May
27

By

An Unusual-Looking Object for Keeping Wine Bottles Cool

Category: Core77

This Ona Wine Chiller is by Crucial Detail, a Chicago-based fancy kitchen goods brand. Meant to be used in place of an ice-filled vessel, it consists of a series of “thermal pods” held within a stainless steel lattice, a wooden coaster, and a puck-shaped icepack that sits below the bottle, nestled within the coaster.

The lattice is slid over the top of the bottle has a small measure of flexibility to it, allowing it to conform to slightly different shapes. Even still it’s sold in two sizes, one for bottles up to 3.5″ in diameter, the other up to 4″.

Bottles can be picked up with the thing on, at least in the press photos.

It’s visually interesting for sure, but reviews are mixed; users have praised the looks but complained about fitment issues and questioned how long it actually keeps the bottle cool. I’d be particularly interested to learn what the “thermal pods” are made out of, but the company doesn’t say.

These run $115 a pop.

May
27

By

10 Best Smartwatches To Consider In May 2025: Find The Perfect Wearable For You

Category: YankoDesign

Smartwatches aren’t just timepieces—they’re portals to our digital lives, fashion statements, health trackers, and productivity boosters. As technology surges forward in 2025, designers are fusing minimalism, nostalgia, sci-fi aesthetics, and cutting-edge AI to create wearables that cater to every style and need. Whether you’re a fitness fanatic, a retro gamer, or a fan of avant-garde design, there’s a smartwatch crafted just for you. Here are the top 10 smartwatches to consider this May, each bringing something unique to your wrist.

May 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark moment for smartwatches, with designs that challenge conventions and cater to every personality. Whether you’re drawn to the mindful minimalism of the Vetra Orbit One, the transformative health insights of the Allai Wearable-1, or the bold statement of the A_001 PowerWatch, there’s never been a better time to embrace the future on your wrist.

1. Vetra Orbit One

Minimalism is having a moment, but the Vetra Orbit One concept smartwatch doesn’t just embrace the aesthetic—it channels it into every interaction. Unlike the endless notifications and glowing screens that define most wearables, the Orbit One is a breath of fresh air. Its e-ink display delivers a paper-like clarity that’s easy on the eyes, ensuring legibility in sunlight and dramatically extending battery life.

What makes it excellent is its tactile control wheel, which reintroduces the satisfying sensation of physical interaction. Instead of swiping and tapping, you feel the deliberate click of the bezel, echoing the experience of winding a classic timepiece. This sensory touch brings a meditative quality to daily routines, reducing digital overwhelm and making every action feel intentional.

What we like

The tactile control wheel offers a unique, mindful interaction, reducing screen fatigue and enhancing user experience.
E-ink display ensures superb readability in all lighting conditions while maximizing battery longevity.

What we dislike

Limited display colors and animations may not appeal to users seeking vibrant visuals.
The minimalist interface might lack advanced app integrations present in more conventional smartwatches.

2. Minimal Watch Concept

The Minimal Watch Concept boldly reimagines what a smartwatch can be, breaking away from the traditional design molds. Instead of a single, all-encompassing display, it uses four distinct screens arranged in a cross pattern, each with a specific purpose. The topmost circular display tells the time in a unique speedometer-inspired fashion, while the middle row houses a pill-shaped display for primary content like messages or caller ID, flanked by a smaller screen for related details.

The bottom circle serves as an action hub, displaying context-sensitive options or quick info like weather or controls. This fragmented approach reduces visual noise and distractions, encouraging users to focus on what truly matters. Each display’s specialized role means you only see essential information, minimizing the temptation to endlessly scroll or fidget with apps.

What we like

Segmented displays help compartmentalize information, reducing distractions and promoting mindfulness.
The cross-shaped, minimalistic design stands out as a conversation starter and appeals to lovers of avant-garde fashion.

What we dislike

Dividing functionality across multiple screens can complicate navigation and increase the learning curve.
Potential battery drain due to multiple displays may offset the benefits of a minimalist user experience.

3. Allai Wearable-1

Health tracking enters a new era with the Allai Wearable-1, a device that blurs the lines between a smartwatch and a smart ring. Designed for those who want more than just passive data, this wearable learns and evolves with you. The secret lies in its NeuralTrack AI, which actively studies your routines, physiological patterns, and even the subtlest changes in your health profile. Unlike conventional trackers, the Wearable-1 uses clinical-grade, FDA-cleared algorithms, providing insights that approach medical accuracy.

Its modularity is a game-changer: by day, it’s a full-featured smartwatch complete with notifications, activity tracking, and health metrics. By night, it transforms into a discreet smart ring, ideal for sleep monitoring and continuous biometrics without the bulk of a wristwatch.

What we like

Modular design lets users switch between a smartwatch and a smart ring, ensuring comfort and uninterrupted health tracking.
Advanced AI delivers tailored health insights, moving beyond generic step counts to meaningful, actionable feedback.

What we dislike

The complexity of adaptive algorithms may overwhelm users who prefer simple, straightforward devices.
Premium health features and modular components could lead to a higher price point than standard fitness trackers.

4. Atari 2600 My Play Smartwatch

For those who grew up with the pixelated charm of Atari games, the Atari 2600 My Play Smartwatch is a delightful throwback. This device isn’t content with merely mimicking retro aesthetics; it brings genuine gaming nostalgia to your wrist, complete with four iconic titles: Centipede, Missile Command, Pong, and Super Breakout.

Wrapped in a design reminiscent of classic Atari consoles, it’s a wearable that sparks conversation and fond memories in equal measure. But the My Play Smartwatch isn’t just about reliving the past. It comes packed with modern essentials: heart rate monitoring, step and calorie tracking, and the full suite of notification features you’d expect from a 2025 smartwatch.

What we like

Built-in classic Atari games provide unique entertainment and a playful break from daily routines.
Distinctive retro design appeals to enthusiasts and stands out in the sea of lookalike wearables.

What we dislike

Gaming features may consume additional battery, reducing longevity compared to simpler models.
Retro-inspired interface could feel dated for users accustomed to sleek, modern smartwatch layouts.

5. Pebble Smartwatch

Few tech comebacks have generated as much buzz as the return of the Pebble smartwatch. Once a trailblazer for wearables, Pebble’s original charm lay in its ultra-long battery life and e-paper display—qualities that still resonate with users tired of daily charging. Thanks to Google’s decision to open-source the Pebble OS, the classic device has been reborn, keeping its signature simplicity and customizable software while gaining community-driven improvements.

Pebble’s design remains delightfully straightforward. Its screen is crisp in all lighting conditions, and the device’s lightweight build makes it comfortable for all-day wear. The open-source ecosystem encourages enthusiasts to develop new apps and watch faces, breathing fresh life into a beloved classic.

What we like

Open-source OS fosters a vibrant community, enabling endless customization and long-term support.
E-paper display and efficient hardware deliver battery life measured in days, not hours.

What we dislike

Outdated hardware and a limited color display may not satisfy users wanting cutting-edge visuals.
Fewer built-in health sensors compared to modern flagship smartwatches.

6. Garmin Instinct 3

The Garmin Instinct 3 is purpose-built for explorers, athletes, and anyone who pushes boundaries—indoors or out. Taking cues from its rugged predecessors, this 2025 model introduces a durable metal bezel, a bright AMOLED display, and thoughtful touches like an integrated LED flashlight for night hikes or emergencies. With options for both AMOLED and solar-powered models, and sizes catering to different wrists, Garmin offers unmatched versatility.

Where Instinct 3 truly shines is in its battery life. Despite the power-hungry display, the AMOLED version boasts up to 24 days on a single charge—a feat rarely seen in the smartwatch world. Advanced fitness tracking and navigation features stay true to Garmin’s reputation, while new enhancements like improved heart rate monitoring and GPS precision make it indispensable for serious adventurers.

What we like

Exceptional battery performance, even with a vibrant AMOLED display, ensures reliability in all conditions.
Rugged build and integrated features (like the LED flashlight) cater to outdoor enthusiasts and safety-conscious users.

What we dislike

Bulky design and robust build may not suit those seeking a slim, sleek accessory for formal wear.
Some advanced features require a learning curve, especially for users new to Garmin’s ecosystem.

7. A_001 Powerwatch

In a world of rounded edges and uniform screens, the A_001 PowerWatch stands out with unapologetic boldness. Channeling the aesthetics of Japanese metal heroes and the angular lines of the Tesla Cybertruck, this smartwatch is a wearable statement. The color palette—reds, silvers, and blues—evokes the spirit of classic tokusatsu series, while hefty knobs for input bring a satisfying, tactile operation rarely seen in wearables.

Its large, geometric screen offers clear readability, making it as practical as it is eye-catching. The PowerWatch is more than just a fashion piece; its menu controls and app functions are designed for those who value both form and function. For tech enthusiasts, sci-fi fans, or anyone wanting to break away from the crowd, the A_001 PowerWatch delivers a unique fusion of nostalgia and futuristic flair.

What we like

Striking, mecha-inspired design is a head-turner and perfect for fans of anime and sci-fi.
Intuitive physical controls offer an alternative to touchscreen-only interaction, enhancing accessibility.

What we dislike

Bulky frame and bold design may be too unconventional for users seeking subtlety.
Emphasis on aesthetics might limit compatibility with traditional watch accessories and bands.

8. Alien Smartwatch

Breaking free from the constraints of traditional watch shapes, the ALIEN smartwatch concept is as much a piece of wearable art as it is a tech gadget. Its asymmetrical, amorphous form hugs the wrist with an ergonomic curvature, prioritizing comfort and individuality. The domed display emits a mysterious green glow, and its dark brushed metal surface is reminiscent of props from classic sci-fi movies. Buttons seem to grow organically from the body, enhancing the otherworldly vibe.

Despite its alien moniker, the watch’s design is deeply human-centric, intended to conform to natural wrist shapes rather than force the wrist to adapt to the device. Multiple buttons positioned at the corners offer versatile control schemes, inviting users to interact in new ways. For those bored by the monotony of round and square smartwatches, ALIEN is a bold leap into uncharted territory, inviting curiosity and conversation wherever it’s worn.

What we like

Ergonomic design ensures a comfortable fit, adapting naturally to the wearer’s wrist.
Distinctive aesthetics make it a perfect accessory for trendsetters and fans of unconventional design.

What we dislike

Asymmetrical shape and unique button layout may require an adjustment period for new users.
Niche styling could limit mainstream appeal and compatibility with standard bands or chargers.

9. MSI Gaming Watch

Say hello to the MSI Gaming Watch, a bold concept that reimagines what a smartwatch can be by blending the worlds of high-performance gaming PCs and wearable tech. This unique watch is more than just a timepiece—it’s a miniature homage to the intricate internals of advanced gaming rigs, complete with scaled-down fans, graphic cards, and even a tiny motherboard, all housed within a compact, stylish frame.

The fans cleverly double as the watch’s hands, subtly telling the time while capturing the mechanical essence of PC gaming. Designed in MSI’s signature dragon red theme, the watch stands out as a statement accessory for tech enthusiasts and gamers alike. It’s not just about aesthetics either; the MSI Gaming Watch aims to offer practical smartwatch features alongside its eye-catching design.

What we like

Striking, gamer-inspired design makes it a standout accessory for tech lovers.
Combines watch functionality with gaming-inspired aesthetics for a unique experience.

What we dislike

Niche appeal may not suit users looking for a more traditional or subtle watch.
A complex internal design could make durability and maintenance challenging.

10. Ksana

Ksana is a distinctive smartwatch featuring an innovative E Ink display that stands out from standard LCD or OLED screens. Its unique design allows the display to shrink down into a smaller circle, focusing attention on the center of the watch. This approach not only conserves battery life but also ensures high visibility in various lighting conditions.

By opting for E Ink technology, Ksana delivers essential information with clarity and without the distractions of animated graphics or bright colors. This minimalist approach makes it ideal for users who value simplicity and efficiency over flashy features.

What we like

E Ink display ensures excellent battery life and easy readability in all lighting.
A minimalist interface reduces distractions and focuses on essential information.

What we dislike

Lack of color and animations may not appeal to users seeking visual excitement.
A limited display area could restrict the amount of information shown at once.

The post 10 Best Smartwatches To Consider In May 2025: Find The Perfect Wearable For You first appeared on Yanko Design.

May
27

By

Epsin EF-51 projector also has ambient lighting feature to enhance viewing experience

Category: YankoDesign

There’s a unique satisfaction in owning something that pulls double duty. We’re inherently drawn to products that offer more than just a single purpose, often for practical reasons. This might stem from a desire to be economical, allowing us to forgo the purchase of a separate item and thus lighten the financial load. Alternatively, for those navigating the cozy confines of smaller homes or apartments, multi-functional gadgets are a godsend, ingeniously conserving precious living space. Sometimes, it’s even the best of both worlds – saving both money and square footage.

Epson has thrown its hat into the ring of sleek, modern projectors with the EF-51, a smart, compact device that aims to be more than just a screen for your favorite shows and movies. This projector blends 4K capabilities with a unique ambient light feature, making it a versatile addition to any home. At its core, the Epson EF-51 is designed for ease of use and high-quality visuals.Its triple-core laser engine promises bright and vibrant images, and the 4K resolution ensures sharp details, bringing your entertainment to life. Whether you’re streaming the latest blockbuster, catching up on your favorite K-dramas, or even displaying photos on a bigger surface, the EF-51 looks set to deliver a crisp and immersive viewing experience.

Designer: Epson

What makes the EF-51 more than just an ordinary projector is its integrated mood lighting functionality. Beyond projecting onto a screen or wall, this device can also cast ambient light in a variety of colors and patterns. Imagine a soft, warm glow to enhance a relaxing evening or dynamic, colorful lighting to liven up a social gathering. This dual functionality could make the EF-51 a central piece in your living space, even when it’s not actively projecting content. The “smart” aspect of the EF-51 is also a key selling point. We can expect features like built-in streaming apps and voice control features, allowing for seamless navigation and operation. This smart integration minimizes the need for additional devices, contributing to a cleaner and more streamlined entertainment setup.

The compact design of the EF-51 is another noteworthy feature. Unlike traditional bulky projectors, the EF-51 boasts a stylish and portable form factor. This makes it easy to move between rooms or even take it to a friend’s place for a movie night. The sleek aesthetics ensure it won’t look out of place in a modern living environment. Overall, the Epson EF-51 smart projector appears to be an intriguing device that blends high-quality 4K projection with the added bonus of ambient lighting. Its compact design and smart features further enhance its appeal as a modern entertainment hub. If you’re looking for a versatile projector that can also double as a stylish mood light, the Epson EF-51 is certainly one to watch.

The post Epsin EF-51 projector also has ambient lighting feature to enhance viewing experience first appeared on Yanko Design.

May
27

By

teamLab announces kyoto museum with massless sculptures and interactive light works

Category: Design Boom

teamlab biovortex kyoto set to open later this year

 

teamLab announces the launch of its upcoming museum, teamLab Biovortex Kyoto, set to open in Minami-ku, Kyoto in the Fall of 2025. The immersive space will serve as a cultural hub for experimental digital art, featuring new and previously unseen works that merge perception, environment, and embodied experience. Continuing the Japanese art collective’s exploration of what it means to ‘see’ and ‘exist’ in a world shaped by light, space, and interactivity, it will invite visitors to move through environments that defy conventional notions of physical form. From floating spheres to a suspended landscape of light, each of the artworks will change and evolve in response to the body and its surroundings.

 

Among the highlights is Massless Amorphous Sculpture, an immersive, bubble-filled environment in which a vast floating form hovers mid-air. Shifting continuously, it resists the constraints of mass or boundary. Visitors can physically enter the sculpture, yet it remains structurally stable, restoring itself if disturbed, and collapsing only under irreparable pressure. The piece exists as a ‘high order sculpture,’ shaped by energy and environment rather than matter.

Morphing Continuum | all images © teamLab, courtesy Pace Gallery

 

 

from massless suns to shape-shifting forms

 

Also premiering at teamLab Biovortex Kyoto is Massless Suns and Dark Suns, a cognitive artwork formed of intangible light spheres. When touched, these spheres ripple across the space, yet they have no material surface and cannot be photographed. The installation plays with perception, suggesting that it exists only within the viewer’s consciousness — a ‘sculpture’ made of interaction and interpretation rather than physical mass. Morphing Continuum expands on this idea of spatial-temporal existence. Made up of glowing elements suspended in air, the work behaves like a living system and maintains form even as its components shift. Its ambiguous edges and changing structure create an experience that is fluid, immersive, and self-regenerating.

 

In Traces of Life, people generate the work simply by being present. As they move through the space, their footsteps leave behind traces that accumulate over time. yet without the presence of people, the space remains inert. The work reflects teamLab’s belief that art is ever-evolving and co-created, activated through collective experience.

Forest of Resonating Lamps — One Stroke, Fire

 

 

the new digital museum enhances kyoto’s cultural ecosystem

 

The new museum will form part of a larger development effort led by Kyoto City to create a cultural and creative zone in the southeastern area of Kyoto Station. With support from local companies in Kyoto and Osaka, teamLab Biovortex Kyoto aims to become a platform for youth culture, interdisciplinary collaboration, and new forms of artistic production. In this context, the museum is both an artwork, continually changing shape within, and a new cultural infrastructure that is anchored in Kyoto’s long-standing artistic heritage while oriented toward emerging digital futures.

Resonating Microcosms — Solidified Light Color

Traces of Life

 

 

The Eternal Universe of Words

Massless Amorphous Sculpture

Massless Amorphous Sculpture

Massless Suns and Dark Suns

Ephemeral Solidified Light

Living Crystallized Light

Spherical Crystallized Light

 

 

project info:

 

name: teamLab Biovortex Kyoto

artist: teamLab | @teamlab

location: Kyoto, Japan

The post teamLab announces kyoto museum with massless sculptures and interactive light works appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

May
27

By

pod for happiness sculpts curving play area around banyan tree in indian school campus

Category: Design Boom

POD for Happiness: a communal gathering space in Hignigada

 

Located in the village of Hignigada near Baramati, Maharashtra, India, POD for Happiness is a multi-functional community structure designed by Craft Narrative. Positioned around a mature banyan tree, the intervention organizes space on a school campus where an avenue of trees separates a large playground. The POD functions as a play area, an outdoor classroom, and a communal gathering space. The structure is designed as a curving arc that partially encloses the banyan tree. Its form creates a porous connection between two sections of the playground, allowing movement across multiple points. Children can climb, slide, and traverse a raised bridge that offers views of the school and the adjacent village temple. Within the arc, small pockets are integrated for reading and quiet play.

 

During school hours, the POD serves as an open-air classroom. A circular seating arrangement made from bricks and repurposed terrazzo tiles accommodates group activities such as storytelling, painting, and clay modeling. The design promotes informal learning environments beneath the tree’s canopy. Construction uses ferrocement techniques with a red oxide plaster finish. Railings are made from surplus reinforcement rods, and repurposed terrazzo tiles are used for surfaces, integrating recycled materials into the build. The minimal footprint and material choices reflect both budgetary constraints and environmental considerations.

all images courtesy of Craft Narrative

 

 

Craft Narrative’s POD preserves the existing village landscape

 

Beyond school use, the POD serves as a community space. Local residents use it during the evenings for walking, gathering, and informal social interactions around the banyan tree. The structure includes a shaded platform, or katta, reminiscent of traditional village seating areas. A library shelf within the structure offers access to reading material for both students and villagers. The POD is also used as a venue for cultural activities, such as traditional dance rehearsals, musical practice, and performances. Its stepped and accessible design allows it to function as an informal amphitheater. It also supports religious gatherings during events such as Vat Purnima, providing an appropriate setting for rituals centered on the banyan tree.

 

The POD for Happiness, designed by Craft Narrative’s architectural team, operates as a hybrid infrastructure, simultaneously a play structure, a learning space, a cultural platform, and a communal amenity. It is integrated into the existing landscape and contributes to the spatial and social fabric of the village.

POD for Happiness encircles a mature banyan tree in Hignigada village

the structure’s arc form connects both halves of the school playground

designed by Craft Narrative, the POD serves educational and communal functions

integrated climbing features and a slide invite playful movement across levels

quiet reading pockets are carved into the arc’s interior for solitary play

the open-air classroom supports group learning beneath the banyan’s canopy

a raised bridge offers views of the school and nearby village temple

the intervention preserves the existing tree line and playground openness

red oxide plaster and ferrocement define the POD’s material character

the multifunctional design allows year-round use across age groups and activities

circular seating made of brick and repurposed terrazzo facilitates communal activities

the shaded katta provides a place for rest and informal social interaction

Craft Narrative’s design integrates architecture with ecological and social context

 

project info:

 

name: POD for Happiness
designer: Craft Narrative

location: Hignigada, Baramati, Maharashtra, India

 

 

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 pod for happiness sculpts curving play area around banyan tree in indian school campus appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

May
27

By

miniature mac is a functional replica of the original 1984 apple computer

Category: Design Boom

functional miniature Apple Mac that users can bring anywhere

 

There’s a functional miniature Mac in town, and it’s the replica of the original 1984 Apple computer. The mastermind behind it is Nick Gillard. He’s inspired by the project of Matt Evans named pico-mac. He describes his version, then, as pico-mac-nano. It is 62 mm high, around the size of a matchbox, and has USB keyboard and mouse support. Since it is open-source, users can buy the parts and build their own functional miniature Apple Mac.

 

While the creator bases his design off of Matt Evan’s project, he downsizes it further and still makes it work without needing to plug it into an external monitor. He challenges himself to build the smallest possible Maci replica, using affordable and modern parts, including an LCD screen, all powered by a tiny Raspberry Pi Pico chip. The result, so far, gives him a functional miniature Apple Mac that users can carry in their pockets and use anywhere.

all images courtesy of Nick Gillard (1-Bit Rainbow)

 

 

Components fit inside the tiny 3D printed case

 

Nick Gillard wants the original 1984 Apple Mac display for his functional miniature replica. To do it, he needs a screen with at least 512 pixels across, because that’s how wide the classic Macintosh screen was (512×342 pixels). He has found a 2-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 640×480 pixels and changed the Mac firmware to output a 480×342 image instead of 512×342. In this way, the screen keeps its native resolution with no pixel suffering. Now that the LCD issue has been solved, the creator readies the case of his functional miniature Apple Mac.

 

The case should be exact because he needs to fit all the other components in a tiny box, not just the screen and the chip. Luckily, he has found a smaller version of the Raspberry Pi Pico Board, made by WaveShare. This helps insert all the parts into his 3D printed, custom Mac case based still on the original 1984 Apple computer. He also positions the USB-C port in the same spot as the ports in the original computer to fully follow its design. Then, he manages to squeeze in a micro-SD card and slot for storage. He even engraves a 1-bit rainbow Apple-style logo inside the back panel of the 3D printed case where the real Mac had the signatures of the original team.

it is 62 mm high, around the size of a matchbox, and has USB keyboard and mouse support

 

 

Nick Gillard recreates the Picasso box of the original computer

 

The front panel of the functional miniature Apple Mac has a cut-out for the LCD screen and a bracket to hold the internal parts, just like the original Macintosh. For the reset and boot-select buttons on the Pico, the creator makes a click-in piece to press them without needing to open the case. He also carefully shapes the inside of the case to reduce the amount of support material needed when printing, saving time and use of plastic. The functional miniature Apple Mac looks finished, but Nick Gillard isn’t yet. The creator wants to go the extra mile.

 

He does so by recreating even the miniature version of the 1984 Apple computer’s ‘Picasso’ box. He has found a box manufacturer in India who can produce a white, full-color printed box made from corrugated cardboard, just like the real one but only scaled down. There’s even 3D printed polystyrene casing the functional miniature Apple Mac to protect it from scratches. This is the pico-mac-nano’s collector’s edition, the one that’s complete with a custom box, inserts, and accessories. Handy users can make them on their own, and Apple fans who want to bring back the original Mac and carry it anywhere now have the chance to own a scaled-down version of it.

since it is open-source, users can buy the parts and build their own functional miniature Apple Mac

the 1984 Apple Macintosh next to the replica

tiny Raspberry Pi Pico chip powering the unit

the creator also recreates the miniature version of the ‘Picasso’ box

the full-color printed box comes from corrugated cardboard

as seen, view of the replica and its 3D printed case

 

project info:

 

name: pico-mac-nano

design: Nick Gillard 

project: pico-mac by Matt Evans

files: here

parts: here

The post miniature mac is a functional replica of the original 1984 apple computer appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

May
27

By

mohd tells story of 21st-century collector with permanent installation ‘the mohdernist’

Category: Design Boom

Mohd curates a permanent living experience with the mohdernist

 

Like every April, Milan pulsed with color, music, and of course design. Amid the energy of Milan Design Week, one brand reframed what living beautifully truly means. In 2025, design house Mohd unveiled The Mohdernist, a permanent installation that stretches across its two Milanese spaces: Mohd Officina Milano and Mohd Turati. More than just an exhibition, The Mohdernist is told as a tactile story, evolving like an immersive journey through layered time and taste, where the soul of a collector’s home meets the edge of contemporary design.

Mohd unveiled its new permanent installation The Mohdernist during the 63rd edition of the Salone del Mobile | all images courtesy of Mohd

 

 

Mohd shapes global luxury interiors with over 600 design brands

 

Founded in Sicily in 1968, Mohd (short for Mollura Home Design) has grown from a local gem into a global design authority. With showrooms in Catania, Messina, and Milan, and a robust digital platform at mohd.it, the company offers a sharp-eyed curation of over 600 of the world’s finest furniture and design brands. Besides selling iconic pieces, Mohd delivers personalized interior design services and full-scale project management, from concept to completion, in an expressive fusion of beauty and precision.

 

Another of these fusions is The Mohdernist installation that takes the contemporary living vision to new dimensions. Here, modernist aesthetics are reframed through the lens of a 21st-century art collector, where heritage converses fluently with cutting-edge design. Each space within the installation feels like stepping into someone’s cultivated, lived-in world, where the furnishings decorate as well as narrate. The result is a curated, ever-evolving perspective on what it means to live with design.

the installation expands across Mohd’s two Milanese spaces: Mohd Officina Milano and Mohd Turati

 

 

the mohdernist moves from the brutalist to bauhaus

 

Inside the installation, first unveiled during Milan Design Week 2025, design is not static. Mohd builds a multidimensional environment where textures, tones, and timelines collide in harmony. Think vintage echoes juxtaposed with avant-garde silhouettes, or Bauhaus-inspired geometries softened by rich, contemporary materials. Each object is chosen both for its form and function, as well as for the atmosphere it evokes.

 

The spatial narrative unfolds like a private loft imagined by a design-savvy collector. Visitors move through environments that fuse cultural references with eclectic sophistication: an Eames classic meets a contemporary Dimorestudio piece; a sculptural light hovers above a Brutalist table; deep blues and sun-bleached neutrals embellish the corner of a room designed for dialogue. 

The Mohdernist represents an evolution of the contemporary living vision

 

here, a dialogue between eras, references, and languages unfolds into an immersive experience through iconic pieces and the latest design avant-gardes

Mohd once again invites exploration of new dimensions of living, turning the private space into a fluid, cultured, and personal narrative

each space is conceived as a visual narrative in which forms, materials, and colors interact, offering an authentic and ever-evolving vision of living

the installation is displayed as a project in constant transformation, enriched by stylistic contaminations and layered influences

from indoors to out, Bauhaus-inspired geometries are softened by rich, contemporary materials and classics come to meet new movements

the spatial narrative unfolds like a private loft imagined by a design-savvy collector

 

 

project info:

 

name: The Mohdernist

brand:  Mohd | @mohd_homedesign

location: Mohd Officina Milano and Mohd Turati, Milan, Italy

The post mohd tells story of 21st-century collector with permanent installation ‘the mohdernist’ appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

May
27

By

in minor keys: venice art biennale 2026 reveals theme conceived by late curator koyo kouoh

Category: Design Boom

venice art biennale 2026 announces its theme

 

La Biennale di Venezia officially announces the theme of the 61st International Art Exhibition, In Minor Keys, set to open on May 9 and run through November 22, 2026. The announcement, delivered during a press conference on May 27, 2025, at the historic Sala delle Colonne in Ca’ Giustinian, Venice, marks a deeply emotional and pivotal moment for the institution. Just weeks prior, the art world was shaken by the unexpected passing of appointed curator Koyo Kouoh. With the full support of her family and in collaboration with her core team, La Biennale will move forward with the 2026 exhibition entirely under Kouoh’s conceptual framework, preserving and amplifying the vision she had meticulously shaped in the months leading up to her death.

 

Kouoh’s curatorial proposal, submitted on April 8, 2025, laid out the philosophical and artistic foundation of In Minor Keys, a project she had been intensely developing since her appointment in late 2024. This included the theoretical texts, artist selections, spatial design, visual identity, and catalogue contributions of the exhibition. With deep conviction, La Biennale affirms that the edition will unfold exactly as she intended. Her legacy now lives through a collective effort carried forward by five professional figures she personally selected to accompany her on this curatorial journey: Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Helene Pereira, Rasha Salti, Siddhartha Mitter, and the assistant Rory Tsapayi, who together presented the exhibition’s framework during the press conference. The presence of the team underscored Kouoh’s collaborative ethos and their commitment to transmitting her voice and intentions in their most faithful form.

 

While anticipation builds for the 2026 edition, take a look at the ongoing 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale available here and the past 2024 Art Biennale, available here.

Padiglione Centrale Giardini | image by Francesco Galli, courtesy La Biennale di Venezia

 

 

in minor keys unfolds as a collective score

 

In Minor Keys draws its name and inspiration from a musical structure often associated with melancholy, improvisation, and intimacy but, in the Venice Art Biennale 2026 context, is transformed into a larger metaphor. Kouoh envisioned a constellation of artistic practices that resonate in quieter registers, that dwell in the fugitive and the fragmentary, and that challenge dominant narratives not through spectacle but through poetic persistence. In her words, the exhibition is ‘a polyphonous assembly of art… convening and communing in convivial collectivity, beaming across the void of alienation and the crackle of conflict.’ Grounded in a profound belief in the artist as a vital interpreter of the social and psychic condition, the Biennale proposes not a didactic commentary on global crises, but a sensory, relational, and transformative experience.

 

Drawing on references from jazz improvisation, Caribbean poetics, and the metaphor of the Creole garden, the exhibition posits artistic practice as both refuge and radical proposition. The ‘minor keys’ emerge as sonic, social, and spatial metaphors for islands of resistance, for oases of care, for frequencies of beauty in spite of tragedy. Kouoh describes a Biennale in which time is reclaimed from acceleration, where art is neither exhausted nor exhausting, but instead nourishing, fortifying, and necessary. As she wrote, ‘There is no choice but to tune in like the jazzman to these imperative mutations.’

portrait of Koyo Kouoh | photo by Mirjam Kluka, courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia

 

 

this edition honors profound loss of its curator, Koyo Kouoh

 

Originally appointed in December 2024, Kouoh (1967 – 2025) had been the first African woman to be named curator of the Venice Art Biennale. She was globally recognized for her intellectual rigor and unwavering commitment to contemporary art as a site of political and cultural reclamation. As executive director and chief curator of Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town since 2019 and the founding artistic director of RAW Material Company in Dakar, she shaped platforms that amplified overlooked narratives and reimagined the infrastructure of contemporary art from the Global South outward.

 

Kouoh’s previous exhibitions, such as Still (the) Barbarians (Ireland Biennial, 2016) and Dig Where You Stand (Carnegie International, 2018), stood out for their incisive exploration of colonial residues, diaspora, and the possibility of healing through collective memory. Her appointment to Venice was hailed as a defining moment, with Buttafuoco describing her vision as aligned with ‘the most refined, young, and disruptive intelligences.’ Though her death altered the path of the biennale, her presence continues to echo in the questions the 2026 edition will ask—and in the curatorial sensitivity now required to carry it forward.

Padiglione Centrale Giardini | image by Andrea Avezzu, courtesy La Biennale di Venezia (also head image)

Gaggiandre | image by Andrea Avezzu, courtesy La Biennale di Venezia

Overview Arsenale | image by Andrea Avezzu, courtesy La Biennale di Venezia

 

 

project info:

 

name: Venice Art Biennale 2026 | @labiennale

curator: Koyo Kouoh | @madamekoyo (appointed December 2024, passed away May 2025)

president: Pietrangelo Buttafuoco

dates: May 9th – November 22nd, 2026

The post in minor keys: venice art biennale 2026 reveals theme conceived by late curator koyo kouoh appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

May
27

By

How to run better meetings

Category: Design Week

This article is part of our meetings series, looking at different types of design meetings, and how they could be improved. You can find all the articles here. 

Recognising that your meetings aren’t working is one thing. Fixing that is another. At Taxi Studio, they decided this was an area they wanted to focus on – and they are already reaping the benefits.

We spoke with creative director Stu Tallis and in-house coach Katie Scotland about what’s changed in the way they run meetings at the Bristol-based studio.

As leaders, why was this an issue you as wanted to focus on?

Stu Tallis (ST): I think pre-Covid, meetings – or gatherings as I like to call them because meetings sounds a bit corporate – had their challenges. But post-Covid, they got more complicated because we’re all working in a hybrid way.

It’s very rare I go to any gathering where everybody’s either all remote, or all in the same room. There’s always a bit of both, so there are new dynamics to manage.

People on screen can feel a bit superfluous, because they can’t quite hear what’s happening in the room and they don’t get a chance to put their opinions across. They can leave feeling a bit deflated.

Katie, myself and a broader team have been working on thinking about psychological safety, and what that means for us as a studio. And we felt that meetings can be a really good, tangible metaphor for how that can be deployed.

Katie, can you talk a bit about your role at Taxi?

Katie Scotland (KS): I’m available to everyone in the business for them to book in a coaching session for whatever they need.

Sometimes it might be people working on longer-term career growth, sometimes it’s working through an in-the-moment challenge, or some feedback.

Alongside that one-to-one coaching, I also support the team with broader behaviours and development and learning. So I get to see the themes that connect all those different moments together, and the theme of psychological safety runs through it.

Psychological safety is talked about quite a lot, but how well understood is it?

KS: It’s quite an abstract term, and people have different levels of awareness, and different preconceptions of it.

Our starting point is to make sure that psychological safety is understood equally by everyone.

So we took some time to do that, to make sure that people understand that it’s different for everybody, that it’s not necessarily something that we can fully control, that it’s not about being really fluffy and nice, it’s actually about being quite challenging but in a non-judgmental way, so that we can achieve the most productive growth.

Taxi Studio’s Meetings Etiquette guide

What we’ve done over the last few months is to work out how we can make psychological safety really tangible for people.

So we aligned it with Taxi’s three values – live fearless, play fair, and form real relationships. And under each of those, we’ve got really practical steps of how we build psychological safety.

So starting with “Setting expectations” – normalising that people will come with different perspectives, different opinions, and that some stages of a project might be quite challenging.

Then we have “Invite participation.” Make sure you’re intentionally bringing people in, inviting people’s contributions, advocating for others if they are less forthcoming.

And then a really important thing to think about is to “Stay objective.” Keep things really fact-based so you can focus on the topic or the problem, rather than the people dynamics within the room.

And so how do these principles shape meetings at Taxi?

ST: We have introduced some meetings etiquette. One of the main things is encouraging people to think about who really needs to be in a meeting. Who will really add value? And who doesn’t need to be there?

Don’t just invite everyone, because time is precious.

Then we encourage people to set a clear agenda. It can be brief, but put it in the invite, so people can think about it beforehand. What do you want to achieve by the end of the meeting?

And for bigger meetings, we’ve started to encourage people to think about who the best facilitator might be. When you’re dealing with lots of different minds – on screen and in the room – it’s beneficial to have someone focused on participation.

They can notice things. We’ve been in this meeting for half an hour, and that person’s not said a word. Are they ok?

A lot of this is about changing habits and for some people, those habits have been ingrained for decades.

What are the specific challenges of creative meetings?

KS: Pace and energy. There are a lot of ideas flying around and people can get very excited.

It’s a fast-paced business, so people want to get to a solution quickly. That’s positive, but there’s a risk there as well, that we miss other ways of thinking if we don’t pause to get all the right input before we rush forward to a solution.

ST: I get FOMO. If we don’t run these sessions in the right way, I worry that we’ve missed something because the brightest minds, the quietest minds, haven’t had an opportunity to say their piece.

And that bit of work that we just launched could have been even better if we had given that one person the platform to say what they were thinking.

KS: There was a meeting recently which was going really well, and we practically had the project plan done in the room.

But just before the end of the meeting, we hit pause and went round to check where everyone’s head was at. What was their main take-away?

It only took two minutes, but you saw what was quite a frantic energy in the room calm down, and everyone found their own place in it. These small changes can make a big difference.

Do these same meeting principles apply to all meetings at Taxi, like all-hands, and one-to-ones?

KS: Absolutely, it’s across the board. Some of the most intense meetings can be one-to-one. They’re quite often the moments where what someone wants to say goes out of their head completely.

So the same principles apply. Setting expectations – “We’re here to talk about some feedback.”

“Here’s my perspective, I’d love to hear what you think” – that’s inviting participation.

What’s your advice to other leaders who might want to change their meetings culture in this way?

ST: First of all, it’s all about finding people within your business that believe in it, so it’s not just driven by one person saying, “This is what we’re doing now.”

There needs to be a shared vision, and a shared passion – we’ve got different people in different teams that champion this.

And you’ve got to understand what psychological safety means to you.

Katie has worked really hard with the team on this – we’re Taxi Studio. These are our values. What does this mean for who we are and what we do?

Until you done that, you can’t create the rules, and the protocols, and the etiquette, because it should all ladder up to your values and your behaviours as a business.

The other thing is that it’s not going to happen overnight.

We like that quote from James Clear in Atomic Habits – “Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick with them for years.”

You have to invest in it as a business – it’s a long game.

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May
27

By

How to run better brainstorms (or why to scrap them)

Category: Design Week

This article is part of our meetings series, looking at different types of design meetings, and how they could be improved. You can find all the articles here. 

When we first had the idea to focus on meetings, I wasn’t going to write about brainstorms. It felt like something that was already well-covered in countless blogs, podcasts and videos – some great, some eminently forgettable.

But creative meetings – whether you call them brainstorms or not – are a key part of the industry. Whether they happen with a client or within the team, floating, testing and sharpening ideas needs to happen in some format.

And it turns out it’s something a tonne of designers have very strong opinions on. And so here are five creatives with five different ideas about brainstorming better…

Brian Collins – Just say no

Brainstorming is what happens when people who have never had an idea try to simulate the appearance of having one. It’s a séance for the unimaginative, complete with bad office snacks.

No-one I know with real talent has ever, ever, ever requested a brainstorming session. Why? They already have ideas. Too many.

No, no, no. Talented people do not brainstorm. Talented people brood. They sulk. They take long walks and think. They lie awake at night with a crushing sense of impending failure and wake up with ten better ideas than yours.

And they show you. And you build on them.
What they do not do is gather around a sad whiteboard as if divine inspiration is lurking in the fluorescent lighting.

A brainstorm session is a padded cell for corporate dullards who want the thrill of “creativity” without the burden of actually being creative. These people don’t want ideas – they want to be seen near ideas, like tourists posing in front of ruins they’re helping to destroy.

The room is always the same: a preening, dead-eyed facilitator and 12 poorly dressed people with Sharpies hoping someone else will say something first so they don’t have to.

What follows is an avalanche of inoffensive garbage: slogans that sound like rejected insurance commercials, metaphors involving bridges and climbing and journeys and belonging, and the inevitable appearance of someone who says, “Let’s circle back!” or “Let’s all re-group!” with the conviction of a war criminal.

Brainstorming doesn’t generate ideas – it produces landfill. It’s the intellectual equivalent of dumping out everyone’s junk drawers and pretending it’s the Musée d’Orsay.

Brainstorming is cowardice disguised as collaboration. No-one risks anything, no-one thinks deeply, and no-one ever leaves with an idea worth remembering.

But everyone claps. They clap for the blandest suggestion. They clap for showing up. They clap because clapping is easier than saying, “This was a fucking waste of time and I now wish I’d lied about having to be out of town.”

But it’s not too late.
Because you now realise this is where your ambition, imagination and hope will surely die, strangled by consensus, Post-It notes, cold coffee, and people who still use the word “ideate.”
Run. While you can.

Brian Collins is founder and chief creative office of Collins, and president of the ADC.

Joel Stein – Think about the set and the setting

I think if you say the word brainstorms, a lot of people just have an immediate allergic reaction to it. I’ve been in enough bad ones to understand why that is.

Brainstorms are disastrous for all sorts of reasons. They are not good for introverts. The most senior people naturally dominate the session. But there’s also not really time and space for people to think even a few steps beyond the most obvious things that come into their heads.

Everyone feels the pressure to say something that’s not completely stupid, so people default to saying stuff that isn’t going to get them laughed out of the room.

I’m not saying brainstorms never yield anything decent or interesting. But they certainly put a lot of barriers in the way to getting good results.

Facilitation as a skill just doesn’t get talked about that much. It’s not really understood or respected.

If I ever ran an agency, I’d probably have a chief facilitator role. Not just someone who is quite senior, or happy to stand in front of a room, but someone that’s actually in the weeds of group dynamics and understands techniques to help people think more effectively as a group.

The space matters a lot. Not just where it is, but how it’s decorated and organised. You can’t expect people to go into a really grey boardroom, with traffic beeping in the background, and for everyone to be able to think brilliant thoughts.

With my new programme Ideas On Acid, I am thinking about creativity using the model of a healthy and therapeutic psychedelic trip. The key concepts with that are set and setting.

The mindset that you bring to the experience is going to massively shape the experience you have with these very powerful substances. And so is where you do it – you’ll have a very different time in the woods as opposed to in a dingy basement.

Leaders need to think about the atmosphere as much as the plan, or the exercises. The vibe is almost always the most important thing.

Joel Stein is a copywriter and creative consultant. 

Cat How – Booze unlocks brilliance

My creative director Chris Clayton agree on the fact that we come up with our best schemes, ideas, and breakthroughs in the pub together.

We make sure to have at least one session at the Barley Mow in Shoreditch whenever I’m back in London from LA. The magic happens normally after about eight pints of Timothy Taylor for him, and the equivalent in glasses of rosé for me.

I think it just makes you think bigger, braver, more silly, and you just say, why not? I always like to parrot an Ernest Hemingway quote – “Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.”

But I forget the second line, as I’m not one to keep my mouth shut. And I lead with the first and apply that to the ideas me, Chris, and my co-founder Rog have when we’re in the boozer getting merry.

Sometimes they’re off-hand reflections about the studio, and we decide to change things up a bit, Or perhaps there’s an idea for a piece of work or a client we’d like to collaborate with – and we think a little more around the box on that.

I have to remind myself to add these all to my Apple Notes while staggering back onto the Tube, as often a lot of this gold is lost the next morning.

When it comes to within the studio, we encourage a bottle of beer in a brainstorming session or in meetings towards the end of the day. Our 1-2-1s too, we ask if folks want to go to, er, the Barley Mow again to have a chat. We find people open up more about their thoughts, dreams and aspirations.

Cat How is co-founder of How&How.

Ben Mottershead – Play puts everyone on a level

I think what happens in most creative meetings is that the loudest voice takes over, and you become reliant on that loud voice being right on every occasion.

I have found the most creative people tend to be active listeners, and so a little quieter.

We like to gamify these sorts of meetings. Getting out plasticine, or LEGO, and asking people to create something makes brainstorming more of a collaboration. If this brand had a mascot, what would it look like? What would change in this person’s life if they got really drunk at the pub?

It’s true that not everyone gets it straight away. There are definitely people who start off slouched back with their arms crossed; a very defensive posture. But I’m a big believer that everyone’s a kid at heart, and after a while, everyone gets really into it. It’s about giving people that freedom to play, and that permission.

These things spark very different conversations, and, crucially, you don’t have to be good at speaking to contribute. You put everyone on an equal footing, whether they are a seasoned strategist or a junior who’s brand new to the industry.

Seniority is a problem. I have met some fucking useless ECDs – people who’ve stayed at the same place for a long time and have learned how to play the politics.

But we’ve had juniors – and interns – who have a much more interesting approach to design because they haven’t yet been moulded by the commercialism that comes with working in the industry.

Ben Mottershead is founder and creative director of Never Dull Studio.

Matt Ballantine – Embrace the power of random

About ten years ago, I became interested in the use of play. Especially working in quite serious sectors, I noticed that an absence of people feeling playful often seems to correlate with an inability to come up with anything other than how they’ve always done things.

I think a lot of it then comes down to our preconceptions of what creativity is. I think people in the creative industries are a lot less creative than they’d like to make out. And people outside of the field think that’s something that other people do.

I work a lot in software consulting, where people want to be professional. And to be professional means to be really fucking boring. It’s like the Protestant work ethic – you can’t possibly be working hard if it’s enjoyable.

I discovered that randomisation could be a really interesting way to break patterns of thinking.

One of the analyses of the world around us is that it’s essentially just a series of random events that are going on at varying levels of predictability. If it’s a toss of a coin, it’s very predictable. If I put money on the stock market, it’s completely unpredictable.

I came across apophenia, which is the ability to spot patterns within random information.

It’s a very human thing. During lockdown, I started a project where I posted a picture of my cup of coffee every day, and asked people what they saw. An AI would tell you that it was coffee, or maybe a cup. People tell you that it looks like a leopard chasing an elephant.

Sometimes I use random photographs as a spur to help people come up with new ideas. We also built something called The Creativator. People put ideas on cards, and these get put into this thing that looks like a fruit machine. It’s designed to see what happens when random ideas get put together.

In the last few years I invented our tarot deck. Not because I believe in tarot, but because it’s a randomisation thing.

There’s stuff people will know from traditional tarot decks, like Death, but also character cards like the Business Planner, or the Sales Person. What would disaster look like for this person?

The idea is to build empathy, and break people out of conventional ways of thinking. I designed these purposefully to be this weird artefact that doesn’t feel like it belongs in the business world.

Matt Ballantine is a sociologist and engagement manager at Equal Experts.

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