Renault unveils shapeshifting Morphoz concept car

Renault has designed an all-electric concept car that can be physically expanded and have its range extended based on the needs of its user.

Called Morphoz, the electric car has an extendable body that can be switched between a shorter, city-car form and a longer version for travel.

In addition to a fully electric powertrain with a battery-sharing system, the car has level three driving autonomy and a smart system powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that enables the vehicle to recognise its driver on approach.

Morphoz was set to make its debut at this year's Geneva Motor Show, which was scheduled to open on Tuesday 3 March. However the event was cancelled due to a government ban on large events in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

The city version of the car is 4.40 metres long with a wheelbase length of 2.73 metres. It is powered by a 40 kilowatt hour (kWh) battery that has a range of up to 249 miles to suit day-to-day journeys to work or the shops.

When in travel mode, the car extends to 4.80 metres long with a 2.93 metre-long wheelbase, creating a more spacious interior with extra legroom and space for two more suitcases.

An additional 50kWh battery can be added to the car in travel mode, giving it a combined 90kWh battery. This would extend the car's range to 435 miles.

The car would be extended to travel mode at a predetermined battery station, where the shared batteries would be stored. Here the car's undertray opens and the extra 50 kWh battery would be installed.

When the driver has reached their destination, they can stop at a station to return the extra batteries, reverting the car to its original 40kWh capacity and smaller city configuration.

The station would recharge the batteries until they are needed by another vehicle. In the meantime, it would use the batteries to store electricity from renewable energy sources or to power bike-sharing stations or street lighting.

When the car isn't being driven, its batteries could be used to power appliances in the owner's house or even their local area via smart charging devices and Vehicle to Grid bi-directional technology.

The batteries are incorporated into the floor, allowing the vehicle to be designed closer to the ground with a lower roof to improve its aerodynamic performance.

Morphoz is also powered by AI, which uses sensors to detect and recognise the driver as they are approaching before activating a light sequence on the doors to indicate recognition.

The driver can "wave" to the car to activate the welcome sequence, which unlocks and opens the doors, automatically positions the seat and adjusts the interior lighting to the driver's preference.

This AI is also used to process real-time data from the car's external sensors and cameras, which replace conventional door mirrors, to detect the presence of pedestrians or cyclists nearby or in blind spots.

Despite being able to recognise and welcome its owner, Renault has designed Morphoz in anticipation of future regulations that may enforce car-sharing for all vehicles by removing the need for a key.

Instead, everything in the car would be accessed and controlled via smartphone, which functions as a digital key. Drivers would receive an unlocking code that gives them access and use to the vehicle for a certain time period.

Inside the car, a raised central, wooden console runs along the middle of the cabin would acts as the "brain" of the vehicle. This includes a smartphone holder that serves as the main data source.

An oblong steering wheel with an embedded 10.2-inch screen displays the main driving and safety information. However, when in manual driving mode or autonomous mode, a multimedia screen on the dashboard can display this information.

If the driver links the car's AI features to their smartphone, the AI can then use data and information from the phone to carry out personalised tasks like music playlists or suggesting popular destinations.

This AI assistant can be controlled by touching the screens and console, by hand gestures or by the user's voice.

This is not the first time Renault has envisioned what shared car ownership would look like. It's Ez-Pro concept imagined convoys of modular "robo-pods" being able to function as pop-up shops, food counters and other types of retail.

The fleets of autonomous, electric vehicles can move as a platoon or independently. Each one consists of a standard base, to which different units can be attached.

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Brick and copper turrets define Melbourne house by Wowowa

Australian architecture studio Wowowa built three cylindrical brick turrets with copper accents for a house in Melbourne.

Located in suburb of Fitzroy North the home, called Merri Creek House after a nearby waterway, references its surroundings.

"Monumental turrets reference geometric farm relics and tall brick water structures, an obsession shared by both Wowowa and the client," explained the studio.

"Their robust nature feels grounded and protected against the elements – so solid that no fire or flood could bring them down. Given the site's proximity to Merri Creek and surrounding bushlands, a hearty response felt appropriate."

To the south, one of these turrets houses a play area below and a study above.

In the centre, a second turret houses a double-height dining area wrapped by a wooden staircase that sweeps up to the second storey,

Both are illuminated by thin full-height windows that can be opened.

The study area opens onto a decked terrace above a garage space, which looks out onto the street to face the terraces of its neighbours.

An entrance between these two turrets leads through the "dining turret" into a large living and kitchen space.

This space can be opened out onto covered terraces on two sides.

A copper canopy supported by thin steel columns shields the windows that run along the living room's edge.

Yellow and white-striped awnings can be rolled down to provide sun protection.

"The most playful moments are the spaces between the turrets, as the home twists to provide the workhorse amenity required in any family dwelling," described the studio.

"Throughout the day, dappled textures and refracted colours animate the interiors, as the light moves around the sculptural home."

The third turret to the north has been designed as a "deconstructed ruin" half-enclosed by a section of brick wall.

It bulges into the living room and opens towards the creek, with an arched window sheltered by a copper canopy.

For the interiors, white walls and ceilings are contrasted by areas of exposed brick and accents, including a pink marble counter in the kitchen.

On the first floor, more colourful wall finishes include blue-painted walls in the study and bathroom.

Wowowa, which was founded in 2010 by Monique and Scott Woodward, previously made use of similar curved, brick forms for another house in Fitzroy North, expanding a Victorian building with a scalloped brick extension.

Photography is by SMG.

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Nike reveals uniforms for Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Nike has designed basketball and soccer uniforms for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics that it says will be the "most sustainable" and "highest performing" to date.

The sportswear brand has created uniforms for America's men and women basketball teams, and soccer jerseys for the USA, Korea and Nigeria teams. The apparel includes outfits for competition, the medal stand and training.

Nike has used a mixture of materials with the aim to make the attire more environmentally friendly. They include polyester created from recycled plastic bottles, recycled nylon, and rubber and yarn waste from the company's factories.

The US team's all-white medal stand attire is made from recycled materials including excess rubber from Nike factories

"This is the most sustainable product and the highest performing product we have ever created as a collection," said Nike Chief Design Officer John Hoke.

"So whether it is on the track and field, the celebration of the medal stand, the village wear, the training wear or the other outfits they wear, everything that we are doing is 100 per cent sustainable."

The Nike Air Vapormax sneakers comprise 75 per cent manufacturing waste products

On the medal stand, athletes will wear Nike Air Vapormax sneakers made with 75 per cent manufacturing waste. The design for the sneakers – a combination of various textures, colours and shapes – was influenced by the appearance of waste piles.

Nike has made the upper part from recycled polyester, which it said not only reduces waste, but also cuts down carbon emissions by approximately 30 per cent.

Nike has designed blue and white outfits for the USA soccer teams

It also incorporates Nike's Flyknit platform, which is made by cutting yarn and fibre to exact specifications of the shoe design to produce less waste. The shoe's airbag is made from recycled thermoplastic polyurethane, TPU, a rubber-like plastic.

Nike also added its Flyease technology to the footwear to make it easier for athletes to slip into the shoes.

A white windbreaker jacket and matching pants, also fabricated with polyester from materials such as plastic bottles, complete the outfit.

Zipper pulls, the US Olympic emblem and Nike's swoosh logo are fashioned from recycled waste rubber that has been ground down into granules, which the company has branded as Nike Grind.

The Korean soccer uniforms feature a pattern of red trigrams that takes cues from the country's national flag

Football players will compete wearing a new shoe, the Air Zoom Mercurial, which uses 3D-printed textile Flyprint.

USA's soccer team will sport blue shorts with a white top for their home kit and a blue camo patterned shirt for their away kit, while the Korean and Nigerian global football uniforms honour the country's culture and traditions.

The Korean home sets feature a pattern of red trigrams that takes cues from the country's national flag, while the away version is decorated with painterly tiger-stripe design.

Nigerian global football uniforms honour the country's culture and traditions with symbols intended to pay homage to the country's heritage and nobility

The patterns and colours on Nigeria's sets are also hand-drawn and reference symbolism related to the country's heritage, nobility and family.

Like the soccer jerseys, Nike has designed the Olympic basketball uniforms using 100 per cent recycled polyester and nylon.

All soccer players will compete wearing the Air Zoom Mercurial, which is made using Flyprint, a 3D-printed textile

The USA team outfit references the look of the 1996 USAB sets with its use of colour and wordmark. Twelve stars line the side of the womens' shorts to represent the 12 Olympic games the team has competed in.

Drawstring cords, zipper pulls and the Nike swoosh logo on the clothing are made using Nike Grind.

Nike has also designed the first-ever Olympic skateboarding uniforms for Tokyo 2020. All of the jerseys will be made from 100 per cent recycled polyester comprising "water bottles and other things that would go to waste," according to the brand.

The USA basketball uniforms are based on the 1996 USAB sets

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are set to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020. Ahead of the event the regulatory board World Athletics released new sporting guidelines that allow Nike's controversial Vaporfly shoe to be used in competition.

Nike's recycled designs follow other creations for the world sporting event that make use of sustainable practices, such as the medals, created by Japanese designer Junichi Kawanishi that incorporate old smartphones.

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Bold Outlines Delineate Expressive Portraits by Agnes Grochulska

Oil on canvas, 17 x 19 inches. All images © Agnes Grochulska, shared with permission

Agnes Grochulska imbues her portraits with various emotions but leaves room for the viewer to determine which ones, preferring to create works “in which not everything is fully realized.” In The Outline Series, the Virginia-based artist uses impasto strokes to capture the distinct facial features of her characters, while drawing less attention to the rest of their figures. She finishes each portrait with a bold outline, adding bits of the vibrant blues, purples, and yellows to highlight portions of the face and neck.

While my work is anchored in representation, I try to not only focus on depicting the details of my subject but also try to capture the emotion—the essence of it. That particular ‘something’ that drew me to that subject in the first moment… There is a moment when I look at the painting and feel the emotion is there. This is the moment to step aside and realize the painting is finished.

Grochulska tells Colossal that the outline colors are intuitive and that she chooses them near the end of each piece, often gravitating toward one that either directly compliments or contrasts the rest of the work. “The outline acts as a metaphor here… It also represents the contemporary aspect of the painting in its bold and vibrant expressive character,” she says. “My hope is that the abstract form of the outline adds an emotional weight and highlights the human subject by drawing attention to the portrayed face they frame.” You can find more of the artist’s lively portraits on Instagram.

Oil on canvas, 17 x 19 inches

Oil on canvas, 12 x 12 inches

“Yellow Outline,” oil on canvas, 14 x 14 inches

“Yellow Outline,” oil on canvas, 14 x 14 inches

“Red Specs,” oil on canvas, 16 x 16 inches

 

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Apple Japan looks to anime for first Behind the Mac ad

Following on from the brand's star-studded campaign showing real-life people using Macs, Japan’s first iteration focuses on the appearance of its logo (and similar tributes) in animation.

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