Standalone music players are slowly vanishing due to smartphones and tablets, but Sleevenote aims to bring hi-definition, full fidelity album artwork to digital music. It enables the listener to fully appreciate and engage with an album’s sleeve and visuals. The artwork is presented using the entire display, creating focused experience for the albums you love. A retina-standard touchscreen brings the colors to life, while dedicated playback buttons up top keep the display uncluttered. Read more for a video and more information.
Many people were stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, but one Disneyland fan from Napa, California, decided to make the best of it. Since most theme parks have not yet reopened, graduate student Sean LaRochelle decided to create a miniature version of the Matterhorn roller coaster in his backyard, complete with a yeti. The two-story coaster project began at the end of March, and was finished in July. Read more for two videos and additional information.
Belgium-based Gablok took inspiration from LEGO bricks and came up with an innovative house kit, which includes insulated wooden bricks, beams, lintels, as well as a customized floor system. Simply put, it has nearly all you need to construct an entire home. The company was established by Gabriel Lakatos back in 2018, when he patented a wooden home kit intending to simplify the construction process and to give a homeowners a simple way to build a home, similar to a LEGO set. Read more for two videos and additional information.
Photo credit: Noiz Architects
Noiz Architects have proposed a futuristic “Spaceport Japan” that could be a hub for the first space tourists, whether it be Virgin Galactic or SpaceX. The main structure boasts a solar panel layer covering patios, open-air gardens, and farmlands, while also providing covered public space for guests. There will be two control towers handling the departures and arrivals, ensuring that standard aircraft will be able to recognize the structure from afar in case of emergency. Read more for additional pictures.
PLP Architecture breaks away from traditional elevator designs for their SkyPod project. How so? This innovative elevator travels outside of buildings and the cars can twist, turn and maneuver in any direction required. It does this by running on a track embedded onto the building’s façade. Riders won’t be flipping all over the place because the system runs like a gyroscope in which it is fully stabilized and always horizontal, while the track section is what rotates. Read more for a video and additional information.
At $5.2-millino, Spitbank Fort is essentially a man-made island built in the water surrounding the Isle of Wight by the British military during the 1860s and ‘70s, used mainly as a defense outpost. Since being decommissioned, it’s been used as a museum, nightclub and boutique hotel. Now, this luxury home could be yours, thanks to entrepreneur Mike Clare who purchased it back in 2009. An extensive renovation was completed, complete with several bedrooms, two kitchens, a dining room for sixty people, sauna, training center, and more. Read more for a video tour, additional pictures and information.
GSD Group partnered with world famous architecture firm Gensler to unveil their video game-inspired Atari Hotels with the first two hotels opening in Las Vegas. These resorts will blend the past, present, and future of video games as well as entertainment for a destination that offers guests a one-of-a-kind hospitality experience. Guests can enjoy the latest video games, immersive entertainment, browse exclusive Atari Hotels merchandise, and coolest of all, play in retro-style gaming arcades. Read more for a video news report, additional pictures and information.
Created by Italian architect Fabio Vinella in collaboration with furniture company Hi-Interiors, the HiBed is a smart bed unlike any other that you’ve seen. Not only does it come equipped with a 4K projector and 70-inch theater screen, but also an integrated sound system as well as invisible speakers. For added convenience, there’s dimmable lighting, an adjustable base, motorized blackout curtains, voice control and the most important part, a functional WiFi connection. Read more for a video, additional pictures and information.
Pizza Hut partnered with Ogilvy to launch a limited-edition pizza box that doubles as a functional foosball table. It was created to celebrate the start of the Europa League on October 22nd, and as you might have already guessed, most people will not be able to get their hands on these, since just five of them are available. To get your chance at winning one, you’ll have to download the Pizza Hut app, join the 12th Player Club, and then leave a comment on the company’s Facebook page. Read more for additional pictures and information.
Photo credit: Daniel Gombo via Car Scoops
What’s so special about Pininfarina? Well, for those who aren’t auto enthusiasts, they are basically an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder that have designed vehicles for Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Fiat, GM, Lancia, Maserati as well as for emerging companies in the Asian market with Chinese manufactures like AviChina, Chery, Changfeng, Brilliance, JAC and VinFast. They’ve also designed some of the most beautiful high-speed trains, buses, trams, rolling stocks, automated light rail cars, people movers, yachts, airplanes, and private jets. Read more for additional pictures of what a Pininfarina eSUV could look like.