designboom

during milan design week 2024, ECAL University of Art and Design Lausanne presented ups – under pressure solutions, a series of compressed and lightweight furniture and objects made almost entirely from biodegradable and renewable cellulose sponge. these objects look squeezed, but as soon as they are dipped, placed, or submerged in water, they expand and grow into functional furniture and decor such as tables and chairs, sturdy enough to hold the weight of other everyday objects. ECAL’s sponge furniture is inspired by the late italian architect-designer gaetano pesce’s UP5 chair (1969), which was made from polyurethane foam that self-expands when unpacked. read more here: https://buff.ly/4dfn33O

Nils Sorger's elbow brace fuses additive 3D printing and subtractive laser cutting technology. showcased at isola.design, +/- brace is user-centered and fully customizable, designed to relieve pain and reduce risk of injury during demanding physical tasks. taking each user's data and existing measurements in the database into account, the scripted algorithm calculates the optimal design for each individual’s personalised +/- brace. the user can then either fabricate the brace on their own, order it within the maker community, or purchase it on the platform. read more here: https://lnkd.in/dBKfKEix

designboom speaks with love hultén, the audiovisual artist bridging woodworking with electronics for his whimsical synthesizers. from 'desert songs' which translates biodata to audio, to 'mmxs', a music box that filters marbles as it whirs, hultén's contraptions are a glimpse into his fascination with retro-futurism, the mystique of sci-fi, and the primitive joy of the handmade. with a childhood marked by joyful memories of hours spent at the arcade and quiet moments dismantling electronics to uncover their secrets, his works present ‘a personalized view of the world, via objects’, he tells designboom. read the full interview here: https://buff.ly/49UxRBv

Concéntrico 10 visualizes the future of cities with twenty interventions in logroño, spain https://buff.ly/3xVfKy3

BMW Group discusses design as an accelerator for change with alice rawsthorn, design critic and author, and holger hampf, head of Designworks, A BMW Group Company. read about the talk from milan design week 2024: https://lnkd.in/ed52uRdA

felipe pantone’s new monumental, gradient public artwork ‘OPTICHROMIE for jersey city’ marks the argentine-spanish artist’s return to the US, nearly one year since his last mural in ohio. located on the corner of summit and magnolia avenue in jersey city, his digitized-looking artwork colors the new york skyline, drawing a contrast between the backdrops' hushed palettes and his vibrant, bold fare. felipe pantone’s OPTICHROMIE for jersey city extends over the 25 floors of the residential building by urby, making it his largest artwork and mural to date. read more here: https://buff.ly/3w6gRud

south african artist porky hefer will open a playful exhibition 'no bats, no chocolate' in NYC with galerie56 and southern guild.

alicante’s historic harbor is set to receive a shimmering modern addition, as Luca Poian Forms and FRADE ARQUITECTOS reveal their competition-winning congress center. the proposal draws from the area’s layered past, taking cues from the former defensive structure that once stood on the site, and promises a contemporary landmark that encourages public engagement. the center's tapered masses will be clad in white glazed ceramic bricks in a nod to valencian tradition, resulting in a glimmering facade. a bridge connecting the two incorporates a roof garden which lends a new public gathering space and connection with nature. read more here: https://lnkd.in/dcBdyvFc

ECAL University of Art and Design Lausanne's compressed furniture made from biodegradable sponge grows when soaked in water https://buff.ly/4dfn33O

the EUmies Awards projects have been chosen from an initial group of 362 nominated works.