Co.Design

After 137 years of illegal work, La Sagrada Familia just got a building permit

One of the most famous cathedrals in the world has been un-permitted for decades. Here’s why.

I’ve been studying logos for decades. Here’s what changed this year

2019 was a year that saw branding evolve rapidly.

Even more evidence that Firefox wants to be the anti-Chrome

Mozilla CEO Chris Beard said in an interview that the company is looking to launch subscription-based premium features that bolster privacy and security.

One of tech’s most prolific design studios just reinvented the coffee maker

Argodesign works with companies like Magic Leap and designs interfaces for AI. But its latest project is pure low-tech.

Salesforce is acquiring data viz company Tableau for $15.7 billion

This startup wants to sell you chic home design for less than $2K

The Ayfraym is a beautiful, cleanly designed A-Frame cabin, and the blueprints can be yours for just $1,950.

These researchers invented an entirely new way of building with wood

Their technique makes wood buildings more structurally sound and more environmentally friendly.

Toyota’s bold new electric cars look nothing like your friendly Prius

Toyota’s new line of electric cars aren’t here to be your kombucha-drinking friend with a trust fund. They’re here to be your intimidating, Beyond Meat-eating trainer.

Blight is eating American cities. Here’s how Mobile, Alabama, stopped it

The story of blight in Mobile, Alabama, is the story of the rich and poor in America, of unregulated real estate, and of centuries of inequality. But in Mobile, a small team figured out how to change the narrative.

The birth of the electronic beep, the most ubiquitous sound design in the world

The story behind the sound that rules our lives.

Our viral app made less than $1,000. We’d still do it again

Our addictive game Specimen was a loss leader, but it collected tens of millions of data points that have been used to inform color perception research and even extend phones’ battery life.

See this terrifying concept for a 360-degree infinity pool atop a skyscraper

The Infinity Loop promises 360-degree views of the city of London, but will it get actually made?

Mexico’s heirloom corn is dying out–but this designer has a plan to stop it

Totomoxtle is a new material that’s not unlike wood veneer. But instead of trees, it’s made out of the husks of endangered species of Mexican corn.

Ikea taps a world-famous artist to bring solar power to the masses

Ikea has partnered with poet of light Olafur Eliasson to develop Sammanlankad, a collection of solar gadgets expected to go on sale in 2021.

This just might be the world’s most beautiful refrigerator

Samsung is reinventing the fridge for a generation of consumers who live in smaller spaces and want more personality in their appliances.

The code that powers our lives has a hidden environmental toll

A startling new paper reveals the massive carbon footprint of machine learning.

The next big thing in fashion? Not washing your clothes

“We risk turning the customer off by making them feel like we’re suggesting they be less hygienic. We’re going up against years of cultural conditioning here.”

Here’s how the U.S. would look if we renamed cities after their most famous resident

Do you live in Trumpville or Obamatown?

These public toilets are prettier than your house

The award-winning outhouses at Longs Peak aren’t just beautiful, though—they’re a technical solution to a long-standing problem at Rocky Mountain National Park.