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Promotion: American furniture collective MillerKnoll has launched its first “major destination outside of the United States” in London’s Clerkenwell.

MillerKnoll is one of the world’s largest groups of established design companies, including Herman Miller and Knoll.

The collective has opened its London flagship space in Clerkenwell – home to the UK’s leading design festival, Clerkenwell Design Week.

“Located in The Sans at 20 St John’s Square, MillerKnoll London is the first major MillerKnoll destination outside the United States,” said the furniture group.

The space spans three storeys and 1,700 square metres of contract showrooms and retail stores. Herman Miller and Knoll are among the featured brands, as well as textile brand Maharam.

The flagship space also includes a dedicated studio that acts as a working showroom, uniting numerous other brands from the collective.

Neutral hues and light wood flooring create a subtle backdrop for the furniture and products on display at the flagship, which is accessed via a brick-clad courtyard fitted with slatted timber benches.

Next door, Clerkenwell’s medieval St John’s Gate archway, built in 1504, creates a striking local contrast with the flagship’s contemporary architecture and design.

MillerKnoll London is also located a short walk from other brand showrooms in the area, including Hay, Muuto and NaughtOne.

“This is truly an exciting milestone for our collective,” said MillerKnoll CEO Andi Owen. “We’re thrilled to showcase the full breadth of our design portfolio in such a creative and innovative location.”

“We’re taking the approach of locating brands next to each other based on feedback from design partners, dealers and customers,” she added.

“We look forward to the collaboration these spaces will facilitate as we continue to redefine modern design.”

For more information on MillerKnoll, visit its website here.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for MillerKnoll as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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The iPhone just launched the day before yesterday and if you’re lucky enough to have ordered one, trust me – there’s nothing more heartbreaking than seeing your brand-new phone get a scratch on the screen. Honestly, this feeling even applies to older iPhones. As much as Apple touts its phone’s Ceramic Shield display, it’s still fairly breakable (and very expensive). That’s where TORRAS’ $29.99 screen protector comes in handy. The GlassGo X is shatterproof, has an anti-fingerprint coating, and attaches to your phone using TORRAS’ 2-step process that produces perfect, bubble-free results. Pair it with the company’s Ostand 360° Spin Phone Case and your iPhone 16 Pro gets the best of all words – all-around protection as well as convenience in the form of a 360° grip and stand.

Designer: TORRAS

Click Here to Buy Now: $23.99 $29.99 (Use coupon code “yanko1620” to get 20% off on the screen protector). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours.

The GlassGo X Screen Protector comes crafted from military-grade shatterproof glass. I usually find myself cringing at the use of phrases like military-grade, but the glass has a remarkable 9H hardness and is inherently shatterproof… which means it absorbs any impact without showing signs of wear and tear. Despite the extra protection, TORRAS has nailed the balance between durability and touch sensitivity by finding the sweet spot when it comes to materials and thickness, keeping the smooth interaction you expect from your iPhone.

Sporting narrower black borders, the GlassGo X compliments the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro’s immaculate minimal-bezel display. It’s designed to be as invisible as possible while giving you 100% screen coverage. No awkward gaps around the edges—this protector covers every inch of your display. Plus, it’s got an anti-fingerprint coating, so you won’t be constantly wiping off smudges.

One of the best parts? The 2-step installation makes applying it a breeze. Gone are the days of air bubbles that ruin the perfect look. TORRAS has engineered a setup that allows air to escape easily, giving you a flawless, bubble-free fit. And, with two protectors in each package, you’ve got a backup just in case you encounter problems installing the first phone. Or if you’ve bought an additional phone for your partner, it’s nice to have a ‘twofer’.

We’ve covered TORRAS’ Ostand cases in the past, and the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro series get their own 360° cases too, with a slim, built-in ring that pops out as well as rotates on an axis (a remarkable feat of engineering that we covered in-depth at CES this year). Designed for durability, style, and practical use, it features a curved back and rounded corners that provide all the protection in a streamlined form factor without any of the bulk. Speaking of streamlined, the cases also have a cutout for Apple’s Camera Control sapphire-crystal button with a flowing cutout design that makes the user interaction seamless. The real kicker, though, is the 40% stronger magnets within the ring, which hold on to MagSafe accessories and Qi2 chargers like an absolute pro.

The Ostand case comes in four color options—Nude, Black, Clear, and Grey—so you can match it to your style. Whether you’re going for a minimal look or something a little more rugged, TORRAS has you covered. Pair it with the GlassGo X and you’ve got top-tier protection without adding bulk or interfering with your phone’s sleek design.

Click Here to Buy Now: $23.99 $29.99 (Use coupon code “yanko1620” to get 20% off on the screen protector). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours.

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has officially authorized Apple’s over-the-counter Hearing Aid Feature (HAF), marking a breakthrough for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss. Designed exclusively for the AirPods Pro 2, this software transforms the popular earbuds into customizable hearing aids. This development comes at a crucial time, as over 30 million American adults report some level of hearing loss, a condition that affects communication, relationships, work, and emotional well-being.

Designer: Apple

With the FDA’s recent approval, Apple’s Hearing Aid Feature allows users to tailor their listening experience without needing a prescription or professional fitting. Users can adjust personalized settings through the software using an iPhone or iPad, which enables them to fine-tune their hearing experience based on their specific needs. By offering this self-fitting functionality, Apple eliminates the need for costly audiologist visits. Instead of relying on traditional hearing aids, which often carry a stigma and high price tag, consumers can now use a product they may already own, making hearing support more accessible, affordable, and discreet.

“Hearing loss is a significant public health issue impacting millions of Americans,” said Dr. Michelle Tarver, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “Today’s marketing authorization of an over-the-counter hearing aid software on a widely used consumer audio product is another step that advances the availability, accessibility, and acceptability of hearing support for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.”

The benefits for consumers are clear. The Hearing Aid Feature uses Apple’s HealthKit data to create a personalized audio profile tailored to the user’s hearing levels. This profile automatically adjusts amplification settings to enhance environmental sounds and media playback. The self-fitting process, which can be done entirely through an iPhone or iPad, is simple and intuitive, giving users complete control over their hearing aid experience. The ability to customize sound directly from a personal device reduces the barriers that often deter people from seeking hearing assistance.

The Hearing Aid Feature’s Core Functionality

This feature is specifically designed for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss. After completing the hearing test, users receive a customized audio profile that adjusts environmental sounds and media playback to their hearing needs. The feature is not intended for those with severe or profound hearing loss, who will be advised to seek professional care. However, it’s a groundbreaking tool for users with moderate impairment, offering convenient adjustments on-the-go without specialized equipment or professional fitting.

Another key benefit is the feature’s ability to address asymmetric hearing loss. If a user has different levels of impairment in each ear, the software automatically adjusts for each side, ensuring an optimal hearing experience for both ears.

The software was tested in a clinical study with 118 participants who had perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. The results were impressive: individuals who used the self-fitting software experienced similar benefits to those who underwent professional fittings. Tests also showed that the Hearing Aid Feature provided comparable performance in amplifying sounds in the ear canal and improving speech understanding in noisy environments. Notably, no adverse events were reported during the study, further validating the safety and effectiveness of the software.

This FDA approval builds on the agency’s 2022 regulations for over-the-counter hearing aids, which allowed consumers to purchase hearing aids directly from stores or online without needing a medical exam or prescription. Apple’s software-only mobile medical application integrates advanced hearing aid technology into a familiar, everyday product. With the Hearing Aid Feature, users can now fit and adjust their hearing aids independently, avoiding the traditional challenges and costs associated with professional services.

How to Run the Hearing Test

I ran the hearing test within the Settings app during the demo after pairing the AirPods Pro 2. Users can easily access the Hearing Health section by selecting their AirPods Pro in Settings and scrolling down to the Take a Hearing Test option. From there, the on-screen instructions guide users through the process step-by-step.

The test is modeled after clinical hearing assessments, asking users to listen to tones that alternate between the left and right ears. Each tone starts faint and gradually increases in volume. All users need to do is tap the screen whenever they hear a tone. The system leverages active noise cancellation during the test, blocking out external sounds to ensure the results are accurate and unaffected by surrounding noise. Once the test is complete, the results indicate the level of hearing loss, such as mild or moderate, and automatically generate a personalized sound profile.

This profile is used to activate the Hearing Aid Feature, adjusting amplification settings based on the test results. Users can apply this profile to environmental sounds, phone calls, music, and other media, tailoring their experience to suit their hearing needs.

Reaction to the Demo

The process was simple, intuitive, and impressively smooth. As someone who demoed an incomplete version of the test, I found the setup straightforward and user-friendly, even for those without prior experience using hearing aids. The software intelligently adjusted the tones in real-time based on my responses, adapting the volume and frequency dynamically to create an accurate hearing profile.

Despite receiving generalized results indicating moderate hearing loss during the demo, the system gave me a clear understanding of how the Hearing Aid Feature would adjust to the user’s specific needs. Even though the profile was generic, the sound amplification was highly noticeable, even 5-8 feet away from the people speaking in the room. Additionally, the tonality and pitch of voices sounded sharper rather than just louder, offering a refined listening experience rather than a mere increase in volume. The real-time feedback and adaptability of the software reassured me that users could rely on this technology to provide an effective, custom-tailored hearing solution once fully functional.

Media Assist, Health Data Security, and Availability

The Hearing Aid Feature automatically enables Media Assist, which fine-tunes audio for phone calls and media playback, making conversations, music, and videos easier to hear. This feature can benefit even users with minimal hearing loss, as it automatically adjusts to individual needs without manual input.

All hearing test results are securely stored in Apple’s Health app, where users can export them as PDFs to share with healthcare providers. This ensures users have full control over their health data, maintaining privacy and security.

Apple’s FDA-approved Hearing Aid Feature transforms accessibility by integrating advanced hearing technology into a popular consumer device. This innovation reduces the stigma and cost barriers associated with traditional hearing aids, offering millions of users with mild to moderate hearing loss a discreet and more affordable way to manage their hearing health independently.

The post Hands-On with the First FDA-Approved OTC Hearing Aid Software Device: Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 Transform Accessibility first appeared on Yanko Design.

Architecture studios Snøhetta and Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture have completed a renovation and expansion of the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha with the addition of a “weightless” pavilion.

The project encompassed the renovation of pre-existing buildings and landscape at the Joslyn Art Museum and adding a 42,000 square-foot (3,900 square metre) extension that juts off the front.

The museum consists of a main building completed in 1931 by Nebraska architects John and Alan McDonald and an extension by Norman Foster added in 1994, which sits directly to the side and is linked by a thin glass atrium that runs between the two volumes.

Both buildings were clad in a distinct Georgia Pink marble.

The team updated the interior of pre-existing buildings, which included adding classrooms and restoring office space, “rejuvenated” the grounds and added the new Rhonda & Howard Hawks Pavilion extension to hold additional galleries and public spaces for the museum.

The new building is made up of volume with a wave-like lip that connects to the glass atrium of Foster’s 1994 extension.

Divided between two levels, it contains additional galleries, a shop, public spaces, and a new main entrance.

The building’s curved, main volume was clad in a screen of thin concrete panels which breaks up closer to the historic buildings, revealing a glass facade underneath.

The concrete was also embedded with Georgia Pink marble as a nod to its predecessors, while its texture calls to the large staircase leading to the main building.

“The horizontal texture of the new facade takes its cue from the stacked stone steps of the 1931 Joslyn Building’s monumental Grand Steps, which emerge from the east side of the existing buildings in parallel with the expansion,” said the team.

The building sits on dark granite walls that run through the site and wrap around its first floor, where the new museum entrance is located.

The entrance sits back deeply underneath the volume, which emphasises its “weightless” appearance.

“While the existing buildings appear anchored to the ground, the new building floats atop two granite garden walls,” said the team.

“The weightless effect of the expansion recalls the striking cloud formations above the Great Plains, as well as the deep overhangs and horizontal expression of Prairie School architecture.”

Inside, the interior curves off to one side to connect to the neighbouring atrium, while the museum shop, galleries, and community spaces sit on the other.

A long wooden staircase and double-height opening, which echo the same curve of the building, connect the two levels.

“After passing underneath the deep cantilever of the Hawks Pavilion, visitors will enter a soaring, light-filled atrium that unites the architectural history of the Museum with a gently sloping central staircase that rises to form an extension of the glass atrium designed by Norman Foster as part the Museum’s 1994 expansion,” said the team

The renovation reoriented the museum’s entrance to create a more “inviting” experience, according to the team.

“Our comprehensive reconsideration of the Museum grounds, the existing interiors, and the newest building all work together to create a more inviting entry for the growing spectrum of people that visit the Museum,” said Snøhetta founding partner Craig Dyker.

“Our goal has been to provide a harmonious place for guests, art, and gathering that will become a vessel for inspiration and creativity to flourish.”

Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture is based in Omaha and was founded in 1987.

Other recent museum extensions and renovations in the US include the redesign of the Blanton Museum of Art campus in Austin and a Corten-steel addition to a Texas museum by Page Southerland Page.

The photography is by Nic Lehoux

Project credits:
Snøhetta: Craig Dykers, Michelle Delk, Aaron Dorf, Kate Larsen
Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture: Michael Alley, Albert Macchietto,
Project manager: Anser Advisory
Structural engineer: MKA
Structural engineer of record: Thompson Dreessen & Dorner
MEPFP engineer, A/V, Telecom, LEED documentation: Morrissey Engineering
Civil engineer: Olsson
Facade consulting: Front
Specialty lighting design, Acoustics: Arup
Sustainability, Energy Analysis, LEED Administration: A10
Commissioning agent: BranchPattern
General contractor: Kiewit Building Group

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The Renault R17 Restomod brings a fresh take on a classic piece of French automotive history with its modernized design that fits well into contemporary urban settings. The original R17, first produced in the 1970s, was known for its angular design and sporty appeal. Now, Renault has partnered with French designer Ora ïto to reimagine this iconic coupe, blending retro style with modern technology and electrification. The result is a striking restomod that respects the past while fully embracing the future in a tasteful way that more and more EV companies are doing, like Hyundai with its Ioniq for example.

Designer: Renault X Ora Ïto

The original Renault R17 stood out with its wedge-shaped design, wide stance, and a distinctively sharp rear end—details that made it a fan favorite. The restomod keeps these iconic elements intact but gives them a modern twist. The design update focuses on cleaner lines, sharper details, and a more aggressive stance, making the R17 Restomod look like a natural evolution of the original.

Up front, the car sports sleek LED headlights that fit perfectly into today’s design landscape. These lights, combined with an updated front grille, offer a modern look while still paying homage to the car’s 1970s aesthetic. The restomod sits on contemporary wheels that reinterpret the old-school alloys, giving the car an updated yet still familiar appearance.

Ora ïto, a well-known French designer celebrated for his minimalist approach, brings a sleek and refined touch to this project. His philosophy of “simplexity”—the blending of simplicity and complexity—is evident throughout the R17 Restomod. He’s managed to pare back some of the busier details of the original car, resulting in a design that feels polished without losing its retro charm.

The exterior’s crisp lines give the car a futuristic feel, while touches like the classic coupe silhouette and the iconic rear louvres remind you that this car is deeply rooted in history. The restomod balances both vintage and modern elements, creating a cohesive design that resonates with both old-school Renault fans and new buyers looking for a unique ride.

Underneath the R17 Restomod’s sharp new exterior lies one of the most significant changes—a fully electric powertrain. This transformation turns the classic Renault coupe into an eco-friendly vehicle that’s built for the future. The shift to electric isn’t just a nod to sustainability; it completely alters the driving experience, offering smooth, instant torque and a more refined, quiet ride.

Inside, the changes are even more noticeable. The cluttered dashboard of the original is replaced by a minimalist design, where leather and brushed metal take center stage. A digital instrument cluster and a modern infotainment system bring the R17 squarely into the 21st century, but the interior still feels like a proper nod to its roots.

Renault has confirmed that the R17 Restomod will be available in limited quantities, making it a rare find for collectors and automotive enthusiasts alike. These kinds of limited-run projects often attract significant attention, especially when they bridge iconic history with cutting-edge design and technology. The price remains under wraps, but it’s not like any of us will get our hands on this limited-edition piece of art anyway…

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