Hardware rarely gets its moment in the spotlight. These functional elementsthe handles, knobs, and hooks that facilitate our daily interactions with spacesoften exist in the periphery of design consciousness. VIEFE challenges this status quo with their 2025 Power of Balance collection.This architectural hardware collection reveals an unexpected depth: a philosophical foundation rarely associated with utilitarian objects. The collection presents a conceptual framework for understanding how small elements create harmony in living environments.Ma: The Philosophical UnderpinningThe Japanese concept of Ma () forms the heart of VIEFEs new collection. Western design philosophies often prioritize objects themselves; Ma celebrates the spaces between thingsthe intervals, gaps, and pauses that give meaning to their surroundings.Ma exists as charged spacepotential waiting to be realized. It manifests as the breath between musical notes that gives rhythm to a composition. In architecture and design, it represents the meaningful pause that allows forms to exist in relationship with one another.This concept appears throughout the collection in numerous ways. Each piecewhether a handle, knob or hookembodies awareness not just of its own form but of how it creates rhythm within a larger context. The hardware creates balance through thoughtful presence. This philosophical grounding provides the collection with a cohesive identity across diverse material choices and aesthetic directions.Tracing Material HistoriesVIEFE began in 1932 as a small turnery crafting wooden buttons. This historical thread continues within their contemporary identity, and wood maintains a central role in their material palette. The new collection features several wooden pieces that honor this heritage while exploring new territory.The Hinoki Wood handle, designed by Alexis Vivet, exemplifies this philosophy. Named after the Japanese cypress, the design incorporates aesthetic elements and cultural associations from Japanese traditionspecifically integrity and longevity. The handle includes subtle contours for ergonomic functionality. Available in Raw Oak, Oak, and Walnut finishes, these handles add organic warmth to cabinetry and furniture.The Luv Wood Handle extends a collection designed by German studio Kaschkasch. An upper curve has become the signature element for this line. Made from responsibly sourced certified wood, it features a Nordic-inspired aesthetic with both contemporary and timeless qualities.VIEFE approaches wood with ethical considerations at the forefront. The company uses certified wood throughout their designs and operates on 100% renewable energy. Their ISO 14001 certification validates their lower-than-average CO2 emissions.Metal Narratives: Urban PoetryMetal pieces showcase VIEFEs evolution and range alongside their wooden heritage. The Brooklyn handle, created by Danish design studio Steffensen & Wrtz, draws inspiration from contemporary urban architecture. Clean, structured lines reflect the functional elegance found in modern buildings. This aluminum handle comes in multiple sizes with several finish options: Polished nickel, Brushed black, Titanium black, Brushed brass cava, and the newly introduced Brushed bronze. Material quality and construction highlight VIEFEs focus on durabilityan essential consideration for elements used daily.The Milano handle presents a different urban inspiration. Designed by Kaschkasch, this minimalist piece references tubular railings from metropolitan environments. Circular forms and rounded edges create a modern aesthetic. Crafted from Zamak (a zinc alloy allowing precise detailing), Milano measures between 4.75 to 7.28. Available finishes include Matte white, Matte black, Moss grey, Forest green, and Volcano red. The piece accommodates both vertical and horizontal mounting for additional versatility.The Hinoki collection includes an aluminum version alongside its wooden counterpartshowing how design language translates across materials.Design as ConversationVIEFE distinguishes itself through an understanding of context. The company recognizes hardware as existing in dialogue with surrounding elementsthe furniture it adorns, the room it occupies, and the person who interacts with it.This awareness elevates their pieces from functional elements into design statements that contribute to spatial narratives. A cabinet handle serves beyond opening and closing; it creates a deliberate pause in the visual flow, establishing rhythm through its presence.VIEFEs Barcelona roots ground their design approach, while their collaborative process incorporates global perspectives. The company works with designers from various countries and disciplines to create pieces with European sensibilities yet universal applications. The 2025 collection aims to introduce this design language to American interiors. The incorporation of Japanese philosophy demonstrates thoughtful cultural exchangeusing Ma as a conceptual foundation rather than merely an aesthetic element.Tactile Experiences in a Digital AgePhysical interactions with objects are particularly significant in an era dominated by digital interfaces. VIEFE addresses this reality through ergonomic considerations and material selections.Their 2025 collection introduces two new finishesbrushed Bronze and Matte Bronzeexpanding their design vocabulary. These warm metallic options work within both traditional and contemporary settings. The finish selection accommodates diverse design approaches. Polished nickel offers industrial coolness, while Titanium black provides dramatic depth. Each finish alters the underlying designs character.Tactile quality defines this collection. Handles and knobs must perform effectively through years of physical interaction. The materials, textures, and forms address this fundamental requirement.Small Elements, Significant ImpactVIEFE recognizes the outsized influence of details within design schemes. Contemporary interiors value personalization and thoughtful curation; architectural hardware provides an accessible method for transforming spaces without extensive renovations.Cabinet handles and door hardware require modest investment yet dramatically affect a rooms character. VIEFEs collection offers pieces that can integrate with existing elements or introduce intentional contrast. The Power of Balance collection demonstrates how small components anchor a design philosophy. A thoughtfully selected handle completes a piece of furniture while enhancing the entire space.Forward-Looking TraditionVIEFEs 2025 collection signals a future where architectural hardware receives appropriate design attention. By incorporating philosophical concepts like Ma into utilitarian objects, they expand our understanding of how spaces communicate with inhabitants.Their sustainability commitment points toward responsible industry practices. Operating on renewable energy and using certified materials acknowledges the importance of ethical production for every design element.The collection highlights how meaningful design exists in quiet moments, thoughtful pauses, and everyday objects. By focusing attention on these humble elements, VIEFE encourages renewed appreciation for detail and balance in our spaces.American audiences will see the Power of Balance collection at the upcoming Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS). VIEFE will present these pieces alongside their existing catalog. Those unable to attend can explore the full collection at viefe.us.VIEFEs approach offers a thoughtful alternative to attention-seeking design trends. Their 2025 collection shows the power of everyday objects in shaping our experience of space.The post The Space Between: VIEFEs 2025 Collection Reimagines Hardware Through Japanese Philosophy first appeared on Yanko Design.

Leaked chats obtained by WIRED detail plans for the General Services Administrationand the staff's angry response.

Apple Intelligence was meant to get a feature that relied on contextual data to provide results, but that has been delayed and is now part of a lawsuit seeking class action status.Apple Intelligence ad target of latest lawsuitLawsuits are a dime a dozen in the United States, something Apple is very familiar with. The latest isn't a surprise to those following the Apple Intelligence debacle after a promised feature was delayed into "the coming year."According to a report from Axios, the lawsuit originated with Clarkson Law Firm in San Jose. It specifically highlights a now-pulled ad featuring Bella Ramsey asking for information about a person she had a meeting with. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Studio Daniel Libeskind has updated the progress of their forthcoming Pas de Deux mixed-use design in Shanghais Dishui Lake development. Each building stands at over 336,000 and 338,000 square feet, respectively. It is one of two new projects taking shape in the city, joined by the two-building Shanghai Infinity Tower in the citys Free-Trade Zone that we updated in February.

11 bit studios The Alters still lacks a release date, but a new series, Expedition Logs, has begun with the first episode detailing the importance of balance. Check it out below.After crash-landing in a strange world, Jan Dolski faces a hostile sun that will burn him alive if he doesnt get the base moving. To do this, he must create Alters, alternate versions of himself with different occupations and skill sets. Of course, they also have their wants and needs, and balancing those is vital to success.11 bit studios says it wants the gameplay to push the story forward while ensuring the narrative plays a significant role in the final outcome. Whether this means an ending where all Jans survive remains to be seen.The Alters is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Originally slated to launch in Q1 2025, it was delayed again for more polish. Theres a free demo out now, focusing on the Prologue and the initial steps to creating Jans Alters.

Remedy Entertainments co-op shooter FBC: Firebreak launches this Summer for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC alongside PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium and Game Pass. Set in The Oldest House years after the events of Control, it sees players in charge of the Bureaus first responders, who venture through the non-euclidean structure to take out any immediate threats.One of the missions is Paper Chase in the Executive Sector, wherein players battle familiar Hiss enemies and rogue sticky notes. The latter can obscure your vision, necessitating an allys assistance. If you fall, your corpse will seemingly resurrect as a sticky note entity.Accessing a safe room will result in hordes pouring in, and the trailer ends with a monster called Sticky Ricky. Imagine all those sticky notes from before, except as one giant behemoth. Good luck dodging its massive appendages as it slams you to death.FBC: Firebreak will be a mid-priced title and Remedy promises PC requirements that arent as heavy as Alan Wake 2. Stay tuned for more details shortly.

The winter moth (Operophtera brumata) is an insect in the geometer moth family, Geometridae. It is an abundant species in Europe and the Near East and a famous study organism for evaluating insect population dynamics. It is one of very few lepidopterans of temperate regions in which adults are active in late autumn and early winter. Winter moth caterpillars emerge in early spring from egg masses with recently hatched larvae feeding on expanding leaf buds, often after having burrowed inside the bud, and later on foliage. In addition to feeding on the tree where they hatched, young larvae will also produce silk strands to be wind-blown to other trees. The larvae descend to the ground by mid-May with pupation occurring in the soil in late May. Adult moths then emerge from the soil in mid-late November. This focus stack of 73 photographs shows a winter moth caterpillar on a rose leaf in a garden in Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany.Photograph credit: Reinhold MllerRecently featured: The Hitch-HikerDavid LivingstoneSword-billed hummingbirdArchiveMore featured pictures

LexisNexis fine-tuned Mistral models to build its Protege AI assistant, relying on distilled and small models for its AI platform.Read More

Nightdive Studios is making good on a six-year-old promise: a remastered version of the classic Looking Glass game System Shock 2. Nightdive and Sony revealed a trailer for System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster, as well as a release date of June 26th for PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 4 and 5 consoles.As the name suggests, this is a touched-up version of System Shock 2, not a total remake like Nightdives (very good) 2023 take on System Shock. The trailer and screenshots on Sonys announcement blog post show off some light visual updates, but they look like sharpened versions of things like enemy models maintaining the feel of a 25-year-old game with a little less blur. (Your weapons have visible hands holding them now, too.) A bigger deal for many people might be an updated, console-friendly version of its complicated mouse and keyboard interface, including DualSense support and a quickbar for weapons and abilities. If youre nostalgic for the old RPG overlay look, though, the visual design appears nearly unchanged. Theres even cross-play support for the games notoriously rocky cooperative multiplayer mode.According to Nightdives website and comments from a moderator in the studio Discord server, the game is supposed to include some of the originals existing community mods on top of offering broader mod support. The Discord moderator says the remaster will ship with the SS2 Community Patch or SCP, which rebalances some frustrating features, among other patches. (This was discussed by Nightdive back in 2020.) Weve reached out to Nightdive to confirm the details on what exactly mod support will look like, including how the remastered version might play with the ShockEd fan mission editor. The System Shock 2 community has been essentially remastering the game for decades, but an official version makes those efforts a lot easier to find.

Apple TV Plus is losing more than $1 billion every year despite reaching 45 million subscribers in 2024, according to a report from The Information. Its reportedly the only Apple subscription that isnt generating a profit.As part of an effort to take a harder line on spending, Apple cut its initial $5 billion budget for Apple TV Plus content by around $500 million, The Information reports. Even with hit original shows like Severance, Apple TV currently captures less than 1 percent of total monthly streaming services viewership, as opposed to Netflixs 8.2 percent, according to data from Nielsen cited by The Information.But, as noted by The Information, Apple TV Plus was largely created to keep people in the Apple ecosystem. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos touched on the strategy behind Apple TV Plus during an interview with Variety this week, saying I dont understand it beyond a marketing play, but theyre really smart people. Maybe they see something we dont, he said.Apple TV Plus is part of the companys broader services business, which makes Apple billions of dollars each year through iCloud Plus, App Store purchases, and search advertising. Sources also told The Information that Apple Music, which reportedly reached 100 million users on subscriptions and free trials last year, has seen a slowdown in growth.Apple News Plus, Fitness Plus, and Apple Arcade also struggle with low usage and profits, while sales of digital books have taken a dip as well, The Information reports. Sources tell the outlet that if these services werent included in the companys Apple One bundle, which people mostly buy for iCloud Plus, they likely wouldnt be profitable. Apple reportedly laid off around 100 people in its News and Books division last year. The Verge reached out to Apple with a request for comment but didnt immediately hear back.