Hasta La Ideas

Dezeen has been shortlisted for four Association of Online Publishers awards, three Professional Publishers Association and three British Society of Magazine Editors talent awards.

Dezeen’s was recently shortlisted for editorial team of the year at both the Association of Online Publishers (AOP) and Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards.

The magazine was also shortlisted for Best Online Brand: B2B and Small Digital Publisher of the Year at the AOP awards, along with Special Interest Magazine of the Year at the PPA awards.

Alongside these awards, Dezeen’s editor Tom Ravenscroft was shortlisted for Editor of the Year at both the PPA and AOP awards.

Dezeen writers were shortlisted a further three times at the British Society of Magazine Editors (BSME) talent awards.

Dezeen’s deputy editor Cajsa Carlson was shortlisted for Best Deputy Editor, Dezeen’s design editor Jennifer Hahn for Best Writer – B2B and Dezeen’s former design reporter Alice Finney for Best Writer – Specialist.

The shortlistings are the latest recognition for Dezeen, which was named Business Publication of the Year at the PPA’s annual awards and editorial brand of the year by the International Building Press last year.

Last December Dezeen founder Marcus Fairs, who passed away last year, was posthumously given a lifetime achievement award by British Society of Magazine Editors for his “massive contribution to magazine journalism”.

The post Dezeen shortlisted for 10 prestigious publishing awards appeared first on Dezeen.

An architecture centre founded by British architect Terry Farrell has opened in Newcastle, England, with an exhibition exploring building materials of the future and “urban rooms” for local residents.

The Farrell Centre is an exhibition gallery, research centre and community space that aims to provoke conversation about architecture and planning, both in the city and at a global scale.

The project was instigated by Farrell, who donated his architectural archive and put £1 million towards the build.

The inaugural exhibition, More with Less: Reimagining Architecture for a Changing World, looks at how buildings might adapt to the climate crisis.

Fake fur, mycelium and wool insulation feature in a series of installations designed to challenge traditional methods of producing architecture.

Elsewhere, three urban rooms host workshops and other events where locals can learn about the past and future of Newcastle and voice their opinions on development plans.

“The centre is here to bring about a better, more inclusive and more sustainable built environment,” said Farrell Centre director and Dezeen columnist Owen Hopkins during a tour of the building.

“The belief that underpins everything we do is that we need to engage people with architecture and planning, and the transformative roles that they can have,” he told Dezeen.

“Architecture and planning are often seen as something that’s imposed from above. We need to shift that perception.”

Forming part of Newcastle University, the Farrell Centre occupies a four-storey former department store building in the heart of the city.

Local studios Space Architects and Elliott Architects oversaw a renovation that aims to make the building feel as open and welcoming as possible.

The ground floor has the feel of a public thoroughfare, thanks to glazed facades on two sides, while bleacher-style steps create a sunken seating area for talks and presentations.

A colourful new staircase leads up to the exhibition galleries on the first floor and the urban rooms on the second floor, while the uppermost level houses the staff offices.

According to Hopkins, the launch exhibition sets the tone for the type of content that visitors can expect from the Farrell Centre.

The show features installations by four UK architecture studios, each exploring a different proposition for future buildings.

“We wanted to create something that expands people’s understanding of what architecture is, beyond building an expensive house on Grand Designs,” Hopkins said, referencing the popular television show.

Newcastle University’s Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE) has created Living Room, a cave-like structure made by cultivating a mixture of mycelium and sawdust over a giant wool blanket.

Next, a mini maze created by Glasgow studio Dress for the Weather aims to showcase the thermal and experiential qualities of building insulation, with varieties made from low-grade wool and plastic bottles.

London-based Office S&M proposes low-tech but fun solutions for making buildings more comfortable.

These are represented by a silhouette of the head of Michelangelo’s David made from pink fur, a metallic space blanket, a chaise longue topped covered in expanding foam and a dichroic-film window covering that casts colourful reflections onto the floor.

“This whole room is about actually doing really simple mundane stuff, but in a way that is joyful and tells a story,” said Hopkins.

In the final room, an installation by London-based McCloy + Muchemwa brings nature indoors with a boardroom table covered in plants.

On the floor above, the three urban rooms have been fitted out by Mat Barnes of architecture studio CAN with custom elements that make playful references to building sites.

They are filled with historic maps, interactive models, informal furniture, display stands made from scaffolding poles, and architecture toys that include building-shaped soft play and Lego.

The idea of setting up an urban room in Newcastle was the starting point for the creation of the Farrell Centre.

A decade ago, Farrell was commissioned by the UK government to produce a report on the state of the UK’s architecture and planning system.

One of the key recommendations in the Farrell Review, published in 2014, was to create an urban room in every major city, giving local people of all ages and backgrounds a place to engage with how the city is planned and developed.

As Farrell grew up in the Newcastle area and studied architecture at the university, he became keen to make this concept a reality in this city.

Although the Farrell Centre is named in his honour, Hopkins said that Farrell is happy for the facility to forge its own path in terms of programme and approach.

“He established the idea and vision for the centre, but he is happy for us to build out that vision in the way that we think is best,” added Hopkins.

The director is optimistic about the centre’s potential to engage with the community.

“Newcastle is a city like no other,” he said. “The civic pride here is off the scale. People have such a deep-rooted love of where they live.”

“It’s amazing to be able to tap into that as a way of creating a better built environment.”

More with Less: Reimagining Architecture for a Changing World is on show at the Farrell Centre from 22 April to 10 September 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

The post Farrell Centre opens with exhibition showcasing mycelium and fake fur appeared first on Dezeen.

Laptops have long surpassed desktops as the personal computing of choice because of their convenience, portability, and smaller footprints. Despite those advantages, laptops are still physically limited exactly because of those traits. Even as laptop hardware becomes more powerful, they’re still limited in the kind of keyboards they can accommodate and, most especially, the number of screens they can carry. Sure, connecting multiple monitors to a laptop has always been possible, but that also means being chained to a desk all the time. Fortunately, the dream of having a productivity monster on the go is now possible thanks to a sleek triple monitor laptop accessory that frees you to get work done in the best way possible, whether you’re in the office, at a coffee shop, or even in a boardroom meeting.

Designer: Zikang Feng

Click Here to Buy Now: $379 $599 ($220 off). Hurry, only 5/165 left! Raised over $380,000.

There is still some debate on whether productivity is proportional to the number of monitors that you have, but there are plenty of computer users, especially those labeled as “knowledge workers,” who swear by it. Many of them use laptops and wish they could take their multi-monitor desk setups with them wherever they go. The idea might have been met with ridicule at first, but those doubts are easily dispelled by a well-designed solution like the Trio and Trio Max.

Designed for laptops, big or small, the Trio and the Trio Max provide a convenient and portable way to add one or two extra screens to your laptop without actually bulking up your portable computer when you don’t need them. They come as plug-and-play accessories that you can simply stand on your desk or, optionally, magnetically attach to the back of your laptop as they are needed. A new second-stage sliding mechanism lets the screens slide in and out smoothly while still allowing them to pivot and fold about your laptop to protect your privacy.

Three Screen Mode – Both monitors.

The Trio and the Trio Max are still easy and convenient to use, only requiring that you plug them into devices with USB-C ports with DisplayPort Alt capability, which includes the Nintendo Switch. Even better, these triple-screen accessories are now compatible with M1 and M2 Macs using Mobile Pixels’ proprietary USB driver. The Trio’s design offers the utmost flexibility on how to arrange your multiple monitors, whether it’s a single screen off to the side, a detached portrait mode monitor, or both screens rotated backward for 360-degree coverage.

Landscape Mode – One monitor, left or right.

Portrait Mode – Detach and set it up vertically.

Collaboration Mode – Rotate both screens back to form a triangle to collaborate with others.

Today’s laptops are powerful enough to run almost anything as long as they fit inside a single screen. With the Trio for 13-14.5″ laptops and the Trio Max for 15-17.3″ sizes, you can quickly add two rich 1080p anti-glare displays to have more room for all your apps and content. Free yourself from your laptop’s constraints and expand your creativity and productivity whenever and wherever you need it with the Trio and Trio Max triple-screen monitors, only $379 and $419, respectively.

Click Here to Buy Now: $379 $599 ($220 off). Hurry, only 5/165 left! Raised over $380,000.

The post This triple-screen laptop accessory upgrades your productivity where you go first appeared on Yanko Design.

The 38L Hybrid Duffle Pack isn’t your average backpack. For starters, it’s designed to be entirely carbon neutral, with materials and processes that take waste out of the system rather than putting waste into the system. The bag’s fabric uses 123 recycled plastic bottles in its construction and is strengthened by atmospheric-captured CO2, using a proprietary procedure. In fact, the 38L Hybrid Duffle Pack is so strong that it’s rated to be 100% storm-proof, and comes with a seal of approval from Ed Stafford, a renowned English explorer and survivalist who holds the Guinness World Record for being the first human ever to walk the length of the Amazon River, and who also played a sizeable role in designing the 38L Hybrid Duffle Pack… and why is it called Hybrid? Well, because it can seamlessly alternate between backpack, side-strap, and duffle modes, preparing you for all scenarios… and for all weathers.

Designer: GROUNDTRUTH

Click Here to Buy Now: $249 $400 ($151 off). Hurry, only 4/65 left!

Coming from the mind of GROUNDTRUTH and Ed Stafford, the 38L Hybrid Duffle Pack was just built to dominate in the outdoors. However, at the same time, it’s functional and urban-friendly enough to be your everyday carry too. The bag’s design upcycles plastic waste in a way that blurs the lines between sustainability, fashion, and function, giving you a backpack strong and hyper-functional enough to be the last one you’ll ever buy.

Backpack – Robust semi-detachable shoulder straps with stabilizers for extra comfort.

Hand Carry – Three exterior robust grab handles for hand carry.

Duffle – Detachable waist belt transforms into comfy shoulder strap for shoulder and cross-body carry.

The hyper-functionality starts with the bag’s hybrid design, which alternates between handheld, side duffle, and backpack styles in a matter of seconds. The bag comes with a detachable duffle-style shoulder strap, a semi-detachable backpack harness with stabilizers, and 2 side handles to facilitate the three carrying styles. With all the straps tucked away, it can be carried like a handheld briefcase. Pop the duffle-style shoulder strap on and you have a side-sling duffle bag… attach the two backpack harness straps and you’ve got a backpack. The backpack mode can further be reinforced with the extra strap (from the duffle configuration) transforming into a secure waist belt letting you carry heavy items with ease as the bag hugs your back to prevent the straps from cutting into your skin and causing you fatigue.

Made to easily withstand the extreme outdoors, the bag boasts a 100% storm-proof design that’s further backed by GROUNDTRUTH’s 10-year warranty. The 38L Hybrid Duffle Pack’s exterior uses the company’s proprietary fabric, made from recycled PET bottles. The bottles are collected, cleaned, and then shredded into thin fibers before being woven into a strong yarn. The yarn is then transformed into a high-performance fabric with a 600D ballistic property and a tristop weave. The resulting fabric is absolutely water-proof, and the bag’s panels are joined together with the triangular ripstop stitch pattern that prevents them from fraying, splitting, or tearing. Waterproof YKK lockable zippers help keep your bag’s contents dry and safe no matter how inclement the weather.

The backpack is spacious enough to accommodate 38 liters, as its name suggests, and is wide enough to fit a 16″ laptop in the main fleece-lined laptop compartment. The bag features two main compartments that open in a 180° clamshell fashion for full accessibility, alongside four outer front pockets. Additionally, a top-access pocket with a dedicated keychain holder lets you store your EDC. Additionally, bottle holders on either side of the bag let you store up to two 1L bottles.

The bag’s eco-friendly approach is truly one-of-a-kind. Not only is the exterior fabric crafted from recycled plastic bottles, but the interior lining is also made entirely from recycled fishing nets using zero-added dyes. What’s more, GROUNDTRUTH’s innovative process involves infusing captured CO2 into the recycled plastic hardware, resulting in a material that is up to 40% more durable than virgin plastics. To top it off, the textiles are also coated with an advanced water-based film that contains zero VOCs. GROUNDTRUTH is also committed to working with Bluesign®-certified partners to ensure fair and ethical treatment of workers throughout the entire supply chain.

The bag truly shows a remarkable balance between sustainability and functionality. Purposefully designed to help mitigate the effects of humanity’s wasteful decisions, the bag comes with a carbon-neutral design that’s further reinforced by the fact that it’s ridiculously durable, and is backed by a 10-year warranty. Made for travel, the 38L Hybrid Duffle Pack is cabin-friendly, and is available globally in two colors – ECO-X Black, and Ice Sheet Blue, for a discounted price of $249.

The 38L Hybrid Duffle Pack is part of GROUNDTRUTH’s award-winning RIKR range collection.

Click Here to Buy Now: $249 $400 ($151 off). Hurry, only 4/65 left!

The post This Carbon Neutral Backpack is built with recycled plastic and captured CO2, and is 100% storm-proof first appeared on Yanko Design.

The second-ever YD x KeyShot Inspiration Hub Design of the Month goes to the Hìtëkw, a rather interesting-looking tennis racquet with an even more interesting back story. Designed using a combination of AI-based tools as well as generative design, the Hìtëkw boasts of a futuristic visual aesthetic that’s never been seen before… and that isn’t all. The redesigned racquet is lighter and stronger too, as a result of this AI-powered makeover!

Designer: All Design Lab

Click Here to view all designs on the YD x Keyshot Inspiration Hub website!

All Design Lab experimented with using OpenAI’s Dall·E2 to generate concept directions for the racquet’s design, only to realize that almost the AI could only work on a dataset of existing images; and nobody had ever made a racquet like the Hìtëkw before, which made it difficult for the AI to really think outside the box. This became the starting point for All Design Lab’s creative brief, which was to completely redesign the racquet’s silhouette itself.

To create new racquet archetypes, the All Design Lab team relied on new CAD tools. The designers created their rough form in Gravity Sketch, a VR-based 3D program that lets you sketch and sculpt in virtual reality, before taking the product to a generative algorithm to optimize the racquet’s unique frame for strength and reliability. The result was the Hìtëkw, a racquet that’s stronger and lighter than its competitors, with a distinct visual edge thanks to its organic, 3D-printed generative metal design.

“Rackets have become more lightweight and durable through new materials and advanced manufacturing techniques”, the All Design Lab team mentions. “Yet the potential is still there to envision an even lighter and stronger racket that takes advantage of new design techniques, specifically, advanced CAD processes such as generative design tools.”

If you don’t know what the YD x KeyShot Inspiration Hub is, it’s best to think of it as the ultimate destination to find the most inspirational design work, as well as to have your own work featured so that it can be seen by a global audience of thousands of designers and creatives… an ever-expanding encyclopedia of good design and great rendering, if you will.

The hub helps fulfill YD and KeyShot’s broad goal of recognizing exemplary work from a distance and helping amplify it without having to rely on an algorithm, unlike with portfolio sites and social media. It relies on YD’s two-decade-long year history of curating great ideas, concepts, and case studies and ties it to KeyShot’s powerful position as the design industry’s most powerful and preferred rendering software.

The Inspiration Hub’s jury panel will hand-pick and highlight an outstanding design each week, also awarding a ‘Design of the Week’ and ‘Design of the Year’, featuring them at the top of the hub’s page while giving winning designs a permanent badge and entering them into the Inspiration Hub’s ‘Hall of Fame’. Hall-of-Famers will also be featured on Yanko Design’s Instagram page and will win exciting prizes from KeyShot. If you think your design has a chance to get featured on the hub and win, submit your design with us here.

Learn more about how to participate by visiting the hub, and also get your hands on a free trial of KeyShot 11.

Click Here to view all designs on the YD x Keyshot Inspiration Hub website!

The post AI-generated Hìtëkw Tennis Racquet – YD x KeyShot Inspiration Hub Design of the Month #2 first appeared on Yanko Design.