Following his teeny housing concept built on the back of a rickshaw, designer arun prabhu n g returns with what he’s calling the world’s tiniest tea stall ever made. CHAIGAADI measures just 1.5 sqft and it packs all the amenities of a café into a portable box that folds out. the project was created by the BILLBOARDS® collective, the studio founded by arun, for hyderabad-based café chain, CHAI KAHANI.
Tag Archives: Design
Design: Italy Approves New Retractable Arena Floor For Colosseum In Rome
The Italian government has approved plans designed by engineering firm Milan Ingegneria to create a remote-controlled, retractable floor within the Colosseum amphitheatre in Rome.
The design competition for the new Colosseum arena floor, launched at the end of 2020, originated in 2014 with an idea by the archaeologist Daniele Manacorda and was included in the Strategic Plan for Great Cultural Projects in 2015.
The design envisages bringing to life the integral components of the largest amphitheater in the ancient world which is estimated to have held up to 87.000 spectators. The indoor arena measures 86 × 54 m with an area of 3.357 sqm. The new platform is to be placed at the height it had at the time of the Flavians and takes up the layout of the original plan. The beams will rest on the existing walls, with no mechanical anchors or any invasive impact, and will be completely reversible. Having the new floor will allow us to fully understanding its original uses and functions, while the technological solutions will guide visitors in discovering the complex organizational and scenic machine that governed the shows in Roman times.
Read more on Dezeen: https://www.dezeen.com/?p=1644269
Design: Top 10 Innovative Pickup Truck Bed Campers
When it comes to mobility, versatility, and drivability – you really can’t go wrong with a truck bed camper. There’s no need to buy an additional RV or caravan. Your truck can convert to a mobile home and back again – with the benefit of only paying one registration fee! Here are the 10 best you’ll find in North America.
Mountain Views: ‘Chalet On Powder Mountain’ In Northern Utah (Video)
Chalet on Powder Mountain
This chalet is located just slightly north of the top of a gentle slope that stretches from north to south in the natural park in Powder Mountain, Utah, USA. It sits at the northern end of a cluster of chalets spread out to the south, and one can enjoy the view to the south from the second floor. It is a great place to access both the town and the ski resort, and enjoy the magnificent view to the north.
After skiing, they would step off the ski slope and approach the chalet from the south side of the site to take a break. They would go into the mud room, take off ski clothes and skis, hang them there to dry, take a shower on the same floor, change in on of the bedrooms, and go upstairs. The upper floor where one can enjoy the magnificent view on the north side has a spacious balcony resulted from the setback regulation, kitchen, dining room, and living room where they would enjoy the view, delicious food and drinks, light the fire and have a good time together after a long day of skiing. Since the building is located in a natural park, it is subject to very strict building regulations and the buildable area is small. This extremely compact building is designed to take up the maximum allowable volume. The compact size is perfect for experiencing the grandeur of nature, giving you a sense of being nestled in it.
Structurally, the lower floor is constructed with steel frames to maintain an appropriate distance between the slope and the building, and a highly insulated wooden structure is placed on top of the steel frames to protect the indoor environment. The expression of the wooden materials harmonizes and integrates with the surrounding land and stones in summer, and evokes the warmth of home against the white snow in winter.
Title: Chalet on Powder Mountain
Architect: Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects
Project team: Matthieu Darcourt, Ou Ueno
Collaboration: Lloyd Architects(AOR)
Location: Utah, USA
Home Tours: A Tribeca, New York City Penthouse With Top Design Architect
We’re in Tribeca at another distinct addition to the New York City skyline – the one that has come to be known a the Jenga building – for obvious reasons. We’re inside one of the penthouses with architect Denis Schofield who created a warm yet unique home against the backdrop of some of the best views of the city you’ll ever see.
Classic French Cars: ‘1969 Renault 4L Plein Air’
Feel the freedom. the 1969 Renault 4 Plein Air, a roofless, doorless car for a liberating driving experience happy 60th anniversary to Renault 4.
The Plein Air was introduced in the spring of 1968. Plein Airs were converted by Renault group company Sinpar S.A. from regular 4 speed R1123’s produced by Renault. A R1123 selected for conversion entered Sinpar’s premises as a complete R4 Berline to undergo a complete make-over and leave without doors and roof to be delivered to clients who had ordered their Plein Air from one of Renault’s dealers worl-wide. Plein Airs were actually sold and delivered into France, Canada, United States, Mexico, Finland, Germany, UK and the Netherlands. In 1968 approx. 20 Plein Airs were exported to Canada to be used on the site of the 1968 Terre des Hommes World Exhibition in Montreal. Approximately 500 Plein Airs were produced by Sinpar until 1971, when it was succeeded by the R4 ACL Rodeo. After 1971 Renault continued to offer Plein Air conversion kits for self-made plein airs, but little is known about their number.
Design: Top 10 Electric Cars For 2021-2022 (Video)
It is hard to predict what the electric automotive future holds for us, but we say can one thing for sure: never again will the car designs be boring. To prove this statement, today we will cover the latest EV news and showcase the most prominent newcomers that not only have revolutionary propulsion systems, but also radical inside-out looks.
Design: ‘Airo’ Concept Electric Car From Heatherwick Studio
Heatherwick Studio’s concept electric car, Airo, launched at the Shanghai Motor Show today 19th April 2021. Designed for IM Motors, Airo is a fully electric vehicle with autonomous and driver-controlled modes. It will run on electric power, producing no fossil fuel pollutants as it moves around the city.
But the car goes further in its environmental ambition as it’s also equipped with a state-of-the-art HEPA filtering system that actively cleans the air from the pollution of other vehicles as it passes through the under-carriage, leaving the air around it cleaner.
Inside, the car’s customisable interior can be configured into multiple functional spaces that turn the car into a moving room or a space for your life. With so much attention to detail and choice of materials, this is clearly a space to spend time in even when you’re not on a journey. The seats rotate from a traditional forward-facing driving position to face each other for social activities such as dining on the four-leaf table which neatly folds away to transform the space into a lounge. A foldaway screen turns the interior into a perfect gaming-pod and when you’ve exhausted yourself, the beautifully contoured seats fully recline to form a spacious double bed.
Using the latest technology in glass, the fully glazed roof becomes opaque on command for total privacy. Alongside the car, the studio has also designed a charging station for IM Motors that will become part of the infrastructure of the city. Formed from industrial materials including weathered steel, the charging station aims to become part of the urban fabric for decades to come. It has a retractable wire and an ergonomic handle for easy connection to electric vehicles.
Thomas Heatherwick, Founder of Heatherwick Studio said: “Airo isn’t simply another electric car that doesn’t pollute the air. Instead, using the latest HEPA filter technology, it goes further by also vacuuming-up pollutants from other cars as it drives along. Designed to simultaneously address the global space shortage, Airo is also a multi-functional room with extra space for dining, working, gaming or even sleeping. As a new room for our lives, with a changing view, Airo is a car intended to transport us to a cleaner and better future.”
The concept for IM Motors Airo designed by Heatherwick Studio was launched today and the car is expected to go into production in 2023.
Previews: ‘The Monocle Book Of Italy’ (Video)
Allow us to introduce you to our new publication, The Monocle Book of Italy. Our latest title celebrates the much-loved Mediterranean nation through fantastic photography, witty illustrations and plenty of insightful writing. Join us for a colourful tour.
Design: A Tour Of Top Artisans In Portugal
We unearth the country’s burgeoning design industry. From a ceramics studio in Lisbon to a nautical-inspired clothing brand in Porto, we meet the creatives putting the country on the map.
A walking tour
Gaia Lutz meets woodworker Ricardo Jerónimo of Rival at his Lisbon workshop, and the duo behind ceramic studio Sedimento. Plus: furniture-maker Miguel Saboya.
Hugo Passos
The designer reflects on how attitudes in manufacturing have shifted now that many international companies produce goods in Portugal.
La Paz
We catch up with Jose Miguel de Abreu, co-founder of Porto’s nautical-inspired fashion brand La Paz, to discuss the benefits of basing his business in the city.
Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance
The founder of design studio Made In Situ discusses recent projects and how he is inspired by the landscape and the artisans he collaborates with.



