This trailer gives the traditional bean design an upgrade for more comfortable off-road adventures!

Posted on 18/08/2021 by Chi Thukral

How many of us this year have felt the need to just pack up and live off-the-grid thanks to our new remote lifestyles? Well, I found you something that will make your dreams come true – meet Black Bean! This teardrop trailer is a limited edition design by a USA-based company and they have upgraded the traditional trailers for a comfortable off-road adventure.

The project takes shape as an upgraded gateway cabin covering more of the users’ demands than the previous series. This travel trailer provides more functionality including higher ground clearance, galley accessibility, more electrical power, and plenty of storage while offering a cozy interior design. Despite its name, the model comes in different colors, including light and basalt gray, white, olive green, black, or any custom color.

‘Blank Bean’ by bean trailer provides a very similar cabinet design to the previous trailers, but more capability for those who desire all-terrain adventures. The new model includes a bigger stove that slides in and out, a larger fridge with an ice-maker option, more countertop space, and a deeper sink with a set-in cutting board. Meanwhile, cooking outside is possible as the stove can be rotated and covered by the back door.

As for the interior, according to the customer’s request for more ‘warmth’, the designers have added some laminate options. A ceiling slat option clads the entire roof adding extra coziness to the cabin. Here, the designers attached more storage space including large upper drawers, as well as a surrounding cushion option, to facilitate the users’ accommodation.

The trailer has a newly designed fender with a stand-on capability, serving also as a step to reach the roof, where one can put a pop-up tent for extra sleeping space. Moreover, ‘black bean’ consists of a propane tank, a 68-liter fresh water tank, and an outdoor shower system with a water heater. A curved light leaf solar panel over the front window contributes additional backup in terms of charging up the batteries while protecting the windows from stones and debris.

Designer: Bean Trailer

You can easily make your own products out of recycled cardboard too, like the Olympic beds

Posted on 24/07/2021 by Sarang Sheth

The technique isn’t too different from making papier-mache products, and all you need is a set of molds to really compress the cardboard pulp, creating a robust, durable product.

The response around the ‘anti-sex’ Olympic beds has been pretty amusing if you ask me. Cardboard’s definitely got a really bad rap as a material, because of its ‘packaging’ status. Paper can actually be pretty durable and robust if you get your physics right (try whacking yourself on the head with a hard-bound book); something Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan even demonstrated by jumping up and down on the Olympic village beds to prove their durability. YouTube-based creator XYZAidan’s worked out his own way of recycling cardboard into durable products too, by shredding old corrugated board panels and turning them into a pulp, which he then proceeded to cast into 3D-printed molds. The result is a lot like engineered wood, except made from disintegrated cardboard instead of sawdust. It’s just as durable, and if your molds are designed properly, the end product can come out looking pretty clean and finished. You can check out the process video above, or scroll down to get access to the mold 3D files that XYZAidan made available on his Thingiverse page.

Creator: XYZAidan

If you’re familiar with how injection-molded plastic products are made, the process for working with cardboard pulp is rather similar. You’ve got liquidized raw materials that fit inside a mold, which helps form and compress the fluid mass into a tightly packed design. Once ready, the mold separates into its different parts, releasing the final product. XYZAidan started by first preparing his raw materials. Grabbing any cardboard he could find and finely shredding it in a paper shredder, XYZAidan then proceeded to blend the cardboard strips with water and a water-soluble binder. To keep things eco-friendly and biodegradable, he opted against synthetic PVA glue for a more natural rice paste, made by mushing cooked rice in water over a stovetop to create a starchy pulp that would hold the cardboard fibers together in the mold.

Depending on the kind of product you want to make with your recycled cardboard, XYZAidan recommends using 3 or more mold parts, so that the product can release from the mold easily. Given cardboard’s fibrous, absorbent nature, the product tends to expand inside the mold, so you best create a mold that’s easy to disassemble, or you’ll either break your product or your mold in the de-molding process. XYZAidan took to a 3D printer to make his molds, ensuring that they were robust and had a strong inner support structure since the mold would need to be clamped together.

Once everything’s ready, just assemble your mold and pour the liquid pulp in. There’s no fixed ratio or volume, and a lot of it has to be done by eye. You’ll need to over-fill the mold, since the pulp has to be compressed into shape, and you’ll also need to have separate drainage holes for the water to exit through. Just clamp your mold in shape and leave it for a day, allowing the cardboard pulp to set in shape.

Once you’ve let an entire 24 hours pass (add a few more hours for good measure if you’re doing this in the monsoons), disassemble your mold and your product should be relatively set and easy to pull out. It’ll still be slightly wet, which means you’ll need to leave it out for another day to completely let it dry. Once dried, just trim the flared cardboard bits and you’ve got a final recycled cardboard product that’s robust, solid, yet incredibly lightweight. Depending on the quality of your mold, it’s possible that your product could have those 3D printed step-lines or layers too (see below). The best solution is to either to sand down your mold or sandpaper your products after they’ve completely dried. Then just finish them off with a layer of paint and you’re ready!

The possibilities are absolutely endless. You could create shoes for yourself, stationery-holders like pen-stands or cups for paper clips, robust laptop stands, or even textured sound-absorbing panels to mount on your walls! XYZAidan’s been kind enough to make all his 3D printing mold-designs available for free on Thingiverse, and you can even visit his YouTube channel to see what else he’s been up to.

This micro resort in remote Finland is made from three prefab tiny timber cabins!

Posted on 16/07/2021 by Chi Thukral

How many people wish they had their own little retreat? Studio Puisto has developed a new, modular accommodation that it believes would make it easier for people to open a small, sustainable resort anywhere.

The Helsinki-based architecture firm designed its new, prefab units in collaboration with nature tourism entrepreneur Kari Vainio and installed the first prototype in the forest of Hyvinkää, Finland. One U-shaped, 1,205-square-foot Uni Villa, as the design is called, consists of two studio units along with a larger suite. Each unit comes with a keyless check-in system and readymade furniture. Uni means “dream” in Finnish; as such, Studio Puisto wants other aspiring hospitality entrepreneurs to be able to realize their dreams of running their own micro-resorts.

This first Uni Villa is tucked into Kytäjä Golf, which won the title of Best in Finland in 2020. Two courses designed by Canadian golf course architect Thomas McBroom are set in an unusual natural forest and lake environment. Kytäjä Golf is only 45 minutes from the Helsinki airport.

The prefabricated, U-shaped blocks can be delivered via standard truck and are designed to sit on a compact foundation. The dark exteriors feature cross-laminated timber to blend into the forested areas. “The cladding is treated with a breathable and ecological dark oil stain that creates uniformity with the environment,” architect Sami Logren told Dwell. The designers created distinctly different looks for the suite versus the studios. The suites are furnished in dark wood and earthy textiles, while studio décor is much lighter in color. Both borrow their palettes from the natural world, with neutral furniture and gray, stone-like bathroom tiles.

Indeed, the architects strove for comfort and accessibility to nature while blending in with the forested surroundings. “Sustainability and a low environmental impact are key values in our design process,” Logren said. “These values correlate with the current state of how people want to connect with nature to gain calm.”

Designer: Studio Puisto

This LEGO kit comes with LED lights to build your own Flux Capacitor, like the one in ‘Back to the Future’

Posted on 15/07/2021 by Shawn McNulty-Kowal

In Back to the Future, Doc Brown warns Marty, “Whatever happens Marty, don’t go to 2020!” Wise words, Doc. While 2020 certainly wasn’t our golden year, 2021 is making up for the lost time. Alternatives for safe travel are cropping up and product designs for playing and relaxing at home are too. While we don’t want to travel back to 2020, perhaps some point in the distant future sounds more like it. While electronic hobby group Brickstuff has yet to construct an IRL version of Doc’s Flux Capacitor, a miniature LEGO replica will suffice for now.

Building with LEGO blocks will never go out of style. If I had a bucket of LEGO bricks in front of me right now, I wouldn’t waste any time before getting on the floor to build my dream home, making my younger self proud. Fusing the nostalgia of watching ‘80s cult classics like Back to the Future and spending entire afternoons building with LEGO bricks, Brickstuff designed the LEGO version of Doc Brown’s Flux Capacitor as a kit for anyone to construct, all ages welcome. The kit comes complete with a whopping 18 new LEGO bricks, a pre-assembled pliant circuit board, LED lights that actually glow with the help of a battery pack, and three AA batteries. You’ll have to buy the batteries separately, but the kit comes included with illustrated assembly instructions to aid in the building process.

LEGO bricks are the type of toy that instantly brings us back to our childhood. There was a time when LEGO was my whole universe. Back to the Future is nostalgic in itself, and I can still remember the first time I watched the movie–English class, sophomore year of high school. Brickstuff brings together these two forces from our childhood to create a miniature collectible item that we can build ourselves, reminding us that we can accomplish anything if we put our minds to it.

Designer: Brickstuff

Brickstuff’s LEGO replica of Doc Brown’s Flux Capacitor features glowing LED lights and a miniature circuit board.

Users can open the Flux Capacitor to mimic iconic scenes from Back to the Future.

An attached battery pack requires three AA batteries for the LED lights to turn on.

The kit comes with 18 new LEGO bricks and illustrated assembly instructions.

The kit comes with everything you might need to build your own Flux Capacitor – just add batteries.

This no-spill couch buddy with a gyroscope is your ultimate weekend essential!

Posted on 07/07/2021 by Neha Mistry

Many of us are still home, which means our plans include bingeing Netflix and a snack marathon! After the week we have had, our couch is what bears the brunt of our weekends – as we go from eating, watching, talking, and even sleeping on the couch. The tons of stains and crumbs that litter your couch pockets (unless you can maintain a Monic Geller level of cleanliness zeal) are a testament to every spill-filled journey we’ve shared with our couch. That is until we met Couch Console.

Couch Console is all you need to have a productive binge/snack session – no more trying to balance your chips, drinks, and remote! The designer did tons of ideating and mockups before settling on a modular couch buddy that holds everything for you while chilling to the max (can we bring back chillax?). Couch Console’s core pillars are simple geometry and clear functionality. The main attraction is the cupholder that has a mechanical gyroscope with a counterweight that ensures your drink stays still even on uneven surfaces – you don’t have to sit upright anymore, get comfy! The cupholder’s size fits most glasses and even comes with a lock for some added security. The console comes with a nifty little compartment that holds your knick-knacks out of sight. Always wonder where did you leave your glasses? Now you have a dedicated compartment and holds your glasses for an uninterrupted TV viewing experience. The other components are a snack holder, phone stand, charging dock, and a dedicated remote tray – everything you need for an uninterrupted binge session.

The Couch Console would be the perfect gift for Joey and Chandler to go with their Barca loungers! And till we can get a reclining, plushy seat to keep us comfortable – the Couch Console will keep your current resting place clean and keep your precious drinls from spilling. Afterall who wants to clean up after a day spent relaxing!

Designer: Sushant Vora for Ebite Inc

Click Here to Buy Now!

The gyroscope system ensures your cup will stay in a vertical position no matter how uneven or soft the surface you put the Couch Console on is. The Cup Holder will fit most standard glasses, and you can also lock the system.

To get the most out of it, we made the modules independent from one another so you can customize the layout just the way you like it. Are you having two types of beverages? Just add two cup modules. Need to store more items? Just put the cup in the snack module and use the spacer to divide it accordingly.

The Couch Console has a USB C plug on top. The USB C hub goes directly to the storage space where you can connect any external battery you have. We didn’t include a battery because most of us already have external batteries we can use, and it would unnecessarily increase the cost of the product.

Cables, batteries, evens snacks don’t have to stay scattered anymore – we’ve incorporated a generous storage area in the couch console where you can store all the essentials you need close by.

This tiny home is actually a sustainable luxury cabin that can be configured in 20 different ways!

Posted on 06/07/2021 by Chi Thukral

Please join me in dreaming about the rest of our lives living in our Casa Ojalá units. This dreamy circular tiny home is actually a super modular structure that can be arranged in 20 different ways to accommodate all parts of your life within one functional unit. Italian architect Beatrice Bonzanigo created the luxury cabin to elevate tourism in destinations that are immersed in nature. Casa Ojalá blurs the boundaries between interior and exterior in the most organic ways.

The build, aesthetic, and CMF has all been inspired by sailboats. The cylindrical structure operates with a manual mechanism made with ropes, handles, pulleys, and cranks. The compact 27 sqm cabin can be configured with rollable walls that let guests create different open and closed spaces. One of the coolest features is how Bonzanigo has optimized the floor area by hiding two beds hidden underneath it. I can only imagine the serene evening hangouts on the roof that can be accessed with a ladder but to be honest, I would probably choose to relax in the large bathtub instead while soaking in the panoramic views.

Casa Ojalá has been constructed with carefully selected timbers, fabrics made from recycled plastic, and handmade ceramics. It also has integrated photovoltaic panels, a rainwater recovery system, and a black water depuration advanced biological plant – all of which allows it to be set up even in the most remote locations. Each cabin will source local materials and therefore no destination will have the same casa but each will be woven with the roots of the land creating infinite possibilities within the same floor area anywhere in the world. All cabins will include two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchenette, a living room and a terrace.

The concept was first born during Milan Design Week 2019 and now, Bonzanigo has partnered with a high-end hotel chain called Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco located in Tuscany. Casa Ojalá is now a firm on its own and plans to open up one of the first guest suites in the Capanna vineyard where the famous Brunello di Montalcino red wine is produced. The vineyard is known for being a private retreat and providing their guests with endless views of the rolling hills and cypress trees.

“I consider the luxury of the casa that I invented, a form of happiness for the guests of the best hotels around the world. A sort of revival of handcraft as the root of evolution. Beyond the automatism of travel and living of our times, based on virtuality and hyper technology,” says Bonzanigo, and every word shines through her design.

Designer: Beatrice Bonzanigo

casaojala

This ultra-fast boat’s aerodynamic design lets it fly over water and uses 10x less fuel than a helicopter!

Posted on 28/06/2021 by Ruchi Thukral

French start-up A2V (Advanced Aerodynamic Vessels) recently unveiled a prototype called ‘Lili’ that has the ability to glide on water at 100 km/h. The futuristic design was involved work from Marc Lombard and the Fernand Hervé Shipyard to develop the aerodynamic lift that is the reason behind its jaw-dropping velocity and reduced fuel consumption.

Lili is designed to be super lightweight with an aerodynamic form so the more it accelerates, the less it sinks into the water therefore the less fuel it uses. In fact, it uses three times less fuel than other vessels of its kind and ten times lesser than a helicopter going the same distance, The 10-meter-long boat is constructed with 3.5 tons of plastic and fiberglass. Lili’s shape helps it shift and turn like a fish in water without tipping over. The interior features plush leather seats and large windows making it a favorite among expensive hotels that are on Lake Geneva or Gulf of Guinea. Even the principality of Monaco acquired Lili to connect the Port of Hercules with the Marina of Cala del Forte in Ventimiglia.

With reduced fuel consumption, Lili contributes to cutting down drastically on marine pollution. With this design, A2V is targetting several market segments – personnel transport (oil platforms, wind farms), coastal surveillance (customs, police, anti-piracy), passenger transport, luxury yachting, taxi boats, etc. and theoretically, if this concept is applied across the board it can truly make a big impact on reducing marine pollution. However, this innovative boat is nothing less than a luxury – it costs 1.2 million euros! Hopefully, A2V can find a way to scale down the costs so other sectors using water transport can get the eco-friendly benefits and the speed that Lili brings.

Designer: Advanced Aerodynamics Vessels

Milo x LEICA children’s camera introduces kids to photography in a fun, intuitive way!

Posted on 25/06/2021 by Neha Mistry

Children are curious. I genuinely believe kids learn more from copying everything we do rather than what we say. And they want to copy us by using the same gadgets we do. For example, my husband picked up his passion for photography from his dad. His dad’s love of tinkering with cameras and picture taking converted this into a lifelong of passion for his son. Understanding this inherent need to pass on our love to our children in a constructive way, Milo x LEICA is a camera that encourages fun, intuitive exploration in children of all ages.

LEICA is known for creating bespoke cameras that are almost collectible. While this clashes with the idea of handing them over to a kid, the quality of the output they deliver are sure to encourage the kids into taking up this hobby with increased frequency. The form of the camera is designed to encourage exploration – with soft rounded edges and a viewfinder that resembles a donut. The design names the viewfinder the visual inspection tool – letting the kid peek through it to discover the world they want to click a picture of. The aesthetics use a soothing yet vibrant white-yellow combination, sparking joy in all they do. Functionality-wise, the camera has a viewfinder, a button to click, a battery level indicator, and a lot that shoots the printed paper out once we click the photo.

Instant cameras are the gatekeepers of our memories. In a world going quickly digital, each printed picture is a gateway into a memory that we can cherish more often. The Milo x LEICA lets us do just that, making photography a fun activity and allowing your child to click pictures that go on and decorate your fridge every day!

Designer: Yang Lei with Yifeeling Design

These architectural renders give life to Elon Musk’s dreams of living in space!

Posted on 24/06/2021 by Ruchi Thukral

How many times have you heard “I just want to leave this planet for a while!” in the last two years? Very often, right? @sixnfive gives brings that sentiment to life with a collection of architectural renders called ‘What If?’ which is an ode to one of our greatest strengths – imagination. Imagination is a uniquely human ability to visualize unlimited possibilities starting with a simple question like “what if?” and the people who ask it often are the ones driving innovation. This collection explores the possible future move for mankind and probably what Musk has in mind through three elaborate acts

Act one: The Journey includes the meeting, the bedroom, and the dinner room. It represents our trip and the hope to arrive, but also the attachments of our mundane life, carrying memories of a previous reality. Act two: The settlements shows the Universe Edge, Summer House, and Landing Zone. It expresses our freedom to dream and imagine how our intergalactic holiday homes would look like. Act three: The Encounter, is based on human emotions of loving someone, missing someone and being guided. It is all about looking inward and looking from inside, the vestiges of our presence in an inhabited and quiet place.

It explores the perception of time, loneliness, and expectations but it also represents the hope to arrive. Yes, this is scientifically inaccurate but it expresses the freedom to dream and imagine via these zen visuals. Six N. Five is a contemporary studio working on advertising, editorial, and video commissions while finding time to create experimental work with CGI as a new medium for creative self-expression. Their refined imagination, poetic compositions, edgy minds, and sleek skills make the studio a hit amongst brands like Apple, Cartier, Cassina, Facebook, Givenchy, Ikea, Massimo Dutti, Microsoft, Nike, Samsung, Spotify, and many more!

Designer: Six N. Five

LEGO is experimenting with sustainable bricks made from recycled plastic bottles

Posted on 23/06/2021 by Shawn McNulty-Kowal

Since 2018, LEGO has been making strides towards sustainability initiatives including removing single-use plastic from their boxes and producing specialty elements from bio-polyethylene, a natural polymer sourced from sugarcane. Today, the iconic toy company reveals its latest sustainability effort, a prototype brick produced from recycled PET plastic. Derived from discarded plastic bottles, LEGO’s new sustainable prototype marks the culmination of three years worth of testing over 250 variations of PET plastics. The result, a LEGO brick constructed entirely from recycled materials that meet an array of different requirements, including safety, quality, play, and perhaps most exciting, clutch power.

Following a year of testing and reassessing of different PET formulations, LEGO will consider moving onto a pilot production phase, which would bring the recycled LEGO blocks into product boxes to hit the shelves for purchase. Sourced from a single one-liter PET plastic bottle, LEGO’s patent-pending PET formulation can produce ten 2×4 bricks, using a custom compounding method to ensure classic LEGO structure and secure linkage. Currently, the prototype is a blend of recycled PET plastics and additives that work to strengthen the recycled plastic and in turn meet specialized LEGO requirements. Vetted by the USA’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA), LEGO’s new recycled composition guarantees the same quality building blocks we’ve come to expect from the mega toy company.

Speaking on the brand’s latest step towards producing sustainable and recycled building blocks and the prototype’s proximity to pre-existing bricks, LEGO’s Vice President of Environmental Responsibility notes, “We are super excited about this breakthrough. The biggest challenge on our sustainability journey is rethinking and innovating new materials that are as durable, strong, and high quality as our existing bricks — and fit with LEGO elements made over the past 60 years. With this prototype, we’re able to showcase the progress we’re making.”

Designer: LEGO