Calling all Los Angeles residents who love ping pong, free beer, and design for humanity… Project H, the product design nonprofit, is debuting their Los Angeles chapter’s Abject Object initiative next Thursday evening, April 9th, from 7-10pm at GOOD Magazine’s headquarters in Los Angeles. The 17-week long partnership with the Downtown Women’s Center homeless shelter has resulted in the development of four retail garments and products that teach skills and bring profits to homeless individuals. Come to the party to see the products (including a purse that turns into a hammock!), meet the chapter, donate to the project, and of course for the ping pong, free beer, and Project H raffle.
Emily Pilloton
Emily Pilloton is a senior editor at Inhabitat and Founder of Project H Design, a charitable organization that supports, inspires, and delivers product design initiatives for Humanity, Habitats, Health, and Happiness. She is also a freelance design writer, furniture designer, and nomad "based" in San Francisco. Trained in architecture with degrees from UC Berkeley and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she has written for GOOD Magazine, Innovative Home, and ID, and has also taught design theory in Chicago. When she isn't traveling or emailing, Emily enjoys baking cupcakes and playing trivia board games.
April 2, 2009
March 30, 2009
Last week we featured flying architecture, and now here’s a floating structure inspired by the grace and curvilinear form of a mermaid. European firm, JDS Architects’ Mermaid building is in a way both ridiculous and incredibly thought-provoking. Resembling the dystopian Lilypad floating cities that we covered a year ago, the renderings of the Mermaid show the building in every extreme biome on earth — from tropical islands to glacial surroundings. The building boasts terraces of greenery, a dolphinarium, hotel, and vacation properties. Is this just a glorified cruise ship? (With somewhat suspect structural support?) Or a new model for private development that truly is responsive to its aquatic surroundings?
March 26, 2009
We may be biased, given our love of owls here at Inhabitat, but the “Bird Bridge” by architectural firm visiondivision is quite a poetic design solution. Located deep in a forest in Gothenburg, Sweden, the Bird Bridge crosses a rift, linking a hospital to a series of botanical gardens. Two pedestrian bridges are also intended as bird-friendly, providing secret resting places for the our avian friends.
March 25, 2009 Calling all crafty Inhabitat readers!
Calling all crafty Inhabitat readers!
Win $200 in our DIY Spring Greening Contest!
Our Spring Greening Contest is running strong after a refreshing weekend of creative submissions, and there’s still time left to submit your DIY designs! To enter, simply clean out your closets and remake your dusty old furnishings, appliances, and household items into inspired examples of found design. We’ll be featuring our favorite entries in an online voting competition next week, and the winner will receive all of the fortune and fame of being showcased on Inhabitat in addition to a $200 gift certificate to the Inhabitat Shop! So break out that dusty dresser or busted chair, give it a brand new life, slap on a fresh coat of (eco-friendly) paint, and let it shine for a chance to win!
The deadline for submissions is this Friday March 27th at 11:59 pm EST
All you have to do to enter the contest is:
1. Sign up for the inhabitat newsletter
2. Send a photo and description of your project to editor at inhabitat.com
March 25, 2009
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… a building? The latest from Geotectura and Malka Architects is a concept for Delft University’s Architecture Faculty- a flying structure called AIRchitecture that’s already making our heads spin. The campus building concepts combines a static learning center for libraries, offices, lecture halls, and an auditorium, with flying workspaces and off-site “zeppelins” to allow for more dynamic collaboration and exchange. This concept might sound crazy, but it is certainly a great example of a minimal footprint.
March 25, 2009
We’ve seen LEDs as great green lighting solutions in many cases, becoming more ubiquitous in lightbulbs, lamps, and more. And now a new use for LEDs: as performance art for sheep! Artistic collective BaaaStuds recently strapped thousands of LEDs to the backs of hundreds of sheep, and choreographed their movements for some pretty impressive visual arrangements. Gives new meaning to the term ‘Environmental Art’! We’ll let the video speak for itself.
February 16, 2009
Architecture for Humanity, in partnership with Orient Global, has launched the latest Open Architecture Network Challenge, and this time they’re calling on all designers to redesign the global classroom of the future. Entries may be developed in collaboration with a school of the designer’s choosing, or under the guidelines of one of the three school building partners, including an urban classroom upgrade in India and a modular and relocatable classroom design. The designer must work with students and teachers to address the unique challenges your school faces in trying to provide smart, safe, and sustainable learning spaces. The registration deadline is May 1, 2009, and all entries are due June 1, 2009. Read on for more details or visit the Open Architecture Network for the full competition outline.
June 3, 2008
Brad Pitt is once again trading the silver screen for green building, as he recently announced a collaboration with LA-based architecture firm GRAFT to design a 5-star “green resort” in Dubai. We’re not sure if “Dubai” and “green” really belong in the same sentence, and we’re also skeptical about the project oxymoronically being called both “socially-conscious” and “an 800-room luxury hotel and adjoining leisure complex,” but we’ll wait to see how it unfolds. No details or location have been announced yet, but we can only hope that given Brad’s friendship with Frank Gehry and his commitment to Global Green, it’ll be as beautiful and green as the superstar claims.
April 16, 2008
READ MORE >
Regular readers of Inhabitat are hopefully aware of the exciting humanitarian design initiative called Project H Design, founded by our very own Emily Pilloton. Currently on the scene in South Africa right now, Project H has successfully delivered 75 ‘Hippo Rollers’ – an ingenious yet simple rolling barrel device that facilitates a more efficient and safer transport of daily water supply needs. The roller holds 3-4 days worth of water for a family of 7, about 5 times the amount of water that can be moved using traditional methods. It’s an amazing product and an amazing story of good design enabling communities. Inhabitat’s Emily Pilloton has just returned from delivering the Hippo Rollers to Kgautswane, and here’s what she has to say…
READ MORE >
March 10, 2008
READ MORE >
One part origami, one part architecture, pure genius, the brand new Bloxes system makes 2-dimensional pieces of interlocking cardboard come to life as expandable and continually adaptable structures. Because they’re so masterfully designed, Bloxes create structures strong enough to stand on, all assembled without tools. So they’re not just for room separating anymore- build a bench, a table, a wall, or even a full room!
READ MORE >
March 5, 2008
READ MORE >
If you thought rechargeable batteries were a good green idea, the USBCELL rechargeable battery will blow your mind- it plugs into any computer’s USB port to recharge. It’s a standard AA battery which will fit into all your every day uses. We’re not the only ones amped up about USBCELL- today at CEBIT, the green battery was awarded a Gold award at the IF Product Design ceremony. Produced by Moixa Energy, has a flip cap top that houses the USB port, and can be used like any regular AA battery. Not to mention, it cuts back on the nearly 15 billion Alkaline batteries made and thrown away each year.
READ MORE >
March 4, 2008
READ MORE >
If you’re a fan of the Mini Cooper but want something a little greener, the Norwegian THINK car might just be your answer. It’s compact, it’s electric, it’s a zero-emissions zippy little car that’s a feat of design and engineering. Topping out at 100 km/hr and running for 180 km on a single charge, THINK is a lot of power for such a tiny thing. All the other systems are well-thought out too, with 90% of the energy going straight to the engine, compared to traditional combustion engines that lose up to 70% of their energy to heat and friction.
READ MORE >
March 1, 2008
READ MORE >
Our friends at Ecolect, the go-to sustainable design and materials community, have launched a monthly spotlight on sustainable design called Limelight – and the first feature is tough act to follow. Teresita Cochran’s sustainable design group, SMIT (Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology) has a compelling new project called GROW that’s an innovative and aesthetically arresting solar and wind power solution. Combining the best of green tech and ecology, GROW draws inspiration from ivy growing on the side of a building – resulting in a hybrid energy delivery device of flexible, ivy-like fluttering solar leaves that provide power via both sun and wind.
READ MORE >
February 19, 2008
READ MORE >
H is for Humanity, Habitats, Health, Habitats, and HIPPO! Project H, an organization that promotes, inspires, and delivers humanitarian product design, is funding 50 Hippo Rollers for a series of 17 villages in Kgautswane in Northeastern South Africa. Hippo Rollers, if you haven’t seen them before, they are amazing barrel devices that allow the millions whose livelihoods depend on the daily fetching of water to more safely and efficiently access and transport water. The roller holds 3-4 days worth of water for a family of 7, about 5 times the amount of water that can be moved using traditional methods, which frees up time for more productive economic and educational activities. It’s an amazing product and an amazing story of good design enabling communities.
For $100 you can sponsor the manufacturing and delivery of one roller in your name, which will be personally delivered to a family in Kgautswane this April by Project H Design. If you believe in the power of good design, here’s your chance to show it! Check out the Hippometer to see how many rollers have been funded to date.
SPONSOR A HIPPO ROLLER NOW via Project H Design >>>>>
READ MORE >
February 16, 2008
Simple, organic, and elegant, the Gina Lamp from Seascape is made from supple green materials like woven grass and bamboo. It’s a simple design that would dress up many a bedside table. We love both the natural materials and the way the light shines through it with soft organic elegance.
February 14, 2008
READ MORE >
Today’s the day for love, and while pinks and reds tend to rule Valentine’s Day, we’re ushering in the green with these last-minute gifts. If you’re a procrastinator, or just not big on the big gestures, here are some small but very green ideas for your special sweetie. From organic chocolate to better flower options and socially-responsible greeting cards, we’ve got you covered. Also check out our Sustainable Skivvies and Splurges posts from earlier this week. Happy Valentine’s Day from Inhabitat!!
READ MORE >
February 14, 2008
Following his inspiring keynote at the first ever Greener Gadgets Conference, we were lucky enough to sit down one-on-one with photographic artist Chris Jordan to talk about his work, e-waste, and the future of mass consumer culture. In his conversation here with Jill Fehrenbacher, Chris talks about whether or not we will be able to stem the growing tide of consumerism, and the issues of collective versus individual responsibility for environmental problems. Hear Chris Jordan’s provocative thoughts in this great interview video.
We have a ton of other great Greener Gadgets videos as well, including Opening Remarks, the Greener Gadgets Competition winner selection, and Chris Jordan’s Keynote. And more to come!
February 11, 2008
READ MORE >
Your eco-cutie deserves only the best this Valentine’s Day. What better way to say I love you than with a sexy splurge of a gift that’s not just romantic, but sustainable too?! Here are some of our best recommendations for great green gifts for the most romantic day of the year.
READ MORE >
February 7, 2008
Drumroll please…. Many of you have been asking for videos of the groundbreaking Greener Gadget Conference – which was held last week in New York City – and here they come! We’ve got a bunch of interesting video shorts coming down the pipeline, and the very first one we have for you (to whet your appetite for the most exciting stuff) is our overview and introduction to the Greener Gadgets Event.
Stay tuned for the highly entertaining Design Competition video coming in a couple hours, and the rest of the videos (Chris Jordan, Mary Lou Jepsen), coming next week.
You can download a podcast of this video here >
(or here if you don’t have iTunes)
February 5, 2008
READ MORE >
Who doesn’t love the Superbowl? The competition, the commercials, the excuse to drink beer. This year’s champ, the New York Giants, certainly deserved the title, though I wonder if their quarterback, Eli Manning, “deserved” his Cadillac Escalade, a behemoth of a vehicle whose hybrid status seems like a serious dose of greenwashing. Blogstress Elizabeth Howard is asking Eli to give back the 18 mpg hybrid gas guzzler, and we’ll second that motion.
READ MORE >
February 4, 2008
Ireland plastic bag usage drops dramatically after plastic bag taxes are instated!
With all the recent bans on plastic bags around the world, it’s natural to wonder just how effective all the bag banning will be. Instead of simply enacting laws to phase out plastic bags – which seems like a wishy-washy attempt at most, Ireland has implemented a tax-based incentive to cut plastic bag useage — and it seems to be working wonders. Between the government tax on bags, an effective advertising campaign, and public support, plastic bag usage has dropped 94% in a matter of weeks.
February 4, 2008
READ MORE >
Despite the enormous untapped potential of solar energy, one thing is for sure- photovoltaics are only as good as the sun’s rays shining upon them. However, researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory are close to the production of a super-thin solar film that would be cost-effective, imprinted on flexible materials, and would be able to harvest solar energy even after sunset!
READ MORE >
January 30, 2008
READ MORE >
Digital artist Chris Jordan knows how to turn e-trash into photographic treasure. His large-scale images of massive amounts of statistically-inspired refuse make it all too clear just how big a problem consumer waste is. His work, which features objects from Barbies and plastic bags to e-waste and shipping containers, brings to light a tough dichotomy, presenting our gluttonous existence as consumers in a beautiful medium. He’ll be keynoting our Greener Gadgets Conference on Friday, and we can’t wait to hear what he has to say.
READ MORE >
January 28, 2008
January 22, 2008
READ MORE >
If you want to see some truly innovative greener gadgets up close and personal, come by the Project H Design booth at next week’s Greener Gadgets Conference. The clever and socially-responsible BOGO flashlight, XO Laptop (One Laptop Per Child), and kinetic devices by Freeplay will be on display for you to check out, all under the umbrella of Project H Design, a charitable organization promoting humanitarian-focused product design, founded by Inhabitat’s Managing Editor, Emily Pilloton.
If you haven’t registered for the conference yet, there’s no time like the present! Register here and be sure to come by the Project H Design booth for more info on the organization and these great products.
READ MORE >
January 19, 2008
READ MORE >
Today’s Compostmodern conference in San Francisco didn’t disappoint, with a design-star-studded line up of speakers from Alex Steffen of Worldchanging to Marc Alt (co-organizer of our Greener Gadgets Conference!), Adam Werbach of Act Now Productions and Scott Stowell of Open. Discussions centered around sustainable innovation in design, what it really means to design “green,” and the future of environmental responsibility in the design world. Highlights included Joel Makower’s morning introduction, which likened sustainability to teenage sex: “Everyone says they’re doing it, but not many people really are. And those who are, aren’t doing it well,” to Jane Savage’s overview of Nike’s “Considered” program which combines a forward-thinking corporate responsibility plan with innovative design.
READ MORE >
January 16, 2008
Check out our latest video interview of Miami architect Chad Oppenheim, designer of the stunning green COR Tower for Miami. In this video he discusses Miami as a booming real estate and construction economy, and his take on sustainability as a factor in that growth. And of course, details on his futuristic-looking Cor Tower, which we can’t wait to see completed.
Video by Scribemedia
January 16, 2008
READ MORE >
While certain objects seem to be making big strides in sustainability, the humble cell phone is lagging a bit behind the curve – what with the lead, cadmium and other toxic chemicals, as well as the relentless consumption, upgrading and disposable on which the entire industry is based. But Nokia has recently launched a new, more environmentally friendly cellphone called the 3310 Evolve. The Evolve is a great example of a greener device, made from biomaterials and 60% recycled packaging. Right now these phones are only available in Europe (what Nokia – you don’t think there is a market for this in the US??), so if you want to check out this cute little eco phone in action, come by the Greener Gadgets Conference on February 1st! But don’t get too attached — we haven’t heard of any launch date set for the US yet.
READ MORE >
January 13, 2008
READ MORE >
We love NAU and we love Ecolect (one of our recent holiday party cohosts). So it’s natural that we’re wishing we were in the Midwest for the Ecolect “3rd Coast” launch party at the NAU store in Chicago.
READ MORE >
January 11, 2008
READ MORE >
The giant CES tradeshow is primarily about gadgets – as one would expect – but we made a surprising architectural discovery at this years CES which impressed us with its creativity (and its creative marketing tactics). On display in the middle of the showroom floor as part of the Olevia booth was the newly-debuted prefab design from new manufacturer Logical Homes. While we could personally care less about more slick Olevia televisions on display (sorry Olevia, but its true), the stunning shipping container prefab definitely caught our eye.
READ MORE >
January 10, 2008
What’s a more renewable form of energy than human energy? We’ve seen it before with the human-powered gyms in Hong Kong, and here’s a portable energy source that’s powered by the spring in your step. We just discovered this amazingly useful gadget at CES, and can’t wait to get our hands on one. The Weza Portable Energy Source from Freeplay can produce enough power from a few footpumps to jump-start a boat or automobile battery and power a laptop, light or a variety of other electronics. If you were stuck out in the middle of nowhere, you could even use to charge your cellphone!
January 9, 2008
READ MORE >
We are thrilled to announce that Voltaic, our favorite solar bag company, has just debuted a sleek new laptop bag that actually charges laptops! Whereas Voltaic’s previous solar bags only generate enough power to charge smaller gadgets like phones, cameras and mp3 players, the new Generator, is a super-powered solar tote that will charge your laptop along with all of your other green gadgets. It uses a single solar panel (which you can order with different color trims) to produce up to 14.7 watts of power, enough to fully charge a typical laptop, along with your iPod and cell phone.
READ MORE >
January 7, 2008
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) starts today in Sin City, but despite the nickname, CES 2008 is supposedly greener than ever this year, showing a real environmental conscience touching on issues like material sustainability and energy efficiency. We’ll be on site to report on the latest technologies, particularly those that are pushing forward new design innovations in renewable energy generation. There will be a panel discussion about electronic recycling on Tuesday afternoon, Nicholas Negroponte of One Laptop Per Child will be speaking Wednesday, and we will be combing the showroom floor to bring you the latest greener gadgets highlights such as the Samsung OLED screen, Fujitsu Corn Laptop, and Greenplug. We’re particularly interested this year as CES pertains to our upcoming Greener Gadgets Conference on February 1st.
January 6, 2008
If you’re a fan of botanical architecture, this might just be the coolest building ever. Architects Minsuk Cho and Kisu Park of Mass Studies designed this flora-clothed multi-level building to house Belgian fashion designer Ann Demeulemeester’s store in Seoul, South Korea. The building was completed in October 2007 and takes green roofs and living walls to another level, using foliage to cover both the external and internal wall surfaces. We love that it looks as if the building is growing up from underneath the greenery, blurring the lines between plants as ornamentation or structure.
December 31, 2007
With the new year rapidly approaching, now is a great time to stop and reflect on 2007. Looking back on the past year, and forward to the new one, we at Inhabitat are excited to see such great progress made in sustainable design and innovation. Here are our top 10 green design stories of 2007- what we think were the most important and exciting stories of the past year. We can only hope next year will see even more progress and exciting developments in the field of sustainable design.
