This wild-looking RCYL bike, by German plastics manufacturer Igus, is made primarily out of plastic and recycled plastic. The frame and fork, which are entirely plastic, are made from 50% recycled fishing nets. The company is billing it as a highly sustainable alternative to regular bicycles, and will take the bike back at the end of its life in order to recycle it into a new bike.
It weighs 17kg (37.5 lbs), and the manufacturer bills it as a low-maintenance ride:
“Lightweight and lubrication-free high-performance plastics from Igus are used everywhere on the bicycle – from ball bearings in the wheel to bearings in the brake levers and pedals. All components have integrated solid lubricants and ensure low-friction dry running – without a single drop of lubricating oil.”
“Owners can leave the bike outdoors in all weathers without hesitation and clean it in seconds with a garden hose. The bike, which is suitable for everyday use, does not rust and is virtually maintenance-free.”
It’s said to be particularly well-suited for salty seaside climes, as corrosion is not an issue.
The bike is available for order in Europe, and goes for €1,243 (USD $1,315). If you return the bike to them for recycling, they’ll give you a €50 (USD $53) credit towards the purchase of a new bike.
Promotion: French champagne house Perrier-Jouët has completed a multi-year project entitled Cohabitare, working alongside design studio Formafantasma.
The project is described as an “ecological, architectural installation dedicated to biodiversity”, according to the historic Champagne house.
Formafantasma founders Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin were personally involved in shaping Cohabitare, setting out to connect biodiversity, agriculture and design in the Champagne vineyard.
Biodiversity Island is the first phase of the Cohabitare project
An installation in one of the Perrier-Jouët‘s vineyards in France’s Champagne region was the first phase of the collaboration, which involved the design and erection of 74 posts comprised of handmade terracotta modules of differing heights dotted around a 285-square-metre overgrown patch of land.
These structures were created by Formafantasma in a bid to support the biodiversity of the local area by providing shelter and habitats for pollinating insects.
The insects are attracted to the tube-shaped components by their flowery hues – rendered in natural iron oxide glaze which also serve to support indigenous plant species that the wildlife can then consume.
The studio hopes that the installation will help to enhance biodiversity in the region
“Design is a complex discipline often misunderstood as solely focused on desirability and beauty,” said Formafantasma. “At its best, however, design can offer solutions to complex realities and serve as a tool to learn from and celebrate nature.”
“Our collaboration with Perrier-Jouët marks the first opportunity we’ve had to explore our interest in the life and behaviour of flora and fauna, and how design can enhance biodiversity. The challenge is to demonstrate that design can not only draw inspiration from nature but also contribute to its wellbeing.”
A gastronomical event during Design Miami will be hosted at Miami’s Fontainebleau hotel
It will be brought to life in an ecology themed dining experience, connecting the dots between design, nature, gastronomy and wine, taking place during Design Miami 2024, entitled The Banquet of Nature.
The dinner will be held at the Fontainebleau hotel on 3 December and features food by three Michelin star Chef Pierre Gagnaire and a specially-engineered soundscape by eco-acoustic composer David Monacchi.
It will be hosted by the Formafantasma designers and Perrier-Jouët culture and creative director Caroline Bianco.
The second phase of the project is a dining experience at Design Miami 2024
The soundscape is named Oecanthus and is made up of onsite recordings carried out over summer 2024 in Perrier-Jouët vineyards.
“Oecanthus by David Monacchi illustrates the importance of the species interconnections for restoring the integrity of biodiversity,” said Formafantasma.
All elements of the project are rooted in biodiversity
“Spurred by its heritage, Maison Perrier-Jouët encourages us to reflect the complexity of the living world,” said Caroline Bianco, Culture and Creative Director of Maison Perrier-Jouët.
“The project created by Formafantasma allows us to share widely the conditions of biodiversity in Champagne through an experience inviting us to discuss the importance of the environmental interconnectedness between species in order to better inhabit our world.”
Perrier-Jouët will be at Design Miami between 3 and 8 December 2024.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for Perrier-Jouët as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t understand why companies are so quick to throw away their entire brand heritage. Images of what seems like the new Jaguar EV have surfaced online just hours before the company officially launches the car, and merely days after its disastrous rebranding effort.
The rebrand came after Jaguar cryptically announced that they wouldn’t be producing any of their existing models following poor sales and zero profitability. When Jaguar formally revealed their new brand, they did so in perhaps the most unusual way possible – without revealing a single car alongside their new brand image. However, now images of their upcoming car have surfaced online, putting more ‘meat’ to their official rebrand. We now see what their new brand identity ACTUALLY translates to, how that new logo sits on their automobiles, and most importantly, whether we (as consumers) like it.
Design: Jaguar (JLR)
The images are fairly low-resolution, given that they were obtained via leaks. However, they still provide a very holistic view of what Jaguar’s vision for its EV future looks like. The car is officially shedding its old coat for something brand new, and let’s just say it feels very familiar. The sharp lines, the low-poly design, is highly reminiscent of the Cybertruck that was unveiled in 2019. This sharp design style tries to convey futurism and a rejection of the status quo – but there’s a slight problem.
When the Cybertruck rejected the status quo, it did so very meaningfully – by showing 5 different pickup truck brands and removing their logos. The point being that without their logos, they all look the same – something the Cybertruck was hoping to change with its radical redesign. With Jaguar, it’s completely different. The company has a rich history and had a very strong brand – these aren’t things to throw away. One could argue that their brand was struggling over the past few years with slowing sales, complaints from consumers that the brand wasn’t sufficiently up-to-date, and a very long, botched transition to electric vehicles. However, to throw away the very brand that people have had etched into their memory for something radically new seems like a massive gamble.
Objectively, the car feels a little confusing. The edgy design looks somewhat enticing, but the hot pink color does not. It’s a Jaguar, not a Pink Panther, after all. This bright colorway, aside from ‘objectively’ looking odd, completely alienates the company’s existing customer base, who bought Jaguars for their sheer power and raw predator energy. The new Jaguar looks like a caged animal being made to perform tricks instead of a car out in the wild.
These images are allegedly of the Jaguar Design Vision Concept – which means this car will never make it into production. It’s just a concept automobile designed to demonstrate what Jaguar’s ‘vision’ for its future cars are. Chances are their upcoming EVs will either lean heavily into this trend of flashy colors and polarizing design aesthetics, or Jaguar will gauge the reaction of its audience and correct course – even if it means ditching the fanfare of audacious colors and models for something that feels like an evolution… and not an outright rejection of its strong heritage.
These leaked images come from CocheSpias and Wilco Blok who took to Instagram to share the photos of the upcoming EV. Jaguar plans to officially unveil the new Jaguar Design Vision Concept at Miami Art Week starting today, with hopefully more details on their thought process as well as the car itself. I’m totally prepared to eat my words if the new EV boasts a stunning performance, a competitive range, or some features that truly make the car a luxury must-have. Until then, I’ll hold onto my opinion that the rebrand feels fairly out of touch as it tries to recreate the Cybertruck fervor without truly understanding it.
I’m really impressed with the tidy product design of this Mic Mini set, by drone manufacturer DJI. It’s a pair of wireless mics and a receiver all bundled in a charging case, which provides up to 48 hours of battery life.
The mics themselves are handsome sculpted and weigh just 10g each. They can be clipped onto clothing or attached magnetically. They’re noise-canceling, with two strength levels you can choose between.
Windscreens are included.
The mics can connect via Bluetooth to the company’s line of action cams.
Alternatively, you can plug the receiver into your DSLR’s hot shoe. There’s also an iPhone adapter, if that’s what you’re shooting with.
Dezeen Showroom: fine flecks of colour give a stylish, terrazzo-like appearance to the Micra tiles, created by Spanish brand Vives.
Micra is a large-format porcelain tile that is intended to fit equally well in both calm and exuberant interiors.
The Micra tiles have a subtle, terrazzo-like fleck to their otherwise solid colour
The aesthetic is based on coloured cement inlaid with tiny fragments of stone in different intensities, making for a visually textured surface that invites a closer look.
Micra is available in a select palette of whites, tans, greens and black, and designed to co-ordinate with other tiles in Vives’ range, including Genti, which combines delicate speckling with fine lines, and Zepto, with its contrastingly solid colour.
The large-format tiles come in hues including green
Vives considers Micra to be a versatile tile with a dual personality, offering either exaltation or restraint, depending on its application.
The tile comes in a wide range of sizes. A square mosaic option and decorative pieces are also available.
Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen’s huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.
Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.
Designed by Kirkland Fraser Moor, the Foxglove House is a home in rural Hertfordshire, and it is a unique one. The home incorporates habitats for birds and bees in its brick walls. Masonry waste from a builder’s yard was used to build different textures and habitats for the birds and bees. The family home includes four bedrooms, and it is located in the village of Wigginton. It has replaced an old stable block on the property.
The walls of the Foxglove House are arranged in an interesting zigzagging pattern around a central courtyard. A paved entrance route leads to the courtyard, which contains a seating area, wrapped by a glazed corridor that connects the various sections of the home. The zigzagging patterns of the walls have been designed to offer privacy.
“The design concept revolves around the development of a single-story courtyard plan form, a typology that has been used very successfully in almost all vernacular examples around the world but not so much in the UK,” said the studio.
The external walls of the home are constructed around a CLT frame and made using masonry waste. The bricks are shaped differently, and they work together to form textured and intriguing surfaces. These bricks and tiles serve as cozy nooks for bats, swifts, swallows, bees, and other flora to reside in.
“The random waste brick wall configuration was highly controlled by working closely with local craftspeople to create a unique piece of biophilic architecture that simultaneously provides abundant habitable spaces for bats, swifts, swallows,and bees as well as local flora,” said the studio. “The principle of waste reuse we have developed has now been adopted by the brickworks as a ‘variety mix’ product line available for purchase.”
The timber roof was left exposed, allowing it to overhand the external patios. The edges of the roof have been integrated with fascias of recycled patinated copper. The home is accompanied by a compact garage with a solar array on the roof. The solar panels tend to the home’s energy requirements in collaboration with another array on the ground.
While scaffolding is expected to remain around the landmark until 2028, the reopening on 7 December will allow the public to enter the building for the first time in five-and-a-half years.
The interiors of Notre-Dame cathedral have been revealed ahead of its reopening
In the images circulating on the internet, the most notable element of the restored cathedral interior is the sweeping, bright limestone walls.
Stains and soot from the fire have been removed, giving rise to a luminous cream-coloured finish that gives the space the feeling of lightness and airiness.
The walls are complemented by a polished black-and-white chequered floor, which forms a sleek backdrop to solid oak chairs and revamped stained-glass windows.
The most notable element is the bright limestone walls
Though not visible in the images, another major part of the restoration that has been completed is the wooden roof, which was lost entirely to the fire.
This has been recreated with French wood, hand-sawn and shaped with axes to emulate its original construction in the 13th century.
The spire is a replication of the 1859 version designed by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. It is crowned with the recreation of the original cross and a golden rooster, which have been designed by architect Philippe Villeneuve who is leading the renovation works.
Its spire has been recreated. Photo by Lizzie Crook
In a speech at Notre-Dame on Friday, the French president said the reopening “will be a shock of hope”.
“The shock of the reopening will, I want to believe, be as powerful as the one of the fire,” reported the BBC. “But it will be a shock of hope.”
As part of the restoration work, Notre Dame’s forecourt and the surrounding landscape are also being overhauled. Belgian architect Bas Smets will revive the square facing the cathedral and transform an abandoned underground car park beneath it into a visitor centre.
Main photo is by Stephane De Sakutin via Getty Images.
Local architectural studio Polysmiths has aimed to bring Mediterranean warmth to a London terraced house with a sequence of structural arches and a mottled lime plaster finish.
The studio revamped the existing three-bedroom house in the east London suburb of Wanstead to taking cues the client’s childhood home in Gibraltar with a sequence of arches as a nod to the mix of British, Spanish and Moorish architecture found on the peninsula.
Polysmiths has updated a home in London
“The client hoped to translate a Mediterranean atmosphere into the new home in London, without being kitsch or derivative, and a lush garden,” said Polysmiths director Charles Wu.
“We eventually settled on using structural arches that support the existing rear wall, and connect with the extension, and the garden beyond.”
Structural arches feature throughout the extension
The home had not been upgraded since the 1980s and had a dark corridor leading to back rooms and a large west-facing garden.
To bring more light and openness into the house Polysmiths added a 34-square-metre extension to its side and rear and redesigned its ground floor layout to create a series of interconnected spaces for living and working.
Lime-plastered walls, tiled floors and wooden joinery define the interior
The blockwork arches, designed in collaboration with structural engineer Techne Engineering also reduced demolition and construction waste and eliminated the need to put in costly ground beams, Wu explained.
In addition to the arch structures, the design also used a palette of natural materials influenced by Mediterranean, with lime plastering chosen to create a soft tone on the walls. Tiles were added to the floors and bespoke walnut joinery used to create a warm interior.
Above the new dining room, the architects added a semi-circular “oculus” skylight to let more light into the space, while floor-to-ceiling arched windows provide uninterrupted views over the garden and patio.
In the middle of the kitchen, a red travertine stone kitchen island with a vein-like texture creates a focal point for the house and a place to entertain guests.
Another key aim of the project was to make the client’s garden a “second living room”. Polysmiths created a wide brick patio looking out onto olive and fruit trees as well as draught-resilient plants such as Lavender, Gaura, Rosemary, and Kniphofia.
A semi-circular skylight illuminates the dining space
The extension was designed to work within the constraints of permitted development rights, meaning the studio did not need planning permission for the project.
The arched glazing for the new extension, and the material used on its exterior walls are all consistent with the original building.
The project also included a new bathroom added to the side extension, the renovation of the house’s entrance and a new staircase up to the upper floors.
What is the most important requirement for a good speaker? It should sound good, of course! No matter how beautiful a speaker is, it will remain just a useless decoration if it doesn’t sound well. That statement, however, almost sounds like (no pun intended) you have to choose one or the other, sounding good or looking good, when designing a speaker.
That may have been true in the distant past, but speakers today have stepped up to the challenge of satisfying not only audiophiles but design-savvy customers as well. We’ve seen it in speakers designed as actual home decorations, as well as in speakers that carry a peculiar charm, like this portable speaker that has the makings of a modern art object.
Speakers today come in all shapes and sizes to make an appeal to different people’s aesthetic tastes. A traditional box, however, is still the most space-efficient form for cramming hardware components, but it need not be as boring or lifeless as the speakers of old. In fact, just adding a tasteful splash of color can go a long way in bringing a design to life.
The Audio Pro T3+ Jepson edition is an example of that kind of design thinking. In terms of composition, it’s pretty much just a regular box with a carrying handle and minimal embellishments. Its defining trait is its playful use of colors. No blacks, silvers, or browns here, but patches of purple, green, and blue. Definitely not the hues you’d expect from professional audio equipment.
The speaker isn’t just all looks, though, as it bears the pedigree of the Audio Pro T3+ itself. It’s also a Bluetooth speaker with a rechargeable battery promising 12 to 13 hours of use, allowing you to bring your tunes anywhere and spark interest with its playful character.
Set against a plain white canvas that makes hues pop out more, the Audio Pro T3+ Jepson demonstrates how a simple addition of color can drastically change the mood of a product, from somber professional equipment to a cheerful companion. It doesn’t take too much work, but it does require some creative thinking and going against the flow to design an object that has an even bigger and more memorable impact without sacrificing functionality.
These simple coasters are hand dyed in NYC with natural indigo dye using remnant vegetable tanned leather from Japan. Once dyed they are treated with leather oil to maintain their sheen. Given the nature of the indigo dye and the batch of leather each coaster is unique, and while the ones you receive will be very similar they will not be identical to the ones shown in these images. Note that the indigo may rub off initially so you may want to avoid using on light colored surfaces, but they will settle in over time. The coasters are 3.5″ / 9cm in diameter.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
