Smart Highways by Studio Roosegaarde

Design Indaba 2013: glow-in-the-dark roads and responsive street lamps were among the concepts to make highways safer while saving money and energy presented by Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde at the Design Indaba conference in Cape Town earlier this month.

Smart Highways by Studio Roosegaarde

The Smart Highways project by Studio Roosegaarde proposes five energy-efficient concepts that will be tested on a stretch of highway in the Brabant province of the Netherlands from the middle of this year.

Smart Highways by Studio Roosegaarde

The first of the concepts developed by studio head Daan Roosegaarde and infrastructure firm Heijmans is a glow-in-the-dark road that uses photo-luminescent paint to mark out traffic lanes. The paint absorbs energy from sunlight during the day the lights the road at night for up to 10 hours.

Smart Highways by Studio Roosegaarde

Temperature-responsive road paint would show images of snowflakes when the temperature drops below zero, warning drivers to take care on icy roads.

Smart Highways by Studio Roosegaarde

There are two ideas for roadside lighting: interactive street lamps that come on as vehicles approach then dim as they pass by, thereby saving energy when there is no traffic, and “wind lights” that use energy generated by pinwheels as drafts of air from passing vehicles cause them to spin round.

Smart Highways by Studio Roosegaarde

Finally, an induction priority lane would incorporate induction coils under the tarmac to recharge electric cars as they drive.

Smart Highways by Studio Roosegaarde

Roosegaarde presented the Smart Highways concept at the Design Indaba conference in South Africa earlier this month, where he received a standing ovation from rapt guests – see more from Design Indaba as part of our Dezeen and MINI World Tour.

Last year the studio built a dome of metallic flowers that appear to come to life as they sense the presence of visitors, while their earlier projects include a dress that becomes see-through when the wearer gets excited or embarrassed – see all design by Studio Roosegaarde.

Other street lighting we’ve reported on includes Ross Lovegrove’s solar-powered lights shaped like trees and a sharply faceted LED street lamp – see all street lighting.

The post Smart Highways by
Studio Roosegaarde
appeared first on Dezeen.

Laser beams keeping crosswalks safe

There’s a lot to be said about taking a perfectly simple aesthetic gesture and turning it into a guide for the public. In this case it’s a couple of laser beams stopping humans or vehicles from crossing paths at the same time. This design by HOJOON Lim goes by the name Guardian and will bring a perfect stop to a crash that could have been near you.

Designer: HOJOON Lim


Yanko Design
Timeless Designs – Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Yanko Design Store – We are about more than just concepts. See what’s hot at the YD Store!
(Laser beams keeping crosswalks safe was originally posted on Yanko Design)

Related posts:

  1. High Tech Crosswalks
  2. Luminous Beams Glow In The Dark Threads
  3. Safe Safe Safe Watches

Stockholmsporten masterplan by BIG

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

Danish architects Bjarke Ingels Group have won a competition to masterplan a new gateway to Stockholm at the intersection of two motorways. 

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

Called Energy Valley, their proposal for Stockholmsporten will create an artificial valley containing a park with separate areas of forest, wetlands, grass lawns and hills, and will also feature a mirrored sphere hovering over the road junction.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

Continuous cycle paths and footpaths looping through the area will connect attractions including a shopping centre, a hammam and a mosque.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

Built around the junction between the E18 and E4 highways, Stockholmsporten is the largest infrastructure project in Sweden.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

BIG win the competition in collaboration with Grontmij and Spacescape.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

More information on the Stockholmsporten masterplan competition here (in Swedish)

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

All our stories about BIG »

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

Here’s some more information from the architects:


BIG WINS THE STOCKHOLMSPORTEN MASTER PLAN

BIG + Grontmij + Spacescape are the winning team for the Stockholmsporten master plan competition to design an inviting new entrance portal into Stockholm at the intersection of a newly planned super-junction.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

The planned Hjulsta Intersection 15 km north of Stockholm where two European highways the E18 and E4 Bypasses converge into a three level intersection, amounts to the largest infrastructure project in Sweden, required due to the growth and development of the capital. The Stockholmsporten competition seeks to define the Hjulsta intersection through sculpting the surrounding landscape and framing the automotive scale of the intersection. Additionally the proposal connects the adjacent Järvafäl tet recreation area through a continuous promenade to the distinctive natural and heritage-laden environment and adds new qualities to the site. BIG was selected as the winner of the invited competition among proposals from Norwegian Snøhetta, Danish landscape architect Kristine Jensen and Swedish Erik Giudice Architects.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

”The magnificent bowl shape of this proposal is an ingenious solution which interacts with the geometry of the intersection while at the same time creating an urban context linking together the different areas surrounding the site. Possibilities of adding qualities and activities to the place which will benefit residents are very elegantly added.” Jury Report, Stockholmsporten.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

Prior to this competition, the intersecting roads would create physical and visual barriers between the surrounding neighborhoods and divide them into four areas totaling 580.000 m2. BIG’s proposal, the Energy Valley, re-connects these in an un-hierarchical and democratic way through a continuous circular bike and pedestrian loop aligned with public buildings and functions, including a shopping- and sports centre, a hammam and a mosque which will attract visitors from Stockholm and its suburbs.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

By introducing natural environments of differing characters within the loop, an Energy Valley in the center turns into a pie shaped park of pine-and oak forests, wetlands, grass lawns and hilly terrain which create a diverse experience when moving in or around the landscape. The surrounding neighborhoods have room to grow, thus expanding infrastructure and developments up to the ridge of the new valley.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

“The Energy Valley is a cross-over between urbanism, landscape, architecture, art and infrastructure into a new neighborhood of Stockholm. Harnessing the momentum of the massive investment in tunnels and highways and putting the excess excavation to use as a man-made valley, we create an interdisciplinary hybrid of logistic, economic, environmental and social infrastructure.” Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Partner, BIG.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

The site has a great potential in serving as a new entryway into Stockholm. This point is turned into a reflective, self-sustaining hovering sphere mirroring Stockholm as it is, new and old, creating a 180 degree view of the area for the drivers on their way in or out of the city.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

30% of the sphere’s surface is covered with Photovoltaic film that faces the sun and produces enough energy to keep it floating while supplying 235 houses in the neighborhood with electricity.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

The Stockholm Sphere is an ever changing icon that marks an entry point to the city and reflects the passing seasons and the evolving urban life beneath it.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

“Traditionally highways split adjacent areas into disconnected neighborhoods – a good side and a bad side. Our biggest challenge was how to create the maximum benefit by connecting the four parts cut by the intersecting highways. The intersection is thus tamed by the connecting link that circumscribes it.” Jakob Lange, Partner-in-Charge, Stockholmsporten, BIG.

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

STOCKHOLMSPORTEN INFORMATION

Name Stockholmsporten
Program Master plan, Landscape
Type Prequalified Competition
Size 580.000 m2
Client City of Stockholm, Swedish Transport Administration
Collaborators Grontmij, Spacescape
Location Stockholm, Sweden
Status 1st prize / In progress

Stockholmsporten master plan by BIG

BIG
Partner in Charge: Bjarke Ingels, Jakob Lange
Project Leader: Hanna Johansson
Team: Camille Crepin, Barbora Srpkova, Alessio Valmori, Xiao Xuan Lu, Krista Meskanen, Long Zuo

Grontmij AB
Veronika Borg, Albin Ahlquist, Anders Falk , Mats Mauritzson, Nils-Göran Nilsson, Christer Johansson, Bengt Ridell

Spacescape AB
Alexander Ståhle, Tobias Nordström


See also:

.

PUU-BO
by BIG
National Gallery of
Greenland by BIG
West 57th
by BIG