Ten chairs that tell the diverse stories of the African continent
The inaugural Design Week South Africa included an exhibition bringing together chairs from across the continent of Africa. Here the curators share 10 highlights, ranging from a red garden chair mended with electric wire to a throne made of guns. More
Aloe vera provides "sustainable alternative" to cotton in Kirkby Design textile
British textile brand Kirkby Design has created what it believes to be the first interior fabric made from aloe vera – a plant that grows without need for chemicals, fertilisers or additional watering. More
Chess set hidden in scarf, watch and rings by Louis Le Joly Senoville
A whole chess set was translated into wearable accessories in this prototype by French designer Louis Le Joly Senoville, a fan of the game who wanted to make it possible to play anywhere at any time. More
AAU Anastas reinterprets stone vaulting as glass Serpentine Bell sculpture
Hollow glass blocks assembled similarly to a self-supporting stone arch make up the Serpentine Bell, a sculpture by Palestinian architects AAU Anastas and Japanese sound artist Tomoko Sauvage. More
Design Week South Africa aims to "grow pride" in local design
There are complex challenges to stimulating the design scene in the most unequal country in the world, the founder of Design Week South Africa Margot Molyneux tells Dezeen in this interview. More
Prada and Axiom Space reveal spacesuits for next lunar landing
Fashion house Prada and aerospace company Axiom Space have revealed their design for NASA's Artemis III spacesuit, set to be worn by the first astronauts to return to the surface of the moon in over 50 years. More
ETH Zurich explores novel fabrication method for light and reusable concrete staircase
Material-saving and reversible construction approaches are showcased in the spine-like Cadenza concrete spiral staircase, created by researchers at technology university ETH Zurich working with ROK Architects. More
Biodesign meets Pacific Islander craft in glowing Lucid Life objects
Designer Christopher Bellamy has sought to marry biotechnology and craft in a series of works that combine traditional knowledge from artisans in the Pacific Islands with a new material made from bioluminescent algae. More
Wood waste and bioplastic floor panel boasts the strength of steel
US researchers working with SHoP Architects have created a potential alternative to steel and concrete as a structural floor material: recyclable panels made entirely from bioplastic and wood flour. More
Johnnie Walker sheds 300 grams to make "world's lightest" glass whisky bottle
Beverage company Diageo has produced what it believes is the world's lightest standard-sized glass spirits bottle for its Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ultra whisky, launching next week at the London Design Festival. More
Pyri wildfire detection device melts in response to fire
A pinecone-shaped wildfire detector built out of wax and charcoal has won the UK James Dyson Award, recognising the best inventions by student and graduate designers. More
Aquafade water-soluble electronics provide way to tackle e-waste
Tech start-up Pentaform has devised a potential solution to e-waste: making gadgets that dissolve in water and leave behind only their electronic components for recycling. More
H2ERǴ ring made with metals "mined" by plants
Metals "mined" by plants feature in a first-of-its-kind ring, made by materials researcher and designer Karoline Healy under her jewellery brand H2ERǴ. More
Yoghurt window coating proposed as emergency heatwave measure
British engineer Tom Greenhill is proposing painting the outside of windows with yoghurt as a low-cost, low-energy solution to keep UK homes cool during heatwaves. More
Waste textiles turned into sweets in FabriCandy project
Scraps of fabric have been recycled into edible treats by designer Jinghan Li, who wants people to consider waste as a resource for food. More
Paul Priestman reimagines sightseeing boats to maximise the view
Designer Paul Priestman has aimed to tackle overcrowding in popular tourist destinations with Viewpoint, a concept for a sightseeing boat where everyone is guaranteed a good view. More
Seven portable AI devices that attempt to give shape to a new technology
Following the recent launch of a necklace wearable that provides AI friendship, here are seven products that are trying to imagine the future of hardware for artificial intelligence. More
Wearable Friend device aims to fight loneliness with AI companionship
A new vision for artificially intelligent devices has emerged from US start-up Friend, which is launching a necklace wearable that promises constant companionship. More
Five objects that tell stories of "care and repair" from Helsinki exhibition curators
Acts of mending and maintenance are the subject of the Fix: Care and Repair exhibition in Helsinki, Finland. Here, its curators share five works that shed light on a rarely celebrated topic. More
Nothing brings modularity to budget smartphones with CMF Phone 1
Tech company Nothing has made modularity and customisation two big selling points for its first budget-conscious phone, the CMF Phone 1, which was launched today. More