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Australian designer Alex Goad has created a system of modular ceramic components for forming structures that can help rebuild diminished coral reef environments (+ slideshow).

Goad created the Modular Artificial Reef Structure (MARS) to form a base for plant and animal life to return to habitats destroyed by climate change, pollution and destructive fishing practices.

“Both tropical and temperate reef systems are under constant pressure caused by human activity and weather-related destruction,” Goad told Dezeen. “These irreplaceable coral reefs are some of the most bio-diverse and uniquely fragile ecosystems on the planet.”

As an affordable and easy-to-install solution for supporting natural reef replenishment, Goad created porous ceramic modules that clamp together to form three-dimensional lattice structures.

The ceramic surface is intended to mimic the calcium skeletons of dead coral, which build up over thousands of years to create structures that living corals attach themselves onto to gain better access to sunlight and plankton-rich currents.

Many of these calcium structures are damaged during large storms and dynamite fishing, but Goad’s MARS can replicate the forms to help bring life back to affected areas.

“Because of the modularity of the product the system can be built in any shape and size depending on the requirements of the damaged reef structure,” Goad said. “What may have taken 100 years to restore naturally can be reduced to an estimated eight to 15 years using the MARS system.”

Each of the MARS units is composed of eight slip-cast ceramic vessels, filled with marine-grade concrete and reinforced with composite bars to add weight.

“Ceramic has proved to be one of the best materials for artificial reef use, especially when trying to encourage the colonisation of sensitive corals,” said Goad, who explained that the material has an extremely long lifespan underwater.

The modules are intended to be used in combinations to create structures at the right scale, and are joined together using concrete clamps. “The modular construction process has a strong relationship to Lego,” Goad said.

The structures can be deployed to the bottom of shallow waters from small boats by divers, rather than using large machinery.

MARS has already been trialled in locations around Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay – a temperate reef environment – as well as sites in Cairns and at local aquariums.

Once in place, the system first attracts small bottom-dwelling fish looking for shelter from predators.

Other organisms begin to colonise the structure during the first few days. Those dependant on sunlight such as corals and seaweeds attach to top surfaces, while filter feeders like sponges cling to the undersides.

Fish and crustaceans move in after a few months, when plant coverage has become thicker.

“Many people do not agree with the use of artificial reefs for restoration, believing that reef systems should be left alone to restore themselves,” said Goad. “In many cases this is an acceptable practice, however when the rate of destruction far exceeds the rate of natural coral growth then we must intervene.”

MARS was created for a non-profit organisation called Reef Design Lab, which Goad co-founded with scientist and artificial reef expert David Lennon.

“MARS is simply one of many restoration techniques for reef environments and is in no means a complete solution, but it does provide a unique opportunity for humans to physically help to restore damaged reef environments leading to a more informed and caring community,” Goad said.

The duo hopes to test a full structure with a minimum of 20 units in a tropical reef environment.

The post Lego-inspired modular structures
restore damaged coral reefs appeared first on Dezeen.

News: Will.i.am has called for “new morals, new laws and new codes” for 3D printing, a technology he says is evolving so rapidly that we will soon be able to print humans (+ interview).

Speaking to Dezeen at the launch of his Ekocycle range of sustainable lifestyle products yesterday, the music producer and Black Eyed Peas frontman said that we will be 3D-printing entire people in “our lifetime”.

“Eventually 3D printing will print people,” said Will.i.am. “I’m not saying I agree with it, I’m just saying what’s fact based on plausible growth in technology.”

“Unfortunately that is the reality, but at the same time it pushes humanity to have to adhere to new responsibilities,” he said. “So new morals, new laws and new codes are going to have to be implemented. Humans – as great as we are – are pretty irresponsible. Ask the planet. Ask the environment.”

Will.i.am is chief creative officer of 3D-printing company 3D Systems and has just launched his Ekocycle collection with Coca-Cola at London department store Harrods. Items in the range – which encompasses clothing, bicycles and luggage – are all made from waste materials, including 3D-printer filament produced from recycled plastic bottles.

Researchers have already used 3D-printing technology to produce prototype organs using living cells. Experts predict that the ability to print complete human tissues is less than 10 years away.

“If you can print a liver or a kidney, god dang it, you’re going to be able to print a whole freaking person,” said Will.i.am. “Now we’re getting into a whole new territory. Moses comes down with the 10 commandments and says ‘Thou shalt not…’. He didn’t say shit about 3D printing.”

“When you have god-like tools, who’s governing me? I don’t know. I could create life. So new codes and morals – beyond laws – something has to be instilled into us. Before, when it was time to reproduce you had to mate. But now…”

He also believes that 3D printing will one day evolve into Star Trek-esque teleportation.

“You’re starting with beef, and leathers, and body parts, eventually it will get more complex,” he said. “It’s basically ‘Beam me up, Scotty’, a 3D printer that disintegrates the source.”

Will.i.am has launched a series of design- and tech-focussed initiatives in the past year, including a smartwatch designed with architect Zaha Hadid and an eyewear range with fashion designer George Garrow.

He is one of a number of well-known musicians that are making the leap into the design and technology industries, including Kanye West and Pharrell Williams who both recently released clothing and footwear collections with sports brand Adidas.

“Musicians will be taken seriously when their business sells seriously,” said Will.i.am. “When you have serious partners and the products make serious money. Or when your products have serious design features that render it sustainable and they don’t break.”

“You can’t demand that because your famous, everyone’s supposed to like what you’re passionate about,” he continued. “No bro, you have to earn it. Just like the designers earned their respect. Just like you earned your respect as a musician, you have to earn it, it doesn’t just come.”

Will.i.am’s Ekocycle range is now available from a dedicated shop-in-shop on the third floor of Harrods.

Here’s the transcript of our interview with Will.i.am:

Dan Howarth: How is 3D printing going to change?

Will.i.am: I’m going to say something controversial. Eventually 3D-printing will print people. That’s scary. I’m not saying I agree with it, I’m just saying what’s fact based on plausible growth in technology and Moore’s law.

So right now we can print in post-consumer plastics, which is awesome. We can print in aluminium, which is bigger machines and awesome. We can print in titanium, which is pretty freaking crazy and amazing. We can print in steel, which is freaking hardcore. You can print in chocolate, and that’s sweet. You can print in freaking protein, you can make freaking meat. You can print leather. You can print a liver.

So if you can print a liver or a kidney. God dang it, you’re going to be able to print a whole freaking person. And that’s scary. That’s when it’s like, whah! And I’m not saying I agree, but plausible growth would say that with multiple machines that print in different materials, you could print in protein an aluminium combo.

Dan Howarth: How far away from that are we?

Will.i.am: Our lifetime. That’s scary. So unfortunately that is the reality, but at the same time it pushes humanity to have to adhere to new responsibilities, new morals. New lessons are going to have to be implemented. For real. Now we’re getting into a whole new territory. I don’t know what year it was, Moses comes down with the 10 commandments and says “Thou shalt not…” He didn’t say shit about 3D printing.

So new morals, new laws and new codes are going to have to be implemented. Humans – as great as we are – are pretty irresponsible. Ask the planet. Ask the environment.

Dan Howarth: So you think we’re going to need a whole set of laws to regulate what we 3D print?

Will.i.am: Morals, ethics, codes. Laws means someone governs. When you have god-like tools, who’s governing me? I don’t know. I could create life. So new codes and morals – beyond laws. Something has to be instilled into us. We’re going to a place we’ve never been before. We made a Will, we made a car, we made a house, we made a boat, we made flying machines. Before, when it was time to reproduce you had to mate. But now…

You’re starting with beef, and leathers, and body parts. Eventually it will get more complex. It’s basically beam-me-up Scotty, a 3D printer that disintegrates the source. Star Trek is pretty cool, because they had things like iPhones, and the internet. They also had 3D printers, that was beam-me-up Scotty. Teleportation.

Dan Howarth: A number of musicians have transitioned into product and fashion design over the past few years. Do you think they’re taken seriously enough in the design industry?

Will.i.am: Musicians will be taken seriously when their business sells seriously. When you have serious partners and the products make serious money. Or when your products have serious design features that render it sustainable and they don’t break. More importantly, it’s successful in business.

Just like anybody jumping different careers. Say for example Bill Gates was the most amazing guitarist in the world, and he came up there and ripped it, with the facial expressions and everything. It would take you a long time to take Bill Gates seriously as a musician. The more he focuses and believes in it – the test of time will make you see him as a genius if he truly was an amazing guitarist.

Unfortunately those are the laws, and if he truly believes he will understand that. You can’t demand that because your famous, everyone’s supposed to like what you’re passionate about. No bro, you have to earn it. Just like the designers earned their respect. Just like you earned your respect as a musician, you have to earn it, it doesn’t just come.

The post Will.i.am calls for ethical stance
on 3D-printing human bodies appeared first on Dezeen.

L’arboriculteur Néerlandais Bruno de Grunne et l’architecte Nicolas d’Ursel de Trees and People sont à l’initiative de ce projet innovant de cabane en suspension. Le résultat final est un véritable refuge facile à installer et qui ne laisse aucune trace, sans aucun impact sur son environnement. A découvrir.

MOW is the beautifully simplistic box light that’s minimal in form and interactive in functionality! You won’t find any buttons or cords; instead, you can manipulate the on/off modes as well as the light intensity by simply turning the multifaceted body to a different side. Its even possible to change the RGB LED’s color with user-defined gestures.

Designer: Emilie Deltort

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(Tilt-a-Light was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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