May
29

By

Apego Modular Pouf Concept Brings Nature-Inspired Seating for Playful, Connected Spaces

Category: YankoDesign

Nature has a gentle way of making spaces feel more alive, and it’s this quality that inspired the Apego modular pouf concept. Shapes and colors pulled straight from the outdoors have a way of inviting comfort and calm, and the Apego pouf takes this idea to heart. It was conceived as a way to bring the fluid adaptability and emotional warmth of natural forms into the spaces we inhabit, whether alone or together.

The concept behind Apego is rooted in versatility and playfulness, offering a new take on seating that goes beyond the ordinary. It draws on the simple pleasures of rearrangement and connection, allowing users to create an environment that truly reflects their mood or needs. For those who appreciate furniture that feels both interactive and meaningful, this pouf aims to strike a quiet balance between function and emotion.

Designer: Fabricio Auler

Drawing from everyday encounters with nature, the design finds its muse in the seeds of the Tick-trefoil plant and the familiar burdock burrs that hitch a ride on clothing after a stroll outdoors. The very name “Apego,” suggesting attachment or affection, reflects this inspiration. Like seeds that effortlessly cling and cluster, each module of the pouf is crafted to connect with others, transforming a simple seat into a modular landscape that invites creativity and togetherness.

The construction of Apego is as flexible as its inspiration. Each pouf is rounded and inviting, upholstered in tactile bouclé fabric that transitions in color to mimic the ripening process of the plant. The modules fit together as easily as seeds might gather, making it possible to build up seating at different heights or simply spread them across a space for personal use. This adaptability means users can arrange them for a cozy solo nook or a larger, communal gathering spot.

Choosing to sit lower to the ground, as the Apego pouf encourages, brings an active element to moments of rest. Unlike traditional chairs that cradle the body into relaxation, these modular seats support a more engaged and mindful posture. It’s a gentle nudge to reconnect with the natural rhythm of body and space, an approach that can foster both physical well-being and a deeper sense of presence.

Guided by a blend of industrial precision and artisanal care, Apego manages to be both lightweight and durable, making it a flexible addition to any environment. Its modularity and tactile appeal invite playful exploration, while the subtle nod to the morphology of seeds keeps the spirit of nature quietly present. For furniture designers and nature lovers alike, Apego offers a thoughtful vision of how the natural world can infuse interiors with warmth, adaptability, and a sense of belonging.

The post Apego Modular Pouf Concept Brings Nature-Inspired Seating for Playful, Connected Spaces first appeared on Yanko Design.

May
29

By

When Transparency Gets Intimate: Manufacturing Honesty in the Age of Trade Wars

Category: Core77

What a time to be alive—especially if you’re in the business of making things that people actually want to touch, wear, and, well… use intimately.

San Francisco-based Crave launched their latest edition of the Tease Necklace while doing something radical in our current trade war environment. Instead of the usual manufacturing shell game (where your “designed in California” product mysteriously appears from a factory you’ve never heard of), they’re offering customers a choice:

– Made in China
– Assembled in USA
– Fully Made in USA

Same product. Three different manufacturing stories. Full transparency on what each option actually means, and how much each option costs. The price breakdown on the Kickstarter page provides a quick eduction on supply chain economics.

The Uncomfortable Truth About “Choice”

When most brands talk about consumer choice, they mean colorways or storage tiers. This is different. This is helping customers understand how the sausage gets made—or in this case, how the vibrator gets manufactured.

For design professionals, these choices are pretty well understood. When working in the gap between concept and reality, every material choice, every manufacturing process, every supply chain decision shapes the final product, often times in ways that marketing teams prefer to gloss over.

Think about your last product launch. How much of the manufacturing complexity made it into the final story? How many compromises got buried under “premium materials” and “precision engineering”?

Why This Matters Beyond the Obvious

The real innovation here isn’t the product itself—it’s the process transparency. In an industry where NDAs shroud everything from injection molding parameters to assembly line workflows, consumer honesty is an eye-opener.

Communicating even part of the manufacturing story is a challenge for mose products and companies. Meanwhile, rising labor costs in China, reshoring initiatives, tariff uncertainties—the old playbook of “design here, make there” is getting complicated fast. Yet most companies are still operating like it’s 2015, hoping their supply chain issues will magically resolve themselves.

Crave is simply saying: “Here’s how three different approaches to making the same thing actually work. You choose.”

The Design Lesson Hidden in Plain Sight

Strip away the provocative product category, and you’re left with something fascinating: a masterclass in manufacturing communication. No corporate hedging about “exploring domestic production capabilities” or “optimizing our global footprint.” Just three options, three stories, three different ways to navigate the current manufacturing reality.

It’s the kind of supply chain transparency that B2B companies spend millions trying to achieve through “digital transformation” initiatives and “end-to-end visibility platforms.” Yet here it is, demonstrated through a piece of intimate jewelry that most procurement teams would blush discussing.

The Uncomfortable Questions

If a small firm can offer this level of manufacturing choice and transparency, why can’t larger companies? Is it really about scale and complexity, or is it about corporate comfort zones?

More pointedly: What other uncomfortable truths about our manufacturing processes are we avoiding? How much of our “Designed in [insert prestigious location]” storytelling is really just geographic marketing?

In a world where every other product claims to be “thoughtfully designed” and “consciously made,” actual transparency feels revolutionary. Sometimes the most important design lessons come from the most unexpected places.

The Tease Vibrator Necklace is currently live on Kickstarter, with 47 days to go on the “All-Or-Nothing” funding campaign.

May
29

By

An Easy Way to Recycle Your Firm’s Material Samples

Category: Core77

If you’ve ever worked at an industrial design or architecture firm, you’ve seen that closet or series of storage bins filled with material samples. Eventually there’s a major office cleanup to reclaim space, and a bunch of that stuff goes.

Goes where? Into landfill, according to Swatchbox, a sample-providing middleman between manufacturers and designers. “The architecture and design industry generates tons of waste from specifying materials,” they write. “Every day, thousands of physical samples (tiles, textiles, laminates) are shipped out to architects and designers globally. Most end up in landfills after a single use.”

That’s hardly a good look, if your firm touts their green credentials. To combat the problem, Swatchbox has launced a program called Second Life Samples—the first of its kind, they say—where firms can send material samples back to them, even if you didn’t get them from Swatchbox. The company will then recirculate or recycle them.

Since 2018, the company has already been doing this with samples they themselves have provided, but by opening up the program to all samples regardless of the source, reckon they can reduce waste by “up to 90% in participating architecture and design firms.”

After assessing returned samples for quality, those in good condition that are still labeled (a sample isn’t much good unless you know where it came from) are made available on Swatchbox’s online platform. As for the rest, “Unlabeled, discontinued, or lightly worn samples are made available to students and educators. Any material that is not recoverable due to damage is processed through Swatchbox recycling partners.”

The program is open to firms located in the U.S. and the U.K. You can sign up here.

May
29

By

MAFGA (Make American Fonts Great Again)?

Category: Core77

With the U.S. experiencing social turmoil, economic uncertainty and a fracturing of international bonds, it’s a strange time to re-introduce a patriotic font that is meant to have global appeal. For reasons unknown Delve Fonts, a California-based digital type foundry, has re-released this Astra Nova font.

Designed in 1969 by designer/photographer François Robert, it was inspired by the stars on the American flag and “channels his admiration for the best aspects of American culture,” according to Delve. The original design was simply called “Astra,” and it won a Letraset design competition in 1973. The new, “revitalized” digital version has had the “Nova” tacked onto it and is “ready to once again perform its duty inspiring hope and positivity,” Delve says.

The firm notes that the updated version “supports 442 languages including Vietnamese and Greek, plus broad support for Afrikan and Oceanian languages.” Diplomacy through typography?

If you’re of the Make American Fonts Great Again persuasion, Astra Nova goes for $29.

May
29

By

10 Must-Have Design Kitchen Essentials For Modern Apartment Chefs

Category: YankoDesign

A modern apartment kitchen is more than just a place to prepare meals. It’s a personal studio, a gathering spot, and a reflection of your approach to living well. In compact urban spaces, the tools you choose matter—every object should feel purposeful, every detail considered. The best kitchen essentials are functional, and they also bring clarity and calm to daily routines, turning ordinary tasks into quiet rituals.

For chefs and passionate home cooks, design-forward tools heighten the experience, making prep work, cooking, and serving feel seamless and satisfying. These objects save space and time while adding a sense of beauty and ease, supporting a lifestyle where efficiency and aesthetics coexist. We’ve curated a collection of carefully chosen kitchen essentials that make the act of cooking enjoyable, and not simply an obligation. These tools are the best of precision, versatility, and thoughtful design.

1. DraftPro Top Can Opener

The DraftPro Top Can Opener is a compact, minimalist can opener designed for easy and smooth operation. Its clean silhouette and simple turning mechanism allow for efficient opening of standard cans. The space-saving design means it tucks neatly into drawers or shelves, ideal for kitchens where every inch counts.

For modern apartment chefs, the DraftPro Top Can Opener’s efficient function is matched by a form that complements streamlined, urban kitchens. Its compactness keeps counters uncluttered and its straightforward operation suits fast, everyday meal prep, making it essential for anyone balancing convenience and style in a small-space kitchen.

Click Here to Buy Now: $59.00

Benefits for the Modern Apartment Chef

Minimal, space-saving design.
Simple, efficient operation.

Cons for the Modern Apartment Chef

Suitable for standard cans only.
Not dishwasher safe.

2. Obsidian Black Mini Grip Tongs

The Obsidian Black Mini Grip Tongs are designed for precise handling of small foods, like appetizers, garnishes, and delicate ingredients. Their compact size allows for easy use, cleaning, and storage, while the matte black finish adds a refined touch to the utensil collection.

Apartment chefs benefit from these tongs’ ability to plate with accuracy, even in tight kitchen quarters. Their small footprint is perfect for maximizing utility in limited spaces, and their elegant look ensures they fit seamlessly with contemporary or monochrome kitchen aesthetics.

Click Here to Buy Now: $19.00

Benefits for the Modern Apartment Chef

Compact and easy to store.
Precise control for small foods.

Cons for the Modern Apartment Chef

Not intended for large or heavy items.
Limited reach.

3. Plate Grater

The Plate Grater is a flat grater meant for zesting citrus, grating cheese, or adding spices directly onto plates. Its slim design means it can be stored almost anywhere, and its surface is easy to clean after use. It is built from durable 21/0 stainless steel and equipped with an anti-slip silicone rubber base that also serves as a cover.

Perfect for apartment chefs, the Plate Grater offers a practical and beautiful way to finish dishes right before serving, making it possible to add fresh touches even in a small kitchen. Its low profile supports efficient storage, and its versatility suits the multitasking demands of compact cooking environments.

Click Here to Buy Now: $65.00

Benefits for the Modern Apartment Chef

Flat, easy-to-store design.
Suitable for garnishing at the table.

Cons for the Modern Apartment Chef

Not ideal for large quantities.

4. Hinoki Essence Cutting Board

The Hinoki Essence Cutting Board is made from Japanese hinoki wood, renowned for its lightweight build and ability to protect knife edges. It naturally resists odors and moisture, and its thin profile makes it easy to maneuver and store. It also perfectly pairs up with the Precision Ceramic Sashimi Knife!

In a modern apartment kitchen, where surfaces are limited and storage is precious, this board’s lightness and slimness are advantages. It’s easy to wash, move, and tuck away, while its gentle surface keeps tools in peak condition—ideal for chefs who prioritize both practicality and traditional materials.

Click Here to Buy Now: $59.00

Benefits for the Modern Apartment Chef

Lightweight, easy to handle.
Gentle on knives.

Cons for the Modern Apartment Chef

Requires hand washing.
Softer wood may develop marks.

5. Precision Ceramic Sashimi Knife

The Precision Ceramic Sashimi Knife features a ceramic blade that holds its sharp edge and lets you slice through sashimi with precision and stealth. It is designed for fine slicing of sashimi, vegetables, and fruit. Its lightweight construction means less fatigue during repetitive tasks.

Ideal for apartment chefs, this knife is a functional choice for preparing delicate ingredients in a small kitchen. The superior ceramic blade preserves flavor and color, and its slim profile fits easily in compact storage spaces, making it a natural fit for those who value both efficiency and presentation.

Click Here to Buy Now: $299.00

Benefits for the Modern Apartment Chef

Stays sharp for longer.
Offers a comfortable and secure grip.

Cons for the Modern Apartment Chef

Fragile if dropped.
Not suitable for hard foods.

6. Iron Frying Plate

The Iron Frying Plate is designed to blur the line between cooking and serving, letting you eat right off the surface you cooked on. Made from 1.6 mm-thick mill scale steel, it’s rust-resistant and stick-resistant, so you can use it straight out of the box without extra prep. The pan’s sturdy build helps bring out the best flavors and textures in your food, offering a direct connection between heat and ingredients.

This plate eliminates the need for extra serving dishes, making it a practical solution for apartment chefs and their small kitchens with limited storage and counter space. The wooden handle attaches and detaches easily with one hand, allowing for a smooth transition from stove to table.

Click Here to Buy Now: $69.00

Benefits for the Modern Apartment Chef

Doubles as both a frying pan and a serving plate.
Rust-resistant and stick-resistant, ready to use out of the box.

Cons for the Modern Apartment Chef

Steel construction can be heavy for some users.
Not suitable for microwave or dishwasher use.

7. Precision Chef Kitchen Scissors

Precision Chef Kitchen Scissors are crafted to make food prep simple and efficient, especially in compact kitchens where every tool needs to excel. With sharp blades and a striking black finish created through oxidation coloring, these scissors bring both power and style to your kitchen or dining table.

They’re designed for more than just looks—the curved serrated blade is specially engineered to make cutting meat easier and safer, so slicing through steaks, vegetables, or pizza is truly effortless. The ergonomic structure means the blades never touch the surface when laid down, helping keep your space clean and hygienic, making them a perfect fit for modern apartment chefs. Their elegant appearance establishes a modern presence, while the practical features make them a staple for any meal.

Click Here to Buy Now: $99.00

Benefits for the Modern Apartment Chef

Special curved serrated blade for easy, safe meat cutting.
Durable black finish that resists fading.

Cons for the Modern Apartment Chef

Not intended for tough bones or very hard foods.
Should be hand-washed to maintain the finish.

8. Obsidian Black All-Around Tongs

Obsidian Black All-Around Tongs transform cooking into a seamless, stylish experience for apartment chefs who value both function and aesthetics. With a length of 9.45 inches (24cm), these tongs handle a variety of kitchen and dining tasks—from flipping burgers or turning chicken in the pan to serving pasta or handing out pastries.

The built-in stand keeps the tips elevated, ensuring your surfaces stay clean and your workflow remains uninterrupted, even in compact kitchen spaces. Made from SUS821L1 stainless steel, these tongs are lighter and thinner than typical options while boasting twice the strength of standard SUS304 steel.

Click Here to Buy Now: $25.00

Benefits for the Modern Apartment Chef

Built-in stand keeps tips off surfaces for cleanliness.
Durable, lightweight, and sustainable stainless steel construction.

Cons for the Modern Apartment Chef

Longer length may be less convenient for very small pans.
Should be hand-washed to preserve the black finish.

9. Smart Tea Pot

The Smart Tea Pot redefines the tea experience for apartment chefs who appreciate both innovation and ritual. With app-connected brewing, you can select your tea type and let the teapot handle optimal brewing conditions, drawing from a comprehensive tea database for everything from green to herbal blends.

Six advanced sensors analyze your heart rate, finger temperature, and environment, personalizing each cup to match your mood and physical state, ensuring your tea is always tailored to your needs. Inspired by traditional Japanese techniques, the patented rotary brewing system replicates the nuanced wrist movements of a tea master, delivering a rich, full-bodied flavor profile every time.

Click Here to Buy Now: $349.00

Benefits for the Modern Apartment Chef

App-connected brewing and personalized tea experience.
Patented rotary system for rich, full-bodied flavor.

Cons for the Modern Apartment Chef

Requires a smart device and app for full functionality.
Regular cleaning is needed for sensors and the brewing mechanism.

10. Obsidian Black Precision Chopstick Tongs

The Obsidian Black Precision Chopstick Tongs offer a refined blend of chopstick elegance and tong versatility, perfect for apartment chefs who cook and dine in compact, modern spaces. Shaped like chopsticks but functioning as tongs, they handle small or delicate foods effortlessly—ideal for turning pieces on the pan, prepping bento boxes, or serving sushi.

Their ergonomic design ensures comfort and confidence, making them as suitable for eating as for cooking, and removing the guesswork from holding traditional chopsticks. Made from lightweight and durable SUS821L1 stainless steel, these tongs stand out for their strength, corrosion resistance, and lasting black finish.

Click Here to Buy Now: $25.00

Benefits for the Modern Apartment Chef

Combines chopstick precision with tong versatility.
Durable black finish resists scratches and peeling.

Cons for the Modern Apartment Chef

Less effective for heavy foods or large servings.
May require practice for those unfamiliar with chopstick-style tools.

The post 10 Must-Have Design Kitchen Essentials For Modern Apartment Chefs first appeared on Yanko Design.

May
29

By

A Dutch-Danish Housing Crunch Solution: Build Floating Neighborhoods

Category: Core77

Like many countries, the Netherlands currently faces a housing crunch. Unlike many countries, the Dutch have a history of working with water to build out their environment. This ambitious Spoorweghaven Floating Community, a proposal for Rotterdam, thus aims to float affordable housing in an underutilized canal.

The proposal was designed by Maritime Architecture Studio (MAST), a Copenhagen-based architecture firm that specializes in floating construction. It calls for a multitude of buildings housing more than a hundred low-cost apartments, as well as commercial and recreational space.

“The Spoorweghaven floating community would connect to the city’s already expansive bicycle infrastructure and also create new possibilities for transportation by boat. Public pathways would link the two sides of the harbour and allow bicycle access directly to the apartment buildings and to public bicycle parking facilities at each access bridge to the community. Recreational boat moorings are also provided between floating buildings and a continuous `blue ribbon´ around the community allows access from the city centre directly to the apartment buildings and public spaces.”

“Floating public walkways and green spaces provide new flexible spaces for residents in the new apartments and the surrounding area. Rooftop terraces and roof gardens also provide more private outdoor spaces for residents at the same time as preserving the view from surrounding apartments.”

“In order to improve the water quality in the harbour MAST worked with Scottish company Biomatrix to incorporate over 900m2 of floating reed beds around the perimeter of the site. Reedbeds like these have been installed in cities across Europe where they have been effective at reducing nutrients in water and providing habitat for waterbirds and fish.”

“The floating buildings would be constructed off site from CLT and towed into the dock for a short installation period. This would mean minimal impact on the community and a more efficient build process in a working dock outside of the city centre. It also permits the buildings to be repurposed on another site at the duration of a long term lease. This opportunity, to move buildings rather than demolish them when they cease to make financial sense in a given location, could dramatically increase the life span of floating buildings and give them a significant edge in sustainability over traditional apartment buildings.”

“These floating communities could also provide a far more sustainable alternative to large land reclamation projects which are underway around the globe.”

The proposal has received the support of Rotterdam officials, though no date for breaking ground—er, water—has yet been announced. That may change as pressure increases: The Netherlands has set a target of building one million new homes by 2030, and the country is famously short of land to build them on.

May
29

By

PROTO X Retro Future Digital Watch Channels Vintage Tech With Playful Style

Category: YankoDesign

There’s something undeniably charming about a watch that refuses to blend in with the crowd. Smartwatches are handy, sure, but their uniform screens and familiar shapes tend to drain away any hope of real personality. That’s why so many watch collectors and design fans keep turning to mechanical and digital timepieces, where creativity can run wild and a little flair is always welcome. If you’ve ever wanted a wrist accessory that sparks a smile or a conversation, the PROTO X Retro Future Digital Watch could be exactly what your collection needs.

This quirky digital watch tosses out the rulebook when it comes to traditional watchmaking. The whole thing looks like it could’ve been ripped straight from the golden era of vintage tech, or maybe even the props department of a 1980s sci-fi movie. Its square case and boldly exposed electronics give it a “circuit board chic” vibe, while the transparent design lets you peek at the heart of the machine. There’s something playfully subversive about wrapping visible tech around your wrist in a way that feels both nostalgic and unexpected.

Designer: 830 Watch Store (Hachisanmaru)

The display is a throwback in the best possible way, relying on a 7-segment LCD for pure, old-school digital charm. No fancy animations or color screens here, just crisp, straightforward numbers that call back to the gadgets of decades past. With a simple quartz crystal oscillator at its core, the watch keeps accurate time, displaying hours in a 24-hour LED format. All it takes is a press of the left button to light up the time, and a quick push on the right to set it, making daily operation as intuitive as it gets.

Customization is another reason the Proto X stands out in a sea of cookie-cutter wearables. The bands come in a mix of monochrome and colored retro designs, each one echoing the quirky patterns and colored components that defined vintage electronics. Whether you want something subdued or a mix of colors, there’s a strap to match your mood and your wardrobe. It’s a welcome nod to the days when tech wasn’t afraid to experiment with personality.

Of course, the exposed electronics mean you’ll want to treat this watch with a bit more care than your average digital piece. It’s splash-resistant, so everyday encounters with water droplets won’t be a problem, but serious submersion is off the table. This slight fragility is part of its charm, though, making it feel like a genuine artifact from a wilder era of design.

Produced in small batches, the Proto X Retro Futuristic Digital Watch isn’t for everyone. Its appeal is deeply rooted in nostalgia and the playful spirit of retro-futurism. It’s less about packing in features and more about projecting a sense of individuality and fun. If you’re a collector, a lover of quirky accessories, or simply someone who enjoys the intersection of tech and imagination, this watch is a bold little statement that proves style can be just as important as substance.

The post PROTO X Retro Future Digital Watch Channels Vintage Tech With Playful Style first appeared on Yanko Design.

May
29

By

FROMM.Lab calls on designers to reimagine arab heritage for international competition

Category: Design Boom

FROMM.LAB OPENS ITS FIRST INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION

 

FROMM.Lab’s First International Design Competition invites designers to reinterpret Arab heritage for today’s global audiences. Under the theme ‘Design for a Changing World: Bridging Cultures,’ the competition seeks functional prototypes that reveal the richness and diversity of Arab culture through a contemporary lens. Participants can submit original concepts across four product categories — seating, tables, storage, and lighting — merging craftsmanship with modern design sensibilities.

 

‘Design has the power to connect cultures and ideas,’ says Alia Rachid, Founder & CEO of FROMM.  ‘This competition is an opportunity for creatives to explore heritage in a contemporary context.  Through mentorship and international exposure, we aim to support the next generation in shaping a  design language that’s rooted, relevant, and forward-looking.’

Alia Rachid, Founder & CEO of FROMM. | all images courtesy of FROMM.

 

 

A PLATFORM CONNECTING HERITAGE AND CONTEMPORARY DESIGN

 

FROMM.Lab is the educational platform of luxury design house FROMM., with roots in Msheireb Downtown Doha and a showroom in Milan. The initiative is committed to cross-cultural collaboration and heritage-informed innovation, providing opportunities for new voices in design to flourish. The competition reflects FROMM.’s long-standing mission to operate at the intersection of tradition and modernity, craftsmanship and experimentation. It encourages the creation of objects that are poetic and practical, local and universal, opening a dialogue between past and present while shaping the design language of the future.

from left to right: Giulio Cappellini, Joseph Grima, Alia Rachid, Fahad Al Obaidly, Dan Thawley

 

 

MENTORSHIP, PROTOTYPING, AND GLOBAL EXPOSURE FOR FINALISTS

 

Entries are expected to integrate stories, materials, and symbols from Arab heritage into designs that speak to a global audience. Selected finalists will benefit from mentorship provided by an international team of experts, including Giulio Cappellini, founder of Cappellini; Joseph Grima, architect and creative director of Design Academy Eindhoven; Aline Asmar d’Amman, architect and founder of Culture in Architecture Paris, Luca Fois, professor of Product Design at Politecnico di Milano, who leads the FROMM.Lab team and Fahad Al Obaidly, Acting Director of Design Doha as judge.

 

The finalist projects will be prototyped and produced under the FROMM. brand with full technical and material support. These designs will gain international media visibility and will be exhibited within FROMM.Collections at the Design Doha Biennale in April 2026. Through this exposure, the finalists will have the chance to present their vision to curators, collectors, and cultural leaders on a global stage.

 

Registration for the competition is open until June 15th, 2025.

the Haima’ Armchair, part of the Shurouq Collection, co-designed with Qatari designer Maryam Al Suwaidi

Aline Asmar d’Amman | image © Chloe Lereste

Fahad Al Obaidly

Luca Fois

Giulio Cappellini

Joseph Grima

 

project info:

competition: Design for a Changing World: Bridging Cultures

organizer: FROMM.| @fromm.lab

mentors: Giulio Cappellini, Joseph Grima, Aline Asmar d’Amman, and Luca Fois
registration deadline: June 15th, 2025

The post FROMM.Lab calls on designers to reimagine arab heritage for international competition appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

May
29

By

snapchat’s AR glasses have lenses that create visuals and sounds of the book you’re reading

Category: Design Boom

Snapchat AR glasses with lenses that generate visuals

 

The Snap Spectacles, a pair of AR glasses from Snapchat, have lenses that generate the images and sounds of the book the user is reading. Named Augmented Reading Lenses, it’s a collaboration between the National Library Board of Singapore and Snap Inc., with LePub Singapore as the campaign’s production lead. These Snapchat AR glasses and lenses use real-time OCR, or the conversion of typed text into a digital format, and generative AI to produce the visuals. The device already has stereo speakers, so the soundscapes are a natural addition to the reading experience.

all images courtesy of Snap Inc., National Library Board of Singapore, and LePub Singapore

 

 

Sounds play as the user reads the text

 

The Snapchat AR glasses and lenses use text recognition and machine learning to see the content the user is reading and activate the related visuals and sounds. First, the device scans the printed text as the user reads. Then, the images float before their eyes, accompanied by the sound effects linked to specific words or scenes. In this case, when the book describes a kind of environmental or action sound, like doors opening, the Snapchat AR glasses with these new lenses play that audio right into the speakers. 

 

So far, the company and the library say that the visuals appear in time for what the user is reading. Once they look up from the page, they can see the images depicted in the text in their field of vision. The National Library Board of Singapore adds that the project is a part of its initiative to use technology as a way to engage more people to read books. The teams have collaborated with LeGarage, the innovation branch of LePub Singapore, to help develop the reading experience and campaign of the Snapchat AR glasses and lenses. At the present time, they plan to roll out the beta-testing devices later in 2025 in Singapore to gather feedback before the public rollout.

view of the Snap Spectacles

the device uses real-time OCR and generative AI to produce the visuals and sounds

the images and sounds appear as the user reads

users can also interact with the floating imagery, based on what they’re reading

sample visuals when the user reads Pride and Prejudice

even Frankenstein shows up as a generated visual

the device already has stereo speakers, so the soundscapes are present

users can see the images depicted in the text in their field of vision

the beta testing rolls out later in 2025

 

project info:

 

name: Augmented Reading Lenses

companies: Snap Inc., Snap AR Studio, LePub Singapore | @spectacles, @lepub_worldwide

library: National Library Board of Singapore | @nlbsingapore

 

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: matthew burgos | designboom

The post snapchat’s AR glasses have lenses that create visuals and sounds of the book you’re reading appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

May
29

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qatar charts architecture of belonging and care across MENASA region at venice biennale

Category: Design Boom

Beyti Beytak. My Home is Your Home. La mia casa è la tua casa

 

Qatar’s debut national participation at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale maps a cultural and architectural history of traditions of welcome, gathering, and collective care across the MENASA region, split across two sites across the city. Titled Beyti Beytak. My Home is Your Home. La mia casa è la tua casa, its first expression is a temporary pavilion in the Giardini by Yasmeen Lari (read our interview with the Pakistani architect here), while the other is a major archival exhibition inside the Palazzo Franchetti. In the latter, curators Aurélien Lemonier and Sean Anderson treat the metaphor of hospitality as a design principle that has shaped the built environment across geographies and generations — from homes, mosques, and schools to museums, gardens, and even entire cities. Doing so, they delve into some of the greatest, and emerging, profiles that have illustrated this across countries such as Palestine, Pakistan, India, Morocco, Egypt, Iraq, Qatar, and beyond. The show presents drawings, models, photos, and more from more than 30 architects and collectives, spanning from Hassan Fathy and Balkrishna Doshi to younger voices like Sumaya Dabbagh, Abeer Seikaly, and Rizvi Hassan.

 

Throughout the rooms of the historic Palazzo, the show is loosely organized into seven sections — each one pointing to a different typology of collective life, sketching a constellation of projects shaped by climate, community, and care. Here, the oasis is imagined as a generative metaphor for exchange and encounter, while social housing projects from Lahore, Mumbai, and New Gourna offer intimate insights into how the home can be shared, extended, and adapted in various socio-political climates. Mosques and museums, too, are included as civic anchors that embed public life with rituals of togetherness and reflection. The exhibition is produced by Qatar Museums and organized by the forthcoming Art Mill Museum.

all images courtesy of Qatar Museums

 

 

qatar museums’ exhibition begins with reimagining the oasis

 

The exhibition opens with Reimagining the Oasis, illustrating it as a simple water source in a landscape, a large farm, or even a city, and looking at projects from Iran, Iraq, and North Africa, and more. The space explores the role of the oasis in transmitting cultures over time, examining how water and vegetation have historically generated life, and as an extension, public space.

 

Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy, for instance, in the 1900s continued to examine rural typologies along the waters, and how they could be alleviated for sustainable, collective living. More recently, Jordanian architect Abeer Sekaily has taken inspiration from the craftsmanship behind the tents of nomadic Bedouin communities to create her domed Weaving a Home tent which further questions the social implications of creating shelters for displaced communities.

 

  

CIVIC LIFE AS A CONTINUUM across community centers and mosques

 

Community centers are positioned in the exhibition as sites where architecture directly responds to the needs and practices of the people who use it. Whether improvised on woven mats or embedded in the civic fabric of informal settlements, these projects position design as an extension of shared life rather than a formal imposition. In Iran, DAAZ Office’s Jadgal Elementary School was developed through participatory processes to reflect indigenous spatial customs while supporting education as a tool for economic and cultural resilience. In Cairo, Ahmed Hossam Saafan’s Dawar El Ezba Cultural Center provides a kitchen, workshop, and gathering space within one of the city’s largest informal neighborhoods, designed with and for a marginalized community.

 

Ahead, the exhibition looks closer into the role of the mosque in particular as both a sacred space and an architectural form crucial to welcoming a wide spectrum of human activity. From Marina Tabassum’s contemporary Bait ur Rouf Mosque in Bangladesh to Sumaya Dabbagh’s Mosque of Mohamed Abdulkhaliq Gargash in the UAE, this part of Beyti Beytak looks at the work of three leading women architects and explores how mosques often act as cooling centres, learning hubs, and places of shelter. Their openness, in plan and in social role, is central to the exhibition’s reading of architecture as hospitable infrastructure.

 

 

domesticity and The Art of Gardens

 

In City Houses and Social Housing, we encounter a shifting idea of domestic space, turning toward a more porous environment shaped by rituals and collective gathering. For communities in the MENASA region, the architecture of the home has been organized around cultural and spatial features such as courtyards and terraces that have allowed a degree of both connectivity and privacy. Works on view also consider how domestic spaces might have seeped into the street in the context of the bustling contemporary metropolis, becoming a part of the fabric of the city itself. In this section, drawings of plans outline Hassan Fathy’s New Gourna Village in Egypt, while contemporary examples from Iraq and India show how homes are often co-produced and adapted over time.

 

 

Building on this, the Art of Gardens section moves inward to explore verdant landscapes as crucial sites of memory and care in today’s cultural spaces, while celebrating their role in visual practices. Projects from India to Qatar trace how gardens operate as sensory and spatial interfaces between built form and natural systems, in both religious and secular contexts. In Islamic traditions, the garden is a metaphor for paradise, symbolically tied to the water resources they hold. But they also work as a cooling device, a place of retreat, and a tool for ecological thinking.

 

Through carefully selected drawings and fieldwork, the section shows how landscape design carries emotional, spiritual, and architectural weight across institutions in public spaces across the world. One such example is the Chihilsitoon Garden, Kabul’s largest historic public garden which was revitalized after destruction in the war of 1979-80, becoming a crucial shared space for the public and a sustainer of life and livelihoods.

    

 

project info:

 

name: Beyti Beytak. My Home is Your Home. La mia casa è la tua casa

curator: Aurélien Lemonier, Sean Anderson

organizer: Qatar Museums, Art Mill Museum

location: Palazzo Franchetti, Venice, Italy

 

program: Venice Architecture Biennale | @labiennale

dates: May 10th — November 23rd, 2025

The post qatar charts architecture of belonging and care across MENASA region at venice biennale appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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