Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

Not your average “Car Manufacturing Plant”

Posted: 15 Jul 2016 10:01 AM PDT

You’ve seen cars made of carbon fiber. Have you seen one made of bamboo-cane stalks?? The Phoenix does a pretty dapper job of pulling off an Automobile design with this natural material. It uses the cane’s flow-y form to create a car aesthetic that looks futuristic, yet indigenous! The Cane stalks are molded to build the car’s wonderfully aerodynamic contours, almost in a way that makes the car look like it’s travelling at super-speed!

While the car looks dreamy in its new avatar, it’s no secret that Cane is a brilliant material for automotive construction. It’s already seen furniture applications for centuries, so there’s nothing unnatural about the car being made with it. It can be molded in almost any shape, it has extremely high tensile strength as well as impact strength. It also ages beautifully, and is fire resistant. What more do you need!

Designers: Albrecht Birkner & Kenneth Cobonpue

The designers wanted to create a lightweight yet economically viable concept car made of bamboo, rattan, steel and nylon. Phoenix was constructed entirely handmade by a team of skilled weavers and craftsmen in only 10 days. This project attempts to unveil the future of green vehicles using woven skins from organic fibers mated to composite materials and powered by green technology.

Phoenix is inspired by forms and structures found in nature. Utilizing a single spine as found in vertebrae and plants, the concept car uses an exterior structure similar to a leaf. The interior stems from a single woven surface that starts from the front and forms the dashboard, floor and seats. The exterior weave flows around the shape and meets the interior lines in a single bundle comprising the tail.

Cars have always been a product of heavy industry using tremendous resources, expensive tooling and excessive energy. Phoenix challenges convention by sourcing renewable materials from the earth and using a frame that is built by hand using very minimal tools and energy. Today, cars are engineered and built so well that they actually outlive their purpose. People replace their cars every 5 years in industrial countries and 10-20 years in developing countries. Because of this, disposal becomes an environmental problem. Phoenix introduces the concept of a naturally woven skin which biodegrades together with the life of the car. Should a car’s life extend longer than average, this shell can be replaced inexpensively. No longer a product of automation, Phoenix brings back the dignity of the human being and pays homage to the skills of the craftsman. In addition, because it is handmade, frames can be customized according to the needs of the individual.

A Crystal Table Unlike Any Other

Posted: 15 Jul 2016 07:44 AM PDT

I’m all for shiny, transparent furniture and fell in love immediately when looking at this new series by designer Sae-rom Yoon. Each piece in the Crystal Series is made from dyed acrylic resin. Sae-rom Yoon wanted to keep the pieces looking as natural and as close to the look of crystal as possible, therefore each piece was dyed at the surface, while maintaining a natural feel.

During the process of gluing the pieces together, the dyed surfaces stick together after being melted creating a natural blending of colors. This in turn makes the dyed pieces mesh together naturally creating the illusion of distortions through refraction and reflection as well as forming different gradients, all while keeping the crystal-like transparency with its natural color. Each modern, Crystal Series Table measures 400 x 400 x 420 mm and come in a pink with purple tones design, as well as a pink with light blue and purple tones design. Absolutely stunning, and I’ll take one of each.

Designer: Sae-rom Yoon

Personal Air Purification

Posted: 15 Jul 2016 07:30 AM PDT

Whether you’re a sufferer of extreme allergies or chemical sensitivity, you’ve probably already come to appreciate modern indoor air purification. Taking that tech with you is an even better way to ensure you’re not being negative effected by the surrounding air.

That’s the idea behind Papr Mask. This wearable personal air purifier creates a no smog zone around your breathing space that destroys bacteria and viruses while also eliminating odors, chemical contaminants, dust and second hand smoke. It fits lightly around the neck and rests comfortably on the shoulders so you can breathe easy!

Designer: Myeonghoon Lee

Shoes by You

Posted: 15 Jul 2016 03:00 AM PDT

From the designer of the original Pikkpack comes yet another DIY fashion-forward design, this time in the form of a leather lace-up sandal for the ladies!

The kit includes high quality buttery leather, cross straps and ankle ties that together create a colorful, bohemian, feminine character. With 87 variations, there is a combination for all tastes and the kit is small enough to fit in an envelope so it’s efficient to ship! It’s the ultimate statement shoe that you get to assemble yourself! Get em’ here!

Designer: Sara Gulyas

The Most Minimal Writing Utensil

Posted: 15 Jul 2016 12:55 AM PDT

The Uno pen may be one of the most minimal on the market but it doesn’t sacrifice functionality for that less-is-more look. At just 5.3 mm it’s also one of the thinnest, but its barrel grip section is of a standard size so it’s familiar and comfortable to write. Just a few twists of the barrel will open or close the pen and protect the tip.

The design uses the dynamic and fluid Hi-Tec C Coleto ink cartridge but can also transform into a pencil in seconds! Simply swap out the ink cartridge with lead cartridges and replace the cap for an entirely new tool!

Anodized in 4 distinct colors including red, gold, rose gold and space gray, there’s a color option to match your other devices perfectly!

Designer: ENSSO Studio [ Buy It Here ]

When the packaging is too perfect.

Posted: 14 Jul 2016 02:25 PM PDT

The good thing about sugar cubes is how convenient they are. They’re standardized, so it’s much more accurate to say two cubes of sugar than two spoons (spoons vary in size, you see). Cubes also make efficient use of packaging, because they fit perfectly into cuboid shaped packages. You see, while they fit in perfectly, it’s the taking out that’s a hair-pulling affair. One usually has to tip the package over and have five, ten, or a whole bunch fall out. Then take one and rearrange the rest. What the Cube Sugar packaging cleverly does, is that it allows you to mess up the arrangement of cubes on the inside, so you can easily pick up a single cube. The front flap has a bellow detail that allows it to expand outwards, increasing space on the inside, so that the cubes can break formation. It ain’t rocket science, but it’s a simple, beautiful idea!

Designers: Dr. Gao Fenglin, Huang Xiaofei & Zhou Buyi (Nanoin).