Link About It: This Week’s Picks

Gamified beer, wearable tech bandages, a unique concept home and more

25 May 2019

Rendered Versions of Lost Frank Lloyd Wright Designs

Spanish architect David Romero turned to 3D-rendering software to finish some of the 600+ documented ideas Frank Lloyd Wright left behind. While many of his projects reached the ideation stage during his lifetime, the ones left unbuilt are just as remarkable—even though most of them are simply aerial drawings. Taking into account the surrounding scapes of the once-potential projects, Romero “builds” these designs from street-view up. A true feat of modern technology, all of the renderings are indistinguishable from real-life photographs. Head over to CityLab to see shots of the Gordon Strong Automobile Objective, Butterfly Wing Bridge, Roy Wetmore Car Repair and Showroom and more.

Dezeen’s Highlights From Clerkenwell Design Week 2019

London’s Clerkenwell Design Week once again draws excellent furniture from established and emerging studios alike. Parsing through the offerings can be difficult, as they’re tucked into pre-existing studios or hidden in one-off pop-ups. For anyone interested in the event (which ran 21-23 May), Dezeen put together a list of five highlights. From a sculptural table by EOOS to a modular grid system, the selections here could seamlessly integrate into any home—there’s nothing outrageous or overly conceptual, but that, in its own right, is refreshing. Read more at Dezeen.

Electrodermis: Bandage-like Wearable Tech

Wireless, stretchable and customizable, Electrodermis is a new type of wearable tech poised to replace the more permanent implants and gadgets that companies have been conceptualizing. The project—helmed by Morphing Matters and Soft Machines labs—is a temporary bodily adornment that allows the wearer full computational capability, whether that be health- and fitness-tracking, information storage or simply as an interactive bandage. Its layered construction—fabric over TPU film, copper trace, z-tape, electrical components and skin adhesive, in that order—affords the wearer full mobility and a wealth of interchangeable formats and colors. See more at designboom.

The Third Generation of Google’s Glass Eyewear

Primarily aimed at tech-oriented businesses, the newest iteration of Google’s Glass eyewear—the Glass Enterprise Edition 2—runs on Android, is faster, more powerful and has a longer battery life. Further, developers can create “Glass-friendly” apps that run more seamlessly on the wearable and owners can use a USB-C port to charge more quickly. Most pertinent for those working in warehouses or factories, the Enterprise Edition 2 can be outfitted with safety features that allow them to replace standard issue protective glasses. Read more at Engadget.

Amey Kandalgaonkar’s Boulder Home Concept

Shanghai-based architectural designer Amey Kandalgaonkar’s conceptual renderings for a modernist home inside of a giant boulder draw inspiration from Saudi Arabia’s Mada’in Saleh necropolis. Concrete walls and floors jut from the large rock, with a hollowed inside, and lots of open-air space grant natural light. Perhaps most charming, a series of terraces and a swimming pool grace the top of the rock. Read more, and see more photos, at MSN.

SingleCut Beer Launches in Japan With Gamified Cans

Celebrating US songs that were popular in Japan and SingleCut’s launch in Tokyo, the brand’s new tropical and dense IPA (aptly named “Big In Japan”) features four different can variations—all with their own cartoonish QR code. The codes are comprised of motifs that act as hints to a song title and, when they’re scanned, they prompt Spotify to open and play the track—ultimately revealing whether or not your guess was correct. The release is a milestone for the Astoria-based brewery: it’s their first export to Japan and because it’s a significant innovation in can design. While QR codes certainly are not new, these Zulu Alpha Kilo-designed iterations are a delight to dig into. See more at their website.