These wind/solar powered street lamps are fitted to locally made, usual galvanized steel poles and can be easily swapped with previous street lamps. The turbines can be either a horizontal axis wind turbine or a 2nd generation 300W vertical axis wind turbine. Two solar panels are mounted on the side of the pole that is capable of producing up to 80W of power.

The lamps are able to produce the maximum power of 380W if the sun is shining and at the same time the wind are blowing as well. It will save the excess generated energy in a battery that will supply the required power to lighten the high efficient LEDs all through the night. Since not every location and project is not the same, the designers have focused on the components – the LED lights, wind turbine, solar panels, battery storage and tower height are all can be easily balanced to fit best in a particular project.

The hybrid LED lamps looks like a commissioned art piece instead of the traditional industrial looking street lamps and the decorations on the pole can be customized as per the buyer’s requirement. This project surely will help the streets becoming self sufficient with street lamps that can generate the power they require.

Designer : Urban Energy via Inhabitat

Primavera Helmet, designed by Sebastian Hess, is a key product of the latest high quality helmet array for the recent scooter generation. This open face, easy and casual helmet provides 180° visor that meets classic elegance. The clearly defined design has reduced to the essential components only and the style combines the legendary past with latest appearance. Innovation and vision, tradition and future, engineering and design are the main factors of this sustainable product. The main goal of designing this product is to provide excellent safety to the new generation scooter riders with a brilliant outlook that will attract the attention of all range of bikers.

[Press Release]

The Primavera helmet revives a legendary past and represents the birth of the new brand NZI by Hess Design. In its design and performance the helmet plays with citations and references to the exceptional Vespa 50 Special, the style icon of the 70`s. The minimalistic aesthetics of the Primavera refers directly to the mystic Vespa-models of the 70`s. These style icons were the base for the new developed helmet with its innovative features and its easy and safe use. New standards in terms of urbanity and innovation are set by creating a complete Primavera edition containing helmet, gloves and scarves.

Quality is no longer enough. Today a product or a brand is perceived as new only if its functionality and its materials are innovative. Tradition and future, innovation and vision, engineering and design unify and peak in an “honest” and sustainable product without loosing the base of creating innovative, technical and protective apparel. The ambition of the cooperation between NZI and Hess Design is to develop and create new charming products. Essential elements therefor are the intensive investigation of user scenarios and the vision of creating sustainable and innovative products. NZI and Hess Design develop products for seekers of beauty, for people with consciousness looking for high quality products.

Sportiness, dynamic and elegance in all their plainness are the key features of the Primavera. Clearly defined lines that are reduced to the essence underline the character and style consciousness. Their forms and their flow give hints to some new key features. The front of the Primavera with its playful swinging lines and the decorative air-inlets refer to hairstyles and hat fashion of the 60`s. The rear section with its metallic air-outlets rather speaks an automotive language and makes sure the helmet in its appearance is well-balanced. The 180° rotatable visor marks the heart of the helmet. Different shaped and toned visors can be attached to the patented helmet fixation tool-free via magnetic system in just a second.

The fusion of traditional, classical elegance with young, fresh and easy streetwear effects an exciting and charming impression. Deep satisfaction and intimate gratification will be experienced by every Primavera user. Desire of spring, desire of style awakes in all seekers of beauty. Primavera represents the initial of a new lifestyle that can be lived. Primavera, the helmet for the high tech community of tomorrow.

Designer : Sebastian Hess
Photography: Jörg Baumann

Anton says :
“With increasing demand on an already over-stretched transport infrastructure it makes sense to shift the way that we move, by taking up less space per individual while in transit. The energy required to move the individual is also greatly reduced by reducing the size and weight of the vehicle.

The device also removes direct emissions away from the city and with the addition of environmentally sustainable power generation off-site, the device has the potential to have no net emissions.”

Designer : Anton Grimes

Anthony says:
Apple iMo is a city car, using advanced form-changing material, exploring the possibility of robotics to bring a new and simplified approach to personal mobility. The design ofiMo is based on the Apple philosophy which consists in applying a process of elimination to come up with simple and elegant solutions, by means of cutting edge technology. The result is a two-wheel robot designed to assist you throughout your daily life. There is no need to wonder where to park iMo, it takes you where you want and go to park by itself using specific parking systems called iPark. In fact, having no stationary vehicle in the streets to liberate ground space, is the main concept of iMo+iPark. To do so iMoparks against building walls, underground or even in the sky. Amongst other originalities, iMo features form-changing seats and wheels made of Nitinol and a holographic gesture-recognition driving system.

FWD vehicle can also be used in rental system, once rented by means of a monthly payment, the bicycle/tricycle (fwds) can be obtained in any of several stations spread out through the city. Returning the vehicle to the station after each use is not required, but eliminates the need to either store or carry the bi/tricycle all the way across town (in a car, or bus) when you need to cover a greater distance. With fwd, you can take a bus to go to school, rent a fwd there to move across town, and return it before taking the bus back home. fwd is specifically targeted to college students, to which its existence is most beneficial, but can be rented by anyone.

Finally, in the ‘cruiser’ mode, the back wheels converge to the ground, effectively changing fwd into a highly mobile bicycle, suited for places where there isn’t a rail and for more adventurous uses.

Designer : Eric Pautz, Carolina Defferrari, Leo Joas and Patrícia Campiol

Zhang says:
MERM (Modular Electronic Retail Minivan) facilitates a mobile retail market that could bring retail services and vibrancy to city areas that have been drained of intensity due to singular functional uses or irregular visitor flows. With its various functional modules and transformable car body, MERM makes optimum use of the space it occupies. The electric engine does not produce any air pollution and the solar panel on the roof provides power for all facilities on board.

With the help of a central information system, a group of mobile MERMs could greatly increase the efficiency of the retail process, and reduce unnecessary municipal input. So that MERM can match various sales purposes in different environments, the central container has been designed with changeable modules. These accommodate “Magazines and Souvenirs”, “Hot Food” and “Frozen Food”. Users can purchase several types of modules and choose a two-module combination (one for each side of MERM) that best fits their current sales plan. Modules are easy to replace by simply sliding them out from the car body.

When MERM is in driving mode, all the inner space is fully used for storing goods. When it’s switched to retail booth mode, the shelf can be easily unfolded for display outside the car, making adequate space for the vendor to stand inside. This feature minimizes the size of the car and thus reduces its energy consumption. Also, the compact size enables the user to drive in narrow urban streets.

Designer : Zhang Zhongren

Text from the designer :
MoVille consists of a single passenger capsule over an electric drive train. Three magnetic ball wheels are rotated without frictionless through electromagnets. Passenger capsule is shaped in an aerodynamic teardrop shape for maximum efficiency. It also tilts up and down for saving space in urban streets and become more aerodynamic on highways.

MoVille’s compact size takes up less space in dense urban cities. Because it has a sliding window door, it is easy to get in and out of in tight spaces. The passenger capsule tilts vertically to save space on the road and pivots for getting in and out.

MoVille features wireless road networking that allows for it to communicate with other cars and the road network. It is aware of where it is on the road and where other cars are. This allows for reduced traffic jams since cars can accelerate/decelerate synchronously. It also reduces the possibility of accidents.

MoVille’s small size and omni-directional wheels means it is easy to park. Equipped with proximity sensors, cameras, and GPS, MoVille can drive and park automatically.

MoVille features an organic led display on the façade that allows passengers to communicate and personalize their own cars. Because MoVille doesn’t need any headlamps, the OLED “eyes” are used for displaying vehicle status (running/charging/turn signal/etc).

MoVille has an artificial intelligence which allows it to act more like a robot than a car. MoVille recognizes its owner and opens its doors when you approach it. MoVille can drive itself allowing the passenger to save time.

Although MoVille can drive itself, it can be manually controlled with your digital devices like cellphones and portable game consoles. MoVille communicates with these devices which allow the car to be driven wirelessly. The dashboard can be retracted on demand.

MoVille has an electric drive train that uses electromagnets to rotate the ball wheels. Because there is no mechanical transmission and internal combustion engine, it is more efficient, and more reliable. MoVille’s compact body is built out of unpainted biodegradable plastic.

MoVille’s unique form factor allows it to integrate a second sliding door with integrated photovoltaic solar cells which can recharge the car’s batteries.

Designer : Woo-Ram Lee

Designer : Joonas Saaranen

Official words from UNStudio :

The design for the redevelopment of Post Rotterdam incorporates an ambitious mixed-use concept devised to respond to and enhance the original qualities of the existing building. Upscale retail facilities, restaurants, cafés and bars are combined with a luxury hotel, which in addition houses conference facilities and offices.

The design for Post Rotterdam incorporates an urban landscape, a vertical foyer, the redesign of the large central hall and the new hotel. These combined elements form a design approach which is sensitive to the existing monument’s qualities, while generating a synergetic architectural effect.

The mix of architectural presence and transparency is designed to emphasize and frame the entrance to the building. The post-war roof is replaced with a new glass construction, allowing daylight to penetrate the building and forming a connection between the new hotel and the existing monument.

The extension to the shopping street functions as a public platform, offering open spaces with flexible layouts, capable of housing a variety of functions; from exhibitions to performances, concerts and fashion shows.

The programmatic and infrastructural elements create a sustainable development which incorporates a ‘green shopping’ experience and aims to provide a new urban destination for the city center of Rotterdam.

Designer : UNStudio via Dezeen

Designer : Dr. Mitchell Joachim

Image Source : Dr. Mitchell Joachim, Terreform 1.