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kinetic device by gustav rosén reflects sky conditions with metal weather symbols

Gustav Rosén presents sculptural weather station

 

Swedish designer and engineer Gustav Rosén, in collaboration with design brand Klong, introduces Skymill, a sculptural weather station that transforms real-time meteorological data into a kinetic home experience. Bringing together Scandinavian design, precision mechanics, and ambient awareness, Skymill translates complex atmospheric changes into tangible motions. Its metal arms and weather symbols shift to reflect conditions like sun, clouds, rain, wind, thunder, and fog, not as numbers on a screen, but as an ever-changing performance of the sky. ‘With Skymill, I wanted to create something that respects the way we used to look at the sky. It doesn’t reduce the weather to numbers on a screen, but lets you reconnect with it,’ says Gustav Rosén.

images courtesy of Gustav Rosén and Klong

 

 

skymill doubles as a mood lamp while tracking air quality

 

With its nine weather symbols capable of forming over 35 unique combinations, Skymill acts as a mechanical weather display powered by continuously updated real-time data. A discreet physical button lets users toggle between the current weather and forecasts for 3, 6, 9 hours, or a full day ahead. Once activated, a soft light glows at the top, doubling as a cozy mood lamp.

 

Stockholm-based Gustav Rosén’s design connects to a mobile app, allowing users to monitor weather anywhere — at home, at a vacation spot, or even across the globe. Indoors, a slim diode display reveals precise temperature readings, while an integrated air quality sensor tracks CO₂, dust, and irritants. When indoor air quality dips below recommended levels, a small bird gently flies out of a metal cage, ‘a modern nod to the canaries once used in mines to warn of dangerous gases.’ 

Skymill is a sculptural weather station

 

 

reconnecting with the sky

 

Rosén, whose work moves between IT and product design, was inspired by his lifelong fascination with mechanics and nature. The concept behind Skymill grew from a desire to reconnect with the sky in a more tactile way. ‘As our everyday lives become increasingly digital, I felt a longing for something more tangible. People have long built complicated mechanical objects, both for function and for pure entertainment – everything from barometers to cuckoo clocks and music machines.’ he shares.

 

The partnership with Klong was a natural fit. CEO Georg Hedendahl saw the potential of Skymill early on and became an integral part of the project. ‘Our vision is to develop objects where function, material, and form merge into something valuable—objects that last, that people appreciate, and never tire of. Our brand is based on care, from production to delivery—care for both people and nature. We only work with designers who dare to create their own expression without following trends,’ says Klong’s CEO Georg Hedendahl.

transforming real-time meteorological data into a kinetic home experience

Skymill translates complex atmospheric changes into tangible motions

a slim diode display reveals precise temperature readings

when indoor air quality dips below recommended levels, a small bird gently flies out of a metal cage

a mechanical weather display powered by continuously updated real-time data

an ever-changing performance of the sky

 

 

project info:

 

name: Skymill
designer: Gustav Rosén | @gustav_rosen_design
brand: Klong | @klonginterior

 

 

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: thomai tsimpou | designboom

The post kinetic device by gustav rosén reflects sky conditions with metal weather symbols appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

tadao ando designs ‘apple’ watch for cauny with a leaf-style hand in the dial

Apple- and concrete-inspired watches by tadao ando and cauny

 

Tadao Ando has designed watches for Cauny, inspired by green apples and the concept of youth underlined in Samuel Ullman’s poem. There are two models for the series. One is in apple green, while the other is in silver, drawn from the concrete architecture that the 1995 Pritzker Architecture Prize awardee is known for. The Tadao Ando apple-inspired watches both have Italian leather straps. They also have a sapphire glass with AR coating for the dial’s top. For both of Tadao Ando’s apple watches, there are no visible time markers: no hours, no minutes.

 

One of the timepiece hands resembles the shape of a leaf, a homage to the fruit it refers to. The dials are also clear of any designs. Like the architect’s masterworks, they show the materiality. For the Ando Green, it’s the neon color of the fruit. For the Ando Grey, it’s the gritty and glossy marks of the steel lines, naturally generated during production. Cauny’s Ando collection is the fourth in the Architects of Time series, where the brand collaborates with revered architects to design watches, including Rafael Moneo and Eduardo Souto Moura.

portrait of Tadao Ando | all images courtesy of Cauny

 

 

Drawn from the poem of Samuel Ullman

 

Even before the apple-inspired watch for Cauny, Tadao Ando has viewed the fruit as a design inspiration. He sees it as a visual metaphor for the youth. He has already created a giant green apple sculpture, which has also been to the Museum SAN in Wonju, Gangwon Province, Korea. The architect quotes Samuel Ullman’s poem Youth: it is not a stage of life, but a movement of the heart.

 

He brought it to his collaboration with the watch brand, a testament to how he lives his life, resulting in a series of apple- and concrete-inspired watches. For Ando Grey, the concept of youth still continues. Concrete lasts, and the design of the Cauny watches exudes it. The brushed steel of the dial and the watch hands displays its fine lines, a hint at the concrete works of the architect. The material can stand the test of time, the narrative Cauny and Tadao Ando aim to bring to the apple- and concrete-inspired watches. 

Ando Green by Cauny

rear view of Ando Green

green apples inspire the design of the Tadao Ando watch for Cauny

the design teams use the shade of the fruit for the timepiece

the hour marker resembles the shape of a leaf

view of Ando Grey

the Ando Grey is a homage to the architect’s concrete works

the architect’s signature appears on the rear of the timepiece

 

project info:

 

name: Ando Green and Ando Grey

architect: Tadao Ando | @tadao.ando

brand: Cauny | @cauny

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41,415 plastic straws compose colorful, modular installation by A+U lab in korea

41,415 plastic straws compose modular installation in korea

 

A sea of translucent plastic straws, precisely 41,415 of them, forms A+U LAB’s temporary installation in Busan, South Korea. Designed as a traveling structure, the modular piece, aptly titled 41,415 Straws, reimagines one of the most familiar disposable objects. Arranged in a square-on-diagonal grid, red, yellow, orange, white, and clear plastic straws transform into a vibrant, porous volume measuring 3 meters wide, 2.75 meters high, and 11.4 meters long. As viewers move around it, the installation shifts in transparency and color, creating a spatial experience from an unexpected everyday material.

images courtesy of A+U LAB

 

 

A+U LAB conceives the structure as a nomadic exhibition

 

In this project, Korean studio A+U LAB investigates material reuse and modular design through a playful system. Each straw, identical in length at 25 centimeters, is slotted into custom-fabricated acrylic connectors—laser-cut components that allow the entire structure to come apart and be transported with ease. The installation is fully recyclable, reflecting an underlying critique of the ubiquity of plastic while simultaneously embracing its potential for spatial experimentation.

 

From a distance, the structure appears as a luminous field, with density and porosity fluctuating depending on angle and light. Up close, the straws oscillate between order and chaos, forming a mesh that is both delicate and monumental. There’s a constant push and pull in the installation—between fragility and scale, order and randomness. The closer you look, the more it plays with your perception. As sunlight passes through the layers of color and clear plastic, the structure seems to shift and shimmer, balancing moments of symmetry with bursts of irregularity. It’s both precise and unpredictable, all at once. Conceived as a nomadic exhibition, 41,415 Straws is designed to activate public spaces and invite new readings of material culture. 

the modular piece is composed of 41,415 straws

A+U LAB reimagines one of the most familiar disposable objects

arranged in a square-on-diagonal grid

the structure measures 3 meters wide, 2.75 meters high, and 11.4 meters long

as viewers move around it, the installation shifts in transparency and color

a dynamic spatial experience

a sea of plastic straws forms A+U LAB’s temporary installation in Korea

 

project info:

 

name: 41,415 Straws

architect: A+U LAB

location: Busan, Korea

 

lead designer: Lawrence Kim 

project team: Eunji Choi, WooJin Choi, DaeUn Gam, SeungGu Kang, JongO Kim, BeomJun Lee, HeonJu Lee, WonSeok Lee, Jiho Paeng, JuYeon Ryu, Sevde Sevinc Seo, SungCheul Shin, JungHo Yeom, JuHae Yu

institution: Pusan National University

 

 

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: thomai tsimpou | designboom

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design shanghai 2025 returns with over 600 human-centric designs

asia’s largest design fair returns in june 2025

 

Design Shanghai returns from June 4–7, 2025, to the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, bringing with it a bold new theme: Design for Humanity. In its 12th year, the show once again transforms Shanghai into a global design nexus, where East meets West and craftsmanship meets innovation. With over 600 curated pieces and more than 80,000 design professionals expected to attend, the 2025 edition is a deep dive into how design serves the human condition— from tactile materials to emotionally intelligent forms. Among the exhibitors, brands and institutions including antoniolupi, IED, Vitra, Villeroy & Boch, LAUFEN, Florim, and more, come together from all over the world to celebrate design.

 

Meanwhile, especially for the CMF Conference and Design for Wellbeing Conference, renowned studios including Heatherwick Studio, Snøhetta, Zaha Hadid Architects, take part in conversations, and become leading voices in how form can become one with fluid human movements, nurturing physical with mental health.

LZF Lamps presented by ICEX – THE CLOUD | all images courtesy of Design Shanghai 

 

 

design shanghai as asia’s cultural and commercial catalyst

 

Organized by Clarion Events, Design Shanghai has grown from a regional expo to a global touchpoint for design dialogue and cross-cultural exchange. Its enduring mission is simple yet profound: to spotlight not only the best in international design, but also the rising power of Chinese creativity. The event has played host to over 2,600 global brands and 640,000 professional visitors since its inception. With each edition, Design Shanghai strengthens its role as a cultural conduit and commercial catalyst, championing the fusion of heritage with innovation.

 

In 2025, that mission is elevated with new sections and feature exhibitions dedicated to human-centric design narratives that reflect today’s values— sustainability, material exploration, wellbeing, and the artisanal resurgence.

Yin Dahua – Male Chair

 

 

from furniture design to material application

 

Design Shanghai 2025 unfolds across four main exhibition sections: Furniture & Lighting, Kitchen & Bathroom, New Materials & Applications, and Living & Lifestyle Design. Each offers an experiential gateway into the latest design trends and technological innovations. Leading global names like Vitra, Formitalia, Bulo, Antoniolupi, and RS Barcelona will reveal new collections. The Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) joins with a showcase including Viccarbe and Porcelenosa, while kitchen and bathroom brands such as LAUFEN, Villeroy & Boch, and Gorenje blend form with function.

 

The New Materials section leans into sustainable design solutions, featuring brands like Ultrasuede®, Florim, and Mapei. Meanwhile, the Living & Lifestyle zone channels fine artistry with global flair— Herend, Sabre Paris, Reflections Copenhagen, and Cutipol bring porcelain, glass, and tableware back into the design spotlight.

Studio RE+N – Lunar Gleam

 

 

Additionally, this edition heralds the debut of Design Shanghai Collectible Design & Art, a curated experience at the Shanghai Exhibition Centre that captures the growing appetite for unique, story-rich objects. From sculptural furniture to expressive art installations, the exhibition navigates the fertile terrain where art and design converge. Leading this initiative are works from 20 esteemed galleries, such as Langblink, Champochic, Deep Time Art Museum, and Ivory Gate.

 

Anchoring the narrative is the redefinition of value— here, handcrafted ceramics, lacquerware, and experimental materials speak louder than logos. Wu Guanzhong’s silkscreen landscape, Anne Harris’s blurred realism, and Isaac Katz’s chromed ‘Spectra’ wall panels illustrate the spectrum: timeless to tactile, poetic to provocative. From Yanshan Art Center’s glazed innovations to Chengyan Lacquerware’s homage to utility and elegance, the Collectible platform positions Asia not just as a manufacturing base, but as a hotbed of meaningful design.

IED – Istituto Europeo di Design – UNWOVEN MEMORIES

 

 

Among the core highlights is TALENTS, celebrating its fifth anniversary with the theme ‘Confront Conflicts.’ Curated by Frank Chou, the initiative offers a space where young designers like Xiangzhi, Yif Design, and Yusheng reflect on global tensions through material and form. Also marking its fifth edition is neooold, which digs into traditional Chinese crafts under the theme ‘Mass Wonders.’ With handcrafted works in lacquer, weaving, and ceramics by Jiang Sheng and Lin Yuming, it’s both a homage to heritage and a glimpse into tomorrow’s craftsmanship.

 

Made in JDZ brings the vibrancy of Jingdezhen’s ceramics legacy into the now, presenting mixed-material works by artists such as Moonline, Studio Bay, and Correct vs Incorrect. Split across three thematic rooms, this debut feature embodies the dynamic spirit of a city that has long been known as the porcelain capital of the world.

Chengdexuan – Jade Dew & Serene Ripples – Intertwined Branches; made in JDZ – Hall 3

 

 

Re:Materialize, curated by Zhang Lei and the Róng Design Library, is another must-see installation at the fair, emphasizing ‘material-driven design’ as a response to global challenges—from environmental instability to social disconnect. Designers and brands here explore three key themes: Present Optimism, Nostalgic Shelter, and Harmonious Coexistence. The exhibition becomes a thought-lab, inviting creators to propose how materials can mediate new forms of security and connection. A powerful statement piece within this section might be a ceramic coated in aged brass or an algae-based polymer with biometric qualities—the point is to push past what we know, toward what we need.

 

Meanwhile, Materials First by Chris Lefteri returns to offer hands-on experiences with cutting-edge materials, while Beyond Craft Japan presents a celebration of Japanese aesthetics through material exploration. Here, artisanal techniques meet contemporary design, presenting an authentic fusion that speaks to Asia’s broader design DNA.

 

On top of the exhibitions, Design Shanghai 2025 is hosting three robust speaker series: the Global Design Conference (centering on ‘Design for Humanity’), the CMF Conference (focusing on colour, materials, and finish), and the Design for Wellbeing Conference. These forums bring together luminaries such as Craig Miller (Heatherwick Studio), Paul Priestman (PULI innovation), Robert Greenwood (Snøhetta), Ole Scheeren (Buro Ole Scheeren), and Satoshi Ohashi (Zaha Hadid Architects). More than just keynote talks, these sessions will interrogate the social impact of design and the ethical questions that designers must now face.

 

Design Shanghai offers something deeper than a feast for the eyes, for collectors, creators, or curious observers. It’s a proposition that while design is an aesthetic problem-solving, it is also a way for living better, more connected, more considered. From collectible one-offs to scalable original ideas, from heritage crafts to speculative futures, the 2025 fair reaffirms the central question: through design, where are we heading, and how should we act?

LINKUNIT – Frame Cup

NANFANG STUDIO – Fluffy Moss Tissue Box

SHOJI_The – Ode to the Luo River Goddess; painting

Desalto Spa – Micro clay

LZF Lamps presented by ICEX VOLIERE

Ciireals – Pouring-Rain; made in JDZ – Hall 3

Aynsley – Pembroke

Guanghe – Swallowtail Butterfly; themed Silver Jewelry

Galerie Monokeros – French medieval ceramic sculpture lamp 

Moonline – moonlit waters screen; made in JDZ – Hall 3

Yif Design – The Moon Portable Lamp

 

 

 

 

project info:

 

name: Design Shanghai | @design_shanghai
organization: Clarion Events

dates: June 04-07, 2025

location: Shanghai Exhibition Center, China

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world’s first net-zero mosque in abu dhabi integrates rammed earth and passive cooling

masdar city mosque generates 100% of its annual energy

 

Adu Dhabi’s Masdar City, globally recognized for its advanced sustainable design, has broken ground on the world’s first net-zero energy mosque. Designed by Arup and developed by Aldar, the project integrates passive cooling systems, rammed earth walls, and hydrogen-based steel to achieve a net-zero energy profile as it targets LEED Zero Carbon certification.

 

Its circular 1,595-square-meter footprint will accommodate more than 1,300 worshippers, and its compact geometry will reduce thermal load and internal water consumption. Passive airflow strategies are also central to the design team from the start, with interiors shaped to capture and direct soft breezes, reducing reliance on mechanical systems to cool prayer rooms, ablution spaces, and circulation zones. This systems combine with the integration of solar panels expected to generate 100% of its energy needs, and a 55% reduction in water consumption through greywater recycling, enabling it to achieve net-zero performance over the course of a year.

 

 

aldar and arup pay homage to the uae’s historic earth mosques

 

One of the Masdar City Mosque’s defining features is its use of rammed earth construction, rare in contemporary public buildings in the region, but historically common in some its earliest mosques. Formed from local materials, the walls cool air and regulate internal temperatures by leveraging thermal mass. This approach is complemented by a passive cooling system, as the structure is shaped to channel prevailing breezes, particularly through a tiered window system on the roof. Together, these systems allow the building to operate with 35% less energy than comparable benchmarks, without relying exclusively on mechanical cooling. Arup’s selected material palette is also carefully considered, using low-emission concrete, sustainable prayer carpets, and energy-efficient lighting systems to reduce embodied and operational emissions at every stage.

 

In parallel with its architectural approach, the mosque – the second in Masdar City — also marks a regional milestone in material innovation. Aldar has partnered with EMSTEEL to incorporate hydrogen-based steel rebar, making it the first development in the MENA region to implement this low-carbon alternative. According to initial estimates, this shift alone will reduce structural emissions by up to 95%.

 

project:

 

name: Masdar City Mosque

architect: Arup

developer: Aldar

location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

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