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Posts Tagged ‘Inflatable’

Lightweight ‘Airbeams’ Frame Inflatable Geodesic Dome Tent

02 Jun

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

geodesic inflatable tent

Derived from crystal structure of diamonds and geodesic domes of Buckminster Fuller, these all-weather structures are astonishingly strong but incredibly light at the same time.

wedge cave maverick

inflatable tent poles design

Created by Heimplanet, the Maverick grew out of a previous iteration, The Cave, which was similarly structured, eschewing solid poles in favor of an impressive custom airbeam system.

inflatable tent design detail

Made to withstand winds of over 100 miles per hour, each section of the all-weather Maverick can be separated from the next chamber when deployed. As a result, the entire structure can be inflated at once but a failure in one segment does not cause the deflation of the whole.

inflatable tent interior

inflatable tent side tubes

inflatable tent door openin

More about the materials: “The airbeams are built with a resistant double-layer construction: an extra airtight TPU (thermoplastic urethane) bladder keeps the air inside for a long time. An outer jacket made of a high-tenacity polyester fabric ensures extra stability, protection and durability.”

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Blossoming Technology: World’s First Inflatable 3D Print

04 Feb

[ By Steph in Gadgets & Geekery & Technology. ]

Worlds First Inflatable 3D Print 1

3D printers are now making it possible to quickly and economically ‘print’ everything from haute couture to full-scale architecture, medical prostheses to cars. Now, the technology has advanced enough to blend two different materials in a single print to make them stronger and more functional. ‘Blossom,’ a project by designer Richard Clarkson, not only produced 3D-printed flowers made from two materials with properties ranging from flexible to rigid, he also made them inflatable.

RichardClarkson-Blossom

Believed to be the world’s first inflatable 3D print, Blossom is a series of flexible artificial flowers that can be inflated with air so they ‘bloom’ like real flowers. Completed in 2013 but just now released to the public, the project incorporates a rubbery black material called Tango Black for the petals and a clear, solid substance called Fullcure 720 for the center and stem.

World's First Inflatable 3D Print 3

While this project may not be as immediately practical as many other 3D printing demonstrations, it gives us an intriguing look at what might be possible in the future, pushing past limitations that have held innovation back in this field.

Worlds First Inflatable 3D Print 5

“As in nature, materials can be distributed seamlessly within objects for structural and functional advantage,” says Clarkson. “The variation offers an opportunity to generate complex forms and dynamic structures that are impossible to make by any other means.”

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Blow-Up Building: Inflatable Concert Hall Tours Japan

26 Sep

[ By Steph in Global & Travel & Places. ]

INflatable concert hall Japan 1

A giant purple bubble will rise from a pile of plastic to bring music, workshops and performance to Japan’s northeastern coast, which was devastated by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 2011. A collaboration between British sculptor Anish Kapoor and Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, the Ark Nova is the world’s first inflatable concert hall, and will tour the country for the Lucerne Festival Arknova 2013.

Inflatable Concert Hall Japan 2

Once fully inflated, the coated polyester structure measures nearly 60 feet in height and 115 feet in width. Its first stop is at a park in the town of Matsushima, which suffered serious damage to its many important cultural properties and artistic monuments, and lost thousands of residents.

Inflatable Concert Hall Japan 4

Wood from cedar trees that were damaged by the floods was used to create seating for 500 guests. The structure can easily be deflated, and will travel around the region to host events that organizers hope will help rebuild local culture and spirit.

Inflatable Concert Hall Japan 3

In addition to a range of modern concerts and performances, traditional Japanese culture such as kabuki theater will be celebrated. Children in the affected regions will also perform traditional arts and performances themed on the earthquake disaster.

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Suction Cup Mounts on Inflatable Badfish SUP ?

19 Mar

I am using suction cups on all my kayaks and canoes to mount cameras and GPS devices. Of course, you need a smooth surface to attach a suction cup. Rinsing the deck of your boat with water usually provides a stronger grip. But, what to do with decks which are not smooth like in the case of inflatable boats?

suction cup mount on inflatable SUP

I faced that problem during my first paddling this season on Beaver Pond with Badfish inflatable SUP (stand up paddleboard). Here is my quick and temporary solution: a lid of plastic box tacked under bungees and a handle in the front deck of my SUP. It provided just enough smooth surface to place my Garmin Forerunner GPS on sticky pod suction cup and GoPro Hero camera on its original suction cup mount. My suction cup dashboard worked pretty well for quiet water paddling.

As a more permanent setup, I would probably use more a solid plate (plexiglass?) with holes to tie it to available anchor points. Do you have any other suggestions or ideas?

Badfish SUP on Beaver Pond
Badfish SUP - March paddlingIt was rather cold and cloudy day …

Badfish SUPwhich ended up with some snow.

Galena wildfire smoke plumeTwo days later (March 15, 2013). Paddling Badfish SUP on Beaver Pond in Arapaho Bend Natural Area with a smoke plume from Galena wildfire behind me.

Related posts and links:
MCIT 11.6′ Inflatable SUP Badfish at Colorado Kayak Supply
Sticky Pod Camera Mounts
GoPro HD HERO3 camera (I am still using GoPro Hero 2)
10 Minute Double Suction Cup Camera Mount for a Kayak Deck
Kayak Video Camera Mast – Sticky Pod Combined with Monopod
A Simple Suction Cup Mount for Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS


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Design Miami Tent Covered with Inflatable Sausages

13 Dec

[ By Steph in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

Bundles of giant white inflatable sausages make a big visual impact on the exterior walls of the Design Miami tent at Art Basel. New York studio Skarnitecture covered the structure in vinyl tubes bundled together at varying heights for a result that’s highly unusual, to say the least.

The studio aimed to transform the tent using limited palette and a limited range of materials, mostly relying on the same vinyl that was already used to create the tent itself.

The tubes drip down into lounge areas just outside the tent like rounded man-made stalactites.

Inflatables give architects an opportunity for experimentation that can’t be replicated with permanent materials. See 17 more creatively amorphous inflatable structures including pavilions, additions, temporary balconies and even entire cities.


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Creative Urban Furniture: Convertible, Inflatable & Portable Homeless Shelters

Regardless of your view of street dwellers or opinion regarding the best solutions to these problems, suspend your judgment for a moment to take in these extremely cool designs!
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Bridge in Paris: Inflatable, Jumpable Urban Playground

20 Nov

[ By Steph in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

With space increasingly at a premium in cities around the world, bodies of water – and the structures that span them – are becoming host to all sorts of unexpected functions. This concept by Paris-based studio AZC spurns the idea of an ordinary bridge, creating an inflatable urban playground that infuses joy into the everyday routines of city inhabitants.

‘Bridge in Paris’ aims to bring urban dwellers back to “a state of primal happiness, of ancestral times when body and spirit were essentially free.” Rather than simply crossing a pedestrian bridge without thought, users take a few moments for uninhibited playtime.

Installed near the Bir-Hakeim Bridge on the River Seine in Paris, the bridge is made of three life raft-shaped inflatable modules with trampoline mesh stretched between each one. The concept is designed to be adaptable to other sites as well, including smaller rivers.

“Located in direct relationship to eiffel’s tower the installation becomes symbol of ephemeral architecture designed to provide a unique experience: a view of all of Paris,” says AZC.


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Green-Roofed Shelter is Urban Curbside Lounge for Paris

This ‘rest station’ for a busy Paris street offers chairs with desks and electrical outlets, a touch-screen information center, free wi-fi and a green roof.
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Creative Urban Furniture: Convertible, Inflatable & Portable Homeless Shelters

Regardless of your view of street dwellers or opinion regarding the best solutions to these problems, suspend your judgment for a moment to take in these extremely cool designs!
64 Comments – Click Here to Read More »»



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