LSN : News : Need to Know 02 : 03 : 18

1. Luxury leather goods brand offers curated apartment

A-PLACE by Thisispaper, Warsaw

Warsaw – Having started life as a graphic design studio and online magazine dedicated to architecture, photography, and design, Thisispaper recently entered the physical world with a relaunch of its magazine in print and the opening of a flagship store selling luxury leather goods, teas and prints.

To mark this move into the real world, the brand has also acquired and curated a rentable short-stay apartment, A-PLACE, located near its store, offering a space beyond the retail environment ‘where our values take a tangible form’. On arrival, guests are treated to a serving of organic Japanese tea, imported by the brand and sold in its store. Its shelves are stocked with art, design and architecture books and magazines and a 70s sound system includes a gramophone, amplifier, tuner and a selection of vinyls.

In the next iteration of Home-tail and in line with our Brandlords microtrend, there is a shift occurring within the luxury sector as brands move into real estate, offering consumers curated liveable spaces that align with their brand message.

2. Livin evolves the shower experience

Livin Shower, Barcelona

Barcelona – Through machine learning, cloud computing and sensor technology, the Livin Shower creates a bespoke shower experience. The fixture, which can be easily added to bathrooms using household tools, offers 10 custom profiles, allowing individuals to save their preferred temperature and favourite music.

Livin uses a temperature-control algorithm to reach the specified temperature in minimal time, auto-pausing the water stream once the temperature reaches the target temperature until the user walks in to save water.

The system’s one-click button lets users pause and resume their shower while retaining the water at the optimum temperature, while an accompanying app monitors temperature and water usage to inspire greater vigilance. As we have already seen in Connected Kitchens, the Internet of Things is entering new spaces in the home, now extending into the bathroom.

3. Brussels offers free transport on pollution heavy days

Brussels – New legislation has been introduced in the Belgian capital to help cut air pollution levels. In a bid to encourage people to abandon their cars during periods of high pollution, the city council will make public transport systems and bike sharing free to use if the city experiences two consecutive days of high particulate matter (PM) levels.

In a bid to further reduce emissions, the council has also cut the speed limit for cars by around a third. ‘We need to create quality public space,’ Pascal Smet, Brussels’ mobility minister told the Guardian. ‘By giving back space to pedestrians and cyclists, cities can create places where people meet and connect.’

As consumers become increasingly concerned by the effects pollution has on health, brands need to help them navigate a path to cleaner air. For more see our Smog Life series.

Smog Life original film by The Future Laboratory

4. BrewDog fully immerses tourists in its beer

The DogHouse hotel by BrewDog, Scotland

Aberdeenshire – Scottish beer manufacturer BrewDog has announced that it will open Doghouse Hotel in early 2019. The 26-room hotel will overlook the brand’s brewery, allowing guests to fully immerse themselves in the production process, while in-room beer taps provide ample tasting opportunities.

‘The DogHouse is our gift to passionate craft beer fans making the pilgrimage to our brewery in Aberdeenshire,’ co-founder James Watt told the Guardian. ‘The idea of opening a beer hotel has always been high on our agenda, and now we are finally able to realise that dream, right here at our HQ.’ BrewDog first introduced the idea of a branded hotel last year with the announcement of accommodation in Columbus, Ohio at the site of its American brewery.

Brands like BrewDog and Portobello Road Gin are recognising a growing desire from consumers who want to make the pilgrimage to better understand how the drink is made, and are rewarding these dedicated customers with immersive hospitality experiences.

5. Why ride-hailing apps are not solving congestion

While ride-sharing apps have long been hailed as the answer to congestion by diminishing the number of cars on the road at any one time, figures show that they are in fact contributing to the problem. The findings suggest that most people are taking ride-hailing trips end-to-end rather than combining them service with public transport. In light of this we spoke to Paul Priestman, chairman of transport design agency PriestmanGood, about the issues that need to be addressed as we herald the rise of autnomous vehicles.

6. Thought-starter: Why the current political system obstructs female happiness

Jill Filipovic, author of The H-Spot: The Feminist Pursuit of Happiness on why the current political system is not set up for women to live a happy, meaningful life.

‘The feminist movement has made enormous gains over the past 100 years or so, and that movement towards equality has been very important,’ explains Filipovic. ‘But I’m not sure that just simply trying to be equal to men, in a world made by and for men, is ever going to be successful.’

In her book, Filipovic re-examines the traditional pursuit of gender equality, which seeks to fairly portion out what men have so that women can gain an equal share of it.

‘We should also be asking what kind of world we want and what is missing in the way that we set up our nations, our families, our workplaces, our cultures and our norms,’ says Filipovic. ‘When, for most of human history, women have not been at the decision-making table or in positions of power.’

For more insight into what female happiness looks like and how brands can best support this, read the full Q&A here.