Concrete that heals itself!

Now here’s an invention that could revolutionise construction technology as we know it and set your home repair requirements back by years! Doesn't that sound like good news all round?

Scientists in the Netherlands claim to have created a bio-concrete blend that allows concrete to …yes! Heal itself! Anybody who’s in the construction industry or has ever tried to repair cracked concrete knows what a nightmare it can be. Dry and cracked concrete can begin to disintegrate and be messy and nearly impossible to repair. Which, of course, is why this new technology is so exciting! 

Inhabitat.com reports that the Dutch scientists have created a bio-concrete blend with built-in bacteria that patch up on small holes and cracks in concrete. The bacteria basically feeds on the food provided in the concrete when activated by water to combine calcium with carbon dioxide and oxygen. What would be the result is essentially limestone.

In order to find bacteria that could survive in the high-pH environment of the concrete mix as well as lie dormant for years, the scientists looked especially in the soda lakes of Russia and Egypt. Fortunately, the bacteria they found were the perfect match.

Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Newcastle in UK have actually created a new type of bacteria that release glue that can mend concrete! There is, however, no news yet on when these bacteria will be ready for commercialization but the hope is it will be sometime soon.

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Mo' mo' store!

This is definitely one way to advertise. Let your store speak for itself. And the MOMO Shop, a pop-up store in the atrium of a busy shopping mall in Hong Kong definitely seems to be making use of that.

Designed by Andy Tong, the glass-encased store is made entirely of recycled materials, with its glass exterior seeming to be a coming together of multiple windows. The result, however, is ingeniously eye-catching. Resembling a misshapen childhood fort, the independent store stands out from all the regular box stores and boutiques surrounding it. Put together with MDF board, wood and bubble wrap, the tent-like slanting exterior of the  structure is made of dozens of variously sized disused windows, while t-shirts doubling up as funky lamps hang inside. The store has also been designed to be easily disassembled and pop up at its new location!

The shop has no sign announcing its name but we're sure its eye-catching enough to not need one, while its many entrances make visitors feel like they just happened to discover the store. We're sure it would be hard to walk out of there without buying anything!

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Inspired design!

This place of worship is inspired and inspiring in more ways than one! In an attempt to bring all 27 Latin American Virgins together under one roof, the Fernando Romero EnterprisE (FREE) has proposed a spectacular design for a chapel in Miami, USA. It's unsurprising that they won the competition. Designed to resemble the folds of the robe of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Roman Catholic image of the Virgin Mary, the soaring structure of the chapel is awe-inspiring. 

With the 27 Virgins accommodated in the niches of the billowing concrete structure and forming a ring of sanctuary around the congregational space with one central figure in the presbytery, the idea, says FREE was to invite all the Latin American cultures to be part of the creation. A twisted tower will provide a spire over the chapel’s altar and will feature a stained-glass skylight decorated with an image of the Lady of Guadalupe which will be projected around the chapel according to the directions of the sun. The soaring form will also act as an acoustic filter. The structure is rotated towards one corner and designed to flood the interiors with natural light.
Additional rooms will be located beneath the seating areas which will feature the offices, library, sacristy, changing rooms etc. 

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MIT to the rescue!

The planet is afire. Well, not literally. Not yet, anyway. However, with all the things that are constantly going wrong all over the world, perhaps, that day isn't far. And what we need more than anything else right now is a way to undo things.

In that light this new technique developed by  MIT to magnetically separate oil and water is going to go a long way to help in the cause of our oceans that are suffering from increasing amounts of oil spill every year. The team claims their method to be so efficient that the oil can even be reused after separation. There has, of course, been a good deal of research that has been undertaken in the field before. However, this team contends that while the research so far was good, it would be unlikely to work in situations of oil spills in oceans etc as they fundamentally depend on the concentration of the ferrofluids remaining constant and being known in advance which is likely to differ widely in an oil spill.

The new method developed by the scientists from MIT which uses magnets to separate the ferrofluids, by their contention, sounds much simpler just as its meant to and promises to be a lot more effective. They also contend the method can be implemented on a larger scale and employed at sea for days or weeks even in places where there's no electricity and no maintenance available.

And we can almost hear the oceans sigh in relief. 

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KEEPING COOL!

If you were to visit this artificial lake in Hanoi, Viet Nam you’d find the stunning structure called Bamboo Wing created by the bamboo masters Vo Trong Nghia. Comprised of two structures one which is the restaurant and the other which is meant to be a bar and events centre, the complex is large and airy and one of their most striking projects to date.

Situated next to an artificial lake the buildings are an excellent example of eco-friendly architecture that showcase the talent and handcrafting skills of the artistes as well as the brilliant use of ecologically sustainable materials. The surrounding water body not only adds a beautiful, mystical element to the structure but also does an excellent job of keeping it cool.

The entrance to Bamboo Wing promises the visitors a scenic experience as they walk across a pathway of stepping stones in water and little pockets of growing bamboo. Bamboo Wing itself is shaped to look like a bird’s wings.

 Next to the Wind and Water Cafe stands the bar. In contrast to the cafe which is open, the bar is an enclosed whole with a dome soaring 10 m upwards with an opening on the top, 1.5 m in diameter, which helps keep the place cool. Aside from the foundation the structure does not use steel anywhere and is wholly made of bamboo.

It’s no surprise that these two stunning architectural structures have become widely famous inHanoi’s urban landscape.

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Talk about smooth sailing!

This one’s definitely a step-ahead in design as well as conservation! I wonder if the sailors of yore would have ever thought of seeing their beloved sails put to this use. But today, between Spanish company DVELAS and Spinnaker, the sails return from their maritime journeys to feature in entirely stunning makeovers. Both companies are recycling used sails that have reached the end of their life and putting them into use in a series of innovative furniture designs. The group of architects and designers from DVELAS launched their Living Sails line with the purpose of recovering materials that hold unique histories, and give them a fresh new life through art and expert craftsmanship.

Much like the stylish and extremely comfortable Spinnaker chairs. With a frame made out of spring steel, the chair is ergonomically designed with a curvature that allows for optimum circulation in the body. To add an interesting spin to it Spinnaker encourages people to design and customize their own chairs helping them save on the waste from over manufacturing.

 And the idea has to be applauded for its ingenuity. After all what could be better raw material for all-weather outdoor furniture than sails used by ships. Even once it’s too deteriorated to be used for navigation, the tough, weather-resistant fabric is the perfect material for outdoor furniture.

DVELAS sources its sails from JTX Sails and has launched six different lines of modern outdoor furniture.  Each piece is created from one of many different types of sails, and is accompanied by information on the sail’s history, details on the port and boat it came from, and the name of the original sailmaker. Washed and waterproofed, the fabric still features the marks and designs printed on the original cloth. So you not only have a piece of stylish and comfortable furniture in your house but also a piece of history.

The DVELAS’ website accepts donation of sails, which will be transformed into chairs, cushions, shade structures, and floating rafts.

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It's all topsy-turvy!

Finally, India can boast of an upside down building of its own!

The Caracella Club, named after the first building created as a club by the Romans, has been inspired by the WonderWorks’ ‘inverted amusement parks’ in the USA. Perched to look like it’s about to tip over, it’s been built by the Meriton Group as a part of the Indirapuram development in the NCR region, as a centrepiece for the development. Though, it’s the first of its kind in India, the building is now on the short list of upside down buildings existing the world over. 

Japan’s Nagano Prefecture, aside from hosting the 1998 Winter Olympics, also has the pretty pink Sakasa Resoto to its credit. Looking like a house that stumbled across a tripwire in the dark and landed on its head, the entire structure is perched on its roof. From an upside down bicycle rack to (inside) to upside down buckets acting as lampshades and even slippers stuck to the ... umm ... floor, the restaurant owners have gone to great lengths to make sure their diners get an authentic upside-down experience.

Other equally bizarre looking structures on this list are Norman Johnson’s Upside-Down House called ‘Sunrise’ in Florida (well, nobody lives here, for sure!) The house that is a model home outside the Sunrise Golf Village is enough to give anybody vertigo. A very faithful reproduction of a 1960’s Florida home ... umm, sort of the house is entirely upside down. Even the furniture inside is mounted upside down and a whole car’s parked upside down in the carport! Look at the house for a little while and you’re sure to start feeling wrong-footed!

And of course, the list goes on with ‘The Device To Root Out Evil’ in Calgary, Alberta which is designed to look like a church that’s poised on the tip of its steeple and ‘The World Stands on Its Head’ in Germany (well...) as well as (this one probably wins the award) the upside down house in St. Petersburg, Russia. If you’re wondering why there are no caps there, it’s because the house simply is upside down! (Except, very considerately, its doghouse)Who knows why!

Then there is the very ornate House of Katmandu in (er...) Spain as well as another called ‘House- Attack’ (!) in Austria etc.

Who knows why the architects or, in some cases, home-owners decided to tip their worlds upside down, but whatever their motivation that’s definitely one short cut to the history books!

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GiraDora and how!

I know from personal experience that washing clothes without a machine is one of the most dreary, time consuming, exhausting and, often likely to be, thankless job ever! So when I read the news of this super cool eco-friendly washer and spin-dyer I just had to talk about it! Created by Alex Cabunoc and Ji A this rather brilliant invention called the GiraDora is powered by a foot pedal!

Priced at $40, the GiraDora looks like an old fashioned ice bucket or water camper or perhaps ice cream maker! All you have to do is fill it with soap and water put the lid on top and then sit on it. Yes, sit on it! And start pedalling! It’s portable so it can be kept anywhere and you can sit on it (I really can’t get over that) and just start pedalling. No more sore backs or cramping legs or wrist strain or anything else! Much like a washing machine the GiraDora can wash loads of clothes at a time. And the amazing little machine dries them too. Now anybody in a family can wash clothes as long as their feet reach the pedal. It saves time, energy, water and your muscles!

Not just that, the machine might well be a source of income through providing laundry services or giving the machine out on rent. It could definitely be a great boon for many, many families, particularly in developing countries and those living in far flung areas and  has been rightly recognised by both the Dell Social Innovation Challenge and the International Design Excellence Awards.

Currently being field tested in Peru there are plans to make the machine available in other parts of the world like South America and India too. 

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A slice of Europe - Made in China

The Chinese have done it again! Attempted something that had never been tried before, that is. They've built themselves their own slice of Europe! 

Hallstatt, Austria

China has cloned the original Austrian village, Hallstatt, a UNESCO protected heritage site. Every last detail of the village has been copied in this replica dubbed Hallstatt See by the China Minmetals Corporation, located in the Guangdong province. The $940 million dollars project was announced by the Corporation in June, 2011 and now, in just about a year, the village is open to visitors. With an acreage of about a million square meters the village is intended to attract home buyers as well as visitors. 

Hallstatt See, China

However, this little slice of Europe in Asia in garnering some mixed responses from people. While the Chinese seem to be enjoying the place a lot, there are others who believe cloning a whole village isn't quite right. Especially since you can't emulate what really makes it unique in the first place. When the project was first announced, Hallstatt's mayor had expressed concerns over this venture of the Chinese too, afraid they'd copy everything including the village's place of worship. In fact, angry Austrians had announced that they'd consider legal action and would consult with the UNESCO about it. 


However, Hallstatt's mayor seems to have, since then changed his views. In fact, he flew in to mark the official opening of the clone and signed documents promising more cultural thoroughfare between the two Hallstatts since they realised the value of the the publicity it's afforded them. Accessible only by boat or after trekking through tough Alpine trails, Hallstatt, Austria now sees a lot more visitors than it did earlier thanks to its Chinese counterpart. In fact, as proof of complete acceptance, the original Hallstatt's website now reads: 'The original Hallstatt. Photgraphed a million times. Copied once.' How's that for a sea change!

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Fishing for plastic

If you were to be wandering around the Botafogo Beach in Rio around now, don't be surprised to see two giant fish rearing out of the sand and seemingly aiming for the sky.Glittering with the reflection of the sun's rays or if it's a little later in the evening, glowing a warm blue and red (thanks to little LED lights), juxtaposed against the scenic backdrop of Rio's mountains, they might look like something your beauty-drunk brain made up on its own. But they're real, alright. Well, not real fish but real enough otherwise. 

Image by Ascom Riotur

Made out of plastic bottles, these gorgeous fish are not only a spectacular tourist attraction for the duration of the  United Nations Conference of Sustainable Development or the Rio +20. They are also intended to remind us, not least of all, thanks to their sheer size, of the threat of over-consumption of plastic bottles to the planet. Each day human beings around the world use millions of these disposable plastic bottles that are ironically, not disposed of correctly, ending up at land fills instead of being recycled. Unsurprisingly our rivers and oceans are also victims of this over-consumption, directly affecting the marine life which is choking under all this plastic. 

The giant sculptures are meant to impress people, in many ways, of the the threat plastic and our careless attitudes towards its use pose to the ecosystem, and more specifically to marine life. And the bottles used for this are barely an infinitesimal portion of the real problem facing us. 

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High living!

Talk about living in the clouds. If Tokyo's X- Seed 4000, designed to be the world's tallest tower at a whopping 13,000 ft, were ever to see the light of day that's exactly what its inhabitants would be doing. Seemingly inspired by Mount Fuji in terms of structure the monstrous building would soar even higher than the volcanic mountain.

This Utopian project designed by Taisei Corporation is to be a self-contained high-rise built to eco-friendly norms. However, a building that towers over a mountain is no joke and not only would it have to protect its inhabitants from regular things but all from extreme variance in light, temperature, atmospheric pressure and weather gradations. With a 6-kilometre footprint to anchor it to the ground, the building could house about five hundred thousand to a million people!   

However, according to Buildings & Data, the building was never intended to be translated into reality. The idea was to get the company some recognition. And with their design of the tallest building in the world, which would easily leave every other contender eating dust, there’s no doubt the Taisei Corporation has managed it.

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Fishing Out Trouble

Now here’s some technology we can all be thankful for and which was sorely needed given the condition of our seas.

European group BMT has introduced a new fish in the seas of Spain and this is one fish that’s not ending up on your dinner plate anytime soon! The Robo-Fish has been designed to swim even in the deepest parts of the ocean to detect pollution in the waters. This 1.5 m long fish has been made to emulate its real-life counterparts in every detail so as not to scare these inhabitants of the deep. Of course, its fish-like shape is the most suitable for its task since it is the most hydro-dynamic shape in nature whereas if the machine had been outfitted with propellers and the like there would be more chances of it getting snagged in the weedier depths.

So, this new Robo-fish works on several levels towards the cause of pollution detection. Not only can it swim to unprecedented depths to look for the presence of pollutants in the water, check salinity and oxygen levels; it provides constant real-time detection as opposed to periodic checks at harbours in which case it is often too late to check the spread or trace the culprits. The Robo-fish can also be fitted with detectors for different types of pollutants depending on the waters it is scouring.

With the construction cost of each fish at about £20,000, the robot is currently on its test swim in the waters of Spain. If it proves to be successful it is hoped to be seen in more countries across the world. 

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Light and easy!

Keeping it light could acquire a whole new dimension if this newest piece of furniture is anything to go by.

This Paperpedic Bed by Karton is, you guessed it, made of paper. Not only that, this miracle recyclable bed can be turned from a twin bed to a King size one and is claimed to be able to take up to 1 tonne of weight and can comfortably sleep 10 people. Apparently, the company gathered a group of volunteers to test its claim. 

And yes, again, it’s made of paper. Made by a system of intricately folded and tabbed paper panels that come together to form a sleek structure the bed is lightweight, strong and of course, recyclable.

The idea behind Karton’s designing is to create furniture that can be assembled or, rather, unfolded without the need for glue or chasing after extra parts. They wanted their products to be minimalistic, durable and affordable. So their bed retails at about $190 and you can add a set of space-saving drawers that can just slide under the bed at an additional $60 and round it off with a bedside table at about $75.  And voila! You have a whole set of recyclable bedroom furniture at less than $350.

However, if you live anywhere but in Australia you might have a bit of a problem sourcing the company’s furniture for a while yet as it's only available for sale online within Australia. However, the good news is that the company is considering making its furniture available for sale in other countries as well and it might just be possible since they ship all their furniture in compact boxes. Karton also has a variety of other furniture like stools and office furniture that you can consider.

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Living in the deep, blue sea

Fancy living in a hotel where you wake up to, not the sun, but coral reefs outside your window? Well, your wish might just be Dubai's command.


Polish firm Deep Ocean Technology has unfurled Dubai's latest underwater ambition - the Water Discus Hotel.Though this isn't Dubai's first attempt at a place like that, this one is aimed at being slightly different from the earlier plan; whether or not it will ever see the light of day remains to be seen.


The hotel will comprise of a series of discs, one of which will be positioned about 21 stories underwater, offering the guests a view directly into the Persian Gulf. These discs are also interchangeable and if that particular area of Dubai were to fall out of fashion for any reason, well, DOT has thought of that too. “If any changes in environmental or economic conditions occur, the Water Discus modules can be transferred to a different place. This offers a unique opportunity to live underwater on a permanent basis with unlimited options to change locations.”  


What this also apparently means is that any interior design changes or other things could actually take place offsite.

 What is also interesting about the design is that the above-water discs have “positive buoyancy, which means they can be used as lifesaving vessels after being detached from the main body of the upper disc.”

And, if for reasons unforeseen , the hotel is not constructed in the planned location, Deep Ocean Technology have made the design plans adaptable to varying sea levels.

The hotel is also to include a diving center, underwater tourist vehicles, a spa, garden areas, an above-water terrace, and a helipad for guests.

Now, all that remains is to see if these plans will come to fruition or go the way of the Hydropolis or Dubai's famous but now sinking island atlas.

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Pop a champagne and how!

So, Guinness is celebrating its 250th Anniversary this year and they've decided to make a splash with it. Quite literally.

The company commissioned London based Jump Studios to repurpose a submarine, creating the world's first deep sea bar! Working in co-ordination with famed carpenter and designer Nicholas Alexander, Jump Studios has created this funky bar in the insides of the submarine. Designed to look like it was floating full of bubbles the team measured the interiors of the submarine and constructed the pre-fabricated interior shell in Alexander's London studio before assembling it in sub zero temperatures and then sinking the newly created bar deep into the Baltic Sea. While some of these prefabricated bubbles have been fit with LED lights, some have been left open to hold glasses and the like.

 Made to strict marine engineering guidelines, the designers had to take into account not just the unique interiors of the submarine but also the stringent guidelines regarding its daily mechanics and ventilation and fire safety. However, none of that seems to have impaired the signature playfulness of the Jump studio that is now stamped  on the world's first and only deep sea bar. 

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Nestling in the mountains

Now, who wouldn't want to work in a place like this?

Surrounded by lush alpine greenery in the valley of Saint-Jean-de-Morains between Lyon and Grenoble, this is one corporate office unlike any other you ever saw. The newly constructed office of Rossignol, a leader in the snow sports industry, has been designed and constructed to reflect their technology, commitment to the outdoors, as well as their beautiful, mountainous surroundings. Designed by Herault Arnold Architctes, the structure has been blanketed under one continuous roof that dips, sways and peaks to reflect the mountains around it, with skylights that allow natural light to stream in to rooms.

The skeleton has been built of steel allowing for large, open interior spaces; and then clothed in natural larch wood and grass. The building maximises the use of natural energy by making good use of insulation which prevents the loss of heat. All heat that is wasted is recovered and re-injected into its heating network, and the automatic windows open whenever the conditions outside are just right. Talk about a smart building!

 Inside, the office is the one-stop point for the company, providing for the production of equipment, offices of the management, sales and marketing offices as well as an in-house restaurant very similar to ski lodges.



Now, if you had a place like that to call work, why would you ever want to call in sick?

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The soul of Seoul!

Kudos, Seoul! This is one architectural work of art that the citizens of Seoul are going to be thanking the civic authorities for, for a long, long time to come.

Seoul restored the lost Cheonggyecheon river which had been buried under asphalt for decades now, turning it into one of the most scenic sites of Seoul. The ChonGae Sunken Stone Garden is located in the Central Business District and was completed in the year 2005. Since then the Garden has seen a footfall of over 10 million which is not surprising in the least bit surprising. Designed by Mikyoung Kim Design, the water levels from season to season allow people to see the status of the river.

For 40 years the stream was covered with a pavement and used as a road. Until they started a project to restore the river and the result was the beautiful urban park it’s turned into today. The Stone Garden is the entry point of the river from where it rises and falls over the sloping and stepped stones. The Garden has, since, become an important place for festivals, concerts and other public events. And we can see why.

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It's all bio!

(picture courtesy inhabitat.com)

This is one home you’re not likely to forget in a hurry. The Villa Bio in Figueres, Spain designed by Cloud9, Barcelona is as eye-catching a home as it is Green. This home has a gorgeous living roof, floor to ceiling glass windows that cap the ends and even an underground parking. 

The entire structure of the house seems to be composed of one ribbon of concrete, slit across the middle and pulled up to make it seem like a split-level. There are also no beams in the house to support the structure, even with the living roof which adds a considerable amount of weight. The living roof at Villa Bio is also designed to support the weight of people lounging in the garden as well as gardening on it. The garden however is a Hydroponic garden which means the garden is planted without the use of soil. 

However, there is the fact that concrete has a rather high carbon footprint. But on the upside it has a remarkably long life and can be recycled. 

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Just hanging around!

So you fancy yourself a camping enthusiast? Or do you dream of weekends spent outside of four walls and far from the madding crowd?

Well, whatever be your reason for heading out of the city or even your own house, we're sure these tree-hung tents called Tentsile Treehouse Tents would make you very happy!

The tents are meant to be anchored off the ground and mostly, as the name suggests, to be hung between trees when you're living in the wild, much like a hammock. And if there are no trees handy or you just feel the desire or well, the necessity, to sleep out of doors in your backyard, these Tentsile Treehouse Tents also come equipped with three poles you can use to anchor your tent. So, yes, it's a lot like a portable tree house and claims that it'll keep you safe from, well, everything that crawls on the ground, including ground water. For things that can fall off trees ... well, we wish you luck.

The other interesting feature of the tent is that it has compartments and claims to have sleeping room for three people! Well!

Now, as is obvious while the tent is perfect for some situations and you're OK wit jumping out of bed, literally, every morning, we're not sure it's the most ideal thing for every situation.For instance, if your camping trip is an extended one, not having any sort of solid ground under you for such a long time could cause you some back problems. Also, when it rains, only water on the ground would not be your problem. Water could also pool on the tent making things rather uncomfortable.

However, if its camping in the backyard you're looking at, the Tentsile Treehouse Tents sound like a great proposition. 

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The walls are breathing!

Balcony at Dilston Grove

(copyright Ackroyd & Harvey)

It’s almost literally a temple of green. South East London’s Dilston Grove Art gallery used to once upon a time be a church. And today, it comes fairly close to being something of a living edifice. 

The Italian style church (formerly known as Clare College Mission Church) was the first concrete church to be built in England in the early 1900s. The derelict church has now been converted into an art gallery and boasts of grass walls that cover its interiors, courtesy Ackroyd & Harvey of London.  

Watering Dilston Grove -
(copyright Ackroyd & Harvey)

The austere exteriors of the church gave way to compelling interiors and the artists saw in them the potential to create something that could be a monumental art work. And so came about the grass interiors of Dilston Grove, when vision came together with clay, germinating grass seed, water and natural light; there was almost nothing that stop the creation of this living and breathing, literally, work of art.

Working in conjunction with sound artist and composer, Grame Miller the artists infused life of a unique kind in the decaying interiors of the building over a 3 week period. That it was a breathtaking sight for sore eyes, we have no doubt. Just as we’re sure it brought alive the walls in a way its original architects would never have thought of.   

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