HBL Analysis: Bobble

Bobble water bottle

Bobble, the reusable water bottle that filters as you drink – designed by Karim Rashid – is now available in two new sizes; a mini-sized (13.oz/385ml) version intended for children and a larger-sized (34.oz/1L) version ideal for sports enthusiasts. WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can click here to view a report with the latest trends for flasks and water bottles (where the original-sized Bobble was first featured).

HBL Analysis: Little Luxe

Little LUXE by Little Steps and LUXE City Guides

Little Steps and LUXE City Guides have collaborated to launch the Little LUXE series of city guides designed for families on the go. Currently available for Hong Kong and Singapore, the guides are packed with recommendations on the best family friendly restaurants, activities, shopping and hotels.

WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can click here to view a trend analysis report on playful hospitality interiors aimed primarily at children.

HBL News: First US Animal Welfare Approved restaurant opens in New York

Newly opened Grazin diner in Hudson, NY, is the first restaurant in the US to be certified Animal Welfare Approved. The restaurant maintains a list of credentials that ensure its the most animal friendly eatery whose menu revolves around... burgers. Everything on the menu is from family farms that practice humane farming, and nearly everything comes from within an 11-mile radius of the restaurant.

HBL Blog of the Week: The Selby

Illustrator and photographer Todd Selby is the founder of The Selby website and author of 'The Selby is in your Place' (2010), both focused on giving readers an attentive insight into creative individuals in their personal spaces. It started modestly  in June 2008 with Todd taking photos of friends in their homes, but The Selby quickly became inundated with requests to feature on the website, which now gets an estimated 55,000 visitors daily.

Three years on, The Selby portrays regular people from all over the world in their unique, quirky surroundings. Since the launch of the website, The Selby has collaborated frequently with Vogue Paris and Architectural Digest France, as well as Nike, Colette, Haabitat and the New York Times T Magazine.

HBL loves: The new Edible Selby, which shows chefs, bakers, farmers and restaurant owners in their element.

IN Residence workshop #4: Design Dialogues at the Residence Du Parc, Turin

Pepe Heykoop

IN Residence is an annual project made up of thematic workshops, exhibitions and publications dedicated to experimental design. In Italy, it is one of the most interesting meetings for reflection and comparison.

HBL Exhibitions: Adrien De Melo at Galerie BSL

Stripes/Bench

Adrien De Melo is presenting seven limited edition pieces of furniture for his first solo exhibition, held at Galerie BSL in Paris. The pieces aim to explore the concepts of real and recreated nature, and are made using  materials including onyx, ceramic and wood.

Morning Mist by Benjamin Graindorge

Between Shadows assemblage by Benjamin Graindorge

Benjamin Graindorge presents his first solo show, Morning Mist, at Ymer & Malta. Launched for Paris Design Week, the exhibition explores the interaction between light and form through variations on five simple objects: a lamp, bench, stool, candle holder, and mirror.

HBL analysis: Origin 2011

Clare Knox-Bentham

Craft selling show Origin marked its second year as part of the London Design Festival, and its second edition based in Spitalfields Market in East London, with a successful show that was particularly strong for ceramics. WGSN-homebuildlife presents the exhibitor highlights.

LDF 2011: The Sweet Shoppe

Sweet Shoppe by Campaign and the Future Laboratory; photography by Hufton Crow

The doors are now closed on Campaign and The Future Laboratory's collaborative pop up store, Sweet Shoppe. Open for business for two weeks during the London Design Festival 2011, they created a one-off interactive installation exploring ideas about the future of retail.

HBL News: Graphene research awarded £50m investment for UK development

British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has announced an investment of £50m to create a research hub to support the commercialisation of graphene, the Guardian reported yesterday.

Tributes to Steve Jobs

When news broke on Wednesday night that Apple founder and design visionary Steve Jobs had lost his battle with cancer, tributes poured in from all over the world. The clear glass walls of Apple's iconic stores were plastered with Post-It notes from fans, colleagues and employees, praising him for his contribution to design and talking of the legacy he leaves behind. 

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO since Jobs stepped down in the summer, vowed that the corporation would "honour his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much". Bill Gates praised his friend and erstwhile rival, stating that "the world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come". Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg thanked him "for showing that what you build can change the world". Perhaps the final word came from Barack Obama, who said that "the world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve's success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented." 

WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can read our tribute, How Steve Jobs changed the world.

Philips and Estée Lauder team up for breast cancer

Selfridges was transformed into a vision of pink last week as part of a Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign undertaken by cosmetics company Estée Lauder and Philips Lighting, Lighting magazine reports.

The campaign sees a number of prominent landmarks around the world illuminated using Philips’ LED technology with the aim of raising awareness of the disease - including the air traffic control tower at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and the Yokohama Marine Tower in Japan.