Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

The Harley Davidson Paradigm Shift

Posted: 22 Dec 2016 12:00 PM PST

No, Harley Davidson doesn’t make too many standard bikes. Yes, they totally should! Here’s what it would look like, according to Glorin Pavlovich Chiourea. Same Harley Davidson values, same styling, new bike category!

P.S. Did you notice the Harley Davidson patch on the rear tyre?! Like whoa!

Designer: Glorin Pavlovich Chiourea

The Any-Size-Fridge

Posted: 22 Dec 2016 10:43 AM PST

Exploring air thermal insulation capacity using the inflatable alveolar wall, the FRIGID AIR refrigerator is flexible. This unique feature allows you to change the volume of the refrigerator and thus determine the cooling capacity for the amount of food stored. What this means is – you can expand and compact the fridge, depending upon how much food is there to be stored. A basic heat pump cools the food storage space and has no contact with the cold zone. Essentially the compressor and condenser are bundled up and don’t emit heat near the main cooling box. The main fridge bag is sealed and a protective waterproof textile is fixed on the inside using Velcro strips.

I like innovative thought processes that ignite change. Is this fridge design the best possible solution? Perhaps not, but it does force us to think of a modular form that can expand or contract as per the usage, and help save space and energy.

Designer: Guillaume Landin

Literally a Razor Thin Blade!

Posted: 22 Dec 2016 06:34 AM PST

The Skid knife looks pretty wicked… but I can’t really tell when the handle ends and the blade begins! Made out of 97% wood and just 3% carbon steel, the Skid knife looks absolutely sharp, both figuratively as well as literally! Incredibly light to hold, the knife allows the blade’s edge to be the heavier part of the cutting tool, giving you better control. The entire body of the knife is precisely crafted in wood, and coated in linseed oil, making the wood impervious to staining and increasing its lifespan.

The Skid challenges the way you perceive cutting tools. It’s the perfect example of a futuristic concept made real through perseverance and great design. The knife’s edge merges seamlessly with the body, creating something that looks so integrated, you’ll want to examine it for yourself. Carbon steel is one of the most favored materials in knife-making, owing to its durability and the ability for it to produce an incredibly sharp edge. The minimal blade edge occupies just 3% of the knife’s volume; and this does wonders for Skid’s carbon footprint. Skid produces incredibly low amounts of CO2 while manufacturing its blade, owing to its small size. In fact, they claim they can produce up to 60-70 knives in the same footprint as one regular steel chef knife. Skid’s choice of material even extends to the wooden body. The Skid comes in Robinia and Walnut that have self-cleansing and anti-bacterial properties.

Skid is a perfect example of how a product should be conceived, designed, and produced. Starting from a mere sketch, being refined through dozens of prototypes, and finally being validated by 20 of the top chefs in the world, the Skid isn’t just an incredible knife to use in your kitchen, it’s a brilliant case study of industrial design at its best!

Designer: Sven Regener

Buy It Here: $169.00 $279.00

Micro On The Wall

Posted: 22 Dec 2016 03:30 AM PST

Innovative, creative and rethinking the spatial limitations of the current boxy microwave, we have here the Wall-Mountable Microwave Oven. If you ask me, I think this is a brilliant design, especially if the wall-mount is strong enough to take the weight of heavy dishes. When not in use, the microwave is compact and flushed to the wall. When you need to heat a dish, you simply pull down the tray, slide up the door and place your dish in the oven. After you’re done using the microwave, the unit retracts back into the wall.

The detailing in design is impeccable, for example, careful consideration is given to the corners a traditional oven, which is rectangular and since the rotating tray is circular, the outer frame has unusable, extra space. This has been eliminated in the redesign, and hence the new semi-circular design. Some of the parts are detachable and thus can be removed to be cleaned properly.

Designer: Choi Yousong

Kitsch Mobile Chair for the Lazy and the Needy

Posted: 21 Dec 2016 10:46 PM PST

A lot of folks with mobility issues will much rather endure the pain and walk with sticks than use a wheelchair at home. The ILY-I offers a lifestyle solution by being this ‘intelligent’ armchair that blends into a home. With high-tech sensors, concealed wheels and controllers, the chair can be easily mistaken for regular furniture. It’s designed to be sensitive towards those who really need mobility solutions, without being very obvious, and that is what I like about it the most.

The chair easily rotates, pivots, stops and moves, moreover the sensors detect obstacles and alerts the user accordingly. Good, sensitive design!

Designers: Setsu & Shinobu Ito for Aisin Seiki

The mic that streams for you

Posted: 21 Dec 2016 02:11 PM PST

The internet has brought the ability to broadcast to everyone’s homes. People are constantly sharing live videos, even setting up their own podcasts. While access has become easier, hardware still requires some expertise. Setting up microphones, headsets, etc. The Turtle Beach mic just makes all of that a breeze. The microphone has streaming abilities built in, working seamlessly with your hardware, and allowing you to broadcast with ease. The mic comes with inbuilt audio presets to choose from, be it for gamers, or for podcasters. Just plug the microphone in and get streaming!

The only visible interface is the mute button on the front. A light-ring around it allows the user to know whether they’re on audio mode or mute mode. A perfect pic for the amateur broadcaster who only wants to focus on delivering quality content without having to learn how to deal with hardware.

Designer: Colin Jackson

Death to Double A

Posted: 21 Dec 2016 12:14 PM PST

You know, I’d much rather retain the headphone jack and phase out pencil batteries instead. We’re over them, aren’t we? Our remotes should just have USB outlets that allow us to charge them. Our bedside alarm clocks should too. And our torches. Definitely our torches.

Ziran shows us what an easy transition it would be. The torch doesn’t really change much, but an interesting detail gets added at the bottom. The bottom has a USB cable that does a little loop, making it great for hanging, while also ensuring your charging cable is always attached to your flashlight!

Designer: Venko Lynn