An eco-friendly home in a Cotswold nature reserve in United Kingdom was designed by London architect, Sarah Featherstone, whose office will be designing part of the Olympic athletes' village. The 'Orchid House’ was inspired by the Bee Orchid that is found on the reserve.
One of the many green features of the 'Orchid House' will be to produce more energy than it uses with an underground heat pump, geothermal heating and cooling, rainwater and solar and wind power.
"Our inspiration for Orchid House comes from the wildlife and landscape at Lower Mill Estate. A number of Orchid species can be found here, but it is the camouflage of the Bee Orchid that specifically generated our design."
"The house will blend with its landscape and environment. The organic form is created from laminated veneer lumbar (LVL) ribs and clad with timber shingles (tiles). The camouflage pattern is burnt to the timber."
"The house offers flexible living spaces, adopting a layout which we have pioneered in our house designs. The kitchen is at the heart of the house with the living and dining wings fanning out to create an intimate open courtyard around which the house orientates. It is like a 'whorl' of leaves encircling the seed of the flower."
The house has been sold off-plan and will be completed in 2011.
Thomas Owens is a young British product design graduate. His
latest project is a stylish bicycle that not only offers all the
benefits of cycling but, with its power system, the user can cruise
around with ease.
When folded, 'One' turns into an amazing compact case free of all dirty and protruding parts. It can be easily carried, stowed and stored.
Spring is almost back and with the fine days one will want to go off for a bike ride again. The models of the German company Retrovelo have a charm which should not leave indifferent the many amateurs of vintage design who visit DA. Retro forms combined with advanced technology, it's a tandem that doesn't always make a good product, but in this case the charm of these bicycles is undeniable.
When Sydney-based designer Sally Dominguez was told it was impossible to fit a water storage tank under her small garden deck, she designed her own. The Rainwater Hog is a small-scale modular storage tank for collecting rainwater that can be reused for watering plants, washing the car or whatever you need.
The waterHOG has the following dimensions: 180cm x 50cm x 22cm for a capacity of 183L. It is made from 100% recyclable plastic using natural gas in the process.
Available from DWR this Spring, five percent of the profits from every sale go to Water Aid International.
Join DWR for an evening with Sally Dominguez at DWR Berkeley Studio on March 5 2008, 6:30–8:30pm. Check out the Rainwater Hog in person and learn about the numerous ecological benefits of rainwater storage.
Another new product that we can't live without! Those who have followed the thread in our forum about the film offering the vision of the future by General Motors in the Fifties will be delighted to see that eccentric projects still exist in the 21st century.
Who knows, for those who are not afraid of being ridiculous, Nubrella is perhaps an effective alternative to the umbrella. In any case its promoters seem convinced about it. Let's thank them for a good laugh at the photograph; the man on his bicycle is an involuntary comic.
For those who would doubt it, Nubrella is a true product that you can buy (or not) for $60.
Kengo Kuma develops the traditional teahouse architecture further, while at the same time venturing onto entirely unexplored territory with regard to his design. In search of flexible buildings - Kuma uses the term “weak architecture” - he has arrived at a truly ephemeral structure with this project.
The teahouse does not rise up from the ground as a fixed wooden construction, but unfolds as an airborne form. When a ventilation system is activated, the teahouse swells into shape like a white high-tech textile blossom. In its interior, comprising a surface of approximately twenty square metres, are nine tatami mats, an electric stove for the water kettle, a tokonoma niche and a preparation room. Integrated LED technology allows the use of the teahouse at night; the interior can be heated by way of the membrane.
2008 will be a great year for the miniHome! It has been selected to participate in the Milan Triennale in October 2008.
Although, technically, the miniHome is a recreational vehicle (it is on wheels), it is designed to work as a permanent, comfortable vacation retreat.
Designed by Canadian architect Andy Thomson, the miniHome produces all the energy required for its onboard electrical loads by solar panels (located on a pivoting aluminum canopy over the front door) and an optional 400Watt wind turbine can help with more intense usage. There is also an onboard propane system for space heating, hot water, cooking and refrigeration.
The studio has set out a very exclusive set of criteria for their manufacturer: no vinyl, no formaldehyde, no toxic adhesives or finishes, all water-based, or plant oil-based finishes, no CFC’s or HCFC’s, all woods to be certified from sustainable sources (FSC certification), high natural ventilation rate (windows open), constant fresh air supply (windows closed) via heat-recovery-ventilator, durability and low-maintenance.
'Shell' is an urn for burials at sea that celebrates the individual and thoughtfulness, regardless of religion.
The project builds on the humanistic burial ceremony that disregards religious tradition and instead focuses on Man's role in Nature. The urn is made from pressed paper and dissolves in water over time. Messages for the deceased can be written on the surface of the urn and small objects and notes can be placed in a pocket at the top of the urn.
Designed by Lots, group of Swedish industrial designers
Etienne Meneau's elastic houses are made for those who like instability and precarious, who like to be awakened by the sound of the rain, those who like to sleep under the overturned boats. They will be recalled at any time to the realities of gravity, rocked by wind and earthquakes. The elastic houses therefore ask its inhabitants a strong sense of balance and a real taste for the experiments.
Nostalgia and charm have been key factors in the good marks the Car of the Year 2008 Jury has given to the retro-looking 500, a car of classless appeal in the Fiat tradition. In the showdown between two small cars, the Fiat has had a clear win with 385 points against the Mazda2, that finished with just 60 points less. The 500 has received top points from 34 of the 58 Jury members plus 17 second places. The Ford Mondeo was third, with 202 points, with the other finalists well behind.
Beyond its reality as a practical urban car, it was clear from its inception that the retro-chic 500 has enormous public appeal. This cute car copies the aesthetics of the legendary 500 of half a century ago, but it is a modern vehicle in functionality and safety features, reasonably roomy for its size and shape, and with efficient engines that provide performance and economy. With a better noise insulation, one would even venture into longer road journeys.
This is a project for a great Playground done by designers Alain Gilles, C. Fidalgo and M. Leroy.
"Young children acquire most of their social behaviors through playing with others. So, what they play with greatly matters. In large urban cities, the playground is often one of the few outside place children have free access to. It is time to redefine the functions a playground should offer in ten years from now. Considering that most social needs of children age 3 to 8 will not have significantly changed, as tends to show different various scientific analysis of the evolution of society, cities and children in general. They obviously need to exercise outside, but they must also acquire self-confidence and social values. Too often, playgrounds are seen as boring and are deserted after a while. Hence, the idea to have a solid structures allowing for different games to be rotated between playgrounds, or even within every playground itself. So the various elements are held to the ground by a series of studs evenly embedded within the foundation of the playground itself. It goes without saying that this grid is a constraint that has to be taken into account during the conception of each interchangeable element. It plays a role in the determination of the size and shape of each game, just as much as the ergonomics and general legislations. In order to make sure that the elements of the playground could be financially accessible to a wide range of communities the pieces have been designed to be producible using generally accessible technology: metalwork, rotation molding, PUR foam, recycled rubber… The various element of the playground are meant to foster the acquisition of some values needed to live in a community. So some games will in a way highlight some social behaviors and encourage communication, independence, self-esteem, respect for others and for what belongs to the community, but also encourage the need to behave as the majority, as well as encourage young children to find their own path and venture out."
