Author Archives: Chi Thukral

Earth Black Box is an indestructible recorder built by scientists to record climate change & civilization

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This giant steel box sitting on a remote outcrop in Tasmania is an indestructible tool designed to outlive us all while recording every action and inaction towards climate change that affects our civilization…and it has already started recording! The Earth Black Box is similar to the black boxes that are designed to survive airplane crashes and provide investigators valuable data on what led to the disaster — except on a planetary scale so whoever finds it has access to all the data that led to our eventual downfall. Slipping into an existential crisis? The only way to combat that is dramatically changing the way we live and work towards sustainability on all accounts.

It is a 10-meter x 4-meter x 3-meter steel monolith located in Tasmania which was chosen for its geopolitical and geological stability, ahead of other candidates like Malta, Norway, and Qatar. The idea is that the Tasmanian site can cradle the black box for the benefit of a future civilization, should catastrophic climate change cause our downfall as we are currently on track for as much as 2.7 C of warming this century. The project is completely non-commercial and the guiding design principle is functionality, according to Jim Curtis from Clemenger BBDO.

The box will be made from 7.5-centimeter-thick steel, cantilevered off the granite, and will be filled with a mass of storage drives and have internet connectivity, all powered by solar panels on the structure’s roof. It will also include batteries that will provide backup power storage according to Jonathan Kneebone, co-founder of artistic collective the Glue Society that is a part of the project along with the researchers at the University of Tasmania.

When the sun is shining, the black box will be downloading scientific data and an algorithm will be gleaning climate-change-related material from the internet. It will collect measurements of land and sea temperatures, ocean acidification, atmospheric CO2, species extinction, land-use changes, as well as things like human population, military spending and energy consumption. It will collect contextual data such as newspaper headlines, social media posts, and news from key events like Conference of the Parties (COP) climate change meetings.

The black box will record backward as well as forward in time, to document how we got to where we are — pulling any available historical climate change data off the internet. And although construction of the housing structure itself will only begin early next year, the hard drives have already begun recording, beginning with the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow in November this year. Using compression and archiving, the developers estimate there will be enough capacity to store data for the next 30 to 50 years.

In the meantime, the team is investigating ways to expand that capacity and more long-term storage methods including inscribing to “steel plates”. It will enable the box to be far more efficient with how each tier of storage is used and make it possible to store data for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Gaining access to the box’s interior through its three-inch-thick steel casing will already require some ingenuity. “The idea is if the Earth does crash as a result of climate change, this indestructible recording device will be there for whoever’s left to learn from that,” says Curtis.

The developers presume whoever is capable of that will also be able to interpret basic symbols. “We are exploring the possibility of including an electronic reader that stays within the box and will be activated upon exposure to sunlight, also reactivating the box if it has entered a long-term dormant state as a result of a catastrophe.” It is not the first of its kind, we already have a doomsday vault full of seeds to restart agriculture and even a meteor-safe vault for Oreo recipes…you know, just in case you are craving a cookie post-apocalypse.

Designer: Earth Black Box

 

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The world’s first floating city designed by BIG & backed by UN can withstand Category 5 hurricans!

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OCEANIX, an ambitious floating architecture concept envisioned to be built off the South Korean coast by BIG – Bjarke Ingel‘s design group. It was first revealed in 2019 and now has received the green light from UN-Habitat and the Metropolitan City of Busan to begin construction. The futuristic sustainable city can also withstand category 5 hurricanes!

Given the rising sea levels, fast growing coastal cities have resorted to expanding into the ocean by creating new land using sand which causes harm to the existing marine ecosystem only to be partially submerged a few years later. BIG came up with a better solution with OCEANIX as it introduces a modular design system with net-zero energy that allows people to live sustainably and safely. The cities are made up of 2-hectare, 300-resident neighborhoods which then connect to form 1,650-person villages including systems like underwater farming and greenhouses to make it as self-sufficient as possible!

“Sustainable floating cities are a part of the arsenal of climate adaptation strategies available to us. Instead of fighting with water, let us learn to live in harmony with it. We look forward to developing climate adaptation and nature-based solutions through the floating city concept, and Busan is the ideal choice to deploy the prototype,” said Maimunah Mohd Sharif, UN-Habitat Executive Director.

Inhabitants can easily walk around or take a boat to navigate between the floating communities which will include residences as well as a public square, art installations, marketplaces, sports clubs, schools, and more. It is also designed to be able to withstand natural disasters such as tsunamis and hurricanes. All structures will be under seven stories in height to create a low center of gravity, and platforms are built of locally sourced materials like fast-growing bamboo that has six times the tensile strength of steel, a negative carbon footprint, and can be grown in the neighborhoods themselves!

“9 out of 10 of the world’s largest cities will be exposed to rising seas by 2050. The sea is our fate – It may also be our future,” said BIG founder Bjarke Ingels who has time an again pushed the boundaries of architecture and design by bringing impossible concepts to life. OCEANIX is trailblazing a new industry with blue technologies that meet humanity’s shelter, energy, water and food needs without killing marine ecosystems. It is made to grow, adapt and tranform organically over time with humans and the climate while balancing the needs of both!

Designer: BIG

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Sustainable tiles made of recycled glass gathered from old appliances are reducing electronic waste!

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Everyone is chasing the next sustainable material that will change the design industry, from seaweed to mushroom no stone (or plant) is left unturned given how urgently we need alternatives to combat climate change. But at the same time, very few are looking at how to recycle existing sustainable materials like glass that can give them a second life! Common Sands is a design project focused on just that – recycling glass from consumer electronics and turning them into tiles that would otherwise end up with electronic waste.

Glass is sustainable from its origin to its end. While the process of making it contributes to emissions like most things, we can counteract it by extending the life of the glass as it is infinitely recyclable rather than letting it go to waste only to make more of it. Sand is a crucial resource to our technology-focused society, it does a lot more than lay at the beach! We production of silicon microchips, fiberoptic cables, insulation, solar cells, and it is also the primary ingredient in glass which is used in the production of consumer electronic products such as fridges, microwaves, and computers.

Despite strenuous attempts to extract, transport, refine and process sand into complex electronic components, not much is done to recycle these components when the electronic goods are discarded after use partly because there are no clear directives on effectively processing glass from electronic waste. To address this issue, a Norwegian architectural design office called Snøhetta collaborated with Brussels-based Studio Plastique to research and explore the possibility of recycling as well as utilizing glass contained in electronic waste.

After multiple trials, prototypes, and variations, the team developed a standard process for recycling electronic waste glass components as well as an application that integrates its variable material quality – glass tiles! This is where Italian ceramic tile manufacturer Fornace Brioni came in and brought their experience, industrial know-how, production facilities, and potential for scalability to the project to the table. The team is starting with waste glass from ovens and microwaves to demonstrate the aesthetic depth, function, and potential of the recycled material.

Using recycled glass, the team made tiles in two different sizes that were both opaque and transparent. Each one had a unique pattern and look, but all the tiles showed a deeply complex, terrazzo-like material quality. This determined that they are suitable for a wide range of architectural applications, including both surface coverage and semi-transparent partition elements! Common Sands has now turned potential waste into architectural glass tiles that are scalable, infinitely recyclable, and effectively reducing electronic waste!

Designers: Snøhetta, Studio Plastique, and Fornace Brioni

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These sustainable sneakers are made from fruit waste!

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Sneaker culture is technically a part of fast fashion which contributes largely to the mounting waste problem. But if you can find a cool pair that is sustainably designed right down to its packaging, like the Hana sneakers then we’re all here for it! Designed by Italian sneaker brand ID.EIGHT, not only is this paid unisex and cruelty-free but it is made from materials that are by-products of the food industry and are counted as waste – apple skin and hearts, grape skin, seeds, and pineapple leaves!

Since the textile industry is the second most polluting in the world and intensive farming is a plague for the planet, the brand chose to produce the sneakers in Italy using only ecological and cruelty-free materials. Inspired by the 90s with references to the navy look, the sustainable shoes express the ironic and dynamic style of ID.EIGHT. The contrast between the upper in white recycled polyester and the AppleSkin details in shades of red and blue create a mix of contemporary and light colors.

They use four materials derived from apples, grapes, seeds, and pineapples. Piñatex , made with the waste leaves of pineapple grown in the Philippines; Vegea , obtained from the bio-polymerization of marc in Italy; AppleSkin , obtained from the bio-polymerization of apple peels and cores always in Italy. It features lycra and recycled mesh for inserts on the upper, sole, laces, and the label is also made of recycled materials.

The pineapple industry produces around 40,000 tons of leaves every year and is considered a waste material they are usually left to rot or burn. Today it is possible to recover them to create a biodegradable and cruelty-free material. With 480 leaves (16 pineapple plants) it is possible to obtain 1 square meter of material.

Over 7 million tons of marc are discarded every year by the wine sector, an unacceptable waste

Stalks, skins, and grape seeds are part of the “marc”, the residue of the grape juice extraction process. Today it is a strong, sustainable and flexible material. 310 million new plastics are produced and placed on the market every year, and only 9% of this is recycled which is why they chose to use recycled plastic for some components of the sneakers, such as the laces, the label, and the ribbon. The sole is also made up of 30% recycled rubber!

“In recent years, the amount of agri-food waste used to make sustainable products has gone from 0 to over 30 tons per month. A great resource is used to produce, for example, the ‘paper’ used for handkerchiefs and kitchen rolls, and the material we use for our sneakers,” adds the team. Even the packaging is sustainable, it is made with recycled cardboard and the shipping bags are made from at least 80% recycled polyethylene and are 100% recyclable. You will also find a ball of earth and seeds covered with clay – plant in a pot or throw in a gray area of ​​your city to spread some flower power!

Designer: ID.EIGHT

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These wooden urban architecture sculptures in Venice are calling for climate action!

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Climate change has inspired a lot of designs and installations over recent years, but there is something poetically ironic about Issori’s ‘A Line of Water’  which was unveiled during Dutch Design Week 2021. It is a sculptural gesture and call to climate action designed to live in Venice, one of the cities that will face the wrath of rising sea levels faster than others. The wooden installation spreads awareness about the water levels while also giving the community a space to relax in – didn’t I say poetically ironic?

The series of wooden installations enable its inhabitants to be fully immersed in the city’s lagoon landscape. The urban architecture proposal includes benches, platforms, and pier-like extensions that would be partially immersed during high tide and fully accessible during low tide. The aim of the project is to foster more awareness of the shifting sea levels, which are increasing the frequency of high tides in the city. At the same time, Issori wanted to create a place to relax and be together. She describes it as an “urban living room”.

“The phenomenon of high and low tide is unique,” says Issori. “It is part of the everyday life of locals, as well as an attraction for tourists. Related to atmospheric events and climate change, the raising of the tide is more and more frequent not only in this area but also in other parts of the world. In the research, I wanted to explore a way to embrace the water and connect with nature, while taking the time to be fully immersed in the lagoon landscape.”

Building on the area’s historical blueprint, Issori imagines the contemporary interventions in the gardens of Sant’Elena in the Castello district. The district was an uninhabited lagoon until the 1920’s when the land was reclaimed and a new residential area was built. The series of platforms extend outward from the water’s edge as well as multiple circular designs with tiered seating for people to gather.

Issori imagines the platforms being made from oak and larch wood, the same materials used to create the piles on which Venice’s foundation is built. These types of wood are used because of their density, strength, and water resistance. “The construction system involved is the same one used to build Venice. The wooden poles are planted in the clayey soil where the oxygen is not present so that the deterioration process doesn’t take place. The part of the pole which is in contact with water will slowly be damaged and would need to be replaced with the passing of years,” she explains.

There are also several installations on land for people to interact with specifically during high tide, which include sloped platforms and a curved bench. ​​Italian squares and the rounded shape of Sicilian amphitheaters were reference points when opting for rounded forms, as well as a desire to make users feel protected. The circular shape is a kind of hug and invites people to sit together, share, walk on them or lay down – either way, you will be fully immersed in the landscape and closer to water.

Designer: Margherita Issori

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This compostable flower scoop made from peanut shells is an award-winning packaging design!

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Packaging design is so interesting but the best innovation always comes when great packaging meets sustainability! Seed Scoop Fertilizer is a prime example of sustainable packaging design – it is seed packaging that includes a scoop made of peanut shell material and seeds…natural materials down to every last element!

Designed by students from the Royal College of Art, this award-winning green design shows the practical process of how the compostable product was made. The user should take out the seeds first, then use the scoop to dig the soil out and bury the seeds in the flowerpot. Finally, the user could break the spatula into pieces, put it in the soil, and drip it with water, to make the scoop become fertilizer and give nutrients. Designing environment-friendly products have always been the mission of designers. We hope to let more people pay attention to the sustainable use of resources through this design.

Peanut shells are often discarded by people in daily life, but we found that peanut shells still contain a lot of nutrients and can be used as fertilizer. Seed Scoop Fertilizer has a flower scoop made of peanut shells and seeds. When using, the user first takes out the seeds from the flower scoop, then uses the flower scoop to dig the soil out and plant the seeds in the flowerpot. Finally, the user could break the flower scoop into pieces, place it in the soil, and drip it with water, so that the flower scoop becomes fertilizer to give nutrients!

Designers: Zhixi Dai, Zixi Chen, and Hao Yao

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This modular pencil reduces waste & extends the life of your stationery!

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When pencils are used and become short, they are usually thrown away and contribute to waste. The eraser too goes to waste just because the pencil is shorter and uncomfortable to hold even though it is not entirely useless. So how can we make the most of the entire pencil and all its parts? Meet the Loop pencil – this clever design not only makes it easier to use the pencil till the end of its life but also uses the eraser to double up as a stand to keep your desk clutter-free!

More than 14 billion pencils are created every year, which is enough to circle the earth 62 times, and 82,000 trees are cut down every year to make those 14 billion traditional wooden pencils. While they are natural and almost 100% biodegradable, doesn’t mean we can get away with wasting them just due to their design while they are still good to use and that is where Loop comes in with its nifty tweaks to the existing pencil. If pencils were a pokemon that could evolve, Loop would be its final evolution!

Loop has three parts and each has an important function to optimize the product – the pencil, the clip and the eraser. Once the pencil becomes shorter, you use the clip which acts as an extended grip and it also doubles up as an attachment so you can clip it on your documents just like a pen. The eraser doubles up as a vertical pen stand so that the desk doesn’t have a cluster of pencils and you can easily find one that belongs to you. Loop’s simple yet modular design makes it effective, reduces waste, and maximizes the use of the product.

The idea was to extend the life of pencils and erasers but also make them more functional (and fun!). Loop believes that with one more rotation of using the pencil, you can decrease waste and make the most of existing stationery. Since pencils are made of wood and the raw materials come from forests, we should be mindful about using them fully and do our part in saving trees through small actions. You can freely combine different forms through the “one turn, one change” method and show more love to the environment as a stationery lover!

Designer: Ye Feng, Yu Zhenfa, Lin Weifeng, Tian Zhen, and Zhu Hengchang

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This modern tiny home is all about harvesting & using water sustainably!

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Sustainable architecture is how we can make a large impact on the collective carbon footprint as residents and also for the construction industry which is the leader for carbon emissions. The more sustainable structures we have, the faster we can take bigger chunks of carbon away rather than just using less plastic for one essential item. Wai House is a perfect example of that, ‘wai’ means water in Maori and that is the core of this modern home‘s design.

The modern architectural concept is designed to be built in New Zealand and focuses on collecting water and using it sustainably. The house itself is constructed with sustainable materials, cedarwood is used for the exterior cladding and the interiors use concrete with recycled plastic instead of sand. It has an almost Japandi-inspired aesthetic which is elegant enough on its own without taking away from the environment it is in.

It is designed to collect and store rainwater for use with systems in place that funnel it to the kitchen, bathroom, and outdoor greenery. Since it is just a concept, there is potential for it to become even more sustainable by adding solar panels for energy efficiency. New Zealand also has a rich cultural heritage and that can be incorporated into the interiors through the fabrics used or the artwork to foster a stronger bond with the local community and give back to them.

Wai House is perfect for a young couple who is willing to leave the traditional living standards and move to a smaller, yet spacious tiny home. With a smaller floor area compared to a traditional townhouse, the carbon footprint is also smaller and more so with the eco-conscious construction materials used. Wai House is also one of the noteworthy entries for the Green Product Award 2021 and we can see why – it perfectly blends minimalism, luxury, and sustainability into one compact home!

Designer: Marbella Design Academy

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This interactive lotus-shaped art installation moves in response to light!

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Art installations like the Lotus Oculus have all the elements that make it a piece you can stare at for hours – it is intriguing, intelligent, and inspiring. This nature-inspired structure uses a smart material that mimics how flowers act when greeted by the sun, thus the dome also is reactive to light! Lotus Oculus was commissioned by Bulgari and was placed in the Modern Art Gallery in Milan.

The story began in 2010 with a little curiosity and a lot of research on smart materials. Studio Roosegaarde’s design team was searching for a material that looked like something that came from nature and also responded to stimuli in real-time. That is how smart flowers were born and over a decade, the studio has done multiple art installations evolving in scope and shape but maintaining the common factor – they all open in response to light and Lotus Oculus is the most recent one.

Lotus Oculus pays homage to the grandeur of the Pantheon and continues the legacy by creating an organic architecture of movement and shadows. This dynamic dialogue is what Daan Roosegaarde calls Techno-Poetry,” the artist explains. When you see the art in motion, it seems to breathe in the air around it. The geometric orb is made of several small panels of smart material and each of which curls into a flower shape when stimulated!

The entire exhibit comes to life as the parts fold and unfold in response to the changing environment and light intensity which presents a show of light and movement throughout the space. The interactive installation is a mix of art and design, it was awarded the A’Design Gold Award and Media Architecture Award Denmark. Some installations are permanent like the Lotus Maffei in the Palazzo Maffei Museum in Verona, Italy and the Lotus Dome in Sainte Marie Madeleine Church in Lille, France.

This striking installation draws you in, observe, move around it and bring the petals to life as you interact with it. Roosegaarde describes this tangible connection between light and material as “a metamorphosis of nature and technology. In search of a new harmony between people and the environment, Lotus is a work of art and a pilot for more organic architecture.”

Designer: Studio Roosegaarde

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This air fryer and grill is compact, sleek, and lets you watch the oddly-satisfying process!

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If 2020 and 2021 had a trending kitchen appliance, air fryers would reign supreme. Current air fryers on the market are bulky and made for cooking food that would suffice three or more people at a time. Just like rice cookers, there are no air fryers for one person or designs that look better on your countertop. Stark Lee noticed this gap and designed the Air Fryer cup to bridge it with more features and a visual makeover!

The Air Fryer cup is more compact, sleeker, and comes with a glass cloche that lets you enjoy watching your food evolve into fried goodness! Best part? It also comes with a grill so you can now do Korean barbeque nights for one! The product is designed in a way that it will be easier to clean when compared to current air fryers and also look classy if you want to leave it on your countertop. It almost looks as if Apple made this kitchen appliance…

It can make fried chicken in 25 mins and a fried fillet of fish in 15 mins. You can also use it to make popcorn and actually watch it pop, unlike the microwave bags or the movie theater machines! The Air Fryer cup also comes with a grilling plate – a feature that sets it apart from the competition – which is perfect for smaller quantities or for one-person households.

It has a 6mm thick cloche made of high borosilicate glass and a unique tetrapod-shaped handle that makes the grip a whole lot better. Air Fryer Cup has a touch interface that is intuitive and easy to use – a power button, temperature display, minimal icons to change the temperature, a timer, and a choice between fryer or grill mode. This is the air fryer we WANT for Christmas!

Designer: Stark Lee

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