Some of us have an uncanny love for knives, and in them, foldable knives. Not many, but of course a few of these foldable knives are created to get the toughest job done, and then there are a few amid them that are crafted for the collectors. An eye-candy for the latter is the Sidewinder, which is also an impending workhorse from Craighill.

Born to a brand “rooted in curiosity, ingenuity, and satisfaction” designing knives that are “beautiful and intriguing,” the Sidewinder draws its name from a namesake serpent known for its characteristic sideways gait. The knife has a unique handle and opening mechanism that mimics the Sidewinder slithering smoothly on the sand.

Designer: Craighill

Crafted to disrupt the appearance and functioning of the traditional pocket knives, the Sidewinder is the idea of Craighill but it was designed in a years-long collaboration with Chen Chen and Kai Williams. The outcome is a knife with little focus on functioning and longevity and more on style and substance, which may not make it the best option as an EDC for the outdoor, but would be a perfect conversation starter.

The opening mechanism that is high on ingenuity is easy to open with one hand. The handle is made in a two-piece hinge – one comprises stone-washed finish and the other has black PVD-coated stainless steel – that moves like the Sidewalker over to separate and join when the knife is opened and closed respectively.

The Sidewalker knife weighs 5.6 ounces to let you feel slight heft in the hand or your pocket. The knife measures 2.5 inches long; it has a fine tip and deep belly for everyday usage. But it’s the interlocking opening and closing mechanism that makes the biggest and most defining highlight of the knife. The interesting thing also is that even though the foldable knife is highly portable, it will make a great décor item on the desk or shelf where it is going to attract everyone.

The post Designed after a serpent, the Craighill Sidewinder pocket knife is an eye-candy for the collector first appeared on Yanko Design.

Dezeen School Shows: a video game informed by the Harry Potter books is included in Dezeen’s latest school show by students at the American University in Dubai.

Also included is a game that takes cues from the seven deadly sins and one that is based on the changing seasons.

American University in Dubai

Institution: American University in Dubai
School: The Center for Research, Innovation and Design (CRID), School of Architecture, Art, and Design (SAAD)
Course: DDFT 473 – Virtual Environments
Tutors: Dr Georges Kachaamy

School statement:

“The Center for Research, Innovation and Design (CRID) holds the distinction of being the first in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region that is Rhino Certified Center, an Authorised VR Sketch Training Center and Gravity Sketch Certified Center.

“Furthermore, the CRID has earned the unique position of making the American University in Dubai (AUD) the first and only university in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to establish an academic alliance with Unreal Engine (UE) through the innovative application of Twinmotion.

“Leveraging these prestigious collaborations, the DDFT 473 – Virtual Environments course introduces a cutting-edge virtual reality setup that immerses students in the creation and design of virtual spaces.

“The course – curated and conducted by Dr Georges Kachaamy, a renowned VR instructor and visionary in future and virtual environments – offers an unparalleled educational experience.

“In celebration of the partnership with UE, the course culminates in a project titled ”Gamifitecture’ The Virtual Space of Playfulness’.”

“This project challenges students to design and gamify a virtual environment, drawing inspiration from existing video games.

“This unique approach encourages students to conceive projects that are exclusively experienced within a virtual reality context, transcending traditional physical world limitations.

“The innovative, pedagogical approach of the course has undeniably empowered students to venture into new territories of design thinking and skill acquisition.

“Such forward-thinking education equips our students with the competencies needed to excel in an increasingly competitive market, as evidenced by the remarkable quality and creativity of their project work.

“The CRID remains committed to pushing the boundaries of design education, preparing our students to be leaders in the evolving landscape of design and technology.”

 Seven Deadly Realms by  Shahab Pasandeh

“The project concept is an immersive journey through the narrative landscape of the God of War game franchise, reimagined through the lens of the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth.

“Each of the seven main realms within the virtual environment is meticulously crafted to embody one of these sins, leveraging a rich palette of colours, thematic elements and spatial designs directly inspired by the game’s aesthetic and lore.

“This immersive experience is not only a testament to the creative potential of virtual environments but also serves as a profound exploration of themes and narratives that are seldom visualised in such a vivid and engaging way.

“Through this project, users are encouraged to confront and reflect upon the complexities of human emotions and behaviours in a context that transcends the boundaries of traditional gaming and storytelling.”

Student: Shahab Pasandeh

Awake? by Dana Kharsa

“Drawing inspiration from Mind Path to Thalamus, this virtual reality concept transports the player into a surreal dreamscape, besieged by portals that usher them through vivid representations of the four seasons.

“Despite numerous attempts to flee, the player finds themselves ensnared in a recurring nightmare.

“The central question looms: can they ever awaken from this cyclic torment?”

Student: Dana Kharsa
Course: DDFT 473 – Virtual Environments

Chamber of Secrets by Mehak Minocha

“This project is inspired by the game Hogwarts Legacy.

“The game is based on the famous book series Harry Potter, a fantasy world that every individual wishes to be a part of.

“Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action role-playing game set in a world first introduced in the Harry Potter books.

“Different books inspired the spaces, and each space increases in intensity with increasing levels.

“The virtual exhibition enables visitors to experience the different realms of the wizarding world.”

Student: Mehak Minocha

Tetrascape by Yasmine Khalife

“Tetrascape, a virtual space inspired by the classic game Tetris, serves as a metaphor for life’s journey.

“Navigating through the various Tetris blocks represents life’s diverse experiences.

“Reaching the final destination symbolises achieving happiness – however, similar to Tetris, completed lines collapse and fall when the blocks finally fit.

“The achievement of a goal is followed by an unexpected fall, highlighting life’s uncertainties and the need to adapt to changes.”

Student: Yasmine Khalife

Toggestopia by Sameya Masroof Ahmed

“The project drew inspiration from the captivating game Togges, a delightful 3D puzzle-platformer.

“In this engaging adventure, players navigate through seven vibrant levels, stacking adorable living blocks and solving puzzles across various cosmic landscapes to safeguard the galaxy from the looming threats of the void.

“The game’s diverse environments, including underwater, snowy and vertical settings, influenced the transitions in this project.

“Infused with interactivity and cheerfulness, the project culminates in a satisfying ‘Eureka’ moment, reminiscent of the joyous discovery of a globe.”

Student: Sameya Masroof Ahmed

Eternity by Tara Chopra

“This project is inspired by the game Etherborn and is made up of five spaces representing the five levels of the game.

“The way the viewer moves through the spaces is inspired by Etherborn’s gameplay, which involves ascending a massive, twisting tree after which the gamer reaches ‘the end of the world’.

“Similarly, in ‘Eternity’, the user would ascend through five different spaces starting at the origin in ‘genesis’ and reaching the very top, the ‘nebula’.

“The project takes the viewer through the calm yet chaotic, and ever-changing ‘tree of life’.”

Student: Tara Chopra

Paralysis by Christelle Hanna

“The project consists of five spaces – the lair, eruption, jagged, chimes, and REM – all of which are inspired by the game Little Nightmares.

“The idea of chaos is incorporated to achieve a dark and gloomy atmosphere and is emphasised by designing the spaces in an uncoordinated way while also making them irregularly large to match how small the viewer should be.

“The intensity of the scattered elements changes depending on the colour choices, matching with the game itself.”

Student: Christelle Hanna

Chromatopia by Dana Otoom

“Chromatopia immerses you in a kaleidoscopic journey inspired by the game Manifold Gardens.

“Gravity shifts dynamically as you traverse each stage, transforming the essence of every space.

“Explore vibrant environments where perception bends, colours dance and architectural marvels defy conventional laws.

“In Chromatopia, the journey is a symphony of gravity-defying exploration, where each twist and turn reveal new dimensions of wonder and awe.”

Student: Dana Otoom

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and the American University in Dubai. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

The post Eight game design projects by the American University in Dubai appeared first on Dezeen.

No matter what you are looking to buy, you’re almost always bound to end up on Amazon. Amazon is lovingly called the Everything Store: Anything, and quite rightly so because you get everything on there, and now even a foldable tiny home! Yes, you can now go house shopping on Amazon. So next time you’re out shopping for pillow covers or a book or two, you can add a tiny home to your shopping cart. Meet Officer Owl’s Modern Foldable Home – a 20-foot by 20-foot kit that helps you build the cozy little tiny house of your micro-living dreams!

Designer: Officer Owl

Click Here to Buy Now

The oversized kit includes a steel frame, amped with a hydraulic ceiling, floor, and four walls. The Foldable Home is quite user-friendly, you don’t need to be a construction wizard to set the little house up. Follow the directions, put in a bit of effort, and you can easily lift the hydraulic ceiling, set up the walls, and lay down the floor in around 15 minutes! Pretty quick, right?

It’s the kind of DIY project you could easily take up in your free time, if you’re looking to build a guest unit in your backyard, or even your own private office. Since the prefab home kit is so easy to set up, you may feel that it’s not designed to last, but that is not true in the least! The home has strategically placed windows to offer plenty of sunlight and air circulation. The frame is flame-retardent, waterproof, and thermally insulated as well. It can also withstand grade-eight earthquakes and grade-ten winds. Officer Owl claims that the home can last 25 years!

The home features a built-in electrical system complete with LED. It is also equipped with a fully plumbed kitchen and bathroom, allowing it to function as almost anything – from an office to even a gym. You don’t need to limit the space to a garage or a tool shed! I mean, you could even use it as your full-time home. Although you may need to consider the price. The tiny home is priced at $13,450, so it isn’t a cheap housing solution. But when you consider having to build a guest unit from scratch, the Modern Foldable house does seem so much more convenient, and worth the price!

Click Here to Buy Now

The post Amazon Is Selling A Modern Foldable Tiny Home That You Can Build Within 15 Minutes first appeared on Yanko Design.

In memoriam of the many chocolate eggs that will be consumed this Easter, our latest lookbook rounds up eight homes with tasteful cocoa-coloured interiors.

Chocolatey brown might be the unofficial colour of Easter as the biggest driver of chocolate sales – second only to Christmas.

But the rich, earthy hue is also proving increasingly popular among interior designers for its unique function as both a colour and a natural, able to bring a sense of warmth to otherwise minimalist spaces.

Below are eight mouth-watering examples to feast your eyes on, including a rammed-earth house in Brazil and the renovation of a Shigeru Ban loft conversion in New York.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms, breakfast nooks and compact garden studios with neat storage solutions.

Shadow House, Australia, by Grotto Studio

Almost all of the surfaces in this Perth cottage extension by Grotto Studio are lined in sumptuous brown timber, from the walls and floors in the bedroom to the entire bathroom counter.

“The choice of dark timber for the interior was motivated by a desire to create a rich, intimate and immersive atmosphere,” studio founder Craig Nener told Dezeen.

“The dark tones add depth and character to the spaces, creating a warm and inviting ambience.”

Find out more about Shadow House ›

Chuzhi house, India, by Wallmakers

Soil, waste and debris were used to form the spiralling walls of Chuzhi house in Shoolagiri, India, giving the interiors a rustic, earthy feeling.

To keep the focus on the architecture, the rooms themselves are finished in matching colours with reclaimed timber floors complemented by woven and wooden furniture.

Find out more about Chuzhi house ›

Colonia Condesa house, Mexico, by Chloé Mason Gray

Interior designer Chloé Mason Gray sought to embrace the lack of natural light in this bachelor pad in Mexico City‘s Condesa neighbourhood, shaded by large trees from the avenue outside.

Embracing the dark and moody atmosphere, the designer chose colours and textures that would make the spaces feel “masculine, rich, and interesting” including leather, linen and textured chocolate-brown plaster.

Find out more about Colonia Condesa house ›

Mayfair pied-à-terre, UK, by Child Studio

Adolf Loos’s modernist Villa Muller informed the dining area in this London mews house, where mahogany joinery is backed by veiny dark red marble.

Soft light filters into the space from a glass-brick partition, blocking out the kitchen and rounding off the intimate atmosphere created by Child Studio.

Find out more about this Mayfair pied-à-terre ›

Highbury House, UK, by Daytrip

A more pared-back take on the theme comes in the form of this vintage 1970s Gilda sofa by Michel Ducaroy, composed of multiple segments reminiscent of a Chocolate Orange.

It serves as a focal point in the otherwise muted living room of London‘s Highbury House, paired with a blackened oak armchair by EBBA Architects founder Benni Allan and one of David Horan’s delicate Paper lights.

Find out more about Highbury House ›

Casa em Cunha, Brazil, by Arquipélago Arquitetos

The rammed-earth construction of this house in Brazil‘s mountainous Cunha region is left exposed on the interior, creating an organic striped finish across the walls.

Matching brown finishes feature heavily throughout the rest of the home, where ceilings are covered in wooden slats while the bathroom is defined by coppery hardware and tiles the colour of bitter chocolate.

Find out more about Casa em Cunha ›

Casa Los Tigres, Mexico, by César Béjar Studio and Fernando Sánchez Zepeda

Dark wood panelling helps to hide doors and storage inside the Casa Los Tigres beach house on Mexico‘s Pacific Coast, designed by César Béjar Studio and Fernando Sánchez Zepeda.

It encircles the lower portion of the living spaces and develops the bedrooms almost entirely, paired with pale stone flooring and pared-back accessories to create a calm refuge.

Find out more about Casa Los Tigres ›

Tribeca loft renovation, USA, by Timothy Godbold

New York interior designer Timothy Godbold was responsible for renovating this loft in a historic Tribeca textile factory, originally converted by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban in 2019.

The former TV room now functions as a home office and bar, with a low-slung chestnut-brown sofa helping to warm up the otherwise neutral colour palette while wall reliefs informed by 1970s sci-fi spice up the walls.

Find out more about this Tribeca loft renovation ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms, breakfast nooks and compact garden studios with neat storage solutions.

The post Eight chocolate-brown interiors that look good enough to eat appeared first on Dezeen.

The idea of LEGO sparked from bricks, the concept of Minecraft sparked from pixels – but the Souper Connect has a much stronger metaphorical background. You see, each individual Souper brick is shaped like a human with a hole in them, and a single human brick can’t stand on its own. However, fill that hole with another human brick and the two can stand together. Build on this concept and you create a self-standing self-sustaining community, reflecting the power of human connectivity and the indomitable spirit of a healthy family or society. The cleverly designed bricks aren’t just great to play with, they’re also an overall lesson that we’re stronger together than we are alone. Quite a brilliant metaphor for what’s essentially just a set of building blocks, right?!

Designer: Peter Minsoub Sim

Click Here to Buy Now: $25 $42 (40% off). Hurry, only 8/35 left!

Created by visionary designer Peter Minsoub Sim, Souper Connect brings a new dimension to building blocks. The bricks are both the characters as well as the individual blocks, making them an incredibly creative toy for children as well as for adults. They’re a great way to stay entertained, learn valuable social and moral lessons, and the fact that all the Souper Connects are different colors just teaches an incredibly powerful aspect of human society – that people are different but they can still come together to build and grow.

Let your mind wander

Find focus at work

Have fun with the family

Take it with you wherever you go!

“These blocks offer a minimal and identifiable form that inspires imaginative play, collaboration, and with enough pieces can bring out the building engineer in any of us,” says Sim, who co-founded Souper Studio – the company behind the Souper Connect blocks. Each block is shaped like an abstract human, with two arms, two legs, a slight stub for a head, and a hole running through the chest. Two ‘humans’ can be connected simply by plugging an arm into the chest hole, bringing them closer together, but also giving you the ability to make complex shapes and forms. The overall gist is no different from LEGO, and you can use Souper humans to make a variety of shapes from towers and bridges to crowns. However, there’s also a unique fidget quality to the human bricks too, and they make rather decorative pendants for necklaces or bracelets.

Each Souper Connect is 1.9 inches tall, 2.4 inches wide, and 0.8 inches thick, making them incredibly safe around younger children too. The human bricks are molded from polypropylene plastic, making them incredibly durable and long-lasting, although there’s the ability to get them in aluminum too, sort of as a more premium toy for collectors. The bricks come in either a single unit as a keychain (or double if you choose the aluminum variant), or in playable sets of 12, 36, and 72, featuring an entire colorful bunch of Souper humans that you can bring together to create the utopia of your dreams! The Souper Connect is available at a special early bird discount on Kickstarter using the link below.

Click Here to Buy Now: $25 $42 (40% off). Hurry, only 8/35 left!

The post Move over LEGO… These human-shaped bricks plug in together to showcase the power of unity first appeared on Yanko Design.