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This Two-Trailer Tiny Home Is The Hottest & Most Spacious Trend In Luxury Small Living

Australia’s Unplgd Tiny Homes recently unveiled the Bowerbird – a tiny home with a revolutionary approach to compact living that challenges traditional single-trailer constraints. This innovative design connects two separate trailers to create a spacious dwelling that feels more like a small house than a mobile home. The configuration includes the main living structure, a pod-like additional room, and an integrated porch system that expands the usable area quite a bit. The concept transforms the typical tiny home experience by emphasizing space and comfort rather than constant mobility.

The interior layout maximizes every square foot through intelligent spatial planning and clean, uncluttered design principles. Natural light floods the space through strategically placed windows, creating an airy atmosphere that defies the compact footprint. High ceilings throughout the single-story configuration eliminate the cramped feeling common in traditional tiny homes, allowing residents to move freely without the hunched posture often required in loft-style designs. The open-plan layout connects living areas seamlessly while maintaining distinct zones for different activities.

Designer: Unplgd Tiny Homes

The kitchen anchors the main living area with professional-grade functionality condensed into an efficient workspace. An induction cooktop provides precise temperature control while eliminating the safety concerns of open flames in compact quarters. The integrated sink and refrigerator-freezer combination maintains full-size home conveniences without compromising precious floor space. Additional appliance accommodation ensures the kitchen can evolve with changing needs and preferences. Counter space extends the work area while doubling as casual dining and social gathering spots that encourage interaction and connection.

The bedroom area showcases the single-level advantage through its accessibility and privacy balance. A comfortable double bed anchors the space without overwhelming the room’s proportions, while integrated storage solutions keep personal belongings organized and accessible. The star feature involves sliding glass doors that open directly onto a private deck area, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor connection. This bedroom deck transforms the sleeping area into a private retreat where morning coffee or evening relaxation becomes a daily ritual. The design eliminates the claustrophobic feeling often associated with tiny home sleeping quarters.

The bathroom is compact, without compromising on comfort or any essential amenities. A full-size shower cabin with glass screening provides a spa-like experience within the tiny footprint. The vanity sink offers adequate counter space for daily routines while concealing storage for toiletries and necessities. A conventional flushing toilet eliminates composting complications, while the integrated laundry area handles cleaning needs efficiently.

The Bowerbird’s outdoor integration elevates tiny living beyond simple shelter to create a genuine lifestyle experience. The porch area extends living space dramatically, providing room for entertaining, dining, or simply enjoying the surrounding environment. This outdoor connection reflects contemporary desires for biophilic design while maintaining the mobility that defines tiny home living. Starting at around US$113,000 for the base configuration, the Bowerbird is a significant yet clever investment in space optimization and design innovation.

The post This Two-Trailer Tiny Home Is The Hottest & Most Spacious Trend In Luxury Small Living first appeared on Yanko Design.

Someone designed a ‘better’ outdoor cantilever umbrella and my patio desperately needs one

You know what’s genuinely infuriating about outdoor umbrellas? They’re designed by people who clearly spend their summers in climate-controlled offices, not sweating under the relentless afternoon sun while wrestling with some sadistic crank mechanism. Traditional center-pole designs turn every poolside afternoon into a game of musical chairs as you chase shadows around your patio, while cantilever umbrellas promise freedom but deliver the mechanical equivalent of trying to parallel park a shopping cart. I’ve watched grown adults have full meltdowns trying to adjust these things, and honestly, I get it. Most cantilever designs feel like they were engineered by committee, with side-mounted cranks positioned exactly where no human would instinctively reach and tilt mechanisms that require a PhD in leverage physics to operate without looking like you’re performing interpretive dance.

The Novara Cantilever Umbrella just won the Red Dot Award’s top prize for 2025, and after years of umbrella-induced rage, I’m genuinely excited about outdoor shade for the first time in decades. Patrick van Lierop, Liming Zhang, and Yifei Wu at Zhejiang Zhengte Co. looked at this mess of a product category and asked the most obvious question: why isn’t the handle where you’d naturally put your hand? Their answer is beautifully simple – a single front-mounted handle that lets you reach forward and lift up, exactly like your brain tells you to do. No more awkward side-reaches, no more deciphering which direction turns the crank, no more wondering if you’re about to snap something expensive. It’s the kind of solution that makes you slap your forehead and wonder how we’ve been tolerating inferior design for so long.

Designer: Zhejiang Zhengte Co., Ltd.

The engineering details reveal why this actually works instead of just looking good in marketing photos. The custom base isn’t some generic aftermarket accessory that sort of fits if you squint – it’s precision-matched to the canopy dimensions, creating a system where physics actually works with you instead of against you. The rotating cuff mechanism moves smoothly without that horrible grinding sound that makes you wince every time you adjust cheaper umbrellas, while the front handle placement means you never have to do that awkward shuffle-walk around the base like you’re circling a campfire. Even better, the whole system ships in one box, eliminating that special kind of retail hell where you discover your umbrella and base are incompatible after you’ve already assembled everything.

The Novara is built primarily from recycled materials, proving that environmental responsibility doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality or paying premium prices for the privilege of feeling good about your purchases. The Red Dot jury specifically highlighted what the designers call “emotional longevity,” which is design-speak for “you’ll actually want to keep this thing instead of cursing its existence every summer.” This matters because outdoor furniture has become disturbingly disposable, with umbrellas treated like seasonal decorations rather than functional investments. The Novara’s clean aesthetics and intuitive operation suggest it might actually survive multiple seasons without making you fantasize about throwing it in a dumpster.

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“Lamborghini for off-roaders” designer BRP wins Red Dot Design Team of the Year 2025

The design equivalent of the Oscars came to a close yesterday, with BRP Design & Innovation Team winning the Red Dot Award: Design Team of the Year 2025. Over the years, the awards program has provided this very distinction to absolute industry legends like the Thule Design Team, the Logitech Team, Studio F. A. Porsche, Flavio Manzoni & Ferrari Design Team, as well as the Adidas Design Team, to name a few. Awarded annually since 1988, the ‘Team of the Year’ goes to studios and companies that consistently exhibit outstanding innovation, creativity, and exceptional design quality.

“This honorary title recognises a company’s overall design achievements and highlights the collaborative efforts of the design team. Awarded teams showcase a deep commitment to innovation, user-focused design, and sustainability principles,” says the Red Dot Award: Product Design. Yanko Design had the opportunity to interview Denys Lapointe, Chief Design Officer at BRP just moments after he collected the award on the Red Dot ceremonial podium. Here’s a look at what the most decorated design team of this year has been working on for the past few months.

Yanko Design: Many, many congratulations on winning Red Dot Design Team of the Year. I’m sure it’s a very proud moment for you and your entire team right now. If you had to describe how you feel in just three words at this very moment, what would they be?

Denys Lapointe: Excited, proud, and energized. It’s been years of work leading up to this, and it brings so much pride to the entire team. In fact, we have an internal survey that measures team sentiment, and after this announcement, our team score went up by four points. That shows how meaningful this recognition is for everyone.
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Yanko Design: That’s amazing. And of course, your Can-Am Maverick R MAX has secured a win this year as well. Tell me more about this project – what about it stands out to you?

Denys Lapointe: This product is designed for enthusiasts and is mostly used in widespread areas where there are lots of deserts or trails, like in Canada, the US, or even in the Middle East. It’s designed for enthusiasts. It’s like a Lamborghini for off-roaders – something very distinctive that stands out and uses form language that’s more on the aggressive side because of the nature of what it does. It provides a feeling of being able to ride something with 200 horsepower going through moguls about one meter in size. It’s a unique, fun experience for enthusiast-type individuals, like driving a sports car in the desert or on trails. It’s really for individuals seeking a high-thrilling feeling. It’s not necessarily for everybody, but it’s for those seeking this kind of thrill. It’s a great, powerful product. The engineering is amazing, and to see that it wins races everywhere it participates – including the Paris-Dakar rally – it’s great.
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Yanko Design: We have many young designers in our Yanko Design community who look up to leaders like you. Could you share a bit about your own journey with BRP and what initially drew you to mobility design?

Denys Lapointe: My father is, or was, a designer. So I followed in his footsteps. My father took me to my first F1 car race when I was two years old in Canada. I’ve been passionate about transportation for many years and decided to study design. I didn’t have the means to go to some of the top schools in the world, but nonetheless, I went back later in my career after designing several products. I went back to the more formal design schools, but to hire people. The nice thing is that today, my son is actually a third-generation designer. He went to RCA in London to finish his master’s degree in transportation mobility.

Yanko Design: Your company boasts 135 multicultural and multidisciplinary design experts coming together to make BRP what it is today. What role does diversity play in shaping the creativity and output of your design team?

Denys Lapointe: We encourage all our design managers to engage with schools worldwide to identify emerging talent. We even created our own design challenge involving eight international schools to find talent beyond traditional recruitment channels. For us, we believe that if you’re all from the same schools and you all have the same degree and you were all exposed to the same culture, you’re not bringing enough richness from the rest of the world. So we actually have 20 nationalities represented in our three design studios everywhere. I believe that the perspective that each individual brings from coming from all over the world is so different, which challenges us on a daily basis. Of course it brings its fair share of challenges – language being one of them – but it brings so much richness when people are coming with their toolbox, with their skill set, with their interpretation of opportunities.

We try to take in all this creativity, blending all of this together. I think it’s so much richer if you approach it this way. So we are very open to the world – for the world to come within one of our studios, based in the south of France, in the U.S., and in Canada. We’re very open to bringing all kinds of people coming from all over – cross-generations, cross-gender. We endorse these huge differences because it brings a lot of creativity and a lot of things that we wouldn’t have seen the same way with the same eyes looking at the same lens. Different perspectives are very important.
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Yanko Design: That resonates with us at Yanko Design too. We’re a small team spread globally, all working towards one goal: advocating for good design. How do you foster a culture of risk-taking and experimentation, especially in an industry with such high safety and reliability standards?

Denys Lapointe: One of the things that we’ve done at BRP that is quite different from other industries is that we realized that in a linear process, when you want to diverge, sometimes the risk stops at a certain point in the linear process. We realized that all the best ideas sometimes got tossed away because now we need to converge and eliminate risk beyond a certain point in order to bring products that are safe for people to use. So we decided to go the other way and we created what we call an advanced concept process, which enables us to diverge as much as we can and then start converging slowly, but validating with consumers at an early point of this divergence to validate if the concept resonates with people. So we’re a lot more risk-takers at that point because, first, we want to validate whether the consumers will really appreciate what we have in mind. And secondly, because we’re not in production, we can test in a very different manner. With this, if it resonates well with the consumer, then we put it in our regular stage-gate process, which is more linear, because we validated the risk. So it’s one way to avoid throwing all the best ideas away, but validating if those ideas would resonate with the consumer. It’s very important.

Yanko Design: That’s a smart approach. With new technologies emerging rapidly, what excites you most about the future of mobility design?

Denys Lapointe: Oh, there’s so much we can do. Unfortunately, I cannot share what we’re working on because it’s too exciting. But there’s a lot of good stuff, good things going in all kinds of directions that will be novel that we will introduce in the future. I’m very stimulated by what our teams are working on for the future, encompassing sometimes technology with new product architectures that will enable consumers to live totally new experiences that consumers don’t know about as of today. This process really is very stimulating to me. In fact, it’s going to be tough for me at some point to give up on this process because it’s actually what I like the most. It’s to start with a little white piece of paper and contribute in creating new industries like some of these products we see here today.

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Yanko Design: So, what advice would you like to give young designers hoping to break into the world of mobility and industrial design? What is that one piece of advice that you would like to give?

Denys Lapointe: Have faith in yourself. Continue to work hard. I think perseverance can do a lot. And don’t get despaired the first time you do something and you think your concept is not good enough. I remember doing my first car sketch when I was a kid and I threw it away because I thought it was bad. But ultimately I kept on working and getting to learn from others and going to school… I mean, creativity can come in all kinds of forms. You just need to find the skills and learn the tools to be able to express your creativity. So hopefully, if you don’t get discouraged at first, just push and move on, and at some point, things will become clearer.
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Yanko Design: Finally, what does “Adventure by Design” mean to you personally, and how do you hope it resonates with BRP’s global community?

Denys Lapointe: “Adventure by Design” is our motto. When our marketing folks actually brought up the idea at some point, I was touched by it at first, but it also represents a burden on all of us to create new adventures and create stimulating adventures so people are drawn by these communities that we’re creating all over the place, all over the world. Hopefully, it’s bringing the best out of our designers and our engineers and our marketers, and it’s stimulating to continue creating these new experiences. So “Adventure by Design” suits us, and I’m proud that our marketing folks have opted for this.
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Yanko Design: Thank you so much for your time today. It’s been truly inspiring speaking with you.

Denys Lapointe: Thank you, it was a pleasure.

The post “Lamborghini for off-roaders” designer BRP wins Red Dot Design Team of the Year 2025 first appeared on Yanko Design.

How Smart Window Technology Is Revolutionizing Energy Efficient Building Design

Windows have long been the weak link in building design, bleeding energy while creating uncomfortable glare for city dwellers. Professor Hong Chul Moon’s team at KAIST has developed RECM technology that transforms this fundamental architectural element into an active climate control system. The Reversible Electrodeposition and Electrochromic Mirror system operates through three distinct modes, each responding to electrical signals with the precision that modern architecture demands. The system completely reinvents how windows function within the built environment.

The technology’s three-mode operation reveals its sophisticated functionality. Transparent mode allows full light and heat transmission. Colored mode transforms the glass into a deep blue filter, absorbing light while controlling heat transfer for privacy and temperature regulation. Deposition mode creates a reflective surface that blocks both light and heat while eliminating the harsh glare that plagues urban environments. Each transition happens through electrical control, offering the kind of responsive functionality that minimal design principles celebrate. It can reduce indoor temperatures by 27.2°C, making it a true energy-conscious design.

Designer: Professor Hong Chul Moon & team at KAIST

Testing reveals the system’s impressive efficiency in real-world applications. Standard glass windows pushed indoor temperatures to 58.7°C within 45 minutes, while RECM technology maintained a comfortable 31.5°C under identical conditions. The reduction in reflected light intensity addresses the urban glare problem that has long compromised pedestrian safety and comfort. This dual functionality—indoor climate control paired with exterior urban consideration is a true specimen of thoughtful architectural design.

RECM’s integration potential extends beyond static building applications. Transportation environments, from urban vehicles to rail systems, benefit from the same light and heat control capabilities. The technology’s electrical signal operation means seamless integration with building management systems, allowing for programmed responses to seasonal changes, time of day, and specific user preferences.

FAQs

1. What is smart window technology?

Smart window technology refers to advanced glazing systems that actively control the amount of light and heat passing through a window. Unlike traditional glass, these systems use electrically responsive materials—such as the Reversible Electrodeposition and Electrochromic Mirror (RECM) developed by Professor Hong Chul Moon’s team—to switch between transparent, colored, and reflective modes. This allows windows to function as dynamic climate control elements, reducing energy loss, minimizing glare, and enhancing comfort in both residential and urban environments.

2. How do smart windows work?

Smart windows operate by changing their optical properties in response to electrical signals. The RECM system, for example, features three modes as mentioned. Transitions between these modes are triggered by electrical input, enabling the window to adapt instantly to changing conditions or user preferences.

3. What are the disadvantages of smart glass?

While smart glass technologies like RECM offer benefits, there are some drawbacks to consider as well:

Smart windows require electrical power to switch modes, which means they consume energy and may not function during outages.
Installation costs are typically higher than for traditional windows, due to advanced materials and integration requirements.
Integration with building management systems and ensuring seamless operation can add complexity to design and maintenance.

The post How Smart Window Technology Is Revolutionizing Energy Efficient Building Design first appeared on Yanko Design.

Shuv e-skateboard concept is where heritage meets advanced innovation

Cities worldwide are shifting toward pedestrian-friendly spaces and reducing reliance on gas-powered vehicles. As this transformation gains momentum, the demand for small, practical personal mobility solutions is growing rapidly. Among these, e-skateboards stand out for their portability and flexibility, providing a seamless fit with the city’s dynamic pace. While several options are already available, the Shuv e-skateboard presents a new level of innovation and refinement, poised to redefine urban commuting.

The Shuv e-skateboard concept thoughtfully blends the classic spirit of skateboarding with contemporary technology and design. Developed by LFD Official, Shuv’s story begins with a deep respect for traditional boards. The designers immersed themselves in skate culture, directly riding classic boards to understand their essence before evolving the design with modern materials and engineering. A visual comparison of a 1950s skateboard and Shuv’s 2030 vision highlights this evolution—the familiar deck profile endures but is elevated with a futuristic, aerodynamic silhouette and purposeful structure.

Designer: LFD Official

One look at Shuv reveals a board that is both visually stunning and functionally advanced. Its deck is sculpted from high-strength aluminum casting, delivering exceptional durability while maintaining a lightweight build ideal for city riding. The board’s flowing, architectural lines are more than aesthetic—they enhance rigidity and provide ergonomic comfort. Neon green accents add a bold urban flair and increase rider visibility for added safety.

The Shuv e-skateboard features a spacious 110.5 cm (43.5-inch) deck, giving riders ample foot room for stability and control. The 79.5 cm (31-inch) wheelbase ensures a balanced, secure stance, whether cruising straight or weaving through city corners. Shuv also offers two customizable pad options: a minimalist flat pad for unrestricted foot movement and a raised pad for riders who prefer extra grip and control. Both pad types integrate seamlessly, letting users tailor their riding experience. There are also three wheel options: all-terrain, urban, and rough-terrain.

Urban landscapes can be unpredictable, with surfaces ranging from smooth asphalt to rough patches. Shuv’s gravity suspension system, equipped with an FRP shell truck and a wide 23.9 cm (9.4-inch) stance, absorbs shocks and enhances stability. Whether gliding over city streets or traversing bumpier paths, the suspension system ensures every ride is both smooth and responsive. Beneath its sleek exterior, Shuv houses a robust battery system integrated into the deck for a lower center of gravity and optimal balance. The battery’s neon green cells are visible through a transparent enclosure, giving the board a cutting-edge look. With a top speed of 25 km/h (15.5 mph), Shuv keeps pace with urban life while delivering a stable and controlled ride.

The Shuv e-skateboard is a masterful blend of tradition and innovation, maintaining the simplicity of classic boards while embracing a bold, futuristic design. Its thoughtful engineering, customizable features, and advanced battery make it adaptable and comfortable for any urban adventure. Shuv is designed for those who want to move confidently and stylishly through an ever-changing city landscape, making it an ideal choice for modern urban explorers seeking more from their ride.

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Pagani Huayra Codalunga Speedster debuts as an ultra-rare open-top V12 hypercar

Pagani has unveiled its latest masterpiece, the Huayra Codalunga Speedster, an open‑top hypercar that fuses mid‑century racing aesthetics with state‑of‑the‑art engineering. Handcrafted by Pagani’s Grandi Complicazioni division, this long‑tail speedster is a tribute to the elegance and performance of 1950s and ’60s race cars, offering a minimalist yet sculptural design language.

Externally, the Speedster adopts the extended silhouette of the Codalunga coupe it is based on, stretching to about 193.3 inches. This makes it 11 inches longer than the standard Huayra. Its greenhouse features a dramatically lowered windshield and side windows that arc delicately into the bodywork. While the removable hardtop echoes classic aerodynamic canopies, when removed, it leaves behind a clean and uninterrupted profile. Right from nose to tail, the form is uninterrupted and fluid.

Designer: Pagani

Every curve and panel is meticulously shaped for aerodynamic purity. Air is channeled via hidden NACA ducts in the underbody, while smooth surfaces minimize drag. CFD‑refined wheel arches complement an integrated front splitter, delivering balance across the axles without resorting to overt wings or vents. Subtle six‑outlet exhaust tips (four centrally mounted and two tucked into the diffuser) complete the rear visual narrative. The powertrain is a twin‑turbocharged 6.0 L Mercedes‑AMG V‑12, outputting 864 hp and 811 lb‑ft of torque, identical to the Huayra Utopia and more potent than the original Codalunga coupe. Power is routed through a seven‑speed Xtrac gearbox, and for the first time, Pagani offers a true manual option alongside its automated‑manual setup, making the Speedster the second Huayra ever to feature a stick shift after the Epitome.

Engineering is rooted in lightweight strength. The monocoque combines Carbo‑Titanium and Carbo‑Triax composites to achieve rigidity without excess mass. Active suspension, Brembo carbon‑ceramic brakes, Avional wheels, and Pirelli Trofeo R tires deliver the precision and responsiveness expected from a hypercar of this caliber. Inside, the cockpit is a testament to artisanal craftsmanship. Surfaces are adorned with hand‑stitched leathers, solid‑milled metals, and a unique embroidery inspired by Pagani’s signature quad‑exhaust motif. Reports note this haute couture trim involves over 450,000 meticulously sewn stitches. Mahogany accents on the steering wheel and shifter nod to the mid‑century aesthetic while reinforcing a tactile, analog feel.

Production will be strictly limited to ten units, each fully homologated for global road use, with customer deliveries anticipated to commence in 2026. While pricing has not been officially disclosed, the cost is expected to exceed the coupe’s €7 million base, likely pushing toward a significantly higher figure given its exclusivity and bespoke open‑top design. In a market increasingly focused on overt aero, electrification, and aggressive styling, the Pagani Huayra Codalunga Speedster stands apart.

It is a rolling sculpture that embodies timeless design, analog driving purity, and the luxury of bespoke craftsmanship. For collectors seeking an emotional connection and a visceral driving experience, it symbolizes the rarest intersection of art and automotive performance. Does it overshadow the Huayra R Evo (a more sportier version) revealed in the latter half of last year is purely subjective.

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Adorable retrofuturistic robot comes with two HUDs and multiple cameras for 360° awareness

There have only been 4 cute robots in all of history – Baymax, Wall.E, EVE, and Rosey the robot from the Jetsons. No other robot’s managed to really strike that level of mass appeal (fine, okay, Astro Boy too) with a design that feels capable yet emotionally disarming. That’s also the sort of vibe the Kriket 3000 is going for, with its cute-meets-capable design.

The Kriket 3000 comes from the mind of industrial designer and artist Shaun Wellens, who’s worked on his fair share of robots. This one, unlike the droids from before, channels a design that borrows from the past. “Inspired by products of the 60s and 70s, Kriket aims to tap into a sense of nostalgia by blending retro-futurism with modern-day design sensibilities. It aims to reintroduce a spirit of excitement and optimism for a brighter future,” Wellens says.

Designer: Shaun Wellens

The last time Wellens worked on a robot design, ChatGPT wasn’t even a thing. The last 4 years has seen a LOT of changes in the rise of AI and how it’s shaped society. Most humans overwhelmingly believe that AI is helpful, but also potentially dangerous. The need for tech to inspire confidence and a sense of safety is truly paramount at this time, and Wellens tried to channel that with Kriket’s design.

The simplest way to make a robot look harmless is to ditch sharp lines and corners. To that end, the Kriket’s soft visual language, combined with its white colorway, gives off a sense of ‘sterilized’ cuteness. Sort of like Baymax from the movie Big Hero 6. Unlike Baymax, though, Kriket 3000’s design is as detailed as it gets. Joints are present at all crucial parts of the arms and legs, there’s a battery backpack, faux ribs, and an antenna that resembles a halo of sorts, giving the robot its angelic appeal!

The head has a few notable elements – for starters, it isn’t shaped like a head – it’s much wider, creating a disproportion that makes the Kriket look ‘young’, just like how kids and early teens have larger heads in proportion to their body before they grow up. Multiple cameras placed on the Kriket 3000’s head give it 360° awareness, while sensors on the body detect distance and depth. A screen on the front serves as Kriket’s ‘face’, showing its eyes that I assume emote the way most robot eyes do. The back, however, has another display that shows Kriket’s battery levels. Is it needed? No… but does it give the robot a sense of data-transparency? Yes.

Kriket 3000 was created as a mere concept, but it sets a framework for what robots need to look like if they have to inspire confidence. This one has the appeal of ‘staff’, with how approachable it looks (especially with its name tag on the front), and how adorable it looks too. Do I see a world in which Kriket 3000 exists? Yes sure, I’d probably choose this little guy over one of those scary dogs at Boston Dynamics…

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