News: Berlin design studio Blond and Bieber’s project that uses algae to create colourful dyes for textile printing has won a competition for young designers organised by Lodz Design Festival (+ movie).
Blond and Bieber’s Algaemy project has been chosen as the winner of the Make Me! competition at Poland’s Lodz Design Festival.
Related story: Arup unveils world’s first algae-powered building
Photograph by Lukas Olfe
The studio’s founders Essi Johanna Glomb and Rasa Weber created an analogue textile-printer that produces its own dye using different types of algae.
Photograph by Lukas Olfe
“The huge potential of microalgae has been a subject of research in natural sciences for quite some time,” said the duo. “Meanwhile the artistic and creative value of this resource is mostly undiscovered land.”
Photograph by Lukas Olfe
Various species of microalgae are naturally pigmented with blue, green, brown and red tones. These pigments can be extracted using heat and distillation, then turned into natural dyes.
The duo built a machine from beech wood to house all the elements needed to create and print with the algae dyes.
It holds the beakers in which the algae is grown, filters for the dye and test tubes for experimenting with different colours, as well as rails for hanging textiles over.
A roller on the front is wrapped in strips of rubber, which can be covered in the dye and wheeled over lengths of fabric to print continuous patterns.
The prints are photo sensitive and change tone over time when exposed to sunlight, creating a “biodynamic colour palette”.
The annual Make Me! competition is open to international designers under the age of 35. Curators whittled down the entries to 21 projects, which are all on display at Lodz Design Festival until 19 October.
Announced as the winner last week, Blond and Bieber was awarded 20,000 Polish zloty (£3,800) by tile company Ceramika Paradyż – one of the festival’s sponsors.
Algaemy was originally exhibited at trade fair DMY Berlin in May and will also go on show during Dutch Design Week from 18 to 26 October.
As I mentioned yesterday, while we’re tearing into the master bathroom and kitchen, one space we can check off the list as remodeled is the downstairs bathroom. I love the combinations of finishes and styles in this space, a modern geometric wallpaper paired with a traditional vanity, and touches of brass mixed with oil rubbed bronze.
I wrote about the halfway point in this post from last month and showed the state of the original bathroom when we bought the house.
We’ve replaced everything in this space from the flooring on up, including a new vanity, mirror, light fixture, and faucet. Over the weekend we added board and batten below and I wallpapered up above with York’s Franco wallpaper.
The light fixture is this Feiss vanity strip but note if you intend to buy it the three wide middle parts of it glow a hint red when turned on which I was not aware of when I bought it because it’s nowhere in the description but I just went with it. The Tiana mirror is from Ballard Designs but I don’t see it for sale on their site anymore (not sure why) but it appears in the most recent catalog, so I’ll try to find out if it’s just a temporary thing. The faucet is Moen Ashville in bronze.
I liked the idea of the new vanity looking more like a piece of furniture so I swapped out the plain knobs that came with it with diamond back plate brass ring pulls. I love these pulls and I’ve used them before, so I replaced the center knobs with the smaller 73mm ones and the side drawer pulls with the larger 91mm versions.
The toilet paper holder and hand towel holder are both brass, they add the same warmth as Chinoiserie faux bamboo mirror.
The vanity light, faucet, and door handle are oil rubbed bronze, I love the dark contrast against all the white in this bathroom space. The door handles we bought at Lowes, I forget the brand but they are in stores and we’re using this same brand and finish for all the new door hardware throughout the house.
There is a shower in this bathroom behind the door so I added brass robe/towel hooks to the board and batten opposite the toilet/sink. When they arrived they were too dull so I lightly sprayed them with Krylon’s Gold Leaf spray paint to brighten them up.
See this older post on how to install basic board and batten yourself, we used 2 ½ x ½” preprimed MDF cut with a miter saw and tacked to the wall with a brad nailer. The shower is to the left and has plain white tile but we will be replacing the shower door next month with a new glass one framed in oil rubbed bronze since the existing is really old and it swings the wrong way, I’ll have an update on that soon.
The paint on the board and batten is Glidden’s White on White (semigloss finish in this bathroom). We’ve used that same color throughout the entire downstairs on the ceilings (flat) and walls (eggshell).
The nice thing about the modern wallpapers is if they are “strippable” like this one is when you get it really moist with a sponge it peels right off without residue or damage to the walls. I experienced this when I had to trim the pieces below the top rail of the board and batten by scoring them, wetting them with a thick sponge, then peeling the pieces off with ease.
We stood back and looked at the print on the wall and we really like it for now but if I ever get tired of this print (or a future homeowner isn’t crazy about it) I’m not stressed about changing the look or removing it in the future, but for now it’s a fun modern pattern to balance the more traditional style vanity.
Comments update: after a short animation simulating the completion of Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família basilica went viral on social media, readers revisited the story to question the logic of such a long-term project.
Out with the new: work began on Sagrada Familia in 1882 and Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi took over the project in 1914. A one-minute video showing how the basilica will look when it is eventually finished resurfaced on social media this week, prompting renewed questions from Dezeen readers.
“Why don’t they give up building this thing?” asked Augusto Quepe. “It’s already beautiful unfinished.” Quepe went one step further by asking whether the structure’s old foundations could even cope with the strain of additional weight. “The foundation is so old that the building could crash before it’s finished.”
But Sam suggested that the longevity of the project is a testament to architectural planning and foresight. “There are few projects in the world that retains this level of integrity over such a long period of time,” he wrote. “And to those who think the structure might not be able to cope when completed, I’d suggest that every element of the build was considered before the first worker arrived on site, and remains relevant to its plan despite the onset of modern techniques.” Read the comments on this story »
Driverless technologies: a number of driverless vehicles have been unveiled over the past week, including air conditioned, wi-fi enabled tube trains for the London Underground by product design studio Priestmangoode.
But not everyone was thrilled at the prospect of being driven by a computer. “Why do we incessantly develop ourselves out of jobs?” asked Tom_Tom94. “Our resolute obsession with automatons will be our ruin.”
“Modern technology is determined to marginalise the need for people,” added Lowri, who predicted “a future controlled by robots.”
Others were more enthused about the idea of driverless trains. “The idea that we should keep spending money on antiquated jobs is beyond me,” wrote Londoner. “If efficiencies can be made and automated services rolled out, the money you save can be directed to other public services.” Read the comments on this story »
Hadid’s latest: nothing provokes stronger opinions on Dezeen’s comment boards than Zaha Hadid’s architecture, and her latest project – a wooden structure comprised of five towers designed for Cambodian genocide researchers – was no exception.
Jonathan Tuffin was among the readers who liked the design, writing “I don’t usually like Zaha Hadid’s work, but I think this looks in keeping, and it will provide a great monument and place to remember in Phnom Penh.”
Remod also joined the voices of approval, adding “Good, refreshing move for Zaha.” “Finally, a building that doesn’t look like a spaceship,” added oyster.
But some were less convinced: “I think […] it looks rather totalitarian, dystopian and scary,” wrote one commenter, while Jimbo felt it looked familiar. “Wait… isn’t this Heatherwick’s distillery turned belly-up?” he wrote. Read the comments on this story »
Death-ray architecture? French architect Jean Nouvel’s plant-covered tower scheme in Sydney attracted criticism from readers for its huge cantilevered panel of mirrors, designed to reflect light down into the lower levels.
“What happens when the building becomes neglected and that giant reflector breaks and starts frying local residents?” asked generalpopulation.
David also poked fun at the mirrors, writing “better hope they got their sun studies spot on, or else I feel another Walkie Talkie incident coming along.”
“Even better… if someone hacks the computer controlling the mirrors, they’ve got themselves an urban death ray,” added Paul123.
Not everything about the building received an entirely negative response. “It is great to see the innovative incorporation of biophilic design strategies like green spaces and daylighting in residential towers,” wrote David A. Navarrete. Read the comments on this story »
Misty waters: a small portable humidifier was probably the unlikeliest product to provoke controversy, but managed to cause a spat between readers nevertheless.
“It’s a humidifier, with some nice packaging that will be thrown away with scant regard. Not interesting in the slightest,” complained Chris MacDonald. “You lot are all acting like criticism is somehow worth less than praise,” he added.
“Compare that to other products on the market and you’ll realise how elegant and smart this product is,” countered Michelle. “If you or a child has trouble breathing, you might find that you do care a bit.” Read the comments on this story »
News: architect David Adjaye has submitted plans to overhaul a house in Hackney – made famous by its former resident who dug a warren of tunnels underneath the property – to create a home for artist couple Tim Noble and Sue Webster.
David Adjaye has designed a five-storey residence for a site in Hackney, the east London borough that already hosts one of the architect’s best-known private residential projects, the Dirty House.
Related story: Designed in Hackney: Dirty House by David Adjaye
The Mole House got its nickname from its former resident – William Lyttle also known as the “Mole Man”. Lyttle was evicted from the property in 2006 by Hackney Council “for his own safety” after it was discovered that he had dug a maze of tunnels underneath the building extending up to 20 metres under the surrounding streets and houses.
Following his eviction, almost 33 tons of debris were removed from the property, including a boat and three cars. Lyttle died in 2010 leaving the council with costs of over £400,000 after failing to pay for the repairs.
The house, which had also fallen into serious disrepair after years of neglect, was put on the market in 2011 for £500,000 but failed to sell. It was put up for auction the following year and sold for £1.1 million.
Site plan
Its new owners, British contemporary artists Sue Webster and Tim Noble, told Another magazine that they wanted to preserve some of tunnels and use them as studios.
“It’s like a piece of our work — a piece of trash to recycle into something that will become a piece of history,” said Webster.
Lower ground floor
In his design statement to accompany the plans now submitted for approval to the local authority, Adjaye said that his clients wanted to preserve the building rather than use a previous permission that would allow them to demolish the existing building and replace it with two new ones.
Ground floor plan –
“The clients wish to preserve the existing house and are interested in the accumulated layers of site history, both social and architectural,” said Adjaye in the statement. “The proposal will re-instate the house to a single family use.”
Dezeen Book of Interviews:David Adjaye features in our new book, which is on sale now
“The house will be extended to create open-plan living areas and a sunken landscaped garden around the perimeter using the existing excavated areas surrounding the building.”
Third floor plan –
The structure occupies a site on Mortimer Road in De Beauvoir, one of London’s designated conservation areas, meaning Adjaye’s design has to be sensitive to a number of restrictions that are intended to preserve the character of the area.
Gable walls will be rebuilt to the original height and the original pitched roof shape will be reinstated and covered in dark slate. The two-metre-tall boundary wall around the site will be reconstructed using reclaimed London stock bricks.
Roof plan
“A cross-shaped concrete structural element in the centre of the plan will help brace the external walls and support the new floor slabs of the building,” explained Adajye in the planning document. “This element will also divide each floor into four distinct areas.”
A front door at first floor level will be sheltered by a cantilevered concrete canopy that extends round three sides of the building. Retaining walls on the lower levels will also be made from concrete, which will be left with a raw finish, but the main bulk of the structure will be rebuilt using masonry and finished with a render that mimics the original, although the final colour is yet to be revealed.
Section
“The house is to be extended at basement level to create an open-plan contemporary living, surrounded by a sunken landscaped garden which makes use of the existing excavated areas around the perimeter of the building,” said Adjaye.
This open-plan basement will contain the kitchen, dining room and living room as well as a library. The main access for this space will be provided by a lobby containing a spiral staircase. Two sets of double doors will open out onto sunken patio spaces with steps up to soft landscaped areas at street level.
East elevation
The adopted architectural approach builds on the accumulated layers of site history, both architectural and social. The existing building is to be preserved and some of the haphazard interventions by the previous owner are to be integrated within a sunken garden surrounding the house. It is considered that these elements are all part of the history and contribute to the richness and layering of the site.
The historic appearance of the house to the street will be re-instated with the like for like replacement of the roof and the third floor lost due to fire damage followed by gradual erosion. A cantilevered band of canopy will brace the existing outer walls of the building as well as provide a contemporary feature element.
North elevation
The design aims to preserve the authenticity of the existing building by making a clear distinction between which elements are old and original, and the new additions to the house.
A large bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and dressing room will occupy most of the ground floor, with a similar arrangement of the first and second floors. The ground floor will also have access to a new outdoor terrace.
South elevation
The third floor will house a bar and cinema room. Large “lobby” areas on each floor create flexible space around the central staircase.
The Council has not yet reveale d when it will make a decision on whether to approve or reject the scheme.
Dezeen promotion: book publisher Laurence King is giving Dezeen readers a 35 per cent discount on its Detail series to celebrate the addition of two new titles to the collection.
Published this month, Detail in Contemporary Staircase Design explores 40 structurally advanced and beautifully executed staircase designs installed in offices, shopping centres and hotels from the last ten years.
Detail in Contemporary Staircase Design
The 192-page hardback explores the evolution of the staircase from a functional construction to an architectural centrepiece, citing examples created by Zaha Hadid Architects, Heatherwick Studios and Gehry Partners.
Photograph by Lukas Olfe
Photograph by Lukas Olfe
Photograph by Lukas Olfe
Site plan
Lower ground floor
Ground floor plan –
Third floor plan –
Roof plan
Section
East elevation
North elevation
South elevation
Detail in Contemporary Staircase Design
Detail in Contemporary Staircase Design
