A Microcosm for Architecture: From Factory to Home

This is an incredible story of a magnificent home that lies north west of Barcelona, Spain’s cultural and artistic capital.

Ricardo Bofill cement factory courtesy of Ricardo Bofill and first seen on yatzer

Draped in lush vegetation and offering an abundance of open spaces, this building is impressive not only in size but also in style. It’s features are so unusual for a family home and it is almost unthinkable how such a grand project came about.

Ricardo Bofill cement factory courtesy of Ricardo Bofill and first seen on yatzer

However this was not always a scene of domestic bliss and creative outlet. This towering building once housed the industry that produces the material we use to create most modern structures – cement.

Ricardo Bofill cement factory courtesy of Ricardo Bofill and first seen on yatzer

This is a story of a visionary architect, Ricardo Bofill, who saw the potential for something beautiful to be created from an old dilapidated factory. The result shows the success of his hard work and the realisation of his dream, to create his dream home from an edifice long forgotten and diregarded.

Ricardo Bofill cement factory courtesy of Ricardo Bofill and first seen on yatzer

Here is a video about the former cement factory that has become an incredible living space. Expansive ceilings and crawling green plants, make this restored factory building an architectural masterpiece with a great deal of charm.

 
More information and photos found here on yatzer.com.

The DO School Sustainable Cup Challenge

Disposable cups make a huge contribution to the amount of waste we produce, it is probably not something many of us think about when we’re finishing our morning coffee. However, how could we create a product that will be both recycled and easily recyclable?

Are you a budding designer? In our previous post we talked about the DO Fellowship opportunity.

The DO Sustainable Cup Challenge  aims to help the selected Fellows to create an innovative and sustainable to-go cup.  They will also be expected to develop the related infrastructure and create a campaign for New York City. The Fellows will have the opportunity to learn about a variety of topics from leading experts,  including the environmental impact of packaging and materials as well as about recycling systems.

By tackling the Challenge, Fellows will have to learn how to turn an idea into action by using a hands-on approach. Fellows will also work on developing their own venture idea into a viable plan, that is ready for implementation during the following ten months in their home countries.

Calling all young entrepreneurs!

The DO School is offering a unique one-year program for emerging social entrepreneurs that will provide training, mentoring and empowerment to young entrepreneurs to help them start their own ventures. Selected Fellows will receive a full scholarship covering the tuition fee for the year.

The DO School invites applications from motivated individuals from around the world to participate in the DO School Sustainable Cup Challenge. Applications are now open to young people aged between 21 and 28 and will close on September 15th 2013. Successful applicants will show exceptional motivation to contribute to solving the Challenge and will be encouraged and supported to develop their own social venture and in the areas of eg. sustainable product design, campaigning and branding, environmental activism, recycling and waste management.

The DO School Fellow Group

The programme will run from February to May 2013 and the selected Fellows will spend the first 10 weeks of this one-year program on the DO School pop-up campus in New York City! The following 10 months will be spent in their home countries implementing their own ventures.

Repurpose & Sustainability at Berlin Design Week

As Berlin’s first Design Week gets underway, we’re taking a sneak peak at the top sustainable and recycled designers exhibiting this year. The Design Week is organised by DMY Berlin, an internationally renowned platform for contemporary product design. The organization has been promoting the creative industry nationally and internationally since 2003.

Reditum Moveo bookcase

Reditum designs furniture with sustainability, society and economics in mind. They focus not only on the furniture’s past but also on its future, taking into account environmental and social factors. Reditum is the Latin for ‘return’ taking used and discarded materials and bringing them back to life.

El Reinventor Atelier

Another exhibit to look out for is that by El Reinventor, who uses discarded or reclaimed materials for his designs. Incorporating everyday goods like old silverware, broken instruments and oil barrels into his work, transforming it into something entirely new. His atelier for sustainable objects from “the other side” range from rotating bicycle tables (rotables) to jewellery, and his work is both eccentric and fascinating.

Showcase by Die Fabrik

Do not be alarmed by the clowns! Die Fabrik have a range of sustainable and recyclable pieces that have been designed in an extremely practical and unconventional way. They use practical concepts such as flatpack furniture and combine this with the ethos of recycling. Their innovative and unconventional designs, provide a perfect balance in the world of IKEA shoppers and environmental degradation.

Showcase by Die Fabrik

Huts for Humanity

Photo of the Green Hut Photo courtesy of Bonnie Alter

Sadly this years Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW) was a little disappointing in terms of showing smaller independent designers, however there was still lots to see and do of course.

The Huts drawn by Cameo Musgrave photo courtesy of AFH

The fantastic non-profit organisation – Architecture for Humanity – came up with some very innovative design ideas for this years event. They created  a village of huts – each with a different theme reflecting the ethos of the global charity.

The Water Hut Photo courtesy of Cate St Hill

Photo courtesy of Cate St Hill

There was a Green Hut clad with edible plants, a Water Hut which featured an arrangement of pipes and bottles, a Textile Hut that explored soft materials and a Remakery Hut showcasing objects from the Brixton Remakery centre.

The ‘Textile Hut’ Photo courtesy of Cate St Hill

The ‘Remakery Hut’ Photo courtesy of Cate St Hill

Last year Architecture for Humanity launched the successful “Love Architecture” campaign, which saw the “Love Hut” presented in St John’s Lane.

The ‘Love Hut’ Picture by Ashley Bingham. Picture taken at the Clerkenwell Design Week 2012

Architecture for Humanity was founded in 1999 by British architect Cameron Sinclair, and operates as a global charity promoting a more sustainable future through the power of professional design.

Where to Sit? Chairs at Clerkenwell Design Week

Dauphin Human Design Perillo Topo chairs

If you’re looking for a place to have a little rest and bit of a sit down then where better to be than in a room full of furniture and fancy designs.

Dauphin Human Design Perillo Topo chairs

You may wonder why most people seem to be standing or walking around browsing at design events when there is such an abundance of seating options.

Deadgood Working Girl Chairs at CDW

Nevertheless here are some interesting and stylish chair models by a number of designers exhibiting at Clerkenwell Design Week. Today is the last day, so make sure you pop by if you haven’t already.

Deadgood Working Girl Chair at CDW

Arper Spa stools

Arper Spa chairs

Howe UK SixE chairs

Philipp Aduatz Melting Silver Chair

Philipp Aduatz Spoon chair

Philipp Aduatz Fauteuil II

Mitab Boet stool (boet means ‘nest’ in Swedish)

Mitab Boet stools