A new twist on an ancient technique, this subterranean refrigerator takes advantage of cooler subsurface temperatures to let you store fruits, vegetables, cheese, wine and other goods right in (or rather: below) your own backyard.

Floris Schoonderbeek of Dutch design company Weltevree crated the Ground Fridge to showcase at Milan Design Week, illustrating the power of simple insulation to store foods self-sufficiently at a stable temperature year round (around 50 degrees F).

The rounded volume is placed under excavated soil, about three feet deep, with an above-ground entry for access. Needing no plumbing or electricity, the structure is generally exempt from building permit requirements so anyone can install one with relative ease. The catch: there are still many things that will spoil in this setup, so you may need to be selective about what you keep in this system, or simply try to eliminate things from your simplified lifestyle that won’t work within it.

“The Groundfridge is an innovative take on the traditional root cellar. It meets the requirements of people with their own vegetable garden, who choose to live in a modern and self-sustaining way. Floris Schoonderbeek (founder of Weltevree) is continuously discovering and exploring new angles, chances and materials that he puts to good use in improving and enriching our habitat. With the Groundfridge, he presents a means for new world citizens who want to handle their food in an autonomous, independent way.”

The post Power-Free Fridge: Underground Geothermal Food Cooling first appeared on Gajitz.

Kuala Lumpur is about to get what might be the classiest subway trains in the world. The city is trying hard to get more citizens to take public transportation, so they are installing 58 gorgeous new trains designed by BMW. DesignworksUSA, a subsidiary of German car makers BMW, designed the cars to be appealing both in appearance and in experience.

One of the goals in this project was to build a system that honored the area’s rich cultural identity while inspiring progress. The exterior of each train displays a pattern of lights that call to mind the faceted architecture of the city. The interior of the trains uses an LED lighting system beneath the seats to inspire a feeling of spaciousness and safety.

Even the interior of the trains will pay homage to the traditions of the area. The interior color scheme features traditional Malaysian patterns in varying shades of blue, reminiscent of the vitality of Kuala Lumpur. The trains will also be kind to disabled passengers, with hand rails, space for wheelchairs, and sound and light indicators to indicate when the doors are opening and closing.

The train cars themselves are nearly as impressive as their appearance and features. They are made of lightweight stainless steel with weight-optimized components. When the trains reach the end of their estimated 30-year lifespan, they will be approximately 95 percent recyclable. The 58 new driverless trains will be in use in Kuala Lumpur’s subway system by 2017.

The post Next-Gen Kuala Lumpur Subway Cars Designed by BMW first appeared on Gajitz.