The technology relies on a continuous column of air in its discharge pipe to aid the movement of wastewater, negating the need for bulky ventilation pipes on which conventional drainage solutions are reliant.
SuperTube also uses water pipes that are installed horizontally rather than at an angle, and with a narrower diameter than in traditional high-rise wastewater systems.
Together these features help to maximise both floor areas and ceiling heights within a building when compared to conventional solutions, according to the Swiss manufacturer.
“In high-rise buildings, the ventilation pipes in the drainage systems take up a great deal of space,” explained Geberit. “With the Geberit SuperTube Technology, it is now possible to dispense with the ventilation pipes entirely.”
“With smaller pipe diameters and the possibility to install horizontal pipes, you not only gain space in the bathrooms but you either gain room height or you could add additional floors to your high-rise buildings.”
SuperTube also requires less planning in the initial design stages and caters for faster installation than traditional drainage systems.
VDF products fair: Swiss brand Geberit has designed an automatic odour extraction unit for bathrooms called DuoFresh, which is designed to be concealed behind a toilet‘s flush plate.
DuoFresh has been developed by Geberit to offer a more efficient alternative to air fresheners, and it works by extracting odours from within a toilet cistern and its flush pipes.
The air captured in this process is transferred to the DuoFresh module, concealed within a wall-mounted flush plate, where it is purified via a filter and returned the room.
“Whereas air fresheners only mask odours temporarily and open windows just let in the cold air, the Geberit DuoFresh module works without any undesired side effects,” explained the Swiss manufacturer. “The odour extraction unit is beneficial in lots of senses.”
DuoFresh is compatible with any of Geberit’s Sigma cisterns and actuator plates. It can also be fitted with optional functions such as a motion sensor that automatically activates the filtering process when it detects a person entering a room.
Another feature is an LED light that sits behind the actuator plate to offer discreet lighting when using the bathroom at night.
VDF products fair: Swiss brand Geberit has launched three new material finishes for its Sigma50 and Sigma21 flush plates to suit a range of bathroom interiors.
The new collection of material finishes for the actuator plates, which are also called flush plates and are used to control concealed toilet cisterns, are metallic and include red gold, brass and black chrome.
These material finishes join the Swiss manufacturing company’s existing range of more “earthy” finishes for the Sigma50 and Sigma21 flush plates, which include walnut, slate and concrete.
Users can select one material to cover the entire fixture or combine two different finishes for use on the plate and its flush buttons. Geberit’s intention is to offer a broader range of material finishes to suit any style of bathroom.
“Geberit is offering a new range of high-quality materials for the popular actuator plate Sigma50 and recently launched Signma21, meaning a wealth of possibilities for the look of the plates and buttons,” said the brand.
“With versions in concrete, slate and walnut, the range of new plate materials cover all the bases.”
Each metallic surface is complete with a glass-ceramic coating to protect them from damage.
Architect Eric Höweler will speak to Dezeen in a live Screentime conversation sponsored by Enscape as part of Virtual Design Festival. Watch it here live from 2:00pm UK time.
The Boston-based architect will discuss his work with Dezeen’s founder and editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs.
Höweler is the co-founder of architecture practice Höweler + Yoon, which he runs together with partner Meejin Yoon.
Eric Höweler is the co-founder of Boston-based architecture firm Höweler + Yoon
This Screentime conversation is sponsored by Enscape, a virtual reality and real-time rendering plugin for architectural design programme Autodesk Revit.
La photographe Chase Middleton développe des histoires où l’absurde et l’étrange rythment les intrigues. C’est dans la campagne australienne qu’elle grandit, puis c’est aux États-Unis, qu’elle étudie la photographie à l’Université de Yale. Entre spontanéité et contrôle du moindre détail, les images de Chase Middleton ouvrent des mondes sans queue ni tête, où les décors et les modèles jouent le rôle principal.
Quand est-ce que la photographie s’est imposée à vous comme moyen de créer ?
À l’âge de 8 ans, j’ai reçu mon premier appareil photo. Dès lors, j’ai commencé à construire des décors, à capturer des autoportraits et des photos de mes amis. La photographie était la seule chose qui m’intéressait vraiment à cet âge là.
Quelles images aimez-vous le plus produire ?
Les images qui arrivent par accident sont mes préférées. Je suis une personne très organisée et stricte. La moitié de mon travail consiste à construire des décors dans mon studio et à travailler minutieusement sur les détails. Pourtant, j’aime être surpris par la spontanéité du monde. Celle-ci est, selon moi, bien plus intéressante que toute autre histoire fictive.
Entre étrangeté et candeur, les modèles que vous portrayez naviguent souvent entre ces deux mondes.
J’ai l’impression qu’une partie de l’élément bizarre de mes photographies découle de l’inconfort du spectateur, plutôt que de mon action en tant que photographe. Je travaille à partir de deux états antithétiques ; l’un dans lequel je viens de rencontrer le sujet et où je plonge dans son monde et l’autre, dans lequel le modèle m’est enfin familier et fait ce que je lui demande. Ce sont deux états très extrêmes pour commencer un photoshoot, donc je ne peux que supposer que cela a beaucoup à voir avec ce sentiment d’étrangeté et de candeur.
Quel élément vous aide à, sans cesse, cultiver votre inspiration pour la photographie ?
Actuellement, le chaos est la force la plus inspirante de ma vie. Puis pour, par la suite, y trouver le calme. Un peu comme ces exercices de relaxation des années 90 où vous tendez tous les muscles de votre corps aussi longtemps que vous le pouvez, puis vous lâchez et inspirez et expirez. Quelle que soit la version psychologique de cette comparaison, c’est ce qui m’inspire le plus.
Monitoring air quality is going to become crucial post this pandemic as we all try to boost our respiratory systems. It isn’t possible to carry your air purifier everywhere with you and how can you tell if the air quality in the multiple environments that surround you is safe? Well, Sprimo has a solution for you – a keychain-sized personal air monitor that keeps you informed in real-time about the air you breathe. This is extremely important for those with pre-existing respiratory conditions so they can reduce their discomfort by checking the air quality before going to a certain place.
This compact personal gadget monitors the air quality around you and reports the collected data on an intuitive app that you can install on your smartphone. It is compatible with iPhones as the nifty device connects to your phone via the lightning port. As soon as you insert it, the air monitor should give you the readings instantly whether you are indoors or outdoors. Along with the air quality, it also gives you additional details like temperature and humidity’s effects on the air so you cover all your bases. The accurate air quality measurements are then color-coded for easy comprehension – green means clean air and red means you could be breathing in harmful particles. This helps to figure out if the areas you spend most of your time in has clean air and how it affects your health. Like does your office or school has healthy air quality? If not, you now know that you have to take the necessary steps to change that instead of continuing to harm your respiratory system unknowingly.
It also tracks toxic paint smell and chemicals, pollution, smog, cleaners, dirty clothes, second-hand smoke, perfume for allergies, glue, pet waste or garbage, and more! Sprimo’s personal air monitor is determined to make sure you only breathe clean air so your health remains uncomplicated during these complicated times.
PriestmanGoode has adapted its 2016 Island Bay seat design, which was initially designed to increase capacity on trains, to expand on-board bike storage.
Spaces that were designed for extra seating, which would be blocked off due to Covid-19, have been now be used to store passengers’ bicycles.
The studio believes this will help enable commuters to complete journeys between their home and workplace at either end on bike. This takes into consideration that, once in London, travellers will aim to avoid other forms of public transportation like buses and tubes.
PriestmanGoode’s updated train seating increases on-board bike storage to make it easier to social distance
The interior solution follows announcements made in the UK that rail networks will be re-starting services as lockdown conditions are lifted, but will be reducing capacity onboard down to as little as 10 per cent.
“As transport designers, the ‘first and last mile’ have always been important considerations for us as our design approach considers the entire customer journey,” said PriestmanGoode founder Paul Priestman.
“People typically use their own car, buses or underground services to start and end their journey, but many would prefer to use bikes as a lower-cost and more flexible alternative,” he continued.
“We have found a way to adapt our Island Bay seating design so that more bikes can be easily and safely accommodated onboard commuter trains.”
As Priestman explains, the Island Bay design was originally part of a brief that was set and funded by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), which tasked the company with finding innovative solutions for overcrowding on suburban services.
The original layout offers a conventional, double-seat layout during off-peak times, which can be folded up to increase seating and standing space during peak hours.
“The flexible nature of the design has allowed us to adapt it very quickly to a different set of circumstances and accommodate bikes safely within each carriage as well as restricting seating to enforce social distancing measures,” added Priestman.
“By installing flexible seating, train operators are able to adapt to changing customer needs from extra space needed for luggage, bikes or buggies to extra standing space at peak time.”
The original Island Bay seating was designed to increase capacity, and features fold-up seats
Padded aisle rests are also included in the design for travellers who would alternatively be stood up, unsupported, and twin USB charging ports are integrated into every seat. These elements were also featured in the original design.
“The role of design is to solve problems and improve the overall experience for customers,” said Priestman.
“We understand that passengers coming into London are looking to travel at a safe distance during their commute, but the prospect of a crowded bus or underground carriage may put them off making the entire journey.”
The new Island Bay seating configuration not only supports the measures that urban planners are making in cities to ease the pressure on public transport systems, but it also aligns with the “healthier choices” that commuters will be making as a consequence of the pandemic, says the designer.
The folding Island Bay seating design was one of two proposed models launched in 2016. The other design, called Horizon, features rows of narrow seats that are closely packed together.
PriestmanGoode are not the only design studio rethinking transport for a post-Covid world. Aviation consultancy Factorydesign has proposed a layout for aircrafts that would support social distancing using screen divider kits.
Prosser illustrated this news with a mocked-up logo of a white pair of glasses on a black background next to the Apple logo and the word “glass”.
Apple continues AR developments
Speculation about the makers of the iPhone releasing an augmented reality (AR) headset have been circulating for years, with Prosser describing the technology as Apple’s “most mysterious product ever”.
Prosser has also claimed that Apple “shadow-banned” him by blocking his podcast Recycle Bin from the iTunes charts without telling him, in retaliation for leaking the news.
Apple normally officially announces new products in March, June, September and October. Last September it released the iPhone 11 Pro, which features three cameras.
Apple Glass could follow footsteps of Google Glass
Google Glass was pulled from sale in 2017 and the company redeveloped the project, pivoting to targeting the AR headset for businesses. Now called the Glass Enterprise Edition, it is aimed at giving assembly line workers hands-free access to their device.
AR uses technology to overlay digital elements with the physical world. Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson has used AR to make an app that lets users interact with rare things from the natural world, such as puffins, from inside their homes.
Designer and programmer Cyril Diagne has created AR Copy Paste, an app that lets people take a photo of something on their phone and immediately drop it into their desktop as a cut-out image.
Post-pandemic hotels will have no receptionists and will adopt touchless access, one-way systems and larger rooms with inbuilt gyms according to The Manser Practice, which has designed numerous hotels including several for Hilton.
The coronavirus could also lead to a rejection of Airbnb, the death of hotel conferencing, the return to favour of the paternoster lift and the construction of custom-built, self-contained isolation hotel rooms.
“People will want the assurance of clean space”
The studio predicts that a key focus of future hotel rooms will be cleanliness and the reduction of unnecessary contact – something that is hard to achieve in shared spaces with a quick turnover of guests.
This could lead people to move away from private rental services like Airbnb in favour of larger hotel chains.
“People will want the assurance of properly maintained, clean space,” said Jonathan Manser, CEO of The Manser Practice.
“Could we see the demise of the Airbnb model as consumers move towards assured cleanliness?” he asked Dezeen.
“There’s no guarantee, when renting from another consumer, that interiors have been properly cleaned since the last use – this gives an advantage to the hotel industry and particularly, one suspects, to the big international brands.”
Jonathan Manser predicts that hotels will introduce touchless check-in
In the short term, hotels will be adapted to minimise the interaction between staff and guests, with receptionists replaced by touchless check-in with temperature checks, while doors will be opened using a smartphone.
“Do visitors still need to be welcomed and checked-in by receptionists?” asked Manser. “A hotel app could instead give guests touchless access to their room, delivery hatch and other hotel amenities.”
“Using smart technologies to minimise the number of touch points between entry and the hotel room will put guests more at ease about potentially contaminated surfaces.” he continued.
“We imagine a return to the old forms of room service”
To reduce the contact between guests in existing hotels, which often have numerous rooms serviced by a single corridor, Manser suggests implementing one-way systems.
“As a whole, the internal spatial layout of hotel buildings might change to one-way systems to minimise the crossover points of guests in narrow corridors,” said Manser.
Manser foresees larger hotel rooms with space to exercise and delivery hatches
To reduce the need to visit restaurants and for other staff to enter rooms, Manser believes that hotels could add “remote room delivery” services.
“We imagine a return to the old forms of room service,” he explained. “A remotely activated hatch on to the corridor giving access to a space big enough for delivery meals, laundry and dry cleaning etc.”
“Staff place items in from outside and guests retrieve them from inside via a similar hatch,” he continued. “Dirties take the reverse route. Staff won’t need to enter the room, improving both privacy and social distancing.”
Hotel rooms could be extended to create space for exercise
On a longer time scale, Manser believes that the coronavirus will impact how space is allocated in hotels, with greater priority placed on spacious rooms and a reduction in facilities like conference rooms and gyms.
“Guest rooms might get bigger to allow more space for in-room work rather than people risking using the shared spaces with other guests,” explained the architect.
“Similarly, gyms full of sweaty fellow guests might now not seem as attractive as an in-room exercise space,” he continued. “Rooms could be extended with oriel windows containing bikes, yoga spaces etc. allowing exercise with panoramic views and ‘activating’ what are often bland hotel elevations.”
“Lifts present the biggest challenge”
Another major structural change could be the reintroduction of the paternoster – a type of lift that was popular in the first half of the 20th century, which consists of a continuous chain of open compartments for one or two people rather than an enclosed lift for multiple people.
“Lifts present the biggest challenge – sharing a confined space with strangers, even with masks, will be off-putting,” said Manser.
“More lifts and escalators might help, but we see a potential for the good old paternoster lift to be modernised, which could not only move people around more efficiently but, in some hotels, add to the theatricality of the central space.”
Hotels will introduce one-way systems and could rediscover the paternoster lift
Manser also sees a potential need to build “quarantine hotels” that could be used by those stuck in foreign countries. The studio has designed a self-contained room (shown above) that would contain many of its predictions for the post-pandemic hotel.
“And finally, looking further ahead, the prediction is for more pandemics as travel increases, as well as country-specific (or second wave) Covid outbreaks,” explained Manser.
“There will be increased demand for ‘quarantine hotels’, not only for guests to get away but for those ‘stuck’ in other countries unable to travel home,” he continued.
“We’ve roughed out plans for a 28 metre-squared Utility Pod, with bed, bath, wardrobe, minibar, delivery hatch workspace and gym all in the one space – a self-contained isolation hotel room!” he added. “Robot cleaning might be an option as well but we haven’t yet cracked automatic bed making!”
Edwards captured eight photos of the 105 low-energy homes that UK architecture studio Mikhail Riches designed to form the tour. Users can navigate between the photos either on the video above or while wearing a VR headset.
Along with the 360-degree imagery, the project includes drawings and clickable points that reveal information about the social housing project.
“Letterboxes are built into external brick porches, rather than the front doors, to avoid draughts or heat loss,” one point said for example.
Also embedded in the tour is a video interview with the architects, along with videos explaining the project made by RIBA, Norwich City Council and the Architects’ Journal.
Virtual architecture tours have increased in popularity since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, as visiting buildings in person has become largely impossible.
Edwards believes that the popularity of VR and 360-degree tours to explore and understand architecture will continue to increase after the pandemic.
“High quality, interactive 360 virtual tours and VR imagery are the perfect media to showcase and share current and past architectural projects,” he told Dezeen.
“Traditional stills and video do have their uses, but they also have their limitations,” he continued. “360 virtual tours can incorporate all forms of visual storytelling for a high impact, interactive, fully immersive multimedia experience.”
“There is no better way to experience the light, space, feel and atmosphere, other than actually being there in person.”
Edwards used a Canon DSLR with a fisheye lens and a special rotating 360 panoramic tripod head to capture the photos used in the tour.
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