Eight bedrooms with bedside tables that add a modern touch

La Palma, Australia, by YSG

In our latest lookbook, we spotlight eight bedrooms with statement bedside tables that provide contemporary alternatives to run-of-the-mill stools and cabinets.

The featured designs range in size, shape and material, from a wooden shelf built into a headboard to a simple stack of books, demonstrating the variety of options available to people seeking a perfect bedside unit.

They also illustrate the aesthetic value of these furnishings, which serve more than just a practical purpose and offer a chance to inject a touch of flair and personality into a bedroom interior.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring bedrooms with exposed concrete surfaces, light-filled cottage interiors and homes with plywood panelling.


Bedroom of architect Ben Allen's London flat
Photo by French + Tye

Keeling House apartment, UK, by Ben Allen

Architect Ben Allen dotted bespoke artworks made of glass and mirrors throughout his self-designed apartment, which is located in a modernist housing block in London.

Among them is a circular mirror, split in half by a semicircular brass shelf and positioned alongside the bed to act as a sculptural side table.

To save space for books, cups and ornaments on the small shelf, a bulb has been draped across the ceiling and suspended overhead for use as a bedside light.

Find out more about Keeling House apartment ›


Bedroom in Palm Beach house in Sydney by YSG
Photo by Prue Ruscoe

La Palma, Australia, by YSG

Lined with contrasting strips of ash and walnut veneer, this bedside table contributes to the maximalist clash of patterns that YSG used to animate the La Palma house in Sydney.

The table’s designer Sarah Ellison enhanced its statement look with a pair of mismatched legs – one straight-edged and one with a curved base.

Find out more about La Palma ›


Bed inside Sacha apartment by SABO Project

Sacha, France, by SABO Project

SABO Project incorporated side tables within the headboard of this bed in the Sacha apartment.

It takes the form of a plywood pegboard wall, which means the side tables function as slot-in shelves that can be easily moved as required.

Find out more about Sacha ›


Stack of books used as a bedside table
Photo by Tom Blachford

Highbury Grove, Australia, by Ritz&Ghougassian

A simple stack of books doubles as a bedside table at this house extension in Melbourne, which Ritz&Ghougassian constructed from concrete blocks.

Set against this minimalist concrete backdrop, the books support a sculptural bedside lamp crafted in polished aluminium by designer Henry Wilson.

Find out more about Highbury Grove ›


Bedroom of Casa Cielo, Mexico, by COA Arquitectura
Photo by César Béjar Studio

Casa Cielo, Mexico, by COA Arquitectura

Rather than opting for a typical short floating shelf, COA Arquitectura has stretched a bedside unit across the wall of this bedroom, transforming it into a focal point.

The unit is built from wood, tying in with the light wood panelling behind it, and incorporates drawers to help conceal clutter.

Find out more about Casa Cielo ›


Blue bedroom with Componibili Storage Unit by Kartell
Photo by Dave Wheeler

Balmoral Blue House, Australia, by Esoteriko

A classic three-drawer Componibili Storage Unit by Kartell was used as the bedside table in Balmoral Blue House in Sydney.

It is bright blue finish was chosen to match the colour palette of the bedroom, which interior studio Esoteriko designed as the only colourful space in the house. It was created for the client’s teenage daughter, who asked that her bedroom be finished in blue – her favourite colour.

Find out more about Balmoral Blue House ›


Apartment in London's Television Centre, designed by Waldo Works
Photo by Michael Sinclair

Television Centre apartment, UK, by Waldo Works

In its renovation of a penthouse inside London’s old Television Centre, Waldo Works sought to create a 1960s aesthetic that complemented the architecture of the building.

In one of the bedrooms, this led the studio to use a wooden bedside table with organic curves, which is teamed with a globular green lamp and juxtaposed with gridded wallpaper.

Find out more about Television Centre apartment ›


Plaster bedside table inside Malibu Surf Shack, USA, by Kelly Wearstler
Photo by Mark Durling Photography

Malibu Surf Shack, USA, by Kelly Wearstler

Designer Kelly Wearstler opted for a “rustic and raw” aesthetic for her family’s 1950s beachfront cottage in Southern California.

In line with this theme, she chose a plaster side table for one of the bedrooms that furniture designer Alberto Pinto disguised as a fabric-covered block fastened with thick rope.

Find out more about Malibu Surf Shack ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring bedrooms with exposed concrete surfaces, light-filled cottage interiors and homes with plywood panelling.

The post Eight bedrooms with bedside tables that add a modern touch appeared first on Dezeen.

This week we revealed Jaguar's new brand identity

Jaguar logo

This week on Dezeen, British car brand Jaguar unveiled a rebrand to mark the company’s move to electric-only cars.

The car company released a word mark that Jaguar’s in-house design team said “seamlessly blended upper and lowercase characters” along with an updated logo that featured a J and lowercase r.

“New Jaguar is a brand built around exuberant modernism,” said Jaguar chief creative officer Gerry McGovern. “It is imaginative, bold and artistic at every touchpoint. It is unique and fearless.”

Louis Vuitton bag facade New York
Louis Vuitton disguised its flagship store in New York

In New York, Louis Vuitton wrapped its flagship store on 5th Avenue in hoarding that disguised the building as a series of luggage trunks.

The covering will be in place while the building is renovated, with the store temporarily relocated to a shop that features OMA-designed sculptures.

Sunset with Petronas Towers
We interviewed Rafael Pelli

In an interview, Rafael Pelli told Dezen that a combination of cultural traditions and complex engineering allowed the Petronas Towers, which was the tallest buildings in the world from 1997 until 2004, to become a model for skyscrapers as place-makers.

“It was just a handsomely composed building, and was a strong image that became an icon for not only Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia, but for all of Southeast Asia,” studio partner Rafael Pelli, son of César Pelli, told Dezeen.

Dezeen Awards China shortlists
This week we announced the Dezeen Awards China shortlists

This week also saw us reveal the shortlists for Dezeen Awards China in the architecture, design, interiors and Designers of the Year categories.

Next week we will be hosting the Dezeen Awards party at Hackney Church in London, when the overall winners of Dezeen Awards will be announced.

Chinese museum with brown tiles Kengo Kuma
The UCCA Clay Museum in China completed this week

In architecture news, Kengo Kuma completed the UCCA Clay Museum in China, which has a peaked form clad in handmade ceramic tiles to celebrate the “warmth of craftsmanship”.

Japanese architect Kuma also collaborated with Swedish furniture brand Gärsnäs to create a fabric-clad easy chair.

Figure of eight builing
An accommodation block in Rwanda was one of this week’s most popular projects

Popular projects featured on Dezeen this week included a figure-eight-shaped accommodation block in Rwanda, the conversion of a 19th-century Copenhagen warehouse into apartments and an off-grid mountain refuge for Moncler.

This week’s lookbooks featured light-filled cottage interiors defined by generous windows and minimalist bedrooms lined with exposed concrete surfaces.

This week on Dezeen

This week on Dezeen is our regular roundup of the week’s top news stories. Subscribe to our newsletters to be sure you don’t miss anything.

The post This week we revealed Jaguar’s new brand identity appeared first on Dezeen.

Best Black Friday Deal for Home Theater? JMGO 4K Projectors at Up to 32% Off

I’ll come out clean – I don’t own a TV. I live in a rented house, I have a beautiful bare wall that I don’t want to ruin with a TV mount drilled in (which I’ll have to cover in my security deposit once I leave), so instead of a TV, I bought a projector… and it was the best investment I made. My budget projector outputs 1080p, but the screen measures nearly a hundred inches, making it more than 5x larger than a television I would have bought with the same amount of money. The point is, don’t buy a TV this Black Friday. Buy a projector.

Projectors are compact, have the same smart features as smart TVs, and cast images multiple times larger and more immersive than your average 37″ or 42″ television. Plus, with the right deal, a projector can cost well within your TV budget, giving you a mini cinema experience at home. You don’t need to go searching on the internet for the ‘right deal’ though, because JMGO’s running a pretty sweet Black Friday sale on their two most popular projector lines. Whether you want a fancy 4K projector or something compact enough to carry in your laptop bag, these projectors fit well within every requirement and budget – thanks to discounts of up to 32%!

Designer: JMGO

JMGO N1S Ultimate 4K

The flagship in JMGO’s N1S series, this one made its debut at IFA 2024 in Berlin. Designed as a gimbal-mounted projector, the N1S Ultimate 4K can be positioned anywhere and it will automatically keystone and focus-adjust your image (even intelligently avoiding objects like shelves or wall-hangings), letting you watch movies on your wall or even your ceiling. The projector outputs 4K with a max size of 180-inches at a whopping 3500 ANSI Lumens, which means you can watch movies even in moderately lit rooms without always needing to switch the lights or draw the curtains.

The N1S Ultimate 4K’s stellar clarity comes thanks to JMGO’s MALC™ (Multi-Layer Adaptive Laser Control) 2.0 Triple Laser Optics – which helps it maintain clarity and sharpness even in high brightness (something traditional laser projectors fail at). It even packs a 20W subwoofer and 45Hz ultra-bass for booming audio. On the software front, Google TV gives you access to all your favorite streaming apps, along with Wi-fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 support, two HDMI 2.1 jacks for streaming sticks or game consoles, and two USB-A 2.0 jacks for connecting hard-disks or pen-drives.

Our Verdict

The MALC™ 2.0 Triple Laser Optics is the star of the show here. I previewed the projector during the day in a well-lit booth at IFA and the visuals were still surprisingly crisp and high-contrast. 4K output with intelligent auto-focus and keystone really makes using the projector a breeze. Imagine having a TV anywhere in your house – even the ceiling! Being JMGO’s flagship, this one has a $2799 price tag, but a 29% discount brings it down to just $1999.

Click Here to Buy Now: $1999 $2799 ($800 off). Hurry, deal ends on 30th Nov, 2025.

JMGO N1S Ultra 4K

Following the N1S gimbal-centric design, the N1S Ultra 4K is a step below its sibling the N1S Ultimate, but still has stunning specs that keep it at flagship standards. The projector outputs 4K with even support for BluRay 3D (you’ll JMGO’s active-shutter 3D glasses) but skips out on the MALC™ 2.0 Triple Laser Optics system that debuted in JMGO’s other N1S projectors. Still, you’ve got a VERY respectable 3000 ANSI Lumen output which means bright visuals no matter what time of the day.

The gimbal-mounted projector can be faced anywhere, with automatic focus, keystone correction, and intelligent object avoidance. I can’t stress enough how impressive this is. Face the projector anywhere and it turns practically any surface into a clear 4K television! The N1S Ultra 4K also comes with Google TV and all your favorite streaming apps, along with Wi-fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and 2 USB-A 2.0 ports for max connectivity. There’s a 3.5mm port for external speakers too, although the N1S Ultra packs dual 20W speakers with Dolby Digital Plus for immersive sound.

Our Verdict

With a 32% discount that brings its $2499 price down to $1699, the N1S Ultra 4K might be the only 4K projector that packs 3D support at a sub-2000 price tag. The gimbal and auto-image-correction features are absolute *chef’s kiss*, which means you spend less time fiddling with a remote and more time watching your favorite movies – or even playing your favorite games, thanks to the HDMI port that lets you hook your PS5 or Nintendo Switch and play on a massive 100″ screen!

Click Here to Buy Now: $1699 $2499 ($800 off). Hurry, deal ends on 30th Nov, 2025.

JMGO N1S Pro 4K

The N1S Pro 4K launched alongside the Ultimate this year, boasting the same MALC™ (Multi-Layer Adaptive Laser Control) 2.0 Triple Laser Optics that gives it stunning quality even at the highest brightness. The N1S Pro has the same gimbal-centric design as all its siblings in the series, which creates a sense of visual cohesion while looking gorgeously premium. At 2400 ANSI Lumens of brightness, the N1S Pro 4K is the perfect balance between great output and great cost.

The N1S Pro shares all the features with its higher-priced sibling, the Ultimate 4K. This includes 4K support, smart image correction (focus, keystone, etc.), the 20W dual speaker system with 45Hz bass, built-in Google TV with all your streaming apps, and all the connectivity features and ports from Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 to the HDMI 2.1 ports and USB-A 2.0 ports.

Our Verdict

With a $1999 price tag brought down to $1299 ($700 discount), the N1S Pro 4K easily gets our editor’s pick for best output at best value. A gimbal-mounted 4K Smart Projector with dual speakers and smart features at an almost sub-1500 price tag is frankly a no-brainer. Instead of throwing money at 50-60″ QLED TVs that cost a lot and can’t be moved around, why not spend the same amount on a 4K projector that casts nearly a 100″ display on any surface – and can be carried around with you from room to room, or even a friend’s place?

Click Here to Buy Now: $1299 $1999 ($700 off). Hurry, deal ends on 30th Nov, 2025.

JMGO N1S

The JMGO N1S is the most affordable in the series, with 1080p output, 900 ANSI Lumens of max brightness, and running a triple-laser optic setup that’s just a grade below the company’s cutting-edge MALC™ 2.0 system. For its affordable price tag, you get the same gimbal design, Google TV on the inside with support for over 10,000 streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Disney+, and others, with a maximum projection size of 180 inches and the same automatic focus and keystone correction that happens without needing to lift a finger.

Like its other counterparts, the N1S has support for 3D playback when coupled with JMGO’s active-shutter glasses (available separately). The portable format, coupled with the gimbal, makes the N1S a perfect projector for someone who wants to dip their toe in this category without breaking the bank. 10W speakers for this price point are perfect too, and an abundance of connectivity options lets you explore multiple setups just like you would with a TV.

Our Verdict

At 1080p of output, you may miss 4K in theory, but you won’t miss it in practicality. I own a 1080p projector and with streaming, it’s near impossible to tell the difference between streaming 4K on the internet and streaming 1080p unless you know what you’re watching out for. The JMGO N1S is priced at $999, making it the most affordable in JMGO’s gimbal-style N1S series. That much for a 180-inch-wide projection that also supports 3D feels too good to be true!

Click Here to Buy Now: $899 $999 ($100 off). Hurry, deal ends on 30th Nov, 2025.

JMGO PicoFlix

Want to push your budget even lower, JMGO’s PicoFlix might be their most affordable projector on Black Friday discount. It isn’t a part of the N1S series, which means no gimbal – but the PicoFlix more than makes up for that by being a 1080p FHD projector that’s the size of a Pringles can. The PicoFlix has its own built-in battery, which means you can move from room to room with your ‘television’ or even slip it into a tote bag and carry it to a friend’s place.

The PicoFlix may not have a 2-axis gimbal like the N1S series, but it does have a 127° rotational axis that lets you face it either forwards, at an angle, or directly upwards for watching movies on the ceiling. You’ve got support for up to a 120″ projection at FHD, and even BluRay 3D, with intelligent image correction features via the JMGO app. However, the PicoFlix caps out at 450 ANSI Lumens, which means you’ll need to draw the curtains to watch a movie. A 10,000mAh battery gives you up to 4.5 hours of movie time when used in Eco Mode, and here’s the kicker – the tiny projector still packs 10W dual speakers with Dolby Audio.

Our Verdict

The PicoFlix’s 25% discount brings its $599 price down to $449, making it cheaper than even a mid-tier smartphone. For its specs, that’s a solid recommend, although the 450 ANSI Lumens may be on the lower end for some purists. At that price, 1080p and 3D BluRay support is pretty phenomenal too, and having a projector portable enough to carry around in your palm does feel like quite the flex if you like the idea of watching movies, shows, and sports on the large screen.

Click Here to Buy Now: $449 $599 ($150 off). Hurry, deal ends on 30th Nov, 2025.

The post Best Black Friday Deal for Home Theater? JMGO 4K Projectors at Up to 32% Off first appeared on Yanko Design.

Best Scented Candle Cards to Leave a Lasting Impression

Candles are one of the oldest ways man has brought light and warmth into the world, and while electricity and bulbs now fulfill that function, candles still have meaning beyond providing illumination.

They have become almost symbolic, representing ideas, hopes, and emotions, or they come with scents and designs that tickle the senses or soothe the soul.

Candles have become the perfect medium to convey feelings and create memories, and this simple yet innovative design combines an extra-thin aromatic candle with an equally thin multi-purpose packaging that lets you send a more personal and more memorable message that delights the senses and warms the heart as the candle flame dances and spreads a soothing fragrance throughout your room.

Designer: LURA Design Studio

Click Here to Buy Now: $17 $19 (10% off at checkout). Hurry! Black Friday deals end in 48 hours.

The Problem: Forgettable, Distant Messages

E-mail and instant messaging have made the world a smaller place, allowing us to immediately reach people half a world away in the blink of an eye. While that does open up new channels of communication, it has also made messaging feel less personal and, ironically, more distant.

It’s almost too easy to just pick an emoji, sticker, or animated GIF to convey a message, almost like simply cutting out a random picture from a magazine and sending it to your friend as a birthday card. It technically works, but not in a way that you’d remember for years to come.

There will always be a need to have more meaningful and memorable connections, and sometimes doing it the old-school physical way has more impact. You could always write a personal message on a card by hand, by why not go the extra mile and send something that really conveys your intentions not just through words but also through the sights and smells of a fragrant candle?

That’s the complete package that this unique candle and card combination offers to make sending personalized messages not only more effective but also faster and more affordable as well.

Why this is the Best Scented Candle for Cards

Scented candles aren’t new, but few of them could be easily mailed using standard postage stamps. This aromatic candle and its packaging, however, are so thin that it be easily sent with a 94 Japanese Yen standard stamp, removing the hassles of sending packages and whatnot.

Using the message card is simple as well. The sender writes their heart-warming message on the card and mails it, while the receiver takes out the thin candle, stands it on the indicated slot on the packaging, lights up the candle, and enjoys its fragrance as they read the message and watch the little flame dance.

You might have reservations about lighting a candle that’s standing on paper packaging, but this aromatic candle card is specially designed to protect you while you bask in the emotive experience. The packaging is made from fire-retardant paper, so it will only turn black without flaming up when burned.

The candle itself also has a natural extinguishing design where it only burns halfway through, around 30 minutes, before it dies out. All you have to do is light up the candle and sit back as you enjoy the sensations that it brings.

Who This Scented Candle Card is For

Candles have a naturally enchanting aura about them, with the flickering flame causing you to sometimes zone out in deep thought. Candles have also traditionally been used to honor loved ones, whether on birthday cakes or on memorial sites. The emotions that the sight of a lighted candle can be as varied as the messages sent with it. Pair that with soothing aromas, and you’ve got the perfect blend for a memorable sensory experience.

Sakura (Pink): The delicate and elegant scent of cherry blossoms, capturing the essence of springtime in Japan, adds warmth and beauty to any space.

Green Tea (Green): A soothing blend of sweetness and bitterness, evoking calm and relaxation, making your “Thank You” even more meaningful.

Yuzu (Yellow): A refreshing and slightly bitter citrus aroma that invigorates the senses, perfect for brightening someone’s day.

With such a visual and olfactory treat, this aromatic candle message card makes for the perfect gift if you want to quickly send a heartfelt message that no app or email can adequately convey. Its compact packaging and safety features make it convenient to simply mail a package to your loved one without worrying too much about costs and logistics.

Step away from the chaotic and impersonal world of instant messaging once in a while and create a deeper and longer-lasting connection with this beautiful Scented Candle Card.

Click Here to Buy Now: $17 $19 (10% off at checkout). Hurry! Black Friday deals end in 48 hours.

The post Best Scented Candle Cards to Leave a Lasting Impression first appeared on Yanko Design.

Hands-On with Nano-Texture Display: Why the M4 Pro Chip Makes the MacBook Pro the Best Laptop Yet

When Apple introduced the nano-texture display option, it revolutionized how creators like me interacted with their most crucial tool. Let’s face it, we look at the display on the laptop 100% of the time we use it, so it needs to be as perfect as humanly possible. Until now, despite countless improvements from Apple and others, no display has truly nailed the combination of resolution, quality, accuracy, and glare reduction. This is the first time it genuinely feels like everything has come together perfectly. As someone who frequently battles glare while simultaneously demanding the ideal combination of portability and power, I wholeheartedly believe that the MacBook Pro 14-inch, equipped with the formidable M4 Pro chip, represents a significant improvement that fully satisfies all my creative demands.

Designer: Apple

The Glare-Killing Game Changer: How Does Nano-Texture Technology Work?

The magic lies in microscopic etchings that break down light waves. Instead of applying a coating that dulls the display, Apple precisely alters the glass surface itself. These nanometer-scale etchings scatter ambient light while attempting to maintain the display’s inherent color accuracy and contrast.

The nano-texture display, a $150 upgrade, felt like a luxury at first—until I used it for the first time today. Working outdoors, on airplanes, in cars, or any bright environment is now effortless. Previously, my 16-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro would glare so much under sunlight that I’d have to squint or move indoors. Now, with the nano-texture display, direct sunlight feels irrelevant. I placed both laptops side-by-side during my testing, and the difference was immediate. The nano-texture display stood out, turning a frustrating glare-filled workspace into a productive one.

Apple’s nano-texture technology effectively reduces glare—it’s the closest thing to a paper-like feel I’ve experienced on a laptop screen, offering a unique viewing experience akin to a printed photograph. The etched surface scatters light evenly, making it comfortable to look at for long hours without that usual agony of dealing with glare. The crisp colors and contrast are still intact, which is crucial for my work. The nano-texture display also gives me a genuine sense of immersiveness, drawing me in without distraction, which is particularly beneficial for long sessions of writing, editing images, and videos. Whether I’m writing or editing images or videos, the screen performs seamlessly, with wide viewing angles and consistent quality, regardless of lighting conditions.

Performance Characteristics and Viewing Experience:

  • Glare Reduction: Exceptional, with near-complete elimination of reflections in diverse lighting conditions.
  • Color Preservation: Slightly reduced color vibrancy compared to glossy displays but maintains remarkable consistency across different environments.
  • It feels like viewing a printed photograph
  • Maintains readability in bright sunlight
  • Provides consistent visual performance from multiple angles

Nano-texture is specifically designed for the following professional use cases:

  • Photographers and visual artists
  • Professionals working in variable lighting environments
  • Creators who prioritize consistent display performance over peak color saturation

Portability Without Performance Compromise

For someone who is always on the move, the weight of my gear matters as much as its performance. The M4 14-inch MacBook Pro is incredibly light at 3.5 pounds compared to the 16-inch, which is heftier at 4.7 pounds and almost on par with the 15-inch MacBook Air M3, which weighs 3.3 pounds. This reduction might not sound significant on paper, but it’s transformative in daily use—especially when carrying other essentials.

The smaller display size could seem limiting, but it works perfectly for my needs in real-world use. As an editor and journalist who runs multiple tasks simultaneously—often including working in tight spaces like cafés or planes—the compact form factor fits seamlessly into my workflow without feeling like a compromise. As a one-bag packer, the smaller M4 MacBook Pro fits easily into my backpack, allowing me to travel light without sacrificing capability.

Performance: Effortless Efficiency

Apple Silicon has spoiled me with its reliability. The M4 Pro chip continues the tradition of handling demanding tasks without hiccups. Whether I’m editing a 4K video, running multiple content creation applications, or using a native AI app to transcribe audio to text, the performance is seamless. Efficiency isn’t just about speed—it’s about working without worrying if my machine can keep up.

What’s most surprising is how quiet it remains, even under heavy loads. I’ve been extremely spoiled by the noiseless MacBook Air, thanks to its fanless architecture, so this is a welcome feature during late-night writing sessions or when working in quieter environments. Nano-Texture: The Heart of the Upgrade

This display technology presents the perfect opportunity to upgrade—at this very moment. The nano-texture screen significantly reduced reflections, transforming how I work in mixed lighting conditions. My work remains vibrant and clear in a sunlit office, where glare usually dominates. At the same time, in dimly lit offices, the contrast and color accuracy stay sharp. It feels like the display adapts to me rather than vice versa.

For those already using an M1 Max MacBook Pro, the move to the M4 Pro might feel incremental on paper. But for me, it’s the culmination of subtle refinements: the nano-texture display, compactness of the 14-inch form factor, and even more efficient performance. These changes align perfectly with all my daily needs. It’s about having reliable tools that enhance my workflow and make my day-to-day tasks more efficient.

The M4 14-inch MacBook Pro is a reliable and essential part of how I create, edit, and collaborate every day. This is just a rough hands-on, and the full review is forthcoming. I have a trip to Japan, China, and then Dubai in the next few weeks back to back, and I can’t wait to put it through real-world tests. Starting at $1,999, with the nano-texture display option adding $150, it’s an investment that feels justified every time I power it on. For anyone who demand the best from their gear, this MacBook Pro delivers an experience worth every dollar.

The post Hands-On with Nano-Texture Display: Why the M4 Pro Chip Makes the MacBook Pro the Best Laptop Yet first appeared on Yanko Design.

Google Unveil’s Its First Mass Timber Building That Looks After The Environment & Employees

This week, Google unveiled its first mass timber office building in Sunnyvale, California. It is designed to be a cutting-edge and eco-friendly building that will serve as a productive and conducive workspace for the employees. It was designed, keeping in mind the needs and requirements of the environment and employees. It is a five-story structure that will have 96% less carbon emissions than a traditional steel and concrete building of the same size.

“This building, 1265 Borregas, showcases creating sustainable buildings that empower people to do their best work,” said Michelle Kaufmann, Google’s director of R+D for the Built Environment and the guiding force behind the creation of the new workspace in Sunnyvale’s Moffett Park district.

Designer: Google

As mentioned, it is the first building to be constructed from mass timber, which is a new type of engineered wood. Small pieces of wood are layered and laminated together to build large beams and walls. The office is designed to create an environment of collaboration, support, and focus. It is equipped with neighborhood spaces that will facilitate hybrid connections and interesting collaborations.

It is a representation of Google’s priority to build nature-based or biophilic workplaces. According to research, people work best when surrounded by nature, and with this new workspace, Google is hoping to create a fresh and inspiring work environment. Timber is exposed inside and outside the office, which allows natural light to stream in while offering splendid views of the Northern California landscape. Automatic wooden blinds have been integrated, and they adapt to the sun’s position, minimizing glare.

Mass timber is blessed with regenerative qualities, as it can absorb and store carbon over time. Hence, choosing mass timber was a sustainable and eco-friendly decision made by Google. It also reduces carbon emissions that are emitted from the extraction, production, and transportation of traditional building materials. Additionally, 100% of the structural mass timber lumber used to build 1265 Borregas was sourced from responsibly managed forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Around three acres of pollinator-friendly native plants, such as coast live oak, California wild rose, and common milkweed,d were planted at the site and its neighboring sites. This further encourages the creation of an office building and site that is sustainable and efficient. The widespread presence of greenery helps to improve employee wellbeing, ensuring they focus and work better.

The post Google Unveil’s Its First Mass Timber Building That Looks After The Environment & Employees first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Little Dwelling For Two Packs A Clever Space-Saving Punch In 248 Sq Ft

The Urban Park Studio is designed by TruForm Tiny, and it features a modest length of 18 feet. The home isn’t too large, but it does have a genius space-saving layout that can comfortably accommodate one or two people, without too many compromises. It is based on a triple-axle trailer, and it is equipped with two entrances: one made of double glass doors, and another single glass door. Both entrances have been given their awning and direct access to the kitchen. It may not be big enough for socializing, but it is comfy enough for a bachelor or a couple.

Designer: TruForm Tiny

The kitchen in the tiny house is quite small and compact, but functional and well-equipped. It contains a fridge, a convection microwave, a two-burner electric cooktop, a sink, shelving, and some cabinetry. There is a living room adjacent to the kitchen, and it is centered around a big L-shaped sofa bed. The room also includes an electric fireplace, a small table, and some space for a TV. A mini-split air-conditioning unit has been installed to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the house.

A mini hallway has been placed behind the living room, and it includes some more storage space. The hallway is linked to the bathroom, which contains a shower, a vanity sink, and a flushing toilet. The tiny home only accommodates one bedroom, which can be accessed through a wooden ladder. This bedroom has a loft-style interior and is like most bedrooms found in tiny homes with a double bed, closet, and small bedside table.

The Urban Park Studio has a bunch of options available – ranging from a choice of exterior materials and flexible interior layout choices. You can exchange the secondary entrance for a large pantry and pull-out table in the kitchen. Currently, the home is priced at US$108,300. However, the price will shoot up if buyers select any of the additional options. The Urban Park Studio is a comfy housing option for couples looking to purchase their first home.

The post This Little Dwelling For Two Packs A Clever Space-Saving Punch In 248 Sq Ft first appeared on Yanko Design.

DJI Glide Hybrid Drone Concept adds Glider-Wings for Better Range and Energy-Efficient Flying

You’ve seen quadcopters, and you’ve seen drones used for crop dusting or aerial surveillance – the DJI Glide is a fusion of both those drones. Designed by Baptiste Grenon, the DJI Glide proposes a battery-efficient design courtesy the presence of wings that help the drone stay stable and achieve flight at high altitudes without being an energy-guzzler. The drone still has the familiar quadcopter format, but also includes wings, giving it a hybrid design that might just translate to a longer battery and better range.

Designer: Baptiste Grenon

The DJI Glide’s unique design includes two standard propellers, and two propellers built right into the drone’s wings, which double as propeller guards during flight. It doesn’t look like the wings themselves move, although Grenon has included what looks like rudders at the wing-tips for better maneuverability. The drone still has vertical take-off and landing, but the airfoil cross-section of the wings gives it much more aerodynamics while the drone hurtles forward at top speed.

The implication therefore is that the DJI Glide is more suited for FPV flying as opposed to cinematic flight. A gimbal-mounted Hasselblad camera on the front records your PoV, while cameras on the front, back, and bottom give the drone spatial awareness, allowing it to maneuver on its own without colliding into objects – perfect for having the drone return back to base after its battery runs out.

The battery sits on top, plugging right into the drone’s back to power it in flight. Given the conceptual nature of the drone, battery specs are purely conjecture, but I suppose having wings helps conserve the drone’s battery by giving the aerial vehicle the lift it needs while flying. The wings also present a trade-off in terms of maneuverability, hindering complex movements like moving in reverse or tight turns.

The propellers at the rear justifiably come without any bumper guards, given that they’re effectively shielded by the wings ahead of them. There is, however, a small technical challenge, and it has to do with the drone’s overall size. Having a drone with a wingspan means the DJI Glide isn’t a very compact little device. It therefore comes with detachable wings, which may prove to be a challenge during fast flight. Losing a wing to a loose clamp effectively cripples your drone, since it means losing a propeller too. Collisions may protect the propeller from damage, but the part where the wing and drone join together will take all the impact – something that highly affects your drone’s overall lifespan.

That said, the foldable format does make the DJI Glide fairly portable, allowing it to be flat-packed for shipping. The durability trade-off for efficient flight feels fairly valid – if the obstacle-avoidance algorithms are strong, there really shouldn’t be a problem. Plus, the drone doesn’t need a runway to take off or land, which definitely helps it in the long run for people flying recreationally.

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Theo de Meyer uses "utilitarian aesthetics" for Palm Springs festival design

Desert Air festival

Belgian architect Theo de Meyer and production firm Public Art Company have created installations at the Desert Air Music Festival in Palm Springs, California, that reference industrial forms and modernist architecture.

De Meyer, who is a member of the Belgian architecture studio Stand van Zaken, sought to recontextualise industrial materials for the sculptures and stage at the festival, which took place at the Palm Springs Air Museum, adjacent to the small desert city’s international airport.

It included functioning smokestacks, sculptures with elements representing airplane wings, and a stage using simple materials such as corrugated metal and plywood.

Smoke stacks used as music festival stage set
Theo de Meyer and Public Art Company used industrial materials for the production design of a music festival in Palm Springs. Photo by Nicole Busch

“The materials were sourced locally, focusing on industrial components that are functional, durable, and easily reusable – a hallmark of Theo’s practice,” Public Art Company founder Raffi Lehrer told Dezeen.

“The stage and its sculptures incorporate elements like corrugated metal, plywood, and truss, blending Palm Springs’ mid-century modern textures with the utilitarian aesthetics of an airport.”

The elements also included concrete dance platforms edged with safety tape and a light-up sculpture made to resemble the flight boards that showcase

metal wings
Aviation-informed elements reference the festival location, Palm Springs Air Museum. Photo by Nicole Busch

With only a few days to construct and no access to the site beforehand, De Meyer, Lehrer and the team tried to utilise the simple materials to create a sense of time while being efficient under the time crunch. Each piece was set up as an individual zone for participants to cluster around and interact with.

“Building an environment rather than a linear stage allowed for a more dynamic audience interaction,” said Lehrer.

Metal stage design
The team only had a few days to inspect the site and build the installations. Photo by Nicole Busch

The goal was to give the elements a sense of scale while still allowing for crowd movement and simple construction.

De Meyer noted that the legacy of Palm Springs, known for its experimentation in modernist residential architecture, especially the work of Swiss architect Albert Frey, also informed his approach.

Flight board installation at Desert Air
A light-up installation was designed to look like an airport flight board. Photo by Nicole Busch

The Palm Springs Art Museum recently reconstructed Frey’s modular metal house, which had sat in storage for years, on its grounds.

“[Frey’s] work wasn’t so much about creating a specific aesthetic, but rather about responding to the surroundings with an economy of means,” De Meyer told Dezeen.

“Even something as simple as safety tape can become an opportunity for creativity. The goal is to let the materials remain true to their function while transforming them into something new and meaningful – lo-fi and abstract.”

De Meyer also commented on the unique conditions of designing temporary installations for a music festival. He said that the constraints allow for experimentation that is not found in other architectural projects.

“The beauty of temporary structures is that there’s less fear of failure, which frees up space for creative exploration,” he said.

“This openness allows for more flexibility, where the boundaries of what we define as ‘good architecture’ become more fluid. In this way, a festival’s environment becomes just another opportunity to observe human behavior and refine the design, much like architecture does, but with a more direct, experimental approach.”

Desert air festival at night
It took place next to an active airstrip. Photo by Tyler Borchardt

During the festival, which featured acts by musicians such as Kaytranada and Jamie xx, many of the elements were illuminated by coloured ground lighting.

Throughout, the adjacent airport remained functioning, with planes taking off and landing during the performances.

Architects and designers often utilise music festivals as places for experimentation and play. Recent examples of festivals with large-scale architectural installations include Burning Man in Nevada and Rally in London.

The post Theo de Meyer uses “utilitarian aesthetics” for Palm Springs festival design appeared first on Dezeen.

Zenga Bros create convertible office furniture for skateboarding breaks

Skating furniture

Vancouver-based creative studio Zenga Bros has created a series of furniture pieces that convert into skate ramps, rails and quarter pipes as a “radical way to transform office space”.

Supported by watch brand Swatch, the Skate Break collection consists of five pieces of furniture including an oversized steel lamp and a boardroom table that can be transformed to create skateable pieces for a more playful work environment.

Skating furniture
The Zenga Bros have created a furniture collection that converts into skate ramps and rails

Designers and brothers Benny and Christian Zenga of Zenga Bros worked with skateboarder Andy Anderson to test and prototype the pieces, which they displayed in an interactive exhibition in Vancouver earlier this year.

According to the pair, the project was part of a longer-term vision to create a “dream studio space” to host their own practice, which includes design, building, filmmaking, and skating.

Skating furniture
The collection includes a desk, lounge chairs, table, lamp and small electric truck

“Are there more radical ways that we could transform the office space?” Christian Zenga told Dezeen. “Skateboarding is one of the only acts that I do that’s like a meditation. It requires focus because it’s dangerous, but also it’s a very creative thing.”

“Unlike other exercise, skateboarding is like a form of play. So we asked, ‘what if you played during your lunch break’?”

Skating furniture
The Vancouver-based studio used plywood and steel to create durable pieces that could withstand skaters

Largely relying on steel, pulleys, release pins, levers and thick layers of plywood, the Zengas designed and built two lounge chairs, a boardroom table, a desk, a lamp and a small truck that all open into various combinations for skateboarding.

The materials were used because they proved durable enough to handle the “abuse” skateboarders put on objects and also provided a “retro” aesthetic.



“The aesthetics came out of having to follow transitions and things you could skate, but also the durability,” said Christian. “The plywood was intentional too, [we wanted] a retro, 1970s, cool, studio space.”

One of the more striking pieces, the Lamp Ramp is a six-foot-tall steel object that resembles a floor lamp with a fanning shade and arched stand. The removal of a release pin allows the shade to lean forward, where it eventually rests on the ground and creates the base of a volcano ramp and rainbow rail.

Skating furniture
A large steel floor lamp doubles as a rail

A set of dumbells attached to the piece acts as counterweights, a design decision that came out of quick, “fun” manual prototyping the Zengas said drove the project.

“If you look closely at the lamp ramp, it actually has these large dumbbells on it as counterweights,” Benny Zenga told Dezeen. “The design-build prototype was phenomenal. When we landed on the final design, we had built it within a week.”

Skating furniture
The lamp shade folds over to act as a ramp and a base for a rail

“It’s fun to have had that opportunity to immerse ourselves in the project, but also the speed, that iteration of build, it put ourselves to the test, it was a challenge.”

The collection’s boardroom table, lounge chairs and desk also fold open with the release of pins or latches.

The Desk Ramp is a “standing desk” attached to a wooden wall unit backed by a large computer screen, pinboard and shelving. A lever releases the desk, which slides down a hidden track, and converts into a ramp.

The screen is protected by transparent plexiglass so a skater can traverse over it on their way up the wall.

Skating furniture
A pair of lounge chairs fold open into ramps

The brothers also converted a small, electric orange truck into a mobile ramp for studio “transportation”. Called the Ramper Camper, it also contains a woodstove and a mini bookshelf.

It’s part of a larger design concept by the pair to create a skateable “house truck” that could be taken into communities that lack access to skating.

Skating furniture
A small electric truck doubles as a mobile ramp and a small library with a woodstove

“The idea was you could do a cross-country trip with a pro skater and go to small towns that usually wouldn’t have a skater show up, because there’s no park,” said Christian. “So it was sharing and playing with communities that don’t get access to that.”

Ultimately, the pair hopes the collection creates dialogue and experimentation.

Skating furniture
The collection is meant to spark experimentation with space and furniture

“We really want to encourage other people to mess around,” said Benny. “Skaters look at the world like this already, skaters look at things from another perspective. It’s a ‘what if’ dialogue – what would your studio look like?”

The Zenga Bros are a design and build studio based in Vancouver, Canada founded in 1999 by the Zenga brothers, a group of eight that specialise in skills ranging from architecture and filmmaking to fabrication and heavy machinery repair.

Other skating-related projects include a colourful, temporary skatepark by artist Raphaël Zarka and architect Jean-Benoît Vétillard that sat in front of the Centre Pompidou and a series of skateparks by PlayLab Inc in partnership with Vans.

The photography is by Gordon Nicholas

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