Helsinki

Vietnamese designers create sneakers from coffee beans

Rens Originals is the sneaker brand that is taking your ground coffee waste and turning it into some of the freshest sneakers out there. >
Students design temporary furniture for displaced people

Called Rehome, the collection provides temporary products for refugees and those affected by natural disasters who have to quickly vacate their homes. >
On landscape architecture as the lifeblood of a city

Cees van der Veeken gives us his take on the unscripted nature of landscape design at the inaugural Design Commons. >
Marko Ahtisaari on the Open Music Initiative and paying musicians fairly

"The motivation is that music is such a universal thing. Creators need to be able to make an income," says Marko Ahtisaari. >
Winy Maas on the importance of remarkable buildings in future cities

"Remarkable buildings can help us navigate ourselves through this kind of monstrous, and endless mediocrity that most cities are." >
Paloma Strelitz brings humanity to the practise of urban design

The co-founder of the Turner Prize-winning Assemble collective on creating spaces that enable upliftment. >
Chris Sheldrick on building cities that integrate with technology

Can we plan for not just tomorrow but beyond that? >
Marcus Engman talks about the role furniture will play in the home of the future

IKEA's Head of Design says design should be more inclusive and serve the needs of more people instead of a few. >
Design Commons

Education & Development

A deconstructed conference created by Design Indaba CEO Ravi Naidoo and Design Weeks' Kari Korkman. >
Africa could be the leapfrog continent, says Sir David Adjaye

The way we’re designing cities is changing. Here’s some advice from a leading architect at the inaugural Design Commons. >
Sir David Adjaye and Tiffany Chu among the nine speakers at the inaugural Design Commons

The deconstructed conference puts global heavyweights in design at the same table as the audience. >
Design Commons is a new kind of bespoke, global, portable conference

The deconstructed conference where design is the tool with which to face the challenges in our cities. >
A Couple of Little Things: A performative installation

An interactive food installation by eating designer Marije Vogelzang. >
Photos capable of producing electricity developed by Finnish Researchers

What if that photo on your mantle could help power your kettle? >
Bringing wooden skateboards back to the future

Imagine skateboarding through the streets of a bustling metropolis on boards made from 100 per cent recyclable bio-composite wood. >
Pack your GPS away and use marbles instead

Design graduate Sara Vrbinc has developed brAInfu.cc, a wayfinding system to rival the GPS. >
Pop supping

Besides gearing up for World Design Capital 2012, Helsinki is undergoing a food revolution enabled by the temporary, experimental nature of pop-up restaurants. >

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