Travel wind turbine kits do exist, like this $168 unit on Amazon, but they’re far from robust, only generating up to 15 watts. The Wind Catcher blows that figure out of the water while weighing just 22 pounds, and it still only takes 15 minutes to set up. The Wind Catcher Lite produces 200 watts of power at a 12 mph wind speed, which is enough to run a small fridge, some lights, your laptop, and a router. The larger Wind Catcher produces 600 watts, reaching full speed at 17 mph. That means you can also juice up your e-bike, power tools, water pumps, sound systems, game consoles, drones, or small cooking appliances.

Unlike solar panels, the Wind Catcher turbine works day and night, even at wind speeds of just 8 mph. Don’t worry, though – it’s still compatible with a host of portable generators usually used with portable solar panels, including those made by Jackery, Goal Zero, Rainier, and Bluletti. Jackery’s Explorer 300, for instance, features multiple outputs, a 293 watt-honor battery pack, a carrying handle, and a DC input, and it’s also lightweight at just 7.1 pounds.

The creators explain that they’ve “taken the best of the ideas from flying turbines and have created a hybrid between a flying system and a more traditional wind turbine. By doing so, we’ve reduced the weight of materials by almost 90 percent. No more big poles supported by concrete or lifting cranes! We’ve made Wind Catcher to be easy and fast to assemble. It’s so simple and easy that you can do it just by yourself. Just set it up, and start charging your devices instantly. Wind Catcher requires no complicated knots. We’re using quick and easy-to-use belts for adjustments where it’s needed. It’s simple, effective, and quick to setup.”

“Wind Catcher Lite will start making usable energy e.g. charging a laptop (50W) at around 4 meters per second [9 mph] wind speed. This means you don’t have to camp in the most windy places to start producing usable power. When you need it, simply unpack it, set it up, and start generating power. Everything can be stored and transported with ease. We made Wind Catcher to have very low noise. It’s not silent like solar panels, but 20 meters away you won’t hear it!”

So what happens when the wind isn’t blowing? Just use solar! The Wind Catcher is a great way to augment a good portable solar panel system that plugs into the same type of portable generator, allowing you to assemble an impressively powerful renewable energy system that takes up very little space. That makes it perfect for extended travel, off-grid tiny houses, and even #vanlifers. The Kickstarter campaign for this handy gadget has already ended, but if you’re hoping to snag one for yourself, you can still sign up for email updates at the KiteX website.

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The post Wind Catcher: Lightweight Travel Turbine Provides Power on the Go first appeared on Dornob.

The biggest draw of the off-grid Gaia house is its price tag, which Pin-Up Houses estimates at $21,000. It’s also easy for novices to build in as little as three months. It’s definitely diminutive at a mere 20 x 8 feet, but it’s packed with just about everything the average person needs, including a bathroom with a shower and compost toilet, a kitchen with a refrigerator and propane-powered stove, a wood-burning stove for warmth, and plenty of storage space.

The light-colored plywood interior features a plethora of drawers and cabinets, with a sofa that folds down into a bed after dark. You can open both the double sliding glass doors and the huge side doors to open the interiors to fresh air and sunlight, and the outdoor terrace folds up and down using a winch to extend your living space in nice weather or protect the giant glass wall while on the road. Unlike a tiny house on wheels, you can’t just hook it up to a truck and motor down the highway to move it, but like all shipping containers, it can be transported on the back of a truck.

Since steel conducts a lot of heat and cold, one of the biggest issues with converting a shipping container to a home is insulation. The Gaia features spray insulation between the outer steel walls, wooden studs, and spruce plywood interior walls to create a cozy envelope. A 264-gallon water tank on the side of the unit services the home’s two sinks and shower, with a filter for potable water. The three 165-watt rooftop solar panels and 400W wind turbine supply plenty of power to the home’s battery system, which can be monitored using a dedicated app.

“It’s necessary to look for alternative forms of housing that will have a less negative impact on the environment, as well as complement traditional approaches to housing,” the company explains. “We have decided to repurpose a discarded shipping container and fit it out with the most available building materials and latest technology to design a unique independent housing unit.”

You really have to be a fan of the industrial aesthetic to enjoy the Gaia house, since there’s no disguising the look of the shipping container on the outside. But if you’re into the look and willing to put in the work to make it livable, it can offer an accessible way to gain a vacation house, income-generating rental, or backyard office, and it might work for some full-time off-gridders, too.

Pin-Up Houses has already built a prototype of the Gaia, and if the design generates enough interest from the public, they might consider manufacturing and selling more of them. In the meantime, you can buy a complete set of plans along with material lists, tool lists, and an eBook about building tiny houses for just $190 from the Pin-Up Houses website.

The post The Gaia Off-Grid Container House Costs Just $21,000 to Build first appeared on Dornob.

A prototype currently being perfected by a team at Michigan State University, the device in question uses wind for power and includes two sensors that measure carbon monoxide and temperature, respectively. The team plans to add several other sensors to the final design, including a transmitter that will send continual updates on on all vital measurements with respect to the burn.

The device would be a crucial step in early detection, especially in remote areas. It works similar to a smoke detector in the home, except it’s powered by wind movement rather than a battery or other electrical source. This is an essential element since replacing batteries on tens of thousands of forest smoke detectors is both inefficient and wasteful. Instead, study leader and mechanical engineer at MSU Changyong Cao says the device will “generate electricity from the slightest swinging of tree branches.” Using a triboelectric generator, those motions are then converted into power. Cao went on to explain that although the device does require a breeze, fires always create air currents that provide the needed power, even if Mother Nature doesn’t.

In the study, originally published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, the explanation of how the device works reads a bit like a MacGuyver episode but still translates into basic science. The soda can-sized contraption has cylinders in the top and bottom, one coated with Teflon and the other with a copper film. The two connect with a rubber band while an added weight at the bottom facilitates the swinging motion as the tree branch moves up and down. When the cylinders rub against each other, energy is released.

Durability is key to the success of the project, so the device also has to be both fire and waterproof. It hasn’t undergone actual field tests yet, so there’s still the potential for unforeseen issues with wildlife or natural elements that lead to disruption. Nonetheless, the team hopes the unit can provide detection where current systems have limitations. For example, one commonly used technology is satellites. Satellites provide outstanding and useful imagery when it comes to combatting wildfires, but they’re constantly in motion, which means they can’t hover over a specific area. This makes information intermittent rather than constant. On top of that, satellite imagery can be blocked by cloud cover or a smokescreen created by a raging blaze.

Since this device doesn’t rely on imaging, it’s impervious to those complications. Plus, it can be adapted to serve other purposes, like monitoring air quality and identifying toxic gases. Cao’s team hopes this solution will offer fast, efficient, and inexpensive fire detection that results in saving both forests and homes.

The post New Wildfire Detector Runs on the Swaying of Trees first appeared on Dornob.

Why, for example, would the same basic gabled house that works in a suburban neighborhood also be considered appropriate for the beach? Not only is the feel of the area quite different, but so are conditions like exposure to sun, wind, and humidity. Purpose-built designs that engage with the setting in a more intentional way are a lot more energy-efficient and comfortable to inhabit.

“Refugio Matanzas” by Cerda Pe Arquitectos demonstrates one way to pull this off. Placed on a sandy bank adjacent to the Rapel River and South Pacific Ocean in Navidad, Chile, this wooden beach cabin gives its owners everything they could desire: spectacular views in multiple directions, plenty of natural light, a direct dialogue with the outdoors, and protection from the elements.

The client for this project is a big fan of kite surfing, a sport that harnesses the power of the wind to ride the waves. Matanzas is the perfect place for it, so as you can imagine, it’s quite windy around it. The architects explain that “With this as a priority, we worked on a simple scheme that referred to his hobby. A roof that changes in width with respect to the base [and] a simple geometric frame that gives movement to the house and that makes the house perceived differently depending on the point of view, generating a dynamic architecture. The site is at the top of a hill, [so] we chose to place the house a few meters below the top, taking advantage of the hill as a natural protector of the south wind. In addition, a closed terrace was developed that protected from the sun and setting wind — a location that also directs the view towards the main landscape, the Rapel River.”

“The material chosen was impregnated pinewood, both for the structure and for the cladding. Pine wood is an abundant material in the area and often used among local workers. [The cabin] was thought from the beginning to have large windows with north orientation (privileging view of the landscape and abundance of sun) plus a facade with small openings to the south, thus reducing thermal losses.”

Inside, Refugio Matanzas enjoys a large common space surrounded by windows that can be opened wide to create a virtually seamless transition to the deck. Bedrooms and a bathroom are tucked into the back of the cabin, toward the hillside. The architects also left open the possibility of future expansion, just in case the client decides to grow his family and needs more room.

The result feels cocooned without being closed off. It’s especially cool that even its outdoor space is contained within the sloped roof, so you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the location without being fully exposed. All of that pine wood complements the natural setting, too, and both the shape and materials of the house fit right in with other structures in the area without feeling conformist.

The post Cocooned Beach Cabin is Protected from the Sun and Wind first appeared on Dornob.

Of course, nobody is really calling it a “convertible” per se because the new Elva design is technically more of a roadster with no windshield. It also doesn’t have any side or rear windows (or a top). Besides being one of the lightest cars on the market with the removal of all that glass, the Elva also boasts a shining example of a new technology McLaren calls the Active Air Management System [AAMS].

In layman’s terms, AAMS pushes air back towards incoming air and redirects it upwards so it vaults right over the heads of the passengers in the car. The idea is certainly fun, but in reality the car is actually only in the advanced prototype stage. It is, however, far enough along in development that journalists from some notable automotive publications were invited along on a test ride.

The test went like this: first a professional driver rented an entire raceway so he could use the long, straight section in both directions. He then took passengers for a spin at 30, 50, and 70 mile-per-hour sprints with the AAMS disengaged. As they breaking to comb down their windblown hair, a team manually installed the AAMS, after which the driver took them for another spin on the same stretch at exactly the same speeds. As expected, the passengers reported uncomfortable levels of wind during the first set of trials and, perhaps surprisingly, noticed a remarkable reduction in wind even at 70 mph with the AAMS engaged. Reviews from those who personally experienced it paint a nice picture of unruffled hair and enjoyable conversation with a friend while blasting down the road.

It seems like a magic trick that a car without a windshield could somehow protect you from the wind. In fact, it’s innovation. The system works using hood vents that deflect all oncoming air. In its final form, the Elva will even have a way to automatically engage the system rather than making the adjustments manually like they did in the test runs. It’ll also have a mechanism that automatically blocks you from engaging the AAMS at high speeds. This is for the safety of the driver and the vehicle, similar to overrides keeping one from peeling the convertible top back while flying down the freeway.

For the test drives, the driver limited speeds to 70 mph under the assumption that anyone taking the Elva at faster speeds would be on a track and wearing a helmet. And it’s not hard to imagine that scenario, since the 815-horsepower supercar will have the capacity to jump from zero to 60 in under three seconds — and zero to 124 in just 6.7 seconds.

The Elva will offer a front windshield in countries where it is required, such as the United States. However, it will be a mostly unfulfilled dream for many thanks to it’s nearly $1.7 million price tag.

The post New System in McLaren Supercar Blocks Wind Without a Windshield first appeared on Dornob.

Large vertical diaphragms facilitate the buildings’ air intake and outtake systems, contoured into atria that bring in oxygen and release carbon dioxide using natural elements to limit the need for electricity. This remarkable design contradicts the common belief that tall buildings cannot be sustainable due to an inability to use wind patterns. Bucking that philosophy, the SkyHive was built following extensive research regarding geometric design elements, solar insolation, and CFD analysis.

Wind effects on different-shaped buildings (circular, square, triangular, and hexagonal) were analyzed using CFD simulation software. The team ultimately found that a hexagonal design and twisting features would allow the building to self-shade, helping cool the interiors all throughout. And with two towers side by side, the buildings offer each other even more shade as the day progresses. Three wind scoops on each tower take advantage of wind patterns, funneling the wind inside at prime times. The windows were designed to contribute to optimum air flow in conjunction with the rest of the system.

Creating a breathing building requires more than a twist here and an atrium there, of course. To capture all of the natural elements key to sustainable design, the architects also had to consider the buildings’ respective orientations. In addition to taking advantage of natural winds and building in shade, the buildings are positioned to avoid direct solar heat. The design also reduces glare into the office spaces.

The top of the skyscraper defies the traditional architectural design typically used to house heating, cooling, and electrical systems. Instead, the SkyHive offers an expansive green space on each tower. Working to be part of the solution for the effects of a high-density area that contributes to air pollution, the gardens here further enhance the living design in an area where tropical heat directly contributes to a reduction in air quality. The public green observatory filters pollutants and carbon dioxide while producing oxygen for the building and surrounding area. Plus, it’s a lot more pleasing to look at than massive air conditioning units.

Designer Suraksha Acharya said the design stemmed from multiple inspirations, with the goal to challenge the belief that a building of this size couldn’t be naturally ventilated. He went on to say, “The Aero Hive Office tower was developed as a part of Skyhive Skyscraper Challenge, which examines the relationship between the skyscraper and the natural world, the skyscraper and the community, and the skyscraper and the city.”

In an interview with Frank Scott from DesignPRWire, Acharya discussed the challenges of working sustainable design into a building thought to be outside the realm of possibility. He explained: “In wind climates like Hong Kong with very directional extreme winds, building shapes that are directionally sensitive are more effective than traditionally-shaped buildings. Developments in [the] structural systems of high-strength materials with increased height-to-weight ratios but reduced stiffness have become greatly affected by wind. Major structural and aerodynamic modification in the design development includes tapering, sculptured building shape, openings, and [the] twisting of the building [itself]. In addition, along with advances in visco-elastic materials like tuned mass dampers as well as structural systems like trussed tubes, the shapes of the towers become distinctly modified by the micro-ecology. To drive the natural currents to enhance air volume exchange, pressure differentials between windward (up-wind) and leeward (down-wind) faces of [the buildings] were analyzed using CFD for thorough ventilation and surface wind flow acceleration.”

The post Midori Architects’ New Breathing Skyscraper Brings Nature to Hong Kong first appeared on Dornob.

Overcoming Storage Challenges at MIT

Storing renewable energy has proved just as challenging, if not even more so, than creating it. Storage in lithium-ion batteries is a feasible option but prohibitively expensive. Pumped hydroelectric storage is also an alternative, but it’s still too costly to be a practical solution.
The engineers at MIT developed a theoretical concept to not only successfully store solar and wind power, but also transfer that renewable energy to an electric grid on an as-needed basis. This is a significant step forward, as it means entire communities could start relying on this energy 24/7, all year long — not just when the sun is shining or the winds is billowing.

Evolution of the “Sun in a Box”

TEGS-MPV, short for Thermal Energy Grid Storage-Multi-Junction Photovoltaics, evolved from an MIT project on concentrated solar power. Instead of using solar panels to turn light straight into electricity, this technique uses gigantic fields of massive mirrors to focus sunlight on a centralized tower. The concentrated light is then turned into heat that can be converted into electricity later on. This method is immensely more economic than lithium-ion batteries and about half as costly as pumped hydro storage.
Asegun Henry, an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and his associates published their design in the Energy and Environmental Science journal. Henry commented: “Even if we wanted to run the grid on renewables right now we couldn’t, because you’d need fossil-fueled turbines to make up for the fact that the renewable supply cannot be dispatched on demand. We’re developing a new technology that, if successful, would solve this most important and critical problem in energy and climate change, namely, the storage problem.”

The project’s latest iteration trades in the tower and mirrors for two 33-foot-wide graphite tanks: one of which stores white-hot liquid silicon at a temperature of 3,450° F (1,900° C), and the other of which keeps it at a much hotter temperature of 4,350° F (2,400° C). The process begins when the gleaming white liquid is forcefully driven out of the cooler tank through a series of tubes that both heat it up (via external wind or solar power) and emanate its light. Dedicated solar cells then convert that light into electricity as the now-hotter silicon flows into the other tank. When it eventually cools back down, the liquid flows back into the first tank, where it sits until needed again. Sort of like a big rechargeable battery, in a way.
The MIT team believes a single one of their “Sun in a Box” systems could produce enough energy to power 100,000 homes. And who knows? After they’ve been put into action and all the appropriate tests have been conducted, these tanks could very well be running the entire grid.

The post MIT’s New “Sun In A Box” Concept Brings Us One Step Closer to a Sustainable Future first appeared on Dornob.

In addition to its impressive collection of amenities and services, the UNStudio-designed marina also functions as a work of art. From its alluring bronze exterior to its unique funnel system and meticulously conceived framed views, this is truly a site you’ll never forget.

First Impressions of the Marina

As you approach the clubhouse, the feeling of boarding an opulent yacht envelops you. The bronze tones of its aluminum panels glint in the sunlight before fading into shimmering highlights that accent the gentle lines of the architecture. The resulting atmosphere is both tranquil and stimulating.

The waterfront facade is glazed and comprised of balconies, glass fins, and shiny panels that reflect light as well as the smooth surface of the water.

The trip from the main entrance over the bridge is accompanied by images of water, boats, decks, and stunning horizons.

The landscape that borders the building has various plateaus that provide clear views of the Xi and the rolling Shenwan countryside. Smart architectural planning protects the privacy of residents from curious visitors.

As you delve deeper into the interior, the space starts to spread out in a natural flow of fan shapes that appear to emanate from the bridge. This creates an environment that feels alive, accents the marina views, and subtly guides visitors to various destinations.

Fantastic Funnels and Voluminous Views

Staircases wind through the buildings, forming open “funnels” that make exploration inviting and simple. The smooth lines create the illusion of seamless transitions between the body of each building and the surrounding water. Spaces are separate and defined more by activity than rigid walls or dividers, making all the interior rooms feel connected despite their being dedicated to different tasks.

A big skylight lets natural illumination from the east and west create a welcoming atmosphere full of ever-changing shadows and lights. The marina’s rich wood paneling pays homage to the luxurious ambiance of the yachts moored just outside.

These ingenious funnel spaces guarantee clear views wherever you are in the complex. Gaze in one direction to savor the picturesque lines of the yachts aglow in the harbor. Look another way and marvel at the hills and valleys just northeast of the complex. No matter which way you turn, there’s something incredible to see. These funnels also create an idyllic natural breeze that keeps the whole place at a comfortable temperature during warmer seasons.

UNStudio co-founder Ben van Berkel explains: “The way the wind is guided through the building in order to cool down the interior is also metaphorically articulated in the design. Within the internal wind funnels, it is almost as though you can see the wind swirling around within the architecture that surrounds you.”

The post Keppel Cove Marina: A Marvelous Mingling of Light and Shadow first appeared on Dornob.

First assembled in Holland in 1990, this project sees new iterations almost every year, with Jansen planning out new designs over the winter, building them in spring, and debuting them in summer. He’s even made the mechanisms for these kinetic sculptures open-source so designers all over the world can build their own versions. Now, a mini DIY kit is making it much easier to recreate them on a much smaller scale.

The Mini Strandbeest assembly kit comes with a postcard printed with both illustrated and written instructions, and it requires no tools to complete. The parts are mostly made of injection-molded plastic, and assembling them is kind of like putting together a puzzle. Once you figure out the pattern, the process is fairly intuitive. They snap together without any glue or screws, so if you get something wrong, it’s extremely easy to take it apart and try again.

The most important part of the Mini Strandbeest is its turbine, which comes in the form of five small curved blades. By the time you’re done attaching the assembled turbine to the gears and then to your tiny mechanical creature, all you need to do is put it out in the wind (or in front of a tabletop fan) to watch it move. The whole process takes about 60 minutes from start to finish.

The official kit is available on Theo Jansen’s website for €30, though knock-offs as cheap as $11.99 have been spotted on Amazon. It was also released through the Japanese publisher Gakken in a version that includes a book (in Japanese) full of color photos and several ideas for modifications, like the addition of a solar-powered DC motor.

Jansen, a Dutch physicist, sees his wind-powered machines as “a new species on Earth.” He notes that by putting the “DNA” of the Strandbeests on his website for public use, he has effectively helped them procreate.

“Since then, thousands of students around the world are building Strandbeests,” Jansen said in one 2014 interview. “And all these students, they think they’re having a good time. But in fact they’re being used for Strandbeest reproduction! And there’s a new kind of Strandbeest that doesn’t survive on beaches. They have found a protection against wind. They can survive in student rooms and bookshelves. This is in fact a better environment than on the beach.”

A few years ago, he notes, a few students came into his studio with a Strandbeest they made using a 3D printer, taking the project to a whole new level — something Jansen jovially deems “totally out of control.”

“So there’s a real evolution going on which you cannot stop anymore. And we all think that we are doing it but, in fact, the Strandbeests hypnotize people to do this.”

The post Create a Mini Version of Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests with This DIY Kit first appeared on Dornob.

That’s definitely the case with the “LESS House” in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City. Designed by local firm H.a (Human Architecture), this home is encompassed by perforated metal screens, which extend out of its front and sides and reach almost all the way to the curb. By day, the house is nearly opaque, but at night it becomes translucent and takes on a magical, lantern-like glow. Inside, a series of sliding glass doors can be used to close rooms off from one another or to open the entire home up to the fresh outdoor atmosphere. One piece of the facade sections off a tropical garden full of small trees and shrubs. The punctured screen helps these plants absorb plenty of sunlight. In turn, they are able to create cleaner, more breathable air for the home’s residents.

Strategically placed planter boxes, all painted a soothing shade of aqua, stretch across parts of the facade to promote the growth of vertical greenery and block outside views of the home’s bedrooms. These plants are just big enough to make the house feel private while still allowing sunlight into it. The boxes’ color acts as a recurring motif throughout the whole design: you’ll find the same vibrant aqua spotted along one of the home’s back walls and in the recesses of its upper-level skylights.

Diffused light is another one of LESS House’s major themes. In its master shower, for instance, a ceiling of colored glass blocks scatters prismatic refractions along the walls and floor. Abundances of light like this one give the entire building an expansive feel. Looking at photos of the home’s interior, you’d never guess that it was crammed into an extremely narrow plot that measures just 12 feet in width! The two-story structure accommodates a family of seven and can adapt to any of their layout needs thanks to all of its movable partitions and multifunctional furniture.

“The house is designed to remove any inherent limitations,” say the architects. “The partition system can be movable, the woven garden appear and disappear alternative together, the toilet hidden in the wood cabinets, the sun shines everywhere, the breeze comes around.”

The LESS House’s design is well-suited to its surrounding temperate climate, where residents are able to enjoy outdoor spaces year-round. In colder cities, however, the outdoor spaces of perforated structures might be adorned with patio heaters and fire pits. If this architectural trend were to catch on, a lack of exposed vegetation could potentially drain cities of their natural vibrancy. Still, it’s hard to deny LESS House’s many benefits.  H.a’s innovative idea has turned this city home into a private outdoor oasis with plenty of access to fresh, clean air.

The post Translucent Garden House Glows like a Lantern at Night first appeared on Dornob.

In Miramar, Portugal, architectural firm e|348 architects devised a home that interacts with its environment in a natural and novel way. The architects wanted to incorporate passive cooling into the home’s design, but they did not want this feature to be obvious or predictable. They settled on a unique facade which opens and closes on command to control the home’s interior climate.

The Screen House features moving wooden louvers around the exterior of the upper level. The louvers are constructed of vertical strips of wood which open to allow for natural light and solar heating, or close for privacy and to keep the interior from becoming too hot in the summer.

The opening and closing wooden screens also allow the residents to constantly redefine the living space. Room divisions and visual connections can be changed simply by folding the louvers open or pulling them closed. The living area continues on to the rooftop, where a clear barrier protects residents and revelers.

The environment of the semi-enclosed balcony of the upper level is changed considerably simply by the movement of the screens. Closed louvers provide supreme privacy while open louvers create an airy, natural light-filled outdoor space.

Inside the Miramar home, airy staircases, clear room dividers and plentiful windows make the lovely home feel almost weightless. On the ground floor, one of the corners features large sliding glass doors which completely open up the home. Nearly all of the home’s architectural features were meant to promote passive cooling and the free flow of air throughout the entire living space.

“Although the volume, apparently, is being treated as a solid monolith, it is fully traversed, with vertical and horizontal voids, with the purpose of creating strong visual relations with its contiguous exterior spaces, and allowing the light to enter through the entire house.”

“On the ground floor are the social and service areas, plus, in the northwest, there is a ‘body’ attached, to be used as a garage. The entire floor is opened, from north to south, allowing social spaces relate frankly to their outdoor spaces of natural expansion.”

The post Airy Home with Operable Wood Louvre Facade first appeared on Dornob.

On the coast of India, the hot sun is not always welcome, but a cool breeze can be heavenly. This home uses organic leaf-like shapes to supply contiguous cover for disparate rooms around a common outdoor space.

Steel supports hold up the overhanging concrete, and glass infill selectively closes off interior spaces, providing a sense of openness throughout the multi-volume home.

Designed by Mumbai firm SJK Architects, the intervention carefully works with the exiting site conditions and greenery, twisting and turning to accommodate trees already in place.

Pools, decks and terraces wind throughout the property, creating more private retreat areas as well as public gathering zones. Some leaves overlap, while others sit off the to the site, a whimsical-seeming smattering that hides careful site planning.

“Our project – to create a family home of 650sqm on a 1.3 acre plot of land at the base of the hills, but far removed from the sea.  Land lush with the native coconut, mango and neem trees, and peers up at the sunrise on the eastern hills above it.  It was a beautiful property – we wanted to include the hills and trees and the gentle winds – the leaves strewn over the earth were the perfect cue.   The form of the leaf – gentle but sloping was perfect and our very first sight of the plot yielded a site plan made of dried leaves.  The Client enjoyed the idea of pods – overlapping but distinct, to house each part of the home, and the journey between pods, to be sculpted open space encompassing native trees.”

“The house began as an exploration of natural forms, built and designed to sit in nature.  It encountered the manmade constructs of doors, windows and domestic gizmos – the orthogonal products of an industrial economy.  Navigating and refining this encounter, into a serene and natural environment for a family to live in complete comfort, embedded in nature, was the challenge of this project.”

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Michael Jantzen is known for sustainable designs that range from down-to-earth realities to pie-in-the-sky concepts that pose solutions but, equally powerfully, ask questions about the nature and direction of nature-based design. One such challenging project is this wind-powered pavilion -depicted here as a rural construct, it would be compelling in urban environments (where its density would also make the most sense).

The structure looks somewhere in between a retro-futuristic beach house built in the ’60s and a utilitarian power-producing structure you might see off the coast somewhere in Europe. The renderings don’t quite make it clear that the building makes use of such unusual materials as textiles to get its flowing form, so it’s hard to get a sense of exactly what it might actually look like once built. But the wind-powered rotations definitely present an interesting opportunity to take in panoramic views while producing renewable energy.

So how does it work? “The Wind Shaped Pavilion is a design proposal for a large fabric structure that can be used as a public or private pavilion. As a lightweight fabric structure, the wind slowly and randomly rotates each of the six segments around a central open support frame. This continually alters the shape of the pavilion, while at the same time generating electrical power for its nighttime illumination.”

And how would it play out in practice? “The shape of the structure starts out as a relatively symmetrical form. Then the wind begins to alter that shape randomly, with only a slim chance of ever returning to its original symmetry. If the structure’s scale and the materials were to change, it could become an apartment complex, and or some other commercial building. In this case, the occupants could take control and rotate the segments to adjust to changing desires or needs, such as weather conditions, best views, etc.”

About Michael Jantzen:

“Michael Jantzen’s work is very well known around the world. It has been featured in thousands of articles in books, magazines, newspapers, and on the Web. His work has been shown in many galleries, and on various TV documentaries. It has also been exhibited at the National Building Museum, the Canadian Center for Architecture, the Harvard School of Design and Architecture, the Santa Fe Institute, and at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Most of his work merges art, architecture, technology, and sustainable design into one unique experience. Extreme innovation is his goal in everything he creates. Most of this innovation has been focused on the re-invention of the built environment, and photography.”

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Its exterior shape is more than just an affection, though at first glance it almost looks to have been formed by natural elements – waterfront wind and waves.

However, these contortions translate into a series of spaces where convex and concave moments of glass inform remarkable views back out of this Lake Tahoe retreat by Mark Dziewulski Architect.

A stunning tapered oval glass staircase wraps up a central tower, dynamically depositing residence on different floors facing different ways back out onto the natural landscape.

Strategic overhangs in individual spaces provide daunting experiences in places like the bedroom, but a corresponding feeling of connection with the outdoors (as well as shade from the high and hot summer sun).

“The dramatically steep site, 150 ft. above the edge of Lake Tahoe, overlooks sweeping panoramic views of the entire lake and mountains beyond. Five cantilevered levels, following the slope, express the different uses and their varying forms reflect the optimum orientation and requirements of the individual spaces within.”

“Seen from the road above, the house is a series of overlapping curved roofs that are fanned out towards the lake, creating a man-made rolling landscape that underlines the view of the lake and mountains beyond.”

“The house is largely concealed from the road and its fragmented form, cut deep into the steep slope, reflects the geometry of the rocky hillside, allowing it to blend in with its context. The main spaces overlook the lake through an expanse of glass, which is shaded with large overhangs and is angled forwards to reduce reflections. A vertical stair tower provides a strong anchoring element for the whole composition and acts as a hinge point, organizing the main spaces.”

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Falling somewhere between a UFO and a giant alien football, there is no doubt these portable rooftop pods make a strong visual statement- their additive nature is otherworldly but strangely beautiful.

“Used as an alternative to hotel rooms or as a temporary residence for multi-city dwellers, the Living Roof project exists as individual suites spread throughout the city. Inside, rather than dispersing activities horizontally, a functional ring vertically combines sleep, lounge and work areas.”


“Guests can choose their desired mode and the ring rotates the appropriate module downwards. Luxury, style and ecology are effortlessly provided in the Living Roof. A new urban retreat, a refuge to recover, plan excursions into the city, or simply stare into the stars.”


In numeric order (per the above diagrams) the space(s) include such features as a “seating element, writing desk element, infoscreen/television, exterior skin with photovoltaic cells, motorized sun shade louvers, wind turbine, generator and battery packs, wardrobe, entry hatch, shower area, water collection and filtration tanks, cooktop, sink [and] toilet compartment.” Project by adNAU.

The post Futuristic Rooftop Living Room in a Compact Prefab Capsule first appeared on Dornob.