Unusual colour combinations make up Durat showroom in Helsinki
Finnish interior designer Linda Bergroth has brought together unexpected colour combinations for the Durat showroom in Helsinki, which is filled with the manufacturer's terrazzo-like surface material made from plastic waste. More
Layer aims to create ultimate commuter e-bike with Pendler
Benjamin Hubert's studio Layer has designed a concept electric bike called Pendler that aims to tackle all the pain points of urban commuting. More
Bot lifejacket uses waste plastic bottles to prevent drownings
People in flood-prone low-income countries can use discarded plastic bottles as flotation devices with the Bot lifejacket, invented by recent design graduate Ewan Morrell. More
Finnish "sand battery" offers solution for renewable energy storage
Finnish companies Polar Night Energy and Vatajankoski have built the world's first operational "sand battery", which provides a low-cost and low-emissions way to store renewable energy. More
ETH Zurich creates dramatically contoured concrete slab ceiling
Researchers at technology university ETH Zurich have created a deeply ridged ceiling called the HiRes Concrete Slab, which they claim saves energy while offering a spectacular aesthetic. More
Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg creates "interspecies artwork" at Serpentine Galleries
Artist Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg has created a digital AI tool named Pollinator Pathmaker to design the best possible gardens for bees and other insects to enjoy. More
Remote-controlled crab is "smallest-ever" walking robot
Northwestern University researchers have created a tiny, crawling robotic crab that they claim, at half a millimetre wide, is the smallest remote-controlled walking robot ever made. More
Mireille Steinhage creates "affordable and sustainable" Solar Blanket
In an effort to bring renewable energy to those who need it, Central Saint Martins design graduate Mireille Steinhage has invented a solar-powered blanket that is made from conductive yarn. More
British-made Ecovado offers low-impact alternative to "unsustainable" avocados
Central Saint Martins graduate Arina Shokouhi has invented an avocado alternative called Ecovado, which is meant to wean people off the resource-intensive imported fruit. More
Anarchitect channels tropical modernism for Sri Lankan boutique hotel
The tropical modernism of Geoffrey Bawa informed the architecture of this boutique hotel in Sri Lanka, designed by British practice Anarchitect to be a vertical interpretation of the style. More
Caelum desk wins Dezeen and LG Display’s OLEDs Go! design competition
A desk by Cagatay Afsar with an integrated transparent screen has been named the winner of LG Display and Dezeen’s contest that sought creative OLED designs to enrich people's changing lifestyles. More
Stefano Boeri creates Floating Forest at Milan design week
Italian architect Stefano Boeri has collaborated with shoe brand Timberland to create a "floating forest" on the Darsena dock as part of this year's Milan design week. More
Architects brand UK government plan to reintroduce imperial measurements "stupid"
Architects and architecture critics are attempting to stop a government proposal to reintroduce imperial measurements to the UK by calling on people to respond to its consultation More
MIT researchers propose using Space Bubble shield to reflect the sun
Architect Carlo Ratti is among a group of MIT researchers exploring the feasibility of fighting climate change with a conglomeration of "space bubbles" that would float above the Earth to reflect the sun's rays. More
Pasturebird introduces solar-powered robot chicken coop
American poultry producer Pasturebird has invented a solar-powered robot chicken coop on wheels, which it says fosters regenerative farming while allowing the animals to "live their best life". More
Fold-up Shine Turbine offers "wind power that fits in your backpack"
Canadian start-up Aurea Technologies has developed a portable wind turbine that compacts down to the size of a water bottle and was designed to provide reliable, renewable energy on the go. More
Domus trimaran designed as "world's first zero-emission superyacht"
Yacht design studios Van Geest Design and Rob Doyle Design have devised a trimaran concept that aims to be "the first truly zero-emission yacht over 750 gross tonnage". More
NewTerritory imagines inhaler for microdosing psychedelics
UK design studio NewTerritory has developed a conceptual wellness product for inhaling psychedelic drugs in microdoses, in anticipation of a future in which the substances are legalised for mental health treatment. More
Journey of Asian objects explored in Schloss Hollenegg castle exhibition
Twenty designers have responded to centuries of souvenirs collected by the inhabitants of an Austrian castle in the exhibition East to West at Schloss Hollenegg, which explores the distances and intersections between cultures. More
Morrama envisions recyclable and biodegradable Covid-19 test
Design agency Morrama has devised a concept for a Covid-19 test that is biodegradable and fully recyclable, right down to its packaging – potentially eliminating a common source of plastic waste. More