USA | Design Indaba

Forget GPS, Archie Archambault is mapping cities by memory

Archie Archambault’s minimal maps simplify the layout of cities so that we don’t have to rely on Google. >
Scientists illustrate the space colonies of the future

Scientists have come up with a number of designs for what life would be like when staying on Earth is no longer an option. >
The CannaCloud is the instant high without the fuss

This new system makes medical marijuana prep as easy as brewing a cup of coffee. >
Worms that digest plastic could be the answer to the world’s plastic pollution

Scientists have discovered that yellow mealworms are able to decompose plastic in under 24 hours. >
Using hummus to try and bridge the divide between Israelis and Palestinians

Design student Liora Yuklea taps into food culture to bring together neighbours at war. >
Lightweight winter jacket with built-in thermo-control technology

Kelvin is a jacket designed to warm the wearer from the inside out. >
Slaughter-free "genuine" leather for your shoes and jackets

Modern Meadows is a Brooklyn-based biotechnology start-up growing slaughter-free leather from living cow cells. >
Photographer captures the oppressive reality of anxiety

Katie Crawford’s self-portraiture series captures the raw essence of anxiety. >
Kathryn Fleming: Designing the evolution of animals

US designer Kathryn Fleming explores various ways in which animals and humans could co-evolve in the future. >
Biodegradable, laundry-free bed sheets

Beantown Bedding has created biodegradable bed sheets that can be used for a few weeks and then thrown into the compost. >
The Pickle Index makes way for a new age of cross-medium, immersive storytelling

Novelist Eli Horowitz tells a futuristic story through three completely unique narrative experiences. >
Soft robots are the way of the future

A 3-D-printed robotic hand made out of silicone rubber does what its predecessors can’t – handle objects as delicate as an egg. >
Milton Glaser: Design to be a good citizen

Revered designer Milton Glaser spills design secrets, dispenses advice and explains the relationship between adverts, guns, and soda. >
Todd St. John: HunterGather and primitive design practices

Simple visuals bring complex ideas to life at Todd St. John’s studio, HunterGatherer. >
A stool for people who can’t sit still

Pratt Institute graduate, Megan Czaja creates a bouncing, swivelling and rocking chair to up productivity. >
Steven Heller: Deconstructing design and the power of logos

The art of critiquing design from one of the leading voices in design criticism. >
Transparent solar panels: Any surface could be a power source

Researchers are developing a completely transparent solar panel and it’s set to be a game-changer. >
A smart inhaler helps prevent asthma attacks

Gecko Health, an MIT spinout, has designed a smart inhaler that links to an app and helps asthma sufferers monitor their prescriptions and prevent attacks. >
Empowering young African women through menstrual hygiene management

Brooklyn-based social enterprise Be Girl has designed two solutions to help rural girls to take control of their monthly cycles. >
Steven Heller: Design to entertain, illuminate and advocate

We sit down with Steven Heller to discuss the designer’s role in society and his perspective on different forms of design. >
Francis Kéré Architecture's installation introduces the value of an African gathering in Chicago

Place for Gathering doubles up as a meeting place and a space that encourages cultural exchange. >
Sun tracking cell inspired by ancient Japanese art

Researchers have tapped into the past to find solutions to energy problems in the modern world. >
Caress of the Gaze: Clothing that responds to your eyes

Behnaz Fahari imagines a garment, inspired by feathers and scales, that responds to the gaze of another. >
VizSnap: Facilitating photography for the blind

The visually impaired take photos too, says Dustin Adams, the designer of VizSnap. >

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