Tag Archives: Futuristic Design

This circular screen could be the future of hotel and restaurant concierge

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The past two years really tested the systems we had in place, especially when it came to face-to-face interactions. Work that bosses said couldn’t be done at home was successfully accomplished at home, and transactions that used to be done on-site started to be handled online. There was also a trend in reducing the need for close contact to avoid the risks of transmitting airborne diseases, some of which may have proved to be more efficient after all. Those included processes like checking into hotels and restaurants, activities that could probably be done more efficiently with an automated system like this futuristic-looking screen that could be how the likes of Airbnb will do business someday.

Designer: Ivan Zhurba

Many futurists and visionaries paint the picture of a world filled with screens, most of them touch-enabled, that put almost everything that we need under our fingertips, figuratively and literally. Most of these seem to revolve around personal matters, like checking social media, working at the office, and similar. Of course, in such a future, even transactions like ordering food inside restaurants could be screen-centric, something that some venues are already adopting little by little today.

This concept puts that same screen-based interaction in the hospitality business, particularly as part of the hotel concierge. The idea is for guests to check themselves in using an easy-to-use interface on a large circular screen. The machine is quite stylish and would look at home in high-class hotels. A rod lamp “goes through” the display at an angle, providing not only illumination but also an interesting visual as well. It would use face recognition to verify the identity of guests and dispense access cards from a cylinder hanging from the side of the display.

This kind of concierge would probably be more applicable to services like Airbnb rather than large hotel chains with very precise systems and processes in place. Smaller businesses might not have enough resources and manpower to offer the same kind of experience that big hotels can, so such a machine could save them money over time. It also reduces the risks involved in having to meet people, providing some sense of security and privacy that is absent from home rental services.

At the same time, however, this kind of concierge could be seen as impersonal and cold, which is almost antithetical to what “hospitality” means. We’re definitely far from being able to rely on such technology completely, anyway, considering the current state of AI and face recognition. There’s definitely plenty of room for improvement, not to mention ways to keep that personal human touch even when you’re just talking to a screen.

The post This circular screen could be the future of hotel and restaurant concierge first appeared on Yanko Design.

This futuristic ferry terminal looks like an alien’s gantry and will begin construction in November 2022!

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The Chongqing Cuntan International Cruise Centre is an upcoming futuristic ferry terminal designed by MAD Architects for Chongqing near the Yangtze River.

Terminals and transportation centers are escapist by design, bringing us either to some bygone era or somewhere in the distant future. Take the TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport or the recently renovated King’s Cross Train Station—the former brings us back to the 60s, while the latter takes us to some crossover between the 1920s and the 21st century.

Still, early on in its conceptualization phase, the Chongqing Cuntan International Cruise Centre is an upcoming project from MAD Architects, that transforms an existing cargo terminal in Chongqing, China into a futuristic ferry terminal.

Created in collaboration with the China Academy of Building Research, the Chongqing Cuntan International Cruise Centre will be located on a 710,500 square-foot site in Chongqing, China near the Yangtze River. The completed structure will comprise six interconnected buildings that will rise above the ground, measuring 430 meters in length.

Designed with a surrealist edge, the Chongqing Cuntan International Cruise Centre will reflect the setting sun and golden hour with a curving orange aluminum exterior. Inside the ferry terminal, guests can enjoy plenty of retail spaces, restaurants, larger rooms described as “urban halls,” which will each be brightened with natural sunlight that pours in through numerous skylights and bounces off lush greenery throughout the terminal.

While construction is due to start in November 2022, the project will not reach completion until 2027. As the architects at MAD note, “We have designed the elevated buildings as if they were a futuristic, free-walking city, seemingly arriving here from elsewhere, and perhaps traveling elsewhere once again someday.

“Chongqing has mountains and waters. However, the Yangtze River is more than just a natural landscape in Chongqing. Because of human activities such as shipping traffic and industrial transport, this mountain city is also full of energy and movement.

“We want to transform this energy in Chongqing from traces of industry into energy that stimulates the imagination. People can feel the kinetic energy of the city here, but also imagine the public spaces of the future.”

Designer: MAD Architects

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This smart home is a modern living solution designed with fully autonomous utilities to help you live anywhere!

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The Space is a sustainable smart home with fully autonomous utilities that blend modern technology with new standards of comfort.

Every day advances in smart technology help redefine what it means to live in the modern world. Setting new standards for how we communicate, consume, and learn, smart technology brings us closer and closer to the future we envisioned back when we were dreaming of flying cars and jetpacks. Seeping into the home space, Stockholm-based iOhouse developed The Space, a sustainable smart home complete with fully integrated utilities that require nothing from “the grid.”

Completely autonomous by design, the utilities that comprise The Space only require a smartphone for operation. Including water, electricity, heating, and wifi, the designers from iOhouse outfitted The Space with all of the modern amenities one might need to live comfortably and free.

 

From the outside, The Space dons a sleek, futuristic facade that embraces an industrial tech look while staying close to nature with floor-to-ceiling windows. Inside, an open-floor layout keeps cozy with subdued tones of gray and unstained, natural wood flooring.

The Space generates electricity from a solar panel roof and generator that runs on a 220V electrical system. Then, an air heat pump and incorporated climate controls maintain the home’s interior temperatures during cold and hot seasons. Complete with a built-in water and sewer system, no matter where residents of The Space choose to live, clean water and plumbing are guaranteed.

Spurred by the freedom that modern technology can offer, iOhouse integrated smart technology into the very build of The Space so that homeowners can move anywhere and rest assured that their amenities won’t stay behind.

Designed for people who want to immerse their home lives in nature while staying close to modern technology, the creators behind The Space say, “Every detail – from the fittings and fixtures to the shape of the rooms – has been carefully considered and designed to maximize the comfort and the aesthetics of the home.”

Designer: iOhouse

The post This smart home is a modern living solution designed with fully autonomous utilities to help you live anywhere! first appeared on Yanko Design.

This futuristic mobile home comes with mechanical legs to traverse the remote terrain of alien planets

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Encho Enchev’s futuristic mobile home concept traverses rough terrain on mechanical legs that bring the home and its residents to even the wildest and most remote destinations of tomorrow.

The future is mobile. In recent years, mobile home designs have changed the way we approach work, living, and travel. Working from home and travel restrictions have inspired many of us to take on a more mobile lifestyle, allowing us to work on the road and travel as we please.

Born out of this collective movement towards mobility, designers across the world have issued their own interpretations of mobile homes and workspaces. Looking ahead to a more futuristic concept of mobility, 3D visual artist Encho Enchev designed a mobile home propped up on mechanical legs that can traverse all kinds of terrain to bring residents to remote and treacherous destinations.

Contained within a cubic frame, Enchev’s mobile home blends the utopian, sci-fi design elements of retro years with futuristic transportation capabilities to create a familiar space that treads new territory.

Supported by a collection of mechanical legs, the mobile home can either remain uplifted, an elevated distance from the ground, or descend from its raised height to merge with the ground.

The mechanical legs are nimble and fortified by a 5cm layer of non-slippery rubber and two deployable spikes on the bottom of each leg, assuring each step the mobile home takes is bolted by some guaranteed friction. Enchev also equipped his mobile home with four deployable harpoons that provide additional support for the mobile home to remain in place even on rough terrain.

Inside, Enchev hoped to achieve a modern and high-tech layout through curved design elements and pops of colors against an otherwise white interior. Finding inspiration in the potential of future architecture, Enchev outfitted the mobile home’s windows with smart glass technology that would function like invisible blackout curtains.

Filled with plenty of household appliances like automated furniture and smart technology, Enchev’s mobile home is all about convenience at the end of the day. While the inside of Enchev’s mobile home is boiling over with futuristic technologies, the living space’s interior design screams the timeless utopian aesthetic that was born circa 1960, when The Jetsons and Star Trek seemed to think of everything the future might hold.

Designer: Encho Enchev

Throughout the home, Enchev incorporated smart technology to bring home into the future. 

Integrated storage space, water tanks, and power cells ensure residents can live off-grid comfortably in Enchev’s mobile home.

Enchev’s mobile home could be stationed anywhere in the world.

Propped up by mechanical legs, the futuristic mobile home can even rise between mountain gorges.

From the desert to the plains, from the mountains to the lakes, the futuristic mobile home redefines the mobile lifestyle.

The post This futuristic mobile home comes with mechanical legs to traverse the remote terrain of alien planets first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Polestar-inspired aircraft mobility design features a built-in greenhouse to resolve deforestation issues!

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The Polestar Forest Air Mobility concept is an aircraft concept from Pan Ziheng that has its own greenhouse to work in an environmental solution for modern deforestation issues while bridging a human need for mobility with today’s COVID-19 health and safety concerns.

Social distancing is one of the many ‘new normals’ we’ve incorporated into our daily lives as a result of the pandemic. But while coffee lines enforce the six-foot rule, aircraft and public transportation services are now back to programmed scheduling, stuffing each vehicle wall-to-wall with passengers. To strike a balance between the natural need for mobility and travel with today’s health and social distancing concerns, Pan Ziheng developed a futuristic Forest Air Mobility concept that also attempts to tie in environmental solutions for modern deforestation issues.

Pan Ziheng’s Forest Air Mobility concept envisions separate capsules for two individual passengers aboard the aircraft. Each personal cabin is stationed far enough away from one another so that the aircraft’s passengers do not cross paths. Pan Ziheng felt inspired to conceptualize their Forest Air Mobility concept design after recognizing the parallels between humans comprising a society and trees forming a forest. Describing their concept design in their own words, Pan Ziheng says, “Just like trees, human beings need to live together to be a functional society just like forests. However, at the same time, we need our personal space. [My] forest concept wants to provide a solution to this problem: public air transportation where we can travel together yet can still have a personal space.”

Conceptualized around a forest called Polestar Forest, Pan Ziheng ideated that their aircraft would host a greenhouse that grows saplings to be planted in the Polestar Forest, enlarging its forested acreage and providing timber resources for the larger Polestar community. The carbon dioxide captured by the aircraft’s battery would filter through a carbon transfer tube to feed the plants inside the aircraft’s built-in greenhouse and store any excess. In time, the Polestar Forest would stand as an emblem for the Polestar community, representing core sustainable values.

Designer: Pan Ziheng

Each passenger’s vessel is kept at a safe distance from one another to ensure responsible social distancing between aircraft personnel.

A carbon dioxide transfer tube stores and converts carbon dioxide to feed the plant life inside the greenhouse. The vertical rise of the Polestar Forest Air Mobility Concept is futuristic in and of itself.

Bentley Limousine gets a sleek transparent roof to be your ride for life’s momentous events

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Bentley takes pride in being one of the few manufacturers that hand-make their cars. But you probably already know that. So can you hazard a guess what in store for their future customers? Bentley plans to make the transition to plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles in 5 years from now. And finally, switch to battery electrics only by 2030. All this will happen while combining stunning design, exceptional craftsmanship, and thrilling performance, aligning with their century-old company policy.

With Bentley heading into new winds, the British marque will have new challenges maintaining its design heritage. It currently uses aluminum for its body panels which are painstakingly crafted by hand. And with it, the new materials will bring in new challenges. But we’re here to see what a future Bentley will look like, let the experts at Bentley figure out the technicalities of the manufacturing process. The concept behind this design, named Monument, is to rethink what defines an expensive automotive product. This clientele expects from this brand something unconventional, prestigious, and of course, the highest-end luxury market positioning. That is the reinterpretation of what could be a British limousine, a more relevant transition from classical tri-box segment towards new autonomous shuttles architecture.

As the luxury automotive market has evolved, we got rid of cheesy elements. Chrome has started to seem more flashy than expensive. Complex patterns that were made to justify the high price will no longer be needed in the future. Bentley is already a zero-emissions company at its Crewe factory and plans to be end-to-end carbon neutral by 2020. However, there will be multiple challenges to manufacture the new breed of vehicles. With large surfaces, fewer unique parts, and the ability to counter greenhouse emissions, this car will be a mechanical jewel. Aesthetically, this will be enhanced by its emphasized design lines.

The rear of the car is designed as a flat cut-out for aero efficiency. This will ensure a longer range with a single charge. The designer of this concept, Alexis Poncelet doesn’t seem to think the red LED stripes will survive the future trends. In the Monument, the tail light module works as a gauge that follows the braking intensity. This is in line with its semi-autonomous abilities and will help communicate with other cars on the road in a smart and elegant way. Honestly, these lights are the coolest things I’ve seen in a while.

Monument’s DNA is a dense and ghostly mass that merges walls and curvatures. The traditional shoulder topic is transferred into an evolutive side reflection that guides all the mass around rear occupants as a limo would. In its element, the Monument revises what our version of an iconic car should be like, carrying forward all the class and elegance of a limousine while giving it a futuristic look that will suit

Designer: Alexis Poncelet

Nokia Luna Net is a conceptual communication system that will let you connect to WiFi on the moon!

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Dear reader, it was my childhood dream to be an astronaut but I wear glasses and that was enough to disqualify me so I instead started to read, write, listen, watch everything space as an attempt to fill the vacuum of a crushed dream -yes, like the vacuum in space. Do what you will with that fun fact about me but, as a kid with a vivid imagination who was obsessed with space travel, the first thing that always came to mind was “how will I call my friends and family back home?” And now with NASA’s Artemis Program in motion to bring humans back on the Moon by 2024, that question has grown up into “what equipment do we need to make faster contact with Earth?” Enter Nokia Luna Net – a smart communication system!

NASA is cooperating with external companies to build the needed equipment for this mission. For this design, Nokia was kept in mind as the partner building the first-ever Moon internet solution which is scheduled to launch in 2022. It consists of one main unit, the lander, and three smaller nodes. The lander and nodes spread out over a specific area that will have the wireless connection and thus build a mesh communication network. The system will be transported via a rocket after which it will reach the moon independently. Luna Net is autonomous and therefore it can set itself up – now only if my Earth WiFi did that too. Thermogenerators will be used for the power supply as they can deal with the extreme temperatures and the long days/nights on the moon. These generators are able to produce electricity from drastic temperature differences (+172 degrees Celcius during the day and -123 degrees Celcius during the night) and store it in rechargeable batteries.

The lander and the nodes are all equipped with VR cameras and LiDAR sensors (Light Detection and Ranging sensors are a remote sensing method used to examine surfaces). This combination allows the system to generate 3D content with detail and depth which gives us a much more realistic understanding of the situation/information. It also has a 360-degree camera and screen set up which lets users on Earth see live images/data from the moon. Rieder explores the design beyond just hardware, the next generation of lunar surface communication should look into how people on Earth can experience and learn about space in a new way even if they don’t get the chance to go up in space…I am sure I am not alone, on this planet or in galaxies far far away.

Designer: Johannes Rieder

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Porsche’s sleek design language is the inspiration behind this futuristic work desk!

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Desks help define our workspaces. Following the pandemic’s toll on working conditions, desks have become the way we express our modes of working at home. Looking to the automobile marque Porsche for inspiration, Encho Enchev has recently debuted his 3D rendering where he conceptualized a desk design fit for the set of Star Trek with interwoven elements from Porsche strewn throughout.

Characterized by sleek fly-lines and smooth curves, Porsche is known for embedding their automobiles with the same sense of luxury that laps their front doors and grille. Enhancing the desk’s luxe design, Enchev integrated a capacitive sensor touch screen into the desk to control the main Dell computer desktop, functioning as both a keyboard and control panel. The Dell computer spans almost a quarter of the desk, jutting from its mainframe to lengthen the desktop’s screen width. Then additional control systems punctuate this desk from the future, including a touch mouse pad and what appears as an upright landline telephone in stainless steel.

His modern desk design curves into an L-shape, taking the traditional shape of desks that accommodate larger computer systems, snugly fitting into office spaces and den corners. Just beneath the working desktop area, the desk’s leg space is carved out for open room to move the legs and comfortably remain seated. Along the shorter end of the desk, automatic, soft-close drawers create storage space for workers while they’re seated at the desk. Rendered in iconic Porsche color schemes, this desk just came from the future for those who want to bring the marque’s iconic status into their home office.

Designer: Encho Enchev

Forming the shape of a curved L, this modern desk takes the shape of a traditional working desk accommodating a large desktop computer.

Taking inspiration from Porsche’s design language, Enchev designed a desk fit for the luxe marque.

Sleek and understated by design, this modern desk takes on warped corners and shadowed angles to bring it to the future.

Enchev outfitted each desk with a touch screen control panel, extended desktop display, touch mouse pad, and futuristic landline.

Soft-close drawers create storage options for workers throughout the day. A footstool extension also creates a place for workers to rest their feet.

Characterized by their iconic color schemes, Porsche’s design language fills out this modern desk design from the build to its paint job.

Black stained wood covers the desk’s surface, echoing Porsche’s black and white color patterns.

 

This futuristic modular light fixture is a chandelier you can assemble to suit your interiors!

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Even though we’ve been told not to look directly into bright lights, I promise you can’t stop gazing at this beautiful glowing fixture. When I came across the Scintilla X Crosset X Sheppard light collection, I felt like I had been transported into a dystopian future or a luxury spaceship. The design of the fixtures conveys a distinct, futuristic aesthetic with minimal design cues. The individual pieces look a bit like a cross between a diamond and an ice sculpture, two images that connate luxury in the eyes of the world.

A unique quality of this lighting fixture is the customization of its design. The images below show off different configurations of the Scintilla lights, which essentially create various shapes and silhouettes using one modular piece. The pieces can hang loosely like dangling icicles, attach as a halo shaped like a four-leaf-clover, or connect in other ways to suit your style and living space. Your only limitation is your imagination – take these individual shapes and create an artistic shape to give your space an eccentric look or use singular lights individually, creating spot/accent lights to create a cozy yet comfortable space.

The Scintilla fixture is so minimal, yet it is the first thing you notice when you walk into a room. Christmas is coming up right now and one thing is for sure, these lights are in my bucket list!

Designer: Max Leishman

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Finally, a 21st century power-assist upgrade for a modern-day electric cart!

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Of all the devices that human beings have invented to increase productivity, the humble but formidable handcart has hardly ever gotten an upgrade which keeps pace with the rest. We have had power drills and electric vehicles for years now, and ample new-age tools with plenty of variations to suit almost every need. However, the hand cart has hardly progressed in terms of functionality, safety, and ease of use. There have been a few electrical versions of the cart, but none comes close to the user-centric thoughtful design of this innovation that is the AIRCART. Designed by Kim Seungwoo and Im Minkyo at Naver Labs, the R&D arm of South Korean firm Naver Corporation, AIRCART is a modern take on a traditional transportation vehicle with a considerate infusion of design and technology that has made it the recipient of the prestigious iF Design Award.

Incorporating components of physical Human-Robot Interaction (pHRI) systems, the electronic motor assists the user in moving the cart by delivering power to the wheels as soon as the user pushes or pulls on the handle. The motor automatically increases its power giving the impression that the cart is gliding, even while carrying heavy loads. The handle comes with a force sensor that detects the user’s intent of pulling or pushing the cart and controls the movement accordingly by providing power in the right direction. Thus making the design very intuitive for human interaction with no added training to learn how to use the vehicle. What’s more, the cart also comes with an automatic braking system! The cart detects and automatically stops itself from moving freely when the user has left the handle. A great safety feature to have, especially while moving up or down a ramp or on any inclined surface. Oh, and it can carry up to 100 kilos easily! Now you can say goodbye to back pain whether you are moving luggage at an airport or doing your weekly groceries.

A common problem associated with any standard cart is that they block the view of the things lying ahead and this may lead to an accident. An estimated 530,494 children under the age of 15 were treated in the emergency department in the U.S. for shopping cart-related injuries between 1990 and 2011. AIRCART minimizes the front blindspot by designing a chamfered corner at the front. The users can thereby easily see if there’s sufficient space in front of the cart to prevent any potential collisions. OHS officers here’s looking at you! Another feature that proves the designer’s thoughtful mindset is the inward tilt of the loading shelves meant for books or other such objects so that they don’t fall out. That’s a handy feature to have while transporting lots of small items.

With an appealing aesthetic of coherent straight and diagonal lines and carefully defined curves, this cart is a feature-packed and an elegant device that is surely a leap forward into the future. And it’s not an industry-specific design! AIRCART can actually be used in factories, warehouses, and large bookstores and can surely cater to a much wider range of applications!

Designers: Kim Seungwoo and Im Minkyo of NAVER LABS