Lawn Mowing Memories

Terra does away with the need to install expensive and physically demanding boundary wires. Utilizing iRobot’s revolutionary Imprint™ Smart Mapping technology (combined with a recently expanded wireless communication system), it all starts with you positioning wireless beacons around the perimeter of the yard you want mowed. When you switch on the Terra by driving it once around the space you’ve designated, it teaches itself not to stray into any nearby flowerbeds or driveways. Its memory stores that info, which means it’ll serve you faithfully until you change the configuration of your lawn.

Set Your Own Preferences

Terra will mow your yard whenever you choose: 24 hours a day, seven days a week, day or night. Just imagine waking up to a perfectly mowed lawn, cut professionally in straight, back-and-forth lines. And no worries if it rains, because this robot operates smoothly in all types of weather. It’s also smart enough to overcome the small hills and rough spots commonly found on domestic lawns.
Depending on your personal taste, local climate, and the type of grass you have, Terra will mow to any height you want. Desired length is also incredibly easy to change to better accommodate your own changing needs.

Automatic Recharge

If Terra’s battery starts to run low during a mowing job, it logs its exact location on the lawn and remembers all that remains to be mowed. It then returns to its charging station and picks up where it left off when it’s powered up again.

Other iRobot Innovations

iRobot is a leader in the global consumer robot sector. Their most famous product, the Roomba, revolutionized the concept of vacuum cleaning in 2002 with its compact circular form, roaming around the house on its own and cleaning carpets and floors everywhere it went. On top of that, the company’s Braava selection of mopping robots has improved the efficiency of cleaning floors in both the average households and the commercial cleaning industry.

Availability

Unfortunately, iRobot’s robot lawn mower is currently only available for sale in Germany — though a beta program for the product is due to launch in the U.S. sometime in 2019. Information on pricing and availability is expected to be revealed at a later date.

Colin Angle, chair and CEO of iRobot, says: “iRobot is building an ecosystem of robots and technologies that help people do more both inside and outside of the home. The robot mower segment is well established in EMEA and has tremendous room for growth in other markets, including North America. With its ease of use and premium mowing features, Terra is poised to give consumers a whole new way to think about how they take care of their lawn.”

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Imagine that you are a dog living on the 20^th floor of a condo tower in one of America’s densly-populated downtown areas. You become agitated if you’re inside for too long, and to get your human’s attention, you either have to bark at them or out the window. Maybe you sit facing the door with your head on the floor looking bored. Your human, a conscientious urbanite who loves you unconditionally, picks up on your cues, and takes you out for a walk. Still, you yearn for an expansive dog park where you can run with the other dogs. Unfortunately, most downtowns do not have enough space to create the type of park that would get your tail wagging with content. You’ll have to settle for a cramped, corporately-managed public space, filled with as much fun as a cardboard box.

Don’t wallow in discouragement, dear pretend-canine reader. A small park in Toronto opened on June 28^th for creatures just like you, and it’s called Berczy Park. The name alone makes it sounds like a playful place, and that was the intention of the Montreal-based landscape architect who designed it, Claude Cormier. The park, which takes up approximately 0.88 acres of land, is set on a triangular block adjacent to a key part of Toronto’s architectural heritage, the iconic Gooderham Building, also know as the “Flatiron Building.” Berczy proves that even a small, irregular parcel of land in a dense city can be used effectively, as long as all users, both two and four-legged, are considered.

Tens of thousands of people have moved to downtown Toronto within the past decade, which means more dogs and more humans who feel uncomfortable having dogs around their kids. The coexistence of dog lovers and families can be a little acrimonious in a city like Toronto. Luckily, Berczy allows both groups to enjoy the space peaceably, and if the humans get along, that is always good for the dogs.

Prior to 1980, this space was a parking lot. Then it became an underutilized park, except for a couple of hours in the afternoon during the summers when office workers would use it. In short, the park was not serving the maximum amount of users that it could have been. Since its transformation into a dog park, it’s expected to host about 2000 dogs a day. It’s an ideal paradise for dog watching.

Though the park is not a folly, it purposely lacks seriousness. It’s centerpiece is a late-19^th-century inspired cast iron fountain. Made at a foundry in Alabama, the fountain is 16 feet wide and weighs 26,000 pounds. Surrounding the fountain are 27 hand-crafted sculptures of dogs spewing water into it, each one transfixed by a large golden bone at its summit. You can splash and play with the other dogs in the water, and cool off on a hot summer day.

The dogs sculptures look real enough, but you can tell that they aren’t, which is part of the fun of the fountain — it’s almost like the way humans are thrilled by looking at wax figures of themselves in museums. Over a dozen breeds are represented here, including a Fox Terrier, a Giant Schnauzer, a Beagle, and a Golden Retriever (which was damaged by an exuberant skateboarder just before the park’s grand opening).

What a shame. Some humans just don’t understand or respect dogs and the things they like.

The fountain sits on a granite mosaic plaza, which includes luscious, grassy areas to roll around in and a gravel portion for restrooms. Berczy is not a generic public space with grass and a sign letting people know that dogs are welcome. It’s a memorable public space for both dogs and humans — one that’s timeless, amusing, and sure to keep your tail wagging for hours.

Berczy Park, which is named after German-born architect William Berczy, a historic figure of modern Toronto, gives that portion of downtown a focal point where none truly existed before. It’s a delightful park that should serve as an example for American cities to follow. All American dogs, especially those who live in high-rise condos in dense cities, should have a right to a quirky park of their own, no matter how quixotic it may seem. Tell your humans to take the fight all the way to city hall or the Supreme Court if they have to.

The cost to revitalize Berczy Park was $7.2 million Canadian (approximately $5.7 million US). But what do you care, you’re just a dog, right?

In reality, you’re not, and you might find Berczy Park to be mere kitsch and its spouting sculptures nothing but cheap postmodern gimmicks, but remember that Cormier didn’t just design it for humans. If you were a dog, you’d love it.

The post This is What Happens When a Park Goes to the Dogs first appeared on Dornob.

What can an architect do for a client with an oddly-shaped small lot and a desire to have a lawn? Japanese architect Makiko Tsukada tackled the challenge and created a cave-like home with not one, but two green roofs. This lovely home in Kanagawa is known as the Grass Cave House. The twin grass rooftops provide natural climate control while bringing a bright bit of nature into the urban surroundings.

The small triangular lot is in clear view of a small grove of trees, but had no space for a lawn of its own. To remedy this situation and provide the owners with an enjoyable outdoor space, the architects built an elevated lawn that covers both the home’s roof and the overhanging roof of the garage. This bright green area represents the opening of a cave: bright, inviting, and at one with nature.

The interior of the home carries through with the representation of a cave. The sunlight-filled rooms at the front of the home are the common living areas. The home’s more private rooms are located at the back of the building where it is snug, cozy and completely protected from the outside world. The Grass Cave Home represents a happy union of urbanization and the natural world, combining the best of both to create a stunning home.

More from the architects

“The interior space is a large wooden open space with a hollow core at the center. By manipulating the natural light, the distance to the street and the height difference with the street, the space becomes more private towards the back of the house. The central core directs natural light to the first-floor bathroom and its surroundings, while functioning as access to the roof and as a ventilation pipe. In addition, since it structurally bears a large portion of seismic forces, only 50mm thin pipes were required for pillars to support the garage roof with a floating lawn.”

“This building, which resembles an urbanized rich, green cave, maintains adequate distance from cities while enabling enjoyment of a fresh relationship with city or natural environments through the horizontal and vertical hollows where light enters.”

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A monolithic house in Kifissia, Greece soars toward the sky while maintaining its bonds with the Earth, making the residence seem a bit like a child’s balloon tethered to its owners wrist. Designed by Tense Architecture Network, the home was defined by its very small, vegetation-filled lot.

The architects decided that the clearing should be left as it was and the plants should define the border of the yard. A central column supports a large volume which seems to hover far above the ground. The column also acts as the entrance to the home, which is decked out in minimalist concrete and neutral colors.

Further integrating the home into its surroundings, ropes create a net on which plants are encouraged to grow. As they grow taller, they will create a natural green screen that surrounds the home in the comfort of nature. Eventually, the home will be all but indistinguishable from the plant life which already existed on the lot.

Special care was taken to ensure that, while natural light is able to get in, the light is not so bright as to destroy the feeling of intimacy and comfort gained by dim lighting. Sliding panels let in the daylight when desired, connecting the inside of the home to the outdoor greenery.

“The shell remains intact towards the main façade. The public image of the residence will eventually recede behind the plants and the house will claim the whole field. The vigorously detached prism lets the sun enter and functions as a shelter: living space lies beneath. When the sliding panels retreat, the merging with the garden is complete.”

“The space that the elevated prism creates is the main compositional gesture. The manner that this gesture is performed is crucial:  it is the manner through which the hovering prism is supported by the central column. A calm tension is realized, a simple yet clear correlation of forces. The synergy between structural and architectural design gives a residence where the shell is not more important than its field. Those are juxta-posed: one to one.”

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Curvilinear shell-shaped houses are generally a retro notion, but perhaps they were merely an idea before their time – a time, that is, when such things could be more easily constructed, mass-produced and deployed.

That idea, at least, is what Binishells appears to be banking on. So what, exactly, is different this time? Using low air pressure to lift and shape reinforced concrete thin shell structures, poured at ground level, Binishells essentially use air as their form work. There’s no wooden formwork to be thrown away afterward, wasting materials. Liquid concrete can be poured over reusable inflatable molds, saving time, resources and money while creating interesting organic architectural shapes.

That results in faster construction, too. And while concrete is a resource-intensive material to manufacture, perhaps future innovations will turn up similar materials that incorporate organic substances for a greener result.

In short: the technology has caught up with the times, and recently repopularized notions of eco-friendly living fit neatly into this reinvigorated design concept. That, and retro appeal works both ways – it may seem dated, but it can be cool, too.

“As well as being inherently green, Binishells are fast, strong and flexible and can be made in an infinite variety of shapes. They can be used for everything from high-end residential, to schools, to gymnasiums, commercial buildings, low cost housing, emergency shelters and an infinite variety of other typologies.”

“Like eggs, thin shell concrete dome structures distribute forces along their entire envelope. In this highly efficient structural system, forces are transferred gradually and evenly to the foundation along the entire building perimeter. Furthermore, domes typically act in compression and concrete is known to be highly efficient in compression. Furthermore, domes provide the largest enclosed volume to exterior surface area ratio. These factors mean that safer buildings can be produced by using only approx. 50% of the raw materials.”

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What does an artist need to work? In theory, both vivid inspiration (for an idea) as well as a clear head (for its execution). This remote dwelling addresses both of these needs at the same time.

Saunders Architecture is in the process of constructing a series of such spaces – each with its own architectural character – on the Fogo Islands of Canada.

For starters: the scenery is stunning – there is no way for a building to begin to compete with its rich complexity, nor need for it to try. Hence the simple geometries of the exterior, responding wonderfully to the water, rocks and grass surrounding it. Hence: inspiration.

Inside, the story is quite different: entirely-white walls, floors and ceilings create the ultimate gallery-like blank slate, making for a clean and clera working space, with windows framing those inspiring exterior views.

None of this is to suggest that the structure is empty of meaning, or that it blends in with its site – but the way it stands out is strikingly apt, more like an aged monument than a modern building.

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The Dutch do enjoy their greenery, even in crowded cities, as this cute grassy dinner table demonstrates in an oddly literal way. Haiko Cornelissen Architecten crafted the table itself out of aluminum to protect it from the moisture associated with the soil and grass, while using wooden benches to give a nod to traditional picnic tables.

In theory, you could grow anything on it – vegetables or herbs to spice up a meal on demand, for instance – on the underlying bed of stones and dirt.

“Our picNYC table with grass table top brings the rural picnic into the urban residence. Urban farming is a fast growing phenomenon where the typically rural practice of agriculture is brought into the city. The picNYC table goes one step further and brings the rural experience of picnicking not just in the city, but into the apartment.”

“The folded lightweight aluminum table top and legs form a stiff framework for the grass, soil and stones (needed for drainage). The picNYC table creates a surreal experience of nature in the city that literally transforms dining. Suddenly spilling water becomes a necessity instead of a problem, wine glasses need coasters not to prevent ring stains but to avoid tumbling.”

“Included in the rural experience is the maintenance of the grass. No table grass mower yet exists and the grass therefore needs to be cut by hand.
Based on the number of cuts, maintenance, usage, sunlight and season, the PicNYC table responds with a variety of colors to the conditions set by the owner. However, the color can always be reset to bright green since fresh sod is available year round.”

“Based on the concept of transposing natural experiences to the apartment, endless alterations are possible with flowers, herbs or even vegetables. Depending on the needs and green thumbs of the owner, the PicNYC table brings various degrees and qualities of the rural experience into the urban residence. As a consequence, the PicNYC table transforms dining into a feast at a new intersection of nature and city.”

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On a hot summer day, there is nothing like taking off your shoes or using sandals to expose your toes for a walk through a low garden or lawn. Taking it (literally) to the next level, sod-upholstered couches are a great way to cool down with a book in the backyard. You could build a whole set of literal lawn furniture.

In Black Rock City, Nevada, this author even saw (and sat in) a grass couch set up in the middle of the desert – perhaps not the most sustainable design solution, but it sure was comfortable (and on very hot and dry days: even better when freshly watered).

Note: for most arid climates, it might be a bit more eco-friendly to just use something of the astroturf variety (though it sounds a little scratchy, to be honest). Still, it saves that pesky problem of trying to mow in difficult corners or up vertical green surfaces.

Best of all, though, anyone can build a sod sofa for themselves right at home – and perhaps an ottoman, coffee or side table to go with it. Build a pair of benches and you could make the perfect above-but-on-the-ground picnic spot.

Want to try making your own DIY grass couch? Inhabitat has a tutorial, and it’s as simple as you might imagine. You’ll need a base made of brick, stone, cardboard or paper bricks, along with garden soil and sod. It would be really easy to use entirely found and reclaimed materials for this project to create an entire backyard full of spongy grassy furniture.

“Summer is just around the corner, and there’s no better way to enjoy those sweet summer days than to loll around outside in the sunshine. Although there are many different kinds of outdoor furniture that you can put to good use, nothing beats the feeling of cool grass against bare skin, and one of the best ways to enjoy that is with a lounge-able grass couch.”

The post DIY Sod Sofas: Recline in Grassy Loungers first appeared on Dornob.

The destruction of a lesser-known Seattle pseudo-suburb is underway. This series of a dozen square blocks was lofted forty feet in the air but, despite looking picture-perfect from above with its series of pristine streets, homes, yards and trees, it was never actually intended for human habitation. Take a closer look to see why.

Yes, those trees and shrubs are all fake, made of camouflage netting and astroturf. The houses are much too small to occupy. If it all seems a little eerie and quiet, that’s because it’s not a real town at all, but rather a decoy built on the roof of a Boeing factory south of downtown Seattle. Built during World War II, Boeing’s fake town hides the aircraft manufacturer’s production facility below, which is the cumulative size of eight football fields.

“Houses, streets and plants were assembled like stage props out of plywood, clapboard, chicken wire and burlap, covering the plant’s roof during World War II. If any Japanese bombers made it this far east, the hope was that their pilots would mistake this for a quiet residential neighborhood.”

Despite the proximity of faux overhead homes, workers from the plane plant took an entirely opposite route to get out, heading down instead of up. Secret underground tunnels to reach nearby and likewise-camouflaged cafeterias, classrooms and restrooms — images of people on top were merely staged for a post-construction photo and film shoot.

But these would-have-been houses will not go to waste — the reclamation of remaining materials is in progress. The Duluth Timber Company is salvaging scraps as well as heavy timber beams from the site before it is leveled.

As for the plant itself: it became increasingly outdated (and structurally dangerous) as decades passed despite being the original home of many famous Boeing aircraft including the original B-52 bomber and 737 jetliner. (Via Inhabitat, Wavy & more at Wikipedia)

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Concepts play a central role in architectural studio projects, but sometimes grow into real-life buildings as well Whether this ‘house tree’ was too literally developed or well-designed is still up for debate, though the sketched diagrams from Bignatov Architects showing off the glass canopy and geothermal roots are impressive either way.

Trees have water-channeling and light-absorbing foliage, supported by branches that funnel nutrients to keep it alive … but that also preserve and serve to shelter what plants and animals lie below. Root systems provide underground stability but also draw sustenance from the earth.

Like leaves, the upper layers of this home draw in solar energy and drain water toward a collection reservoir below – inside, real living greenery produces oxygen for inside the house (while selectively-tinted glass protects human inhabitants).

Living and working areas are located with maximum access to light above, while sleeping and dining quarters are situated on the level below. Geothermal heat exchangers and piped wells tunnel into the foundation of the site, cycling warm and cool air and drawing up (non-drinkable) water for irrigation and graywater uses.

Still, there is something a little boxy about the final product, given its organic inspiration. Cold concrete and bland tiles add little comfort, and a well-manicured interior lawn is green but somehow sterile. For all of its organic systems, the rectilinear shape detracts somewhat from the elegantly environmental concept. Add a little more greenery and irregular rounded shapes, and you’d have a beautiful home with a strong biophilic nature.

More from the architects

“Private house with large conservatory for subtropical and Mediterranean flowers. Architectural tectonics are inspired by local trees. Low-energy house with geothermal heating and cooling system. Concept features compact footprint, order of transparency and mass, local materials and craftsmanship.”

About Bignatov Studio

“Bignatov Studio is a contemporary interdisciplinary architectural firm with offices in New York, USA and Varna, Bulgaria. We are interested in contemporary green architecture and related experimental artistic work. The company is established by Boris Ignatov in 2004 in New York. Mr. Ignatov holds Master degrees in architecture from Columbia University in New York (2006) and Sofia University of Architecture (1995). He has worked for several large architectural firms including “Perkins + Will Architects” and is a licensed architect in the state of New York and Bulgaria. Our work has been internationally acclaimed for environmental awareness. We are a practice that focuses on delivering exceptional design with a considered and personal service. Our work aims to make a lasting contribution to the urban and natural context by challenging, provoking and delighting.”

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Going green does not just mean eco-friendly building systems and sustainable construction materials. It can also imply a blending with the landscape – an implied recognition that our structures come second to nature. That, at least, is the idea behind this set of remarkable modern underground home designs commissioned by Michael Hill.

The restrictions on the construction of earth sheltered houses are severe with good reason: to preserve the rolling hillscape of this former golf course, all of the houses will be nearly entirely subterranean and environment-disturbing exterior amenities (such as spas or swimming pools) are forbidden as they would spoil the surrounding landscapes. Seventeen homes in total are planned for this expansive stretch of grassy hills.

“The Americans put a big colonial clubhouse at the back of the 18th and fill the fairways with homes. For me, that spoils everything. We want it to be like a Scottish course, where you see nothing. These homes will be invisible.”

The design concept revolves around privacy but also around maintaining natural beauty and the seclusion that comes with being in a truly natural setting. While small outdoor fireplaces and courtyards will be permitted much of the design of these homes is interior-focused, including libraries and wine cellars.

Local commissioners agreed with Hill’s intentions when they granted him resource consent for the project, saying “Very stringent controls are also proposed on the use of each house site, to the extent that apart from placing outdoor furniture on a limited-sized area around each house, virtually nothing else can occur. Use of the house lots for the normal trappings of domesticity such as trampolines, spa pools and so forth, will be prohibited.”

Hill’s designs offer a modern twist on the age-old earth sheltered home, taking them more in the direction of a luxury contemporary residence than a hobbit house built into a hillside. Would you live in a house like this?

The post Grassy Invisible Houses Hidden Underground first appeared on Dornob.

There is a lot of discussion these days about green design and new ways to go green, be sustainable and so forth. One of the growing areas of interest is in the literal green of living walls and roofs populated by real, growing plants. But do we have to draw the line there (no image-referencing pun intended) or is there even more we can do with natural materials we have readily at hand?

While the environmental benefits of this particular application are tenuous it certainly has an aesthetic impact – a little added greenery to a parking lot, often the least green of all public spaces. However, this is just one application – an example showing the initial potential of something with great possibilities.

Of greater interest is the simple technology behind it – the roll-out material basis for the design strategy. This kind of technique could be used to great small strips of green in all kinds of places not suited to larger spans of planting or particularly heavy plants. This idea is about thinking big through thinking small – and reenvisioning ordinary greenery as a potential new material in on our green design palettes.

The post Grass as a Material? Green Design Takes to the Streets first appeared on Dornob.