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Post tags: "solar energy", Cape Town, eco design, green design, music, music bins, Recycled Materials, social design, solar panels, South Africa, sunplugged, sustainable design, Video, warren baynes, wheelie bins

The thoughtfully designed Cradle is a sustainable rocking chair created by a collaborative effort to aid people with autism and Rhythmic Movement Disorder (RMD). Developed by Richard Clarkson, Grace Emmanual, Kalivia Russel, Eamon Moore, Brodie Cambell, Jeremy Brooker and Joya Boerrigter within the Victoria University of Wellington, this cocoon-like seat is made from cold-bent plywood. Because rocking is one of the calming activities that is recommended for autistic folks, this special seat is a soothing and aesthetically pleasing addition to their homes.

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Post tags: "green furniture", autism, autistic people, Brodie Cambell, cocoon chair, cold-bending wood, cradle, cradle chair, Eamon Moore, Grace Emmanual, green materials, Jeremy Brooker, Joya Boerrigter, Kalivia Russel, plywood, richard clarkson, rocking chair, social design, Sustainable Materials, victoria university of wellington, wooden seat

Best known for her eye-opening research book PIG 05049, Christien Meindertsma has taken on a new endeavor, designing a series of rough and simple objects made from flax. Developed in collaboration with traditional rope maker Touwslagerij Steenbergen, and woodworkers Kuperus & Gardenier, the The Flax Project is a series that aims to bring back the use of the fibrous plant in the Netherlands. Playful power cables, lamps in combination with wood, delicate hand towels, spiral rugs and flax candles are just a few of the objects that highlight the potential of the humble plant.

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Post tags: "green furniture", biodegradable materials, Botanical, Christien Meindertsma, Decorative Objects, dutch design, eco textiles, flax designs, green lighting, green materials, green products, linen, PIG 05049, rope, social design

Designed by Blindesign, a Portuguese collective that understands design as a tool capable of social innovation, this crumpled silver wallet is made from recycled milk cartons. The milk cartons are either collected from various organizations or given to the designers, who work together with handicapped people that clean the material as part of their rehabilitation. The useful material is then sent to a woman’s prison where it is stitched into a variety of products like this cool wallet.

+ Blindesign

Photo © Blindesign

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Post tags: Blindesign, eco design, green design, green packaging, green products, portuguese design, recycled design, Recycled Materials, Recycled Milk Cartons, recycled wallet, social design, sustainable design, umanitarian design

The Shebraber School is a collaborative project designed by EthiopiaStudio2.0, a second-generation team of eleven Arizona State University M.Arch graduate students led by practicing local architect Jack DeBartolo III. Last fall students had the unique opportunity to travel to a remote village community 120 miles southwest of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to research, develop, and design new classrooms and administration buildings for a school serving children within a 10km radius — many of whom walk hours for the chance to attend. The new buildings will support the local administration in meeting the educational needs of the community, and providing opportunities for the children of Shebraber. This renovation/addition will increase the number and quality of classrooms, provide spaces for a library and computer center, and will bring hope for the future by changing the cycle of poverty through education.

+ EthiopiaStudio2.0

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Post tags: Addis Ababa, Arizona State University M.Arch, Eco Architecture, eco design, education architecture, Ethiopia, EthiopiaStudio2.0, green architecture, Jack DeBartolo III, school architecture, social design, student architecture

The Tipu Sultan Merkez School in Punjab, Pakistan has a new sustainable building that was designed by German architects Roswag Seiler and built by locals. Using locally sourced and low-impact materials, the shelter was fashioned from cob, bamboo and mud. Cob is widely used in Pakistan, and is a material made from clay, sand, water and straw. The concoction can easily be mixed by bulls, and once set, works as a natural insulator that keeps humidity at bay and interiors cool.

Read the rest of Roswag Seiler and Pakistani Locals Hand-build a School from Cob, Bamboo and Mud

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Post tags: Architecture, bamboo, cob, green materials, green renovation, local materials, local people, locally sourced materials, mud, Pakistan, social design, Sustainable Building

Read the rest of EcoAfrica Transforms T-Shirt Clippings and Weeds Into Amazing Handmade Paper Crafts

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Post tags: Cape Town, eco design, eco-materials, EcoAfrica, EcoAfrica social ventures, England, green design, green materials, handmade paper, humanitarian design, Janice Ashby, natural fibers, New York., paper crafts, Recycled Materials, social design, South Africa, sustainable design, t-shirt scraps, weeds, Zimbabwe

Electricity and lighting is something we often take for granted, but millions around the world live in areas lacking the proper infrastructure to even support turning on a lamp. In Africa, the market for solar lamps has grown at a staggering rate of 450% per year, proving there is an acceptance and willingness to take on new technologies. Unfortunately, there is a lot of junk on the market that doesn’t work properly, bringing forth more waste than welfare. In response, Studio Kalkwijk has developed the WakaWaka, a super-efficient solar LED lighting concept with state-of-the-art solar technology. The ‘WakaWaka’, which means ‘Shine Bright’ in Swahili, features a solar powered LED lamp, and a battery charger for cell phones. Now closing in on their production phase, the studio is looking for additional funding to help create the first couple hundred WakaWakas. These will need to be tested before the end of January when they will be sent to South Africa, as well as in Kenya, with the help of Unilever. If you want to learn more, or would like to support this project, visit their Kickstarter page here.

+ The WakaWaka by Studio Kalkwijk

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

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Post tags: designing for poor rural areas, eco lamps, green design, human relief design, lighting in africa, social design, solar chargers, solar lamps, solar phone charger, solar-powered lamps, Studio Kalkwijk, Super-Efficient Solar LED, WakaWaka, WakaWaka lamp

Scarfs and architecture don’t appear to have much in common at first glance, but a new program recently launched by Dita Zakova of Ecolibri, and Rhea Alexander, founder of sustainable design house DIGS, changes all of that. Dubbed Scarfitecture: A Venture in Design, Sustainability and Impact Investing, this eco-initiative brought talented Guatemalan women artisans together with seven internationally renowned architects to create a series of scarves and shawls using natural dyes and reclaimed yarn. Check out the spectacular pieces that recently made their debut in NYC, ahead!

READ MORE >

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Post tags: Architecture, DIGS, eco-fashion, eco-friendly scarves, Ecolibri, Ethical Fashion, green architects, green fashion, Guatemala, Scarfitecture, social design, Sustainable Fashion, sustainable scarves, sustainable style

What started as the 15,000 Bottle Caps for Africa concept just a few months ago is now an actual built computer learning center and library thanks to architect Charles Newman and the organization Under The Acacia. The Kenya-based project revolved around Newman’s inclusive approach to design, which made it imperative that he work closely with the local Maasai people and give them ownership over the build. More than an architectural feat decorated with colorful bottle caps laid out by Maasai women according to traditional jewelry patterns, the project also creates social cohesion and introduces technology in a non-intrusive way. Newman explains, “In a community that has historically resisted western influence, allowing them to create something unique to their tribe helps them understand that while computers might be foreign, it is an opportunity to further enrich their own culture.” Read on for Inhabitat’s exclusive interview with this revolutionary architect.

Read the rest of INTERVIEW: We Talk to Architect Charles Newman About 15,000 Bottle Caps for Africa

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Post tags: 15000 bottle caps for africa, Adele’s Literacy Library, Africa, Charles Newman, Charles Newman Design, Engineers Without Borders, Greystone Aviation, Greystone Learning Center, habitat for humanity, inhabitat, Internet Society, Jess Teutonico, kenya, Loita Hills, low impact, maasai, Maasai culture, recycled bottlecaps, Recycled Materials, repurposed materials, reused materials, social design, traditional techniques, Under the Acacia, Village Earth

Read the rest of Ted Moallem’s Braille-It Labeler Prints Tactile Labels for the Blind

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Post tags: a better world by design, blind technology, blind workshop, Braille-It, Braille-It Labeler, developing country, DIY, humanitarian design, India, inhabitat, MIT, need based design, open source, Reclaimed Materials, repurposed materials, reused materials, scrap metal, social design, student conference, Ted Moallem

We’ve written about the nonprofit design agency Project H Design, founded by Inhabitat colleague and humanitarian designer Emily Pilloton, many times before. Most recently, Emily and her Project H cohorts have been plugging away at Studio H, an intensive and one-of-a-kind high school design/build program in rural Bertie County, North Carolina, in which her students earn college and high school credit over an academic year as they design and build projects for their community. Last year, they built public chicken coops and a 2,000-square-foot farmers market pavilion for their hometown of Windsor.

They’ve been working with filmmakers Patrick Creadon and Christine O’Malley (of Wordplay and IOUSA fame) for 14 months now to tell the story of Studio H, the students, and the vision of using design within public education and rural communities. The film will debut in 2012, but needs some help in funding final production. You can back the film project via Kickstarter here (any little bit helps!). Plus, there are some sweet gifts for donations – Studio H schwag, professional architectural photography of their projects, lunches and events with the film crew, and even an on-set visit with the film’s producer, Neal Baer, former executive producer of Law and Order: SVU.

HELP FUND THE STUDIO H DOCUMENTARY >

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", bertie county, Emily Pilloton, green design, green design build program, green school, north carolina, project h design, social design, Studio H, sustainable design

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Post tags: American University of Cairo, AUC, cairo, design for humanity, eco design, egypt, egypt violence, Green Building, green design, military crackdowns, SLIDES, social design, Solar Decathlon, Solar Power, Sustainable Building, sustainable design

Read the rest of Opportunity Green Sustainable Business Conference: Final Wrap

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Post tags: green conference, Green Design Events, green events, inhabitat, Inhabitat LA, Inhabitat Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Opportunity Green, social design, Sustainable Conference, sustainable design events, Sustainable Events

The ‘Solar Cucumber‘ is an innovative desalination plant design with the potential to help water-starved communities in coastal environments. The solar-powered desalination unit turns seawater to drinkable freshwater at source, rather than miles away from the scene of a shortage. The mini bus unit uses multiple-effect humidification to evaporate and condense seawater while removing its salt content. Multiple-effect humidification replicates the normal environmental water cycle. In the case of the Solar Cucumber, it uses solar power and reverse osmosis to separate water from other substances, including salt. The system uses advanced non-stick-style materials to reduce maintenance and create an effectively self-cleaning system that produces fresh water and sea salt at source while reducing the need for costly and impractical transportation of water. In permanent off-shore installations, the Solar Cucumber’s anchor system would form part of an artificial reef encouraging the growth of local marine habitats and biodiversity.

+ Pauley

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

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Post tags: green design, multiple-effect humidification, phil pauley, social design, Solar Cucumber, Solar Power, sustainable design, water desalination, water issues, water purification

Argentine studio Designo Patagonia created this awesome series of Tetris-shaped street furniture that showcases recyclable materials like plastic bottles, cans, and paper. Located within a city park in Córdoba, Argentina, these unique seats and tables were designed for recreation and to teach passerby about sustainability issues. The Tetris-shaped containers are made from iron frames and glass, are packed with recyclable materials, and feature easy-to-understand eco-facts written on the surface of each piece.

Read the rest of Tetris-Shaped Trash-Filled Street Furniture Encourages Recycling in Argentina

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Post tags: "green furniture", Argentina, argentine design, designo patagonia, home recycling promotion, outdoors furniture, public furniture, recyclable materials, Recycling initiatives, social design, Urban design

Read the rest of Gigantic Bubbly Vitam’Parc Sports Center Pops Up in France

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Post tags: Architecture, ETFE membrane, france, geneva, green materials, green roof designs, Health, health and leisure center, L35 architects, Landscape Architecture, natural light, Recycled aluminum, Shopping center, social design, spanish design, swimming pool, uv light, Vitam’Parc

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Post tags: bicycles, british canals, ducks as pets, floating community, Floating Houses, floating vegetable patch, green transportation, lodnon floating community, London, modern pets, narrow boat, social design, sustainable food, Urban design, Urban Farming, water issues

Fog is moisture. And in some places in the world, it’s the only kind of moisture. This is true in the Atacama Desert — the world’s driest desert — which runs along the west coast of South America through Chile and Peru. In the Atacama it never rains – it’s been compared to Mars, and has even been used as a location for shooting otherworldly scenes for television shows. For the past several years, architects have been exploring the possibility of collecting water from fog in order to supply nearby villages, and the Nevada Museum of Art currently has one of these concepts on display — a series of white fog-collecting towers.

Read the rest of Towering Fog Garden Harvests Water From Thin Air

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Post tags: "water collection", atacama desert, fog collecting towers, fog collector, Fog Garden, fog harvesting, fog towers, green design, mist harvesting, Nevada museum of Art, social design, sustainable design, Water Issues, water issues

Read the rest of Green-roofed Public Restroom Facility in Argentina Offers Amazing River Views

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Post tags: Argentina, argentine design, cement, Daylighting, disable children, green lighting, green roof, green roof urban design, inclusive design, parana river, park building, public toilets, Rosario City, social design, Sustainable Building, U-shaped glass, Urban design