DeepSeek's R1 update, plus the rest of the AI news this week. Credit: Thomas Fuller / SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty Images This week, DeepSeek released an updated version of its R1 model on HuggingFace, reigniting the open-source versus closed-source competition. The updated version, called DeekSeek-R1-0528, has 685 billion parameters, an upgrade from January's version, which had 671 billion. Unlike OpenAI and Google's models, which are famously closed-source, DeepSeek's model weights are publicly available. According to the benchmarks, the R1-0528 update has improved reasoning and inference capabilities and is closing the gap with OpenAI's o3 and Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro. DeepSeek also introduced a distilled version of R1-0528 using Alibaba's Qwen3 8B model. This is an example of a lightweight model that is less capable but also requires less computing power. DeepSeek-R1-0528-Qwen3-8B outperforms both Google's latest lightweight model Gemini-2.5-Flash-Thinking-0520 and OpenAI's o3-mini in certain benchmarks. But the bigger deal is that DeekSeek's distilled model can reportedly run on a single GPU, according to TechCrunch. You May Also Like To… distill all this information, the Chinese rival is catching up to its U.S. competitors with an open-weight approach that's cheaper and more accessible. Plus, DeepSeek continues to prove that AI models may not require as much computing power as OpenAI, Google, and other AI heavyweights currently use. Suffice to say, watch this space.That said, DeepSeek's models also have their drawbacks. According to one AI developer (via TechCrunch), the new DeepSeek update is even more censored than its previous version when it comes to criticism of the Chinese government. Of course, a lot more happened in the AI world over the past few days. After last week's parade of AI events from Google, Anthropic, and Microsoft, this week was lighter on product and feature news. That's one reason DeepSeek's R1 update captured the AI world's attention this week. In other AI news, Anthropic finally gets voice mode, AI influencers go viral, Anthropic's CEO warns of mass layoffs, and an AI-generated kangaroo. Google's Veo 3 takes the internet by stormOn virtually every social media platform, users are freaking out about the new Veo 3, Google's new AI video model. The results are impressive, and we're already seeing short films made entirely with Veo 3. Not bad for a product that came out 11 days ago. Not to be outdone by AI video artists, a reporter from The Wall Street Journal made a short film about herself and a robot using Veo 3.Mashable's Tech Editor Timothy Werth recapped Veo's big week and had a simple conclusion: We're so cooked.More AI product news: Claude's new voice mode and the beginning of the agentic browser eraAfter last week's barrage, this week was lighter on the volume of AI news. But what was announced this week is no less significant.  Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up! Anthropic finally introduced its own voice mode for Claude to compete with ChatGPT, Grok, and Gemini. The feature is currently in beta on mobile for the Claude app and will even be available to free plans with a limit of 20 to 30 voice conversations per day. Anthropic says you can ask Claude to summarize your calendar or read documents out loud. Paying subscribers can connect to Google Workspace for Calendar, Gmail, and Docs access. OpenAI is exploring the ability to sign into third-party apps with ChatGPT. We don't know much yet, but the company posted an interest form on its site for developers using Codex, its engineering agent, to add this capability to their own apps. It may not sound like a big deal, but it basically means users could easily link their personalized ChatGPT memories and settings to third-party apps, much like the way it works when you sign into a new app with your Google account.Opera announced a new agentic AI browser called Neon. "Much more than a place to view web pages, Neon can browse with you or for you, take action, and help you get things done," the announcement read. That includes a chatbot interface within the browser and the ability to fill in web forms for tasks like booking trips and shopping. The announcement, which included a promo video of a humanoid robot browsing the robot, which is scant on details but says Neon will be a "premium subscription product" and has a waitlist to sign up.The browser has suddenly become a new frontier for agentic AI, now that it's capable of automating web search tasks. Perplexity is working on a similar tool called Comet, and The Browser Company pivoted from its Arc browser to a more AI-centric browser called Dia. All of this is happening while Google might be forced to sell off Chrome, which OpenAI has kindly offered to take off its hands. Dario Amodei's prediction about AI replacing entry-level jobs is already starting to happenAnthropic CEO Dario Amodei warned in an interview with Axios that AI could "wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs." Amodei's predictions might be spot on because a new study from VC firm SignalFire found that hiring for entry-level jobs is down to 7 percent from 25 percent in the previous year. Some of that is due to changes in the economic climate, but AI is definitely a factor since firms are opting to automate the less-technical aspects of work that would've been taken on by new hires.  Related Stories The latest in AI culture: That AI-generated kangaroo, Judge Judy, and everything elseGoogle wants you to know its AI overviews reach 1.5 billion people a month. They probably don't want you to know AI Overviews still struggles to count, spell, and know what year it is. As Mashable's Tim Marcin put it, would AI Overviews pass concussion protocol?The proposal of a 10-year ban on states regulating AI is pretty unpopular, according to a poll from Common Sense Media. The survey found that 57 percent of respondents opposed the moratorium, including half of the Republican respondents. As Mashable's Rebecca Ruiz reported, "the vast majority of respondents, regardless of their political affiliation, agreed that Congress shouldn't ban states from enacting or enforcing their own youth online safety and privacy laws."In the private sector, The New York Times signed a licensing deal with Amazon to allow their editorial content to be used for Amazon's AI models. The details are unclear, but from the outside, this seems like a change of tune from the Times, which is currently suing OpenAI for copyright infringement for allegedly using its content to train its models. That viral video of an emotional support kangaroo holding a plane ticket and being denied boarding? It's AI-generated, of course. Slightly more obvious, but no less creepy is another viral trend of using AI to turn public figures like Emmanuel Macron and Judge Judy into babies. These are strange AI-slop-infested times we're living in. AI has some positive uses too. This week, we learned about a new humanoid robot from HuggingFace called HopeJr (with engineering by The Robot Studio), which could be available for sale later this year for just $3,000.And to end this recap on a high note, the nonprofit Colossal Foundation has developed an AI algorithm to detect the bird calls of the near-extinct tooth-billed pigeon. Also known as the "little dodo," the tooth-billed pigeon is Samoa's national bird, and scientists are using the bioacoustic algorithm to locate and protect them. Want to get the latest AI news, from new product features to viral trends? Check back next week for another AI news recap, and in the meantime, follow @cecily_mauran and @mashable for more news.Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems. Topics OpenAI DeepSeek Cecily Mauran Tech Reporter Cecily is a tech reporter at Mashable who covers AI, Apple, and emerging tech trends. Before getting her master's degree at Columbia Journalism School, she spent several years working with startups and social impact businesses for Unreasonable Group and B Lab. Before that, she co-founded a startup consulting business for emerging entrepreneurial hubs in South America, Europe, and Asia. You can find her on X at @cecily_mauran.

Kloo didn’t set out to eliminate the ritual of making coffee; they set out to refine it. Equal parts culinary secret weapon and everyday indulgence, Kloo is a small-batch coffee concentrate that delivers bold, specialty-grade flavor to everything from your first morning cup to cocktails and desserts. It’s part chef’s tool, part personal luxury – crafted for those who love to cook, love to host, and love a good cup of coffee. Kloo’s frosted glass bottle adorned with an artful screen-printed design, looks more like a fine spirit than a morning essential. The logo – a maze-like looped ‘K’ – reflects the brand’s ethos: complexity distilled into simplicity. It’s a bottle that signals premium, not just in flavor, but in form. Founded by mother-daughter duo Claudia Snoh and Mariella Cho, Kloo was created from a shared obsession with the nuance of great coffee. Mariella, a certified Q Grader (the coffee world’s version of a sommelier), developed Kloo’s proprietary “super concentrate” brewing method to bring out the purest, most expressive flavor of each bean – then aged each batch for up to 21 days to deepen body and complexity. From sourcing to shipping, every detail is intentional. Kloo uses only specialty-grade beans (each scoring 85+ by Q Graders), roasted in-house and brewed in small batches. The concentrate is then cold-shipped and kept refrigerated to preserve every note. A taste of the single-origin varieties: Colombia (Venecia, Cundinamarca): Almond, maple syrup, blackberry Kenya (Karundu, Nyeri): Grapefruit, lemongrass, dark chocolate Ethiopia (Adado, Yirgacheffe): Peach, jasmine, wild berry Guatemala (Pasajquim, Atitlán): Toffee, burnt toast, dark chocolate Each profile is bold enough to stand on its own, yet balanced enough to complement whatever you’re making. Unlike many concentrates, Kloo’s strength and consistency make it a natural fit for chefs and bakers, especially in large batches where precision matters. Whether you’re stirring it into a sauce or folding it into a batter, Kloo delivers depth, not bitterness. It’s a shortcut that doesn’t feel like one. And while it’s a favorite among chefs, it also belongs in every home cook’s fridge. You’ll find yourself reaching for it more than you expect – whether for an impromptu dessert, a 4pm boost, or an elevated cocktail. For those who love to gather, Kloo is a quiet revolution. It makes the art of hosting feel seamless – adding flavor, elegance, and just a little flair to your moments of connection. One of the best-kept secrets of the seasoned host? Bookend your gathering with memorable moments. Start high, end high – and do it with something that’s bold, caffeinated, and effortlessly chic. Welcome your guests with a low-ABV drink, perfect for warm afternoons. Kloo Stout 1.5 oz Kloo coffee concentrate 12 oz chocolatey stout or lager Preparation: Add chilled Kloo to the bottom of a pint glass, then slowly pour in the beer and let it mix naturally. Smooth, rich, and just unexpected enough to be a conversation starter. Close the evening by serving guests an easy and elegant dessert that never disappoints. Kloo Affogato 1 scoop vanilla gelato 1 shot (about 1.5 oz) Kloo concentrate Preparation: Pour Kloo directly over the gelato just before serving. Dessert and coffee, all in one beautiful moment. Like most devout daily coffee drinkers, I’ve always been skeptical of concentrates – too often they’re bitter, flat, or forgettable. Kloo is different. It doesn’t replace the ritual of great coffee; it respects it, while making room for all the ways we actually live. Whether you’re brewing slowly, moving quickly, cooking for others, or just trying to get out the door, Kloo brings depth and intention – without asking you to compromise. For more information on Kloo, visit drinkkloo.com. Photography courtesy of Kloo.

Villa Air / ARK-architectureSave this picture!© Bilel KhemakhemHouses•Tunis, Tunisia Architects: ARK-architecture Area Area of this architecture project Area:  1500 m² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2024 Photographs Photographs:Bilel Khemakhem Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:  Trespa, Elements, QUICK-STEP, REVIGLASS, Saint Gobain Glass, Schüco, TOSHIBAMore SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. Villa Air is a distilled expression of contemporary architecture rooted in the Tunisian landscape. Set within a two-hectare plot in Morneg, this 1,500 m² residence unfolds as a meditative dialogue between built form and topography. The site, defined by its gentle slope and sweeping views, culminates in the striking silhouette of the Jbal Errsas mountain range—a natural horizon that anchors the architectural narrative. From the outset, the project embraces a central duality: the tension between gravitas and lightness, between groundedness and suspension. This dialectic, subtly embedded in the villa's name, structures the entire composition. Distributed across three levels, the house is articulated as a series of horizontal strata punctuated by bold cantilevers. These projections—remarkably slender at just 45 cm thick—embody both structural daring and environmental responsiveness, casting precise shadow lines that temper the Mediterranean sun.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Rather than asserting dominance over the terrain, the architecture yields to it. The villa engages the land with measured restraint, allowing the natural contours to guide its form. A textured finish in earthy tones fosters chromatic continuity with the ground, while the massing cascades along the slope, suggesting a geological emergence rather than an architectural imposition. The principal façade distills the project's ethos: a calibrated composition of apertures that frames the landscape as a sequence of living tableaux. Each elevation is attuned to its orientation, choreographing a spatial experience that is both immersive and contemplative. Here, architecture acts not as a boundary, but as a lens.Save this picture!Materiality is approached with deliberate restraint. Pristine white volumes capture the shifting Mediterranean light, animating surfaces in a daily choreography of shadows. Travertine and timber introduce tactile warmth, while concrete elements — subtly tinted with sand pigments — ground the building in its context and enhance its material belonging. Internally, the spatial organization privileges continuity and flow. Circulations are not mere connectors, but choreographed transitions. Double-height volumes channel daylight deep into the core, while vertical pathways become elevated promenades offering ever-evolving perspectives of the surrounding landscape.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The architecture explores a central paradox: the reconciliation of intimacy with openness, of enclosure with exposure. This tension is resolved through a refined gradation of thresholds, where interiors dissolve into terraces and open platforms, softening the boundaries between inside and out. Twin infinity pools extend the architectural geometry toward the horizon, amplifying the sensation of lightness and spatial suspension. Water and sky converge in a silent dialogue, completing the project's aspiration to exist not merely in the landscape but in symbiosis with it. Villa Air stands as a testament to a site-specific Mediterranean modernism — one that privileges clarity, precision, and sensory depth. More than a functional residence, it evokes a poetic condition of dwelling: a place where form, matter, and perception converge in quiet resonance.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less About this officeARK-architectureOffice••• MaterialConcreteMaterials and TagsPublished on May 30, 2025Cite: "Villa Air / ARK-architecture" 30 May 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1030593/villa-air-ark-architecture&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

PROS: Discreet, elegant, and unobtrusive design that doesn't scream "tech" Lightweight and comfortable premium frame Focuses on essential experiences without the unnecessary cruft Impressive transcription and teleprompter features Long battery life and effortless charging case design CONS: No speakers for calls or audio feedback (especially during navigation) Temple tips touch controls can be a bit cumbersome A bit expensive RATINGS: AESTHETICSERGONOMICSPERFORMANCESUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITYVALUE FOR MONEYEDITOR'S QUOTE:With a simple design and useful features, the Even Realities G1 smart glasses prove that you don't need all the bells and whistles to provide an experience. Every day, we’re flooded with more information than our already overworked minds can handle. Our smartphones and computers put all this information at our fingertips, connecting us to the rest of the world while ironically disconnecting us from the people around us. Smart glasses and XR headsets promise to bring all this information right in front of us, bridging the gap that divides physical and virtual realities. And yet at the same time, they erect a wall that separates us from the here and now. It’s against this backdrop that Even Realities chose to take a bold step in the opposite direction. In both form and function, the Even Realities G1 smart glasses cut down on the cruft and promise a distilled experience that focuses only on what you really need to get through a busy day. More importantly, it delivers it in a minimalist design that doesn’t get in your way. Or at least that’s the spiel. Just in time for the upcoming Father’s Day celebration, we got to test what the Even Realities G1 has to offer, especially to some of the busiest people in our families: the dads juggling work responsibilities while trying to stay present for their loved ones. Designer: Even Realities Click Here to Buy Now: $599. Exclusive Father’s Day Special – Get 50% Off the G1 Clip + Clip Pouch! Hurry, offer ends June 15, 2025. Aesthetics You probably wouldn’t even be able to tell the Even Realities G1 is wearable tech if you meet someone on the street wearing a pair. Sure, they might look like slightly retro Pantos, but they’re a far cry from even the slimmest XR glasses from the likes of Xreal or Viture. You can clearly see the eyes of the person wearing them, and the tech is practically invisible, which is exactly the point. The design of the Even Realities G1 is on the plain and minimal side, a stark contrast to the majority of smart glasses and XR/AR headsets currently in the market, even those claiming to be fashionable and stylish. Sure, it’s not going to compete with high-end luxury spectacles, but they’re not entirely off the mark either. Unless you look really closely, you might simply presume them to be a pair of thick-framed glasses. The form of the glasses might be simple, but their construction is anything but. The frame is made from magnesium alloy with a coating that’s fused with sandstone, while the temples use a titanium alloy on the outer sides and soft silicone on the inner surfaces. The mixture of quality materials not only gives the Even Realities G1 a premium character but also a lightweight form that’s only ever so slightly heavier than your run-of-the-mill prescription eyeglasses. While the G1 most looks like normal eyewear, the temple tips are dead giveaways that things are not what they seem. The blocky, paddle-shaped tips that house batteries and electronics are definitely larger than what you’d find on most glasses. They’re not obnoxiously big, but they do tend to stick out a bit, and they’re hard to “unsee” once you’ve noticed their presence. Despite looking quite aesthetic, the Even Realities G1 isn’t pretending to be some posh fashion accessory. After all, the circular G1A and rectangular G1B options hardly cover all possible eyewear designs, and the limited color selection won’t suit everyone’s tastes. Rather than something you flaunt or call attention to, these smart glasses are designed to be an “everyday wear” and disappear into the background, making tech invisible without making it unusable, perfect for the dad who wants to stay connected without looking like he’s wearing a gadget at the family barbecue. Ergonomics If you’ve ever tried any of those hi-tech wearables promising the next wave of computing, then you’d probably know that you’d never wear any of those glasses or visors for more than just an hour or two every day. They may have impressive technologies and apps, but they become practically useless once you take them off, especially when you have to step out into the real world. In contrast, the Even Realities G1 is something you’d be able to wear for hours on end, indoors or outdoors. Made from lightweight materials with a construction that even throws away screws to reduce the heft, it’s almost mind-blowing to think that the glasses houses any electronics at all. This level of comfort is honestly the G1’s most important asset, because it allows people to experience its smart features far longer than any Quest or Viture. When it comes to eyewear, however, prescription lenses have always been a sore point for many consumers, and this is no exception. Because it integrates waveguide optics into the lens, you’ll have to pay extra to have customized prescription lenses when you buy an Even Realities G1. It can be a bit nerve-wracking to ensure you get all the measurements and figures right, especially since you can’t return or exchange glasses with customized lenses. While the G1 eyeglasses are definitely comfortable to wear, the same can’t exactly be said when it comes to manually interacting with them. While most smart glasses and headsets have controls near your temples, the G1’s touch-sensitive areas are at the temple tips, which would be sitting behind your ears when you’re wearing the glasses. They might feel awkward to reach, and those with long hairstyles might find it difficult to use. Fortunately, you will rarely touch those tips except to activate some functions, but it can still be an unsatisfactory experience when you do. Performance The Even Realities G1 takes a brilliantly focused approach to smart eyewear, prioritizing elegant design and practical functionality over unnecessary tech bloat. The 640×200 green monochrome display may seem modest, but it’s deliberate choice that enables the G1 to maintain a sleek, stylish profile. The absence of cameras and speakers isn’t a limitation but a thoughtful design decision that enhances both wearability and privacy, allowing users to seamlessly integrate this technology into their daily lives without social awkwardness. The magic of the G1 lies in its delivery of information directly to your field of vision in a way that not only delights but also transforms how you interact with digital content. The core Even Realities G1 experience revolves around bringing only critical information to your attention and keeping distractions away, all without disconnecting you from reality and the people around you. Its text-centric interface, displayed by two micro-LED displays, one on each lens, ensures that information is distilled down to its most essential. And there’s no denying the retro charm of a green dot-matrix screen in front of your eyes, even if the color won’t work well against light or bright objects. The Even Realities G1 experience starts with the dashboard, which you can summon just by tilting your head up a bit, an angle that you can set on the companion mobile app. One side shows the date and time, temperature, number of notifications, and your next appointment. The other side can be configured to show one of your saved quick notes, news, stocks, or even your current location. None of these items are interactive, and you’ll have to dive into the mobile app to actually get any further information. With Father’s Day approaching, it’s worth noting how the G1’s floating heads-up display, visible only to the wearer, helps dads stay effortlessly connected, organized, and present. The QuickNote and Calendar features are particularly valuable for fathers juggling work and family responsibilities, allowing them to process their to-do lists perfectly on schedule without missing a beat of family time. Spending quality time with your child then suddenly remembering you need to buy batteries on your next errand run? No more frantically scampering for pen and paper or even your phone; just tap and speak. Of course, the smart glasses really shine when it comes to the, well, smart functionality, most of which unsurprisingly revolve around words, both spoken and displayed. Transcription, which is used when making Quick Notes, records your voice and saves it alongside the transcribed text. Fathers who find themselves in never-ending meetings no longer need to worry about missing a beat. Not only do they get to keep notes, but they also receive a summary and recap thanks to the G1’s AI capabilities, a game-changer for busy dads who need to process information efficiently. Translation can make international trips quite fun, at least for some interactions, as you’ll be able to see actual translated captions floating in the air like subtitles on a video. Dads who give a lot of talks, business presentations, interviews, or broadcast videos will definitely love the Teleprompter feature, which can advance the script just based on the words you’re speaking. No more worrying about missing important points during that big presentation, leaving more mental bandwidth for what really matters. It’s also perfect for a captivating Career Day show that will do your kid proud. The accuracy of Even Realities’ speech recognition and AI is fairly good, though there are times when it will require a bit of patience and understanding. There’s a noticeable delay when translating what people say in real time, for example, and it might miss words if the person is speaking too quickly. Navigation can be a hit or miss, depending on your location, and the visual direction prompts are not always reliable. The latter is also one of the cases where the absence of built-in speakers feels a bit more pronounced. There’s no audio feedback, which could be useful for guided turn-by-turn navigation. Even AI can hear you, but it can’t talk back to you. Everything will be delivered only through text you have to read, which might not always be possible in some cases. Admittedly, the addition of such hardware, no matter how small, will also add weight to the glasses, so Even Realities chose their battles wisely. The Even Realities G1 is advertised to last for 1.5 days, and it indeed lasts at least more than a day. The stylish wireless charging case, which has a built-in 2,000mAh battery, extends that uptime to five days. Charging the glasses is as simple as putting them inside the case, no need to align any contact points, as long as you remember to fold the left arm first before the right arm. Oddly enough, there’s no battery level indicator on the glasses, even in the dashboard HUD. Even Realities focused on making the G1 simple, both in design and in operation. Sometimes even to the point of oversimplification. To reduce complexity, for example, each side of the glasses connects to a smartphone separately via Bluetooth, which unfortunately increases the risk of the two sides being out of sync if one or the other connection drops. Turning the glasses into shades is a simple case of slapping on clip-on shades that are not only an additional expense but also something you could lose somewhere. Sustainability By cutting down on the volume of the product, Even Realities also helps cut down waste material, especially the use of plastics. The G1 utilizes more metals than plastic, not only delivering a premium design but also preferring more renewable materials. The company is particularly proud of its packaging as well, which uses 100% recyclable, eco-friendly cardboard. While magnesium and titanium alloys contribute to the durability of the product, the Even Realities G1 is not exactly what you might consider to be a weather-proof piece of wearable tech. It has no formal IP rating, and the glasses are only said to be resistant to splashes and light rain. It can accompany you on your runs, sure, but you’ll have to treat it with much care. Not that it will have much practical use during your workouts in the first place. Value Discreet, useful, and simple, the Even Realities G1 smart glasses proudly stand in opposition to the literal heavyweights of the smart eyewear market that are practically strapping a computer on your face. It offers an experience that focuses on the most important functions and information you’d want to have in front of your eyes and pushes unnecessary distractions out of your sight. Most importantly, however, it keeps the whole world clearly in view, allowing you to connect to your digital life without disconnecting you from the people around you. The Even Realities G1 would almost be perfect for this hyper-focused use case if not for its price tag. At $599, it’s easily one of the more expensive pairs of smart spectacles you’ll see on the market, and that’s only for the glasses themselves. For custom prescription lenses, you need to add another $150 on top, not to mention the $50 (normally $100) clip-on shades for those extra bright days. Given its limited functionality, the G1 definitely feels a bit overpriced. But when you consider how lightweight, distraction-free, and useful it can be, it comes off more as an investment for the future. For family and friends looking for a meaningful tech gift this Father’s Day, the G1 offers something truly unique: a way to stay on top of work responsibilities while remaining fully present for family moments. Whether capturing quick thoughts during a child’s soccer game or discreetly checking calendar reminders during family dinner, these glasses help dads maintain that delicate balance between connectivity and presence. Verdict It’s hard to escape the overabundance of information that we deal with every day, both from the world around us, as well as our own stash of notes and to-do lists. Unfortunately, the tools that we always have with us, our smartphones, computers, and smartwatches, are poor guardians against this flood. And now smart glasses are coming, promising access to all of that and threatening to further drown us with information we don’t really need. The Even Realities G1 is both a breath of fresh air and a bold statement against that trend. Not only is it lightweight and comfortable, but it even looks like normal glasses! Rather than throw everything and the kitchen sink into it, its design and functionality are completely intentional, focusing only on essential experiences and features to keep you productive. It’s not trying to turn you into Tony Stark, but it will help make you feel like a superhero as you breeze through your tasks while still being present to the people who really matter the most in your life. For the dad who wants to stay connected without being distracted, who needs to manage information without being overwhelmed by it, the Even Realities G1 might just be the perfect Father’s Day gift: a tool that helps him be both the professional he needs to be and the father he wants to be, all without missing a moment of what truly matters. Click Here to Buy Now: $599. Exclusive Father’s Day Special – Get 50% Off the G1 Clip + Clip Pouch! Hurry, offer ends June 15, 2025.The post Even Realities G1 Glasses Review: Smart, Subtle, and Perfect for Father’s Day first appeared on Yanko Design.

Nike is heading back to Amazon. The sneaker company will soon begin selling products directly through the platform, according to reporting by The Information. This hasn't happened since 2019, when Nike left Amazon to move toward a "more direct, personal" retail experience. That's not the only reason Nike abandoned the online retail giant after just two years on the platform. The shoe manufacturer partly blamed the decision on Amazon's inability to curb counterfeit goods and unlicensed sellers. Nike's direct-to-consumer pivot was working well, for a while. Sales spiked during the pandemic, as did all online shopping, but has gone downhill in the years since. CEO Elliott Hill, who started in October, has prioritized building back Nike's wholesale business. Nike products have been available on Amazon throughout these past six years, but in a roundabout way. Third-party sellers were allowed to hawk its wares, though Amazon is putting the kibosh on that. The Information reports that these merchants have been told that they have until July 19 to stop selling certain Nike items. So Nike shoes will soon be easier to buy online. That's the good news. The bad news is that they are likely to be more expensive. CNBC has reported that the company plans on raising prices on all of its products, which goes into effect on June 1. 🚧President Trump's Tariff Timeline: winding, bumpy and under daily construction.We distilled a timeline of the major Tariff announcements since President Trump took office.#tariffs #supplychain #tradewar #scrm pic.twitter.com/7U0qQxYC3o— interos.ai (@interos_ai) May 19, 2025 This is likely in response to the on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again (on-again) tariffs mandated by President Trump via his poison pen. The price of adult clothing and shoes will rise by $2 to $10 per item. Some items won't be impacted, like cheaper goods and children's products.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/nike-comes-back-to-amazon-following-a-six-year-absence-152621298.html?src=rss

10 Luxurious Jewel Tone Color Palettes In this article:See more ▼Post may contain affiliate links which give us commissions at no cost to you.As a designer who’s always searching for color combinations that exude sophistication and richness, I find myself constantly returning to jewel tones. These deep, saturated hues possess an inherent elegance that can instantly elevate any design project. Named after precious gemstones, jewel tones bring a sense of luxury and depth that’s simply unmatched by other color families. Whether you’re working on a high-end brand identity, designing an opulent interior space, or creating packaging that needs to convey premium quality, jewel tone palettes offer the perfect solution. I’ve curated ten stunning jewel tone color combinations that will add instant glamour and sophistication to your work. 👋 Psst... Did you know you can get unlimited downloads of 59,000+ fonts and millions of other creative assets for just $16.95/mo? Learn more »10 Rich Jewel Tone Color Palettes 1. Scarlet Sapphire #1e3a5f #0f4c3a #2d8659 #dc143c #2d1b47 This extraordinary palette brilliantly captures the unexpected marriage of warm passion and cool sophistication. The deep navy and forest tones create a sophisticated foundation that speaks of tradition and reliability, while the vibrant scarlet red adds an electrifying pop that commands attention. I love how the deep purple grounds the entire combination, preventing it from feeling too stark. This palette is perfect for brands that want to convey both trustworthiness and innovation – think luxury tech companies or premium financial services that need to stand out in conservative industries. The warm pop against the elegant backdrop creates visual tension that’s absolutely magnetic. 2. Emerald Shadow #0d3b2e #1a5f4a #2d8659 #4a7c59 #6b5b73 Pure luxury distilled into color form – this palette embodies everything I love about sophisticated emerald combinations. The progression from deep forest shadow through multiple shades of emerald creates incredible depth and richness, while the purple undertones add an unexpected twist that elevates the entire palette beyond typical green combinations. I find this particularly effective for high-end wellness brands, luxury hotels, or premium skincare lines where you want to convey both natural authenticity and refined elegance. The subtle variations in green create a sense of movement and life that feels both organic and carefully curated.Get 300+ Fonts for FREEEnter your email to download our 100% free "Font Lover's Bundle". For commercial & personal use. No royalties. No fees. No attribution. 100% free to use anywhere. 3. Sapphire Sunset #1a1b5e #003366 #008080 #ff6b47 #2f3e46 The magic of this palette lies in how it balances cool sophistication with warm energy. The deep sapphire blues create a foundation of trust and stability, while the vibrant coral accent brings warmth and approachability. The teal bridge between cool and warm creates a smooth transition that makes the entire combination feel harmonious rather than jarring. I often recommend this palette for luxury travel brands, premium outdoor gear, or innovative tech companies that want to feel both reliable and exciting. It’s sophisticated enough for corporate applications yet warm enough for consumer-facing brands. 4. Azure Majesty #003366 #004d7a #008080 #2e8b57 #1e4d72 Classic luxury redefined – this palette speaks the language of traditional elegance with a contemporary voice. The progression through various blues and blue-greens creates a sense of depth and movement that reminds me of looking into clear ocean waters. Each shade builds upon the last, creating a sophisticated gradient that feels both timeless and fresh. I love using this combination for established luxury brands that want to maintain their heritage while appealing to modern consumers. It works beautifully for high-end jewelry, premium spirits, or luxury automotive brands where tradition and innovation need to coexist seamlessly. 5. Copper Flame #722f37 #003366 #008b8b #cd853f #483d8b This palette brings together richness and warmth in the most compelling way. The deep burgundy and navy create a sophisticated backdrop, while the copper accent adds warmth and luxury that prevents the palette from feeling too cold or corporate. The purple undertones add depth and mystery that makes the entire combination feel more complex and interesting. I find this particularly effective for premium spirits, luxury dining establishments, or high-end home goods where you want to create an atmosphere of warmth and sophistication. The copper element adds an artisanal quality that speaks to craftsmanship and attention to detail. 6. Vintage Velvet #4b0f3b #6b1f5e #8b4d7a #5d4e75 #2f3e46 Pure luxury in its most refined form – this palette captures the opulent feel of vintage velvet fabrics and antique jewelry. The progression through various purples and plums creates incredible richness and depth, while the darker tones add mystery and sophistication. There’s something almost tactile about this color combination that makes you want to reach out and touch it. I love using this palette for high-end fashion brands, luxury beauty products, or premium interior design where you want to convey both heritage and contemporary luxury. The monochromatic approach creates unity while the varied tones prevent monotony. 7. Ruby Fire #2d1b47 #0f3b2e #1e6b52 #e74c3c #4a2c5e Bold and dramatic, this palette commands attention while maintaining sophistication. The deep purple and forest tones create a rich foundation, while the ruby red accent brings passion and energy that’s impossible to ignore. I love how the darker tones ground the vibrant red, preventing it from feeling too aggressive or overwhelming. This combination works beautifully for luxury fashion brands, premium automotive, or high-end cosmetics where you want to convey both sophistication and passion. The dramatic contrast creates visual impact that’s perfect for brands that need to stand out in crowded markets. 8. Royal Midnight #1a1b5e #2e2d7d #4a4d8a #6b4e79 #8b3a62 This palette captures the sophisticated fun of evening elegance with a contemporary twist. The progression through various purples and blues creates a sense of movement and depth that feels both playful and refined. There’s something about this combination that reminds me of twilight in a royal garden – mysterious, beautiful, and slightly magical. I find this palette particularly effective for luxury entertainment brands, premium lifestyle products, or innovative beauty companies that want to feel both sophisticated and approachable. The subtle variations create visual interest without overwhelming the senses. 9. Sunset Jewels #4b0f3b #074e67 #2e8b57 #d4542a #1e4d72 This palette achieves the perfect balance between warm energy and cool sophistication. The deep purple and navy create a rich foundation, while the emerald green adds freshness and the coral accent brings warmth and vibrancy. I love how each color complements the others while maintaining its own distinct personality. This combination works beautifully for brands that want to feel both innovative and trustworthy – think premium outdoor gear, luxury travel companies, or high-end wellness brands. The warm pop prevents the palette from feeling too serious while the sophisticated base keeps it professional. 10. Emerald Garden #0f4c3a #1e6b52 #2d8b67 #4d7c5e #6b5d73 Fresh luxury with a natural sophistication – this palette captures the beauty of an emerald garden in the golden hour. The progression through various greens creates incredible depth and richness, while the purple undertones add complexity and prevent the palette from feeling too simple. There’s something both grounding and uplifting about this combination that makes it perfect for brands focused on wellness, sustainability, or natural luxury. I often recommend this palette for premium organic brands, luxury spa treatments, or high-end gardening products where you want to convey both natural authenticity and refined quality. Why Jewel Tones Are Perfect for Modern Design The enduring appeal of jewel tones lies in their ability to convey luxury without appearing ostentatious. Unlike bright neons or muted pastels, jewel tones possess a natural richness that feels both timeless and contemporary. These colors have depth and complexity that photographs beautifully and translates well across different media. As someone who’s worked with countless color palettes over the years, I’ve noticed that jewel tones have a unique ability to make any design feel more premium. They suggest quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail – qualities that resonate strongly with today’s consumers who value authenticity and excellence. The psychological impact of these colors is also significant. Deep blues convey trust and stability, rich purples suggest creativity and luxury, emerald greens evoke growth and prosperity, while ruby reds communicate passion and energy. When used thoughtfully, jewel tones can help communicate your brand values without saying a word. Mastering Jewel Tones in Contemporary Design Working with jewel tones requires a different approach than using brighter or more muted colors. Here’s what I’ve learned from years of incorporating these rich hues into modern design projects: Create Stunning Contrast Jewel tones look absolutely spectacular when paired with crisp whites or deep blacks. This contrast prevents the richness from becoming overwhelming while allowing the colors to truly shine. I often use white space generously when working with these palettes to give each color room to breathe. Mix Textures and Finishes These colors lend themselves beautifully to different textures and finishes. Consider how emerald green might look with a matte finish versus a glossy one, or how sapphire blue appears on silk versus canvas. The interplay between color and texture can dramatically enhance the luxurious feel of your design. Layer Different Jewel Tones Don’t be afraid to combine different jewel tones within a single design. Emerald and sapphire work beautifully together, as do amethyst and garnet. The key is to vary the saturation levels and use one color as the dominant hue while others serve as accents. Consider the Context While jewel tones are inherently luxurious, they can be adapted to different contexts. A tech startup might use jewel tones in a more minimalist way, while a luxury hotel could embrace their full opulence. Understanding your audience and context will guide how boldly you use these colors. The Psychology Behind Our Love for Jewel Tones Understanding why we’re drawn to jewel tones can help us use them more effectively in our designs. These colors tap into several psychological triggers that make them particularly appealing: The connection to precious stones immediately suggests value and rarity. Throughout history, these gemstone colors have been associated with wealth, power, and status. When we see these hues, we unconsciously associate them with quality and luxury. There’s also something deeply satisfying about the richness and depth of jewel tones. Unlike flat, single-note colors, jewel tones have complexity – they seem to contain multiple hues within themselves, creating visual interest that holds our attention. From a cultural perspective, many jewel tones have positive associations across different societies. Deep blues are almost universally associated with trust and stability, while rich greens connect us to nature and growth. These universal positive associations make jewel tones safe choices for international brands. Jewel Tones Across Different Design Disciplines The versatility of jewel tone palettes makes them suitable for virtually any design application, though each field has its own considerations: Luxury Branding For high-end brands, jewel tones are almost a requirement. They instantly communicate quality and exclusivity. I’ve found that using jewel tones in logo design, particularly when combined with elegant typography and plenty of white space, creates an immediate impression of sophistication. The key is restraint – let the richness of the colors speak for themselves rather than overwhelming the design with too many elements. Interior Design Magic In interior spaces, jewel tones can create incredibly dramatic and luxurious environments. An accent wall in deep emerald or sapphire can transform an entire room, while jewel-toned accessories add richness without commitment. I love seeing how these colors interact with different lighting throughout the day, revealing new depths and nuances. Digital Design Excellence For web and app design, jewel tones can create memorable user experiences. Using these colors for call-to-action buttons or important interface elements draws attention while maintaining sophistication. However, accessibility is crucial – ensure sufficient contrast ratios when using darker jewel tones for text or interface elements. Fashion and Product Design The fashion industry has long embraced jewel tones for their ability to flatter virtually every skin tone while conveying luxury. In product design, these colors can transform everyday objects into premium items. Think about how a deep sapphire blue phone case feels more expensive than a bright plastic one. Seasonal Considerations for Jewel Tones While jewel tones are timeless, they do have seasonal nuances that smart designers can leverage. The deeper, richer tones like garnet and emerald feel naturally autumnal and can create cozy, intimate atmospheres perfect for fall and winter projects. Lighter jewel tones, particularly those with blue and green undertones, can work beautifully for spring and summer projects when paired with crisp whites and metallics. The key is adjusting the saturation and supporting colors to match the seasonal mood you’re trying to create. The Future of Jewel Tone Design As we move forward in 2025, I see jewel tones becoming even more important in design. In an increasingly digital world, these rich, tactile colors help create emotional connections that transcend screens. They remind us of the physical world of precious stones and natural beauty. The sustainability movement has also increased appreciation for colors that feel timeless rather than trendy. Jewel tones don’t go out of style the way seasonal color trends do, making them smart long-term choices for brands and spaces. Bringing Jewel Tone Magic to Your Projects Working with jewel tone palettes has taught me that luxury isn’t about using the most expensive materials or the most complex designs. Sometimes, it’s simply about choosing colors that inherently communicate quality and sophistication. Whether you’re designing a tech startup’s brand identity or planning a luxury hotel’s interior, jewel tones offer a shortcut to elegance that few other color families can match. The key is understanding the unique properties of each hue and using them with intention and restraint. Remember that these colors have centuries of cultural associations behind them. When you choose emerald green, you’re not just picking a color – you’re tapping into associations with growth, prosperity, and natural beauty. When you select sapphire blue, you’re communicating trust, stability, and depth. The most successful jewel tone designs are those that respect the inherent power of these colors while adapting them to contemporary contexts. Don’t be afraid to experiment, but always keep in mind the sophisticated legacy these hues carry. So embrace the richness, dive into the depth, and let jewel tones transform your next design project. In a world full of fleeting trends, these timeless colors offer something rare: instant, enduring elegance that never goes out of style. Zoe Santoro Zoe is an art student and graphic designer with a passion for creativity and adventure. Whether she’s sketching in a cozy café or capturing inspiration from vibrant cityscapes, she finds beauty in every corner of the world. With a love for bold colors, clean design, and storytelling through visuals, Zoe blends her artistic skills with her wanderlust to create stunning, travel-inspired designs. Follow her journey as she explores new places, discovers fresh inspiration, and shares her creative process along the way. These 1920s Color Palettes are ‘Greater than Gatsby’There’s something undeniably captivating about the color schemes of the Roaring Twenties. As a designer with a passion for historical...7 Best 50s Color Palettes that are “The Cat’s Pajamas”When I look for inspiration that balances nostalgia with timeless appeal, I always find myself drawn to the refined elegance...What Colors Make Blue? (Well…it’s complicated.)Blue is more than just a color—it’s an experience. When we encounter blue, we’re drawn to its tranquil beauty, finding...

The current era of Doctor Who has tried to shy away from resurrecting some of the series’ biggest bads for the 15th Doctor to face off against—but that’s not to say it has been devoid of classic villains. As we barrel towards the finale of the show’s latest season, we’ve been given another in the form of the Rani, a brief but brilliant icon of ’80s Who. Who Is the Rani? An amoral Time Lord scientist, the Rani, portrayed by Kate O’Mara, appeared in just two classic Doctor Who storylines in the 1980s: “Mark of the Rani,” where she teamed up with the Master to face off against the Sixth Doctor, and “Time and the Rani,” Sylvester McCoy’s debut storyline as the Seventh Doctor, responsible for his prior incarnation’s regeneration as she takes over an alien world in an attempt to manipulate evolution across the cosmos. O’Mara would appear onscreen once more as the Rani during the 1993 special Dimensions in Time, both a celebration for the then-cancelled show’s 30th anniversary and a charity drive for Children in Need that saw Doctor Who cross over with the long-running British soap EastEnders, and the Rani trap multiple incarnations of the Doctor and several of their companions in a time loop in Walford, for inexplicable reasons. Little is known about the Rani beyond her on-screen appearances. She was given a similar background and status as a foil to the Doctor as the Master: a sinister mirror that felt kinship with the Doctor for their shared status as renegades of Time Lord society, as well as contemporaries who studied at the Pyrdonian Academy on Gallifrey together in their youths. But while the Doctor fled their people in rebellion, the Rani was exiled from Gallifrey for engaging in radical experimentation as part of her obsession with science and evolution. An obsession she was willing to do anything for, at any cost. Unlike many classic Who villains, the Rani has a limited life in spinoff media, even more so than her already limited TV outings. O’Mara portrayed the Rani once more in the questionably licensed 2000 audio drama The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind, set after the events of “Time and the Rani,” and was set to reprise the role for Big Finish before her death in 2014. Instead, the Rani returned in a new incarnation for two Sixth Doctor audio stories, played by Siobhan Redmond—and was seemingly never to be heard of again until this year’s season of Doctor Who revealed that Anita Dobson’s mysterious “Mrs. Flood” character is in fact the latest incarnation of the Rani… before she herself promptly regenerated into another new incarnation played by Archie Panjabi. Camp and the Rani The Rani has perhaps an oversized imprint on Doctor Who fandom despite her extremely limited number of appearances. This is largely down to O’Mara’s performance as the character. While the Rani herself is absolutely dastardly, and Doctor Who itself never treats her as anything less than serious (even if her schemes are inevitably foiled), O’Mara played her as big and brash, vamping about the place in glamorous outfits as she snarls and shouts and cackles, woe betide any fool who gets in her way. A lot of classic Doctor Who has taken on a camp appreciation in recent years, but if that appreciation could be distilled into the embodiment of a single character, the Rani is exactly that. It’s that camp status as an obscure, yet loved favorite that also has led the Rani to take on a different kind of life in modern Doctor Who before her appearance last weekend. After the series’ return in 2005 made clear just how quickly it was willing to bring back monsters and antagonists from the classic era of the show, the Rani became a catch-all speculatory guess whenever the series presented a mysterious woman to its audience. The running joke was known not just among fans, but the creative team as well, who would jokingly acknowledge that she was always the first guess for any potential returning identity. That is, until modern Who‘s second showrunner, Steven Moffat, tried to clamp down on it. “People always ask me, ‘Do you want to bring back the Rani?’ No one knows who the Rani is,” Moffat said to SFX magazine in 2012. “They all know who the Master is, they know Daleks, they probably know who Davros is, but they don’t know who the Rani is, so there’s no point in bringing her back. If there’s a line it’s probably somewhere there.” Perhaps that was where the Rani fit best: known enough to be loved, not known enough to actually make her way back to TV… until 2025, that is. What Bringing the Rani Back Means for Doctor Who Aside from the end of a very long joke, the Rani’s awaited return simultaneously means a lot and very little. On the one hand, showrunner Russell T Davies has made it clear that while the Rani is a known name, her character is minor enough that the show can essentially do whatever it wants with Panjabi and Dobson’s iteration of the Rani, so whatever schemes they get up to in the final two episodes of this season, they don’t necessarily have to align with the kinds of things we’ve seen the Rani doing in the past. But at the same time, the Rani is very interesting for another reason beyond being herself: she is the first Time Lord to return since Gallifrey’s second sundering in contemporary Doctor Who continuity. The Time Lords were seemingly wiped out prior to the show’s 2005 return in an almighty war with the Daleks, only to be saved from that fate during the events of Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary and following series, which saw Gallifrey isolated but returned to existence once more. During the climax of the 2020 season of Doctor Who, it was revealed that the Master had razed the returned Gallifrey and harvested the bodies of the Time Lords as a new army of Cybermen called the CyberMasters, only for those to be seemingly wiped out for good during the events of “The Power of the Doctor.” With the Doctor once again the “last” of the Time Lords, just how the Rani escaped not one, but two cataclysms on Gallifrey remains to be seen—as does whether or not her return could mean that the series is on the verge of restoring Gallifrey for a third time. Time will tell, and so will Time Ladies! Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

The Multifunctional Art Center of Lhozhag County Middle School / Shenzhen Huahui DesignSave this picture!© Right Angle ImageVisual Arts Center•Shannan, China Architects: Shenzhen Huahui Design Area Area of this architecture project Area:  6009 m² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2024 Photographs Photographs:Right Angle Image Lead Architects: XIAO Cheng More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. The site of our multifunctional art center project is located within Lhozhag Middle School, the county's junior high campus. Funded and built by COFCO Group, the project aims to create a composite art education space that serves as a cross-cultural exchange venue for school staff and students, local residents, international tourists, and artists visiting Tibet.Save this picture!Save this picture!The Weaving and Reconstruction of the Landscape. The site of Lhozhag County Middle School is situated with the mountains to the south and a road to the north. Beyond the road lies a martyrs' memorial square, and further north are National Highway 219 and the Lhozhag Gorge. The campus has undergone construction in different periods, resulting in a fragmented layout dominated by dispersed linear buildings. This has prevented the formation of a cohesive spatial order. Therefore, one of our key objectives is to take this opportunity to reorganize and construct a more organic relationship between the elements of the site. Additionally, the site has a noticeable elevation difference, which, if utilized properly, offers the potential to create more dynamic and engaging spaces.Save this picture!Save this picture!Given the limited area of the site, the design adopts an "embedded" strategy. The first step involves demolishing the existing staff activity room directly facing the school entrance and incorporating it into the new building volume. This move creates a continuous central axis through the campus. The new building is arranged in a compact L-shaped mass at the southern end of this axis, forming a spatial sequence that connects the main entrance of the campus, the front yard, and the small plaza at the entrance to the multifunctional art center. When viewed on a larger scale, the multifunctional center to the south, facing the mountains, and the memorial square to the north, facing the water, create an urban spatial axis within the limited depth of the southern part of Lhozhag County.Save this picture!Save this picture!Massing Configuration and Spatial Morphology. Situated at the northern foothills of a south-facing mountain slope, the project site is constrained by limited space towards the south, making optimal natural daylighting from this direction difficult to achieve. In response, the design incorporates various forms of skylights to maximize solar utilization. The main structure of the Multi-Functional Center is composed of two primary volumes—one linear and one cubic. The elongated volume is organized in a "sandwich-like" spatial configuration, consisting of two solid masses and a narrow central atrium. Flanking the double-height skylit atrium—serving as a hub for circulation, exhibitions, and gatherings—are small-scale spaces housing art classrooms and studios. The square volume contains a 700-seat auditorium, with a skylit side hall designed along its lateral facade.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!These two volumes are arranged in a near-perpendicular relationship, a deliberate response to both the site's spatial axis and the surrounding buildings. Considering the site's topography, a subtle elevation difference is established between the two forms. The roof of the auditorium becomes a highly accessible outdoor activity platform. On this rooftop, several small, south-facing structures with windows are designed to offer engaging and playful spaces for students' extracurricular activities. Between the main building's southern edge and the northward-sloping mountain base lies a narrow wedge-shaped courtyard, functioning as a "miniature gorge" between architecture and terrain—an extension of both outdoor exhibition areas and indoor activity spaces.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Low-Tech Construction and Contextual Integration. Our intention was to express the project's sense of place through a distilled contemporary architectural language—one that remains restrained and respectful in its articulation. The surrounding context—both its unrefined natural landscape and the neighboring built forms—exudes a raw, elemental force that speaks to the site's primal character. Each day, the children's recitations echo through the arms of the mountains, mingling with the distant sound of the Lhozhag Valley stream. I envisioned the new building as a stone emerging from the mountain itself—something that sparks curiosity while also evoking a quiet familiarity. It is curious in the way it appears as a white "magic box" filled with intriguing spatial experiences; yet familiar in its subtle dialogue with the surrounding built environment, sharing a common architectural language. This "stone" is firmly grounded in the land—solid, steady, and reassuring.Save this picture!Save this picture!At the main entrance façade, we designed what could be described as a "Mondrian frame" for Lhozhag. Through a composition of solids and voids, light and reflection, the façade glass is broken down into mirrored panels of varying sizes and hues. These reflections—of the sky, the snow-capped peaks, the building, and the children themselves—create a sense of "familiar strangeness", subtly provoking curiosity and encouraging exploration in their daily routines.Construction methods employ conventional, locally executable techniques, prioritizing recyclable regional materials. Skylight configurations enhance natural daylighting and thermal mass performance, significantly reducing heating energy use in winter.Save this picture!Save this picture!The Canyon of Light. The "Light Canyon Atrium" serves as the spiritual and spatial core of the entire building. It is both an abstract interpretation of Lhozhag's dramatic natural terrain and a contemporary reimagining of the essential qualities of traditional Tibetan architecture. (Diagram: Spatial Archetype) Inspired by the idea that "sunlight breathes life into the canyon, where daily routines unfold", the design celebrates this raw, vibrant energy through spatial scale, light quality, and chromatic composition.Save this picture!Save this picture!Upon entering from the foyer, one ascends a multipurpose stepped platform to the second floor and then turns—only to be met with a breathtaking atrium measuring 60 meters in length, 7 meters in width, and 14 meters in height. This vertical void captures abundant daylight from above, extending across the building to link diverse functional zones. It gathers the distant landscape into its frame, forging a dialogue between interior and exterior, architecture and nature. The experience is ever-changing—one may pass through, pause, encounter, gaze into or out of it—each movement revealing new spatial surprises. Witnessing children in colorful attire moving through the longitudinally unfolding space, where the indoor sky seamlessly merges with the real one beyond, and distant mountains appear to embrace the end of the axis, the envisioned scenarios have materialized as intended.Save this picture!Save this picture!Here, light is "combed" through a kaleidoscopic filter—a gesture that feels uniquely appropriate to Tibet's vivid natural palette. White walls act as canvases for sunlight's seasonal performances, while solid-colored interior corridors peek through varying-sized apertures, adding layers of visual liveliness. Ultimately, the "Canyon of Light" became the guiding concept of the entire project. Through a dialogue between architecture and environment, and a fusion of tradition and modernity, the project creates a space that is both functional and poetic—an iconic centerpiece for Lhozhag County Middle School and a cultural threshold for exchange between campus and community. Yet above all, we hope the true owners of the space are the students themselves. On holidays, when children in traditional Tibetan dress gather here to play and laugh, the scene feels so naturally harmonious that it evokes a beautiful illusion: as if this building has always been here， growing with the children, quietly witnessing the passage of time.Save this picture!The "Roots" and "Wings" of Culture. The 2017 Pritzker Prize-winning Spanish firm RCR Arquitectes articulated a profound view on locality: "We believe that harmony with nature means that architecture must deeply understand its surrounding environment. While we embrace globalization, we hope our architecture remains firmly rooted in its place. We often say that architecture needs both 'roots' and 'wings.' The three of us each have our own origin, something intrinsic that resides within us. Even as we move from one place to another, this origin remains unchanged—it is the product of a place, a climate, and a culture. The world is becoming increasingly interconnected, but we believe that understanding and respecting these origins is essential. They enrich the shared creative force that expresses who we are, and that is deeply important."Save this picture!In Lhozhag, the younger generation navigates a cultural tug-of-war: between their deep Tibetan heritage and the currents of modernity. Like the mirrored facades that reflect distant snow-capped mountains, village rooftops, ancient monasteries, and colorful prayer flags by day—with the children's own figures merging into these scenes—the architecture becomes a metaphor for cultural identity. "Who are you?" "Where do your roots lie?" When they see themselves in these reflections, they encounter both their homeland and the coexistence of their culture with the wider world. Through architectural language, the project aims to show that they need not choose between tradition and modernity but can balance both—rooted in their cultural soil while courageously reaching outward. May the light of the canyon forever illuminate the path in these children's hearts.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less Project locationAddress:Shannan, ChinaLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this office MaterialsGlassConcreteMaterials and TagsGlass