Everyone can be a gardener with a little effort, proper scheduling and a dedicated plot of land. Whether or not you’re interested in toying with orach or purple tree collards, or having your plants tweet, maybe this is the year you dig…
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Milan 2014: Brooklyn-based designer Marc Thorpe is showing a range of tables inspired by leaves and stems in Milan this year (+ slideshow).
Designed by Marc Thorpe for the Italian brand Moroso, the collection is called Morning Glory and is made from powder-coated welded steel rods for the stems and laser cut bent steel plates for the leaves.
The collection takes its name from the flowering vine that fills Thorpe’s garden in New York.
“The Morning Glory project is a personal story,” Thorpe told Dezeen. “My home garden in Brooklyn is covered in the vine. We live with it everyday. I’m inspired by the world around me and always look for what I like to call the modernism within.”
While in real life the leaves of the vine would catch water, Thorpe said his leaves were designed to hold something stronger – “like beer”.
Morning Glory is designed to be arranged in clusters. The tables come in a mix of autumnal and earth tones including forest green, burnt red and beige.
The table is on display in Pavilion 16 at the Salone Del Mobile in Milan until 13 April.
The post Marc Thorpe reimagines garden vine
to create steel table appeared first on Dezeen.
Champion of creating limited-edition goods with independent designers, and the antithesis to flash sale sites, Of a Kind recently gave us a sneak peek of its latest creation, which highlights the work of Brooklyn-based experimental design duo );…
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These hanging plant pots by Dutch designer Roderick Vos incorporate overhead lighting and plug sockets for a space-saving approach to adding greenery to the office.
The Bucketlight features two LED lights situated and sealed at the bottom of two plant pots joined together. A reinforced electrical cable is then used to hang the Bucketlight from the ceiling.
“Because we did not have enough floor space at our office and showroom, and were in desperate need of light, the Bucketlight was born,” explained Vos.
The combination of light and plant life then gave rise to a novel way of distributing electricity throughout the designer’s office and showroom in s’-Hertogenbosch, 30 kilometres outside Eindhoven.
“We created sockets in the objects, enabling us to connect our computers and our workstations, avoiding heaps of tangled cords,” the designer said.
The result is the Powercube. This variant of the Bucketlight features a multi-plug adaptor attached to the pot via a 1.5-metre-long electrical cord.
Each Bucketlight is made from cast aluminium and covered in a textured green powder-coating. They are in use at the designer’s own studio and available through their website.
Photography is by Rene van der Hulst.
The post Roderick Vos designs combined plant pots,
lighting and power sockets appeared first on Dezeen.
Swiss designer Fabienne Felder has worked with University of Cambridge scientists Paolo Bombelli and Ross Dennis to develop a way of using plants as “biological solar panels”.
“Theoretically any photosynthesising plant could be used as a biological solar panel”, said the team, which has developed what it calls Photo Microbial Fuel Cells (Photo-MFCs) to capture and harness the electrical power of plants.
The team has prototyped the world’s first moss-powered radio to illustrate the potential of its Photo-MFCs. Moss was chosen because its photosynthetic process makes the plants particularly efficient at generating electricity.
Fabienne Felder developed the technology with biochemist Dr. Paolo Bombelli and plant scientist Ross Dennis, both of the University of Cambridge.
The radio is the first time Photo-MFCs have been used to run an object demanding more power than an LCD screen.
The Photo-MFCs consist of an anode where the electrons generated by photosynthesis are collected, a cathode where the electrons are finally consumed, and an external circuit connecting the anode to the cathode.
The moss grows on top of a composite of water-retaining materials, conductive materials, and biological matter.
The team has high hopes for the potential of this emergent technology. “We may assume that in five to ten years the technology is applicable in a commercially viable form,” they said. Currently the technology used in the radio can only capture about 0.1% of the electrons the mosses produce.
Felder compares the technology behind biological solar panels to the very early days of experiments with photovoltaics. “Biological solar panels will go through a similar development phase: determining optimal conductive materials; the right plants; and watering and maintenance systems that guarantee stable flow of electricity”, she explained.
“Finding the right plants will be a study in itself,” said Felder. “Mosses are extremely desiccation resistant, but they don’t like direct sunlight. Other plants, which might also fulfil certain criteria in their photosynthetic process to be considered efficient photo-active components, might struggle in colder weather. So the right mix of vegetation will be the solution.”
Rice paddy fields may also provide good environments for biological solar panels because of the large amount of water used in their cultivation, she added.
Here’s some more information from the team:
Moss FM
Moss FM is the World’s first plant-powered radio.
This is made possible thanks to Photo Microbial Fuel Cells (Photo-MFCs), which harness and convert electrons produced by plants during photosynthesis. Moss tufts are essentially used as biological solar panels in this emerging biophilic technology.
The radio was conceived and built by Fabienne Felder, a creative strategist and designer originally from Switzerland, in collaboration with the biochemist Dr. Paolo Bombelli and plant scientist Ross Dennis of the University of Cambridge.
Background
Dr. Bombelli has been working on Photo-MFCs for years – ever since he was inspired by a single sentence in a biochemistry textbook. These studies are now housed at the University of Cambridge and Dr. Bombelli is leading the research as a senior research associate in Prof. Chris Howe’s team.
In 2011, a collaboration with two designers, Alex Driver and Carlos Peralta, led to the first conceptual piece to showcase the technology, entitled the Moss Table.
It was also the Moss Table that first got Fabienne Felder interested and she was soon hooked, immersing herself in papers and reports published by Dr. Bombelli and his colleagues. As fate would have it, the two eventually met and Fabienne Felder presented another futuristic scenario in which Photo-MFCs might be applied. Dr. Bombelli needed convincing of the idea that aircraft cabins might one day be moss- clad, but being a scientist, the research eventually won him over and he was keen to get another collaboration started.
From aircraft to air time
The team initially began working on the premise of creating a mossy electricity- generating surface, which might indeed be used to cover aircraft cabins or other spaces in the future. A number of factors eventually shifted the focus of the project to trying to conceive an every-day object that would work today, not in 10 years’ time.
The very thing that motivated the collaborators also kept posing the biggest challenge: feasibility. It was the first time this technology was supposed to work in an object that was not as low-powered as something like an LCD screen. Flexibility was required of the designer, who wanted to respect scientific requirements, and the scientist, who sometimes had to ditch logic for reality. The result is a radio that certainly causes intrigue.
Design and performance
Whereas theoretically any photosynthesising plant could be used as a biological solar panel, the genus of bryophytes can operate as potentially better photo-active components in Photo-MFCs due to particularities in their photosynthetic process. Simultaneously, mosses also quite simply deserve good press and are consciously promoted by the team for their incredible uses and undervalued beauty. Many of those properties are explained on the project blog mosspower.tumblr.com

Moss FM consists of ten Photo-MFCs, which are embedded in a minimalist design taking strong visual cues from the world of biochemistry. They can be connected in series, parallel, or a combination thereof, depending on the performance of each cell. Gadgets such as LCD screens can run continuously connected directly to the circuit, whereas higher consumption objects are bridged via a capacitor or battery solely charged by the Photo-MFCs.
At the moment we can achieve the following electrical output: The current radio run time via a re-chargeable battery lasts a few minutes.
A serial circuit consisting of 5 Photo-MFCs has reached a peak power of ca. 3.5mW per square meter (2.9mA @ 1200mV). A parallel circuit consisting of 5 Photo-MFCs has reached a peak power of ca. 4.6mW per square meter (18.7mA @ 246mV).
What does it all mean?
As with every emerging technology, many questions are as yet unanswered. We may assume that in five to ten years the technology is applicable in a commercially viable form, mainly in emerging economies. But to give an idea of what kind of contributions this low-carbon technology could make, consider this:
If 25% of Londoners (ca. 2.7 million people) charged their mobile phone on average for 2 hours every other day with moss, we would save enough electricity to power a small town: 42.5 million kWh, amounting to a saving of £6.81 Million and 39632 Tons of CO2* a year.
These are interesting values, given the huge amounts of electricity that are wasted during generation and transmission, for example. And even more interesting, if we consider that at the moment we capture only about 0.1% of the electrons the mosses potentially produce.

*Figures based on input and output values of a Nokia charger consuming 180mA
@240V, 2012 N-Power electricity rates, and 2013 UK electricity consumption figures.
The post Moss used as “biological solar panels”
to power a radio appeared first on Dezeen.
News: American biotechnology company Bioglow has applied synthetic biology processes to develop ornamental glowing plants that its founder claims are “truly the first of their kind.”
Bioglow, which is based at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St Louis, Missouri, claims its Starlight Avatar is the first plant that is able to light up autonomously, without the need for external treatments or stimuli such as chemicals or ultraviolet lighting.
“There are no comparables on the market, these are truly first of their kind,” the plants’ creator and Bioglow founder Alexander Krichevsky told Dezeen.
Krichevsky, a specialist in microbiology, developed the plants by introducing DNA from luminescent marine bacteria to the chloroplast genome of a common houseplant, so the stem and leaves constantly emit a faint light similar to that produced by fireflies and other bioluminescent organisms.
Krichevsky is working on increasing the brightness of the plants, which currently need to be viewed in a darkened room. He told Dezeen that his technique could attract a new audience to the ornamental plant market and eventually provoke a revolution in lighting design.
“We think that glowing plants will particularly be of interest to the fans of the movie Avatar,” said Krichevsky, referring to the 2009 science fiction feature film set on an alien planet where flora and fauna are illuminated at night.
He added that they could also be used as efficient light sources for interiors, architecture or transport infrastructure. “In the long term we see use of glowing plants in contemporary lighting design, namely in landscaping and architecture as well as in transportation, marking driveways and highways with natural light that does not require electricity,” he pointed out. “We also have a capacity to make plants glow in response to environmental cues, making them effective environmental and agricultural sensors.”
Prospective buyers will be able to bid for one of a limited number of the Starlight Avatar plants via an online auction due to take place in late January. The plants are shipped in cultivation boxes containing a plastic nutrient-rich gel and can be transferred to a plant pot when fully developed. Each plant has a life cycle of two to three months.
Main image is by Dan Saunders.
The post World’s first glow-in-the-dark plant
genetically engineered appeared first on Dezeen.
This vase by London designer Lambert Rainville supports flowers in a free-standing arrangement by holding their stems halfway up.
The prototype Crown Vase comprises a clear plastic ring of triangular funnels that sits halfway up the stems of flowers with sturdy stalks.
Each stem sits at an angle, balanced out by those leaning the other way on the opposite side of the circle.
“The flowers are treated as part of the vase and not just the content,” said Lambert Rainville. “Making the most of the structural capabilities of the stems reveals the complete beauty of flowers.”
The arrangement can be placed on a dish of water for fresh cut flowers or straight onto a table top for dried flowers.
Rainville was born in Montreal and lives in London, where he is studying for an MA in Design Products at the Royal College of Art.
The post Crown Vase by Lambert Rainville creates
freestanding flower arrangements appeared first on Dezeen.
Generic terracotta and cement planter pots do little to save space with their conical shapes, making them less than ideal for compact living spaces. The Ma-ce-ta series resolves this issue with a collection of pots in varied size and geometric shape that fit together like a puzzle. The modular series makes it possible to create an indoor garden that’s custom-taylored to spatial requirements while it’s clean, minimal, white aesthetic compliments a variety of interior styles.
Designer: Design Pott
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Yanko Design
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(Puzzle Pots was originally posted on Yanko Design)
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A layer of grasses, herbs and flowers blankets the roof of this hump-shaped house near Reims, France, by architect Patrick Nadeau (+ slideshow).
Named La Maison-vague, which translates as Wave House, Patrick Nadeau‘s project is one 63 experimental houses being built in the commune of Sillery, near Reims, and was designed with an arching profile to resemble the shape of a mound or hill.
Plants wrap around the east and west facades, primarily to provide thermal insulation but also to allow the house to fit in with its rural surroundings.
“The traditional relationship between house and garden is changed, disturbed even; the project encompasses both in the same construction,” said Nadeau.
The architect worked alongside Pierre Georgel of landscape design firm Ecovégétal to design a planting scheme that encompasses herbs such as thyme and lavender alongside sedums, grasses and various other perennials.
“The plants were selected for their aesthetic qualities and their ability to adapt to the environment,” he said. ” The technical challenge lay primarily in the steep slope that required the development of innovative systems for the maintenance of land and water retention.”
An automatic watering system is integrated into the structure but is only intended for use during severe drought conditions.
Timber was used for the entire structure of the house. An arching wooden frame creates the curved profile, while a raised deck lifts the building off the ground and creates an outdoor seating area.
The north and south elevations are clad with transparent polycarbonate, which screens a mixture of clear glass windows and opaque timber panels.
The front entrance leads directly into an L-shaped living and dining space that occupies most of the ground floor of the house. A kitchen and bathroom are tucked into one corner, while a spiral staircase leads up to a pair of bedrooms on a mezzanine floor above.
Here’s a project description from Patrick Nadeau:
La Maison-vague / Patrick Nadeau
The project context is based on experimentation, and initiated by the public housing council of Reims (HLM – l’Effort Rémois) – in a subdivision of 63 lots with heavy economic constraints.
La Maison-vague uses vegetation for its architectural and environmental qualities, particularly in terms of thermal insulation. A fully vegetated shell protects the interior from summer heat and winter cold. The basic form is to encapsulate within a single mat of vegetation that undulates and floats above the ground, at sitting height (the rim surrounding the wooden shelf is kind of a big bench). The traditional relationship between house and garden is changed, disturbed even, the project encompasses both in the same construction.
Inside, the volumes are also very simple. The ground floor, living room, kitchen and multimedia space can be opened by sliding walls. Upstairs, two bedrooms are separated by a bathroom, which is accessed by a mezzanine.
Particular attention is paid to interior and exterior relationships. The terrace at the back of the house extends to the areas of the ground floor, for example, to dry in the sun after bathing.
Upstairs shower space is enclosed by a bay window opening onto a panorama of nature. A sectional view that shows the inner and outer volumes does not exactly follow the same form. The inner space is drawn, at the top, by a semicylindrical shell and, on the ground floor by large cabinets restoring vertical walls, which includes a wardrobe, library, media storage and kitchen furniture.
The house is built entirely of wood (structure, hull and facades gears). Only the foundation is concrete. The thermal performance is ensured by the north-south orientation, the vegetation of the hull and double wall facades. The outer walls are made of polycarbonate and the inner walls of glass and wood. A small wood stove in the living room provides heating for the entire space.
The vegetation has been designed with Pierre Georgel (Ecovégétal). The house is covered with soil that mimics that of a natural slope. The technical challenge lay primarily in the steep slope that required the development of innovative systems for the maintenance of land and water retention.
The plants were selected for their aesthetic qualities and their ability to adapt to the environment (resistance over time and minimal maintenance). It is a mix of sedums, grasses, thyme, lavender and other perennials and small aromatic herbs that are distributed according to the inclination of the hull. An automatic watering system is provided but it is only reserved for periods of very severe drought.
The house is alive, changing its appearance, colour and odour with the seasons. New plants can be brought by the wind, insects or birds and gives the building a certain character or even a fallow ground-wave, hence the name La Maison-vague, which could equally and poetically signify an ocean wave or an open field (terrain vague).
Surface area: 110 m2
Place of construction: the commune of Sillery near Reims
Client: Effort Rémois
Project management: Patrick Nadeau
Technical Consultant: AD & Services
Vegetation (experimental): Ecovégétal
The post Hump-shaped house covered in plants
by Patrick Nadeau appeared first on Dezeen.
Urb-Garden brings gardening into small, indoor urban environments in a sculptural and aesthetic way! The unique form is actually the result of a design project focused around safety. Users will find that the pots are at an ergonomic height to prevent back strain and the materials used are thoughtfully chosen to be lightweight or heavy where it matters. Check out the vid to see an extra, interactive feature of this ingenious planter!
The team sought to bring the joy of gardening into indoor urban homes with limited outdoor space. Urb-Garden is a collection of modular pieces that fit together at the concrete bases, creating a continuous row of plants; specifically herbs; that could have as many or as little as the space and user saw fit. The design is minimal in form, however the construction techniques are significantly more complex. The bases and exterior pots are made of fibrous (fiberglass) concrete to ensure the best strength-to-weight ratio, while each stem is made from 8 steam-bent and laminated pieces of Ash which not only has high structural capacity but is also beautiful. As well as this, the weight of the pots allow the stem to gently bend and sway when the user interacts with the pieces which adds a dynamic element to the design. The inner pots, that house the herbs, are made from spun aluminium and are easily removable from the concrete pots. This allows the user to remove the pots at will and put them on their kitchen bench if desired. Urb-Garden is detailed by a red felt base and a red edge on the aluminium pots; a colour chosen to provide an effective contrast with the plants.
Designers: Ash Stephens, Caitlin Clark, Cole Holyoake, Emily Stonehouse & Sebastien Voerman
Urb-Garden: An Urban Herb Gardening Solution from Sebastien Voerman on Vimeo.
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(Say Hello to Urb was originally posted on Yanko Design)
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