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Kia’s unveiling of the Concept PV5 and PV7 marks a major milestone in electric vehicle development, targeting a 2025 release. These models blend modern aesthetics with practical design, catering to diverse urban transport and logistics needs. The PV5 and PV7 are designed with both scalability and versatility in mind, making them perfect for various business applications, from passenger transportation to cargo delivery.

Designer: KIA

The PV5’s exterior features sleek, aerodynamic lines and a striking two-tone color scheme that conveys a futuristic and professional look. Large, seamless windows enhance visibility and contribute to the high-tech aesthetic, while the minimalist front design with integrated LED headlights adds a touch of sophistication. The vehicle is available in three body types: Basic (Passenger), Van (Delivery), and Chassis Cab, providing flexibility for businesses that require different configurations. The Basic model prioritizes comfort and space, featuring wide double doors and a flat floor to maximize interior room. It is ideal for urban passenger transport, including taxis and ride-sharing services.

KIA Concept PV5-R

Inside, the PV5 offers a spacious and innovative environment. Ergonomic seats can be configured in multiple ways to meet various needs, and they fold flat to provide additional storage space when necessary. The minimalist dashboard has a digital display that integrates all essential functions, offering the driver a streamlined and efficient interface. Sustainable materials used throughout the interior contribute to a luxurious feel and reflect Kia’s commitment to eco-friendly design. The large touchscreen display in the center console ensures easy access to navigation, entertainment, and vehicle settings, enhancing the connected driving experience. The flat floor design of the electric platform further enhances versatility and space efficiency, making it easier for passengers with mobility issues or those carrying heavy cargo to enter and exit the vehicle.

Kia Concept PV5 Basic (Passenger)

The PV5’s Van (Delivery) model is tailored for the transportation of small and medium-sized cargo, featuring ample storage space and wide rear doors for easy access. This model is particularly suited for service industries and delivery businesses, offering a reliable and efficient solution for urban logistics. The Chassis Cab variant offers maximum flexibility, allowing businesses to customize the vehicle for specific needs, such as mobile workshops or specialized service vehicles.

The PV7, a larger sibling in Kia’s PBV lineup, extends these innovations with greater cargo space and advanced features tailored for more extensive transport needs. Both models reflect Kia’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of electric vehicle design, offering practical solutions for various commercial uses. The PV7 builds on the versatility of the PV5, providing more room and possibly additional configurations to meet diverse business demands.

Kia Concept PV5 Van Interior

Kia Concept PV7 is Kia’s second PBV and boasts the largest cargo space in the lineup.

Kia’s PV5 and PV7 concepts also hint at future advancements with the planned PV5-R model, incorporating autonomous driving technology. This innovation promises to enhance the appeal of PV5 and PV7 across various industries, offering a modern and efficient solution for urban mobility.

Kia Concept PV5 Basic (Passenger) is a perfect solution for urban passenger transportation such as taxis, ride hailing/sharing, and vehicles for people with disabilities.

Overall, Kia’s PV5 and PV7 concepts represent a significant step forward in the electric vehicle market. Their versatile designs, scalability, and focus on passenger comfort and cargo space position them to meet the diverse needs of businesses and individuals. The anticipated 2025 release marks an exciting milestone for Kia as it continues to innovate and lead in the electric vehicle sector.

Kia Concept PV7 Cargo Delivery & Multi Van

The post Unveiling Kia PV5 and PV7: The Future of Electric Urban Mobility and Logistics first appeared on Yanko Design.

Local studio CookFox Architects has added an extension to an early 1900s building in the Upper West Side, paying homage to its historic character.

The 378 West End Avenue project consisted of restoring the facade of a pre-existing building while extending the structure externally and internally with a 19-storey apartment building made-up of red and white-brick clad volumes.

Built in 1915, the pre-existing building at 378 West Avenue was converted into a school “decades ago” before the studio secured approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission for its rehabilitation and extension, according to CookFox Architects.

The studio intended to honour the site’s architectural legacy and create a “seamless” transition between the existing buildings and new construction.

“In order to preserve the original structure and create a seamless transition between the two parts, the design team methodically extended the new construction,” said the studio.

The extension consists of two, interlocking main volumes clad in thin red and white brick that wrap around the building and fall down in between its rear facade and a neighbouring church.

Informed by the Dutch-style row houses, “palazzo type” apartment buildings, and stepped setbacks of the surrounding neighbourhood, each volume is made of rectangular, tiered layers that conclude to a slim point at its facade.

The stepped volumes also pay homage to the gables of the 17th-century West End Collegiate Church, which sits at the back of the building.

The design leaves a portion of the back of the pre-existing building exposed in order to highlight and preserve the existing architectural character of both, according to the team.

“Facade variations situate the building as a jewel setting for the church and create a balanced, in-the-round design, where the rear facade becomes a new and inviting street front,” said the team.

“378 West End Avenue now unfolds and reveals itself from different angles, actively participating in the neighbourhood and responding authentically to historically layered conditions.”

Additional preservation efforts of the pre-existing building included restoring its terracotta cresting, a zinc sundial on the south wall and its intricate cornice.

Internally, the two buildings are now connected at ground level through a lobby and public spaces, which include a lounge, children’s room, billiards room and reading room.

58 luxury apartments are distributed throughout the building, which spans the historic and new construction.

“The floor slabs are aligned and tied together structurally, so they become one building,” said CookFox parnter-in-charge Susie Teal.

“Inside the connection is seamless – in fact some units span across both the historic and new construction. Aside from the different window styles, there is no indication on the inside to tell which part you are in.”

The extension also included the addition of penthouse floors, which fold over and on top of the roof of the 1915 building in a series of glass-clad volumes and terraces.

A small, ground-level garden built in 2015 was also persevered on site, while metalwork on the extension’s facade was informed by the church’s rose window.

“The project celebrates architectural relationships – to the Church, the pre-war residences that surround the site, and the larger historic district– and adapts a well-loved neighborhood block for the long-term occupancy of future generations,” said the team.

The building is also considered a part of the West End Collegiate Historic District, which consists of approximately 220 historic buildings between West 70th and 79th Streets, a factor that also led the team’s commitment to preserving its structure.

Elsewhere along Manhattan’s West Side, BIG recently completed two twisting skyscrapers, while CetraRuddy released design proposals for a casino in Hudson Yards.

The photography is by Chris Cooper

The post CookFox Architects adds tiered extension to historic New York apartment building appeared first on Dezeen.

Once upon a Super Bowl Sunday in 1984, Apple unveiled an ad that changed the world. Directed by Ridley Scott, the commercial broke new ground in marketing and technology. As the heroine dashed through a drab, Orwellian world, hurling a hammer to shatter the oppressive image on the screen, viewers were left breathless. The message was clear: the Apple Macintosh was here to break the chains of conformity and ignite the flames of innovation. Forty years later, where is Apple now? The legacy of that revolutionary spirit lives on, not just in Apple’s computers, but right on our wrists.

Designer: Apple
Designer: Seiko

Fast-forward to today and the legacy of that revolutionary spirit lives on, not just in Apple’s computers but right on our wrists. Enter the Apple Watch Ultra, a device embodying the essence of forward-thinking technology. But before we dive into the modern marvel, let’s take a nostalgic trip back to another wrist-worn wonder from the same era: the Seiko UC-2000.

The Seiko UC-2000: A Wrist Revolution in 1984

In the same iconic year of 1984, Seiko wasn’t content with just making elegant timepieces. They dared to dream of a wristwatch that could do so much more. Introducing the Seiko UC-2000, a watch that doubled as a personal computer. This gadget had a rectangular LCD screen and a series of buttons and could be paired with a keyboard docking station to perform tasks that were nothing short of magical for its time.

Seiko UC-2000

Imagine programming in BASIC, storing contacts, and managing your schedule, all from a device strapped to your wrist. The UC-2000 was ahead of its time, a pioneering effort in wearable tech. Its design included distinctive orange buttons, adding to its unique appearance and functionality.

Seiko UC-2000 + Keyboard dock

Echoes of the Past in the Apple Watch Ultra

Now, let’s warp back to the present and unwrap the magic of the Apple Watch Ultra. Sleek, sophisticated, and packed with features, it’s everything the Seiko UC-2000 aimed to be and more. The Apple Watch Ultra sports a vibrant OLED display, sophisticated health monitoring tools, navigation aids, and seamless connectivity with the Apple ecosystem. It’s like having a mini-supercomputer on your wrist.

Apple Watch Ultra

But here’s the kicker: look closely at the design. Notice anything familiar? The Apple Watch Ultra features an orange ring and a striking orange button on the left. This design choice echoes the legacy of wearable tech pioneers like the Seiko UC-2000.

Source: oldcrap.org Seiko UC-2000

Even more striking is the resemblance in the link bracelet design. The Apple Link Bracelet closely mirrors the design of the Seiko UC-2000’s band, with its sleek, segmented links and metallic finish. Both bracelets emphasize a modern, streamlined look, showcasing how timeless design elements continue to influence new generations of technology. Four decades later, the spirit of those early innovations lives on, influencing and inspiring new generations of technology.

Source: oldcrap.org Seiko UC-2000

Link Bracelet for Apple Watch Ultra 49mm Metal Band

The shape of the watches themselves holds a remarkable resemblance. The Seiko UC-2000 and the Apple Watch Ultra feature a rectangular face with rounded edges, a design that enhances aesthetics and functionality. This shape provides a broad, clear display area while maintaining a comfortable fit on the wrist. The Apple Watch Ultra, with its rounded corners and sleek profile, seems like a modern interpretation of the Seiko UC-2000’s design ethos. This continuity in design highlights how certain principles of form and function remain relevant and influential across decades.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Seiko UC-2000

Bridging Four Decades of Innovation

The journey from Apple’s iconic 1984 ad to the cutting-edge Apple Watch Ultra is a tale of relentless innovation. Apple’s commercial heralded a new era of computing. Similarly, the Seiko UC-2000 took a bold step into the future of wearable technology.

Source: Reddit

Today, as we glance at our Apple Watch Ultras, it’s fascinating to see how far we’ve come. From the pioneering days of the Seiko UC-2000, with its orange buttons and chunky design, to the sleek, multifunctional marvels on our wrists now, it’s clear that the spirit of innovation and rebellion against the ordinary has always been the driving force. From its early days to now, the Apple Watch has evolved into a market leader, becoming the number one selling watch in the world. It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come.

This journey of innovation is mirrored in Apple’s other groundbreaking products. From the revolutionary iPhone and iPad, which redefined how we communicate and consume media, to the Vision Pro, which promises to revolutionize augmented reality. The MacBook and iMac continue to set standards in computing performance and design, illustrating Apple’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of technology across all its product lines.

Apple WWDC 2024: A Theatrical Return to Roots

In 2024, Apple brought back the daring and eye-popping theatricality reminiscent of its 1984 ad. Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi kicked off the event at the Worldwide Developers Conference by parachuting down into the Apple headquarters. This dramatic entrance harkened back to Apple’s roots, showcasing its commitment to breaking the mold and captivating its audience.

watchOS Public Beta: New Features to Love

watchOS 11 Public Beta

Building on this legacy of innovation, Apple has released the public beta for watchOS 11, packed with features that promise to enhance the user experience significantly. The Vitals app offers users a comprehensive view of their overnight health metrics. By wearing your watch to sleep, you can monitor heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen levels, and sleep duration. The Vitals app helps establish a typical range for each metric, providing notifications if multiple metrics fall outside this range, with context on possible factors like medications or illness. While traveling in Japan, I became ill, and the Vitals app flagged my vitals as being out of range. It was helpful to see the metrics.

watchOS 11 Vitals

Training Load is another exciting feature, helping athletes see how workout intensity impacts their bodies over time. This tool lets users make informed decisions about their training schedules, especially when preparing for significant events. Enhanced GPS positioning for more workouts and custom workouts for pool swims are also noteworthy additions, providing users with more precise and personalized fitness tracking.

watchOS 11 Training Load

The Photos Face has been redesigned and powered by machine learning to curate the best images from your library for display on your watch. The Cycle Tracking app now includes features tailored for pregnancy, offering gestational age tracking and health recommendations.

watchOS 11 Photos Face

watchOS 11 Cycle Tracking

Smart Stack has become more intelligent, displaying widgets automatically based on time, location, and other factors. Live Activities are supported, and new widgets include severe weather alerts, Training Load, and Photos.

watchOS 11 Smart Stack

With the new Check-In feature, users can notify friends or loved ones when they arrive at a destination, providing peace of mind. Enhanced GPS positioning, custom pool swim workouts, and a new effort tracking metric for workouts round out the impressive list of new features in watchOS 11.

watchOS 11 Check In

Apple’s ability to captivate and innovate remains as strong as ever, from the bold declaration of the 1984 ad to the thrilling presentations of WWDC 2024. As a 50-year-old tech journalist covering technology for the last three decades, it’s been such a pleasure to have experienced each stage of innovation. I’m excited to see what Apple Intelligence has in store for us over the next few decades.

For those eager to explore the future of wearable technology, try the public beta. However, be cautious—once installed, you cannot roll back to the previous version without shipping the watch to Apple for service. For more detailed information on watchOS 11 features, visit the Apple watchOS 11 preview page.

The post From Orwellian Dystopia to Apple Watch Ultra: Apple’s Journey to watchOS 11 Public Beta first appeared on Yanko Design.

New York design studio Whipsaw has created a robot with padded “hands” programmed using artificial intelligence to give massages.

Aescape is an automated machine programmed to give deep-tissue massages. It consists of a pair of metallic arms fixed to a vegan leather-bound massage table.

Its “hands” are covered in silicon pads that simulate the contours of a human hand in order to deliver a customised massage to users.

Aescape founder Eric Litman had created an early prototype before commissioning Whipsaw to build the final product, including the arms, massage table and the series of cameras suspended over the machine.

“We were challenged to figure out how to integrate new technologies, define an all-new physical form factor, explore and create the essence of an Aescape brand through color, material, and finishes, and refine every single design detail,” Whipsaw founder Dan Harden told Dezeen.

“It’s appearance had to look very friendly and approachable, especially considering that robotic arms can be intimidating to some. It also had
to fit all types of user sizes, shapes and ages.”

In order to provide personalised massages, the Aescape system utilises suspended cameras to perform 3D scans of someone’s body before the massage is performed.

The cameras were placed inside of light rings in order to alleviate any anxiety by the user that may come from being observed by a camera, according to Whipsaw.

The images are then fed into the machine and processed with the user data inputted through a touch screen display placed underneath the recess where a users head rests during the massage.

Drawing from a data set that includes a variety of massage techniques processed through a program that runs on artificial intelligence, which also takes data from each massage to continually improve its processes.

“Every stroke that the robot is commanded to do has been informed by licensed professional massage therapists, many prototype experiments, and years of robotic research,” said Harden.

“Furthermore, Aescape employs a formidable amount of AI and machine learning technology, so it is constantly improving and building its database which informs its programming.”

According to Aescape, the massage robot was designed not to replace masseuses but to account for a lack of supply in the massage industry.

“Aescape is much more efficient and sustainable than big groups of massage therapists thatneed lots of health care due to workplace injury,” said Aescape.

“Using robotics also reduces the commuting environmental factors like vehicle pollution and energy usage.”

Other recent developments in robotics include a machine made with a face consisting of living skin that can simulate a human smile.

The photography is courtesy of Aescape.

The post Whipsaw creates Aescape automated massage robot appeared first on Dezeen.

With the way how cameras on the back of the phones seem to be dancing around, or how every new model has some innovative glass-etching process, you’d think that the smartphone design field is bursting with activity and changing at every turn. You’d be partially correct, at least if only external appearances are concerned. In one important aspect, however, phone design has somewhat stayed still, held back by the demands of technology. Phones these days are either made up of glass and plastic covers on top of metal or plastic frames, with all-metal designs almost just a footnote in history. As one that never settles for anything less, OnePlus embarked on a bold and ambitious quest to design the first and so far only 5G phone with a metal unibody, a journey that took them back not only through the history of smartphone design but also through the history of human innovation.

Designer: OnePlus

Mobile Innovation, Material Stagnation

It wasn’t always the case that smartphones had a singular formula when it came to materials. It wasn’t too long ago that OnePlus itself launched a metal unibody design in the form of the 2017 OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T. Since then, however, smartphones have moved to those glass-metal or plastic sandwiches and there hasn’t been a full unibody design ever since. Ironically, the reason for that is one of the biggest innovations in the mobile industry: 5G networks.

OnePlus 5

OnePlus 5T

The speed and power of 5G placed heavier demands not just on hardware but also on design, specifically on how radio waves are transmitted through the phone’s body. Wireless signals already have a difficult time passing through metal, and even more so for 5G, forcing phone designers to either have plastic strips on the frame’s edges or simply ditch the all-metal design altogether. Unfortunately, it almost seems as if the industry as a whole is no longer interested in solving this puzzle, but OnePlus has risen to the challenge to provide its loyal users with a no-compromise option that will speak to their hearts through their fingers.

Metal Matters

Since the beginning of human history, especially when it came to trade, metal has played an important role not just in building up civilization but also as a symbol of prestige and luxury. Metal has always had this dual character of being a durable and malleable worker’s tool as well as a premium material for jewelry, decorations, and art. It is this long history that has endeared French designer Mathieu Lehanneur to metal. Famed for his nature-inspired metal-based works, Lehanneur was chosen to design the distinctive Paris 2024 Olympic Torch, perfectly symbolizing not only the aspirations of the Olympics itself but also the poetry in nature found in this year’s location for the event.

Mathieu Lehanneur, Designer of the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch

“I love materials that get their own history,” says Lehanneur as he explains his fascination with metal, “and metal’s history actually starts from the Earth, from the very planet itself. At the same time, it is also a part of human invention and skill, thanks to its ability to be transformed. I love the flexibility of the material, being able to create something that appears like a single piece of metal, a unibody design like the Olympic torch.”

It is that same trait that has allowed OnePlus to craft a seamless and unified metal shell for its latest design, the OnePlus Nord 4. The material delivers a lustrous look and a premium feel, something that users today are craving more than just features and specs. More importantly, however, this metal unibody design was made to address the flaws and concerns that smartphone makers have with mixing the material and current technologies, opening the door to fresh new designs that go beyond limitations imposed by hardware.

OnePlus Nord 4: Metal for the 5G Era

Choosing metal for the new Nord was both logical yet also difficult. It presented an opportunity to uplift the user experience but also put hurdles that needed to be sufficiently overcome lest it actually become a burden to that same user experience. Fortunately, the creative minds over at the OnePlus Industrial Design Studio got together to solve these issues to deliver a fashionable product without compromises.

Ryan Ruan, Head of OnePlus Industrial Design Center, shares the many challenges the team had to face and eventually solved to create the OnePlus Nord 4. In the early stages of the design, it was already clear that the higher thermal conductivity of metal would be a concern. “That’s why we chose the power-efficient (Qualcomm) Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 and designed a heat dissipation system that uses 17,900 sq. mm. of high-density crystalline graphene and a steel vapor chamber to ensure that even in extreme temperatures, the phone can still operate normally,” the designer explains. This serves to minimize the impact of heat on the metal surface and keep the phone performing optimally.

Wireless charging is another feature that is absent on phones with metal covers, and, unfortunately, there is still no way around this limitation. That said, the desire for this feature is more of a symptom of a much deeper cause. “Ultimately, users are pursuing high charging efficiency and a better user experience overall. Wireless charging is just one of the solutions, but we provide another solution,” according to Ruan. That solution is the OnePlus Nord 4’s extra-large 5,500 mAh battery and super-fast 100W SuperVOOC charging, minimizing not only the charging time but also the number of times you even need to charge the phone.

As for that tricky 5G antenna problem? OnePlus re-designed the phone’s internals to not only maximize battery space but also improve the signal strength. More importantly, the new U-shaped antenna design at the bottom of the internal chassis ensures that there is no degradation of wireless signals when you hold the phone at the sides with the so-called “Death Grip.” In other words, there will never be a wrong way to hold the Nord 4.

The Future of Burdenless Design

“When you choose a device, a product, or an art piece, it’s not only a question of specs or functionality but also a question of emotion, what you can feel from an object,” says Lehanneur. This relationship between object and person is especially true with today’s smartphone users who no longer pick just from a list of features but based on, as the designer describes it, “a question of how you want to be part of this object and how you want it to be a part of your life.” In that regard, Lehanneur expressed his delight in the Nord 4’s metal unibody design, and not just because it was made of metal. The Mercurial Silver colorway, in particular, has this visual effect where you can feel a relief or embossed surface even when there’s none. Lehanneur compares it to the “guillochage” design of luxury watches that provide beautiful visual and tactile experiences in a simple yet striking manner.

It’s a kind of detail that isn’t lost on OnePlus users who Ruan describes as “very playful, very young, and very personalized, pursuing designs where they can express themselves.” That is why early on, OnePlus designers decided to have a very different metal unibody design for the Nord 4 that distinguishes it from the 4G era OnePlus 5 and 5T. The dual-tone design of this generation’s “Nordtones” expresses that spirit of dynamism and vibrancy, while still trying to appeal to a broad range of tastes. It allows the Nord 4 to establish an emotional connection with users and allow them to express themselves in more unique and personalized ways.

A metal unibody is definitely a bold design to use for a phone, but it’s one that looks to the past glories of smartphone history while also safeguarding its future. “Metal is probably one of the most sustainable materials because it can live endlessly,” says Lehanneur. Unlike plastic that loses a part of its substance every time it’s recycled, metal can be recycled again and again. The recycled metal used in the Paris Olympic Torch, for example, could have very well come from a car in the past. In a way, that is also one way that metal carries its history, creating an interesting narrative with each lifetime.

In the same vein, metal wasn’t just a material choice for OnePlus but a representation of the brand’s design philosophy and ideals. “OnePlus is founded on the belief that while form should always perform a function, good design is what ultimately defines the user experience,” says Ruan. Choosing a metal unibody design, despite its numerous challenges, demonstrates the battle cry that launched OnePlus into stardom: Never Settle. “Our aim is to always strike the ideal balance between modern, elegant design and fast, smooth performance while providing users with a burdenless experience.”

Be sure to look out for our review of the OnePlus Nord 4 that will cover not just the design but also the overall value of this bold metal unibody phone.

The post OnePlus Nord 4 Design Story: Metal Unibody for an Emotional, Burdenless Experience first appeared on Yanko Design.