Tuesday, 24 July 2007 |
PHOTON portable solar panel system comes none too early for those who
on the crest of their mountain hike have discovered that the batteries
of their phone and camera are dead. No charger, no plug, no photos, no
bragging to friends. The designer of PHOTON is architect Kari Sivonen,
one of the partners in the Helsinki-based Valvomo. The prototype has been manufactured by Clothing+, a Finnish company specializing in intelligent clothing, or as they call it, wearable technology.
PHOTON is also part of SAUMA
[Design as Cultural Interface], a travelling exhibition produced by the
Finnish Cultural Institute in New York. SAUMA (Finnish for “seam”)
presents 20 works of innovative contemporary design from Finland. SAUMA
is at the Los Angeles Architecture and Design Museum till August 28, 2007, and will then move to Helsinki and Paris for 2008. By Tuija Seipell.
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Monday, 29 May 2006 |
The opening of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai will mark the unveiling of the newly constructed eco-city of Dongtan. The first of four eco-cities to be built in China by Arup, Dongtan will be ecologically friendly, with zero greenhouse-emission transit and self-sufficient water and energy systems. The city is being designed around a series of village-style neighborhoods to make it pedestrian rather than car friendly. Dongtan will generate all of its energy needs from renewable sources, with zero emissions produced by the city's vehicles. An energy centre will manage generation via wind turbines, bio-fuels and recycled organic material. A majority of Dongtan's waste will be reused and organic waste will be composted or used as biomass for additional energy production. Human sewage will be processed for irrigation and composting, hence there will be no landfill waste sites. Phase one of Dongtan, a marina village with a population of 20,000, is scheduled for completion by 2010, while 80,000 people are expected to inhabit this bit of paradise by 2020. by Harold C
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Tuesday, 25 April 2006 |
As the debate about the efficiency and affordability of alternative energy sources continues, developers are planning to build the world's first hydrogen powered community in Denmark. The suburb dubbed H2pia is geared towards balancing energy needs with the cost to the environment and our climate. Residents of this hydrogen community will collect their own energy via solar and wind sources, which will charge hydrogen fuel cells that power both the home and automobiles. The various structures within the neighborhood have been designed so
that their curves and orientation can maximize returns on energy collection. With construction scheduled to begin in 2007, the completion of this project could provide essential feedback towards making hydrogen a viable option in the energy game. by Harold C
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Thursday, 20 April 2006 |
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The search for renewable energy sources is one of the most crucial of our time. London low-carbon energy consultancy and engineering firm XCO2 has come up with the ‘quiet revolution,’ a wind turbine that looks as good as it sounds. The stylishly designed vertical-axis turbine is virtually silent and vibration free. It’s already creating a buzz in environmental design
circles, with early customers including city councils, architects and homeowners. by Billy T
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Thursday, 23 March 2006 |
Inspired by the free flowing form of water, and constructed from eco friendly woods from Ecuador, the new 'sande' series from designer David Brunicardi is both earthy and slick in its appearance. The range includes the wave coffee table, the mag bench and the sande side table. Fluid form is consistent throughout the range and the wood used is positively beautiful. This is as fine as furniture gets in terms of simplicity and materials used. by Lisa Evans
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Wednesday, 08 March 2006 |
When it comes to furniture design there is nothing cooler than a fluid, flowing form. The Pli series from Australian company, Bang Design
achieves this beautifully through it's newly launched eco range. Bang's
founders Bryan Marshall and David Granger are Industrial Design
Graduates who have collaborated their creative efforts for over fifteen
years. Both designers bring different creative skills to the
table which mesh brilliantly, resulting in remarkably progressive
design. Perhaps the best example of the direction in which their work
is taking can be seen in their current range, Pli. The series has been
described as comprehensive and flexible, which is an accurate
description in terms of it's aesthetics. Constructed from a combination
of plywood shell and brushed stainless steel, the Pli series free
flowing form and great choice of colors. Consisting of a great range of
armchairs, ottomans and tables , the pieces work brilliantly as stand
alone, or beautifully as a group. One of the most progressive ranges
of furniture we have seen in some time. by Billy T
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Friday, 03 March 2006 |
Let there be light! It's natural light in a variety of natures forms. The SkyPort light
(pictured left) collecting panel system is a revolutionary way of
shedding natural light into enclosed spaces. Here's how it works: a
series of cables, named SunWires collect the suns natural light and feed
the light energy through to the light omitting luminaries. These fibers
are bundled into a flexible cable with a diameter of 3 cm, permitting
transportation of the light up to 15 meters. A mixture of both parallel
light and ambient light can be delivered through the system. When the
light seems ambient, it imitates the way that natural light strikes
through the foliage of a forest. Hence the light systems name, Bjork
which is Swedish for birch tree (not the brilliant artist). Two
SkyPorts mounted in varied angles makes it possible to bring in both
the morning and afternoon sun. This could very well be the future of
interior lighting, just as this brilliant device could be the future of
water preservation. The Water hog
(pictured right) is a rainwater tank that also doubles as a structural
building foundation to the home. Weighing 200 kg once filled, the
water hog is installed during construction and becomes a part of the
interior, appreciated through its see through surface from the interior
floor. The water hog can even be installed between walls. Certainly
less of an eye sore than the good old tin water tanks by the side of
the house. by Billy T
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Tuesday, 06 December 2005 |
World renown for its rich, hearty helpings of food, and freezing
winters, Central Europe is forging a new reputation for being one of
the world's most up and coming design hot spots. That's what happens
when something as heavy as an iron curtain is lifted and designers in
Central Europe are rightfully able to showcase their work to the rest
of the world. An example of it's recently unearthed talent is the
creative work of Tamas Gabor Nemeth who's focus on a hybrid utility
vehicle has earned him the 2004 Hungarian Design Award. The vehicle can
metamorphasise from a garbage truck to an ambulance through to a fire
engine. Nemeth worked closely with the conceptual design team at
Mercedes Benz to devise an environmentally friendly vehicle that can
park itself by remote control and whose trapezoid shape sees it turn on
a penny. This is just the tip of the collective talent iceberg that
Central Europe has to offer. by Billy T |
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Thursday, 08 September 2005 |
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We have all been in the situation trying to find a street address where the absence of illumination delayed or completely changed our plans on arriving at a particular destination. The EZview Solar Powered Address Numbers can put an end to not finding a particular address when there is low or no lights. This product is weatherproof and uses solar energy which provides visibility (over 100’) to a particular set of numbers throughout the night and turn off at dawn. Thinking green never “looked” so good. by Isla Verde
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Friday, 15 July 2005 |
Finding smart ways to get around is an ongoing quest. First there was the humble scooter, which had a cult-like following among inner-city execs in 2001. Coming up next is the Yamaha Divide, an electric commuter bike that folds up at the touch of a button to become more sculpture than scotter, more modern art than motorbike. Powered by a compact "smart power" electric motor, the Divide- which is still at concept stage (Yamaha hopes to put into production next year) - uses no petrol or oil so it can be stored inside where friends can view the "new art". by Billy T
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Friday, 03 June 2005 |
www.freespiritspheres.com
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What do you get when you cross '2001 a Space Odyssey' and the 'Ewok Village'? The Free Spirit Sphere of course! Designed and built in Canada, by Tom Chudleigh the Sphere is an eco friendly pod like living quarter that nestles itself and co-exists with its forest environments. The concept of the Sphere is for the dweller to be 'as one' with it's surroundings without doing any environmental damage. The Sphere emphasis is the importance to its inhabitants to protect the trees that support it . With just 3.2m in living space, the pods are subject to swaying in high winds but do have the major advantage of being easily transported and relocated from tree to tree. With the traditional wooden versions costing $100,000 and fibreglass versions costing $25,000. Chudleigh's Eco Pods are friendlier to the environment than they are to your wallet. by Billy T
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