Hasta La Ideas

A multidisciplinary team in Chile have designed a self-sufficient cabin that can be tailored to the local climate and topography, along with a client’s specific needs.

The ZeroCabin was envisioned as a low-impact, customisable dwelling that operates without the use of public utilities.

The cabin was conceived by a diverse team of six people, who collectively have backgrounds in civil engineering, physics, biology, chemistry, sustainable farming and interior design. None of the team members have formal training in architecture.

Felipe Lüer, one of the lead designers, said the idea for the cabin took root in 2007, when he saw the documentary Garbage Warrior. The film is about the American architect Mike Reynolds and his efforts to build “earthship” houses, which are made of natural and recycled materials.

Lüer said the film sparked his dream of building an off-the-grid house, and he later found others who shared his vision.

“My team is made up of people who heard about the project and came to start building this new future,” Lüer told Dezeen.

The designers have conceived the cabin as a “kit of parts” that can be customised based on a customer’s needs and desires, along with the local site conditions.

The first ZeroCabin has been built within a puma sanctuary in Puerto Varas, a town in southern Chile. The building is rented out to tourists, with the proceeds going toward the wildlife preserve.

The cabin features a timber structural system with metal joints and biodegradable insulation. Exterior walls have metal cladding and thermally efficient glazing.

To provide views and minimise its impact on the earth, the two-storey dwelling is elevated two metres off the ground.

Encompassing 26 square metres, the cabin accommodates all of the basic living requirements. The lower level offers an area for cooking, eating and relaxing, along with a water closet.

The upper level contains a sleeping area, a closet and a shower. The bathing water travels via gravity to the lower level, where it is reused in the toilet.

The cabin’s water needs are met by rainwater, which is collected in basins and treated on-site. The water can be heated by a solar panel system or by a wood-powered stove that was invented by one of the team members.

Energy needs are met by photovoltaic panels, and heat is provided by sunlight and the stove. Lüer noted that cabins in other locales might incorporate power-generating devices such as micro water turbines, depending upon the climate and topography.

A second cabin is currently being constructed on Chiloé Island, located off the coast of southern Chile.

Because the building site is not accessible by road, the team has transported all materials and equipment by boat to a beach. From there, it is carried 100 metres by foot, according to the team.

This second dwelling, which will serve as a private vacation home, will total 46 square metres.

The designers have formed a company – called ZeroCabin – and they intend to construct additional units and retrofit existing buildings. Moreover, they are selling their “DIY kits” to customers wanting to build their own off-the-grid retreat. The starting cost for a ZeroCabin is about $50,000 (£38,455).

Other off-the-grid buildings include a simple, black cabin by designer Marc Thorpe that is tucked into the woods of Upstate New York, and a family retreat in Ohio by architect Greg Dutton that evokes the feeling of being in a tree house.

Photography is by Matias Riveros.

Project credits:

Team members: Felipe Lüer, Hector Becker, Luis Valladares, Andrés Lüer, Oscar Villalon, Ian Burbulis

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Holiday homes and hotels that also function as shoppable furniture showrooms are growing in popularity. Here are five examples including a Copenhagen hotel, a Melbourne apartment and a Hamptons house.

Stephen Kenn Loft, Los Angeles, by Stephen Kenn Studio

Stephen Kenn Studio turned a Los Angeles apartment inside an old factory building into “part showroom, part micro-hotel, part community space”.

“The space is first and foremost a showroom for our furniture collections, supplemented by the work of some of our brand partners that make products in categories we don’t design in, including lighting, ceramics, appliances and rugs,” Stephen Kenn said.

Find out more about Stephen Kenn Loft ›

Microluxe apartment, Australia, by Edwards Moore

This Melbourne apartment was transformed by architecture studio Edwards Moore for property company Microluxe to act as a rental property and showroom.

“All items are there for the experience and most are available to purchase after your stay, from the bed linen, wine and robes to the custom one-off furniture pieces,” architect Ben Edwards said.

Find out more about Microluxe apartment ›

The Audo Hotel, Copenhagen, by Menu and Norm Architects

Norm Architects worked with design brand Menu to create The Audo Hotel in Copenhagen, a 10-room hotel that doubles as a headquarters and flagship showroom for the Danish brand.

“We wanted Menu to take a new approach to running a design business through openness, knowledge-sharing and collaboration,” Menu director Joachim Hansen said. “By showing our collection in different contexts within hospitality we will make the collection become more alive.”

Find out more about The Audo Hotel ›

McKinley Bungalow, Long Island, Studio Robert McKinley

This rentable vacation home in Long Island designed by Studio Robert McKinley displays some of the firm founder’s favourite designs.

It is outfitted with a number of purchasable contemporary and vintage items, such as a spherical rattan ottoman, colourful wall tapestries and light fixtures from Isamu Noguchi.

Find out more about McKinley Bungalow ›

Pieces Home, Maine, by An Aesthetic Pursuit

To launch its Pieces collection, Brooklyn creative agency An Aesthetic Pursuit created Pieces Home, a “shoppable stay” in Maine filled with furniture and products that guests can purchase.

“By creating a destination vacation design experience, we eliminate the noise found in both traditional brick-and-mortar and digital retail settings,” Pieces co-founder Jenny Kaplan said.

Find out more about Pieces Home ›

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Philippe Starck’s private space homes, lie-flay beds in economy class, knitting climate data into scarves and more

Farewell to Mathematician Katherine Johnson, Crucial “Hidden Figure” at NASA in the ’60s Space Race

From her time as a childhood math prodigy in West Virginia to her crucial role as a “computer” at NASA, where her calculations helped lead astronauts into orbit and then the moon, black mathematician Katherine Johnson was a pioneering figure in spaceflight. Johnson’s work was critical to NASA’s earlier successes—especially during the space race—but they wouldn’t get mainstream recognition until President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. Johnson’s story was then chronicled in the film Hidden Figures two years later. Johnson has passed away at age 101. Read more about her the Washington Post.

Knitters Chronicle Climate Change With “Temperature Scarves”

From the “sky scarf” of the early aughts to the Tempestry Project today, knitters tap into climate change for guidance in their stitching. While the former accessory is about aesthetic inspiration, the latter aims to preserve data reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through “temperature scarves.” These are two examples of the way colorful yarns tie into the climate crisis and our reaction to it. Knitting has been used as a teaching aid, as a means of reflection, and even to make a statement—as with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink’s “temperature scarf” at Davos. Read more at The New York Times.

NASA’s Philippe Starck-Designed Private Space Homes

“My vision is to create a comfortable egg, friendly, where walls are so soft and in harmony with the movements of the human body in zero gravity,” enterprising designer Philippe Starck says of his latest commission: private accommodation on the International Space Station (ISS) for commercial tourists. NASA partnered with Axiom Space on the project, who then tapped Starck. The project should be complete by 2024—and populated by private citizens who participate in training at Axiom’s Houston facility. After, “Trips will last roughly 10 days, with eight of them spent aboard the ISS,” according to Architectural Digest, where you can read more.

The Continued Quest for Pain-Free Microneedles

Produced through a process of 3D printing with polymers—altogether referred to as “4D printing” because of its core of programmable, shape-shifting material—rapidly developing microneedles may replace painful hypodermic needles in the next decade. Professor Howon Lee, who has lead the research from Rutgers University, has filed a patent on this new technology, which produces hollow needles that are barbed, much like the stinger of a bee. They can pierce skin, anchor in and stay put during delivery of medicine or retrieval of blood—without causing pain. A patch composed of several microneedles could be worn to administer larger doses of medicine—though this particular idea isn’t new (it first piqued interest outside the scientific community, for use with vaccines, in 2015). Read more at Fast Company.

Marchi Architects’ Woodhouse 2.0 for Long Island

With a radial footprint, Woodhouse 2.0, by Paris-based design studio Marchi Architects, coils into the forested topography of New York’s Long Island. The residential proposal employs timber and texture materials to lend warmth within. The open-concept design, undisturbed circulation and ample window space embrace natural light, a hidden central courtyard and the woods outside, too. See more images at designboom.

NASA’s Public Design Challenge For Venus Exploration

Supported by an internal grant, a new creative challenge posed by NASA asks the general public to submit ideas for an “innovative obstacle avoidance  sensor” that will be featured on a future Venus Rover Concept. The planet’s notoriously rough surface will prove quite difficult to maneuver around and weather and pressure conditions are extreme. Officially titled “Exploring Hell: Avoiding Obstacles on a Clockwork Rover,” the prompt requires that all innovations be powered by an energy source other than electronics, since the planet’s surface clocks in at 840° Fahrenheit and all electronic systems fail just above 200° Fahrenheit. The first-place winner will receive $15,000 and the title of, though perhaps unofficially, NASA engineer. Read more at NASA.

The Smithsonian Institution Releases 2.8 Million High-Resolution Images

For the first time, the Smithsonian Institution has granted access to 2.8 million high-resolution images from “all 19 Smithsonian museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives and the National Zoo,” for use by the general public. They’ve done so through a new open access platform that allows users to download anything they’d like free of charge. This is just the beginning, as “the institution continues to digitize its collection of 155 million items and counting.” Read more at Smithsonian Magazine.

Herman Miller and Logitech G Collaborate on Gaming Furniture

Herman Miller might be best known for producing the acclaimed designs of Charles and Ray Eames (among many others), but the company continues to bring its skilled eye into new—and unexpected—spaces. Through a partnership with Logitech G, Herman Miller will produce seating for esports and gaming scenarios, fusing feedback from athletes and gamers with research done in tandem by the two parties. “We’re excited to combine our ergonomic, research-driven approach with Logitech G’s excellence in technology and innovation,” Herman Miller’s Chief Marketing Officer, Tim Straker, explains. Read more at Engadget.

Air New Zealand’s Lie-Flat Beds for Economy Travel

A development that may benefit many passengers on long-haul flights, Air New Zealand has filed patent and trademark applications for a lie-flat sleeping pod prototype designed for economy-class travelers. Referred to as the Economy Skynest, it’s structured like stacked bunk beds. The airline will determine whether or not to proceed with the concept in 2021, after it has assessed the needs of its Auckland–New York route, which takes a whopping 17 hours and 40 minutes when headed westbound. Read more at AFAR.

Super-Storm Early Warnings From Four Extreme Weather-Tracking Satellites

In both 2016 and 2018, Lockheed Martin launched one next-generation weather tracking satellite—known as GOES, or Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites—capable of detecting almost every bolt of lightning in the Western Hemisphere. Two more of these 6,000-pound satellites will be launched in 2021 and 2024. With all four in place, they’ll be able to monitor electrical activity in the atmosphere—and the data they amass will help to power NASA and NOAA’s weather forecasting models. The information provided by the $10.8 billion fleet could then enhance our understanding of and preparation for super-storms. Read more at Wired, where you can see photographer Christopher Payne’s exclusive imagery.

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Reclaimed materials feature alongside brightly painted new spaces in this transformation of two Victorian maisonettes in London by Studio 30 Architects.

Called Rylett House, the project sits within a conservation area in west London.

Studio 30 Architects freed up the interiors of the home, grouping utility spaces in a new basement level

The ground floor is opened up with an entrance hall, study and reception organised around a winding stair and finished with reclaimed flooring and doors.

A children’s play area has also been created alongside the storage areas in the basement, lit via a window that overlooks a small lightwell by the home’s entrance.

A bright red door opens on to an entrance area framing views through to the rear extension overlooking the garden.

“At the heart of the house an uncommonly generous circulation space extends its full height,” said Studio 30 Architects.

“A snaking timber handrail connecting all floors and visually echoing the buildings history.”

At the rear of Rylett House, a conservatory was demolished to make way for the extension.

This new space houses a large living, kitchen and dining area.

An old carpenter’s bench has been repurposed as a kitchen island for this space, illuminated by a skylight and contrasted by a new terrazzo floor.

The extension is finished in pale brick and overlooks the garden with a projecting timber window box topped by plants.

A timber-framed, full-height door alongside the window-box leads out onto a garden patio.

This terrace has the same terrazzo as the interior, creating a continuity between these two spaces.

Above, three bedrooms with bathrooms occupy the first floor.

Rylett House’s fourth bedroom sits within an attic space, all of which are lit by further skylights.

The extension has been stepped, with a single-storey section topped by a green roof overlooked by the first floor.

A two-storey section housing a new bedroom overlooks the garden through a wood-framed window.

Reclaimed floorboards have been used in the bedroom spaces, contrasted by contemporary furniture and fittings.

For a more contemporary feel, the main first-floor bathroom is painted and tiled with horizontal bands of green and pink.

A smaller en-suite is finished with a black grid of tiles and a bright yellow wall.

Studio 30 Architects has previously remodelled other homes in west London, including a conversion and extension of a terrace featuring sliding windows overlooking a garden.

Photography is by Agnese Sanvito.

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Design studio Common Accounts imagines the funeral of the future, where liquefied bodies are used to fertilise plants and flowers, and social media accounts generate a virtual afterlife.

Death needs a redesign, said Common Accounts founders Igor Bragado and Miles Gertler, to respond to global concerns about the environment, as well as the rise of digital communication.

The pair believe that modern technologies could be used to create new, eco-friendly funeral rituals.

“Burial and cremation, as we know them, are dead,” explained Gertler.

“Today’s city can no longer afford to keep the material business of death at arm’s length, given diminishing land availability, environmental concerns, and the prospect of your digital afterlife.”

Bragado and Gertler have produced a short film of their proposal, Three Ordinary Funerals, which is premiering at the exhibition (Re)design Death at the Cube Design Museum in the Netherlands.

It shows a ceremony taking place inside a prototype funeral home, which the pair built for the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism in 2017, inside a traditional Korean hanok house.

The ceremony is made up of two stages: the virtual and the physical.

Firstly, a virtual afterlife portal is opened, where friends, family and followers are invited to contribute digital memories. With a 3.0 terabyte-per-second connection speed, it is able to process and sort thousands of videos, photos, comments and files.

Secondly, the body of the deceased is placed inside a bespoke alkaline-hydrolysis fluid cremation system and transformed into a fertile liquid, which is used to feed a flower garden.

Floral arrangements from the garden can be used to decorate a ceremonial space-frame displayed on the roof, along with memorial flags.

As an additional benefit, the heat generated in the liquifying process can be used to sustainably warm the building.

The process wouldn’t demand land in the same way as a burial does and is more eco-friendly than cremation. But it also creates new ways of memorialising the deceased.

“New technologies present unique opportunities for the production of value – material, ceremonial, and ecological – that shouldn’t be ignored,” said Bragado.

“We need new, cleaner, socially productive disposition alternatives that integrate easily with the urban and digital realms.”

Bragado is from Spain, while Gertler originates from Canada. Having met while studying at Princeton University, the pair initially developed a concept for an alkaline-hydrolysis fluid cremation system.

This idea, which they presented at the Istanbul Design Biennial in 2016, later evolved into a more comprehensive package.

The project was always designed with the South Korean capital in mind. Like other Asian cities, Seoul has a scarcity of available cemetery land and only one cremation facility, even though it is home to 10 million people.

“It is urgent to start a dialogue on this issue in Seoul, where a shortage of facilities and burial space has created a crisis in how we manage death in the city,” said Jihoi Lee, who curated the Seoul Biennale installation.

“We can use this crisis to probe death’s productive potential in daily urban life,” she added.

Bragado and Gertler are not the only designers exploring how death rituals could be redesigned for the 21st century.

Shaina Garfield has created a biodegradable shroud, as an alternative to the coffin, while Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel have developed an egg-shaped burial pod with a tree on top.

Meanwhile architecture firm Olson Kundig has designed an after-death facility for Seattle where human bodies will be composted and turned into soil.

Photography is by Common Accounts. Video is by Andrew Gilbride.

Project credits:

Design: Common Accounts
Lead architects: Igor Bragado, Miles Gertler
Curator: Jihoi Lee
Alkaline hydrolysis technology consultant: STI Korea
Junior architect: Nowk Choe

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