patio, or the backyard outdoor seating for a cafe or restaurant with an industrial look or theme.

What we like

  • Sturdy and foolproof body
  • Weatherproof

What we dislike

  • Not the most aesthetically pleasing design

7. Stump

Called Stump, the lighting design is a sturdy light designed to illuminate and light up the outside areas of the Island of Møn, although it would look great in your backyard as well!

Why is it noteworthy?

The light was designed specially to combat and reduce light pollution. Featuring the shape of a bollard, the lighting design features an oxidized cast iron body and a transparent cap.

What we like

  • Includes a warm-toned and low-energy lighting fixture that emits a soft and radiant light
  • Its sturdy structure can be used as a stool for people to lean on

What we dislike

  • Not the best option, if you want a lighting design that provides more illumination

8. The Tripster

Dubbed the Tripster, this unique portable chair from Trippy Outdoor is a convenient little piece that you can stash in your garage or the back of your car and pop out whenever you need it!

Why is it noteworthy?

I had to stop myself from calling the Tripster a foldable chair because honestly, it doesn’t really fold. Built with a unique yet incredibly simple assembly mechanism, the Tripster effectively plugs in and out, going between what’s essentially a comfortable high-back outdoor chair, and two easy-to-store pieces of wood.

What we like

  • Creates a seating device that travels exceptionally well, and is a breeze to set up
  • Lightweight form

What we dislike

  • Doesn’t look very sturdy, especially for a slippery sand surface

9. Aeri

Meet Aeri, an inflatable canopy that you can carry anywhere inside a backpack, and inflate in 3 minutes with the press of just one single button. Aeri helps you effortlessly set up a canopy or an outdoor shelter in an instant. Designed to be used for recreational outdoor use, Aeri can easily be carried to the beach, campsites, the park, or even your backyard. It uses a four-pillar arch design that provides the perfect shelter against sun, wind, and rain, and its entirely inflatable design runs on a rechargeable air pump that can be operated independently by a single person with zero assistance.

Why is it noteworthy?

The patent-pending inflatable shelter fits into a moderately sized backpack, and when unfolded, can comfortably provide a 10ft x 10ft shelter to an entire family or a group of 5-6 people. Its UV-blocking fabric works wonderfully against the sun, creating a shaded sanctuary against harsh sunlight, and the fabric’s even waterproof, making Aeri ideal for rainy weather too. While Aeri doesn’t come with metal supports like traditional tents or canopies, it makes up for that with clever arched architecture. The arched pillars create a rigid support structure that stays stable even in windy conditions, and if things get too out of hand, Aeri’s built-in tether system lets you hook it to the ground.

What we like

  • Ultra-light
  • Easily portable

What we dislike

  • Unsuitable for extreme weather conditions

10 Convivium Mobile Bar

This modular outdoor kitchen – that includes a bar – is made from weather-resistant corten steel, similar to the brand’s other products for home and garden.

Why is it noteworthy?

Laid out beautifully for cooking and serving cocktails al fresco, this outdoor kitchen setup is equipped with an electric, gas, or charcoal grill and wooden cutting board to cater to the cooking needs. A kitchen is not complete without its washing area –Convivium Mobile Bar is fitted with a stainless steel sink that features pull-out taps, so the outright appeal and distinctive appearances of the design are maintained.

What we like

  • You have the choice to choose different modules of Convivium Mobile Bar – you can select from the two sizes – the entire kitchen and bar setup or simply the kitchen area complete with the steel sink

What we dislike

  • Extremely bulky and space-consuming design

The post Top 10 outdoor furniture designs to bring your yard to life first appeared on Yanko Design.

A veteran designed this compact all-in-one multitool to be an incredibly versatile tactical EDC

It looks like your average pocket knife, but the CRKT Septimo Multi-Tool cleverly gives you much more than just a flipper blade. Designed to be a combination of compact, ergonomic, and feature-rich, this handy little critter was named Septimo (Spanish for ‘seventh’) after the 7th Special Forces Group in which designer Jeremy Valdez served. Modeled after his vision of the ideal EDC multitool, the Septimo has a fold-out 2.86-inch long American Tanto blade with a liner-lock mechanism, a bottle opener, a flathead + Phillips head screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, and finally a glass-breaker tip for getting out of sticky situations. Finally, a pocket clip lets you carry your Septimo Multi-Tool around, keeping it always at arm’s length for practically every situation where you’ll need yourself a handy EDC.

Designer: Jeremy Valdez for CRKT

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The Septimo’s design isn’t arbitrary. It comes from a place of experience – the kind that Valdez wouldn’t wish on anyone. During a combat operation in Afghanistan in 2009, Valdez was involved in a helicopter crash. In the chaotic aftermath, he found his EDC folding knife of choice failing rather miserably at real-world applications that involved cutting straps/harnesses, prying apart fuselage, and moving debris to help extract his fellow soldiers from the blazing, mangled chopper wreckage. This single incident set him on a path to design the ideal tactical EDC that could be used by pretty much anyone. The Septimo Multi-Tool was crafted as a tribute to his fallen brothers and sisters in arms, with a design versatile enough to get you out of any mess. The high-friction grip and desert-proof oxide finish would also help the Septimo serve loyally even in extreme conditions.

With its tactical black aesthetic, the Septimo Multi-Tool measures 4.77 inches in length and weighs 4.4 ounces (124 grams), making it both compact and lightweight, yet cleverly versatile for all sorts of scenarios. The American Tanto blade comes with a dual-edge design that’s perfect for cutting and piercing, and a Veff™ serration located near the end of the blade provides a hooking point that’s perfect for cutting through paracords, seatbelts, etc. The 8Cr13MoV steel blade comes with the same black finish as the rest of the multitool, boasting an oxidized layer that acts as an anti-corrosive.

The rest of the tools are cleverly integrated into the Septimo’s handle. The handle itself is made from aluminum with glass-reinforced Nylon inlay plates for high grip and durability. The aluminum ‘chassis’ of the Septimo comes with a bottle-opener built into its profile, working also as a thumb-grip when you’re using the knife, and right beside it is a hexagonal slot for docking S2 bits to turn your Septimo into a screwdriver that docks flathead and Phillips Head bits.

By far the most innovative bit of this multitool is the tiny-yet-practical adjustable wrench built into the back of the handle. Armed with a moveable jaw that’s operated by a thumb-screw, this compact wrench is just as handy and useful as its larger sibling, but fits right in your pocket and works perfectly for smaller Hex bits, bolts, and nuts. The Septimo ends with a final flair by integrating a glass-breaker tip at the end of its handle, making it perfect for striking down on toughened glass to instantly shatter it for a quick getaway in an emergency.

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The post A veteran designed this compact all-in-one multitool to be an incredibly versatile tactical EDC first appeared on Yanko Design.