Because we naturally see things in front of us first, we often treat vision as the most important sense, often at the expense of others. We usually take our sense of hearing for granted even when our ears have played a part in our survival. Our sense of hearing can help us focus or distract us in ways that aren’t as obvious as visual stimuli, which is how the whole “white noise” fad grew.
In the same sense (no pun intended), we subconsciously develop memories based on the sounds we hear in the background, though not always in a good way. Noise pollution can sometimes overwhelm us, forcing us to tune out sounds at the risk of becoming disconnected from the present moment. This beautiful turntable-like device reclaims that lost experience by turning recorded sounds around us into an enchanting hum of a bell.
This speculative object is practically a slowly spinning meditation bowl bell mounted on a wall. That alone already gives it some decorative value, but its operation holds even deeper meaning. Every piece of the Sonic Heirloom has significance and a reference to the way sounds shape our memories. There is a puck, for example, whose purpose is to record the sounds happening around you as you go through your day and then place it inside the player using a frosted glass vitrine that symbolizes how hazy our memories can sometimes become.
Playing back the recording starts to spin the bowl-shaped bell like a turntable, brushing against a leather-covered player that acts like a record player arm. The bowl itself is made from reused tin and copper, bringing their own memories from their past uses while also creating tonal qualities that are as unique as our memories. The bowl will also develop a unique patina over time, creating fresh new memories of its own.
As the bowl turns and creates friction with the player, a resonating sound is produced, not unlike the meditative hum that this kind of bell is known for. It puts a unique spin on our subconscious memories as recorded both by our ears and the puck, turning them into an opportunity to practice mindfulness and maybe recall the delightful events of the day.
This year’s Design Miami was characterised by experimental work, but that wasn’t always the case at the fair, art-design duo the Haas Brothers tell Dezeen in this exclusive interview.
By embracing the avant-garde, galleries and designers at Design Miami have begun to carve out a style that blurs the boundaries between design and art, according to twins Simon and Nikolai Haas.
“It’s a total movement, and it’s very recognisable,” said Simon Haas. “In the last 10 years, the trajectory at Design Miami is clear – and that defines a movement.”
“I see the work at Design Miami as its own subset in the creative world,” added Nikolai Haas.
The Haas brothers are artists and designers based in California. Photo by Elio Tolot
“Design Miami was our first market and we’ve always pushed what can be shown there, to the point where one year we almost got kicked out of Design Miami because they said the work wasn’t ‘design’ – and, fair enough, it wasn’t,” said Nikolai Haas.
“We understood that pushing boundaries was a relevant conversation and now, the fact that the Nasher has commissioned five large-scale sculptures feels like a stamp of approval on the art side,” he added. “Now we’re moving in both directions.”
The Haas brothers showed The Strawberry Tree lighting fixture at Design Miami 2024. Photo by Kris Tamburello
For this year’s Design Miami collectible furniture fair in Miami Beach, the twins showcased a massive bronze tree on a stone pedestal, crowned with petals made from thousands of Venetian beads woven together by a group of craftspeople in California using a biophilic system devised by Simon Haas.
The piece was originally commissioned by the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, and represents, for the Haas Brothers, a “stamp of approval” for their aesthetic to move between art and design.
The pair say that their style has evolved alongside work that first coalesced at Design Miami a decade ago, taking advantage of the increasingly experimental nature of the fair.
“Decadent without being wasteful”
According to the designers, this experimental style pays homage to design tendencies while also embracing a playful approach to modern materials that have become more widespread.
“It’s using design as a jumping-off point to express yourself in the same way that you would express yourself with a painting,” said Simon Haas.
“And I don’t really see the difference, honestly, except that you get to live with and use the piece of art in this sphere, and that’s how I like to interact with art anyway.”
“I’ll say it’s decadent without being wasteful, like an ornate early-modern Italian house,” he added.
Having a function is often identified as the key distinguishing feature between design and art, but the Haas brothers seek to challenge conventional ideas of practical use.
“Cuteness is functional,” argued Simon Haas. “For example a baby is pretty difficult to deal with, and a puppy is hard to deal with. But the cuteness makes you want to take care of it.”
The Haas Brothers, who have backgrounds in design and carpentry, are known for their sculptural works that are often infused with colour and figurative.
Read on for the full, edited interview with the Haas Brothers:
Ben Dreith: This year you brought one of your works, The Strawberry Tree, from Nasher Sculpture Center into Design Miami. How does this represent a capstone moment in your attempts to bridge design and art?
Nikolai Haas: Design Miami was our first market, and we’ve always pushed what can be shown there. To the point where one year we almost got kicked out of Design Miami because they said the work wasn’t “design” – and, fair enough, it wasn’t. We understood that pushing boundaries was a relevant conversation and now, the fact that the Nasher has commissioned five large-scale sculptures feels like a stamp of approval on the art side. Now we’re moving in both directions.
Simon Haas: We missed being here too. When there was a risk of us getting kicked out of the fair, I will say that Design Miami championed us and made sure we stayed in. I think everyone together was very interested in creating a movement.
Ben Dreith: It’s funny, there is a street here that separates Design Miami from Art Basel, and it feels like you two are waltzing across it.
Nikolai Haas: Wherever the centre of our spectrum might be, Design Miami will always be the home base. It’s its own solar system.
Simon Haas: What’s cool about both of these fairs is they’re a testing ground for galleries. It’s experimental.
Ben Dreith: And by experimenting with the boundaries of art and design at Design Miami, do you think you and others have created a movement separate from “art” or “design” more generally?
Simon Haas: Exactly. It’s a total movement, and it’s very recognisable. In the last 10 years, the trajectory at Design Miami is clear – and that defines a movement.
Nikolai Haas: Design Miami has been around for 20 years. The first 10 were more about collectible, historical works. But now, the contemporary work has become so much more experimental. Everyone is in [Design Miami] saying “functional sculpture”. I understand the wording, call it whatever you want. However, I see the work at Design Miami as its own subset in the creative world.
Ben Dreith: What are some attributes of this movement you’re tracing?
Simon Haas: Paying homage to design, even if it’s abstract, while focusing on the emotional impact of a piece of furniture. It’s not pushing the boundary between art and design. It’s using design as a jumping-off point to express yourself in the same way that you would express yourself with a painting. And I don’t really see the difference, honestly, except that you get to live with and use the piece of art in this sphere, and that’s how I like to interact with art anyway. I’ll say it’s decadent without being wasteful, like an ornate early modern Italian house. It lasts.
Nikolai Haas: The work will last. We build with the front end as expensive as possible, in a way that will be absolutely impossible even in 2030. This happens all the time, for example, mid-century buildings used a lot of cast concrete but now this is considered a decadent thing, using so much concrete. This can’t ever exist again. For us, it’s about about capturing this moment and preserving it in the work. Everyone’s gonna look back at this and be like, ‘Wow that was a wild moment in time’. I do think it has a defining aesthetic, and the people here are riffing off of each other to further define it.
Simon Haas: If I were to make a comparison, I’d say it’s like Art Nouveau.
Ben Dreith: There is a lot of figurative work, which reminds me of the decadent work of the early 19th century. Do you really consider the work decadent?
Simon Haas: We’ve reached a place where we have the luxury of having had modernist materials for a long time now and now we get to play with them. For example, modern buildings today don’t have the same magic that the gorgeous modern steel structures had, because they were experimental then. I think now furniture design is entering a more experimental place, where we have access to every kind of material. It’s definitely decadent. But what’s nice about periods of decadence is that art and design flourish. If stuff gets tight then we can’t afford to build stuff in the same way. That’s what’s beautiful about design, to me, is that this spectrum. It’s not form versus function, it’s how flexible you can be with the spectrum of decadence.
Ben Dreith: Is there any one material that you’ve seen that’s driving some of the material experimentations you spoke about?
Simon Haas: I’d say YouTube, actually, because it’s not just the material, it’s the easy access to information and finding out how to make something. I have watched YouTube tutorials on how to crochet, and so now I crochet.
Ben Dreith: Many people would say that this work shouldn’t be considered design because it doesn’t function in a way that relates to everyday people. However, I often think that function can go beyond the body. Cross-culture exchange, for example, is a function of collaborative design at times. How do you think about function?
Simon Haas: Cuteness is functional, for example: a baby is pretty difficult to deal with, and a puppy is hard to deal with. But the cuteness makes you want to take care of it. So it’s serving a purpose. Beauty does the same thing. Sometimes we use function as a punchline.
Nikolai Haas: For the Strawberry Tree, the problem was creating work in a place that has no studio space by having a community in California help to assemble the complicated beadwork. We could send a tote bag with beads and string, and someone could use that and take it and make parts for us to assemble into something much larger. The function was to make work available in any place, at any time. We also try and make work to be engaged with. Now that we’ve been a part of it for a while, you start to see other artists that are striving to use function in their work, and they’re very inelegant at it, because they haven’t been doing it like the rest of us have.
Ben Dreith: In places like Design Miami and Art Basel, inaccessible from a financial point of view, the design/art divide seems most important to marketing.
Simon Haas: The market is the main definer. Function versus form comes up all the time, but the truth is, we don’t care all that much.
Ben Dreith: Who are some other people who define this movement and moment of design art? Maybe we can call it De-Art?
Simon Haas: I like that. I’d say, Mischa Kahn. Humans Since 1984 are good examples.
Nikolai Haas: Wendell Castle was a forefather of this. David Weissman, he’s more on the decorative side. Campana Brothers. And also the galleries, Southern Guild, Carpenters Workshop, Future Perfect, Fumi. They almost invented it out of thin air.
The top photo is by Magda Wosinska.
Design Miami took place from 3 to 8 December. For more global events in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.
For My ArchiSchool‘s annual Youth ArchiDesign Competition, this year’s edition is tasking children ages six to 17 to design a school village that facilitates learning and social interaction, containing two schools, a canteen and at least one garden with a sustainable farming area.
My ArchiSchool has announced the fourth annual Youth ArchiDesign Competition
My ArchiSchool said it believes empowering rather than shielding children with AI tools from a young age will empower them to be more creative.
The online submission period is open from 15 December 2024 to 28 February 2025, and it costs 750 Hong Kong dollars to enter. Children aged six to 10 will be entered into a junior group, and those aged 11 to 17 will enter the senior category.
Designboom managing editor of branded content, Tim Spears, will judge the entries on creativity, sustainability, buildability and presentation. The top 10 designs from each age group will be announced in an exhibition of works on 22 June 2025.
Entrants should use generative artificial intelligence to create their designs
My ArchiSchool is asking entrants to create their designs using generative artificial intelligence (AI), which it argues allows people to create more 2D and 3D designs without the need for expensive software and hardware.
“Why generative AI for students? Students can enjoy greater support for establishing their ideas and options through cloud-based computation,” said My ArchiSchool.
The competition is open to children ages six to 17
“For education purposes, generative AI removes the barriers between students and visualisation and production,” My ArchiSchool continued.
“It will help young designers to produce their artworks with affordable resources and present their ideas and artworks to a wider public.”
Entrants will design a school village with gardens
Although using AI for creative purposes can be controversial, My ArchiSchool argued that it encourages creativity in children when used as an additional tool to physical artistic practices.
“We have run rounds of trials with various software and plug-ins, and it came to my attention that students could actually enjoy the creative process of obtaining design options,” it said.
“Like Photoshop, it helps photographers and designers to enhance photos taken, although it cannot replace the enjoyment of doing traditional acrylic painting and alike.”
Now in its fourth edition, My ArchiSchool hopes the Youth ArchiDesign Competition will serve as a platform to showcase young designers in architecture.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for My ArchiSchool as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
We’ve all had those frantic moments—digging through bags, scrambling through drawers—only to come up empty-handed when it comes to finding a pen or pencil. It’s the kind of chaos that can derail a flash of inspiration or a quick jot-down of genius. Thanks to the comeback of paper notebooks and analog productivity systems, keeping a writing tool on hand is no longer an oddity but a badge of preparedness.
Yet most pencils and pens simply aren’t cut out for the job. Pencils snap under pressure, leads break, and mechanical ones need refilling like clockwork. But what if you could carry a writing instrument that never runs out, never needs sharpening, and never snaps—no matter how hard you push it or how unceremoniously you stash it? Enter the Pocket Everlasting Metal Pencil, a sleek, game-changing upgrade to your everyday carry that ensures you’re always ready when creativity strikes.
The pencil—despite being a timeless tool—has always been a bit high-maintenance. Whether it’s a traditional wood pencil or a fancy mechanical one, they all suffer from the same Achilles’ heel: they require constant sharpening, lead refills, or worse, breakage mid-thought. It’s enough to snap your train of thought in half while you scramble for sharpeners or spare leads, and stress levels rise with every scribble.
The Pocket Everlasting Metal Pencil redefines the writing experience by eliminating those weak spots entirely. At its core lies a revolutionary special alloy that mimics the properties of traditional graphite but without the fragility. It delivers the clean, expressive quality of a 2H pencil, so your writing feels natural and familiar, but here’s the kicker: it barely ever needs sharpening—or none at all. Gone are the days of dull points or broken leads disrupting your flow.
A Writing Tool That Goes Everywhere
At just 4.7 inches (120mm), this all-metal pencil is compact enough to slip effortlessly into your pocket or EDC toolkit. It’s the perfect balance between portability and comfort, never too short to cramp your style during extended note-taking sessions and never too long to feel cumbersome. Whether you’re brainstorming ideas at a café or sketching designs on the fly, this pencil is always at hand—ready to roll when you are.
Design That Does It All
True to its name, this everlasting pencil doesn’t just perform—it looks the part. The faceted metal barrel, finished with a tactile matte texture, feels premium in hand and guarantees a secure grip no matter how you hold it. That subtle texture isn’t just for show; it prevents the pencil from rolling off desks—because losing your tools mid-work session is the kind of drama no one needs.
And because details matter, it comes with a leather cap that’s as stylish as it is functional. Slide it over the tip and tuck the pencil safely in your pocket without worrying about stray marks on your clothes. It’s a small touch that makes this tool as easygoing as it is reliable.
The Pencil, Perfected
Whether you’re drafting designs, jotting down quick notes, or sketching the next big idea, the Pocket Everlasting Metal Pencil delivers a smooth, stress-free writing experience every time. It’s the tool you’ll reach for again and again—ready, reliable, and always sharp. It’s time to leave broken leads, dull tips, and endless sharpening behind. This is writing, redefined.
International design practice Aidia Studio has revitalised a sports complexin Oaxaca, Mexico, by constructing a new grandstand and locker room for a soccer field.
The 14-acre Deportivo Zanatepec was completed for a federal Secretariat of Agrarian, Land, and Urban Development (SEDATU) project in the municipality of Santo Domingo Zanatepec in Mexico’s Tehuantepec Isthmus.
Aidia Studio has completed a grandstand and locker room building for a sports complex
The design was informed by the context, incorporating earth tones into the concrete, filling the site with mango trees, and highlighting and replicating the angles of the Sierra Madre de Chiapa, the mountain range located west of the site.
“[We intended to] marry the earthy tones of the land, the lush colours of the fruit tree plantations and the inspiring mountainous backdrop with an architecture evoking site-specificity and to strike a balance between mass and lightness,” Aidia Studio told Dezeen.
The roof mirrors the angles of the surrounding mountain range
Adjacent to existing professional and practice soccer fields used by a local league, Aidia Studio constructed a 6,973-square metre (75,056-square foot) building with a heavy, pigmented concrete base and a lightweight metal shade structure.
Within the base, the ground floor includes two team locker rooms with direct access to the field, public restrooms, and concession areas. The concrete features multiple finishes: horizontal board-formed lines, stamped parquet blocks, and smooth benches.
The lightweight metal roof contrasts the heavy concrete base
A large portico runs along the east side of the ground floor, connecting service areas with pivoting doors and shading visitors with lattices made of parota wood slats.
Symmetrical sets of internal stairs and external ramps lead up to the grandstand that seats 400 spectators under a modular metal roof made of hyperbolic paraboloids that create design simplicity and formal expression.
“This geometric configuration provides rigidity and lightness at the same time, providing unobstructed views towards the soccer field in front and the basketball court in the back,” the team said.
“Our form finding process in this and other projects aims to marry aesthetics with performance, a continuation of the modernist project with today’s digital tools that allow us to iterate and optimize design options.”
Symmetrical sets of stairs and ramps lead up to the grandstand
The Tehuantepec Isthmus is one of the most intense seismic regions in Mexico, so the team took seismic resilience into the design of the roof with triangular-shaped trusses and diagonal bracing that allows “the roof reads as effortlessly hovering over the stand”.
White ironwork railings and gates correspond with the white roof structure, providing a light detail to juxtapose the heavy concrete.
The ground floor includes two team locker rooms, public restrooms and concession areas
In addition to the grandstand building, Aidia Studio added an access plaza, a 400-metre athletics track around the field, a one-kilometre perimeter running path, children’s play areas, and designated areas for calisthenic workouts.
Also in Oaxaca, Aidia Studio designed a community centre with a series of vaulted roofs and a diaphanous concrete block screen.
Following a similar parti for a concrete grandstand with a large awning structure, Centro de Colaboración Arquitectónica designed a baseball stadium in Jálpa de Mendez, but swapped the lightweight metal structure for monumental concrete umbrellas.
SEDATU has sponsored many community-oriented buildings throughout Mexico, including a number of buildings in northern and southern border towns by Colectivo C733, a multi-disciplinary studio that includes Mexican architect Gabriela Carillo.
The photography is courtesy of Aidia Studio.
Project credits:
Architects: AIDIA STUDIO Project directors: Rolando Rodriguez-Leal, Natalia Wrzask Lead architect: Jose Luis Mulás Project team: Nitze Magaña, Ernesto Pinto, Aranzazu Sánchez, Cecilia Simón, Rodrigo Wulf Structural Engineering: Project & Calc Client: SEDATU
Two pandemic-inspired trends that have lasted through 2024: Somewhat paradoxically, people are spending more time at home, as well as spending a lot of time outdoors. Here are the innovations we saw this year aimed at both of those environments.
In Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, these roller shutters are common. They resemble the rolldown gates urban American stores used to protect their businesses, but here the application is domestic, allowing homeowners to black out a room in seconds.
In a village in Canada, residents are used to visiting bears destroying their privacy fences. Some neighborhood kids devised this outside-of-the-box solution.
In the ever-evolving world of technology, 2024 has ushered in a wave of groundbreaking designs that push the boundaries of innovation and redefine our relationship with devices. From futuristic smartphones to compact computing solutions, this year’s tech landscape is rich with creative concepts that challenge conventional norms. In this 2024 Wrapped, we have curated five exceptional tech products that blew our minds this year.
Each tech product offers a unique perspective on functionality and design, showcasing the creativity and forward-thinking that drive the tech industry. Whether it’s a smartphone with an unconventional shape or a mini PC that fits in your pocket, these innovations promise to change how we interact with technology. Dive in!
1. Nokia Infinity Pro
The Nokia Infinity Pro Concept Phone transforms the smartphone design with a unique pill-shaped form, which challenges the conventional “candy bar” design. The device merges the elements of foldable clamshells and smartwatches, providing an ergonomic fit with its curvaceous shape.
The phone features a full-surface screen, which wraps around the front, creating an immersive display experience. The back features a dual-camera system and a circular display for notifications and control when placed face down. The concept isn’t simply about aesthetics, it also redefines functionality and ergonomics in smartphone design.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Nokia Infinity Pro demonstrates a bold departure from traditional smartphone designs. By eliminating sharp corners, it promises a more comfortable grip, addressing a common ergonomic issue. Its innovative screen design maximizes display area, enhancing user interaction. The dual camera and secondary display setup offer new ways to engage with the device, providing functionality without distraction. This concept represents a step forward in smartphone evolution, merging practicality with futuristic design, making its mark in 2024.
What we like
Ergonomic, corner-free design for comfortable handling.
Full-surface screen for an immersive display experience.
What we dislike
Potential concerns about grip and slipperiness.
Conceptual stage with unknown durability and feasibility.
2. Nothing Phone (3)
Called the Nothing Phone 3 Concept, this design showcases a creative leap in smartphone design. It redefines the brand’s iconic Glyph interface. It is designed by AndroidLe, and the Glyph’s G-shaped arc has been transformed into an O shape. It elegantly encircles the wireless charging coils.
The design also includes a revamped LED array around a new three-camera setup, which integrates a clover-meets-fidget-spinner aesthetic. The top-right glyph light, battery, and charging indicators remain intact. The concept successfully embodies Nothing’s commitment to consumer-focused innovation, and it maintains a distinctive visual identity that sets it apart.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Nothing Phone 3 Concept showcases a bold design evolution, demonstrating the brand’s dedication to consumer engagement and innovation. By reshaping the Glyph interface, it offers a fresh aesthetic while enhancing functionality, particularly around the camera system. As a visual exercise, this concept hints at exciting possibilities for future Nothing products, keeping the brand’s design trajectory intriguing and unpredictable, making it one of the groundbreaking designs we witnessed this year.
What we like
Innovative Glyph redesign enhances aesthetics and functionality.
Another tech revelation we witnessed in 2024 is the Philips Screeneo UL5 Smart Projector. The appliance is a worthy addition to our homes and entertainment arsenal. It is designed to be a budget-friendly ultra-short-throw projector that creates a captivating viewing experience without a TV. The projector measures over 8 inches long, 3.7 inches wide, and 3.4 inches tall.
It can project a 100-inch screen from 20 inches away, transforming any room into a mini-theater. It boasts Full HD 1080p resolution, and a vibrant color output, on account of a DLP chip and triple-laser light source. It creates budget-friendly movie experiences in the comfort of your own home.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Philips Screeneo UL5 Smart Projector offers an exceptional cinematic experience without breaking the bank. Its standout feature is the 0.23:1 ultra-short throw ratio, which allows it to project a large image from a short distance, making it ideal for compact living spaces. With automatic keystone correction and focus adjustment, setting up the projector is a breeze, letting users dive into their favorite content with ease.
What we like
Its compact size and ultra-short throw capability make it perfect for small spaces.
Comes with its operating system for streaming services, eliminating the need for extra devices.
What we dislike
Does not offer the 4K resolution found in higher-end models.
At 550 ANSI lumens, it might struggle in brightly lit environments.
4. Lunar Mini PC
Named the Lunar Mini PC, this design revolutionizes portable computing with its clever design. It is a foldable keyboard that holds a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 Processor. The compact device provides a complete PC experience in a portable form. It doesn’t include a built-in screen, thereby allowing users to connect to external displays for a tailored setup.
This solution saves battery life and aligns with modern work habits, where connectivity and flexibility are required. This mini PC is an excellent option for those who are often on the go. It gives them the power of a full-sized PC, and it will seamlessly fit into your routine, giving you access wherever you like.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Lunar Mini PC showcases an innovative design that merges portability with high performance. Its design caters to modern work styles, enabling seamless transitions between various environments and display setups. This mini PC is a game-changer for those seeking a powerful yet portable computing solution, making it a standout innovation in 2024’s tech landscape.
What we like
High-performance AMD Ryzen processor in a compact form.
Flexible connectivity with external displays enhances usability.
What we dislike
The lack of a built-in screen may not suit all users.
Requires external components for full functionality.
5. Google TV Streamer
Say hello to the Google TV Streamer! This is Chromecast’s successor, and Apple TV’s natural rival, and one of the designs that impressed us this year. It features a slanted top and a firm block base. The gadget showcases a minimal white color theme, distinguishing it from the small dongle Chromecast. It does maintain the Google TV branding though.
It is the latest 4K streaming device from Google, and it is great for your movie-watching marathons. It is paired with a remote led by a D-Pad on the top and the back, and a gray-colored home button. The volume buttons are on the front below the home button, and not on the side.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Google TV Streamer boasts a refreshed design and comes with an upgraded remote control. The new remote is longer than its predecessor the Chromecast, offering notable improvements in both design and tactile feel. The streaming box itself connects via two cables at the back, likely for power and HDMI connectivity.
What we like
Features a sleek, flat tabletop form factor.
Comes with enhanced and upgraded smart home controls.
What we dislike
Utilizes Wi-Fi 5, missing out on newer standards like Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7.
It carries a higher price tag compared to the Chromecast with Google TV.
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Tokyo has an interesting relationship with permanence. The megalopolis reinvents itself with clockwork regularity, yet certain institutions exist outside this cycle of perpetual renewal. The capital’s grand hotels fall firmly into this category—not because they don’t evolve (they do, constantly), but because they’ve mastered the art of remaining relevant while honoring their core purpose. The proof is in concrete and steel: The city’s finest properties trace an arc from 1915’s European influences through postwar modernism to today’s glass towers. Each era claimed its territory: pre-war survivors in Marunouchi’s diplomatic quarter, 1964 Olympic-era modernism in Toranomon’s business district, contemporary retreats crowning Akasaka’s new developments. The timing feels charged. As the Park Hyatt Tokyo—which defined vertical luxury in the 1990s—closes until late 2025, newcomers arrive with fresh perspectives. Aman spinoff Janu Tokyo brings social wellness, while 1 Hotel‘s hotly anticipated outpost promises sustainable luxury when it debuts in 2025. Yet established names maintain their edge by grasping what matters: preserving heritage while advancing service, honoring tradition while embracing change. In a city fixated on novelty, these properties prove that true luxury runs deeper than aesthetics and location.
The 2015 demolition of Hotel Okura’s emblematic lobby sparked international protest, with architecture devotees mourning modernism’s defining loss. Its 2019 rebirth emerged more resurrection than renovation, joining Leading Hotels of the World as one of its most distinguished properties. Under Yoshio Taniguchi, son of the original architect, the hotel’s 1962 masterwork lives again—from honey-hued paper lanterns to plum blossom-arranged furnishings. The $1 billion project divides into dual identities: a 17-story Okura Heritage Wing offering 140 rooms with steam saunas and traditional aesthetics, alongside the 41-story Prestige Tower’s 368 contemporary chambers. Original artifacts tell the hotel’s story: a 2,500-piece Asian art collection, vintage The Macallan bottles in the Orchid Bar, even the world clock’s LED display (now in muted blue rather than red) and those distinctive ringed-leaf door handles.
The world’s most expensive cocktail—a diamond-garnished martini at three million yen [around $19,500 on the day this was published]—headlines the bar menu at this Tokyo Midtown Tower aerie, but the real power moves are subtler as you ascend past the 45th floor. The hotel recently welcomed its redesigned Lobby Lounge, which serves afternoon tea on custom Arita porcelain from the same makers who once served Japan’s imperial court, while evenings spotlight the country’s craft gin boom with a roving cocktail cart. More telling: The Ritz lured chef Kei Kobayashi back from Paris, where he became the first Asian chef to earn three Michelin stars. His restaurant, Héritage, hits its first anniversary this January. Add a 22,000-square-foot wellness complex and that coveted Club Level, and you understand how this relative newcomer earned its spot among Tokyo’s old guard.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural DNA runs deep at the Imperial—most notably in the Frank Lloyd Wright Suite, the only one globally authorized to bear his name. The 2,303-square-foot space lifts design elements from Wright’s original 1923-1967 Imperial Hotel building, with views over Hibiya Park and the Palace gardens to match. Down in the Old Imperial Bar are more relics: Wright’s original counter and salvaged terra cotta from the hotel’s first century. The culinary program keeps pace, too. Imperial Viking Sal introduced Japan to the buffet concept in 1958 (hence “Viking” becoming local shorthand for buffet dining), while Les Saisons and Nadaman hold court among Tokyo’s power dining spots. The recent addition of Rendez-Vous AWA brings champagne bar culture into the mix.
Aman Tokyo, barely a decade old, channels an older strain of Japanese hospitality where discretion trumps flash. Kerry Hill’s ryokan-inspired sanctuary atop Otemachi Tower nails the pre-war luxury basics: handcrafted materials, measured service, absolute privacy, and large rooms. His composition of paper, stone, and camphor wood, topped by that monumental light-filtering ceiling, connects past and present without trying too hard. The 84 rooms frame views from Imperial Gardens to Mount Fuji—borrowed scenery updated for the 21st century. The 26,900-square-foot spa, Tokyo’s largest, reinterprets traditional onsen rituals with a suspended black basalt pool. At eight-seat Musashi, the chef’s house-grown rice speaks to Japan’s obsession with provenance. As Aman expands locally with Janu’s social wellness concept and 91 Yabu Pushelberg-designed residences, the flagship stays focused on what matters: craft, calm, and precision.
The Capitol Hotel Tokyu comes with pedigree. When architect Kengo Kuma reimagined the property—once home to the members’ only Hoshigaoka Saryo restaurant revered artist and gourmand Kitaoji Rosanjin—he created something distinctly neo-traditional. Japan’s only member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ Legend Collection reveals its DNA immediately: temple-inspired wooden beams in the two-story lobby, movable shoji screens in the 251 rooms offering a fresh take on space manipulation. The art collection impresses with works by 20th-century heavyweights like Toko Shinoda’s ink paintings and Sofu Teshigahara’s sculptures. From the sky-lit pool to the retro barbershop, it’s modern Japanese hospitality without the air quotes.
After a meticulous six-year revamp completed in 2012, this 1915 grande dame anchors Tokyo’s historic red-brick station building, crowned by restored domes that nearly disappeared in wartime. A separate entrance keeps Japan’s busiest railway hub at bay, while its Marunouchi location puts guests between the Imperial Palace and Ginza. The renovation enshrined its European bones—vaulted ceilings, chandeliers, generous public spaces—while modernizing 150 rooms and adding an underground onsen spa. The dome-view suites are the get, their arched windows overlooking those iconic cupolas. An audio-guided gallery tour fills in the backstory with railway artifacts and vintage photographs.
Opening in 1961 as the city’s first mixed-use hotel development, Palace Hotel made waves by wrapping its modernist facade in 1.6 million shigaraki tiles—winning the Building Contractors Society Prize in the process. After serving Tokyo’s elite for 50 years, they made a bold call in 2009: total rebuild from scratch. The 2012 rebirth worked, earning three “keys” from Michelin for extraordinary stays. Contemporary luxuries now lead—from Alain Ducasse’s Esterre to Japan’s only Evian spa—but carefully preserved touchstones maintain the thread: the original Royal Bar counter, the Chiyoda Suite’s ink wash painting, and those shigaraki tiles, repurposed throughout as quiet reminders of what came before.
For content creators and influencers, inspiration can strike at any moment. Whether it’s scribbling down ideas for a video script or perfecting that flat-lay shot, every tool on their desk plays a role. Yet, pens—simple, essential tools—have remained uninspired for decades. They’re practical, yes, but they rarely spark creativity or stand out visually in a workspace designed to impress.
This levitating pen breaks that mold, defying gravity and expectations to become more than just a writing tool. It’s a visual centerpiece, a fidget-worthy marvel, and a story-worthy addition to any creator’s setup. It transforms the mundane act of writing into an experience that feels futuristic, engaging, and effortlessly cool.
If you’ve ever seen content creators at work—livestreaming a brainstorming session, capturing aesthetic desk shots for Instagram, or filming their creative process—you’ll notice that every detail matters. Their tools are props, accessories, and functional companions rolled into one. This pen isn’t just for writing; it’s for spinning hypnotically during moments of creative block, floating elegantly mid-air as the camera rolls, or sitting weightlessly on a desk like it belongs to a sci-fi movie set.
The Levitating Pen 2.0: Cosmic Meteorite Edition achieves this stunning illusion through precision engineering. Inspired by iconic spacecraft designs like the USS Enterprise, its futuristic pedestal suspends the pen at a 23.5-degree angle, creating a gravity-defying effect that stops viewers in their tracks. A simple flick sets it spinning gracefully for up to 20 seconds, offering a calming escape and tactile satisfaction to keep busy minds focused and hands engaged.
At its core lies a piece of the cosmos itself. The genuine Muonionalusta meteorite tip is a tangible relic of space, over 20 million years older than Earth. Each meteorite tip undergoes a meticulous acid-etching process, revealing one-of-a-kind cosmic patterns that make every pen truly unique. A numbered certificate of authenticity accompanies each pen, celebrating its exclusivity and elevating it to collector’s status.
Its form, however, is just as impressive as its story. Precision-crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum, the unibody design offers a luxurious satin finish that feels smooth and balanced in your hand. Combined with D1 refill compatibility, this pen isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s a tool designed to last a lifetime. Smooth, German-engineered Schmidt ink cartridges ensure every stroke is flawless, free from spills or smudges, so your ideas flow effortlessly onto the page.
For creators, this isn’t just a pen—it’s a statement piece. Whether featured in close-up shots for YouTube, styled for a flat-lay photo, or quietly spinning during a livestream, it demands attention. Its futuristic design, combined with tangible cosmic history, turns it into more than just a writing tool. It’s a creativity-boosting catalyst, clearing mental clutter and sparking your next big idea.
The perfect gravity-defying pen isn’t just about writing down ideas—it’s about sparking them. It transforms the creative workspace into something extraordinary, reminding content creators and influencers that inspiration can come from anywhere—even a pen that floats.
Dubai ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has approved the Dubai Walk masterplan to add 6,500 kilometres of pedestrian walkways to the city, including an elevated air-conditioned looped path.
Aiming to transform Dubai into a pedestrian-friendly city by 2040, the masterplan will include a network of continuous paths designed to prioritise accessibility, safety and comfortable walking experiences.
Visualisations shared on X of the Dubai Walk masterplan show a ringed path named The Future Loop, which will feature 30,000 square metres of air-conditioned space and 30,000 square metres of shaded outdoor space for year-round walking.
ضمن خططنا لتطوير جودة الحياة في دبي، اعتمدنا اليوم مشروعا جديداً لتحويل دبي لمدينة صديقة للمشاة .. سيتم تطوير 3300 كم من المسارات الجديدة للمشاة .. وبناء 110 جسور وأنفاق خاصة بالمشاة …
ويتضمن المشروع الضخم – الذي يهدف أن يكون المشي جزءا من نمط الحياة في دبي وأسميناه “دبي ووك”… pic.twitter.com/XjPI2ZuFHy
A masterplan to add 6,500 kilometres of walkways to Dubai has been approved
Spanning two kilometres, the elevated walkway will connect the Museum of the Future, Dubai World Trade Centre, Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, and nearby metro stations.
The masterplan aims to build 3,300 kilometres of new paths and renovate 2,300 kilometres of existing walkways by 2040. An additional 900 kilometres of walkways will be constructed in the following years.
Cultural spaces in the city will be linked by public transport and cycling routes and 110 bridges and underpasses will also be built, aiming to improve connectivity and the quality of the built environment.
The Dubai Walk masterplan aligns with the Dubai’s Quality of Life Strategy 2033 and its 20-minute city goal for 2040, which plans to give 80 per cent of residents access to essential amenities in a 20-minute commute.
“Dubai is a city of the future, committed to creating a healthy and happy urban environment,” said Al Maktoum.
“The Dubai Walk masterplan promotes active lifestyles and provides exercise opportunities for all, making walking a central part of our culture and daily lives,” he continued.
“This vision will position Dubai as one of the world’s healthiest and most sustainable cities.”
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