Articles

Backpacks made from traditional Sotho blankets

Design Frontiers • 6 Apr 16

Sibusiso Mokhachane makes backpacks from blankets to celebrate his heritage and help the world unlearn African stereotypes. >
Helen Borg’s illustrations prove that a little bit of cheek goes a long way

Next Generation • 6 Apr 16

Using a handful of quirk and a pinch of cheek, Helen Borg’s illustrations question and mock the pleasures and emotions surrounding desire in our society. >
Syria’s refugee children tell their stories in an animated series

Design News • 6 Apr 16

Once upon a time, Syria’s refugee children had families and homes. Now, they’re telling their stories as they flee ongoing conflict. >
Backpack-cum-tent designed for urban camping

Design News • 5 Apr 16

Melina is a portable tent designed to inspire nomadic city living. >
Windows and solar panels could one day be made of transparent wood

Design Frontiers • 5 Apr 16

Mass produced transparent wood material could be used in windows, solar panels and buildings. >
A 100 per cent biodegradable fungi dress

Design News • 5 Apr 16

Neffa’s latest creation, MycoTEX explores the future of fashion with living materials. >
Iris Cristal honours the legacy of timeless crystal in modern creations

Design News • 5 Apr 16

Crystal chandeliers by Iris Cristal express an ancient tradition in exciting new ways. >
Green Product: The Su first aid tool helps prevent choking

Product Spotlight • 4 Apr 16

The simple Su first aid tool can help prevent a person who has fainted or had a fit from choking on their tongue. >
Cyborg beetles designed for search and rescue

Design News • 4 Apr 16

University team develops a remote-controlled beetle that could replace mechanical drones. >
A mobile sterilisation box for safe surgeries in rural areas

Design News • 4 Apr 16

A sterile pod built into a modified container may be suitable for maternal and neonatal care, oral health care and post-disaster relief. >
Cosmic Surgery combines photography and the delicate art of origami

Design News • 4 Apr 16

Unrecognisable, futuristic faces mark Alma Haser’s Cosmic Surgery series. >
Tuomas Markunpoika elevates the humble pencil to a work of art

Product Spotlight • 1 Apr 16

Finnish designer, Tuomas Markunpoika uses everyday objects like pencils as raw materials in his designs. >
Green Product: Concept Planiture is a miniature urban farm

Product Spotlight • 1 Apr 16

Concept Planiture by Berlin-based designer Marlen Häselbarth encourages interactions between the user and nature in the urban environment. >
A tribute to world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid

Design News • 1 Apr 16

Award-winning architect Dame Zaha Hadid passed away suddenly on Thursday, leaving behind a legacy of groundbreaking work. >
Zero-emissions fridge helps Mozambican farmers adapt to extended drought seasons

Design News • 1 Apr 16

Mozambican farmer, Gilberto Tethere designed a cooling silo to preserve grains in harsh farming conditions. >
Researchers make strides towards self-cleaning textiles

Design Frontiers • 1 Apr 16

Textiles that self-clean when exposed to light could be well on the way, but don’t throw out the washing machine yet. >
Talking umbrella keeps people out of the rain

Design News • 31 Mar 16

The Oombrella uses sensor technology to tell users when it is about to rain. >
The hidden graphic design behind flags

Design Frontiers • 31 Mar 16

Stories behind flags from an artist’s point of view. >
Pressed peat makes for ideal building blocks

Design Frontiers • 31 Mar 16

The natural ability of dried peat makes these bioblocks ideal for regulating the interior climates of spaces. >
Arrivals and Departures is about the connections between people

Design News • 31 Mar 16

Human relationships are at the centre of Jacob Aue Sobol’s haunting black and white series. >
UCT students appeal for funding for anti-rape device

Design News • 31 Mar 16

A team of graduates from the University of Cape Town (UCT) have conceptualised a wearable safety device in response to a spate of rapes, attacks and murders. >
Green Product: The Ragbag is made of old tea bags and recycled plastic

Product Spotlight • 30 Mar 16

Ragbag accessories and bags are sustainably and ethically made by women in India from old tea bags and recycled plastic bags. >
Algae-based water bottle decomposes when empty

Design News • 30 Mar 16

Product design student comes up with a 100 per cent natural alternative to the plastic water bottle. >
Collecting desalinated water through fog

Design Frontiers • 30 Mar 16

Fog harvesting is a sustainable way to harvest clean water in areas with regular mist. >
Sweet Kills: A designer’s impression of the dangers of diabetes

Design News • 30 Mar 16

Nattakong Jaengsem’s Sweet Kills campaign takes a gory look at the dangers of sweet treats. >
New, innovative material inspired by ancient design

Design Frontiers • 30 Mar 16

The designs found in Iran’s Kharraqan towers became the unlikely inspiration for an advancement in metamaterials. >
Immersive 360-degree world drawn with a permanent marker

Design News • 29 Mar 16

Accomplished artist Oscar Oiwa exhibits “Oiwa Island 2” at the Setouchi Triennale art festival. >
FlipFlic controls your blinds for you

Design Frontiers • 29 Mar 16

An automated blind controller equipped with light sensors and thermometers controls your blinds for you. >
Power plant makes electricity out of cheese

Design News • 29 Mar 16

Renewable energy group Valbio built a power plant that generates clean energy from a byproduct of cheese production. >
Plantable pencils challenge use-and-chuck-away culture

Design News • 29 Mar 16

The Sprout pencil grows into a plant if you place it in a pot. >

Pages