This story was originally published on Gizmodo

The world’s first 3D printed office building has opened in Dubai, as part of a push to make Dubai and the UAE a world leader in the 3D printing industry. The one-storey, 250 square metre building is just a prototype for a further program, but it is the first of its kind that has been fully equipped and is able to be used as a functional office building.

The building was printed over the course of 17 days with custom robotic arm printers that measured a huge 6m by 36m by 12m. The material used was a specialised mixture of cement — tested for safety in both Britain and China — which was laid down layer by layer in a process similar to that used by standard FDM desktop printers. The distinctive rounded shape is specifically designed for stability and aesthetics, with the goal being for the building to truly look like an office of the future.

With only a single staff member needed on site to supervise the actual printing, along with seven installers and ten electricians to fit the building out, the building was completed with around half the workforce needed for similarly sized structures. The entire structure was completed for around $US140,000.

Now completed, the building will serve as a fully-functional office within the Emirates Towers complex as part of the Office of the Future project, one part of a program that looks into 3D printing applications for construction, health and consumer industries.

In a city known for its many and varied construction projects, it’s hoped that this new technology could be a way to reduce both the time and the cost of constructing new buildings. For now, at least, Dubai has one shiny new office.

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The post Dubai 3D Prints A Whole Office Building In A World First appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

In 1966 New Zealand ex-pat Bruce McLaren started up his very own Grand Prix team with a chassis that wore his name.

That very same British outfit would go on to implement the very first carbon fibre monocoque chassis in F1 history before taking out countless championships and race wins. Today McLaren is one of the sport’s most enduring teams who are continuing to push the boundaries of technology despite their ongoing challenges.

The post Richard Mille & McLaren Present 50 Years Of Formula One appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The team over at Uber are a clever bunch. While the concept of ‘surge pricing’ is bad news to us common folk, the mystery of its algorithm is what has catapulted Uber to global success, and it’s all because the ride-sharing service knows us better than we know ourselves.

According to Uber’s Head of Economic Research, we are more likely to take a ride when prices are surging at 2.1 times than 2.0. Seems strange, right?

Apparently, paying 2.1 times as much makes us think a carefully constructed algorithm has calculated the ride’s exact worth, while 2.0 times as much seems like Uber is surging prices just because it can.

So yes, we are technically more drawn to paying more because it sounds more ‘legit’ to our subconscious.

Here’s what else. Chen revealed that we are more likely to pay surge prices when our battery is running low. Those cheeky buggers.

Fair enough, though. We’ve all felt the desperation of ordering an Uber on 1% battery. How do they know when you need to recharge? Apparently the app uses your battery info to know when to go into power-saving mode. Chen insists that the app doesn’t use this information to set prices, but it does seem awfully convenient.

The post How Uber Knows You Better Than You Know Yourself appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

If you’ve ever dreamt of designing cars for a living, you’d assume the natural talent, creativity and level of passion required for the job. Now, imagine you’re designing cars for Ferrari and it all starts to seem incredibly surreal. If there’s one man who can speak from personal experience it’s Ferrari’s Senior Vice-President of Design, Flavio Manzoni.

Despite having a job most men would kill for, the Sardinian-born designer comes from humble beginnings and manages to stay true to his roots, even now designing some of the world’s most iconic and desirable cars.

“I was completely crazy for cars. The problem was, in Sardinia there was no possibility to even study architecture,” Manzoni said when we sat down with him recently.

Following a friends recommendation, Manzoni earned himself a degree in architecture, with a specialisation in industrial design from the University for Florence.

As far as automotive design goes, however, Manzoni is completely self-taught. “It was quite a pragmatic course and I wanted to do the opposite. I was more interested in learning in a multi-disciplinary way.”

Manzoni made his first foray into the automotive industry in 1993 and has since produced work for Lancia, Maserati, SEAT, Fiat, Volkswagen, Skoda, Bentley, and Bugatti before joining Ferrari in 2010.

Now, with his feet firmly planted in the Ferrari Styling Centre, Manzoni spends most of his time overseeing all new vehicle design and bespoke TailorMade personalisation services.

Seeing automotive design as a ‘solution’ rather than an aesthetic pursuit, Manzoni’s studio shares a “common philosophy and approach to design, without limiting the capacity to produce different results.” In fact, in order to succeed in his studio Manzoni’s employees must meet three requirements: talent, a humble approach and a shared passion and enthusiasm, so that “people can leave here as part of a family.”

Working at lightspeed, Manzoni and his team developed the 488 GTB from start to finish in a mind-blowing 18 months. “For more complex cars like the LaFerrari, it’s a longer time period. The 488 is a modified version of the 458, so it’s simpler and the activity is clear from the beginning.”

While Manzoni admits he and his team are always in a rush, the entire design process and in sketches, in particular, are incredibly important to the designer, as he regards them as “a projection of his mental images.” Mental images we can only imagine to be incredibly forward-thinking, inspired and rich with what the designer himself calls the ‘Ferrari DNA’.

“It’s about understanding the car, not from an aesthetic point of view, but a logical consequence of rational choice. We begin by setting targets and understanding how to reach them so they supercede the previous ones. Each new Ferrari exceeds the expectations of the last one – it’s a new level of perfection we can always improve on,” he says.

It all begs the question, though, is a man like Flavio Manzoni ever truly satisfied? “I have a very high level of self-criticism and I’m never completely satisfied. I know the moment when I can say we’re on the right track, but before that it’s blood, sweat and tears,” he admits. “As Thomas Edison said ‘Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.’ It’s just a set of problems we need to solve, and it can be hard to maintain the spirit of an idea through a long process.”

This philosophy is one which has earned the ambitious, yet humble, creative many prestigious design awards including the Compasso d’Oro for the Ferrari F12berlinetta in 2014, the Red Dot Award for the FXX K, California T and LaFerrari in 2015 and the IF Gold Award for his design of the FXX K in February of this year.

In regards to the future of automotive design, Manzoni believes a return to the positive outlook of the 60’s and 70’s is crucial to the industry’s success. “Somehow in the last 25 years we’ve lost that positivity. There’s skepticism about the future,” he says referring to an overabundance of retro remakes. “I think it demonstrates a lack of courage that we have absorbed in the last 25 years. It’s now easier to propose a remake of an icon than have the courage to invent a new and convincing icon. We have to deal with this problem and increase our level of consciousness as it’s what we are naturally driven to do.”

Opposing the ‘if it ain’t broke, why fix it?’ mentality, Manzoni references famous postmodern architects like Philip Johnson and Robert Venturi and their skill in taking inspiration from the past, but using it as a reaction against functionalism. “The ripple effect from this retro design trend means there’s now no substance behind products. All you see is decorative or ornamental features. It’s not design, it’s styling.”

“This is the result of a ‘fashion label’ attitude. It’s just seduction and exasperation of an idea. So many designers copy a detail but no one understands why they are doing it. It’s interesting, the natural way a functional element can become a very strong formal element as well.”

Only time will tell where Manzoni takes Ferrari next. One thing we can be certain of, however, is that his future with the brand is set to be a game changer for the automotive industry.

Flavio Manzoni will touch down on Australian soil this year for his only Southern Hemisphere speaking engagement as part of the VIVID Sydney schedule.

The post Flavio Manzoni Interview Talks Ferrari & The Future Of Supercar Design appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Officine Panerai earlier this week took a definitive look back at the past by showcasing their historic diving timepieces at the Museo Marino Marini in Florence.

The Richemont-owned watchmaker also used this special occasion to hint at its future designs by debuting some of their latest exciting models which will no doubt get fans of the classic timepiece excited.

At the heritage end of the spectrum, Panerai showcased pieces from the early 1900s to the 1950s which they manufactured for the Royal Italian Navy. The Swiss watchmaker even created short videos and facts which outlined some of their most iconic watches from its illustrious 156-year history.

Moving forward to the present day, Panerai debuted the Luminor Due collection alongside the Luminor Marina 1950 and the stunning Radiomir Firenze timepieces. Below is a breakdown of each one.

RELATED: 10 Stylish & Affordable Automatic Watches

Luminor Due Collection

The Luminor Due collection will come in a few variants to satisfy the most die-hard Panerai aficionado. The case design is inspired by their watches from the 1950s but they also receive a modern touch in the form of a drastically thinner Luminor body. Wearers can choose between a 42mm case in polished steel and 18 carat red gold or a 45mm automatic version of the same two finishings.

The Luminor Due 3 Days is powered by a hand-wound mechanical in-house movement to deliver hours, minutes and small seconds functions. Power reserve is set at 72 hours (3 days) and water resistance is rated at 30 metres. This watch is set in a 42mm case.

The Luminor 3 Days Automatic uses Panerai’s automatic mechanical P.4000 calibre, again an in-house movement which affords the timepiece hours, minutes and small seconds functions. Housing this is a larger 45mm case with the same 72 hour power reserve and 30 metre water resistant rating.

Luminor Marina 1950

One of Panerai’s most beloved models has received a fresh update with a P.9010 automatic movement with a three day power reserve now slotted inside its newly slimmed down case which also weighs less. The aforementioned in-house movement drives the hours, minutes, small seconds counter at 9 o’clock and date window at 3 o’clock. The Marina has a power reserve set at 72 hours whilst the 42mm case finished in polished steel can withstand depths of up to 100 metres.

Radiomir Firenze 

The post Panerai Show Off New Timepieces At Florence Exhibition appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Now he’s dropped the mic on his presidential duties, Barack Obama will swap his residency at the White House for a home in Washington D.C.’s Kalorama neighbourhood.

The nine-bedroom, eight-and-a-half bathroom property is reportedly owned by Joe Lockhart who served as White House press secretary under former President Bill Clinton.

Built in 1928, you can get a rough idea of the price tag attached to Obama’s new pad as it was sold in 2014 for more than $5 million.

The post Take A Tour Through Obama's Post-Presidential Pad appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

We’re all familiar with Paris‘ iconic museum The Louvre, and perhaps it’s most well-known feature: an epic glass pyramid often featured in cheesy tourist snaps. Well, just like magic, it has completely disappeared as part of a new art installation.

French street artist (and best dressed man of Cannes 2016) JR, along with his team of six have made the Louvre vanish thanks to some clever paper sheet placement that when combined displays a giant to-scale photo of the building behind it – rendering the pyramid ‘invisible’. Ta-da.

“It’s quite crazy being Parisian, passing the pyramid so often, then today realising I can make changes to it and stick things on top it to create my work,” JR told CNN.

But what was the purpose of this real life optical illusion? “Walking around, I realised people turn their back on the pyramid to take a selfie, they don’t look at it,” JR explained to The Wall Street Journal. The artist hopes to draw more attention to the iconic pyramid that was originally designed by famed architect I.M. Pei.

“I am curious to see how people will react now,” he says. The Louvre’s pyramid will be hidden until June 27.

The post A Street Artist Has Made The Louvre Pyramid Disappear appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

As far as social media goes, Instagram appears relatively harmless, right? Wrong. The photo sharing app has just gone and banned a bunch of very random hashtags so we can’t abuse them anymore.

Nick Drewe of The Data Pack recently compiled a list of banned and restricted hashtags on Instagram, from the expected to the weird. “Instagram appears to have changed the way it censors hashtags now,” Drewe told The Huffington Post. “There are two levels of censorship. Hashtags can either have an outright block, and return no results, or a sort of ‘soft’, often more temporary censorship with around 30 results.”

Instagram typically has a ‘top posts’ and ‘most recent’ section where tagged photos will appear, but if a hashtag is being abused, Instagram will remove that ‘most recent’ section and only display top posts.

The completely banned hashtags are pretty obvious and include things like #boobies, #fetish, #girlsgonewild, #instababe, #kinky, #nipples and #porn.

• #alone
• #asia
• #balenciaga
• #citycentre
• #carving
• #desk
• #direct
• #easter
• #edm
• #eggplant
• #elevator
• #gloves
• #happythanksgiving
• #italiano
• #kansas
• #master
• #newyears
• #publicrelations
• #thought
• #todayimwearing
• #valentinesday
• #workflow

So don’t even think about putting your #balenciaga #gloves on if you live in #kansas, because Instagram doesn’t like it.

The post The Banned Instagram Hashtags You Can't Use Anymore appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

There is no country quite as liberal as France when it comes to the 9 to 5 grind. The country has become famous for giving employees 30 days off a year and 16 weeks of full-paid family leave, and has just made headlines again with a new ‘right to disconnect’ law.

If you live in the City of Love and own a company of 50 employees or more, it’s technically illegal to email an employee after typical work hours.

But what if it’s urgent? It’ll have to wait to Monday. The new legislation stems from recent studies that reveal that in our digital age it’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to shut off from work and the negative emotional and physical effects that can have on our lives.

“All the studies show there is far more work-related stress today than there used to be, and that the stress is constant,” Benoit Hamon of the French National Assembly told the BBC. “Employees physically leave the office, but they do not leave their work. They remain attached by a kind of electronic leash – like a dog. The texts, the messages, the emails – they colonise the life of the individual to the point where he or she eventually breaks down.”

French companies are now asked to negotiate policies that limit the mixing of employees’ private and professional lives and establish ‘charters of good conduct’ that specify the times employees can be free from being digitally shackled to their workplaces.

The ‘right to disconnect’ law was passed as part of a controversial French labour law that some believe will weaken unions and enhance employee job security, and was obviously viewed favourably by the hardworking French public.

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