BLDGBLOG Parametric Architectural Prozac Structural Tessellations and Morphologies | 74 FOOTWEAR DESIGN CONSULTING The honeycomb is probably the epitome of structural efficiency. Bees have been creating hexagonal comb structures for millenia and humans inspired by the incredible structural strength to weight ratio of their combs have joined them. It is said that the first man-made honeycomb was made by Daedalus using gold by lost wax casting more than 3000 years ago. In 1859 Charles Darwin said that “the comb of the hive-bee, as far as we can see, is absolutely perfect in economizing labour and wax”. Little noticed is that even the the closed ends of the honeycomb cells are also an example of geometric efficiency as their trihedral shape allows two opposing honeycomb layers to nest into each other, with each facet of the closed ends being shared by opposing cells. 50 years later D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson discovered that bees build their honeycombs first as cylinders and as they push more wax onto the inside surface they also push the soft sides out and up against the neighboring cylinders.
Welcome to the World of Archidose! Inside Smartgeometry Inside Smartgeometry: Expanding the Architectural Possibilities of Computational Design Edited by Brady Peters and Terri Peters On behalf of the Smartgeometry group, we would like to invite you to the launch of "Inside Smartgeometry: Expanding the Architectural Possibilities of Computational Design" edited by Brady and Terri Peters and published by John Wiley & Sons. The richly illustrated, hard cover book features 24 original texts from members of the SG community. It provides both a history of the past ten years of SG, and offers ideas for the future of computational design in architecture. To celebrate the book´s release, join us for drinks and a few words by the Smartgeometry Directors. 21 March 2013 6.30 pm The Bartlett School of Architecture UCL, Royal Ear Hospital Ground Floor, Capper Street (corner of Huntley Street) London, WC1E 6AP Smartgeometry (SG) is a key influence on the architectural community who explore creative computational methods for the design of buildings. Robert Aish
Architecture Design for Architects Artists | codedchromics I hadn’t heard about this before but fist (whoops, mean first) saw this earlier this month mentioned on Syuzi Pakhchyan’s blog Wearable Technology (always an inspiration!) Sophie de Oliveira Barata offers a ‘real’ option ‘surreal’ option and an ‘unreal’ option – you’ve just got to love that! Here are some of the incredible decorated and unusual prosthetics from The Alternative Limb Project - “The Alternative Limb Project offers a personal and friendly bespoke service, which provides unique prosthetics to blend in with the body or stand out as a unique piece of art, reflecting the wearer’s imagination, personality and interests. Read more about what they are doing here Like this: Like Loading...
The E.D.G.E This tiny prefab home is an experiment in all things efficient. The E.D.G.E., designed and built by by Bill Yudchitz and Revelations Architects/Builders Corp. in Wisconsin, stands for an Experimental Dwelling for a Greener Environment, and recently won a design award from the American Institute of Architects-Wisconsin. Several details of this design make it unique to other prefab designs. The “kinetic facade” rain screen, which consists of tall louvered panels, can be closed over the passive solar windows to insulate the interior and protect the E.D.G.E. when unoccupied. It contains two lofts with full staircases, and the furniture is custom made for the house and is multi-functional. In fact, the dining room furniture transforms into a bed. The house also features rainwater harvesting, geothermal heating and cooling, air to air heat recovery ventilation, a butterfly roof that minimizes solar gain, triple insulated glass, and a thermal radiant floor heating system.