Design Favorites - July 2022
We are big design fanatics over here at Loomia, so we thought, “Why not release our design favorites every month?” Here are our top 10 favorites for the month of July (in no particular order).
1. Bot Lifejacket
Image: Dezeen
Designed by a graduate student at Northumbria University, the Bot Lifejacket utilizes plastic bottles as a flotation device, preventing drowning in low-income areas that are more prone to flooding. After Ewan Morell read that over 19,000 children drown annually in Bangladesh, he decided to create a lifejacket that can be filled with empty plastic bottles. Morrell hopes to get large fast fashion manufacturers who have factories in the area on board and have them distribute the life jackets on a charitable basis. Companies such as Primark are already interested, and we could see the innovation roll out in the coming years. We love a life-saving invention!
2. Concept Car
Image: Asahi Kasei
Asahi Kasei recently released a next generation concept car, AKXY2™. The concept car is equipped with value-adding technologies, including our Loomia Electronic Layer (LEL), that highlight how Asahi Kasei is contributing to present and future mobility. The AKXY2™ concept car features materials and solutions that touch the senses, improve passenger safety, and ensure the highest functionality while reducing its environmental impact. This is a particularly exciting project, as it marks the beginning of more sustainable transportation design.
3. Modular Emergency Vehicles
Image: Dezeen
Designer Mike George created a proposal for an autonomous fleet of modular emergency vehicles, and won third place in Dezeen’s Future of Mobility competition. These vehicles can be used when hospitals reach over capacity, and they can help the healthcare system grow and adapt to increasing need. This is especially vital now, given the current public health emergencies. Each vehicle features built-in solar panels, and the option of wind-powered generators. The hope is that these vehicles will ease the pressure on the system, and prioritize emergency aid and disaster relief. We can’t wait to see where this idea goes!
4. Mt. Week Clock
Image: Yanko Design
Mt. Week is a digital clock designed by Kim Minsu, and it presents a week's journey with a mountain-shaped object. The sphere climbs the mountain during the week and descends slowly during the weekend. The cool factor with this invention is real, and we want one on every one of our desktops at Loomia HQ!
5. Spaghetti Dispenser
Image: Yohan Lansard
This one is a bit random and fun, but we love the “Caliber Box” by Yohan Lansard. This is the perfect cylindrical container for storing spaghetti and helps you control just how much you are eating. Sometimes, you don’t want the whole box, and this container helps you get the correct portion every time. While this is only a concept as of now, we are sure to buy one once it’s available on the market. So useful and handy!
6. Work From Home Keyboard
Image: Victoria Chiang
Now that most of us are working remotely from home, we are looking for new gadgets to help us maximize our spaces. The Work From Home Keyboard from Acollective Studio is a compact keyboard that features a collapsing speaker, microphone, and a screen pad that features visual cues for audio input and output. When switching to a headset or earbuds, the screen pad becomes flush again with the keyboard. Additionally, a light indicates when a user is unmuted to alert users of meeting status. Not only is this keyboard visually appealing, but it is insanely functional.
7. Evolve Chair
Image: Tom Robinson
We are big fans of Tom Robinson’s work, and his Evolve chair is no exception. This chair is made packs flat and is made from 100% discarded consumer electronics. The electronics are broken down into pellet form and then fused into plastic sheets, where they are then turned into furniture components—all while producing zero carbon emissions! Ergonomic and minimal, this is THE chair of the future.
8. Cool Offices
Image: Design Milk
While we may be engineers at heart, we do love a good interior design job. The folks over at Studio 11 make some of our favorite offices, and we could only hope to one day have the headquarters of our dreams designed by them! Shown above is one of our favorite offices done for their client, Appodeal.
9. Solar Bench
Image: Arman Design
Arman Design created a Smart Solar Bench, and we are obsessed with this design that marries simplicity with sustainability! The bench includes charging ports, a wireless charger dock, and the size fits within any urban center or city space—all powered by solar!
10. Carryfix
Image: Formeta
Formeta’s first in-house product, Carryfix, is essential for errands and travel. Carryfix is a handle that collects all the bags in one place, and makes you feel like you are using a single handle. This handle can be attached to any handle with its special snap system. This product is currently only available in Turkey, but will be available to the US and EU markets soon.