While the fates are falling most strongly against sedans as people trend towards SUVs, station wagons aren’t exactly finding any more favor in the American market. Only a choice few remain available for purchase, stalwarts from Subaru and Volvo appealing to a buyer with a greater desire for practicality than concerns about what’s trendy.

But what’s this from Cadillac? Check the paperwork: The Lyriq is officially listed as an SUV, but ever so slightly lifted proportions can’t hide the fact that this is very much a wagon. And what a wagon at that. Measuring nearly 200 inches long, it has an impressive presence for a design that’s, well, different from anything else on the road.

This is the closest thing Cadillac has to a halo car right now, a statement of intent for the brand’s electrified future. It’s riddled with creative and charming touches and has some serious luxury chops. But does it have the character and the performance to live up to that first impression?

Design

Lyriq is a beautiful name for a car with a shape that is a bit awkward, to put it kindly. Other, less flattering folks would call it ugly. I love a good wagon and have proudly owned them myself, but the somewhat bulbous shape out back of Cadillac’s big EV is just a little ungainly to my eye.

But look beyond the silhouette and you’ll discover endless design touches that conspire to perhaps make the car a bit busy, but interesting. The striking geometric pattern on the grille, framed by chrome-rimmed vertical lighting elements, provide a distinctive look from the front.

That’s echoed at the rear, with vertical strakes of red lighting marking the left and right extents of the rear bumper. A narrow band of illumination bisects the tailgate as well, forming the high beltline and abrupt posterior that defines the shape of the Lyriq.

It’s a distinctive car to say the least. Owners will surely be spotting new touches every time they approach the Lyriq for months after buying, and that’s a rarity these days.

If anything the Lyriq’s interior is even more full of intriguing touches, making it feel a bit busy but, again, far from boring. The low dashboard is a mish-mash of sweeping, interlocking profiles, shapes, and textures. The subtle waffle texturing behind the floating display is a lovely, modern touch, but it’s a shame the bulk of the dashboard is covered with black vinyl imprinted with a dated-looking fake leather texture.

That floating display measures a massive 33 inches wide. It gives an overall look and feel similar to what BMW is doing these days in vehicles like the iX. The roller-style volume knob in the center console is also BMW-like, as is the eight-way rotary controller just behind it. All very iDrive-like, but Cadillac goes a step further by making not only the right side of the display capacitive touch, but the left side as well. Just like on a Lucid, you can touch the left of the gauge cluster to adjust lighting or view trip information.

There are plenty of storage areas for front passengers, including a wide bin in the center of the car with a striking blue strip of leather that matches the piping on the stark, white seats. Those seats look pillowy and enveloping, but in practice, they’re a bit flat, and their adjustability is surprisingly limited. They do offer both heating and ventilation, plus massage, but it’s about the weakest massage I’ve ever sampled.

Rear seating is generous for three across, and the flat floor means everyone will have plenty of legroom. Headroom, though, is surprisingly limited, given the shape of these cars. A pair of USB-C ports back there keep small devices charged, while a three-prong outlet is there for bigger ones. Up front, another pair of USB-C connectors offer juice, plus a wireless charging slot.

Cabin Tech

The software controlling that sweeping display is based on Android Automotive. Sign in with your Google account (assuming you have one) and you have instant access to contacts, addresses, and whatever else you’ve entrusted to Alphabet.

You’re just a few taps away from installing most major media apps, including Spotify and YouTube Music, or you can use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay wirelessly from your phone.

All that media plays through a 19-speaker AKG sound system, which even puts speakers in the headrest, a bit of a rarity these days. The system is nicely balanced, offering all the power and bass anyone could want but, more importantly, crisp and clear sound with great separation. It’s standard on the Luxury 2 trim of the Lyriq and above.

The most impressive technology, though, comes in the form of Cadillac’s Super Cruise. The system just gets better and better every time I sample it. Initially restricted only to divided highways, Cadillac has started allowing it on more secondary roads.

Super Cruise offers true, hands-off driver assistance, steering itself and even automatically passing other cars on the highway. I was surprised to be able to let the car steer even on two-lane rural roads. It was perfectly smooth and easy there, just like it is on the highway.

The system relies on an infrared camera integrated into the steering column, so it’s always watching you to ensure you’re watching the road. But that’s a small price to pay for being able to sit back and relax and let the car handle most of the driving. It’s light-years beyond Tesla’s supposed Full Self Driving. You’ll again have to buy at least the Luxury 2 package to get it, starting at $66,990, but between that and the AKG sound system, it’s a worthy splurge.

While Super Cruise is the hallmark driver assistance feature, the Lyriq offers plenty of other safety features, including old-school adaptive cruise control with lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and a surround-view camera. It also features other niceties from General Motors selection of safety features, like Teen Driver Mode, allowing you to set things like maximum speeds and volumes for specific driver profiles.

The Drive

A system like Super Cruise just makes long road trips all the more appealing, and for an EV, the Lyriq is reasonably well-equipped on that front. It’s officially EPA-rated for 314 miles on a charge of its 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack. In my testing around town and on the highway, I did slightly worse: 2.7 miles per kilowatt hour for a theoretical maximum range of 275 miles.

That electricity is consumed by a single, 340-horsepower motor driving the rear wheels, providing 325 pound-feet of torque. But, those wanting more can step up to a dual-motor, all-wheel drive Lyriq making 500 hp and 450 ft-lbs of torque from a pair of motors.

That’s a lot of power, but then this is a lot of car. The Lyriq weighs roughly 5,500 pounds, or nearly as much as an Escalade, and so it’s not exactly a rocket ship with the single-motor configuration. Still, put it into Sport mode (a task that sadly requires reaching up and scrolling through the touchscreen), and it does accelerate aggressively.

The steering is nicely sharp and responsive, which I appreciate. Still, despite Cadillac’s lineage of stellar V-badged driver’s machines, the Lyric is meant more for comfy cruising, and that it does with great aplomb.

Despite the 20-inch wheels wrapped in low-profile tires, ride quality is very good. It hoovered up broken asphalt without issue, feeling poised and pliant in all conditions. Opt for the all-wheel drive version and it should be a stellar winter machine too — assuming you outfit it with a proper set of winter tires.

When it comes to brake regeneration, always a hot topic among EVs, the Lyric’s default regen level is reasonably aggressive, but far from what I’d consider a true one-pedal mode. If you want something closer to that, you need to squeeze the lone paddle on the left behind the steering wheel. At that point the Lyriq will promptly bring itself to a stop. It’s better than nothing, but I’d prefer the option for a proper one-pedal mode.

Pricing and Options

The Cadillac Lyriq starts at $58,590 for a base, Tech trim model with rear-wheel drive. The car you see purchased here was the top Luxury trim, Luxury 3, outfitted with a few options, including $1,480 for a 19.2 kW charging module and $625 for the Opulent Blue metallic paint.

Add on the $1,395 destination charge, and the total vehicle price is $72,695.

That makes it a premium option in an increasingly packed luxury electric SUV market. But the Lyriq stands out in many ways, not the least of which for its unconventional shape and tangible air of refinement about it. It’s lovely to drive, and thanks to Super Cruise, it’s even better to be driven, regardless of which seat you occupy.

The post 2024 Cadillac Lyriq Review first appeared on Yanko Design.

This ceramic espresso cup, which I badly want to touch, was designed by Luxembourg-based Metaform Architects. The form was inspired by the firm’s design for the Luxembourg pavilion at the World Expo in Dubai 2020.

The original form was 3D-printed, then used to make ceramic molds.

“Möbino is the outcome of a rewarding collaboration between community and technology, which unites design and craftsmanship in the heart of Luxembourg.”

“Möbino takes the shape of a Möbius strip – a single twisted surface that symbolizes infinity. Each piece is formed, crafted and glazed by hand at Ateliers Kräizbierg “SIS”, a cooperative society with eight different workshops that provide new skills and opportunities for people with disabilities. In order to further support their ambitions, all the proceeds of the Möbino will go to the Kräizbierg Foundation.”

Sadly, there’s no purchase link on Metaform’s site nor the Kräizbierg Foundation’s website. The piece was designed in 2022, and I hope it’s still in production.

It’s a matter of time before China becomes known for innovative industrial design. The country has been saddled with a reputation for design piracy, a reputation earned through legacy systems; but with 1.4 billion people, eventually the designers interested in true innovation will break through.

Sadly this growth process will be largely opaque to those of us in the West; the country’s English-language design media is uncommunicative, to say the least. As a case in point, this design for a rolling carry-on:

That’s a clever feature, presumably aimed at the frequent traveler who likes to load up at the duty-free. The design was listed as a Top Ten Excellent Design Product produced in the city of Shijiazhuang, in Hebei.

The kicker: Only those two low-res images were provided, both of them cut off; perhaps more incredibly, neither the designer, the manufacturer nor even the product name are listed! Reverse-image searches come up empty, so unfortunately we can’t learn more. Here’s to hoping Chinese design media starts promoting their homegrown designs overseas more thoroughly.

In today’s world, tech tends to run complex rather than simple, and this is where the brand ‘Nothing’ has been marking its presence, and distinguishing itself. Founded in 2020 by Carl Pei, Nothing has adopted a refreshing design philosophy that focuses on transparency, minimalism, and a seamless user experience. Nothing’s flagship products merge a distinctive aesthetic with innovative functionality, and they are a source of major inspiration for the design and tech community. Conceptual designs centered around Nothing’s approach and philosophy are currently running rampant on the internet, and we’ve curated some of our favorites. We hope to see these concepts as real tangible Nothing products someday!

1. Nothing x AIAIAI Headphones

Called the Nothing x AIAIAI Headphones, this cool concept perfectly represents how two companies’ visions can be combined to create one functional and good-looking product. The headphones incorporate individual details like the AirPods Max, but they also retain the transparent beauty of Nothing. The accessory is built of modular parts that can be replaced and swapped as needed.

2. Nothing Power Bank

Dubbed the Nothing power bank, this handy little gadget is the perfect companion for your jet-setting adventures. It boasts a transparent aesthetic, which showcases the innards in all their glory. The insides are illuminated with little warm-toned LEDs, which provide the design with a futuristic and Cyberpunkish aesthetic, on the inside and out. It is designed to complement the Nothing Phone (2), making it a great fit for Nothing’s growing line of products.

3. Nothing Phone (3)

Designed by AndroidLeo as a visual exercise, the Nothing Phone (3) is a deeper refinement of Nothing’s iconic style. The Glyph interface’s shape has been modified, without compromising on the character. The Glyph has an O-shaped arc, placed around the wireless charging coils, as well as inside them. The camera is equipped with a redesigned LED array and a 3-lens setup, while the phone features an almost clover-meets-fidget-spinner type layout.

4. Nothing CMF Speaker

This conceptual CMF speaker breaks the conventional of a typical portable speaker design, and it merges function and form beautifully. The speaker displays the playback information including Albumart, now playing controls, and track selection buttons on the touchscreen. It has a Bluetooth toggle and volume knob on one side. A frosted cover panel maintains a semi-transparent surface on the innards, while a USB-C charging port is placed on the rear section to ensure visual integrity.

5. Head.Phone (1)

Dubbed Head.Phone (1), these conceptual headphones use the Glyph interface pretty smartly. The Glyph is physically moving, and it can be customized to send cool messages to the on-lookers. It offers a more aggressive appearance, and the texture is pretty cool too. The materials have an impressive color and finish, accentuated by the right detailing in the right places. Transparent design elements have been incorporated, retaining the typical DNA of the brand.

6. Nothing Bass (1)

Named the Nothing Bass (1), this portable speaker is designed in Black or White color, making it an excellent conversation starter for a house party. The speaker pairs up with the power of LED lighting, which syncs perfectly to the rhythm of beats, ensuring the device captures everyone’s attention. The speaker’s cone is transparent, protecting the innards from the outside elements. The appeal of the speaker is pretty classy, and it will elevate the vibe of any living room.

7. Nothing Sound (1)

Named the Nothing Sound (1), this portable speaker has a fantastic visual design language inspired by Nothing. It has the style that a real Nothing portable speaker would adopt. It is a fashion accessory designed for home and outdoor use, and it is also pretty practical as well. It is designed to be portable, and easy to use, and is a refreshing change from the typical portable speakers we often find on the market.

8. The Nokia N90 x Nothing Concept

This conceptual design gives the outdated Nokia N90 design a whole new makeover. It borrows inspo from Nothing’s iconic translucent glass design and focuses on three important concepts: mechanical precision, the spirit of exploration, and a minimalist design language. The phone adopts a clean and minimal appearance, ensuring the details are focused only on the essentials while ditching the noisy details that were often seen in Nokia’s design language.

9. Nothing Npod (1)

Named the Nothing Npod (1), this resurrected iPod by Shreyansh Onial and Aditya Pandharpure draws inspiration from Apple’s iPod Shuffle, and Nothing’s iconic transparent aesthetic and glyph interaction. The Npod (1) features a signature control panel on the front, while a matching circular glyph interface is placed on the back. This innovative product is the perfect mix of tech and nostalgia and could be a unique undertaking for Nothing.

10. Nothing headset (1)

The Nothing headset (1) concept is designed to deliver high-fidelity audio right to your ears. It has a detachable amplifier to amp the quality as and when needed. You simply need to attach the amplifier to the outside of the headphones, and it instantly elevates your audio experience. You don’t need any steeply-priced AMPs, DACs, or high-fidelity cables.

The post Top 10 Designs Inspired by Nothing’s Minimalist Aesthetic That We Want To See On The Market first appeared on Yanko Design.

Architecture studio Pensaer referred to its clients’ love for gardening when designing this cottage extension in Herne Hill, London, which is finished with a palette of wood and reclaimed materials.

The extension to the rear of Allotment Cottage has a timber frame and features a facade with a built-in outdoor bench and window seat, intended to bring “the garden and home together”.

It is designed by Pensaer to encourage its owners Kevin and Will, who are both avid gardeners, to spend time outdoors and in their garden allotment every day.

“The garden is such an important part of Kevin and Will’s lives, so we considered a ‘day in the life of’ approach, and each task was identified as one that could be improved with the new extension,” Pensaer told Dezeen.

“The result is a facade of three parts,” it continued. “The first, a bench outside for resting or placing produce, that would be covered to take shelter from the rain.”

“The second part, a transition space for seating, to take off your boots, or put up your umbrella, and the third element is the inside window seat where there is a visual connection to the outside and homegrown produce can be enjoyed at the dining table,” added Pensaer.

Inside, the ground floor has been opened up to create a “circular flow” between four distinct living spaces that are arranged around a central hearth.

A large open-plan kitchen and dining area now opens onto the rear garden, while a more private living room and snug area are located at the front of the home.

Externally, Allotment Cottage’s extension features oak cladding, steel-framed windows and a lead roof that echoes the existing building to ensure old and new sit “harmoniously” together.

The use of stone for the extension’s plinth and patio nods to the occupation of one of the homeowners as a stonemason.

Meanwhile, the use of timber for the extension’s structure was chosen to help minimise the carbon footprint of the project.

This ambition also led Pensaer to salvage and reuse materials during the renovation, including an old stone worktop and external paving, and add insulation to the loft, walls and floor to improve thermal performance.

“Working efficiently with any budget is important, and focusing on craft and sustainability was challenging but rewarding,” said Pensear.

“Using salvaged materials, reducing steel in favour of timber, and adding solar panels all contributed to a design that’s both functional and environmentally friendly.”

Utilising the pitched roof of the extension, Pensear has introduced a rainwater harvesting system that supplies the garden with water for the vegetables. It is stored underneath the covered outdoor bench.

Other London house extensions recently featured on Dezeen include one with a “fried-egg” canopy by THISS Studio and a room filled with vinyl by Benjamin Wilkes.

The photography is by Jerry Florez unless stated otherwise.

The post Pensaer revamps Allotment Cottage in London with timber-framed extension appeared first on Dezeen.