The Design Block
If you're looking for the latest in advertising and marketing, design related technology and lifestyle tips, and art or design highlights then you're in the right place. Find all this and more with the Design Block blog.
Masterful landscapes etched into reclaimed wood
Reclaimed wood gets a new lease on life through stunning contemporary designs influenced by the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Take a peak at the Close-up Photographer of the Year winners
With over 9,000 pictures from 54 countries, the competition showcases the often overlooked or unseen world.
Awe-inspiring 2022 Sony World Photography Awards winners
These awards are an opportunity to see the skills of amateur & professional photographer from around the world.
Upcycling artist turns scrap into lifelike animal sculptures
Inspired by the forms of animals, this artist's upcycling art seeks to capture a sense of motion.
Photographer shines a light on Antarctica’s icy beauty
"The intriguing thing about the light in Antarctica was in the seeming absence of sunlight."
Galactic talent: Contest showcases best Milky Way photos of the year
Earth is situated in the Orion Arm of the Milky Way and sometimes we can see deep into our galaxy’s centre.
Coca-Cola & Carlsberg are making the switch to plant-based bottles
Thanks to a biochemicals company in the Netherlands, plant-based bottles could soon replace plastic ones.
Delicate animal portraits created from flowers
This artists animal portraits are inspired by the ancient and traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement— Ikebana.
Quarantined travel photographer creates miniature outdoor scenes with everyday objects
Each miniature scene is planned out and shot with clever lighting so that it looks just like the real outdoors.
National winners of the 2020 Sony World Photography Awards
The National Awards are a way for the contest to showcase talent from all countries that submitted work.
Oil paintings that pay homage to prehistoric animals
While this artist's work is diverse, her favourite subjects are actually extinct and prehistoric animals.
Volkswagen hides a showroom in the snowy north of Sweden
VW has "hidden" a showroom for the Passat in the snowy wastes of Scandinavia. First to find it wins it.
Artist quits day job to draw hyper-realistic ocean waves
Bethany quit her day job to become a full-time artist, quickly gaining attention from art enthusiasts & collectors.
Giant Japanese dragon sculpture made from wood & leaves
This tremendous dragon sculpture features braided vines and dried palm leaves, as well as wooden teeth.
Elegant zero-waste bottles made from soap
Since only 1 in 5 people consistently recycle items from their bathroom, these bottles are a sustainable solution.
Natural pigments created from fruit and vegetable waste
Nicole Stjernswärd has created a colour-making system that transforms plant waste into natural pigments.
The best of the 2019 Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Discover the beauty of our universe with the winners of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.
The macro beauty of nature seen through water droplets
This photographer's macro adventures reveal a deeper understanding of how everything works.
A limited-edition bicycle made from 300 recycled Nespresso coffee pods
These limited-edition bicycles use the aluminum garnered from used Nespresso coffee pods.
Amazon criticized for new non-recyclable packaging
Environmentally conscious shoppers have started complaining about Amazon’s use of plastic packaging.
Surreal plant sculptures look like a garden of death
Life-like sculptures created with a combination of faux greenery and real natural elements.
Amazing sculptures made out of driftwood by Jeffro Uitto
Jeffro Uitto is able to bend wood to his imagination in such a cool way that it doesn't begin to compare to others.
Artist turns dried leaves into delicate crochet artworks
These delicate crochet artworks pay tribute to the enduring beauty of nature.
Get close to wildlife in treehouses at this eco-friendly forest resort
The biophilic design of the resort integrates its infrastructure with the natural surroundings of the park.
Coca-Cola transforms logo to point to recycling bins
Coke uses its logo to point people to the nearest recycling bin to place their bottles and cans.
Outdoor chandelier collects up to 800lbs of rainwater
John Grade's latest installation, Reservoir, appears like a chandelier glistening among the pine trees.
Spectacular winners of the 1st annual infrared photography contest
Kolari Vision created their first annual infrared photography contest called Life in Another Light.
Finland offers free trips to teach people happiness
In an effort to promote the wellness and happiness Visit Finland lets you Rent a Finn for a weekend.
Nike focuses on sustainable footwear for summer 2019
Today may be the first day of spring, but thoughts of summer are already on the horizon for Nike as they preview their sustainable footwear.
Architect designs sustainable prism-shaped treehouses
When we think of treehouses, we instantly think of plain-planked interiors propped in trees. Plenty of kids have spent their youth climbing trees and building their secret hideaways in the tree branches. However, this modern concept by Milan-based Peter Pichler Architecture envisions treehouses for adults that…
Crystal cave installation is made of 18,000 plastic cups
Perhaps if people were more scared of plastic, maybe they wouldn’t use so much of it.
Electroformed crystals encase these handmade bowls
Crafted using a controlled processes that's intended to resemble natural formations, this ceramicist favours working with clay.
The important meaning behind Pantone’s 2019 Colour Of The Year
Following 2018's intense and dramatic Ultra Violet, this year's colour is a life-affirming shade of orange with a golden undertone that's decidedly more natural than last year's choice.
The 2018 National Geographic Photo Contest winners
The categories for the 2018 National Geographic Photo Contest include Wildlife, People, and Places.
Fashion retailer sells twigs for US$50 leaving Internet speechless
If you visit the website of fashion retailer Anthropologie, you’ll see a product called Birch Branch Bundle. Exactly what the name implies, this bundle of decorative twigs is not much different from what you’d find in your own yard.
Winners from the 2018 Siena International Photo Awards
Whittled down from 48,000 entries from 156 countries, judges had a difficult time deciding the winners of the 2018 Siena International Photo Awards.
Chinese city wants to replace street lights with artificial Moon
The largest and brightest object in the night sky, the Moon has long inspired curiosity and wonder. And landing a man on the Moon is still considered one of humanity’s greatest achievements.
Top 10 winners of the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition
Now entering it’s 44th year of celebrating the beauty of a microscopic world, Nikon has announced the winners of its 2018 Small World Photomicrography Competition.
Eco-friendly dog house design boasts impressive features
Showing that eco-friendly building concepts are applicable to even our canine friends, California-based architecture and interior design firm Studio Schicketanz has designed a dog house unlike any other.
LEGO debuts functional wind turbine made from eco-friendly bricks
Playing with Lego just got better for the environment. After announcing its eco-friendly plant-shaped bricks made of sugarcane, LEGO has teamed up with Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas to create a wind turbine model made from sustainable bricks.
Museum of the Moon lunar replica captivates audiences worldwide
While SpaceX prepares to send a Japanese billionaire and eight artists to the Moon for free, UK artist Luke Jerram is bringing the Moon to audiences around the globe.
Pantone unveils 2019 Spring/Summer fashion trend report
Every year the team at the Pantone Color Institute comes out with its fashion trend report; an overview of the top colours showcased by fashion designers at New York Fashion Week that’ll be featuring in their collections for the upcoming season.
Dichroic installations reflect a rainbow of colours in the light
A rainbow is a beautiful, natural phenomenon which continues to inspire people in many ways. It has also inspired scientists and artists alike to further explore the nature of colour and light and how they are connected.
These lifelike wooden animals are sculpted with a chainsaw
The art of chainsaw sculpting is astonishing to think of when creating with using such an indelicate tool. Both elaborate and exhilarating, it’s also a lengthy process that takes time to perfect. However, if you give Jürgen Lingl-Rebetez a block of wood and a chainsaw, all you have…
Scuba Diving Magazine unveils underwater photo contest winners
One of the most fascinating and largely unexplored places in the world also happens to be a place difficult for most people to visit—the depths of the ocean. But, for seasoned scuba divers, this contest is a chance to capture underwater wonders most will never…
Discover the best aerial photos from the inaugural Drone Awards
After receiving 4,400 submissions from over 101 countries, the inaugural Drone Awards have announced the winners of their competition. The awards, which celebrates the art of drone photography, has allowed photographers to explore new perspectives and communicate an appreciation of our planet.
Robotic planter chases the sun to nourish its plant in sunlight
Do you have a hard time maintaining your plants? Not to worry. A Beijing-based startup has developed a robotic planter that’ll make it so you’ll never accidentally kill a plant again.
McDonald’s & KFC begin phasing out plastic straws
McDonald’s & KFC are the latest restaurant chains to join the war against plastic and phase out plastic straws across several of their outlets. However, this will most likely only be in their in overseas markets. This follows earlier news from McDonald’s claiming they’re “really close” to the point where…
Glass jewellery lets you wear the swirling motion of the ocean
Have you ever felt peace while walking along the ocean, or maybe more energetic and an improved mood? The fact is that most people experience a feeling of calm, relaxation and well-being, when near the swirling motion of water.
Cherry blossom tree made from over 800,000 LEGO bricks
Each spring, people visit Japan to see the cherry blossom trees in full bloom. And while they unfortunately only bloom for a short period, there’s one place where you can see a cherry blossom in constant bloom: LEGOLAND® Japan.