by: Gizmag Emerging Technology Magazine, 2012-10-08 23:51:07 UTC
You may think that the pistons in your car’s engine slide in and out of the cylinder bore holes smooth as silk, but according to researchers from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology, the process could be smoother. If it was, your car would burn less gasoline, and require less oil for lubrication. Well, those researchers have developed an engine-building tool, designed to minimize engine cylinder friction... Continue Reading New engine-making tool should result in more fuel-efficient cars
The Thonet Chair Company must have been astonishing to see at the 1851 World’s Fair. In presenting simple seats made of gracefully curved, steam-bent wood, they bucked centuries of convention, countless generations of heavy, formal, carved furniture. But it was in 1859 when the company introduced their most famous model that you’ll undoubtedly recognize today, the No. 14 chair. It became the quintessential cafe seat. So by 1930, 50 million No. 14s had been sold and the aesthetic of furniture had been changed forever.
Andy Martin is a London architect who was tapped to reimagine Thonet’s steam-bent heritage in a new light. His studio designed the Thonet Bike, an absurdly beautiful beechwood bicycle produced in much the same way as Thonet’s chairs were over a century ago. “Initially we designed something along the lines of a Dutch traditional bike, as we thought this to be more on-brand, but soon saw the parody in the proposal,” Martin tells Co.Design. “We started to develop concepts moving away from the tradition and focusing on the material and the bending process.”
What Martin eventually created is the bike you see here--not a kitschy nod to the good old days, but a complete reimagining of Thonet’s hand-bent wood construction. It’s basically a Thonet chair with off-the-shelf carbon-fiber wheels, and somehow, it’s entirely lustable. “The raw formed Beechwood is very tactile and has a slightly 'nude’ feel to it,” Martin explains. “We wanted the bike to have a progressive aesthetic and still feel handcrafted.” Indeed, if the bike were made of metal, it’d be right at home in a sci-fi film. Instead, it just looks like a fresh and fast piece of art.
Of course, Martin did turn to a few modern technologies to craft the bike. While the wood frame is enitrely steam-bent, CNC machines finished contours while carving the critical reinforcement joints. But beyond these loose notes on the construction process, we’re told, “the rest is a secret.” If you’d like a Thonet Bike of your own, they’re available in a bespoke limited edition for $70,000 apiece.
Declare is a new “nutrition label” or ingredient label for building materials that will provide an answer to three main questions: First, where does this product come from? Second, what is it made of? Third, where does it go at the end of its life? Seems like three hard questions to answer on one product label, but as you can see in the label attached above, Declare gets the job done.
Declare is operated by the International Living Future Institute, so there is definitely an alignment with the Living Building Challenge and particularly the Red List.
For example, products with a Declare label that are Red List Free will be noted. Alternatively, the label may note LBC Compliant, if there’s a temporary Red List exception (with Red List ingredients indicated in red text), or none of these if Red List ingredients are noted in the text.
But on a more basic level, the Declare label can be applied to any product regardless of its makeup, provided the manufacturer pays the initial $850 or so it takes to get put into the database. The label will indicate things like where the product was assembled, how long it may last, and whether it may be reused or trashed at the end of the useful life.
There’s a database that will grow over time to help consumers and professionals research various products. And project teams will have a new source to find materials for Living Building Challenge projects. All things considered, this may actually facilitate a new culture of transparency and openness in materials. I’m impressed.
by: mocoloco, 2012-10-05 04:09:47 UTC
Annika Frye has created a manual rotational moulding machine that allows her to produce variation instead of the mass produced repetition rotational moulding is known for.
Earlier this year, we saw a manufacturing video of a Thonet chair, well worth revisiting on the occasion of a new collaboration that has been making web rounds (the relevant segment starts at 1:48 or so). Now that its iconic steambent design has been around for 153 years, the Frankenburg, Germany-based company is looking to branch out (no pun intended) from furniture with none other than a concept bike.
At the end of 2010 London based-designer Andy Martin was asked by THONET to design and develop a concept road bicycle using their steam bending process developed in the 1930s. Andy Martin Studio developed three designs of which the final was selected because its beauty and modest connection with the heritage of the company.
Andy says 'The challenge was to take on fairly low tech process of steam bending and then apply it to a 21st-century bicycle with highly complex engineering.' With the many restrictions of hand bending the beech frame the final jointing and contours would be cut and adjusted on a cnc machine. Andy Martin has also developed a series of connectors and sprung rods to reinforce joints and the major stress areas in the frame.
As some of you may have guessed from the images, it's a fixed-gear, which the press release duly declares to be "the tradition of cycling: one has a greater connection to the bike and the surface one rides on." Curiously enough, they also note that it has no brakes and "several interchangeable gear ratios"—implying that the Thonet Bike is indeed rideable.
At $2,900 (£1800), the HED H3 carbon wheelset pictured in the renderings denoted by the press release would typically be upwards of 20–30% of the total cost of a high-end track bike... but they're practically a bargain on this build: the limited edition Thonet bike will be available for £43,000 ($70,000). Rideability notwithstanding, you'd have to be crazy to actually ride the thing—one-percenter or not, you'd probably be better off with a Van Hulsteijn.
Nevertheless, upon seeing the renderings, I couldn't help but recall my colleague hipstomp's post about a student concept for a sewing machine, which, per his expertise, he deemed too farfetched to be feasible.
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2012-10-08 11:48:00 UTC developed using an iphone-powered digital enlarger, the series of prints are conceived using a traditional darkroom processing technique. read more
by: Environmental Leader, 2012-10-08 13:30:23 UTC Lowe’s helped its customers save about 4 billion gallons of water last year, and Kohler introduced 40 new water-efficient toilet models to the North American market in 2011, earning both companies EPA awards. Colorado Springs Utilities, American Standard Brands and KB Home also received 2012 WaterSense partners of the year awards for their water conservation [...]
Going green or eco friendly is seen everywhere. Starting from homes to traveling options, people now prefer to take use of eco friendly methods so that they can play their part towards being eco friendly and give their contribution towards living a pollution free environment. As gift-wrapping is loved by all, new methods and techniques have been devised which are eco friendly. Schools and colleges are promoting the activities of gift-wrapping by using eco friendly products, which are non-toxic, safe for the environment, and along with that, looks cool and beautiful.
With passage of time, eco friendly gift wrapping options are getting popular amidst the youth. Companies, which are involved in manufacturing gift-wrapping products, are now offering varieties of green gift wrapping options so that you can take them into use as per your need and choice. Promotion of eco friendly products as gift-wrapping options is being initiated so that more and more people take use of them as wrapping option. Using recycled paper along with fabric and various other products are getting popular eco friendly gift wrapping options. Along with this, old cereal boxes are also preferred as an option while you are planning to pack your gifts. New ways and methods of wrapping which are eco friendly are being taught so that it can be taken into use for wrapping gifts in the most beautiful manner using eco friendly products.
Eco friendly gift wrapping options
Newspaper: Taking use of newspapers for wrapping is one of the best options, which you can take into use. Take use of the colorful section from the newspaper and use it for wrapping. As the colorful parts are glossy, it would be a perfect eco friendly option for packing your gifts.
Fabric: If you are having the skills of sewing, then you can take use of recycled or recyclable fabric for wrapping. You can easily design your options and wrap your gifts with ease. This art of wrapping gifts is one of the green methods, which originated from Japan along with which it is even known as Furoshiki.
Use of gift bags: Eco friendly gift bags are now available in the market, which is the perfect choice for wrapping a gift. As these bags are available in different shapes and sizes, you can use them accordingly.
Other options online
Various websites have also been created which are promoting eco friendly measures of gift-wrapping. The experts along with common people are uploading videos, which gives a clear idea about the eco friendly methods of gift-wrapping.
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-30 17:15:46 UTC
In Germany alone, every year 1.9 million tons of milk cannot be used for consumption. Due to process steps that are not up to par with the stringent ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-28 08:43:19 UTC
From the graduate exhibition of the Design Academy Eindhoven, in the Netherlands and part of the annual Dutch Design Week. One of my favorite sustainable ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-25 14:47:14 UTC
Created from sustainably sourced softwood, Accoya® matches or exceeds the durability, stability and beauty of the very best tropical hardwoods.
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by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-24 15:18:49 UTC
Taking a shower is in the western world not done once a week anymore like our grandparents did, in most cases it is at least once a day now. And 6 ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-23 14:05:48 UTC
The Centre for Sustainable Design organises the 17th International Conference "Towards Sustainable Product Design", this time around the theme
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by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-21 17:01:36 UTC
The dutch MateriaalPrijs winner 2012 announced at the Dutch design week.
Imagine if every object worked as a solar cell?
In this collection everyday ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-21 16:57:14 UTC
The USDA, US Department of Agriculture, is pushing forward with its bio-based procurement program. But is bio-based preferable over a technological ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-19 17:37:31 UTC
This product changes the user into a co-designer. It comes in a flat pack and can be changed into any shape, again and again. The shade can take whatever ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-16 12:19:01 UTC
Any bike is a sustainable way of transport but the Footloose, this fun looking foldable hybrid bike might be able to get people out of their cars and ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-15 16:17:29 UTC
Nissan LEAF was launched on December 3, 2010 in Japan, and is the world's first mass-marketed and affordable EV. Nissan LEAF delivers a unique driving ...
A HED of the curve?
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