Earlier this summer, Rockwell Group teamed up with the New York City Hospitality Alliance to create DineOut NYC, an adaptable and modular dining system for outdoor use that helps restaurants impacted by Covid-19. The program launched at six eateries across the five boroughs, including the renowned Melba’s Restaurant in Harlem, that deployed the prototypes on otherwise vacant parking spaces and sidewalks.

After garnering widespread interest, the group has expanded DineOut NYC to encompass communal outdoor dining areas that will pop up in the neighborhoods hardest hit by Covid-19. The first dining area, which opens today, brings 120 seats along Mott Street between Mosco and Worth Streets in Chinatown, with a second location to follow in Queens. Further, the group has launched a nonprofit, a partner project of the Fund for the City of New York, to facilitate donations that will help support the construction of additional outdoor dining spaces. So far, Moët Hennessy, Resy, and American Express have signed on as founding partners.

“Restaurants have never been more important to the vitality of our city,” says David Rockwell, founder of Rockwell Group. “What happens on our sidewalks and streets, we are learning, is critical to how we pull through this. It’s a moment for us to rethink the value of urban space.”

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The pandemic has squashed any plans for an idyllic Italian summer vacation, but thanks to online lifestyle retailer YOOX, the Bel Paese can now come to you. Organized into four themes that embody the hallmarks of an Italian holiday, Ciao Italia! pays tribute to the country’s rich tradition of design and craftsmanship.

Dolce far niente (the pleasure of relaxing) offers up a range of looks that channel the relaxed Amalfi Coast vibe. Al Mercato is an edit of artisanal goods and accessories endemic to one of the country’s spirited street markets. Ferragosto showcases a selection of elegant wares fit for the highly anticipated festival that it’s named for. Our favorite gallery of items, however, is Buon Appetito, inspired by the authentic trattorias found in every corner of the country, from the bucolic Tuscan countryside and the beaches of Puglia to Rome’s vibrant Trastevere locale.

Matt Gagnon’s approach breaks the boundaries between art, architecture, and design—credit time spent working under Frank Gehry and Gaetano Pesce, where he perfected his craft cross multiple scales and materials. Perhaps most emblematic of his approach are Light Stacks, a series of totemic, skyscraper-like fixtures rendered in brass, concrete, and white oak, and which grace such high-profile projects as Louis Vuitton’s brand-new London outpost designed by Peter Marino.

When: Until April 2021

Where: Corning Museum of Glass, New York

What: Commemorating the beloved American dinnerware brand’s 50th anniversary, “Dish It” traces Corelle’s trajectory over the years by exploring its distinctive shapes and memorable patterns. “Affordable, casual, lightweight, stackable, and fun. All these elements ensured that Corelle would be a hit with consumers when it was first introduced—and these same attributes make it work just as well today,” says Rob Cassetti of the Corning Museum, which debuted the brand in 1970. “Before Corelle, it was unusual to buy high-quality dinnerware in a box and use it casually as you would a paper plate.” The show also spotlights key moments of the manufacturing process, such as melting ingredients, forming a ribbon, fire polishing, and inking patterns.

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Terra Kaffe is a new wave espresso machine company based in New York and Berlin. Their flagship product, the TK-01, is a new super automatic espresso machine that brews from fresh whole beans and makes anything from a ristretto to a cappuccino. The minimalist-modern device represents a fusion of design, technology, and experience—a stellar combination of art and engineering meant to complement and enhance daily routines.

Surface Says: Abandoning today’s ubiquitous, wasteful coffee pods, Terra Kaffe brews your desired beverage from instantly ground coffee beans. With an ultra-modern yet refreshingly simple design, this easy-to-use machine brings artful coffee making to the kitchen.

Scientists discover a “Vantablack” fish that absorbs 99 percent of light.

These architectural gifs restore damaged structures to pristine condition.

Recycled tires may create effective barriers between car and bike lanes.

Behold the crème de la crème ever posted by the viral account @uglydesign.