Hasta La Ideas

In the quest for sustainable energy solutions, New World Wind has unveiled its revolutionary Aeroleaf Hybrid technology—a micro-wind turbine shaped like a tree, combining the forces of wind and solar energy to provide a clean and unlimited power source. This innovative approach not only meets the growing demand for electricity but also addresses environmental concerns associated with traditional energy production methods.

Designer: New World Wind

The conventional methods of electricity production, often reliant on burning fossil fuels, contribute to environmental degradation and climate change. New World Wind’s Aeroleaf Hybrid offers a compelling alternative by seamlessly integrating wind and solar power. The tree-shaped turbines are equipped with rotating leaves that capture wind energy, complemented by solar panels at the base, ensuring a continuous and efficient energy production process.

New World Wind draws inspiration from the beauty of nature, ensuring that the Aeroleaf Hybrid blends harmoniously with both urban and green landscapes. Unlike conventional wind turbines and solar panels, these tree-shaped energy generators appear as if they naturally grew in their surroundings. This unique design feature allows for a more aesthetically pleasing integration into various environments.

New World Wind’s commitment to green energy is evident in its global installations. The first Aeroleaf Hybrid, welcomed in Birmingham, UK, stands tall on a hill, showcasing its ability to harness wind and solar power in unison. The collaboration with Tom Tits Experiment, a science museum in Sweden, further emphasizes the technology’s versatility and its potential to power significant institutions with clean electricity.

A variant of the Aeroleaf Hybrid without Solar Panels

Recognizing the diverse energy needs of consumers, New World Wind offers three variations of the Aeroleaf Hybrid—Wind Tree, Wind Palm, and Wind Bush. The Wind Tree, with its numerous rotating leaves, is suitable for larger spaces and can even serve as a multifunctional lamp post or charging station for electric vehicles. The Wind Palm and Wind Bush cater to different scales, providing flexibility for installation in various settings, from public gardens to smaller neighborhoods.

New World Wind’s Aeroleaf (Hybrid) technology is based on a patented micro-wind turbine with a leaf-shaped double blade and a vertical axis. This synchronous micro-generator with permanent magnets allows for installation in diverse locations, including rooftops, terraces, pylons, and low-wind areas. The technology, with a single Aeroleaf generating a minimum of 300 watts, has already been deployed in 130 locations worldwide, spanning countries like Spain, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Portugal, Nigeria, France, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

Apart from its functional benefits, the Aeroleaf Hybrid also offers a customizable experience. Consumers can choose from various color options, allowing the turbines to seamlessly integrate with their surroundings. This level of personalization enhances the technology’s appeal and further encourages the adoption of green energy solutions.

By mimicking the elegance of nature, this technology not only provides a sustainable energy source but also exemplifies the potential for beauty and functionality to coexist in our pursuit of a greener tomorrow.

The post Tree with Solar Panels and Wind Turbines gives Nature-Inspired Clean Energy first appeared on Yanko Design.

Canadian architecture studio Provencher Roy has created Darwin Bridges, a curved bridge on Nuns’ Island outside of Montreal constructed with concrete that utilises recycled glass in its mixture.

The structure replaces a set of two-lane bridges constructed in the 1960s to service the growing suburban community and connect it with the highway system.

The original bridges had fallen into disrepair, and local studio Provencher Roy was tapped to remake them. Provencher Roy conceptualised a curving form that continued its function as an automotive route but also considered the pedestrian access at its shoulders and underneath.

“The concept was always there, but the design and construction standards of the time favoured the automobile, with corrugated galvanized iron guardrails to prevent vehicles from falling,” said Provencher Roy project manager Jacques Rousseau.

“For this project, we were therefore working in a paradoxical 1960s context, on an innovative urban project to improve the user experience, while also contending with the formal urban treatments required for road transportation.”

The curved bridges have arches along their length and were constructed using a cast-in-place concrete aggregate with a “less raw colour” than traditional concrete.

Recycled glass converted to ground glass pozzolan (GGP) was included in the aggregate, comprising about ten per cent of the mix. According to the studio, this both reduces the total C02 emissions necessary for the bridge’s construction and creates a “strengthening of the mechanical properties of concrete”.

This strengthening occurs because of how the cement in the aggregate reacts with the GGP, forming calcium silica hydrate. More than 40,000 kilograms of glass – the equivalent of around 70,000 bottles of wine – went into the mixture.

“When ground into a fine particle powder and introduced in concrete, GGP reduces the permeability and increases durability,” said the studio, who noted that this method has been approved by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Stainless steel reinforcements bolster the strength of the bridge.

Besides the strength of the cement, the studio also said that the mixture could help with the resistance of the material to the harsh climatic conditions in Montreal. It estimated the lifespan of the bridge at 125 years.

Provencher Roy also focused on the experience of the pedestrian walkway that winds underneath the bridges. The median that runs along the highway was expanded, giving the bridges a bow-like form.

Between the bridge structures, the studio created a retaining wall that was lined with plants to create a space that it described as “a soothing secret garden”.

The concrete on the exterior faces of the bridge was stylized, impressed with half circles and flower stems. LED lights were included to create a safer walking environment.

According to the studio, the Darwin Bridges are the first road bridges to be completed by engineers in Montreal for “half a century”.

Provencher Roy has completed a number of high-profile projects in the city including the conversion of Montreal’s Olympic Tower to offices as well as the design of a spiral ramp under the National Assembly of Quebec in Quebec City.

The photography is by Stéphane Brügger.

Project credits:

Architecture: Provencher Roy
Structure: SNC-Lavalin
Civil: SNC-Lavalin
Lighting: SNC-Lavalin
Landsacpe: Provencher Roy

The post Provencher Roy mixes recycled glass into concrete of sculptural Quebec bridge appeared first on Dezeen.

If you’re visiting London for the Dezeen Awards 2023 party taking place on 28 November, here are 10 architecture and design exhibitions also taking place in the city.

Diva, AI: Who’s Looking After Me?, and Makerversity: Designing for the Real World and Skateboard are among the exhibitions open to visit in London during November.

Cut + Paste
11 February to 2 December 2023

Biomedical research organisation the Francis Crick Institute hosts an exhibition designed by multidisciplinary design studio The Liminal Space.

Through interactive games, the exhibition explores a new form of genetic engineering – known as genome editing – including the tools used for it and the ethics surrounding it.

Cut + Paste takes place at the Francis Crick Institute in the King’s Cross district of London.

AI: Who’s Looking After Me?
21 June 2023 to 20 January 2024

The exhibition questions human reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) through its uses within society, including public healthcare and the judicial system.

Taking place at the Science Gallery London, located at King’s College London’s Campus, the exhibition features 13 projects.

AI: Who’s Looking After Me? is a collaborative project between the gallery and cultural organisation FutureEverything.

Diva
24 June 2023 to 7 April 2024

The V&A Museum hosts the Diva exhibition, which explores the designs behind ‘divas’ and how the role has changed throughout time.

Alongside the modern interpretation of the term, the exhibition also explores traditional examples of divas in opera and theatre through sketches, portraiture, clothing, audio and film.

The event aims to explore how the term ‘diva’ has been subverted over time, with the display featuring a reproduced portrait from the 19th century.

Small Spaces in the City: Rethinking Inside the Box
8 September 2023 to 27 January 2024

Small Spaces in the City: Rethinking Inside the Box takes place at bathroom manufacturer Roca’s London showroom and spotlights small homes around the world.

Projects by universities King’s College London and The Bartlett School of Architecture, as well as architects and studios Proctor & Shaw, Takeshi Hosaka, Gary Chang, JCPCDR Architecture, Paola Bagna and White Arkitekter are on display at the showroom.

The exhibition is designed by industrial product and furniture designer Tom Robinson and curated by Clare Farrow Studio. It opened during the 2023 edition of London Design Festival and is on display until January 2024.

Wide-Angle View
13 September 2023 to 24 February 2024

The Royal Institute of Architects (RIBA) hosts Wide-Angle View to celebrate architecture through photography.

The exhibition presents work by photographers Tony Ray-Jones, Patrick Ward and Ian Berry, exploring relationships between people and urban environments throughout Britain in the 1960s.

More than 70 photographs are on display at RIBA’s London headquarters.

Gucci Cosmos
11 October to 31 December 2023

Italian fashion house Gucci spotlights a retrospective of its clothing and accessories in a travelling exhibition that takes place in London from October to December.

Gucci Cosmos takes place at 180 Studios in the city’s Temple region and presents Gucci’s designs, spanning the last 100 years following the brand’s founding in 1921.

The exhibition was curated by fashion critic Maria Luisa Frisa and designed by artist Es Devlin.

Skateboard
20 October 2023 to 2 June 2024

The Design Museum in London presents Skateboard, displaying skateboards and accessories that highlight design changes between the present day and the 1950s.

Designer and skater Jonathan Olivares curated the exhibition, which includes over 90 boards and more than 100 objects, such as wheels, magazines, VHS tapes and safety equipment.

Alongside the display, the exhibition features a skate ramp, enabling visitors to skate inside the museum.

Makerversity: Designing for the Real World
1 November 2023 to 4 Febraury 2024

Makerversity: Designing for the Real World takes place at Somerset House, showcasing examples of designers’ processes, including prototypes and final designs, alongside live workshop displays.

The interactive exhibition explores traditional and modern design techniques, examining initial concepts, production, completed products and implementation, with a focus on sustainability, accessibility and technology.

Makerversity is a business support community led by Somerset House. The exhibition is curated by Makerversity’s director and co-founder Paul Smyth in collaboration with art studio Something & Son.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Boundless
15 November 2023 to 22 January 2024

The Saatchi Gallery presents installations and sculptures by artistic duo Christo and Jeanne-Claude between the 1960s to the 2010s, thought to explore themes of connection and a rejection of tradition.

Featured work includes Wrapped Coast in Australia, Surrounded Islands, The Pont Neuf Wrapped, The Umbrellas (1991), The Gates in Central Park and The Floating Piers.

The exhibition forms part of the gallery’s Season of Sculpture series.

Christien Meindertsma: Re-forming Waste
22 November 2023 to 19 October 2024

Designer Christien Meindertsma hosts the Re-forming Waste exhibition at the V&A Museum, which presents projects made from linoleum and wool.

The exhibition follows Meindertsma’s research into the materials, sourcing environmentally conscious resources for a circular economy.

The display collection was made utilising both traditional craft and modern technology.

About Dezeen Events Guide

Dezeen Events Guide is our guide to the best architecture and design events taking place across the world each year. The guide is updated weekly and includes virtual events, conferences, trade fairs, major exhibitions and design weeks.

Inclusion in the guide is free for basic listings, with events selected at Dezeen’s discretion. Organisers can get standard, enhanced or featured listings for their events, including images, additional text and links, by paying a modest fee.

In addition, events can ensure inclusion by partnering with Dezeen. For more details on inclusion in Dezeen Events Guide and media partnerships with Dezeen, email eventsguide@dezeen.com.

The post Ten architecture and design exhibitions to see in London appeared first on Dezeen.

With $500 billion in funding, Saudi Arabia’s Neom, an urban development in the northwest of the country, can build whatever they want. In addition to their line-shaped city, they’ve recently announced this wild-looking Epicon complex of skyscrapers to be built near the Gulf of Aqaba.

The two towers will house, surprise, a luxury hotel and luxury residences.

Nearby is a third tower located on the beach, which will be a 120-room resort.

The resort will also house 45 villas meant to blend into the desert. Each will have beach access, as well as a private pool.

“A highly attractive visitor destination and an optimum place to live and thrive, Epicon’s guests and residents can expect a truly immersive and life-affirming experience. The luxurious residences and beach villas aim to deliver new levels of livability through cutting-edge innovations, world-class services and first-class experiences, positioning the resort as a benchmark for iconic living.”

“Guests and residents of Epicon will enjoy unrestricted access to world-class facilities, complemented by views of one of the most desirable shorelines in NEOM. Amenities include a state-of-the-art gym, library, workspaces, pools and lounges.”

Strangely, the press release does not mention the architect or architecture firm responsible, though with projects like this, that’s typically a bragging point. Any guesses as to who?

EDC product design is a combination of innovation, overkill, theoretical applications, paranoia, occasionally fun forms, and typically high-quality manufacturing. I find it such a fascinating and unique category.

Here’s the latest in the category to catch my eye. While most multitools have blades or pliers as the dominant application, this one features tweezers coated in titanium nitride:

Titanium nitride, despite the metallic-sounding name, is actually an ultra-hard ceramic coating that is applied to metal tools using PVD (physical vapor deposition). It’s typically applied to preserve and protect surfaces, in case you’re tweezing contaminated splinters or corrosive nasal hairs.

The design of the tweezer’s tips is interesting: They’re slotted, corresponding with tabs on the included “quick-release”(!) keychain clip. This prevents the tips from jabbing you in transit, and the quick-release functionality means you can tweeze immediately.

As for the other six functions:

The TweezerTool+ runs $15, and is made by Texas-based EDC’ers True, who also make that flip-lid plasma lighter with an extendable neck.