Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

After months spent meticulously adjusting technical parameters, testing and selecting materials, the X-Series workstation was brought to life. It carries a form that is inspired by cybernetics and science fiction, this is a truly visually exciting and modular place to work.

As well as having a highly ergonomic working position for when the user is sat down, it also offers the option of being a standing workstation in order to reduce the burden on the spine from a long stay in one position. Svyatoslav Zbroy, X Series’ designer, recognized that we all love a tidy and uniform desk, so integrated into the design is an electrification system that is hidden on the underside of the table to ensure efficient cable management.

The geometric, utilitarian and aggressive aesthetic creates a bold statement and makes this workstation a truly great feature in any room.

Designer: Svyatoslav Zbroy

A kitchen is more than likely the room in the house that you most want to be hygienic, after all, its where you handle, cook and consume food. The designer of CEILI AIR recognized this and have designed a product which increases the quality of the air in the upper part of the room.

It was important to the designer that the form of CEILI AIR matched the atmosphere of the kitchen and avoided the industrial form that some more conventional air purifiers can carry. To assist with this, it is suspended from the ceiling on a thin, metal line, this allows the height of it to be easily adjusted to suit its environment.

Integrated seamlessly into the body is light which can be is operated with just a touch. Perforations on both the left and right side of the device act as air inlets, the purified air then exits out of the front and rear sections. This would surely be a welcomed addition to any kitchen!

Designer: Changho Lee

Sitting on the Cocoon is a strangely comforting yet new experience. It looks a little revolutionary, no doubt… but sitting on it gives you an experience that’s difficult to actualize in words. Rest your body against it, and it feels like a hammock, with its woven fabric. However, it doesn’t consume you, like a hammock would. Lie down in a hammock, and the fabric gives in to the shape of your body… lie in the Cocoon, and it feels like you’ve still got some lumbar support. It feels more like a recliner than a hammock. And then there’s experience number three. Designed with a curved frame, the Cocoon swings to and fro, unlike a hammock that swings side by side. The Cocoon somehow manages to combine rocking, lounging, and relaxing all into one beautiful seating device perfect for a lazy afternoon with a cup of hot cocoa… as shown above!

The Cocoon is a winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2018.

Designer: Timmy Kwok

Stratum is the perfect companion for every office worker! Having to work in an office that isn’t your optimum working temperature is never a pleasant time, but more importantly it has shown to impact your happiness, health and productivity.

Stratum localizes the application of heating and cooling by creating a zone of air movement under the user’s arms, this allows each individual to work at their optimum temperature without impacting the rest of the room. Designed to be as unobtrusive as possible, the self-regulating mat requires minimal input and therefore increases the productivity of the user.

Heat comes from a polymeric PTC heat pad that is hidden inside the mat, the surrounding material heats up rapidly to reduce the amount of power required. Fans that are located on either side provide cool air which permeates through the top fabric layer. The compact and portable design makes Stratum ideal for shared workspaces and would be a welcomed accessory for any worker!

Designer: Tony Elkington

Modular office furniture is something which has been tackled multiple times in the past, but none of them have been quite as intuitive as PEG. In its most basic configuration the table is a relatively standard and practical product, however, PEG comes with a plethora of accessories which can facilitate a wide variety of working styles and completely alter the work environment.

Designed with the intention of turning the entire office space into a giant pegboard, PEG’s accessories locate into the holes found on the table top and travel down into the table’s legs. This method creates an extremely adaptable piece of furniture with, what seems like, unlimited configurations.

It also allows for a visually interesting design; the wooden caps that cover the location points stand out from the, otherwise uninterrupted, flat-black finish of the table.

Designer: Esteban Gomez

With ever-expanding screens on phones and disappearing earpieces and home buttons, it only makes sense that you’d see that trend everywhere else. TVs are all screen and no bezel too, and Huawei’s laptop is exploring a similar path too. So it makes sense that the PSP (should Sony choose to release a new version) would do something on the same lines. Yonghwan Kim’s vision for the PSP may, in that regard, be a little too drastic, but it sure looks interesting. Here’s a couple of reasons why it would work, and why it wouldn’t.

First of all, look at that shape. It’s beautiful, with its rounded corners, much like most smartphones today. Even the screen does a bend, curving gently at the top, and with flair at the bottom. There’s no doubt that this PSP would be great to hold for long intervals. Besides being curved at the corners, this PSP is literally all screen. Barring the controls that pop up through the middle, the PSP actually explores a more than 16:10 aspect ratio, so a game feels more cinematic. Look to the bottom and you’ll see two sets of pretty big speakers, allowing you to immerse yourself completely in the game with a large screen and big sound. Nice, ain’t it?

The most obvious con (and mind you, this is just a perception problem) are the way the controls appear through the screen, essentially cutting through the display, causing massive blind spots in the gameplay. From the standpoint of a hardcore gamer (who doesn’t like too much change), this may infuriate you. It makes less sense, and to be fair, is a literal hindrance. However, like any feature, I believe this also just needs getting used to. While the tactile controls pretty much cut into the screen, it would make little to no difference in the gameplay, because your eye tends to operate within the same 16:9 area, so the extra screen to the sides is just to increase one’s periphery and make the game feel immersive. It also isn’t a problem for Sony to execute too, since the PSP eco-system is completely within Sony’s control. They can modify a game’s experience to accommodate the controls sitting within the screen. Aside from this detail, nothing much changes with the PSP as a concept. The controls and their placement remain the same, making sure gamers don’t have to follow a new learning curve, the only update is the fact that the gaming device, like every display-based device you own, is more screen, and less of that bezel we hate so much!

Designer: Yonghwan Kim

Inspired by an Israeli Dance, the Horah lamps look like they’re molded by the wind. Showcased by Israeli design team Raw Edges at the Milan Design Week, the installation comprises multiple lamp units that are each made of curved glass leaves. Each lamp is a different shape and size. A motor within the lamps gently rotates these beautifully sculpted leaves, making it look like they’re catching a breeze, while giving the entire installation space a feeling of constant movement. The Horah lamps are inspired by a traditional dance of the same name, where people got together in a circle and moved and danced together. That movement in unison is what the Horah aims at capturing, and does quite well! Designed in partnership with Venetian company Wonderglass, Raw Edges aims to move on to turning these lamps from installation pieces to actual products.

On show at Spazio Krizia throughout Milan Design Week, the 30 lamps are dotted across a large platform that curves across the gallery.

Designer: Raw Edges