In Place and public health: the impact of architecture on wellbeing, Karl Johnson writes about architecture’s ability to impact health and wellbeing; illustrating this fact through a story about the transformative effect architecture had on a tsunami torn village in Japan. “Architects play a critical role in shaping the qualities of our environment; they work in collaboration with end users and their needs and […]
Paul Dillinger, head of global product innovation at Levi Strauss & Co is challenging fashion industry standards and helping reimagine a new, sustainable design method and business model. In this video by the Aspen Institute, Dillinger tells his story about challenging industry standards, and his current work rewriting the rules for sustainability and design in fashion and at Levis. You […]
Maker: Info Design Lab Challenge: Fresh water is one of our most valuable and critical resources. We need to make sure there is enough for everyone on our planet, and we need to put solutions to work now if we want to avoid a water crisis. When it comes to improving our global consumption habits, most people don’t realize that […]
Maker: Jets Challenge: Increasing volumes of sewage worldwide that requires sanitation, coupled with traditional gravity water toilets which demand far too much of our precious energy and fresh water resources to function. Solution: The Jets Pearl vacuum toilet uses 90% less water than the conventional toilet—which comes out to less than 1 litre (1/4 gallon) of water per flush. This toilet, […]
Maker: PlayLab, Inc. Challenge: The water in New York City’s East River is too dirty and contaminated for the city’s 8 million plus people to swim in. Solution: A floating, plus-shaped community pool with a layered filtration system to remove bacteria and contaminants without the use of chemicals or additives. Results: This is a solution that helps ensure the […]
MAKER: BRIGHT CHALLENGE: According to BRIGHT, there are about “1,3 billion people living without access to electricity in Africa, Asia and South America.” A number which includes millions of refugees and displaced communities. SOLUTION: BRIGHT’s solar LED lamps, SunBell and SunTurtle, are designed to fulfill the universal human need for light. They feature rechargeable batteries that can […]
Quite a lot, actually. More than the creator of beautiful outdoor spaces, a landscape architect employs systems-thinking on a daily basis— designing spaces that maintain balance and harmony between the built and natural environments while at the same time fulfilling the myriad of objectives stipulated by their design briefs. An engaging botanical garden which restores an abandoned city lot, […]
MAKER: Columbia CHALLENGE: Conventional rain jackets repel water by incorporating synthetic compounds known as PFCs. PFCs have been used for decades as Durable Water Repellent (DWR) treatments on the surface of outdoor clothing, equipment and footwear… Due to the incredible strength of this bond, PFCs don’t break down readily in the environment. They have even been found […]
MAKER: Peeopoople CHALLENGE: Today, more than 2.6 billion people lack access to basic sanitation. At this moment, 40% of the world’s population lack access to even the simplest latrine. SOLUTION: Peepoo is a personal, single-use, self-sanitising, fully biodegradable toilet that prevents faeces from contaminating the immediate area as well as the surrounding ecosystem. After use, Peepoo […]
MAKER: Boyan Slat and the Ocean Cleanup Foundation CHALLENGE: Millions of tons of plastic are collecting in our oceans, resulting in damaged ecosystems and corrupted food chains. The Great Pacific garbage patch, located within the North Pacific Gyre, is estimated to be as much as 15,000,000 square kilometers in size. A traditional cleanup approach is estimated to take thousands of years to complete and […]