Polyhedral forms in fishes!

How funny is this: Scientists have looked at exotic fishes a bit more exactly, and guess which structures they found then. Polyeders, of course. What else!

Scrawled cowfish

Humpback turretfish

Irreagular pentagons can be found in the scrawled cowfish and humpback turretfish.
Read the full article here: http://precedings.nature.com/documents/2191/version/1/files/npre20082191-1.pdf 

Best bio cell images of 2010

Promiscuous membrane drug transporter by Graham Johnson

Magazine The Scientist has published a photo and video contest by American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) to look for "The best cell bio images in 2010" and here are the results: cool images of what´s purely happening in nature:
Best cell bio images of 2010 - The Scientist - Magazine of the Life Sciences

Permaculture and organic gardening

Example of permaculture in the desert of Jordan!
"They laughed and said it couldn't be done..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sohI6vnWZmk

Living Walls: Vertical Gardening

Marché des Halles in Avignon

After Guerilla Gardening now Vertical Gardening. What is that?
Both the term and the subject were invented by french landscape architect Patrick Blanc, who has developed a special module to which plants can be attached quite easily.
The advantage of vertical gardens, or green walls, how they are also called more general, is not only their esthetic quality, but also their benefit for the house to which it is attached and the environment. The plants perform as natural regulators and catalysts for humidity and filtration, while the environment takes huge advantage in better air quality (don´t want to start with Co2 + plants > O2, you know this...)
Vertical gardens will be essentially important for our future planet, as space on the ground is getting rare and precious, so space needs to be used as efficient as possible, which means: vertically.
So therefore, that is a really good starting point for the development of further vertical garden modules and systems.
http://www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com/

Guerilla Gardening: fantastic green spaces in the city!

(by inhabitat.com)

Most people don´t expect any wild green spaces in the city. But there are more and more people that seem to like the idea of having many single green spots where normally, there is only a grey stony house desert.
I think I´ve heard of this method about one year ago and was immediately hooked. Imagine, your new hobby is strolling around the town and putting seeds and smalls plants everywhere, isn´t that too sweet?
But the idea is actually much older: it became popular in New York in the 70s, when the city raised taxes on the rents, and several houses were at risk to be left without hirers. So people became active and thought about what they could do to rescue these houses. They began grassing the houses and the surrounding areas, so people were attracted again who then moved into the once deserted appartments.
Today, guerilla gardening is a sign of political activism, but people do it also out of a desire for more green in general. Or out of a will for a more sustainable planet. To show, how important plants are, and this not only in the countryside, but were everyone can see it. There are more and more green activists, who do guerilla gardening as their personal act of justice towards the environment.

...or doughnut-shaped?!

from Nature magazine

According to a 2008´s Nature article, the universe could also be doughnut shaped. The researchers cannot yet agree on a definite shape, as in fact, several shapes are thinkable. 
The football shape is still in the race though: 
"Jean-Pierre Luminet at the Paris Observatory in France, who proposed the football-shaped universe in 2003, likes Steiner's work. He agrees that the analysis shows that the doughnut is still a likely candidate, but adds that other shapes are also possible. “One must remember that the (football universe) is still alive and well,” says Luminet."
This will hopefully be my last article on this subject!
Read the article here: 
http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080523/full/news.2008.854.html

Universe could be football-shaped

This is not a joke. I have found this article on Nature magazine.
The idea that the universe could really have such a perfectly symmetrical structure comes from observations of NASA´s Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) satellite.
It was looking back to the universe when it was 380,000 years old, and it calculated radiation data that assumes this conclusion by analyzing the microwave background in the cosmos.
The explanation of the method used here is compared to a bathtub: neither do you have any waves in your bathtub, nor could the satellite see any waves appearing in the universe. Therefore the universe needs to be finite. The best explanation for the non-existence of waves is that the universe is formed like a Poincaré dodecahedral space. Why? Because 12 curved pentagons produce exactly these patterns. 
But, after all, it would be a surprise if the universe was so small. And "it's going to be a surprise if the Universe has chosen such a beautiful platonic form", says cosmologist Janna Levin of the University of Cambridge, UK. 
If the theory is true, then the most distanct objects looked at at the same time, would appear in opposite of each other. In 60 billion light years on a journey across the universe, you would come back to where you´ve started. 
A method how you could also prove this theory would be recognizing repetitive patterns. They appear when background radiation has travelled far enough in space to meet itself again and creates circular patterns. 
Read more: http://www.nature.com/news/2003/031009/full/news031006-8.html 

The Waterpod: a floating structure for the future

This design was made for rising tides for a floating community. Its primary sources, according to the artists, will be solar power and power that´s been generated by a wind turbine. I´m not sure if this is meant to be serious, as the developpers are artists, and they´ve also put a focus on art on the house itself (there are rotating art installations).
According to the organizers, it will ”… showcase the critical importance of the environment and art, serving as a model for new living, d.i.y. technologies, art, and dialogue. It illustrates positive interactions between communities: private and corporate; artistic and social; aquatic and terrestrial while exploring the cultural richness of New York’s five boroughs and beyond.”
Read more: The Waterpod: a Floating Eco-Habitat | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World 

Simple floating structures

Well, I want to stick to my research for my "floating structure"-project. My aim is to think about a simple floating habitat for individuals in 2020, so in the near future.
Who could live in this "house"? People who want to be independent, maybe even students, as space gets rare and expensive, just think of cities like Amsterdam. Could it be an alternative to live on the water instead of paying horrendous rents in the city center? Well, Amsterdam might not be the best example, as there are already boat houses, and maybe more than anywhere else in the world, compared by amount on squaremeters, but, just imagine, many small house boats for students?!
One could set the house up and detach it easily and gain more independence and flexibility, also towards weather and climate changes. Even when the sea levels rise, there is space enough for boat houses, compared to houses built on the ground.

Don´t build your house, GROW it!

(inhabitat.com)

Swiss Scientists develop energy saving solar cells: Grätzel cells

Photosynthesis is one of nature´s most efficient way of producing energy and is almost as old as the planet itself. But until the early 90s, it was not paid much attention to in ways of producing electricity. Swiss scientists Michael Grätzel and Brian O´Reagan of École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne found a way to transform light into electricity just as a plant does. 
In 2010, Michael Grätzel won the Millenium Technology Prize for this invention. 


Grätzel Cells are relatively easy in production: any dye is put on an electroconductive glass panel covered with nanoparticles. Then a second glass panel is covered with some graphite (this even works with pencil), that acts as a conduction multiplier. Plus some iodine solution, put under a lamp, this contruct will transform light into electrity. It is really as easy as this, but it took the scientists years of hard work.  


The cells are bendable and 50% cheaper in production compared to common solar cells.


Commercial applications of Grätzel cells are under way and will contribute to the Europe´s energy supply by 5% in 2020, according to the European Union Photovoltaic Roadmap, as part as 12% of photovoltaic based energy sources in general. 

Ernst Haeckel: 19th century genius

Ernst Haeckel was a 19th century biologist, naturalist, philosopher, physician, professor and artist who discovered, described and named thousands of new species.

His drawings are unbelievably detailled, colorful and diverse. There are tons of different radiolaria drawings, for example. Radiolaria appear in the oceans as little animalcules, mainly consisting of Silicon Dioxide skeletons. They are so amazingly diverse but still always perfectly symmetrical. Architect Sir Buckminster Fuller took great inspirations of organic forms, they appear to have contributed to some of his most famous buildings. 

A little example of his amazing work can be seen in the film Proteus: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl_onFMjJWA 

Swedish Tree House Hotel

Sweden´s first tree house hotel opened in this year´s july in Harads, 60km south of the polar circle. Mirrored walls protect guests from curious views. Its edge length is 4 meters to accomodate up to 2 people. 
You won´t believe me, but there is even a sauna in the house! It´s therefore also the first sauna in a tree. The heating is done by a floor heating, so you´ll never get cold in frosty swedish winters.
According to the architects, more tree hotels will follow. Have a look on their website for more pictures of impressive tree houses!

http://www.treehotel.se/sv/start 

The 10 Principles of Deep Ecology

Norwegian philosopher Arne Næss defined a new understanding of the term "ecology" to give it a theoretical foundation. This happened in 1973 already. He believed that ecology cannot only be understood by logical and scientific arguments but that it needs an "ecological wisdom". Deep Ecology is a combination of emotion and intellect. 

He created 10 principles to explain the needed steps for humankind: 

1. The well-being and flourishing of human and nonhuman life on Earth have value in themselves (synonyms: intrinsic value, inherent value). These values are independent of the usefulness of the nonhuman world for human purposes.
2. Richness and diversity of life forms contribute to the realization of these values and are also values in themselves.
3. Humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity except to satisfy vital human needs.
4. The flourishing of human life and cultures is compatible with a substantial decrease of the human population. The flourishing of nonhuman life requires such a decrease.
5. Present human interference with the nonhuman world is excessive, and the situation is rapidly worsening.
6. Policies must therefore be changed. These policies affect basic economic, technological, and ideological structures. The resulting state of affairs will be deeply different from the present.
7. The ideological change is mainly that of appreciating life quality (dwelling in situations of inherent value) rather than adhering to an increasingly higher standard of living. There will be a profound awareness of the difference between big and great.
8. Those who subscribe to the foregoing points have an obligation directly or indirectly to try to implement the necessary changes.

German Podcast about deep ecology (Tiefenökologie): 

http://cdn-storage.br.de/mir-live/podcast-migration/audio/podcast/import/2008_07/2008_07_29_17_20_54_podcast_radiowissen_tiefenoeko_a.mp3 

Floating Gardens by Anne Holtrop

Dutch architect Anne Holtrop worked together with Patrick Blanc (Vertical Gardens: http://www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com/) and Studio Noach on new structures, gardens that float! 

The project is called "Spa Wellness Amsterdam". 

"Here’s some info from Holtrop:

---

floating gardens / Spa Wellness Amsterdam

If architecture is a landscape full of non-coherent but co-existing elements. A landscape where different uses, social relations, spatial organizations and political viewpoints can co-exist simultaneously. If this situation is being emphasized, rather than straighten out, new possibilities can emerge that would otherwise never be found." (by dezeen.com)

Origami + Nature - inspired work by Richard Sweeney

First of all, Richard Sweeney does incredibly good work. I first came across his nature-inspired paperwork, which he partly transforms into furniture (studio Lazerian), when doing research for geometrical forms in product design. Dodecahedrons and Icosahedrons can be so amazing! 

http://www.richardsweeney.co.uk/ 

http://www.lazerian.co.uk/prod-richard-sweeney.php 

Floating Observatories by upgrade.studio, DSBA and Mihai Carciun

This conceptual tower is based on helium balloons, it inhabits several observation decks. 

The following details are from DSBA:
Taiwan Tower Conceptual International Competition
“FLOATING OBSERVATORIES” Proposal by Dorin STEFAN’s DSBA, Mihai CARCIUN and upgrade.studio wins the “Taiwan Tower” Conceptual International Competition

“Starting from the ‘geographical’ visual of Taiwan ‐ which is an island resembling a leaf ‐ we have developed the concept of the technological tree: we have designed 8 spatial leaves (with eight being a propitious number in the local culture) in the form of zeppelin‐like elevators which glide up and down the ‘tree trunk” and which serve the purpose of observation decks / belvedere.

I have called these elevators floating observatories because each has a nacelle which can take 50 to 80 people; they are self‐sustained by helium balloons and are built from lightweight materials (borrowed from the spacecraft industry) and are wrapped in a last‐generation type of membrane (PTFE) and they glide vertically on a track positioned vertically in a strong electro‐magnetic field” ‐ Dorin STEFAN, Principal, DSBA*

For more information, have a look at dezeen: http://www.dezeen.com/2010/11/18/floating-observatories-by-upgrade-studio-dsba-and-mihai-carciun/?ref=nf 

Fully autonomous Floating Houses by Solarlab

This floating house consists of solar modules on its top to guarantee energy supply. Integrated waste treatment and water purification enable the house to be fully autonomous. The floating structure is planned to accomodate an Institute of Water and Ecology on Lake Constance, Germany.
http://www.solarlab.org/

Film: Eloge de la cabane

This quite emotional film by Robin Hunzinger shows people and their little houses, called "cabanes". There are people who live with a minimum of money, people who live of the things given by nature. It shows how they have constructed their little cabanes and their stories. What is a house meant for? Which things are essential for a house? The people shown in this film have chosen a radical way of living, most of them live totally autonomic, and some of them have changed their lives completely, when they had came to the conclusion that money isn´t everything. There are impressive images showing the beauty of nature: in the completely silent mountains, where the only sound would be the sheeps´ bells, or in the forest, where you hear birds singing...

Gunnar’s House / Huus Og Heim Architecture

This house made of timber and is located in Os i Østerdalen in Norway. The rooms are organized following the timber frame construction. I really like the solid character of this small house.
More information / source 

Tree houses (Part 2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxsyo6cGxu4

Tree houses (Part 1)

Tree houses are well-known as little hideaways for children, but a few years ago, I ´ve discovered german architecture studio BAUMRAUM that specialized in tree houses. These tree houses are not only created for children! They can be everything from guest rooms or individual urban retreats to (almost) fully-flegded accomodation.
http://www.baumraum.de/index.php

My Project: Human Habitat

Hallo everybody, and welcome to my little blog!
On this site I will show all the research and ideas concerning my studies on sustainable design. There will be a lot of interesting information concerning sustainability and human habitat. I will do research on special forms of living, on architecture that I find interesting in general and how this looks like, f.e. tree houses or little "cabanes", because I think, these already focus on minimal use of material and other things related to sustainability.
Just wait and have a look at all the fragments I will discover on the way!