Beautiful Flatpak House in Aspen

PREFAB FRIDAY: Beautiful Flatpak House in Aspen
by Ali Kriscenski

We’ve been fans of Flatpak home designs for quite some time, but are continually impressed when we find more of these unique, customizable prefabs in full form. This home in Aspen, Colorado, is our latest Flatpak discovery courtesy of Jetson Green’s Flickr habit. We’re captivated by the setting of course, but also decidedly enamored with the owner’s choice to combine the Flatpak custom components into this amazing abode in the Rocky Mountains.

We don’t have all the details on this Flatpak, but from the looks of the owner’s Flickr photos it appears that they’ve optimized the capacities of personalized prefab. If you aren’t familiar with the Flatpak system, it’s basically a beautiful way for homeowners to piece together prefab elements into a design that suits them. Owners can pick and choose exterior wall and window components, exterior finishes and interior materials. When these are all chosen, a design team puts the choices into plans and gets construction rolling.

We would love to get more of the juicy details on the Aspen Flatpak, and if we do we’ll definitely keep you posted. In the meantime this prefab just might go to the top of the list as one of the most memorable prefabricated dwellings we’ve covered.

+ FlatPak House
+ Flatpak Photo Stream on Flickr
+ The Goodwin-Wise Flatpak @ Inhabitat
+ Charles Lazor Flatpak House @ Inhabitat

Via Jetson Green

REVERSE GRAFFITI: Clean Green Street Art hits San Francisco!

REVERSE GRAFFITI: Clean Green Street Art hits San Francisco!
by Mike Chino

Here’s one instance of green-washing that we’re 100% behind. The Reverse Graffiti Project imbues the guerrilla tactics of street-art with an eco-friendly element, detourning the definition of graffiti by actually cutting through and cleaning up grit to leave a lasting impression. You may remember Paul Curtis aka “Moose” from our coverage of Reverse Graffiti in the UK last year; we’re excited to announce that the Reverse Graffiti team recently teamed up with the eco cleaner brand GreenWorks to create a clean, green, 140 foot mural on the walls of San Francisco’s Broadway tunnel. The artist scraped through the grit and grime of the tunnel walls to reveal a stunning portrait of a lusher San Francisco, transforming the dingy tunnel sidewalls into a flourishing forest of native plants, providing an inverse reflection of how the site may have looked 500 years ago.

When asked to describe what he does, Paul Curtis says: “I make pictures by cleaning . . . I have this weird thing about dirty surfaces where I look around for it all the time; I am a professor of dirt”. A pioneer of the reverse graffiti movement, he aims to beautify our urban environments by taking advantage of the negative spaces that can be created by cutting through their grimy coats.

San Francisco’s Broadway Tunnel sees over 20,000 cars, trucks and motorized vehicles each day. As a result, “Its walls are caked with dirt and soot, and lined with patches of paint covered graffiti from days gone by.” Curtis approached the project with dozens of stencils, a high-pressure stream of water, and eco-friendly cleaning solutions provided by GreenWorks (which is the new eco arm of everyone’s favorite bleach company Clorox).

Working through the night with a team , Curtis created a beautiful work of public art that embraces the philosophy of clean: “… seeing how dirty a wall is by cleaning it in this way, it kind of gets people immediately . . . it’s just a cold realization that world is really, really dirty”. The installation is accompanied by a great film by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Doug Pray.

We found it especially weird (but sort of sweet and inspiring) to see a giant traditional company like Clorox supporting renegade eco street art. Nevertheless, the fit between the sponsor brand (a cleaner company) and the project (a public street-art cleaning project) is undeniably perfect. We hope to see more forward thinking companies like GreenWorks take the lead in supporting innovative public art projects in the future.

+ Reverse Graffiti Project

Tip via Carter Hamilton and Bunnie

Stunning New Terminal at Shenzen Bao’an International Airport

Stunning New Terminal at Shenzen Bao’an International Airport
by Mahesh Basantani

It’s not often that we get to talk about airports but there is a lot happening in the aviation industry. One landmark development is the proposed construction of a new terminal at Shenzen Bao’an International Airport in China. Positioned as a gateway to China and designed by architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas, the terminal will no doubt be a sleek transit destination. What has captured our attention is the incredible double skin canopy intended to let patterned natural light into the space, and significantly reduce energy consumption.

Shenzhen, located in the southern portion of the Guangdong Province in China, is one of the most important industrial and tourist locations, and holds a great potential for economic development. The new terminal at Shenzhen Bao’an International has been proposed as an addition to the 10.8 km2 airport, located near Huangtian and Fuyong villages in Bao’an District of Shenzhen.

The design has been made keeping in mind the unpredictable nature of the aviation industry. The terminal will be made so that people could have a glimpse of the outside, where planes will fly in and out to all corners of the world. The roof canopy will be made of of a patterned double skin. The inner skin will be made of fine net and allow diffused sunlight into the terminal. It will reduce energy consumption and create a pleasant indoor atmosphere.

The master plan shows a truly stunning design. The new terminal, dubbed Terminal 3 or T3, will be built in three phases and cover 400,000 square meters. Phase 1, expected to be complete in 2015, will bring the unit terminal, traffic system, parking place, landscape, and shopping center into form. During phase 2, the first remote passenger concourse, and satellite terminal with rail stations will be built and completed by 2025. Phase 3 is scheduled to be complete in 2035, when the terminal will be fully constructed.

+ Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas

Via Dezeen

GARDEN SPOTS: Renegade air gardening for NYC

GARDEN SPOTS: Renegade air gardening for NYC
by Jill Fehrenbacher

Any of us who live in NYC know its not always the ‘greenest’ place - at least when it comes to flora and fauna and botanical spaces. Thats why we are enamored with TODO Design and DAS Studio’s urban design proposal to take over New York City billboards and greenify them with living air gardens. These forward-thinking designers were recently awarded first place in the iDA Land & Sea Competition for their brilliant Garden Spots - an idea to green our gritty urban landscape by seeding gardens on the flip sides of commercial billboards.

A car for the eco-minded bootlegger

June 19, 2008 10:17 AM PDT

A car for the eco-minded bootlegger
Posted by Mike Yamamoto(Credit: Red Ferret)

Cars that run on alternative sources of energy needn't look like one of those sober vehicles produced by Eastern Bloc countries at the height of the Cold War economy. At the same time, we're not sure if this Chinese-made model is headed in the right direction either.

The "STM3004 Electric Car" looks vaguely like something Bonnie and Clyde would have ridden, Tommy guns ablaze, with state troopers on their tail. But this version wouldn't make much of a getaway, as Red Ferret notes, as it tops out at 28 miles per hour and has a range of only 50 miles on a 7-hour charge. If it's headed for the jammed streets of Beijing, however, that speed should be plenty.

Dual-View LCD

This LCD screen shows different images when viewed from various angles, so it works just like a hologram.

Green car, green home. Now Green SEX

The Greenpeace Guide to Environmentally-Friendly Sex

10 September 2002

Turn the lights off and feel your way to a cleaner, greener planet.

Enlarge Image

Amsterdam, Netherlands — Are you wondering what more you can do to help the planet? You take your bike to work, eat organic, but want to do more. At long last we have looked into one of humanity’s favourite pastimes and uncovered the passion that can make a difference for our environment. You can be a bomb in bed without nuking the planet.

1. Turn off the lights. We all have to do our part to stop climate change, energy reduction and energy efficiency are an important part of changing our energy culture. If you want to see your partner, or what you are doing, have sex during the day.

2. Passion for fruit? If you like to use produce to get the blood boiling, make sure it is GE-free. There have not been enough studies on genetically engineered foods to know what the effects on our diets will be, let alone the affects of using it for more intimate activities.

3. Oysters and other shellfish can be potent aphrodisiacs, but our oceans are being destroyed at an unprecedented rate - we need to stop plundering for pleasure. Instead you can support sustainable community-based operations in the Amazon rainforest choosing from two popular and plentiful herbal and fruit drinks, guaraná and caju, for more than just a clean conscience.

4. Is your yard a safe place to do the deed? Forget about the nosy neighbours, are you using pesticides and chemical fertilisers on your lawn and garden? Would you really want to set your bare bottom on weed killer? Make the switch to natural fertilisers and pest management, and take a roll in the hay.

5. Forget the fossil fuel based lubricants like petroleum jelly! Esso's screwing the planet, but you don't have to.

6. Have you got something more than a good time up your sleeve. Could it be polyvinyl chloride? Ditch the PVC and vinyl accessories for your playtime. The production of PVC creates and releases one of the most toxic chemicals - dioxin. You also don’t want to be sucking on that stuff. The use of PVC in young children’s toys has already been banned in many countries. Instead, opt for accessories made from natural substances like rubber or leather.

7. Helping the planet can be an arousing activity. Soap up together in the shower or bath to save water and create passion for more than the environment. More than one billion people do not have access to clean water, it is a luxury, and should definitely be shared with a friend.

8. Ok, I’m not sure what you would use them for, never done so myself, ahem, but if you wanted some paddles for something other than rowing, please, for god’s sake, make sure they are made from sustainably harvested timber. Look for timber, paddles, whatever, certified by the only internationally recognised ecological forest certification organisation, the Forest Stewardship Council, or FSC.

9. Role playing games can be fun as long as both partners are consenting and comfortable with the boundaries. So if you and your partner want to dress up and play "George Bush and Corporate America at the Earth Summit" or other S&M style games, agree on what's permissible and what's not up front. And remember that games - like fantasies - are not real life.

10. Make love, not war.

Laundry Soap DIY

I've been buying Eco friendly laundry liquid for a while now but still wanted to look for an alternative as it's not cheap stuff and i want to reduce my packaging. So, i went out and bought a bucket, some pure soap and a bag of washing soda and came up with my own laundry soap!
Grate 1 bar of pure soap into a pan and cover with enough water to dissolve. Dissolve gently stirring continuously.
Fill the bucket with hot tap water, stir in the melted soap and a cup full of washing soda.


I found that the melted soap and washing soda didn't quite mix well so i returned it all to a large pan and stirred on a low heat until it was. Leave it to cool and it looks like this:Gloopy and blue!
I've been using it for a few weeks now and it works, my clothes come out clean and they smell fresh unlike with the Eco friendly laundry liquid that gave my laundry a funky smell.
From one box of soap and a packet of washing soda i will get 4 buckets full of homemade laundry soap, each giving around 25 washes giving me an average total of 100 washes. Needless to say, i won't be buying laundry soap anymore. It's probably best to add this laundry soap in the drum with the clothes if you have a front loader like i do, i found that there was some left in the drawer of my machine.
I'm also using the washing soda to wash my dishes, reducing my packaging further. 1 tbsp is enough for a sink full of water. I'm having a hard time convincing my husband that he doesn't need bubbles to get the dishes clean though. To try to combat this i have poured some of the washing soda into an old jar and put in a spoon with a label saying '1TBSP ONLY', i wonder if it will work?

BMW’s Lightweight Cloth Car

BMW’s Lightweight Cloth Car
by Kate Andrews

Early last week, German giants BMW unveiled the GINA Light Visionary Model, a highly anticipated concept set to transform the boundaries of traditional car design. ‘GINA’, an acronym for “Geometry and Functions In ‘N’ Adaptations”, has a seamless outer skin made entirely from a textile fabric (polyurethane-coated Lycra) pulled taut around a moveable frame of metal and carbon fiber wires. This lightweight design requires far less energy to produce than traditional BMW models and the overall car weight is significantly reduced, making it far more fuel-efficient.

Although GINA does drive it remains, for now, a concept and as Chuck Squatriglia explains has “headed straight for the BMW Museum in Munich.” Chris Bangle, BMW Director of Design justifies the motivations for designing GINA were simply “to challenge existing principles and conventional processes” of car design, and in BMW’s promotional video further discusses the ideas behind this futuristic concept.

With a “quest for sustainability on different levels” (BMW Group, 2008) during the experiment, BMW sought to uncover alternative materials and production methods that favor working with less raw materials and energy, and in last weeks press release explained:

“A minimalist approach to the use of components and production stages yields ecological and economic benefits. As part of our endeavor to create social sustainability, we are looking for production methods that rely on the expertise of highly qualified specialists instead of expensive manufacturing tools. […] With its sensible and careful use of resources for products and their development, the GINA principle contributes to the sustainability of future car generations. After all, the social significance of the GINA philosophy is a product of its heightened application of social aspects both to the development processes and to the conscious reflection of customer requirements.”

What a fantastic example of futuristic design thinking, challenging a new generation of less gas and energy-guzzling automobiles.

+ BMW GINA Light Visionary Model
+ Wired.com (June 2008). BMW Builds a Shape-Shifting Car Out of Cloth.
+ MotorTrend.com: Interview with BMW’s Chris Bangle

Via Autoblog.com

LILYPAD: Floating City for Climate Change Refugees

LILYPAD: Floating City for Climate Change Refugees
by Jorge Chapa

There are very few urban design solutions that address housing the inevitable tide of displaced people that could arise as oceans swell under global warming. Certainly none are as spectacular as this one. The Lilypad, by Vincent Callebaut, is a concept for a completely self-sufficient floating city intended to provide shelter for future climate change refugees. The intent of the concept itself is laudable, but it is Callebaut’s phenomenal design that has captured our imagination.

Biomimicry was clearly the inspiration behind the design. The Lilypad, which was designed to look like a waterlily, is intended to be a zero emission city afloat in the ocean. Through a number of technologies (solar, wind, tidal, biomass), it is envisioned that the project would be able to not only produce it’s own energy, but be able to process CO2 in the atmosphere and absorb it into its titanium dioxide skin.

Each of these floating cities are designed to hold approximately around 50,000 people. A mixed terrain man-made landscape, provided by an artificial lagoon and three ridges, create a diverse environment for the inhabitants. Each Lilypad is intended to be either near a coast, or floating around in the ocean, traveling from the equator to the northern seas, according to where the gulf stream takes it.

The project isn’t even close to happening anytime soon, but there is value in future forward designs like the Lilypad. They inspire creative solutions, which at some point, may actually provide a real solution to the climate change problem.

+ Lilypad, a floating ecopolis for climate refugees

via Freshhome

Top 6 Sexiest Cycles

Top 6 Sexiest Cycles
by Jorge Chapa

The sexiest and most sustainable form of transportation out there is the one you power with your own two legs. Not only does cycling get you outdoors get you in shape and give you a chance to flaunt those legs — it is also the only form of speedy transportation that comes with ZERO carbon emissions. So now we present to you our list of the cutest, most innovative, and most useful bicycles we’ve encountered. (We tried to narrow it down to five, but just couldn’t cut any of these). Counting down from 6 to 1…

EV SOLAR ELECTRIC BICYCLE
While human power is by far the most sustainable form of transportation, sometimes you might need a little help. Rather than using gasoline or diesel for fuel, Canadian Peter Sandler decided to install solar panels straight into the wheels to power the 500watt front hub motor. It’s a bit heavy, but it’ll speed you up to 30kph without you worrying about polluting the environment.

$1295 from TherapyProducts

FISHER SIMPLY CITY
Coming soon to a bike store near you, the Fisher Simply City is one of the prettiest and lightest bikes around. Rather than adding extra weight and bells and whistles, the Fisher Simply City takes the urban bike form to its simplest expression. It’s a nice combination of simplicity and elegance, which is why this bike became a showstopper at Trek World 2007. We can’t wait for these puppies to hit stores…

THE JORG & OLIF CITY BIKE
Europeans have a long tradition of riding bicycles everywhere, and when you see a bike like this one, you can understand the appeal. A modern bicycle aesthetic blended with the form of a classical Schwinn townie, the Jorg & Olif original is a beautiful bike for those who like to ride around town. It’s carefully designed to be an easy ride for those of us whose cycling knowledge is limited to watching the Tour de France.

$495+ from Jorg & Olif

SKEPPSHULT CYCLES
Europeans sure know how to make them! The Swedish Skeppshult bikes might be a little pricey, but they are easily the most beautiful bicycles we’ve ever seen. Skeppshult’s Z-bike (shown above), is a beauty of sleek, minimalist form in a silver steel frame. We’d probably never pay this much for a bike, but we can dream, right?

$1795 + from Skeppshult

BROMPTON FOLD-UP BICYCLE
Sadly in our car-oriented culture, its hard to find enough space (and security) to store a bike. The Brompton Bicycle aims to solve the problem by making it easy to fold into a convenient package. While the certain other bikes might be cuter or quicker, we just couldn’t help but love the idea of arriving somewhere, folding our bike up into a little package, and carrying it with us.

$656 and up from Foldabike.com

PUMA FOLD-UP BIKE
While the Brompton Bicycle is the most convenient fold-up bike for urban riders, the Puma Bike is by far the coolest looking one of the bunch. A full sized urban bike that folds unto itself, the Puma bike is an attempt at solving one of the biggest problems for bicycle riders everywhere, that of security. Because the lock is integrated to the bike, the only way that you can steal it is by breaking the bike. The folded form of the Puma bike is a convenient way to take the bike everywhere you go as well, making it our winner in this list, and a finalist for the index awards of 2007.

$1158 from Biomega

Let’s face it though, not everyone can afford one of these high-end bikes. In fact, before looking at a really expensive new bike for urban transportation, how about just looking at the nearest bike shop in your town? You might be surprised to find some very cute and functional used bikes at considerably better prices than you’d pay for a new bike. As we are fond of saying, the sexiest and most sustainable transport that you can find is yourself.

TRANSPORTATION TUESDAY: CLEVER Project CNG Concept

CLEVER Project CNG Concept
by Jorge Chapa

We are featuring another ultra-thin, super cool looking, three wheel vehicle. Last week was the electric Smera. This week’s sleek ride is the distinguished CLEVER concept - a 3 feet wide vehicle that runs on compressed natural gas and is perfect for urban driving.

The CLEVER was designed by the Technical University of Berlin, which together with a number of partners, including BMW, wanted to develop a type of vehicle that would be suitable for urban use. The result was a low emissions, three wheeled, two person vehicle that can tilt around corners, and look quite stylish doing it.

The CLEVER, which stands for compact low emission vehicle for urban transport, is 3 meters long and 1 meter wide. It weighs less than 400kg, and combined with the fact that it is powered by natural gas, will give you around 60g/km (compared to 100 g/km for a small vehicle). The top speed is 100kph, and it has an acceleration of 0-60kph in about 7 seconds.

Unlike the Smera, the CLEVER is unlikely to go into production any time soon, as it was intended to be more of an exploratory model, rather than a full solution. We’re definitely hoping that some of the research in this design shows up in some form or another soon.

+ CLEVER Project