Co.Design
These running shoes are 100% recyclable
When a new running shoe from the French company Salomon wears out, every single part of it can be reused: The shoe’s upper, itself made from recycled polyester, can be recycled again into new thread […]
This South African-founded development company is converting vacant US hotels into affordable housing
A former Days Inn hotel chain in Branson, United States, sat vacant for eight years. Now, it has been transformed into affordable housing. The Los Angeles-based development company that completed the conversion thinks that this type […]
This sustainable neighbourhood has been designed to manage both climate change and pandemics
About 129 kilometers southwest of Beijing, the Chinese government is planning a new five-million person city as a model of sustainability—powered by clean energy, featuring huge green spaces, and unsullied by many cars. A new […]
Why FACEBOOK wants your Avatar
If you are on Facebook you probably have your own Avatar by now. If not, you will probably have one soon. If you are not familiar with them, they are a cartoon-like version of yourself […]
This spray may protect against COVID-19
A team of scientists led by University of California (UCSF) graduate student Michael Schoof, engineered a completely synthetic, production-ready molecule that straitjackets the crucial SARS-CoV-2 machinery that allows the virus to infect our cells. They believe that […]
These 3D printed tiles are helping restore devastated coral reefs
Terra-cotta ceramics have been used for thousands of years, but a particularly 21st-century application gives the material an entirely new purpose. Marine scientists and architects from the Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS) of the […]
Why the car of the future is more like a Lego set than a flying vehicle
Some days I dream about driving a zippy two-seater. Others, I long for a camping-friendly family van. And every once in a while, I wish I had a pickup truck that could handle the freight […]
Tired being stuck at home? This website lets you peek out windows from different parts of the world
While parts of the world slowly reopen and day-to-day activities start to resume, foreign travel is still widely restricted. But you can get a delightful reminder of the world outside your door—er, window—with this new website. […]
New sustainably-built McDonald’s is 100% solar-powered
At a new McDonald’s restaurant that just opened at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, USA (with Covid-19 protection measures in place), solar panels covering the roof—and solar glass panels throughout the building—are designed to […]
First look: Kanye West’s new website turns shopping into an art form
Kanye West will soon unveil the newest iteration of Yeezy Supply, the website that features his collection of shoes, clothes, and accessories. When it debuts, you can expect a shopping experience unlike anything you’ve seen […]
This new technology turns billboards into air purifiers
Newly installed banners at the Guggenheim Bilbao and around its home city of Bilbao, Spain, have been treated with a special coating called Pureti Print, which turns them into air purifiers. The treatment is based on […]
This NASA-inspired perfume smells like outer space
Yes, to experience the sights and sounds of space, you could still nab one of the two remaining SpaceX tickets. But if you don’t have 55 million bucks to spare, you can now experience the smell of space. […]
This campaign puts compassion at the heart of business and design
Now more than ever, it’s important to have compassion, as people deal with unfamiliar and unprecedented circumstances. This filters down into the way we conduct business and the types of products and inventions we bring […]
These local companies are producing the most innovative and stylish masks available
Across the globe, wearing masks when out in public has now become a norm – and grabbing your mask before heading out the door has become just as routine as ensuring you have your wallet, […]
These transparent face masks could make our interactions a little less awkward
If you’re looking for a face mask, options abound. But whether it’s leopard print, splashed with your team’s logo, or the standard blue medical variety, all of these opaque masks have one problem in common: […]
This copper jacket is designed to kill viruses and bacteria
Vollebak, the clothing company that made a jacket out of graphene and a T-shirt out of carbon fiber normally used in jet engines and sports cars, has come out with its most ambitious garment yet: A coat made of microbe-destroying […]
Here’s how to play with the elements to bring nature into your home
Pandemics change everything, including the way we design buildings. After the 1918 Spanish flu and the scourge of tuberculosis, there was a push for “healthier” buildings, “full of light and air,” as the Swiss architect […]
German film-lovers can now watch movies through their windows
Movie theaters, where you’re sitting right next to strangers and sharing the same air for several hours, will likely be one of the last social experiences to return after we emerge from lockdowns. And, while Netflix […]
Inside the Covid-19 McDonald’s of the future
Two months ago, McDonald’s closed its dining rooms across the U.S. in response to Covid-19. While 99% of these locations stayed open, offering drive-through and delivery to lower-but-continuing demand, they have not allowed customers inside to […]
SA pharmaceutical company produces rapid deployment hospital beds in fight against Covid-19
As the South African healthcare system continues to battle under the weight of Covid-19, local pharmaceutical company Kiara has developed a solution to scale up much-needed hospital bed capacity in the country. Several world-class brands […]
Flying after Covid-19 will never be the same
The idea of packing into a small, enclosed space with a crowd of people never had much appeal to me. Now, it has less appeal than ever. The International Air Transport Association reported that the airline industry […]
This hoodie comes with a built-in filtration mask
If you’re tired of wearing a DIY mask, a new hoodie offers another option: A built-in mask, made from a material that can (theoretically) filter out more germs than an N95 mask, zips up into […]
A short guide to the world of respirator masks
By now, you probably know more about N95 respirators than you thought possible. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, these masks have become lifesaving tools to medical personnel and other frontline workers in the […]
What if tall buildings are making us sick?
High-occupancy buildings, like towers and hospitals, could be a hidden risk in the battle against COVID-19.
