Named the Gilay Estate, and nestled in the rural landscape of New South Wales, Australia, this tiny retreat does look like an old hut or an agricultural shed from afar. But, it is in fact a cozy home designed to offer a luxurious and comfortable off-grid living experience. Designed by Cameron Anderson Architects, the home is built outside the small town of Quirindi, which consists of a population of only 2000 people. The retreat features a visually appealing exterior which includes a sloping sheet metal roof with massive overhangs to protect from the harsh sun.

Designer: Cameron Anderson Architects

The Gilay Estate also includes charred timber cladding which encapsulates the traditional fire management techniques employed by the Indigenous Australians. The interior of the home measures 40 sq m, all within one floor. The interior is mainly occupied by an open living area which contains a wood-burning stove for warmth, seating, a king-sized bed, and a kitchen. It also includes a breakfast bar/desk area for having your meals, and also working from home. The retreat also features a bathroom with a shower, sink, and toilet.

The comfy estate includes a couple of additional amenities as well, such as a deck area, a little wood-fired hot tub, and a fire pit. These extra features make the retreat even more appealing and luxurious, offering sophisticated options to pass the time. Besides these lovely touches, the home is equipped to support an off-the-grid lifestyle. It is powered by a roof-based 6.4-kW solar panel array and 11.4-kW battery storage, whereas the water is supplied by a 60,000-liter (roughly 15,800-gal) rainwater collection system. The Gilay Estate is quite independent in providing electricity and water, so visitors do not need to depend on external sources.

The Gilay Estate is available for short-term rent on Airbnb, you can check it out for a quaint off-grid vacation if you’re in the mood to reconnect with nature!

The post This Little Retreat In The Australian Wilderness Offers An Off-The-Grid Yet Luxurious Weekend Getaway first appeared on Yanko Design.

What is Just. Good. Design?

Just. Good. Design. encapsulates the essence of simplicity, functionality, and aesthetic appeal while emphasizing equity and sustainability. This philosophy prioritizes clarity of purpose, ensuring every element serves a meaningful role and enhances the overall user experience. It underscores the importance of sustainability by promoting the use of renewable materials and regenerative processes that minimize environmental impact. This approach celebrates the interplay between form and function, where beauty is found in the seamless integration of practical needs and visual delight without compromising the planet’s health or social equity.

By valuing Just. Good. Design. principals, designers can implement enduring solutions that remain relevant and valuable over time, fostering innovation by eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials at their highest value, and regenerating nature in the process. This can be achieved through concepts like: recycling, remanufacturing, refurbishment, reuse or even the regeneration of nature. Whether it’s product design, a digital interface, or an architectural space, this design ethos seeks to improve the quality of life for everyone, demonstrating that good design is not a luxury but a fundamental right that promotes a more just and regenerative world.

Pyri: 2024 Core77 Design Awards Student Winner for Sustainable Design

A recent project that truly embodies these principals is Pyri, an innovative wildfire detection system designed by Blake Goodwyn, Karina Gunadi, Richard Alexandre and Tanghao Yu from Imperial College London & Royal College of Art. This project was awarded as the student winner in the 2024 Core77 Design Awards in the Sustainability Category.

Did you know that by 2100, extreme wildfires are predicted to increase by 50%?

According to the Pyri team’s research, climate change and human activity are the root causes of the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires. However, our inability to respond effectively to wildfires stems from a lack of investment in prevention.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) urges governments to adopt a “Fire Ready Formula” that allocates two-thirds of spending to planning, prevention, preparedness, and recovery, leaving one-third for response. Currently, response receives over half of the spending. For instance, in the United States, average annual federal spending on fire suppression totaled $2.5 billion between 2016 and 2020 (Congressional Budget Office, 2022). Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, emphasizes, “We have to minimize the risk of extreme wildfires by being better prepared: invest more in fire risk reduction, work with local communities, and strengthen global commitment to fight climate change” (2022).

Current solutions for early wildfire detection, which are key to prevention and preparedness, are costly and time-consuming to build. When designing Pyri, the designers focused on both environmental and system impact. Pyri uses abundant materials and simple manufacturing to keep costs and build times low. It integrates easily into current forest management practices and telecommunications infrastructure, requiring no skilled workers, complicated installations, or maintenance. Pyri is lightweight, flexible, and designed for communities lacking existing wildfire infrastructure.

Though Pyri is a student concept, its impact is profound. The team’s metrics for success included the number of fires detected and prevented, the impact on firefighting response times, and the reduction in the land area affected by fires. By leveraging AI technology to minimize false positives, Pyri’s system credibility and reliability will improve over time. It was exciting to see how Pyri embodies a holistic, adaptive solution poised to meet the diverse challenges of wildfire detection and prevention both now and in the future.

As Jury Captain Farrell Calabrese aptly notes, “The design of Pyri is a testament to how innovative thinking can create sustainable solutions that address urgent global challenges. It’s not just about technology; it’s about creating systems that are accessible, scalable, and effective.”

For all these reasons, Pyri is simply Just. Good. Design.

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Author’s Note:
When presented with the opportunity to be the 2024 Core77 Design Awards Jury Captain for the Sustainability Category, I was thrilled! Sitting at the intersections of sustainability, design and marketing – these entries served as great inspiration for not just me but the rest of the acclaimed jury team.

To provide some context in how we chose our winners, the runners-up and some very notable designs – the jury team and I thought we would start a quick series called ‘Just. Good. Design’ to showcase what we believe constitutes a sustainable design.

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About the author:
Farrell Calabrese is a purpose-driven leader dedicated to integrating sustainability into company culture and operations. Through her venture, FMC Impact, she is on a mission to address the most pressing design challenge of our time: Climate Change and its impact on people and society.

Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees! You can view the honorees in all 23 categories on the Core77 Design Awards website.

Ancient Egyptian architecture is deeply rooted in the divine relationship between humans the kings and their Gods. This symbolism is echoed in the tombs, pyramids, and temples of Egypt. The prevalent use of materials such as limestone, sandstone, and granite evolved from sun-baked mud bricks, with architectural designs reflecting a harmonious mix of religious, social, and political influences.

Designer: I. M. Pei

Egyptian Art Timeline

Egyptian art history is characterized by three key epochs:

Old Kingdom (circa 2,700-2,200 B.C.E.)

The Old Kingdom was characterized by political stability and economic prosperity. This period witnessed the construction of grand pyramidal tombs for Egyptian monarchs, while early Egyptians employed mastabas for marking their deceased graves.

The Middle Kingdom (2,050-1,800 B.C.E.)

This period is often regarded as the golden age which gave rise to some of its most exceptional works of art and literature.

The New Kingdom (approximately 1,550-1,100 B.C.E)

The history of Egyptian Architecture is marked as a flourishing era of architecture and art. During this period, the Pharaoh’s empire was achieved through diplomacy, trade, and warfare, securing centuries of political stability and prosperity.

Characteristics of Egyptian Architecture

• Materials: The temples and pyramids were constructed from stone, while houses were primarily made from mud brick. Most of the Egyptian structures featured flat roofs, which were supported by exterior walls and columns.
• Monumental Scale: Egyptian architecture is known for its monumental scale as in the Great Pyramid of Giza, standing over 450 feet tall.

Image courtesy of: antonpetrus

• Hierarchical Planning: Hierarchical Planning in Egyptian architecture arranges spaces deliberately. Karnak Temple Complex is a testament to the planning skills as it incorporates a strategic layout, leading to the grand Hypostyle Hall, emphasizing its religious importance.

Image courtesy of: Givaga

• Symbolic Decoration: Symbolism forms an integral part of Egyptian architecture. Deir el-Bahari’s Temple of Hatshepsut is beautified with intricately carved reliefs and sculptures that narrate her divine birth, reign, and religious significance.

Image courtesy of: Givaga

• Hieroglyphs: Hieroglyphs are formal inscriptions on papyrus and wood. They encompass logographic, syllabic, and alphabetic elements, portraying real or abstract concepts, and holding religious significance.

Image courtesy of: animix

• Pylon Gateways: Pylon gates of the Temple of Horus at Edfu, feature immense, sloping structures marking the transition from the secular to the sacred world and it is adorned with intricate artwork.

Image courtesy of: wirestock

• Mortuary Temples: Mortuary temples are dedicated to pharaohs like Ramesses II. They were places of worship, featuring colossal statues and detailed reliefs, aimed at preserving the pharaoh’s legacy and ensuring divine favor.

Image courtesy of: Merlinus74

• Hypostyle Halls: In Egyptian architecture, Hypostyle halls are expansive spaces featuring numerous colossal columns, as seen in the Temple of Luxor’s magnificent hall with 74 intricately adorned columns.

Image courtesy of: BlackBoxGuild

• Carved stone images: Architects utilized indigenous stones like soft limestone, sandstone, calcite, and schist to craft sculptures of deities, monarchs, and royalty. These sculptures conveyed tales of victories, battles, foreign conquests, and pharaohs’ lives.

Image courtesy of: BreakingTheWalls

• Mastabas: A hallmark of Egyptian architecture, mastabas, served as burial tombs along the Nile’s banks. Inspired by pyramid construction, these brick and stone structures entombed kings and their families. The structure featured rectangular shapes, sloping walls, and interiors with statues, vaults, and chambers.

Image courtesy of: wirestock

• Clerestory Windows: Clerestory windows were positioned on high walls as they channel natural light into sanctuaries. This divine illumination enhances spiritual experiences, harmonizing with architecture.
• Obelisks: Obelisks are iconic in Egyptian architecture due to their towering, slender structures topped with pyramids, exemplified by the Luxor Obelisk, formerly located at Luxor Temple.

Image courtesy of: filin72

Top Ten Egyptian Structures

Many remarkable ancient Egyptian marvels have withstood the test of time and dedicated archaeologists have unveiled the stories hidden within these grand temples, statues, tombs, and the pharaohs responsible for them. Below, explore ten of Egypt’s most extraordinary ancient monuments.

1. Great Pyramids of Giza

Image courtesy of: wirestock

The Great Pyramid, part of the Giza necropolis in Cairo, was built by Khufu during Ancient Egypt’s 4th Dynasty. Standing at 139 meters and employing 100,000 craftsmen, it’s the last of the Seven Wonders of the World. Khufu’s son, Khafre, built the second, slightly shorter pyramid, while Menkaure constructed the smallest.

2. Abu Simbel

Image courtesy of: ivanmorenosl

During the 19th Dynasty, Ramesses the Great carved the imposing Abu Simbel temple into solid rock to assert his divinity in Nubian territory. The Great Temple’s entrance is guarded by four colossal 20-meter statues of Ramesses II, with hieroglyphs inside depicting his feats and interactions with gods. The Small Temple, dedicated to the sky goddess Hathor, features statues of Ramesses II’s wife, Queen Nefertari, standing 10 meters tall.

3. The Great Sphinx, Giza

Image courtesy of: wirestock

The Great Sphinx, near Khafre’s pyramid complex, is a unique monument crafted in the 4th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. Khafre added his face to a lion’s body. The nose, often attributed to Napoleon’s soldiers, was likely removed by 14th-century Muslim groups to discourage offerings from local farmers, dispelling earlier myths.

4. Luxor Temple

Image courtesy of: Givaga

Luxor Temple served as a site for New Kingdom pharaohs to rejuvenate their kingship before the gods. Amenhotep III and Ramesses II erected monuments to celebrate the Opet festival, during which gods like Amun, Maat, and Khons journeyed from Karnak to Luxor for a 24-day celebration. Notable structures include the Colonnade of Amenhotep III, the Great Court of Ramesses II, the First Pylon, and the Standing Statue of Ramesses II.

5. The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

Image courtesy of: Unai82

Built during Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut is near the Valley of the Kings, beneath Deir el Bahari’s cliff. Architect Senenmut designed it, dedicated to the god Amun. Hatshepsut, a unique female Pharaoh, ruled for nearly two decades and is considered history’s first “great lady.” She accidentally poisoned herself while treating a hereditary skin condition.

6. Karnak Temple

Image courtesy of: Yakov_Oskanov

Karnak, a revered site in Egypt, was dedicated to Amun-Ra’s worship. This complex, central for Thebes’ festivals, evolved over 2,000 years. Akhenaten’s temple to Aten was demolished by Horemheb and Ramesses II. Prominent monuments include the Hypostyle Hall, Thutmose I’s Obelisk, Hatshepsut’s Obelisk, Horemheb’s Great Edict, and the Avenue of Sphinxes.

7. The Valley of The Kings

Image courtesy of: DavePrimov

The Valley of the Kings, located on the west bank of the Nile near Luxor, served as the New Kingdom pharaohs’ burial ground. It contains various tombs, ranging from single coffins to elaborate underground family tombs for the afterlife. The most renowned is King Tutankhamun’s, discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Attempts to erase Tutankhamun from history by later pharaohs protected his tomb from disturbance for nearly 3,500 years.

8. The Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid of Sneferu

Image courtesy of: BlackBoxGuild

Sneferu, the inaugural pharaoh of Egypt’s 4th Dynasty and Khufu’s father, reigned for around 50 years. He constructed three pyramids, including the Bent Pyramid, named due to mid-construction angle adjustments. The Red Pyramid, known for its reddish color due to limestone oxidation, once had a white limestone casing stolen by robbers due to its flat sides, leaving the red core visible.

9. The Colossi of Memnon

Image courtesy of: Givaga

The Colossi of Memnon, two 20-meter-tall statues of Amenhotep III, are now part of the Theban Necropolis in Luxor. Originally part of his mortuary temple, they are massive stone structures stacked without mortar. The statues were restored multiple times, even by Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, but face recent deterioration due to pollution and wear. Efforts are underway to prevent further damage and collapse. “Memnon” is the Greek name given in honor of their hero from the Trojan War.

10. Temple of Edfu

Image courtesy of: Unai82

Constructed in the Ptolemaic Kingdom, the Temple of Edfu is a tribute to Horus and Hathor. With the ascendance of Christianity in the 4th century, the temple lost its religious significance, suffering arson and vandalism. Villagers later built over and nearly buried the site. Today, Edfu attracts tourists on Nile riverboats, offering a glimpse into Egypt’s history.

The post Unveiling Egypt’s Architectural Wonders: A Journey Through Time first appeared on Yanko Design.

A sensational new exhibition creates a dialogue about memory, between baroque masterpieces and contemporary art

The contrast between historic and contemporary art tends to generate evocative contrasts. Sometimes, it creates meaning that helps to better understand both eras—as with the current exhibition “Louise Bourgeois. Unconscious Memories” in the rooms and gardens of the magnificent Galleria Borghese in Rome.

After Galleria Borghese hosted exhibitions dedicated to Azzedine Alaïa, Damien Hirst, Giuseppe Penone, Francis Bacon, Georg Baselitz and so many others, Louise Bourgeois marks the first monographic exhibition of a female artist at the gallery. And it is undoubtedly one of the best held in these halls.

Twenty of Bourgeois’ works inhabit the institution, where one can admire the best of her work, centered around themes such as metamorphosis, gender identity, trauma, dreams, and individual and collective memory. Her acclaimed spiders, the cells, fabric heads and marble sculptures are all present. The works appear in contrast alongside Bernini and Canova sculptures, Raphael and Titian paintings, and frescoed ceilings by Mariano Rossi and Domenico de Angelis.

Geraldine Leardi, co-curator of the exhibition with Philip Larratt-Smith and Cloé Perrone, explains, “This exhibition was conceived to talk about memory. The Galleria Borghese is the custodian of the memories of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the founder, and Prince Marcantonio IV Borghese, who completely remade it in the second half of the 18th century. The theme of memory was a very sensitive one for Louise Bourgeois, so this could have been the common thread linking the will of the gallery’s first patrons. The gallery was born as a place of representation to show the extraordinariness and wonder of the collection. In this case, memory was an individual element that immediately translated into a collective sharing with the community. The patrons assembled a collection that entered the collective memory and is still built today.” 

The memory of the place meets the memory of the artist in this exhibition. “Luise Bourgeois, on the other hand, is the bearer of a highly individual memory that she cultivates and sublimates through her production, especially with cells. But beware, individual memory becomes collective the moment it is shown, so it is a kaleidoscope of possible relationships between the concept of collective memory and the concept of individual memory that are traced starting with the gallery and ending with Louis Bourgeois,” Leardi says.

In addition to the unconscious aspects, there are the conscious ones. Perhaps memory is more related to the Borghese Gallery, and the “unconscious” part is more typical of Bourgeois. Leardi points out that “both are partakers of both aspects, in different manners and with different intensity. For example, ‘Cell (The Last Climb),’ with its blue glass spheres, is the work in which she declares an ascent to transcendence, a form of abandonment of material works. The message is not at all unconscious; it is evident. There is a spiral staircase going up; in my opinion, it is almost a testament. It was first shown in 2008 when she was 97 years old. She was near the end of her life, so it’s a statement, a manifesto, not at all unconscious.”

The spiral staircase in the center of the work converses perfectly with Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s “Apollo and Daphne,” “Rape of Proserpine,” and “David,” works that are among the most admired in the entire museum. It is no coincidence that Bourgeois herself visited this building in 1967 and was fascinated, as she wrote in her travel notes, “The city is a mess of every single historical period piled one atop the other right in the center of town. Fantastic! (…) for the Villa Borghese, I spent the afternoon there, both in the gardens and inside. It was wonderful. It is a dream, 6 Berninis.”

Leardi provided specific guidance about why some works were placed inside, and others outside the palace. “In some cases, it makes sense to create a dialogue; in others, it does not. For example, ‘Cell (The Last Climb)’ is set up inside the highest, largest, most important hall of the gallery; it is a work that has to be seen first because of its symbolic significance; it has a centrality in the overall idea of the exhibition, so it has to be displayed in the central place of the museum. The ‘Untitled Heads’ are displayed in the Hall of Emperors. They are made from fabric fragments that came largely from the workshops of her parents, who were tapestry restorers. They have been placed on porphyry tables and flank the busts with the heads of the emperors. There is no mimetic research. However, there is a desire for comparison between the twentieth-century and the seventeenth-century imperial heads that emulate the ancient,” she says.

During a visit, every time one encounters a Bourgeois work, it is a discovery of amazement. Leardi also had a few little surprises during the installation. “I love stones very much, and I must say I was struck by the granites on which ‘The Welcoming Hands,’ casts of Louise Bourgeois and Jerry Gorovoy’s bronze hands, are lying. I don’t know if this is correct from the point of view of Bourgeois’ intention. Still, I associated the granite bases that make me think of rootedness and the thin, slender bronze hands that reflect feelings of belonging, home, and friendship,” she adds.

Leardi also voiced that she would dream of keeping one Bourgeois work at Galleria Borghese. “I would keep the spider in the Giardino della Meridiana,” she says, “because it is a spider that wants to escape. It’s not a static spider. It’s a fleeing spider; it’s not happy to be there, and I must say it’s beautiful. The heads in the Salone degli Imperatori are also magnificent, but I would not keep them. The spider, we would keep it.”

The exhibition “Louise Bourgeois. Unconscious Memories” will be open to the public until 15 September 2024. Reservations are essential. 

Oversized timber beams support cantilevering canopies on either side of Halle S 46, a warehouse in Germany by Cologne studio Aretz Dürr Architektur.

Located near the town of Altenkirchen, the building provides storage for an ensemble of furniture workshops currently under development in the area.

Aretz Dürr Architektur sought to create an expressive timber structure that would set an example for the area’s future development while ensuring it is straightforward and functional in its use.

“The hall marks the start of the development of a commercial area covering a good thirty thousand square meters – it is a source of inspiration for sustainable and high-quality commercial construction,” studio co-founder Sven Aretz told Dezeen.

Wrapped in translucent polycarbonate panels with openable windows, the 60-metre-long hall contains bright, column-free storage spaces. This was achieved through the design of its timber structure, with 40-metre-long beams at six-metre intervals supported by timber columns that line the edges of the warehouse.

No finishes have been applied to this structure internally or externally to keep it visible, in what the studio described as a statement against “complex, technically elaborate solutions”.

“The framework is visible, the construction is extremely simple, the structure becomes the character,” said Aretz.

“The translucent facade creates a light-flooded hall that integrates into its commercial surroundings through its lightness and simplicity,” he added.

On either side of Halle S 46, the timber beams extend outwards by eight metres to support large cantilevering canopies that provide shelter from the sun.

Along with the long openable windows, vents in the roof allow air to circulate through the interior, while the polycarbonate walls provide insulation without the need for additional linings.

“The overhanging timber trusses are not only structurally highly efficient and spatially effective, but are also an essential part of the energy concept,” said Aretz.

“The generous roofs protect the building from the steep summer sun and use the low winter sun as an additional source of energy,” he explained. “They create a smooth transition from inside to outside, both spatially and functionally.”

Halle S 46’s structure allows its interior to be divided into four separate spaces if necessary and also means that it can be easily extended lengthways should additional space be needed in the future.

Aretz Dürr Architektur was founded in 2019 by Aretz and Jakob Dürr. Previous projects by the studio include an extension to a home in Biberach an der Riss, which also made a feature of its exposed steel and aluminium structure.

The photography is by Ben Schumann.

The post Aretz Dürr Architektur creates “extremely simple” timber warehouse in Germany appeared first on Dezeen.