Ledger Building, Integrated lamp, Orange color theme #215 / June 23, 2023 (Fri) / Confidential |
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Discord, a platform loved by American middle and high school students, has gained popularity. It was originally designed for teenagers who enjoy gaming, allowing them to create virtual rooms where they can chat about games or socialize while watching movies together. One of the trending features on this platform is the ability to create characters using an AI called "Midjourney Bot." While the service used to be free, users are now required to pay a small subscription fee.
By entering the keywords "white hair, blue hoodie, blue eyes, Discord logo on the hoodie," you can generate a cartoon character resembling the image displayed below. The V1, V2, V3... buttons enable you to continually refine and generate characters for various models.
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A playful engineer at KDCA studio came up with the idea to spice things up and said, "Let's add a bold image to the current Kia Stonic." They were astonished at how swiftly the images were generated, as seen below. The second picture showcases a clever fusion of the Stonic and a cyber truck. Ha-ha-ha, it's truly entertaining! |
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The role of AI designers, once thought to be limited to children's play, has evolved as they now serve as valuable assistants to professional designers. Just last week, Toyota announced their use of generative AI in car design.
Designers provide the AI with initial sketches and specific instructions using keywords like "Create a futuristic and sleek car with minimal drag." In response, the AI generates variations, presenting options 1, 2, and 3, while also displaying the average aerodynamic drag values. As the keyword becomes simpler, the number of potential generated images increases infinitely. Consequently, when providing keywords, precise engineering constraints are carefully considered. |
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Toyota is actively incorporating AI in their efforts to expand into the electric vehicle sector, with the goal of speeding up vehicle development and manufacturing. The remarkable and pioneering aspect of utilizing AI to achieve quick and efficient designs cannot be overstated. Nevertheless, the degree to which AI can generate innovative and unique designs remains uncertain. The endeavor to minimize drag shows great potential.
It is essential to closely monitor whether AI can create designs that not only capture the brand's heritage and narrative but also resonate with customers.
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🤗 Newletter Summary
01. Consumer Trend - Centering cycling, an Arkansas office building's six stories are linked by bikeable ramps
02 Design - Carousel is an integrated lighting solution that provides warmth and power without causing any glare.
03 Automotive Weekly - The orange theme (energy+positivity+vibrancy) is thriving in various industrial sectors. |
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Consumer Trend - Bentonville's leisure building features interconnected slopes specifically designed for mountain biking.
Situated in the northwest corner of Arkansas, Bentonville is a vibrant city embraced by the scenic Ozark Mountains, making it an ideal destination for year-round mountain biking due to its mild climate. The downtown area of Bentonville, renowned for its mountain biking offerings, presents riders with a range of bike trails catering to different levels of difficulty.
An outstanding feature of Bentonville is a groundbreaking building designed specifically for bike accessibility, marking it as the world's first of its kind. Ledger, a six-story office and retail space that recently opened, showcases external slopes that enable bikers to experience mountain biking from the ground floor to the top. Covering a distance of 3/4 mile from the first floor to the rooftop, the building boasts a gradient of around 5%. Those leasing shared workspaces or short-term offices can conveniently ride their bikes directly to their designated floors. Alongside its distinctive architecture, Ledger provides excellent amenities for cyclists, including secure bike storage, electric bike charging stations, and shower facilities on each floor. The external slopes are open to all individuals on weekdays, from 7 AM to 5 PM, granting access not only to cyclists but also to pedestrians who wish to enjoy them.
By transitioning to low-carbon commuting through cycling, citizens can reduce their carbon footprint, alleviate traffic congestion, and enhance their personal fitness. While designing safe and convenient bicycle commuting is often associated with planning in major cities, innovative projects like the Ledger building with its external slopes offer a source of pleasure and excitement to the citizens who utilize them. There are numerous approaches to promote cycling, such as incorporating cycling-friendly architectural designs, offering appealing incentives to encourage pedaling instead of driving, or fostering a cycling culture and establishing sustainable environments for brands (e.g., implementing bicycle buses for students). |
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Design - Carousel, a lighting fixture created by Pablo Design, provides a warm and glare-free ambiance.
Although Carousel takes the form of a table, it integrates the functions of a nightstand, lamp, charger, switch, and tray. By combining LED modules within an opaque acrylic cylindrical body, it emits a gentle and warm illumination without causing any glare, enhancing the atmosphere of the bedroom.
On top of the product, there are two wireless charging areas and a built-in USB-C port, offering convenient charging capabilities for various mobile devices.
In addition, it would be desirable to have lighting fixtures like Carousel, which provide a minimalist and versatile design while delivering a warm and glare-free illumination, applied within car interiors to create a comfortable and cozy environment during parking. |
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Automotive Weekly - Theme "Orange"
Based on BASF's recent announcement, a global chemical company, it has been reported that vibrant colors such as orange, yellow, green, and violet are experiencing an increase in market share within the coating industry. Orange, in particular, stands out with its vibrant, energetic, and natural appeal, gaining prominence across various product categories and showcasing its unique characteristics and growing popularity. Let's delve into the expanding trend of the orange theme:
1) Lamborghini Revuelto
The Lamborghini Revuelto, appropriately named after the Spanish words for 'rebellion, revolt, and conflict', features a striking bright orange exterior color known as Arancio Borealis in its Urakan Performance model. This vivid shade of orange beautifully highlights the car's meticulously sculpted lines and sleek exterior design, creating a contemporary and modern aesthetic. |
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2) New TRD Pro Color - Solar Octane
Each year, Toyota Calty Design unveils an exclusive color reserved only for the TRD Pro series. These distinct exterior colors are meticulously crafted to showcase the harmonious blend of power, ruggedness, and style that defines the TRD Pro models. The shared color palette extends across the current lineup of the "Fab Four" models: Tundra, Sequoia, 4Runner, and Tacoma.
Creating these unique colors involves a comprehensive process that encompasses analyzing market trends and understanding consumer preferences. The insights gained from these stages have resulted in the introduction of groundbreaking colors that embody the adventurous spirit and outdoor identity cherished by drivers. Noteworthy examples include Quicksand in 2016, Voodoo Blue in 2019, and Lime Rush in 2022, which have garnered widespread praise.
The TRD Pro color for 2023 is Solar Octane, a vibrant and fiery orange hue inspired by the brilliance of solar energy. According to the developers, those who opt for this color are individuals who value individuality and possess a flair for imagination and creativity.
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3) Ohmie, an orange lamp made entirely from discarded oranges that can be fully composted
Krill Design, headquartered in Milan, has created Ohmie, a lamp made from Sicilian orange peels that is 100% compostable. Using 3D printing technology, they have crafted a lightweight lamp using a combination of natural bio-polymer and food waste. The lamp emits the authentic scent of oranges and features a texture reminiscent of orange peels, allowing its environmentally friendly characteristics to be felt through its appearance. |
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4) Wasted Food as Interior Materials in Cars
Callum, a company committed to enhancing the sustainability of car interiors, has been implementing a diverse range of sustainable materials in notable projects like Aston Martin, Vantage, Jaguar F-type, and E-type. Currently, they are exploring the potential of utilizing coffee pulp, eggshells, lentils, rice, and Australian nuts in car interior applications. The combination of eggshell and resin results in a sleek and opaque material capable of providing both matte and glossy finishes, making it well-suited for trim surrounds around window switches. Moreover, incorporating walnut shells into eggshells can increase the recycling content from 78% to 84%.
Aged rice or lentils offer excellent properties for lighting components such as light switches or lamp covers, while coffee pulp can serve as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic for decorative trims like dashboards or inserts. Furthermore, these materials can be utilized in various interior accessories, offering natural hues such as vibrant orange or jade. |
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There is a significant influx of Koreans living in the United States returning to their home country for summer vacations, to the extent that they may coincidentally meet in Myeongdong. As a result, airfare to Korea has skyrocketed, with prices ranging from $3,000 to $4,500 for economy class and even reaching $6,000 to $8,000 for business class. The budget airline "Air Premier," which launched with the catchphrase guaranteeing half-priced flights ($787) in 2022, continues to experience sold-out seats.
Many attribute this surge in demand to pent-up revenge travel due to the pandemic, and airlines are competing with each other through "retaliatory fares" (the price increases feel like a tactical chart, sadly T_T).
Without going against this trend... ^^ I will also go on vacation (to Korea~) and recharge during my downtime. Along with that, Upclose America will also take a vacation until the end of July. While spending time in Korea, I hope to gain a better understanding of American trends and share them more prominently when I return... I wish everyone good health until I come back, and I will see you again in the first week of August! |
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Kia Design Center America
Written by Jenna Chwee
Email: jchwee@hatci.com
101 Peters Canyon Rd. Irvine, CA 92606
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