In-depth and with a ton of before and after images.Issue #26 is out and its a full issue on Wicked.It dives deep into key moments in Munchkinland, Shiz University and Emerald City, the making of Dr. Dillamond, developing the Wizards monkey guards, and the complex Defying Gravity broom riding finale featuring Elphaba. The main VFX studios Industrial Light & Magic and Framestore are showcased, as are the films practical special effects.The mag includes in-depth interviews with VFX supervisor Pablo Helman (from ILM), Framestore VFX supervisor Jonathan Fawkner, ILM animation supervisor David Shirk, and special effects supervisor Paul Corbould.Plus, its FILLEDwith a ton of before and after imagery.Find issue #26 at your local Amazon store:USAUKCanadaGermanyFranceSpainItalyAustralia JapanSwedenPolandNetherlandsThe post Issue #26 of befores & afters in PRINT is on the VFX of Wicked! appeared first on befores & afters.

President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order requiring most federal employees to return to work in person full time, a move that is likely to spark backlash and legal challenges from unions.WHAT DOES TRUMPS ORDER DO?Trump directed the heads of all federal agencies to take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to report to their respective duty stations full time. The two-sentence order says the directive shall be implemented consistent with applicable law.CAN TRUMP PROHIBIT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES FROM WORKING REMOTELY?It depends. The president has broad authority over the federal workforce, including the power to tell agencies to stop allowing remote work for employees who are not unionized. That includes supervisors and managers, who cannot join unions, and Trump could move quickly to order them back to the office.But, about 26% of federal employees are unionized and many are covered by bargaining agreements that allow for remote work or hybrid arrangements. The Trump administration will have to wait for those to expire or try to renegotiate the agreements. Bargaining agreements between federal agencies and unions can only be challenged in court if they contain illegal terms or were the product of coercion, bribery or some other wrongdoing.In some cases, federal agencies may also be required to allow employees with disabilities to work remotely. Federal law requires employers to grant reasonable accommodations to workers with chronic medical conditions as long as they can still perform their job duties.HOW MANY FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WORK REMOTELY?The Trump White House said on Monday that only 6% of federal employees currently work in person, but government data shows that remote work is more limited. About 46% of federal workers, or 1.1 million people, are eligible for remote work, and about 228,000 of them are fully remote, according to a report issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget in August.The U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, which have far more employees than other agencies, have the most remote workers, along with the Department of Health and Human Services. For federal employees who are eligible for remote work, about 61% of regular working hours are spent in person, according to OMB. That figure excludes fully remote workers.WHY DOES TRUMP OPPOSE REMOTE WORK?Trumps order may also represent an effort to encourage some federal workers to quit, opening up positions that can be filled by political loyalists.Elon Musk, who will lead a commission created by Trump to rein in government spending, said in a Nov. 20 Wall Street Journal opinion piece that federal workers should not be paid for the COVID-era privilege of telework. Requiring federal employees to come to the office five days a week would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome, Musk wrote.But, agencies may be leery of engaging in a large number of firings or layoffs, especially when they involve workers who hold important roles or are difficult to replace.Trumps agenda, including potentially repealing thousands of federal regulations, coordinating a large number of deportations, and overhauling U.S. health policy, will require fully staffed agencies to execute. Experts said that in many instances, Trump will likely have to choose between culling the federal workforce and carrying out other initiatives.CAN THE PRESIDENT FIRE WORKERS WHO RESIST RETURN TO OFFICE MANDATES?The president and agency heads have broad authority to fire non-union workers for cause, which could include defying a mandate to return to the office. But federal employees must be given written notice that they are being fired at least 30 days in advance, including an explanation of the reason for their termination and an opportunity to respond.And federal workers who lose their jobs can bring a challenge before the Merit Systems Protection Board, an independent three-member panel appointed by the president, seeking to be reinstated. Employees could argue to the board that they were not fired for cause, that agencies did not follow the proper procedures and violated their due process rights, or that they were targeted for discriminatory reasons. The boards decisions are binding unless they are set aside by a federal appeals court.Daniel Wiessner, Reuters

If cutting down on doomscrolling and increasing your step count are on your list of New Years resolutions for 2025, then I have the app for you. A new iOS app called Steppin, from the co-founder of travel search engine Kayak, will block access to your social media apps until youve got your steps in each day.Its up to you to decide how many steps are worth one minute of Instagram or five minutes of TikTok (dont worry, if you get desperate you can override Steppins controls). The app can also limit video games and entertainment sites like Netflix, while, in the future, users will also be able to log alternative activities like yoga or pilates classes to unlock precious screen time.The app was co-founded by Paul English, who told TechCrunch that he came up with the idea for the app alongside his son, Michael English, and fianc, Rachel Cohen, while vacationing in Spain. Despite the beautiful scenery, they were constantly using their phones to scroll through social media. Although apps like Forest and Freedom that block social media usage are now commonplace, they came up with the idea of tying this to your daily step count as a way to boost both mental and physical health.The app is marketed toward Gen Z, but English says hes felt its benefits himself. It really applies to everyone, English told TechCrunch. We have found through just talking to friends and families that a lot of parents say, I want my teenager to have this, my 12-year-old is addicted, And then some adults are saying, Yeah, I too, have a problem, its not just Gen Z, I find that Im on my phone too much and Im not getting out of the house enough. So were getting interest from all ages.Most of us sit in front of a computer screen for much of the working day, then relax at home watching the TV while simultaenously scrolling on our phone. The link between excessive screen time and declining mental health has been well-documented over the years. Social media overuse has been linked to disrupted sleep and heightened anxiety and depression levels. At the same time, getting outside and exercising daily, even if just a walk, has been linked to improved mood, better sleep, and reduced risk of depression.If youre looking to kick a doomscrolling habit, Steppin is free for now, but will likely move to a subscription model (around $20 per month) in the future.

US president Donald Trump has issued the Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture executive order on his first day back in office.One of numerous executive orders issued on his inauguration day yesterday, the presidential action aims to promote the use of "traditional and classical" architecture for civic buildings.The order requires heads of US government departments to submit recommendations to Trump within 60 days.Order aims to "uplift and beautify public spaces and ennoble the United States""I hereby direct the administrator of the General Services Administration, in consultation with the assistant to the president for Domestic Policy and the heads of departments and agencies of the United States where necessary, to submit to me within 60 days recommendations to advance the policy that Federal public buildings should be visually identifiable as civic buildings and respect regional, traditional, and classical architectural heritage in order to uplift and beautify public spaces and ennoble the United States and our system of self-government," said the order.In particular the order requests suggestions on how to update the US government's Guiding principles for federal architecture, which were created in 1962, and for increasing "community input" into design decisions.Read: Biden revokes Trump's "beautiful" architecture executive orderExecutive orders can be issued by US presidents without the need for congressional approval. They are legally binding, but can be dismissed through the court system or by subsequent presidents.The action follows a previous order also called Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture, which was issued by Trump on 21 December 2020 in his first term as president.This order stipulated that buildings commissioned by the federal government must be "beautiful" and said that classical and traditional styles were preferred.Latest executive order aimed at architectureThis first executive order was revoked by president Joe Biden in February 2021, just 69 days after it was signed.However, this latest order, signed by Trump on his first day in office, demonstrates that he still considers the issue of the architectural styles used for civic buildings important.The subject has long been one of interest for Trump.Early in his first presidency he issued a draft order named Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again, which along with encouraging classical architecture aimed to ban civic buildings from being built in brutalist or deconstructivist styles."Architectural designs in the brutalist and deconstructivist styles, and the styles derived from them, fail to satisfy these requirements and shall not be used," the document stated.This draft order was criticised by the American Institute of Architects, which "strongly and unequivocally" opposed the change and called on members to sign an open letter to the Trump administration.The post Trump signs executive order to promote "beautiful federal civic architecture" appeared first on Dezeen.

Swiss architect Valerio Olgiati has unveiled a mixed-use development set to comprise "three totemic figures" in Tirana, Albania.Named Rruga Adem Jashari, the development by Olgiati will include three skyscrapers reaching 150 metres, 192 metres and 266 metres, which will contain a hotel and apartment block.Valerio Olgiati has unveiled a trio of skyscrapers in TiranaThe towers will be built from red-toned concrete blocks sat atop a large concrete base.Connected to the towers by a plaza, a stepped pyramid structure rendered in white concrete will centre the development and contain a retail area that extends below ground.Red-toned concrete will be used for the exterior"The architectural idea is based on the archaic gesture of putting blocks on top of each other," Olgiati said. "This idea is expressed through the facade pillars, pigmented concrete blocks which follow a very precise structural logic.""These pillars physically manifest the forces involved in the structure and the towers appear as three totemic figures," he added.Read: OODA designs kinked Tirana skyscrapers to evoke "the grace of ballet"Visualisations reveal the towers' structures, which recess towards their tops and are defined by structural concrete pillars.To emphasise a connection between the development and its neighbouring park, pine trees will be added to the towers' roof levels.A white-concrete structure will contain retail spaceRenders of the central retail space reveal a ziggurat-like shape wrapped with protruding staircases that will provide access to the structure's upper levels.According to Olgiati, pine trees will also be planted at each level so that "the whole building is perceived as a garden".Pillars will be used for the building's structureInside, the spaces will be organised with a flexible arrangement and finished with exposed concrete and marble."The floor plans are thought in a way that the structural elements allow a free and flexible arrangement of internal partitions," Olgiati said.Concrete and marble will will be used on the interiorConstruction is set to begin in the autumn of this year.Other projects set to be completed in Tirana include a mixed-use high-rise composed of house-shaped "puzzle pieces" and a kinked skyscraper intended to evoke "the grace of ballet".The renders are courtesy of Archive Olgiati.The post Valerio Olgiati reveals plans for trio of concrete skyscrapers in Tirana appeared first on Dezeen.

Years ago we looked at Aquor Water Systems' intelligent design for a hose bib. Their flush-mounted House Hydrant is a damn sight better-looking than your standard spigot, and won't freeze. They offer a number of attractive debris cover options.The company has also developed this designey hose reel:The fittings are stainless steel and lead-free, and the 5/8" hose is 65' long. The unit pivots 180 degrees. By the bye, Aquor's hoses are drinking water safe; they're made from an FDA-approved polyurethane and are phthalate-free.The price was unavailable at press time; though the reel has won a Good Design Award, it's not yet on the market.

The Core77 Design Awards Apps & Platform category features software applications that perform a specific task, such as writing documents, playing games, or watching videos. Web or mobile screen-based software programs designed for user-friendliness. Examples include community platforms or hubs, websites, computer programs.The Core77 Design Awards Interaction Design category features interactive content and user interface design for websites, mobile devices, and experiential installations. Examples include software, mobile apps, interactive projections, products with embedded user interface, animations, simulations, robotics.As Senior Design Director at H-E-B, Jodi Cutler never tires of thinking about how to scale design across a human-centric organization. Over three decades, Jodi has dedicated her energy to designing experiences at startups, enterprises, consulting firms, and as an educator. At H-E-B, the focus is on people from employees, to customers, and the community which makes design decisions distinctly personal. In the design world, Jodi maintains an eye to inclusion, an area she hopes to see designers continuing to consider more fully in their work. She encourages Core77 Design Awards entrants to approach their work with curiosity and a clear understanding of where their bias lays and find ways to counter it.ParaVerse from the Swiss Paraplegic Centre winner of the Apps & Platform category for 2024.The 2024 winner of the Core77 Design Awards Apps & Platform category was ParaVerse from the Swiss Paraplegic Centre, which allows people with limited or no hand function to interact with the digital world using eye-controlled XR glasses. 2024 Interaction Design winner, Bluecadet, and its Met 81st Street Studio project.In the Interaction Design category, the winner was Bluecadet for its Met 81st Street Studio project, a 3,500-square-foot interactive science and art play space for children that promotes exploration of art, and the materials used to create it.If you have an app, platform, or interaction that will spark our jurors' curiosity, we would love to consider it for the 2025 Core77 Design Awards.Enter your work in the Core77 Design Awards today.

When youre on vacation at the beach, you probably enjoy looking at and listening to waves as they crash onto the shore. You may even like going into the water and battling these waves, safely of course. But these wave actions can sometimes cause damage on the shore and shoreline structures so we put wave-dissipating blocks to protect them. Most of the materials used here are concrete and cement which are not always suitable for marine life and also contribute to global warming. Two students have come up with a project to use more eco-friendly materials for them. Designers: Chia-Ying Chiang and Shao-Yu LinThe Ecotrapod is what they call a new solution to wave dissipation and this project has won them awards in their homeland of Taiwan. Instead of the usual cement or concrete, they used Circular Slurry of C-slurry mixed together with oyster shells to serve as base materials for the wave-dissipating blocks. The blocks are also structurally designed using biometric principles with bio-porous spiral surfaces. This means they are able to get maximum structural strength aside from reducing carbon emissions by 30-90% since they can reduce or even replace cement. Aside from the more environmentally friendly construction of the blocks, they were also designed with holes so algae can attach themselves to it and some species of fish and shellfish can live within them. This means that aside from protecting the shore, visitors to the ocean can also observe marine ecology within that space, interacting with these coastal organisms. The wavy and porous design of course also makes these blocks seemingly part of the ocean instead of just blocking the waves.The two designers collaborated with C-Cube, Lotos, and Everplast for this project, which they started and completed since they have a deep love for the ocean and wanted to create sustainable ecological cycles. With the material reducing carbon footprint by 50%, 3D printing can also reduce material usage. Once the blocks have reached the end of their purpose, they can be crushed and then remade into new materials, completing the recycling and reusing cycle. The post Wave-dissipating blocks reduce carbon footprint by using oyster shells and c-slurry first appeared on Yanko Design.

Buying furniture for newborns and toddlers might be a fun activity for some parents, but it becomes more of a hassle when the child has outgrown their size or use. Depending on the state of the product, they could resell it, hand it down, or even donate it, though an even more economical solution would probably be if it could actually still be used one way or another. Unfortunately, most kids furniture doesnt have that in mind, which can lead to waste and unnecessary costs down the line.This aesthetic wooden high chair, however, is designed very differently, almost as if it was made with adults peace of mind as well. Easy to use, elegant, and modular, this chair can be used by a child from the moment they are born to the day they grow old and decide they dont want to sit so high up anymore, even if they still technically can.Designer: CybexFurniture for kids are often made with plastic because they are durable enough to withstand the many accidents unavoidable involving young children. Its also a lot cheaper compared to most materials, but they also give products a certain aesthetic that, in this particular case, is toy-like and immediately associated with kids. Even if they were to remain useful for older ages, very few would want to be caught dead using them anyway.Click and Fold is a high chair design that goes against the flow by using solid beechwood for its body, giving it a more mature character than most high chairs. This kind of wood is quite hardy against bumps, but not impervious to nicks and scratches. At the same time, however, these war wounds become part of the products history and charm, just like those pencil markings that record a childs growth on door frames.Although primarily made for a childs use and comfort, the Click and Fold is designed for adults just as well. With a simple push of a button accompanied by a satisfying clicking sound, you can fold the chair up and quickly put it aside when you need more room. Even better, because of its luxurious wooden material and elegant curves, simply propping it against the wall turns the folded high chair into a beautiful design object when its not in use.One of Click and Folds key features, however, is its modularity. You can remove the seat and backrest to make room for a bouncer nest for a baby or put on a baby set with a tray when that baby is old enough to eat. The seat and footrest can be moved to any height, so it can function as a regular chair for grown-ups as well, albeit one that might be a bit too high for some tastes. Click and Fold has a visually simple yet aesthetic design that belies its ability to grow old with your kid, extending not only its use but also its value long after that child has grown into an adult.The post Wooden folding high chair accompanies your kid as they grow first appeared on Yanko Design.

Hype fashion and gaming really don't mix.