Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

The Privoro Privacy Guard is a literal Faraday Cage for your iPhone. While everyone loves what phones are now capable of, history has proved numerous examples that the phone can constantly collect data and create a profile on you. Mark Zuckerberg tapes up his computer’s webcam up for a reason.

Privoro’s Privacy Guard is a rather bulky case that traps your iPhone in limbo, blocking its cameras, ports, masking its microphones, and even preventing remote RF tracking and location tracking. It comes with a hood that opens and closes, allowing you to toggle between security modes. The case therefore offers two-pronged protection by “protecting” the phone from physical harm, like any case would, but also protecting you, the user, from being spied upon by rogue hackers or even the government. Oh yes, and it also gives your iPhone a rather Vertu-esque aesthetic.

Designer: Privoro

Inspired by Gretta James from the musical comedy/drama Begin Again, PDF HAUS has designed this digital musical instrument that makes it possible to make music magic on the go! Compact and minimalistic, it’s ultra-portable and perfectly sized to throw in a bag or backpack.

It combines the familiarity of a classic guitar with the flexibility of a digital musical instrument. The user can play by connecting to the external music player, improve performance with various effects, or plug in headphones for quiet rehearsing. Use the dedicated smartphone app to make music on a whim anywhere from the studio to the subway.

Designers: Yunji Lee & PDF HAUS

Just like its name reads, the Uneek range of footwear by Keen is unique and incredible for a number of reasons. Not only is it unique in its aesthetics, its construction is incredibly one-of-a-kind too, even from a designer’s point of view!

The Uneek is a pair of sandals that is almost entirely made from cord. Rather than die-cutting shapes from pieces of leather/PU Foam, or injection molding an elastomer (Crocs), the Uneek is woven from a spool of cords by a rather talented set of robotic arms. Here’s why that’s so great.

The cord-based sandal firstly explores using robots (named the Uneekbots) for doing intricate and repetitive tasks (something humans aren’t good at). This A. sets a standard of quality that robots can match up to pretty easily, and B. makes it near impossible for humans to copy/counterfeit at the same speed or price. Keen’s sandals are unique and you won’t find cheap knock-offs because humans labor is expensive and doesn’t match a robot’s accuracy. Each sandal can also be manufactured in a dizzyingly rapid production time of 6 minutes! The closest a human’s gotten to matching that time is 12 minutes.

The sandals are woven from a tough cord whose woven design provides air-gaps, making the footwear breathable, besides cords are much more resistant to breaking/tearing, making the Uneek a long-lasting pair of sandals. The robots work with up to 4 spools of cord that can easily be mixed and matched for new designs. The cord-based construction also results in dramatically lesser wastage, making the Uneek not just a great example of stellar footwear design, but also of design for a sustainable environment!

Designer: Keen

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When you anticipate seeing a Lamborghini you expect the extreme and the Apis is no let-down. Named after the most highly regarded bull deity of ancient Egypt, the Apis stands out from other models with a distinct dual-cockpit design that gives driver and passenger entirely unique riding experiences and the aesthetic a two-headed twist. This detail makes way for an extra large central scoop for air cooling the rear mounted engine. The nose and impossibly low profile are pretty standard for Lambo, but the rear features a tiered tail with lateral fins for diffusing pressure. The resulting windswept look is strange, sure, but not entirely unrealistic for a Lambo.

Designer: Fernando Pastre Fertonani

I’m not a big fan of fake plants, but I’ll let this illuminated one slide! The right lighting and floral arrangements can put the finishing touches on an elegant dining spread. Why not combine them into one? That’s the idea behind the Clizia tabletop bouquet. During the day, it’s a soft sculpture. At night, it’s enchanting illumination. Through its “leaves”, light is gently diffused to bring alluring ambience to any table, event or living space.

Designer: Adriano Rachele for Slamp