Text from Rafael :

Problem
To develop a plant system, for a circular house, based on the silver generation theme, that would bring a comfortable time for the couple together during cooking, with a healthy life concept behind.

Concept
A product that can help them at the kitchen, integrate the environment (kitchen at the middle of the circular house), providing a healthy life style with organic foods, making the cooking moment easy, simple and fun. A hydroponic indoor system witch the aim is to rescue the pleasure of growing and prepare our own food without working hard or spend so much time, exploring the shape of the DNA molecule, the grow of a new life. The product is made simple, two vertical metal tubes where the germinated seeds of the plants are placed into some small holes around the tubes. A net hold it till it starts to grow.There also a light system, with a mobile light focus that can be programed along the path where it moves, providing the right time of light for certain plant. The hydroponic process is based on the NFT hydroponic system, a active process where a solution with nutrients its bombed from a deposit to the culture channel. Part of the root of the plant its getting a constant water flux, while the other part is in direct contact with the humid air.

Justification
Sören and his wife have not so much time together, so when they are able to have a meal at home, his wife likes to prepare it herself, with calm and love. This rare moments that the couple have together are the main point that this project explores.

Materials and Fabrication Process
3 Metal tubes; 2 running from top to bottom of the kitchen, 1 that works like a path for the light. The tubes have a shape conformation, till it reaches the shape of the DNA. They have small connexions outside the house that makes the water flux works in a cycle, with a bomb to provide this. A small programed engine makes the movement of the light along the third tube, right on the middle of the structure.

This project was based on a briefing of the International Design Award (IDA2009).

Designer : Rafael Fernando and Débora Nogueira

Randall words about Triclo:

Triclo is a conceptual design of what a tricycle can be in a urban environment. It uses an organic forms and contemporary trend. Balance in visual volume and mass. Using arrays and knots was the basis for the formal development and geometric design.

The concept was: low material vs. high volume

The design is targeted for a younger market but can be used by adults too. The idea was to create a tricycle with a diferent look to capture the attention of people and thus encourage exercise. At the same time the concept of design is important to not use much material in the product and reduce costs.

A tricycle is more than a bicycle but less than a motorbike, but this tricycle has almost a cab, this protects of the sun and rain to the user. Therefore, that is its advantage over a motorcycle that somehow is to approach a car. Maybe this way, providing superior comfort offered by a bicycle or even a conventional tricycle, is a way for people interested in using the product and increasing exercise in the population. The design is targeted for a younger market but can be used by adults too.

The materials were designed to be recycled once they finish their service life. There are variety of colors to suit all tastes.

Dimensions:
1800 x 1500 x 1100 mm.

Maximum capacity:
180 Kg.

Designer : Randall Marin

The riding position of this eco friendly vehicle can be adjusted as per the rider’s requirement and one fast movement can turn the vehicle into a trolley from a motorized trike that you can drag or store anywhere. The rear wheel houses an eco electric motor that charges the battery as the front wheel turns and harness energy that is lost in breaking to charge the battery. A luggage compartment is located in between the battery and the motor where you can store your necessary stuff. It comprises a strong, lightweight and eco friendly polycarbonate structure that can be recycled several timers over using low energy.

Designer : Nick Fisher

Just because of the efficient functionality of this product line, it has received various positive feedbacks from many important personnel. The starting point of designing this useful product collection was the simple and rounded bollard. Different functions were adjoined by making various incisions and the main outline was converted into a wide-ranging and versatile range of products. In order to get the most from the product line, placing and organizing them accordingly is very much important. Implementing these artifacts will surely bring a significant difference in the appearance of our current city life which will be able to change the entire lifestyle of the urban city people.

Designer : Norway Says via HomeDosh

Text from David:
Transportation is a key factor in our urban environments and most of our cities are now developed to match the scale and needs of cars, and car users. This reality raises issues regarding sustainability and environment, energy consumption and quality of life.

So, “How can public and personal transports be redefined in a sustainable way, delivering a sense of personal space and independence to its users?” This was the title of my Master of Science in Design and Transport Thesis, concluded in Coventry University, UK, with Distinction, in September 2008.

In other words, the aim of this project was to develop guidelines and a holistic solution for a new system of urban transport, composed of vehicle and infrastructure, in a sustainable way and adaptable to various urban environments.

To develop the project I needed information about: user’s behaviors and explanations for them; main trends; analysis of existing solutions and identification of their problems; definition of applicable technologies in a sustainable manner in a near future. This information was gathered through an online questionnaire, statistical data from several sources, literary research, internet articles, pictures, video and expert interviews and then compiled in my final report.

Preliminary research indicated that several attempts to tackle the issue of mass transportation are being tested and implemented throughout the biggest cities on Earth. Several solutions exist already, but people always seem to give preference to a personal vehicle of some kind to move, commute or make quick trips. Only when there is no other choice, people seem to engage in public transportation. Personal transport is the preferred mode of use and this is a trend that keeps increasing.

The conclusion of the thesis report was composed of guidelines and design specifications that served as basis for the development of a new type of transportation that is truly sustainable and that meets people’s requirements. This generic solution was exemplified through a typical design project that will act as future reference and that goes by the name of “SCARAB”.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
VEHICLE:
- The vehicle allows users to have freedom of use much like a motorcycle but with the convenience of having an enclosed private space and luggage compartments.
- The vehicle can be operated in several different positions depending on speed. It is parked vertically for easy ingress and egress and optimization of public space. When in speed position, the vehicle also tilts when curving or changing direction.
- When circulating in dedicated pathways, the SCARAB is controlled by a centralized computer or by a traffic management centre. Outside of the dedicated pathways the SCARAB is controlled by the user just like any other vehicle.

VEHICLE SPECS:
-The vehicle is composed of interchangeable modules that can be customized by the potential buyer/user.
-Powerpack module composed of a permanent battery plus 3 options for the main energy pack (battery, biofuel ICE or a fuel cell).
-4 wheel drive through electric brushless in-wheel motors with directdrive.
-Wheels with regenerative braking through EW Brakes.
-Drive by wire and tactile HUD embedded in the Lexan canopy.
-Structural elements in Carbon-Aramid composite.
-Embedded sensors, Lidar, radar, transponders, GPS. These serve to exchange information with the system, with other drivers and to have precise location data.

INFRASTRUCTURE:
-Communication nodes spread through roadways and traffic management centres in major conurbations.
-Dedicated paths with electromagnetic transponders embedded in the road.
-Parking facilities with solar/wind power generators.
-High speed/long distance travel provided through a railroad interface (not yet developed).

SYSTEM:
-Renting of the vehicle or modules that allows for a private/public/mixed utilization and transport access for people with less financial resources.
-Doesn’t need new infrastructures (uses the existing roads).
-Is backward compatible with current transport systems and uses current day technologies.

Designer : David Miguel Moreira Gonçalves

Designer : Christopher Lavelanet

Designer words :

“Failing to manage laundry and piles of dirty clothes is one of the many daily chores that are left unattended by so many busy people, whose jobs doesn’t leave them with time to take care of them. Whether you have a washing machine in your home or go to the corner laundromat, doing wash is a royal pain. Especially for the i-generation, who had whole hours pass in the blink of an eye, sometimes whole days get eaten up in some black hole and so household chores pile up. With a view to offer a little help, I have designed iBasket – a revolutionary washing machine that could really make life easier.

The i-generation are too busy working for their dreams. What if the whole laundry thing could be forgotten and both time and attention are saved for dream work?

The idea is to use this as a hamper, throwing your dirty clothes in as they accumulate. The iBasket then senses when the load is full and initiates the wash and dry cycle. Since it is Wi-Fi-enabled, you can control and monitor (if you’d like to do so) the concept washing machine via your PC or mobile device. Once the the cycle is complete, iBasket will alert you and send a message to your PC or mobile”

Designer : Guopeng Liang

Press Release :
The MINI brand is continuing its overwhelming story of success – now taking a new approach with the MINI Crossover Concept.

This Design Study offers a fascinating outlook at a new facet of the brand powerfully expressed by a truly innovative body concept – the fourth body variant, to be precise, following the classic two-door, the MINI Convertible, and the MINI Clubman.

The MINI Crossover Concept is a new model variant for the first time measuring more than four metres in length, with four drive wheels, four doors and four single seats. These features alone place the new car right in the line of vision of new target groups seeking to combine the individual style of the brand with enhanced versatility within the interior and innovative functionality throughout.

A universal, multifunction fastening rail, the MINI Center Rail, extending between the seats on the centre console of the MINI Crossover Concept, offers not only offers unconventional storage options, but also provides a consistent link between the front row of seats and the rear.

A further highlight within the MINI interior is the innovative central instrument in three-dimensional finish, the MINI Centre Globe.

This combined control and display unit formed as a globe featured for the first time in an automobile worldwide sets new standards for the integrated control of entertainment, communication, navigation, and vehicle functions.

The MINI Crossover reflects not only the potential of the MINI model family in growing further and further to new dimensions, but also the innovative power of MINI’s designers. In this case, the outlook at an additional MINI concept is enriched by a wide range of visions expressing a unique driving experience and way of life only a MINI is able to evoke.

All innovations presented in the MINI Crossover Concept are conceived to expand that characteristic MINI feeling by yet another new dimension.

The innovative character of the new car comprises its body design as well as the drivetrain, the interior and the control concept. Indeed, offering options and versatility of this kind, the MINI Crossover Concept opens up new dimensions in mobility also beyond urban life.

All-wheel drive – the foundation for a new MINI feeling. A new MINI offers more – and does so in unique style every time.

The MINI Crossover Concept clearly expresses this principle, its all-wheel drive serving to give the new model an even wider range of practical use in new areas and a new experience on routes already driven. But in doing so the MINI Crossover Concept is not limited to the usual status of a conventional all-wheeler. Rather, to offer its additional mobility potential even more consistently, the Concept Car comes with numerous design features making it an all-round talent for a unique experience in everyday life, for enjoying leisure time to the utmost, for adventure travels of all kinds and for travel planning. Hence, the MINI Crossover Concept looks at new objectives and, at the same time, new target groups.

Four metres in length – more calibre, more options.

As a consistent enhancement of the MINI model family, the MINI Crossover Concept offers new calibre and new format in every respect. This is the first MINI to measure more than four metres in length. And measuring 1,830 millimetres/72.0″ in width as well as 1,598 millimetres/62.9″ in height, the MINI Crossover Concept goes beyond the existing production models from MINI also in this respect. Wheelbase, finally, is 2,606 millimetres/102.6″, again ensuring an even more powerful stance on the road.

These exterior dimensions of the Concept Car are a clear symbol of the quest for additional options in driving the car and in the new, enhanced driving experience.

The MINI Crossover Concept offers extra space and mobility at the rear as well as a capacity to transport never seen before in a MINI. Added to all this, there is enhanced flexibility in splitting up the interior space, catering for all individual wishes and demands.

Combining its unique design with outstanding agility by no means restricted to the beaten track alone, the MINI Crossover Concept holds a unique position within the MINI segment. At the same time it clearly stands out as a member of the MINI model family through the appropriate re-interpretation of design elements typical of the brand. The MINI Crossover Concept thus symbolises the breakthrough into a new category of vehicles, broadening the appeal of the brand to an even larger target group.

Four doors – new diversity through asymmetric arrangement.

With two doors on each side of the car, the MINI Crossover Concept offers particularly comfortable access to the rear. Here again, therefore, the new model enhances the options and qualities offered so far by the existing body concepts of the MINI.

But even this is not all: The MINI Crossover Concept is not a four-door in the classic sense, as is clearly expressed by the asymmetric arrangement of the doors in the Design Study. A conventional arrangement of doors is to be found only on the front passenger’s side, while on the driver’s side the MINI Crossover Concept comes with a conventional door for the first row of seats plus a lift/sliding door moving along the outside for convenient access to the rear and for loading the car from the side. And by dropping the B-pillar on the driver’s side, the MINI Crossover Concept exhausts the potential of this generous opening to an even higher degree. Frameless side windows, finally, are yet another feature of this truly exceptional four-door.

The rear door swivelling to one side, together with its frameless and retractable rear window, likewise offers an even higher standard of practical use and most convenient loading conditions. Thanks to the large opening and the low loading sill, sports equipment and other, even bulkier objects can be loaded conveniently into the luggage space offering even larger capacity when required by lowering the individually folding rear seats completely into the floor of the car with the help of a parallelogram kinematic mechanism.

Storage capacities may then be increased even further by a transport case fitted outside on the rear door. And last but certainly not least, the roof rail system available on the MINI Crossover Concept is simply ideal for fitting ski, snowboard and bicycle carriers as well as transport boxes of all sizes.

The roof structure of the MINI Crossover Concept offers further options in enhancing everyday driving qualities and leisure-time enjoyment. As a folding roof cover extending throughout the entire length of the roof, the roof structure may be opened both from the front and from the rear, letting either fresh air or warm sunshine into the car – or both, depending on the driver’s and passengers’ wishes.

The opening at the rear also serves to accommodate extremely long objects transported in the car, ranging from a surfboard all the way to cross-country skis. So even in this case, transporting anything the driver wishes to take along is easy and convenient.

Four single seats – for maximum comfort inside the MINI.

The MINI Crossover Concept stands out not only as an unconventional, but rather as a truly exceptional four-seater. The single seats at the rear, to mention perhaps the most significant highlight, come in the same contours as the driver’s and front passenger’s seats and are adjustable by 13 centimetres or 5.1″ fore-and-aft. So depending on individual requirements, the rear seats offer either lounge-like legroom or additional storage capacity in the rear compartment.

The MINI Center Globe – a new vision of the central instrument of the future.

Featuring their round Central Display right in the middle of the dashboard, the current MINIs already boast an interior design feature quite unique and unmistakable in its look. Indeed, this multi-function display serves to conveniently control all major entertainment, telecommunication and navigation functions, providing the speedometer function around its outer circumference.

Now the MINI Crossover Concept introduces the consistent enhancement of this display and control concept: the MINI Center Globe. For the first time, therefore, the central display and control unit is designed in this Concept Study as a globe. This three-dimensional layout allows even more consistent integration of functions and the appropriate presentation of information and entertainment options. In addition to the vertical and horizontal display features currently available, the new instrument adds a further, three-dimensional element with displays stratified on various levels and highlighted to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the driver’s and front passenger’s requirements. The current speed of the car, finally, is shown as before in typical MINI style on the display round the edge.

To clearly, flexibly and legibly present all information at all times, the MINI Center Globe comes with ultra-modern laser projection technology. With its unique optical features, the laser projector allows simultaneous presentation of pictures on various levels, with a varying focus and in powerful colours.

Benefiting from this technology never seen before in an automobile worldwide, the MINI Crossover Concept is also able to optically separate the MINI Centre Globe into two hemispheres. These adjustable, moving hemispheres then enable the driver and front passenger to present and view different pictures recognisable only from their individual perspective. In other words, the front passenger may for example surf the net while the driver maintains his free view of all displays and instruments.

To provide this special effect, the hemisphere facing the front passenger closes down from the other side and acts as a projection surface presenting the pictures required.

The MINI Centere Globe presented in this Design Study already shows today what options are conceivable in terms of navigation, communication and entertainment in the car of the future, using innovative technologies of this outstanding calibre.

The driver and/or front passenger operate the MINI Centre Globe by a touch-sensitive surface, a trackball on the steering wheel, buttons and slide controls in the lower section of the MINI Centre Globe, and a keyboard on the front passenger’s side extending at the touch of a button from the dashboard.

Such versatile and flexible use of the MINI Center Globe gives this new control unit the character of an innovative travel companion adjusting at all times to the individual wishes of the driver and front passenger and helping them enjoy mobility in a new dimension wherever they go.

The MINI Centre Globe is additionally linked to the starter system for the engine. Instead of a conventional key, the driver uses a start/stop unit referred to as the Keyball.

To start the car, all the driver has to do is insert the Keyball on the MINI Crossover into the appropriate opening in the upper edge of the MINI Centre Globe. The Keyball then rolling towards the driver along the middle of the MINI Centre Globe. In this position the driver is able to press the Keyball in order to start the engine. Pressing the Keyball again, in turn, he switches off the engine and the Keyball rolls down into its housing bay from where the driver can conveniently remove the ball.

The MINI Centre Rail – a perfect connection bringing the MINI team front and rear together.

Instead of a conventional centre consol, the MINI Crossover Concept comes with a fastening rail referred to as the MINI Centre Rail and extending from the dashboard all the way to the tailgate of the car. This is indeed the connecting unit between the front and the rear seats.

Holders for entertainment and telecommunication devices, cupholders, storage units and boxes may be conveniently attached to this rail and subsequently pushed forward or backward along the entire length of the car.

A special fastening system developed specifically for MINI serves to attach individual items to the Centre Rail, for example an external music player and other devices, storage boxes and holders for sunglasses, gloves, tickets for parking, coins, writing utensils or a travel guide, as well as all other kinds of holders and supports.

An armrest with an integrated storage box, to mention another example, may be attached both at the front and at the rear.

The Centre Rail also facilitates the common use of storage boxes and devices and makes it much easier to pass on food and drinks to the rear-seat passengers while driving.

In the MINI Crossover Concept this pleasure of enjoying all the benefits of motoring together is symbolised by a special collection of dishes and cups made of unique porcelain created specifically for the new Concept Car.

Four sophisticated materials for a truly exclusive ambience.

Such use of top-quality porcelain highlights the exclusive lifestyle character borne out in the MINI Crossover Concept also in conjunction with three further, particularly exclusive materials in the interior: Around the instrument panel genuine wood trim extends across the entire width of the car. The armrests on the doors and the inlays in the footwells, in turn, are made of massive lime wood. Inlays made of specially hardened, lagoon-blue glass, in turn, highlight the door linings as well as the surrounds on the air vents.

Like the door closing handles on the front passenger’s side, the MINI Centre Rail is made of massive, matt-polished aluminium. Looking at the appropriate colours for the interior, in turn, the designers opted for natural, authentic shades, the Dark Green leather on the driver’s seat standing out clearly from the Coffee Brown leather on the other seats. The remaining cloth surfaces are finished in Light Grey and Light Brown, with a soft rubber cover adorned by wood inlays in the footwells.

The motor automatically disengages from the pedals when desired so as to preserve battery life. Construction begins with a 12’ foot straight piece of 3⁄8-gauge, aircraft aluminum 6061 alloy that is roll-formed and annealed for uniform wall thickness into a complete 6′ diameter circular tube with a 4″ exterior diameter (the NiMH batteries reside within the tube from the front fork to the seat), which is then bisected to make a 6′ long arc for the bicycle’s frame. The sturdy frame supports riders up to 300 lbs.

The top of the arc provides a 26″ stand over height, allowing you to place both feet on the ground. The padded ergonomic gel seat provides for comfortable, relaxed riding. It attaches to the frame via a gas strut assembly that raises and lowers like a pneumatic office chair, accommodating riders between 5-7′ tall in a semi-recumbent position for ideal pedaling or powered coasting. A dynamo in the front wheel’s hub provides power for auxiliary lighting.

The bicycle has a range of up to 30 miles at 20 mph before requiring a five-hour re-charge from its AC adapter. Precisely tuned hydraulic disc brakes provide sure stops, and the wheels are made of dual-walled aluminum alloy and stainless-steel spokes; the 26″ semi-slick tires are ideal for roads or paved trails and use Presta valves. The bicycle is wet-painted in Rossa Corsa red using the same PPG color specification as high performance sports cars and treated with a clear coat finish for a luster that will last.

Designer : Marcu Hayes

Designer : David Emmett via IGreenSpot