Posts Tagged ‘material’

Solid Poetry

Just when you think you’ve seen everything that can be done with concrete, along comes another surprise. Developed by Netherlands-based designers Frederik Molenschot and Susanne Happle, Solid Poetry is a concrete tile that reveals a pattern when wet. The floral patterns depicted here are the result...

May 6th, 2007 | concrete, feature | Read More

TX Active

TX Active is a photocatalytic cement that can reduce organic and inorganic pollutants present in the air. In a large city such as Milan, researchers have calculated that covering 15% of visible urban surfaces with products containing TX Active would enable a reduction in pollution of approximately 50%. “With...

December 3rd, 2006 | concrete, feature | Read More

Meshglass

Meshglass is a flexible tiling system comprised of stained-glass and mirror pieces connected to a fiberglass mesh backing. Designed to overlay complex, curvilinear surfaces, Meshglass is fabricated using specially developed software that allows custom patterns to be generated directly via the company’s...

July 7th, 2006 | feature, glass | Read More

Novec 1230

3M’s Novec 1230 fire-protection fluid is a next-generation halon replacement that balances concerns for human safety, performance, and the environment. Novec 1230 has a zero ozone-depletion potential, an atmospheric lifetime of just five days, and a global warming potential of one. The fluid can be...

June 15th, 2006 | feature, mineral | Read More

Ecobrique

French ceramics manufacturer vbc3000 offers bricks that incorporate waste treatment plant residue in the clay matrix. According to the company, Ecobriques perform just as well as conventional ones. The vbc3000 process can produce solid bricks and lightened, low density, granules for use in building construction...

June 4th, 2006 | mineral | Read More

Abacá

Named for a species of banana harvested primarily for use as fiber in the production of rope and twine, Abacá employs residues from banana harvesting and recycles them into a high-pressure decorative laminate with 40 percent postindustrial recovered content. The fibers are sprinkled over an array of...

May 26th, 2006 | plastic | Read More

Illuminated Surfaces

Thanks to research from the University of Southern California and Princeton University, almost any surface in a building, whether flat or curved, could become a light source: walls, curtains, ceilings, cabinets or tables. Scientists studying organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) have made a critical...

May 5th, 2006 | light | Read More

100 Percent

100 Percent is a material designed to have a minimal environmental footprint. Made entirely from postconsumer recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE), it is waste transformed into engineered panels for design applications. 100 Percent is derived from recycled household packaging materials, such as...

April 28th, 2006 | feature, plastic | Read More

Heat Treated Carpet

Carpet is typically used for 7-10 years (residential) or 5-8 years (commercial), and re-carpeting accounts for 55% of all carpet sold. Moreover, carpet has been estimated to require up to two hundred and fifty thousand years to biodegrade. Heat Treated Carpet is a sheet material produced from polypropylene-based...

April 13th, 2006 | feature, plastic | Read More

Litracon

Litracon, a light-transmitting concrete developed by Hungarian architect Áron Losonczi, evoked a tremendous response within the international design community at the time of its unveiling. A combination of optical fibers and fine concrete, Litracon may be produced in panel form as well as prefabricated...

April 12th, 2006 | concrete, feature | Read More