We reveal the shortlist for Life-Enhancer of the Yr on the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2023. Concepts, objects and buildings which have improved our lives embody an inflatable tent, an ultra-slim speaker, the newest Apple Watch launch, the Nothing cellphone and tiny houses.
The winner of this, and all of the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2023, shall be introduced within the February problem of Wallpaper*, on sale 5 January, in addition to right here on Wallpaper.com.
LIFE-ENHANCER OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST: WALLPAPER* DESIGN AWARDS 2023
66ºNorth x Heimplanet
(Picture credit score: Benjamin Hardman)
Embracing the acute takes on new which means with Icelandic outerwear model 66 North’s newest launch – a tent made in collaboration with the German tenting gear innovator, Heimplanet, marking its first foray outdoors of clothes. Its geodesic dome construction is a signature characteristic of Heimplanet’s present The Cave tent. Boasting an inflatable framework and constructed with ten crossing factors, the tent’s strengthened construction is matched by high-quality weatherproof supplies to face up in opposition to wind, snow and rain. The collaborative iteration with 66 North showcases a vivid orange hue – a reference to conventional emergency shelters, situated throughout Iceland, in addition to a bigger dimension to include as much as 4 folks. A single pump simply inflates the spacious tent in below a minute, which implies organising base camp is extra pain-free in all 4 seasons for each adventurists and nature lovers alike.
The Cave XL 4-Season Tent, $1,125, and pump, $40-$70
66north.com (opens in new tab)
Hidden Sound speaker
(Picture credit score: Hidden Sound)
Swiss-based producer Hidden Sound has debuted with two speaker set-ups, every of which is designed so as to add extra depth to the listening expertise whereas concurrently taking over far much less area. Based by Jovan and Vesna Jelovac, together with Belgrade sound engineer Igor Radojević, Hidden Sound’s ECO and EVO set are based mostly round a hefty rectangular sub-woofer and two ultra-slim flat panel audio system. At simply 8mm thick, the panels are manufactured from balsa wooden, acoustic foam and aluminium, and use Distributed Mode Loudspeaker know-how to generate the soundwaves, making a fuller soundscape.
Hidden ECO Set, CHF 1,000, Hidden EVO Set, CHF 1,750
hiddensound.ch (opens in new tab)
Apple Watch Extremely
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of Apple)
Billed as ‘essentially the most rugged and succesful Apple Watch ever’, the Apple Watch Extremely sports activities watch was developed in collaboration with explorers and athletes working in excessive environments. The 49mm titanium case strikes a steadiness between weight, ruggedness and corrosion resistance, and rises to the sting of the sapphire crystal show for added safety. The show itself is twice as vivid as that of earlier Watch fashions, so it may be learn in direct daylight; whereas an enlarged digital crown and a brand new Motion button facilitate utilization whereas in motion. Additional bodily qualities embody a GPS antenna, a depth gauge (measuring underwater depth as much as 40m), 36 hours of battery life, and specialised straps for out of doors adventures. Alongside, Apple has developed a devoted Wayfinder watch face, offering helpful data to runners, hikers and underwater fans.
Apple Watch Extremely, £849
apple.com/apple-watch-ultra (opens in new tab)
Nothing Cellphone (1)
(Picture credit score: press)
We’ve been following Nothing’s journey into the cell realm – culminating with the disclosing of the Nothing Cellphone (1) – with fascination. The London-based start-up has masterfully managed its inception and ethos from the beginning, clearly setting out its stall as a tech firm that does issues in a different way. It could be a stretch to say that the brand new Nothing Cellphone (1) is the salve that soothes and banishes all these very up to date issues, however it’s the primary time a brand new gadget appears like a step in the correct path, not merely an object constructed to placate the gods of consumption. Gone is the inscrutable sheen of a glass, metallic, or plastic physique, and as a replacement is a clear Gorilla Glass again cowl that lays naked the exceptional packaging of a contemporary client know-how challenge. Woven round these parts is a graphical gentle interface, the ‘Glyph’, a multifunctional show that’s embedded within the Cellphone (1)’s working system. The body is solid from 100 per cent recycled aluminium, while 50 per cent of the plastics used are additionally recycled. Packaging is paper, and the corporate guarantees no less than three years of software program updates to elongate its lifespan.
Nothing Cellphone (1), accessible in black or white.
128GB storage, 8GB reminiscence, £399; 256GB storage, 8GB reminiscence, £449; 256GB storage, 12GB reminiscence, £499
nothing.tech (opens in new tab)
Tigín Tiny Properties by Frequent Information
(Picture credit score: Frequent Information)
Tígín Tiny Properties are cell small houses or cabins that do not faux to be a future housing answer for all of us, however which are additionally refreshingly thoughtfully designed and gimmick-free. The creators, an Irish social enterprise referred to as Frequent Information (tigín is Gaelic for a small home or cottage), have ensured the design has the identical type of specs as a house extension or backyard flat and that details about the eco-conscious and, in some instances, pioneering constructing supplies and methods used to construct the house are freely accessible to all. Although their footprint is small (20 sq m), they’ve tall ceilings (3.6m within the kitchen and lounge areas), which, mixed with outsized glazing, present a continuing connection to nature or views, whereas giving the feeling of more room. The houses even have intelligent storage options and use modern or pure supplies akin to hemp corrugated panels and pure rubber linoleum ground tiles, partly to satisfy their very own self-imposed low-emissions development targets but in addition to maintain the burden of the trailer down.
ourcommonknowledge.org (opens in new tab)
Supply: Wallpaper
