JTS engineering blog

University of Westminster architecture student James Gardener has designed this conceptual bridge for the River Thames, London, made from a series of floating elements that would be linked together and free to move with the tide.

High Tide Street would connect the towns of Woolwich on the north bank and Silvertown on the south bank, and become a shared public space consisting of a concert hall, library, fish market and oyster bar.

The islands would be connected on flexible hinges and could be reconfigured.

Here’s some more from the architect:

Floating delicately between the physical and cultural boundaries of Silvertown and Woolwich, a new inhabitable bridge generates ephemeral connections and constantly shifting spatial configurations, governed by the rhythmic ebb and flow of the Thames.

Londoners can begin to re-territorialise the once vibrant artery of the city in this vacillating new cultural hub for London.

My project began with an intensive programme of time-lapse film studies, historical research and investigative interventions into the broken connections between both the North and South banks of the Thames at Silvertown/ Woolwich and more generally between London and the Thames.

As the interventions developed, the brief set up a series of questions: how could the Thames be reoccupied and reconnected with London, using the contrapuntal dynamics of the ebb and flow of the tide as a generator for new, unusual spatial configurations and connections with London’s main artery?

The programme proposes for a new cultural ‘high street’ for Silvertown/ Woolwich/ London, including a Thames Oyster bar, a floating library, a concert hall and fish market, all continuously shifting with the tide. New connections are made with the river both locally and for the whole of London.

blogged by: Jake Shea

credit: Dezeen

UK designers Studiofibre have complete the west London headquarters of fashion brand Net-A-Porter.

The project incorporates office, retail and events space, and a photography studio.

Studiofibre inserted two mezzanines in the ten metre-high space and a glass meeting room at the entrance.

All photographs are by Pantling Studio.

Here’s some more information from the designers:

Net-A-Porter is the world’s leading luxury fashion ‘etailer’ and currently one of the fastest growing companies in the UK.

In moving from Whiteleys to Westfield, the brief was to create not simply an office, but more ‘a progressive working environment’ which formed a hybrid between office, photographic studios, retail and event space.

The Net-A-Porter brand has a strong masculine presence, with a feminine finesse and a key element of the brief was to capture the essence of this brand.

From an operational point of view, the business model is constantly evolving as are the projected headcount figures, and with this in mind it was important to create an environment that was flexible and that could accommodate such rapid change.

The location was Westfield’s ‘leisure box’, previously destined to be a swimming pool and sports centre and was presented as a shell with no CAT A elements, a vast, cavernous ‘airplane hanger’ with 10M ceiling height.

The timeframe and budget were very aggressive, completing the 44,000 sq ft space from shell to pristine finish, at an average of £60 / sq ft ( including furniture ) within 8 months.

Our solution was to create a ‘working wonderland’ which exploited the ‘non-standard’ nature of the location ( without the use of standard office elements ) and which embraces the ‘progressive’ work environment whilst building a 3D embodiment of the Net-A-Porter brand.

To achieve this, we used smooth vaulted fabric ceilings, bespoke contemporary lighting rafts, elegant Murano glass chandeliers, soaring, oversized panelled doors, sculpted bespoke furniture and a mixture of matt and high gloss finishes that scoop out dimension in an otherwise flat, monochromatic palette … together with a carefully chosen, eclectic collection of budget conscious furniture, very simple carpet spec and painted finishes.

Structurally, two new mezzanine floors were created, each with its own bold statement staircase to offer a more interesting circulation around the space, whilst a floating glass meeting room hovers at the entrance to the main hall, offering fantastic panoramic views across the working landscape and a vast wooden sculpture of steps sets the context for the ‘Theatre’ area at the heart of the space.

A typical working day at Net-A-Porter could take place in any number of ‘settings’ and could involve an appointment in the exquisite, panelled buyers’ suite, a brainstorm in the ‘Living Room’, an informal chat at the front-of-house self-service bar, under the skylight and ornate ceiling (sampled from the original ceiling at the Dome in Whiteleys) or in one of the padded ‘diner-style’ booths.

Whether stealing a quiet moment under the ‘hood’ of the brooding gothic thrones in the ‘Library’ or sitting on the ‘Theatre’ steps whilst a backdrop of runway shows plays out on the wall at cinema scale proportions, the mix of classical/minimal, traditional/contermporary, whether in the form of sliced moulding details or oversized paneling and door proportions is always apparent and reminds you that you are at the heart of a new technology driven cycle that is today’s world of Fashion.

blogged by: Jake Shea

Click above for larger image

August 4th, 2010

Polish studio moomoo architects have introduced mirrored columns, slanted walls and a clothes shop to the interior of this hair salon in Warsaw, Poland.

The reflective columns serve as mirrors for stylists and shoppers, and open up to provide extra storage.

The slanted walls have sections removed to create workspaces with integrated sinks and shelves to display hair products.

The salon has rails suspended from the ceiling for clothes to hang on and a changing room concealed behind a mauve curtain.

Here’s some more from the architects:

The salon therefore carries a secondary function – it also serves as an exhibition space for young designer’s garments hand picked by a famous Polish designer.

A fitting room is concealed behind the curtain wall which visually separates the retail function from the hair dresser’s zone.

Inclined wall planes are bisected by horizontal cuts which open shelf space for the exhibited hair products along with the functional sink surface.

Tall slender mirror columns serve to both clients and the stylists, offering abundance of storage and function inside.

Spacial dynamism and multiple reflections offer multiple perspectives into the space resulting in a playful creative environment for hair masters.

Plenty of waiting space is provided for along the window openings as well as at the entrance.

blogged by: Jake Shea

credit: Dezeen

Architecture graduate John Becker’s final project involved creating the future headquarters of a fictional company that sells bottled water harvested from dew.

The Columbia University School of Architecture graduate also constructed an invented history of the brand, but based the story on the real-life practice of collecting water in “dew ponds” and set the story in a real location in southern England.

Images from top: interior, exterior and section of Reserve House, constructed 2071 of amalgamated chalk to store vintage bottles of water.

Entitled An Atmosphere Excavated, the story starts in 1786 and continues to 2074, when the “dew pond” system has been commercialised by the Ethereal water brand.

Above: vintage  water harvested from dew and marked with the date it was bottled.

“The site itself is fictional, but intended to pass as real in order to build the story on a foundation that is easily accepted,” says Becker. “Eventually the timescale passes present day, extending into the future and exposing the story for a piece of fiction.”

Above: 18th Century engraving depicting dew ponds on the site

Becker completed the project while studying at a studio named Glacier, Island, Storm taught by Geoff Manaugh of BLDGBLOG.

Above: 18th Century engraving showing location of dew ponds on the site

Here’s the story written by Becker:

A fictional narrative exploring the potential of the dew collection though the past, present, and future.

Dating back to the 18th century the Harnham Estate, located a short distance outside Salisbury England has documented regional techniques for harvesting water providing a rich history of the practice and the subsequent effects. The methods applied through the centuries reflect regional limitations, a shift in intention and attempts to amplify efficiencies. Although many of these techniques are specific to the region and time period, they are not necessarily unique to the site; it is the extent of the documentation of these exercises and the entrepreneurial achievements intent on monetary gain that make the subsequent story so fascinating.

Above: 19th Century map detail showing cistern

After acquiring the Estate in 1786 following the death of his Father, Sir Edward Harnham commissioned a series of engraved maps to be produced of the Estate. Cataloguing the boundaries of the Estate, as well as all landmarks within the terrain in a series of 4 maps and 2 scenic prints one depicting the manor, and the other the view of the Salisbury Cathedral from the manor. The 2 remaining images both display the dew ponds contained on the site. The large number and proximity of these dew ponds is rare, and is considered to be the largest concentration of dew ponds known in the South Downs.

Above: 19th Century map detail showing cistern and dew ponds

Located on large deposits of chalk the South Downs is essentially a large aquifer making the retention of water a difficult task. For hundreds of years residents of the South Downs have used a technique known as puddling to construct dew ponds which allow water to be drawn from the atmosphere and retained on the surface for long periods to provide drinking water for cattle. In the Early 20th century a catastrophic failure exposed a previously forgotten cistern located beneath the dew ponds. A local architecture firm was hired to survey the cistern and assess its potential threat to the existing manor. The conclusions presented stated that once the water had evacuated the cistern it was no longer a structural threat to the residence.

Above: photograph showing fault in chalk landscape following early 20th century failure

No one was injured in the failure, however a large number of livestock were lost. The rupture left a large chalk scar on the landscape which could be seen kilometres away. Inspired by the still visible scar James Harnham and a business partner John Linski founded Ethereal 1.

Above: photograph showing cistern revealed in early 20th century

Providing premium bottled water harvested from the now locally known Harnham dew ponds, Ethereal 1 entered the market June 11th, 1991 at £14 a litre. After a slow start Ethereal 1 finally met with success in 1995 as the market for bottled water grew exponentially. In order to meet growing demands, a series of dew collecting nets were pioneered by a London based architecture firm MJB Architects which allowed for a 25 fold increase in production. Due to peak production vs. bottling time, storage bladders were constructed on the hillside to provide short term storage for water during the process. The Bladders were placed under the surface of the earth to provide protection from the sun, and to retain the water’s desired temperature.

Above: dew-collecting nets

This new system now mirrored the previous system of harvesting, storing, and distorting the landscape, except on an exaggerated time scale. The success of Ethereal 1 is largely credited to the history of water collection from the Estate. Inversely this success in turn encouraged the use of these techniques in the region to meet growing demands for water during periods of drought. Once these techniques were spread over a larger region their success caused the near collapse of the water table in the territory north of the South Downs. In 2026 a bill failed to pass that would have banned all acts of poaching the aerial aquifers within Southern England. By 2035 desalination became the leading source of water for England followed closely by atmospheric stripping techniques such as dew harvesting. At present 3000 cubic miles of water exist in the atmosphere at any given time. 98 percent of this resource is replenished every 2 days, and most importantly only 2 percent of this moisture exist in clouds, the vast majority is found in ambient air. Since 2028 atmospheric aquifers have been tracked and traded as an asset in the global stock exchange.

Above: bladders for storage just under the earth’s surface

As water’s value increases many countries inflate their economies based on water futures. Recognized as one of the most prestigious water companies in the world, Ethereal 1 began to capitalize on their long standing history of water collection. In 2001 the company began selling vintage bottles of water, allowing customers to hand pick select days in which their water was collected.

Above: drawings for Reserve House added in 2071

In 2071 an addition to the manor is constructed to house Ethereal 1s reserve bottle collection. The building is constructed out of an amalgamated chalk solution that itself becomes a source of water collection and storage.

Above: drawings for Reserve House added in 2071

Three years following the construction of the Reserve House a vintage bottle of Ethereal 1 dated prior to the millennium fetches over £40,000 at auction.

blogged by: Jake Shea

credit:Dezeen

In the United States – if not the world – Spanish Architect Santiago Calatrava is the go-to guy when it comes to designing transportation facilities. Having established a reputation as a formidable designer of bridges, Calatrava moved on to design a collection of world-class cultural facilities and other instantly recognisable structures such as the Chicago Spire and the Ground Zero Transportation hub, earning him a fair share of fans and critics. So naturally, when the news broke that his design for a major expansion of the 5th busiest airport in the United States was to be unveiled today, journalists and critics were poised at the front lines to report on this momentous occasion; bets were hedged as to whether the design would rise to the level of an icon, like many Calatrava-designed structures, or fall deep into a hole of nothingness like the ill-fated Chicago Spire, which no amount of cost cutting strategies could rescue.

If Caltarava seems a risky bet, he is. Many of his structures were too ambitious for the patrons who commissioned them, leading some, like the Milwaukee Museum of Art, scrambling for ways to stop bleeding money despite throngs of visitors. But if Calatrava’s design for the Denver International Airport expansion garners the universal and instant admiration that his Ground Zero transportation hub did upon its unveiling, the risk may be worth it. Whether you like his buildings or not, Calatrava succeeds in difficult contexts that are highly prone to failure, like Ground Zero where in spite of the air still being thick with contention, raw emotion and divisiveness, he has won the hearts of the world making him perhaps an ideal choice for a project such as this one that is long on ambition, mired in politics and enormously expensive.

The new South Terminal Redevelopment Program at Denver’s International Airport is made up of four independent yet physically integrated projects: a new rail station that will connect the airport to downtown Denver, a signature rail bridge, a multi-use plaza with retail and concessions, and a 500-room hotel and conference centre. Denver is one of the few major airports in the world without a passenger rail link to the downtown. This project endeavors to change that by building out the original plans of the 1995 airport which included an on-site hotel and a rail station linked to the downtown. In designing the train station located next to Jeppesen Terminal’s iconic roof, Calatrava chose to continue the axial symmetry of the terminal in the new work and contrast its tensile fabric tents with a compressive arch – a motif he continues in each of the program elements.

This motif is first announced in the project’s signature rail bridge, a tied arch structure, which serves as a symbolic gateway to the Denver International Airport and is continued in the station’s design where the arch is repeated to create a generous four storey vaulted space. Stairs, elevators and escalators provide access from the station to lateral circulation galleries located in flanking podium structures. These galleries connect passengers to the existing baggage claim area, the plaza, and landscaped areas to the north. The podium structures house a conference centre and hotel support spaces to the east and office space to the west. These areas will receive natural light from the station’s translucent ceiling as well as from the glazed north and south facades. Above the station at the main arrivals level is a plaza that can be programmed for a variety of spaces, providing dramatic views of the Rocky Mountains. The hotel, which is designed by Gensler, sits to the south end of the terminal and above the new train station.

Calatrava’s South Terminal Program aspires to integrate a hotel, canopy, plaza, station and current terminal in manner that respects and completes the existing terminal architecture whilst providing enhanced connectivity, functionality and revenue potential for the Denver International Airport. As currently planned, the project will be accomplished in two phases. The first phase, which includes the train station, hotel, rail bridge and plaza is estimated to cost $650m. The second phase, which is estimated to cost an additional $250m, will include a new parking structure and renovations to the Jeppesen Terminal Great Hall. The project will be primarily financed by General Airport Revenue Bonds and is expected to open to passengers in 2016.

blogged by: Jake Shea

credit: World Architecture News

Leeds Metropolitan University graduate Charlotte Wilson was awarded Best in Show at London graduate show Free Range this year for her proposal to convert a bunker into a museum.

The existing RAF Bempton bunker in Yorkshire, UK is built into a cliff-side and would be be transformed into a museum celebrating the role of women during war.

The bunker would be dug out in areas to reveal its three metre-thick walls and create a series of courtyards open to the air.

A glazed roof over one section would have water flowing over it and down a wall etched with the names of pivotal women from past wars.

Part of the bunker would protrude out of the cliff to create a viewing platform over the sea.

Here’s some more from Wilson:

‘Women . War . Peace’ will be a new and exciting war museum with the pure focus of Women and War. Journeying through the exhibition will illustrate the compassion, realism, horrors and bravery seen and felt through the eyes of women during war time, both on the front-line and behind the scenes. This museum interrogates the creativity of learning through emotional and experiential spaces and details.

By breaking out of the bunker from it’s central pit space, the architectural language conveys the juxtaposition between the protective shell of the bunker and it’s contrasting dangerous subject matter. Through this process the bunker’s thick 3.3 metre walls are revealed and with this, external underground courtyards are created, allowing for pause and contemplation throughout the experience. The whole experience will be of constant enlightenment, with natural light increasingly puncturing underground and views being progressively exposed.

The bunker accommodates four main stages, Past, Present, Reflection and Remembrance;

Past. The main Exhibition Space is located within and around the bunker with the focused narrative being of the two different stories of ‘Women at War’ (situated within the bunkers walls) and ‘Women at Home’ (breaking out of the bunker to create new spaces). This gives the idea of the Women at Home being ‘Behind the Scenes’ and supporting the Women at War.

Click above for larger image

This experience will house the stories of Women from 1914 to 2000 through interactive stations, silo spaces and archived resources with the experience being of an intimate nature. At the heart of the exhibition is an interactive time line structure which contains an immersive eerie environment within it’s walls reminding the visitor of ‘absence’. This structure is impertive as a collective point and a place to delve deeper into the information.

Click above for larger image

Present. This experience takes place within the Souterrain and courtyard spaces and is dedicated to the stories of women of war from 2000 to the present day. Water flows along a glazed roof and enters into the space flowing down a wall, etched with the names of admirable Women, before the tunnel punctures through the cliff face to reveal a viewing platform over the sea.

Click above for larger image

Reflection and Remembrance. This viewing platform allows for the visitor to reflect over the information gleaned whilst looking out to sea. As this space is partially exposed, visitors will begin to feel a sense of freedom as they listen to the birds song.

Click above for larger image

Future. After ascending back up to ground level, the visitor is able to look back on underground spaces with a new perspective as they wonder freely back along the site. A proposed viewing platform will rise into the sky, allowing a view over the explosive narrative of the site.”

blogged by: Jake Shea

credit: Dezeen

Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut has designed a conceptual transport system that would involve airships powered by seaweed.

Called Hydrogenase, the project envisages that by 2030 there could be farms in the ocean producing biofuel from seaweed and acting as hubs for the aircraft.

Here’s a lot of text from Callebaut:

ALGAE FARM TO RECYCLE CO2 FOR BIO-HYDROGEN AIRSHIP

Between engineering and biology, Hydrogenase is one of the first projects of bio-mimicry which draws its inspiration from the beauty and the shapes of the nature, but also and especially from the qualities of its materials and its self-manufacturing processes. The new green revolution is really in progress and enables us to design the air mobility of the foil after shock, 100% self-sufficient in energy and zero carbon emission! This inhabitated vertical aircraft inaugures a clean and ethic mobility to meet the needs of the population en distress touched by the natural and sanitary catastrophes, and all that without any runway! Its architecture is subversive and fundamentally critic towards the ways of living of our contemporary society that we have to reinvent totally! Let’s take off thanks to biofuels and let’s propel to the eco-responsible transport of the future!

2015: Biofuels of the 3rd generation, the challenge of a sustainable mobility

The price of the fuel has just reached a new historical record by passing 75 dollars the barrel in 2010. Within 10 years, we could reach the famous “Hubbert Peak”, the precise moment from which the worldwide fuel production will begin to decrease because of shortages. In such a context, the massive resort to renewable energies and nanotechnologies, that do not emit gas with greenhouse effect, is becoming an absolute economical, technological and political priority! From Queensland’s university to the Karlsruhe’s one, going through Berkeley in California, the « third generation » biofuels are in gestation and will revolutionize our future sustainable land or air mobility. Their main strengths: they do not compete either with the food cultures nor with the forest spaces and can be developed naturally everywhere in the world even in arid territories, the whole tending to a targeted bio-remediation of the industrial CO2.

Able to produce electricity and biofuel without emit CO2 or other polluting substances, the hydrogen especially is nowadays such as a very promising clean energy source. Therefore (its production that respects the environment and in sufficient quantity) is a study theme that interests the biggest scientific international groups. Actually, at the end of the 90s it has been discovered that the private sulphur micro-seaweeds go from the oxygen production (classical photosynthesis) to the hydrogen production. Such as a growing tree uses the solar radiance to manufacture organic material, we aim today at producing by photosynthesis some dihydrogen (i.e. gaseous hydrogen) from living micro-organisms as seaweeds from the « Chlamydomonas reinhardtii » family that owns enzyme of hydrogenase type.

According to biologists, the output obtained by a farm with micro-seaweeds would be superior to those made currently with farming means to produce biodiesel or bioethanol. This could be estimated at 1000 litres of hydrogen for 330 grams of chlorophyll per day whereas for example colza produces roughly only 1000 litres of oil per hectare. According to industrials a hectare of seaweeds could thus produce organically 120 times more biofuels than a hectare of colza, soya or sunflower.

Moreover, a farm with seaweeds is a true miniature biochemical power station able to absorb CO2 as main nutrient by photosynthesis accelerated by producing hydrogen in vitro or in bioreactors. This natural process, nourishing itself with our waste enables thus to recycle under the effect of the sun, in seaweeds or sea water baths, up to 80% of carbonic gas and NOx (nitrogen oxides also very impacting on the greenhouse effect). The global organic cycle enables therefore to revaluate our carboned rejections such as for example those are coming from filters with particles of our cars, reactors of our airplanes or also our rockets coming from thermal power stations with coal or gas.

2020: Towards an aerial revolution and agree generation of airships?

The builders of airplanes get involved at maxima until 2020 according to an international agreement to be less polluting (reduction by 80% of their rejection in nitrogen oxides), to be thriftier in fuel (reduction of 20% of the fuel quantity by carried passenger) and finally to be more silent (reduction of 10 decibels, i.e. twice less noise). But what will happen when there will be no more fuel? The end of air freight in 2030 ? According to forecasts, every year from 2010, 200 billion of Chinese people will fly to spend holidays abroad. After the last born A380 of Airbus and the 777-200LR of Boeing, the airplanes of the future will not have such as their previous energy-consumers to be designed without taking into account the notions of sustainable development and the respect of the environment. A theme totally ignored fifteen years ago in this sector! This transport must be eco-designed from renewable energies and present a statement of carbon emission equal to zero!
No airplane, no helicopter, no aircraft, the project « Hydrogenase » marks a new generation of state-of-the-art hybrid airships. It is dedicated to humanitarian missions, rescue operations, installation of platforms for scientific studies, and of course to air freight. Then, complementary activities could be entertainment, eco-tourism, hotel, human transports, air media coverage and territorial waters surveillance.

This mode of transport is certainly less interesting than the piggyback or sea freight and slower than airplane; however it needs less infrastructure and multimodal platforms (runway, freeways, ship/truck alternation…). It consumes thus less territory and will progressively enable to heal our landscapes slashed by the transport network leading to a massive deforestation. Therefore, it costs 10 times less for the carriage of heavy loads as well as traveller transport, and everything without damaging the planet! For the specialists of logistical transport facing the long lasting absence of appropriated road or airport infrastructures in many parts of the world (desert and oceans), this new generation is also very expected to link production sites and using sites. Moreover, flying free health care centres or even country hospitals could also interfere during natural catastrophes, where lives could be in danger. It could also explore and help underprivileged territories of the third world by carrying the raw materials of our globalised alimentation to those who are hungry in remote places!

Hydrogenase is thus a jumbo jet vessel (DGP) that flies at an average of 2 000 meters high. This cargo measures almost 400 meters high for 250 000m3. It can carry up to 200 tons of freight at 175 km/h (i.e. twice the speed of a ship and more than one and a half time than the one of a truck). Seven times slower than an airplane, it has an action potential between 5 and 10 000km and re-teach our contemporary travellers the long time of sea cruises and the praise of the slowness. The history of the transports which was until now summarized in a study that reveals to always go faster, is soon finished for the benefit of “better travel” in airship!

2030: Hydrogenase, the 100% self-sufficient organic airship of the future

The project Hydrogenase brings to question the « always faster » of our frenetic society and thinks differently to the mobility and services. With bionic look, this inhabited vertical airship sets in the heart of a floating farm of seaweeds that reload it directly with bio-hydrogen. These two interdependent entities are both nomad and organic, the first one flies in the sky and the second one on the seas and oceans.

The proactive ship flourishing in the air :

The semi-rigid not pressurised airship stretches vertically around an arborescent spine that air-dynamically twists on more than 400 meters high and 180 meters of diameter. Forming a big flower ready to open, the spaces divide in cross under the shape of petals that welcome respectively the main sectors of activities: housing, offices, scientific laboratories and entertainment. The stem around the one these functional petals structure themselves, welcome the vertical circulations, the technical premises and the goods warehouses for the freight.

These 4 inhabited spaces are included between 4 great bubbles inflated with bio-hydrogen, a renewable energy. These bubbles are made with a rigid hull in light alloy shaped with twisted longitudinal beams linked together by wide sinusoidal rings. Every end is finished by a cone, and the one at the bottom, the most sharpened one carries the stabilizers and the rudders of deepness and of direction. This framework is covered by a double layer of waterproof, fireproof, glazed canvas to reduce the resistance to advancement. The in-between is divided into slices in which there are small balloons full of helium. The helium mattress in periphery enables to protect the balloons of bio-hydrogen and helium, the remaining 30% are provided by the aerodynamic of the airship twisted fuselage with the speed, as for an airplane.

This type of airship is of course heavier than a flexible aerostat of same cubing because of the weight of the structure, but it can reach higher speeds, thanks to the solidity of its hull in titan, and carry more tons thanks to the ability to build always bigger layers (10000 m3 in 1900, 70 000 m3 in 1924 and 200 000m3 in 1938, 250 000 m3 in 2010). What distinguishes also such a machine from classical aircrafts from the past is that this one is heavier than the air and flies thanks to the Archimedes’ thrust (that does every balloon or aircraft), to helixes or at its subtle twisted aerodynamic that enables to reduce the oscillations of the limited layer. The fact that it is heavier than the air enables actually descents faster without having especially to eject gas. Moreover, the sustentation is based on the compression and the decompression of the biogas. Hydrogenase can thus be lighter or heavier according to the wished needs and the height.

In order to build a proactive airship with positive energy, we also have integrated all the renewable energies. Actually, whereas the inflatable bubbles are glue-backed with flexible photovoltaic cells the four wings of the vessel are each of them inlayed with turbo-propellers with recuperation of energy. These 20 wind propellers are articulated around orbital rings which enable them to go from the horizontal position at the take-off to the vertical position assuring the vessel a navigation speed of 175km/h. The inhabited spaces integrate by steps vegetable gardens photopurifyng the used waters, the biomasses damaging the organic waters and loaded fuel cells. Nothing is lost, everything is recycled and transformed!

On top of absorbing the solar energy, this flying castle draws its inspiration from the biomimicry technologies and is built in lighter and more resistant composite materials (fibreglass and carbon fibre) in order to reduce the weight of its structure at the maximum. The fitting is thus self cleaning, in nanostructured glass inspired from the lotus leave that does not get wet. The vessel is thus made of « intelligent layers » avoiding for example the accumulation of ice or snow and « self-separable ceramics » offering a bigger resistance to the split and that fill the cracks. This bionic coating draws also its inspiration from shark skin that enables without being toxic to avoid the adhesion of bacteria whereas the four wings present irregularities of surface, as the finely beaded whale fins do, in order to reduce the turbulences. The green industry meets thus through this bionic prototype the expectations of the consumption, the always more demanding antipollution regulation and the rarefaction of resources.

The floating organic farm on seas and oceans:

The floating farm is a true organic purifying station composed of 4 carbon wells in which the green seaweeds recycle our carbonated waste brought by ships. This is directly dedicated to feed organically in biohydrogen the proactive airship. It replaces thus the petrol station as the runway for traditional airplanes and looks like a weaving of fine amphibian laces!

Actually, it sets up as much underneath as on top of the sea surface and respects the quadripartite sharing out in petals of the whole Hydrogenase project. Continuing the 4 wings of the pneumatic tower, 4 great arches structure this circular platform and distribute vertically all the levels of the central ring inhabited by the scientists. At the surface, these arches are covered by thermal and photovoltaic solar shields whereas under the water they are set with 32 hydro-turbines transforming the tidal energy of the sea streams into electricity.

Energically self-sufficient, this farm organises on a radiant plan, the seaweed bioreactors exposed to the zenith sun under the lenticular accelerators for a better photochemical output. The whole set forms four gardens dedicated to the accelerated photosynthesis where we access through marinas setting the exchanges between this true new floating city and the surrounding coasts. On top of producing clean energy, this floating purifying station is also an incredible observatory of the sea fauna and flora that fight for the protection of ecosystems and for the revitalization of the beds of corals and of endangered species. It is a true cleaner of seas and oceans by skimming and damaging as main nutrient the floating waste banks of our energy-consuming civilisation.

Hydrogenase is thus a project of environmental resiliency that will enable to invent a clean mobility according to a « cradle to cradle » cycle respecting our planet by assuring also the technological evolution of the human adventure ! As biotechnological prototype, it aims at being the symbiosis of men actions and their positive impacts on the nature. By imitating the processes of natural ecosystems, it deals with reinventing the industrial, town-planning and architectural processes to produce clean solutions and create an industry where everything is reused, either back to the ground under the shape of not toxic « organic nutrients », or back to the industry under the shape of “technical nutrients” able to be indefinitely recycled.

blogged by: Jake Shea

London architects Grimshaw and engineers Arup have unveiled this design for an offshore wind turbine.

Top and above images are by Grimshaw

Called Aerogenerator X, the design for British company Wind Power would produce twice as much power and have half the weight of the company’s current design.

Above diagram is by Arup. Click for larger image.

More green design »

Here’s some more information from Wind Power Limited:

The Aerogenerator X is considered one of the only real alternative solutions available to help deliver the UK’s offshore wind strategy in a reliable and cost effective manner. It does not have the same weight constraints as a normal wind turbine and the blades do not suffer weight-induced fatigue. This new design is half the height of an equivalent horizontal-axis turbine and its weight is concentrated at the base of the structure.

The Aerogenerator X is the conclusion of an 18-month feasibility study called the NOVA project undertaken by Cranfield University, QinetiQ, Strathclyde University, Sheffield University and Wind Power Limited supported by consultant engineers and project managers. The NOVA feasibility project was funded by the Energy Technologies Institute, a public private partnership comprising BP, Caterpillar, EDF, E.ON, Rolls-Royce, Shell, BP, EDF, EON, Caterpillar, the UK Government and Wind Power Limited.

Wind Power Limited is also delighted to announce that it is in the process of entering a Memorandum of Understanding with Arup to help successfully continue project development.

Speaking at the unveiling of Aerogenerator X John Roberts, Head of Energy at Arup, said: ‘Despite the installation of a number of large wind turbines offshore, the problems of increasing capital cost for deeper water remains unsolved as does the issue of safe operability in the marine environment. There is a tremendous opportunity for new ideas to make a difference to the commercial viability and operability of offshore wind power. More cost-effective solutions will be essential if offshore wind power is to make the ‘hoped for’ contribution to the UK’s GHG emission reduction targets.’

Professor Feargal Brennan, Head of Offshore, Process and Energy Engineering at Cranfield University, said: ‘Upsizing conventional onshore wind turbine technology to overcome cost barriers has significant challenges, not least the weight of the blades, which experience a fully reversed fatigue cycle on each rotation. As the blades turn, their weight always pulls downwards, putting a changing stress on the structure, in a cycle that repeats with every rotation – up to 20 times a minute.

‘In order to reduce the fatigue stress, the blade sections and thicknesses are increased which further increases the blade self-weight. These issues continue throughout the device. Drive-train mountings must be stiff enough to support the heavier components inside the nacelle on top of the tower, otherwise the systems can become misaligned and the support structure is also exposed to extremely large dynamic thrust and bending stresses, which are amplified significantly with any increase in water depth.’

Theo Bird of Wind Power Limited said: ‘Offshore is the ideal place for wind power but is also an extremely tough environment. The US wind researchers who worked on vertical axis projects have always regarded the technology as great to work with at sea because it can be big, tough and easily managed. We are extremely grateful to the ETI who had the vision to help us pick up from where the US left off. By facilitating projects like ours they continue the heritage of great engineering in Britain.’

Neven Sidor, Partner at Grimshaw, said: ‘The Aerogenerator X embodies the best in innovative engineering in Britain, and continues an illustrious tradition. Grimshaw has great regard for this engineering tradition, and is delighted to help in its realisation.’

blogged by: Jake Shea

Danish firm Holgaard Arkitekter have refurbished an industrial building in Copenhagen harbour to create a housing complex, building a new glass facade framed in bronze aluminium.

Called The A-House, the project combines 200 serviced apartments with ten units for shops, laundry facilities, cafes and a gym.

The building contains various types of living unit each aimed at a specific niche.

Landscaping and decking on the roof cover seven penthouses.

Interiors feature cast concrete and granite.

Here’s some more information from Holgaard Arkitekter:

The A-House is a former industrial building dating from 1960. In recent years the building has undergone extensive refurbishment.

Today it provides shops, commercial areas and, mainly, service apartments (furnished apartments attached to hotel facilities such as cleaning, laundry, breakfast and fitness center which you can rent for a day, a month or a year, depending on need).

The former industrial building has a character and history that you do not find in modern/new buildings. The ambition with the A-House has been to extend the raw industrial building with a new and modern expression, without eliminating the unique character of the old building.

Untraditional solutions of the interior are used in the modernizing and has resulted in very attractive apartments with cast concrete, cast floors and surfaces of granite. Outside the building has been given a thourough facelift.

The old facade has been completely removed and replaced with a new and transparent glass facade, framed in bronze aluminum, giving the building its new character.

The A-House offers a range of modern and attractive apartment types.

With a total dwelling count of approx. 200 and a shopping arcade with 10 shop units, the project can be considered as a small “town”.

The A-House is modern dwelling arranged in an old industrial building. The conversion has led to increased attention towards open, recreational space and in that context the roof is constructed as a 4000 square meter landscape with hills, pastures and decking.

The landscape is classified as a tablecloth over seven hills, as each represents a penthouse.

A total of 13 stair towers invite all the house residents to stay in the open air with fine views over the city, port and the surrounding landscape of Copenhagen.

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During the development there has been great attention towards creating a house that presents a large range of resident types.

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Instead of developing a single housing type with a general appeal, the A-House contains a big variety of housing types, each of which are aimed at narrow segments of people.

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It has been the goal to create a complex housing environment where many different types of people and age groups, together can create a life in and around the building.

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blogged by: Jake Shea