As a child, I loved sitting and spending hours excruciatingly and lovingly building little LEGO block structures. But, watching my sister bump into them, causing them to fall apart completely was truly heartbreaking. We all have heartwarming memories associated with LEGO blocks from our childhood, as well as the not-so-heartwarming ones of stepping on them with our feet and feeling an insane amount of pain shoot up our legs. Despite these wonderful childhood memories, LEGO is no more considered child’s play! Master builders, artists, and LEGO enthusiasts all over the world are creating impressive LEGO builds that’ll blow your minds away. They are a result of their hours of dedication, attention to detail, hard work, and creativity. And we’ve put together some mindblowing LEGO builds that recently took our breath away! From a legendary DJ console in LEGO form to a life-size Captain America shield – these LEGO builds are gonna get LEGO lovers drooling over them.

1. LEGO “The Moon: Earth’s Companion”

Called the LEGO Art space poster “The Moon: Earth’s Companion”, this fan-made creation was built using 2360 bricks, and it celebrates the beauty, mystery, and brilliance of the moon. The build features a brick-built Moon that was created with immense precision and attention to detail, which was further heightened by realistic craters and terrains.

2. The LEGO Quidditch Trunk

The LEGO Quidditch Trunk is designed to fit entirely within a trunk, and the pitch is as detailed as it can get! The pitch includes players, house banners, hoops, brooms, quaffles, bludgers, snitches, and all the fanfare linked with the popular fictional sport. All the multiple elements fit into a tiny trunk that opens up into a playable Quidditch pitch.

3. LEGO Captain America Shield

The LEGO Captain America shield comes in over 3,000 pieces and measures 18.5 inches in diameter. It also has a little Captain America Minifigure to accompany it. Although it isn’t made from vibranium, it looks and feels just like the real deal, but honestly, if you’ve ever stepped on a LEGO brick then you know it’s as tough as vibranium!

4. The LEGO MoonGravity06

The LEGO MoonGravity06 has an unconventional yet creative appearance. The entire outer body is built using black bricks that are remarkably accurate. The wheels are 3D printed, while the grill on the front relies on LEGO katana swords. The windows are all hollow, with no glass components, but that’s because it is difficult to find glass pieces matching MoonGravity06’s model and scale.

5. LEGO Van Gogh’s Sunflowers

LEGO master builder Chi Hsin Wei created this stunning rendition of Van Gogh’s sunflowers, which garnered quite a bit of attention on Instagram! The beautiful MOC features a frame, and an excellent three-dimensional rendition of the painting, with the flowers popping out of the canvas, greeting you with their simple beauty and vibrance!

6. LEGO 10318 Concorde

The fully-assembled LEGO 10318 Concorde is built using 2083 bricks and is truly a stunning sight. It is 15 cm tall and measures an impressive 105cm in length and 43cm from wing to wing. It perfectly captures the essence of the iconic Franco-British airliner that cruised at twice the speed of sound since 1976, before being laid to rest in 2003.

7. The 31210 Modern Art Set

The 31210 Modern Art set includes 805 pieces for you to play around with! Although the set is smaller compared to other sets, it is quite unique and interesting, as you can create your own abstract art without following any instructions. It does come with some form of instructions for the four separate brick sculptures that you can create out of it but you can also follow your own rhythm.

8. LEGO Pioneer CDJ 2000

This super cool LEGO build pays tribute to the iconic Pioneer CDJ 2000 – the greatest deejaying kit ever! The stunning creation is functional as well, and features moving parts such as a spinning disc, a moving tempo fader, an ejecting CD tray, a dynamic screen, and a removable USB stick for the modern MP3 generation!

9. The Walt Disney Tribute Camera

LEGO released an interesting homage to Disney to celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary. The “Walt Disney Tribute Camera” is made using 881 bricks, and features Minifigures of Disney including his greatest creations – Mickey, Minnie, Bambi, and Dumbo. This build pays tribute to the camera that helped Disney reach its iconic status.

10. The Kerbal Space Program LEGO

The Kerbal Space Program Video Game now has its own dedicated LEGO set! The Kerbal Space Program LEGO set is intricately built featuring an entire space shuttle with separating modules, afterburners, satellite dishes, solar panels, a lander, and two Kerbal astronauts with their own flag. The LEGO set has garnered over 10,000 votes online, and will soon be converted into a retail box set for anyone to buy.

The post Top 10 Exceptional LEGO Creations To Put Your LEGO Building Skills To The Test first appeared on Yanko Design.

Blinging up the world of horology yet again, MB&F has taken the veil off its latest creations – the HM9 Sapphire Vision editions. Transporting us into a realm of unparalleled craftsmanship, these timepieces are adorned in two resplendent colors that redefine luxury.

HM9 Sapphire Vision boasts two enthralling models, each exclusively limited to five pieces. The first variant is adorned with an 18K white gold frame, its elegance accentuated by a PVD-coated blue engine. The second variant, ensconced in an 18K yellow gold frame, showcases a PVD-coated green engine that exudes an air of opulence.

Designer: MB&F

The Horological Machine N°9 aka HM9 masterpiece was kicked off in 2018. MB&F took another leap of faith with the inaugural series of HM9-SV editions in 2021. This collection was an ode to the intricate symphony of horological mastery by the watchmaker. These mesmerized with their encasement – a sapphire crystal that opens up every facet of the caliber for enthusiasts to admire.

The pièce de résistance of the HM9 Sapphire Vision editions is the presence of two fully independent balance wheels, coupled with a planetary differential on its engine. Embracing the idea that transparency is the ultimate form of luxury, MB&F has graced each of these timepieces with a total of five sapphire crystals, each treated with an anti-reflective coating.

The case components, the dial, and even the dial’s covering crystal have been meticulously crafted to provide an unobstructed view into the intricate heart of the watch. Functionally, the HM9 Sapphire Vision editions are endowed with a power reserve of 45 hours and water resistance of up to 30 meters, marrying aesthetics with practicality seamlessly.

The display showcases hours and minutes, elegantly presented on a vertical sapphire crystal dial, adorned with anti-reflective treatment. Super-LumiNova detailing on the numbers and indexes ensures legibility even in the darkest of hours. Completing the ensemble, the timepieces come adorned with hand-stitched brown or black alligator straps. The straps harmoniously unite with the white or yellow gold folding buckle, mirroring the case’s tones with finesse. As a testament to its exclusivity, each HM9-SV Edition carries a price tag of CHF 490,000 (approx. $550,000).

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As Apple is almost certainly going to pivot to the USB-C standard for the iPhone, Anker’s compact power bank for the iPhone 14 stands out as one of the best lightning-port accessories for older iPhones, marking an end of a pretty glorious era.

With 12W charging capabilities, the Anker Nano (as compact as it is), delivers 2x faster charging than standard power banks. Designed to be about as wide as your smartphone, the Nano comes with MFi certification and sports a fold-out lightning connector that lets you plug the power bank directly into the bottom of your phone without requiring any cable. The integrated lightning port makes it perfect for charging your AirPods too, or even your Magic Mouse, should you choose!

Click Here to Buy Now

Designed to be a compact charger you can carry around and plug right into your iPhone whenever you need some juice, the Anker Nano comes with a design that sort of integrates into the iPhone’s base, providing juice without the inconvenience of a bulky power bank. The 5,000mAh capacity is perfect for its size, and gives your iPhone at least two full charges when you’re low on battery, or a little more than one charge when your battery’s completely at 0%.

The fold-out port is a highlight of this power bank, eliminating the need for a charging cable

The Nano outputs 12W of charging, which measures significantly higher than most 7.5W power banks on the market. Sure, you could grab a MagSafe power bank from Apple, but the Anker Nano’s $29 price tag is incredibly hard to beat (especially compared to the MagSafe charger’s $99 price tag).

The 5,000mAh power bank comes in as many as 5 color options that elegantly complement the iPhone 14’s color variants. The foldable lightning port is a heaven-sent, not just because it eliminates the need for a cable, but also because the port folds flush into the power bank, making it easy to slip into a backpack or bag and carry around everywhere. To charge your Anker Nano, however, you’d need a USB-C cable (although you do get one in the box) which plugs into the Nano’s side.

The presence of a lightning port makes the Nano a wonderful accessory for the iPhone thus far. Come September, Apple will most likely migrate to the USB-C standard, pretty much rendering an entire market of existing products obsolete for newer models. MagSafe charging will still continue to be a thing, but the Anker Nano may just be the last perfect power bank for your iPhone… so if you don’t plan on upgrading to the iPhone 15, grab one now while they’re still hot! Lightning-based accessories may just cease to be a thing soon!

Click Here to Buy Now

The post The Anker Nano Power Bank may be the LAST perfect Lightning accessory for your iPhone 14 first appeared on Yanko Design.

Architecture and engineering firm Yu2e has completed The Axolotl, a three-storey apartment building near public transit that is meant to be an “evolutionary hybrid of Los Angeles middle housing”.

The building is situated on a rectangular property in the Los Feliz neighbourhood, described as a “middle density” area with many two-storey apartment buildings.

For the 6,750-square-foot (627-square-metre) property, local studio Yu2e conceived a multi-family building with seven rental units.

The firm’s design draws upon two historic housing styles found in Los Angeles – the bungalow court, popular in the first half of the 1900s, and the dingbat apartment building, which proliferated in the 1950s and 1960s.

“Many architects in the 20th century had experimented with low-rise housing typologies that would not overwhelm suburban neighbourhoods while providing affordable housing options,” Yu2e said.

“With characteristics taken from both bungalow courts and dingbat apartments, our project is an evolutionary hybrid of Los Angeles middle housing.”

The wood-and-steel Axolotl building rises three levels and totals 10,900 square feet (1,013-square-metre) – the maximum allowed for this type of building per local rules.

The project was developed under the city’s Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Incentive Program, which encourages the construction of affordable housing near bus and train stations. The programme was implemented following a measure passed by voters in 2016.

“It is intended to spur multi-family development near public transit by relaxing restrictions like required yards, along with parking and density maximums, in exchange for setting aside some of those units for lower-income households and tenants,” said Yu2e of the programme.

Without the TOC programme, the building would have needed to have four apartments and eight parking spaces. The programme enabled the team to add three more apartments and incorporate just four parking spaces.

“Our design approach was to maximise the opportunities afforded by the TOC incentives to create more livable dwellings at a more affordable costs,” the team said.

In terms of its shape, the building is a box with pieces cut away to form patios and balconies. The outdoor spaces help break up the massing.

“The tactical distribution of these decks throughout reduced the overall bulk and scale of the building, minimising impact to the street level and adjacent neighbours,” the team said.

Exterior walls are clad in a mix of vertical fibre-cement siding and cement plaster.

The developer opted for a pink exterior to help enliven the neighbourhood, while also giving a nod to dingbats, which often had colourful exteriors. The project is named after a pink-hued salamander called an axolotl.

“We like to use fun and approachable names to rebrand our housing projects, as a foil to the typical opposition and criticism of housing projects,” said architect Bill Tsui, founder of Yu2e.

Parking is found in the rear and is reached via a driveway that runs alongside the building. The parking lot includes an electric vehicle charging station and space for bikes.

On the opposing side are corridors that provide access to the apartments.

“The common-access corridor is designed to create a sense of community and shared space, by utilising alternating panels and openings in lieu of a typical dark and uninviting double-loaded corridor”.

Five of the apartments have two bedrooms, and the remaining two have three bedrooms. One unit is reserved for a low-income tenant.

Units are efficiently organised in order to provide open layouts and to keep costs low. Windows and sliding glass doors bring in daylight and facilitate natural ventilation.

Interior finishes include drywall, white oak flooring, laminate cabinets and quartz countertops.

“Essentially, the material choices were made with resilience and low maintenance in mind,” the team said.

“The dwelling units are at once cosy and livable, breezy with ample access to outdoors,” the team added.

The building is near an earthquake fault, which is not uncommon in Los Angeles. In response, the building has a “mat” foundation that consists of a two-foot-thick (61-centimetre) concrete slab.

Other projects by Yu2e include a housing project in west Los Angeles that involved the transformation of two properties into a six-unit complex with outdoor space. The project made the longlist in the housing category for the 2022 Dezeen Awards.

The photography is by Taiyo Watanabe.

The post Yu2e draws upon historic styles to create pink housing block in Los Angeles appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen School Shows: a versatile kettlebell that aims to combine the benefits of art and exercise is included in Dezeen’s latest school show by Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).

Also included is a gadget that transforms recycled PET bottles into filament for 3D printers and a portable device designed to reduce the number of fatalities caused by opioid overdose.

Industrial Designers Society of America

Organisation: Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA)
Institutions: ArtCenter College of Design, Umeå Institute of Design, Carleton University, Korea University, Western Washington University, University of Oregon, Cleveland Institute of Art and University of Houston
Award: 2023 IDSA Student Merit Award

Organisation statement:

“The 2023 International Design Conference and IDSA Education Symposium, a flagship event by IDSA, took place in the heart of New York City from 23 to 25 August, uniting global design leaders in a celebration of innovation and creativity.

“The three-day experience proved to be a nexus of innovation, inspiration and collaborative spirit. A central highlight of the conference was the recognition of remarkable student design work, showcasing the ingenuity of the next generation of designers.

“The 2023 IDSA Student Merit Award winners were presented on the main stage – these exceptional young talents, carefully chosen by a panel of distinguished industry experts, represent the pinnacle of creativity and dedication within the realm of industrial design.

“Further underscoring the significance of student excellence in design, the 43rd annual International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) celebrated a cohort of exceptional student winners.

“Notably, this year’s Best in Show award, the most prestigious honour of the competition was bestowed upon a remarkably talented student.

“This accolade serves as a resounding affirmation of the profound impact that emerging designers are making on the field of industrial design.”

Polyformer by Reiten Cheng

“Polyformer is a 3D-printed, open-source machine that transforms PET water bottles into filaments for 3D printers – it is a cheap and compact solution as opposed to traditional recycling methods.

“A slicing tool built with stacked bearings cut the water bottles into long and consistent ribbons, allowing the user to then feed them into the hot end of the 3D printer.

“This thermoforms the ribbons into 1.75 millimetre filaments as they are fed through the brass nozzle with a corresponding hole size.

“The user can then mount one end of the filament onto the red motorised spool to automatically start the wrapping process. The spool can be taken off easily to be transferred and used on a 3D printer.

“Polyformer can easily be replicated by makers in other countries –  over 300 Polyformers are currently being built in more than 50 countries across the world, building a large and decentralised network of water bottle recycling points.

“We established a community of over 3500 people across 10 months, building a closed loop with the end users by directly talking to them to understand their pain points, changing the design to solve their pain points and letting them 3D print the parts for testing.”

Student: Reiten Cheng
Institution: ArtCenter College of Design
Award: IDEA Best in Show
Email: reiten966[at]gmail.com

TetherLock by Jakob Kohnle

“TetherLock is an innovative tethering system that allows industrial climbers to secure their tools in an efficient and safe way.

“By storing unused tools on a base that is connected to the harness and only tethering the actively used tools, it streamlines tool handling and reduces clutter.

“The integration of the TetherLock mechanism allows the switch from storage to active tethering to occur in a matter of seconds.

“Current solutions require a separate tether for each tool, which can quickly become a problem when multiple tools are needed. The extra tethers introduce extra weight and tangle with each other and the safety hooks, slowing down work.

“Dropping a tool poses not only a safety risk but also a serious delay as the user has to climb all the way down to retrieve it and climb up again.

“Due to the symmetric design, TetherLock can not only switch tools between a tether and base, but also between tethers.”

Student: Jakob Kohnle
Institution: Umeå Institute of Design
Award: IDEA Gold winner
Email: Jakob[at]kohnle.org

Bandi Livestock Quarantine System by Minkyun Kim, Yunjung Lee and Seunghun Yoo

“Bandi is a veterinary system designed to revolutionise livestock industry healthcare to benefit stakeholders and animals by enhancing the efficiency of the quarantine process.

“Bandi system offers end-to-end management of quarantine journeys through the operation of quarantine drones, drone management stations, quarantine supply packages and mobile applications.

“The drones fly over each large-scale livestock farm in place of veterinarians, spray disinfectant solutions and analyse the farm using digital twins and air collection technology through infrared cameras and chemical sensors.

“The data preemptively identified by drones reduces the on-site work veterinarians carry out in farmhouses – it also helps establish a response system, prioritising in order of emergency to contribute to the cleanup of the community.

“Bandi system serves the needs of all livestock stakeholders by establishing connections between veterinarians and vets, veterinarians and farm owners, veterinarians and livestock animals, consumers and environmental pollution in the community.

“It can potentially benefit the entire ecosystem by preventing secondary pollution in the surrounding environment caused by livestock deaths – this can cause problems such as soil contamination, leachate and groundwater and air pollution.”

Student: Minkyun Kim, Yunjung Lee and Seunghun Yoo
Institution: Korea University
Award: IDEA Gold winner
Email: ekwjdtnswjd[at]korea.ac.kr

Nove by Brendan Mudd

“In response to the alarming statistics surrounding opioid overdose deaths, Nove is a discreet and portable naloxone administration device designed to address the critical issue of naloxone accessibility.

“The project aims to provide an effective and low-cost solution that empowers individuals to intervene and save lives during overdose situations.

“The lack of accessibility to naloxone remains a significant barrier and many individuals are hesitant to carry it due to factors such as its size, potential stigma or cost. This limitation can prevent timely intervention and contribute to the tragic loss of life.

“Nove’s design aligns with FDA regulations and is a similar size to a key fob making it portable. It includes clear colour-coded instructions to guide users through the administration process, ensuring proper use during high stress situations.

“A simple safety strip removal activates the device, revealing the administration button and nasal cap. Placing the device between fingers and inserting the nasal tip, users can press the button to administer naloxone effectively.”

Student: Brendan Mudd
Institution: Western Washington University
Award: Student Merit Award West District

Ecotherm by Daniel Carhuff

“The Ectotherm field boot addresses the unique challenges faced by field herpetologists in divergent habitats in Maryland, USA. It aims to create versatile and efficient outdoor footwear that ensures comfort and safety to enhance field research experiences.

“The project explores multiple design directions, resulting in a hybrid solution that incorporates various functional elements to meet the diverse needs of the users.

“It features efficient and lightweight add-ons including waterproof socks with detachable gaiters to prevent dirt and debris from entering the footwear – an adjustable waterproof gaiter converts the boot to a wader.

“It features an interconnected footwear system for diverse tasks, incorporating elements like sandals, waterproof socks and a rugged outer shell for rocky terrain.

“The design balances the need for protection and support on dry rocky slopes with the drainage and breathability essential for submerged environments. This solution caters to various field scenarios such as knee-deep wading or planned extensive wading.”

Student: Daniel Carhuff
Institution: University of Oregon
Award: Graduate Student Merit Award West District

AnDi Entryway Cabinet by Emberlynn Miao

“The core objective of the AnDi Entryway Cabinet is to address the stress associated with returning home to a chaotic environment.

“By seamlessly blending aesthetics with functionality, the project proposes a functional piece of furniture that not only conceals visual clutter but also integrates aesthetic elements to promote interaction, organisation and joy within the living space.

“The cabinet employs a single pivot point mechanism using gliders, optimising space usage and allowing a swinging motion for effortless interaction.

“The cabinet incorporates detachable legs, allowing flexibility in its placement and accommodating various spatial requirements.

“It exudes a sense of harmony with nature, utilising earth tones, rounded corners and flowing patterns.

“The cabinet is constructed using high-quality materials such as oak, french wicker rattan and walnut accents to provide a rich contrast and add depth to the cabinet’s design.”

Student: Emberlynn Miao
Institution: Cleveland Institute of Art
Award: Student Merit Award Central District

Knot by Haleigh Esene

“The Knot embodies the innovative convergence of home decoration and workout equipment, presenting a modern solution that seamlessly integrates exercise into the aesthetics of daily living.

“With a focus on enhancing the at-home workout experience through artful design, Knot introduces a beautifully crafted kettlebell that not only motivates movement but also elevates interior spaces.

“By merging the benefits of physical exercise with the psychological advantages of art consumption, Knot aims to reduce stress, enhance critical thinking and alleviate mental fatigue.

“The twist and lock mechanism enables users to easily adjust the weight, making it versatile and suitable for different fitness levels.

“Knot boasts a range of design features that contribute to its unique appeal and functionality. Available in oak, pine and walnut variants, Knot seamlessly blends into various home settings while providing a choice of aesthetics.

“It features an iron core that ensures structural integrity, durability and stability during workouts and is space-efficient in its size to optimise both display and storage.”

Student: Haleigh Esene
Institution: University of Houston
Award: Student Merit Award South District

Shift by Chris Lee

“Shift is an adaptive computer pointing device that offers an intuitive and accessible way for users with hand tremors – as a result of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) or Essential Tremors (ET) – to use a computer and regain their digital mobility.

“A shifting dome provides precise translational control and a pressure sensitive trackpad tracks large coarse movements while preventing unintentional clicks, improving accuracy that otherwise would be impossible with a traditional mouse.

“A touch capacitor adhered under the convex surface allows for a trackpad-like use, intended for large coarse panning operations – the convex surface mimics a trackball mouse but without a ball.

“A 2D analog potentiometer, the technology found in sliding joysticks of portable gaming consoles, provide ‘shifting’ translational controls.

“The circular spring mechanism within the potentiometer module creates elastic resistance with displacement, the foundation for a more accurate and precise cursor control.

“Haptic actuator simulates realistic click feedback, coupled with a force sensor that allows click firmness and sensitivity to be adapted to the user.”

Student: Chris Lee
Insitution: Carleton University
Award: IDEA Gold winner
Email: mrchrislee[at]me.com

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Industrial Designers Society of America. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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