It’s not easy to write about sound, so maybe it’s better to start with the objects that emit them. As part of a NSF program which invites artists and writers to explore Antarctica Cheryl spent 6 weeks
Located near Orel's riverbank, 18-miles away from the city of Dnepropertrovsk, the Friend Hotel is steeped in a lush and green forest. Before its construction, Ryntovt Design did an extended ecological
We love it when scientists look to the natural world for design inspiration - whether they are creating a robot based on the cheetah or vehicles that can jump like a sand flea. Inspired by the mimicry
Compelled by the disappearance of house sparrows due to the depletion of their natural environment, students Micaela Nardella and Oana Tudose designed Brick Biotope, a set of bricks that doubles as a
German automation company Festo has created an extraordinary helium-filled flying robot that propels itself through the air by repeatedly turning itself inside-out. The creation, known as the
The WineHive is a brilliant, simple idea for an eco-friendly wine rack. Taking inspiration from a beehive’s honeycomb shape, the rack is constructed from modular components cut out of a single sheet
Chinese material scientists have been studying the design of butterfly wings to unlock ways to make solar electricity more efficient. Inspired by the way that butterflies use their wings to collect solar
The sand flea is one of the natural world's most astounding jumpers, capable of leaping huge distances in a single bound. Inspired this amazing insect, Boston Dynamics has created an 11 pound robot that
A team from Virginia Tech has created the Robo-Jellyfish, a swimming robot that is powered by a hydrogen-based catalytic reaction. This robot has not only the ability to power itself indefinitely, but it
Porky Hefer has been working as a creative consultant since 2007. His human nests are specially designed for each customer, context and needs. They can be hung from trees, posts, or even suspended
HOK’s San Francisco office received a jury recognition award for their net-zero “Battery Park” design, which features a remarkable algae facade. A combination of load reduction, waste
The illustrious Cocoon_FS pavilion was constructed from leaf-like panels of fiber-reinforced polymer. Fifteen original base modules were designed and a total of 220 modules were
The U.S. Green Building Council recently announced that it has selected HOK as an official design partner for Project Haiti - a building designed to LEED Platinum principles that will replace a
Bioluminescence is an ability shared by creatures around the planet that allows them to generate light - in fact, 90% of life in the world's oceans possess this characteristic. Whereas most animals use it
Designed by Joon & Jung Studio 'The Living Light' is a LED pendant lamp that blossoms and expands when people are nearby. Using a programmed microchip, this human-centered design 'magically' gets
Researchers at Stanford University have developed a novel way to create a new form of carbon neutral cement by studying the formation of coral reefs and applying the principles at work. Coral takes in
AeroVironment has created a tiny, mechanical, flying bird that borrows from the natural movements of the hummingbird. The Nano Hummingbird is a flying robot created through a program sponsored by DARPA
Researchers at the University of Michigan are currently working on a line of cyborg insects that would use the energy generated from their own wing motion to power sensors installed in tiny insect
Image: “L.A. Ice” by Victor Hadjikyriacou, produced for Unit 11 at the Bartlett School of Architecture, part of last year’s Landscape Futures Super-Workshop via BLDGBLOG Mongolia seems
Linacre was inspired to create his design because of the effects of climate change on his native Australia. Droughts have plagued the country recently and he was looking to mitigate the loss of ecosystems
For its second year in a row, the ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion is a chance to explore architecture through computational design. This year, inspiration for the temporary pavilion came from sea urchins and
You may not want to throw out the scraps from your latest home improvement project too quickly – you may find inspiration in the “trash”. Stefanie Nieuwenhuys, inspired by seeing
Marine infrastructures create severe stress on natural ecosystems, namely through shoreline degradation and erosion near coastal population centers. The shifting and blocking of land masses at the
3-D printers have been popping up a lot lately, printing food, furniture, and glass -- you can even buy your very own home-use printer from a market in Brooklyn! While nature has been generating 3-D
// While most 13-year-olds spend their free time playing video games or cruising Facebook, one 7th grader was trekking through the woods uncovering a mystery of science. After studying how trees
In this utopian superstructure offices, research labs, housing, and communal areas are interspersed between orchards, farms, and production rooms. Plant and animal farming is arranged throughout the
What do you do with a “severely impaired” body of water and an unsightly shoreline park that is riddled with invasive species? Launch a series of luscious floating islands! In an effort to
The HEXigloo cardboard pavilion features an organic repetitive pattern that mimics the cellular structure of honeycombs. The recyclable honeycomb cells are attached to each other using standard plastic
Jellyfish have always been the highlight of aquarium visits - their easy grace moving through the water is something to be desired. Bioengineering professor John Dabiri is just as fascinated with the sea
