design

1,050 HP, design by Jony Ive and a very different idea of ​​an electric car

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Ferrari could do many things with his first electricbut it could hardly be allowed to go unnoticed. The Luce arrives after years of waiting and with an obvious symbolic charge: we are not just talking about changing gasoline for a battery, but about checking how far Maranello is willing to move the limits of its own tradition. The brand has revealed it in Rome today, May 25, 2026, a date chosen for its link with Ferrari’s first victory in 1947, when the 125 S won the Grand Prix di Rome. Before getting into the details, it is worth remembering where this model comes from. Ferrari presented at the Capital Markets Day 2022 a multi-energy strategy based on technological neutrality, a way of saying that electrification will coexist with other architectures within the brand. The Luce is the first fully electric result of that roadmap, but it is not proposed as a replacement for combustion or hybrid Ferraris. An electric Ferrari designed to change more than just the engine The first thing that catches your attention when seeing the Luce is its format. Ferrari had already crossed the four-door line with the Purosangue, but here it takes another step: for the first time it offers five seats in a series production car. The explanation lies in its specific electrical architecture, which allows the battery to be integrated under the floor and the rear seats, freeing up the cabin and eliminating the central tunnel. Ferrari maintains that this configuration would not have been possible with its traditional transaxle schemes, with a front-mid engine and rear gearbox. The other big change is in who has shaped the car. Ferrari entrusted the design of the Luce to LoveFrom, the creative collective founded by Jony Ive with Marc Newson in 2019, and the first name does not need much introduction for anyone following the recent history of technological design. It is an unusual decision for a brand with its own design center directed by Flavio Manzoni. According to Ferrari, this external look allowed us to introduce a new language that is not limited to the bodywork, but also reaches the interior and the interface. This approach is especially noticeable in the silhouette. Ferrari defines one of the main features of the Luce as a “glass house” with a clean, almost shell-like shape, which extends below the belt line to the ends of the car. Around it appear front and rear aerodynamic wings that appear to float above the main volume, as well as transparent light panels integrated into the surfaces. And then there are the halo-type rear lights, which Ferrari links to the 360 ​​Modena and the 458 Italia: seeing them for the first time it is difficult not to feel a certain nostalgia in the midst of such a different design. One of the most recognizable decisions of the project appears in the cabin. Ferrari and LoveFrom have not followed the most obvious path in many current electric cars, where almost everything ends up inside a screen. The Luce combines physical aluminum controls, buttons, dials, switches and OLED screens developed by Samsung Display for this model, with the main information concentrated in front of the driver. The idea, according to Ferrari, is to unite the mechanical and the digital without one thing erasing the other. And that, in a car whose creative direction has gone through LoveFrom, is much more interesting than just another giant screen. The numbers, however, are inevitable. Ferrari declares a maximum power of 1,050 HP in Launch Control mode, four electric motors, one per wheel, and a 122 kWh battery with 800 V architecture. On paper, the Luce accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds, reaches 0 to 200 km/h in 6.8 seconds and reaches a maximum speed of 310 km/h. The estimated range is around 530 kilometers, although here it is worth maintaining the nuance: Ferrari indicates that this figure is still under homologation. In an electric Ferrari, sound is not a minor detail. The brand says it has worked five years and 40,000 kilometers of specific tests to develop a system that, according to Ferrari, does not generate a synthetic sound, but rather amplifies the real mechanical vibrations of the electric axles. That signal is processed in real time and changes depending on the e-Manettino mode and the use of the cams. In parallel, the four motors, the active suspension and the rear axle steering ensure that the Luce is not only fast in a straight line, but also capable of managing with great precision what happens at each wheel. And now it’s time to talk about more numbers. Reuters places its price above 500,000 euros, while the Ferrari page in Spain already allows it to be configured, although it still does not show the price or allow it to be purchased directly: the next step is to send the information to a dealer. The reasonable doubt, as always in a car so loaded with promises, remains for when we can see it on the road and not only in the figures offered by the company. Images | Ferrari In Xataka | If the EU’s strategy was to suffocate Chinese cars with tariffs, the 2026 figures leave a very clear conclusion

its recipe mixes Android, Gemini and premium design

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The laptop market had long been divided into quite recognizable territories: Chromebook as a simple and economical option, the most affordable Windows laptops, where concessions often have to be accepted, and premium equipment playing in another price league. That photograph has begun to change with the MacBook Neoa proposal that has helpedto boost Mac sales. Google seems to have read that move well. Googlebook It seems to want to move right there: into the gap of those looking for something more ambitious than a traditional Chromebook without necessarily entering the logic of the most exclusive laptop. Google itself knows well where this story comes from. In his statement he recalls which introduced Chromebooks more than 15 years ago as laptops designed for a cloud-first world, a formula that found its place and continues to have a journey. The point is that that approach was born for a very specific stage of personal computing: fewer local applications, more browsers and more online services. Googlebook wants to fill the gap that Chromebooks never finished conquering Now, Google has decided to show Googlebook before there are specific products in stores. For now, what we have is a first window into the experience, not a list of specific models. The company does make it clear that the first devices will arrive in the fall, when Google promises to share more details with its partners. Regarding the latter, we find names already known from the Windows world, such as Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP or Lenovo. The nuance is in the operating system. Google does present the Googlebook as a proposal that mixes the best of Android and ChromeOS, but it has not yet said clearly what software will power these laptops. There appears an interesting doubt: it could be Android, but also the rumored Aluminum OS, which would have been leaked in an image just before the presentation. At this point, it’s time to wait. Google insists that Googlebook has been designed from the beginning so that Gemini Help appears where it makes sense, not as a separate app that the user must open each time. The best example is Magic Pointera feature created with Google DeepMind that turns the cursor into a gateway to contextual suggestions. If we point out a date in an email, it can suggest creating a meeting; If we select two images, such as a living room and a new sofa, it can help us visualize them together. The promise is easy to understand, although now it remains to be seen how far it goes in real use. That same logic appears in Create your Widget, another of the functions that Google has advanced for Googlebook. The idea is that we can create custom widgets with a simple request, without having to search for a specific application or assemble the desktop by hand. Google gives a fairly clear example: a family reunion in Berlin in which Gemini brings together flights, hotels, restaurant reservations and even a countdown in a single panel. The iFull Android integration that idea of ​​continuity between devices. It’s not just about syncing notifications or sharing files, but about being able to use phone apps directly from your laptop when it makes sense. Google cites simple cases, such as ordering food or completing a Duolingo lesson without leaving what we are doing on the computer. Quick Access adds an equally practical layer: access your mobile files from the Googlebook file explorer, search for them and insert them without intermediate steps. Google also wants the Googlebook to be recognized before opening any applications. The company talks about “premium materials and finishes”, a formulation that points to a more careful construction, although without yet going into details. He does anticipate that there will be different formats and sizes, something logical if the proposal is in the hands of several manufacturers. The common element will be the Glowbar, a light bar that Google describes as “functional and beautiful,” and that seems designed to give these laptops their own visual identity. Everything indicates that Googlebook was born to dispute a conversation that until now has eluded Google and, to a certain extent, also Windows. The proposal seems to go towards a careful experienceconnected to mobile phones and prepared for AI in a time zone where price, design and ecosystem are becoming increasingly important. Now we have to wait to see if that promise becomes something real. More details on materials, pricing, and other features are on the way. Images | Google In Xataka | Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra, review: Samsung has finally built the Windows laptop that Apple never created

What is Claude’s graphic design tool and how does it work?

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Let’s explain to you what is Claude Designa new function within the chat artificial intelligence of Claude. It is a graphic design tool with which you will be able to create all kinds of interactive elements and then shape them until they are to your liking. We are going to start by describing what exactly this tool is, so that you know all the possibilities it offers you. And then we will explain to you in a quick and simple way how it works. What is Claude Design Claude Design is a visual creation tool through conversations created by Anthropic for Claude. It’s something similar to Canvabut with artificial intelligence. What it does is allow you to do visual work with prompts instead of starting from scratch from a blank piece of paper. We could say that it is something like a graphic designer using artificial intelligencewhich allows you to order creations without needing to know Figma, Photoshop or any other similar program. It’s something like the Claude Code for graphic design. Claude Design allows you to make many types of design, such as from websites and applications to Power Points or animations. You will even be able to configure your own design guide, in addition to all kinds of interactive prototypes and presentations. These are the things you can do with this tool, according to Anthropic: Realistic prototypes: Designers can turn static mockups into easy-to-share interactive prototypes for feedback and user testing, without needing to review code or submit pull requests. Product diagrams and mockups– Product managers can outline feature flows and pass them to Claude Code for implementation, or share them with designers for refinement. Design Explorations– Designers can quickly create a wide variety of proposals to explore. Presentations and sales materials: Founders and account executives can go from a rough sketch to a full, on-brand presentation in minutes, then export it as PPTX or send it to Canva. Marketing materials: Marketers can create landing pages, social media assets, and campaign visuals, then involve designers to polish them. Cutting-edge design: Anyone can create code-based prototypes with voice, video, shaders, 3D, and built-in AI. Claude Design is currently in version Research Preview. This means that it is a trial version that has not yet reached beta nor is it available to all users. One of the particularities of Claude as an AI is that it focuses on offering useful functions for the user, but leaves aside others more focused on entertainment such as image creation. This has been a problem for professionals who use AI to create an image, and it is the gap that this tool tries to fill. Claude Design is powered by Claude Opus 4.7, which is currently the latest version of the Claude AI model. At the moment it is only available for Claude Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise subscriberswho are the only ones who can test this functionality. How Claude Design works Claude Design works through textual prompts, combining conversational and interactive logic. This means that combines a chat interface with an interactive canvas located on both sides of the screen, always in view of the user. With this, you will first write what you want to achieve, describing everything in a prompt, and Claude will generate a first version. And then, you’re going to have controls to refine the resulteither through textual instructions or with interactive buttons. To start you will have to create a prototypewhich will be the way to create a new design. This will take you to the main Design window, where on the left you can give commands and on the right you can interact. You will be able to start in several ways, such as loading external files which can be screenshots, Figma files or code, or even just describe what you want with a prompt to which you can attach designs. You will even be able to start from a drawing that you do freehand on the right side with the option of Start with a sketch. The idea is that just by having something in mind you can start creating it. Once you have created the first draft of what you want, you can continue using the left column to give instructions for the things you want to change. you also have options like Tweaks and Comments. The first allows you to create manual controls describing what you want to do with it. For example, bars to resize the parent element. And the second allows you to make concrete changes to specific components instead of the structural changes you make with prompts. and then you have the edit button or Editwhich allows you to choose an element of your design and make changes directly to it. In addition, you can also draw other elements by hand with the option Draw. In short, you have all the options to to be able to shape your design using a combination of manual and artificial intelligence controls, and even being able to create manual controls with AI. In Xataka Basics | How to Improve Claude’s Answers: 18 Steps to Get the Most Out of It

Jony Ive’s design makes his position on screens clear

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“A large touch screen it doesn’t work in a car. That is unquestionable.” This is how blunt Jony Ive was recently. in an interview published by Top Gear. We are not only talking about the former head of Apple design, but also about the figure that Ferrari has turned to, along with LoveFromto shape the interior of the Luce, the first production electric vehicle in its history. The movement is not minor: it has an enormous symbolic load for the brand and, at the same time, it opens the door to a proposal that seems to move away from one of the most repeated formulas in the industry. Now, in addition, we know a little better where that path goes. After a few first previews published in FebruaryFerrari has once again shown the interior of the Luce in a new video and this time the material is much more useful to understand what the brand is trying to do. The first glance already suggested that we were not looking at a conventional cabin and opened the door to very different readings. This second tour, however, allows us to go a little further than the initial impression: it is no longer just about seeing a striking design, but about beginning to understand how Ferrari wants the driver and car to relate to this long-awaited vehicle. The interior of the Ferrari Luce points just in the opposite direction to the screen fashion If we look atwhat Ferrari teaches in this second tourthe interior of the Luce seems built around a fairly clear idea: returning prominence to physical interaction. The central screen is present, yes, but it does not dominate the dashboard nor is it presented as the absolute great center of the car; in fact, it appears integrated next to physical controls for various functions. Added to this is a digital display behind the steering wheel organized into three configurable dials and an ignition sequence that starts when a specific key is inserted into the center console. The video, however, does not allow us to categorically state that there is no tactile interaction, but everything points in that direction. Ive’s words help us read this proposal much more precisely. In his recent conversation with Top Gear he stated that the large touch screen not only seems like a debatable solution, but also directly unsuitable for real use inside a car. He even defined it as an “easy” and “lazy” response. If we take that frame and look at the Luce video again, the idea gains coherence. If we look back, a good part of the industry has followed the same idea of ​​modernity for years: fewer buttons, more screen surface and almost all functions concentrated in a large central panel. Tesla had a lot to do with that turn. Not only did it help turn the electric car into a desirable product, it also pushed a very specific way of understanding the interior. That is why Ferrari’s movement is so interesting. Just when it is time to enter this new stage, it seems to have preferred explore a different direction. Ferrari points out that It will be an electric car with a 122 kWh battery, 880 volt system and a range of close to 530 kilometers according to European tests. The video, for its part, shows 0 to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds. There is, however, one big piece that remains to be fully revealed: its final exterior appearance. The launch will arrive on May 25 in Maranello, before starting production at the end of 2026 and deliveries at the beginning of 2027. There will be time to discuss whether this bet ends up working as well in practice as it suggests on paper. But what Ferrari has revealed so far already allows us to draw a provisional conclusion: the Luce does not want to limit itself to being the first electric car in the house, it also aspires to open a different conversation about how a car should feel inside. And that, in an industry that for years has pushed almost en bloc towards total screen, is already quite significant. In Xataka | We have normally accepted that cars have become rolling screens. China is tired

There is a spontaneous competition to design the “Flag of Humanity.” And the best design is an engraving of Voyager

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It is more than seen and proven that borders and flags sometimes become the focus of conflicts and enmities. The fact of seeing our own planet from the outsidethrough the images taken by Artemis II, helps us understand that, deep down, we are all part of the same whole. A whole that still does not have its own flag. Therefore, for many years now and then someone has proposed a single flag for all of humanity. Now, with everything related to the trip to the Moon, the proposals are once again reaching social networks. The first proposal. In 1970, an Illinois farmer named James Cadle, inspired by the landing of humans on the Moon on Apollo 11, decided to create a flag that represented our entire planet. The result was a simple flag, easy to reproduce, in which the Earth is seen as a blue marble, accompanied by a smaller white one, representing the Moon. The background was yellow and black, in honor of the Sun and the blackness of space. The flag was first raised on a rural power pole that Cadle himself climbed, but has since been part of several space projects. More minimalist concepts. Continuing with the minimalist and, above all, unifying concepts, in 2000 the Danish designer Anne Kirstine Rønhede designed a new flag of Earth. This time there was also a light blue marble, surrounded by a white border representing its atmosphere and a darker blue background representing the cosmos. A symbol of unity. In 2015, Swedish designer Oskar Pernefeldt created another flag of Earth. Seven linked circles are represented, one for each continent. It is hoped that it can be used as a symbol of Earth on future missions to Mars. Science enters the scene. The arrival on the Moon of Artemis II has inspired more people to look for a flag that represents us as a planet. And since it was science that got us there, the most recent proposals focus precisely on it. The pioneers in this type of messages were Frank Drake and Carl Saganwho in the 70s decided to compose messages that combined the scientific knowledge of humanity to launch them into space in search of possible intelligent life. This is how the Pioneer Plaque emerged, a physical gold-anodized aluminum plate that was attached to the Pioneer 10 and 11 probes, in case an alien civilization intercepted the ship. To cover more space, they also designed a radio message, which was named the Arecibo message. It was a signal transmitted through the Arecibo radio telescope, hence its name. A flag based on the Pioneer Plaque. Recently, 2D and 3D designer braingrub has proposed in your X account an Earth flag based on one of the components of the Pioneer Plaque. This is the pulsar map, a diagram that indicates our exact location in the Milky Way. Pulsars are a type of star that is used to map space, because they emit radio rays at very regular and specific periods. Like a unique lighthouse. On the map there are 14 lines that indicate different pulsars located around the Earth. Each line also contains symbols that indicate, in binary, the exact pulse of each of these pulsars. Thus, through its unique pulse, you can find those headlights and, through the relative distance represented in the lines, find the Sun, which is the point at which all of them converge. From the Sun to the Earth, everything would be simpler for an intelligent civilization. An ideal moment. It is not surprising that this is one of the most interesting Earth flag proposals that we can find on the Internet. Without a doubt, the concept is very suggestive, especially in a time when we increasingly see how much we lack unity as humanity. Images | NASA | James Cadle | Anne Kirstine Rønhede | Oskar Pernefeldt |braingrub In Xataka | Artemis II has five different hot sauces on board: the reason is a radical change in what we consider “space food”

reproduce an Arabic design from a thousand years ago

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Luxury car manufacturers know that some of their millionaire customers They are going to make special requests to customize your cars. In fact, at Rolls-Royce they are these “whims” are so common They have even had to expand their customization workshop. However, there are requests that exceed any expectations. Rolls-Royce just presented he Phantom Arabesquea unique car in the world that reached its owner from the Middle East after five years of hard work in the brand’s workshops. It’s not that it took them five years to make it: it’s that they took that long just to perfect a completely new technique just to decorate the hood. The most curious thing is that the design that decorates the hood is more than a thousand years old. An Arabic design transferred to metal The result of five years of testing and development by Rolls-Royce is the first laser-engraved bonnet in the history of the brand, and of motorsport. In fact, it is such an innovative process that the brand has patented it. The reason for such a deployment of R&D is a client’s request from the Middle East who asked the brand to decorate the hood of their new Phantom with a design present in Arab architecture for more than a thousand years. Inspiration comes from mashrabiyaa classic element of Middle Eastern architecture that consists of a carved wooden lattice placed on windows and facades whose function is triple: to provide privacy, let in light and allow air circulation to cool the buildings naturally. A solution as elegant as it is functional, developed centuries ago and which today appears laser engraved on the hood of one of the most exclusive cars in the world. This Phantom Extended was ordered through the Dubai Private Office, one of five “private offices” that Rolls-Royce maintains in strategic luxury destinations. In the Rolls-Royce statement, the project’s chief designer, Michelle Lusby, explains that the objective went beyond the visual. “Mashrabiya is one of the Middle East’s most well-known and enduring design languages. For the Phantom Arabesque, we were inspired not only by its beauty, but also by the privacy, light and airflow it creates. Our goal was to interpret those qualities in ways that felt both culturally rooted and unmistakably Rolls-Royce.” Five years shooting lasers at a hood The hood design of this exclusive unit It is not a simple paintingbut has been subjected to a technical process as elaborate and precise as the design of the Arab lattices itself. First, a dark paint is applied to the hood, several layers of clear varnish are sealed, which will serve as a base for the work of art. It is then finished with a lighter top coat. The laser is fired on this last layer, reproducing the mashrabiya pattern at a depth of between 145 and 190 microns. Enough to affect this last layer of paint and showing the dark tone of the underlying paint. The effect is a surface with a three-dimensional texture that changes its appearance depending on how the light hits it and that can also be perceived by touch since, in fact, the design is sculpted on the paint. The technique is inspired by sgraffito (sgraffito) Italian, an artistic practice of revealing contrasting layers of color by precisely removing the upper surface. Adapting it to the body of a Rolls-Royce and giving it the precision required by a design as complex as that of arabesque architecture, required five years of work by the brand’s Exterior Surfaces Center, where new materials and paints are developed and then used. on such exclusive orders like those of this Phamtom Arabesque. Tobias Sicheneder, general manager of that department, sums it up: “laser engraving allows us to create a surface that is both technically precise and visually alive. The Phantom Arabesque is the first example of a technique that opens up completely new creative possibilities for future customers.” The mashrabiya pattern is not limited to the hood: it also appears on the illuminated door sills, which reproduce a cross section of the engraved design, and hand-embroidered in black on the leather of the front and rear headrests Without a doubt, a unique piece as well as its price will have been unique. In Xataka | Rolls-Royce wanted to make its Specter more scoundrel and sporty: the result is a limited edition that costs $490,000 Image | Rolls-Royce

Two centuries ago the tires on cars and motorcycles were white. It had nothing to do with the design.

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It is more than likely that, in some of the American films you have seen inspired by the last century, you have seen cars or motorcycles with a white stripe on their tires Today, some companies still implement them as a nod to the past. What you may not know is that the only reason the wheels weren’t completely black was to… save a few bucks. As explained in Motorpasion, no tire (neither motorcycle nor car) was born as black as they are now. Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the following century, tires were white, light gray or beige. If you search any car from the 19th century You can check it easily. This was because natural rubber is naturally light in color. But of course, rubber cannot become a tire as it leaves the tree; it must be heated with sulfur so that it is able to withstand the heat of the asphalt, withstand weight and friction, and behave as expected in a tire. To achieve this, the rubber was “cooked” using a technique called vulcanization, a process that bleached the material even more and ended up producing clear, non-durable tires. The big change came with the introduction of a very specific material: carbon. With its arrival, tires became more durable and resistant, since this material reinforced the rubber structure. There was only one problem: it was very expensive. For this reason, during the early 20th century, tire manufacturers opted for a mixed solution: the critical part (the tread that directly contacts the ground) was made with rubber and carbon, the rest without it. The result was this: tires with said black stripe and the rest in white. As carbon became cheaper, tires became completely black as we know them now, but some manufacturers (mainly motorcycle manufacturers) maintain white treads to give their tires a retro feel. It is the case of some Mitas tires for Harley-Davidson. Yes indeed, through the forums they comment the price to pay for this hesitated retro: you have to constantly clean the tread if you want it to remain white. Image | Harley-Davidson In Xataka | I was about to buy the best-selling Chinese motorcycle in Spain. Until I read the fine print

Brussels points to its “addictive design” and calls for changes

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Maybe TikTok be one of the many applications installed on your mobile. It’s even likely that in recent days you’ve found yourself swiping almost without realizing it through a flood of videos competing for your attention. However, the European Commission does not look favorably on some of the dynamics of this social network, and everything indicates that the experience as we know it could change sooner rather than later. Addictive design. Brussels has focused on what it considers a possible “addictive design.” In a statement published this Fridaythe Commission points out several functions of the platform that, in its opinion, respond to a constant reward mechanism guided by the algorithm, something that “encourages the need to continue browsing and activates the ‘autopilot’ mode in platform users.” With the focus on minors. The executive arm of the European Union maintains that the company would not have taken into account relevant indicators of compulsive use, such as the time that minors spend on TikTok during the night, the frequency with which they open the application or other similar parameters. Added to this is the risk that “minors have an experience that is inappropriate for their age due to a misrepresentation of their age.” Insufficient measures. The community evaluation preliminarily concludes that the platform “does not appear to implement reasonable, proportionate and effective measures to mitigate the risks derived from its addictive design.” According to the Commission, current screen time management and parental control tools are not sufficiently effective: in the first case, because they can be easily circumvented; in the second, because they require additional skills on the part of the parents for their activation. The changes sought by the Commission. Beyond the diagnosis, Brussels also makes clear what kind of changes it hopes to see. In this phase, the Commission considers that TikTok would have to tweak basic elements of its design, such as progressively deactivating functions associated with continuous consumption (including infinite scroll), introducing truly effective pauses of use, also during the night, and adjusting its recommendation system. The objective would be to mitigate the risks that the analysis itself links to the current operation of the platform. How we got here. The origin of this research is found in the Digital Services Law (DSA), approved in 2022 to impose stricter obligations on large platforms operating in the European Union. The procedure against TikTok began on February 19, 2024 and is still ongoing, so there is still a long way to go before a final decision is made. As in any process of this type, the company has the right to defend itself. TikTok may examine the file and respond in writing to the preliminary conclusions. If these are confirmed and the company does not take the necessary measures, it could face a penalty of up to 6% of its global annual turnover. The company has already reacted. In an email sent to Xataka, TikTok’s Spanish office states that “the Commission’s preliminary conclusions present a categorically false and totally unfounded description of our platform, and we will take all necessary measures to challenge these conclusions by all means at our disposal.” Topic of the moment: social networks. All this occurs in a European context that is increasingly demanding with the use of social networks by minors. France has taken the first step to prohibit access to minors under 15 years of agewhile in Spain The Government of Pedro Sánchez is working on a similar measure with the intention of setting the limit at 16 years.. Images | Guillaume Perigois | Eyestetix Studio In Xataka | The science of “doomscrolling”: how technology hacked psychology so we can’t let go of our phones

Its design will not go unnoticed from the air

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In Bishoftu, about 40-45 kilometers from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is already moving earth for a project that aims high in every sense. Ethiopian Group has officially started work on a new airport that, according to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Aliwill be “the largest aviation infrastructure project in African history” when completed. But size is not the only message: Zaha Hadid Architects It proposes a gigantic terminal with the approximate shape of an X, a visual signature that also responds to a functional idea, making the passenger’s journey more intuitive within a complex designed to grow in phases. Ambition is no longer counted only in renders. The difference here is that this is no longer an idea: the works have begun and the plan arrives with a budget, deadlines and a defined operational design. Reuters places the project at $12.5 billion and confirms that Ethiopian has officially started construction, with the idea of ​​completing it in 2030. The group behind the state airline is not only promoting the work: it will also be in charge of the design of a planned complex with four runways, a detail that anticipates the operational scale it seeks to achieve. When the form is also logistics. As we say, the terminal in X works as an aesthetic statement, yes, but the architecture studio insists in that it is also a circulation decision. The firm explains that the docks are connected to a central axis that runs through the building and that this organization aims to reduce transfer distances, something key in an airport that aspires to manage large volumes of passengers. This is inspired by Great Rift Valley and that each dock will have its own identity in materials and color palette to reflect the diversity of the country. The key figures. Reuters reports that the airport is designed with capacity for 110 million passengers per year and space to park 270 airplanes, a leap that multiplies by more than four the capacity of the country’s current main airport. In a first phase scheduled for 2030, there will be a 660,000 square meter terminal and two runways, designed to serve 60 million passengers per year. An airport on the limit. This plan is not only born from an ambition for image or regional leadership, but also from an operational need. It turns out that the country’s main airport will reach its limits with current traffic in the next two or three years. This information explains why Ethiopia is not talking about tweaks or expansions, but rather about building a new airport hub relatively close to the capital. For Ethiopian Airlines, considered the largest African operator, the equation is as simple as it is forceful: without physical capacity, there is no way to sustain the business. Architecture designed for the climate. Zaha Hadid Architects maintains that the project aims for LEED Gold certification and that part of the strategy involves passive resources: natural ventilation, shading and semi-open spaces that take advantage of the climatic conditions of the area. Added to this is a package of more industrial measures, from solar panels to produce energy on the premises itself to water management designed for an infrastructure of this size. Terrestrial connectivity. The project includes linking the new airport with Addis Ababa and Bole airport through a high-speed line, a key element if the infrastructure wants to operate as an integrated system and not as an isolated piece. We are looking at a design that has been designed for a high volume of connections, with the expectation that 80% of travelers will be in transit without leaving the airport. That is why specific services are contemplated for long stopovers, from a hotel in the air zone to restaurant offerings and outdoor spaces with local vegetation. Images | Zaha Hadid Architects In Xataka | Spain has been dreaming of a megatunnel with Morocco for decades. To no one’s surprise, he will not be there for the 2030 World Cup

Meta, Google, TikTok will go to the bench for “addictive design”

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Today The selection of the jury that will judge Meta, TikTok and YouTube begins in Los Angeles due to childhood addiction to social networks. It is the first time that these technological giants have to defend their business model in court for damages to minors. Why is it important. This is not just another case of inappropriate content or poor moderation. This lawsuit directly attacks the design of the platforms: scroll infinite, autoplay, notifications push and algorithms that maximize screen time. If the plaintiffs win, a precedent is set that could be devastating for the entire industry. The facts. The plaintiff is a 19-year-old girl identified as KGM. She claims to have developed an addiction to networks since she was a teenager. He maintains that the design of these applications was what fueled his depression, anxiety, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts. Meta, TikTok and YouTube have denied these accusations and argue that they have invested in security tools. During the six weeks of the trial, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, and Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, will testify. Snap, also initially accused, reached an out-of-court settlement last week for an amount not publicly disclosed. Between the lines. The plaintiffs’ key argument avoids the traditional protection of technology companies: the famous Section 230which exempts them from responsibility for the content uploaded by users. But here the question is not what is published, but rather how the experience was designed to engage minors. The lawsuit openly compares it to slot machines and the tobacco industry: “Defendants deliberately embedded in their products a series of features designed to maximize the engagement youth and increase advertising revenue. The threat. This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are more than 3,000 additional lawsuits in California and 2,000 federal cases pending against these same companies. Several will go to trial this year. The parallels with the trials against tobacco companies in the 90s They are clear and that ended in an agreement of 206,000 million dollars spread over 25 years. A favorable verdict for the plaintiffs would not only cost them billions but would force them to redesign their products practically from scratch, eliminating the addictive mechanics that sustain their spectacular usage figures and therefore their advertising models. The context. Global regulatory pressure has increased greatly in recent years: Australia banned social media for those under 16 in December. France is studying doing the same with those under 15. Other countries such as the United Kingdom and Egypt are currently evaluating similar measures. According to a recent survey by Wall Street Journal71% of Americans would support banning most social networks for those under 16 years of age. Yes, but. The technological they don’t sit idly by: Meta, TikTok and YouTube have launched a public relations offensive by organizing workshops for parents in schools and promoting parental controls. Meta has hired the same lawyers who defended McKesson in the opioid scandal. And TikTok has signed those who represented Activision Blizzard in Previous Lawsuits About Video Game Addiction. At stake. If KGM wins, Section 230 will cease to be the impenetrable shield it has been until now, since it questions how the applications are made, not the content that is uploaded to them. Hopefully this case will end up in the Supreme Court, whatever the verdict. The next six weeks will determine if the scroll infinite and other common practices of these networks have their days numbered, or if there are engagement for a while. In Xataka | An eternally unfocused generation: “I can’t do anything for more than fifteen minutes without looking at my phone” Featured image | Solen Feyissa

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