Storytelling design is the first step towards a healthier future for patients at the Evangelisches Konigin Elizabeth Krankenhaus children’s psychiatric hospital in Berlin. Designed as a collaborative effort between the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Dan Pearlman Creative Agency, the center creates a fantastic narrative that guides patients on a journey to “Elise Island”, a safe place to play and rest hosted by Princess Elise.
Can you imagine living in a high-rise apartment building where the 360 degree views are of fishes and saltwater? Although just a concept now, this upside-down, underwater eco-skyscraper could be the future of building, especially if sea levels rise as predicted and we end up living in a water world. Designed by Victoria BC-based firm Zigloo, the Gyre is a floating eco-development meant to be both a research station as well as an off-shore resort with shops, restaurants, gardens and recreation. Powered completely by the sun, wind and ocean, the Gyre would offer a zero emissions stay for both tourists and researchers hoping to gain a better understanding of the ocean’s ecosystem.
NewActon Nishi is a new apartment complex in the middle of Canberra that is aiming to be Australia’s greenest residential development. But don’t go thinking that this will be a boring ‘green building’. NewActon Nishi will feature a sexy minimalist aesthetic in addition to some exciting eco-conscious features.
Building a treehouse for your kids is no longer a tall order with this flatpak DIY treehouse design from Dutch designers Rogier Martens and Sam van Veluw of Aandeboom. The Zelfbouwboomhut (Build-It-Yourself Treehouse) is comprised of water-resistant wood panels which fit together via a slot and tab system, and the completed structure is strapped, rather than nailed to the tree. Six easy steps are all it takes to fashion this outdoor abode for your nature loving kids!
As greener gadget geeks, we’re pretty enthralled with the assortment of energy and earth-conscious gizmos that emerged last year, and we’re even more excited about what this year holds in store. Check out our short list of the most promising new greener gadgets and don’t forget to vote for your favorite freshly unveiled designs from this year’s greener gadgets competition here!
Ocean-bound shipping containers are an often-overlooked source of CO2 emissions — over 90% of all non-bulk cargo carried worldwide arrives in containers, and many of them are sent back empty. Enter the innovative Cargoshell collapsible shipping container, which can drastically cut emissions on return trips by collapsing to a quarter of its full size.
As battery manufacturers race to produce more efficient lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, some scientists are looking to make the cars themselves a power source. Researchers are currently developing a new material that can store and release electrical energy like a battery. Once perfected, scientists hope the substance will replace standard car bodies, making vehicles up to 15 percent lighter and significantly extending the range of electric vehicles.
When most of us think of convention centers, we think of big empty spaces that are certainly not very environmentally friendly. That’s not the case for the next generation of centers — case in point, the very cool looking Qatar National Convention Center. The striking 177,000 square meter structure is seeking a LEED Gold Rating, a first for a building of its type in the region. When it’s completed next year the center will boast 3,700 square meters of solar panels in addition to a host of other resource-saving features.
Still have no idea what to wear on Valentine’s Day? Well, let us say that it’s what’s underneath all those clothes that really matters! We’ve teamed up with PACT to giveaway a sexy set of his-and-hers organic cotton skivvies to two lucky winners. Practical, seductive and organic – what more could you ask for?!
Imagine if you could kick, bunt and play your way to clean clothing. Well Swirl, an innovative new concept for easy laundering on the go lets people do just that. This colorful ball (which we wish had been entered into the Greener Gadgets design competition) designed by German-based designaffairs Studio lets people fill it up with dirty clothes, water and soap and then the rotational motion of soccer and play does all the work. This could be especially effective in developing nations where water sources are located a far distance from homes making hauling and washing clothes a real drag. Just be prepared to fend off the mobs of kids lining up and begging you to help you with the laundry!
There is only one thing on the Earth that is more sexy than a person who cares for the environment, and that’s a person who cares for the environment in silky, barely there eco-lingerie! Simultaneously clean up the planet and dirty up your sweetheart’s thoughts with the sultry and sumptuous selection of eco-undies in our Green Guide to Sustainable Skivvies that are sure to cause a different kind of climate change in the bedroom.
Have things gotten a bit cramped in your home since welcoming a new baby? Belkiz Feedaway is the perfect solution to recoup some space. Certainly sturdy enough to support a smiling little guy (or gal!) within its recycled cardboard frame, this portable seating system can also be flat-packed and slipped out of sight whenever things start getting cluttered!
If you’ve ever lamented having to throw away a piece of saran wrap, this might cheer you up. This rather striking piece of outdoor eco-art is made out of 10,000 feet of recycled plastic-wrap salvaged from a warehouse! Reader amputectecture says:
“This piece invited people to leave the prescribed paths and enter the chained-off grass. The plan was comprised of four triangles, radiating from one tree in varying heights to create a temporary exhibition space.”
Very cool. Thanks for the tip amputecture!
Saddened by the sight of abandoned needlework, a family of designers at Frederique Morrel have made upcycling tapestry their main passion. From old piles of handmade drapes, to forgotten pillows, to intricately woven knick-knaks leftover from the neigbor’s rummage sale, these designers are rescuing embroidery from oblivion by transforming passed over pieces into new beautifully crafted foot-stools, couches, and stunning woodland creatures.
Yet another reason New Yorkers might be jealous: the city of San Francisco has just announced 19.2 million dollars in new funding for energy efficiency programs. The bulk of the funds will go to EnergyWatch, a program that provides free energy efficiency assessments and low-cost retrofits for businesses and multi-family residences in the city.
We love prefab designs, but we love seeing them come to life even more! Last July, we brought you renderings for the House Arc, a bicycle rack-inspired modular home designed by Joseph Bellomo, and now we’re thrilled to give you a peek of the prototype version which was just unveiled. Prefabricated and flat-packed into a 4-by-10-by-3 foot box, the House Arc can easily be shipped and assembled at its final destination.
If you’ve got a toddler running about the house you may have asked yourself “Isn’t there some way I could put all of that energy to good use?” Well the folks who came up with Rocco, one of the awesome entries in the Greener Gadgets design competition, were thinking …
One of the biggest challenges of building a sustainable future is figuring out how to efficiently move people and objects from one place to another. Electric cars and biofuel-powered planes might be the answer in the short-term, but now a physicist at Tohoku University in Japan has figured out how to teleport energy from one point in the universe to another.
As more and more people across the world adopt cars as their primary mode of transportation, well-lit highways become increasingly important. But how can we sustainably power all those energy-sucking lights? TAK Studio addressed that question in their entry into this year’s Greener Gadgets competition to find the green technology solution of the future. Dubbed the Turbine Light, their design aims to illuminate our roadways using the power of the wind.
Heads up gadget geeks!Want to catch a glimpse into the future of green technology? Then check out the freshly unveiled finalists in the Greener Gadgets Design Competition! These 18 designs offer smart green solutions that range from creating energy-efficient households to supercharging our freeways with renewable power to rocking our way to clean energy. Don’t miss your chance …
LOTS MORE GREAT GREEN DESIGN STORIES HERE... KEEP READING!
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