The Design blog

'Wooden Foliage' recreates natural playfulness of dried foliage for the indoors
Stéphanie Van Zwam’s Airborne Collection makes jewelry interactive
Computer-controlled sun-screen systems - big hit for natural cooling in desert buildings

'Wooden Foliage' recreates natural playfulness of dried foliage for the indoors

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 01:56 AM PDT

Asmita Prasad:

Designer Rooshad Shroff from Mumbai-based Rooshad Shroff Architecture + Design and designer Jwalant Mahadevwala from Ahmedabad-based AndBlack Design Studio collaborated to create the Wooden Foliage project. Based in Ahmedabad, India, the project was completed on 10th June, 2012. The project is currently on display at in the main plaza of the Ahmedabad, india-based CEPT University's School of Interior Design (SID). The designers were asked to repurpose wood parts left over from a previous project at the institute into a canopy using the resources available at the institute's Design Innovation and Craft Resource Center (DICRC).

‘Wooden Foliage’ by Jwalant Mahadebwala and Rooshad Shroff

The designers had just 72 hours within which they had to design and manufacture the piece of sculptural art. The Wooden Foliage project is composed of over 7,000 wooden discs and a100 cylindrical wooden elements that are held together by 26,000 staples. The structure of the project resembles a canopy as well as dried out foliage which makes it an ideal companion to shady trees as well as nature-themed interior décor. The ‘Wooden Foliage’ also serves as an interactive light sculpture that plays with light and creates a playful show of shadows on the ground that changes as the angle of the sunlight changes through the day. Suspended between two trees, the Wooden Foliage also serves as a shading device.

Via: Designboom

Stéphanie Van Zwam’s Airborne Collection makes jewelry interactive

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 08:12 PM PDT

Asmita Prasad:

The Airborne collection by Central Saint Martins graduate Stéphanie Van Zwam investigates the possibility of the use of air in the creation of jewelry that stimulates the physical senses as well as the viewer's imagination. The collection uses static air, the movement of air and enclosed air to create stunning yet simple visual. The jewelry thus, essentially forces the wearer to "perform" to bring the full effect of the jewelry to the fore. The entire Airborne collection includes nine pieces including the Zephyrus Wings Statement Piece that is constructed of a plastic, brass tube, carbon fiber rod and a black finish.

Airborne Collection by Stéphanie Van Zwam

The Windsock Brooch comprises of a black finish, plastic and stainless steel elements while the White Feather Orb Necklace comes in a white finish with a silk threat, white feathers, a plastic sphere and brass. The Static Orb Brooches are offered in both black and white finishes and are made in polystyrene beads, black and white feathers, plastic sphere and a brass.

The Air Cushion Headpiece comprises of a air inflated plastic elements with a white finish, brass and carbon fiber elements while the Bubble Wand Neckpiece features Bubble Solution and a white finish with brass and carbon fiber elements. The plastic and air are the only elements used in making the Air Pocket Scarf while the Whirlwind Statement Piece includes a black card.

Airborne Collection by Stéphanie Van ZwamAirborne Collection by Stéphanie Van Zwam

Via: Dezeen

Computer-controlled sun-screen systems - big hit for natural cooling in desert buildings

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 06:35 PM PDT

Debanjan Singha:

Solar cells and other sustainable sources of energies are widely used as efficient cooling and heating systems in buildings across the world, but two new 25-storied buildings in Abu-Dhabi have come up with a unique innovation to help manage building temperatures effectively. The automated sun-screen systems were designed by globally acclaimed architectural powerhouse Aedas. These sun-screen systems are positioned on the periphery of the buildings and are opened and closed depending on the intensity of the sun's heat.

Sun-Screen Systems

The sun-screen systems at Al-Bahar buildings have striking similarity to oversized screens comprising origami triangles. The sun-screens are positioned at a distance of two meters from the buildings' periphery on a frame that is similar to a "mashrabiya," the Arab equivalent of shade-producing nets that are a common place in Middle Eastern architecture. The mashrabiya like frame and the triangles cover the majority of the building's outer facade barring the apex of the towers. The umbrella-shaped triangles have fiber glass coating upon them and are digitally programmed to open and close depending on the sun's glare, to help shade the building's interior from getting heated. As the sun moves further downwards along its daily trajectory and the intensity of its heat diminishes, the triangles shift away from its path and the devices are shut automatically as dusk approaches.

As a result of the effective functioning of its giant screens, the Abu-Dhabi Investment Council owned Al-Bahar Towers, are expected to drastically lessen their dependence on air conditioners in comparison to their counterparts. Another novel innovation brought about these sun-screen systems includes the discarding of heavily tinted windows and artificial interior lighting and replacing them with inlets for receiving higher levels of natural light inside. Photovoltaic cells, positioned on the south-facing roofs of either tower, continue to generate roughly five percent of the buildings' total energy requirements. The project which is slated to be completed in the next few months has quite recently won the prestigious award conferred by the Council on tall Buildings and Urban Habitats rewarding sustainability in architectural entrepreneurship across the globe.

Reference Link: http://www.springwise.com/eco_sustainability/computer-controlled-sun-screens-abu-dhabi-towers-cool/