Jun
26

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azure blue hues contrast with terracotta tiles on nusa kitchen pavilion’s facade in java

Category: Design Boom

Nusa Kitchen Pavilion stands in Salatiga

 

Located in Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia, the Nusa Kitchen Pavilion by Selojene is a semi-open dining space that explores alternative applications of traditional materials. Part of the Bumi Kayom F&B complex, the two-story, 1,100-sqm building introduces a distinctive facade treatment using around 10,000 locally sourced terracotta roof tiles. Typically used in tropical roofing, the tiles here are repurposed as a vertical cladding system, enclosing the ground floor dining area with both visual and thermal benefits.

 

The design integrates thermal mass and passive ventilation strategies. The terracotta tiles’ ability to absorb and release heat slowly helps stabilize interior temperatures in the region’s hot and humid climate. Gaps between the tiles promote airflow, reducing dependence on mechanical cooling. Supported by a steel framework, the facade also acts as a visual layer, adding texture and depth to the building’s envelope. A deliberate contrast is introduced at the second floor level, where an azure blue wall finish offsets the terracotta tones. This combination brings variation to the exterior while aligning with the color palette seen elsewhere within the Bumi Kayom complex.

all images by Ernest Theofilus

 

 

Selojene Collective employs traditional materials

 

The site’s mature garden, featuring decades-old durian, rambutan, and teak trees, informed the building layout. The organic floor plan curves around the existing vegetation, preserving tree trunks and integrating natural elements directly into the architecture. Certain branches even puncture the building envelope, particularly near open terraces that offer views of the surrounding landscape.

 

Interior design choices extend the material narrative of the exterior. Terracotta elements continue inside, complemented by custom-designed furniture and lighting fixtures produced by the design team of Selojene Collective. Locally made figurative wall paintings depict architectural components, while hanging lamps incorporate terracotta forms and handcrafted steelwork. Bespoke wall lights, using repurposed frying pans as reflective surfaces, provide indirect illumination. Additional design features include the reuse of wood furniture from previous projects within the Bumi Kayom complex and the use of ‘jodog,’ a small terracotta object traditionally used in Javanese ceremonies. These elements are arranged to cast patterned shadows across interior walls, further highlighting the connection between material reuse, local craftsmanship, and spatial atmosphere.

terracotta roof tiles create gradual openings and enclosures in certain parts of the main facade

exterior garden with terracotta brick pebbles highlights the top floor’s blue colors

the design preserves a decade-old teak tree along with many other mature trees surrounding the pavilion

the steel framework supports the extensive terracotta cladding across the building envelope

the pavilion’s facade is made of terracotta roof tiles arranged vertically within a steel hollow frame

a void in the center of the floor plan unveils a solar-flat transparent polycarbonate roof

a circular window and operable floor-to-ceiling openings bring the tree canopy into the interiors

dining area features custom-made pendant lamps made of terracotta bowls with blue powder-coated top holders

ornamental columns are painted in complementary colors to highlight vernacular design language

mature durian tree branches pierce through the pavilion’s new walls

a ramp connects the two floors, as walls of exposed steel framework hold roof tiles vertically

 

project info:

 

name: Nusa Kitchen Pavilion

architect: Selojene | @sahabatselojene

location: Salatiga, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia

area: 1100 sqm

 

lead architect: Ary Indra | @aryindra

design team: Muhammad Amru, Jati Adisaksana, Anjani Victory, Fadlil Hani, William Anderson

structural engineer: Krisdiyanto

mechanical, electrical engineer: Wiyono

contractor: Eranto Prasetyadi

furniture: Forme

Selojene Collective: Fajar Nugraha Desfianto Darius Teddy Iman Saputra Alodia Yap Bejo Krisdianto Luki Nur Rohman

photographer: Ernest Theofilus

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post azure blue hues contrast with terracotta tiles on nusa kitchen pavilion’s facade in java appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Jun
26

By

how ariostea’s full body³ ceramic slabs bring color, pattern, and density through every layer

Category: Design Boom

FULL BODY CERAMICS DESIGNED FOR PERFORMANCE AND VERSATILITY

 

As a significant evolution in ceramic technology, Ariostea’s Full Body³ slabs are created from a mix of natural granules and flakes, running through their entire thickness which ensures visual consistency and uniform performance from the outermost layer to the very core. A brand of the Iris Ceramica Group, Ariostea combines this material depth with advanced production to support a wide range of architectural applications — from walls and floors to countertops and custom furnishings. With resistance to acids, fire, water, and abrasion — and a non-toxic, non-absorbent composition — the slabs meet technical demands without compromising design quality.

Ariostea’s Full Body³ slabs ensure material integrity throughout the entire thickness | all images courtesy of Ariostea

 

 

THE RESULT OF THIRTY YEARS OF MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT AT ARIOSTEA 

 

The Full Body³ technology is the product of over thirty years of material development at Ariostea, where ceramics are not treated as flat decoration but as long-term building components. Known for its technical expertise and aesthetic sensibility, the Italian brand continues to challenge conventions with high-performance porcelain that reflects the nuances of natural stone. Full Body³ is a testament to this expertise – a masterful blend of advanced technology, artisanal precision, and an industrial production process protected by international patents.

each slab is formed from compressed natural minerals, creating a dense and uniform structure

 

 

THREE PROJECTS, ONE CORE TECHNOLOGY

 

Pressed at extremely high pressure and vitrified at 1300°C, each slab produced with Ariostea’s Full Body³ technology is one of a kind. The material transcends its role as a mere finish layer, instead embracing the full characteristics of an architectural component: inherently resistant, dimensionally stable, and tactile. Its durability is underpinned by a responsible production process, prioritizing the use of safe materials and sustainable methods. Full Body³ delivers on functional demands, presenting as a non-absorbent, acid- and fire-resistant, sanitizable surface, free from harmful substances. 

 

The Full Body³ system underpins three distinct projects, each characterized by its own stylistic language but unified through the same technical core. Elementae refers back to geological origins, inspired by the tones and textures of Portuguese stone. The palette ranges from Lumen — a bright ivory — to the warmer Tellus brown. Available finishes include Natural Plus, Flamed, and Structured, as well as the Stilo decoration. In its 20 mm-thick CM2 Outdoor version, Elementae becomes suitable for terraces, public plazas, and garden installations — enabling material continuity between indoor and outdoor applications.

Full Body³ ceramics can be worked on the edges, opening up detailing options for architects and designers

 

 

Accademia looks to the Venetian terrazzo tradition, reinterpreted through Ariostea’s high-tech processes. Its granular patterns evoke handcrafted surfaces, offered in six chromatic interpretations named after Italian masters of painting. Both the reflective Polished and contemporary Natural Soft finishes give the slabs stylistic flexibility. With four available sizes, Accademia caters to a wide range of environments, from classic to modern interiors.

designed for durability, the material suits high-traffic interiors, wet areas, and custom furnishings

 

 

Fragmenta is a tribute to the diverse character of stone. From Bianco Greco to Nero Ombrato, the palette bridges subtle neutrals and deep tones. Natural Plus and Structured finishes emphasize its raw, expressive potential, while the CM2 Outdoor version introduces spatial continuity between indoor and outdoor zones. Suitable for everything from poolside paths to interior feature walls, Fragmenta adapts effortlessly to shifting scales and contexts.

the material moves beyond surface finish to function as a true architectural component

 

 

Fundamentally, Ariostea’s Full Body³ lies in its through-body composition: solid, robust, and homogeneous, it retains its flawless appearance even under the most extreme wear or damage. It is intrinsically safe, clean, and fireproof – impervious to acids, effortlessly cleaned, inherently fire-resistant, and rigorously guaranteed to never release harmful substances. Crucially, it is also highly sustainable, a porcelain stoneware brought to life with the utmost respect for the environment, designed to be both enduring and fully recyclable.

the porcelain stoneware technology was brought to life with the utmost respect for the environment

removing the boundary between surface and core, Ariostea’s technology rethinks ceramic as a solid material

each slab produced with Ariostea’s Full Body³ technology is one of a kind

designed to be both enduring and fully recyclable

project info:

 

name: Full Body³

brand: Ariostea | @ariosteahightech

material: Full-body porcelain stoneware

collections: Elementae, Accademia and Fragmenta

The post how ariostea’s full body³ ceramic slabs bring color, pattern, and density through every layer appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Jun
26

By

korvaa shoes come to life using mycelium, bacterial nanocellulose and biodegradable plastics

Category: Design Boom

Lightweight Footwear emerging from the use of biomaterials

 

The Korvaa Consortium unveils shoes that emerge from using mycelium, bacterial nanocellulose, and biodegradable plastics. Debuted at the Future Fabrics Expo 2025 in London, which ran between June 24th and 25th, the concept footwear is a collaboration between three biomaterial technologies. Modern Synthesis takes care of the upper, or the top part of the Korvaa shoes. They used bacterial nanocellulose for it, which is a natural substance produced during fermentation, and transformed it into an upper fabric.

 

The bottom of the footwear is 3D printed by Ourobio using polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), or biodegradable polyesters made from plants or bacteria. They break down naturally, unlike regular plastic, and within them, the mycelium infused by Ecovation grew in around seven days, turning the bottom part of the Korvaa shoes into a lightweight and robust sole. Once all is done, shoemakers put all the materials together, with the laces and linings made from cotton and lyocell, a soft fabric made from wood pulp.

all images courtesy of Korvaa Consortium

 

 

korvaa shoes made of mycelium and biodegradable plastics

 

Aside from its debut at the Future Fabrics Expo 2025, the design team documents the full process of making the Korvaa shoes made of mycelium, bacterial nanocellulose, and biodegradable plastics. Shot by the Finnish science communication company Photino Science Communications, the documentary titled Planet of the Microbes is slated to be released at a major film festival later this year. By sharing how the Korvaa shoes are made, the documentary allows viewers to see and understand the bio and alternative materials producers can use to create footwear.

 

Each material making up the Korvaa shoes made of mycelium, bacterial nanocellulose, and biodegradable plastics is chosen carefully by the London-based company, the New York-based biotechnology group, and the materials science team. For the design collectives, the footwear showcases how nature-based materials can replace traditional materials that rely on many synthetic (man-made, often plastic-based) components. So far, the Korvaa shoes made of mycelium, bacterial nanocellulose, and biodegradable plastics are concept footwear.

the upper of the footwear comes from bacterial nanocellulose

the sole made of biodegradable polyesters has grown mycelium within it

the laces and linings are made from cotton and lyocell

the concept footwear is a collaboration between three biomaterial technologies

the documentary titled Planet of the Microbes documents the making of the shoes

the film is slated to be released at a major film festival later this 2025

view of the materials used to produce the footwear

 

project info:

 

name: Korvaa shoes

team: Modern Synthesis, Ourobio, Ecovative, Photino Science Communications | @modern_synthesis, @ecovative  

The post korvaa shoes come to life using mycelium, bacterial nanocellulose and biodegradable plastics appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Jun
26

By

RIP Hobby Knives. The $99 NeoBlade carves through foam and acrylic with ultrasonic precision

Category: YankoDesign

Most good projects die by a rough cut. You print a crisp lattice, reach for the hobby knife, and five seconds later, there is a gouge exactly on the outer surface – a part that’s easily visible. That small heartbreak is what HOZO Design set out to delete with NeoBlade, a cordless cutter that trades brute force for forty-thousand-times-per-second ultrasonic finesse. The idea is simple: let vibration slice through projects with the perfection of a knife through room-temperature butter.

NeoBlade looks and feels like a chunky marker that fits perfectly into your grip. Battery clicks into the tail, blade peeks from the nose, and the whole tool tips the scale at 6.4 ounces, so even a long session of trimming support material will not sprain a wrist. Press the trigger gently, and Precision mode fires in quick bursts, perfect for knocking a single nub off a resin mini. Pull past the detent, and Continuous mode hums until you let go, turning foam board or acrylic sheet into respectful, silent ribbons. A perfect gizmo for finishing touches on all your projects.

Designer: HOZO Design

Click Here to Buy Now: $99 $149 (33% off). Hurry, only 90/800 left! Raised over $619,000.

Forty kilohertz of motion means the edge never drags long enough to melt plastic or splinter wood. Instead, it slips forward under light pressure, one microscopic slice after another, leaving a glassy face that looks almost molded. A smart driver reads resistance on the fly and feeds anywhere from nine to forty watts to the actuator, so switching from soft PLA to stubborn ABS feels seamless. There is no temperature dial to chase, no speed knob, no guesswork.

Keeping the tip cool is the job of a tiny turbofan buried in the barrel. Air enters through side vents, slides across the metal core, and exits behind your hand, dropping blade temperature far below the scorch line of common filaments. The handle stays comfortable, the cut stays clean, and warping never starts. Two bright LEDs flank the blade to fill shadows that magnify mistakes, a small but welcome nod to late-night builds.

HOZO ships six blade profiles in snap-forward cartridges. A 30-degree spear handles everyday trimming, a longer spear dives deeper stock, a curved slice glides through vinyl and leather, a twin-edge scores parallel grooves, and two chisel tips tackle carving and cleanup. Used blades press into a one-way slot on the cartridge, so they retire safely instead of migrating to a drawer where future you will forget they exist. The tool cap hides a stubby driver and a magnet that holds the fresh blade steady while you line up the tang, a little UX grace that feels earned on a cluttered bench.

Changing the Battery

The NeoBlade Creator Combo includes the TurboDock, an extra Battery Pack, and a set of trial blades

Cordless convenience lives or dies by downtime, so NeoBlade ships with an optional TurboDock that charges the handle and a spare cell in about thirty minutes. Slide one battery out, slide the other in, twist, and you are back to slicing before the printer’s next layer cures. Makers on a tighter budget can rely on the USB-C port in the grip, though that route parks the cutter for an hour or more. Early Kickstarter pledges locked in the full kit for $99 USD, a tidy slice off the planned $149 retail tag. The Creator Combo (priced at a discounted $149) packs the NeoBlade, a TurboDock, an extra battery, and a spare blade trial kit with 6 blades.

But don’t confuse this with one of those cheap cutters on Amazon or that soldering iron that you also use to burn off imperfections in 3D prints. Because the edge oscillates instead of tearing, you avoid the fuzzy bead that hot-wire cutters leave in foam and the ragged fringe delivered by abrasive wheels. Clean edges mean less post-processing, which in turn means more time for tuning the slicer profile or experimenting with paint. Model makers, cosplay armor builders, prop shops, even electronics hobbyists who need to notch an enclosure without filling the room with ABS dust will notice the difference on day one.

NeoBlade lands at a sweet spot between pocketable craft knives and industrial ultrasonic stations that never leave a lab. It gives hobbyists, cosplay armor fabricators, prop builders, and small-batch product designers a push-button guarantee of clean edges and repeatable results. By making ultrasonic cutting as casual as clicking a pen, HOZO turns the most stressful step of fabrication into the easiest. Projects move forward, sanding blocks stay clean, and the next big idea arrives sooner because the last one didn’t stall at the trimming stage.

Click Here to Buy Now: $99 $149 (33% off). Hurry, only 90/800 left! Raised over $619,000.

The post RIP Hobby Knives. The $99 NeoBlade carves through foam and acrylic with ultrasonic precision first appeared on Yanko Design.

Jun
26

By

Dark Shadows of Seville in Murillo’s Paintings

Category: DailyArt Magazine

The post Dark Shadows of Seville in Murillo’s Paintings appeared first on DailyArt Magazine.

Jun
26

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Chilling Beauty: Exploring Europe’s Bone Churches

Category: DailyArt Magazine

The post Chilling Beauty: Exploring Europe’s Bone Churches appeared first on DailyArt Magazine.

Jun
26

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Peter Paul Rubens in 10 Paintings

Category: DailyArt Magazine

The post Peter Paul Rubens in 10 Paintings appeared first on DailyArt Magazine.

Jun
26

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5 Greatest Baroque Female Painters

Category: DailyArt Magazine

The post 5 Greatest Baroque Female Painters appeared first on DailyArt Magazine.

Jun
26

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This Transparent CD Player Turns Your Albums Into Art, And Makes Streaming Feel Soulless

Category: YankoDesign

There was a time when listening to an album meant more than tapping a screen. You’d open a case, slide in a disc, and sit with the music from start to finish. The ClearFrame CD Player revives that experience not with nostalgia, but with intent. It doesn’t just play your albums. It exhibits them.

Set behind a crystal-clear shell, the disc spins like a sculpture in motion. Your album art, once forgotten in a drawer or buried on Spotify, now floats on your wall or desk like a curated gallery piece.

In an era of algorithmic playlists and invisible files, ClearFrame is a reminder that presence still matters.

The Player That Reframed My Daily Routine

At first, I thought it was just a beautiful object—something I’d admire occasionally, maybe play once a week. But within days, ClearFrame had reshaped my habits. It became my morning ritual companion, my afternoon focus anchor, and surprisingly, my way of rediscovering albums I forgot I loved.

Plays full albums while I cook or read

Loops a single track to help me write

Turns guests into curious onlookers who ask, “Wait… is that a CD player?”

There’s a strange power in seeing your music—watching the disc spin, the LED glow, the cover art behind the clear face. Suddenly, sound becomes sculpture.

Designed to Display, Built to Play

Transparent Polycarbonate Shell
The album becomes the focal point—protected but never hidden.

Visible Circuit Board
Honest engineering that feels like part of the design, not a secret.

Floating Disc Mechanism
Smooth motion + warm LED lighting gives each playback a ritualistic calm.

Wall-mountable or Desktop-friendly
Display like a photo frame or place beside your speaker setup.

Bluetooth 5.1 + Headphone Jack
Stream wirelessly or go classic with a plug-in.

USB-C charging + 7–8 hour Battery.
Portable enough to carry room to room.

Multiple playback modes
Loop a track, let the album ride, or pause for silence.

ClearFrame isn’t trying to be “smart.” It’s trying to be present, and in doing so, becomes more essential.

Why Physical Still Wins

The more digital our lives become, the more we crave something real, something to touch, see, and return to. ClearFrame doesn’t replace streaming. It offers an alternative state of mind.

You choose an album. You see it. You hear it all the way through. No shuffling. No ads. No interruptions.

It’s a gentle confrontation with the way we consume music today, and a subtle push to slow down, look up, and listen better.

Design That Reflects Discipline

ClearFrame’s visual simplicity hides a surprising depth of thought.

It was developed by a Tokyo-based team known for merging tech with clarity, removing friction, not adding features. Every detail—the sharp edges, the floating CD, the matte circuit board—was chosen to showcase music as something worth displaying.

It doesn’t shout. It just sits there, spinning, glowing, doing one thing well. That’s the power of restraint.

Who It’s For

Design Enthusiasts
A daily-use object that elevates your space and sparks conversation.

Music Lovers Rediscovering the Physical
ClearFrame transforms forgotten CDs into something worth revisiting.

Minimalists & Analog Fans
No apps. No updates. No distractions. Just the disc, the art, and you.

A Living Album Cover for Everyday Life

What would your favorite album look like framed in motion? Imagine a desk that becomes a music gallery. A bedroom wall that reflects your taste—literally. ClearFrame doesn’t just play music. It turns your albums into an ongoing exhibition.

It’s not about going back in time. It’s about bringing what mattered back into view.

Not just a CD player, but a daily reminder that music deserves your full attention. ClearFrame is available now for $199.

The post This Transparent CD Player Turns Your Albums Into Art, And Makes Streaming Feel Soulless first appeared on Yanko Design.

Jun
26

By

Here’s the Nothing Headphones (1) we wished existed instead

Category: YankoDesign

For a company that single-handedly revived transparent tech, the Headphones (1) have absolutely no transparency in their design. If you saw this video dated a month or so ago, it was Nothing literally confirming that they were due to debut their first over-ears. The internet’s been asking for Nothing to build AirPods Max ‘killers’ for a while, and it seems like Carl Pei finally had his cards in place to make this play…

However, images from a private preview earlier last week showed what the headphones looked like – and the internet has thoughts. A lot of people on Reddit can’t help notice the odd shape, commenting on how it looks different from what they expected… and that’s a good thing. Subverting expectations is great if you can create a design that’s somehow received more positively than the consumer’s expectations. The problem is that Nothing’s ardent fan base now always has the highest expectations. And as a fan, I did too.

Designer: Monica Bhyrappa

Call me pedantic, but Nothing’s entire design DNA was transparency. Whether it was the earbuds or the phones, there was always an element of ‘see-through’ in their tech. Not so much in the phones, given how densely components are packed inside, but the Ear (1), Ear (a), and Ear (open) all had a transparent outer housing that let you peer into the electronics below. While the ‘alleged’ Headphones (1) do have a transparent shell, the design is FAR from actually transparent. In fact, it’s entirely opaque, except for one can-hugging outer shell that doesn’t really let you ‘peer into the headphones.’

That’s when I stumbled upon the ‘Spectrum’ headphones by Monica Bhyrappa. These phones were especially designed for wearers with autism, allowing them to experience less sensory load as compared to other humans. Autistic people experience the world very differently, and an overload of sensory input can easily overwhelm them. The Spectrum are a specially-tuned pair of noise-canceling headphones designed to phase out too many noises, allowing wearers to focus on audio that actually matters.

The design brief is spectacular, and I’m all for accessible tech, but I couldn’t help but also notice one of Monica’s concept renders, which featured a set of transparent cans… and the second I saw them, I knew exactly what I wanted the Nothing Headphones (1) to look like.

Nothing’s ethos is broadly to make tech fun again – not through awkward shapes, but through an eye-catching design that boasts transparency. You have a broader appreciation for tech if you know what’s inside it, or at least that’s what I personally believe. Beats by Dre had this entire scandal following a teardown that revealed metal cubes inside the headphones, added with zero purpose other than to make them feel ‘heavier’ and therefore ‘premium’. Nothing’s transparent tech was supposed to be an open challenge to that.

Are the upcoming Headphones (1) ‘fun’? I’m sure there’s a set of people who love the design, and a set of people who think it’s funky, but not specifically for them. That isn’t the point I’m trying to make. What I personally wish is that the headphones adopted the ‘transparency’ design direction more aggressively. Headphones aren’t like phones. They’re thicker, have more air gaps to allow for vibrating components and air-based resonance. This inherently allows for headphones to have a lot of empty space on the inside – empty space that is PERFECT for beautifully showcasing through transparency.

No, I don’t want glyphs on my headphones. But I do wish they looked a little different. I wish they championed transparency more than they currently are… because let’s not deny that Monica Bhyrappa’s Spectrum headphones do look absolutely gorgeous!

The post Here’s the Nothing Headphones (1) we wished existed instead first appeared on Yanko Design.

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