The recently launched ‘McCar’ is the latest concept in automotive design and aims to improve the traffic conditions in China.

Geely, a car manufacturer that specialises in automotive designs, showcased their McCar design earlier this month in a ceremony in Auto Shanghai.

The McCar means Magic Car or Motorcyle Car, and consists of a hybrid car that is paired with a scooter in the rear. The car is 3.5 metres long and blends the aesthetic of a car with the grace and movement of a scooter.

The four-seater comes in two powertrain choices: all electric or plug-in hybrid. To enable the two vehicles to share battery power or be mutually re-charged, the powertrain of the car is integrated with that of the scooter inside.

The scooter at the back, can be removed to create enough space to fit a standard fold-up wheelchair – showing that the car is flexible in catering for a family. You can also choose to make the car run like a four-wheel drive, as the charged, on-board scooter can propel the rear wheels of the car, allowing you to enjoy the stability of a four-wheeler.

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The nation plans to add to its islands with floating golf facilities that aim to promote the plight of global warming.

The country’s government has signed an agreement with a Dutch firm to investigate how feasible the idea of the floating golf course would be, and how this would work in a nation that surrounds itself with rising oceans.

A statement issued by the office of President Mohamed Nasheed has promised that the methods of developing the golf course will “reduce the impact on underwater life, and minimise the changes to coastal morphology.”

Since coming in to office in 2008, Nasheed has been quick to prioritise climate change as one of the most challenging threats to the Maldives.

One of the first announcements he made was a plan to buy alternative homeland in Sri Lanka or India because of the danger his nation finds itself in. With around 80% of the 1,200 islands being no more than a metre above sea level, its likely that global warming could have a severely damaging effect on the Maldives.

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The original global design event still manages to attract high numbers in its 50^th year.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors descended on the city for the biggest event in the design calendar. Also known as Salzone Internazionale del Mobile, the fair was originally founded in 1961 and helped to establish the idea that “Made in Italy” was the ultimate guarantee of quality.

Nowadays, the organisers of the fair are keen to prove that the world’s furniture industry is bouncing back from the recession. The prominence of the event is reflected in the numbers, originally opening to 12,000 people in 1961 and rising to 329,000 last year.

In 2003 the event was forced to move to a new exhibition venue in Rho, just outside Milan, due to the sheer volume of designers that wanted to showcase their talents.

The majority of the design talent on show is international, with Munich-based designer Konstantin Grcic being heavily showcased this year. There was also a strong British presence with London-based studios, Barber Osgerby and Jasper Morrison showing chairs with contemporary designers Vitra.

However, the Italians were also prominent with industrialist, Alberto Alessi showing his version of the greatest hits of Italian furniture – showing that Italy is not just home of quality, but also experimentation.

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Until the 7^th June 2011, the French Riviera town of St Tropez is holding two exhibitions and displaying six large sculptures made by Stefan Szczesny, in celebration of the German artist’s impending 60^th birthday.

Stefan Szczesny is a painter, sculptor and draughtsman, who has also dappled in graphics, photography and fashion design.

He is best known for organizing the “Rndschau Deutschland” in 1981 and co-founding of the Junge Wilde movement. Two of the artist’s most famous works are The Living Planet, which Szczesny created for Expo 2000, and the Mainau Island, produced in 2007.

To accompany the exhibitions and set of sculptures, until 31^st of October 2011, the Hotel Chateau de la Messardiere in St Tropez will be exhibiting an additional selection of Szczensy’s works including ceramics, sculptures and paintings.

The Stefan Szczesny project in St Tropez is known as “Shadows in the Sea” and is sponsored by the Germen division of the British car manufacturing company, Jaguar.

The “Shadows in the Sea” is one of three different sets of the artist’s black silhouette statues, aimed to represent Szczesny’s views of the classical depiction of Eve as the ‘embodiment of the eternal female’, which are separately being exhibited around Europe, appearing in only the most exquisite, exclusive and stunning of regions.

Earlier in the year, the Swiss town of St Moritz exhibited Szczesny’s “Shadows in the Snow” exhibition, a show which was said to enchant the art lovers of St. Moritz.

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