Hasta La Ideas

British fashion label Paul Smith‘s iconic pink store in Los Angeles has received an interior makeover from Standard Architecture.

Standard Architecture collaborated with the Paul Smith design team to reimagine the 4,740-square-foot (440 square metres) store on Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood.

The studios also created a new VIP entrance patio for the building, which is notorious for its bright pink exterior that has become a pilgrimage spot for amateur photoshoots.

“The primary goal was to enhance the overall customer experience within the store, which was achieved by creating a more cohesive and immersive shopping environment across the different brand departments,” said Standard Architecture.

The entrance to the store – the only opening in the giant pink wall that faces the parking lot – leads shoppers through a glossy red metal vestibule into the main retail space.

Clearly defined yet interconnected areas for the menswear, womenswear and homeware collections help with navigation around the store.

Partitions clad in dappled beige stone frame these zones, but don’t reach the exposed timber ceiling, to retain the sense of openness.

In places, the stone walls are inlaid with mosaic-style artworks depicting abstract flora, which add splashes of colour to the warm-toned surfaces.

Black track lighting is suspended from the rafters, spotlighting the various clothing displays and lounge areas furnished with midcentury-style sofas and armchairs that are dotted around the store.

Long brass rails that appear to be suspended in midair are used to display suit jackets, which are carefully arranged by colour.

In an area dedicated to accessories, the shoes and bags are lined up on stepped white ledges that resemble bleacher seating.

Walnut is used for accents including shelving, door frames, and podiums, as well as for a large open storage system with compartments for presenting individual products and a row of sculptures by Alexander Calder.

Founded by fashion designer Paul Smith in 1970, his eponymous brand is synonymous with the brightly coloured stripes applied to many of its apparel products and other collaborations.

Many of these appear throughout the store, including a colour-tinted Anglepoise desk lamp and a striped version of Gufram’s cactus-shaped coat stand.

“Overall, the design reflects a deep understanding of the brand’s identity, which places a strong emphasis on the use of colour and attention to detail,” Standard Architecture said.

Paul Smith retail spaces around the world are equally playful. On London’s Albemarle Street, its boutique has a patterned cast-iron facade by 6a Architects, while the shop in Seoul is encased in a curving concrete shell by System Lab.

Standard Architecture was founded by Silvia Kuhle and Jeffrey Allsbrook, who discussed their work with Dezeen during our Virtual Design Festival in 2020.

Past projects by the firm include a Hollywood Hills residence with a cantilevered swimming pool and a minimal showroom for fashion brand Helmut Lang – which was located just a few blocks from the Paul Smith store before it shuttered.

The photography is by Genevieve Garruppo.

The post Standard Architecture refreshes interiors of pink Paul Smith store in LA appeared first on Dezeen.

Ayrton Senna is the undisputed legend of motor racing and he could have achieved timeless greatness (not that he has already not achieved the feat) hadn’t it been for that fateful corner at the Imola Circuit in Italy during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. Hence, Ffor a Formula-1 fanatic, any memorabilia or piece of history that recalls the legend’s memories is a prized possession.

For such fans, LEGO Speed Champions and Technic lineup will add to the proud collection in the form of the McLaren F1 MP4 Ayrton Senna LEGO set. The set comprising of 693 pieces will go on sale from March 1, 2024 for a suggested price tag of $80. Highlight of this set is the Senna minifigure on a podium holding the winner’s trophy with a plate displaying the photo and quote,  alongside the McLaren in action mode.

Designer: LEGO Group

The main focus here is the successful F1 MP4/4 car powered by the Honda turbocharged engine that was used during the 1988 Formula 1 season. Ayrton alongside his teammate Alain Prost pushed this beast to its limits in a spectacle of racing craft dominating the competition winning 15 out of the 16 races during the season. Ayrton stole the limelight with eight wins for the team, securing his place as the world champion, while Alain just missed the bar winning seven races.

The MP4/4’s reliability and pure performance made it one of the most dominant cars in the history of F1 to date. Of course, one can attribute that feat to the skill of Ayrton who showed some of the most mind-blowing driving craft during the season. Coming back to this LEGO build, it looks like Shell is again on good terms with the LEGO Group after a lull of a decade. You can spot the Sheel and Honda logos while the controversial Marlboro branding has been given a pass.

The 1:8 LEGO model is 553 mm long, 257 mm wide, and 125mm high. It comes with functional suspensions, a steering wheel, a V6 engine, a turbo compressor (with intercooler radiators), snorkels and exhaust blowing under the rear diffuser. What more could you ask for?

The post LEGO McLaren MP4/4 with Ayrton Senna minifig arriving in March to grace F1 fans’ shelves first appeared on Yanko Design.

From a bold blue apartment in Paris to an all-lilac kitchen in Stockholm, this lookbook rounds up renovations that cleverly use bright colours to update and refresh home interiors.

While neutral colour palettes are often chosen for a sense of serenity, embracing bold and bright colours can add a sense of fun to a home and reflect the owner’s personal style.

The interiors in this lookbook show how even period buildings, from an Edwardian London townhouses to a 1950s Norwegian home, can be renovated to have colourful, modern and playful interiors.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring New York City lofts, living rooms with vintage furniture and interiors with burl wood surfaces.

Parisian apartment, France, by Uchronia

Local studio Uchronia coated walls in gradients of bright colours and added colourful geometric furniture to this Parisian apartment, which was designed for a pair of jewellery designers.

The bold tones sit against a backdrop of detailing including boiserie, mouldings and parquet flooring. These are original to the mid-century building the apartment is located in, which was designed as part of Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s reconstruction of the French capital.

Find out more about the Parisian apartment ›

1980s Stockholm apartment, Sweden, by Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor

Lilac hues coat the walls, ceiling and floor of the kitchen in this apartment in Stockholm, which was renovated by local studio Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor.

Set in a 1980s prefabricated concrete building, the studio also created an all-yellow bedroom and added accents of burnt orange to the home’s doors and bespoke furniture.

Find out more about the 1980s Stockholm apartment ›

Graphic House, UK, by Office S&M

Architecture studio Office S&M drew upon its clients’ love for graphics to create the colourful and geometric renovation of Graphic House in London.

The studio added art deco forms in a variety of colours to the mid-terrace Edwardian home, including mint green walls and kitchen cupboards, yellow window and door frames, and a blue staircase.

Find out more about Graphic House ›

Retroscena, Italy, by La Macchina Studio

Swathes of primary colours feature throughout Retroscena, a 1950s apartment in Rome that was transformed by Italian architecture practice La Macchina Studio.

The practice aimed to create a “surreal” and “quasi-theatrical” interior with bright blue archways and zesty yellow curtains contrasting against white walls.

Find out more about Retroscena ›

Yellow House in the Apple Garden, Norway, by Familien Kvistad

With a name referencing the sunny hue of its monochrome exterior, Yellow House in the Apple Garden is a 1950s house in Oslo that local studio Familien Kvistad renovated to have a more modern feel.

Based on the client’s favourite colours, the interior palette includes bold tones of mustard yellow in the kitchen tiling and shades of plum and forest green in the soft furnishings.

Find out more about Yellow House in the Apple Garden ›

East London townhouse, UK, by PL Studio

Interior design office PL Studio added shades of blue, green and yellow to this east London townhouse, informed by a Morrocan villa that was once the home of artist Jacques Majorelle.

Applying the colours in graphic shapes on the home’s walls, PL Studio wanted to create a sense of character that reflected the clients’ joyful and positive energy.

Find out more about the east London townhouse ›

Hudson Heights apartment, USA, by Ideas of Order

US architecture studio Ideas of Order updated this 1,000-square-foot residence in Manhattan with pops of colour in the style of French midcentury designers, such as Charlotte Perriand.

The studio gave each room in the apartment its own identity by using different colours. The kitchen was refreshed and made more suitable for entertainment with raspberry and periwinkle cabinets, a lime green storage wall was added to the bedroom, and pale pink cabinets were inserted in the entryway.

Find out more about Hudson Height apartment ›

Sunderland Road House, UK, by 2LG Studio

Sunderland Road House is an Edwardian home in London that local firm 2LG Studio renovated for a family of five, aiming to incorporate the clients’ love for colour while respecting the period elements of the house.

Shades of pastel green cover the walls in the baby’s room, the entry hall was coated in hues of pink, and the kitchen was fitted with sky-blue cabinets.

Find out more about Sunderland Road House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring New York City lofts, living rooms with vintage furniture and interiors with burl wood surfaces.

The post Eight colourful renovations that use vibrant shades to transform the home appeared first on Dezeen.



Ever had a charging cable but nowhere to plug it? Or a power bank but no charging cable to connect it to your phone? The IVYCable Gen2 is an oddly brilliant product that solves both those problems. Designed like a relatively thick charging cord, the IVYCable Gen2 actually has four separate power banks built into its design. They’re all connected together, giving you up to 2800mAh of storage, and boast a clever magnetic design that lets the entire cable snap into a rectangular shape for easy, tangle-free carrying no matter where you go. Either use it as a charging cable by connecting it to a power brick/outlet… or just plug the cable into the phone on its own – the IVYCable Gen2 doubles as either a pass-through charging cable, or a power bank. Isn’t that simply genius?!

Designer: Matt Chang

Click Here to Buy Now: $43 $69 (38% off) Hurry, only a few days left!

The IVYCable Gen2’s design sits at the unique cross-section between cables and power banks. It’s thicker than your conventional cable, yet much thinner than any power bank, with a magnetic design that lets it snap together or apart, depending on whether you want a compact portable mass, or a long cable for charging your devices. The highlight, however, is the five mini power banks that connect together to form the IVYCable Gen2. With a Type-A port at one end, a Type-C port at another, and flexible TPU connectors in between, the IVYCable Gen2’s five power banks have a max capacity of 2800mAh – enough to charge your phone from 0-100. The magnetic snapping action of the individual power bank modules also gives the IVYCable Gen2 the appeal of a fidget toy with how effortlessly (and satisfyingly) it shapeshifts from compressed to extended formats.

The IVYCable Gen2 solves a unique problem by bridging the gap between charging cables and power banks in a fun, addictive way

This unique shapeshifting design allows the IVYCable Gen2 to be used both as a charging cord, or a power bank. As a charging cord, the IVYCable Gen2 works with both Android and iOS devices thanks to its USB-C to Lightning connector that lets you swap between the two ports depending on what device you have. The cable works as a pass-through charging apparatus, outputting 10.5W of max power. That may not be a lot compared to the kinds of superspeed cables that go as high as 120W to fast-charge your devices, but the IVYCable Gen2’s 10.5W is a comfortable balance between speed and safety, ensuring your phone’s battery doesn’t degrade too fast. Meanwhile, when used as a pass-through charging cable, the IVYCable Gen2 charges its own batteries too, knocking two birds with one stone.

Disconnect the cable from a power source and it BECOMES the power source. The IVYCable Gen2’s built-in power bank immediately kicks into action, giving you battery backup for your phone or any other device just when you need it. The magnetic snapping feature then comes in hand, allowing you to bunch the cable up into a rectangular mass that you can then carry around with your phone easily (or slip it right into your pocket along with your phone). The fact that it has its own built-in charging ports means you don’t need a separate cable (which you would with regular power banks), and the best part is its ability to extend into a ‘long’ power bank if you want to keep the IVYCable Gen2 in your handbag but have your phone in your hand.

The unique design format, however, is the IVYCable Gen2’s most impressive feature. It solves a problem that not many people ever thought of solving, by creating a charging cable with a built-in battery that also has the ability to charge your phone on its own without being plugged in. It’s convenient to carry, easy to use, and the magnetic feature works both as a great organization tool (ensuring your cable never gets bunched or knotted up) to keep your desk and bag clean, as well as a fidget toy that your hands will want to play with all the time!

The IVYCable Gen2 comes in two color options – a classic silver version, and a stealthy anodized black variant. Both start at $43 (discounted from the original $69) and ship internationally starting April 2024.

Click Here to Buy Now: $43 $69 (38% off) Hurry, only a few days left!

Click Here to Buy Now: $43 $69 (38% off) Hurry, only a few days left!

The post Magnetic Charging Cable with a Built-in Power Bank might be the most GENIUS Smartphone Accessory first appeared on Yanko Design.

As far as EVs go, the E-Tron has been around long enough to have seen a few things. Debuting back in 2018, Audi’s first battery-powered ride was a great car in many ways, but it also felt lacking in others. Most notably, its range was on the middling side and its handling made it a pleasant drive but far from a memorable one. Finally, there was the name: E-Tron. It just didn’t really fit in with anything Audi had done before or since.

For 2024, it’s back, and now it’s called the Q8 E-Tron. Despite the new name, now fitting squarely within Audi’s model taxonomy, this is actually a subtle refresh. It’s so subtle that you’d be forgiven for not being able to identify the new car from the old were they sitting side-by-side. But, after having driven both quite extensively, I’m happy to say it’s a refresh that moves the car forward in all the right directions — though perhaps not far enough in some.

By the numbers

The Q8 E-Tron is, like before, a five-passenger SUV that, to my eye, looks more like a tall station wagon. Its height of 64.3 inches splits the difference quite handily between the regular Q8 SUV and the A8 sedan, so it really is its own thing.

It’s available in three trims, with starting prices in the U.S. just under $75,000 on the low end and $85,000 on the high end. The car tested here is a Prestige trim with just a few options added.

It has a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system offering a total system output of 402 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque. The range from the new and larger 114-kilowatt-hour battery is 285 miles per the EPA, while the maximum charging rate is 170 kW. In my testing, I didn’t come anywhere near that EPA rating, averaging 2.3 miles per kilowatt hour at best, for an estimated 243 miles from the 106 usable kWh in that new battery.

But don’t hold that against it. I did all my testing in the winter months, and that result is actually quite good given the low temperatures. Even the best EVs hate the cold. In the summer, I have no doubt that drivers will meet or exceed that EPA figure.

More importantly, the Q8 E-Tron did an excellent job of providing accurate, reliable range estimates based on weather conditions and terrain, something that many other EV makes still struggle with.

Deja-Q

Squint, and you’ll hardly be able to tell the difference between the Q8 and the E-Tron that came before. Put on your glasses, and the differences are still easy to miss. The highlights are definitely in the front facia, which is sharper, cleaner, and fresher than before. Revised lighting, too, makes the Q8 E-Tron have a subtly greater presence than before.

New 20-inch wheels also provide more visual intrigue from the side without compromising ride quality too much, but the overall visual aesthetic of the Q8 is still very much an understated one. That’s doubly so, thanks to a decidedly muted selection of colors. The shade you see here, Plasma Blue, is the most dramatic of the bunch, and yet it easily blends into your average parking lot palette.

Even less has changed on the inside, and that doesn’t bother me so much. The original E-Tron’s interior was a standout, and while it’s perhaps a bit familiar now, it still delivers in all the right ways. It also still bears the indentations in the door cars where the digital side-view mirrors would live in the American version of the Q8 E-Tron, were they legal. Five years after the original E-Tron’s launch, they’re still not.

Though mostly dark and dominated by soft-touch rubbers and plenty of harder, harsher stuff, the look is clean, and everything feels durable. The slash of open-pore wood across the dash, though desaturated and still not providing much visual flare, does at least add some organic appeal to what would otherwise be too cold a space. (Brown leather is also on offer, as well as off-white.)

The primary interface is a pair of touchscreens stacked vertically. The lower is primarily dedicated to HVAC controls and other features like smart home integration, charging, and toggling hill descent control.

The touchscreen above is the more significant of the two, where the bulk of Audi’s MMI lives and where either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto will be wirelessly displayed should you choose to enable it. To the left, there’s Audi’s Virtual Cockpit Plus, augmented further by a heads-up display.

That’s plenty of displays for sure. Though this version of MMI feels more than a little dated at this point, its voice recognition in particular offering little assistance compared to the more recent offerings from BMW or Mercedes-Benz. That said, it’s quick and easy to use, and the haptic pulse received when selecting touch controls is still a pleasant thing.

Interior comfort

At 193.5 inches long, the Q8 E-Tron is a big car, and it makes use of that volume by offering comfortable seating in the front or the rear. Out back, there’s plenty of legroom and headroom, plus a pair of USB-C ports and dedicated controls for rear HVAC, plus heating the rear seats.

Front seats add ventilation, and while the cooling isn’t particularly effective, the heating is certainly the more important part of the equation, and there they do not disappoint. The heated steering wheel, however, could use a few more watts.

Front seats are power-adjustable, with two memory settings, and visibility from the driver’s seat is quite good. The shaping of the A-pillars keeps them from blocking too much of your perspective, while the panoramic sunroof above helps keep things looking lighter and brighter than the dark materials otherwise would.

In practical terms, 28.5 cubic feet of cargo space make for a very livable machine. Fold the split rear seats, which flop down at the pull of a lever at the back of the cargo compartment, and you’re greeted with an expansive 56.4 cubic feet of space. Plenty for the most indulgent of trips to the big-box shops.

The drive

The outgoing E-Tron was pleasant to drive, calm and relaxed, quite nicely composed on the sorts of roads that will try the best of suspension systems. The revised Q8 E-Tron, I’m pleased to say, has lost none of that valuable, though ultimately forgettable demeanor.

What’s added is a surprising amount of engagement. The Q8 E-Tron, when pushed hard and toggled over to Sport mode, is quite fun to drive. No, we’re not coming close to the levels offered even by any member of Audi’s RS family. Still, revised steering and some subtle suspension tweaks help make for a car that’s eager when the road turns away from you.

It’s also eager when that road is straight and narrow. The new Q8 E-Tron feels even quicker than its 402 hp. To get maximum power, you need to be in Sport mode, where the throttle is sharpest. The Q8 E-Tron is genuinely eager, so eager that you’ll only want to deploy that mode when you’re by yourself, lest you threaten the patience — or the stomachs — of anyone else in the car.

They won’t have to worry about getting car sick from excessive regenerative braking, though. Like the old E-Tron, the Q8 doesn’t have much to offer. Tap the left paddle a few times to enable maximum regen, but the maximum is barely any. Audi’s dogged dislike of one-pedal driving continues, which continues to be a shame for any buyer who prefers not to step on the brake pedal so often.

Regarding safety systems, the Q8 E-Tron has a comprehensive stack, including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, and a lane departure warning system. It was enough to earn it an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award.

However, where more and more competitors offer hands-off highway driving, this SUV is still very much in the hands-on mode. Its lane-keep system also got a little confused when approaching exit ramps where the right painted lines split off to make room for the exit, resulting in an occasional, uncomfortable lurch. But the adaptive cruise worked well, always identifying and reacting to traffic early and smoothly.

Options and pricing

The 2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron you see here had a starting MSRP of $74,400, while the Prestige package added a further $10,400. Compared to the base Q8 E-Tron, Premium Plus adds on the better Bang & Olufsen sound system, ventilated front seats, and the 360 camera. Prestige steps that up further with a basic massaging system on those seats, which are now wrapped in higher-spec leather, with upgraded matrix lighting up front.

This car also blacked out much of the chrome with the $2,000 Black Optic Package, $400 for additional rear side airbags, and $595 for that Plasma Blue paint. Add on the $1,195 destination charge, and you have a final sticker price of $88,990.

That’s a comprehensively equipped and properly luxurious machine for that money. Really, it’s only the range that’s still a bit light compared to the competition, on par with something like the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV’s 279 miles, but short of BMW’s iX, which offers 311 miles for comparable money. But, most buyers will find the E-Tron’s 285 miles plenty enough, and they’ll also find the Q8 to be a comfortable, upscale, and now subtly engaging all-electric SUV.

The post 2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron Review first appeared on Yanko Design.