Need to Know
26 : 01 : 22

Shoalhaven, Australia – After years of redevelopment, the Bundanon Museum is re-opening as an art and hospitality destination with a range of amenities that preserve nature and uplift Indigenous communities.

Designed to respond to current and future climates, the museum is divided into wings that each interact differently with the local environment. To protect precious artworks from adverse climate conditions, the main art collection is housed in a subterranean building that ensures adequate thermal insulation. Elsewhere on the premises, a bridge has been constructed to respond to wildfires and flooding. Merging climate-adaptive infrastructure with hospitality, the bridge provides 32 guest suites that overlook the Australian landscape as well as a creative learning centre.

Beyond its art programming, the Bundanon museum has enlisted the help of local Indigenous communities to help lead its bushland preservation programme following wildfires that devastated the region between 2019 and 2020. By combining art, hospitality, and nature preservation, the museum caters for climate-concerned consumers who are swapping extravagant holidays with regenerative tourism, aligning itself with the tenets of Post-conscious Travel.

Rome – Lending a touch of luxury to the world of cryptocurrency, Fendi is collaborating with digital security company Ledger to create an accessory for hardware wallets. Drawing on its popular Baguette and O’Lock styles, the two miniature cases for Bluetooth-enabled crypto wallets are designed to be attached to bags or garments and flaunted publicly.

Developed to protect digital currency holders from hacking and theft, the wallet, named Ledger Nano X, stores private information that is necessary for users to transact with crypto assets. By purchasing a hardware wallet, crypto holders can guarantee that every transaction requires access to their physical wallet to be approved, ensuring that, if their digital identity is compromised, they don’t lose access to their funds.

While the collaboration has received criticism from a safety perspective – most crypto holders store their hardware wallets in secure safes – it demonstrates a fresh new direction for luxury products that bridge the virtual and physical realms. Catering for the next era of digital luxurians, it continues to highlight luxury's NFT opportunity.

With the gaming and music worlds becoming increasingly intertwined, there’s a need for innovation when it comes to in-game music purchases and discovery. According to research by Deloitte, almost a quarter of Generation Z wish they could purchase music they hear in a game or be able to add it to a playlist.

Meanwhile, nearly as many share music recommendations with other people gaming online. A lack of seamless in-game music streaming options also means that gamers are opting for external sources, with 42% of young gamers listening to other music while gaming, and 34% looking music up online after hearing it in a game.

While many gamers rely on music to elevate their entertainment experience, there is currently no easy way for people to interact with and share in-game music without leaving the game. With this in mind, musicians and producers should capitalise on opportunities to reach Gen Z through immersive Digital Fandom campaigns.