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Orbital Materials CEO Jonathan Godwin
CategoriesSustainable News

Orbital Materials combines ChatGPT with physics to invent new materials

By Zarkon Group,

The first materials designed by AI could be less than 18 months away, according to Orbital Materials CEO Jonathan Godwin, who aims to harness the technology to create materials to help with carbon capture.

Formerly an engineer at Google’s AI research laboratory DeepMind, Godwin founded Orbital Materials in 2022 with a vision to bring to market “transformational materials” that could “improve our ability to have sustainable and healthy lifestyles”.

The company’s first target is materials relating to carbon capture, sustainable aviation fuel and the removal of harmful chemicals from the environment.

Material science AI a blend of ChatGPT and physics

But in the long-term Godwin also plans to work on materials for architecture and design, such as lightweight alloys for cars and smart concrete.

“If we can improve our ability to design new materials, like the chips in a computer or the screens that we look at, the metals and the alloys that we use, the active materials in carbon capture systems, then we have an ability to improve human life without having to pollute the world,” he told Dezeen.

“That’s something that drives us as an organisation.”

The model Orbital Materials uses is not dissimilar to familiar AI applications such as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion, says Godwin.

Whereas in an image generator such as Stable Diffusion, you would input natural language as a prompt and then generate an image from it, Orbital Materials inputs an instruction along the lines of “a material that has a good absorption capacity for carbon dioxide” and the algorithm generates a 3D structure that meets the criteria.

Orbital Materials CEO Jonathan Godwin
British engineer Jonathan Godwin founded Orbital Materials in 2022. Photo courtesy of Orbital Materials

Much like how image generators arrive at an image by iterating from random noise, Orbital Material’s AI starts with a random cloud of atoms that it iteratively refines until landing on a molecular structure that answers the prompt.

The difference is that when Orbital Materials trains its AI model, the system is fed extra information about physics, “adapting it” for material science, in Godwin’s words.

The datasets that the model, nicknamed Linus, has been trained on come from real experiments and quantum simulations, which work like typical simulations but on an atomic level.

Godwin says that the “hallucinations” of incorrect information that ChatGPT has been producing are not a problem for Linus, but that the analogous challenge is it is generating purely hypothetical materials that can’t be made.

“We work really hard on making sure that whatever we generate, we have a route to making,” said Godwin. “And we do that by focusing on our dataset, focusing on a number of different kinds of tools that we have to try and ensure that that is the case.”

“Big impact” on design and architecture

Godwin says he expects AI in material science to have a “big impact” on the design and architecture industries.

First, he believes it could help industries decarbonise by introducing carbon-neutral or carbon-negative materials. He gives the example of the recent development of a cement battery alternative for energy storage as a “hugely powerful” and “breakthrough” innovation of the kind that AI could generate.

Second, he believes the technology will eventually allow for the development of new materials to specification that can be manufactured at a small scale.

“Maybe you’re designing a new device, and you need a certain type of metal with a certain type of strength or certain types of characteristics,” he explained. “At the moment, it’s very difficult to design something to specification. You have a list of materials that you can use.”

“What we’re going to be able to do is create a far wider variety and actually try to bring materials to market very, very quickly.”

An area that he sees being transformed by AI-enabled developments in material science is 3D printing.

“The scale and availability and the different functional properties of things you can 3D print are going to massively improve through the use of AI-designed additive manufacturing materials,” Godwin said.

Orbit Materials to focus on creating carbon-capture solutions

However, Orbital Materials’ current focus is in sectors where Godwin believes a product can be brought to market most quickly — hence, the 18-month estimate for how long it will take the year-old start-up to launch its first product.

“You need to have early wins in order to build a company,” he says, adding that architectural and design materials can require years of testing, particularly for something structural like concrete.

Similar to how synthetic-biology labs partner with pharmaceutical companies to bring new drug discoveries to the market, Godwin envisions Orbital Materials developing a material to the proof of concept or pilot demonstration phase and then seeking an established manufacturer as a partner.

One of the areas where the start-up is focusing much of its attention now is in materials that can draw out carbon dioxide from the air and so help establish operational carbon capture and storage solutions.

“That to me is really important because we’ve got all of these exciting technologies around converting CO2 to gasoline, converting CO2 to concrete, CO2 to X, Y and Z,” he said.

“But in order for that to actually be truly carbon neutral you need a way to capture the CO2 from the environment, and at the moment we’re not doing that in sufficient scales to make those other technologies feasible or economic.”

Benefitting from AI is “a massive organisational and political challenge”

While a believer in the potential benefits of AI, Godwin is concerned that our societies are not prepared for its potential transformational impact.

Given the rate of progress in the technology, he says we need to be thinking about “what’s going to happen in the next five years” and not just the current harms in order that the potential benefits of AI — reduced working hours, a higher quality of life within planetary limits — are evenly distributed.

“When I think of technologies in the past that have hugely improved human life, the industrial revolution, it took a very long time for the benefits of that to filter down to the people affected and that’s what worries me,” Godwin said.

“To get our society to make the most of this technology in a way that brings everyone along is a massive organisational and political challenge.”

Main image by This is Engineering on Unsplash.

AItopia
Illustration by Selina Yau

AItopia

This article is part of Dezeen’s AItopia series, which explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on design, architecture and humanity, both now and in the future.



Reference

A biodegradable coating for paper packaging 
CategoriesSustainable News

A biodegradable coating for paper packaging 

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Paper is often hailed as the perfect sustainable alternative to plastic packaging, with many consumers instinctively putting paper materials in their recycling bins without thinking. However, many paper-based products are laced with unrecyclable components, such as plastic coatings. 

Now, Israeli startup Melodea has a solution – bio-based coatings that protect against water vapour, oil, and oxygen. Made from wood pulp and waste side streams from the paper industry, these 100 per cent plant-based coating solutions are completely recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable. They are suitable for use on paper, paperboard, PET plastic, and bioplastic products, and are also completely non-toxic and FDA-compliant. 

Instead of absorbing water and disintegrating, or soaking up grease and becoming unrecyclable, the coatings act as barriers to keep the paper clean and dry. Melodea’s ‘VBcoat’ product resists both water and grease, as does its ‘VBseal’ coating, with the latter also providing heat-sealability to close up the packaging.

Video source Melodea

These can be used on their own or combined with the company’s ‘MelOx’ product to provide an additional oxygen barrier. Until now, most food packaging has relied on unsustainable materials like plastic because it stops the transmission of air, keeping produce inside fresher for longer. MelOx gives eco-friendly paper packaging the same essential oxygen-resistance.  

Because Melodea’s solutions can be applied using standard coating technologies, they can be scaled easily and quickly, with the coatings able to protect products from chocolate and cheese to detergent and cosmetics.

In the archive, Springwise has spotted other innovations using paper to make packaging more sustainable, including a paper alternative to bubble wrap and paper bags made from urban biowaste.

Written By: Matilda Cox

Reference

first look at expo 2025 osaka, from fujimoto’s masterplan to the national pavilions
CategoriesArchitecture

here’s what we know so far

By Zarkon Group,

what we know so far about expo 2025 osaka 

 

Expo 2025 Osaka will soon come to life as an international fair that brings together people and innovations from around the world to address issues facing mankind on a global scale. Running from April 13th to October 13th, 2025, the program will be held on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka, Kansai, Japan — 55 years after Asida held its first world fair in 1970. Dubbed Designing Future Society for Our Lives, the 2025 theme responds to the unprecedented pace at which environmental changes are kicking in, coupled with the disruptive forces instigated by the Covid-19 pandemic. In light of this paradigm shift, the world’s fair invites exhibitors to reconsider our way of life through sustainable solutions powered by technological innovations. 

 

Revealed back in December 2020, the new Masterplan design for Expo 2025 Osaka will be developed Sou Fujimoto as a huge, ring-shaped structure that serves as the main circulation path. The Japanese architect shared details of his vision in a recent interview with designboom: ‘The roof not only protects people from sunlight and rain but is also enormous, with a diameter of almost 700 meters. We are designing it using a wooden structure, which presents unique challenges due to the scale and materials involved. However, Japan has a wonderful tradition of historical wood construction, and I aim to draw inspiration from it and blend it with new technology in the construction process. This work is not only a wonderful trial for working on such a large scale but also an exciting challenge in terms of innovative construction techniques.’

 

From Sou Fujimoto’s impressive Masterplan design to unveiling the first national pavilion proposals, here’s what we know so far about the upcoming Expo 2025 Osaka that is set to take shape in Japan.

first look at expo 2025 osaka, from fujimoto’s masterplan to the national pavilions
the new Masterplan for Expo 2025 Osaka | render © Sou Fujimoto Architects via Instagram

 

 

sou fujimoto’s masterplan to rise as a giant timber ring roof

 

For the Expo 2025 Osaka Masterplan, jointly with Tohata Architects & Engineers and Azusa Sekkei, Sou Fujimoto (see more here) proposes a 60,000 sqm green roof structure made of timber. Spanning about 700 meters in diameter, the design reflects traditional Japanese timber construction and will serve as the venue’s main circulation ring, provide scenic vistas from above while protecting visitors from rain and sun exposure. ‘On the rooftop, visitors can go up and experience a lifted surface that resembles a bank, allowing them to appreciate the sky above and feel completely immersed in the environment. As the location is in the middle of Osaka Bay, no tall structures are around, offering a clear view of the sky in a pure circle,’ Fujimoto told designboom. 

first look at expo 2025 osaka, from fujimoto’s masterplan to the national pavilions
60,000 sqm timber green roof structure | render © Sou Fujimoto Architects via Instagram

 

 

unveiling some of the first national pavilion proposals 

 

THE NETHERLANDS PAVILION 

 

Expo 2025 Osaka is expecting to host 150 nations, including The Netherlands, which has recently announced its participation under the theme of ‘Common Ground: creating a new dawn together.’ This vision explores new technologies that harness the power of water to produce emission-free energy, providing access to clean power for all. Responding to the theme, the Pavilion will take shape as a circular design with an illuminated sphere, or abstracted ‘rising sun’, that will shine brightly at the center to symbolize infinite clean energy, sustainability, and circularity. Water, as an abundant and clean energy source, plays a prominent role, elegantly reflected in the facade and roof. An important design element is its ability to be dismantled and reassembled as needed. The project is a collaboration between RAU Architects, engineering consultancy DGMR, experience design studio Tellart, and Japanese construction company Asanuma. (Read more here)

first look at expo 2025 osaka, from fujimoto’s masterplan to the national pavilions
The Netherlands Pavilion | render © Plomp

 

 

CZECH REPUBLIC PAVILION 

 

Joining The Netherlands is the Czech Republic, with a dynamic glass spiral structure designed by international studio Apropos Architects. Called ‘Sculpting Vitality’, the proposal arises as a transparent sculpture that is visible on the city’s coastal promenade. The architects sought to play with the concept of vitality and movement, presenting an exhibition ramp wrapped around a central auditorium. ‘The dynamic spiral movement upwards is an allegory of the ideal life path,’ describes the team. The resulting structure sees a distinctive silhouette that fosters visitors into physical activity through continuous motion. Its glazed body that pivots upwards around itself recalls the rich history of glassmaking in the Czech Republic and provides distinctive exhibition spaces with a changing interior atmosphere. The artificial light throughout the interior gives the structure a delicate glow that makes it shine from the outside. (Read more here)

first look at expo 2025 osaka, from fujimoto’s masterplan to the national pavilions
Czech Republic Pavilion | image © ZAN studio

 

 

ITALY PAVILION 

 

Up next is the winning design for the Italian Pavilion by Mario Cucinella Architects (MCA). The proposal titled ‘La Città Ideale’ reflects a modern interpretation of the Ideal City, a symbolic image of the Italian Renaissance. More specifically, MCA’s project spotlights the country’s vision of a social space based on integration, inclusivity, and a culture of hands-on engagement founded on real relationships and interactions — well-represented by concepts deeply rooted in the Italian tradition, like the ‘piazza’ (public square), ‘teatro’ (theater), and ‘giardino’ (garden). The Pavilion’s flexibility and adaptability will also allow it to host the Holy See: a spacious and recognizable area that facilitates the organization of cultural events and major art exhibitions. 

first look at expo 2025 osaka, from fujimoto’s masterplan to the national pavilions
Italy Pavilion | render © Mario Cucinella Architects, courtesy Expo 2025 Osaka.it 

 

 

JAPAN PAVILION 

 

‘What lies in the place between lives?‘ is the question that guided the design of the Japanese Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka. Architecture studio Nikken Sekkei joined forces with Oki Sato and Yoshiaki Irobe to conceptualize that query. The trio was effectively inspired by the tiny cyclical loops and interconnected dynamics that make up the natural world. In other words, when one life ends, another begins, and so on. The visual system at the Pavilion therefore materializes as a living organism that breathes, grows, and multiplies — ever-evolving and changing. ‘It represents the purpose of the Pavilion: to turn our eyes toward that which lies between lives, and impress guests with memories, not of a design, but of a process,’ comments the team. 

 



Reference

Beresford Road by Russian for Fish
CategoriesInterior Design

Eight sunny yellow interiors from kitchens to living rooms

By Zarkon Group,

One-palette rooms and statement staircases are featured in our latest lookbook, which explores the best yellow interiors from the Dezeen archives.

From soft, buttery hues to vivid primary colours and deeper mustards, these residential and commercial spaces have challenged the use of traditional shades to create unique, eye-catching yellow interiors.

The use of yellow has been incorporated into bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and facades, whether it is contrasting with brighter colours, blending with other honey tones or standing out against neutral materials.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with lime plaster walls, Barbiecore pink aspects and retro nods to Wes Anderson.

Beresford Road by Russian for Fish
Photography is by Peter Landers

Beresford Road property, London, by Russian for Fish

This London-based apartment features a statement yellow kitchen that was used to brighten the basement and complement the other colours in the space. Russian for Fish used the same vivid shade throughout the entirety of the kitchen, which also continues to the staircase.

Plant pots are added to the area to create dimension, with the green tones adding more colour to the otherwise yellow and neutral home.

“Yellow is a great colour – it brings out the ochre tones of the natural concrete floor, compliments the off-white walls, and creates warmth throughout the flat, even on the dullest of days,” says architect and founder at Russian for Fish, Pereen d’Avoine.

Find out more about Beresford Road property ›

Seven Lives by Anna and Eugeni Bach
Photography is by Eugeni Bach

Seven Lives, Spain, by Anna and Eugeni Bach

Spanish architecture studio Anna and Eugeni Bach built this apartment block in Barcelona, adding primary yellow features to the facade that add a vibrant touch to the interiors.

The building has yellow window frames and grills, balconies and blinds that are all visible from the apartments, as well as yellow internal doors to the balconies. These statement attributes contrast with the grey stucco and internal walls.

The shade – which was selected as it was approved by the area’s regulators – is also used in the communal staircase.

Find out more about Seven Lives ›

Bright yellow modular kitchen in compact apartment
Photography is by René de Wit and Pim Top

Residential complex, The Netherlands, by Shift Architecture Urbanism

A variety of bright colours were used to decorate this residential complex designed by Shift Architecture Urbanism in Amsterdam. The 235 apartments feature shades of yellow, green, blue, red in the furniture, fixtures and appliances to create a playful atmosphere.

The homes feature laminate floors, white walls and concrete ceilings that create a neutral base for the additional colours used for the modular units, cupboard-style bedrooms and ceramic tiled walls.

Find out more about the residential complex ›

Photo of a room with a yellow ceiling
Photography is by Jesper Westblom

Apartment, Sweden, by Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor

This apartment in Stockholm uses plenty of primary colours, with reds, blues and yellows used on the walls and on the furniture.

A butter shade decorates the walls of the main and children’s bedrooms, and is complimented by a sunshine hue on the ceiling. Soft yellow shades are also used to contrast maroon tiles and doors throughout the home.

Yellow accents can also be found on its accessories, such as lamps, crockery and artwork.

Find out more about the Stockholm apartment ›

Interiors of Casa Collumpio by MACH
Photography is by Del Rio Bani

Casa Collumpio, Spain, by MACH

MACH designed this industrial-style house in Barcelona with lemon-yellow steelwork used on the interior and exterior.

Used as a focal point among grey concrete and wooden cladding, a bright yellow staircase with a protective mesh panel connects the upper floors of the building. To complement the feature, yellow stripes are added to the white kitchen cupboards.

The colour continues on the steelwork around the door, forming a decorative statement around the windows at the front and back of the home.

Find out more about Casa Collumpio ›

Duplex in Sant Gervasi by Arquitectura-G
Photography is by José Hevia

Apartment, Spain, by Arquitectura-G

Arquitectura-G designed the interiors of this apartment in Barcelona with pastel yellow tones to create a lighter, more open space. The walls and floor of the space are covered in glazed square tiles, with the metal kitchen units matching in a similar tone.

Yellow furniture, such as a sofa and cupboards, complement the apartment’s colour palette.

“We prefer to use the same colour in the whole project, in order to give a strong visual impact and make it an essential part of the house’s identity,” sids Arquitectura-G.

Find out more about the Spanish apartment ›

Photo of a cafe in Stockholm
Photography is by Mikael Lundblad

Cafe Banacado, Sweden, by ASKA

ASKA has created a picturesque cafe in Stockholm informed by film director Wes Anderson’s aesthetics, using shades of mustard, cream, pink and brown to adorn the space.

The yellow checkerboard floor was influenced by traditional Cuban styles of interiors and mirrored by similar tones in the tiled table tops.

“In order to create an environment that feels harmonious we work with subtle layering and tone in tone methods,” said ASKA co-founder Madeleine Klingspor. “The same yellow is used on the walls, lamps, tables and floor but in different scales and intensity,”

Find out more about Cafe Banacado ›

Pink, grey and chrome Kitchen in JJ16 apartment by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
The photography is by Jose Hevia

JJ16, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil

Citrus yellow offsets petal pink in this Madrid apartment by Lucas y Hernández-Gil, with a yellow built-in bookshelf lining the length of the corridor.

The hallway leads to the kitchen, which features a contrasting soft pink floor and walls and matte grey units.

The rest of the space has been decorated with similarly vivid colours and prints, including neon orange storage hidden by white doors, blue checkerboard flooring and an aubergine wardrobe.

Find out more about JJ16 ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with lime plaster walls, Barbiecore pink aspects and retro nods to Wes Anderson.

Reference

Making hi-tech nano-crystals out of organic fishing waste
CategoriesSustainable News

Making hi-tech nano-crystals out of organic fishing waste

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Material waste from the fishing industry, namely crustacean waste, amounts to around 6-8 million tonnes a year. One company is looking to use this waste to solve the problem of material alternatives to plastics. 

The present problem with plastic packaging films is that it’s difficult to achieve high strength, low permeability, and recyclability all in one material. The current market caters to low permeability and high strength but neglects recyclability, with these materials taking decades to be broken down and releasing harmful microplastics in the process. This is where Neptune Nanotechnologies comes in. 

The company is using its proprietary technology to transform the waste material of crabs, shrimps, and lobsters into highly valuable chitin nanocrystals. Neptune Nanotechnologies highlights that these nanocrystals are stronger than steel, lighter than plastic, and fully bio-based and biodegradable. The fully organic crystals replace current additives to base materials, like plastic and composites, that can be an obstacle to a product’s biodegradability.

The crystals solve the problems of performance by making the final nano-structured materials stronger, but equally, the weight reductions allow better efficiency and CO2 prevention downstream in transport. Neptune Nanotechnologies’ crystals have similar characteristics to other nanotech alternatives, including graphene and carbon nanotubes, but have the added bonus of also being biodegradable. 

This high performance means the crystals are suitable for a range of applications, like aerospace and automotive composites, high-barrier films and packaging, 3D-printed materials, and biomedical devices. Neptune Nanotechnologies is currently testing its technologies in these industries and is hoping to become completely commercialised soon. 

There are a number of innovators looking to rid the world of harmful, often plastic-based, materials. In the archive, Springwise has also spotted one startup that turns organic waste into planet-friendly plastic and another that creates footwear from food waste.

Written By: Archie Cox

Reference

Garden room for Horatio's Garden by Mcmullan Studio
CategoriesArchitecture

Mcmullan Studio designs garden room as “restorative haven”

By Zarkon Group,

Wooden shingles clad this pod-like garden room by London practice Mcmullan Studio, which has been created for spinal-injury charity Horatio’s Garden.

The small space was conceived by Mcmullan Studio as a “beautiful, immersive, restorative haven” for patients with spinal injuries at a hospital in Sheffield.

It has large openings and a central circular skylight to create a close connection to the outdoors, informed by the Japanese concept of forest bathing.

Garden room for Horatio's Garden by Mcmullan Studio
Mcmullan Studio has created a garden room for Horatio’s Garden

“Our design addresses the issue of monotony and lack of stimulation experienced by patients who are confined to staring at hospital ward ceilings, particularly those who cannot move or lift their heads due to spinal injuries,” director Andrew Mcmullan told Dezeen.

“We all know how good being in nature can make us feel,” he added. “We have known it for centuries. The sounds of the forest, the scent of the trees, the sunlight playing through the leaves, the fresh, clean air — these things give us a sense of comfort.”

The wooden pavilion was originally created for Horatio’s Garden‘s exhibit at the 2023 RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London, for which Mcmullan Studio worked with landscape designers Harris Bugg Studio.

Wooden shingles
It is clad in wooden shingles

The pavilion is now being transported to the Princess Spinal Injuries Centre in Sheffield as a permanent space for the charity, due to open in 2024.

The garden room’s skylight sits at the centre of a reciprocal roof – a twisting circle of interlocking beams that requires no central support, allowing the interior to be as open and unobstructed as possible.

“Apart from the technical aspects, the reciprocal frame also has intrinsic beauty. The nest-like character of this structure creates a visually intriguing and comforting atmosphere,” described Mcmullan.

“The structure frames a glazed rooflight that invites daylight into the space while providing ever-changing views of the overhanging tree canopies,” he added.

Reciprocal roof inside Horatio's Garden pod
It has a reciprocal roof

Wooden finishes have been used inside and out, with space for seating and a bed beneath the central skylight and a pattern of circular ceramics mounted on the walls.

Ease of transportation was central to the structure’s design, allowing it to be easily lifted as a single unit for its transportation from London to Sheffield.

Exterior of Garden room for Horatio's Garden by Mcmullan Studio at the 2023 RHS Chelsea Flower Show
It was on show at the 2023 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Photo by Jim Stephenson

Once in place, it will be accompanied by two additional garden rooms and a larger communal garden building, all of which will also be designed by Mcmullan Studio.

Other garden rooms featured on Dezeen include an artichoke-shaped workspace by Studio Ben Allen and a writer’s shed by WT Architecture.

The photography is by Lucy Shergold unless stated otherwise.

Reference

Wooden Cave by Tenon Architecture
CategoriesInterior Design

Ten built-in beds that are embedded into the fabric of the building

By Zarkon Group,

From mattresses on concrete bases to beds encased within timber surrounds, this lookbook rounds up ten single, double and day beds that have been built into interiors.

Some designers choose to integrate beds into the building’s wider structure to create cohesion throughout interiors, eliminating the need to add matching furniture.

Built-in beds are often seen in buildings situated in warmer climates, such as Central America and the Mediterranean, where stone or concrete is used to keep spaces cool and to create bespoke, unmovable furniture.

Incorporated beds are also a popular choice when designing wooden cabins, due to their space-saving nature and the way they lend themselves to creating a cosy atmosphere.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring lime plaster walls, red interior schemes and interiors informed by retro design.

Wooden Cave by Tenon Architecture
Photo by Spyros Hound Photography

Wooden Cave, Greece, by Tenon Architecture

A double and a single bed were sunk into this striking cave-like hotel suite in Greece designed by Tenon Architecture, which is made from over 1,000 pieces of spruce wood.

The tiered wooden stricture has a smooth, biomorphic appearance that recalls the grotto dwellings used by early humans.

Find out more about Wooden Cave ›

Casa Alferez by Ludwig Godefroy
Photo by Rory Gardiner

Casa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy

Two stark bedrooms are found in architect Ludwig Godefroy’s brutalism-informed home, situated in a pine forest in Mexico.

Concrete was used for the walls, ceilings, floors, storage and furniture of the house – the harshness of which is offset in the plush day bed in its office area.

Find out more about Casa Alférez ›

Interior of Cabin Anna in the Netherlands by Caspar Schols
Photo is courtesy of Caspar Schols

Cabin Anna, The Netherlands, by Caspar Schols

A double bed – including headboard and bedding – was integrated into the floor of this modular cabin created by architectural designer Caspar Schols.

The structure and some of the furniture within it are flat-packed, allowing the space to be reconfigured depending on the needs of the user.

Find out more about Cabin Anna ›

Bedroom with curved ceiling and curved window at end
Photo by César Béja

Villa Petrico, Mexico, by CO-LAB Design Office

A glazed arch-shaped door dictates the shape of the rest of this tunnel-like bedroom in a concrete holiday home in Tulum.

Platforms are present throughout the bedroom, one of which acts as a broad base for an understated mattress bed.

Find out more about Villa Petrico ›

Minimal interiors of forest retreat designed by Norm Architects
Photo by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen

Swedish forest retreat, Sweden, by Norm Architects

A sunken day bed takes advantage of the dramatic views of a pine forest in this cabin by Norm Architects.

Linen upholstery and pillows compliment the natural wood texture of the bed’s base and the rest of the floor – a combination that extends throughout the rest of the interior.

Find out more about Swedish forest retreat ›

Bedroom with stone wall and bed on platform
Photo by Edmund Sumner

Cometa House, Mexico, by Mauricio Rocha and Gabriela Carrillo

A rustic wall made up of irregularly shaped stones provides the backdrop for the pared-back built-in bed in this coastal home in Oaxaca.

A jute mat separates the mattress from its wide stone base, which has built-in steps separating it from the rest of the space.

Find out more about Cometa House ›

A bedroom inside 4/Way House
Photo by Taiyo Watanabe

4/Way House, USA, by Deegan-Day Design & Architecture

A birch plywood platform bed blends into the interior of a house in California by Deegan-Day Design & Architecture.

The bed is surrounded by integrated panelling with a shelf for books and has an angular footprint to accommodate a built-in bedside table.

Find out more about 4/Way House ›

Interior of Chestnut House by João Mendes Ribeiro
Photo by José Campos

Chestnut House, Portugal, by João Mendes Ribeiro

A double bed saves space in this small-scale rural cabin by sitting flush with the surrounding structure that makes up the floor.

The mezzanine bed is flanked by a bedside table area on one side and a ladder platform on the other that allows access to the level above.

Find out more about Chestnut House ›

Bed on platform inside open-plan bedroom
Photo by Yiorgis Yerolympos

NCaved house, Greece, by Mold Architects

Pale bedsheets blend in with light-coloured cast concrete platform and steps in this split-level bedroom.

The built-in bed allows for other design features to take centre stage in the double-height space, including the stone wall, lancet windows and exposed structural beam.

Find out more about NCaved house ›

Cabin Above the Town by Byró Architekti
Photo by Ondřej Bouška

Cabin Above the Town, Czech Republic, by Byró Architekti

A curtain separates a sleeping nook from the rest of this hilltop cabin’s open-plan interior.

A single plywood volume snakes around the edge of the space and provides storage, seating and a bathroom as well as a built-in bed, with a further guest bed atop the structure accessible by a ladder.

Find out more about Cabin Above the Town ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring lime plaster walls, red interior schemes and interiors informed by retro design.

Reference

Making clean hydrogen and carbon black without combustion
CategoriesSustainable News

Making clean hydrogen and carbon black without combustion

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Hydrogen has long been touted as a clean fuel for the future. And the International Energy Agency forecasts that global hydrogen demand could reach 115 megatonnes by 2030, although this falls short of the 130 megatonnes needed by the same deadline to meet existing climate targets. 

Hydrogen is promising as a fuel because it does not emit CO2 at point-of-use and has a broad range of existing and potential applications – from the power sector to transport and more. However, the way in which the element is produced determines whether or not it is a truly clean fuel.  

Today, almost all the hydrogen we use is created from fossil fuels, which means that its production generates significant amounts of CO2. ‘Green hydrogen’ is an often-discussed alternative to fossil-derived hydrogen. It is produced by running an electric current through water to break the bond between the hydrogen and oxygen atoms. If this current is produced from a renewable source, then the entire process is emissions-free. Although very promising, green hydrogen has its own limitations, such as the current high cost of electrolysers needed for its production. 

Now, however, US startup Monolith, has developed a new clean way of producing hydrogen. Using a process called methane pyrolysis, the company heats up traditional or renewable natural gas or biogas with renewable electricity. This process heats the gas but does not combust it, which means no CO2 is released. Instead, the bonds between the hydrogen and carbon atoms in the gas are broken, and the two elements are collected separately.

Video source Monolith

Although Monolith’s process still results in a small amount of greenhouse gas emissions for each kilogramme of hydrogen produced, these are much lower than those produced by traditional fossil-derived hydrogen processes (at 0.45 kilogrammes of CO2 equivalent per kilogramme of hydrogen, compared to 11.3 for steam methane reforming). Moreover, the company claims that the process could be made carbon negative if renewable natural gas is used as feedstock.  

The key benefit of Monolith’s technology is that it is more affordable than green hydrogen production and uses seven times less energy than is required to produce hydrogen with electrolysers. The leftover carbon from methane pyrolysis can also be used to produce carbon black, a material that is used in tyres and rubber products and as an ink, black paint, or dye. This carbon black is normally produced in very carbon-intensive ways, so its recovery from Monolith’s process offers a more sustainable alternative. 

As hydrogen becomes more important for the energy transition, Springwise has spotted several innovators in the archive working on its clean production, including a company producing next-generation electrolysers, researchers making hydrogen from thin air,  and oil-eating bacteria that produce hydrogen from spent oil and gas wells.  

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Reference

Plot Twist  —  Generative AI May Actually Encourage Architects to Draw MORE
CategoriesArchitecture

Plot Twist  —  Generative AI May Actually Encourage Architects to Draw MORE

By Zarkon Group,

Keir is an AEC Domain Expert operating at the intersection of architecture practice, sustainable development and software design. With over 15 years in practice, he has crafted high-quality projects across various sectors, including education, health, housing, and workplaces. He helps Architects, Clients and Startups thrive in an ever-changing industry. Connect on LinkedIn.

A new week, a new way for Generative AI to blow our minds.

Images generated from text prompts have now filled my news feed; they have swiftly ascended the viral ladder, caused heated debates and gained ‘meme status.’ When these arresting visuals started appearing, it felt like each novel experimentation demanded our close attention: “What has this inexplicable new tool done now?!”

Yet modern attention spans are increasingly short, and bold imagery can quickly become ubiquitous. Our sense of wonder is easily replaced by boredom and ambivalence.
Incredibly, the development of Generative AI actually appears to be evolving faster than our agitated modern attention spans. Just as I was beginning to become nonplussed by the latest hybridization of Batman X The Simpsons, I discovered sketch-to-render.

Most people are familiar with models that use simple text prompting, where you describe everything about a composition using words only. Much can be achieved with these tools, but when it comes to exact composition and configuration, you are working at the model’s behest. However, fewer architects are aware that you can now combine an image with a text prompt to further your creative control.

While these are enormously promising developments, it has been hard to understand exactly how an architect might be able to use these tools. How can we use them to augment the design and visualization processes we are already doing? In architecture, we work in the gritty reality, not the synthetic imagination of AI. Planning and construction is a messy business that requires precision solutions.

Yet, sketch-to-render is a different kind of approach and takes user control to the next level again, utilizing an additional step in the generation feature called Control Nets, which allow for far greater control over how an image is constructed and where the trained model will go to work on a composition. Think of Control Nets as a framework or bounding box within which the AI will go to work — it puts you in the driving seat of the model’s explorations.

Sketch by author (of NWLND’s “Refuge” project), render produced in Prome AI

Sketch-to-Render

This is a 20-minute process and the idea here is to go straight from primitive line work to vivid render.

Midjourney can produce incredibly high quality and vivid imagery, but offers limited control over the exacting composition of the subject matter. For fields like architecture, the ability to fix the areas within an image around which the model will iterate is absolutely essential for actual tool adoption and use.

There are now various methods to combine generative image tools with ‘fixed’ image subjects and composition to give more exacting control over a single viewpoint and to then iterate ideas on top.

Here are some good emerging methods that are worth experimentation:

  1. Control Net: A Stable Diffusion model that creates an abstract segmentation using a preprocessor and then combines this with a text prompt. The install is complicated for regular users and the software needs a powerful computer. If you can’t run this locally due to hardware, you can now do it on the cloud, where the Stable Diffusion with ControlNet is now being hosted by various providers.
  2. PromeAI: The easiest interface that I’ve tried for sketches, complete with preset filters and styles.  Its mostly free baseline features are powerful and worth a play. The workflow is simple just login, upload a sketch or hidden line view, add text description prompts and off you go.
  3. Veras: This works directly within the viewport of everyday software interfaces (SketchUp/Rhino/Revit). It is simple and easy to use and is frictionless because it’s a 3D CAD plugin. The more detail and surface materials you can add, the better it will do at recognizing components.

Example of varied rendered outputs produced from the original sketch

Sketch-to-Render-in-Context

This is a more complex process and takes about 30 minutes once you understand how to do it.

The direct sketch-to-render tools are great to use, but having experimented with them in detail, I felt they were best suited to interior design work only. When it comes to external envelope and massing, we always need to place our ideas in context and render with appropriate scale, visualizing the buildings and landscapes within which they sit.

Then, I discovered the idea of using two control nets together: one for a process called “in-painting” and the second for the sketch proposal. There is quite a bit of trial and error to get the workflow right, but it’s made possible by running Stable Diffusion with ControlNet model on your local machine and is repeatable for any photo and sketch combo (provided you can draw).

Photograph taken by author of an imaginary development site while on a cycle ride home

The aforementioned simple “sketch-to-render” process works with one ControlNet active. However you can now use Stable Diffusion with a second ControlNet at the same time which can be used for a process called  “in-painting” and this allows you to tell the model exactly which parts of a source image you want to experiment with and which you want to leave exactly as they are.

What I love about this application of Generative AI is that it relies solely on your direction and discretion as a designer and what you do with the pen. It takes out the “middle-man” of painstaking digital modeling of an idea and goes straight to vivid imagery. This is rendering without the hours of boring 3D modeling.

In a world where you can get straight to a high-quality render with just a site photo, a sketch and an ability to describe your idea in the form of an effective prompt, you immediately bypass the need to build detailed 3D models of initial concept ideas.

Design sketch by author, drawn quickly directly on top of original photograph.

Arguably, most major practices working with developers have to run projects with a high degree of waste. Options are tested, digitally modeled in 3D, rendered, photoshopped and  perhaps mocked up quickly in foam or card model for a client to review.  Then we respond to comments, requests for changes, new constraints, new information and a continuous process of change occurs.

Throughout this design process, each rendition must be exhaustively conceived, drawn and modeled before it can be vividly represented in context; this means much of the previous work is discarded or inevitably thrown away almost immediately. Quick iteration tooling could massively reduce the waste and grunt work associated with the process we call “optioneering.”  This term is not used affectionately in practice because it can feel so non-linear, but unfortunately some form of option testing is always required to discover a design and each option requires lots of time and energy.

Screenshot produced by author showing process of in-painting using Stable Diffusion with 2no ControlNets – the black area tells the model which part of the image to experiment upon

In a race to produce powerful concept imagery for a new feasibility study or competition, someone who can draw their ideas well is going to beat 3D modeling in turnaround time and speed of iterations using a tool like this .

Soon, clients will be getting rendered ideas in a matter of days from a commission, not weeks. Their expectations about what is possible in a given time frame are going to change — and quickly.

There remains loads of space for improvement, but the foundation is there for a very different approach to design and visualization that could be really empowering for architects (and clients too).

Final Image produced by author using Stable Diffusion with two ControlNets for an imaginary project in Herne Hill, London. The image was produced in less than an hour including sketching time.

My first attempt is a bit rough but demonstrates the enormous potential here; imagine how powerful this will be for early stage feasibility work. I definitely don’t love the outcome, but it’s some version of what I was thinking in the sketch. I would still be happy to present this image to a client as an early study at feasibility stage to give them a more vivid sense of a project’s massing and scale alongside a set of 2D drawings before developing the preferred option in fine detail myself.

In the example shown, I would estimate the model achieved about 50% of my line intentions and about 20% of my material intent on the façades. However, the perspective, massing, lighting, context placement, reflections and sense of scale are all bang on — and all this is done with a general purpose, open-source model.

As this technology continues to improve, specialized architecture models will be trained on data sets that focus specifically on façade and architectural composition. Different architectural styles and materiality options will be made possible and they will be far better at understanding façade componentry such as floor zones, balustrades, windows, curtain walling and columns. The models will need to learn “archispeak” which will now be expressed using text prompt inputs and require architects to say what they actually mean in simple language.

As these models improve we will be able to discern discrete elements within the design concept, identify them as an architectural building component and then refine them directly with prompts as we work. We will be able to apply different prompts to different parts of the image, add people, change the lighting and mood — designing over and over in a live render environment — without modeling anything, all potentially driven from a sketch idea.

There will be many more experiments to come… and when Midjourney can do ControlNets too, it will probably feel like “game over” for much of the traditional 3D model and rendering that we do currently.

Keir is an AEC Domain Expert operating at the intersection of architecture practice, sustainable development and software design. Connect on LinkedIn.

With thanks to:

Ismail Seleit who was the first person I saw demonstrate this idea.

@design.input who put out a great video that helped to describe each step of the process.

Hamza Shaikh for pointing me at ControlNet in the first place when I got frustrated with Midjourney.

Architizer’s new image-heavy daily newsletter, The Plug, is easy on the eyes, giving readers a quick jolt of inspiration to supercharge their days. Plug in to the latest design discussions by subscribing. 



Reference

Entrance of Chappelle Saint-Michel de Brasparts
CategoriesInterior Design

Ronan Bouroullec furnishes 17th-century Saint-Michel de Brasparts chapel

By Zarkon Group,

Following the wildfires that ravaged Brittany’s Arrée mountains last summer, Ronan Bouroullec has reimagined the interior of the region’s historic Chapelle Saint-Michel de Brasparts as part of a full restoration.

Originally built at the end of the 17th century, the chapel is a modest building without lighting or electricity, perched on top of a prominent hill that rises above the surrounding moorland.

Entrance of Chappelle Saint-Michel de Brasparts
Chappelle Saint-Michel de Brasparts has undergone a full restoration

Breton businessman François Pinault, founder of luxury group Kering, financed the chapel’s restoration after it was damaged during the wildfires, patching up its metre-thick stone walls, rammed-earth floors and the exposed oak frame supporting the slate roof.

Bouroullec, who was born and raised in Brittany, remembers the chapel from his childhood and was compelled to design a new altar and several furnishings for the building as part of the refurbishment.

Working in collaboration with local artisans, he used a trinity of roughly-hewn materials – granite, steel and glass – that would stand the test of time while reflecting the building’s rugged rural location.

Brittany chapel interior by Ronan Bouroullec
Ronan Bouroullec designed a new altar for the chapel

“Heavy enough not to be moved, sturdy enough not to be damaged, rough enough not to require cleaning, the elements that Ronan Bouroullec has placed in the chapel must succeed, despite or because of these characteristics, in creating a sensory experience,” wrote Martin Bethenod, former CEO of Pinault’s Bourse de Commerce museum, in an introductory text for the project.

“The bush-hammered granite, blurred glass, hammered steel, the choice of a galvanized finish to soften the contrast of the cross and candlesticks with the whiteness of the lime-rendered walls – each intervention combines sensations of roughness and softness, of force and tremor.”

Steel cross inside Chappelle Saint-Michel de Brasparts chapel
The granite altar is topped with a simple hammered-steel cross

Nuit celtique de Huelgoat granite – quarried less than 15 kilometres away from the chapel – was cut into three pieces before being worked by local stone mason Christophe Chini to create an altarpiece, its horizontal base and a console table for candles and offerings.

Bethenod compares the dark stone, studded with shards of white, to “the starry night sky over the chapel, virtually devoid of light pollution”.

The metal elements – a simple cross and a group of three tall candle holders, all in hammered steel – were the result of another collaboration, this time between Bouroullec and Roscoff-based metalworker Mathieu Cabioch.

Some of the candles stand directly on the altar while the rest are integrated into the Brutalist console table, which consists of a long slab of granite, seemingly supported by several of the steel candle holders.

Steel candle holders inside chapel interior by Ronan Bouroullec
A mirrored glass disc is mounted centrally behind the altar

The final element in Bouroullec’s material trinity is glass, in the form of a large mirrored disc that hangs centrally behind the altar.

Made by glassmakers from the Venice area, with whom Bouroullec has worked for several years, the piece was designed to create a dialogue with the two stained-glass windows in the apse, which are the chapel’s only surviving decorative element.

“More than a mirror, more than an object, it is a light source without physical substance, as if a round hole had been made in the wall to reveal daylight, unpredictable and constantly changing,” said Bethenod.

Candle sticks inside Chappelle Saint-Michel de Brasparts chapel
Steel candleholders are also integrated into a wall-mounted console

Brittany is home to some of the world’s oldest standing architecture. Other projects making use of the region’s historic buildings include this conversion of a 17th-century barn into a printmaker’s studio.

The first new church to be built in Brittany in the 21st century was completed by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira in 2018, featuring a sculptural composition of intersecting concrete forms.

The photography is by Claire Lavabre courtesy of Studio Bouroullec.



Reference