Spotted: Agriculture and related land use represents around 17 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, global demand for protein is set to rise significantly by 2050, along with the growing population. Meeting this will require innovative approaches to efficiently scale protein production. One such approach is that developed by startup Arborea, which grows microalgae and phytoplankton on solar panel-like structures.
Arborea designed the panels to be placed on buildings, where they absorb CO2 and produce oxygen. The company claims that they do this at a rate equivalent to 100 trees from the surface area of just a single tree. At the same time, the organic biomass produced by the organisms can be harvested and used as additives for plant-based food products.
The company’s Biosolar Leaf technology mimics the function of a real leaf, using CO2 and sunlight as feedstock. But unlike real leaves, the system is able to self-regulate and indefinitely maintain ideal growth conditions with minimal energy inputs – and it doesn’t require fertile land or agricultural feedstocks.
Arborea was spun out of Imperial College London, with grant funding and support from Imperial’s SynbCITE, a synthetic biology and engineering biology industrial accelerator.
Improving food production while reducing carbon emissions is the subject of a number of recent innovations spotted by Springwise. These include an in-house mycelium production system for producing food additives and using acorns as a protein source.
In this lookbook, Dezeen has selected eight bedrooms that feature shades of green, yellow, orange, red and brown to create cosy environments with an autumnal feel.
As the northern hemisphere settles into the autumn season and the days get colder, this roundup showcases examples of how to create serene and restful bedrooms by using colours similar to the changing hues of leaves.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring airy loft conversions, kitchen islands with waterfall countertops and art-filled living rooms.
Photo by David Zarzoso
La Casa de los Olivos, Spain, by Balzar Arquitectos
Spanish studio Balzar Arquitectos designed a copper-toned home in rural Valencia with an interior colour palette informed by the colours of the surrounding landscape.
Taking cues from the leaves of the surrounding olive trees, green cupboard doors feature in the bedrooms and kitchen, while terracotta-toned flooring throughout the home mimics the colour of the reddish soil.
Find out more about La Casa de los Olivos ›
Photo by Mariell Lind Hansen
Zero House, UK, by Ben Garrett and Rae Morris
Informed by the mid-century period this London home was built in, recording artists Ben Garrett and Rae Morris renovated Zero House with a warm-toned material palette.
Timber ceilings were stained a dark red hue, while the walls were stained a lighter yellow tone.
A rusty red carpet covers the floor in the main bedroom, complementing the orange velvet upholstery on the dark wood bed frame.
Find out more about Zero House ›
Photo by Derek Swalwell
Somers House, Australia, by Kennedy Nolan
Australian studio Kennedy Nolan finished the interior of Somer House in Victoria with shades of dark down and pops of red, mirroring the dark timber cladding and red-hued render used on the exterior.
A range of textures in the tactile flooring, curtains and wood-lined walls create variation in this deep-brown bedroom, which is accented by red bedding.
Find out more about Somers House ›
Photo by Giulio Ghirardi
Canal Saint-Martin apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente
A palette of warm neutrals was chosen to enhance the classical heritage of this 19th-century Parisian apartment, which French interior designer Rodolphe Parente renovated in a contemporary style.
Caramel-coloured walls and a leafy green throw in the bedroom create a warm and inviting environment, which is juxtaposed by a vivid purple rug and lavender-hued bed sheets.
Find out more about the Canal Saint-Martin apartment ›
Photo by Fabian Martinez
Colonia Condesa house, Mexico, by Chloé Mason Gray
Local interiors studio Chloé Mason Gray renovated a mid-20th century house in Mexico City, embracing the lack of natural light in the home by flooding the walls with deep shades of brown and green.
The bedroom has a moody atmosphere, with brown textured plasterwork walls accompanied by a leather headboard and green linen bedding and curtains.
Find out more about the Colonia Condesa house ›
Photo by MCA Estúdio
Hygge Studio, Brazil, by Melina Romano
Named after the Danish word describing a sense of cosiness and contentment, Hygge Studio is a São Paulo apartment designed by Brazilian designer Melina Romano.
Creamy brick walls, terracotta flooring and warm-toned accents feature throughout the home, including in the oversized upholstered headboard in the bedroom.
Romano also added nature-inspired elements to the bedroom in keeping with the cosy, bucolic feel of the home, including branches speckled with lichen and insect-shaped wall art.
Find out more about Hygge Studio ›
Photo by Purnesh Dev
Hybrid House, India, by Sketch Design Studio
Architecture firm Sketch Design Studio used vernacular building techniques from both north and south India to create the three-bedroom Hybrid House.
The house was made from pink-toned rammed-earth walls, which were partly covered with lime plaster in the interior, and terracotta floors feature a kolam inlay created using rice flour.
Find out more about Hybrid House ›
Photo by Fabian Martinez
Casa Tres Árboles, Mexico, by Direccion
Varying shades of brown define the interior of Casa Tres Árboles, a holiday home in Valle de Bravo designed by Mexican studio Direccion to be a “monastic sanctuary”.
Darker, cool-toned shades were used for the bedrooms to create a tranquil atmosphere and counterpoint to the warmer tones in the exposed timber ceiling beams.
Find out more about Casa Tres Árboles ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring airy loft conversions, kitchen islands with waterfall countertops and art-filled living rooms.
Spotted: The global e-commerce packaging market is expected to reach a total market value of almost $100 billion (around €92 billion) by 2027, a huge increase from the 2020 value of $35 billion (around €32 billion). Many retailers recognise the high environmental costs such a volume of packaging incurs and are actively seeking recyclable, reusable, and compostable alternatives.
Paper is often considered a better option than plastic, yet some innovators are seeking ways to avoid deforestation by finding alternative sources of cellulose. One of the most successful so far is Valentyn Frechka and his company, Releaf. As a young student in Ukraine, Frechka spent years studying cellulose to find an alternative way of making paper. After testing fallen leaves, he began working on the technology that is now the base for Releaf, an international distributor of paper and paper packaging.
Releaf paper is made exclusively from collected biowaste and recycled fibre. The new manufacturing process uses 15 times less water than traditional paper production and reduces carbon emissions by 78 per cent. Much of the feedstock for the company’s products comes from urban street cleaning teams.
After collection, the leaves are cleaned, dried, and then turned into granules for long-term storage. The granules are stable, allowing the company to keep raw materials on hand for steady production cycles. Releaf produces paper ranging in weight from 70 to 300 grammes per square metre, along with a range of wrapping papers, bags, and e-commerce envelopes. Not only does the Releaf process relieve pressure on the world’s forests – it also helps city governments sustainably dispose of biowaste that would otherwise clog street drains and sewage pipes.
Other paper innovations Springwise has spotted recently include a single-use paper cup with integrated lid and a recyclable paper-based alternative to plastic bubble wrap.
