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좀 더 스마트하면서도 태양에서 얻은 에너지로 전기도 만들어내는 멋진 아이템 Solar Roadways.
이제 막 프로토타입 단계로 들어선 이 차세대 도로는 아스팔트 위에 몇 가지 특별한 기능을 더하는 게 핵심으로 기본적으로 하루에 7.6KW를 생산한다는 가로세로 12인치 패널들을 깔고 도로 위에 표시된 분리선 외에도 야간에 도로를 달리는 이들을 위해 LED 조명도 함께 내장한다. 또 겨울에 내린 눈 등이 도로 위를 덮어 발전 효율들이 저하되는 것을 방지하기 위한 눈을 녹일 발열 기능도 추가되어 있으며 전반적으로 스마트한 도로 시스템을 완성하게 될 거라고 한다. 물론 이런 꿈을 이루기 위해 설치 비용을 비롯해 들여야 할 돈은 천문학적이지만 제조사인 Solar Roadways측은 이번 사업을 통해 경기 부양은 물론 놀라운 수준의 발전량을 기대하는 눈치다.
[관련링크 : Solarroadways.com]
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HBO의 Big love 3의 옥외광고로, “사람들은 저마다 숨겨진 은밀한 사연을 가지고 있다”라는 컨셉으로 이어폰표시가 되어 있는 곳에 이어폰을 꽂으면 각 각의 사람에 대한 이야기가 짧게 소개된다.
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Slow Design, the latest offshoot of the Slow Movement, is gaining visibility fast. Recently Sherwin Williams featured the trend in their trade publication, STIR.
“Progress” has become synonymous with changes that make everything more convenient, more automatic, faster and easier. And faster is better, right? More convenience means more time to do even more stuff, or to relax.
But does cramming more activities into one’s life improve or degrade its quality? Does too much relaxation time lead to inactivity, laziness and physical unfitness? Are disposable convenience items and high-speed transport taking a toll on our environment?
Proponents of the Slow Movement think so. According to the Slow Movement, we lose much more than we realize by constantly striving for “fast.” The awareness of the smaller moments in life, of the processes it takes to get from one place to another, to create, to dismantle. The knowledge of where things come from, how they’re made and how they got to us. Knowing how to do something for ourselves; the satisfaction of a task that takes attention, time and effort to complete. The time to contemplate, meditate and reflect on the physical world and our place in it.
Slow Design is loosely organized around six principles, which intersect somewhat and can be interpreted in many different ways.
Reveal. Slow Design can uncover often-overlooked processes, experiences and materials, either in life or in the design object itself. “Amazingness,” a series of photographs by artist Anna Hillman, focuses on tiny natural elements in busy urban landscapes: a tuft of grass between bricks, a feather in a parking lot.
Expand. This highly conceptual principle suggests that we should think beyond the obvious functions, appearance and lifespan of an object, seeing its potential for other meanings and uses.
Reflect. Slow design should cause “reflective consumption”; that is, an individual should enjoy the unique effect of a one-of-a-kind object or design, while also being able to recognize its place in the world in bigger terms.
Engage. The Slow Design movement is open-source and collaborative with the hope that designs will evolve as designers cooperate and share with one another.
Participate. This principle encourages users of Slow Design pieces to actively participate in the design process, exchanging ideas and fostering a sense of community.
Evolve. Although much of its philosophy touts slowing down to be more conscious in the moment, Slow Design is also about looking ahead, seeing what will be needed in the future and creating designs that can become richer over time.
There are no formal guidelines for practicing Slow Design; even its principles are deliberately abstract, meant to provide inspiration, rather than instructions, for designers. But here are a few ideas to turn philosophy into practice.
* Include your clients in the design. Find ways to incorporate real aspects of their lives and their passions into the design of their spaces. Perhaps even let them collaborate in the process of applying your design to their home or office.
* Pass along the story of your design. Be aware of the provenance and history of the artifacts and materials you’re putting into the design, and share that knowledge with your clients. You could even write up a pamphlet so they won’t forget the details over time.
* Let the locale inspire you. In the spirit of New Urbanism, make sure your design is consistent with the aesthetics of the community surrounding the space. Find subtle ways to echo its history and culture in your work. For inspiration, consult Canadian architect John Brown’s Web site Slow Home. According to Brown, the premise behind this philosophy is, “Slow Food is about valuing quality instead of quantity. It is about thinking more carefully about where your ingredients come from and how you prepare them. Many architects approach residential design in much the same way; valuing the quality of space over size and the number of bathrooms. They take site and materials into careful account and then work with their client to tailor the design to their specific needs.”
* Use sustainable practices. Green building is not just a trend; it’s our future. Plus, its principles dovetail perfectly with those of Slow Design. Be sure to let your clients know of your environmental commitment as part of the developing history of the space you’re designing for them.
http://kerrielkelly.blogspot.com/2009/05/power-of-slow-mo.html
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From Sarah:
We like the look and feel of the recycled denim and old army tent canvas used in these pieces from the eco-conscious company Environment Furniture. Part design consortium, part modern crafts shop, Environment is a furniture maker with a forward-thinking commitment to using materials and processes with low environmental impact. Environment’s retail showrooms are located in New York, Orange County, and a new flagship location in LA. The company uses only reclaimed, recycled, and sustainably harvested wood in its designs.
Above: Tripolina Chair is $795 in recycled army canvas or denim; also available in vegetable-dyed leather for $1,495.
Above: Block Cushion is $795 in recycled army canvas or denim.
Above: Mash Coffee Table is $795 in recycled army canvas or denim.
http://www.remodelista.com/2009/06/09/furniture-environments-recycled-fabrics/
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As technology gets faster and we get busier, it’s hard to find time for the small things in life. The Slow Movement’s been battling this for a while now, notably in the food world. Recently, they took a huge bite and went, gulp, global! Founded by Carl Honore, Geir Berthelsen, and Dale+Bang, the BETA version of SlowPlanet has big plans to grow into a multi-faceted resource for all things un-speedy. They’ve got some interesting things to say about design, notably a framework of six principles for slow design from their friends at the SlowLab. Here are a few; more after the jump:
1. Reveal: Slow design reveals spaces and experiences in everyday life that are often missed or forgotten, including the materials and processes that can easily be overlooked in an artifacts existence or creation.2. Expand: Slow design considers the real and potential ‘expressions’ of artifacts and environments beyond their perceived functionality, physical attributes and lifespans.
3. Reflect: Slowly-designed artifacts and environments induce contemplation and ‘reflective consumption.’
4. Engage: Slow design processes are ‘open source’ and collaborative, relying on sharing, co-operation and transparency of information so that designs may continue to evolve into the future.5. Participate: Slow design encourages users to become active participants in the design process, embracing ideas of conviviality and exchange to foster social accountability and enhance communities.
6. Evolve: Slow design recognizes that richer experiences can emerge from the dynamic maturation of artifacts and environments over time. Looking beyond the needs and circumstances of the present day, slow design processes and outcomes become agents of positive change.
http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/slow_design_9655.asp
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When did ‘fast’ become the default pace of life?
Fast food, media soundbytes, speedy information networks, rapid, global flows of goods and services, an over-saturated commercial landscape…… Daily life has become a cacophony of experiences that disable our senses, disconnect us from one another and damage the environment.
But deep experience of the world– meaningful and revealing relationships with the people, places and things we interact with– requires many speeds of engagement, and especially the slower ones.
‘Slow Design ‘ is a holistic approach to creative thinking, process and outcomes. It envisions positive human and environmental impacts of designed products, environments and systems, while constructively critiquing the processes and technologies of which they are born. It celebrates local, close-mesh networks of people and industry, it preserves and draws upon our cultural diversity, and it relies on the open sharing of ideas and information to arrive at innovative solutions to contemporary challenges.
Slowness doesn’t refer to how long it takes to make or do something. Rather, it describes an expanded state of awareness, accountability for daily actions, and the potential for a richer spectrum of experience for individuals and communities.
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