Tag Archives: self-sustainable

Self-sustaining island cities in the middle of the Great Pacific garbage patch are designed to clean the ocean

Posted on by

Some people probably dream of living in a self-sustainable eco-system near the ocean where they can swim whenever they want or just marvel at the work of nature. But have you ever thought of actually living in the middle of the ocean and not on a boat? Or have you imagined yourself living within the infamous Great Pacific garbage patch, surrounded by all the plastic and debris that has been floating around that area for decades? Probably that last one is not something you dream of but it can be a reality in the near future.

Designer: Estudio Focaccia Prieto

Polimeropolis is a project conceptualized to create urbanized self-contained cities in the middle of the Garbage Patch. While that doesn’t sound so appealing, the idea is to be able to create habitable spaces and use recyclable trash and other sustainable means to power the cities and create renewable systems within them. The visualization shows several of these habitable rings in the North Pacific Ocean, looking like cities that we see in sci-fi and dystopian movies and books, enclosed in an oceanic lagoon that is currently just swimming in garbage.

The floating cities will be constructed using recycled plastic residue that has been polluting the ocean for years now. Instead of just lying around there and creating havoc on the ecosystem, they will be crushed and compacted into situ and then recreated into an entirely new construction ecosystem. Each island will be a mixed-use urban city that can house up to four thousand residents. Eventually, they will also be able to add things like airports, resorts, parks, and other recreational and eco-tourism spaces.

Polimeropolis is also designed to be self-sustaining. They will use tidal movement to generate electricity, reverse osmosis to create drinkable water, flora and fauna cultivation for food production, creating basically what can be called a circular economy. The idea for this project, while seemingly fantastic for now, is to get people thinking of how we “produce, consume, and dispose of things”. Hopefully, we’ll get more details if the project does get developed over the next few years or decades.

The post Self-sustaining island cities in the middle of the Great Pacific garbage patch are designed to clean the ocean first appeared on Yanko Design.

Affordable solar homes – a solution for homeowner poverty & net-zero housing!

Posted on by



Net-zero architecture is what will reduce emissions from the construction industry on a large scale. But make it inclusive as well as scalable and you also get a solution that can lift homeowners out of poverty while building a community! Created for that very purpose, these solar homes are aiming to help solve both the global housing and climate crises with one design. The houses produce their energy, harvest 100% of the rainwater, clean their sewage, and also have the potential to grow their own food!

It is called the PowerHYDE housing model and was created by Prasoon Kumar and Robert Verrijt of Billion Bricks from India and Singapore. The model explores sustainable solutions to empower and facilitate growth opportunities for people without homes around Southeast Asia which has a lot of rural and low-income populations. These homes not only provide shelter but are also a power module to scale sustainable communities that lift homeowners out of poverty!




“A BillionBricks Community is the world’s first carbon-negative solar home community to bring families out of poverty within one generation. PowerHYDE homes are plug-and-play modular structures that do not need any connection to services and could be made functional from the day of completion of construction,” says the design team. The cost-effective solution even won a Holcim Award for Sustainable Construction!

affordable-solar-home

The PowerHYDE homes are built via an indigenous prefabricated technique that makes them easy to assemble in remote locations. The home has a solar array installed on the roof and the homeowner can sell excess power generated back to power companies, generating a profit that helps to pay off the cost of the home. Sample homes have been built in Mathjalgaon Village in India and in the Philippines. BillionBricks now plans to build a community of 500 homes near Manila, Philippines that will generate 10 megawatts of power.

Not only does it reduce the emissions from the construction industry (which is the leading contributor in the world for CO2 emissions) but it also helps more people become homeowners while equipping them with means to create renewable energy thus reducing individual carbon footprint as well. It is a radical concept in housing designed for energy sufficiency, extreme affordability, and education for future generations to adapt to a sustainable lifestyle even in rural areas.

Designers: BillionBricks and Architecture BRIO

The post Affordable solar homes – a solution for homeowner poverty & net-zero housing! first appeared on Yanko Design.

This self-sustainable cloud server is powered by the energy of growing tomatoes indoor!

Posted on by

Picture a post-apocalyptic future where human beings don’t have the liberty of dependence on power stations. Self-sustainable systems are the norm and utilizing every ounce of available energy is vital for survival. A dystopian tech-infused future world where computing systems don’t have any external source of abundant energy. Straight out from that sci-fi futuristic scenario is the Warm Earth server system by Ilja Schamle, a Design Academy Eindhoven graduate.

The DIY cloud server system embodies the symbiotic relationship between technology and nature. This project is all about utilizing the renewable energy extracted out of tomato vines to solely run the cloud server. In turn, the energy produced by the heat dissipation is cyclically used to maintain the optimum temperature for the vegetables to grow. As concept-like this might seem, the project was a part of the Missed Your Call graduate exhibition at the Milan design week.

The DIY project houses the tomato plants within the server racks and the server is mounted on the exterior of the rig. The ventilation shaft equipped with fans, channels the hot air to the interior of the cabinet – essentially turning it into a greenhouse. Tomatoes power the server courtesy of the plant-microbial fuel cell technology developed by researchers at Wageningen University, Netherlands. This turns vegetables into batteries – literally!

Nothing goes to waste as the plants perform photosynthesis – turning sunlight into chemical energy, and storing the sugars and proteins. The excess nutrition is excreted via the roots as waste, where the bacteria break it down to release energy. This energy is then leveraged as electricity. Since the servers are indoors, the solar-powered grow lamps act as a source of sunlight. The electrons released by microbes are attracted to iron and the activated-carbon grid functioning as a conductor is placed at the bottom of the pot. For now, the system can produce energy to sustain a single website, and we can expect this to develop into a massive system with more research and development.

Warm Earth is a self-sustainable geeky mashup that not many could think of before this. According to Schamle, the amount of content consumed at present and in the future is destined to rise and the energy required to run such systems is going to be colossal. The artificial ecosystem will change the perception of data centers as being mere dungeons for hosting servers. They will become an important entity of future homes, where they aren’t kept hidden from sight!

Designer: Ilja Schamle

This sustainable house has an aquaponic system that connects a pond for edible fish & a rooftop garden!

Posted on by




Think of the Welcome to the Jungle House (WTTJH) as a sanctuary for a modern sustainable lifestyle. It enables carbon-neutral living with the most luxurious and artistic aesthetic! It addresses climate change with a design that blends sustainability, landscape, fauna, and architecture for them to exist symbiotically. WTTJH is located in Sydney and the most interesting feature is the aquaponic rooftop masked within a heritage-meets-modernism interior style. This example of sustainable architecture shows us that the future is bright for environmentally conscious design without compromising on form or function.

WTTJH is built within a rejuvenated heritage façade of rendered masonry, steel, timber, and greenery – it is where Victorian row terrace housing meets and a post-industrial warehouse aesthetic. The two-story home was close to collapse and originally occupied the 90sqm triangular site. Due to strict heritage controls, it was untouched and in despair till the rejuvenation project by CPlusC brought it back to life in a way that was conducive towards a better future for the industry and the planet.

The original window openings have been framed in pre-rusted steel and juxtaposed with new openings framed in gloss white powder coat steel which adds a wonderful then-and-now element. A black photovoltaic panel array on the northern façade harnesses sunlight throughout the day and acts as a billboard for the sustainability in the architectural structure which is a contrast to the original heritage facade. The rooftop is made from steel planter beds that provide deep soil for native plants and fruit and vegetables. The garden beds are irrigated from the fishpond providing nutrient-rich water created by the edible silver perch (fish)!





The house features a glass inner skin that is fully operable from the outer punctuated masonry façade, providing an abundance of natural light and views while maintaining privacy. This interstitial zone also helps with passive thermal regulation across the upper floors with planter beds ‘floating’ in between the glass and masonry skins to provide cooling to internal spaces via transpiration. The floating planter beds are also an integrated structurally engineered solution to the lateral bracing needs of the masonry wall.

The journey from ground to roof begins with the raw textures of burnished concrete and fiber cement panels, ascending a steel and recycled timber stair to the bedroom and bathroom level finished in rich and warm timber boards lining the floors walls, and ceilings. The upper floor living space continues with timber flooring and a recycled timber island/dining bench to warm the space. The kitchen has been assembled from an array of machined and polished metals contrasting the concrete and timber finishes of the floors below. Unpolished stainless steel and brass and gold anodized aluminum glow and glean light revealing their factory finishes.

A colonnade of thin steel blade columns supports the roof above and has been deliberately staggered perpendicular from the building’s edge to provide shade from the afternoon sun to keep the building cool in Summer without the need for mechanical shading devices. Above are the hot-dip galvanized planter beds that form the roof structure in its entirety. These structural roof ‘troughs’ are the roof beams spanning up to 8.5M while holding deep soil for the planter beds, exposed at their bases to create the industrially raw ceiling finish below, a detail complimented by the factory finishes of the kitchens stainless steel and brass.

It is an architecture that explores active and passive systems, the poetic, the emotional, and the nurturing capacity of human beings to reverse the impact of climate change and to establish resilience through architectural design that addresses some of the profound pressures on the natural world. It is both a functional and a symbolic advocate for innovation design and sustainable living. It is the architecture of climate change activism where sustainability, landscape, fauna, and architecture exist symbiotically.

Climate change must be reversed, and human beings must become sustainable in every aspect of their lives. Conserving our resources and becoming more sustainable as a species is now critical to our very survival. Almost 100 years ago Le Corbusier famously said that ‘A house is a machine for living in’. If we are to survive the next 100 years a house must be ‘a machine for sustaining life’ and it must promote those values in its architectural expression to the public who largely consume architecture through the media where the image is everything. If we are to promote these values, they must be an intrinsic part of the conceptual fabric of a project.

Architecture that is not only beautiful: an architecture that generates and stores power; an architecture that harvests and recycles water; an architecture that produces fruit, vegetables, fish, and eggs; an architecture that recycles and reuses the waste it produces. Architecture nourishes the mind, body, and soul. Architecture where landscape, food, nature, garden, environment, energy, waste, water, and beauty exist symbiotically.

Designer: CplusC Architectural Workshop

This sustainable modern house provides food, water, power & protection for 100% off-grid living!

Posted on by

This airy modern home features lush gardens, solar panels, and a recycled water system to make living 100% off-grid home possible with style! Architect Rodolfo Tinoco designed Casa Jardin to be so well equipped that it fend for itself in any situation. It has all systems in place to provide food, water, power, and shelter during natural disasters. The unique structure has several details that help reduce its environmental impact, promote a sustainable lifestyle and provide plenty of privacy if you are on a vacation (that’s also why it’s conveniently located by the beach)!

Casa Jardin is built just one block from Tamarindo Beach which is Costa Rica’s main tourist destination. It is a blueprint for self-sustaining architecture. “I wanted to create a prototype that would provide food, water, and power, and also protect during catastrophic situations like droughts and floods,” said architect Rodolfo Tinoco who designed the home for himself and his family.

A vertical garden on the main facade wraps itself upwards and around the home. This creates privacy from the adjacent road, helps control the temperature of interior spaces, and grows edible greens – all factors that help make the home more sustainable and cozy!

The residential area is one level above ground and is spacious for a family with a sleeping area, large living room, bathroom, and a giant balcony where the vertical gardens continue to grow.

The home is set atop V-shaped stilts, reducing its impact on the land while also creating a covered outdoor space below. But raising it was also a way to plan for the changing climate: “Elevating the structure addresses the fact that our sea level is actually rising and properties will have to deal with this in the future,” explains Tinoco.

It features a leaf-shaped photovoltaic roof that harnesses enough solar power for the family to live off-grid. Rainwater from the roof is recycled for irrigation, as is the water produced by the HVAC system. Sewage is fully treated and drained into the property’s natural water flow. “Water is our most valuable resource, and this project shows it’s possible to use and reuse it efficiently,” explains Tinoco.

Casa Jardin’s interiors feature a neutral color palette that helps keep an emphasis on the natural environment outside. A teak wood ceiling, light gray porcelain tile, and whitewashed walls combine to create a naturally illuminated space. It is also inspired from a beachy aesthetic and visually keeps the space light, refreshing, and open!

Casa Jardin engages holistically with its surroundings and stands as just one example of LSD’s greater mission -“We’re committed to creating architecture that responds to the immediate context in our tropical climate while also being reflective of each owner’s unique needs,” says Tinoco who is an example himself, showing us all that sustainable living is possible with a family and without compromising on any luxuries!

Designer: LSD Architects

This 3D printed smart home is autonomous and self-sustainable!

Posted on by




Do you know what the future of architecture looks like? Smart, sustainable, and self-sufficient! You shouldn’t have to choose between a smart modern home and a sustainable lifestyle because you can have it all in one 3D printed unit thanks to Haus.me because they have created the ultimate autonomous self-sustaining shelter!

This off-the-grid home comes fully ready to move in and is equipped with water tanks, solar panels, and autonomous waste disposal — no plug-ins needed! There are two models – mOne and mTwo – available for sale at $199,000 and $379,000. All the features are the same, however, the only difference between the two models is the floor area – the smaller one is suited for two inhabitants and the larger one is made for a small family. The homes also come with a patented window system and insulated walls to help minimize their energy consumption which lets them comfortably depend on solar power as their sole source of energy. The interior is packed with every smart feature that you could want like Nest cameras and thermostats, Apple TVs, and internet connection for complete autonomous living. When you buy any of the models, they come fully furnished with everything because it has all been designed keeping in mind how space can be optimized in the compact dwelling.

Haus.me’s homes also feature an air-purifying system that claims to eliminate 99.99% of bacteria – a USP post this pandemic for future homeowners. These structures are the first fully self-sustainable mobile houses and don’t require an electric grid, propane, natural gas, firewood, or any other fuel – it is 20x more energy efficient than a traditional American home. The 3D printed units have a minimal and modern aesthetic without compromising on the warmth of a home and while enabling us to live our best flexible/remote lives!

Designer: Haus.me