Tag Archives: Modular

LUV1 modular bike replaces your car for daily errands with 120L storage and swappable batteries

Posted on by

Most electric motorcycles still behave like motorcycles first and utility machines second. They chase performance numbers, oversized displays, or aggressive styling while ignoring a simple reality: most urban riders just want something practical enough to replace short car trips. The ANY LUV1 approaches the problem differently. Instead of behaving like a sportbike with batteries attached, it feels more like a compact urban tool designed around everyday life.

Created by Belgian startup ANY Mobility, LUV1 is sandwiched somewhere between an electric scooter, cargo bike, and lightweight motorcycle. The company calls it a “Life Utility Vehicle,” and the name makes sense once you look beyond the styling. Nearly every part of the vehicle revolves around usability, whether that means carrying groceries, office gear, camera equipment, or handling the kind of short-distance errands people usually default to using a car for.

Designer: ANY Mobility

That practicality starts with its packaging. The integrated cargo compartment offers 120 liters of storage, which is significantly more useful than the tiny under-seat compartments found on most scooters. It is large enough to carry shopping bags, delivery equipment, or a backpack and helmet without forcing riders to strap everything externally. Front and rear cargo racks expand that flexibility further, while configurable dividers allow owners to organize storage depending on the task at hand.

The modular approach is where the concept becomes genuinely interesting. Instead of locking owners into one fixed setup, the LUV1 can be customized with interchangeable body panels, seating layouts, storage accessories, and optional weather protection. One configuration can prioritize cargo hauling during the week while another leans toward casual commuting on weekends. It follows the same logic that made modular furniture and adaptable workspaces appealing: people increasingly want products that evolve with their routines rather than forcing routines around the product.

Visually, the bike avoids the exaggerated “future mobility” look many startups lean on. The clean bodywork and restrained surfacing come from Granstudio, the Italian design firm led by former Pininfarina design director Lowie Vermeersch. That design pedigree shows in the proportions and detailing. Even functional components like the storage compartments and structural frame feel integrated into the design rather than added as an afterthought.

Underneath the bodywork sits a modular aluminum chassis produced using high-pressure die-casting, a manufacturing method more commonly associated with larger automotive companies. The setup helps reduce complexity while providing the platform with enough flexibility to support various accessories and future configurations. Power comes from an 11 kW rear hub motor paired with dual swappable lithium-ion battery packs totaling 6.5 kWh. ANY Mobility claims a range of 68 to 87 miles, depending on use, while the top speed is rated at 62 mph, making the bike suitable for both dense city streets and suburban commuting. Charging the batteries through a standard 220V outlet reportedly takes under four hours.

The LUV1 also keeps accessibility in mind. It weighs around 352 pounds and features a relatively approachable 30.9-inch seat height, making low-speed maneuvering less intimidating for newer riders and shorter commuters alike. According to reports, the company expects pricing to fall between €7,000 and €10,000 (approximately $8,150 – $11,600) depending on configuration, and reservations have already opened ahead of production plans.

What makes the ANY LUV1 stand out is not raw performance or futuristic gimmicks, but how realistically it understands modern urban mobility. Most people are not looking for an electric motorcycle to replace weekend entertainment. They are looking for something convenient enough to replace unnecessary car usage, and the LUV1 feels designed precisely around that idea.

The post LUV1 modular bike replaces your car for daily errands with 120L storage and swappable batteries first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Handheld Concept Swaps Between Gamepad, D-Pad, and Keyboard

Posted on by

The retro handheld market has rarely been this crowded or creative. Manufacturers are shipping devices with sliding screens, dual-display clamshells, and rotating form factors, all competing for a growing nostalgia-driven audience. Yet for all that variety in hardware, the controls themselves rarely change. You get what you get, and if the layout doesn’t suit how you like to play, that’s not the manufacturer’s concern.

That’s the gap one Reddit user set out to address with the RG Modular, a fan-made concept that came shortly after the release of Anbernic’s RG Rotate. Rather than locking players into a single control layout, the concept centers on a core screen unit with swappable modules that slot into side and bottom rails. The game dictates the controller, not the other way around.

Designer: Snow (Snoo_6285)

At the center of the RG Modular is a 4-inch IPS display running at 1080×1080 pixels, a square format that works cleanly for both retro and modern titles. Android powers the device, offering full app access, proper sleep mode behavior, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless streaming, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack for when you’d rather keep the audio to yourself.

Blast through a library of classic arcade titles or beat-’em-ups, and the D-pad module is all you’d need. It’s compact, locks cleanly into the bottom rail, and keeps the whole assembly slim enough to hold comfortably in portrait mode. The result feels close to something from the original Game Boy era, scaled up just enough to feel substantial but still pocket-friendly enough to bring along.

Pop on the horizontal configuration for something more demanding, and the RG Modular begins to feel like a contemporary gaming device. A left module with a D-pad and analog stick snaps to one side, a right module with face buttons and a second stick clicks onto the other, and suddenly the same screen unit that ran retro arcade titles now handles 3D games and wirelessly streamed content.

Perhaps the most unexpected addition in the lineup is the QWERTY keyboard module. Swapped in for the standard controls, it nudges the device toward productivity, text entry, or emulating handheld systems that relied on keyboards. It signals that the concept isn’t purely about gaming, and that a modular form factor can cover considerably more ground than any one fixed layout could manage.

The post drew enthusiastic praise, but the community did raise practical questions. Some users noted that a D-pad-only module might leave the device feeling top-heavy, and the broader modular concept raises fair concerns about cost, connection point durability, and whether the rail system can stay snug through regular use.

It’s not the first attempt at a shape-changing handheld console, either, with the likes of the GAMEMET E5 and ONEXSUGAR testing the waters first. It’s worth noting that the RG Modular is only a concept, but concepts like this one carry weight in the retro handheld community. Manufacturers have also occasionally taken cues from what enthusiasts build, turning fan ideas into products people didn’t know they needed.

The post This Handheld Concept Swaps Between Gamepad, D-Pad, and Keyboard first appeared on Yanko Design.

10 Modular Sofas That Rearrange Like Furniture-Grade Lego

Posted on by

The sofa has always been the most consequential decision in a living room. It’s the largest piece, the one that dictates traffic flow, color direction, and whether guests feel welcome or squeezed. For a long time, it also came with a kind of finality: once it was in the room, that was that. One shape, one configuration, and very little room for second thoughts.

That’s changed considerably. The best modular sofas today don’t ask you to commit to a single layout. They expand, split apart, hide extra surfaces, wrap around awkward corners, or grow alongside a family over the years. Curved modular sectionals are tracking as one of the clearest furniture directions of 2026, and this list pulls together ten designs that show just how far the category has come.

Aura Sofa

Most modular sofas make their flexibility obvious, which isn’t always a compliment. The Aura Matrix Sofa by King Living is the exception, a curved modular sectional that looks less like a configurable system and more like a single, sculpted object. The pieces flow into each other so naturally that the seating arrangement feels designed rather than assembled, which is a harder thing to pull off than it sounds.

Designer: King Living

What makes it genuinely useful is that the same fluidity works in your favor when the room changes. The modules can follow a bay window, open up for a larger gathering, or pull inward for something more intimate, without ever looking like you just rearranged the furniture. For a room where aesthetics and flexibility both matter, this is the kind of modular sofa that doesn’t force a compromise.

Modular Sofa for Small Spaces, and Small Pets

Apartment living comes with constraints that most furniture brands still treat as the buyer’s problem. This modular sofa takes the opposite approach, designed specifically with compact floor plans and the reality of pet ownership in mind. The sections are scaled to fit tighter rooms without making the space feel overrun, and the layout includes thoughtful allowances for small animals that usually end up on the furniture anyway.

Designer: Sunriu

In a small apartment, furniture that serves more than one purpose without looking like it’s trying too hard earns its keep quickly. This modular sectional sofa manages that by being genuinely comfortable for people while still carving out a spot that a small dog or cat can claim. It’s a small distinction, but one that changes the dynamic of sharing a compact space with a pet considerably.

Silky

A modular sofa that brings its own coffee table along sounds like the kind of feature that gets mentioned once and forgotten in production. The Silky sofa takes it seriously, integrating the table directly into the sectional layout so it becomes part of the arrangement rather than an afterthought. The result is a modular sectional that does the work of two pieces without doubling the footprint.

Designer: Teixeira Design Studio

What that means in practice is a room that feels more composed and less cluttered with competing furniture. Drinks, books, remotes, and phones have somewhere to go without requiring a separate surface to be dragged over and moved again. For smaller living rooms, especially, reducing the number of objects you need to manage without sacrificing comfort is a quietly valuable thing.

Twiny

The Twiny sofa carries a similar idea but takes a more playful approach to hidden utility. Instead of making the table a visible part of the sectional layout, it tucks a surface away inside the sofa that can be pulled out when needed, including by kids who tend to find that kind of reveal irresistible. It’s furniture that has a little surprise built into it.

Designer: Nurettin Badur for Ziel Home Furnishing Technology Co., Ltd.

It matters more than it might seem in homes where the living room doubles as a play space, snack zone, and homework corner within the same afternoon. A modular couch that can quietly produce an extra surface without requiring anyone to drag something over from another room changes the flow of those moments in a small but meaningful way. The hidden table isn’t a novelty; it genuinely earns its place.

The Lounge Chair That Becomes a Sofa When Paired

Not everything on this list started out as a modular sofa. This particular design begins as a lounge chair, and it’s only when you put two of them together that they form a convincing two-seater. The premise is clever, not because it’s a novel trick but because it reframes modularity as a compositional question, asking what furniture should look like when you’re not ready to commit to a full sectional.

Designer: Liam de la Bedoyere

The option to split the seating into two independent chairs when you need floor space is genuinely useful in a studio or single-bedroom apartment. You can open the room for a workout, a gathering, or a change of scenery, then push them back together when you want more casual seating. It’s a flexible arrangement that doesn’t even look like a modular system.

The Crocs-Meets-Lego Modular Seating System

If Lego and Crocs had a furniture design meeting and somehow settled on Japanese minimalism as the shared aesthetic, the result might look something like this modular seating concept. The system is built around interlocking units that snap together in a way that makes rearranging the layout feel low-effort, treating configuration as part of the experience rather than a one-time decision you eventually regret.

Designer: Arman Farahmand

Furniture that invites rearrangement has a way of making a space feel more alive, especially for renters still figuring out how they want a room to work. The clean lines keep the system from looking like a children’s toy, but the assembly logic is approachable enough that adjusting the layout on a weekend doesn’t feel like a major undertaking. It changes with your mood.

The Accordion Sofa

Modularity usually describes what a sofa can do once it’s in the room. This design moves the conversation earlier, to the part that most furniture brands still treat as the buyer’s problem: getting it through the door. The accordion-compression mechanism lets the sofa collapse into a much smaller form for delivery, which sounds like a technical footnote until you’ve tried maneuvering a full sectional through a narrow hallway.

Designer: Yuqi Wang

For renters and frequent movers, a large sofa that can compress for transport removes one of the most consistent headaches that comes with furnished apartment living. There’s no need to wait for a professional delivery team or spend an afternoon dismantling something that wasn’t designed to be taken apart. Once it’s in the room, it opens back up and behaves like a normal sofa, which is the whole point.

Modular Couch for Waiting Spaces

Not every modular sofa belongs in a living room. This design was built for waiting areas, the kind of shared spaces that usually default to rigid rows of institutional seating and very little else. The modular system makes it possible to arrange the furniture into natural clusters, creating smaller pockets of space that feel more considered than the typical lineup of chairs bolted to a wall.

Designer: Sander Mulder

The emotional dimension matters as much as the spatial one here. Waiting rooms are rarely designed with comfort in mind, and the furniture usually makes that obvious. A modular seating system that allows for softer arrangements, varied orientations, and a more human scale changes the experience without requiring a full overhaul. It’s a quiet reminder that shared spaces don’t have to feel punishing to be in.

The Work-from-Home Modular Lounge System

Working from home still means managing the fact that the sofa tends to be many things in the same room: a desk-adjacent perch in the morning, a lunch spot at noon, and a proper lounge space by evening. This modular lounge system was designed around that reality, with sections that support upright sitting for work-mode postures and reconfigure into something more relaxed when the day winds down.

Designer: Foolscap Studio

The flexibility here doesn’t require the room to look like an office. The modular sections shift without dismantling anything, so moving between a work posture and a full lounge is quick enough to actually happen. For anyone whose living room has to serve double duty on a daily basis, that kind of seating system starts to feel less like an option and more like a given.

The Crib That Eventually Becomes a Couch

The most dramatic transformation on this list doesn’t involve flipping a sectional into a new shape or pulling a hidden surface out of a compartment. This design changes category entirely, starting as a crib and converting into a couch as the child grows out of it. It’s a long-game approach to furniture that most brands aren’t interested in, largely because selling two separate pieces is the easier model.

Designer: Vedran Erceg

Children outgrow nursery furniture fast, and most of it ends up in storage or a garage sale before it’s had much chance to earn its keep. A piece that moves from one stage of family life to another sidesteps that cycle almost entirely, which makes it more sustainable, more economical, and a smarter way to think about what furniture should actually do over the long run.

The post 10 Modular Sofas That Rearrange Like Furniture-Grade Lego first appeared on Yanko Design.

Konstantin Grcic Just Turned Scaffolding Poles Into Public Seating for €98

Posted on by

Temporary seating at public events, pop-ups, and outdoor markets rarely gets much design attention. Most options are folding chairs that feel flimsy, plastic stackers that hurt after ten minutes, or nothing at all, leaving people to lean against walls or perch on ledges. The infrastructure to support proper seating is usually already there, but nobody’s done much with it. Scaffolding poles, for instance, are practically everywhere.

That’s the thinking Konstantin Grcic builds on with THING_04, the latest from his Berlin-based label 25kg. It’s a rotationally moulded seat disc made from 100% post-industrial polypropylene, sized to clamp onto standard scaffolding poles. No floor anchors, no complicated assembly, no special tools required. Clip it on, and it’s ready to sit on. The simplicity is almost disarming for something that solves a problem you didn’t know had a solution.

Designer: Konstantin Grcic

At just 33cm x 33cm x 12cm and 2.1kg, THING_04 is light enough to carry in one hand to wherever you need it. Rotational moulding gives it a seamless, hollow shell tough enough for both indoor and outdoor conditions. Galvanized steel and stainless steel hardware handle the clamping, securing the disc firmly onto a pole without any permanent modifications to the structure it’s attached to.

Think of a weekend street market where vendors have already rigged up scaffolding overhead for shade or signage. THING_04 clips onto those poles and turns them into a row of seats for shoppers who’d otherwise be stuck standing. Or a pop-up event where the rigging doubles as a temporary grandstand. The design doesn’t ask the environment to change. It makes the most of what’s already there.

For spots that don’t have any scaffolding in place, there’s the THING_04.u. It comes as a set with a dedicated galvanized steel tubular frame, available with one seat or two. Grcic calls it raw, freestanding, territorial, which is a surprisingly apt description for a public seat that doesn’t need anything to lean on. A plaza, a lobby, a courtyard: it holds its own wherever you put it.

Then there’s the THING_04.x, which scales the concept into a full modular system. More seats, larger structures, and a wider range of configurations make it suitable for everything from temporary events to permanent public installations. It’s available to buy or rent, in predefined setups or custom arrangements on request. The kind of flexibility that event organizers and architects don’t typically expect from a single seating object.

THING_04 fits squarely into what 25kg was built for. The label is Grcic’s own platform for experimentation, where the brief is to start from raw, industrial materials and see how far design can stretch with minimal intervention. Each release is a THING built from these same principles: the stainless steel stool, the lava stone chair, and now this seat disc. None of them wastes a move.

The individual seat retails at €98, rotationally moulded in Germany to the standard the concept demands. It’s a fair price for a piece of seating you can clip onto a scaffolding pole at a pop-up, then carry to the next one. There are scaffolding poles on practically every street in European cities, and most of them have never had a seat to offer. THING_04 changes that.

The post Konstantin Grcic Just Turned Scaffolding Poles Into Public Seating for €98 first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Modular Teak and Aluminum Box Has a Lid That Folds Into a Table

Posted on by

The line between outdoor gear and everyday carry has never been blurrier. More people are treating their camping setups with the same discernment they’d bring to a wardrobe or a home office, hunting for things that work hard but also look intentional. The market has responded, and the range of portable gear sitting somewhere between rugged utility and refined object design has never been broader.

Unito, a Thailand-based brand, has positioned its Container 26L squarely in that territory. The box holds 26 liters of storage and comes loaded with teak wood accents, a foldable table lid, flip-out extension legs, a divider, and a soft pad, all in a full set that retails for $290. It’s built to adapt across environments rather than anchor itself to just one.

Designer: Unito

The choice of anodized aluminum for the body does a lot of the heavy lifting. The finish is more corrosion-resistant than bare metal and tougher than paint, which makes it well-suited for the kind of regular outdoor exposure that would start to wear down lesser materials. The silver anodized variant, in particular, has a clean industrial look that doesn’t try too hard and ages without embarrassing itself.

Teak handles sit on either side of the box, giving you a comfortable grip that reads differently against the metallic finish. The flip-out teak extension legs raise the container off the ground into a standing station. Unito supposedly sources the wood from managed plantation forests in Thailand, where the brand is made, addressing concerns about the choice of material.

The Snow 25L is the lid that ships with the box, but calling it just a lid undersells what it does. It’s a foldable aluminum table weighing 950 grams, and it’s also compatible with Snow Peak’s 25L crate, which broadens the system’s appeal considerably. Stack two containers, and each lid still opens independently, so access isn’t sacrificed in the name of keeping the stack looking neat.

On a campsite, the legs deploy, and the box becomes a prep station for gear, food, or brew equipment. The perforated aluminum body lets air circulate, which matters when you’re storing anything prone to trapping heat or moisture. The included divider helps section off the interior, and a built-in carry handle means you’re not scrambling for a grip when it’s time to pack up.

Back in the studio or at home, the same container holds art supplies, camera gear, or electronics with enough structure to keep things sorted rather than thrown together. The modular system lets you pair containers, add accessories, or use just the box and lid without the legs. It’s the kind of setup that rewards people who’ve thought carefully about their gear.

The post This Modular Teak and Aluminum Box Has a Lid That Folds Into a Table first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Modular Teak and Aluminum Box Has a Lid That Folds Into a Table

Posted on by

The line between outdoor gear and everyday carry has never been blurrier. More people are treating their camping setups with the same discernment they’d bring to a wardrobe or a home office, hunting for things that work hard but also look intentional. The market has responded, and the range of portable gear sitting somewhere between rugged utility and refined object design has never been broader.

Unito, a Thailand-based brand, has positioned its Container 26L squarely in that territory. The box holds 26 liters of storage and comes loaded with teak wood accents, a foldable table lid, flip-out extension legs, a divider, and a soft pad, all in a full set that retails for $290. It’s built to adapt across environments rather than anchor itself to just one.

Designer: Unito

The choice of anodized aluminum for the body does a lot of the heavy lifting. The finish is more corrosion-resistant than bare metal and tougher than paint, which makes it well-suited for the kind of regular outdoor exposure that would start to wear down lesser materials. The silver anodized variant, in particular, has a clean industrial look that doesn’t try too hard and ages without embarrassing itself.

Teak handles sit on either side of the box, giving you a comfortable grip that reads differently against the metallic finish. The flip-out teak extension legs raise the container off the ground into a standing station. Unito supposedly sources the wood from managed plantation forests in Thailand, where the brand is made, addressing concerns about the choice of material.

The Snow 25L is the lid that ships with the box, but calling it just a lid undersells what it does. It’s a foldable aluminum table weighing 950 grams, and it’s also compatible with Snow Peak’s 25L crate, which broadens the system’s appeal considerably. Stack two containers, and each lid still opens independently, so access isn’t sacrificed in the name of keeping the stack looking neat.

On a campsite, the legs deploy, and the box becomes a prep station for gear, food, or brew equipment. The perforated aluminum body lets air circulate, which matters when you’re storing anything prone to trapping heat or moisture. The included divider helps section off the interior, and a built-in carry handle means you’re not scrambling for a grip when it’s time to pack up.

Back in the studio or at home, the same container holds art supplies, camera gear, or electronics with enough structure to keep things sorted rather than thrown together. The modular system lets you pair containers, add accessories, or use just the box and lid without the legs. It’s the kind of setup that rewards people who’ve thought carefully about their gear.

The post This Modular Teak and Aluminum Box Has a Lid That Folds Into a Table first appeared on Yanko Design.

Framework Laptop 13 Pro arrives with major redesign, longer battery life, and touch display

Posted on by

Framework is known for a league of laptops that other manufacturers dare not. Six years in, and the company is pushing its boundaries, building laptops that are robust, high on performance, yet respect the consumers’ right, allowing them the option to repair, upgrade, and run the software of their choice.

For 2026, the modular computing company returns with Framework Laptop 13 Pro, a new and upgraded version of its current favorite repairable laptop – Laptop 13. “Framework Laptop 13 Pro is a complete ground-up redesign,” the company informs. Before we get into the details, this new laptop and wireless touchpad keyboard coming our way via the Framework [Next Gen] Event 2026 are, according to the company, built based on the direct feedback received from its fans.

Designer: Framework

Laptop 13 Pro comes pre-loaded with Ubuntu. Its major highlight is the massive leap in battery life and the new full CNC aluminum chassis, which is first for any Framework laptop. Like the Laptop 13, however, the new model is repairable, upgradable, and fully customizable. It comes with an Intel Core Ultra series processor paired with LPCAMM2 memory, a haptic touchpad, and a purpose-built power-optimized touchscreen display.

Framework says that the Laptop 13 Pro is its first system featuring a chassis machined from a single block of 6063 aluminum. The construction makes it robust yet ensures its lightweight. The 15.85 mm thick laptop only weighs 1.4 kg. It is currently available for preorder starting at $1,199 for the DIY edition. The pre-built device with complete configuration will set you back $1,499. The shipping is expected to start in June 2026.

Framework has really worked on the battery life of Laptop 13 Pro, particularly because battery life was the primary concern that came up in the feedback received from fans. The system has an enhanced battery to 74Wh (rated for up to 1000 cycles), which is 22% better than that of the predecessor. Powered by a 100W GaN Power Adapter, the fast-charging battery can last for up to 20 hours while streaming Netflix in 4K, Framework’s test reveals.

A major update here is the inclusion of Intel’s latest Core Ultra Series processors. Laptop 13 Pro is available in Core Ultra 5, Core Ultra X7, and Core Ultra X9 variants, which makes the device “insanely efficient,” with up to 16 cores of processing prowess. This processing power is paired with equally capable LPCAMM2 memory, which is a modular LPDDR5x RAM format that runs at speeds up to 7467 MT/s. Available in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities, it is replaceable and upgradable. For storage, the laptop features a PCIe Gen5 M.2 2280 slot. It supports up to 2TB Gen5 SSDs or larger Gen4 drives.

A great leap from the predecessor, the 13.5-inch touchscreen 2880×1920 resolution display of Laptop 13 Pro is also particularly interesting. It now packs within a redesigned bezel, which arrives sans the rounded corners. Provided with a 30-120Hz variable refresh rate, up to 700 nits brightness, and an anti-glare matte polarizer for better visibility in bright light, the display is paired– for the first time in a Framework laptop – with a Dolby Atmos-enabled audio system.

Framework Laptop 13 Pro with a haptic touchpad that uses piezo electric feedback, is backward compatible. Laptop 13 users can replace the innards (or even the chassis) without having to replace the system entirely. For connectivity, the new laptop features Wi-Fi 7 and the BE211 radio. It also has four Thunderbolt 4 ports.

The post Framework Laptop 13 Pro arrives with major redesign, longer battery life, and touch display first appeared on Yanko Design.

Edge clamp-on power strip brings desk-level charging exactly where you need it

Posted on by

We’ve spent years upgrading our desks with sleeker materials, smarter layouts, and better ergonomics. But somehow, the humble power strip has remained stuck in the past design ethos. It still lives on the floor, tangled in cables, collecting dust, and forcing you to awkwardly reach under the desk every time your laptop needs juice. Edge: A Clamp-On Modular Power Solution, feels like one of those ideas that makes you wonder why it didn’t exist sooner.

Instead of treating power as something hidden away, Edge brings it right to the desk’s edge, exactly where your hands already are. The shift sounds simple, but it completely changes the interaction. No more bending down, no more blindly searching for an empty socket, and no more dealing with cables stretching across the floor. It turns power into something immediate and accessible, almost like an extension of the workspace itself.

Designer: ChangZhou University

A worthy winner at the New York Product Design Awards, the product leans heavily into flexibility. Rather than locking you into a fixed setup, Edge follows an “add power anywhere” philosophy. You can clamp it wherever it feels right, move it when your setup changes, and adapt it to different desks without any tools. Whether it’s a home office, a shared workspace, or even a temporary setup, the system adjusts without friction. What makes the clamp particularly clever is its over-center, self-locking mechanism. As it closes, it passes a neutral point and locks into place, making it resistant to loosening over time. That matters more than it sounds, especially when you consider the constant push and pull of plugging in devices, cables tugging from different angles, or the occasional bump. The extended contact surfaces further stabilize the grip, reducing wobble and keeping everything firmly in place.

Functionally, Edge splits its eight outlets across two sides. Four sit on top for quick, everyday access, perfect for devices you’re constantly plugging in and out. The other four are tucked underneath, designed for chargers and connections that stay put. It’s a small but thoughtful detail that keeps the surface cleaner and prevents cables from turning into a visual mess. Lifting the power strip off the floor also solves a range of problems you might not immediately think of. It reduces exposure to spills, keeps it away from cleaning water, and eliminates the risk of stepping on it or snagging cables with your chair. The modular segmented body adds another layer of refinement, helping distribute stress while allowing the form to adapt across different desk setups.

I love the idea of Edge, as it simply repositions itself in a way that makes sense for how we work today. And in doing so, it transforms a neglected accessory into something that feels intentional and surprisingly satisfying to use.

The post Edge clamp-on power strip brings desk-level charging exactly where you need it first appeared on Yanko Design.

Desire Paths, Plywood, and a Stool That Gets It

Posted on by

Have you ever noticed the worn-down patches of grass in a park where people have chosen to walk instead of staying on the designated path? That’s a desire path, and urban planners have a complicated relationship with them. Some see them as a nuisance, proof that people refuse to follow the plan. Others see them as data, clear evidence that the original design missed something. Fabrício Reguelin Auler falls firmly in the second camp, and his Shortcut Stool is one of the more thoughtful pieces of furniture I’ve come across in a while.

The concept behind the Shortcut Stool (or Atalho Bench, as it’s also known) is deceptively simple: what if furniture was designed around the way people actually use it, rather than the way designers intended? That means acknowledging all the small, unconscious behaviors we exhibit at home. Sitting on the very edge of a stool instead of the center. Resting a bag on it before finding somewhere better. Perching on it for thirty seconds while tying a shoe. Using it as a surface for a glass of water when every other surface is occupied. None of this is “correct” use. And yet, all of it is completely normal.

Designer: Fabrício Reguelin Auler

This is where I think a lot of furniture falls short. Design, especially at the higher end of the market, tends to be prescriptive. There’s an implied right way to use a piece, and deviating from it can feel almost disrespectful. Reguelin Auler flips that thinking entirely. The Shortcut Stool doesn’t pretend that people will interact with it perfectly. It welcomes the imperfection, and that’s genuinely refreshing.

Materially, the piece holds its own. It’s made from marine pine plywood, assembled through a system of interlocking joints that require no screws, bolts, or complicated hardware. What holds it all together is tensioned sisal rope, and this is the detail that makes the whole thing click, visually and structurally. The rope isn’t decorative in the way that so many “natural element” additions can feel forced. It’s actually doing the work, reinforcing the structure while giving the stool a texture that you want to reach out and touch. It makes the design feel honest, which is appropriate given what the piece is trying to say.

The modular nature of it is worth mentioning too. Single units can be connected to form a longer bench configuration, which means the Shortcut Stool scales with need rather than requiring you to commit to one fixed form. The flat-pack assembly and disassembly is straightforward, making it easy to move, store, or reconfigure. It comes in natural pine as well as painted versions in a deep cobalt blue and a muted sage green, both of which look sharp in context. The blue one especially has a kind of confident visual energy that punches well above the stool’s modest size, which is something I didn’t expect from a plywood bench.

What strikes me most is how the Shortcut Stool manages to make a philosophical argument without being heavy-handed about it. It’s not a design that comes with a manifesto attached. You can simply look at it, use it, and decide it works. But if you sit with the concept for a moment, there’s a bigger idea underneath: that the gap between how objects are designed and how they’re actually lived with is rarely addressed honestly in product design. Most things are built for ideal conditions. This stool was built for real ones.

It also raises a question I keep returning to: how many products in our homes are quietly working against us because they were designed without accounting for how people actually behave in real time? The Shortcut Stool is a small answer to a larger problem, and I appreciate that it arrives without fanfare, just plywood, rope, and a clear point of view. Fabrício Reguelin Auler has made something that earns its place in a home not by demanding attention, but by already understanding you. That’s a rare quality in any object.

The post Desire Paths, Plywood, and a Stool That Gets It first appeared on Yanko Design.

GAMEMT E5 MODX handheld’s detachable control module can be connected to Magsafe phones

Posted on by

The craze for handhelds over the last 24 months has driven a surge in portable gaming consoles. We’ve seen it all, right from retro handheld devices to modern consoles that can handle AAA titles without breaking a sweat. GAMEMT has been in the thick of things with a Android handheld released last month and a unique portable console with a dial knob.

Now the Chinese manufacturer has revealed yet another handheld, which is an eye turner for sure. This is the E5 MODX console based on the original E5 released in 2024. The console has a removable modular display that can be connected to your MagSafe-compatible smartphone. It would be safe to say that the handheld draws inspiration from the MCON controller, but we haven’t seen a detachable-display handheld yet. Now, that’s downright cool.

Designer: GAMEMT

In its native form, the handheld looks and feels just like any other 3:4 display device. However, when you detach the 5.5″ screen (1024 x 768) and connect its controller module magnetically to a mobile phone, it turns into an altogether different beast. The gaming machine comes with the MTK6771 Helio P60 chipset, which is not that highly rated in the tech circles, given its inconsistent performance. Still, it’ll be interesting to see what GAMEMT has managed to achieve with this microchip in terms of hardware and software compatibility in the E5 MODX. The chipset is paired with a 3GB RAM for optimized performance, and 32 GB internal memory is more than enough to store the suite of AA games.

You can expect to emulate PS1 games, or the option to pair with the Dreamcast/N64/PS2 and GameCube emulation. Clearly, you would better explore the retro arcade game library with this one, to be honest. The real magic happens when you connect the device to your flagship smartphone, and the fun of playing AAA games is again real. For now, it is unclear whether the magnetically detachable accessory pairs via Bluetooth or works with the physical connection, and also for low latency.

According to GAMEMT, the first 3D prototype of the E5 Modx is in the works, and there is no word yet on when the handheld will be released. For now, the idea sounds very interesting, given the landscape of handheld consoles that gamers now can choose from.

The post GAMEMT E5 MODX handheld’s detachable control module can be connected to Magsafe phones first appeared on Yanko Design.