Designer Mike Skene has taken the ordinary old doorbell and pimped it to a new level. Taking initial inspiration from percussion, the action of striking of one body against another and a persons ability to interact with their surroundings through their sense of touch, “Doorbell” is an original take on a well known device providing a unique, evocative user experience that is sure to bring a smile to your face when heard for the first time.
Designer: Mike Skene
First of all, this post is marijuana free, so all you stoners get out while you can still walk. Or stay! These ten grassy concepts might strike your fancy! Everyone else: if you live in any of several neighborhood-based communities in the world, you deal with grass. You deal with grass between 0 and 12 months out of the year, if you’re in the right zone (or just don’t water enough!) Let Yanko take you on a journey between the blades.
Grass ahoy!
Designer: Sod-Ridden Minds of Yanko
A roof over your head is probably the most important necessity of life; poverty should not be the reason that you get deprived of it. This sentiment is well understood by Jennifer Margell, which is why she has designed affordable homes for slums of Nairobi that are made from recycled materials. Called Makao (Swahili for home), each house can be customized and configured according to individual needs. The roofs of the homes collect and filter gray water; the roof panels also open to release heat.
Designer: Jennifer Margell
Tired of your skateboard and rollerblades and fishing for some new way to pump your adrenalin? Stepboard is here to answer that call, and it does so in a very “safe” way; without the risks of the bone-crushing sport! Two boards on a frame that advance by pumping the back board down with one foot and making it turn using the front board as an axis. To stop you can use the disc-brake system, gesture-controlled by a hand command just as if it was a mountain-board. The flip-side is that it’s not a speed-monster and it doesn’t boast precise maneuverability.
Designer: Nicolás Chacana
Agreed that Moscow is more famous for The Trinity, Red Square and Kremlin but you can’t ignore the beautiful Moskva River that flows through the city. Andrew Bedov wants to ensure that you don’t forget it, by constructing the enchanting Auqlis Pier. It promises to be the hub of connectivity, with water buses plying commuters upstream and down, with infrastructure akin to subways and metros. The waterbus station is planned in such a way, that it allows the commuters to enjoy the natural beauty of the river, while waiting for their ride.
Designer: Andrew Bedov
Hotel irons generally suck unless you’re staying in some 4-5 star palace, so weary travelers usually bring their own irons. They’re becoming smaller, thinner, and lighter but the simply and aptly named Portable Iron unfolds from a slim boxed inclosure by rail mechanism. It don’t get more portable than this. The double heating plates are spring loaded between them perfect to slip collars and cuffs into. It’s battery powered for true mobility too. Now argue amongst yourselves about the feasibility of this concept.
Designer: Apostol Tnokovski
Thrill seekers pack your bags because come this summer, a new roller coaster opens for your g-force fetishes. The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit in Universal Orlando, Florida pulls a bunch of firsts like the world’s largest non-inverted loop and musically inspired maneuvers like the “Treble Clef” which you guessed it; is in the shape of the musical nomenclature.
Designers: Louis Alfieri, Maurer Söhen
The two things that I see common regarding perception of futuristic technology is that products are going to be compact and well integrated. Take for example this futuristic dining table, its designed with all the modern convenience integrated within its belly. Once you sit down, you needn’t get up to make a toast or fetch the coffee, get an apple from the fridge or even wash your dishes. It’s all integrated into the table.
Designer: Petr Kubik
Tired of pedaling around Seattle and San Francisco due to the topography; no worries when you have designers like Brian considering the options for us. The Cykle is a project modeled on the Bike Share systems that is popular around Europe, and it combines both muscle power and electric power to function. Steep slopes and rugged terrain can be tackled by switching over to the electric mode, and scenic by-lanes can be enjoyed by pedaling around.
Designer: Brian Mcallister
Mouthful! Believe it! These cookies were designed by returning Yanko champions at Art Lebedev Studio for the Russian Ministry of Transport. In Russia where bus, train, and trolley tickets run rampant, superstition also flows freely. The Russian ticket trick is the following: when the first three digits added up equal the last three digits, the holder should eat the ticket for good luck! Design has made this luck devouring much less ink-intensive. Yummy lucky cookies!
Designer: Art Lebedev Studio
I forgive you for mistaking this as an art instillation, but I guess that was the whole point behind designing the amazing Yggdrasil Electric Pole. Svenska Kraftnät (the folks who run the Swedish national electrical grid) approved of this design and the poles will be placed as a portal on either side of an entry high way to Stockholm, Sweden. So if you’re making a road trip to Sweden in the year 2010-11, expect to these dynamic poles greet you at the fringe of the cityscape. BTW Yggdrasil refers to the holy world tree in Norse Mythology.
Designer: No Picnic
What is the pro tip I sometimes teach? Combos. At Yanko we have people from Los Angeles, Minnesota, Australia, Mumbai, Tokyo, and more! So you know we’re all about the globalization combos. This particular table “1 to 4″ by Australian born Chicago resident Leon Fitzpatrick makes use of Nordic elements and Japanese design style. Who wouldn’t want to sit at a table with the Japanese low-set proportion and the Nordic material balance? It is just… it’s just globalizationriffic!
Designer: Leon Fitzpatrick
Explore the best of YD. Our Archives are full of wonderful concepts from all over the world. Go ahead, don't be shy!
Growing up in a typical Indian household meant imbibing certain rituals, like learning a musical instrument. Girls were encouraged to learn the Harmonium or the Sitar and the boys took up Tabla. Un/fortunately I wasn’t traditional and learnt the flute, bugle and trumpet instead. My brothers took up the saxophone and the drums; we used to often joke that we could start a home band! If you’ve not tried playing a musical instrument, then I feel you’ve missed something in life. Come, let me charm you with 10 ideas that will encourage you to hit a note!
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