Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

Sit back, Relax and Enjoy the Wild Ride

Posted: 18 Jan 2018 11:11 AM PST

The one time I’m dying to drive a concept and it doesn’t even have a steering wheel! You’re sure to feel this first world problem too when you take a look at the NV01 by Radek Stepan.

This wicked looking roadster is entirely autonomous. Just hop inside the cockpit made completely of glass, use your voice to tell it where to go and it will take you there at breakneck speed. Riders immediately find themselves in a comfortable laying position where they can take in the passing surroundings or watch movies or surf the web on the haptic holographic screen projected on the glass canopy. Without a steering wheel or other manual controls, there’s more room for fun accessories like a mini-bar and snack cubby. I’ve never been so upset something was autonomous because all I want to do is drive it!

Designer: Radek Stepan

A thank you note to Nintendo

Posted: 18 Jan 2018 06:10 AM PST

This post is less of a showcase, and more of an open letter to Nintendo, thanking them for ushering in a movement that aims at changing the lives of youngsters in the same way GI Joes, He-Man and Shera, and Barbie toys changed our generations. It’s no secret that we always look back at the past and claim that the toys, cartoons, games, lifestyles were simpler, better, and more hands-on. Nintendo brings that beautiful intimacy and analog nature of toys back with the Labo, a series of cardboard cutouts that fold to become elaborate objects that house Nintendo’s Switch controllers and screen, using them in a way never thought of before.

Labo comes as a series of cardboard maps that require folding and assembly… a tactile experience that seldom comes by children in these digital days. The kits allow you to build everything from elaborate toys to even instruments with a beautifully mechanical component. Dock the screen and controllers into parts of what you’ve built and the motion sensors, gyroscopes, speakers, and vibrating modules bring the toys/instruments to life. Allowing you to actually play a piano (that YOU built), or control a super-robot in your super-suit, or even drive a bike by actually turning a physical accelerator, or applying brakes on a car by pressing down on a mechanical pedal. Labo relies on the Switch’s technical abilities to power these experiences, turning algorithm into art, and more importantly, allowing children to experience something that’s more real than just pixels on a screen… just the way our generation did. Go ahead, watch the video above and let it absolutely warm your heart and turn you into a child once again. Thank you, Nintendo. Thank you!

Designer: Nintendo

A Wine Glass Work of Art

Posted: 18 Jan 2018 12:00 AM PST

Even from a distance, this stunning light fixture in the Visitor Center in Kufstein, Austria is a breathtaking focal point in the large space. Get up close, however, and things get even more interesting.

It’s constructed using 1477 perfect wine glasses by glass manufacturer Riedel. They’re attached to a stainless steel sphere along with dedicated RGB LEDs for each glass. The color-adjustable LEDs are enhanced by the structure of the glasses as each seems to fill with vibrant hues. Measuring in at over 130 inches in diameter, it’s a substantial, sculptural piece of spherical art that pays homage to Riedel’s designs over the last 250 years.

Designer: Zanzotti

There’s something different about this KTM

Posted: 17 Jan 2018 09:00 PM PST

“What’s a transportation designer if he doesn’t mess with and personalize his bikes and cars!” – spoken like a true designer, Don Cammorata made some adjustments to the KTM 950 that can only be described as beautiful. Everything Cammorata has done here is outstanding – from the oversized dual exhausts and satin body finish to the cut-off nose, and orange accents dotted all over the KTM 950.

This bike shows us a little bit more of what’s going on under the seat, drawing our attention to that powerful rear suspension in the form of the electric orange coil. The adjustments to the overall body size itself are what turn this already sporty design language of the KTM 950 into a fierce, edgy, force of a bike to be reckoned with. The nose has been cut short, while the rear looks as though it has been squeezed in, bowing the seat a little further – appearing more compact and ready to go! With the removal of the front mud-guard, the vent is a lot more visible behind that mesmerizing headlight. A job well done Don Cammorata, let’s hope we get to see more.

Designer: Don Cammorata

Imagine having a fitbit in your ear

Posted: 17 Jan 2018 04:00 PM PST

CES brings out the best in us all, and when I say that, I mean it showcases products that could probably make us better individuals. Take Soul Electronics, for example, debuting two in-ear headphones (the Run Free Pro-Bio and Blade) at CES with built-in gait analysis specifically for runners. Soul Electronics boasts having built-in sensors and a kickass accompanying app that can you tell you, while you’re running if your strides/form is off and how to correct it.

Being a long distance runner myself, these nifty headphones could have prevented a long list of injuries. Tracking a mixture of data sets such as; cadence, step length, step width, vertical oscillation (the up and down bounce of your body), head tilt angle, stance/flight time, shock, maximum leg force, balance, and consistency – the Run Free Pro-Bio and Blade have the potential to be a real game changer. And of course, it goes without saying that these guys are sweatproof given their application.

Designer: Soul Electronics

Bringing Lego logic to computer games

Posted: 17 Jan 2018 02:00 PM PST

How do you cater to a gamer who wants to build Minecraft worlds one day and then the next day, race in an F1 car, and then the third day, explore the open world of Skyrim? Modularity. Sushant Vohra developed the EXEO series of plug-together-and-play gaming controllers last year and now the EXEO 2.0 refines that concept. Retaining the three pillars of controller design, the Velox, Brutus, and Terra, Sushant decided to refine them, visually and ergonomically, sticking to the core design, but making each product slightly slimmer, and with more character. They still snap together, allowing you to build more complex controllers from rifles, to bazookas, to steering wheels or hockey sticks.

It’s nice to see Sushant develop his vision into something so concrete. That’s how Phonebloks gained traction and became Google’s famed Project Ara. Will we see EXEO change the way we play games? I sincerely hope so! Imagine building your own weapons and gear (customized according to the nature of your game) and playing with them in VR! The possibilities and opportunities seem truly endless!

Designer: Sushant Vohra