More than 180 Photographs Chronicle Brutalist Suburbs and Public Buildings in ‘Eastern Blocks II’

In the second half of the 20th century, “brutalism and the shall-we-call-it ‘marketplace modernism’…when it appeared in the East, was always about spectacle,” Zupagrafika founders David Navarro and Martyna Sobecka say in a blog post about Eastern Bloc suburbia.

Brutalist housing estates and public buildings of the post-war Soviet era were built on a massive scale, often from concrete and prefabricated panels, to accommodate growing populations and to demonstrate power, socialist values, and modernity. Sometimes blocked in color or complemented by murals, these hulking structures largely emphasized monolithic forms, an unmissable PR message about communist ideology.

Brutalism is a study in contrasts—heaviness...

Watch the third session of DesignMarch’s talks on fashion and multi-sensory storytelling

Dezeen has teamed up with DesignMarch to livestream a day of talks focusing on materiality and sources for inspiration in the creative industry. Watch the concluding session here from 4:20pm UK time.

DesignTalks is a programme of live talks that take place at the Henning Larsen Architects-designed Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre in Reykjavík, Iceland.

The final session explores creative processes in the fashion industry with examples from experiences in influential fashion houses and brands, featuring Italian creative director Ferdinando Verderi.

Other topics to be explored in the discussions include exploration...

UI Experimentation: A Keyboard That Doubles as a Massive Trackpad

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/clevetura/clvx-1-for-mac-gesture-keyboard/widget/video.html

As a product of the 20th century, I prefer physical buttons to touch-capacitive surfaces. But I appear to be in the minority; gadget manufacturers today love fitting their objects out with the latter. This CLVX 1 keyboard, by Belarusian manufacturer Clevetura, is a strange hybrid. It's a full-size keyboard with actual scissor-switch keys that, collectively, serve as a swipeable touchpad.

The big question is, why? The company claims, as all tech manufacturers love to, increased productivity. "Seamless switching between typing and gestures speeds up your workflow like never before," they assert.

Core77

Posted at 2025-04-02 14:00:00 | Art_and_design | read on

Twin sideboard by Dordoni Studio for Porro

Dezeen Showroom: Dordoni Studio referenced constructivist geometry when designing this angular, mirrored sideboard for Italian brand Porro.

The Twin sideboard features overlapping, elongated linear elements that intersect with mirrored planes, creating a bold sculptural object.

Porro describes it as "a minimalist statement that merges abstraction and gesture" and says it was born from an interpretation of constructivist approaches, which rejects decoration and prized geometric shapes.

"Its aesthetic purity arises from the intersection and interpenetration of two volumes, distinct yet harmoniously connected, creating ever-changing perspectives, further enhanced by the use of mirror," said Porro.

Porro and...

Watch the second session of DesignMarch's talks exploring lava as a building material

Dezeen has teamed up with DesignMarch to livestream a day of talks focusing on materiality and sources for inspiration in the creative industry. Watch the second session here from 2:15pm UK time.

DesignTalks is a programme of live talks that take place at the Henning Larsen Architects-designed Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre in Reykjavík, Iceland.

The second session will examine how architects could use lava as a building material. The talk will also feature theoretical notes on materiality in the contemporary world, and the relationship people have towards it.

Panellists will...

Traditional Illustrations in 2024

These illustrations are drawn in black and white with traditional tools: mapping pen and comic ink and comic white ( additionally, screen toons ). Several detailed parts are picked up with explaining descriptions. Nevertheless the works are comic/manga basis, I could submit all the works to traditional art exhibitions for this autumn season (2024) organized by cities. With a taste of fantasy, each work is filled with respects for comic basis arts, I believe.

An Ergonomic Scoop that Dispenses Ice Cream in Cylinders

Fun fact: In the early- to mid-20th century, American drug stores and pharmacies used to have counters with soda fountains where they sold both fizzy drinks and freshly-scooped ice cream.

What do those things have to do with medicine? There are two conventional explanations: One is that carbonated beverages were thought to have medicinal properties and promoted proper digestion. The second is that pharmacists could apply their knowledge of chemistry to concocting palatable sodas.

But the true motivation for drug stores selling soda and ice cream, as with most things in the modern world, is more...

Mocha Mousse the Color of 2025

Every year, the prestigious Pantone Color Institute unveils the hue that will ignite design, decor, and creativity in 2025. This year’s star is Mocha Mousse, a sophisticated blend of brown and terracotta hues that exudes harmony and a deep connection with nature. It’s the perfect choice for contemporary spaces that radiate intimacy and elegance. Mocha [...]

Diébédo Francis Kéré embraces "aesthetic traditions of African cultures" for Swiss chalet

A spa with a bamboo ceiling features in this private residence envisioned by creative director Nachson Mimran in collaboration with Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning architect Diébédo Francis Kéré.

Located in Gstaad, Switzerland, the residential complex by the duo aims to bridge connections between Africa and the rest of the world – integrating detailed crafts that draw closely on both Swiss and African design motifs.

Aiming to create a unique home for the owner, Mimran and Kéré collaborated with Swiss architect Chaletbau Matti and interior design studio Muza Lab alongside dozens of artists, architects and designers to fill the home with statement pieces.

BIG to top Hungarian Natural History Museum with overlapping green roofs

Danish studio BIG has revealed designs for the Hungarian Natural History Museum, which will comprise a series of "intersecting ribbons of landscape" designed to blend into its forested site in Debrecen.

Set to encompass 23,000-square-metres within the Hungarian city's Great Forest, the museum will serve as a public and scientific destination housing exhibition space and educational facilities alongside public amenities.

Designed by BIG in collaboration with Vikár és Lukács Építész Stúdió, Museum Studio and TYPSA, the museum will replace the institution's existing site in Budapest.

The initiative forms part of the government's vision to...