Bose Frames Tenor ($249)

Take out the earbuds with these combination speaker and sunglasses. Packaged in a sleek, black frame with polarized lenses, the Tenor’s state-of-the-art Bose Bluetooth speaker allows wearers to enjoy the natural sounds of their environment while discreetly listening to music in crystal clear quality.

Loftie Smart Alarm Clock ($149)

More than just an alarm clock, this smart device is also a white noise machine and includes a Bluetooth speaker that can play guided meditations, soothing evening playlists, and sound baths. It’s everything that special someone in your life needs to get the perfect night’s sleep.

Moleskine Smart Writing System ($279)

Digital technology makes note-taking and journaling so easy to store, but studies show that writing by hand increases brain activity over typing on a tablet or smartphone. The perfect compromise? The Moleskine Smart Writing System, comprised of a smart Ncoded paper and Smart Pen that instantly uploads digital copies of all your hand-written notes.

eTape16 Digital Electronic Tape Measure ($39.99)

For all your handy friends, this electronic tape provides a digital readout for all measurements and can even remember them, eliminating the need for a pen and paper to write it all down.

Anker Nebula Solar Portable Mini Projector ($399.99)

This compact mini projector lets your friends take their TV and movie-watching fun on the road. The1080p projector has a battery that can last for three hours on a single charge. It also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker to provide a full wireless entertainment experience in one machine.

Ekster Parliament Leather Smart Wallet ($69)

If your loved one isn’t ready to go all in on digital finance yet, this smart wallet provides identity theft protection with its RFID coating. With just the push of a button, their desired card is pushed up for easy access at the checkout line. The stylish wallet can also be connected and tracked via smartphone, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant so it never stays lost for long. It can hold up to seven cards and is handily powered by sunlight.

MUSE 2: The Brain Sensing Headband ($249.99)

Help your loved ones achieve greater focus and clarity this year with a Muse 2 Brain Sensing Headband. It monitors your brain activity, heart rate, breathing, and body movement in real time. When it’s connected to the accompanying smartphone app, the Muse 2 provides over 500 guided meditations for improved emotional and mental health.

Hydrate Spark 3 ($69.99)

Help your family stay properly hydrated with this smart, BPA-free plastic water bottle. The bottom glows when its times to take a sip again. Users can connect the Hidrate Spark to their phones to track how much water they drink each day and to track it if ever goes missing.

Solawave Advanced Skincare Wand ($149)

Give the gift of beauty with this skin care wand that uses red light therapy and microcurrent waves to roll back the clock on fine lines, dark circles, and acne scars.

Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder ($249.99)

For your aviary-loving friends, this bird feeder cam can identify over 6,000 types of winged creatures. With 1080p resolution, a macro lens, and built-in zoom, your loved one will be capture unmatched views of all their favorite birds. It also has a voice feature to keep any annoying squirrels from stealing the food.

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The post Top 10 Tech Gifts to Get Your Loved Ones This Holiday Season first appeared on Dornob.

Looking at the design, it’s clear from the outset that the Portless Catamaran isn’t going to win any awards for aesthetics or speed. Then again, that’s not really the point of this ultra-lightweight vessel. It’s a big step up from a simple raft, or even the kind of small, sub-$10K boat you might tow with a trailer. You could try to cram a lot of occupants on either of those, but it won’t be safe, and it definitely won’t be comfortable. The Portless Catamaran, on the other hand, has enough lounging surfaces to go around.

The inflatable catamaran comes in two sizes: a smaller standard version measuring 14.8 feet long that can support four to six people, and the larger Deluxe Catamaran that measures 19.7 feet long and is safe for up to eight occupants. Unlike the kind of folding fabric shade top seen on many pleasure crafts, this catamaran’s “roof” is strong enough to use as a second deck. The main deck of the standard size model measures 97 square feet, and the upper deck offers 32 square feet while holding up to 350 pounds. Ladder-like steps built into the side wall offer access from below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djc8Q-bnePM

The standard size Portless Catamaran starts out as a compact 265-pound package that fits in the trunk of a car. You’ll definitely need a few people to get it in and out, but what other kind of boat can be transported to the water in a Kia sedan? You’ll probably need a trailer to transport the larger version, since it weighs 772 pounds, but the Deluxe still breaks down into four pieces that zip together. The creators say you can get the standard size out of your vehicle, inflated, and launched in less than 10 minutes, while the deluxe takes about 20.

The vessel is made with the same type of materials and construction as inflatable paddle boards, equipped with a small 1-kilowatt Epropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus electric outboard motor and lithium-polymer battery powered by a flexible solar panel. It’s not clear exactly how much of a range you’d get with those specs, but it’s probably safe to say you shouldn’t plan to cruise around for hours on end.

Okay, so the experience probably doesn’t come close to a day out on a billionaire’s superyacht, but the Portless Catamaran still looks extremely fun to use. The motor will definitely allow you to jet out to the open water to find a prime spot away from the crowds for swimming, diving, sunbathing, and whatever else you might get up to. With prices starting at $12,375 for the standard Portless Catamaran and $23,750 for the Deluxe, it’s reasonably affordable, too, and it could even work for people who don’t have a garage or driveway to store it.

The post Portless Catamaran: Inflatable Party Boat Packs Down to Fit in Your Trunk first appeared on Dornob.

“Public Art Electric Vehicle Charging Stations” is a collection of proposals that merge art, architecture, and technology, giving people something fun to look at and interact with while they’re charging their electric vehicles. The project addresses one major anxiety of transitioning from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to EVs — a lack of charging stations. Jantzen believes that creating massive, bright, and oddly-shaped charging stations could draw attention to the need for sustainable options and reassure the public that such stations actually exist.

Perhaps even more importantly, these EV charging stations don’t rely on grid power. Electricity in most of the world is still supplied by fossil fuels like coal and oil, and EVs usually depend on that energy to charge. To get around that issue (which will only be solved by shifting power grids to renewable energy sources), Jantzen’s charging stations are all solar and/or wind-powered.

The five public art charging stations are respectively named the Silver Solar Charging Station, the Black Waves Solar Charging Station, the Red Solar Charging Station, the Yellow Solar Charging Station, and the Solar Wind Charging Station. Each one sort of resembles a futuristic car wash, but each has its own set of distinguishing features.

The Silver Solar Charging Station is a corrugated steel structure supporting a large photovoltaic panel that’s held high in the air on two massive silver arms. The Black Waves Solar Charging Station, also made of steel, has a more fluid, aerodynamic design, with ribbon-like sections of steel covered in photovoltaic panels undulating over the top.

The bright pops of color seen in the Red Charging Station and Yellow Charging Station stand out even from afar, drawing the curiosity of passersby for miles around. The Red version has zig-zag solar panels on top, while the Yellow version features an eco-friendly concrete composite dome, with a series of circular disc-shaped solar panels mounted on its roof.

The only one that isn’t designed to be entered is the Solar Wind Charging Station. “Instead, people can drive alongside of the station to charge their vehicles,” says Jantzen. “It is also made of steel with a large curved shaped photovoltaic panel mounted onto the overhang. In addition to the solar panel, it also has a large vertical axis wind turbine incorporated into the design. Both the solar panel and the wind turbine make electricity from the sun and from the wind to charge the electric vehicles directly, and/or with batteries they continually charged.”

Thus far, these sculptural EV charging stations are just concepts, but perhaps they’ll spark some creativity as new charging stations continue to pop up around the world.

The post Michael Jantzen’s Artsy EV Charging Stations are Impossible to Ignore first appeared on Dornob.

When she got the commission to build the central pavilion for northern Europe’s largest design event, Dutch architect Marjan van Aubel immediately looked for collaborators to help her highlight the power of the sun.

“Marjan van Aubel called us in May, asking: can you help? …Of course, it was short notice, so we had to move quickly,” explains Michiel Raaphorst, co-founder of V8 Architects. “Three days later, we met with Marjan and Miriam van der Lubbe, the Creative Head of DDW. While sketching, we came up with a surface that allows you to harvest solar energy but also forms a meaningful part of the environment.”

“We use technology to represent a natural phenomenon, and to do so, we harvest the energy from that natural phenomenon itself. So the solar pavilion represents the energy of the sun and cooperation,” Raaphorst adds. “All these parties worked together to realize this project because we all believe in Marjan van Aubel’s message: the time for a solar revolution is now.”

The two groups came up with a gazebo whose shape followed the slope of a cloth beach chair. Supported by four steel masts, the roof was fashioned from 380 wafer-thin glass solar panels in happy shades of red, orange, yellow, and blue. From above, it looked like a sun rising in a blue sky.

The collection of colorful photovoltaic tiles produced roughly 7.5 kilowatts of energy during peak performance hours, sending enough juice to an onsite battery to provide light and heat for all evening visitors. The intended effect was to allow guests to experience the sensation of sitting in the sun even in its absence.

The underside of the roof was left exposed for maximum technological transparency. “The structure contains about five thousand kilos of solar panels,” Raaphorst explains. “We deliberately left all the connections, wires, and discs visible so visitors can see how everything works. A practical view of the structure.”

The design teams also included two connecting staircases that led to a viewing porthole where visitors could have their picture taken via an app. “Up there, you suddenly find yourself in this other world: the solar field,” Raaphorst muses. Underneath the pavilion, a reflective circular bench and steel and wood seats provided places for observers to rest throughout the day.

V8 Architects and Marjan van Aubel Studio also pulled in a dozen other companies to help with parts and assembly. In keeping with the eco-friendly ethos, they borrowed most of the standard building and energy components, returning each part to its owners after the event for a circular resource design.

The architects were excited for the chance to show how earth-conscious technology like solar can and should be incorporated into everyday life. Says Raaphorst, “Currently, energy is only harvested in a techno-functional way. We explore how to integrate the sun’s energy into our daily lives so that we can love and embrace it.”

“Solar energy needs a new, more personal perspective that is part of our culture,” adds Marjan van Aubel. “This pavilion demonstrates that solar energy can be experienced and used in a new way.”

The post Colorful Solar Pavilion Brings Shade to Dutch Design Week first appeared on Dornob.

Semi-Solid State Batteries

The SuperBase V claims to be the first home energy storage system using semi-solid state batteries. Offering 228 Watt hours per kilogram (Wh/kg), they provide up to 42 percent more energy per pound than a traditional lithium-iron phosphate battery. Zendure says that customers who use their battery management software can expect the SuperBase V internal battery to last for at least 10 years.

“Semi-solid state batteries also pose less of a safety risk if damaged, which is critical for home energy management,” the company says. “The extra capacity is ideal for long-term outages.”

Stackable Power

The SuperBase V can be scaled for several different power needs. A single unit can provide up to 3,800 watts (W) of power, while two connected units can supply up to 7,600 W. That amount is enough to power a typical washer, dryer, heater, and refrigerator at one time. For maximum wattage, two SuperBase V units can be stacked with four Satellite Batteries each for a total capacity of 64 kilowatts (kWH).

Power Your Home for a Week

With the maximum battery configuration, the SuperBase V has enough juice to power a typical household for a week or more. This means you never need to fear a power outage, since the SuperBase V will automatically kick on in the event of a power grid failure. You can also use Zendure’s “Time of Use” app to monitor, manage, and customize your energy usage and save money on normal energy bills.

If a natural disaster ever strikes your area, you’ll still have enough power to get you through the worst of it. Alternatively, if you’re simply ready to go off-grid, you can hook up the SuperBase V to a solar panel system and figuratively cut the cord to your power company.

Untethered RV Life

The Zendure Satellite Battery also boasts an Anderson port to meet any RV and camper electrical needs. Through the XT90 port, the modules can also glean up to 600W of solar power. For those looking to truly get some peace and quiet in remote areas, the SuperBase V TT-30 port can provide up to 30 amps to 120V camper or RV appliances.

Charge EVs on the Go

With its 2 EV outlets and up to 12,000W of power distribution, the SuperBase V can charge two electric vehicles quickly and at the same time, so you’ll never have a dead car battery in the event of emergencies. In addition to powering up your cars at home, Zendure’s plug-and-play system can recharge your EV on the go and in between charging stations, extending your driving range indefinitely.

Smart Virtual Assistance Interface

For added ease of use, the SuperBase V can interface with smart home assistants like Alexa and Google, allowing customers to turn it on or perform other functions with voice commands.

Zendure’s Kickstarter campaign blew way past its initial goal of $10,000, attracting over a thousand backers and over $5.3 million in pledges. The basic SuperBase V model is currently going for $2,699 and is expected to start shipping in December 2022.

The post Kickstarter Campaign for First Plug-and-Play Home Energy Storage System Garners Over $5 Million first appeared on Dornob.

Built by Dutch company FlevoBike, the GoLo GoCamp is a tiny camper built on a recumbent e-bike platform. It offers similar amenities you’d enjoy while car camping but maintains the cycling experience. It’s based on the FlevoBike GoLo, a four-wheel cargo bike capable of carrying a surprisingly heavy load, but it adds a bunch of extra functionality and features for recreational trips. Even cooler is the fact that the camper is a removable module sitting on top of the GoLo cargo bike, so you can always take it off if you want to use the bike for more practical everyday travel.

The camper module is ultra-compact, at least compared to most RVs, but it pops up and extends a foldable canopy to offer additional length when the user is laying down. In bedroom mode, it’s also big enough to seat two at an interior fold-down table. The 33.5 by 86.6-inch mattress is comfy for a single occupant, and in its extended form, the camper features mosquito mesh and a window for ventilation. The side wall pops up to turn into another canopy offering shelter and shade.

An integrated 60W fridge, storage under the sleeping area, and wall shelves give you space to store your food, toiletries, and other items, and there’s a drawer hidden in the base for a spare wheel and bike tools. You’ll also find USB, 12V, and 220V outlets inside. Boosted by 400W solar panels mounted to the outside of the camper, the 250W motor and 1,000Wh battery provide maximum e-assist for 31 miles (50km) per charge. That may not sound like much, but most people usually only use assist when going up hills or when they’re feeling extra tired. Plus, on a sunny day, you’ll be juicing up the battery as you ride.

The camper’s narrow profile may be a snug fit for sleeping, but it’s a pro rather than a con when you’re on the road. It sticks to the width of a typical cycling path for safety. When you want to remove the camper shell to use the bike on its own, it’s fairly easy to do, simply clicking in and out of the bike’s base. Designed with delivery and service fleets in mind, the GoLo e-bike itself is comfortable and easy to ride, even when pulling a load this large, thanks to its recumbent design.

The GoLo GoCamp bike camper is still brand new, and the company has only produced one prototype to show off what it can do. But that prototype has already traveled 500 kilometers (more than 300 miles) across the Netherlands, so it’s looking pretty promising. We know what you’re thinking: how can you get one? Contact the company on their website or Facebook for more information.

The post GoLo Solar-Powered Bike Camper Makes Cycling Trips a Lot Comfier first appeared on Dornob.

Located within the newly revitalized Steigereiland neighborhood, the first of the IJburg islands when approaching from central Amsterdam, the Sluishuis references the industrial and maritime heritage of the area, as well as its vernacular architecture. The architects wanted it to feel like a traditional European courtyard house was enlarged, modernized, and adapted for the canal-centric landscape of Amsterdam. The 527,000-square-foot building juts out over the waterfront on the outskirts of the city, with a triangular opening acting as a “gate” through which 54 boats can dock at an inner port.

The units on this cantilevered side of the building feature glass balconies over the water, giving them incredible views looking either outward at the city or inward at the courtyard and its gardens. The apartments at the rear of the building step down to the docks, each with its own spacious outdoor terrace. A promenade winds around the building, inviting visitors — including the public — to climb all the way up to the rooftop gardens and gaze out at the new neighborhoods on the IJ. It also connects to an archipelago of public program elements like mooring points for 34 houseboats, floating gardens, and a sailing school.

Native plants emerge from giant planters and climb the facades throughout the complex, and large windows draw daylight into all corners of the building. Untreated aluminum reflects the play of light across the water, helping the Sluishuis blend into its environment. The units include duplex penthouses, urban studios, and premium apartments, and all of the homes are accessed through the central courtyard. All 442 apartments are energy-neutral, and power for the building comes from 2,200 square meters (about 75,347 square feet) of solar panels.

“With iconic architecture, as well as new housing typologies, high-quality outdoor spaces, and breathtaking views of the IJmeer, Sluishuis is a new landmark for IJburg as well as Amsterdam,” says Dirk Peters, a founding partner at Barcode Architects. “We have tried to design a building with a surprisingly changing perspective and a unique contemporary character, which reflects the identity of the future residents and all users of Sluishuis.”

“Having spent my formative years as an architect in Holland at the end of the 20th century, it feels like a homecoming to now get to contribute to the architecture of the city that I have loved and admired for so long,” says Bjarke Ingels, founding partner of BIG.

The post Ship-Shaped Apartment Complex by BIG Rises from Amsterdam’s Revitalized Waterfront first appeared on Dornob.

One of their latest creations is “Atri,” an A-frame off-grid house with a mix of open living spaces and private rooms spread out over three levels, all connected to an open atrium shielded by a glass ceiling. Built in Sikhall, Vänersborg on the shores of Lake Vänern, the home is designed for a completely self-sufficient lifestyle with solar power, a wood-burning stove, built-in raised bed gardens to grow your own food, and connection to on-site well water and septic so no outside utilities are required. Its pointed design mimics the shape of the surrounding conifers.

The home essentially creates its own little microclimate thanks to the greenhouse effect, which can be amplified by the wood stove in harsh winter weather. Not only is that conducive to growing even heat-loving vegetables like tomatoes and peppers in winter, it also lets occupants enjoy an outdoor lifestyle year-round. Throughout the home, you have the ability to gaze out the glass A-frame roof, providing a direct connection to nature. It’s a refreshing change from architecture that can often feel in conflict with nature, working against it instead of with it. The architects intentionally kept the building site as free from intervention as possible, simply creating a gravel pad that visually connects to the neighboring sandy beach.

If there’s one caveat to such a design, it’s the question of whether the home could become uncomfortably warm in the summertime. Though it would increase the cost by a lot, perhaps the kind of glass that can change from clear to opaque on demand would help fine-tune the level of sun protection when needed. That price, by the way, is SEK 7,850,000 ($770,310 USD). The Atria home measures 1,335 square feet and has two bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms. Other homes by Naturvillan boast similar greenhouse-inspired designs, including the Mini, Midi, and Maxi.

Naturvillan offers a utopian vision of how such homes can be used. “With most of the outer garden only formed by nature you enter your own dream garden inside a greenhouse with a breathtaking high ceiling filled with brightness and clean air. Park the electric car and connect it to your own grid generating new power or to use for electricity in your house. Pick a couple of tomatoes along the green eco cycle wall before you go inside the dwelling. The entry hall is spacious, has easy access to next floor which contains bedroom(s), WC, balcony, and a library. Climb up to the roof terrace and breathe the air, relax, and enjoy the view.”

The post A-Frame Greenhouse Home Brings a Mediterranean Growing Climate Wherever You Want to Live first appeared on Dornob.

ZNera Space sees the Downtown Circle as sustainable and self-sufficient vertical urbanism. The mega-complex stands an incredible 550 meters (1,804 feet) off the ground on five relatively narrow supports as an alternative to a bunch of unconnected skyscrapers. Containing housing, retail stores, offices, and schools as well as public spaces like parks and museums, the ring-shaped tower even has its own transportation system. Theoretically, residents wouldn’t ever have to leave the tower if they didn’t want to.

Downtown Circle contains five levels, including two main rings held together by a continuous green belt the architects call Skypark. Spanning the multi-story vertical space between the structure’s two rings, the Skypark is its own self-contained ecosystem full of swamps, waterfalls, canyons, sandy dunes, and tropical vegetation. It also incorporates rainwater harvesting, solar power, and agricultural production, so the community can grow some of its own food and produce its own energy. And with full-size trees capable of storing carbon, the Skypark also helps to offset the ring’s greenhouse gas emissions.

To get around the ring, residents and visitors will travel in a fleet of suspended peripheral pods that transport them from one node to another. The vessels follow tracks along the structure’s bottom tier. An elevated heliport on the roof of the inner ring lets inhabitants travel down to the city and back up again. An outer layer of louvers protects the facade from intense sunlight and helps reflect light to areas that get shaded by the geometry of the building throughout the day.

“We wanted to go down to the basics of how gated communities were established as a very horizontal built environment,” says Najmus Chowdry, co-founder of ZNera Space. “But you can’t have that here because of the dense urban fabric of Dubai. The best way to explore and practice this concept was in downtown itself.”

“The concept was of a vertical city,” says Nils Remess, the firm’s other co-founder. “When COVID-19 hit hard, we thought a lot about sustainability and how can we change things and how we can create better urban planning. We looked at aspects such as garbage disposal, food production, traffic problems, and pollution. We put all these things together and came up with a concept.”

Concepts like the Downtown Circle could definitely help with the challenge of packing more people into cities as the global population continues to grow amidst the threats of climate change. One thing few of them seem to address, however, is the question of whether such structures would contribute to further segregation of economic classes within cities, leaving poor residents on a ground level that would feel downright subterranean when shaded by megastructures that elevate richer people into the sky above. In that case, higher-density cities will only feel livable for some people and not others.

The post Massive Ring-Shaped Structure Could Encircle Dubai’s Burj Khalifa first appeared on Dornob.

Winner of a 2021 Red Dot Design Award, the Ventje campervan comes complete with a flexible central space that acts as a bedroom, living room, office, and dining room, as well as a tailgate kitchen that can be used from in or outside the van. The custom IKEA-style built-in furniture found throughout folds, unfolds, and transforms to offer work surfaces and plentiful storage. Would you believe there’s a toilet hidden inside, too?

Instead of placing the bed at the rear, Ventje centers it within the main area. By day, it can either function as benches that face a fold-out table, sort of like a restaurant booth, or it can be arranged into an L-shaped sofa to lounge and watch TV. By night, you simply lower the table surface and move the cushions for a nearly queen-sized bed measuring 55 inches wide and 83 inches long. This setup might not be similar to that of other campervans, but centering it allows for what might be the Ventje’s best quality: a surprisingly spacious kitchen.

When the seating is arranged as the L-shaped couch, the kitchen set along the rear can easily be accessed from the interior. Campervans are often designed so that the kitchen is either exclusively indoors, set directly behind the cab, or exclusively outdoors, accessed by opening the rear doors and standing outside. Ventje’s design isn’t just more practical, it also makes it easier to access storage under the counter. The kitchen features a dual-burner propane stove/sink combo, a 7-gallon freshwater tank, a cutting board, a refrigerator beneath a hinged panel, and bi-directional drawers that swing in or outside the van.

The campervan even has spare flat-pack outdoor chairs stored beneath the benches, so you can pull up a seat to a removable tabletop attached to the outer kitchen frame to create an outdoor dining and work surface. Also located beneath the benches are the toilet and a 95-Ah battery for the rooftop solar panel system. Extra storage compartments can be found in the driver and passenger sidewalls, where you’ll also find 12V electrical sockets and USB charging ports. In addition to the bed for two, another two people can sleep in the somewhat narrow pop-top bed.

Ventje uses either secondhand Volkswagen T5 vans or brand new T6.1 vans as the base for their campervan builds, with prices ranging from $52,600 to $73,600. That’s not bad for a specialty vehicle, but this is where the Ventje’s compact size is extra handy. When everything is all packed up, you can use it as your everyday driver, provided you don’t need to seat more than two passengers (in addition to the driver).

As the company explains: “Ventje is an extension system for Volkswagen buses or transporters, facilitating quick and easy conversions into campervans. With this product, the manufacturers and the designers have got their fingers on the pulse of the times, as it allows people to gain maximum use from a potentially already-available or relatively inexpensive-to-buy vehicle. The effort-benefit ratio of this solution is outstanding. It is fundamentally very simple, modular and logical, with surprising details, and it is smart and practical.”

The post Ventje’s VW Campervan is Conveniently Compact and Impressively Equipped first appeared on Dornob.

That means there’s no extra setup for outdoor parties — the speakers are always ready to go with a full 15 hours of battery life. They connect to a music source via Bluetooth with up a 100-foot range.

Setup only takes a few seconds. Each speaker comes with a magnetic stand that can be staked into grass, dirt, and other landscaping materials. The box can be easily pulled off the stand and transferred to another stand in a different part of the yard, brought inside, or taken on the road for mobile parties. If there’s ever a need for wired charging, the speaker also includes a USB-C port that can be used to power up other USB devices, too.

The sound quality is powerful, thanks to a four-inch passive subwoofer for bass, a ¾-inch tuned dome tweeter for high notes, a four-inch calibrated driver for clear and consistent audio, and a 50-Watt amplifier for volume. Two or more speakers can also be connected to create an even fuller, more immersive sound.

Because outdoor speakers have to be able to stand up to intense weather conditions, the Lodge solar speakers were designed to handle everything from “the hot summers of the Arizona desert to the icy winters in Vermont.” To protect against damage from water, dust, and debris, the speakers are equipped with both UV-safe plastics for the housing and chip-proof industrial strength solar panels. Each one comes with a waterproof IP66 rating.

The speakers have been extensively tested and reviewed to ensure their quality is top notch. “We’ve been working on Lodge since late 2020 and have gone through hundreds of rounds of testing, user feedback, and iteration,” the company says on their Kickstarter page. “We’ve worked with audiophiles and designers from all over of the world to validate our design decisions and component selection, and we’ve completed countless hours of testing both in and outside of the lab. With the community’s help, we brought Lodge to where it is today and built a sound system the Lodge community is proud to support.”

The company also tried to keep sustainability in mind when designing the speakers, allowing them to be disassembled and recycled so that parts could be repurposed in the future.

The Kickstarter campaign generated plenty more interest than expected. The company started with a $10,000 goal and raised over $250,000 by the time it ended. There was so much demand, in fact, that Lodge created a second crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo that raised another $270,000 in a month. The company hopes to start shipping their product to the first Kickstarter customers sometime this summer.

The post These Outdoor Speakers are Waterproof, Wireless, and Solar-Powered first appeared on Dornob.

Set along the Marra Marra Creek in New South Wales, Australia, this off-grid cabin draws from the area’s fascinating history and makes smart use of a plentiful local material: repurposed 200-year-old electrical posts made of ironbark timber. From the outside, the cabin’s square, window-covered facade and large awning give it a modest and understated appearance. But not only is the inside a study in minimalist beauty — the whole project is an exercise in respect for the land, its history, and the Darug People to whom it traditionally belongs.

“In 1788, Captain Cook and his fleet entered the delta of the Hawkesbury and the sheltered bay of Sydney,” the architects explain. “At the entrance of the Dyirabun (Hawkesbury) River, he was first welcomed by the Darug People who had been living on these banks since the beginning of times. Not long after, the British colonized the Australian territory, building a network of roads and electrical lines across the vast country. The electrical posts were made of some of the finest local hardwoods. Later on, these posts were slowly replaced by steel posts.”

“The small community of Marra Marra Creek was established by settlers in the early 18th century, most probably using inmate labor to cultivate the land. However, the electrical network never reached the creek, and the community remained ‘off the grid’ and only accessible by boat at high tide until today. Marra Marra Shack is built on the land of the Darug People. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the house is set, their rich cultural heritage and deep connection to the country, and pay our respects to their elders past, present, and future. Always Was, Always Will Be Aboriginal Land.”

The architects augmented those 200-year-old electrical posts with spotted gum timber that grows in the Darug region for the beams of the ceiling and floor. In other parts of the space, repurposed turpentine timber from an old jetty built by settlers on the creek bank has become furniture and other small details. The cabin steps down along with the slope of the land, resulting in an interesting terraced interior around the home’s single large north-facing window. This window can also be lifted up using counterweights to open the space to the fresh air.

The only elements of the shack that aren’t made of timber are the thin fire-resistant fiber cement sheets on the facade. Instead of using energy and labor-intensive concrete footings, the architects pinned the footings to the sandstone bedrock. Best of all, both solar energy and water are collected on the roof, making the home entirely self-sustainable.

The post Repurposed Off-Grid Cabin in Australia Pays Tribute to the Native Darug People first appeared on Dornob.

Apex Clean Energy commissioned the eight-story, 187,000-square-foot building with a focus on sustainable materials and building methods in mind. They worked with Hourigan Group developers and architectural firm William McDonough + Partners to eco-consciously build from the ground up.

“The design of the building required an imaginative and creatively challenging process. Our direction was clear: to achieve financial efficiencies that met, or even reduced, our current obligations while setting a new benchmark in terms of sustainability,” explains John Bahouth, Apex Senior Vice President of Administration. “Fortunately, our process led to a partnership with world-renowned architect Bill McDonough, who literally wrote the book on sustainable design.”

In fact, McDonough wrote a text 20 years ago outlining the “possibility of developing healthy and creatively interactive relationships between human settlements and the natural world.”

According to their website, WD+P “have been at the forefront of the ‘green’ architecture and Circular Economy movements for more than 30 years, creating pioneering architecture and many recognized flagships of sustainable design” like YouTube’s Silicon Valley headquarters and NASA’s carbon positive Sustainability Base. The company focuses on “Cradle to Cradle Design,” a philosophy that utilizes safe and healthy materials while taking its cues from the life cycles of living organisms.

McDonough’s firm used cross-laminated timber (CLT) to construct the Apex building, which not only houses all 150 of the clean energy company’s employees but also features retail space on the ground floor. That sustainably harvested wood will help the structure realize a potential carbon benefit of roughly 3,000 metric tons compared to traditional concrete and steel builds.

“It’s essentially a wood building that will last forever and can be built quickly and efficiently and replaces the carbon intensive methods for building that we’ve used for decades,” Apex Clean Energy’s President and CEO Mark Goodwin told local media outlets. Notwithstanding its wooden makeup, CLT is known for its fire-resistance properties, making it a safe choice for a building material overall.

The exterior is clad in a high-performance envelope of DensElement weather barrier, Thermafiber rigid insulation, and a rainscreen shell. A green roof terrace helps create a bio-diverse habitat complete with built-in rainwater retention systems, and the parking lot includes charging stations for electric cars.
The HQ further reduces its environmental footprint with 875 roof and canopy-mounted solar panels for a carbon-neutral energy calculation.

“A building that has over 300 kilowatts of solar power on it — what that will do is enable Apex to be net zero in this office, so we will generate as much power as we use in the building,” Goodwin adds. “What we want to do with a building like this is show how a company like ours, which works on the utility side of the economy, how we can help show an example of transitioning in other sectors.”

The post Apex Plaza is Now the Largest Mass Timber Structure on the East Coast first appeared on Dornob.

Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the verdant Oaxan mountains, Hotel Terrestre, the newest addition to Grupa Habita’s lifestyle resort line, uses nothing but solar power to operate its facilities, taking “the experience of sustainable tourism into new territory.” And while the hotel does offer free Wi-Fi access and a wireless speaker in each room, the ethos of the luxury lodging encourages visitors to “disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature, synchronizing their day with the cycle of the sun.”

Designed by architect Alberto Kalach and his Taller de Arquitectura X (TAX) studio, the seven-building complex was constructed using only locally sourced materials. Kalach also took inspiration from the surrounding environment to create a space of wood, brick, earth, and concrete that invites guests to rest and rejuvenate.

“From its overall architectural statement, and down to the smallest detail, the design blends in a uniquely respectful way with the site’s marine landscape. Thus, water, flora, light, and air become intrinsic elements of Terrestre’s groundbreaking design,” the hotel website says.

Adding to their earth-conscious design, Kalach and TAX built innovative cooling techniques into the hotel structure, removing the need for energy-hogging air conditioning systems.

The brutalist style hotel comprises 14 individual villas, a detached open-air restaurant, as well as several swimming facilities for exercise and revitalization treatments, including a stunning hexagonal spa. The resort includes facilities for ultimate unwinding, with a chilled water bath, steam room, and outdoor shower.

Each villa is designed to “merge harmoniously with the outside,” employing wooden slats for windows instead of traditional glass, allowing the tropical copal tree-scented breezes to waft through and cool the inside. Interior designers Fernanda Romandia and Diana Backal kept the color palette earthy and rustic to complement the natural building materials. Custom-made furniture from Mexican designer Oscar Hagerman adds to the “one-of-a-kind sensorial atmosphere.”

Every suite is equipped with a private outdoor bathroom and swimming pool, as well as a roof-top terrace with lush gardens, hammocks, and lounge areas that look out onto the Pacific Ocean. The associated restaurant draws from the local produce markets to create both Mexican and Mediterranean recipes. Curated cocktails, fine wines, and non-alcoholic drinks round out the menu.

For those looking for extra stimulation, guests can visit the exhibition spaces at Casa Wabi, a unique cultural space and artist residency created by artist Bosco Sodo. Its main house was crafted by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando, and its ceramic workshop with a 22-meter-tall chimney was also designed by Kalach and TAX.

Several other homes in the area are also the product of well-known architects, like the raw concrete Casa Tiny by Venezuelan Aranza de Ariño, and Casa Volta, a trio of terracotta villas by the Mexico City firm Ambrosi Etchegaray. Other regional diversions include viewing archeological sites, surfing, hiking, horseback riding, bird watching, and bioluminescence viewings.

The post 100% Solar-Powered Hotel Terrestre Lets Guests Relax with a Clear Conscience first appeared on Dornob.

Designed by the Catalan architecture co-op Lacol, “La Borda” was built in the Sants neighborhood of Barcelona a little over a year before the pandemic hit. When Spain’s lockdowns (some of the strictest in Europe) went into effect, the communal nature of the building made it possible for residents to continue socializing in shared spaces like the kitchen, laundry, and multipurpose room, avoiding the severe isolation many in single-family dwellings experienced.

The 28-unit structure was also designed with enough flexibility to adapt to the needs of its members during a pandemic. “It was a privilege to live through COVID here,” says Cristina Gamboa, one of the two principal architects on the project and a resident of La Borda. “It showed that these spaces allow for the sort of interaction that wouldn’t be possible in a conventional apartment block. For example, the guest rooms couldn’t be used because no one was traveling, so they became workspaces.”

The idea of the cooperative development was hatched in 2011, when the abandoned Can Batlló industrial site was occupied by locals as part of a campaign to return the land to the community. The next year, a plan was formed to revitalize the area with a co-op residential building, as well as a school, bar/restaurant, publishing house, and carpentry workshop.

When the Lacol architects were tasked with creating the co-op, they outlined three fundamental principles for the project. The first was to “redefine the collective housing program” by encouraging social interaction in every corner of the design. All 28 living units, the kitchen-dining room, guest spaces, health and care rooms, storage, and patios are centered around a multi-story courtyard, providing for maximum community contact.

The second goal was to incorporate “sustainability and environmental quality.” The architects explain: “We started from the conviction that the best strategy is to reduce the initial demand of all the environmental vectors of the building (energy, water, materials, and waste), especially at the energy level, where we prioritized passive strategies to achieve maximum use of existing resources.” For example, 20 solar panels on the roof provide a quarter of the building’s energy needs.

Third, Lacol designers sought to foster user participation. The collective management of La Borda means that residents are in charge of determining the use of the space. The building is located on a piece of public land set aside for social housing that the co-op board can lease for up to 75 years. Co-op members do not own their flats and cannot sell or sublet them, emphasizing the “use value” above the “exchange value” of the units. While members do have to pay a one-time refundable fee of €18,500, the monthly rent is still 30 to 35 percent below market rates. With rents and housing prices climbing quickly, 80 percent of Spain’s 18 to 30-year-olds still live with their parents. Living spaces like La Borda would make it much more affordable for people to establish their own households. As a testament to its desirability, the co-op already has a 50-person wait list.

The Mies van der Rohe Foundation praised the design as “a role model and an active tool for promoting political and urban change from within the system, based on social, ecological, and economic sustainability.”

Lacol was awarded the honor and the €20,000 at an official ceremony on May 12th. The company adds that some of the money will be used for a celebratory dinner for the La Borda renters and those who helped make the project a reality.

The post La Borda Housing Co-Op Wins Prestigious Award for COVID-Savvy Design first appeared on Dornob.

Occupying one of the largest undeveloped parcels in the Washington, D.C. area, the $2.5 billion HQ2 complex will be planted with hundreds of native plants, run on 100-percent renewable electricity via solar panels and a local solar farm, and make use of high-performance glazing and built-in solar shading to reduce heating and cooling needs.

The “Helix” building was designed with biophilic principles in mind, just like Amazon’s The Spheres HQ in Seattle (both designed by NBBJ). The spiral-shaped building will be located in the northeast corner of PenPlace and feature two walkable paths of landscaped terrain spiraling up its exteriors. Inside, employees will find both formal and casual meeting spaces in a greenhouse-like environment full of planting areas and living walls.

“The exterior of the structure will feature two paths for employees to engage with colleagues in meetings or to take in views of Arlington, the Potomac River, and Washington, D.C. The Helix will also be home to an artist-in-residence program and a meeting center, and it will be open to the public and community to enjoy two days per month,” Amazon stated in a press release. “We can’t wait for everyone to see this unique and thoughtfully designed space come to life.”

The review process encouraged Amazon to add features like solar panels, bike lanes, and green space to PenPlace, including a tree-lined “green ribbon” pathway that slices through the complex. The company also agreed to contribute $30 million to an Arlington fund to subsidize preserving and building affordable housing as part of its negotiations. Arlington residents hope that additional concerns will be addressed in the future, including providing additional community resources like space for a library, but some are skeptical that the public will feel comfortable using a green space full of surveillance cameras on a corporate campus.

Amazon’s arrival comes amidst growing inequality, gentrification, and displacement in the larger D.C. region, and the 25,000 jobs it plans to add to the area could contribute to the problems rather than alleviating them. Virginia wooed the company with millions in direct cash subsidies on the condition that its new Arlington hires earn an average of $150,000 a year. Unfortunately, clusters of higher paying jobs for specific skills like technology tend to elevate the local cost of living and push out lower wage earners. Since Amazon’s HQ2 announcement, aviation giant Boeing has also announced a move to Arlington, and more companies are expected to follow.

The post Amazon’s HQ2 Will Bring Big Changes — and a New Landmark — to Arlington first appeared on Dornob.