Exhibition
Why Design Now?: California Academy of SciencesWhy? Buildings in the United States produce the largest share of the worlds carbon-dioxide emissions. All aspects of the recently completed California Academy of Sciences, a natural-history museum, were designed for maximum environmental performance. The indigenous plantcovered, contoured roof design is a key component of the buildings overall ecological system, making it one of todays most sustainable buildings. California Academy of Sciences, environmental design, building, plant covered, contoured, roof, sustainable, Why Design Now, Exhibition |
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Why Design Now?: Norwegian National Opera and Ballet (Nytt Operahus 2003-2008)Time-lapse Why? The first purpose-built home of the Norwegian Opera and Ballet is both a bridge and anchor for the Oslo community. As part of the first phase of an extensive transformation of the waterfront, the Opera is a monumental gateway to the harbor. Its most distinctive feature is a white marble roof that serves as a public plaza on which visitors can experience the building without going inside. Time Lapse, Nytt Operahus, 2003-2008, Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, Why Design Now, Exhibition |
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Why Design Now?: The Story of StuffWhy? In the Story of Stuff video, environmental activist Annie Leonard explains how products affect human society and the natural world as they make their way through the cycle of material extraction, manufacturing, consumption, and disposal. Free Range Studios worked with Leonard to create a compact, punchy script around simple, active stories, and iconic characters. Story Of Stuff, Annie Leonard, environmentalist, cradle to grave, cycle, fun, Why Design Now, Exhibition |
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Why Design Now?: Next Billion Network: MocaWhy? Another billion people, mostly in the developing world, will acquire access to cell phones in the next three years, unleashing a revolution in communications. The Next Billion Network partners students and local organizations to create mobile technologies for this population, expanding opportunities for self-reliance. For example, Mobile Care enables cell phones to become medical diagnostic devices for health workers in remote areas, and Interactive Alerts use mobile phones to track childhood pneumonia in Pakistan. Moca, MIT Next Billion Network, mobile technologies, mobile care, diagnostic device, health, Why Design Now, Exhibition, interactive, alerts |
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Why Design Now?: MIT Next Billion NetworkWhy? Another billion people, mostly in the developing world, will acquire access to cell phones in the next three years, unleashing a revolution in communications. The Next Billion Network partners students and local organizations to create mobile technologies for this population, expanding opportunities for self-reliance. For example, Mobile Care enables cell phones to become medical diagnostic devices for health workers in remote areas, and Interactive Alerts use mobile phones to track childhood pneumonia in Pakistan. MIT Next Billion Network, mobile technologies, mobile care, diagnostic device, health, Why Design Now, Exhibition, interactive, alerts |
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Why Design Now?: Z-20 Concentrated Solar-Power SystemWhy? This solar technology is distinguished by its use of mirrors to capture light and focus it onto a small generator to produce electricity and thermal energy. The parabolic optical dish follows the sun from dawn until dusk, harnessing seventy percent of the solar energy that hits it, making it much more efficient than conventional flat photovoltaic panels. z-20 Concentrated Solar power System, mirror, parabolic optical dish, Why Design Now, Exhibition |
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Why Design Now?: Living with RobotsWhy? This device reduces the load and stress on the lower body, reducing fatigue and injuries and enabling a broader range of activities among the elderly as well as workers who spend extended periods of time on their feet, climbing or descending stairs, or maintaining semi-crouched positions. Weighing less than fifteen pounds, the device supports the wearers weight—when a user bends his or her legs, the assist force adjusts accordingly. Living with Robots, device, stress reduction, Why Design Now, Exhibition |
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Why Design Now?: Lin 94 ChairWhy? Flax is a light, natural fiber used to make linen cloth, but in the hands of François Azambourg, it transforms into high-performance, recyclable furniture. Lin 94 is a composite chair made from 94% renewable materials and an 80% plant-based epoxy resin. Lighter than glass fiber and similar in strength to carbon fiber, flax requires less energy to produce and is recyclable. Lin 94 Chair, francois azambourg, Flax, composite, Why Design Now, Exhibition |
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Why Design Now?: Eco-LaboratoryWhy? Vertical farming is a new approach to fresh-food distribution that provides urban centers with healthy food grown within the controlled environment of a multistory building. Eco-Laboratory successfully merges a neighborhood market, dwelling units, a vocational training facility, and a sustainability educational center for the public into a financially viable downtown residential development. Eco-Laboratory, vertical farm, urban, cities, environment, Why Design Now, Exhibition |
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Why Design Now?: FurumaiWhy? Water, the medium of life, has myriad manifestations. Furumai, meaning behavior or dance in Japanese, was an installation created for the Water exhibition at 21_21 Design Sight in Tokyo in 2007. The project consisted of paper plates treated selectively with an invisible water-repellent coating. As visitors interacted with the plates, beads of water danced about the surface, creating surprising visual effects. In one, drops gathered in a babys eye, while others formed abstract, three-dimensional patterns. Furumai, water, Japan, Tokyo, 21_21 Design Sight, interact, Why Design Now, Exhibition, interactive design, interaction |
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