Tag Archives: modular design

The replaceable heads of this minimal toothbrush are made from recycled thermoplastic!

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Clip is a new toothbrush concept made from recycled polypropylene with replaceable heads for when bristles fray.

There always comes the day when toothbrush bristles fray. If you use a standard manual toothbrush, then frayed bristles mean the whole toothbrush needs to be replaced. If you use an electric toothbrush, then the old toothbrush head can be traded in for a new, clean one.

Whichever toothbrush you prefer, replacing frayed bristles comes at a price. It’s costly, wasteful, and inconvenient. That’s why Edo Kim and Yeseul Kim, designers based out of London, designed Clip, a minimal toothbrush with a replaceable head.

Citing the high number of materials used to create conventional toothbrushes, Edo and Yeseul made sure to design Clip so that far fewer materials are needed for manufacturing. Made from recycled polypropylene, Clip takes on the traditional shape of manual toothbrushes.

Clip’s hollow unibody also remains intact over time and use due to polypropylene’s highly durable, long-lasting makeup. Compared to manual toothbrushes on the market, Edo and Yeseul decided to use far less plastic and nylon, replacing both materials with the recycled thermoplastic.

In doing so, the demand for energy used to manufacture plastic toothbrushes is lessened and less pollution is created as a result. When the bristles on Clip fray, users can swap out heads simply by popping out the old one and clicking the new head into place with a push-button locking mechanism. Since Clip’s unibody handle is made from such durable material, the actual toothbrush will last a long time and when the bristles on Clip’s head begin to fray, a new head can easily replace it.

Designers: Edo Kim and Yeseul Kim

Besides white, Clip would come in pastel shades of yellow, pink, green, and blue.

This modular shelf unit inspired by the architecture of Bangkok’s storefronts features scissor gates and accordion doors for prime storage!

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Tenement H is a modular cubby storage system inspired by the multifaceted facades of Bangkok shophouses, Tenement H features customizable barriers that range from scissor gates to accordion doors, shutters, and railings.

Tiny living is no easy feat for city dwellers. A lot of planning and organization goes into ensuring that you’re making the most out of the small space in your studio apartment. Many look to modular organizers to bring just the right amount of customization and storage capacity to their small city spaces. San Design, a design group based in Bangkok, created Tenement H, a modular organizer inspired by Thailand’s architecture, for 2021’s Bangkok Design Week’s Design Plant Exhibition.

Tenement H is a modular cubby storage system that reflects the exhibition’s ‘domestic’ theme. Inspired by the multifaceted facades of Bangkok shophouses, Tenement H features customizable barriers that range from scissor gates to accordion doors, shutters, and railings. Constructed from aluminum, Tenement H is modular and versatile by design, allowing access to the storage units from all sides and multifunctional as a semi-partition for your room as well. Coated in glossy optic white, scarlet red, and light blue, the modules of Tenement H mimic the color scheme of Bangkok’s city storefronts. Each unit can be configured according to what your space allows–for smaller spaces, Tenement H can be built up vertically while larger spaces would allow for a wider base.

Small city spaces require lots of primary planning and organization. As life goes on, our living spaces clutter with all of the things we pick up day-to-day. Modular organizers make for ideal vertical storage systems that take up a small amount of space while decluttering the rest of the room. Tenement H is a multifunctional storage unit that implements aspects of and reflects Bangkok’s cityscape in an ode to small city living.

Designer: San Design

Tenement H is built on an easy stacking system that allows for endless configurations and storage. 

Tenement H’s color scheme reflects the vibrancy of Bangkok’s storefronts and city centers. 

Each module comes with a different closing mechanism, ranging from scissor gates to accordion doors and shutters.

Scissor gates are a familiar sight for most storefronts and have a secure feel that makes storing items feel more secure.

These magnetic modular glasses with a hingeless design resolves the most common frame breakage problem!

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MagLeg is a pair of 3D-printed magnetic eyeglasses that allow for hingeless, unrestricted movement of the temples with an ergonomic design.

If you wear glasses, then you know the struggle of keeping them in one piece. All it takes is one wrong move and your glasses are squashed, scraped, or broken. The temples of glasses are especially notorious for breaking off at the hinges. The temples of glasses are flexible to point, but when they’re over flexed to fit larger head sizes, the hinges snap from too much tension. For designers Marc Sapetti and Arthur Carvalho Vieira, this is all too familiar, so they created MagLeg, a pair of 3D-printed magnetic eyeglasses that allow for hingeless, unrestricted movement of the temples with an ergonomic design.

Small magnets are embedded into the temples and rims of MagLeg to connect all the pieces together and these magnets curve upwards only slightly to ensure an upright fit. Sapetti and Carvalho Vieira set out to design a pair of eyeglasses that stands the test of time and wear, looking toward magnetic joinery to bring them there. Each pair of eyeglasses comes in three parts: the isolated frames and two temple legs. Embedding the tip of each temple with small magnets, they connect to each corner of the rims to form a single pair of glasses.

While MagLeg’s construction is unique and unlike any other pair of glasses on the market, their appearance remains inconspicuous. Magnets replace the hinges of traditional eyeglasses, allowing for unrestricted movement at the temples and rims. Following a thorough research period filled with interviews and trial periods, Sapetti and Carvalho Vieira took a human-centric approach in creating MagLeg. The designers note, “We noticed a gap in the glasses industry. These magnetic glasses were developed to address the lack of lasting glasses that also offer stylish design and human comfort. We used our experience from other segments like backpacks and industry-machines to come up with this innovative solution.”

The frames are produced in high volume following a plastic injection template or a 3D printmaking process that uses nylon material to create the eyewear. The designers followed a thorough period of research with trial runs of their eyeglasses on 3D-printed heads to ensure a comfortable, secure fit. Using these construction processes opens the door to customization work that might call for acute measurement adjustments or color changes. The magnetic and modular makeup of MagLeg also makes for easy and long-lasting maintenance, allowing users to reorder individual parts of their glasses instead of having to order an entirely new pair of frames.

Designers: Marc Sapetti and Arthur Carvalho Vieira

This tiny portable home fitness kit is the size of a water bottle and holds everything you need for a full-body workout!

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Even with gyms opening back up around the world, the home fitness industry has seen a total overhaul in design as a result of the pandemic. Prioritizing versatility and portability over bulky equipment and monthly memberships, the home fitness industry of today focuses on modular design and compact construction. Introducing their own pair of at-home workout kits, Stel Design unveiled AIIR, a portable exercise system designed for the era of accessibility.

Developed from a collaboration between personal trainers and product designers, AIIR was designed to reduce joint stress and promote healthy posture. Contained within an 8.5″ x 6″ travel case, AIIR Flow is the smaller of the two workout kits and comes with two durable, carbon-steel push-up bars so you can get an arm and chest workout anywhere. The push-up bars come with spring-loaded, folding supports that dislodge from and fold inside both ends of each handle for ultimate portability. The push-up bars pack down to the size of a water bottle and can support up to 300lbs when in use. Each handle was designed to be ergonomic and promote healthy posture through a slightly inclined and elevated build.

AIIR’s full-body workout kit called Line includes the same push-up bars that come with Flow, in addition to non-scratch floor sliders, door-mountable bands, and adjustable foot straps. While Flow focuses on developing the upper arm and chest, AIIR Line provides the necessary equipment for a full-body workout. Stored within an 8.5” x 6” x 2.5” travel case, AIIR Line’s push-up bars are also made from carbon steel to ensure durability, while the straps are woven from webbing that can support up to 350lbs.

Designer: AIIR x Stel Design

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All one might need for a full-body workout routine can be stored in one AIIR travel case.

The adjustable straps included with AIIR Line can hold up to 350lbs.

The push-up bars can withstand up to 300lbs.

The adjustable foot straps are also door mountable for more versatile workout routines.

The push-up bars’ folding supports make it easy to pack AIIR Flow down to the size of a water bottle for ultimate portability.

All the equipment included in AIIR Flow can be packed within its 8.5” x 6” x 2.5” travel case.

The push-up bars and adjustable foot straps can easily be stored away for workouts on the go.

The zipper travel case is compact enough to fit into any suitcase or carry-on.

The door-mountable foot straps can be adjusted in length to meet any height.

Floor sliders and push-up bars can be used at one time for a full-body workout.

These prefab cabins require zero assembly and unfold into shelters in case of emergencies!

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The modern world is overwhelmed with what feels like countless crises‒climate change, human displacement, and global pandemics begins a list that barely scrapes the surface. Architects and designers alike have been taking notice and utilizing their learned disciplines to provide relief. Entering the conversation around structural relief projects, Hariri & Hariri, a New York-based architecture firm founded by Iranian sisters Gisue and Mojgan Hariri, debuted their own solution: a prefabricated folding pod or cabin that doesn’t require hands-on assembly or the need for hardware or tools.

Modeled after the intricate paper folding art of Origami, the pod’s initial folded form can fit onto flatbed trucks for efficient and manageable shipping. Once positioned for assembly, the pod from Hariri & Hariri readily expands and unfolds to create a prefabricated and modular, single-story housing unit. Born out of a need for emergency shelter across the globe, the architects behind the pod note, “In the middle of a hurricane you don’t have time for a screwdriver.” With this in mind, the pod was designed to instantaneously unfold and build itself with the push of a button. Structured like a pop-up cardboard box, hinges and hidden panels strewn across the pod’s creases aid in the unit’s assembly process. Whether multiple emergency shelters are needed or if the pod is used as a luxury single home unit for a beachside vacation, the modular construction allows the pod to either be configured together with multiple pods to form community shelters or stand alone as a single prefabricated unit.

Hariri & Hariri developed the pod into one that leans on an affordable, transportable, and efficient design by giving it a lightweight and thin exterior build. Constructed with accessible building materials like glass and Equitone panels, the pod can be acquired and utilized by most countries across the globe in need of emergency shelters. The prefabricated pod boasts simple and speedy assembly and transportation processes, making it an ideal modular unit for any event from beachside couple retreats to crowded music events or even extreme emergencies that call for immediate shelter units.

Designer: Hariri & Hariri

When situated in clusters, the pod from Hariri & Hariri can create community-wide shelters in the case of emergencies.

Alternatively, the pod can make for the perfect beachside getaway, with an open-air layout and expansive windows.

The pod can also function as a luxury single-residency for longer vacations.

Inside, the pods are roomy and offer sweeping views of the outdoors.

This adaptable furniture system uses modular design to let you customize your storage and aesthetic

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We bring home new furniture pieces and desk accessories all the time and as our rooms fill up, the less storage space we have for new furniture. As we live in our homes, we want to buy furniture and appliances to help make our everyday life more efficient, but the more stuff we buy, the less space we have for actual living. In collaboration with Illumika, a team of designers based in Moscow created Furnicloud, a furniture system that helps to declutter busy living spaces through a modular and vertical design.

Furnicloud essentially functions as a system of aluminum rods that can be configured to attach different container modules and create more storage space. Composed primarily of boxes that come with lids and doors, the rods can be vertically placed in varying shapes for the boxes to attach to and fill. The boxes that come with Furnicloud come with drawers, doors, and shelves to optimize their storage capabilities. In addition to storage boxes, Furnicloud includes mirrors, lights, hangars, and other accessory-sized storage containers that can be strewn from the aluminum rods, stabilizing the furniture system as a whole. Constructed entirely from aluminum, Furnicloud comes in different shades, coats, and finishes, ensuring that each furniture system can be customized for each given living space.

As we move towards a more modernist, if not futurist, tomorrow, the world of design is taking cue with industrial and even brutalist design elements. Furnicloud wears an aluminum finish to adapt to any living space and the durable, stable quality of the furniture system adds to its industrial appeal.

Designer: Illumika

Furnicloud is built on a modular system made up of aluminum rods that carry different container modules.

The box modules can either come as closed boxes, or with drawers and doors.

Each module mounts onto the aluminum rods with ease following a simple latch and screw method.

The connection between rods and boxes is seamless.

Furnicloud also comes equipped with magnetized modules that can hold your keys and smaller accessories.

Small storage plates fill up the rod system with tiny storage options.

Made from aluminum, Furnicloud comes in array of different finishes and coats.

Furnicloud can be customized for any living space.

This LEGO-inspired modular planter upgrades vertical farming for gardening in tiny living spaces!

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In recent years, more people have been trying out gardening and harvesting their own vegetables for cooking and eating. While plenty of planter designs have been created specifically for small living spaces, many of them keep a pretty small size, not allowing for too many plants to grow at the same time. Lorenzo Vega, a designer based in Chile, designed his own interpretation of a modular planter and it leans on a modular structure inspired by LEGO building blocks so the vertical farm can always increase in size if your space allows for it.

Vega’s modular planter was designed to be a solution for vertical farming in small living spaces. Starting with a single modular cube, seeds can be planted and harvested using traditional planting methods, then another module can be positioned on top of the first cube, forming a link for additional planters to be added. Each modular planter comes as a dish with an accompanying cubic case that grants room for the crops and plants to grow and reach their full height. Inspired by the look and durability of Japanese metabolism and Social modernism architecture, Lorenzo Vega conceptualized his vertical farm to be stripped-down and clean by design. The sleek, simple finish of Vega’s modular planter echoes its intuitive usability and modular customization.

Stackable and modular product designs are a Godsend for those of us living in tiny spaces. Taking full advantage of the height in any given room opens the space up to many more interior design possibilities and grants access to hard-to-reach areas of the apartment that would otherwise remain unused. Vega’s modular planter was designed for a small space and that’s where it feels right at home.

Designer: Lorenzo Vega

Identical modules can be stacked on top of one another for vertical farming in tiny living spaces.

A cubic case slides right over the dish planter to allow the crops and plants to reach their full heights.

Additional modules can easily be joined together to form links around preceding cubes.

Notches on the planter lock into place with the sockets on the planter’s frame case.

Vega’s modular planter can be positioned either outdoors or indoors.

Vega took to architecture for inspiration, specifically Japanese metabolic and Social modernist structures.

This modular office solution fuses collaboration with privacy to create cubicles ideal for returning back to work!

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As parts of the world slowly open their doors back up to the public, offices are steadily following suit– eager to get back to the ‘old normal.’ As we re-enter office buildings and social hubs of which we haven’t been inside for over a year, many are holding tight onto COVID-19 protocols and mandates to ensure the health and wellness of those inside the building. With this in mind, Mexico City-based NOS Design Studio created Hug, a modular office solution that encourages collaboration, but not without the protective barriers and private working zones born out of necessity during the pandemic.

While the topic of normalcy is moot, this upcoming transition into what some might call a post-COVID world carries with it a fusion of design– the maximum occupancy number might be thrown out the window in some areas, but the plastic barriers might not. NOS Design’s Hug is a modular, collaborative office solution with a cubicle-inspired design that allows for face-to-face interaction and maintains privacy via plastic barriers that surround each module. Each individual module that comprises Hug can be put together to form round cubicles using a relatively simple assembly process. A single Hug cubicle is formed by attaching multi-layered panels to the module’s sofa base by using washers and nuts to connect each piece.

The sofa keeps a power unit in its center that functions as a sort of cornerstone for the rest of the module to assemble. Lumbar support panels and cushioned seats with underlying storage units border the power unit to form the cubicle’s bench. Then, a metallic frame rounds the perimeter of the bench, creating an exterior barrier consisting of privacy screens, as well as wooden and fabric panels. Attached to the bottom of each module, four wheels allow for the cubicles to be moved around office spaces wherever workers see fit. Workers can also configure each individual module into a shape that coincides with their specific collaborative process, allowing for modules to connect and grow with other modules to create new office environments.

Designer: NOS Design

Each Hug module forms a round cubicle, creating private work zones and protective barriers.

Each module can also function as a collaborative working zone.

Four wheels tread the bottom of Hug to allow movement around the office.

Power units function as each module’s cornerstone, forming the rest of the cubicle around them.

Different configurations can transform office spaces into totally new environments.

Each module consists of a sofa bench, wooden and fabric exterior panels, and a metal frame that adds support and stabilizes the panels.

Each component of Hug is put together using a system of nuts and washers.

Lumbar support panels add cushioned support for workers.

Depending on the office, each module can be customized with different exterior panels, such as wooden, fabric, and plastic panels.

Workers can configure Hug according to the collaborative space needed.

A power unit provides a place for workers to charge their phones and carry drinks, while a swinging table provides working space.

Shelving units and cork panels create spaces for workers to store their supplies and get creative with new ideas.

Beneath the benches, plenty of storage space can be found for bulkier items like briefcases and purses.

This modular bike storage solution is customizable and versatile fit for every city apartment!

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Owning a bike in a busy city brings with it its own set of responsibilities. You’ve got to have the best lock for street parking, learn the different traffic rules, and keep up with the maintenance of the bike to ensure its ride-ability. Owning a bike in a busy city is a dance you have to learn, but once you do it’ll be smooth riding ahead. The designers at Riders Gonna Ride know the dance well and have created Bike Box, a storage solution for bikes and their cyclists, to help make the ride that much smoother.

While Riders Gonna Ride is a lifestyle brand whose roots come from mountain biking, Bike Box is a storage solution designed for bikers everywhere– from the mountains to the city streets. Bike Box is modular by design and built from black CDF and beech wood to ensure a versatile, yet durable storage unit. Constructed like a storage unit for a professional locker room, Bike Box’s frame is built from CDF, or Compact Density Fibreboards, a highly compressed material often chosen for its water-resistant and long-lasting nature. The storage found on each Bike Box is made available through a peg and socket system of wooden pegs and accompanying sockets. When customized to hang your bike or orient shelving units, the pegs can be positioned however each bike owner sees fit.

There are currently five different storage units available from Riders Gonna Ride, each varying in size and storage capabilities. While the bike mount can either be mounted onto the Bike Box itself, it also can function as a wall mount to keep the Bike Box open to store supplementary bike accessories like helmets, sports gear, and carrying cases on the shelves that can be made through Bike Box’s modular setup.

Designer: Riders Gonna Ride

Following a peg-and-socket hanging method, bike owners can customize the storage unit’s configuration to hang all their gear.

By configuring the wooden pegs, bike owners can hang everything from helmets to their bikes, to street clothes.

With different sizes available, the Bike Box can fit into any city space.

While the larger units might take up more physical space, their storage capacity increases with size.

The bike mounts can either be installed right onto the Bike Box or the wall.

Small units come with enough room to store your bike and draw in most of its frame, while not taking up too much space in your apartment.

Shelving units can be configured through the bike’s modular design.

A modular lounge system designed for working from home and “homing from work”!

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Soufflé is a dynamic modular interior landscape capable of endless configurations for your flexible lifestyle and different needs. The bed/couch piece works for our rapidly changing world where workplace and home environments collide. Soufflé blends our work, life, and leisure modes into a singular, highly-customizable lounge system.

It challenges the status quo of what workplace and domestic furniture needs to be, what is should look like and how we use it. Initially designed for the studio’s own office space, the creators envisioned a seating system that would suit a variety of commercial settings – be it a sophisticated hotel lobby, retail destination or workplace breakout. At home, Soufflé can be pushed together into pit mode and instantly becomes the perfect spot for movie nights, reading, or naps. Fun fact: the cozy furniture piece its name from the collective noun for clouds which was key to tying all elements together in a way that felt light, approachable, and ever-changing. The Soufflé embodies these qualities through its infinite combinations, soft foam structure and fluid design language. Due to its high degree of modularity, individual pieces can be passed onto family and friends throughout a lifetime – and without any sharp edges or hard materials, it’s 100% child friendly.

The Soufflé also grows with its user: from a bijou studio apartment in your twenties, a family home in your fifties, to a bungalow in your eighties. Whether in isolation or composed into interesting arrangements, Soufflé’s sinuous backrest offsets its rectilinear forms, catching light and casting shadows that add to its playful block module form. Gotta get Soufflé now. Pun intended!

Designer: Foolscap Studio

souffle