Gorgeous wooden horn speakers are made from reclaimed liquor barrels

http://ift.tt/1sIdK4N

Fiddle + Hammer was founded by Jordan Waraksa, who brought his background in sculpture and music into the making of the Bellaphone. The design was developed over a decade. “The horn is a testament to harnessing the resonant and warm qualities of the wood which they are carved from,” said Waraksa. Each custom-built speaker can be built to a variety of sizes, from two feet in height to a towering six feet.

Related: Gigantic wooden megaphones amplify the sounds of the forest in Estonia

Waraksa has thus far created a few prototype Bellaphones from reclaimed tequila and whiskey barrels. He also writes and records music that he tests out on his creations. The Bellaphone was recently presented at Wanted Design for New York Design Week.

+ Fiddle + Hammer

Via ArchDaily

Images by MannFrau

from INHABITAT http://ift.tt/1sIe8QT
via Inhabitat

Agustina Bottoni's Monolithic Brut Barbecue Set is Made From Recycled Coconut Coir

"Brut" is a monolithic stool and barbecue set designed by Agustina Bottoni that is produced by casting a compound of cement and coconut coir (an agricultural waste). Bottoni's low-tech, DIY casting process uses accessible products - most of which are available at IKEA stores. The recycled material has proven to be water and fireproof, which makes it ideal for springtime barbecues.

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

Agustina Bottoni's coconut coir and cement mixture is compressed into a reusable mold, which is actually a domestic plastic container. The fibrous compound is so strong that doesn’t need any inner reinforcement. The use of coconut coir - an organic element - gives the lightweight but strong compound a unique texture with more warmth than concrete. The durable pieces of furniture can be produced on a small scale at an extremely low cost.

+ Agustina Bottoni

from INHABITAT http://ift.tt/1WTl4Hr
via Inhabitat

This Canadian passive house factory was built from its own prefab wood panels

The firm estimates the factory will produce 971 fewer metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, when compared to a facility built from concrete. A heat-recovery ventilation system and incredibly well-insulated walls help reduce carbon emissions, making the BC Passive House Factory as efficient as any of the houses its products build.

Screens made from two-by-fours make up the building’s facade, with each side featuring unique spacing between the wood to accommodate its relation to the sun. The firm stated, "The two-by-fours were prefabbed into screens and left unfinished to naturally weather over time.” Natural light from clerestory windows is abundant for the workers inside, creating a warm complement to the wooden walls. The ceiling is an especially unique tribute to responsible construction, as the beams are made from cedar wood felled from a nearby forest fire.

Related: Turkey’s first certified Passive House cuts energy use by 90%

Recently, the 1,500 square meter site was awarded the coveted 2016 Governor General's Medal in Architecture. The factory hopes its accolades and commitment to sustainable and energy-efficient design will help to promote the presence of passive houses near and far.

+Hemsworth Architecture

Via Dezeen

Images via Ema Peter

from INHABITAT http://ift.tt/1U0SmOG
via Inhabitat

NOAA's LEED Gold marine research facility embodies San Diego's coast

Inspired by the topography of La Jolla Cove, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's sustainable marine research facility appears to emerge from the contours of the coast, reshaping the relationship between marine scientists and their environment. An outgrowth of the effort to relocate an existing facility that was facing the uncertain effects of coastal erosion, the new building extends beyond supporting conservation efforts, to embodying them.

http://ift.tt/1NQIFGd

The LEED Gold certified project is a five-story building, broken down into smaller structures, which are clustered in “villages” no more than two stories in height. These smaller elements are organized around atrium courtyards, which prevent the overwhelming feeling common to many large buildings. The courts and patios take full advantage of the mild climate, promote natural ventilation and foster a sense of scientific community and connectedness to the environment. The building boasts photovoltaic cells, a water retention system, recycled materials, and several green roofs planted with native vegetation. The facility is home to 38 research laboratories, an aquarium, library, conference rooms, and office space, for its 275 scientists and support staff.

+ NOAA La Jolla Laboratory Replacement Project

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

from INHABITAT http://ift.tt/1WY5ivH
via Inhabitat

Jinja homewares are handcrafted from 100% recycled textile waste

Creating beauty out of waste is something we can all admire, and Jinja is one company that does it very well. Handcrafted in Portugal, Jinja's line of beautifully handcrafted homewares are woven from 100% recycled textile waste. Their elegant Whisper from Nature collection by Portuguese designer Norma Silva aims improve your everyday life with baskets to stow items throughout your home. It's clear that Jinja's respect for nature underlies their entire creative process; with access to the most beautiful recycled textiles, they allow anyone to customize a product made with fabrics that would otherwise go to waste.

+ Jinja

from INHABITAT http://ift.tt/20CB3rJ
via Inhabitat

Recycled cigarette butt bricks slash energy consumption by 58%

Familiar habit: step outside, smoke a cigarette to relieve urban stress, toss what's left on the concrete. This small action, multiplied a few trillion times around the world, produces 1.2 trillion tons of waste. This waste is not strictly organic; mixed in with the plant products are heavy metals that can contaminate land and water. Even the increased popularity of vaping will do little to combat the increase of cigarette waste, which is predicted to grow by up to 50 percent by 2025. Perhaps inspired by the concrete on which so many butts have been dumped, Dr. Abbas Mohajerani, engineer at RMIT University in Melbourne, has proposed repurposing this waste into bricks for building.

“I have been dreaming for many years about finding sustainable and practical methods for solving the problem of cigarette butt pollution," says Mohajerani. If the material for only 2.5 percent of the global production of bricks was sourced from cigarette butts, it would offset the waste produced by cigarette butts. Bricks produced using cigarette waste are cheaper and less energy intensive than traditional bricks. The cigarette butts are mixed into traditional clay bricks, reducing the energy required by 58 percent. The resulting bricks are more insulating, which would cut down the cost of heating or cooling a home, and easier to move due to their lighter weight.

Related: Ultra-sturdy dirt brick gets its remarkable strength from paper towels

Mohajerani believes that his techniques could make a huge dent in the problem of global pollution. “Incorporating butts into bricks can effectively solve a global litter problem as recycled cigarette butts can be placed in bricks without any fear of leaching or contamination," says Mohajerani. How these cigarette butts will be effectively collected is unclear. Although the mass production of cigarette butt bricks is still far on the horizon, the work of Mohaherani and his team have helped to clarify a creative solution to an enduring human problem. If we must smoke, let us build something too.

Via TreeHugger

from INHABITAT http://ift.tt/1XwPcaH
via Inhabitat

14 green furniture designs using reclaimed, recycled or rapidly renewable materials

Fiber Chair by MUUTO Designer Iskos-Berlin at MUUTO combines midcentury modern with a modern flair. The fiber chair is made from Microfiber, form-pressed composition of plastic and wood fibers from left over from furniture scraps. Look closely and you can see the beautiful gradient of colors in throughout the smooth finish. Terrace Table by Lubo Design What do you get when you take apart an old barn? Lubo Brezina's amazing Terrace Table. Pieces of an old barn floor are harmoniously arranged...

from INHABITAT http://ift.tt/1qGRbwb
via Inhabitat