Eco-Review "To Act And To Think Green": Αυγούστου 2011

EVOL: underground city at ms dockville

for the ms dockville music festival in hamburg, EVOL has installed a miniature city beneath the open fields of the countrysideberlin-based artist EVOL has installed a miniature city beneath the countryside of rural hamburg, germany, in a project for the ms dockville arts and music festival in august. the project was completed over the course of eight days and will remain at least through the festival's close on august 14th.EVOL's work typically transforms urban spaces into miniature cities by pasting spraypainted stenciled images of walls and windowsover planters, power boxes, and other structures. about the current installation, among his first in a rural setting, he reflects:'as I came [to the site] first, that's what I found: endless meadow, trees and blue sky. not exactly what I play with usually. so I decided to cut open the idyll, and pretend there is no endless meadow, but only rooftop-gardens of the disgust underneath.'

night view

view from above, at ground level

additional perspective

detail view

detail from base

beginning construction

installing the struts and infrastructure

placing the walls

the artist at work

closer view during construction

installing the lighting system

additional view

at the studio, the paper prints in process, with stencils visible in foreground

Source:

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/15917/evol-underground-city-at-ms-dockville.html

Skypump electric charging station

concept rendering of the 'sanya skypump' wind-powered charging station for electric vehicles, developed by urban green energy and GEdeveloped by urban green energy in collaboration with general electric, the 'sanya skypump' is a wind-powered charging station for electric vehicles.the device combines a GE 'wattstation' with an urban green wind turbine, capturing up to 4kW of wind energy. standing 13 meters (42 feet) tall, the 'skypump' can be easily installed in parking lots, rest stops, and other areas. it is equipped with an LED light (raised 7 meters or 23 feet from the ground), and even when a vehicle is not plugged in, the turbine continues to operate, feeding energy back into the grid.the companies will also produce a model of 'skypump' for home use, that utilizes GE's wall-mounted 'wattstation'. GE estimates that the 'wattstation' recharges most electric vehicles to completion within four to eight hours, although there is not yet information on whether the 'sanya skypump' will offer similar efficiency.

the 'sanya skypump'

closer view of wind turbine

closer view of 'wattstation' base

placement renders

Source:

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/16/view/15844/skypump-electric-charging-station.html

Personeni raffaele schärer architects: shelter in the swiss alps

'shelter in the swiss alps' by personeni raffaele schärer architectes, val d’herens, valais, switzerlandimage © tonatiuh ambrosettilocated in the swiss alps, in the herens district, at an altitude of 1850 meters is 'shelter in the swiss alps',by lausanne-based practice personeni raffaele schärer architectes. the vacation home, which was previouslyused as a shelter for livestock, was recently restored and retrofitted to accommodate the needs of the youngfamily now occupying it.

the fireplace provides heating for the cabinimage © tonatiuh ambrosetti

very popular in switzerland, the transformation reveals several simultaneous realities of preservation and modernization. derived from the desire to retain the individual characteristics of the building, the design features an outward appearance virtually devoid of any contemporary life. the new roof and foundation are reminiscent of traditional swiss aesthetics, camouflaging the updated components with the original ones.

living room and dining roomimage © personeni raffaele schärer architecteson the inside, the unsurpassed view is the only piece of decoration. an expansive window flanks the mountain-facing facade, directly linking the cabin to the alps. the rest of the home is left bare and neutral, the white walls and sanded concrete floor secondary to the framed scene.

cantilevered stairsimage © tonatiuh ambrosetti

solar panels provide a sufficient amount of electricity to the unit, which is heated through a fireplace in the living room.wooden shutters - cut from the existing logs - replace traditional window coverings, and enclose the unit during the occupant's absence.