Category Archives: Design

The Zenith Doublematic Pilot is an all new El Primero equipped timepiece. It not only boasts a chronograph (like the majority of El Primeo timepieces), it also has a 24 city worldtimer and a mechanical alarm. The Doublematic Pilot caliber … Continue reading →

Real estate developer Larry Hall is converting Cold War missile silos in Kansas into condos for preppers who are getting ready for total and complete societal breakdown due to natural disaster, terrorism, economic collapse, pandemic, or a good ol’ fashioned … Continue reading →

Frank McGoldrick is one of those people who seem to have a talent for everything they turn their hand to. An accomplished welder and fabricator, he graduated to designing and building bars, shops and restaurants throughout the UK. After selling … Continue reading →

This is the Aviator Classic 2612/1421639. The 2612 designates the movement in use, which is a mechanical (manual wind) movement with 18 jewels. The most intriguing bit of this movement is the alarm complication. You do have a separate crown … Continue reading →

Textile artist Ferret (Harrow, UK) made this impressive quilt, “Bad Rain,” inspired by an illustrated spread in the graphic novel Cancertown. She then brought the quilt to a comic show, and scored a photo with the graphic novel’s artist,… Continue reading →

The ultimate in traditional luxury living in a historical resort makes reference to a subtle and refined traditional architecture. Bensley Architects created this exclusive sanctuary of complete serenity in a subtle compound featured in Architectural Digest in the rustic natural … Continue reading →

Uri Cohen Architects designed the Beam House in Arbel, Israel — via CONTEMPORIST

The Villeret Squelette 8 Jours features a beautifully skeletonised, 157 component, 30 jewel, hand-wound movement. In-house Blancpain calibre 1333SQ is equipped with a titanium balance, a Breguet balance-spring and three series-coupled barrels. Thanks to the three power barrels (mainsprings), the … Continue reading →

In the southern Spanish city of Murcia, ancient buildings line the streets and add a particular type of character to the locale. One home in particular embraces the centuries-old charm on the street level but goes for the futuristic look … Continue reading →

The Zenith Pilot Big Date Special is very nicely proportioned with a 42mm steel case (note the polished and satin-brushed finishes), a matte black dial, and perfectly balanced chrono registers and big date window. The hands are treated with black … Continue reading →

Andrew Maynard Architects have completed the Hill House in Melbourne, Australia — via CONTEMPORIST

At Baselworld last month, Blancpain presented the first wristwatch equipped with a traditional Chinese calendar. The Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar is a perpetual calendar, but instead of displaying the typical Gregorian calendar, it displays the Chinese calendar. The Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar timepiece comes in a 45 mm … Continue reading →

Tony Prust of Illinois-based Analog Motorcycles builds classy customs based on 1970s-vintage Japanese motorcycles: his Yamaha RD350 is one of the most popular machines we’ve featured this year. So here’s his latest build, commissioned by the owner of a design company based on Amelia … Continue reading →

When you think of the Dordogne, you probably think of something just a little more traditional than this 1960s architect-designed modernist house in Lanouaille, Dordogne, France — which happens to be on the market. And perhaps for less than you … Continue reading →

The building [LIAG] forms a powerful and colourful (a la Mondriaan) completion of the Leeghwaterplein. Seen from the train, it serves as a calling card for ROC Mondriaan. The building has a grid shaped concrete façade decorated in the ROC … Continue reading →

As much as I love these they’re not my favourite porthole around here. That honour is reserved for my $11 used-to-be-a-flimsy-brass-mirror porthole that I sunk into the floor and now serves as my laundry chute. My laundry chute porthole was … Continue reading →

Vietnamese designers Vo Trong Nghia combined natural materials like bamboo with contemporary design practices to create the wNw Bar in Thu Dau Mot Town, Binh Duong, Vietnam — via CONTEMPORIST

Selected in an open design competition, the scheme by Denton Corker Marshall for a new library for a university of international standing deftly bridges the past and the present. Located in a highly visible and central site on the side … Continue reading →

Balance Associates Architects have designed the River Bank house in Big Sky, Montana — via CONTEMPORIST

The site [AGI Architects] can be accessed from either side of the surrounding streets to allow for both a private and a public entrance. After moving along a curved wall that guides the visitor from the exterior of the plot … Continue reading →

The Yamaha XJ600 flies under the radar in the motorcycling world. Released in 1984, it’s often dismissed as yet another Universal Japanese Motorcycle. But this machine was the first 600cc inline four — making it the granddaddy of today’s 600 … Continue reading →

There’s a marvelous bed and breakfast outside of Durby, Belgium called La Balade de Gnomes (Google Translate). It looks like it’s straight out of a fantasy movie. Outwardly, the building is a wooden bull. Inside, you can find an eccentric … Continue reading →

I’ve been satisfied with the Stanley FuBar demolition tool that Mark reviewed in 2008 (available in safety yellow!), but I am sorely tempted by the Annihilator Wrecking Bar, which sports all the same features as the FuBar, along with a bottle-opener, a board-straightener, a multi-purpose … Continue reading →

The house [AR43 Architects] is a surprising discovery in the densely populated Singapore. Sited in one of Singapore’s prime shopping district, the house sits on a steep sloping terrain with mature rainforest trees at its peripheral. The intrinsic lush natural … Continue reading →

Located on a dense hillside forest in the Santa Rosalía area of Guatemala City, Corallo House [PAZ Arquitectura] integrates the existing forest into the layout of the house. It merges nature into the architectural intervention. The design process began with … Continue reading →

Among the traditional houses and run-of-the-mill apartment towers in Abiko, Japan sits a concrete monolith. Its angular façade is reminiscent of a massive sculpture, but this unusual object is actually a single-family home. Designed by Fuse-Atelier, the Abiko House is a mere 80 … Continue reading →

Vértice Arquitectos designed this house in Cerro Azul, Peru — via CONTEMPORIST

The building’s geometry [CMA] mediates between the neighbouring structures. A white, L-shaped volume — containing the bedrooms on the upper floor — hovers over the U-shaped living area on the ground floor. The basement is extensively inscribed into the slope … Continue reading →

52 years after a Rolex watch accompanied the Trieste on its historic descent to 10,916 metres in the Mariana trench, National Geographic explorer-in-residence James Cameron, on board the Deepsea Challenger, prepares to go even deeper. This time again, a Rolex watch, the … Continue reading →

Its exterior shape is more than just an affection, though at first glance it almost looks to have been formed by natural elements – waterfront wind and waves. However, these contortions translate into a series of spaces where convex and … Continue reading →

The Victorinox Airboss Power Gauge features a subdial at 7 o’clock which indicates how much power is left in the mainspring, from 0-42 hours. Powering the Airboss Power Gauge is a self-winding ETA 2897 movement which runs at 28,800 vph (4Hz), has 21 jewels … Continue reading →

Hamilton introduced a great looking new Air Force inspired chronograph at Baselworld 2012. The Hamilton Pilot Khaki Pioneer features an asymmetrical case, oversized crown and pusher protectors. The dial layout is unique with counters at 10 and 6 o’clock. The movement is Swiss … Continue reading →

Here’s a first look at the latest bike from Filippo Barbacane of Officine Rossopuro. He’s best known for his classic Moto Guzzi cafe racers, so this new motorcycle, dubbed Ipothesys, is something of a departure for him. It’s a modern take on … Continue reading →

I’ve always thought that the stock Triumph Scrambler has lots of potential for an edgier vibe. And Jim Good of Ohio was obviously thinking along the same lines when he set to work on his 2008 model bike — via … Continue reading →

The Free Universal Construction Kit from Adapterz on Vimeo. The Free Universal Construction Kit (http://fffff.at/free-universal-construction-kit) is a collection of nearly 80 adapter bricks that enable complete interoperability between ten popular children’s construction toys. By allowing any piece to mate with … Continue reading →

Okay, it is not every day that you come across a home like this. Sliding House, by dRMM Architecture does something that we have never seen or heard any another house do – it slides — via Home-Designing

Carlo Saltarelli has Ducati blood in his veins. He’s a former racer, test rider and dealership owner, and over the years, he’s built up a 100-bike collection of classic Ducatis. In May, this collection goes under the hammer in Monaco. … Continue reading →

This home extension is all about the outdoors, from bringing natural light and ventilation to the interior to pushing its occupants out into a big backyard or up onto a stunning rooftop deck. From their time in England, the owners … Continue reading →

Fred and Hugo of Blitz Motorcycles describe their latest creation as A gentleman’s bike for a gentleman rider. But it’s not a conservative, retro throwback. BSW is decidedly unconventional, like all of Blitz’s builds so far. The motorcycle was built for an … Continue reading →

5-9 Roslyn Street Potts Point [Durbach Block Jaggers] is a triangular shaped site, less than 200m2 in size. The rounded end looks directly onto a small public space. The shape of the site exaggerates perspective, the tiny footprint amplifies the … Continue reading →

For every hit custom build, there are ten misses. As most amateur builders know, it’s not easy to get the stance and the components just right. And costs can escalate surprisingly fast. That’s where the $2,795 CS-1 Café Racer kit … Continue reading →

The presented house [Nelson Resende] is located in an irregular area, with a constant pendent, in a descendent way, from the street, East, to the opposite limit, Oest. The visual dispersion of the surroundings is increased by the existence of … Continue reading →

UK-based Blue Forest makes inventive tree houses and recently introduced a new design concept called the eco-PERCH, which I think you’ll be interested in seeing.  The four-bed retreat can be delivered, assembled, and commissioned in about five days with things … Continue reading →

This is an extension work of the patisserie Le Coeur. We [StudioGreenBlue] built a new building where we can use as both workshop and takeout shop beside head shop. The client requested to keep existing image and also wants to … Continue reading →

The Tudor Pelagos not only has all the prerequisites of a good dive watch, it also has the world’s most advanced clasp. The clasp has a unique spring-loaded self-adjusting system which has been patented by Tudor. The clasp adjusts to … Continue reading →

Portuguese architect Mario Martins has designed the Colunata House in Lagos, Portugal — via CONTEMPORIST

The Bell & Ross WII Bomber Regulator has an oversized crown that has been placed on the left at 9 o’clock, rather than the more traditionally placed 3 o’clock. The large crown and the wide-notched bezel ensure optimal ease of … Continue reading →