Distributing Natural Light with Lucy

Solenica's portable intelligent mirror follows the sun and reflects light to where you need it

Norway might be using giant mirrors to bring sunlight into a town sandwiched by mountains, but how can urban apartment owners in dungeon-like situations harness that kind of heliostat technology? Lucy, from San Diego-based Italian start-up Solenica, is one solution for bringing more sunshine into our lives. Founded by Cambridge University graduate Diva Tommei (who knows her stuff—she has a PhD in molecular and computational …

Mariana Fernandes for Dear DTLA at Ace, Los Angeles

The hotel partners with WeTransfer to display artwork high above the street and on computers screens

When LA-based artist Brian Roettinger was tasked to create a billboard design at Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, the result sent a bold message. His “NEVER ODD NOR EVEN” design, with a white angled font on a bright red background, hung powerful and high over the street, off of one side of the hotel for the entire month of July. This collaboration between file-sharing …

The Five Design Houses Behind Iconic Italian Cars

Italian automotive design owes its prestigious legacy to five main design houses: Pininfarina, Zagato, Bertone, Italdesign Giugiaro and Carrozzeria Ghia. It’s because of these five firms that Italian cars have become synonymous with speed, luxury and quality—and, while the hood ornaments may not show it, many Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, and Fiats owe their existence to them. For those not familiar with the history behind these …