The Cube Project

Talk about a minimal impact on the environment! I'm not sure if The Cube would be for me, but there is no doubt it's an innovative concept. As a design student, I've found one of the most challenging spaces to design for are small, confined areas. What I found intriguing about this project is the versatility of the purposed-designed chairs and table in the living area. Because The Cube is only 3 x 3 x 3 meters, about 10 x 10 x 10 ft., flexibility of any furniture layouts would be virtually impossible. It's evident that The Cube's design team carefully took into consideration the user's needs within the space; and therefore, was  able to successfully design for The Cube's maximum space use. However, one has to wonder if these cubes could be stacked, placed side by side, or reconfigured for multiple occupants. If they could be reconfigured, imagine the possibilities of The Cube. Some possible uses that came to my mind were a unique hotel next to an airport or even inside an airport, short-term housing for camping enthusiasts, or even something packed up and shipped to provide housing for victims of disaster.

If you had a Cube, what would you use it for?

Gallery of Green: 10 Innovative Green Products

1. Foot + Peg Stool

Designer: Toby Nowland

Details: Sustainable materials, including recycled polyethylene terephthalate, or PET bottles such as plastic water bottles. Won the Green Award at the Australian International Furniture Fair in Sydney, Australia in 2013.

2. BuzziLight

Designer: BuzziSpace

Details:  Materials include BuzziFelt, a kind of felt made of 100 per cent recycled PET waste or BuzziFabric, a fabric made of recycled wool.

3. Livinglass

Designer: Livinglass

Details:  Made with 100% recycled glass, non-allergenic and easy to clean, Class A/ Class I Fire Rated, water, UV, and chemical resistant. Available in different thicknesses, styles (curves vs. straight), and a variety of patterns/colors.

4.  Superlight Chair

Designer: Frank Gehry and Emeco

Details:  Made with lightweight, recycled aluminum. It gently rocks back and forth

5. 111 Navy Chair

Designer: Coca-Cola and Emeco

Details: Made of 111 recycled PET bottles, 65% Recycled Pet, 35% Glass Fiber. The designers' goal was to solve an environmental problem by up-cycling consumer waste into a sustainable, timeless, classic chair. Chairs come in a variety of colors including the following: charcoal, flint, snow, red, persimmon, and grass. Chairs can be customized with a handmade Navy Seat Pad (available in black vinyl or with the option of fire retardant C.O.M or C.O.L Fire retardant foam). Note: chairs are non-stackable.

6. Life After Corkage Bar Stool

Designer: Phase

Details: Powder coated steel base with vinyl coated polyester mesh seat, filled with 1,200 recycled corks.

7. Beam Line

Designer: Uhuru

Details: Antique pine beam/natural walnut base coffee table. It is created from timber that comes from the beams, joists, and support columns salvaged from the building being renovated/demolished in Brooklyn, NY

8. Buoy Lamp

Designer: Paul Masterson, Uhuru

Details: Reclaimed foam buoy. Metal: aluminum. Wood: elm. Salvaged from a Red Hook pier, the buoy sits atop an aluminum and elm base, while a rod holds the lighting fixture (compact fluorescent or LED bulb only)

9. SBW Stool

Designer: Miles & May

Details: Reclaimed heart pine and powder coated black steel

10. Hemp Chair

Designer: Studio Aisslinger

Details: Made with renewable raw materials including hemp and kenaf. These materials are compressed with a water-based thermoset binder to form an eco-friendly, lightweight strong material.

Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest)

what's this all about?

The city  of Milan, Italy has a bad reputation for its pollution and lack of green space. The Bosco Verticale, or Vertical Forest, includes two residential towers, one reaching 27 and the other reaching 17 stories in height on the edge of the Isola neighborhood. The towers house 900 trees measuring 3, 6, or 9 m tall, and various other shrubs and floral plants. 

With this design alone, the city of Milan will be able to optimize flat land by building up instead of out as well as produce energy. According to Stefano Boeri Architetti, "The diversity of the plants and their characteristics produce humidity, absorb CO2 and dust particles, producing oxygen and protect from radiation and acoustic pollution, improving the quality of living spaces and saving energy. Plant irrigation will be produced to great extent through the filtering and reuse of the grey waters produced by the building."

Section of the Vertical Forest Tower

Construction phase- Towers are taking shape

Construction phase- Greenery is being added

the future is looking green

The Vertical Forest is only the beginning of Italy's eco-sustainable rede­vel­op­ment of the Isola neighborhood. Milan Expo Tours stated, "The Vertical Forest is one of six ideas for a new Bio­Mi­lan, a metrop­o­lis aim­ing to become an icon of bio­di­ver­sity and of a new bal­ance between man, nature and pro­duc­tiv­ity. The new eco-project will include urban spaces such as a swim­ming pool and gym, shops, a piazza between the two build­ings, and offices."

Want to check out more info?

Stefano Boeri Architetti 

Milan Expo Tours