Blog TSK

Sep
12

ai weiwei’s installation unveils proportioned spheres & dyed camouflage uniforms in ukraine

Spherical installation by ai weiwei at pavilion 13 in ukraine

Ai Weiwei reveals his recent installation, Three Perfectly Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White, for the Pavilion 13 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Commissioned by RIBBON International, the major and large-scale artwork remains on-site between September 14th and November 30th, 2025. The building, renovated in 2025 by ФОРМА and RIBBON International and home to the Pavilion of Culture, becomes the temporary platform for the artist’s response to the ongoing war in Ukraine. It consists of three mathematically precise spheres wrapped in camouflage uniforms, which he handpainted in white with his team.

The artwork is both a sculpture and a political statement, constructed within Kyiv’s Pavilion 13 during the active conflict period. Ai Weiwei’s installation in Ukraine references Leonardo da Vinci’s De Divina Proportione. The mathematical precision of the spheres represents rational order and Renaissance humanism, while the camouflage clothing interprets the ongoing conflict outside of the pavilion. The artist suggests cognitive dissonance: while the spheres stand for harmony, precision, and logical systems of humans, the painted uniforms bring forth the symbols of war and actual conflict taking place in the country.

all images courtesy of RIBBON International | photo by Dmytro Prutkin

Evolution from the artist’s work, Five Raincoats Holding a Star

Ai Weiwei took research trips throughout Ukraine for his installation inside Pavilion 13 with the organization RIBBON International. The process allowed him to gather firsthand accounts and experiences from frontline soldiers, civilians, and even medical professionals on-site that ultimately shaped his textile-based, large-scale artwork. In his sculptural work, the artist grounds the work within Western art historical traditions all the while commenting on their relevance to contemporary crises. The decision to exhibit in Kyiv during active conflict is an undertaking that shows logistical and security challenges that the artist has overcome to make powerful statements about art’s role during wartime. The installation in Ukraine named Three Perfectly Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White is Ai Weiwei’s evolution from his earlier work Five Raincoats Holding a Star.

It reaffirms his sustained engagement with themes of protection, visibility, and political symbolism. In the earlier work, the raincoat acted as protection from natural elements, while the current camouflage fabric addresses human-created dangers. The showcasing fits inside Pavilion 13 where the building’s glass walls – originally constructed in 1967 to showcase Soviet Ukrainian industrial achievements – now frame the sculpture’s responses to current conflict, and passersby immediately see it from the outside, claiming a visible reminder of the country’s present situation. Ai Weiwei’s installation Three Perfectly Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White is on view in Kyiv, Ukraine, between September 14th and November 30th, 2025.

Ai Weiwei reveals installation, Three Perfectly Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White

the artwork in on view at Pavilion 13 in Kyiv, Ukraine, commissioned by RIBBON International

the artwork is both a sculpture and a political statement

Ai Weiwei’s installation in Ukraine references Leonardo da Vinci’s De Divina Proportione

the mathematical precision of the spheres represents rational order and Renaissance humanism

detailed view of the installation

the camouflage clothing interprets the ongoing conflict outside of the pavilion

the spheres stand for harmony, precision, and logical systems of humans

the major artwork remains on-site between September 14th and November 30th, 2025

project info:

name: Three Perfectly Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White

artist: Ai Weiwei | @aiww

commission: RIBBON International | @ribbon.international

firm: FORMA Architects | @forma_ua

space: Pavilion 13 by Pavilion of Culture | @pavilionofculture

location: Akademika Glushkova Ave., 1, Pavilion 13, VDNG, Kyiv, Ukraine

dates: September 14th to November 30th, 2025

photography by: Dmytro Prutkin | @poplava_ua

The post ai weiwei’s installation unveils proportioned spheres & dyed camouflage uniforms in ukraine appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Sep
12

lebanon retreat by EAST merges home and contemporary art gallery under sculptural roof

Category: Design Boom

bespoke roof crowns capsule retreat by east in lebanon

Capsule Retreat by EAST Architecture Studio is a private residence in the village of Zabbougha, Lebanon, nestled among coniferous forests and sandstone outcrops. The 400-square-meter home doubles as a gallery, holding an extensive contemporary art collection. Rather than pursuing a singular architectural style, the project acknowledges the patchwork of rural construction in the area, using local building techniques and materials as a basis for its design.

From the outside, the house looks modest and sits naturally within the landscape. A bespoke roof designed by Iraqi artist and sculptor Dia Azzawi conceals mechanical equipment while adding a crafted sculptural element to the composition. Azzawi’s hand also appears in other details, including the outdoor pizza oven and the dining table, further anchoring the house in a dialogue between architecture and art.

all images by Ieva Saudargaitė

Monochrome Materiality with a Human Touch

The Lebanon- and UAE-based architects at EAST approach the site with what they describe as a physiological reading, one that considered its stratified material and historical character. In this context, incompleteness and low-tech rural practices become guiding principles. Capsule Retreat treats these existing gestures as frameworks for continuity.

Inside, the design adopts a deliberately monochrome palette. Concrete dominates the walls, ceilings, and floors, its presence softened and made specific through artisanal processes. Local craftspeople prepared the concrete using timber molds sourced from the region, later repurposed as interior fittings. These imprints lend the surfaces a textured identity that reflects the house’s rootedness in place. The capsule-shaped kitchen island and freestanding partition in the bathroom extend this language into sculptural domestic forms.

The open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area composes the heart of the retreat. Four-meter-high ceilings frame expansive windows overlooking the forest, while two elements – a chimney embedded in a curving concrete alcove and a stove set on the sweeping island – establish a sense of warmth. Elsewhere, the skylit shower enclosed by the curved bathroom partition continues the interplay between mass and light.

Capsule Retreat by EAST Architecture Studio is a private residence in the village of Zabbougha, Lebanon

nestled among coniferous forests and sandstone outcrops

the 400-square-meter home doubles as a gallery

the project acknowledges the patchwork of rural construction in the area

local building techniques and materials form the basis for its design

from the outside, the house looks modest and sits naturally within the landscape

inside, the design adopts a deliberately monochrome palette

holding an extensive contemporary art collection

local craftspeople prepared the concrete using timber molds sourced from the region

concrete dominates the walls, ceilings, and floors

the open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area composes the heart of the retreat

EAST approaches the site with what they describe as a physiological reading

project info:

name: Capsule Retreat

architect: EAST Architecture Studio | @east_architecture_studio

collaborators: K + 1, Dia Azzawi | @diaazzawi

location: Zabbougha, Lebanon

build-up area: 400 square meters

photographer: Ieva Saudargaitė | @ieva.saudargaite

The post lebanon retreat by EAST merges home and contemporary art gallery under sculptural roof appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Sep
12

design/leader: Middle Boop’s Gordon Reid

Category: Design Week

Gordon Reid is founder and creative director of Middle Boop. The London-based branding studio works with clients like adidas, Vim Coffee and Havana Club rum.

Design

What would your monograph be called?

When everyone’s going one way, go the other. This is something I say a lot to clients, and to myself. No-one ever stands out by being the same. If your competitors are going down, go up.

I remember watching my son in the park. All the kids were queuing at the top to go down the slide. My son wasn’t the least bit bothered with waiting. so he climbed up the slide rather than queuing and went down.

Don’t wait for your turn. Don’t follow everyone else. If you want to get ahead, go the other way.

Be different. It’ll get you noticed faster and you’ll stand out more.

What recent design work made you a bit jealous?

I know it’s not ‘new’ new any more, but the Lloyds rebrand from Wolff Olins and subsequent digital roll-out from the product team is absolutely magnificent – the lengths they went to to play on the heritage of the brand, whilst making it feel super fresh.

To me, it’s a rare story of when brand and product work harmoniously. But to get that harmony and alignment, a lot of good work has been done behind the scenes between agency, internal team and buy-in from some brave stakeholders I’m sure.

Wolff Olins’ brand identity for Lloyds

What’s an unusual place you get inspiration from?

Anywhere I can switch off and focus away from the screen. Usually running helps clear my mind. I’ve got some awesome routes near me, Hampstead Heath, Highgate Woods, Alexandra Palace. Anywhere like that really helps clear the mind and focus.

I also get inspired a lot by conversation with people out of my realm of creative. I’ve found the best ideas have come from chats with developers, marketeers, product managers – basically just completely different points of view that really help you look at solutions in different ways.

Name something that is brilliantly designed, but overlooked.

Stay with me on this one. A design that’s quite literally overlooked is the sewers. I’m big into London history, and think it’s fascinating. They were created in the the 19th Century – Joseph Bazalgette was the man behind it – and most of it’s still in use.

They incorporated a few of London’s lost rivers into them, and the manhole covers are super-cool too – there are different ones all over the city that you’ll walk past every day.

It’s hugely practical design, on a mass scale that’s lasted for literally hundreds of years, and helped wipe out diseases. Not bad.

For the two of you that are still reading this, there’s a really well-designed book by Stephen Halliday that is worth checking out.

What object in your studio best sums up your taste?

It would have to be this framed, signed Crystal Palace kit. I got it from Sky’s creative director, Ceri Sampson, after doing a talk in their offices a few years back.

It’s survived relegation from the studio wall to the attic on numerous occasions – much like the team have avoided relegation again and again. And it’s signed by such greats as Johnny Williams, Bakary Sako, and lots of other players you’ve never heard of.

Gordon Reid’s signed Crystal Palace shirt

Leadership

What feedback felt brutal at the time, but turned out to be useful?

“We didn’t quite get it – we’re going with someone we feel is more qualified to push us on.”

We’ve all heard something like this at some point in our career, but this particular one was tough, as I felt we had really nailed the proposal and knew we’d be able to drive value and grow the particular brand.

What turned out to be majorly useful about this letdown was that it became a “sliding doors” moment. At the time, we’d been banging our heads a bit trying to win over the type of clients we knew we could be of huge benefit to.

We spent a lot of time reflecting on this loss, and came to the conclusion we just weren’t speaking the right language of the founders.

We focussed too heavily on design and concept, but nothing on how the creative could help to return tangible business growth, or how our work could go any further than standing out on shelves. Lesson learned.

What’s an underappreciated skill that design leaders need?

Empathy and trust – these are fantastic traits that lead to an environment of support and comfort for creatives to be able to actually create, push boundaries, and grow.

I personally love it when a younger creative comes up with an execution or idea I wouldn’t have thought of. And vice versa – when I was younger, there was nothing more of a confidence boost than doing that for one of my bosses, and actually seeing that idea pushed forward.

These two backed up by self-awareness and being unflappable create a safe space where creatives will hopefully feel like they’re really being listened to and, most importantly, protected when the pressure is on.

Stress can trickle down and affect the whole team, but if there’s calm and harmony at the top, those further down the chain will feel more comfortable, and ultimately produce better work.

What keeps you up at night?

Ensuring our work and services are ahead of the game and different enough to keep us relevant, progressive and in the minds of the right decision-makers.

In our game, there is so much competition, and finding any way of standing out is really hard. So that keeps me up, as well as keeping the lights on, the state the world’s in. All the big stuff.

What trait is non-negotiable in new hires?

Grafters. Not in the sense of putting in the most hours, but those who work smarter with their time. The endlessly curious, who are constantly pushing to set higher standards.

Complete this sentence, “I wish more clients…”

…worked with studios as true collaborators rather than suppliers, and were braver to really push work on.

It’s tough, I totally get it. I’ve been in those stakeholder meetings where the key players just don’t want to budge on anything other than safe.

There’s a lot to think about, and often so much at stake. But I know from experience, the best work always comes from truly bold movers who trust themselves enough to know doing something boundar- pushing will always be of more benefit to the product or service than staying safe.

Source

Sep
12

hello wood crafts PEBL grand, a rotatable and modular timber-made cabin with mirror facade

Category: Design Boom

Modular reflective cabin PEBL Grand by hello wood

Hello Wood introduces PEBL grand, a rotatable and modular wooden cabin with a mirror-like facade. Because it is a movable camping structure, multiple units of the same pebble-shaped home can be relocated and assembled together. In a way, it addresses the common limitation in traditional architecture, where buildings are typically fixed in their orientation and configuration. The core structure uses Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT). It consists of multiple layers of wood planks glued together with grain directions alternating at 90-degree angles.

This creates a material that’s robust and dimensionally stable, similar to how plywood gains strength from its layered construction, but much thicker and sturdier. The CLT core gets wrapped in insulating and waterproof layers, creating a sandwich construction for weather protection and insulation. It allows the wooden cabin PEBL Grand to maintain comfortable interior conditions while protecting the structural wood from moisture and temperature variations.

all images courtesy of Hello Wood | photos by György Palkó and Márton Bognár

Stone, aluminum and wood for the facade

Even the exterior of the wooden cabin PEBL Grand is modular. Hello Wood says that the home can receive different surface treatments: wood for natural environments, stone for rustic settings, aluminum for modern contexts, or even mirrored surfaces for dramatic visual effects. CNC machines can cut complex three-dimensional shapes with millimeter precision, allowing the company to create curved and irregular geometries that may not be possible to achieve with traditional construction methods. The low-poly design language refers to the angular, faceted surfaces.

The aesthetic choice serves both functional and visual purposes. The angular surfaces shed water effectively, create light and shadow patterns, and allow for efficient manufacturing using CNC cutting techniques. Despite the compact footprint, the interiors of the wooden cabin PEBL Grand maximize functionality and space. It includes a king-size bed, dining area, kitchen, bathroom, and even a panoramic infrared sauna, essentially placing the amenities of a luxury hotel suite into a cabin in the woods.

Hello Wood introduces PEBL grand, a rotatable and modular timber-made cabin with a mirror-like facade

prefabricated architecture that arrives fully assembled

The PEBL Grand reimagines prefabricated architecture since the units arrive fully assembled and ready for immediate installation. For international projects, the cabins ship flat-packed in standard shipping containers. The Hungarian company developed the concept of the wooden cabin PEBL Grand over four years, starting with a custom airplane-shaped cabin called the Jet House for a client’s daughter before it evolved into a commercial system.

The team says that the project is an experiment in how architecture can adapt and evolve to meet the current structural demands, including mobility, sustainability, speed, and experience. As a response, the Hungarian design studio has created a piece that embodies the future of small-scale architecture using sculptural aesthetics, a unique structural system, and an environmentally conscious approach. For them, it not only opens up new paths in architecture but also offers practical solutions for different needs in various locations around the world.

multiple units of the same pebble-shaped home can be relocated and assembled together

the core structure consists of multiple layers of wood planks glued together

even the exterior of the wooden cabin PEBL Grand is modular

Hello Wood says that the home can receive different surface treatments including stone and aluminum

view of the exterior

detailed view of the front

view of the kitchen and dining area

view of the bed and the bathroom

panoramic view of the interiors

sink and shower area

the geometric window allows the owners to see the outside from inside

there’s an integrated sauna room within the structure

the low-poly design language allows for angular, faceted surfaces

project info:

name: PEBL Grand

company: Hello Wood | @hellowood

photography: György Palkó, Márton Bognár | @gyorgypalko

The post hello wood crafts PEBL grand, a rotatable and modular timber-made cabin with mirror facade appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Sep
12

Don’t blindly trust Apple’s build quality… this durable iPhone 17 Pro case has 20-foot drop protection

Category: YankoDesign

Remember bendgate? That infamous moment when the iPhone 6 Plus buckled under pressure, quite literally bending in people’s pockets and sparking a global conversation about smartphone durability. Apple learned from that debacle, but SUPCASE has taken the lesson to an entirely different level with their new UB Grip Pro case for the iPhone 17 Pro series. SUPCASE has essentially built a fortress around Apple’s latest flagship, complete with military-grade protection that makes the original bendgate controversy look like a gentle warm-up exercise. This case doesn’t just protect your phone; it turns it into an indestructible communication device that belongs in a superhero’s arsenal.

The UB Grip Pro represents SUPCASE’s evolution from their legendary Unicorn Beetle Pro series, trading the aggressive angular ridges for what they call “structural elegance.” The company has managed to create something that looks like it rolled off the assembly line of a high-end military contractor, complete with precision-milled aluminum components and a design language that screams industrial sophistication. The case wraps around the iPhone 17 Pro’s new aluminum-glass hybrid back and that distinctive horizontal camera bar with the kind of protection typically reserved for equipment heading into combat zones. SUPCASE claims 20-foot drop protection, which means your phone could theoretically survive falling from a second-story window and still boot up ready for your next video call. The four-corner airbag design distributes impact forces like a professional stunt coordinator, ensuring that even the most dramatic accidents become mere footnotes in your phone’s survival story.

Designer: Jet Weng

Click Here to But Now: $29.69 $32.99 (10% off, use coupon code “YANKOIP17”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

The integrated kickstand is rated to survive over 55,000 open-close cycles as per SUPCASE’s testing. SUPCASE built this component from aluminum alloy, giving it the kind of durability you’d expect from your own MacBook’s hinge rather than a some nondescript smartphone accessory online. The kickstand offers 120-degree portrait positioning and 57-degree landscape angles, perfect for taking advantage of the iPhone 17 Pro’s enhanced dual video recording capabilities. The ring grip function doubles as a security feature, essentially making it impossible to drop your phone during those one-handed photography sessions. When folded flat, the kickstand disappears into the case’s contours like a hidden weapon in a spy thriller, maintaining that sleek profile while keeping serious functionality at your fingertips.

SUPCASE’s approach to MagSafe compatibility reads like something from a physics textbook. They’ve incorporated N52 magnets that generate seven times the magnetic force of standard cases, creating a hold strength of up to 1,800 grams. This means your iPhone will stick to magnetic car mounts with the tenacity of a gecko on glass, even during the bumpiest off-road adventures. The magnetic array ensures perfect alignment with MagSafe chargers, delivering the full 25W wireless charging speed without any of the positioning guesswork that plagues weaker magnetic cases. The magnets are strategically positioned to work seamlessly with the relocated Apple logo on the iPhone 17 Pro’s back panel, creating a perfectly centered aesthetic when using clear MagSafe accessories.

The camera zone usually wears the bruises, and the iPhone 17 Pro’s camera bar asks for dedicated protection. Reinforced impact zones wrap the rectangular module without turning it into a brick, a detail that matters in pockets and bags. Raised borders create clearance on tables while avoiding the harsh lip that snags on fabrics. Materials around this area feel denser and more resilient, which echoes the protective story without adding theatrical thickness. Photography stays comfortable to grip, especially when the ring is tucked and the case’s side texture takes over.

The Camera Control button features 19 copper conductors that deliver ultra-responsive feedback, making every shutter press feel as crisp and immediate as the bare phone. This level of precision engineering typically appears in professional camera equipment, not smartphone cases. The case’s textured surfaces provide grip security without sacrificing the premium feel that iPhone users expect. SUPCASE has managed to create a surface that feels substantial and secure in your hand while maintaining the kind of finish quality that wouldn’t look out of place in a luxury car interior.

The included 9H tempered glass screen protector completes the 360-degree protection package, turning your iPhone 17 Pro into a virtually indestructible communication device. Unlike many case manufacturers who treat screen protection as an afterthought or expensive add-on, SUPCASE includes premium glass protection right in the box. The 0.33mm thickness maintains touch sensitivity while providing hardness levels that rival sapphire crystal. The installation process integrates seamlessly with the case design, creating a unified protection system rather than a collection of separate accessories. This comprehensive approach means your iPhone receives laboratory-grade protection from the moment you unbox the case.

The UB Grip Pro comes in four colorways that complement the iPhone 17 Pro’s new finish options: classic black for stealth operations, Guldan for those who prefer darker sophistication, coral that matches the phone’s rumored new color options, and azure that adds a pop of personality to the industrial design. Each color maintains the same premium finish quality and attention to detail that makes this case feel like a custom piece of tactical equipment. SUPCASE has priced the UB Grip Pro competitively for what amounts to comprehensive protection that could save you from a costly device replacement. Available through SUPCASE’s official store and Amazon, this case promises to add armor-like properties to your phone, making it so strong even Hulk wouldn’t be able to bend it… probably.

Click Here to But Now: $29.69 $32.99 (10% off, use coupon code “YANKOIP17”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

The post Don’t blindly trust Apple’s build quality… this durable iPhone 17 Pro case has 20-foot drop protection first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sep
12