design tavern » energy

Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Connector

Elizabeth — Fri, 01 May 2009 06:50:09 +0000

It’s quite a basic algorithm – more people equals more traffic, more traffic equals more noise. Whilst the noise itself may be inevitable, it can be muffled these days by innovative, unique and groundbreaking design concepts.

The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway at Brooklyn Bridge Park generates an overwhelming hum of traffic on a daily basis. In response, architect Donald Rattner in collaboration with Hage Engineering have “created a proposal intended to ameliorate traffic noise, provide more usable park area than has been possible to date, and enhance the public realm with a work of civic art.”

The design proposes to enclose the expressway, trapping the noise and preventing it from disturbing the visitors to the park. The expressway is set to undergo repairs from 2018 and the project could easily be factored in to the repairs. Rattner explains –

“There is a practical need to deal with the vehicular noise that emanates from the BQE. Regardless of what is ultimately built on the waterfront – housing, restaurants, ball fields, passive recreation areas – visitors to the open space and surrounding structures will be subject to relentless, unpleasant, potentially deafening noise – at 85 decibels, the equivalent of standing next to an operating lawnmower. But there is also an aesthetic dimension that needs to be addressed. Our proposal seeks to provide a pragmatic solution to the problem and simultaneously to offer those on both sides of the river an attractive piece of public sculpture to appreciate.”

The structure also aims to utilise innovative green architecture concepts; the exterior of The Connector will use photovoltaic cells designed to absorb solar energy.It’s the clever mixing of a traditional park with modern and highly practical design which makes the proposal so intriguing.

http://www.brooklynbridgeconnector.net/

For more information, have a read of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Connector e-book.

Emotive Illustrations by Micah Lidberg

Henry — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:56:15 +0000

Here is a sample of some of the talented work of Micah Lidberg that I have fallen in love with on my great internet travels. Michah, now living in Missouri describes his work as “a sincere effort to capture the great beauty and energy I see in the chaos that is our world.”

His signature is to use simple materials to make complete pieces whilst exploring the constant entertainment of ‘making.’

Beautiful/Decay, Computer Arts, Creative Quarterly Journal, Crafty Magazine & Society of Illustrators LA

‘They’ is a piece from a project where I would go venturing through the woods at night snapping all sorts of photos. The illustrations are based on what my imagination was telling me was out there with me.

Code Book from Micah Lidberg on Vimeo.

A small message is encoded in the imagery. The key to the code is laid out on the front and back cover.

‘Angry Cloud’ is the story of a rebellion staged by the creatures of the forest against a power hungry storm cloud.

Wait — This is based off a sketch book project I worked on with a friend, Scott Ener Grover.

http://micahlidberg.com/

Master of Glass – Dale Chihuly

Henry — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:15:27 +0000

Dale Chihuly is a glass sculptor from Tacoma, Washington.

I’ll admit, I’m far from an expert on glass sculpting and what these artists are capable of.. but what Dale Chihuly magically creates with glass is really something astonishing..

I am going to share with you a number of pieces from Chihuly’s 2006 exhibit at the New York Botanical Gardens. Though there are a number of newer and current installations worth checking out.

What I found most interesting in my research, was the knowledge that Chihuly no longer actually works on the glass himself. After being in a head on collision and losing an eye and dislocating his shoulder in a bodysurfing accident, Chihuly was no longer physically able of creating the likes of the following masterpieces. Instead of finishing his career there, he hired others to do the work.

“Once I stepped back, I liked the view” Chihuly describes his role as “more choreographer than dancer, more supervisor than participant, more director than actor.”

Needless to say, Chihuly’s grasp of the glass and its limitations is amazing. His sculptures can be so fluid, full of movement and energy, but he also has the knowledge to make the material more mellow and somber.

Chihuly has dozens of installations and examples of his talent along with some great videos of the process at his website

http://www.chihuly.com/

Space Invaders Design Group

Henry — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:41:20 +0000

From Milano, Italy comes the talented talent of the Space Invaders Design Group.

Fresh from University, these talented young designers have now completed their degrees but are still meeting to enter design competitions.

The team have kindly given Design Tavern a taste of their work – A few past University projects.

"Monolite was our final university effort.. "

Tell us a little about yourselves, where are you from and where are you living now?

Four people make up Space Invaders and we are each from a different part of Italy. We met in Milano at university and discovered that working together could have been some potential so we gave it a go and we created the group.

The Space Invaders group is composed by Giovanni Mendini, Stefano Pertegato, Francesco Schiraldi and Eloisa tolu.

The project was for a lighting system which can become something more than a simple lamp, and is actually an “interactive architetural element” to fit in with the SOHO housings (office houses in which dwellers live their entire day).

How did you come up with the name “space invaders design” the 80s icon i hope!

The name actually has two meanings. It came during a workshop when we made acollaboration with some Australian students. It was called “Octopus, porosity of the city” and we immediately thought of something that could really invade the city space, like a giant octopus.

The second reason is that we needed some graphic mark to identify our style and our approach

We already liked the name so we just picked one small alien from the 80′s arcade videogame with it’s amazing pop and pixelated graphics- it really symbolize our light and ironic approach to design.

This lack of external impulses brings a psycho-physical stress and our challenge was to “design a lamp to make people feel elsewhere”

What does each of you bring to the table? Do you each have particular strengths?

Eloisa is very good in doing research, while Stefano is skilled in drawing. Francesco is the one with the best ideas for concepts and Giovanni is the one who makes everything fit together.

In the end we realized that the most important figure is the one who can make a good coffee which brings peace back in the group in the most “busy” moments.

The most important thing in a creative group is to be all different but to share a common design view.

We did a lot of research into attention, interaction, and the multisensorial aspect of living. After this we came up with a lighting object which could involve the user,supported by visual and hearing experiences.

What people inspires you as a group?

All of us share a common tuition coming from the same university, but whilst we were working together we had the chance to discover artists, designers, architects and people who all influenced us.. Our biggest references are to Naoto Fukasawa because his works keep a unique lightness joined with a deeper meaning. Other’s such as Jonathan Ive, Muji, B&O and of course a little dose of “Rock n’ Roll” to make things less boring…

The ALGASTER project has had a lot of development: its aim was to have a concept for a future tractor which could imagine an evolutive scenery of agriculture, linked more to intelligence than to crude power.

What are your other interests beside design?

Well, this question got an immediate and common answer: Rock and Roll. But also photography, graphics, cinema and travels.

The beginning step was to understand modern agricultural tendencies, and it let us discover the “no food” agriculture, aimed to the production of clean energy and not polluting fuels

What’s the best and worst parts of being a full time, working designers?

The best part is when you know you are working on a good concept. And the end results is up to you!

The knowledge of being able to live, thanks to your ideas is something without comparison.

Also the nights spent working as a group: they are a really unifying experience, jokes, laughs, fights and problems become something to remember together.

Algae can be used for energy production due to its of high oil content. Furthermore, the Algaster can provide water cleaning in polluted areas where algae growth may exceed normal conditions (eutrophic waters) i.e generating energy from pollution.

Any advice to up and coming designers?

“Do something else…”

I’m sure the Space Invaders Group are only mucking around when they suggest those wishing to become designers should “do some else.”
Their Passion for design after all is really amazing, and they are lucky to find such close-knit, like minded group members!

Stefano Pertegato has put up some of his and the group’s work at http://www.behance.net/steste
A huge thanks from the design tavern and best of luck withthe AlcantaraLab competition.