Hasta La Ideas

Metals “mined” by plants feature in a first-of-its-kind ring, made by materials researcher and designer Karoline Healy under her jewellery brand H2ERǴ.

The metals were obtained using the emerging technology of phytomining, in which special species of plants known as hyperaccumulators suck up metals from the soil through their roots.

The technology is so nascent that Healy‘s is the first known jewellery item, if not the first object, to be made using materials obtained through the process – even if they are only contained in the decorative sphere set into the ring and not the band itself.

Healy became interested in phytomining and other types of biomining while working on a material research project for a consumer electronics company that wanted to source more sustainable steel for their products.

Here, she came across the work of biogeochemist Antony Van Der Ent in New Scientist magazine, who discovered nickel hyperaccumulator plants in the Borneo jungle.

“These plants look extraordinary,” Healy told Dezeen. “They bleed green nickel sap – nickel being a necessary element for stainless steel alloys.”

After that, she said, she learnt of other useful interactions between biological organisms and metals, such as a bacteria that can “eat gold” from waste circuit boards and a fungus in Australia that gathers gold particles on its body.

This led her to start her ongoing research project, Future Metals, of which the ring is a part.

“As a jeweller I connected the dots and thought about how it would be possible to source precious metals using biology in a renewable way, being in harmony with ecosystems, acting as a reason to clean up waste,” she said.

Healy’s work was made possible through a collaboration with the UK-based biomining start-up Phyona, whose mining sites constitute gardens planted in areas of polluted soil.

The metals for the H2ERǴ ring came from the Miners Garden at the Barnsley Main Colliery, a heritage coal mining site in the north of England that closed in 1991.

The plants help to remove contaminants from the soil – a process known as bioremediation – while also providing a potential cache of usable metals, if the recovery techniques can be perfected.

That is where most current research in the field is focused, along with identifying and optimising hyperaccumulator plant species.

Most commonly, the plants are burnt and the metals are extracted chemically from the ash. But according to Healy, Phyona is developing a bio-based method that is said to be more sustainable.

The plants in the New Miners Garden are all native foxgloves, thistles and grasses that can gather metals including silver, nickel, copper and zinc.

All of these feature within Healy’s ring as a mixed metallic dust contained within a transparent sphere.

The reason for this presentation is twofold. First, the processing techniques to further extract, isolate and purify the metals are still in development. And second, she likes it as a symbolic link to the ring’s origins in the New Miners Garden.

“Phyona planted a range of native hyperaccumulator plants together, each plant being accustomed to sucking up a specific type of metal or mineral,” said Healy. “This helps to clean the Barnsley Main site as there is a mix of metal contamination present in the soil.”

“In locations where there might be a more specific type of metal contamination, it could be more straightforward to harvest one type of metal straight from a specific plant.”

While Healy thinks it’s unlikely that phytomining will ever compete with today’s mining operations on scale, she does think it could at least be a partial substitute, particularly if metal reserves become depleted as some experts predict.

“Ores and feedstocks that are deemed uneconomical to process with today’s methods will soon need to be revisited,” she said. “And this is where I think phytomining and other types of bio-mining to extract metals will be paramount.”

Healy’s ring is currently on display at a museum on the Barnsley Main Colliery site.

The natural processes of plants and other organisms are increasingly a point of interest for designers engaged in the field of biodesign, which has recently seen the emergence of clothing dyed with bacterial pigments, fabric made from fermentation and furniture made in collaboration with mealworms.

The post H2ERǴ ring made with metals “mined” by plants appeared first on Dezeen.

Mould is growing on Gaia, a mass-timber business school in Singapore that was completed last year for the Nanyang Technological University by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and Singapore-based studio RSP Architects.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) claimed the 43,500-square-metre school was “the largest wooden building in Asia” in terms of the volume of timber used when it opened in 2023.

The university announced this week that mould was reported to have been growing on the exterior and interior structure.

After gaining insight from two independent experts, NTU claimed that most of the mould was found on air-conditioning supply grilles and on furniture surfaces.

The two experts concluded that the mould growth occurred due to condensation and exposure to rain, rather than the timber.

“Condensation occurs when the external humid air comes into contact with cooler indoor surfaces, such as when windows and doors of the offices are opened for prolonged periods,” said NTU.

One of the external experts, National University of Singapore built environment associate professor Tham Kwok Wai, said Gaia’s mass timber construction did not contribute to the mould growth, as it was properly sealed and met the certified regulatory standards.

The building has glued-laminated timber beams and columns, while cross-laminated timber was used for floor slabs and solar shading.

Prior to NTU’s announcement, media company Bloomberg had reported that the choice of wood used for the mass-engineered timber elements could be the reason for mould growth.

“In a place where relative humidity frequently reaches 80 per cent, spruce that’s not properly treated is vulnerable to mould and rot,” Andrew Wong of the International Wood Culture Society told Bloomberg.

Singapore-based media company Mothership visited Gaia on 19 August and found that mould was most apparent on the top three floors of the six-storey building, publishing photos of growth on the columns both inside and outside the building.

In NTU’s announcement, the university’s chief development and facilities management officer Siew Hoong Kit ensured that the health of those at the university was of the greatest importance.

Siew said that mould growth would be remediated through daily cleaning and maintenance.

Other mass-timber projects in Asia include a hybrid timber high-rise hotel in Sapporo, Japan, and a circular structure designed by architect Sou Fujimoto for Expo 2025 Osaka, which is under construction off the coast of Japan.

The images of Gaia after its completion are courtesy of NTU.

The post Mould growing on Toyo Ito-designed “largest wooden building in Asia” appeared first on Dezeen.

Artworks are dotted throughout the interior of restaurant L’Abysse Monte Carlo in Monaco, for which its designers Laurence Bonnel and Rowin Atelier took cues from the Seto Inland Sea archipelago.

Bonnel, who led the design and is the founder of Paris art gallery Scene Ouverte, also drew on the food served at the restaurant when creating the design.

Headed up by chef Yannick Alléno and sushi connoisseur Yasunari Okazak, L’Abysse Monte Carlo mixes French cuisine with Japanese culinary traditions.

“The design has been inspired by the atmosphere Yannick Alléno wanted for the Abysse – precious and warm, a French vision of the way you feel in Japan,” Bonnel told Dezeen.

“The sea, as it is a sushi restaurant, has also inspired the design,” she added.

“Monte Carlo’s unique blend of French Riviera chic and international flair also influenced the design. I also wanted to create a sense of clarity, so upon entering, one feels immediately transported, as if stepping away from the world.”

Bonnel has mixed materials including marble, travertine, wood, ceramics and velvet for the interior of the 90-square-metre restaurant, which is located inside the Hôtel Hermitage in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

“I worked with ceramic and porcelain for their connection to Japanese ‘savoir-faire’, and the special soul they bring to a space – I’m an absolute lover of ceramics,” Bonnel explained.

“The Versylis marble has a light grey tone with a hint of pink  – I went to choose the panels myself and it is reminiscent of a Japanese mountain drawing inside the stone,” she added. “I chose velvet fabric to bring the softness and warmth.”

L’Abysse Monte Carlo’s interior also features artworks that evoke the sea, including artist William Coggin‘s Coral Wall installation.

“Art always enhances an interior, it gives life and soul to a space,” Bonnel said. “It also gives a special, sweet, warm atmosphere with a spectacular effect: you feel to be in a special place while feeling very comfortable.”

The white ceramic wall decorations feature 3D forms that rise from the surface and resemble coral reefs, sand dunes and ocean waves.

“The coral colour of William’s ceramic wall was the first choice, followed by the very light wood of the bar, which led me to the Versylis marble,” Bonnel said.

Bonnel worked with Rowin Atelier on a large indigo rug that covers the restaurant floor and nods to the indigo dye Ao blue, which is traditionally produced on the island of Shikoku near the Seto Sea and used for prints.

“I wanted to retain the dark blue from the Paris location [of the hotel], so I collaborated with Rowin Atelier to incorporate this colour into the rug, creating a wave-like effect,” Bonnel explained.

“The sofas, also dark blue, are part of this wave,” she added. “I chose the soft pink seats to complement the Versylis marble and add warmth.”

The restaurant also features pieces by artists Célia Bertrand, Silver Sentimenti and Caroline Désile.

The decision to base the restaurant on the Seto Inland Sea archipelago came about as it has a recognisable geography, which is often depicted on the Japanese prints made with dye from the Shikoku island.

“The Seto Inland Sea, with its thousands of islands and jagged coastline, served as our inspiration,” Rowin Atelier told Dezeen.

“Our aesthetic desire was based on Japanese prints (Ukiyo-e) and the indigo colour, combined with the region’s distinctive geography,” the studio added.

“It is also an idea of the shore where the waves run aground. The Shikoku island is the traditional island of indigo culture.”

Other Japanese restaurants recently featured on Dezeen include one in Los Angeles decorated with fallen street trees and another in Paris with an interior informed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs.

The photography is by Sébastien Veronese.

The post Laurence Bonnel creates tactile restaurant interior informed by Japanese archipelago appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen Awards China 2024 closes today, 30 August, at 23:59 Beijing time. Submit your project today for a chance to win!

This is your final chance to enter Dezeen Awards China 2024, in partnership with Bentley. There will be no extension to the deadline.

Present your projects to our judging panel of industry-leading professionals, including Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, Atelier Tao+C founders Tao Liu and Chunyan Cai, MoMA curator Paola Antonelli and designer Mario Tsai, for the chance to be recognised as the very best of Chinese design talent!

Enter now

There are nineteen categories to choose from across architecture, interiors and design.

We’ve introduced three new categories this year. One rewards excellence in landscape and urban design, celebrating standout landscape design, masterplans, and public realm projects.

The other two new categories highlight the best in exhibition design (interior) as well as craft and collectible design, drawing on the region’s strong craft heritage.

We also have six Designers of the Year awards, but these are nomination-only and cannot be entered into.

Click here to see all our categories ›

Entries close today at 23:59 Beijing time

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Dezeen Awards China 2024 in partnership with Bentley

Dezeen Awards China is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards which celebrates the best architecture, interiors and design in China. The annual awards programme is in partnership with Bentley as part of a wider collaboration to inspire, support and champion design excellence and showcase innovation that creates a better and more sustainable world. This ambition complements Bentley’s architecture and design business initiatives, including the Bentley Home range of furnishings and real estate projects around the world.

The post Final chance to enter Dezeen Awards China 2024 appeared first on Dezeen.

It’s no news that climate change continues to reshape our environment, innovative solutions that blend practicality with provocation are more necessary than ever. Designer Mijoda Dajomi’s latest project, Daughters of Rain, steps boldly into this space, merging fashion with environmental consciousness to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: freshwater scarcity.

Designer: Mijoda Dajomi

As her graduate project at the London College of Fashion, Dajomi crafted a collection of rain-harvesting hats that are not only visually striking but also functionally innovative. The headwear, designed to capture and store rainwater, serves as a speculative response to a future where water becomes an increasingly scarce resource. In this imagined 2085, the simple act of rain falling from the sky transforms into a moment of communal reverence, a chance to collect every precious drop.

The collection encapsulates the duality of fashion and function. Crafted from waxed cotton, a fabric donated by luxury brand Barbour, and further treated with organic beeswax. This hat is designed to be both stylish and sustainable. Its leather-like appearance and sturdy construction allow it to capture up to 5 liters of rainwater while being worn. Dajomi’s choice of materials ensures that the hat not only repels water but also effectively collects and retains it without leaks.

However, Dajomi’s Daughters of Rain is not yet a product line; it remains a powerful commentary on the environmental challenges we face. Dajomi explained that while her hats are designed to function as rainwater harvesting tools, the primary purpose of her work is to provoke thought, raise awareness, and spark conversation about our relationship with water and the environment. This ethos is woven into the very fabric of the collection, which draws inspiration from the attire of lay sisters – women dedicated to charity and social causes. Just as these sisters united in their mission, the Daughters of Rain are imagined as a future collective that serves their communities by managing and distributing the vital resources of rainwater.

This project serves as a testament to the power of fashion as a medium for social and environmental change. Fashion, as one of the oldest forms of human expression, has always had the potential to influence thought and behavior. By leveraging this potential, the designer aims to make a statement that transcends traditional environmental activism. As a designer deeply passionate about the environment, nature, and headwear design, Dajomi stated that her goal is to blend creativity with environmental consciousness. Her project is intended to make an environmental statement, using the language of fashion to raise public awareness about critical ecological issues.

The world is saturated with news reports and environmental campaigns, but it’s initiatives like Daughters of Rain that stand out—unexpected, visually arresting, and deeply thought-provoking. By challenging us to envision a future where fashion is both a tool for survival and a symbol of environmental stewardship, Mijoda Dajomi’s work reminds us of the power of creativity in shaping our collective future. As we grapple with the realities of climate change, projects like this serve as a poignant reminder that the choices we make today will determine the world we inhabit tomorrow.

The post Fashion Meets Sustainability With Rain-Harvesting Hats That Tackle Anticipated Freshwater Scarcity first appeared on Yanko Design.