Mirjam de Bruijn turns household cleaning products into waterless capsules

Aiming to create a sustainable alternative to standard cleaning products, Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Mirjam de Bruijn has condensed detergent, dish soap and shampoo into solid forms that are activated by water. 

De Bruijn, who is presenting her 20 project at this year’s Dutch Design Week, came up with the idea after looking at the ingredients on regular detergent bottles.

“I found that water is the main ingredient of detergent, it’s 80 to 90 per cent water – so you’re paying for water, and companies are essentially transporting water all over the globe,” she told Dezeen.

The project proposes that the remaining 20 per cent of non-water ingredients be concentrated and sold as either a powder, a bar, or a liquid capsule.

When mixed with water at home, the products can be stored in a reusable plastic bottle, which comes in various shapes depending on the substance they would hold.

“For the bottles, I made the dish detergent much smaller as people have dishwashers these days and are washing-up less,” she said. “The shampoo bottle needed a pedestal, because if it sank to the bottom it wouldn’t mix as well. “

“It would save a lot of CO2 emissions because we’re not transporting water anymore and we don’t have all the waste leftover from the packaging,” she added.

For the branding, De Bruijn wanted to make 20 more aesthetically appealing than other “dusty-looking” eco-friendly products, in the hope that this will raise consumer awareness and integrate such environmental solutions into our daily lives.

“I didn’t want the branding to be ‘eco’, with that dusty look,” she said. “I wanted to make it appeal to the early adopters, and I felt a minimal style would attract them. “

De Bruijn’s project is currently on display at Design Academy Eindhoven‘s graduate show as part of the annual Dutch Design Week event, taking place from 21 until 29 October 2017.

Twenty is exhibited alongside the designer’s other project, Asana – a series of medical, posture stimulating tools for offices, disguised as ornamental objects.

Dezeen has also been considering the ways in which design could aid global issues, like climate change or pollution, in a series of talks held at Dutch Design Week – which are available to watch via our Good Design for a Bad World page.

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Small Architecture Workshop's charred-timber sauna floats on a Swedish lake

Milan-based studio Small Architecture Workshop has built a sauna on a floating platform in Åmot, Sweden, which features a blackened-wood exterior and a large window that overlooks a lake.

Floating sauna by Small Architecture Workshop.

Small Architecture Workshop self built the sauna over a period of two weeks for a Belgian couple whose bed and breakfast is located in the middle of a forest, three hours drive from Stockholm.

It is the first of a series of interventions intended to increase the range of services provided for tourists.

Conscious of the environmental damage of building a structure on the forest shoreline, the architects chose to overhaul an existing wooden pier in front of the plot to create the sauna.

“[The clients] underlined the importance of connecting with the lake not just visually but also to have a physical connection to a little wooden pier already floating in front of the plot,” the architects told Dezeen.

“Our idea was then to replace the floating pier and build the sauna completely on the water to avoid any digging and damage of the beautiful shoreline and at the same time underline even more the connection to the water,” they continued.

Keen to mitigate the visual impact of the building in its natural habitat, the architects opted to treat the outside wood using the traditional Japanese technique of Yakisugi. The wooden cladding is burnt to oxidate it and make it resistant to weather and parasites without using harmful chemicals.

“The charred wood doesn’t need maintenance as [there aren’t] any painted surfaces and at the same time it respects the environment,” explained the architects

“From the beginning our choice was to have a dark outside surface of the building to merge as much as possible with the dark peaty water of the lake,” they added.

A transparent wall faces the lake, so as to allow tourists to contemplate their peaceful surroundings.

The main sauna room, which accommodates up to eight people, is lined with alder wood, a traditional Scandinavian material used in saunas. This can be accessed via a sheltered area that doubles as a dressing room and storage space for firewood.

As well as being a place for rest and relaxation, the outdoor platform that surrounds the sauna serves as a dock for small boats and canoes, while steps on the side of the platform allow visitors easy access to the lake.

Small Architecture Workshop is a collaboration between three architects – Andrea Masperi, Giulio Marchesi and Valerio Panella.

Blackened wood has been an increasingly popular material choice for residential projects. Other examples include a charred-timber house extension in London by Chris Dyson architects, and the Muji Hut – a simple prefab cabin intended to suit a wide variety of locations.

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Books on Tape

Books on Tape by John Atkinson on Wrong Hands…(Read…)

The Future is Here and Now

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As the time counts down to this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, we get more and more teasers of what’s to come – one of those teasers is the beautiful Mazda Kai Concept. With some similarities to the RX-Vision Concept (released at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show), the Kai is edgy, sleek and a large amount of personality. What stands out for me the most here is the genuinely gorgeous aesthetic of the side panels. The surface pulls in after the front wheel arch and is dragged back out to house the rear wheels – the way this plays with the lighting is never going to stop putting a smile on my face. An honorable mention is the dazzling roof on the Mazda Kai. The windshield curves at the top, to continue down the roof, splitting in the center giving way to an aerodynamic body sculpture which once again adds to the clean and sharp look of the Kai. Having to wait until the Tokyo Motor Show, we’re going to have to hold out until then, but this hatchback motor is certainly raising a lot of eyebrows in interest to see more.

Designer: Mazda

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« The Outsider » by Elizabeth Heyert

Prise entièrement avec une appareil analogique Leica lors d’un voyage en Chine, la série « The Outsider » d’Elizabeth Heyert est une collection de photos de chinois qui prennent des portraits de leurs proches. L’enthousiasme des Chinois pour les portraitures peuvent s’expliquer par leur passé : la Revolution Culturelle a interdit et détruit les albums photographiques des familles. Etre en territoire inconnu a permis à Heyert de prendre ces portraits authentiques d’une culture si différente de la sienne. 








Fascinating Guitar Player

Fascinating Guitar Player..(Read…)

Adobe's New Editing Tool, ProjectCloak

“Cloak is content-aware-fill for video, and powered by Adobe Sensei. It enables removing unwanted things from a video by imagining what would appear if these unwanted things were removed.”..(Read…)

5 Tips for Managing Your Healthcare on a Freelancer’s Budget

Whether you freelance full- or part-time, it’s not uncommon for your finances to fluctuate occasionally. You may go through seasons that are financially lucrative. At other times, the amount of money in your bank account might be downright scary. No matter where you’re at in your career, having adequate access to healthcare is usually at the top of the priority list for most people. But, if you’re forced to choose between paying for rent, food, or your health, healthcare often gets put on the back burner.  

If you have a chronic health condition or you just need to get something checked out by a doctor, adding an extra bill can put some serious stress on already strained resources. These five tips will help you manage your healthcare on a freelancer’s budget, so your health doesn’t have to suffer during the slow times in your career.

  1. Don’t miss the open enrollment for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act

This year, the open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, is shorter, and it begins on November 1st and goes until December 15th in the states that use the HealthCare.gov website. Nine states that run their insurance exchanges through a state-run website have extended their open enrollment to a variety of dates. Those states include Colorado, Minnesota, D.C., Rhode Island, Washington, California, Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut. Check with these states for specific details.

If you miss open enrollment, you’ll only be able to obtain insurance through the Affordable Care Act if you qualify for a special circumstance. These are qualifying events like a job loss, marriage, divorce or becoming a U.S. citizen.   

Not sure if you’re eligible for a plan through the Affordable Care Act? For 2018, you must be a U.S. resident, a U.S. citizen or national (or here lawfully), not incarcerated, not enrolled in Medicare, and not have job-based insurance through an employer.

If your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is no higher than 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL), you’ll qualify for a subsidy to help you pay your monthly insurance premiums, or you may be eligible for Medicaid. Like previous years, if you choose not to enroll in an insurance plan, you’ll be subject to a penalty for every month you remain uninsured, which will be due at the time you file your taxes the following year.

If you’ve never looked into insurance coverage through the ACA, now is the time to do so. For many freelancers, having an insurance plan through the Affordable Care Act can be a saving grace in case of an emergency or illness.

  1. If possible, use an urgent care clinic instead of an ER

Many urgent care clinics accept a wide array of insurance plans, and your copays are typically far less than emergency room visits. Urgent care clinics are equipped to handle a variety of non-life-threatening issues like skin rashes, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, colds and flu. Some clinics have the diagnostic capabilities to treat fractures, strains, sprains, lacerations and other injuries. If you need medications, some facilities stock a supply of regularly prescribed drugs at a reduced cost to patients. Additionally, many clinics will offer discounts to people who pay for the appointment out-of-pocket.

Before you go to the clinic, check the urgent care’s website as well—some clinics maintain an online listing of prices so you can plan for the cost.  

  1. Shop around for your prescriptions

Did you know not all pharmacies charge the same price for prescriptions? The cost of medications can vary from one location to another, even within the same city. There are two discount programs which can compare drug costs and help make them more affordable.

The first program is GoodRx. This program examines medication costs and offers discounts on prescriptions from popular pharmacies all across the country. Whether you’re insured or uninsured, you can take advantage of this service, and there are no financial guidelines to qualify for it. For example, a specialized thyroid medication not covered by insurance would cost $40 per month. The GoodRx coupon reduces the expense to about $18.  

The second program is Prescription Hope. While the cost of brand-name drugs can be through the roof, this company helps patients gain access to over 1,500 brand-name medications for $50 per month per medication, regardless of the retail cost you might pay at the pharmacy. But you must meet income guidelines to use this service, and it differs depending on the size of your family.

  1. Ask your doctor if they are a member of any discount lab services

Many doctors understand that the skyrocketing costs of healthcare and lab work make quality care out of reach for some people. To offset your costs, ask your doctor if they have a membership with programs that provide lab services to patients at discounted rates.

One such service is the Professional Co-op, which administers routine and commercial lab tests at steeply cut rates for uninsured or underinsured patients. To use this service, your doctor must be a member of the cooperative, and you must have your lab tests completed at a LabCorp in your area. Right now, there’s no database available to indicate which physicians are a member of this program, so you’ll need to ask them.

  1. If your medical bills are mounting, ask for a payment plan

Some providers will reduce the cost when a patient pays their bill in cash. Others may allow you to pay a portion of the bill each month or use a service such as Care Credit—a credit card service which lets you spread your payments over a designated amount of time (like six months or one year) without accruing interest. After the specified amount of time, the interest on these types of credit services is generally higher. Finally, if you’re financially strapped, some medical facilities may offer income-based repayment plans or a sliding fee scale, which allows you to pay what you can afford each month.

Managing your healthcare needs on the sometimes unpredictable income of a freelancer can be stressful. Utilize these resources and research your options, so you have a game plan in case you require medical attention or emotional support. Knowing what’s available to you can help put your mind at ease as you tackle the financial highs and lows that come your way.

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Aerial Perspectives of Katrin Korfmann

Katrin Korfmann est une artiste allemande vivant à Amsterdam, dont les oeuvres sont des observations d’interactions humaines dans des espaces publics vus de haut. Chaque pièce est composée de diverses images réunies pour former une visualisation cohérente d’un lieu occupé, tout en mettant l’accent sur le cadrage, la perspective et les dimensions sociales. Voir plus de son travail ici.
(All images courtesy of Katrin Korfmann ©Pictoright)







Trump wall prototypes pop up near US-Mexico border

Portions of eight proposed designs for the wall that President Donald Trump wants to construct along the US-Mexico border are to be tested over the coming months.

The prototypes, all measuring 30 feet (9.1 metres) tall, have been constructed at a site close to the existing border fence south of San Diego, California.

Starting next month, they will be subjected to attacks from sledgehammers, pickaxes, power tools and other implements. Testers will also try to dig under and scale over the sections to determine how the different designs perform.

“We’re going to test them for breachability, for the subterranean aspect,” said US Customs and Borders Protection chief agent Roy Villareal, according to the Evening Standard.

Six companies were selected from over 250 by the Department of Homeland Security following open bidding process launched in February 2017 – a month after the inauguration of President Trump, who is seeking to fulfil his campaign promise to fortify the America’s southern frontier.

Of the chosen prototypes, four are made primarily from concrete – as specified in an early tender – while four more are built from other materials.

They include two designs by Alabama-based Caddell Construction, which proposes a concrete wall with a thicker lower portion, and a version with a solid top and a transparent bottom half.

WG Yates & Sons from Philadelphia also has two shortlisted prototypes – one metal and one concrete – while the material used for KWR Construction‘s partially see-through version is currently unidentified.

Fisher Sand & Gravel’s solid concrete barrier, Texas Sterling Construction’s suggestion topped with steel mesh and spikes, and ELTA North America’s plan that looks like a radiator round off the list.

Cost is also likely to play a determining factor in the decision. A recently approved bill that pledged $1.6 billion (£1.2 billion) towards the wall’s construction stalled in the Senate, while Trump’s initial claims that Mexico would cover the costs are continually denied by the Mexican government.

The US president also previously said that he himself could “design or negotiate” a cheaper option for the wall if necessary, and later suggested that the design could incorporate solar panels to help foot the bill.

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