Lonely….and lovely little house ! On Cap Breton island in Nova-Scotia 📸 @chornichon thanks !
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Cement that can generate light? Concrete for building on Mars? Translucent wood? Biodegradable furniture? Pollution absorbing bricks? At first, it sounds crazy but these are only some of the research projects taking place around the world in order to take the construction industry to the next level.
Continue reading below for more information about the motivations behind these projects and how these “experiments” that have already begun large-scale testing are being carried out.
This cement generates its own light: As a response to new construction models, Dr. José Carlos Rubio Ávalos of the UMSNH of Morelia, has developed a cement with the capacity to absorb and irradiate light energy, in order to provide concrete with more functionality and versatility from an energy efficiency standpoint.
The world’s lightest anti-seismic reinforcement: The Japanese company Komatsu Seiren Fabric Laboratory has created a new thermoplastic carbon fiber called CABKOMA Strand Rod. The carbon fiber is covered with synthetic and inorganic fibers then coated with a thermoplastic resin. The new fiber, created by C Kengo Kuma, has been tested on the exterior of the company’s headquarters in Japan.
Will this be the concrete used to build on Mars? Assuming that when we finally colonize Mars, water will be one of our most valuable resources, the Northwestern University team sought an alternative to the usual concrete mix required to make concrete. They opted for a technology that has been in development since the early 1970s: sulfur-based concrete.
Terreform ONE biodegradable furniture: What if your chair was made out of compost? This is the question posed by this series of experiments with biologically produced benches that are grown rather than manufactured. Together, Terreform ONE and Genspace have developed two bioplastic chairs through similar processes: The first one, a chaise lounge, is formed from a series of white ribs in a parametric shape, with a cushioned top. The second, a children’s chair, consists of interlocking segments that can be used to twist the chair into different shapes.
Cigarette butts used to make more effective bricks: One man’s trash is another man’s building material. Researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (commonly known as RMIT University) have developed a technique for making bricks using cigarette butts. The team, led by Dr. Abbas Mohajerani, found that making clay bricks with 1 percent of their volume being cigarette butts could completely offset the annual worldwide production of cigarettes and at the same time make a lighter and more efficient brick.
Translucent wood, as new material developed by KTH: A group of researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, has recently developed Optically Transparent Wood (TW), a new material that could greatly impact the way we create architectural projects. According to an article published in Biomacromolecules, the journal from the American Chemical Society, it is a process that chemically removes lignin from wood, causing it to become very white. The resulting porous substrate is impregnated with a transparent polymer, evening out both of their optical properties.
Walls that could replace air conditioning: The material is called Hydroceramics and it’s made up of hydrogel bubbles that are able to retain up to 400 times their volume in water. Thanks to this property, the spheres absorb liquid and on hot days their contents evaporate, reducing a space’s temperature.
How Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s floating piers were constructed: The piece consists of a 3-kilometer walkway wrapped in 100,000 square meters of yellow cloth and a floating dock system consisting of 220,000 cubes of high- density polyethylene.
Pollution absorbing bricks: Breathe Brick is designed to be part of a building’s normal ventilation system, with a double-layer brick facade with specialized bricks on the outside, complemented by an inner layer that provides standard insulation. The concept behind Breathe Brick is Cyclone Filtration, an idea taken from modern vacuum cleaners, which separates heavy contaminating particles from the air and drops them into a removable hopper at the base of the wall.
TU Delft developed a bioconcrete prototype, concrete that repairs itself: The formula developed by the TU Delft goes beyond repairing merely aesthetic damages, because if cracks in concrete grow, they allow water to pass through and corrode the reinforced steel. This not only compromises the mechanical qualities of the structure but also forces engineers to use larger amounts of reinforced steel in their calculations, increasing final production costs.
Santa Cruz Mountains – California – USA (by Gordon)
What do you think is an important factor for success? While there are others, I believe that an important factor for success is determination. Paul Graham – the founder of a startup incubator in Silicon Valley – wrote this:
We learned quickly that the most important predictor of success is determination… While it certainly helps to be smart, it’s not the deciding factor. There are plenty of people as smart as Bill Gates who achieve nothing.
In The Dip, Seth Godin wrote that there is a place on the way to success where you suffer setbacks. He called that place “the dip.” This is the place where determination is needed. Many people quit there, but winners will go through it. Determination can help you go through the dip and come to the other side.
A good example of this is the story of Elon Musk. He is now well-known for his audacious ventures such as Tesla and SpaceX, but back in the day, he had a humble beginning. He started his first business in an apartment with his brother. It was a startup called Zip2, and the idea was to “provide local businesses with an Internet presence by linking their services to searchers and providing directions.”
But it was in the 1990s and the Internet was still in its infancy. Most small business owners still didn’t know how the Internet could benefit them. As a result, they got zero sales. They couldn’t get a single buyer.
But they kept at it. They didn’t quit. They kept going door-to-door to sell the product despite many rejections. They also kept improving the product. Musk and his team had the determination to go through the dip, and long story short, the company became a success.
What you need in such a situation is a fighter’s mentality. In Musk’s own words, you need to have the mentality of a samurai.
Microsoft is another good example. Again and again, Microsoft started with an inferior product. The product lost in the market. But they kept at it; they kept improving the product. At the end, the product became a success and even dominated its category. That was the case with Windows, Word, Excel, and many other Microsoft’s products. Bill Gates and his team had the determination to keep going.
Determination is key. Whatever it is that you do, make sure that you put determination in the mix. But determination isn’t just not quitting; it also requires you to keep improving yourself. Just keeping at it without improving yourself is not determination but stubbornness.
One more thing: keep your life balanced. Some people have blind determination that sacrifices other parts of their lives, but that’s not the way to get true success. True success is about balance. That’s how you can live a fulfilled and meaningful life.
💙 Sunset on crest Mai Chau pass on 500px by Aoshi Vn, Ha Noi,… http://ift.tt/29HzTv3
At just 42 years old, Makoto Tanijiri and the office he founded in 2000, Suppose Design Office, have emerged as one of Japan’s most prolific medium-sized architecture and design firms. However, Tanijiri’s path to success was somewhat different to the route taken by his contemporaries. In this interview, the latest in Ebrahim Abdoh’s series of “Japan’s New Masters,” Tanijiri discusses the role that education plays in a successful career and his work’s relation to the rest of Japanese architecture.
Ebrahim Abdoh: What was your earliest memory of wanting to be an architect?
Makoto Tanijiri: When I was about 5 years old. Of course at that age I did not know the word “architect” or “architecture,” all I remember was how small our house was, and all the things I didn’t like about it. Back then, my dream was to be a carpenter, so that I could build my own house and live on my own.
EA: Where did you go to university?
MT: I didn’t think I needed to go to university.
EA: So how exactly did you go from high-school to owning one of Japan’s fastest growing and most exciting architecture firms?
MT: After graduating high-school, I went to the Anabuki Design College, in Hiroshima, for two years.
EA: With only two years in design school under your belt, you were able reach and surpass so many ‘fully qualified’ people in your field. Have you ever felt in any way lacking in terms of a formal education, or would you say instead that spending 6 years studying is unnecessary?
MT: This should be for everyone, as it was for me, a personal choice. I don’t think there is a clear right or wrong path when it comes to this profession. I personally felt very strongly about not needing to go to university. Many people will not have such strong convictions. And yes, I am successful, and although I accomplished everything myself and without the need for an architecture degree, I did get lucky.
EA: You are just 40 years old, and you are a multi award winning architect, with a hugely successful firm with 2 branches (Tokyo & Hiroshima), and dozens of projects under your belt, some of which are very large scale. When you are at a dinner or cocktail party with other friends or colleagues who are architects, or any other scenario where you are surrounded by other architects, do you feel in any way insecure for your unusual path to success?
MT: Honestly, yes. At the beginning of my career, I constantly had a sort of complex, because I didn’t have a degree, because I hadn’t been to university; it felt like shame. I felt as though I hadn’t earned the title of “architect,” and that I was lying by saying I was. It was a long time before I felt the awesome relief of pride.
EA: How did you overcome these insecurities?
MT: Fortunately, like most teenagers, I have dealt with insecurity before. I used to play basketball, and at quite a competitive level, and well… I wasn’t the tallest guy in the world. I was still a very good player, but my height made me very insecure. Later on, in my professional life, I looked back at that time had and what I did to overcome those feelings. It’s all the same.
EA: The most important thing is that you recognise yourself as an architect, however others may not still. Your firm is quickly becoming one of the most famous “new” outfits in Japan. Surely this has attracted some envy or resentment from your peers. Has anyone ever tried to diminish you for your less orthodox education?
MT: I have been in this industry for some time now and met many people. In this time I have observed two patterns, or two types of people. There are the “creators” and then there’s everyone else: the rest. The latter do refer to their education quite heavily in discussion, and this is also clear in their projects. They do not do it to discredit me; people in Japan are not like that. Education is supremely important to the Japanese, and this is taken to an even greater extreme in architecture. The “sempai/kohai” (master and student) relationship is central to most architects in Japan, which in a way makes me a bit of an orphan. I owe no-one that level of respect, I do not see it as my duty to carry on anyone else’s legacy, or apply their principles – I am free. If anyone were to envy me, I think it would be for this freedom I have, rather than for my success.
EA: Are the two linked?
MT: The two what?
EA: This special freedom you have and your success?
MT: No. Maybe. I don’t know. Most successful architects in Japan are in fact very educated individuals; they hold several masters from the best universities in Japan like Tokyo University and some even additional degrees from Ivy League universities in America like Harvard etc… I can only speak for myself, and all I can say is that I have no regrets, and that I love my work; that is real success. As for the success you are referring to, as in all my projects this could be for several reasons. I am actually ahead of the curve of a new trend, whereby it is not so “cool” to call yourself an architect. In Japan now, it is more fashionable now to say you are a designer, or craftsman, etc… So maybe this new trend has helped me.
EA: Would you say you have a style?
MT: No, I believe quite strongly that I do not have any particular style.
EA: I can actually believe that. When I look through your all your projects it looks like three or four different firms or design companies.
MT: I see what you mean. I think having a clear design philosophy or a set of things you like or aspire to can be very helpful in the very early design stages to give you that initial direction but it can also trap you. You should never forego a better alternative for the sake of continuity or style.
EA: I have always said that there is a distinct “Japanese-ness” that many Japanese contemporary architects share; please pardon the expression – a sort of Japanese “je ne sais quoi.” And although I think a few of your projects possess that quality, some of them despite being very daring and cutting edge, have an additional dimension which is at once more traditionally Japanese, but also more gentle and demure, particularly in the interiors. What would you say to that?
MT: I have never tried to design in a Japanese way, at least not consciously; in fact it is something that I have even tried to hide. Yes in Japan our walls are almost always white and the spaces are bright – we favour light woods over dark ones and timber furniture over heavy upholstery. I believe exteriors should be striking and original; this is what makes Tokyo one of the most architecturally diverse cities in the world. Interiors should be more humane, gentler or at the very least more subtle. When I was born, my mother was still very young, so I was raised by my grandmother. From a very young age, I understood the importance of, and need for, quiet.
EA: What type of project do you find easiest or where you find the design comes to you most naturally?
MT: No project is easy. So far, every single one of them has been difficult.
EA: When you look at a modern house in the West and one in Japan, what for you are the big differences?
MT: I would say size, but size is not a difference in architecture but a difference in parameters like a site constraint. It may be the cause behind a difference in the resulting architecture but not a difference itself. For me the main distinction between the West and Japan is layout. Our layout is smart, very clever. Japanese architects know how to make a small space appear much bigger than it is. We have been doing this for centuries. A good example is the shoji. Shoji screens are translucent, you cannot see through but the light still passes through which makes you imagine the space on the other side. This adds a lot of volume to the space you are in.
EA: In Japan it is very common for architects to make spaces all white, or all concrete, everything one thing like a museum. In your projects however there is far more variation and even color which is not common in Japan. How do you explain this choice?
MT: These architects like Ito, Sanaa, Ando, Ishigami, or Fujimoto, etc… do spaces that are beyond beautiful; they are very moving and powerful. But I believe this is because they are a bit alien – not completely human spaces. I am not a collector of white spaces; I want my work to be enjoyed by human beings with different personalities, and each one calls for a different approach and a different palette.
EA: So far 2015, and especially 2014 have been very big years for you. In this short time you have completed so many large and varied projects, shops, restaurants, showrooms, interiors, houses, hotels, etc… You are one of the most prolific firms in Japan at the moment. What are you doing differently to get all this work?
MT: The last couple of years have been huge years for us. To give you an idea, in 2014 we were working on eighty projects and managed to complete thirty in just one year. The project management experience I acquired at that little known firm I went to after I finished my studies really taught me how to progress projects very quickly. I do not need to teach my staff how to design, but where I do instruct them is on time efficiency, so that they can move projects on as quickly and smoothly as possible. Timeliness is one of the most important things to clients. I think that is a big part of our recent success.
EA: In Japan most firms rely on line drawings and physical models. You however use 3D design and computing at a very high level. When did you first start using 3D tools and why?
MT: It all started with competitions. In order to compete in the international design competitions and have a fighting chance you need to bring your standard of presentation up the level of the other participants, which is very high. Models and line drawings are good but sometimes to sell your design you need to create an atmosphere, and that’s what 3D does. Also I my material palette is very varied, I can’t rely on my imagination to see if it works or not, so 3D is the thing that brings me closest to reality and allows me to try out various materials and details.
EA: Japan is one of if not the most technologically advanced country in the world with the biggest market share in the technology and electronics industry, yet its architects almost never use any of it. Why is that?
MT: I think you are absolutely right in asking. This has always seemed very strange to me. I think it goes back to the “master and student” relationship. The Japanese masters had enormous influence on their students. Not only did they teach their design principles but also how they designed, which back then was always models and line drawings. Many years later both the principles of design, working methods and distrust of computation have been passed on to their students and their students’ students. Once again, seeing as I did not attend an architecture faculty and did not have a master, I was free to implement to tools that I thought were best. I will say, however, the trend is quickly evolving and younger architects are finally starting to use more 3D and they are learning very quickly.
In 2014, Ebrahim Abdoh spent six months as an intern at Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP. In that time he conducted a number of interviews with the young architects that are forming the next generation of Japanese design leaders; his column, “Japan’s New Masters” presents edited versions of these interviews in order to shed light on the future of Japanese Architecture.
Gift giving can be tricky for many of us guys. We’re never quite sure what to get our loved ones, how much to spend, where to shop, or even how to wrap the gift. Perhaps your partner takes care of everyone’s wish list and you have it pretty easy. That is, until it’s time to shop for her.
Here are five tips to help you woo her this holiday season. Follow these and you won’t be left wandering the mall on Christmas Eve searching for the perfect last-minute gift for the woman in your life when the shelves have been picked bare.
Most women drop hints to their partners constantly. They linger at a too-expensive sweater. They talk about the sweet new technology a friend has. They mention how much they love the boots their co-worker was wearing at the office party.
We can be more intentional about listening for these clues. You probably hear them all the time, but you either do not catch them or just brush them off as small talk. Dig a little deeper when she starts talking about something like that to see if it’s something she’d love under the tree come Christmas Day.
Picking out clothes, jewelry, and home decor for someone else can be difficult especially if you just aren’t sure of her taste (even after 10 years of marriage). Surprise her this holiday season by planning a date together. You can book a wine tasting package, buy tickets to the musical she’s always wanted to see, or plan a getaway weekend.
Think about things you have always talked about doing and pull strings to make them happen. She’ll love your thoughtfulness and intentionality with this gift, especially if you do all the legwork (like arranging childcare).
See Also: How to be a Good Husband to Make Your Life a Bed of Roses
Mothers are always taking care of everyone. It’s in their nature. So this year, take care of her. There are probably several luxuries the woman in your life would love to have but would never splurge on for herself.
Buy her a certificate for a massage, pedicure, or facial. Score even more points if you plan it with a friend’s husband and get it to where your ladies can go together. She’ll be singing your praises over and over as she relaxes her troubles away.
It’s so easy to make the holidays all about the kids. But why not teach your children when they are young that life—and holidays—aren’t always about them?
Take them shopping and let them pick out a gift for mom. Or, take them to a local craft fair and let them make something special for her. She’ll love getting a separate, thoughtful gift from her children.
For some women, there is nothing better than having something unexpected taken care of for them. Hire a professional to deep clean the house the week before the holidays so she doesn’t have to worry about it. Take her car in and get it detailed inside and out. Order a meal service like Blue Apron, so she doesn’t have to worry about meal planning and prepping for a few days.
Giving her the day or night off by taking care of something on her to-do list will win her over time and time again.
See Also: 10 Ways To Woo A Girl The Right Way!
The holidays are a fun time to think about how we can show love to the people we care about the most. Sometimes it can get so tricky and difficult that we run out and buy the first necklace we see or perfume we smell. Instead, think about your partner, what she likes and values, and then take one—or all five—of the tips above and really woo her this holiday season.
The post 5 Ways to Woo Her This Holiday Season appeared first on Dumb Little Man.
Brandburg Home and Studio is a residential project designed by mode:lina. It is located in Poznan, Poland and was completed in 2016. Brandburg Home and Studio by mode:lina: “During his first visit, Maciej has already knew that he has just found a place for living and for working. He has commissioned his friends from mode:lina™ studio to do an arrangement of the place. The task wasn’t easy, because the designers..
Are you stumped on how to transfer music from your Apple phone to your android phone?
Apple iOS and Google’s Android are currently dominating the market for mobile phones. These two operating systems have totally different compatibilities and hardly match.
Transferring music from one device to another of the same operating system is easy but what about when you’re transferring music from iTunes to android? It’s really a million dollar question for sure. Here we have come up with a unique solution. If you follow the guide given here in step by step manner, then you can successfully transfer all kind of music files from iPhone to Android devices.
Here we have come up with a unique solution. If you follow the guide given here in step by step manner, then you can successfully transfer all kinds of music files from iPhone to Android devices.
Friends, first of all, I want to mention some things here-
1. Please do NOT try this process if you have a rooted or jailbroken device. It may not work and moreover may harm your devices.
2. Connect your devices to Wi-Fi or high-speed data connection. It’s not a must-have requirement but you can face a lot of issues if you try to do this with slow internet.
See Also: How to Transfer Music from iPod to iTunes
Buddy, go through the steps mentioned below and let us know whether you are facing any problem or not. Don’t be shy to mention the issues as this is a never ending process of knowledge sharing.
Double twist: Install the app and you can sync iOS devices to any Android devices and can transfer music files.
Note: All the transferred files will be synced into the SD card, and you can get those files from the Music folder of your SD card.
Follow these steps –
This is a paid version of the above-mentioned app. It may cost you around $4.99. Using this method, you can transfer a lot of files within few seconds using the Wi-Fi or LAN. One requirement though is that both devices should be in the same LAN network. Otherwise, it won’t work.
• Launch the app, and it will show a 5 digit password to be paired with the device.
• By entering the code, you can pair up the devices and initiate the process.
• This seamless process can transfer a lot of music files in a minute!
That’s it, friends, you are done! Let us know your experiences and any issues you might experience.
See Also: Hack Your Soundscape To Boost Your Productivity
The post How to Transfer Music from iTunes to Android appeared first on Dumb Little Man.
Studio 304’s Sunken Bath project in Clapton, east London, adds a new kitchen, dining area, toilet and bathroom to a ground floor apartment within a terraced period property. Central to the brief was to separate the toilet and shower room in order to create a standalone bathroom that would facilitate ritual bathing.
The existing layout of the apartment was inefficient and had a poor relationship with the shared south-facing rear garden. In addition, the bathroom made the rear of the property feel gloomy and unwelcoming. Prior to work commencing, the client negotiated with the neighbouring property to split the shared garden creating two small private gardens to the south and east.
The functions of the new bathroom are separated and placed against the east facade, allowing each area to have a view of the garden and benefit from natural light. Outside, the east facade is partly clad with larch slats, to maximise the garden aspect while also ensuring privacy.
Incorporating a sunken bath, the glass- walled bath enclosure extends out into the garden, allowing light into the adjacent bedroom window. A slatted larch screen covers the bathroom’s glass roof, again ensuring privacy from neighbouring windows. Granite gravel, polished concrete and bamboo complete the garden, creating a concealed, peaceful space.
Inside, A copper worktop and wall surround in the kitchen are intended to give a sense of warmth to the living space. Larch slats charred using the ancient Japanese Shou Sugi Ban method are used to conceal the extract system and appliance storage space. Polished concrete flooring runs from inside to outside at the rear of the apartment creating a new relationship with the garden.
