Good Design from the Summer of 2025

Welcome to another edition of Good Designs from the Summer! As innovation continues to shape our world, it’s important to recognize the details of design around us. Summer is a time to travel, learn, and gain experience. One of the best ways to sharpen our design perspective is by observing the world firsthand. We asked the editorial board to share designs they loved and the lessons they learned. Here’s what they found:

Climbing Views 

On a recent trip to Mua Cave and the Mountain of the Lying Dragon, I was impressed with a boardwalk that lets visitors walk through the lotus fields (right next to these other attractions). The  boardwalk is notably shaped in the form of a lotus. This was not communicated to us from our guide at the beginning. We only discovered this after climbing around 500 steps to the summit of a nearby mountain. It was terribly hot and humid but the view was spectacular.

Figure 1: A beautiful boardwalk [1].

The climb was exhausting, but the reward was spectacular. A visitor can still enjoy the close-up of the lotus flowers, but just not a panoramic view of the fields with the boardwalk as we did. It made me think about designers who include elements to enjoy from different views and perspectives and encouraged me to consider adopting that philosophy in my own projects. -John Salmon

Delectable Dessert 

Figure 2: Image by Blake Ipsen.

While I was on vacation in Mexico, my family and I ate dinner at a Japanese Hibachi restaurant, and the dessert completely blew our minds. Whenever I have been to Hibachi restaurants in the past, they usually don’t offer dessert, and when they do, they definitely don’t utilize the grill that is used to cook dinner. However, this restaurant did something I’ve never seen before and used the Hibachi grill to cook french toast! 

Figure 3: Image by Blake Ipsen.

The chef put baked cinnamon apples and pistachio ice cream on top of the french toast, and every flavor worked surprisingly well with each other. What makes this design so good is that it uses pre-existing technology in a new way, and blends cultures seamlessly together to create a singular product. Who would’ve thought that french toast at a Japanese restaurant in Mexico would be so good? - Blake Ipsen

Cutting edge Industrial 3D Printer

Figure 4: A 3D printed piece manufactured by the CBAM 25 in 15 seconds [2].

Additive manufacturing continues to become an ever more vital part of manufacturing, as it increases output and limits material waste. One of the most cutting-edge machines comes from Impossible Objects. Their new system combines the speed of roll-to-roll manufacturing with the precision of binder jetting, a 3D printing process where inkjets deposit liquid binders onto layers of powder.

This hybrid approach allows for remarkable speed and the use of specialized composite materials. There is an incredible video about its blisteringly fast production process. This printer is taking 3D printing to a new era with unbelievable speed and specialized composite materials. - Dylan Conover

Heatless Curls 

I enjoy having my hair look nice. However, I’m not a huge fan of spending the time in the morning doing it. That’s why I’ve been using the Kitsch Heatless Curling Set in order to take care of my conflict. Not only is it incredibly user-friendly, I like that the curling set is soft enough that it doesn’t hurt to sleep in.

Figure 5: A hair product.

What makes the product stand out is that it’s affordable, user-friendly, and directly solves a common problem. To me, that’s really what good design is: meeting a pain point in the easiest and most effective way. - Emelia Sunday

Conclusion

From architectural viewpoints to reimagined desserts, from advanced manufacturing to everyday haircare, good design shows up everywhere. These examples remind us that design isn’t just about function. It’s about perspective, creativity, and simplicity. As summer comes to a close, we’re inspired to carry these lessons into our own work, always looking for ways to make our designs just a little bit better.

References

[1] "Ninh Binh Lotus Season, a visit to bloom your soul." Asia King Travel, 10 Sept. 2025, https://www.asiakingtravel.com/blog/ninh-binh-lotus-season.html.

[2] "Impossible Objects Breaks the 3D Printing Speed Barrier with launch of CBAM 25, Fifteen Times Faster than Existing Technologies." Impossible Objects, 24 Apr. 2023, https://impossible-objects.com/impossible-objects-breaks-the-3d-printing-speed-barrier-with-launch-of-cbam-25-fifteen-times-faster-than-existing-technologies/.

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To cite this article:
The BYU Design Review Editorial Board. “Good Design from the Summer of 2025.” The BYU Design Review, 15 September 2025, https://www.designreview.byu.edu/collections/writing-professional-articles-developing-your-writing.