As you leave Richmond, Virginia, and head roughly an hour southwest into Amelia County, the city fades and the noise dims. Confederate flags snap in the wind, Trump banners hang from homes, and watchful eyes follow strangers through small towns. For some, the quiet brings a feeling of calm, but for many Black passersby, it also brings uneaseand a nervous hope that theyve filled up on gas.Urban farmer Duron Chavis hopes it may soon also bring a sense of belonging and regeneration for a community of Black farmers.Chavis, who manages several prominent urban farms, orchards, and green spaces in Richmond, is the board chairman ofCentral Virginia Agrarian Commons, a new nonprofit working to strengthen the regions food systems by turning land over to Black farmers.Two years ago, the organization received an 80-acre land donation as a form of reparations from white Amelia County residents Callie and Dan Walker. Now, Chavis is working with the couple to turn their family land into arefuge for Black farmers and other farmers of color.The property, a portion of which currently serves as a family farm, will eventually become a multi-functional space where Black farmers can live, work and grow their agricultural enterpriseswithout needing to go into debt.The CVAC has launched farm incubation programs in Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia, that will enable emerging Black farmers to move onto bigger projects on the Amelia County land, where they can access low-cost or free land leases as well as farming equipment.You got to be in a mindset that this is not just for my generation, Chavis says. How were trying to set this up is that this is going to be a move that will elevate generations to come. That takes perseverance, but it also takes having a big imagination.Straight-up reparationsIn 1790, Amelia County had Virginiaslargest population of enslaved Africans, with its 11,790 slaves making up 62% of the countys total population, according to the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research.The daughter of an Amelia County cattle farmer, Callie suspects her ancestors were slaveholders, though she hasnt researched her ancestry to confirm it. There was wealth on my mothers side, and land on my fathers side, she says. What she knows for certain is that the land had a plantation home on it until the 1960s, when her father bought the property and dismantled the house.The Walkers are working with the local NAACP to find descendants of those enslaved on the plantation that was once there. Weve found plenty of descendants, but so far, no farmers, she says.Callie Walker. (Courtesy image)Currently on leave from her role as a United Methodist pastor, Callie now spends most of her time and energy on community volunteerism and growing food for her household. With her husband continuing to work as a pastor, and the couple owning their home, the arrangement works.With no children to inherit her family land, she says, the couple was in a rare position to donate the land to advance their faith-based passion for environmentalism and interracial healing.Initially, they tell Next City, the couple wanted to use the land to build an interracial community through farming. But after learning about the history of Black land loss and encountering Chaviss Black liberation and food justice work, the Walkers chose a different route.We said, Wait, we just want to straight up use it as an act of reparations, says Callie, who also serves on the CVAC board.Callie first encountered Chaviss work in 2012, when he spoke at the Virginia Association for Biological Farmings annual conference. Eight years later, at the same conference, they met in the hallway after a workshop on land justice and began talking. In 2014, the pair worked with several other urban and rural farmers to launch CVAC.In September 2022, after looking into Amelia Countys zoning codes, the Walkers signed a deed of gift drafted byAgrarian Trust, an Oregon-based national land trust working to advance collective land ownership and stewardship through multiracial coalitions. The deed allowed the CVAC to take complete ownership of the land. The Walkers retained 20 acresincluding their hometo potentially develop affordable retirement housing.Since the transfer, CVAC has worked with a design architect to develop a plan for buildings on the land. Agrarian Trust has begunfundraisingto support the construction of the first residence on the land.In the meantime, the CVAC has maintained an arrangement with her family to graze beef cattle on its pastures. The land has been a beef cattle farm for over 50 years, and also had a 30-year crop of pines that was harvested in 2016, and about 30 acres of hardwoods that will hopefully stand for decades to come, Callie says.Providing safe spaces for Black farmers to connect is especially important in rural areas, where Black farmers can often face hostility and isolation, Chavis says.The idea is that we need a place where people can converge, commune, he says. Multiple dorm rooms, kitchen, conference area, and then people can radiate out from there into their farm enterprise. Theyll have a place that they can stay while theyre farming on the property.A long history of Black land lossWhile government leaders, academics, and activists debate endlessly over the question of financial compensation for descendants of enslaved Africans, the Walkers land transfer is part of a growing trend of white landowners engaging in reparative land donations.TheNortheast Farmers of Color Land Trust, led by Soul Fire Farm in upstate New York, calls on landowners to donate land to be farmed by people of color. Across the U.S., theNational Black Food and Justice Allianceis coordinating a reparative effort to reclaim land for Black farmers and secure food sovereignty for marginalized communities.[One study] said that 98% of all farmable land is owned by white people, Dan tells Next City, referencing a2002 analysisas he explains his motivation for the land transfer. Some white people own over a million acres of farmland. We know we can feed people off of very small acreages, but that was just so out of whack, that just blew my mind.Black farmers have long faced systemic barriers to land ownership and retention. At the height of Black land ownership in 1910, Black farmersowned 14% of the nations farmlandmore than16 million acresan incredible feat less than five decades after slavery was outlawed.After the Civil War, newly emancipated Black Americans faced economic and social challenges that made land ownership almost impossible. Many were forced into sharecropping or tenant farming or were pushed off their land altogether. By 1997, Black farmers lost an estimated 90% of that land through lynchings, predatory lending, deceptive legal practices, and legal barriers around inheritance.Today,less than 1%of U.S. farmland is owned by Black farmers. Per one conservative estimate, Black farmers in the United States lost at least$326 billion worthof land during the 20th century.The Walkers encourage other landowners in privileged positions to follow their model. The first step is just to decide to do it, Callie says. Just decide you want to do it, become open, and some relationships are going to start forming. You dont have to know all the details.Callie adds that those leading justice-oriented efforts often dont have the bandwidth to guide donors through the decision-making process. That makes it important for would-be donors to make a firm decision about their intentionand then let your recipients decide the details.People who are doing the work that Duron is doing, people who are doing activist and community organizing work . . . they are busy, she says. They dont have time for people who are trying to figure out what they want to do.This story was originally published byNext City, a nonprofit news outlet covering solutions for equitable cities. Sign up for Next Citysnewsletterfor their latest articles and events.

Trends are like pizza toppingseveryone has a strong opinion about them, and someone is almost always upset about pineapple. But as 2024 draws to a close, we reached out to eight designers and architects, including Ti Chang, Ben Willett, and Pascale Sablan, and asked them to put their thinking caps on. Their task? Pick a trend they want to see thriving next year, and one that goes the way of the pineapple.Earlier this month, our panel revealed the eight trends they want to leave behind. (Anyone else done with arches?) Now, its time to reveal which trends made the cut. Artful designIn 2025, I predict well see a rise in artful designa movement where products transcend functionality to become deeply meaningful, emotionally resonant objects. These creations blur the boundaries between art and design, combining beauty, whimsy, and utility in ways that delight and inspire. Theyre not just things we use; theyre things we cherish.These objects are made by artists, creatives, and brands with strong creative convictions and a conscientious approach to manufacturing. They are produced with care through thoughtful manufacturing processes, prioritizing quality over quantity. This approach aligns with growing consumer desires for a more intentional lifestyleone that rejects cheap, disposable goods in favor of products crafted with respect for the environment and consideration for the users well-being. Ti Chang, industrial designer, cofounder and chief design officer, CraveHigh GlossIm partially biased because I am lacquering a lot of my pieces right now, but it just adds something bold and sensual to a piece of furniture or a room. Light likes to move around space and painting something with high gloss lacquer gives it the opportunity to do that. Ben Willett, designer, founder of WilletDiversity, Equity, and Inclusion in architecture and designOne trend I deeply want to see thrive in 2025 is the continued prioritization of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as a core pillar of our profession. Efforts to create a more equitable and just design industry are not just initiatives; they are essential to shaping a built environment that reflects and serves the full spectrum of humanity.By amplifying underrepresented voices, nurturing diverse talent, and embedding community-driven practices, we can design spaces that honor cultural narratives and uplift marginalized communities. This work isnt about checking boxesits about creating lasting systems of change that challenge inequity and foster creativity through collective power. Pascale Sablan, architect, CEO, Adjaye Associates, New York StudioData storytellingThe trend wed like to see live on is companies and designers looking to data as a way to create a brand DNA that is entirely unique. While weve seen people paying more attention to data in recent years, ultimately our hope is that everyone will come to realize that data is more than just a way to measure impact after-the-fact.If its designed and collected and represented well from day one, data can connect people more deeply to a topic or brand than a logo or typeface can on its own. I think that everyone whos building a brand in 2025 should give serious importance to data visualization design and data storytelling in their overall brand system, and I look forward to seeing more in the years to come. Giorgia Lupi, information designer, partner, PentagramCustomization and craftHighly customized typographic logos and typefaces are making a comeback, and I couldnt be more excited. Think back to a time before computers, when everything was meticulously hand-drawn and truly unique. In recent years, design has leaned toward homogenization, and people have noticed. (Hey Johnson&Johnson, change your logo back yet?) But customization is resurging. The trend first caught my attention back in 2021 with Porto Rochas Tudum, and its why the recent Leggs rebrand was so successful. Its an indication that craft is not dead in our industry. It requires such a refined sense of typography, space, and everything, and its a reminder that artistry sets great work apart. I think that trend is especially important now, because with the rise of AI and automation, things that are custom-made and human-crafted are almost greater in value. (Heres a thought: the more we champion that value, the less AI threatens to replace it.) So I cant wait to see more of this flourish in 2025. Talia Cotton, designer, founder and creative director, Cotton DesignNormalized sustainabilityI believe we are finally moving past telegraphing fake sustainability such as recycled bamboo and old tires infused with resin (neither of which are actually better for the planet than the raw materials). Increasingly, I am seeing sustainability built into the entire process of making, a shift toward less material and ultimately less points of failure.It represents a move away from a one-dimensional view of materials and toward understanding that sustainable design is infused into every stage of a process. This is what we should all love to see more of. Joe Doucet, industrial designer, founder, Joe Doucet x PartnersRegenerative impact through patient urgencyRegenerative design has emerged. Enhancing biodiversity has become a clear and critical solution to the planets health, and rewilding cities has demonstrated improvements in our daily lives. However, this evolving approach and consciousness has arisen during a period of political imbalance and cultural strife. In response, we need to embrace a practice of patient urgency. We need to engage the proponents and skeptics alike and communicate about these critical issues in a way that brings our clients and communities along on this exciting journey. As designers, we need to retain our focus and commitment to developing solutions that reconnect natural systems with the built environment, and drive growth that is resilient, energy independent, and nature positive. Sean Quinn, director of regenerative design, HOKPersonalizationPersonalization is the trend we hope continuesspaces that reflect what makes you happy, intentionally designed and to scale. Whether your style leans toward muted tones or bold colors and patterns, there is a way to bring your vision to life thoughtfully so that your home suits the way you live and gather. Emily Shapiro, interior designer and founder of TALD

The IPO market saw a few winners in 2024, but on the whole, it was a largely forgettable affair. For the third year in a row, the number of companies that opted to go public was below historic averages.And while companies like Reddit, NANO Nuclear Energy, and Astera Labs all saw healthy launches, the total amount raised so far this year has been lackluster. As of mid-December, 121 companies debuted on public exchanges in the U.S. They raised a collective $27.3 billion. Thats roughly half of the IPO raise seen in the pre-pandemic days.What will 2025 bring? Thats still unclear. A new administration coming into the White House could give the market a boost, or the uncertainty surrounding Donald Trumps plans to increase tariffs could cause some companies to stay on the sidelines.Officials at the New York Stock Exchange say theyre expecting a busy year thanks to lower interest rates and lower odds of a recession. Nasdaq, meanwhile, has had more listings for six straight years. Regardless of where they make their debut, heres a look at the companies that market watchers are keeping their eye on for 2025.ChimeNext year could be a big one for fintech IPOs. Right before Christmas, Chime reportedly submitted a confidential filing for its IPO, with plans to list in 2025. The timing of the fintech companys public offering has not been finalized. Chime has raised $2.65 billion to date. Customers can access bank-like services via the companys app and even access money from their paychecks before payday. It was valued at $25 billion in 2021.DiscordDiscord has been on the radar of Wall Street traders ever since it decided in 2021 to end talks with Microsoft over a $10 billion takeover. The company has a $15 billion valuation and has been on a bit of a buying spree for the past few years, acquiring three companies. The communication tool thats a gamer favorite currently boasts 200 million monthly active users, who spend over 1.5 billion hours on the platform.KlarnaThe retail bank, payments, and shopping service has been tiptoeing toward the IPO starting line for over a year, but seems to be getting close. Earlier in December, it added 12 banks to the list working on its public offering. Bloomberg reports an IPO is now expected in the first half of the year. Klarna is said to be near profitability and has a valuation of $14.6 billion. A successful IPO could open the door for several other fintech companies to begin trading publicly.Liquid DeathThe canned water company has not made any formal filings yet, but it has hired Goldman Sachs to handle its public offering and acknowledged its considering an IPO. With a valuation of $1.4 billion, its already a power player in the beverage marketand in June it shored up its executive ranks, hiring beverage veteran Karim Sadik-Khan as CFO. Sadik-Khan oversaw the IPO of Jim Beam in 2011 and the later sale of that company. He also held finance roles at Keurig-Dr Pepper.PaneraAfter five years as a private company, Panera has said it plans to go public once again. Its just taking its time. The company, which also owns Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels, confidentially filed initial paperwork for a public offering in early November of 2023, but has not acted upon it yet. There is still no valuation for the company, nor data on when the offering will occur.SheinThe fast-fashion company made its filing confidentially in November 2023. Its valuation has been all over the map, though. In 2022, it was valued at $100 billion. Earlier this year, that had fallen to between $45 and $55 billion. That could spook investors, as could reported financial slowdowns. In October, The Information reported year-on-year sales growth during the first six months of 2024 fell to 23%, compared to 40% in 2023. Revenue and earnings reportedly slipped as well. Whether investors will see this as a permanent problem or just a bit of volatility will be determined when and if the company fully lays out its finances.SpaceXElon Musks rocket and satellite company is, arguably, the most watched company that could have IPO plans. Musk has not indicated whether he plans to take it public, but with its valuation of $350 billion, investors are salivating over the prospect. Musks close friendship with Donald Trump could be a factor in this decision as well. An IPO of a company this size would be a feather in the economic cap of Trumps second term. Earlier in December, SpaceX and its investors agreed to a tender offer, buying back $1.25 billion worth of insider shares at $185 each.StripeThe payments giant has been teasing a public offering since early 2023, but has kept its plans close to its vest. The company, in July, bought back some employee shares, setting a $70 billion valuation and raised $694 million in April. While it continues to play coy with investors, Stripe continually reports its financial performance, noting it surpassed payment volumes of $1 trillion in 2023 and has been cash flow positive for some time.StubHubIf all had gone according to plan, the ticketing service would already have had its IPO, but in July it delayed its plans until after Labor Day, then paused them once again due to market conditions. With a valuation of at least $16.5 billion, it has been working with JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs on its IPO plans for over two years and investors are eager to get a piece of a company, especially given the more than 40% growth in the share price of Ticketmaster parent company Live Nation over the course of 2024.

Local practice Vector Architects has unveiled the Wulingshan Eye Stone Spring spa in Aranya,China, which was designed to resemble a piece of hot spring "apparatus".Topped with a stack of eight chimney-style lightwells, the spa is located on a river valley site surrounded by cliffs and forest in Wuling Mountain's Yanshi Village, which means Eye Stone and gives the project its name.Vector Architects has completed a concrete spa north of BeijingThe 560-square-metre bathhouse was built near an emerging residential community in Wulingshan which is part of Aranya a 22-hectare holiday resort on the coast two hours north of the Chinese capital.Working with the constraints of the site, which is small and located on a slope, Vector Architects layered the main spa facilities vertically into a tall slim tower, while a separate service building is accessed by a corridor bridge on each level.Chimney-style lightwells top the structureThe building was raised up above the forest floor on tall columns, both to avoid flood risk below and to give guests views out over the lush foliage from the spa's relaxation spaces.A bush-hammering technique was applied to the concrete walls to give the building a coarse texture that corresponds to the rugged neighbouring cliffs. A transparent dark-toned coating was the used to give the concrete a more "subdued and grounded" appearance."Before the main structure was built, the construction team produced two or three sample walls with an additional two to three centimetres of concrete thickness," Vector Architects founder Dong Gong told Dezeen."This extra layer allowed us to perform deeper bush-hammering, resulting in a surface with greater strength and richer texture."A bush-hammering technique was applied to the concrete wallsThe design also took into account natural light, which diminishes closer to the ground due to shade cast by the 30-metre-high poplar trees.This limited natural light informed how the architect arranged the spa's spaces, with the dressing rooms, reception and showering facilities built on the lowest level, where the subdued lighting suits the privacy of the space.On the second floor a relaxation lounge was enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glass on all sides with close-up views of the poplar tree canopies and large windows that can be opened to let in fresh air in good weather.Read: Open Architecture designs conical Sun Tower as "giant sundial"The third floor is home to the bath pools, featuring different baths at different temperatures distributed under the eight light wells.Through strip windows above the water surface on the west facade, guests can glimpse the nearby valley cliffs and the treetops enveloping the building.The main spa facilities are organised vertically within a slim tower"Due to the very limited site area, the building had to create a rich spatial experience within a confined space", said Gong. "It is similar to a complex mechanical device, such as a precision watch, where many ingenious designs and details are hidden""Unlike conventional architectural scales, this building functions more like an apparatus, with a meticulously structured interior and precisely coordinated systems," he continued.Large openings overlook the surrounding foliageAsked about the sustainability of the concrete structure, given the material's high carbon footprint, Gong said that due to its low cost it remains the most popular building material in China.This makes it difficult for architects to "persuade clients to spend more on construction", he said, adding that other materials such as timber often require substantial maintenance after completion."More importantly, when an architect identifies a material that resonates with the spiritual essence of a location, such a material can be deemed appropriate," he said.Baths are hosted on the building's top floorThe Wulingshan Eye Stone Spring is one of a number of architectural projects Vector Architects has built in the exclusive holiday resort of Aranya, including a concrete concert hall in the town of Qinhuangdao and a raised chapel built on the shore.The photography is by Guowei Liu unless otherwise stated.The post Vector Architects funnels light to forest spa with tubular concrete lightwells appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen rounds up our top 10 videos of 2024, featuring collaborations with studios MAD Architects and Future Facility, as well as institutions such as Triennale Milano, the Barbican and the Serpentine Galleries.Fernando Laposse wins Bentley Lighthouse AwardMexican designer Fernando Laposse was named the winner of the Bentley Lighthouse Award at the 2024 Dezeen Awards ceremony in November. In this exclusive video, Dezeen visited Laposse in his Mexico City studio, where he discussed his practice.Laposse is particularly known for his work with natural fibres, including Sisal, a fibre created from the leaves of Mexico's native agave plant.His work engages with regenerative agriculture practices, including a recent collaboration with an Indigenous farming community in Tonaquixla, Mexico to address erosion and biodiversity loss in the area.Theawards jury praised Laposse for "reinvigorating waning craft skills and materials, in turn boosting local ecosystems and supporting his local communities".Find out more about Fernando Laposse Minsuk Cho introduces his 2024 Serpentine PavilionIn this exclusive video produced by Dezeen in partnership with the Serpentine Galleries in London, architect Minsuk Cho unveiled his 2024 Serpentine Pavilion, titled Archipelagic Void.Cho's pavilion took the shape of a star, organised around a central void. Each arm of the pavilion had a different purpose, with a tearoom, play area and library making up the structure.He told Dezeen the space was inspired by traditional Korean architecture."I like to have people come in and feel at home that's what happens in Madang, in Korean traditional houses and just freely explore what this space can offer and compose your own experience."Find out more about the 2024 Serpentine Pavilion Minsuk Cho Studio visitAhead of his pavilion unveiling, Dezeen visited Cho in his Seoul studio, as seen in this video interview. Cho founded his architecture studio Mass Studies in 2003."This request [from Serpentine] felt like we were given a great riddle to demonstrate what this pavilion can do at this point," Cho told Dezeen."We understand architecture itself is not a beginning-to-end narrative, but is part of a larger act that is in between many befores and afters," Cho told Dezeen.The architect discussed his design process when creating his Serpentine Pavilion, and its relation to previous projects, such as the Seoul Won Buddhism Wonnam Temple and the O'Sulloc Tea Museum pavilions, located in Jeju.Find out more about Minsuk Cho Alessandro Mendini at Triennale MilanoDuring this year's Milan design week, Dezeen covered the opening of Triennale Milano's retrospective of Alessandro Mendini, in a video produced in collaboration with Triennale Milano and Fondation Cartier.Titled Io Sono Un Drago (I am a dragon), the exhibition contained more than 600 pieces by Mendini across his 60-year career."Alessandro Mendini was a key figure of the last century, not just for design but also for art and architecture because he was able to link all these disciplines and blur the lines between them," explained Michela Alessandrini, curator for Fondation Cartier.The exhibition also featured a immersive installation designed by French designer Phillipe Starck, who was a friend and colleague of Mendini."Mendini is something special for me," Starck said. "His brain was an atomic bomb of fantasy, with no limits."Find out more about Io Sono Un Drago Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art at the BarbicanDezeen partnered with the Barbican Centre earlier in the year to explore its Unravel exhibition, which examined the political and transformative power of textiles.The show featured over 100 works that made use of textile, fibre and thread from over 50 artists from across the globe, such as Judy Chicago, Shelia Hicks and Cecilia Vicua, and spans from the 1960s to the present day.Featured works explored themes of power, oppression, gender and belonging, and the show was intended to challenge the perception of textiles."Textiles are one of the most under-examined mediums in art history and in fact history itself," Barbican curator Lotte Johnson told Dezeen. "They're really this very intimate, tactile part of our lives and therefore perhaps the most intrinsic, meaningful way to express ourselves."Find out more about Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art Tola Ojuolape design workshopIn the first of Dezeen's workshop series with 3D software brand Sketchup, interior designer Tola Ojuolape explains how she used SketchUp's tools to create a virtual library for London.Ojuolape created a 3D model of a custom craft-focused library informed by the history and character of the Clerkenwell neighbourhood."Having a sense of place is incredibly important," explained Ojuolape. "We chose Clerkenwell because it's a place that I'm very familiar with. It's where I started my career, it's where my practice is based, and it also has a rich heritage of makers and foundries."Ojuolape's design was split across each three levels, with each floor intended for a different use, such as studying, interaction and reflection.Find out more about Sketchup x Dezeen's workshop series Future Facility at Design You Can FeelDezeen teamed up with technology brand ASUS to host an exhibition exploring the relationship between materiality, craftsmanship and artificial intelligence. In this video, Future Facility co-founder Kim Colin discusses the studio's custom made SUSA device with Dezeen editorial director Max Fraser.Dezeen and ASUS commissioned Future Facility to create a custom smart device for the exhibition, and Colin told Fraser how the SUSA was designed to be a "calmer" alternative to typical smart devices.SUSA can be used for organisation and communication similar to modern smartphones, but intentionally suppresses entertainment and attention-sapping apps, focussing instead on more meaningful interaction. The device is created using's ASUS's proprietary Ceraluminium material."It's a bit of a provocation about those ideas," Colin said. "Ceraluminum offers us this opportunity to make a device that is different in the hand than any other device we've seen. This has a very different, much warmer feel."Find out more about Design You Can Feel Ma Yansong discusses MAD's Train Station in the ForestIn this one-on-one conversation, MAD Architects founder Ma Yansong discusses the studio's first train station with Dezeen editor Tom Ravenscroft.Located in Jiaxing, China, the station was rebuilt from the shell of a historic station building. Yansong told Ravenscroft how his team had explored the theme of time through the merging of historical and contemporary elements."When people come through this space they feel it's more like a museum about time, they can understand the history, or the past, [or] the future of the city," Yansong said. "You have the two elements in a collage together."The sprawling development features forested green spaces, a commercial area, and landscaped lawns that can be used to host events and festivals.Find out more about Train Station in the Forest Blond Laboratory at Milan design weekIn this video produced by Dezeen for Blond Laboratory, founder James Melia takes us through the studio's industrial design exhibition, which took place at this year's Milan design week.Blond Laboratory tasked designers with creating unique designs in response to a selection of found objects. Featured designers included John Tree, Sony Europe's Hirotaka Tako and Maddalena Casadei.The final designs were exhibited alongside the objects that inspired them in a historic carpentry warehouse in Milan's Brera district."Often in exhibitions you see lots of final polished objects," said Melia. "Very rarely the process of creating these objects is celebrated."Find out more about Blond Laboratory Hydro 100R at London Design FestivalDesigner Rachel Griffin discusses the "utopian qualities" of aluminium in this video covering Hydro's 100R exhibition at this year's Material Matters Fair in London.Griffin was one of seven designers who was tasked with creating furniture or lighting pieces solely using Hydro's Circal 100R extruded aluminium.Griffin produced a modular folding partition called Serial, which comprised of a set of interlocking extruded aluminium pieces with an in-built hinge that can be combined to form screens of any length. Other designers featured in the show included Max Lamb, Inga Semp, John Tree and Philippe Malouin."Aluminium has these utopian qualities," Griffin said in the video. "The fact that you can take something, reuse it and it still performs the same, it still looks the same, it really does feel like a material of the future."Find out more about Hydro 100R The post The top 10 Dezeen videos of 2024 appeared first on Dezeen.

When youve just come from a vacation, you probably have a hangover from all the day drinking and activities you did when you were at a resort or beach. Getting back to your mundane, ordinary life can be a challenge. Well you can still day drink even when youre home but its not the same. What if your kitchen still gives you a bit of the vacation feels to ease your transition?Designer: Kim TaeyeonThats the idea behind this concept for a water purifier that is inspired by cocktails. The Spare of Water Purifier offers you a moment of serenity according to the designer. Even if its just plain water flowing out of it, it can give you a sense of relaxation because of the way its designed, or rather, the inspiration for the design of something thats usually just functional. The spherical shaped water purifier has some buttons at the top for different things like water dispensing, purification, cold water, hot water, and filter replacement. The dispensing button has a slight indentation for your finger while the others have a touch UI. Theres also an LED display to show the water dispensing amount. The faucet is in the shape of a fruit, 3/4 of an orange to be specific which is where the cocktail inspiration comes in. The renders also show three different color ways, drawing inspiration from the sunset over the sea, the sea itself, and a luxury hotel. Its a simple and minimalist design but puts a cute little spin to the normal water purifier. The post Water purifier concept adds a cocktail twist to the design first appeared on Yanko Design.

Yes, you can use your iPad to create 3D models and the Lathe tool in Nomad Sculpt makes it easy to make a convincing-looking vase in minutes

From MAGA to Moo Deng, fans had more power in 2024 than ever before.

From Elon Musk and Donald Trump to state-sponsored hackers and crypto scammers, this was the year the online agents of chaos gained ground.

Democratic digital strategists and creators argue that the partys influencer outreach was too little, too lateand that without a coherent message, even the best strategy won't matter.