News 24.06.2020

Need to Know

A revolutionary design for urban greenhouses, a necklace that measures social distancing, and why wealthy home-owners seek domestic wellness.

These greenhouses support self-sufficient communities

 Inflatable greenhouses by Eliza Hague, India
 Inflatable greenhouses by Eliza Hague, India
 Inflatable greenhouses by Eliza Hague, India

Jaipur – Architecture student Eliza Hague's design for inflatable greenhouses could help communities to grow their own food.

Made from shellac-coated bamboo, the greenhouse covering offers a more sustainable alternative to the polythene sheeting most commonly used in India, which needs replacing yearly and generates excessive plastic waste. To create the paper-like material, Hague used bamboo and covered it with a shellac coating to make the covering weather-resistant and longer-lasting.

‘In light of the pandemic, the idea that architecture can provide spaces to encourage self-sufficient living has become more prevalent as we rely on supermarkets more than ever,’ explains Hague. 'This notion stimulated the desire to create a design that not only responded to its local environment, but also proposed innovative solutions to these challenges.’

As India faces the challenge of feeding an ever-growing urban population, Hague is empowering citizens in Jaipur to make New Urban Farms more sustainable and accessible.

Christopher Raeburn’s new collection is entirely circular

Raefound by Christopher Raeburn, UK Raefound by Christopher Raeburn, UK
Raefound by Christopher Raeburn, UK Raefound by Christopher Raeburn, UK

UK – The designer is not creating any new garments for London Fashion Week’s digital event.

As part of its commitment to the environment, Christopher Raeburn has launched Raefound, an evolving non-seasonal range of original, unworn military clothing and accessories. The collection was personally sourced by Raeburn and features no new fashion items or waste. ‘What could be more radical than making nothing at all?’ asks Raeburn.

Each item in the collection is genuine military wear and was selected for its inherent functionality, wearability, durability and unique style, with added Raeburn branding. Customers can discover the items’ provenance through a QR code, with the first range of garments hailing from French, Austrian and Dutch militaries.

With fashion industry waste set to reach 148m tons annually by 2030, according to Global Fashion Agenda and Boston Consulting Group, brands are innovating with commercial programmes that drive a circular economy in the fashion sector.

sChoker is a social distancing necklace

India – A prototype designed by India-based architecture practice Architecture Discipline offers a technical way to maintain social distancing.

The sChoker is a smart wearable that uses simple thermal sensors to monitor the wearer’s proximity to others. Crafted from carbon fibre, the prototype design aims to ease people’s return into social gatherings and public spaces. In particular, the device could help those with visual or hearing impairments to detect whether they are maintaining distance.

‘While the world is still grappling with ways to deal with the pandemic, what is evident is that social distancing is here to stay and the fact that it will change our way of life in some ways for ever,’ explain designers Akshat Bhatt, Amit Gupta and Pankaj Kumar. ‘The need was to uphold privacy and anonymity, and allow people to be socially normal and not distant.’

The trend for Privacy Hardware is now evolving in line with the current health crisis, offering new ways to protect and preserve social distancing measures.

sChoker by Architecture Discipline, India

Stat: Affluent Americans seek wellbeing-boosting homes

Plastic Rain by Andrés Reisinger Plastic Rain by Andrés Reisinger

The worlds of wellness and luxury home-ownership are becoming ever-more intertwined, according to a new study by Luxury Portfolio International. The report, The Great Wellness Surge: Bringing the Best Life Home, estimates that wellness is set to become a £3.3 trillion ($4.2 trillion, €3.7 trillion) industry for the next generation of high-end home-buyers.

The study finds that 72% of luxury home-owners say wellness is important because it contributes to their overall happiness, while 48% say wellness helps them to tune out of the noise of day-to-day life. ‘The results from this latest study [show] a seismic shift in how consumers view their properties: not just home sites adorned with designer finishes and furnishings, but havens that cater for mental and physical wellbeing,’ says Stephanie Anton, president of Luxury Portfolio Chicago.

As health and wellness become recognised as luxuries, wealthy consumers are looking to embed domestic serenity into the home. For more, read our microtrend Silent Homes.

Previous News Articles
MAD//Fest 2025: Delayed adulthood, algorithmic segregation and Gen Z hippies

News

MAD//Fest 2025: Delayed adulthood, algorithmic segregation and Gen Z hippies

MAD//Fest returned to Shoreditch on 1 July 2025, with this year’s theme Be Less Boring challenging brands to rethink how to engage with new audiences.
Global Events : Advertising & Marketing : Gen Z
Promo - Together Group report and microsite

News

Promo - Together Group report and microsite

xxx
Together Group
Insight - mystery at the grooms': hermès brings interactive installation to NYC (copy)

News

Insight - mystery at the grooms': hermès brings interactive installation to NYC (copy)

xxx
Interactive Installation
Habitat and Pinterest unveil immersive campaign putting emotion into home design

News

Habitat and Pinterest unveil immersive campaign putting emotion into home design

Habitat has teamed up with Pinterest for an immersive storytelling campaign that repositions homeware as a tool for emotional re-invention and shop...
Retail : Design : Technology
Stat: Young adults are redefining romantic relationships on their terms

News

Stat: Young adults are redefining romantic relationships on their terms

As romantic norms fragment, 20% of people are now unknowingly practising ‘relationship anarchy’, according to the latest State of Dating repor...
Statistic : Stat : Dating
AI billboard visualises real-time sun damage in UV awareness campaign

News

AI billboard visualises real-time sun damage in UV awareness campaign

A new study by the British Skin Foundation reveals that 38% of Britons have already been sunburnt in 2025 – with Gen Z (35%) and Millennials (30%) ...
Advertising : Health And Wellness : Beauty
Wimbledon elevates fan engagement with AI-powered digital experiences

News

Wimbledon elevates fan engagement with AI-powered digital experiences

The All England Lawn Tennis Club and IBM have unveiled an AI-powered experience designed to deepen audience engagement and enhance match under...
Wimbledon : Sports : Entertainment
Stat: Gen Alpha lead the charge in back-to-school shopping

News

Stat: Gen Alpha lead the charge in back-to-school shopping

Children and teenagers are now the primary decision-makers in back-to-school shopping, according to a new global study by SuperAwesome.
Retail : Gen Alpha : Statistic
The Fashion Innovation Agency debuts 3D garment volumetric capture service

News

The Fashion Innovation Agency debuts 3D garment volumetric capture service

The Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of Fashion has launched Reskinning Reality, the UK’s first 3D garment volumetric capture service ai...
Fashion : Technology : Virtual Fashion
Elemis brings beauty trackside with new Aston Martin F1 collection

News

Elemis brings beauty trackside with new Aston Martin F1 collection

Premium beauty brand Elemis is stepping further into the world of Formula 1 with the launch of four exclusive skincare collections in partnership w...
Aston Martin : Elemis : Formula 1
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN