Recently St. Lucie County in Florida announced that it has teamed up with Geoplasma to develop the United States’ first plasma gasification plant. The plant will use super-hot 10,000 degree fahrenheit plasma to effectively vaporize 1,500 tons of trash each day, which in turn spins turbines to generate 60MW of electricity - enough to power 50,000 homes! Cutting down on landfill waste while generating energy is a pretty win-win proposition, and the plant will also be able to melt down inorganic materials to be reused for other applications, such as in roadbed and heavy construction.

(more…)

'club3' by rémy bardin, guillaume jounet - ENSA de paris-la-villette, part of 'habiter demain' exhibition



'le sommeilleur' by benoît , rest units at the mine museum, 2008, part of the 'habiter demain' exhibition


'l’îlot d’amaranthes' by emmanuel louisgrand, part of the 'city eco lab' exhibition - image © galerie roger tator lyon


'manger au travail - système pline' by julie bouillaut, part of the 'city eco lab' exhibition - image © véronque huygues


'robuDOG' by robosoft, 2008 - image © robosoft


'algues' by ronan and erwan bouroullec, installation at roubaix museum, 2004 - image © paul tahon

saint-etienne biennale: http://biennalesaint-etienne.citedudesign.com
cité du design: http://www.citedudesign.com

dutch designers frank tjepkema, janneke hooymans, tina stieger and leonie janssen were commissioned
by the dutch beer maker heineken to design their first shop. the studio at tjep settled on a theme of pouring,
translating the idea into displays the blend from floor to wall to ceiling, in wave-like forms. a sub-theme for
the retail outlet was coldness. this theme can be spotted in the cool colours and 100% led lighting system.
coldness is also literally seen in the three- story fridge that holds heineken bottles form around the world.
the store is divided into four sections, the aforementioned fridge, a fashion department, a ticket and travel
section and a fully equipped recording studio for young music artists.

http://www.tjep.com

new public space furniture for amsterdam's amstel station designed by frank tjepkema











via archdaily

at night, light shines through the exterior patterned blocks of the 'patchwork pavilion'

'patchwork pavilion' is a temporary art gallery designed by DOMO arquitetos associados. the structure was
originally built for the casa cor 2008, an exhibition for home textiles in brazil. the name of the pavilion is fitting,
as the exterior is constructed from a random combination of four different pre-cast concrete blocks whose
patterns have been inspired by embroidery pieces that originate in the northeast part of the country.
these concrete blocks were largely used in early modernist buildings in brazil, because of their ability to ventilate
and allow light to pass through the patterns, as well as for their low-cost and shape.


the four different patterned tiles create a graphic patchwork effect




'cave house'

DOMO arquitetos associados' 'cave house', was originally designed for a competition called 'luxury for all'
which explores the idea of luxury living which considers our sensorial experience with buildings and objects,
with an approach to sustainability. the structure aims to continue the flow of nature through the cave-like space.

DOMO arquitetos associados: http://www.domo.arq.br

Strawboard building panels are a kind of structural insulated panel (SIP) designed to replace 2x4 stud and drywall construction for both interior and exterior walls, as well as provide load and non-bearing ceilings, roofing, doors, flooring, and prefabricated buildings. These environmental friendly, solid panels are made of all natural fibrous raw materials, mainly wheat and rice straw. The durable panels feature thermal and acoustic insulation as well as fire and termite resistance and are available for a variety of applications to speed up the construction processes. While these have been used in over 20 countries for more than 50 years, strawboard panels have only been introduced to the U.S. in the past few years.

Strawboard panels have a solid core of compressed wheat or rice straw. High pressure and temperatures forces the straw to release a natural resin that binds the fibers together. The compressed panels are then covered with either paper liners or OSB that is adhered to both sides with water based non-toxic glue. The standard panel measures 4 feet by 8 feet by 2-1/4 inches to 8 inches, weighing from 140 lbs. to 440 lbs. each. Custom panel sizes are available ranging from 3 feet to 12 feet long.

The panel's high density and low oxygen content does not support combustion. Since the panels do not contain added resins, alcohol, or other chemicals, no flammable vapors are produced. The panels have an R-value of between 3 and 25, depending on the composition and thickness. For permanent protection against insects and fungal decay and additional fire resistance, the boron compound polybor can be factory added to the core.

The product's workability is similar to wood as it can be sawn, drilled, routed, nailed, screwed, and glued. Lightweight wall attachments such as shelf brackets, picture frames, mirrors, and towel bars can be attached directly to the panel.

Since straw is a renewable by-product of wheat and rice production that becomes available annually, it takes less acreage (by about half) to build an equivalent house than with standard lumber, and which would then potentially preserve that forest for ecological habitat and CO2 sequestration.

See www.stramit-int.com/ for panels available in Europe and www.agriboard.com for panels available in the U.S.

Eggs were all the rage at Designersblock at Covent Garden, from fresh (Nosigner) to fried (Jaehyung Hong). Karen Ryan showed her versatility from eclectic chairs to colourful, umbrella-sized lights. Lucky Candles from Maria Gil Ulldemolins showed us a trick or two about aging, and the Biodegradable 100 Prayer Pots by Mingyu Jeung & Misun Kong contain handwritten wishes that go back to the earth. Kyeok Kim exhibited rings carved from soap, and Nic Wallenberg's lighting was configured in just one of many ways.

+ designersblock.org.uk

Well, in contrast to the usual news that happiness is THE key to a better living I found that this article share some interesting sources on quite the contrary. Similarly have you ever thought about how our world would look/feel like if everything is 'designed' well? For me this triggers quite a few follow up questions like: How about Design's role as 'styling' then in contrast to 'Design' as a source for innovation? And re-phrasing Naish's words: 'Bad Design is the driver of human endeavour'! What do you think?

Chile is exporting a lot more than a mean pisco these days. The XVI Chilean Architecture Biennial, a celebration of great Chilean architecture, recently wrapped this week in Santiago where the main theme was an exploration of architecture that cares for the earth. Hosted at the Contemporary Art Museum of Forestal Park, there was literally too much talent for the conventional structure to contain and the Biennial exploded out into the public eye in form of a completely sustainable, modern temporary pavilion designed by Assadi + Pulido, a young Santiago-based design studio with a modern, edgy and recognizable style.

(more…)

the university of exeter has selected wilkinson eyre architects to build their forum project. the new building
will be the centrepiece of the school’s streatham campus. the studio’s proposal works with the site’s
natural features of their hilly campus by creating a green corridor connecting the interior to the exterior.
the structure’s main feature is an undulating gridshell roof, which covers the new students spaces and
orthogonal buildings. wilkinson eyre architects’ director, stafford critchlow said, ‘our proposals seek to
create a new arrival point for the university. the sequence of spaces relate closely to the campus
landscape, establishing a new architectural language which is less about placing objects within this
landscape and more about an organic response to it.’ design work will begin immediately, with completion
anticipated by 2012.

http://www.wilkinsoneyre.com

This is one of the designs that originated from the design phase of the suburban house project.



I have to confess that I find the space really interesting, but no doubt it won't be for everybody.

Technorati Tags: house plans, modern design, modern house

The video above shows some of the work from the ongoing Helmut Lang exhibition called “Alles gleich schwer”. You can experience it both in real life at renowned kestnergesellschaft in Hanover and online at the collaboration partner Absolut.

Andra bloggar om: konst, mode, helmut lang, absolut, utställning

The Father of Earthbag Building, Nader Khalili, died peacefully, surrounded by his family, a couple of days ago. He was 71 years old.

Here is part of a letter sent out by his family to former students:

“The flames that ignited him in life and the quest that brought each of you to Cal-Earth to learn from him have touched all of us and led us on this path….the right path……. for arts, humanity and the environment. His work and words have inspired us and his spirit is powerfully alive in every work and word, building and echo that your enthusiastic and loving hands have helped to create for this world.

His soul imbues every grain of sand and every memory contained in Cal-Earth, which expresses so much of his personal life of the last 17 years. And your works, like seeds have been growing and flourishing in every corner of the world…”

Born as an Iranian, Nader lived most of his life in the United States, gaining an architectural degree. He worked on the design of high-rise buildings and taught architecture in Southern California. In 1991 he founded Cal-Earth (the California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture) based in the desert region of Hesperia , California. From this center, he taught classes and workshops on the use of both bricks and bags to fashion domes, arches, vaults, and irregular shapes. These forms sprang from his early exposure to Middle Eastern architecture.

The earthbag concept evolved from attending a 1984 NASA symposium for brainstorming ways to build shelters on the moon. He realized that bags filled with lunar “dirt” could be stacked into domes or vaults to provide shelter. This concept was later refined to include stretching barbed wire between the courses of bags to help stabilize the structure. Nader never referred to this building technique as earthbag building; he preferred to call it “Super Adobe,” referring to the fact that he generally filled the bags (or long tubes) with an adobe soil mix.

In 1999 Nader was issued a U.S. Patent for his Super Adobe technique and he subsequently tried to require contractual arrangements for its use. At this point, however, he had been publicizing the idea for so long it was not an enforcable patent, and few would comply with his request.

This fact points to the complex nature of Nader’s personality. He truly loved humanity and the arts, and was an eloquent and passionate speaker. He often said that his ideas were a gift to humanity and he hoped they would provide shelter for the poor and disadvantaged. At the same time, he wanted to control the economic potential of his invention, and he pursued this vigorously.

Nader was the author of several books, including Ceramic Houses and Earth Architecture: How to Build Your Own, about literally making ceramic houses, and Sidewalks on the Moon, an autobiography. He also wrote several books about the the mystic poetry of Rumi. Interestingly, he never really wrote a book about his Super Adobe invention, allowing others to take the lead in doing this.

With the passing of Nader Khalili we have come to a point where his ideas and work can truly become universal. All of us who explore the potential of the earthbag concept and expand on its possibilities can help further his vision for bettering the world. We owe a great debt to this truly inspired individual. May he rest in peace!

I recently got a query from one of the editors of Mother Earth News regarding a news story she had read in the New York Times. The writer, David Pogue, had been a judge in a contest sponsored by by the History Channel and the National Inventors Hall of Fame titled "Modern Marvels/Invent Now." A $25,000 prize was awarded to one amoung 25,000 contestants, and the winner was the Enertia House, which was invented by engineer and former log-home architect, Michael Sykes.

The Mother Earth News editor said that these homes had been featured in their magazine before. They essentially provide two wooden shells for the home, one inside the other. She said that there was no mention in the article about the cost per square foot. She was wondering what I thought about the concept from the standpoint of sustainable architecture.

Here is my response:

Double envelope house designs have been around for several decades and they definitely offer some benefits, as well as raise some questions. Any house that takes advantage of the geothermal properties of the ground will be doing its inhabitants and the earth a good turn. This can take the form of earth-sheltering in general, or some clever system of circulating air like the Enertia concept; coupled with sensible passive solar design, it is possible to approach a "zero energy" home.

The concerns about their system that I have are: The use of wood as the primary building material is not generally sustainable in this day of lost forests. With the double envelope design, you are practically building two houses to end up with one. Relying on wood as a thermal mass material compromises the potential thermal performance because wood does not serve this function nearly as well as traditional masonry thermal mass materials. So, I guess what I am saying is that a more sustainable and less costly design can be accomplished in more traditional ways.

Answering the same question, Paul Scheckel wrote, "At first glance, this looks a lot like sunspace design from the 70s (without the stone-filled basement to store heat) which overheated in the daytime and lost lots of heat at night. Consider also that this giant convection oven requires a temperature difference, which in this case is driven by the sun and the cool basement. A New England winter has precious little sun, so my heating system will drive the convective loop, increasing heat loss (in addition to the insulation-free envelope). I haven't heard too many people (ie: none) say that wood is bad for houses and better for biodiesel, but there are good arguments for not using so much material in a home. Does it work? I'd like to see one built in the northeast and see the resulting energy data, wherein the proof will lie."

Clark Snell of www.thinkgreenbuilding.com wrote, "I spent five minutes looking over the web site, so these comments are only based at looking at marketing materials, i.e. they may be inaccurate. Ditto what has been said so far. A couple more “red flags:”

1. Solid wood envelope. They seem to be using the old “mass enhanced R-value” argument for why solid wood walls perform well thermally. I think it’s well established that this is true only in very specific climatic situations. Touting solid southern yellow pine walls in comparison to solid white pine walls is like saying a Chevy Suburban gets better gas mileage than a Hummer…that’s not really a useful statistic.
2. Energy without oil. The presentation intimates that this is a completely passive design. For example, no heating system is mentioned. That simply isn’t credible for most climates using the technology they are describing.
3. Passive means local. You simply can’t create a design that relies heavily on passive techniques and generalize it across climates. In my area where we have high humidity, I’d wonder about this convective loop through the attic and basement, for example.

I could go on. I’m a passive design freak, so I’m all for the basic concepts they are dealing with. However, I don’t see anything really new here, but see marketing claims touting what they are doing as a major breakthrough and “the answer”. That always makes me nervous."

David Eisenberg, of www.dcat.net wrote, "After a skimming around their website, I see that they sell kits and their base prices don't include a lot of things - some of which are enumerated:

It finally feels like the New Mexico EcoSteel House has crossed the line to being more finished than not. The latest round of photos show the painting almost done, finishing touches going in, light fixtures too.



Look below the fold for a photo browser with more interior shots.

Technorati Tags: 6030 House, 6040 House, ecosteel, modern design, modern house, prefab house

If you're into rammed earth building, don't miss this blog: Rammed Earth is for Everyone. You can't beat the enthusiasm of that name! The site highlights rammed earth projects all around the world, offers nice Youtube and Flickr finds, and has a great selection of links in its sidebar. It's proprietor is a rammed earth consultant who shares both interesting technical information as well as an intriguing and thought provoking world view. Definitely worth a look if you're an earth building enthusiast and/or you find yourself pondering the nature of man's impact on the Earth on a regular basis.

Via Earth Architecture (of course!).

Kevin Kelly's take on the next phase of web development that involves data sharing from the Web 2.0 Conference.

He takes us through what might happen in the next 6,500 days of the web.

Some highlights.

1. Not be anything like the web

2. Be a single machine- everything is connect to the same thing.We have one large machine with the web as its OS

3. The web will own every bit that's produced- if it's not part of the web, it will not count

4. Everything in our lives will be on this "machine"

5. The machine has and will have a global sense- see latest financial crisis

6. Move to the cloud

7. Be all about sharing- what can we do? what will the limits be?

8. Always be on- never off

9. Extreme dependence on this "machine" because it makes us smarter. Being off will feel like an amputation!

10. Lead us to continue to question- "Who are we?"

11. We will need to believe in the impossible

Click To Play

Posted by Ed Cotton

Image source: Insight One of the key factors I noticed in any successful product and/or design, was that the product’s designer had some kind of critical insight. It is this “ah-hah!”, this “Wow!”, this “Eureka” moment that can turn any design into a great one. It gives meaning to a product’s form, its function or even [...]

According to a University of Chicago study, architects rank #4 on the happiness scale when broken down based on profession. Now we just have to let the architects know that they are happy... (via yahoo)

I have gotten the following information from a Canadian inventor who claims some pretty amazing attributes for a product that he calls "New-crete." While it is not yet available, it has the potential to become one an amazing manufactured technology that addresses many issues related to sustainability. See what you think:

I have a patented product of lightweight cement called new-crete. New-crete is designed to form millions of air bubbles when cured. This makes new-crete 50% lighter and stronger than regular cement and 35% lighter and stronger than lightweight cement. It is also 30%-40% cheaper than regular cement. It has an R-20 insulation value with a 9-inch thick wall. It is nontoxic and not corrosive and it floats.

• Price: regular cement , $125 per cubic yard; new-crete, $75 per cubic yard
• It has the ability to shed water with a .5 mm saturation point. this will prevent water seeping into it and freezing causing cracking.
• The ingredients to make New-Crete are readily found around the world and are in no danger of being depleted.
• New-crete can be formed into any object. We have the designs for walls, drywall, floors, shingles, stairs, window frames, cupboards, bricks, doors ect....we can make a whole house from the bottom up using only New-Crete
• It can be painted, or laminated with wood panels, ect.
  
• It can be nailed into and not crack.
  

It is designed to be processed in a controlled environment so it can not be poured. That is why we need a $2 million processing plant to start manufacturing pre-fab homes then ship them by train or boat anywhere in the world. Before that, we need about $150 000 to build a prototype home so we can get it approved by CSA (Canadian Standards Association).

Once this is up and running we can start supplying the world with better, cheaper homes. The plans for the prototype home is for a regular box style home. The next step will be to make in-ground and underground domes that are storm proof. They will also be cheaper and strong than regular homes with revolutionary designs...100% self sustainable.

The Canadian north (native reserves) are in much need for about 35 000 new homes as the old ones are in 3rd world condition.

So I know this will be better for everyone, especially the trees. This will change the world. All I need to do is find $150 000 to get it started. I see many people with lots of money (US government spending trillions on war) and the Canadian government also spending money on war ect...the will to change the world is the first key; money will then come naturally.

I believe we must start using other building materials instead of trees before they are all gone. If interested you can contact Matthew Smyth at infiniteearthdesignATyahoo.ca or visit his website: www.InfiniteEarthDesign.com

Still playing around with trying to make the drawings for the Hus1 appear like they came out of a magazine from 1957.



which is a halftone filter run over a black and white image of the model. More variations below the fold.



maybe sunset yellow?



or working with an image that approximates an old blueprint

Technorati Tags: house plans, Hus1, modern design, modern house

‘sleep’, 2008 (source imagery: jean-bernard restout)

deitch projects, new york
november 1 - december 20, 2008

‘down’ is an exhibit of new paintings by kehinde wiley which opened earlier this month at new york’s
deith projects. a wide selection of wiley’s large-scale works will be on show including four new works
each referencing images of fallen warriors, saints, and classical mythology. using source imagery
from classical paintings, wiley contemporizes them with elements of other painting styles including
graffiti. wiley also examines the notion of ‘the master painter’, while also casting young black males
in the role of the subject.

http://www.deitch.com
http://www.kehindewiley.com

all photography by max yawney


‘morpheus’, 2008 (source imagery: jean-antoine houdon)


‘christian martyr tarcisius’, 2008 (source imagery: auguste falguiere)


‘the virgin martyr st. cecilia’, 2008(source imagery: stefano maderno)


‘femme piquee par un serpent’, 2008 (source imagery: auguste clesinger)


‘lamentation over the dead christ’, 2008 (source imagery: mantegna)


‘a dead soldier’, 2008 (source imagery: velasquez)


‘down’ by kehinde wiley, installation view at deitch projects

'blinds'

analia segal

argentinean artist analia segal winner of designboom's 100% tiles competition in 2004,
is currently holding her first solo exhibition at the dpm gallery, ecuador. with all her work
segal creates objects and interiors that are often taken for granted and transforms
them into art. featured in the exhibition are blinds, wallpaper, tiles and doormats that
blur the line between architecture and art.


'w.c. tile project'

more:
http://www.analiasegal.com
http://www.dpmgallery.com

Again one of these posts I would have wished to have written myself ;-) Anyway I’ve skim read Kevin McCullagh’s posting on the Core77 Design Blog just before leaving to The Hague last week. Fortunately Kathryn Best reminded me on Kevin’s posting after my return a week ago!

What I like about Kevin’s post is his approach to assemble a sort of list of patterns he has observed when it comes to describing the term we love so much these days: ‘Design Leadership’. What I like in particular about ‘pattern recognition’ in general and this is also a reason why I like Kathryn’s book on Design Management is that it is not aiming for categories and definitions academia is looking after like: ‘right-wrong’, ‘good-bad’ or ‘truth’ in general.

While I will give my very own definition or better ‘description’ of the term later on I’d like to point to the four questions that have triggered Kevin’s article:

1.) What makes a design leader?

2.) Do they have to be designers?

3.) Who is leading whom?

4.) And to where exactly?

A point where I do disagree with him is clearly addressing question 2 as I don’t think that ‘Design Leaders’ necessarily need to be designers themselves. Let me try to explain this by referring back to the photo (or collage) I’ve assembled and which you see in the upper left corner. The picture in the lower right corner is taken from Kathryn’s book and illustrates quite well the three areas of responsibility of a Design Leader, a Design Manager and a Designer as those people in organisations who ‘Define a Vision’, ‘Manage the Process’ and ‘Create the Content’.

While on one hand I think that this ‘classification’ is helpful for better understanding the very often unclear terms I do think that on the other hand they are too discrete. Apparently a Designer or Design Manager can only remain in their category and won’t be able to embrace all of them at the same time. In contrast according to my understanding of a ‘Good Designer’ she/he must be able to address all those levels in order to ‘thoughtfully design’.

Therefore and in order to make the model more flexible I’d want to refer to one of the originators of the term ‘Design Thinking’ namely Roger Martin. You see his latest book ‘The Opposable Mind’ pictured in the upper left corner of the collage. Then replace ‘Design Leader’ with ‘Design Thinker’ and let ‘Design Leadership’ embrace all three functions ‘Design Thinking, Design Management and Design’ and you have a more flexible framework that communicates the key message: “Only if you’re good at all disciplines: ‘Thinking, Managing and Designing’ you are a ‘Design Leader’!

Accordingly this perspective also implies that one person will have a hard time to act as a ‘Design Leader’ since this would imply that all functions would need to be addressed by her/him alone. Even though for example the success of Apple Computer these days might appear as the single effort of Steve Jobs it is for sure the joint effort of many more (needless to mention Jonathan Ive).

Furthermore I do think that it is somehow anachronistic to believe that (in the competitive business landscape of these days) that individuals are still able to dominate; even though I admit that we tend to have a fascination for these sort of ’single heroes’.

Instead ‘Design Leadership’ according to my perspective above recognises that it is something that needs to be achieved collaboratively as a joint team effort of various ’specialists’. So the answer to Kevin’s question No. 2 definitely is: No, because only teams as I’ve described them above can effectively handle various functions from several disciplines with ‘Design Thinkers’ as the category most likely to embrace people from non-design disciplines.

What do you think? Is this something Kathryn/We shall adopt for the future?

'swivel chair' by bokja, sixties furniture upholstered in embroidered vintage fabric from tajikistan - image © bokja

al-sabah art & design collection is a contemporary gallery which is scheduled to open its doors in dubai in early
spring of 2009. the gallery is the result of a recent partnership agreement between DIFC (dubai international
financial centre) and founder of the luxury retail emporium villa moda, sheikh majed al-sabah from kuwait.
the mission of the gallery is to promote the craftsmanship of the middle east. sheikh majed al-sabah wants to
encourage local governments to take more responsibility in preserving their cultural heritage.

before the gallery is even completed, it will preview its collection at this year's design miami 2008 from
december 1st - 8th with an exhibition entitled 'ALEF'. the name of the exhibition refers to the first letter of the
arabic alphabet 'a', but also acts as a symbolic name to mark the gallery's first show. 'ALEF' will highlight the
work of two lebanese designers, huda baroudi and maria hibri of bokja. the duo is known for their use of
vintage furniture, embroidered in fabrics originating from the east. also on show will be the work of dutch
product designer, pieke bergmans, who works in porcelain, plastic and glass. he will be creating a series
of pieces using traditional syrian mother-of-pearl inlaid antique pieces of furniture. for the gallery's official opening
in 2009, new works by studio job, maarten baas, marcel wanders and jaime hayon, who have created limited
edition pieces with local artisans, will be revealed


'swivel talia' by bokja, vintage furniture upholstered in a combination of vintage lakii from central asia together with
suzani (decorative textile) and new fabric - image © dina debbas


'crystal virus' by pieke bergmans, blown glass vase

designboom snapshots design miami 2007

design miami: http://www.designmiami.com
al-sabah art and design collection: http://www.alsabahcollection.com

I attended the Natural Building Colloquium held this year at the Orella Ranch overlooking the Pacific Ocean near Santa Barbara, California, at the end of October. What a magnificent setting this was to spend a fine week of connecting with fellow enthusiasts of the natural building movement. About 70 attendees shared our insights, stories, passions, songs, poetry, cooking, concerns, and labor. I came away with gratitude for the opportunity to interact with such caring people, and with a renewed sense of confidence that we will manage to help forge a sustainable future.

This year’s Colloquium was organized by the Natural Building Network (www.naturalbuildingnetwork.org) and was hosted by Gunner Tautrim, who represents the sixth generation of this family living on this land since 1866. The accommodations were primitive, with only a small kitchen as enclosed space; the rest of the facilities were rustic pit privies, temporary solar shower stalls, temporary bamboo and tarp meeting spaces, and a nice lawn area. We brought tents for sleeping. All of this was happening with the grandeur of the Pacific coast as a backdrop, and the elemental simplicity and beauty combined to create an appropriate mood for contemplating the benefits of building naturally. After breakfast each morning we would gather in a big circle on the lawn to review the various options for the rest of the day and share other thoughts. Typically the mornings were devoted to work on a sturdy, permanent, multi-stalled toilet facility that was already framed with wood. Gunner wanted the walls and a surrounding fence to be finished with natural materials, and there were many volunteers who formed teams to accomplish this. Mostly, split bamboo or recycled fencing was used for a framework, over which cob and clay finishes were applied.

Lunchtime often featured tables where specific discussions would occur, having spontaneously been announced at the morning circle. The afternoons were reserved for many concurrent presentations or discussions, so there were always hard choices to make about what to attend. During the course of the week, over forty different topics were explored, in a variety of meeting places. These ranged from the use of materials (such as bamboo, cob, adobe, and lime) to more theoretical discussions about engineering, thermal properties, efficiency, and design. One of the most popular forums was about codes and ways of improving the acceptance of natural building techniques by building officials. I will be writing about this topic in more detail in a future blog post.

I shared one two-hour presentation about earthbag building around the world with a woman architect from Israel, who had brought plans for an earthbag residence that she was designing for a client there. First I talked about the history and development of this technique, and then profiled a number of projects that have been completed (see www.earthbagbuilding.com). After this introduction, the architect laid her plans on a table and we all discussed specific questions that she had about them. This was a great way to learn some of the basics of earthbag building, and then apply these concepts to a specific situation.
I was very pleased that a discussion was convened to explore the role that natural building can play in what was described as the “long emergency,” or the compounded effects of climate change, peak oil and other resource depletion, population pressures, and financial crises. Without this discussion I would have felt that we were negligent in addressing these most pressing issues. I plan to write another entire blog post about this.

After dinner (which was always delicious and usually vegetarian), we were treated to a variety of programs or entertainment that emanated from our group. Mostly these were slide or Power Point presentations, but one night was devoted to a talent show with lots of music and some stand-up comedy…great fun. I showed lots of pictures I took when in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia a couple of years ago where I had been invited to discuss sustainable architecture with the faculty and students at the King’s University (see www.greenhomebuilding.com/weblog for my essay about the situation there) .

One morning, about half of us opted to attend a tour of historic adobe buildings in the heart of Santa Barbara. The earliest remnants date to the 1780’s when Spain authorized the construction of a presidio and the Santa Barbara Mission. Much of this early adobe construction was toppled during subsequent earthquakes, but recent reconstruction, using stabilized adobes, has returned the area to its original presence. I chatted (in Spanish) with the Guatemalan and Mexican crew who were making new adobe blocks for further repair work. On the return trip to the Orella Ranch, several of us made a detour to the nearby beach to dip our feet in the ocean.

One of the delights of this event was the participation of James from Zimbabwe, Africa. This very engaging fellow brought with him pictures of a lovely little thatched cob circular building that he and some friends had made. He also brought his large thumb piano to serenade us with African ballads. This was a reminder of the deep roots that natural building has from all corners of the world.

All together this week of camping out in this spectacular place and connecting with these dedicated and compassionate souls has left me feeling heartened that we will find ways to overcome the enormous obstacles that lay ahead.

On a very foggy night before we were to disperse the next morning, during our closing ceremony, we arranged ourselves in two large circles that faced each other. We (on the outer circle) were asked to assume the role of addressing our ancestors (on the inner circle) from some indefinite time in the future. When I did this I felt strangely like I was really speaking from the future. I told the young woman who was sitting across from me that I did not blame her for the difficulties that she and subsequent generations had endured. I said that the pattern was innocently established well before she was born. Industrialization was fashioned to improve life, not deteriorate it, and the consequences were not foreseen. And then I told her how much I appreciated the hard work she was doing to address and correct the mistakes of our ancestors. I said that because of the actions of her generation, we in the future were enjoying a simple and healthy life based on ecological balance, and that we owe her and many of her generation our gratitude for all that they did to make this possible. We then stood and embraced, the Future and the Present, for a moment of true compassion.

To see more of my pictures taken at this event go to flickr.com/photos/kellyhart.

The steel framing for the 3030 EcoSteel House has been set up and we have a few photos back from the owner/builder showing the progress.



Here we see the frame set up to the second floor, and first and second floor joists in place. The roof framing has just begun.



Here it appears the entire main framing system is in place, including the roof purlins. Next will be the light gage wall framing to infill the exterior walls and frame out the window and door openings.



Here we see the recycled barn siding that we saw in an earlier post being installed as the first floor ceiling. The bar joists will be exposed, painted, but more or less as we see them here. The barn planks are going directly over the joists, and plywood floor deck will go down over the planks, and then finish flooring. I love the way this looks. The contrast between the industrial truss joists and the rustic planks is just great.

Tune into the 3030 House flickr group to see all of the photos forwarded by the owner.

Technorati Tags: 3030 House, ecosteel, modern design, modern house, prefab house

Today is Blog Action Day, a single day for all bloggers to post about one important issue, the environment. Most people think that Future House Now is a green site. It isn't. My primary focus is interesting modern homes, particularly those that are in the realm of realistic affordability for real families. But having said that, I frequently post about "green homes," and today is a good day to clarify my views on the subject.

First of all, why do I often post about green homes, even when my site is not purely focused on green issues? Well, for starters, green makes a lot of practical sense. It's laughable how much emphasis we put on greening our cars when we spend way more energy in our houses. It should be obvious every week when we take out the trash that our homes are the epicenter of our consumption habits. And I care about my family's health. I want them to live in a safe household environment, not one that is riddled with toxins and allergens.

Second, green isn't that hard to do anymore. You don't have to live in an Earthship made of tires pounded full of dirt, and old aluminum cans to be green (though that's pretty cool if you ask me). You also don't have to be an eco-warrior living off the grid in Northern California, growing all your own food and living off $10,000 worth of yearly organic produce sales. I guess what I mean is that being "green" isn't really an extreme lifestyle choice, it's part of everyday life for everyday people all over the USA. We have to stop treating green as extreme. Frankly, I think that alienates more people than it attracts. That's why I try not to overplay my green views, just as I don't downplay them either. To me, the important thing is that we're all constantly raising our awareness and incorporating green practices in our lives one little step at a time.

There are so many good ways to green any home, any style, old or new, anywhere. How about more efficient appliances, compact fluorescent light bulbs, better insulation, and low-VOC paints? These are pretty easy things that can make a big difference. How about not using those toxic cleaners in your kitchen and bathroom? Use good ol' white vinegar - it works great and is non-toxic. Inexpensive too. And great technology is here, with real strides in renewable energy being made every day. The reasons for not taking advantage of better technology for greener homes are becoming fewer and fewer. We're pretty much at the point where going green isn't about making tough choices, it's about making smart choices. The difference now isn't as much about toughness as it is about awareness.

I like to show interesting modern homes, and some of them are not particularly green. But lots of them are, in lots of different ways. Some are green just because they are compact. Some are green because they have a broad sheltering roof and good insulation. Some are green becaues they make good use of recycled materials, or new materials like steel framing that will last a long, long time without a lot of costly maintenance, and that can be recycled someday if need be. Maybe they aren't all perfect, but we can learn something from them. My site is about ideas. Some of the good ideas I like to show are about environmentally friendly homes, and some of the ideas are about other things. They're not mutually exclusive. And we have to stop thinking in those terms. Green fits with modern because they are both about good design. Good design has logic, economy and beauty all rolled into one. I see green as a part of that, not a whole unto itself.

Don't get me wrong, I don't take green for granted. I accept green as a matter of fact. That's how it should be - a natural part of life, not a radical philosophy. I view the recent mainstreaming of green as a sign that we've finally turned the corner. It won't be long now before we build the momentum to make lasting positive change. The challenges are real, but humanity, in spite of itself, is a problem solving species. We can do it.

Landscape is a term that has possessed a variety of related definitions in the past. At Sculpture Center’s group exhibition, Degrees of Remove: Landscape and Affect, landscape is “as an interpreted notion of space.” The exhibit questions how perceptions of landscape have changed since technology has made it possible to engage in landscapes far removed from our physical locations– or if we can really engage in them at all. Curated by Sarina Basta and Fionn Meade, the exhibition will run until the end of this month and has a corresponding film series at Anthology Film Archives.

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We decided quite early in the process to excavate under our garage and take advantage of the 200 sqft that would have otherwise sat unused. I don't believe this is particularly common, but it's a relatively inexpensive way to maximize the space on a small lot. Our original intention was to use a product called Insul-Deck to support the garage floor, however we've since had to abandon this approach in favor of a straightforward concrete & rebar structural slab.

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