A New Building that Uses Algae for Energy

"A grounbreaking new building in  Hamburg, Germany, "intends to generate heat, as well as revenue, from growing the micro-organism. The five-story Bio Intelligent Quotient (B.I.Q.) building, which was expected to become fully operational on Wednesday, has a high-tech facade that looks like a cross between a Mondrian painting and a terrarium but is actually a vertical algae farm."1

"Lukas Verlage, managing director of the Colt Group, part of the high-powered consortium that constructed the energy system, said in an e-mail that the building was “an outstanding and important development in the use of renewable resources in building technology,” comparable to advances in the space program."1

"And Rainer Müller, press officer of the International Building Exhibition, which introduced a competition in 2009 that led to the creation of the B.I.Q. house, said, “Using algae as an in-house energy source might sound futuristic now, but probably will be established in 10 years.”

The competition, won by a consortium including the Colt Group, asked entrants to use smart materials, defined as “systems and products that behave dynamically, unlike conventional building materials, which are static.”1

Read the complete New York Times article here:
When Algae on the Exterior Is a Good Thing



WORKS CITED:
1  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/business/energy-environment/german-building-uses-algae-for-heating-and-cooling.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0
2  All images courtesy of the NY Times

Photography of the (a)biotic

"Two Kyrgyzstan-based photographers, Andrew and Luda, run a joint Live Journal account where they post amazing photos of outdoor scenery, wildlife, and recently: active volcanoes."1  We love the image above in particular for its metaphorical and literal translation of the biotic and abiotic elements that define our vision as designers.

"Earlier this year the duo trekked to the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia where the volcano complex known as Tolbachik was in active eruption. Among the numerous hellish vistas photographed by the team was this deep volcanic cave that offered a glimpse of what it might look like below the Earth’s crust. You can see dozens of shots from their trip organized into several sets here, not to mention the video below. (via ian brooks, my modern met)"



WORKS CITED
1  http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/04/journey-to-the-center-of-the-earth-an-incredible-glimpse-inside-an-active-volcano/. 
2 All images courtesy of thisiscollassal or Tolbachik unless otherwise noted.

City Branch Conceptual Design

Photo courtesy of OLIN/BCJ

Ben recently completed work on this OLIN/BCJ lead team to look at the what the City Branch in Philadelphia could become.  The plan is bold and in as much requires bold leadership from a variety of stakeholders, designers, and community members.

The City Branch is a SEPTA owned 2 mile long abandoned rail corridor that sits 30 feet below the surrounding cityscape.  It begins just east of where the Reading Viaduct transitions down to Broad Street.  It then passes under Broad Street and heads due West and disappears under Pennsylvania Ave, before jogging slightly and heading North.

Light and air wells under Pennsylvania Ave

The new below-grade park would extend from two points at the east end: the connection to the SEPTA Spur, where the rail viaduct dips under Broad Street (which is a bridge over the railway) and at Broad and Buttonwood in front of the School District Administration building. A key to the plan is the planned reconstruction of the Broad Street bridge, owned by PennDOT. The parking lot now in front of the School District building would be replaced with a multi-level public space leading to the park.1

Connection along the front of the  School District Building(Rotogravure building) originally designed by Albert Kahn

New connections are made throughout allowing for a steady, unimpeded flow to create a safe and vibrant space to move along and through.  Conceived as a series of connected program, adjacent buildings are provided an opportunity to connect to the park whether its retail or education.  The entire length is meant to function as a stormwater capture and treatment system.

Connection to Community College of Philadelphia

The draft of the Planning Commission’s Central District plan makes no mention of establishing a rail park and instead supports a Bus Rapid Transit line to take riders west to Fairmount Park.  This is viewed as an opportunity in that the width of the City Branch could allow for each to co-exist.

What is clear is that the current condition of the City Branch is such that it creates a drag on land use, property value, perception of safety, and overall health of the adjacent properties.  Why not imagine something better?  Well, we did.

Herb, Fruit, and Veggie Infographics

We at (a)biotic are no different than most slack-jawed designers who are as in love with grouping things in threes as we are of infographics.  These particular infographics are espespically sweet because they graph when different herbs, fruits, and veggies are in season.

They are developed by chasingdelicious.com and they were even clever enough to develop a definition of each that plant biology folks won't point and laugh at (well some might, but we won't invite them to dinner).  If you are a food-y-fooder-ton, then you will love this website.  The posters here can be found for sale on that website if you are the poster-buying sort.

Bowerbirds Recycled Recording Studio

 

 Members of the indie band Bowerbirds have been trying their hand at sustainable design with this fantastic self-built studio project. Since 2007, Beth Tacular and Phil Moore have been constructing their very own cabin and music studio, using only salvaged materials and running it on solar power. The band recently found success raising money on Kickstarter, and they are well on their way to minting a new album within the green construction.1

1 Read more: Bowerbirds Members Hope to Record Next Album in Self-Built Green Music Studio | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building 

2 All images and text courtesy of Inhabitat

Dexterity by Design

Photo courtesy of ipad.iwalls.org

Dragonflies are simply amazing creatures and are, in fact, the ultimate predator.  "Intercepting a moving object requires prediction of its future location. This complex task has been solved by dragonflies, who intercept their prey in midair with a 95% success rate" versus a lion's 25% or a shark's 50%1. For your conveinence find a link to the the NY Times article, Nature’s Drone, Pretty and Deadly, by NATALIE ANGIER . We at (a)biotic constantly strive for inspiration from nature. What better teacher than the incomparable dragonfly. The short clips below are stunning in and of themselves!

University of Glasgow; Jay Iwasaki/Combes Lab, Harvard University

Clockwise, from left: “An Exposition of English Insects” by Moses Harris, published in 1782 with some 50 hand-colored engravings; a blue dasher dragonfly; a Ruby meadowlark dragonfly.

1  Article:  "Eight pairs of descending visual neurons in the dragonfly give wing motor centers accurate population vector of prey direction"  http://www.pnas.org/content/110/2/696.abstract?sid=f4fdddf7-bf52-4ecc-9e7f-1142102e0f8c

Moscow Metro Map

We just discovered this Moscow Metro Map (larger version) on the Coudal Partners website.  What is truly striking is the extent of this system .  A fantastic web of public transportation with a loop ring and fingers into the surrounding city.  Communists can sure do some things right...SEPTA I'm talking to you!  Below is Philly's rail system map.  You will notice how large swaths of the city are completely unserved by a rail system that consists of mainly feeders to and from the suburbs.

The simplicity of the Philadelphia SEPTA system is dwarfed by the system shown below.  The Moscow Metro Map gets more complex when they add all the layers, although confusing, just look at how connected this place is...amazing.

Using Sheep To Mow the Lawn in Paris

Check out the video below.  The New York Times reports on the City of Paris using sheep to maintain park lawns. Paris is turning back the clock. Many parks around the world previously used sheep to maintain lawns including Central Park where sheep grazed from 1860′s until the mid-1930′s. (Video Source | New York Times | Length 2:05)