thequietriot.com » design

Sitting comfortably?

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:37:34 +0000

Two mega trends will continue to have a major impact on our lifestyles over the next years – the continued growth of information technology and the challenges and opportunities arising through the development of low carbon economies. The COMPOS chair responds very well to both of these trends.

Through mobile technologies working has become more interactive than ever before and the nature of work has changed dramatically. New technologies, activity models and networking have increased the need for working in a flexible way and in new places.

The COMPOS chair manufactured by the Finnish company PIIROINEN was developed from a user centred design perspective resulting in a product full of inspiration, making use of both open and closed spaces and enabling working alone or together in smaller groups. Multifunction use and transformability have been the cornerstones in the design process. The COMPOS chair was designed for open plan workspaces, public seating areas and flexible working.

Samuli Naamanka designed the chair and there is a material innovation behind the COMPOS collection: the seats of the chairs are produced from Finnish linen and corn starch which is polymerized from natural fibre.

At the beginning of the design process the team decided that they wanted to use an organic material. This material obviously had to meet the demands of the furniture industry and achieve curves that are bent into three directions as well as allow for different thickness.

The material is locally sourced and 100% biodegradable. On top of that the costs of the mould for this technology are remarkably lower than plastic or aluminium moulds.

Meet the designer – www.samulinaamanka.com

More product information you can find on www.piiroinen.com

If you are interested in the opportunities bio plastics offer, please see www.european-bioplastics.org

Working on paper

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 07:47:26 +0000

In the 27 EU member states we produce 164kg of packaging ‘waste’ per capita in one year (Ireland at the top with 245kg and Bulgaria at the bottom with 41kg per person). Almost half of this packaging ‘waste’ stream mainly consists of paper and cardboard, the rest is glass, metals and plastics. Research shows that recycling – rather than sending to landfill or incinerating – has the lowest environmental impact when treating paper and cardboard after use.

Cardboard Future Ltd recently launched the world’s first fully-specified mass production workstation made entirely of cardboard. The Paperweight Desk was designed by Mary Dorrington Ward and engineered by Pat Doyle. It is manufactured in the UK from 76% recycled paper and it is 100% recyclable. Measuring 1500mm x 750mm it is built to meet European legislation for strength and stability and can take up to 100kg. It is the first of a series of cardboard furniture products to be launched by Cardboard Future over the next 12 months.

The specially made corrugated board is coated with a highly water-resistant cellulose varnish and can be assembled in just a few minutes. It comes complete with full cable management and the adjustable legs can be positioned inset or outset.

No screws, staples, glues or tools are required for assembly and the desk comes with a 12-month warranty. The product is currently available in pure white, a palate of standard colours will soon be available and customers will also be able to specify their own colours or designs.

Cardboard Future is working towards creating a true ‘cradle to cradle’ product for clients whereby all of the materials in the product are contained within a closed loop manufacturing system. Clients can already buy into the cradle to cradle service by leasing the products for as long as needed and are guaranteed 100% reuse of these materials into new products.

Full details of the company and the product are on www.cardboardfuture.com

Statistics from European Environment Agency – www.eea.europa.eu

Report on paper recycling see – EEA Technical report No 5/2006, Paper and cardboard — recovery or disposal? Review of life cycle assessment and cost-benefit analysis on the recovery and disposal of paper and cardboard, ISSN 1725-2237

High density concrete

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:32:19 +0000

Concrete is an innovation of the early 20^th century and its development completely transformed the way we built. Recently, it has received bad press because it is extremely energy hungry in its production. However, new developments in concrete not only result in big reductions in the use of energy and resources, they also offer new design opportunities.

Until now the application of concrete was characterised by big structures, because the walls needed a minimum thickness to be stable. With the introduction of high density concrete very different results and application can be achieved.

The new high density concrete called Quantz is a cement bonded high tech material. The production process combines computer power, which allows for the use of a novel optimization algorithms withthe latest developments in nanotechnology. The production process can be adjusted to use local raw materials, which cuts out often highly polluting transport. In comparison to traditional concrete the proportion of cement is reduced by 40%. The material is denser and the structures much thinner which leads to a reduction of the material costs of up to 35%. Due to its high density Quantz also offers the advantages of higher rigidity, resistance and durability.

One of the first designers to work with this material is Hamburg based Alexa Lixfeld. She applies a special coating to the high density concrete and creates filigree designs for kitchens and bathrooms. The surfaces are glossy, abrasion- and acid-resistant, food safe, and hydrophobic.

Doreen Westphal uses the materials to create wall murals and Gregor Zimmermann uses it in furniture design.

www.gtecz.com

www.alexalixfeld.com

www.doreenwestphal.com

Text provided Dr. Sascha Peters, Berlin – www.saschapeters.com

Copenhagen Parts for your bicycle

admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:25:06 +0000

About half of all car journeys in urban areas are shorter than 5km and for such short distances a bicycle is, in most cases, the fastest means of transport. Bicycles need far less space than cars, they are quiet and – taking manufacturing into account – their CO2 emissions are very low. Copenhagen is one of the most bicycle friendly cities and Copenhagen Parts recently launched the Bike Porter, which makes it easy to get your stuff around town.

To achieve a reduction of 40% of CO2 emissions by 2020 a country such as Germany will have to reduce its emissions from transport by 15 million tonnes per annum. Technical innovations and higher energy efficiency will help to achieve these goals. If, however, 5% of all car journeys were done by public transport and 30% of all car journeys shorter than 5km were done by bicycle, 3 to 4 million tonnes of CO2 could be saved each year.

Well, yes – I would use the bicycle, but how do I get what I need for work to the office and my shopping home?

Copenhagen Parts offers a solution: the Bike Porter – an integrated handlebar and basket.

Old-school basket weave is fine if that’s your thing, but what real choice is there if you care about how your bike looks, and your style is more urban than country cottage? What if you ride a stylish single-speed but you also want to carry bags and groceries?

The Bike Porter combines cool aesthetics with functionality without corrupting the clean, simple lines of your bicycle.

By integrating the basket into the handlebar, the Bike Porter offers a stylish transport option which works as part of your bike as well as introducing an evolution in style.

The Bike Porter is easy to fit and secure. It stands out through its quality, simplicity and style. The product is made from heat-treated alloy tubing and rod, making it lightweight and robust. It is designed to attach to the stem easily, installed just like any normal handlebar and it can be attached to any bicycle using a two part stem.

For more details see the website – http://copenhagenparts.com

The product was designed by Good Morning Technology, Copenhagen – www.gmtn.dk

In London the Bike Porter is available at www.tokyofixedgear.com

Shanghai in Depth

admin — Fri, 14 May 2010 14:52:19 +0000

A programme on sustainable innovation in China

CITIES

More that 50% of the world’s population now live in urban areas and the pressures on infrastructure and well being are immense. The growing population and the urbanisation on our planet offer huge opportunities for design, innovation and sustainable development.

CLIMATE

The growing population as well as our growing wealth put pressure on our resources and at the same time have a negative impact on our climate. The challenges climate change and the decline of resources pose, need to be resolved.

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge and service based industries have become the key factor for growth and success. Web based technologies and the free flow of information accelerate this process. The development of knowledge economies is the future.

CHINA

China will be the economic power house of the 21^st century. China is changing from a ‘work bench’ economy to a smart economy with a very strong consumer base.

SHANGHAI IN DEPTH is a series of events hosted by the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology (SAST) and organised by thequietriot.com during World Expo 2010. We will bring together business and innovation leaders from Europe and Shanghai.

The development of our cities, the climate and our knowledge economies offer huge business opportunities and potentials for joint ventures and co-operations in China which we will explore.

SHANGHAI IN DEPTH will during the course of the next months explore six themes from an innovation and business perspective

THEME 1 Inclusive and balanced city: share, live and integrate together

THEME 2 Natural and friendly city: low carbon, ecological and energy-efficient

THEME 3 Healthy and peaceful city: providing well being and a healthy and safe environment

THEME 4 Intelligent and intellectual city: digitalisation and smart network

THEME 5 Habitable and integrated city: urban spaces, architecture, design, traffic and infrastructure

THEME 6 Colourful and diverse city: science and technology, humanities, society and changes in culture.

During World Expo 2010 we will run a number of four day events exploring these themes in more detail, giving an insight into the width and breadth of business opportunities in the Greater Shanghai Area. Our workshops will also allow you to meet innovation leaders in energy management and efficiency, innovation, design and sustainable development.

It will be a platform for people from Europe and China who have understood how to turn green developments and technologies into business success, and for those with similar aspirations.

A drop of water

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 08:41:07 +0000

The gardening season has just started and we are all hoping for a long and warm summer, which means we will have to water our gardens. Water however is a scarce resource, even in many parts of Europe including the UK. Harvested rain water is free and it takes a little pressure from the main water supplies.

A lot of people want to make a difference and have set up water butts in their gardens to collect rain water. Most of these water butts are not items of beauty, but rather utilitarian in appearance.

Recognising this, the Dutch designer Bas van der Veer took up this challenge and designed A Drop of Water. This butt has an integrated watering can which is automatically filled every time it rains, because it is located directly underneath the drainage tube. When the watering can is filled with rainwater, the surplus will automatically run into the reservoir of the water butt. After the first round of watering you can refill the watering can from the reservoir, and replace it for replenishment the next time it rains!

A Drop of Water is very easy to use and an attractive addition to your garden. The design is user friendly and it enables the gardeners to minimise the use of fresh drinking water for irrigation purposes.

You can find A Drop of Water and more of Bas van der Veer’s designs on www.basvanderveer.nl.

Solar powered bus stop for the Chinese market

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 07:04:25 +0000

In 2007 China invested 12 billion US dollars in renewable energies (Germany invested $14 billion and the USA $10 billion) and in the same year 6.4% of the country’s total energy use came from wind power. China’s target for 2020 is to produce 15% of all its energy from renewable sources. With a market share of 23% China is the market leader in the production of solar photovoltaic cells.¹

The Shanghai-based design agency Yang-Design responded to these development and designed a bus shelter for Ningbo South Business District integrating the latest solar technology.

The system is divided into three modular units which can be reduced or added to according to the size requirements of each shelter. The modular and robust design lowers maintenance requirements, which also saves costs and energy over time. Two fold-down benches provide some space for seating whilst leaving enough standing space for many others. Between the benches is a ‘city information center’, space for an advertisement billboard and a bus schedule screen. Solar voltaic panels are installed on top of the shelter and they provide the energy for lighting and the information system.

All the components speak the same simple design language. The user-friendly details are designed with soft and fluid curves. Its silver and dark grey color combination responds to the branding requirements of the business district.

The bus shelter is the winner of the prestigious 2010 Red Dot Design Award.

¹Matrix of Change, Matrix des Wandels, report by Zunkunftsinstitut GmbH, June 2009, pp 14

www.yang-design.com

http://en.red-dot.org/design.html

Sustainable Housing

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:12:08 +0000

More than 50 % of the world’s population now lives in cities. Cities cover less than 1% of the Earth’s surface, but generate 80% of the world’s CO2 emissions. Housing alone is responsible for nearly one third of the UK’s CO2 emissions and it poses a huge challenge in reducing CO2 emissions. The Larch Garden is a residential complex in Lystrup, Denmark that saves more than 100 tons of CO2 emissions compared with buildings built in accordance with standard construction regulations.

The Larch Garden comprises 122 homes and it is the largest sustainable and climate friendly residential complex in Denmark. For the project Large Garden 1 was developed which is a completely new energy and environment saving system. It includes the widespread use of LED lighting and Phase Change Materials (PCM) in the form of ceiling panels that absorb heat during the day and release it in the evening and at night.

New heating systems were introduced including wall heating converters, which heat the entire wall surface and cavity heating using un-insulated pipes in the intermediate floor. The buildings are constructed as draught free as possible with high levels of insulation and super low energy windows.

A solar cell facility was erected adjacent to the development’s communal building which delivers electricity to the communal building as well as outdoor lighting.

The houses are all constructed from wood. Wood is an excellent material for use in low energy construction and also makes for an excellent indoor climate. In addition, the building itself is a form of CO2 storage. Fifty of the houses feature floor to ceiling windows which absorb the sun’s heat and provide high levels of natural light. All buildings meet Low Energy Class Standard 1 or 2.

The development is part of the Sustainable Housing in Europe Project (SHE) – http://www.she.coop. The project architects are Herzog + Partner, Munich – www.herzog-und-partner.de

M.HAUS 2010

Design for longevity

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:03:57 +0000

The cylinder in the office chair recently broke, which means it can no longer be adjusted and seat has sunk to its lowest level. The result is a very uncomfortable sitting position, which is not good for posture and health. What to do? Buy a new chair?

Obsolescence is designed into most of our products: flat screens, electric toothbrushes, CD players, MP3 players, toys, games, mobile phones. They all go down a one way street into landfill, incinerators and down-cycling. None of them can be repaired or upgraded. The new iPhone will last us two years and we are already looking forward to the next and more exciting model.

Sure – the electronic products will go into recycling. The regulations are now strict and we are good citizens. Some of the design icons we might even keep as they are beautiful and they evoke wonderful memories, but they will become dead items on a shelf or in a drawer though the material will last for much longer.

Longevity has been designed out of most of our products. They are for the day and the season and move along with the fashion.

Charles Eames designed thhise task chair in 1958. It still looks contemporary and appropriate for our spaces. Some people might even think it is a little bit too modern and progressive. Our model is 15 years old and has acquired a patina, which makes it even nicer. The cylinder can be replaced for £50 and there is at least another 15 years left in the chair.

Maize cob boards

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:15:29 +0000

Maize Cob Boards

Organic materials are gaining more relevance in the production of bio-plastics. Rather than growing plants solely for the production of materials, more and more waste products generated in agricultural and food production processes are used for light weight components such as structural panels. One example is Maize Cob Board, which is currently being developed and tested. It is a wood based material with an interlayer of maize cobs .

The central part of a maize cob consists of a foam like structure with high insulating qualities and(!) until now the cobs have never been used in an industrial process. They have a low density (180 to 200kg/ m³ and resist high pressure in an axial direction. Maize cobs are considered a ‘waste’ product and they are available in large quantities and at a low price. Maize Cob Boards have a similar performance to chip boards and they can be used to build furniture, doors and interiors. They are, however, 50 per cent lighter than conventional wood based panels. The density of the Maize Cob Board is between 250 to 300gk/ m³.

First prototypes are currently being tested and their areas of mass application are being researched. If the performance tests lead to positive results the Maize Cob Boards will be launched as an alternative to traditional wood based products. The material not only has high insulation qualities, it is also expected that it will absorb sound very well.

It will be an exciting organic material innovation and resource for furniture and interior designers.

www.fabrikderzukunft.at/results.html/id5516