This image, along with the others following, are pretty cool backlit renditions of quite interesting photographs, produced by WALLITY.
​Based in Turkey, Wallity creates forward-thinking design pieces that give any room an elevated aesthetic. Their eye-catching canvas prints are backlit with integrated LEDs that imparts a soft, subdued glow to already dazzling works of art.

​Step up the ambience in your space with this incredible collection of gallery wrapped canvas art prints— with a twist. Each one is equipped with color-coordinated LEDs built into the backside of the canvas. This not only makes your wall art come alive with brilliant color, it offers a soft, ethereal outer glow that enhances the atmosphere of any room.

For those of you who have followed DR•I over the years you are likely to remember Suzan's work. Suzan, a professional interior designer, was a Montréal contemporary of mine for many years. Our orbits intersected on a variety of design projects. 
A few years ago she retired to New Brunswick, designed and built her own house and art studio and has devoted herself to her work, predominantly in water colours, ever since.

The following submission is somewhat of a departure for her - albeit we have featured s few of her linocuts previously, this series is based on a real life historical figure, Tappan Adney. 

Her pieces as shown here are brilliant - beautifully balanced in tone and construct.
IMHO, woodcuts or vinyl cuts, in my experience, can tend to be far too overworked - too biZZy.......not so in this case.
Following, in her own words, is Suzan's explanation as to how this work unfolded.

You all know the old adage, guideline when it comes to editing -
a good editor knows what to leave out as opposed to what to
​put in!

The same applies to a designer, an artist - personally I find a unique richness in this work - a richness of spirit captured, of balanced textures, of mood embraced.

CALISTOGA CHAIR
The Calistoga Chair features an industrial iron metal frame with a softly brushed finish. This chair is accented with wood arms in a contrasting light finish. A distressed leather seat is fixed to the frame with a series of buckles for a relaxed and bohemian flair

Measurements 36"L x 25"W x 37"H
OriginChina
— Warranty: Manufacturer's 2 Year 
— Seat Height: 16" 
— Max. Weight Capacity: 250 lb 
— Arrives Assembled 
— Weight: 44 lb 

PROPELLER TABLE:
A vintage 1920s boat propeller is recast as the focal point of this sturdy side table. Cast iron legs support the propeller shaft-inspired riveted column. A 22” x 3/8” thick glass top allows a clear view of the structure beneath

Materials Brass, Cast Iron, Glass
Measurements 22"Ø x 28.5"H
OriginIndia
— Warranty: Manufacturer's 2 Year 
— Assembly Required, Instructions Included 
— Product Weight: 36 lb

It's been in the background for years - rumour after rumour - but now, this:

Following an earlier report today from the Korean newspaper DongA, CNBC now corroborates the partnership between Apple and Hyundai/Kia Motors. According to the new report, both companies are close to finalizing a big deal that will lead to the manufacture of the long-rumored “Apple Car.”
 
Last month, Hyundai Motor confirmed that the company was in talks with Apple, although it did not reveal the reasons behind it. At that time, rumors suggested that Kia Motors — which is owned by Hyundai — would help Apple manufacture the first Apple Car.

A new report from CNBC says the Apple Car will be manufactured at a Kia facility in West Point, Georgia. Apple and Hyundai are close to sealing a deal, which could be worth about $3.6 billion, according to a Korean newspaper. If the rumors are right, the production of Apple’s first electric vehicle will begin in 2024.

However, while Hyundai is Apple’s primary partner in building the Apple Car, the Cupertino-based company is also negotiating with other automakers according to sources.

The so-called “Apple Car,” which is being developed by a team at Apple, is tentatively scheduled to go into production in 2024, though people familiar with the talks between Apple and Hyundai-Kia say the eventual rollout could be pushed back. […] In addition, they stress that Apple may ultimately decide to partner with another automaker separately or in addition to working with Hyundai.  

Interestingly, the report claims that the first electric vehicle with the Apple brand will be totally autonomous. A CNBC source familiar with the matter said that the “Apple Cars will not be designed to have a driver.” As the report points out, a car not made for drivers could be initially targeted for car-riding or delivery companies instead of regular consumers.

These will be autonomous, electric vehicles designed to operate without a driver and focused on the last mile.”  That could mean Apple cars, at least initially, could focus on package food delivery operations and firms incorporating robotaxis.

Having a completely autonomous car, although not impossible, seems to be an extremely ambitious plan — especially if we consider the schedule for a launch in 3-4 years.

The first rumors about Apple Car date back to 2015, and since then, Apple has been hiring car engineers and acquiring startups related to the electric car business. However, the company has never discussed its plans to build a new car in public.

Strictly from appearance, can you guess what this is? Or, more precisely, what it was - and then became this. . . . 

Rather stunning it is. But it started out life as a water tower.

Converted water tower for sale in Leicestershire is Rightmove's
​most-viewed January home
The property intertwines contemporary design with period architecture.

​A quirky converted water tower for sale in Leicestershire has been revealed as Rightmove's most-viewed property in January — and it's not hard to see why.

The award-winning home, which was constructed circa 1853, intertwines contemporary and period architecture with superb countryside views.

Some head-turning features include the steel-spine staircase, exposed original brickwork, full-height curved glazed walls, limestone flooring, large reception hall, and the master bedroom suite with its own mezzanine bathroom. On the market for £595,000, you certainly do get a lot for your money.

There is a sense of grandeur to the property, notably thanks to the spacious light-filled bedrooms, attic room, large living/diner area, and floor-to-ceiling windows. But that's not all: the loft also has access to the tower's former tank, which provides ample storage space or the option to be used as a gym, studio space or children's chill-out lounge.

'It's always fun to showcase quirky properties that stand out from the crowd and this converted water tower certainly falls into that category,' says Tim Bannister, Rightmove's Director of Property.

'You don't need to be a property expert to see why it's garnered so much attention from the British public – it's a fantastic example of how innovative architecture can really reenergise and transform a period property.'
Situated in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, the water tower is around 400 metres to Market Street and the great range of shops, pubs and restaurants which the town offers. If you're looking for a little more culture, The Bath Grounds (park) and Ashby Castle also provide plenty of additional activities to enjoy on a weekend.
This converted water tower is currently on the market for £595,000 with Fisher German via Rightmove.

Clearly, it's a computer of course - but - it's a laptop with seven screens!

Expanscape’s Aurora 7 is a 17.3-inch beast of a laptop that comes with a total of seven displays to elevate your mobile gaming to the next level. With the Aurora 7, which is currently still in the concept stage, gamers no longer have to choose between the immobile experience of gaming on a big desktop with a multi-display setup or trying to play on a small, cramped screen on a mobile rig. Nongamers can even immerse themselves in multiple tasks across all seven displays.

To make things compact enough to carry, the displays on the Aurora 7 comes in varying sizes that either fold or swivel out from the main 17.3-inch screen. Three additional 17.3-inch panels join the main display — one in the same landscape orientation sits above the display, while two portrait screens of the same size flank the main screen on either side. There are also three smaller 7-inch panels, each with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels.
In total, the whole package weighs a whopping 17 kilograms (37.5 pounds!), so it isn’t exactly the most mobile-friendly setup. Still, given that the displays are all integrated into one unit, the Aurora 7 is easier to transport to your next LAN party after the pandemic ends than having to lug around a bunch of external monitors.
To power all these screens, Expanscape is relying on an Intel Core i9-9900K processor that’s coupled to Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060, but according to Tom’s Hardware, the chassis of this notebook is large enough to accommodate different platforms, like a more modern Intel Core i9-10900K or even AMD’s Ryzen 9 3950X. There’s no word on whether you can upgrade the GPU to Nvidia’s more modern GeForce RTX 3000-series mobile or AMD’s Radeon RX 6000 mobile graphics, however.

Other hardware include 64GB of memory and multiple drive options for storage, making it feel more like a desktop gaming rig. The Aurora 7 can accommodate two PCIe M.2 SSDs, a 2.5-inch SSD, and a 2TB hard disk drive.

In addition to the size and weight of the setup, another thing that can limit the Aurora 7 from being your primary travel laptop is its battery life. While the battery is rated at two hours and 20 minutes, actual battery life may be much shorter when you’re taxing the system with a high-end game. To its credit, though, Expanscape equipped the Aurora 7 with two batteries — an 82Whr battery keeps everything humming along under the hood, and a second 148Whr battery keeps the displays powered up.
Though gamers will find a lot of potential tucked into the Aurora 7’s design, the laptop can also be useful for multitaskers, designers, video editors, and graphics artists who need to juggle their work across multiple displays. Stock brokers and day traders working from home can also benefit from the multi-display setup of this laptop.
At this time, the Aurora 7 is unfortunately still a concept, and Tom’s Hardware noted that the whole setup feels more like a prototype than a product ready for shipping.

The Bowlus Terra Firma is the newest travel trailer from the company that invented the aluminum home on wheels – Bowlus was founded by aircraft engineer Hawley Bowlus in 1934.

​Hawley Bowlus is perhaps best-known today for his role in building the famed aircraft Spirit of St. Louis, the aircraft flown by Charles Lindbergh in 1927 on the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight from Long Island, New York, to Paris, France.

As an aircraft engineer Bowlus was well-versed in the practice of aluminum fuselage design, so when he needed a mobile travel trailer to transport flight crews to remote airfields he created it using many of the same principles of aircraft design.

When it was first shown to the public in 1934 it caused a sensation, and more than a few quickly emulated the design including Wally Byam of Airstream.
Bowlus’ first love was always aircraft so after approximately 80 of his aluminum travel trailers were built he went back to aircraft and left companies like Airstream to carry on his creation.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with millions of readers around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
More recently the Bowlus travel trailer company has been brought back, still using the sleek aerodynamic designs of the 1930s but now with entirely modern ​interiors designed for 21st century asphalt adventures.

​The model you see here is the new Bowlus Terra Firma, it’s 26 feet long, it sleeps and dines four adults and it even has built in accommodation for pets should you wish to bring them with you.

Each Terra Firma is fitted with an HEPA Filter with UVC giving occupants mobile clean air and relief for anyone suffering from hay fever outdoors. It also has an advanced two-stage water filtration system, taking the worry out of sourcing reliable potable water when on the road.

​Inside you’ll find a hotel-style bathroom with hot and cold running water, a toilet, a bathroom heating system, and all the other amenities you’d expect.

The interior height is 6’4″ which will comfortably accommodate most, it has air conditioning, a built in power system with an 8 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery, 19 gallons of fresh water and 21 gallons capacity for grey water, and a fully equipped kitchen.

​Comprised of a team of visual artists, designers, and creatives, E.P. Light is passionate about bringing beauty and creative energy to every home and office. Their collection of levitating LED lamps offer a unique look at the planets in our solar system while offering brilliant style and gentle illumination to any space.

Don't look good for us here in northern North America - another 6 weeks of this forever Winter. . . . 
boy, did we get a blast yesterday.

Maybe these will warm the 'cockles of your heart'

Text description provided by the architects. Elements house is located on a rigid slope overlooking the bay of Molos on the east seashore of Paros island, surrounded by a typical Cycladic landscape. The view and the rigid landscape are the two main elements of the architectural design, which seeks the accomplishment of both the maximum use of the view in every interior space and the minimum trace of the building on the landscape. The panoramic view of the slope consists of southern Naxos, Herakleia, and Kefalos Hill with the monastery of St Anthony on top and the settlements of Marmara and Marpissa on its base.

The use of a linear stonewall that embraces an underground layout of successive spaces forms the design fundament of the two independent parts of the house, whose green roofs intergrade them even more into the Cycladic flora. Two linear underground planted backyards contribute to extra lighting and ventilation to every space and they are simultaneously functioning as the main movement corridor between the parking area, the common spaces, and the interior spaces.

A common exterior kitchen and dining area (agora) shape every aspect of the residents’ life, as it lies in-between the backyards, the entrance staircase (scala), the independent parts of the house, and the view-oriented verandas.

The exterior materials’ colors and textures are all nuanced in accordance with the natural ground of the slope, giving precedence to natural stone and wood. On the contrary, the interior has been a more exclusive, free-spirited mix of materials, colors, and decorative objects.

​

​Elements house composes both a reference to the integrated building on a rigid landscape and a secluded summer residence on a Greek island, experimenting with the differences of the hidden and the visible, the interior and the exterior, the natural and the artificial.

Amazon unveiled its plans for its newest headquarters in Arlington—a sustainable, greenery-infused campus called PenPlace. Designed by the architecture firm NBBJ, the site will include a tower inspired by the natural world, an amphitheater with open green space, and a large community gathering area. The urban tower will feature two walkable paths of terrain on the outside of the building, an artist-in-residence program, and landscaped gardens, according to the company’s press release.
It’s the sort of place destined to become a landmark, putting Amazon’s new neighborhood on the map. But for now, it’s a rendering—and a rather odd one, at that. Amazon is calling the tower “the Helix,” a name that evokes DNA and the Milky Way.

Sleek - only word for it. . . . . 

S l e e k  & sexy

HERMES SPEEDSTER E DAYBOAT
If you've ever wondered what it might be like to take a Porsche 356 out on the water, this boat might be your closest option. The Hermes Speedster draws inspiration from the 1959 Porsche as well as Gentleman's runabout boats of the 30s'. UK-based Seven Seas Yachts is behind the vessel and has made it even more interesting thanks to a silent, zero-emission 100 kW electric motor powered by a battery pack. The Speedster maxes out around 36mph but slower speeds will keep it on the water for around nine hours. The 22-foot dayboat features include chrome-frame windshields, bucket seats, a rear sun pad, and a convertible top. The boat can accommodate up to five passengers and can be purchased in a variety of colors.

$269,000.00
Click here to go to Hermes website

**Performance**
 
The innovative hull’s performance characteristics are truly staggering. First of all, Hermes has a very low drag resistance which allows the use of smaller engines than similar sized boats while still being faster than its competitors. It features a really steep entry, cutting the waves with an entry angle of 72 degrees that in combination with the rest of the hull, ensures a very soft ride with no pounding as the boat cuts through the waves. Furthermore, the boats maintain at all cruising speeds very low trim angles between 2 and 2,8 degrees. Unlike other motor boats, there is no specific speed at which they transition to plane. Instead as the speed increases, it gradually comes out of the water maintaining a nearly horizontal attitude at all times.
​
In Hermes, there is no hump coming on plane. This means that one can cruise at any speed from as low as 5 knots up to the boat’s maximum speed.
The boat also features tremendous stability characteristics
​due to its extremely low center of gravity

Text description provided by the architects. This project is a small but important phased remodel of a 1952 Haver Home within the architecturally significant Marlen Grove neighborhood (a former citrus grove) for a young ASU Law Professor that commutes from his Bernal Box in the Bay Area to stay here when the University is in session. Ralph Haver, AIA was one of the most prominent architects practicing here during the postwar boom in Phoenix and similar to A. Quincy Jones worked for developers like Eichler in California.

Our client was attracted to the significant architectural history of this community, but he knew that his new home had been poorly remodeled and wanted to fix it. In fact, it had been altered almost beyond recognition, but the masonry wall and exposed “tent” roof structure were mostly intact. There were four models in Marlen Grove, without question the most intact and most significant Haver Community in the Phoenix area, and through research, up and down the streets we discovered what we felt was our client’s original Haver Model.

We knocked on the door and spent an afternoon getting to know Bob and Helen Winkle, who had bought their home from a graphic designer over 35 years ago when design types, mainly architects owned most of the 53 homes that made up the now legendary Marlen Grove. We determined conclusively that their “Patio / Carport” Model (the only one intact in the neighborhood) was in fact our original model and set out to recover the spirit of the original “showpiece” model featured in sales brochures.

Our goal was to recover the generous spirit of these humble homes while injecting our own sensibility and sincere respect for the neighborhood scale as well as the generous light and shade provided by the “close-to-the-ground-tent-form” of the exposed beamed ceilings with their “ceiling light” clerestories, while not reducing the expanded square footage of the recently purchased 80’s footprint, if possible. Could we open the space - similar to the original open-air Patio / Carport Model, while creating privacy and openness to the south yard/garden that was an important tenet of each design, sunny in winter and shady in summer, indoor/outdoor Arizona living at its’ finest - just enough for everyone…

Our client had an extremely tight budget, so we agreed to do a simple sketch with a clear, substantively researched idea as an act of architectural historic preservation of not just a significant home, but of a significant Arizona community that still stands the test of time (after almost seventy years) as an inspiring example of how production housing can in fact be humane. After producing this sketch, along with a quick sketch-up model, we had agreed in advance to get estimates from a design-build architect that had worked for me and after establishing a tight, yet more realistic budget we produced a two-sheet set of permit documents and shifted 50% of our discounted design fees to construction administration.

Our goal was to recover the generous spirit of these humble homes while injecting our own sensibility and sincere respect for the neighborhood scale as well as the generous light and shade provided by the “close-to-the-ground-tent-form” of the exposed beamed ceilings with their “ceiling light” clerestories, while not reducing the expanded square footage of the recently purchased 80’s footprint, if possible. Could we open the space - similar to the original open-air Patio / Carport Model, while creating privacy and openness to the south yard/garden that was an important tenet of each design, sunny in winter and shady in summer, indoor/outdoor Arizona living at its’ finest - just enough for everyone…

Our client had an extremely tight budget, so we agreed to do a simple sketch with a clear, substantively researched idea as an act of architectural historic preservation of not just a significant home, but of a significant Arizona community that still stands the test of time (after almost seventy years) as an inspiring example of how production housing can in fact be humane. After producing this sketch, along with a quick sketch-up model, we had agreed in advance to get estimates from a design-build architect that had worked for me and after establishing a tight, yet more realistic budget we produced a two-sheet set of permit documents and shifted 50% of our discounted design fees to construction administration.

So - here I am, again • being annoying. The image on the left is the actual photograph of the Living Room.
The image on the right, is my idea as to what works better.....I don't get it - really - why would a designer or an architect, insist on the use of black for the column and the beam? It make-a no sense-a. . . . .  

Example 2:  Same issue........

. . . .and in this instance, I left the beam the original black.

Call me crazy - but colour balance, obviously, is really important. Particularly when it is such a mainstream element in a space.

All you professionals out there - architects, designers - this image is going to prompt one immediate question. How come there's no supports? It's completely column-free. And, it is an awesome space as a result. How come? 

​The simple answer is that this is a completely 3D printed house. Amazing, right?

 SQ4D Inc. (SQ4D) has listed for sale the first 3D printed home in the United States. This residential property, printed on site using SQ4D’s revolutionary Autonomous Robotic Construction System (ARCS), is the first 3D printed home slated to receive a certificate of occupancy and is listed on Zillow.com for sale as new construction for $299,999.

Wow! That is truly an awesome achievement.

THE BOLDER SKYLODGES
Overlooking Norway's Lysefjord, the Bolder Skylodges is a pair of compact retreats to unwind in nature. The 200-square-foot tiny homes are perched almost 2,000 feet above sea level near Pulpit Rock — the insane cliff Tom Cruise dangled from in Mission Impossible 6. Each one is fully equipped with a Vipp kitchen, bathrooms, two bedrooms, and a dining room enveloped in incredible views of the landscape. Remote and immersed in scenery, these cabins are just what 2021 ordered.

Our SkyLodges are 22 square meters and includes two double bedrooms, designer kitchen from Vipp, fully equipped bathroom and a dining room with a view to die for.

So - that's a  w r a p, as they say.
Second issue of 2021.
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