WALL HOUSE: Build Your Own With Customizable Kit!

WALL HOUSE: Build Your Own With Customizable Kit!

by Mike Chino

One year ago we brought you the Wall House, an elegant small-scale home that challenges the concept of walls with its delaminated construction and a flexible shell that invokes a sky-blown kite or a pristinely unfurled sail. Now we’ve got exciting news for all those interested in the innovative structure: Frohn & Rojas Architects just launched a customizable kit that will let you build your own Wall House!

Entitled Your Wall House, the new kit will allow anyone access to the schematics that was recognized as one of Architectural Record’s 2008 Record Houses and swept the AR Emergent Awards in 2007.

The house itself is an elegant exercise in conceptual architecture: “The project breaks down the “traditional” walls of a house into a series of four delaminated layers (concrete cave, stacked shelving, milky shell, soft skin) in between which the different spaces of the house slip. From the inside out the layers build upon one another, both materially and geometrically, blurring the boundary between the interior and the exterior and creating . . . a series of qualitatively distinct environments.”

Your Wall House kit includes a full set of schematics that can be precision tailored for a variety of applications based upon personal needs, local building codes, and varying climate conditions. Prices range from $1,499 - $12,462, and we can’t wait to see more permutations of this innovative approach to architecture.

+ Wall House
+ Frohn & Rojas Architects

Via archdaily.com

PREFAB FRIDAY: Landscape House for an Ecologist

PREFAB FRIDAY: Landscape House for an Ecologist

by Ali Kriscenski

In 2006 the AIA set forth an architecture challenge to create ‘A House for an Ecologist’– a home base from which a US Fish and Wildlife Service Ecologist in Residence could live and conduct field research. Raphaelle and Alfredo Maul, of Maul Dwellings in San Sebastian, Spain, answered the call with The Landscape House - a site-sensitive, passive solar dwelling designed to fuse environmental performance with aesthetic integrity, building science with architectural excellence.

Meant to be oriented along an east-west axis on the highest elevation of the rural West Virginia site, The Landscape House takes advantage of prevailing winds with a double roof system that improves air circulation around the structure and generous, adjustable openings on the north and south façades. Passive solar heating and natural daylighting are controlled by a system of operable louvered shutters which incline on the north and revolve on the south. On the roof, a highly efficient Sphelar (3D cell) photovoltaic system collects sunlight for on-site energy.

The Landscape House is an exercise in water conservation. Water usage is clustered within the dwelling to minimize material consumption. The kitchen and bathroom are equipped with low-flow fixtures, dry-compost toilet, recycling area and compost unit. Rainwater is harvested and stored under the solar roof providing grey water to fixtures, thermal mass and a source of heat in winter through circulation in a radiant floor system. A solar dehumidifier draws moisture from inside and outside the building to produce potable water for drinking.

Although meant to pass through many seasons, The Landscape House’s locally-sourced, recycled and renewable materials are easily disassembled for reuse at a different site. The AIA competition jury from the Architecture of Sustainability conference took note saying, “We like the pre-fab-ness of it—from prefabricated elements. We also had a lot of discussion about ‘touching lightly’—what a small footprint means. It could be totally non-physical, the footprint.”

The Landscape House won the 2006 AIA Committee on Design Ideas Competition. Although it exists only in concept we’d certainly like to see it built.

RECYCLE

BAUMRAUM: Stunning Treehouse Designs from Germany

BAUMRAUM: Stunning Treehouse Designs from Germany

by Mike Chino

There’s nothing like a tree-top dwelling to conjure up gilded memories of childhood adventures and endless summers. It’s even better when they’re put together as wonderfully as the ones by Baumraum, who specialize in arboreal abodes. The beautiful tree house above is one of many from Baumraum, serenely sequestered amid the woodlands of Germany where they act as playgrounds, conference spaces, and restful retreats.

Nestled amidst lush pine and magnolia trees, this treehouse from Baumraum updates a traditional backwoods form with a sharp modern profile. The quadratic cube is supported by two high-quality steel frames and features a terrace and an outdoor shower. The interior is outfitted with a full set of modern features including a stereo system, heating, and large windows that contribute ample amounts of natural light, making it a perfect place to enjoy the outdoors no matter the season.

You can see all of Baumraum’s creative treehouse designs at their website.

+ Baumraum

VIA Diana Nik @ Dezona

NEW LUMEN DESIGNS

NEW LUMEN DESIGNS

by Jill Fehrenbacher

Adam Frank struck a chord last fall with his gorgeous Lumen oil lamp which casts a shadow of a tree on your wall. A couple weeks after the design made the rounds on the blogosphere, the Lumen got featured on Daily Candy and in The New York Times, and Adam quickly sold out of all Lumen for the rest of the holiday season. Now we are thrilled to announce that Adam is back and better than ever with 5 fabulous new Lumen designs

In case you’ve tired of the original pine tree design (or never liked pine trees in the first place), now there are several different types of trees to choose from (Magnolia and Cedar), as well as flying birds, birds in trees, and even a flame. Personally I love the bird designs. I think I’m going to have to get me another Lumen, even though I already have the original. Now the only question is: flock of flying birds or birds in a tree? I really can’t decide - they are both so cute.

What’s your favorite Lumen?

Solar Harvesting Textiles Energize ‘Soft House’

Solar Harvesting Textiles Energize ‘Soft House’

by Jorge Chapa

If architect Sheila Kennedy gets her way, textiles will soon be able to take the sun’s energy and turn it into electricity. Kennedy is an expert in the integration of solar cell technology in architecture. And, her team from KVA Matx has designed the Soft House, a structure that can create close to 16,000 watt-hours of electricity by transforming household curtains into flexible, semi-transparent, solar collectors.

Textiles have been a fixture of architecture and design for their ability to define and modify a space. For Sheila Kennedy, textiles are just another material from which energy can be generated. The thin-film photovoltaic textiles are essentially solar panels created from organic photovoltaics. While not as efficient as the silicon based type, they are able to be molded and modified without any manufacturing process.

The Soft House has gone through a number of prototypes, but don’t expect to see it anytime soon. The cost of the solar textiles would, at current, make it cost prohibitive. However, Kennedy’s work on this project shows that renewable energy technologies can be easily integrated into designs in ways that had never been thought of before. Kennedy’s own words best describe our thoughts on the Soft House: “Never underestimate the power of the architectural imagination.”

+ Soft House @ KVA Matx

What is Eco

The word eco comes from the ancient Greek word 'oikos' meaning house, or the Latin 'oeco' meaning household. Mostly used as a prefix it is added to an existing word to create another word with new meaning, mostly related to ecology – for example eco-system, eco-tourism, eco-label etc, suggesting that a product is less damaging to the environment.

Ecology – The study of the detrimental affects of modern civilization on the environment, with a view toward prevention or reversal through conservation.

So what does environmentally or eco-friendly mean?

Environmentally / Eco Friendly – How we live our life affects our environment. To us being environmentally or eco friendly means not wasting precious resources and choosing goods and services considered to have a lower impact on the environment.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: Nigel's Top 10 Energy Saving Tips for the Home

Here's my top 10 energy and power saving tips helping you to save money, reduce your carbon footprint and to live a more eco friendly life. 

Make sure you are not standing by
Did you know that an average family can save 150kg of CO2 a year just by turning things off? Appliances in standby mode account for around 10% of UK household energy use - so unplug devices when not in use, or invest in a standby saver - it'll save you around £40 per year.

Energy efficient lighting
In most homes, lighting accounts for 10 to 15% of the electricity bill. Use a smart meter to compare the power consumption of normal light bulbs with that of low energy and energy saving light bulbs - you'll be amazed at the difference, and at how much you can save (about 80% of the energy of normal bulbs, actually).

Rechargeable Batteries
In the UK we throw away over 650 million batteries every year, polluting the soil and filling landfill sites. Rechargeable batteries save energy and the slightly higher cost os recovered in the first five charges. Recharging costs are also minimal.

Watch your washing 
I try not to wash my clothes on a setting above 40C. A wash at 60C uses 30% more energy as 90% of the energy used by a washing machine is used in heating the water. 
At the same time why not try an eco-friendly washing powered such as Simply Laundry the first UK laundry product to be awarded the EU Eco-label or Soapods soap nuts a natural laundry soap that literally grows on trees.

Buy an energy efficient appliance for your home 
I love my Eco Kettles because they save energy and money! In particular the innovative Eco Kettle has a unique double chamber that allows me to measure out exactly how much water I want to boil, saving electricity, water, money and time, making it better for the planet... and you still get to have a great cup of tea. I think that's pretty smart thinking - making the Eco kettle one of my favourite products, and an essential for any eco friendly kitchen or workplace.

Save energy from your fridge 
It's a messy job but I try to defrost my fridge and freezer to maintain efficiency and I have aSavaplug saving up to 20% of my fridge's energy by better regulating it's power use. The award winning Savaplug was developed in conjunction with the Department of Energy, and saves you money on fridge and freezer running costs whilst being better for the environment. When fitted, it helps your fridge or freezer run more economically by adjusting the electricity supply according to the motor's needs. This means that they will also be kinder to the environment.

Share your shower
Having a shower not only saves on water, but it also saves on the energy used to heat the water. Why not try a shower timer? As water conservation becomes ever more important, this great water saving device will train you to save water when having a shower. The Shower Coach shower timertimes exactly 5 minutes, showing you when it's time to turn the shower off. According to the BBC's water saving tips: taking a 5 minute shower every day rather than a bath uses a third of the water and will save 400 litres of water a week.

Lower your thermostat
I like woolly jumpers - wearing one means I can turn the heating down. Lowering your thermostat by just 1.5C can save up to 10% on heating bills and reduce the greenhouse gases your household produces by up to a tonne. Also don't forget to regularly bleed your radiators to get rid of inefficient air bubbles. 

How about a solar powered or wind up alternative?
Why not use a solar powered or wind up household gadget. You can buy wind up torches, wind up radios, and solar mobile phone and MP3 chargers. I love my new Wind Up Eco Media Playerwhich means that I can watch my favourite movies or music videos, listen to mp3 music files or tune into the radio. Designed by Trevor Bayliss it has 2Gb storage, that you can easily add to this with plug in SD memory cards. The eco wind-up system means that I never need to worry about running out of power or wasting environmentally harmful batteries - one minute of winding gives me up to 40 minutes of play time.

Turn off your tumble dryer
Household appliances that give off heat such as tumble dryers, use lots of electricity. Whenever you can hand your clothes outside to dry. Turning off the tumble-dryer is a 100% energy saving solution. If you have to use your tumble dryer and you're looking to save money and energy, and for an eco friendly alternative to fabric conditioners you might want to try DryerBalls®. DryerBalls® are safe, non-toxic and environmentally friendly, they'll save you money, reducing your drying time by 25% and saving on electricity. 

Green Even After Death

I know this may be a little morbid, but I thought it was quite a cool idea.

The Ecopod is a revolutionary design in coffins made from naturally hardened, 100% recycled paper.

The Ecopod is the ideal product for a non toxic burial - perfect for use in greenfield sites

Still post bills? Study says go green, go online

NEW YORK, March 27 (Reuters Life!) - Think your family going green won't make a difference? Wrong, says a U.S. study released on Thursday that shows one household ditching paper statements for Web transactions would save 24 square feet of forest a year.

The PayItGreen Alliance said it believed this was the first detailed study commissioned to determine the impact of one individual household on the environment and it hoped to get across the message that every green step counted.

The study found the average U.S. household receives about 19 bills and statements from credit card companies and banks every month and makes about seven payments by paper each month.

By switching to electronic bills, statements and payments, the average American household would save 6.6 pounds of paper a year, save 0.08 trees, and not produce 171 pounds of greenhouse gases -- the equivalent of driving 169 miles.

The survey, whose results were vetted by the Environmental Protection Agency, said it would also mean avoiding the deforestation of 24 square feet of forest, the release of 63 gallons of wastewater into the environment, and save 4.5 gallons of gasoline used for mailing.

"Individuals who think they are only one person and can't really have an impact should re-evaluate their position. Even small contributions can have a impact when aggregated," said Craig Vaream, a member of the PayItGreen Alliance and JPMorgan Chase.

JPMorgan Chase is one of about 16 members of the alliance which is made up of financial services companies and also includes Bank of America and the Federal Reserve Banks.

The alliance is lead by NACHA, the non-profit electronics payment association, that represents more than 11,000 financial institutions who are encouraging customers to conduct more transactions online.

The group was set up in 2007 to promote the positive environmental impact of choosing electronic payments, bills, and statements instead of paper.

It found that Americans each year mail 26 billion bills and statements and 9 billion payments in paper form with the related production and transportation consuming 755 million pounds of paper, 9 million trees, and 512 million gallons of gasoline.

The survey found that if 10 percent of U.S. households, or about 11.4 million households, gave up paper bills and statements the results would be significant.

It would save 75,469,808 pounds of paper, 905,638 trees, avoid producing 1.96 million pounds of greenhouse gases which was the equivalent of taking 162,861 cars off the road.

It would also preserve 6,202 acres of forest from deforestation, avoid creating 719,800,685 gallons of wastewater which is enough to fill 1,090 Olympic-size swimming pools, and avoid filling 3,071 garbage trucks with waste.

(Writing by Belinda Goldsmith, Editing by Patricia Reaney)

Tree House

Living the Highlife

This is more of a tree house complex than a single tree house!

The whole project features one adults tree house, one kids tree house, a canopy walkway, and an adventure / assault course. Each of the tree houses is finished to the highest standards.

The Adult Tree House Lodge: 
The exterior finish of the adults tree house lodge includes what is fast becoming our signature style thatch roof. The walls are clad in beautiful hand split oak shingles and cedar tongue and groove boards. On the inside the tree house features a kitchenette, toilet and a large living area that is host to a wealth of cutting edge technology including a home cinema system.

The Children Fantasy Tree House: 

So the kids aren’t left out there is also a fun, fairytale tree house which features three separate towers. The tree house is connected via a rope bridge to a 100 metre zip wire which lands at the start of an exciting assault course.

Gallery

Reclaimed Seatbelt Cushions from TING London

Reclaimed Seatbelt Cushions from TING London

by Kate Andrews

Here at Inhabitat, we never tire of finding new chic products that reclaim everyday industrial materials. Some of our favorite finds are industrial or utilitarian objects that, with some brilliant creativity, have been repurposed into gorgeous goods for the home. Our latest trash-to-treasure discovery are these beautiful seatbelt cushions. Hand crafted in Europe by sustainable design company TING London, these cute and colorful pillows are made from reclaimed seat belts!

Deceptively simple, yet incredibly durable, these distinctive accessories are available in a whole range of colors, styles and sizes. These products are all available to buy through the TING London website and are also stocked in outlets across Japan, Europe, UK and USA.

Founded by Royal College of Art graduate Inghua Ting in 2000, TING London is a small company producing luxury luggage, belts, wallets and home accessories, all made from reclaimed leather and seat belts. TING’s already small carbon footprint, is offset with the help of growaforest.com who plant trees to counterbalance their CO2 emissions.

Plain Colored Cushions, from £40.00
Floral Print Cushions, from £45.00
Chequered Cushions, from £45.00
Seat Belt Cubes (below), £150.00

+ TING London
+ Branch

Recycled Paper-Cut Cloud Lamps by Jordy Fu

Recycled Paper-Cut Cloud Lamps by Jordy Fu

by Mike Chino

Paper is a marvelous material with a complex character - at times a vessel for banal documents and stale legalese, it is also capable of much more expressive forms with a bit of creativity. Case in point: these gorgeous recycled paper lamps recently released by Jordy Fu. Her cloud-sheathed creations break free from the two dimensional realm with dreamlike textures and elaborately layered wisps. Evoking the precise paper-cuts of Rob Ryan and Nikki Mcclure, Fu’s designs are made with a distinct style that is all her own.

Jordy Fu describes her Cloud Lamps as taking “a simple and sustainable approach to add magic and intimacy to domestic lighting.” Each delicate paper-cut expresses a different motif - one features angels shrouded in clouds and mist, while others elegantly remember long-faded flowers, or the rooftops of a magic world.

True to their flexible medium, each lamp flat-packs to ship, and Jordy includes an energy-efficient soft white lightbulb. They come in a variety of sizes ranging from bedside table lamps to floor and pendant lights, run £90-£250 and are currently available through Jordy’ Fu’s website.

+ Jordy Fu

Via Notcot.org