Co.Design

Paris redesigned the urinal, but the real problem is the urinators

Why do we have to change public places to accommodate ill-mannered men?

Behold! The first popsicle that won’t melt

It was inspired by a secretive World War II project to use ice as a structural material for aircraft carriers.

This “city” for people with dementia is the future of memory care

“It’s going back to how we did it before we institutionalized our way of treating elderly,” says one of the architects.

The $29 billion battle to own how America sleeps is heating up

Casper has snagged a whopping $249.5 million in VC funding. But Saatva and Amerisleep believe there is value in slower, self-funded growth. Who will win?

What it’s like to design for Sesame Workshop

Digital design director Breonna Rodriguez talks to Doreen Lorenzo about the biggest challenge of working at Sesame Workshop, the particulars of designing for toddlers, and why it’s a great time to be a woman.

Ikea debuts its least Ikea-like collection yet

“Pretty, ugly, lovely.” That’s how the Swedish furniture giant describes its new collection with artist Per B Sundberg.

Your jeans are sexist

A data viz investigation.

The real reason your company switched to an open plan office

Sick of Facebook’s creepy ad targeting? Try this new tool

“You as a Facebook user taking action to [deny] advertisers access to information is a political move.”

This $2,995 home gym is like Peloton for weight-lifting

Can sleek design and engineering innovation make the home gym into a chic conversation piece?

Designers are hilariously mocking Trump’s Space Force logos

It’s a space farce.

How houseplants could save us from toxic buildings

Scientists think that plants could help us monitor our buildings for everything from mold and radon to volatile organic compounds.

Our first look at Alphabet’s smart city

Timber towers and smart pavement: Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs is sharing an early glimpse of its Toronto development.

Dealing with creative failure? Here’s what to do next

Seven artists talk about dealing with disappointment–and how to turn failure into a creative force.

Building Burning Man looks way more fun than attending

Long before the festival starts, surveyors and builders conjure Black Rock City out of the forbidding desert. It looks like a blast.

This foot surgeon invented killer heels that won’t kill your feet

A podiatrist launches a glamorous shoe startup, making the case that the ultimate luxury is being able to walk without pain.

Design is never neutral

Designers can’t simply make digital products easier to use. They have to think about what’s in the best interests of the user, writes Adobe’s Khoi Vinh.

What American inequality looks like from above

Homeless encampments, glassy offices, RVs, and tech buses.

An architect’s defense of open plan offices

A recent study of how employees communicate in open plan offices seemed to be the final nail in the coffin of this popular workplace design. But the study had an essential flaw, writes architect Ashley L. Dunn.