The iPod may have died at the turn of the 2010s, but for audiophiles, Astell&Kern’s handheld Hi-fi Digital Audio Players (DAPs) couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. Since 2012, the company’s developed some of the most premium-sounding audio gear consumers could ask for, with the SR35 being a culmination of the company’s decade-long innovation in the audio category. Now in its fourth avatar (following last year’s SR25 MKII) the SR35 boasts even better specs, with 20 hours of continuous playback, Quad DAC, and two-step Gain control – all powered by Astell&Kern’s New Generation Amp technology, featured for the first time in their portable A&norma product range.

Designers: So Yean Kim, Ji Sun Kim, Jong Min Jeong, Dong O Hwang, Seon Mi Ko & Jong Seung Kim

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The A&norma SR35 lives up to Astell&Kern’s lofty legacy. It delivers sound that rivals full-size players, ensuring you get the most out of your music on the go. At the heart of the SR35 is the Cirrus Logic CS43198 Quad DAC Chip, ensuring impeccable sound reproduction. What sets it apart is the inclusion of Astell&Kern’s TERATON ALPHA technology, which enhances dynamics, spatial perception, resolution, and separation, delivering true-to-life Hi-Fi audio that does your lossless music collection true justice.

The experience is powered by Astell&Kern’s latest amp technology. Pulling from its top-end A&ultima line, the SR35 is the first in the A&norma series to get this high-end amplifier tech, which effectively improves noise reduction at high power output. To ensure consistent operation with various impedance output sources, the output end of the SR35 is enhanced with increased current handling capability, thereby optimizing performance across multiple devices. The SR35 comes with two-step gain-matching (“Normal Gain” and “High Gain”) for different headphones and IEMs, and houses three jacks on top for wired connections including one unbalanced 3.5mm out, and balanced 2.5mm and 4.4mm outputs respectively.

Although the audiophile community expresses much disdain for wireless experiences, the A&norma SR35 does a compelling job of handling wireless audio well too. The SR35 embraces the future of music playback with Bluetooth v5.0, supporting LDAC and Qualcomm® aptX HD codecs. Additionally, its dual-band (2.4/5GHz) WiFi ensures uninterrupted streaming and Roon Ready compatibility, allowing you to enjoy HiFi music through various services. The BT Sink function connects the SR35 to external devices via Bluetooth, offering a cableless, wireless solution for music file management, and Roon Ready compatibility elevates your audio experience by delivering the best sound quality through network systems.

The A&norma SR35’s design is instantly memorable with its iconic slanted 3.6-inch HD display that’s carried forward from its SR15 in 2018. With perhaps the strangest bezels on the planet, the hi-fi audio player boasts a tilted UI that cleverly avoids accidental touches from your thumb or fingers while holding the device. The tactile experience gets carried forward to that large textured volume crown on the side, which becomes a defining element of sorts for the SR35’s design. The other defining element is its compact, chiseled form factor that Astell&Kern describe as ‘warrior-inspired’. The bezel on the left is shaped like a broad sword with a pointed tip, while the large volume knob almost doubles as a shield-like element. The angled surfaces also lend a rugged appeal to the hi-fi audio player, eliciting a comparison with Tesla’s armored Cybertruck. All this combined has earned the SR35 multiple accolades including the iF Design Award 2023.

But it’s not all about outer aesthetics; the user interface has received a thoughtful overhaul too. The SR35 boasts a redesigned Crimson-themed UI/UX for an immersive music experience while simultaneously offering intuitive navigation through music categories with simple gestures as well as a powerful search feature and integrated album art for a visually engaging experience. The dark black and red theme not only reduces eye fatigue but also prolongs the SR35’s industry-leading battery life. Built with a 3,150mAh battery on the inside, the SR35 provides an impressive 20 hours of continuous playback that comfortably gets you through long-haul flights, long workdays, vacations, or even lazy weekends when listening to great music can become somewhat of a ritual.

The A&norma SR35 weighs a mere 184 grams, despite its all-metal body that gives it a premium in-hand experience. It sports a USB-C port at the base that lets you charge your audio player or connect it to a Windows or macOS device for transferring files. For enthusiasts, the SR35 starts at $800, undercutting Astell&Kern’s A&ultima series (while still delivering all the power-features) as well as the competition.

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The post Astell&Kern’s Award-Winning SR35 Portable Hi-Fi Audio Player Delivers Sublime Sound on a Budget first appeared on Yanko Design.

ChatGPT-powered Stationery wasn’t on my 2023 Bingo Card, but the XNote is one of those exceptions that I find myself increasingly impressed by. While ChatGPT revolutionized the internet exactly a year ago, the technology’s applications are only slowly beginning to really reveal itself. Meet XNote, a smart pen and notebook combo that bring LLMs to the intersection of mind and paper. A lot of how we use ChatGPT is limited to the keyboard, but XNote breaks that barrier. Anything you use a notebook for, XNote plugs ChatGPT into. It can summarize, expand, or translate notes. It can digitize to-do lists and even update them when you check things off. It can turn hand-written recipes into digital text that’s converted to the units you want. It can take your written task list and turn them into actual phone reminders… and perhaps the most scarily impressive of all, it can solve all your math (or any subject really) problems in seconds by understanding the formulas and equations you write, or even the graphs you draw, instantly identifying them and crunching the numbers to deliver the answer. The answer isn’t metaphorical anymore… the pen truly IS mightier than the sword.

Designer: XNote

Click Here to Buy Now: $149 $249 ($100 off). Hurry, only 27/290 left!

Smart notebooks, much like search engines, have been around for years now, allowing you to sketch on paper but simultaneously have your sketches and doodles digitized in real-time. However, ChatGPT revolutionized (and in some ways even destroyed) search in a very fundamental way, reinventing it completely. That’s exactly what the XNote does for smart notebooks too. Not only does it digitize your sketches, ideas, notes, and charts… it actually takes them to the next level by turning AI into your collaborator.

There are three components to the XNote experience that come together to seamlessly deliver AI greatness while still being fairly traditional – the notebook, the pen, and the XNote app. I say fairly traditional because the XNote was built around a common human practice of writing/sketching physically rather than digitally. It’s been human nature for centuries to use a writing instrument and paper, and as advanced as XNote is, it doesn’t change that fact. What it does, however, is sprinkle the magic dust of LLMs over your written material, doubling your efficiency, reducing your workload, and helping unlock new avenues.

The notebook and pen look just like regular stationery, and therein lies the XNote’s illusion. There’s no fancy QR code, there are no flashing lights, there isn’t even an on/off switch. Just uncap the pen and begin writing anywhere on the notebook, and your scribbles instantly get beamed to XNote’s app in real-time, where ChatGPT’s API processes what you write/draw in a myriad of ways. The pen itself is a marvel of engineering, with a 265mAh battery that gives it a standby time of 60 days and actual use of 7-8 hours. Data from the pen gets beamed to XNote’s app using BLE5.0, while the pen itself has 4MB of storage, which might seem paltry… but it’s the equivalent of a thousand A4 pages filled with text and drawings. The notebook, on the other hand, matches the pen’s aesthetic with an all-black appeal. It’s styled like your conventional Moleskine-type notebook, with an elastic band that holds the book shut when not in use.

The book is great for pretty much any kind of use. Whether it’s a personal journal, a work notepad, an organizer, an idea journal, a first draft of a novel, or even the notebook you write your study notes in, the XNote makes for a great piece of analog stationery. The magic, however, happens beyond the analog – in XNote’s ChatGPT-powered app. The app’s multitude of features are all powered by ChatGPT’s capabilities. Running on OpenAI’s API, the app interprets texts and drawings, drawing inferences from them, understanding their inherent instructions, and even categorizing them so that it’s easier to search for notes later on.

Write a paragraph and the app can summarize it, or even translate it across 53 languages (as of November 2023). Take notes in a meeting and the app lets you turn them into a task list, an action plan, or a Minutes-of-Meeting email that you can directly send in seconds. You can ‘ask’ your notebook questions, turn quick scribbles into reminders, or even write complex formulae or draw graphs and have ChatGPT solve them for you. Your intro paragraph could be used as a prompt to write an entire essay, your note for a recipe could be converted into a shopping list, and your short haiku could be turned into a beautiful poem. All this happens while your notes and drawings stay digitized for later reference, so you can access your content through the app without having your notepad with you.

XNote runs on ChatGPT’s secure API, which means all your text is end-to-end encrypted, accessible only to you, and isn’t used to train ChatGPT’s large language models. Your notes stay stored on the cloud, although XNote also lets you keep them offline so you can reference them without an internet connection. Your handwritten notes get stored both in hand-written as well as digital text formats, allowing you to share them any way you choose, and the app even supports the addition of voice memos to your text. Most of the app’s core features are free of cost (like unlimited cloud storage, syncing, and offline availability), but accessing the ChatGPT-powered features requires an XNote AI+ Membership plan which costs $9 per month or $59 for a yearly subscription. The notebook and the pen, on the other hand, start at $149, with an 18-month warranty on the pen’s hardware, a charging cord, 5 free ink refills, a 1-month free trial of the AI subscription, and global shipping.

Click Here to Buy Now: $149 $249 ($100 off). Hurry, only 27/290 left!

The post ChatGPT-powered Smart Notebook can Summarize Handwritten Notes and even Solve Hand-Drawn Graphs first appeared on Yanko Design.

What really makes a desk stand out to me is the collection of stationery items placed on top of it (and also the manner in which they are placed). The true value and efficiency of your desk lie in the smart assortment of designs you adorn it with – these are after all the objects that are gonna help you get through your workday, and directly or indirectly affect your productivity. And if you’re someone who works better with taking notes and jotting down your plans and ideas, then this collection of writing supplies and designs is for you! From a Japanese memo pad to a levitating pen – these accessories are a must-have for your desk.

1. Everlasting All-Metal Pencil

Bid farewell to the eternal cycle of pencil sharpening and wrestling with weak mechanical leads, and say hello to the everlasting all-metal pencil that enables your creative ideas to flow freely and unhindered. This is a unique writing tool to keep pace with your thoughts!

Click Here to Buy Now: $18 $19.95 (10% off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

The everlasting all-metal pencil is crafted with a special alloy core that is enclosed in a sleek aluminum body. The pencil promises to provide a writing experience that is smooth, and everlasting while offering firm and consistent performance without the hassle of sharpening.

What we like

• Can be easily erased using regular erasers
• Provides a smooth and cohesive writing experience

What we dislike

• No replacement tip for the pencil

2. Japanese Drawing Pad

Japanese paper is preferred by many designers, artists, and stationery lovers! And if you’ve always wanted to try the high-quality material yourself then this Japanese Drawing Pad will truly excite you.

Click Here to Buy Now: $23 $26 (10% off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

The premium-quality pad allows you to unleash your thoughts and passions without having to worry about accidentally damaging the durable paper fibers. It enables you to remove all distractions and let your thoughts roam freely.

What we like

• Microperforated for effortless and easy tearing
• Available in various sizes and colors

What we dislike

• At first glance, it seems like an ordinary pad with nothing special to offer. Looks can be deceiving

3. Levitating Pen

Named the Levitating Pen, this grand and good-looking writing accessory is essentially a sleek pen with a Schmidt ballpoint cartridge that makes the pen super easy and sturdy to hold, providing you with a hassle-free writing experience.

Click Here to Buy Now: $116 $129 (10% off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

Once you finish writing, the Levitating Pen features a magnetic cap that you can click satisfyingly. You can also position the pen in its holder, which has been magnetized to keep the pen floating in that position. If you give the pen a simple twist, it starts spinning its place for a good 20 seconds, letting you interact with the pen and have some fun.

What we like

• Easy and sturdy to hold and write with
• Spinning the pen in certain intervals can be a stress buster, and add some fun to your mundane workday

What we dislike

• The smooth edges of the pen may cause it to roll off the table when kept on a curved surface

4. PENTAPA

This simple yet super cool piece of stationery is called the PENTAPA and the lead is sandwiched between two halves. The mechanical pencil is similar to a clothespin, and it features a single-body design. And also it is good for the environment…

Why is it noteworthy?

What makes the PENTAPA eco-friendly is that it is made entirely from recycled plastic, shattering the myth that plastic stationery should be cheap and disposable. “Plastic is good if it is used wisely and long-lasting”, says PENTAPA’s designer Konstantin Diehl.

What we like

• Eco-friendly design, that dispels that plastic is always bad, as it uses plastic that was intended to be discarded

What we dislike

• We’re not sure how ergonomic and easy to use the pencil will be, owing to its unique form

5. MagBoard Clipboard

If you love the smell of a new binder, you are going to love this MagBoard Clipboard. A simple yet effective solution, this design allows you to easily attach any paper – blank, dotted, grid in 2 sizes so you always have the fresh paper smell when you attach new stationery. Simply lift the magnetic panel, and leave your pen inside for the next time your big idea strikes!

Click Here to Buy Now: $40.50 $45 (10% off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

The paper notebook is easy to organize and super easy to use. The Magnet x Lever mechanism holds your paper through a busy day while you can easily shuffle your notes as you go.

What we like

• The magnetic design allows you to attach this clipboard to any metal surface.
• There is no ring that holds your paper together, so you don’t have to tear paper away when needed.

What we dislike

• The MagBoard Clipboard only holds a maximum of 30 sheets at a time.

6. Eco-Friendly Pencil Sharpener

The Eco-Friendly Pencil Sharpener is a winner of the Red Dot Design Concept Award, and the unique design can increase the lifespan of tiny pencil stubs by elongating them.

Why is it noteworthy?

All you need to do is thread one end of the small pencil, and tap a larger pencil, allowing you to simply screw one pencil into another, creating a bigger pencil that not only lasts longer but also reduces waste.

What we like

• Prevents the waste of pencil stubs, and the constant purchase of new pencils

What we dislike

• It’s a concept, so we are unsure how well-functioning this product will actually be

7. Rolling World Clock

With the world getting more global, we are surely looking across more than one timezone at a time – maybe you have family living on the other side of the globe, you are working with clients in different timezones, or are in a long distance relationship – if looking at different times is your requirement but you hate the currently available digital versions, this minimal, one-handed Rolling World Clock is your solution.

Click Here to Buy Now: $44 $49 (10% off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

You can easily get the timezone you want with a one-handed movement. Turn the clock till the city you want you check the time for is pointing straight up and the watch hand adjusts to the correct timezone automatically.

What we like

• Take away the strain of using a screen to tell you multiple timezones
• Keeps the time-telling a minimal affair

What we dislike

• The clock has only 12 set cities, so we still need mental math for the timezones outside the clock’s interface.

8. TP Pen

This innovative writing tool called the TP Pen was designed to reform the basic everyday writing tool. It’s a conceptual pen that not only writes on paper, but also functions as a ruler, marker, and a stand if you don’t use it.

Why is it noteworthy?

The unique pen features a “trixagonal” cap that allows it to serve as more than a pen. The shape of the pen is inspired by the New Age geometric pattern called the Flower of Life. This pattern is said to hold answers to the Universe and all living things.

What we like

• Multifunctional design that can serve as various stationery items

What we dislike

• It’s a conceptual design, so not sure how it will translate into a real tangible product

9. The UFO Desk Pen Holder

Dubbed the UFO Desk Pen Holder, this innovative pen holder holds your pen while suspending it in mid-air, making it seem as if aliens are going to kidnap your pen!

Why is it noteworthy?

The top of the pen holder is your stereotypical alien spaceship in the shape of a flying saucer. You could put the USS Enterprise or a Star Destroyer, too, but its irregular shape would break the illusion and remove a bit of the eerie atmosphere surrounding this design.

What we like

• Helps you add an element of whimsical fun to your workdesk
• The saucer provides illumination on your workdesk

What we dislike

• As a single pen holder, it takes up a lot of precious real estate on the desk

10. The Note

Dubbed the Note, this nifty little note-taking device is a must have for those who love to write to clear their mind. Having this whiteboard in place is a calming exercise where you can quickly empty the stray thoughts, to-do notes, or jot the stray diagram when needed.

Why is it noteworthy?

The whiteboard flips over to give you more space to take notes without removing your old ones. Whereas a screen on the left allows you to keep track of your digital appointments amongst other details.

What we like

• Helps balance digital and analog note-taking, giving you the best of both worlds.

What we dislike

• As a vertical device, it takes up a lot of precious real estate on the desk

The post Top 10 Writing Supplies For Your Home Office To Efficiently Process and Jot Down Your Ideas first appeared on Yanko Design.

September and October are the two most important months for annual smartphone releases. The window between Q3 and Q4, when holiday season hype normally builds to a zenith ahead of the holiday shopping season, is also when plenty of new smartphones and accessories stream out of the woodwork (er, metalwork) and into consumers’ hands.

In October of 2023, we got the iPhone 15 (and its variants), which will compete against Samsung for the S-tier smartphone title belt into 2024, though it’s unclear how things’ll shake out once the S24 arrives. The Google Pixel 8 released too, and so did the OnePlus Open foldable phone, and those are the ones at the top of my mind. They also didn’t do all that much differently from their earlier counterparts, and in some cases, the biggest upgrades of 2023 did more harm than good for their disgruntled users.

Even if you haven’t been following phones at all, the entire smartphone industry must seem so boring right now. It’s totally boring, right? I gotta say, if the only major prospects for next year’s biggest refreshes are thinner bezels, better battery life, more integrated AI features, and a slightly bigger screen — especially when inflation pushed 2023’s few notable upgrades well beyond the $1,000 price mark — I’ll be yawning the whole way to the ATM. For the average user, there’s no reason to care right now.

The smartphone industry is shrinking

Back in the mid 2010s, when I worked the retail sales beat (I sold smartphones at department stores for minimum wage) there were way too many big releases to get a grip on. Back then, I perceived the wide range of smartphones as a negative, being a compulsory iPhone owner who didn’t care about the stuff Android or Windows (remember those?) phones could do. In that state of mind, I wasn’t able to appreciate things like Samsung’s early implementation of NFC, or even the advent of HD OLED displays — appearing in HTC, Samsung, and LG phones years before I ever held an iPhone XS in my own two hands.

Alas, those days are long gone. Neither LG nor HTC make phones these days, and the industry is gradually losing its biggest innovators. Sure, we still have OPPO, Motorola, OnePlus, Xiaomi, ASUS, Sony, and so forth — and they definitely still come up with new ideas, but none of them regularly capture the same momentum these days. It doesn’t help that everything is getting more expensive, and the newest iPhone has somehow become the most cost-effective buy. Experimenting with the competition is no longer nearly as viable, and it’s rare to find a balance of affordability and high quality outside of the few established product lines.

For example, Sony’s flagship phone, the Sony Xperia 1 V, is known for its standout sound quality and buttery-smooth display, but it hardly competes with the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the Samsung S23 Ultra, and it’s a whopping $1,400 to get one at retail value. That makes it the most expensive of the three. Still, there’s some sliver of hope it’ll drop over time; we noted the previous model, the Xperia 1 IV, costed a whole $200 more in 2022. That’s still not great cost-performance, and unless you want the few benefits afforded by Sony’s mostly familiar design, the question hangs: why not just buy an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy phone?

Great ideas; not so great execution (yet)

I’m not saying there’s no innovation in the smartphone industry whatsoever. However, I am saying the handful of big ideas that sprang up in 2023 which made me stop and go “hey, that’s a cool idea!” are in their nascent phase, and though it’s reasonable they could catch on in the future due to their utility, I don’t know if a market exists for them right now.

Take Motorola’s rollable phone concept, for instance. This phone design wraps around your wrist like a watch, which seems like it could be an interesting replacement for a smartwatch in the future — perhaps, combining the functionality of a smartphone with the portability and ease-of-access of a smartwatch. It also looks clunkier than one of those giant wrist-mounted Pip-Boy computers from Fallout, and for a product that’s expected to cost a lot of money and compete with the iPhone, clunky is not a great look.

And then there’s the OnePlus 11 Concept, which has a built-in Active CryoFlux liquid cooling system. That’s a first! We liked this idea enough to award it a spot on our Best of MWC 2023 list, and it is definitely cool in theory — pun intended — but the question remains of how the compact cooling system is going to work its way into tangible benefits for the end user. Right now, it only equates to an average boost of 3 or 4 frames per second, and that’s really not enough to justify running out and buying a new phone for.

Folding phones are a big question mark

Folding and flipping smartphones are in an awkward spot right now. Yes, the former doubles as a tablet while the latter doubles as a nostalgic reminder of bygone days. The entire category is sort of gimmicky at the moment; both types of phones are underpowered and overpriced in their own respective ways, and there’s no single great folding or flipping smartphone to guide the bunch. There’s also not a ton of room for innovation within those niches at the moment. At least, not until one of them perfects the foldable or flippable phone formula in a cost-effective way. And for that reason, the brand-new OnePlus Open (which also, uh, doesn’t do that) is an unwieldy fit in the current marketplace.

Also, whether you go for a foldable or flippable phone, you’re buying something that’s twice as prone to breakage. I mean, it’s still a neat idea on paper. After all, I did write my own recommendations of the best foldable/flippable smartphones in 2023. My point is, even if they’re functional and nostalgic, folding phones are simply not all that innovative right now, and there are some broader kinks that need to get worked out before I’d call any folding or flipping phone a real game-changer.

Questionable quality control and diminishing returns on Apple’s newest phones

The iPhone 15 Pro is an iterative upgrade, and that’s why it’s not as exciting as some of its earlier counterparts. iPhone’s boldest hat trick this year was its titanium chassis and USB-C charging port, replacing the longstanding Lightning connector (for some). Even then, those upgrades only went into the most premium Pro and Pro Max models, and those came with QA issues like sporadic overheating and OLED burn-in, giving me the sense Apple failed on some level to comprehensively test either the iPhone 15 Pro/Max or iOS17 itself.

It wants to boast ray-tracing support, Always On mode, and fancy displays with 2000 nits of peak brightness, but aside from the latter’s usefulness outdoors, those things only work (reliably, for long periods of time) in certain circumstances — namely, when you’re at home and connected to a reliable power source. At that point, who cares about those features if other devices do similar things better, and if using them damages your expensive new phone?

Yes, the A17 chip paves the way for better performance overall, and there’s plenty of hype surrounding Apple’s M3 chip which uses the A17’s 3nm process. But that doesn’t equate to innovation. It’s just evolution. And if you already didn’t care about any of that, the iPhone 15 Pro is not about to change your mind.

AI features are overhyped across the board

The Google Pixel 8, which also released in October, is over-reliant on enhanced AI features to sell itself. Much of the hubbub around its Tensor G3 chip is quite literally about generative AI gimmicks, and, while convenient, those really don’t sell the Pixel 8. Consider this: generative AI is now everywhere and in everything, and it’s beginning to feel like, at worst, a distraction — and at best, a baseline feature that just sort of fades into the background once you forget it’s there. It’s not revolutionary anymore, it’s simply a part of life, for better or worse.

Honestly, by this point in 2023, developers integrating generative AI features into every piece of software and hardware imaginable is the technological equivalent of a government issuing a stimulus check that raises inflation for literally everyone after it’s been cashed out.

Yes, it was exciting and bewildering when it first appeared — yknow, before all the layoffs and resulting strikes in industries generative AI most immediately affected… before people collectively realized the tech just isn’t there yet anyway. Yes, there are other critical and non-threatening applications of generative AI, where the current tech is succeeding. Image upscaling, frame generation for games, and medical imaging immediately come to mind. But what if I don’t want my phone to be a testing lab for AI tech?

iPhone users aren’t exactly safe from such a future either. Apple is scrambling to stick generative AI features into iOS18 to compete with the Google Pixel, when it really doesn’t need to. And unfortunately, recent Samsung S24 leaks seem to indicate a growing trend of “AI as the innovation” in the next generation of Samsung phones as well. The prospect of an AI-powered Bixby chatbot isn’t exemplary of anything other than a lack of innovation; ultimately I’m left frustrated, tired, and most importantly — bored.

The post 2023 Was a Year of Slow Smartphone Innovation and Disappointing AI Gimmicks first appeared on Yanko Design.

Proposed as a concept for Kolchyno, Ukraine, the Kolchyno Ice Center is a multi-sport venue that has an ice rink as well as a swimming pool, allowing for sporting competitions all around the year. Its highlight is the venue’s hyper-fluid architecture, which borrows from the flow of water and the gliding of skates and blades on ice.

Designer: Katia Orli

The flowy, organic design feels reminiscent of Zaha Hadid’s Heydar Aliyev Center in Azerbaijan – one of the most iconic buildings of our time. The Ice Center has multiple layers of flowing facades, creating a three-dimensional effect when viewed from the front. It almost looks like a mountain range or sand dunes, giving the effect of depth and fluidity through its wonderfully sculpted gentle curves. A river alongside the complex provides a beautiful inverted reflection of the structure, creating almost a sound wave of sorts, reinforcing the ‘wavy’ element the architect was going for.

The complex opens up the possibility for multiple sports, with a track and field on the outside, an Olympic-sized swimming pool in one wing of the interiors, and an ice rink in the other. The plan was to have a complex that can be used all year round, letting swimming activities and outdoor running/sports occur in the summer, while keeping the ice skating and hockey rink active throughout the year (especially in the winter). This perennial approach to the sports complex would keep it economically active through the year, bringing in money for the small town located in Western Ukraine, just an hour’s drive away from the Slovakian and Hungarian border.

The Ice Center is located in the village of Kolchyno, located 10 km from Mukachevo. The Kyiv-Chop International Highway runs through the village, helping connect the Ice Center to the rest of the country, and the Viznytsia River flows right alongside the complex.

The post This Ice Hockey Stadium’s Flowy Design Visually Highlights how Players Glide On Ice first appeared on Yanko Design.

Land Rover Discovery as a lifestyle SUV has set the bar really high for other automakers to match. The vehicle is potent enough to graduate to an overlander, given the British multinational car manufacturer has plans to design such a four-wheeler in the future.

Those aspirations could be fuelled by this interesting overlanding concept inspired by the legacy of Discovery. Dubbed Newlands, the off-roading vehicle is inspired by the classic Land Rover that for decades has dominated the Swiss and South African landscapes.

Designer: Jobin Sunil

This overlander maintains the DNA of the Discovery and expands beyond its current form factor to make it capable of conquering any terrain a tough vehicle is expected to traverse. The cosmetic changes extend the boxy look of the vehicle on the front and rear. The former is preserved with a clean and uncluttered appearance reminiscent of the brand, while the latter follows the open-back design of the vehicle.

The front has been shorted to amplify the boxy silhouette of the concept which is a detour from the classic look. That open configuration fully announces the raw aesthetic of a safari-worthy Land Rover. This new design language maximizes the internal space for the adventure seekers and the bumped-up ride height ensures no trail is unscalable for the vehicle.

The open four-seater configuration of the Overlander calls on-board all adventurers who want to experience raw nature up close and personal. The only thing that this off-roader could benefit from is a durable roof cover for inclement weather conditions.

The post Land Rover Discovery reinterpreted as overlanding monster in this evoking concept first appeared on Yanko Design.

In a world driven by innovation and sustainability, Nike, the global athletic powerhouse, is pushing the boundaries of eco-conscious design with its latest creation: the Nike Forward Cargo Tote. Crafted from Nike’s groundbreaking sustainable material, Nike Forward, this tote combines functionality with minimalism to create a unique accessory that mirrors your individuality.

Designer: Brent Radewald

Click Here to Buy Now!

What sets the Nike Forward Cargo Tote apart is its remarkable material, Nike Forward. This is not your typical fabric; it’s a sustainable game-changer that embodies Nike’s commitment to environmental responsibility. Unlike traditional textiles that are either knit or woven, Nike Forward is engineered from multiple thin layers of carefully selected fibers. The result is a lightweight material that dramatically reduces its carbon footprint by an astonishing 75%. It’s not just a tote; it’s a symbol of Nike’s journey toward a zero-waste and zero-carbon future.

The Nike Forward Cargo Tote isn’t just about sustainability; it’s also highly functional. It features a unique Forward insert that snaps into a cargo net cage. This ingenious design allows you to clip on smaller items securely, while still providing room for more oversized items externally in the cargo net. Whether it’s your water bottle, umbrella, or a pair of running shoes, the cargo net cage makes it easy to keep your essentials at your fingertips.

One of the most significant advantages of the Nike Forward Cargo Tote is its large main compartment, providing ample space for all your gear. Whether you’re heading to the gym, running errands, or off to work, this tote can handle it all. The magnetic envelope closure ensures easy access to your belongings while you’re on the move, giving you a hassle-free experience during your busy day.

For those who appreciate a well-organized bag, the Nike Forward Cargo Tote has you covered. It features an internal slip pocket, which is perfect for keeping smaller items in check. Your keys, phone, wallet, or any other small essentials are easily within reach, ensuring you don’t have to dig through your bag in a frenzy.

While the Nike Forward Cargo Tote offers a well-thought-out design, it’s essential to mention a minor quirk. The cargo net cage, though incredibly versatile, may pose a challenge if you’re not careful. It’s easy to mistake it for a solid compartment and hastily place smaller items within it. Once these items are in, they can be somewhat challenging to retrieve. So, a word to the wise – keep an eye on where you place your smaller belongings in the tote to avoid any frustration.

In conclusion, the Nike Forward Cargo Tote is a prime example of fashion and functionality meeting sustainability. Nike’s innovative use of the eco-friendly Forward material, combined with a smart cargo net cage and ample storage space, makes this tote an ideal choice for those who are both fashion-conscious and eco-conscious. Just remember to be mindful of how you use the cargo net, and you’ll find that this tote is a stylish and practical companion for your everyday adventures. Embrace the future of fashion with Nike’s Forward Cargo Tote, and take a step towards a more sustainable, environmentally responsible lifestyle.

The post Nike’s Industrial Designer Brings You A Sustainable Tote For Your Sports Fashion Needs first appeared on Yanko Design.

If you’re looking for a mesmerizing in the woods to get away to and relax, then you’ve reached the right place. Cabins are by far the best type of vacation I’ve come across. They’re a peaceful and tranquil option to abandon your urban life and woes, and simply unwind in nature. If you’re wondering where to head for your next cabin retreat, you can refer to this collection of beautiful and super cozy cabins we’ve gathered. They’re the perfect safe haven nestled in the midst of nature, providing a break from your everyday hectic life. And we’ve found a pretty awesome cabin for you – the White Rock Cottage.

Designer: Omar Gandhi Architects

Dubbed the White Rock Cottage, and designed by Canadian studio Omar Gandhi Architects, this beautiful elevated cabin is located on a forested hillside in Nova Scotia. The cozy cabin has been wrapped in Corten steel, and it occupies 1500 square feet in a five-acre property in the Gaspereau River Valley, which is quite a popular destination for cycling, hiking, skiing, and wine tourism.

The enchanting cottage is gifted with views of the valley since it is deftly perched on a steep incline. It can be accessed via a tight driveway, and a gravel footpath, although you need to climb it slowly, and it can take a while to reach. The studio designed the cottage to be a unique escape that allows its residents to “disconnect, unwind, and rejuvenate, providing friends, colleagues, and families with an environment that fosters improved mental well-being,”

“Our project was born from the aspiration to create a serene woodland retreat, a meditative escape,” said Omar Gandhi. “Diverging from neighboring properties, we embraced a unique approach, blending craft, design, texture, and light variation to evoke an aura of mystery and darkness complemented by delightful surprises and breathtaking views of the forest and valley beyond.”

The cabin is essentially a massive corrugated Corten steel box that is supported by slender columns. The entry consists of smooth weathering steel and has been recessed below the structure, placed right next to a covered patio, which is made using gravel.

The post This Elevated Cabin In Nova Scotia Deserves To Be Your Next Weekend Getaway first appeared on Yanko Design.

If multiutility furniture is just what you need to add a hint of style and comfort to your living room, VersaRest – Chaise Lounge is the mother of them all. In all its versatility (detailed further down in the article) this comfortable sofa is designed with storage in all its ends and points.

Crafted out with a wooden oak base, the VersaRest is nicely layered with high resilience foam for comfort, and upholstered in luxurious forest green full-grain leather for unmatched elegance. The sides of the conveniently configured lounger are enhanced with black HDPE plastic appearing in a matte finish.

Designer: Gokul Retheesh

Now that the construction is out of the way, let’s drive focus to utility and design. From where I come, furniture suffices only one function or at the most two; the VersaRest has just pushed the idea with six functionalities and reclining is not even in the count.

Breathing the elements of multiutility, minimalism, and ergonomics in the same breath, the VersaRest on the head side has a soft-closing drawer for storage in the bottom, while there is an open, curved shelf carved for storing bottles and glasses. The integrated LED light strips on the inside glow up the essence of this dramatic storage area.

On the other end of this lounger is a height-adjustable table mounted on a rotating telescopic lift platform. This tabletop rests flat on the sofa before rotating open into position, in the process reveals a hidden wooden cavity, wherein you can place to phone for charging. On the lower section, things are reversed from the head side: You have a drawer on the top section, while a curved open shelf on the bottom has space to keep items of décor.

A nod to convenience in luxury, VersaRest’s innovative design brings style and functionality to your living space. With its multifunctional capabilities and thoughtful storage solutions, this chaise lounge stands as the epitome of versatile furniture that can elevate both your decor and relaxation experience in a multitude of ways.

The post This chaise lounge is the mother of multiutility furniture with not one but sever varied utilities first appeared on Yanko Design.

Now with 4 successful campaigns to boast of, the folks at HOZO Design are back with yet another advanced measuring device that replaces your entire architect toolkit. Whether it’s plotting distances, measuring floor plans, calculating curves, or even ensuring items/decor are leveled correctly, the M-Cube handles it all with ease. With its innovative modular design, the M-Cube isn’t your ordinary laser measure. The modular attachments give it an 8-direction joystick, a measuring roller, and a bi-laser attachment that lets you accurately, rapidly, and expansively capture your floor plans, whether it’s a tiny flat, a large condo, or a massive commercial space.

Designers: HOZO Design & Peter Liang

Click Here to Buy Now: $59 $89 (34% off). Hurry, only a few left!

It all starts with the M-Cube’s hub, which houses its powerful laser capable of working at 10fps and measuring distances of 50 meters (164 feet) in anywhere between 0.1 and 0.2 seconds, depending on whether you’re indoors or outdoors. The laser is accompanied by a nifty 1.89-inch display that informs your entire measuring process, helping you capture distances, plot floor-plans, and even access past data. The hub itself has a 1000mAh battery, and on its own it outshines most conventional laser measures… but attach modules to it and suddenly you have an advanced tool capable of plotting accurate floor plans in mere minutes.

The M-Cube’s first module is the smart floor planner – an 8-directional joystick that allows you to set directions as you measure floor planners. Place your laser measure and measure the first linear distance, then move around the space in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction, using the joystick to tell your laser which wall it’s measuring next. The joystick lets you easily and intuitively choose the direction of the wall, allowing you to even account for 45° angled walls, pillars, corners, and other elements of your floor plan. Working almost like a game where you guide your ‘cursor’, the smart floor planner’s joystick lets the M-Cube trace the floor plan out step by step, speeding your plotting process by nearly 3x while increasing your accuracy by 38% according to the folks at HOZO Design. To give you an idea of what that translates to in real-world applications, the M-Cube lets you plot a 968ft² condo in 4 minutes, or a sprawling 7997ft² commercial floor plan in 9 minutes. A cleverly located one-tap button lets you capture distances simply by placing your M-Cube against a surface, corner, or an edge, allowing you to seamlessly and effortlessly record measurements.

If you don’t want to go from wall to wall tapping against surfaces, the Bilateral laser module gives the M-Cube an extra laser facing in the opposite direction. Snap the module on, stand in the middle of a room, and point your M-Cube against both walls and it measures the distance between them. You don’t even need to hold your M-Cube at a precise 90° angle, because sensors within the device calculate your hand’s tilt and algorithms calculate the accurate distance by automatically calibrating the measurement for you. Just to be on the safer side, a spirit level on the module helps you figure out if you’re holding the laser measure straight. The module also helps you accurately mount decor like shelves, paintings, rods perfectly horizontally using a separate green-line laser. The M-Green Line, as HOZO Design calls it, works for both vertical and horizontal orientation, and is 4x brighter than their red laser, allowing for higher visibility.

The M-Cube’s final frontier is its Scale Roller, a precision roller that lets you accurately measure non-linear surfaces like arches, curves, and other organic details like winding staircases, etc. A laser marker helps you position the roller accurately, while the M-Cube’s handheld design allows you to easily roll along surfaces on-site as well as record linear distances on a printed plan. Simply roll from point A to B on the printed piece of paper and it records the distance, letting you scale it up to then later compare it to the actual built-out site.

While the 400-nit 1.89-inch screen is more than capable of letting you access the M-Cube’s core functions, its companion Meazor App (which works with all of HOZO Design’s products) lets you extract the most from your measurements. The app keeps a historical record of distances, conversions, and floor-plans available at the tap of a button, and you can even export them as DXF, PDF, JPG, and XLS files that you share with colleagues/clients or even work with directly in your CAD software.

The modular nature of the M-Cube makes it a space-saver and a game-changer. It allows the device to remain hyper-compact, while the snap-on modules expand the M-Cube’s abilities based on your needs. The main hub and the modules themselves are incredibly compact, making them easy to carry around with, while support for USB-C also lets you easily charge your M-Cube using any available smartphone charger or power bank. Additionally, the Smart Floor Planner joystick module has space for two AA batteries, giving your M-Cube a boost of extra power whenever needed!

Click Here to Buy Now: $59 $89 (34% off). Hurry, only a few left!

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