Sleek + Modular Kitchen System Can Adapt To All Kinds Of Kitchens In Our Modern Homes

Designed by interior architect Ntaiana Charalampous, co-founder of Dedàleo, this customizable kitchen system is called the Ilo+milo 2.0. It is built from stainless steel modules, and is designed to be an alternative to “the rigid and static nature of traditional kitchens”. Having a flexible and functional kitchen is important in today’s homes which tend to be cramped and stuffy. Hence, a modern kitchen system needs to be adaptable and should perfectly cater to our contemporary homes. And, the Ilo+milo 2.0 makes for an excellent kitchen system for our homes.

Designer: Ntaiana Charalampous of Dedàleo

Designed for homeowners and young individuals, the Ilo+milo 2.0 is meant to be an adaptable solution to help users obtain the perfect kitchen layout “Recognising that modern lifestyles are dynamic and ever-changing, the project aims to provide a solution that allows for flexibility and versatility within the kitchen environment,” said Charalampous. “By introducing a revolutionary modular system, Ilo+milo 2.0 enables users to rearrange and reconfigure their kitchen layout effortlessly.”

Measuring 60×60 centimeters, the stainless steel system can be combined and configured in multiple ways to build a personalized design that will cater to the niche needs of users. Users can build a generous and open layout by merging the various wall units with a kitchen island, or they can create a compact and space-saving configuration that is better suited for homes with space constraints.

The various modules can be customized in different finishes and materials, and accessorized with drawers, metal doors, and pull-out tops that are available in different colors. Users can pick the color and material options that perfectly suit their taste! The vertical metal elements can be customized as well – plain, perforated, and corrugated. On the other hand, the work surfaces can be built using stainless steel or a terrazzo-like material made from recycled metal and glass waste. The recyclable stainless-steel frames and the worktops built from recycled materials ensure that the product is sustainable, and that waste is minimized during its production. The potential for reuse is also amplified, owing to the use of recycled materials.

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RISD students create floating mycelium pods to cleanse waterways

Floating pods made of mycelium

A team of Rhode Island School of Design students and researchers have created tesselated, floating planting beds made of a mycelium biomaterial to cleanse waterways of pollutants and restore wetland habitat.

The floating Biopods act to introduce native plants back to degraded wetland systems while cleansing the water through bioremediation, or the re-introduction of microorganisms that naturally decontaminate their environment.

Geometric floating pods made out of mycelium
A team of RISD students have created floating beds out of mycelium. Photo by Jenni Ugarte

Centred around the Rhode Island School of Design’s (RISD) local waterway, the Providence River, the Biopod team sought to create a small-scale, community-oriented purification system that would help to cleanse the river of historical pollution using organic processes.

“The Biopod project aimed at the introduction of miniaturized wetlands to the Providence River,” project co-lead Avantika Velho told Dezeen.

Geometric floating pods made out of mycelium
The beds will degrade over time to disperse native plants into wetlands. Photo by Jenni Ugarte

“Because of the urbanization of the Providence River itself, a lot of the wetland that acts to actively remediate plastic pollution had been removed. So the project is really about reintroducing this new biology to kick start these ecosystems again so that the river might repair itself.”

“We were looking a lot to wetlands,” co-lead Manini Banjeree told Dezeen. “We’ve been referring to them as the ‘kidneys of the Earth’ because of how well they accumulate toxins between changing topographic situations like the water, land and the intermediary. They have evolved to hold on to and decontaminate water systems.”

Close up of floating planting bed
Both the plants and mycelium “mat” cleanse the waterway of pollutants like micro-plastics and heavy metals. Photo by Jenni Ugarte

The Biopods are constructed from a hexagonal, 18-inch by 18-inch (45-centimetre by 45-centimetre) floating “mat” made of Reishi mycelium, the root system of the mushroom, that contains several cup-holder-sized pockets. Native, wetland plants were harvested and placed inside each opening so that their roots dangle through to the water below.

The mat acts as an organic, compostable bed that will degrade over time to slowly release the plants into the surrounding waterway. Simultaneously, the mushroom network eats away at heavy metals, heavy oils, pesticides and other toxins found in the water.

A close up of wetland plants
The Biopod system was created to cleanse the waterway using organic processes. Photo by Jenni Ugarte

“Mushrooms are really good at breaking down stuff,” said Velho. “They really do a lot of digestion outside their bodies, that’s their main goal in the food web. They’re like the decomposers of the natural world.”

The wetland plants additionally work to filter out toxins, cleansing pollutants through a process similar to how humans metabolize our food, according to Velho.

A hexagonal pod made of mycelium
The structure is made by packing mycelium tightly into a mould, with plastic cups used to create plant holders

Additionally, their submerged roots create a small ecosystem for algae and microbes.

The team sought to make the Biopod system accessible; if the project is further developed it will be available for community members to make it themselves.

The Biopods are constructed by tightly packing mycelium into a hexagonal, plexiglass mould with reusable plastic cups placed in the centre to create small, cylindrical planting beds for the wetland plants.

People lifting pods into the water
The system also re-introduces native plants back to degraded waterways

Coconut oil and beeswax are then used as a coating and for reinforcement.

Once in the water, the structure can float individually or interlock with other Biopods to create what the team describes as a “mat of floating marsh”.

A woman pushing floating pods into a river
It is designed to function individually or to tesselate into larger pods. Photo by Jenni Ugarte

The mycelium base of the Biopod will go on to “live” for an estimated fiver months before it fully degrades to disperse the plants inside.

The team set several Biopods afloat in the Providence River before having to pull them out after two months.

Results showed microplastic accumulation within the pods under magnification, as well as “shoot morphology”, or buds, from the wetland plants–indicating a healthy ecosystem.

Velho and Banjeree explained that there are several routes the project could take, although the first step is to prove the Biopod’s efficacy to organizations like the EPA.

“It’s interesting, the relationships that we have to biomaterials and the way that we are connected to systems that have the potential to remediate in a way that isn’t electricity intensive or chemically intensive,” said Banjeree.

A person boating in Providence RI
After a two-month testing period, the results showed micro-plastic accumulation and a healthy plant ecosystem. Photo by Jenni Ugarte

“It’s about having that shift in perspective to solve problems in a way that is not very technologically intensive. Thinking about a product that can be grown but not built.”

The Biopod project was supported by RISD’s Inaugural Somerson Sustainability Innovation Fund (SSIF) grant, which funds research projects combining art and design. 

Dezeen put together a round-up of technology that mitigates river pollution, including bubble curtains and a googly-eyed trash boat.

The photography is courtesy Biopod unless otherwise stated.


Project credits:

Rhode Island School of Design team
Faculty lead: Dr. Katia Zolotovsky
Biodesign co-leads: Manini Banerjee, Avantika Velho
Graphics and visualisation: Varun Mehta
Post-award research administrator I: Niko Lazarakis
Director of research: Soul Brown

Advisory:
Founder of Living Systems Laboratory: Eugene Bernat
RISD gradutate student: Skylar Perez
Design researcher: Vrinda Mathur

Edna w. Lawrence Nature Laboratory team:
Interim director: Jennifer Bissonnette
Staff biologist & collections manager: Benedict Gagliardi
Visualization and imaging research associate: Georgia Rhodes
Botanist, RISD lecturer: Hope Leeson

Waterfire Providence team:
Founder: Barnaby Evans
Arts management intern: Emily Gray

Stormwater Innovation Center team:
Education and outreach coordinator: Rebecca Reeves
Stormwater center Director: Ryan Copp
Director of restoration: Wenley Ferguson

Community volunteers: Akhil Kulkarni, Phoenix Inouye, Shamika Velho, Anjini Banerjee

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Dezeen Debate features "impressive" Basel pavilion

Novartis Pavilion by AMDL Circle

The latest edition of our Dezeen Debate newsletter features the Novartis Pavilion in Basel by AMDL Circle and Iart. Subscribe to Dezeen Debate now.

Italian studio AMDL Circle and interdisciplinary design studio Iart have completed the Novartis Pavilion in Basel, Switzerland.

The round pavilion is wrapped in a media facade that is comprised of 10,000 solar modules with 30,000 embedded LEDs.

Readers were amazed by the structure, with one describing it as “impressive”. Another thought it was “somewhere beyond brilliant”.

Heatherwick Studio Azabudai Hills development Tokyo
Heatherwick Studio unveils undulating district designed as “one of Tokyo’s greenest urban areas”

Other stories in this week’s newsletter that fired up the comments section included UK firm Heatherwick Studio’s Azabudai hills development in Tokyo, a brutalist house in Mexico by architecture studio Lucio Muniain and an exclusive interview with designer Héctor Esrawe.

Dezeen Debate

Dezeen Debate is sent every Thursday and features a selection of the best reader comments and most talked-about stories. Read the latest edition of Dezeen Debate or subscribe here.

You can also subscribe to our other newsletters; Dezeen Agenda is sent every Tuesday containing a selection of the most important news highlights from the week, Dezeen Daily is our daily bulletin that contains every story published in the preceding 24 hours and Dezeen In Depth is sent on the last Friday of every month and delves deeper into the major stories shaping architecture and design.

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Stylish mini PC with a detachable speaker can be carried like a luxury bag

Mini PCs are becoming quite the trend these days, but despite their small and seemingly portable sizes, they’re not exactly meant or easy to carry around. Their boxy shapes, while space-efficient, aren’t conducive for carrying around, not to mention they need to be plugged into a power source, monitor, keyboard, and mouse to even be usable. There are exceptions to this formula, of course, and one manufacturer had the rather unconventional and somewhat outlandish idea of a portable mini PC that you can carry with you without a bag because the PC itself becomes something like a glamorous purse or handbag just by adding a shoulder strap to its sides.

Designer: SOONNOOZ (via Mini Machines)

You can already tell at a glance that this isn’t your run-of-the-mill mini PC. It has a retro-futuristic vibe going with its round rectangle shape, glossy plastic finish, front grille, and chromed levers and feet. The lever at the top is a rather physical volume control that adds a little fun to the act of adjusting the volume. The design is both simple and elegant but actually hides a few tricks that set it further apart from other mini computers.

For starters, the design has two chrome buttons at the sides where you can attach a matching strap to carry it on your shoulders. You’ll probably still want to put it inside a large carrying bag for protection, but you can still carry it directly if you’re just transferring locations quickly, like moving from one room to another in the same building. That said, the SOONNOOZ Mini is not exactly that small, so it might look awkward carrying it like that. And at 1.5kg, it’s not lightweight either.

You’d still need to connect it to some peripherals to use it, of course, but you might not need to have it always plugged in. It has a built-in battery, not unlike a laptop, which could allow you a few hours of use before you need to recharge it. This makes it convenient as a portable entertainment system when paired with a portable projector, though you’ll still need a way to navigate the computer, like with a portable keyboard and mouse.

Its last trick is that its fascia is actually a detachable Bluetooth speaker that can be used on its own. As far as specs go, it’s a pretty standard mini PC that won’t really stand out in terms of performance, though certain configurations could definitely support some light gaming. Interesting as it might be, the SOONNOOZ Mini isn’t something you can acquire outside of China, so its novelty will probably never reach global renown.

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Kelly Wearstler adorns Ulla Johnson store to capture the "spirit of southern California"

American interior designer Kelly Wearstler has paired a towering tree with speckled burl wood panelling and vintage furniture by Carlo Scarpa at the Ulla Johnson flagship store in West Hollywood.

Wearstler created the light-filled, two-storey shop as the flagship Los Angeles location for Johnson’s eponymous clothing brand.

Jeff Martin-designed jewellery case
Kelly Wearstler has designed the interiors for Ulla Johnson’s LA flagship

The duo worked together to envisage the sandy-hued interiors, which Wearstler described as “something that really speaks to LA”.

“A priority for me and Ulla was to ensure that the showroom encapsulated the quintessence of the West Coast, firmly grounded in both the surrounding environment and local community,” the designer told Dezeen.

Sunroom at the Ulla Johnson Los Angeles store by Kelly Wearstler
The “Californian idea of merging indoor and outdoor” permeates the interior

Visitors enter the store via a “secret” patio garden lined with desert trees and shrubs rather than on Beverly Boulevard, where the original entrance was.

“This Californian idea of merging indoor and outdoor is evident from the moment you approach the store,” said Wearstler, who explained that her designs tend to nod to the “natural world”.

Sandy-hued interior of
Wearstler designed textured interiors to reflect Johnson’s collections

Inside, three interconnected, open-plan spaces on the ground floor were dressed with textured interiors that mirror Johnson’s similarly rich collections, which hang from delicate clothing rails throughout the store.

Standalone jewellery display cases by Canadian artist Jeff Martin feature in the cavernous accessories space. Clad with peeling ribbons of grooved, caramel-coloured tiles, the cases echo floor-to-ceiling speckled burl wood panels.

Double-height Brachychiton tree at the Ulla Johnson store
The mezzanine includes a double-height tree

The other living room-style area was designed as a sunroom with a pair of boxy 1970s Cornaro armchairs by modernist Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, as well as parquet flooring with Rosa Corallo stone inlay.

“Vintage pieces are infused into all of my projects and I enjoy experimenting with the dialogues created by placing these alongside contemporary commissions,” explained Wearstler.

Lumpy resin table at the Ulla Johnson store in LA
A lumpy resin table features in an upstairs lounge

The largest of the three spaces, the mezzanine is illuminated by skylights and houses a double-height Brachychiton – a tree that also features in the designer’s own Malibu home.

A chunky timber staircase leads to the upper level, where another lounge was finished in burnt orange and cream-coloured accents including a lumpy marbelised resin coffee table by LA-based designer Ross Hansen.

“We collaborated with a variety of local artisans to imbue the spirit of Southern California into every facet of the project,” said Wearstler.

Ribbed plaster walls and textured flooring line a fitting room close by, which was created to evoke a residential feeling, according to the designer.

“We wanted people to feel at home in the store so we prioritised warm and inviting elements,” she said.

Another striking display cabinet made from wavy burl wood evokes “a touch of 1970s California nostalgia”.

Wavy burl wood cabinet at the LA Ulla Johnson store
Wavy burl wood evokes “a touch of 1970s California nostalgia”

The Ulla Johnson store is also used as a community space, which hosts rotating art installations, talks with guest speakers and other events.

Wearstler recently designed an eclectic cocktail bar at the Downtown LA Proper hotel, which she previously created the wider interiors for. Her portfolio also features a 1950s beachfront cottage renovation in Malibu.

The photography is by Adrian Gaut

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Ten architecture projects by students at Carleton University

a colourful graphic image by students at carleton university

Dezeen School Shows: a thesis that examines the relationship between Las Vegas and the city’s surrounding desert is included in Dezeen’s latest school show by students at Carleton University.

Also included is a research project that investigates clay and a project that explores the renewal of heritage buildings in Barcelona.


Carleton University

Institution: Carleton University
School: Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism
Course: MArch thesis, graduate and undergraduate studios
Tutors: Jake Chakasim, Sheryl Boyle, Lisa Moffitt, Jerry Hacker, Anne Bordeleau, Piper Bernbaum and Mariana Esponda

School statement:

“The Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism (ASAU) offers undergraduate programmes in design, conservation and sustainability and urbanism, as well as a professional MArch programme.

“With generous funding opportunities, including teaching and research assistantships, our accredited MArch programmes offer paths for students holding degrees in any undergraduate discipline, as well as for students with pre-professional degrees in architecture from anywhere around the world.

“Through speculative thinking and material craft, the ASAU faculty and students work to address critical societal issues.

“Projects shown include responses to the climate emergency, community-led design-build projects as well as land-based and socio-spatial inquiries.”


an architecture plan and clays

Dirt: Making with Contaminated Lands by Ju Huang

“My thesis explores dirt in the contemporary world and its place in architecture through a series of ceramic-making exercises. My sense of touch helps me explore clay, tackling the critical problem of discarded waste sites called brownfields in Canada.

“The experiments have created a new sensory order from which a tectonic expression of architecture rooted in a particular place is created – a process that trespasses the taboos of the contaminated and embraces the uncertainties contained in land in the technological age of the Anthropocene.”

Student: Ju Huang
Course: MArch Thesis
Tutor: Sheryl Boyle
Email: juhuang[at]cmail.carleton.ca


scanning of biorock and a visual of an architecture built with biorock

Toronto’s Terrestrial Reefs: BioRock’s Infrastructural Biogeochemical Futures by Cameron Penney

“This thesis explores the design potential of BioRock, an underutilised accreting material that simulates the reef-building processes of corals.

“It is a highly sustainable alternative to concrete, able to act as an ecological scaffold and sequester pollutants. The thesis proposes three speculative applications of BioRock within Toronto, Canada.

“They include the reintroduction of alvars as a landscape strategy extending from aggregate infill, an industrial remediation for obsolete water treatment reservoirs, and the in-situ repair of concrete bents supporting the Gardiner Expressway.

“Design is explored through experimental models and test fragments of BioRock forming a library of artefacts that traverse biogeochemical scales of speculation.”

Student: Cameron Penney
Course: MArch Thesis
Tutor: Lisa Moffitt
Email: cameronpenney[at]cmail.carleton.ca


Dawings of a rehabilitation of a self-built settlement by students at Carleton University

Designed for Deconstruction by Arkoun Merchant

“Designed for Deconstruction presents a framework for deconstruction in the context of Barrio Rodrigo Bueno, a self-built settlement in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“It provides another path for the demolition of existing homes, using recycled material to rehabilitate houses with building methods that make the most of natural ventilation and daylighting.

“These steps take advantage of the iterative nature of a self-built home, allowing rehabilitation at a desirable pace for the family.

“Moreover, community members are encouraged to participate in the deconstruction and rehabilitation process to learn building techniques and skills they can apply in their neighbourhood and the city.”

Student: Arkoun Merchant
Course: MArch Option Studio ARCH 5106
Tutors: Natalia Escobar Castrillon and Felipe Vera
Email: arkounmerchant[at]cmail.carleton.ca


model of a theatre design by a student at Carleton University

The Market Playhouse by Sam Lanesmith

“The ByWard Market Playhouse blends a public plaza, theatre and gallery space in the heart of Ottawa’s market district, featuring a raised theatre that shades and protects a public atrium and plaza from the summer sun.

“Unfolding directly across from the historic market building, the large, shaded plaza provides a space for visitors to relax, while also serving as an outdoor market during the summer.

“The building’s frame offers clues of its construction to the public. Its design celebrates the steel structure that elevates the theatre seating above the plaza.”

Student: Sam Lanesmith
Course: MArch Studio 2 ARCS 5032
Tutors: Sheryl Boyle and Janine Debanné
Email: samelanesmith[at]cmail.carleton.ca


drawings of an education centre by a student at Carleton University

[Tree Factory], The Urban Forestry Knowledge Centre by Caitlin Chin

“The [Tree Factory] is an urban forestry knowledge centre that aims to educate the public about climate change and rekindle the relationship between people and trees.

“It is also a collection of microclimates that choreograph interwoven paths of education, people and trees through converging moments in time.”

Student: Caitlin Chin
Course: MArch Gateway Studio ARCS 5105
Tutors: Lisa Moffitt and Jerry Hacker
Email: caitlinchin[at]cmail.carleton.ca


an outdoor space for children designed by a student at Carleton University

Lost, Found, Playground – O’Connor St. Pocket Park by Ben Merritt

“Driveways and license plates consume the built environment. Thus begins a movement to reclaim dead spaces and convert them into lively areas for the children of the neighbourhood.

“Using byproducts of local economic activity – objects like milk crates, wooden pallets and tires – an intervention can take shape with the same scale and function as a typical playground.

“Assembled by residents with craft and trades skills, improvised play areas can help reintroduce meaningful social interaction to the youth of the community.

“The aim is to return the antisocial spaces to the children and assist in the revitalisation of the modern isolated childhood.”

Student: Ben Merritt
Course: BAS Studio ARCS 4107
Tutor: Jerry Hacker
Email: benmerritt[at]cmail.carleton.ca


drawing of a fishhouse above the water

Erosion by Martha Woolfrey

“This drawing documents the ecological collapse during the 1990s cod fishery moratorium in Newfoundland and its rippling effect on culture for generations, which won an honour award in the school’s annual seven-day drawing competition.

“As we collectively take responsibility for addressing the climate emergency, the event invited students to illustrate how we might engage the changing climate with hope, using architecture’s arsenal.

“Students could dive into the nature of architectural drawings as narrative, foreground architectural drawings’ potential to connect multiple spatial and temporal scales, grapple with uncertainties and conditions of flux or work to make visible those invisible flows and forces that impact our planet.”

Student: Martha Woolfrey
Course: 2023 Murray & Murray Competition
Tutor: Anne Bordeleau
Email: marthawoolfrey[at]cmail.carleton.ca


an architectural visual by a student at Carleton University

Las Vegas: Vanishing Illusions of Paradise and Fantasies of Plenitude by Kaleigh Jeffrey

“Las Vegas exists in a dichotomy between its extravagant built environment and extreme desert surroundings. The city is like a mirage and the illusion presents a narrative that evades reality.

“Years of urbanisation and constant drought, made worse by a warming climate, have triggered the first-ever reduction in Nevada’s water allocation.

“This thesis investigates the past, present and future of Las Vegas as it negotiates the conditions of a changing desert, engaging with policy and notions of spectacle.

“Through various forms of documentation, speculative design work and climate fiction, the project questions the role of maintenance in architecture and to what degree it is worthwhile.”

Student: Kaleigh Jeffrey
Course: MArch Thesis
Tutor: Piper Bernbaum
Email: kaleighjeffrey[at]cmail.carleton.ca


a collage and map of heritage streets in Barcelona

Interfactures by Miquel Reina Ortiz

“I examine Barcelona as more than the sum of its parts, considering the relationship between the scales of the city, buildings and construction details.

“Here, I present Barcelona’s most characteristic tectonic element, the volta de maó de pla, tile vault or Catalan vault, through a series of graphic exercises named interfactures that explore their intimate relationship with making heritage buildings and urban fabric.

“Fine-grained details are essential to determine how the cycle of recovery and renewal can be balanced in the context of the whole, harmoniously contained in its parts. The city is in the details.”

Student: Miquel Reina Ortiz
Course: PhD in Architecture
Tutor: Mariana Esponda
Email: m.reinaortiz[at]gmail.com


Architectural visual of an education centre in a snowy landscape

A Night in January: Oral Traditions Storytelling Centre on Indigenous Astronomy by Ashley Mowry and Frank Hinoporos

“The Oral Traditions Storytelling Centre on Indigenous Astronomy focuses on the education of Indigenous and non-Indigenous university students and members of the public in oral indigenous storytelling, with an emphasis on stories related to the sky and stars.

“The band atop the structure traces the full moon of January (Spirit Moon), which represents a time of contemplation, grounding the architecture in myth.

“This studio centralised the role of indigenous knowledge in advanced studies. It is part of a school effort to promote an understanding of the land, ecology and culture of Canada’s indigenous peoples through the lens of architecture and planning.”

Students: Ashley Mowry and Frank Hinoporos
Course: 2023 Global Indigenous Option Studio
Tutor: Jake Chakasim
Emails: ashleymowry[at]cmail.carleton.ca and frankhinoporos[at]cmail.carleton.ca

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Carleton University. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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Kengo Kuma unveils colourful structure for Miami Design District

Kengo Kuma Mirai Miami

Japanese architecture studio Kengo Kuma and Associates is set to create a sculptural block of buildings that will serve as retail locations for the Miami Design District.

Called Mirai – Japanese for “distant future” – renders of the development show a series of colourful fluted pillars wrapped around a retail building on a corner in the north of the city.

The Kengo Kuma and Associates (KKAA) design is meant to combine elements of both Japanese and Floridian architecture, with colourful facades meeting minimalist retail environments.

It will include several modular retail units on the ground floor that renters can combine or separate based on their needs.

The angle and setbacks of the building will allow for each store to have “corner conditions”, according to the team of developers, which includes Lionheart Capital, Leviathan Development, and Well Duo.

Building informed by Miami’s “energy and natural beauty”

The second and third floors will be used as office space and the structure will include a green roof topped with solar panels.

Several planted pathways are planned for where the building meets the street and the building will include a central garden, with landscape design by Miami-based studio Island Planning Corporation.

“Inspired by the energy and natural beauty of Miami, Mirai embodies the harmonious blend of Japanese traditions and the intricate tapestry of old-world architecture,” said KKAA founder Kengo Kuma.

“The purpose of Mirai is to fashion a space that not only frames the natural tropical elements of Miami but also harmonizes seamlessly with its surroundings,” he added.

“It’s about providing a haven that exudes tranquility and comfort, inviting all who visit and inhabit to partake in the essence of the vibrant city – a sanctuary where dreams can take flight amid the lush beauty of Miami.”

Mirai to be completed by 2025

The team plans on breaking ground on Mirai in 2024, with plans to finish it by 2025.

Since 2010, the Miami Design District has become a hub for fashion and design brands. Marcel Wanders created a Louis Vuitton store for the area, while architect Rafael de Cárdenas created an outlet for Nodaleto.

The initiative of developer and gallerist Craig Robbins and his firm Dacra, the area has also attracted branches of important local art institutions such as the Institute for Contemporary Art.

Several programs and installations are also put on in the area during the city’s art week. Dezeen has put together a guide for the upcoming 2023 iteration here.

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Zippo Fire Starting Multi-Tool will you be your best friend for those camping nights

If you’ve ever gone camping, chances are you probably had to start a fire for your cooking or smores needs. As someone who has never have done this but have seen enough movies and TV shows where people struggle with it, I can only guess that it’s pretty challenging if you don’t have the right tools or if you actually don’t know how to do it. Fortunately for those who still have to do it manually, there are a lot of tools now (and YouTube).

Designer: Zippo

The Fire Starting Multi-Tool from Zippo should be able to do the job for you as its name says. It’s basically a Swiss knife type of tool that has everything you need to start a fire and do other outdoorsy things. It has a flint wheel ignition that should be able to spark that fire and then add shavings from the tinder grater that’s part of the tool. It also has a 420 high-carbon steel knife blade and a double cut saw blade that should let you cut through things like branches which you also need to kindle the fire.

You should be able to start up to 15 fires at 1 inch each or 12 fires at 3 cm each with what’s included in this tool , which includes 1 flint. It also comes with a fire paracord and bail with an attachment point. For non-fire things, there is a bottle opener and screwdriver so you can enjoy a bottle of beer once the fire has been started.

If you often go outdoors and start campfires and such, this is a handy tool for you to always have with you. Zippo is even offering a combo kit which includes other fire starting tools that you may need if you ned to have those smores while exchanging campfire stories.

The post Zippo Fire Starting Multi-Tool will you be your best friend for those camping nights first appeared on Yanko Design.

Festival of Design 2023 explores theme of "again and again"

Material samples on display on a table

Promotion: Anders Byriel, CEO of Danish textile brand Kvadrat and designer Shay Alkalay of London-based studio Raw Edges were among the guest speakers at this year’s edition of Festival of Design in Shanghai.

Organised by Design Republic and its founding partners Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu, the Festival of Design opened on 10 November in Shanghai after a three-year hiatus following the pandemic.

The event encompassed a series of lectures and panel discussions as well as an exhibition and a film screening. This year, the event explored the theme of ‘再 RE-.’ – the prefix that means “again” or “again and again” to indicate moving forward.

Different material's displayed on a table
Festival of Design 2023 explored the theme of ‘再 RE-.’

Lectures were given by esteemed architects, designers and creatives including Anders Byriel, CEO of Kvadrat, designer Shay Alkalay of London-based Raw Edges, Boonserm Premthada of Bangkok Project Studio, Mark Lee of LA architecture firm Johnston Marklee, Liu Yichun of Chinese architects Atelier Deshaus, Japanese architect Jo Nagasaka of Schemata Architects, architect Simon Frommenwiler of Basel practice HHF, and Spanish architects Eva Prats and Ricardo Flores of Barcelona-based Flores & Prats.

Each speaker delivered a 40-minute presentation offering insights into their design practices before joining a panel discussion that explored notions of renewal, redefinition, reconnection and “reseeing in the world of design”.


Anders Byriel CEO of Kvadrat presented a lecture

For example, in his presentation, Byriel discussed Kvadrat’s growing stable of subsidiary businesses such as its acoustic products arm – Kvadrat Acoustics – and its textile upcycling initiative, Kvadrat Really.

He introduced a separate heritage fabrics brand that the company recently acquired called Sahco, and talked about a new pavilion at the brand’s headquarters in Denmark designed by German artist Thomas Demand in collaboration with Caruso St John Architects.

He also showcased a broad selection of the brand’s collaborative projects with artists and designers such as Olafurr Eliasson, Larry King and Sissal Toollass.


Designer from London-based Raw Edges, Shay Alkalay also presented at the event

In the panel discussions that followed, Neri asked speakers about rejecting perfection and tolerating disharmony in their work.

“Sometimes when you think too much it can stop you from doing something,” ventured Shay Alkalay of Raw Edges. “I always tell my students, ‘do before you think’.”

“If you consider too much the flow of what has been done before you, the responsibility almost feels too much – you wonder how can you add to it or change something,” he continued. “It’s too heavy. Sometimes you just have to react and do something.”

“As a business, you need to stay relevant, you need to look in the mirror and keep reinventing yourself,” Byriel added. “The day you think you are standing on top of the mountain is the day it is over. You need to keep moving and challenging yourself.”

The event presented several design exhibitions

The Festival also includes the launch of a month-long exhibition of the same theme, ‘再 RE-.’ Running at the Design Republic flagship store and organised across six distinct sections: ‘RE-flect,’ ‘RE-edition,’ ‘RE-cycle,’ ‘RE-generate,’ ‘RE-imagine,’ and ‘RE-.’, the exhibition’s exhibitors include Agapecasa, Baum, Classicon, Kef, Kvadrat, La Manufacture, Mattiazzi, Moorgen, Nio, Tucson, Ugan Concept and Yehyehyeh.

As part of the festival, the UME International Cineplex in Shanghai’s Huangpu District hosted the Chinese premiere of the documentary Alfabeto Mangiarotti, which was hosted in UME and presented by Agapecasa.

Also included was a series of talks exploring a diverse range of design topics such as the exportation of Chinese design and strategies for engaging in overseas project implementation in addition to ‘Architecture and Ecology’ and ‘Co-Creating with Nature’.

The festival was established in 2016

Established in 2016, Festival of Design is an interdisciplinary design platform initiated by Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu, architects and founding partners of design lifestyle brand Design Republic.

Festival of Design aims to embrace the communal aspect of design through a diverse programme of lectures, talks, exhibitions and workshops.

To learn more about Festival of Design visit its website.

Festival of Design 2023 takes place from 10 November to 10 December 2023 at various locations across Shanghai, China. See our Dezeen Events Guide for information about the many other exhibitions, installations and talks throughout the world.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Festival of Design as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.</em

The post Festival of Design 2023 explores theme of “again and again” appeared first on Dezeen.

Galaxy Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6 foldable phones might finally fix pain points

Foldable phones are getting more common these days, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have room for improvement. Whether it’s the larger book-type foldable or the stylish clamshell flip phone, there are still lingering concerns in terms of design and durability. Admittedly, there have been quite a few major improvements over the years thanks to increased competition in this market segment. Although it was a pioneer, it almost seemed that Samsung had been stagnating instead, sticking too close to safe designs. That changed with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 this year and it will keep changing for next year’s generation that are expected to introduce new screens that address some of those complaints.

Designer: Samsung (via Ross Young)

It’s not really that puzzling that Samsung decided to focus on improving the durability and reliability of its foldable phones over fancy features. After all, those are the biggest concerns buyers have when trying to sink their teeth into such an expensive investment. But four years after it first launched the Galaxy Fold, the basic design of this foldable phone hasn’t changed. In fact, one of the biggest complaints is how the external Cover Screen is too narrow, making it awkward and even difficult to use the phone as a regular phone when folded close.

According to industry sources, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will have a wider Cover Screen to resolve this issue. An exact figure wasn’t given, but any additional width would be an improvement to the current design and put it on the same page as its rivals. Of course, this would translate to a change in the aspect ratio of the internal main display, which might end up looking more squarish than before.

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is also getting a bigger Cover Screen, one that spans 3.9 inches diagonally versus the current 3.4 inches. This is being compared to the 4.0-inch iPhone 5s and iPhone SE (2016), which are the last small iPhones that Apple made. In theory, that means there will be more space for content, which opens the door for more apps as well.

Of course, that isn’t always the case in practice, because the screen aspect ratio and shape won’t be the same as an iPhone. And just like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 now, the kinds of apps that you can use on that external screen are very limited. There are no signs that Samsung will open up its Cover Screen to more apps the way the Motorola Razr does, so the impact of this change could be very minimal in the end.

The post Galaxy Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6 foldable phones might finally fix pain points first appeared on Yanko Design.