Concept bike designs are one of the most interesting projects we come across on Behance. They can be amazingly detailed, utterly impractical, or just plain bizarre at times. We try acquaint all you motorheads with eye-popping rides that seem to have dropped right out of the Cyberpunk universe and the MK1 motorcycle is one of them.
This motorbike is a cool blend of a café racer, Moto GP bike and a drag racer. While it looks to be inspired by the Motocompo in some ways, the bike’s long wheelbase and low riding position give off typical café racer persona. At first glance, it seemed to me like a Motocompo on steroids.
Just like with all Motocompo versions and their knock-offs, the riding position is a bit awkward and the saddle is not going to be comfortable even for short city rides. The bike is powered by an electric drivetrain that’s concealed behind the body frame. Leaning more towards the front section, the ride is oriented for speedy straight-line stints. Pressure on the front tires is kept a bit lower on the front wheels as compared to the rear ones. This ensures maximum grip on the front, making it ideal for a drag race of a few hundred meters.
The front gets a contoured headlight which is a change from the original Motocompo bike. This makes the ride more oriented towards a café racer character if the rider wants to take it for a spin in the city. Driving modes on the bike can be changed via a turnable knob on the rear of the body, just where the knees of the rider would be in the riding position. Performing stoppies on the MK1 will be much easier due to the forward leaning position while going for a wheelie would require some muscle and special skill on the tarmac.
It gives Tiny Desk Concerts a run for their money!
They say that your creativity is probably the highest as a child, and the world introduces you to logic, practicality, and adulting through the years, diminishing that creative spirit. You spend years honing your skills, learning how to paint properly with the right technique, color theory, etc. and by the time you’re a master of your craft, you’re an adult who wasn’t as creative as your younger self. With music too, you spend years learning instruments instead of just expressing yourself, which is why the myTRACKS is such a remarkable little device. Designed to be a highly capable synth that’s good enough for even seasoned musicians, this tiny MIDI device introduces you to all the aspects of music-making, including melodies, filters, audio processing, sampling, looping, etc. It isn’t that tiny toy xylophone that we played with as kids – it’s the world’s first child-friendly music production studio that allows kids to intuitively express themselves musically.
Designer: Playtime Engineering
The myTRACKS isn’t your average kids’ toy. It’s a genuine groovebox – a miniature music production studio packed with features that would impress even seasoned musicians – but intuitively packaged in a design that’s kid-friendly and encourages curiosity. It boasts a built-in microphone for sampling sounds, just like the SK-1, but with a significant upgrade: 50 high-quality instrument sounds at their disposal. These sounds can be triggered by hitting any of the 25 pads, allowing kids to create rhythmic sequences and melodies with ease.
myTRACKS boasts an impressive collection of 48 instruments, from classic acoustic sounds like pianos and guitars to cutting-edge synthesizers perfect for crafting electronic music. But it doesn’t stop there. Built-in effects levers allow users to experiment with filters, delay, and pitch bend, adding texture and personality to their creations. This level of control goes beyond simply playing pre-programmed melodies – it opens the door to crafting unique sonic landscapes. You can make a simple piano melody sound ethereal with a touch of delay, or transform a basic synth line into a pulsating lead with a filter sweep.
The real magic lies in myTRACKS’ ability to record and arrange complete songs. Aspiring musicians can layer instruments and samples on the five-track studio, creating a dynamic composition. A dedicated drum track helps lay down a rhythmic foundation, perfect for creating anything from a driving beat to a laid-back groove. The colorfully lit play pads allow for recording custom melodies or rhythmic loops. This intuitive interface makes it easy to translate musical ideas into reality, fostering a sense of accomplishment and encouraging further exploration. Don’t have a piano in hand? No problem! myTRACKS allows you to sample any sound with the built-in microphone, turning a beatboxed rhythm or a household object into a unique musical element. Modify your samples with cool effects to create otherworldly sounds or recreate the ambiance of your favorite video game soundtrack. The bright purple levers on the side function as mod wheels, just like those found on professional synthesizers. These allow budding musicians to control and manipulate sounds in real-time – a feature any electronic music producer would appreciate.
myTRACKS isn’t afraid to break free from the stereotype of being a “kid’s toy.” The 5-pin MIDI Out port allows for seamless connection to external synthesizers, like the Blipblox, for even more creative possibilities. Imagine layering the warm sounds of a Blipblox analog synth over your myTRACKS composition, or using an external MIDI keyboard for more precise control over your melodies. Battery-powered portability with a built-in speaker means you can create music anywhere, whether it’s jamming with friends in the park or capturing inspiration on a camping trip. The universal USB-C port allows for power and sound pack upgrades, ensuring myTRACKS can grow alongside your musical ambitions. As you develop your skills and explore different genres, you can expand your sound library with additional instrument and effect packs, keeping your musical creations fresh and exciting.
Imagine the iconic Land Rover Defender, stripped down to its essence and transformed for a new adventure. That’s the playful concept explored by designers Antonio Pavento and Gabriele Molinari. Their project, the Defender 700 motorcycle, pushes the boundaries of design by injecting the spirit of a legendary SUV into the world of two wheels. The designers started with a bold question: could the Defender’s rugged yet refined character translate to a motorcycle? The resulting two-wheeler had pretty big boots to fill – it had to capture its inspiration’s rugged essence but condensed into a form factor small enough to fit between two wheels. Sure, you could make a two-wheeler look rugged – but a hallmark of Land Rover’s vehicles is their dominating, larger-than-life attitude…
Designers: Antonio Pavento & Gabriele Molinari
The key to their approach was identifying the motorcycle segment that best aligned with the Defender’s DNA. Adventure bikes, known for their off-road prowess and go-anywhere attitude, emerged as the perfect fit. This gave the designers a solid foundation on which to build their vision.
Next came the critical infusion of Defender details. The designers cleverly incorporated the SUV’s signature broad wheel arches, a defining element that instantly evokes the Land Rover brand. These muscular arches were seamlessly integrated into the motorcycle’s design, setting the tone for a bold and purposeful aesthetic. But the designers didn’t stop there. They understood the importance of striking a balance between heritage and modernity. To achieve this, they blended the tough, boxy shapes of the wheel arches with softer, more contemporary lines. This fusion created a visually striking “modern-retro” look, ensuring the motorcycle remained instantly recognizable as a Defender descendant.
The color scheme further cemented the connection. The designers opted for a two-tone approach, with a matte white fuel tank visually separated from the body. This mirrored the Land Rover’s ability to combine ruggedness with a touch of sophistication.
The Land Rover Defender’s headlights are a relatively understated element. In contrast, the designers envisioned a more prominent headlight for the motorcycle, one that would become a signature feature. This resulted in a unique, asymmetrical design. The main cylindrical unit housing the daytime running light is flanked by two smaller squares containing the high and low beams. This arrangement not only adds visual interest but also helps maintain a streamlined profile. The asymmetrical headlight serves a crucial purpose. It disrupts the inherent symmetry of the Defender SUV, injecting a dose of dynamism and individuality into the motorcycle. This design choice ensures the Defender 700 stands out as a distinct creation, not a mere replica.
After a long pause during the pandemic, SVA Made in Yame returns with its unique opportunity to study traditional craft in Japan and present product ideas to the MoMA Design Store for production. Open to students and design professionals, the program covers a dozen crafts and immerses you in the food, culture and countryside of Kyushu— Fukuoka City included!
It’s not cheap at $5k, but when you look at what’s included and the depth of programming, it is a pretty amazing opportunity. Check out the website at madeinyame.sva.edu and their instagram @svamadeinyame— you might see some familiar names have attended. But act soon… the enrollment deadline is April 1st.
Brooklyn architecture studio Peterson Rich Office has adapted an early-1900s Detroitchurch into The Shepherd arts centre, inserting contemporary art galleries into its nave and transept.
Peterson Rich Office‘s (PRO) conversion of the original Romanesque-style Good Shepherd Church was based on a desire to keep the “integrity” of its structure intact while creating a performance space, library and two white cube galleries throughout the interior. It is part of the Little Village redevelopment project in the city’s East Village.
Peterson Rich Office has transformed a 1900s Detroit church into a contemporary art gallery
“PRO’s adaptive reuse of the church focused on keeping the integrity of the original architecture intact, while strategically inserting elements into the space to both introduce new programming and to allow for new ways to experience the historic building,” said the studio.
The studio removed the “ritual elements of the congregation” from the church’s centre and inserted a square gallery unit topped with a mezzanine along the church’s nave, which visitors pass through as they enter.
The project is the “anchor” of a wider arts and culture development in the area
Tucked just in front of this first gallery space, PRO created a brown-painted steel spiral staircase, which leads up to the mezzanine that will host additional programming.
“A new arched-shaped rounded steel staircase rises in front of one of the original stained glass windows,” said the studio.
“The stair is clearly contemporary in its materials, construction, and detailing, but has a formal resonance with the existing arches throughout the building.”
The studio integrated a performance space, library, and two galleries into the existing church
On the interior ceiling of the gallery, an oculus rises through the ceiling to look up at the church’s barrel-vaulted ceiling.
This gallery creates a direct view from the church’s entrance to the remaining central altar, which was left open for performances and larger installations.
It sought to integrate contemporary materials and design while keeping the original “integrity” of the church intact
On one arm of the structure’s cross, a space was created for the East Village Arts Library, a branch of the Black Art Library. It houses monographs, exhibition catalogues, children’s books and research materials centred around Black artists and movements.
These materials were housed in a long storage unit in front of the church’s original wooden confessionals, which PRO repurposed into audio listening booths.
It inserted two gallery units into the nave and transept of the church
The studio also inserted bookshelves into the confessionals to provide additional space for materials.
Wooden chairs and tables were placed in the area for visitors to use.
Both galleries feature an oculus at the centre
Across the East Village Arts Library, in the opposite transept, PRO inserted an additional gallery unit that mirrors the cube form of the gallery placed in the nave. An oculus was also placed at its centre.
Notches were removed from the corners of both galleries that face the church’s columns as “a playful gesture toward the existing architecture” said the studio.
A local library area was placed in another transept
PRO also paid homage to the original palette of the church by wrapping the top of galleries in the name brown metal used for the stairs.
“A band of metal wraps around the top of the galleries, continuing the datum line of the surrounding ornate cornicing, similar in material and tone but still reading as something different,” said the studio.
Both galleries were finished in a textured plaster.
Warm-toned lighting was integrated throughout the larger church to highlight architectural features, while a cool, even light was used for the interior of the galleries.
A mezzanine on top of the nave gallery will host additional programming
The church’s exterior was kept largely unchanged, save for the introduction of a “thin, illuminated metal shroud” spanning a central arch as a subtle nod to its new use.
The conversion is part of the wider Little Village development spearheaded by the art institution Library Street Collective, which will encompass several cultural buildings and outdoor areas.
The Shepherd is located on a corner of 3.75 acre (1.5 hectre) Little Village site and will act as an “anchor” for the wider development.
The Little Village project also includes a Tony Hawk and McArthur Binion-designed public skatepark, a bed and breakfast designed by local studio Rossetti, culinary arts spaces and a restaurant housed in converted homes by local studio Undecorated and a bar housed in a former garage.
Photography is by Jason Keen courtesy of the Library Street Collective
Architect: Peterson Rich Office PRO project team: Nathan Rich, Miriam Peterson, Amber Farrow, Alex Bodkin, Ben Hochberg, Varoon Kelekar, Martin Carillo, Peik Shelton General contractor: CIR Group Local architect: Ark-Tec LLC Structural engineer: Silman MEP engineer: Salas O’Brien Lighting consultant: Andy Watson Business development consultant: Above The Fold
There are a few accessories manufacturers that have scaled to become watchmakers. Defining the odds ADPT, creator of America-made nylon watch strap, has scaled up from there to the EDC gear for outdoors and now to a complete watch manufacturer. ADPT aka All Day Purpose and Terrain has collaborated with BOLDR Supply Co. to develop the Series 1 Dual Time watch that is the first timepiece with the ADPT name on the dial, while the partner’s name is engraved along the caseback rim to complete the branding on this sport and tool watch.
Wristwatches that are designed for an active lifestyle without really limiting the context to just one specific sport have an intriguing potential. Case in point the All Day, Purpose and Terrain Series 1 watch that is powered by the Seiko NH34 automatic movement that beats at a frequency of 21,600vph and has a power reserve of up to 41 hours.
The movement is not the biggest USP, it however lies in the layered dial where on a grid base you can find an independent 24-hour hand that can track the second time zone, and when needed in the wilderness, can be used as a compass to point North. Complementing the dial with a trio of colorful hands, aluminum inserts bisected to show day and night on a 24-hour scale, standard minute track, and points for use as a compass, is a 120-click unidirectional bezel of the watch.
ADPT Series 1 Dual-Time watch is crafted from titanium and measures 38mm in diameter. It has a slim, 13.8mm profile featuring a screw-down crown on the bottom half (at the 4 o’clock position). Under the flat sapphire crystal protecting the dial you can find the ADPT logo and water resistance marked at the 3 o’clock position. Further down at the 6 o’clock location is the date window that complements the dial color as well.
The watch boasts an interesting 200 meters of water resistance, which is possible with a solid screw-down titanium caseback. With all its appealing allure and material choice, the ADPT Series 1 Dual Time watch is made available in Aqua Berry and Mossy Shale colorways for $499 each. Certainly, in a competitive price point for its features, the Series 1 from ADPT comes paired to a US-made nylon strap ensuring all-day comfort for the user in various environments.
UK architecture studio Pearce+ and Canadian designer Joe Kalturnyk have created a temporary inflatable restaurant for subzero temperatures in Winnipeg, Canada.
The barrel-vaulted restaurant has space for 48 guests dining in temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius during the 10th annual RAW:almond fine dining food festival, which celebrates both Canadian cuisine and the harsh winter.
The temporary restaurant was designed by Pearce+
Each year, the food festival commissions the construction of a temporary structure that responds to its environment and incorporates sustainable reuse.
“[The shelter] mirrors the ethos of the food served within by minimizing waste, discovering elegance in simplicity, creatively celebrating local identity, and incorporating a global outlook,” said the team.
It featured a vaulted dining room
Pearce+, based in Herfordshire and London, constructed the 220-square metre (2,370-square foot) restaurant in just a few weeks, and it was in use for 22 days early in 2024.
The snow-surrounded structure had a cruciform plan with a 140-square metre (1,500-square foot) vaulted dining room that contained two linear tables.
Pearce+ developed custom inflatable panels
Employing a Diagrid framework, the vault was constructed from 18-meter-long, 15-millimetre reinforced steel bars.
“These bars were bundled in groups of three, with varying plywood spacers, to create exceptionally lightweight trusses,” the team said.
Interior diamond-shaped panels featured a reflective foil layer
The team – with the help of inflatable specialists at Inflate Ltd – developed custom inflatable panels that mitigated the potential pressure to decrease the cold temperature’s lower air density. It was stretched over the framework.
The diamond-shaped panels featured a gold-coloured foil layer that reflected heat into the space.
Festival goers entered through a smaller vaulted lobby tunnel
Along the ridge line, the gold panels were swapped with transparent ones, offering a view to the snowy sky.
The panels were connected with Velcro – rather than glue due to the extreme temporal variation – and were disassembled and stored for future uses.
Directly across from the entrance was the rectangular kitchen
Capping each end of the dining area were trapezoidal buttressing structures, designed to resist strong winds and offer emergency egress.
Festival goers entered through a smaller vaulted lobby tunnel at the centre of the plan. A gabled wooden vestibule transitioned into the dining area.
Directly behind the structure was the rectangular kitchen.
Separated by a small hallway, the kitchen was constructed with a Structurally Insulated Panels (SIP) flat-pack and outfitted with high-quality appliances.
Rectangular dining tables featured inside
The structure was meant to be a demonstration of ways to conserve space by utilising temporary structures.
“I think it’s necessary to start re-envisioning how we use space, for what and for how long,” said RAW:almond co-founder Joe Kalturnyk.
“In the beginning I was interested in seeing if you can temporarily build a city within a city – and what better way to test the idea than with food? RAW:almond was a huge leap – would people embrace the winter and eat outdoors? Would they do it on a frozen river? And ultimately, could we even pull this off?”
In 2015, the RAW:almond pop-up restaurant was constructed on the surface of a frozen river with an X-shaped plan lying over the connection between the Assiniboine and Red rivers.
The restaurant was designed for subzero temperatures
Also in Winnipeg, Canadian studio KPMB revealed a horticultural centre with a Fibonacci spiral roof.
RAW:almond 2024 took place from 24 January to 18 February. For more events, talks and exhibitions involving architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.
Project credits:
Project founders: Joe Kalturnyk & Mandel Hitzer Architect/designer: Pearce+ and Joe Kalturnyk Architect of record: AtLrg Architecture Project management: Joe Kalturnyk Structural engineers: Wolfrom Engineering Inflatable specialists: Inflate Visualisations: Pearce+ Construction: RAW:Almond team, Pearce+ and Hi-Rise
An industrial designer can’t be expected to imagine every offline consideration of what they design, right?
Think of those ultra-thin, presumably titanium eyeglasses that you picture Swiss architects wearing. Now imagine one of them puts it down on a patterned tablecloth or bedspread, like this:
Amusingly, that photo was posted by a Redditor with the caption “Couldn’t find my glasses for 3 hours – a task made even tougher by the fact that I wasn’t wearing my glasses SMH.”
(If you can’t find the glasses in the photo, imagine the image as being an unnumbered one-month calendar. The specs are in the neighborhood of the third day of the first week.)
The back of our phones is always visible to the people around us, which makes it the most expressive part of the smartphone. That’s why manufacturers spend a lot of time and resources on the design of the phone’s rear, using a variety of materials for the cover and designs for the camera. Those designs, however, are decided by companies and never change once production starts. They don’t always reflect the owner’s tastes, and definitely not all the time. Being able to change your phone’s “face” to fit your mood offers a lot of freedom of expression, and it all takes is putting a different emoji on top of your camera.
Designer: Yifan Hu
Smartphone cameras are becoming more powerful and with that power comes bigger enclosures. What were once just two eyes looking at you from the back of the phone has become a large circle that adds a face to those eyes. It’s just a metaphor, of course, but one that can actually be used to design a set of accessories that turn your mobile partner into some sidekick character, complete with a face and a personality.
These emoji-inspired accessories simply put a smiley or one of its comical variants on top of the camera circle of a smartphone. It takes advantage of how most of these cameras are designed, with two of the cameras placed side by side and near the top of the circle. It’s a perfect location for eyes and a face, one that perhaps more accurately expresses your own personality or just your mood for that day.
Of course, there are obvious limitations to this design, the biggest of which is how not all camera bumps are circular. And those that are circular aren’t always located in the middle of the phone, making it a bit awkward but not entirely unattractive to put an emoji in the corner. That said, this camera design is actually becoming more popular these days as manufacturers try to figure out the best location for the growing number and sizes of cameras on a phone.
There’s also the consideration that a smartphone might have more than just two cameras, and their locations might not perfectly align with a smiley face. That simply needs a bit of creativity to design around those restrictions, like adding mouths to the face or having asymmetrical eyes that convey even more facial expressions than a traditional smiley. It’s really a simple concept that goes a long way in adding fun to the smartphone experience, while still giving you the freedom to go back to a pristine and “normal” look from time to time.
I think this project illustrates the difficulties of trying to reconcile industrial design with social issues. Called Urin*alle, it was done by Leonie Roth and Luisa Tschumi while studying Industrial Design at Switzerland’s Basel Academy of Art and Design.
“Urin*alle is a waterless all-gender urinal that offers contactless use regardless of the genitalia.”
“The conventional design of toilets and urinals is not ergonomically adapted to people with vulvas and makes it difficult or uncomfortable for them to use public sanitary facilities. Urinals convince with their simple design, which enables fast and contactless urination. They save a large amount of water and enable nutrient reclamation through the separated collection of urine.”
“Following the principle “Form Follows Function,” the design has been adapted in height, angle and shape to the needs and ergonomics of the users. The front part offers contactless urination for people with a vulva; for people with a penis, the back part is provided, which is based on conventional men’s urinals.”
“With its smooth ceramic surface, urin*alle operates without the need for water, and used toilet paper can be disposed of in a separate waste bin. This not only saves valuable water, the separate collection of urine enables recovery of the finite raw material phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium, fundamental nutrients for plant growth. In addition, urin*alle requires significantly less care and maintenance than flush urinals.”
?”Urin*alle is intended to complement and not replace existing sanitary facilities. This project stimulates socio-political discussions, makes a significant contribution to gender equality and helps saving resources.”
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.
