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Posts Tagged ‘Modular’

Tetris House: Modular Structures are Made to be Stacked

18 Dec

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

tetris house 6

Modular living units in a range of sizes can be stacked, spun and cantilevered over each other to create unique custom dwellings with views in every direction. The Tetris House makes it possible for homeowners to design their homes to their own specifications, from the size of each room to the orientation of the windows, and enables developers to create apartment complexes that can be easily expanded or reduced in size.

tetris house 2

tetris house 3

tetris house 4

Dutch design studio Universe Architecture offers three basic sizes of steel units that can be enhanced with balconies, shutters, glazing and rooftop terraces. Plug three or more units together in pretty much any configuration you can think of, orient some of them to face the sun or your desired view, and stick on some pop-up decks with glass railings to take it all in.

tetris house 7

tetris house 8

tetris house 1

The company teamed up with interior design firm i29 to create minimalist, compact and efficient interiors that can adapt to all the different possibilities in each building’s individual floorpan, adding interior walls, staircases, fireplaces and other basic elements. The prototype will soon be completed in the Netherlands, with plans to expand availability to other countries in the future.

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Divisible Design: Modular House Anticipates Partial Demolition

14 Oct

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

modular house potential street

While nothing is set in stone as yet, the city of Tokyo has plans to build a road through this residential plot, forcing architects working on the site to craft an ingenious future-proof solution for potential partial destruction.

modular 3 piece house

modular demolition house japan

Faced with a long history of earthquakes, Japanese architecture has a long history of ephemerality, but this challenge is of a more controlled nature: an expanded street is slated to eventually slice at an angle through the property, hence a home designed to break into pieces.

modular home site plan

modular home road area

Japanese architects Starpilots call their creation Housecut, a direct reference to this core dilemma. The house-and-office they crafted for the site is composed of three structurally independent volumes, anticipating the possibility that one or two may be demolished.

modular home interior slice

modular home bathroom box

The family runs a funeral home, lives in the structure and wants to maintain a business and domestic presence in the remaining space should part of their live/work building be removed. While the warehouse, break room and other elements may go, their goal is to at least maintain a reception area for clients if the city does eventually proceed with its plans.

modular home deck area

modular home corner view

For now, two residential areas border a central entry and are lofted above the business below. Everything is designed with dual endgames in mind, at once spacious and open but able to be reconfigured to make maximum use in a scenario where much of the building vanishes.

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Super Pier: Green-Roofed Modular Cargo Container Mall for NYC

02 Oct

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

superpier interior design

A massive 14,000-square-foot green roof is the latest addition to a city-approved pier conversion plan, part of an overall scheme to convert Pier 57 in New York City into an extensive modular shipping container mall on the water.

pier 57 historic landmark

superpier renovation project

Developed by Youngwoo & Associates and designed by LOT-EK, famous for their extensive work with cargo containers, the SuperPier project will rent out retail space to stores in containers plugged into the larger existing structural framework.

pier 57 rooftop zone

Shade structures and seating are provided throughout to park area, allowing people to explore and rest along the length of the transformed open space. A series of plants organized to bloom in various seasons will add color year-round.

pier 57 section diagram

The project includes restaurants, an amphitheater and observation decks, all tucked into the currently-disused pier building.

superpier usage diagram

As an historic landmark, external modifications like the park above must be carefully hidden from view, ultimately informing the design of the finished shapes and spaces. The result is a combination of historical facades and fresh interior and rooftop strategies.

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

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Modular Camping: Flexible Pod Tents Connect & Subdivide

06 Sep

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Travel. ]

pod camping tent complex

Looking as much like a kind of outer space habitat system as a campground compound, an assembled complex of POD units can be arrayed in whatever pattern suits the available space and user needs.

The larger ‘Maxi’ sleeps up to 8 people while the smaller ‘Mini’ sleeps 4. Each type can be joined using POD connectors and modified via additional accessories, including an ‘inner sleeping cell’ that divides space within a given unit, separating kids from adults, or at least: sleeping zones from play spaces.

pod interior view

pod sleeping cells designs

Part of the promise of the system is the ability to weather bad days almost entirely within a closed complex, separating space for sleeping from areas for socialization and storage. Connective tunnels can be closed off to provide privacy or opened for mutual access. These features could also come in handy at festivals and gatherings where some seclusion might be desirable from time to time.

pod exterior view

pod sleeping cell unit

Weatherproof and durable, a compound composed of these modules is as much a temporary tiny home as a camping tent. With dollar prices in the high three figures, these may not be the most affordable solution, but the creators of POD are more interested in quality than cost savings.

pod complex illustration diagram

Meanwhile, a new and improved version is also on its way: “The all new POD Elite range will go even further to create a social camping experience with interconnecting tents. Totally innovative and stylish, further improvements have been made to the Elite range including enhanced UV protection and a lighter weight, more durable design. Functionality and fun unite in this bespoke camping product.”

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Travel. ]

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Hive Habitats: Modular Floating Survival Shelters Band Together

04 Sep

[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

survival pod swarm hive

Providing secure enclosures and other critical safety features in the face of tsunamis, floods and accidents at sea, this system of survival pods adds another critical dimension as well: connectivity. The award-winning Duckweed Survival House units come with variable-length tethers and are individually designed to stay upright and keep their occupants sheltered in the harshest conditions.

duckweed pod

Much like the series of independent-but-connectable space habitats proposed in Neal Stephenson’s Seveneves, each individual unit is self-supporting but also benefits by networking with the rest. The rounded-square shape helps allow the different units to be organized in grids, lines or otherwise without sharp corners that could damage adjacent units.

pod survival unit

Together, they provide increased stability, visibility, wave and wind resistance, but the units can be separated as well to avoid obstacles or for situations-specific emergency needs, like jettisoning a defective pod. As in the aforementioned work of science fiction, the idea is to maximize the odds for all survivors by creating options for configuration and collaboration.

survival pod module

A stem projecting beneath each unit stabilizes the crafts while a built-in, reverse osmosis filter turns salty water potable. Pressurized carbon dioxide gas provides quick inflatability while an operable overhead vent allows in fresh air. Bright markers aid in night rescue while also helping people in disparate pods spot one another more easily on the ocean waves.

[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

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Skate Park To Go: Duo Designs Mobile Modular Setup

20 Aug

[ By Steph in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

Screen Shot 2015-08-19 at 4.55.27 PM

Skateboarding isn’t classified as a real sport in the Netherlands, but one duo decided to take the resulting lack of decent official skate parks into their own hands with a guerrilla solution. Now, legally or not, virtually any public space can become a skate park thanks to a series of modular DIY components by Martijn Hartwig and Dario Goldbach.

Screen Shot 2015-08-19 at 4.55.09 PM

The JIRAJIRA project is the duo’s final work as graphic design graduates at Willem de Kooning Academy, and consists of nine hand-painted ramps, quarter pipes and benches that can be loaded onto rolling platforms and transported to any location within Rotterdam. Dutch artists Leon Karen and Vincent Blok were commissioned to decorate each element, turning the collective park into a sort of portable gallery.

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Keeping the whole setup mobile is ideal, since the cops are likely to come along and tell you to get lost. The modular parts are designed to work in conjunction with objects typically found in parks and city squares, like trash cans and benches. Since skaters are going to make use of any surfaces they can find anyway, possibly including some of the city’s temptingly curvy war monuments, it’s a decent compromise with the authorities.

skate park 3 skate park 2

Rotterdam’s only skate park, a metallic monstrosity known as the Westblaak, closed down after being deemed unsafe. In a profile on the city’s scene, skateboarding magazine Kingpin says that since nearly the entire city was destroyed during World War II, most of the streets are smooth and there’s plenty of eminently skateable new construction. “The only downside would be that The Netherlands is pretty much flat, so not too many stairs and or rails,” they note, so clearly the JIRAJIRA project is filling an underserved niche.

[ By Steph in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

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Modular, open-source Focal Camera lets you design your own SLR

18 Aug

Focal Camera is an open source project designed to teach participants about the inner workings of a camera. With access to a laser cutter, a supply of 3mm plywood and the directions provided, you can be well on your way to creating a camera of your own. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Modular Record: 3D-Printed Chinese Villa Assembled in 3 Hours

29 Jul

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

3d printed home fast

In this latest attempt at one-upmanship in the realm of rapid construction, a company in China has built a two-story villa from six modules, putting the 3D-printed pieces together on site with conventional equipment in under three hours.

3d printed villa design

In a country already boasting the world’s first 3D-printed apartment complex and 10 3D-printed houses assembled in a single day from scrap materials, this latest contender is located in the historical city of Xi’an. A product of the ZhuoDa group, the building boasts robust earthquake-proof construction and impressive affordability thanks in part to cost savings associated with the methods employed (around $ 40-50 per square foot). 90% of the construction is completed off-site, the components then shipped by truck to their destination.

3d printed home interior

Part of the strength of the structure is tied to its modular construction – each of the 6 constituent architectural subunits is structurally independent, able to survive stress and shifts relative to the whole.

3d printed house assembly

The core material used in the 3D-printing process has been kept secret, but the company has indicated this new custom composite is sourced from industrial and agricultural waste, is fireproof and waterproof, and is free from harmful substances such as formaldehyde, ammonia, and radon.

3d home rapid build

On the day of the build, the living room was put together, then the bedroom, kitchen and bathroom, all on the first floor. Next, the terrace, bedroom and utility rooms on the second floor were assembled. The result is a rapid construction process that reduces air and noise pollution for neighbors.

3d printed speed house

A prefabrication time of just 10 days for the core modules also compares favorably with typical on-site construction times ranging up to 6 months for a structure of comparable size, quality and durability (the estimated lifespan of the structures is 150 years). Variable finished looks will allow homebuyers to customize their individual houses, selecting mixtures for surfaces that simulate the textures and appearance of exotic and expensive materials including jade, wood, granite or marble.

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Road Blocks: LEGO-Like Modular Roads & Paths Snap Into Place

21 Jul

[ By Steph in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

road blocks lego 1

New roads could be quickly and easily slotted into place, piece by piece, with a new Lego-like modular plastic system that makes the building process feel more like playtime. Prototypes of the PlasticRoad concept will soon be tested in a collaboration with the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, potentially replacing asphalt and tar with a strong, corrosion-resistant recycled aggregate made of plastic waste removed from the oceans.

road blocks lego 2

According to manufacturer VolkerWessels, these modular components can withstand temperatures between -40 and 176 degrees Fahrenheit and other harsh weather conditions, and are ideal for roads built upon structurally unsound ground like sand. It’s unclear whether they would shift around on surfaces like that over time, however, or how cars would handle on their surfaces when it’s rainy, snowy or icy.

road blocks lego 3

They’re hollow, so cables and utility pipelines can be installed under the surface, protected from the elements and easy to maintain. Quick installation means far briefer periods of disrupted traffic during construction, and the prefabricated panels can simply be transported to the sight and lowered into place. If they pass the tests, the PlasticRoad project could see its first real-life installation in Rotterdam within three years.

smart highways

The concept is reminiscent of other asphalt alternatives that have been proposed over the years, like ‘smart highways’ covered with dynamic paint providing useful information to drivers (pictured above) and heated, LED-light-embedded solar roadways. The latter concept has been dismissed by many critics as unrealistic, considering the vast expense involved in manufacturing and maintaining them and the likelihood that they would draw power from the grid anytime it’s not sunny.

[ By Steph in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

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Floatel: Modular Floating Hotel Rooms Provide Portable Privacy

20 Jul

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Travel. ]

floating hotel main structure

Combining centralized shared spaces like a conventional hotel and the mobility of a catamaran, this award-winning hybrid combines elements of community and seclusion on the water.

floating hotel design

Each individual unit comes with a standard living room, kitchen, bathroom and sleeping loft as well as deck space and a driving area for taking your space around a lake or sea. Meanwhile, the lobby structure bridges the gap between land and water and provides reception, restaurant, event and cafe spaces. Design themes also create a connection between the modules and the whole, including wood slats and white surfaces.

floating hotel room interior

floating hotel living deck

The rear-facing deck provides space for sunbathing and fishing, while also framing uninterrupted views of nature. Side and front windows can be closed off for privacy, or opened when venturing out on the open water with no nosy neighbors around to sneak peaks inside.

floating hotel open water

Designed by Salt & Water, the approach won a 2015 Millennium Yacht Design Awards for innovatively integrating architectural and nautical systems to create a unique experience for guests. Like the Botel, this remains a conceptual design for now, but clearly something is in the water since firms keep coming back to this novel combination of ideas.

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Posts Tagged ‘Modular’

Tetris House: Modular Structures are Made to be Stacked

Divisible Design: Modular House Anticipates Partial Demolition

Super Pier: Green-Roofed Modular Cargo Container Mall for NYC

Modular Camping: Flexible Pod Tents Connect & Subdivide

Hive Habitats: Modular Floating Survival Shelters Band Together

Skate Park To Go: Duo Designs Mobile Modular Setup

Modular, open-source Focal Camera lets you design your own SLR

Modular Record: 3D-Printed Chinese Villa Assembled in 3 Hours

Road Blocks: LEGO-Like Modular Roads & Paths Snap Into Place

Floatel: Modular Floating Hotel Rooms Provide Portable Privacy

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