By Vanessa Taylor Published May 20, 2025 | Comments (0) | Three Delta planes parked on the tarmac © David Peterlin (Shutterstock) Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has tried to limit the fallout from its global outage last summer, which wreaked havoc on airlines, financial services, and numerous other industries. When Delta Air Lines filed a lawsuit to recoup its losses, CrowdStrike tried having the case dismissed. But now a federal judge has given Delta the okay to proceed with its lawsuit over the outage, pointing out that CrowdStrike’s own president admitted that it did something “horribly wrong”. The July 2024 screwup, which has since been described as the largest IT outage in history, affected computers running on Microsoft Windows. Per CrowdStrike, it was caused by a faulty software update that passed the company’s validation checks “despite containing problematic content data.” Once the update went through, millions of devices worldwide displayed the infamous Blue Screen of Death. CrowdStrike’s outage is estimated to have cost U.S. Fortune 500 Companies $5.4 billion. But amongst airline companies, Delta was hit the hardest. Per Reuters, Delta says it cancelled 7,000 flights and accrued $550 million in lost revenue and additional costs. (Although, Delta did save $50 million on fuel from cancelling flights so, hey. That’s something.) Delta filed its initial lawsuit against CrowdStrike three months after the outage. Although CrowdStrike tried to have it dismissed, Judge Kelly Lee Ellerbe of the Fulton County Superior Court ruled that Delta can try to prove CrowdStrike’s gross negligence, writing, “Delta has specifically pled that if CrowdStrike had tested the July update on one computer before its deployment, the programming error would have been detected.” In addition, Reuters reported that Ellerbe is allowing Delta to pursue a computer trespass claim because Delta states that CrowdStrike falsely promised not to add an “unauthorized back door” into the company’s computers. CrowdStrike, meanwhile, claims that Georgia “specifically precludes Delta’s efforts to recover through tort claims the economic damages it claims to have suffered,” per CNBC. In addition, CrowdStrike said that Delta was an “outlier” that refused help and its own systems likely made the incident worse. CrowdStrikes wrote, “Although Delta acknowledges that it took just hours — not days — for Delta employees to [fix the outage], cancellations far exceeded the flight disruptions its peer airlines experienced.” It’s true that other airlines recovered faster (for example, United only cancelled about 1,500 flights). Per Fortune, one reason that Delta was hit harder is because of its heavy reliance on its Atlanta hub. In an earlier letter that CrowdStrike’s lawyer, Michael Carlinsky, sent Delta denying any gross negligence, Carlinsky wrote that Delta needs to address the “design and operational resiliency capabilities” of its IT structure. He said that if Delta “pursue[s] this path, Delta will have to explain to the public, its shareholders, and ultimately a jury why CrowdStrike took responsibility for its actions — swiftly, transparently, and constructively — while Delta did not.” But CrowdStrike really shouldn’t pat itself on the back for its response to the outage. Shortly after the incident, CrowdStrike sent out $10 apology gift cards for UberEats that didn’t even work. And about a week after Carlinsky’s letter to Delta, CrowdStrike’s president, Michael Sentonas, attended the Pwnie Awards to accept his company’s win for Most Epic Fail. “Definitely not the award to be proud of receiving,” Sentonas said. “I think the team was surprised when I said straight away that I’d come and get it because we got this horribly wrong…It’s super important to own it when you do things horribly wrong, which we did in this case.” Sentona’s acceptance speech was referenced in Ellerbe’s decision where she wrote that “its own president publicly stated that CrowdStrike did something ‘horribly wrong.'” But per Reuters, Carlinsky believes that a judge will either say Delta’s case has no merit or keep damages in the “single-digit millions of dollars” region. This is a small win for Delta. But just as CrowdStrike must atone for its apparent sins, Delta has to do so, too. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Mark Cohen in Atlanta said that Delta must face a lawsuit from passengers who were refused full refunds for canceled flights in connection with the outage. Daily Newsletter You May Also Like By Kyle Barr Published September 24, 2024 By Kyle Barr Published April 19, 2024 By Passant Rabie Published April 9, 2024 By Passant Rabie Published March 28, 2024 By George Dvorsky Published March 25, 2024 By Passant Rabie Published March 25, 2024

Invisible Narratives has just shared that production is underway on filmmaker Michael Bay’s exploration of Skibidi Toilet. Not sure exactly what an “exploration” looks like, but we’re expecting something unique from this experienced set of creators. The studio is producing, developing and financing the project, based on one of the most unlikely breakout IPs, the crazy, hugely popular short series from creator Boom! that since launching in February 2023, has generated a vast creator ecosystem that includes the franchise's flagship YouTube channel and Skibidi Creator Alliance network of channels. Together, they collectively boast over 110 million subscribers and more than 35 billion views, that according to the studio, cements its status “as a defining cultural force for Generation Alpha.” Invisible Narratives has helped drive the property’s multi-platform expansion, growing the IP beyond digital into consumer products, publishing, gaming, and global licensing. Geared towards kids and teens, the original Skibidi Machinima series produced using Source Filmmaker defies description to most older audiences. In essence, the videos follow the war between toilets with human heads, the skibidi toilets, and humanoid enemies with cameras for heads. Here’s the short that started it all – 250 million views worth: Bay is the fifth highest-grossing director of all time and the creative force behind such global hits as The Rock, Armageddon, Bad Boys, and the Transformers franchise. He has been working on Skibidi since it was first publicly announced last summer and has been collaborating with the architects of his creative team, Academy Award-nominated production designer Jeffrey Beecroft (12 Monkeys, Transformers, A Quiet Place) and three-time Academy Award-winning VFX supervisor Rob Legato (Titanic, Avatar, Hugo, The Jungle Book). Adam Goodman, founder and CEO of Invisible Narratives, is the former head of Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks SKG, who began building billion-dollar properties like Transformers in the early 2000s and oversaw global hits such as Paranormal Activity and Interstellar. For updates and more information visit: skibidi.watch  Source: Invisible Narratives Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

The Bissell PowerClean FurFinder has changed my cleaning routine in more ways than one. Since becoming a pet owner six years ago, weekly vacuuming has been part of my regular regimen. Every Sunday, I clean up pet messes from our pup, Dexter: shedding dog hair, dirt and leaves he tracks in, fluff from his decimated plush toys, and crumbs from his crunchy treats. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but my old cordless vacuum was on its last leg after all these years. The head would become tangled with pet fur, the suction would get clogged with the dog hair, and emptying the canister was always a mess of dust. I replaced the battery and filters at different points, but had to opt for Amazon finds given the high price of the brand’s replacements.As a long-time owner of the Bissell Little Green, I was excited to try another one of the brand’s offerings to replace my tired vacuum. The Bissell PowerClean FurFinder self-standing stick vacuum boasts a tangle-free illuminated head, three suction levels, multiple attachments, and more. I put it to the test in my home over the course of a few weeks across about 1,640 square feet and multiple types of flooring. I figure, if it could stand up to my 60-pound GSD rescue mix (whose shedding season is every day of the year), it could hold up to any household.Photo: Stewart SavinBissell PowerClean FurFinder VacuumI found that it was thoughtfully designed and may be one of the best vacuums for pet hair. It offers the functionality that many high-end models boast at a fraction of the price. I was simultaneously horrified and satisfied by how much dirt and hair it picked up. It’s also built to last, with clear cleaning instructions and well-priced replacement parts. All in all, this cordless stick vacuum makes my weekly chore a bit less daunting, and that makes a big difference to me. Keep reading to learn more about the cleaning power of this model and what it has to offer.Setup / First ImpressionsThe on-off button and level selection button Photo: Stewart SavinThe pull-out dirt tank that allows for tidy disposal Photo: Stewart SavinThis item showed up quickly on my doorstep in one compact package. It came in a branded box, so if your area is prone to porch pirates, be sure to take it in quickly. At only 7.3 pounds, it was easy to carry inside and unpack.It’s close in size to my old stick vacuum cleaner and came with a similar set of accessories. These included an extension wand and crevice tool, wide standard head, smaller upholstery tool, dusting brush, battery, charger, and mount. It only took moments to assemble since it was a fairly intuitive process, and then I was off to the races. After vacuuming my downstairs, consisting of hardwood floors, carpet, and rogue LVP the previous owners installed, I had a positive first impression. I especially liked the self-standing design, anti-tangle head, and easy-to-remove dirt tank. This dirt tank pulls out instead of popping open like the one on my old cordless stick vacuum, making cleanup less dusty. Additionally, I liked that it had an on/off switch instead of making me hold a button the entire time I cleaned.The SpecsThe tangle-free head after weeks of vacuuming Photo: Stewart SavinAll of the grossness collected while testing Photo: Stewart SavinDexter supervising while I vacuum. This model has a 200W motor with a solid battery life. It has a 40-minute run time on a single charge, which is a game changer for my cleaning routine. It gives me enough time to vacuum my entire multisurface home on low. Plus, the suction power is second to none. It offers three suction levels for messes of varying degrees and charges in under three hours. It also features a HEPA filtration system that can reportedly “capture and hold 99.97% of dust, pollen, and dander allergens,” plus, the dirt tank holds .4 liters. It is safe to use on most floors, in cars, and on upholstered furniture to pick up embedded pet hair. Bissell even offers a five-year limited warranty for the FurFinder.

Source: Watson A planning application has been submitted for the £100 million redevelopment of Church Wharf, a long-vacant 7.5-acre site at a key gateway to Bolton town centre. Developer Watson has lodged proposals with Bolton council for a four-phase, mixed-use scheme designed by jmarchitects. The project forms part of the town centre’s regeneration masterplan and is supported by £5 million from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Brownfield Housing Fund. The proposed development includes 415 homes across a mix of one, two and three-bedroom houses and apartments, with an unspecified proportion expected to be delivered as affordable housing. Plans also include a 130-bedroom hotel, as well as retail and restaurant units. According to the application, the development is designed to create a new urban neighbourhood close to Bolton Parish Church, with public realm improvements, pedestrian connections and active ground floor uses. If approved, construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2025, with completion expected by 2029. Source: Watson Source: Watson Source: Watson Source: Watson Source: Watson 1/5 show caption An economic impact assessment submitted with the plans projects that the development could create 1,500 jobs and contribute £64 million in gross value added to the local economy. It also estimates that the scheme could generate £7 million in annual household spending from future residents. Watson is currently also delivering the Creams Mill housing project in Little Lever.

Plenty of people take the advice "respect your elders" seriously, but Colordrunk Designs founder Jenna Gross lives by it. When she rebuilt, renovated, and designed her family's five-bedroom Atlanta home, her late grandparents' colorful residence was the driving force that inspired her. "I even had our pink front door custom-made to look just like my grandparents'," she admits. The rest of the foyer follows suit, with a boldly patterned area rug, colorful wallpaper, and cheerful paint. Color is the through line of the house's aesthetic, though using so many hues was not without its difficulties. "With so many spaces open to each other, it can be tough to make all the rooms flow—especially when you love as much color as I do," Gross says. "I spent a lot of time with the whole scheme laid out on the floor, making sure each room featured a color that flowed to the next."The foyer opens into the dining room, another space where pink is king and the family's forebears influenced the design. Here, a rather large oil portrait of her husband Caleb's great-aunt Vinny hangs on the back wall, giving the room an air of regality—and informing its color scheme. "I pulled the pink out of her dress and blasted it onto the ceiling and walls," Gross says. While the portrait is formal, the fuchsia is anything but. "With this fun and playful color, " she explains, "I wanted people to know that we do not take ourselves too seriously."The family room is painted a softer rose shade, but this home is not just a rhapsody in pink; other bold tints, like a canary yellow living break up the signature shade while keeping the energy high. "I have never been a 'yellow' person, but I was craving some exciting energy for that room," Gross explains. "The color draws you into a space that might not otherwise be used as much." There's no artistic ancestor involved here; Gross pulled "the brightest yellow" from a Manuel Canovas pattern on a banquette she already had and carried it over to the walls and ceiling to create what she calls "a fun, lively room that people gravitate toward."I wanted people to know that we do not take ourselves too seriously.The only room in the 4,000-square-foot home that isn't drenched in a bright color is the white kitchen, a spot that Gross kept serene and functional by design. "As much as I love color, I also love a white kitchen," Gross says. "It's where we cook, work, and play, and the white is such a good canvas for that." The exception is the custom tile backsplash in two shades of ocean blue, which Gross worked into every room of the house. "I picked those colors and used them in little doses to make the rooms flow easily," she explains.While a vibrant use of color obviously runs in the family, Gross is happy to report that she's seeing bold hues growing in popularity with her clients, too. "People are realizing that color makes you feel good! Even minimalists are embracing color, and all of my clients are asking for it," she says. "I am so happy to say that color is back—but did it ever really go away?"FAST FACTSJenna Gross, of Designer: Colordrunk DesignsLocation: Atlanta, GAThe Space:FAMILY ROOMGrasscloth textures hold their own against a riot of color.Emily FollowilWallcovering: Thibaut. Sofa: Jonathan Adler. Drapery: custom, in Schumacher fabric. Coffee table: Ballard Designs.Gross designed the wooden valance, a “nod to Hollywood Regency,” to soften the impact of 14-foot ceilings. LIVING ROOMA high-shine finish adds formality to bold color.Emily FollowilPaint: RAL 1018, Fine Paints of Europe. Chairs: vintage, in Kravet fabric. Art (above mantel): Evan Mooney expand=Gross used the same Manuel Canovas pattern she had upholstered on her banquette as insets for the walls, artfully connecting the room. BREAKFAST NOOKA caffeine-free spot to kickstart the day.Emily FollowilChandelier: Currey & Company. Chairs: Coley Home, in Schumacher fabric. Wallpaper: Brunschwig & Fils. Table: Jonathan Adler. Paint: Arsenic, Farrow & Ball.High-end artwork mixes with children’s creations on this eclectic gallery wall. DINING ROOMPink is the name of the game in this regal space.Emily FollowilPaint: RAL 4010, Fine Paints of Europe. Chandelier: Visual Comfort & Co. Table: Oly“Display the things you love, and let your home tell your family’s story,” says Gross, who showcases the heirloom china she and her husband inherited on custom shelves.KITCHENAnchored in white—but just as bold. Emily FollowilStools: Lee Industries, in Schumacher fabric. Pendants: The Urban Electric Co. Backsplash: custom, Renaissance Tile & Bath. Paint: Decorator’s White, Benjamin Moore.The everyday china is displayed on shelves. “Why hide it if you love it?” Gross asks. PRIMARY BEDROOMA masterclass in serene blues and purples.Emily FollowilWallcovering: Phillip Jeffries. Bed: Oly, in Schu­macher fabric. Nightstand and lamp: Worlds Away. Window treatments: Quadrille.Monogrammed bedding by JJA Custom Linens is “a nod to my traditional upbringing—but in a fun font with a lilac edge,” Gross says. KIDS' ROOMS Where animals roam free. Emily FollowilEmily Followil“The room has evolved since my now 14-year-old was a baby, but the personality and colors are the same,” Gross says. Wallpaper: Katie Kime. Drapery fabric: Schumacher. Desk and bed: Jonathan Adler. Headboard fabric: Thibaut.GUEST ROOMA custom-designed headboard stretches to the tall ceiling. Emily FollowilPaint: Pink Starburst, Benjamin Moore. Bed: custom, in Kravet fabric. Lamps: Jonathan Adler. Dresser: Oomph.“I designed the headboard to catch your eye and fill the space between the drapes,” says Gross, who drew a “whimsical shape inspired by a pagoda.”FOYERGross designed the front door to look exactly like that of her late grandparents'.Emily FollowilWallcovering: Carleton V Ltd. Console: Villa & House. Table lamp: Aerin. Rug: English Village Lane.In an homage to her grandparents’ home, Gross painted her front door a vibrant custom pink. MUDROOM"The stools are covered in one of my favorite patterns from my fabric line, Tipsi," says Gross.Emily FollowilPaint: St Giles Blue, Farrow & Ball. Pendant: Visual Comfort & Co. Ottomans: Society Social, in Tipsi fabric. Valance: Peter Fasano fabric, with Samuel & Sons trim.After school, Gross’s three kids stash backpacks and shoes within the custom cabinetry. Starbust cut-outs in the cabinetry provide ventilation and an extra dose of charm.About the DesignerJenna Gross founded her cleverly named full-service design firm back in 2013. Since then, Colordrunk Designs has been outfitting some of the country's most colorful and charming commercial and residential spaces, including her own home in Atlanta, Georgia, just a few short hours from where the designer grew up. She also founded a fabric line, dubbed Tipsi Home, inspired by her interiors' colorful nature.SHOP THE SPACEColey Home The Upholstered Teeny Dining Swivel$1,125 at coleyhome.comVisual Comfort & Co. Talia Large Chandelier$2,999 at visualcomfort.comCredit: Visual ComfortJonathan Adler Claridge 73" Apartment Sofa$3,900 at Jonathan AdlerCitrus Garden PillowNow 100% Off$17,576,006 $22 at schumacher.comCredit: Schumacher

It’s been quite a couple weeks for stories about AI in the courtroom. You might have heard about the deceased victim of a road rage incident whose family created an AI avatar of him to show as an impact statement (possibly the first time this has been done in the US). But there’s a bigger, far more consequential controversy brewing, legal experts say. AI hallucinations are cropping up more and more in legal filings. And it’s starting to infuriate judges. Just consider these three cases, each of which gives a glimpse into what we can expect to see more of as lawyers embrace AI. A few weeks ago, a California judge, Michael Wilner, became intrigued by a set of arguments some lawyers made in a filing. He went to learn more about those arguments by following the articles they cited. But the articles didn’t exist. He asked the lawyers’ firm for more details, and they responded with a new brief that contained even more mistakes than the first. Wilner ordered the attorneys to give sworn testimonies explaining the mistakes, in which he learned that one of them, from the elite firm Ellis George, used Google Gemini as well as law-specific AI models to help write the document, which generated false information. As detailed in a filing on May 6, the judge fined the firm $31,000.  Last week, another California-based judge caught another hallucination in a court filing, this time submitted by the AI company Anthropic in the lawsuit that record labels have brought against it over copyright issues. One of Anthropic’s lawyers had asked the company’s AI model Claude to create a citation for a legal article, but Claude included the wrong title and author. Anthropic’s attorney admitted that the mistake was not caught by anyone reviewing the document.  Lastly, and perhaps most concerning, is a case unfolding in Israel. After police arrested an individual on charges of money laundering, Israeli prosecutors submitted a request asking a judge for permission to keep the individual’s phone as evidence. But they cited laws that don’t exist, prompting the defendant’s attorney to accuse them of including AI hallucinations in their request. The prosecutors, according to Israeli news outlets, admitted that this was the case, receiving a scolding from the judge.  Taken together, these cases point to a serious problem. Courts rely on documents that are accurate and backed up with citations—two traits that AI models, despite being adopted by lawyers eager to save time, often fail miserably to deliver.  Those mistakes are getting caught (for now), but it’s not a stretch to imagine that at some point soon, a judge’s decision will be influenced by something that’s totally made up by AI, and no one will catch it.  I spoke with Maura Grossman, who teaches at the School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo as well as Osgoode Hall Law School, and has been a vocal early critic of the problems that generative AI poses for courts. She wrote about the problem back in 2023, when the first cases of hallucinations started appearing. She said she thought courts’ existing rules requiring lawyers to vet what they submit to the courts, combined with the bad publicity those cases attracted, would put a stop to the problem. That hasn’t panned out. Hallucinations “don’t seem to have slowed down,” she says. “If anything, they’ve sped up.” And these aren’t one-off cases with obscure local firms, she says. These are big-time lawyers making significant, embarrassing mistakes with AI. She worries that such mistakes are also cropping up more in documents not written by lawyers themselves, like expert reports (in December, a Stanford professor and expert on AI admitted to including AI-generated mistakes in his testimony).   I told Grossman that I find all this a little surprising. Attorneys, more than most, are obsessed with diction. They choose their words with precision. Why are so many getting caught making these mistakes? “Lawyers fall in two camps,” she says. “The first are scared to death and don’t want to use it at all.” But then there are the early adopters. These are lawyers tight on time or without a cadre of other lawyers to help with a brief. They’re eager for technology that can help them write documents under tight deadlines. And their checks on the AI’s work aren’t always thorough.  The fact that high-powered lawyers, whose very profession it is to scrutinize language, keep getting caught making mistakes introduced by AI says something about how most of us treat the technology right now. We’re told repeatedly that AI makes mistakes, but language models also feel a bit like magic. We put in a complicated question and receive what sounds like a thoughtful, intelligent reply. Over time, AI models develop a veneer of authority. We trust them. “We assume that because these large language models are so fluent, it also means that they’re accurate,” Grossman says. “We all sort of slip into that trusting mode because it sounds authoritative.” Attorneys are used to checking the work of junior attorneys and interns but for some reason, Grossman says, don’t apply this skepticism to AI. We’ve known about this problem ever since ChatGPT launched nearly three years ago, but the recommended solution has not evolved much since then: Don’t trust everything you read, and vet what an AI model tells you. As AI models get thrust into so many different tools we use, I increasingly find this to be an unsatisfying counter to one of AI’s most foundational flaws. Hallucinations are inherent to the way that large language models work. Despite that, companies are selling generative AI tools made for lawyers that claim to be reliably accurate. “Feel confident your research is accurate and complete,” reads the website for Westlaw Precision, and the website for CoCounsel promises its AI is “backed by authoritative content.” That didn’t stop their client, Ellis George, from being fined $31,000. Increasingly, I have sympathy for people who trust AI more than they should. We are, after all, living in a time when the people building this technology are telling us that AI is so powerful it should be treated like nuclear weapons. Models have learned from nearly every word humanity has ever written down and are infiltrating our online life. If people shouldn’t trust everything AI models say, they probably deserve to be reminded of that a little more often by the companies building them.  This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here.

This home and gallery in Clapham, south London, reflects the owners’ vision for a versatile environment. We reworked the previously disconnected layout into an adaptable hybrid working/living condition, where everyday duties are easily integrated into the family’s lives, exploring the boundaries and flow between private and public spaces. We worked with what existed, developed an understanding of the potential to both reinvent and protect the building envelope, extending its lifespan. We provided a cost-effective and lower-carbon alternative that included the integration of the garden. The spaces were designed to allow family members to find their moments of peace and joy, whether in the gallery, the kitchen or the children’s bedrooms. The project aims to exemplify how well-planned, purpose-led design decisions can result in dynamic spaces, reflecting the young, creative family’s unique ‘living with art’ ethos and aspirations. Advertisement In the evening, the family gathers in the kitchen to cook, eat, play and unwind. Located in the basement, the open-plan area is illuminated by two bookended triangular oriel openings, bringing natural light into the lower-ground space. One is a triangular skylight, a corner for contemplation and play; the other is a door opening up to the garden outside. Amalia Skoufoglou, director, O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects   Project data Start on site April 2022 Completion Gross internal floor area 140m2 Construction cost £392,000 Construction cost per m2 £2,800 Architect O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects Client Tanya Grigoroglou and Rupert Worrall Structural engineer Entuitive Principal designer O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects Approved building inspector London Building Control Landscape consultant GRDN Main contractor TAT Building CAD software used Vectorworks Predicted design life 30 years   Architect’s choices  We knew from the outset that, to achieve the budgetary constraints, a lot of our usual exposing of ceiling beams or dressing of walls would not be possible. There are lots of flat plasterboard surfaces in the project and, knowing that the client wanted a lot of expression, we decided to experiment with colour and textures in the joinery. For example, a lot of experimentation and care went into the bespoke kitchen cabinetry, imported from Denmark by Brouns and Co, which was stained with linseed oil. There was no wastage in the new marble countertop, which determined the height of the splashback and the length of the units. Amalia Skoufoglou, director, O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects   Specification The client’s brief called for a resilient, yet playful, rich materiality that could combine with a restrained, pared-down aesthetic suited to displays of art. This meant that materials were considered at a very early point in the project. In a quest to find connections with the existing typical London stock brick, different textures and details were tested, some of which were a direct response, some of which were not. The lower ground floor, the most materially rich space, opening out onto a new garden patio, is paved in flamed granite sourced from Portugal, the most economically viable, geographically closest, natural stone that could be sourced. To provide a seamless transition, the same granite tile in a honed finish continues internally. There is an EPD-accredited green terrazzo tile in the two bookended triangles, emphasising the linearity of the space.Advertisement One of the bigger material statements on the ground floor is the fire surround, which is clad in made-to-order slabs from Granby Rock, a durable recycled terrazzo manufactured using 70 per cent recycled aggregates. Amalia Skoufoglou, director, O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects   Selected products Bathroom washbasin Kast Lux A1 on stand Master shower room DiscontinuedBathroom washbasin Kast Nilo Children’s bathroom kastconcretebasins.comBathroom tiles Topcer Tiles 96 × 96 × 8mm All bathrooms towerceramics.comBathroom faucets Crosswater MPro All bathrooms crosswater.co.ukLinseed oil (on birch plywood) Brouns and Co Kitchen cabinetry linseedpaint.comKitchen tap Vola 590H Kitchen vola.comTerrazzo tiles InOpera Group Pastine Verde Acido Kitchen floor inoperagroup.com Granite tile Marshalls paving Neso Kitchen and exterior patio marshalls.co.ukOak flooring Chaunceys Bristol Tectonic Throughout chauncey.co.ukIronmongery d line Arne Jacobsen Throughout dline.comFire surround Granby Rock Red Ground floor granbyworkshop.co.uk

Source: Simon Kennedy Moxon Architects and engineering practice Ingenieurbüro Miebach have completed a new timber and concrete pedestrian bridge for the town of Baiersbronn in southern Germany. The project seeks to strengthen connections within the town centre and forms part of a garden show, a regional event that spans 8km between Baiersbronn and neighbouring Freudenstadt. The Baiersbronn Bridge is designed to provide pedestrian and cycle access across the Murg River, as well as allowing occasional vehicular traffic. The structure reuses the abutments of a previous crossing, which had fallen into disrepair, helping to reduce costs and limit the overall carbon footprint. Ben Addy, founding director of Moxon Architects, described the bridge as “an expression of creative symbioses: the interdependence of timber and concrete; of site and geometry; and a process of continual innovation with our partners IB Miebach.” The 25-metre-long bridge is constructed using block laminated timber beams with a stepped bottom edge. The beams were manufactured off-site and transported to site where they were used as permanent formwork for an in-situ concrete deck. This composite approach aims to combine the compressive strength of concrete with the tensile strength of timber. Ezra Groskin, director at Moxon Architects, said: “Everything falls into place with this design. It is a story of two materials: the way they behave and interact structurally, functionally and formally.” Source: Simon Kennedy Source: Simon Kennedy Source: Simon Kennedy Source: Simon Kennedy Source: Simon Kennedy Source: Simon Kennedy Source: Simon Kennedy 1/7 show caption The glulam beams lean outward to reduce exposure to wind-driven rain, with edge detailing and the concrete deck intended to protect the timber from the elements. The scheme follows the 2022 completion of Balingen Footbridge and is Moxon Architects’ second bridge in collaboration with timber specialist IB Miebach. The Baiersbronn Bridge was the result of an invited design competition launched in 2021. Frank Miebach, director of IB Miebach, said: “Wood can do even more - this is just the beginning.” >> Also read: Moxon completes ‘hockey stick’ bridge crossing the River Severn >> Also read: New images of Acme’s £1bn Liverpool Street station plans as City publishes planning application Project team: Client: Gemeinde Baiersbronn Architect: Moxon Architects Engineer: Ingenieurbüro Miebach Main contractor: Rendler Bau GmbH Timber works: Schaffitzel Holzindustrie GmbH 

Cairo-based Sylndr has raised $15.7 million as it expands beyond online used car sales into auto financing, servicing, and tools for dealers. The round was led by Development Partners International’s Nclude Fund and included follow-on investments from Algebra Ventures and Nclude. The company, which operates in Egypt’s fast-growing but under-digitized vehicle market, said the latest round includes both fresh equity and previously unannounced seed financing. Sylndr also raised nearly $10 million in debt financing from local banks in the past year, bringing its total raised since launch to over $30 million. Sylndr raised a $12.6 million pre-seed round in 2022.  Omar El Defrawy and Amr Mazen, former executives at local food delivery and e-commerce startups, founded the used cars platform in 2021 and initially focused on buying used cars directly from consumers, refurbishing them, and reselling them with a warranty and money-back guarantee. It has since evolved into a broader mobility platform, offering digital auto loans, car servicing, and a marketplace for third-party dealers. “When we started the business, we were primarily focused on a consumer problem related to buying and selling cars,” said co-founder and CEO Omar El Defrawy in an interview with TechCrunch. “And when we started to scale that business, it became very clear to us that the market is much bigger than that, and creating value to customers would require us to build other compelling businesses that integrate with what we’re doing.” Egypt has over 6 million cars on the road, with demand for used cars growing amid currency devaluation and rising prices for new imports. In 2021, the government banned used car imports, forcing the market to rely entirely on domestic inventory, driving prices to mirror the exchange rate. Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you’ve built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | June 5 REGISTER NOW As a result, used cars in Egypt, while outnumbering new vehicles by 3:1, are primarily sold through unregulated dealerships or classified websites, where informal transactions leave buyers carrying most of the risk. Sylndr, an online used-car retailer, raises $12.6M pre-seed to disrupt Egypt’s automotive market Sylndr sees opportunity in that mess, which it estimates as a $10 billion market by formalizing processes around inspections, standardized pricing, digital financing, and securing ownership transfers.  The average sale price on Sylndr’s platform is between $20,000 and $25,000, El Defrawy said. He explained that the number has remained stable in dollar terms over the last three years, despite the Egyptian pound losing more than half its value. This is because used car prices in Egypt are marketed similarly to imported new cars, which are dollar-pegged Sylndr declined to share revenue or transaction volume but said sales have increased nearly tenfold since 2022. Revenue in Egyptian pounds increased 22 times during that period, and by a factor of five when adjusted for the dollar, the CEO, who previously led finance operations at food discovery Elmenus, claimed. Digitizing Egypt’s car market Sylndr’s expansion beyond car sales to three new verticals is to reduce its dependence on inventory and capital. There’s Sylndr Swift, a digital automotive financing product that connects buyers with banks and underwriters. The platform provides financing approvals in under 10 minutes, according to El Defrawy. Sylndr does not lend from its own balance sheet, he added.  In addition to Swift, Sylndr recently introduced Sylndr Plus, which offers inspections, maintenance and servicing for cars sold on its platform. The third vertical, Al-Ajans, is a dealer-to-consumer marketplace that allows third-party dealers to list and sell cars with Sylndr handling inspection, ownership transfer, and payments. Each vertical runs under its own brand name, but Sylndr has integrated them all into a single mobile app—creating a one-stop shop for buying, financing, and managing car ownership. “We’ve fully integrated these services to help customers buy, sell, finance, rent, and service their cars—and to help dealers operate more efficiently and go digital,” said El Defrawy, who’s a former investment banker. The company’s revenue is now evenly split between direct-to-consumer sales and B2B transactions with dealers, he added. However, he expects that the newer financing and servicing verticals will contribute up to 60% of gross profit within two years. Sylndr currently works with more than 1,000 dealers nationwide and serves both buyers and sellers through its online and offline channels. While other regional players such as Contactcars, OLX and Nigeria-based Autochek, which made inroads into Egypt with AutoTager in 2023, have similar offerings, El Defrawy says he doesn’t see them as close competition in terms of providing an end-to-end solution for buyers and dealers across the value chain. Sylndr’s infrastructure of inspection, refurbishment, and bank partnerships makes it difficult for outside players to replicate its model, he says. As such, unlike other startups in Egypt that have traditionally used their home market as a springboard to the Gulf, Sylndr plans to deepen its presence in Egypt, where the CEO asserts it is “the biggest used car trading company by volume and value.” “Sylndr is building the digital backbone of mobility in a market where access, trust, and financing have long been barriers to ownership. Their integrated model brings together commerce, credit, and technology to fundamentally improve how Egyptians buy and sell cars,” said Ashley Lewis, Managing Partner at DPI Venture Capital. This marks the third deal announced by the recently launched London-based VC firm in the past month, following investments in Egypt’s digital savings and credit platform MoneyFellows and proptech startup Nawy. Egypt’s Nawy, the largest proptech in Africa, raises $52M to take on MENA

Projects named in deal include Euston station and Smithfield Market in BirminghamThe Crown Estate is buying a 50% share in six Lendlease projects in the UK including the Australian developer’s schemes at Euston station in London and Birmingham’s Smithfield Market. The joint venture between the King’s property company and the Sydney-based firm, which earlier this year sold its UK construction business to private equity which has since renamed it Bovis, could create up to 26,000 new homes and 900,000 sq m of offices and laboratories across the six sites, which also include Lendlease’s plots at Silvertown Quays in London’s Royal Docks, at Thamesmead Waterside, along the High Road West next to Tottenham Hotspur’s ground and at Stratford Cross. The deal was announced this morning at the Treasury and chancellor Rachel Reeves said it would “boost home ownership and make Britain a global hub for life sciences”. Pictured (l-r) are investment minister Baroness Gustafsson, The Crown Estate chief executive Dan Labbad, Lendlease chief Tony Lombardo and chancellor Rachel Reeves She added: “[Our plans] includes creating the right environment for organisations like The Crown Estate and Lendlease to partner, helping us to unlock capital to get Britain building and get Britain growing.” The Crown Estate, which is head by former Lendlease Europe chief Dan Labbad, who left the firm six years ago after more than 20 years to join the Crown Estate, is one of the UK’s largest landowners and manages £16bn-worth of both rural and urban land and property around England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its profits are paid to the Treasury and in 2024 it reported making £1.1bn. The deal is set to have a gross development value of £24bn and is expected to see Lendlease, which has rejigged its business to concentrate on its domestic market, make AUS$300m (£144m) from the sale. Labbad, who signed the agreement with Lendlease chief executive Tony Lombardo, said: “As a country, we face challenges to unlock growth. To support this, we need to spark investment in sectors like science, technology, and housing, alongside deep collaboration across communities, government, and the private sector. “This joint venture is an example of how The Crown Estate is harnessing its mandate to act in the UK’s long-term national interest, supported by new investment powers, and stepping up its ambition to support inclusive growth for the nation.” The deal will see Lendlease act as development manager for the work. The six developments in the JV 60 acres above and around Euston Station in London, with the potential to deliver circa 4.3m sq ft of commercial space and 2,000 new homes 60 acres in Silvertown in London, with the potential to deliver circa 1.3m sq ft of commercial and 6,300 new homes 40 acres in Smithfield in Birmingham, with the potential to deliver over 2m sq ft of commercial space and 3,400 new homes The Smithfield scheme in Birmingham is planned to have more than 3,000 homes Three land plots in Stratford Cross, London, with the potential to deliver over 1.6m sq ft of commercial space 250 acres of residential space in Thamesmead Waterfront, London, with the potential to deliver over 11,000 homes and 880,000 sq ft of commercial space 27 acres in High Road West in Haringey, London, with the potential to deliver over 100,000 sq ft commercial space and around 2,800 new homes