Architectural Jewelry by Zaha Hadid
This isn’t the first time that Hadid has designed jewelry (you may recall that she created a line for Lebanese jewelry brand Aziz and Walid Mouzannar), but, whereas those earlier pieces were ornate and full of bling, the pieces she’s designed for Georg Jensen are slightly less flashy yet still elegant. Inspired by the Wangjing Soho skyscraper complex she completed in Beijing in 2014, the Georg Jensen collection is highly sculptural with sweeping curves that meld with a slat pattern.
The eight-piece collection includes cuffs and rings mostly crafted from sterling silver, though some will be made with silver-plated black rhodium set with black diamonds.
The Zaha Hadid collection is currently on display at Baselworld 2016 through March 24, in a complementary site-specific installation also designed by Hadid. Expect high price tags: Pieces will cost anywhere from $500 to $25,000.
Going off the Grid?
As one can imagine, the power consumption in a city like Las Vegas can get … excessive. But the city is making a greener, cost-saving move by partnering with EnGoPLANET, a startup that helps develop off-the-grid solutions. Through this partnership, Vegas plans to install four test solar-kinetic LED streetlights that will be powered by the sun as well as footsteps on kinetic energy tiles. The kinetic units will reportedly generate 7 watts of power each time someone steps on one, and that energy will be stored in a battery for later use.
EnGoPLANET STREET LIGHT from EnGoPLANET on Vimeo
At press time, the installation of the test units is slated for completion by May, specifically in the Boulder Plaza area of the Arts District Downtown. EnGoPLANET has also stated that there are numerous beneficial options for these systems ranging from motion sensor–activation that can help save even more energy to integrated charging stations for pedestrian gadgets.
Window Onto Dishwashing
It might seem odd to some people, but those of us who enjoy watching a soufflé rise in the oven or suds in the laundry machine can appreciate this latest appliance to add a window element. KitchenAid unveiled a new dishwasher that offers a tinted window as well as an interior light that powers on when the wash cycle has completed.
“Discerning homeowners with a passion for cooking will appreciate the assurance that their dishes are sparkling prior to removal,” says Bob Bergeth, general manager of builder sales at parent company Whirlpool Corporation.
Novelty aside, the model boasts Energy Star qualification, quiet performance of 44dBa (thanks to integrated sound insulation), intuitive precision touch controls and enhanced wash capabilities such as concentrated sprays for bottles or other deep or odd-shaped vessels and wares.
