Hasta La Ideas

This latest model goes further than previous generations to make sure every need is met

If you’re a fan of the many very special sports cars Porsche has offered over the last two decades—the GT2 RS, Boxster Spyder, 911 Dakar and 918, to name a few—then you should give thanks to the Porsche Cayenne. Comprising about 30% of worldwide sales for Porsche, the Cayenne has allowed the automaker to produce ever more exciting sports cars since the SUV arrived in 2003. While it wasn’t the first SUV from a German automaker (Mercedes debuted the ML320 in 1998) it was the first SUV from a company dedicated to building sports cars. In the 20 years since the Cayenne arrived on the scene, Porsche’s approach to adding a high volume model to a niche lineup has been copied again and again.

As automakers have been chasing the 911 for decades and trying to top it as “the sports car,” they’ve also found themselves chasing the Cayenne and trying to best it as “the sporty SUV.” Some have succeeded in outpacing the Cayenne in specific categories, such as amenities and utility. However, none have ever bested it overall. That’s because although it’s nearly 5,000 lbs, it’s still very much a Porsche. That has meant—from the start–that the Cayenne has been more exciting to drive than other SUVs; now, the 2024 model goes further than previous generations to make sure every need is met.

Although it’s still technically part of the third-generation, because of chassis and crash structure carryover, the 2024 Cayenne looks and feels more like a brand new vehicle than a refreshed one. The exterior hasn’t been radically reworked, that’s not Porsche’s way of doing things, but the changes are apparent and beneficial. The front fascia appears more chiseled with larger air intakes, restyled headlights, more aggressive fenders and a subtle yet perceptible hood bulge. The rear had less work done, but the changes remain meaningful with thin 3D-effect LED tail lights running edge to edge and a tailgate that emphasizes the width of the Cayenne. Not for nothing, the license plate cutout has been moved off the tailgate to the bumper on the regular Cayenne to align it with the Cayenne Coupe. It’s a small physical change, but one that carries a big visual impact and tidies up the rear end.

While the changes to the exterior may require a second look to spot, the changes inside are apparent from the moment you open the door. A new 12.6-inch curved digital dash replaces the traditional five gauge cluster and sits alongside the PCM 6.0 infotainment system and its 12.3-inch center mounted touchscreen. By removing the entire binnacle and replacing it with a subtle curved screen Porsche has created a driver-oriented cockpit that’s surprisingly free from distraction given the real estate occupied by screens. One of the five layouts available on the digital dash is a minimal look that only displays speed at the center and removes all other non-essential information. It’s a welcome tip of the hat to drivers that just want to enjoy the drive, even in an SUV.

Continuing across the cabin, you’ll find that gear selection is now handled by a small toggle mounted between the steering wheel and infotainment screen. We quickly became accustomed to using it during our time behind the wheel of various 2024 Cayenne models and have since found ourselves wishing for it in other vehicles. With the gear selector removed from the center console there’s more space for storage, a new climate-control panel that’s an exercise in how to do haptic feedback right, as well as a wireless charging pad that makes for a good place to keep your mobile whether the battery is low or not.

Crucially, the grab handles that have been a staple since the first-generation Cayenne remain jutting out from the center console at roughly 45 degrees. Often imitated, never duplicated, these handles are mirrored on the inside of the driver and passenger doors and remain a signature element of the Cayenne’s cabin. Rounding out the cockpit is the same 10.9-inch touchscreen for the front passenger that’s found in the Taycan, which allows that traveler to enjoy their own streaming entertainment and control certain vehicle features. The display’s polarized filter makes it appear to the driver as a black plastic dash element, so there’s no distraction to consider—however we can’t help but think one of the many premium finish materials offered as trim would be better applied to this space than another screen.

The visual updates to the Cayenne inside and out are all well and good, but without the consistent refinement of an already great chassis and powertrain, they’d be done in vain. Of course consistent refinement is what Porsche does best, so the return of a V8 engine to the Cayenne S, the addition of Porsche Active Suspension Management as standard equipment, and the upgrade of the battery in the Cayenne S E-Hybrid from 17.9 kW to 25.9 kW come not as a surprises, but reliable progressions. Each of these ticks a box for different consumers and makes the new Cayenne more compelling than the last one.

We’ve come to count on Porsche for making smart choices such as these and as a result we’re always looking forward to what they’ll do next. Currently the Cayenne family has been simplified, bringing the lineup down to just four models with Cayenne, Cayenne S and Cayenne S E-Hybrid available in traditional or coupe form, and the Cayenne Turbo GT remaining coupe only. That being said, we can’t imagine that the enthusiast-oriented GTS, rowdy Turbo and best-of-both-worlds Turbo S E-Hybrid won’t appear sometime in the near future. If for some reason they didn’t, we’d still say that the Cayenne lineup is stronger than ever and there’s a configuration available to suit the needs of anyone shopping in the luxury sport SUV segment.

Images courtesy of Porsche

London design studio Pirajean Lees referenced Mayfair’s pastoral past and created a series of spaces that nod to the idea of a Georgian manor house when designing restaurant 20 Berkeley.

Pirajean Lees aimed to build a story around the space and its sequence of many small rooms, while tapping into the restaurant’s British produce-led culinary approach.

“The restaurant is situated in the heart of Mayfair, a place once on the cusp of the city and countryside,” Pirajean Lees told Dezeen.

“The farming history of the area and its connection to the surrounding rural lands is prevalent throughout the project and paramount to the dining experience.”

Pirajean Lees wanted to put nature and craft at the heart of this design project to align it with the ethos of Creative Restaurant Group, the restaurant’s founders.

“This led us to build on the strong connection of an imagined Mayfair Georgian manor house and its rural lands, which would have been used to grow produce,” the studio said.

“A central staircase leads to rooms usually found in a traditional family home, such as the drawing room, music room, pantry, orangery and salon. Each room has its own character whilst belonging to the one property.”

On the upper-ground floor are the richly designed reception and main dining rooms.

The lower-ground level houses a 14-seat private room with its own exclusive lounge and dining area, alongside the kitchen, wine cellar and main bar, The Nipperkin.

The design of the interiors references the arts and crafts movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

“At 20 Berkeley, we have developed a layered story of handmade details and tactile finishes that exude elegance,” said Pirajean Lees.

“The project’s expression is rooted in the traditions of craftsmanship and how the process of making decorative objects and furniture should showcase the beauty of both its materials and construction.”

The resulting aesthetic is detailed, with a palette of rich, warm tones including ambers, ochres and dark reds, used across upholstery and textural wallcoverings. Floor tiles have been hand-crafted in Wales and feature clay embedded with fossils.

Bespoke joinery work was utilised throughout the space, including for the wall panelling, dowelled ceilings and an English oak staircase.

The project also features bespoke elements that were added to bring a sense of opulence to the various spaces.

These include a pantry, in painted timber, that provides a strong focal point of the upper floor. Here, chefs prepare dishes on the pantry island, “inviting guests to witness the chefs’ craft, as one would do in one’s home, whilst hosting guests for dinner,” said Pirajean Lees.

In the orangery, a bespoke pickling cupboard, made from sapele wood and marble, serves as “a pleasing curiosity”, used by the chefs to store jars of vegetables for their recipes.

The bespoke dining tables and chairs were made of oak, while the chairs have been traditionally upholstered for maximum comfort.

“The bespoke and craft elements bring depth to the project, anchoring it in its strong narrative and creating timeless interiors,” said Pirajean Lees.

Bespoke stained glass, handcrafted in a North London studio, is another of the restaurant’s features.

Used in the reception and drawing room, the stained glass has been strategically positioned, backing onto the busy central bar to give a sense of movement and energy.

In front of the windows, it warms the light coming into the rooms to create an immersive atmosphere.

“The stained glass introduces shadows and reflections, which change throughout the day and are different in each room,” said Pirajean Lees.

“As per each of our projects, the tailored finishes, joinery and surfaces here, have been carefully created to ensure optimum use of the space by the restaurateur and their guests.”

Other hospitality projects from the studio include an ornate sushi restaurant in Dubai with interiors informed by 1920s Japan and a members club in London, housed inside the iconic music venue Koko.

The photography is by Polly Tootal.

The post Pirajean Lees creates Arts and Crafts-style interior for Mayfair restaurant appeared first on Dezeen.

Handheld gaming consoles are making a strong comeback, by the looks of things. While Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, and Nintendo Switch already have a stellar presence in the market, Sony is also jumping on the bandwagon with Project Q handheld. The gaming console is not exactly a full-fledged handheld (what everyone would have actually loved) that can play titles, rather a gadget to stream games from PlayStation 5. Strange but true!

Since handhelds are trending more than ever, a concept gaming console that brings more features for gamers is long due. Meet Nova, a minimalist handheld for gamers who demand equal dexterity with offline as well as purely cloud-based gaming.

Designer: Elbar Nasraddinli

The handheld concept is designed specifically for the Azerbaijan gaming community, but we find its ergonomic design to be pitchable for a wider audience too. It’s got motion sensors to enhance the in-game experience for titles where a deeper immersion is desired. Elbar has kept the form factor quite thin from the middle and a bit beefy from the sides, where the gamers need a superior grip.

Nova will be available in three color options – Black, White, and Karma. The Karma being the flashiest, with a cool combination of black and white. The D-pad and the input buttons are quite subtle, with a matte finish for better control while profoundly sweating during longer sessions. Those shoulder buttons are also precisely positioned for precise input. The wide screen of the handheld console holds merit for titles that are tailored for wider screen ratios.

While we wished the joystick could have been more profound, after all, as a gamer, you don’t want to seek out tactile input in the middle of a shooting frenzy. But the thin design for the handheld is a great advantage when stacked against the likes of Switch, Deck, or ROG Ally.

The post This thin handheld gaming console comes with motion detection sensors for deeper immersion first appeared on Yanko Design.

Loewe creative director Jonathan Andersen set up the brand’s annual craft prize to decode the “chintz” and “pastiche” associations of the discipline, he tells Dezeen in this interview.

Luxury fashion house Loewe recently announced the sixth winner of its annual craft prize at NYCxDesign, which celebrates applied arts and innovation in modern craftsmanship.

A spiky egg sculpture by Japanese ceramicist Eriko Inazaki was selected for the 2023 award from more than 2,700 entries.

“It became chintz”

Anderson established The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in 2016 in an effort to honour the brand’s 19th-century origins as a leather-making craft collective.

Speaking to Dezeen at the awards ceremony for the prize at The Noguchi Museum in Brooklyn, he explained he also wanted to redefine contemporary understandings of artisanal production.

“I think from the ’80s onwards, [craft] had become this thing which was linked to mid-century, it was pastiche,” said Anderson.

“In Britain, for example, there was a lot of money put into crafts and the Arts Council to boost this idea of making, and then it became maybe chintz at some point.”

“The reason why I set the prize up was to try to sort of decode that,” he told Dezeen. “It was like it wasn’t marketed right. The work was there, but the platform was not there.”

Young creatives are now becoming interested in craft once again, he suggested.

“I think younger people are starting to realise that, as much as it’s interesting being a contemporary artist, it can be just as interesting to be a rug maker or to make ceramics or to work with wood,” said Anderson.

“It’s a less sort of diminished form of the arts.”

“I am probably a shopaholic”

Before being appointed by Loewe in 2014, Anderson founded his eponymous label, JW Anderson.

Although differentiated by what Anderson describes as an “angst” at JW Anderson and a “heightened perfection” at Loewe, the two brands share an emphasis on art, design, craft and interiors.

His collections at Loewe often incorporate elements of applied arts – bringing in collaborators and craftspeople, such as metal artist Elie Hirsch who created solid copper and pewter jackets for its Autumn Winter 2023 collection.

Loewe also presented a collection of decorated wooden chairs during Milan design week that were created by global artisans.

“Art for me is always going to be a language no matter what brand I’m in,” he said. “Because I think this is a way for me to kind of explain to the consumer, what I love, or things that I’m fascinated with.”

The Northern Irish designer’s love of craft and art extends to the conception of store interiors for both of his brands.

JW Anderson recently unveiled its first flagship store in Milan during Milan design week, designed by Anderson in collaboration with 6a Architects.

“I sometimes feel like I fell into doing fashion but ultimately the interior part is what I love the most,” he said.

“The thing I love about interiors is, it is a singular kind of environment. Whereas fashion is like a transient period that goes in different environments. I quite like with interiors the control that you can have within space.”

He described his love of shopping for items to appear in stores.

“I think I am probably a shopaholic,” he said. “I could be at an auction or be in a gallery and I’ll be like, ‘oh, that’s perfect for Korea or that’s perfect for…’.”

“I think it just adds this element and a pleasingness for a consumer to go in and to a store and to see an original Rennie Mackintosh chair.”

Anderson feels that for Loewe, the design of stores is sometimes more important than fashion shows.

“I think stores can be more than just like these commercial vehicles,” he said. “I think, for me, the store is just as important as doing a show. It’s sort of even more important because they have to last longer.”

“I’m in a very lucky position at Loewe where I decide everything,” he added. “I have an internal architectural team, but I decide every artwork, I decide every door handle, every fixture.”

However, that does not tempt Anderson to cross over from fashion into interiors permanently.

“I enjoy it because it’s probably more like a hobby,” he said. “It’s something that distracts me from what I do as a day job, but I do it because of the stage of Loewe or JW Anderson.

“But I would never see it as something where I would be like, ‘oh, I’m going to be an interior designer’,” he continued. “There are other people out there that are actually really good at it. I think I’m good at it to an extent, but I change my mind too quickly. I would like it for like a day and then I would want to redo it again.”

The portrait is by Scott Trindle.

The post “I sometimes feel like I fell into doing fashion” says Jonathan Anderson appeared first on Dezeen.

Architecture studio SOM has worked with Princeton University‘s Form Finding Lab for its contribution to the Venice Architecture Biennale – a self-balancing brick arch that was built using augmented reality.

The Angelus Novus Vault forms the entrance to the Time Space Existence group show, organised by the European Cultural Centre around the theme of the climate emergency.

Designed and built in just three months, the arching structure was created by SOM and the Form Finding Lab along with researchers from the University of Bergamo, University of Salerno and IE University to explore a “mixed-reality construction approach”.

“We really wanted to explore the potential of augmented reality in construction,” SOM senior associate principal Alessandro Beghini told Dezeen.

“And at the same time, we wanted to showcase the potential of self-balancing mechanics, which is a historical method that has been used in the past and has a lot of potential to eliminate scaffolding and the waste that goes with that.”

The group chose to do an updated take on what Beghini calls a “lost” construction technique – the laying of bricks in a herringbone pattern, as used by Italian architect Filippo Brunelleschi on the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.

Brunelleschi famously won a 1418 competition to build the dome by claiming he could do it entirely without supporting systems.

The herringbone technique involves inserting a pattern of vertical bricks within rows of horizontally laid bricks so as to lock them in place. Beghini describes them as “essentially jammed” against the 90-degree angle of the vertical bricks.

In the Angelus Novus Vault, the group used bricks of a slightly lighter colour for the herringbone pattern so as to reveal the secrets of the construction technique.

The vertically placed bricks create diagonal lines across the triple-layered vault, carefully designed to respond to the constrained space of the Palazzo Mora gardens, which are filled with trees and subject to preservation requirements.

The team also wanted the structure to look different from the front and the back, so as to give people a different experience when entering and exiting. Their final design has two offset arches that join overhead with “a very pure, very clean link”, Beghini says.

Construction of the vault was led by the Centro Educativo para la Regeneración de la Construcción Artesanal (CERCAA), the training centre for building crafts in Spain.

Very little temporary formwork was needed, only a wooden centring to support the arch while under construction and some scaffolding for the mason to lie on while he worked.

No construction drawings were created and the mason instead worked wearing augmented reality (AR) goggles that overlaid the complex geometric pattern to be followed over the real site.

According to SOM, this meant much less time was wasted reading construction drawings, which would have been deficient at conveying the structure’s three-dimensional geometry anyway. But it still required great expertise from the mason, who was working with wet bricks and mortar.

The Angelus Novus Vault takes its name from a painting by German artist Paul Klee, which is said to be based on the idea of an “angel of history” that has its face turned towards the past.

Similarly, the group working on the vault wanted their work to have a dual perspective, both rediscovering a historical production method and innovating it for the future.

The practice is now exploring other instances where it can use AR to eliminate some of the “cumbersome steps” of construction, Beghini says.

“If you think about it, the way we constructed the vault, we went from a digital model to construction, skipping all the drawings,” he said.

“So if we can get to where someone builds a model and then you put on your AR goggles and you start building something, can you imagine how much simpler it will be? How many less errors there will be? Relative to the current processes, it will be streamlining so many things.”

The Angelus Novus Vault is set to remain in place until the next Biennale. SOM is currently in discussions to see whether it can subsequently be relocated or parts of it salvaged.

Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) is a global practice founded more than 80 years ago. Its work ranges from 1952’s Lever House skyscraper in New York City to 2010’s Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

More recently, the firm has completed a block-long timber truss bridge connected to Manhattan’s High Line.

The Venice Architecture Biennale takes place from 20 May to 26 November 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for all the latest information you need to know to attend the event, as well as a list of other architecture and design events taking place around the world.

The photography is by Variante Artistica.

Project credits

Management
Sigrid Adriaenssens, Alessandro Beghini, Vittorio Paris

Research
Princeton University – Sigrid Adriaenssens, Orsolya Gaspar, Robin Oval
University of Bergamo – Vittorio Paris
University of Salerno – Carlo Olivieri
IE University – Wesam Al Asali

Design and Engineering
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) – Alessandro Beghini, Nathan Bluestone, Fernando Herrera,
Grace Hsu, Juney Lee, Jassy Lin, Mark Sarkisian, Stephanie Tabb

Structural Engineering and Site Management
Carlo Olivieri

Construction
Taramelli srl (general contractor)
Bóveda tabicada & CERCAA – Salvador Gomis Aviño and Wesam Al Asali (vaulting)
JPF-Ducret SA (glulam beam foundation contractor)
Terreal Italia srl – San Marco Pica (bricks)

With the support of:
Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Princeton University (PU)
University Center for Human Values (PU)
Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies (PU)
Creative X (PU)
Taramelli srl
Terreal Italia srl – San Marco Pica
JPF-Ducret SA

The post SOM and Princeton University create self-balancing arch for Venice Architecture Biennale appeared first on Dezeen.