Eco-friendly crematorium is envisioned for Santa Monica

Experimental architect Margot Krasojević has proposed a fantastical, solar-powered crematorium in Santa Monica that would not only use renewable energy for cremation, but would also give people the option to turn the ashes into tattoos, a concrete reef or even fireworks. In addition to the solar-powered cremation chamber, the design includes an open-plan chapel with a congregation area and an “animated zoetrope garden of remembrance” featuring holographic projections of the deceased.

Because Margot Krasojević’s ECO CREMATION – Holographic Recycling Cremation project was envisioned for Los Angeles, the architect took inspiration from the city’s piers, boardwalks and coastline to create the undulating architecture and landscape. According to the architect, an average of 20,000 kilograms of wood are used every year for funeral pyre cremations. To reduce the environmental footprint and operating costs of the crematorium, Krasojević proposes powering the facility with solar energy and a backup generator fueled by biomass, biogas or a CNG or PNG backup burner. Parabolic reflectors would be installed around the solar cremation chamber to ensure the strongest solar concentration.

Related: Entrepreneur sells mushroom suits that decompose your body after death

“As the intention is to provide an ecologically friendly pyre, the solar chamber uses combined layers of dichroic and Fresnel glass to concentrate on the sun’s rays,” the architect explained. “The dichroic panels give the illusion of a burning fire, which is an aesthetic used in ceremonial cremations if requested — a spiritual, ceremonial alternative to an open burning fire that pollutes the environment. Once again, the origin of funeral cremations and their current uses throughout the world are addressed by the portrayal of smart material reflecting a dynamic light during the process.”

After processing, the ashes can be stored for collection underground or used to memorialize the deceased by transforming them into tattoos, fireworks or a concrete mixture for the creation of an ocean reef. All services would be provided at and by the crematorium. Metals collected from the ashes would be recycled or sold for industrial purposes. At night, the landscape around the crematorium would be illuminated by digital projections of the deceased.

+ Margot Krasojević Architects

Images via Margot Krasojević Architects

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Eco-sensitive community in northern India harvests rainwater

Near the Himalayas, a new eco-conscious residential development known as the Woodside has taken root in the mountains of Kasauli, a small town in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Indian architectural firm Morphogenesis used a site-sensitive approach to design the luxury development, which not only follows the contours of the landscape to minimize site disturbance but also makes use of passive solar conditions and rainwater harvesting systems to reduce energy and water usage.

Envisioned as a nature retreat for city dwellers, the Woodside is perched on extremely steep terrain that includes level differences of approximately 100 meters within the site boundaries. The development’s 37 cottages and the internal roads were strategically placed to minimize cut and fill operations as well as to preserve the existing vegetation and body of water on site. Locally sourced natural materials, such as stone, timber and slate, were primarily used for construction.

Related: Passive solar school in Indonesia celebrates the natural landscape

“The cottages are positioned on the slope in a manner that ensures unobstructed panoramic views of the scenic hills of the Shimla valley; the largest ones enjoy the farthest view,” the architects explained. The lush landscape is left mostly untouched save for agricultural uses. “This is achieved by maintaining a minimum height difference between the roof level of each cottage and the ground level of the preceding cottage uphill.”

To minimize energy usage, the cottages, which come in four different types, all feature thick outer walls to provide a thermal mass to reduce reliance on air conditioning. The community’s rainwater harvesting systems also help reduce water use. The collected water is used for irrigation or is stored in a sump downhill for later use.

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Photography by Suryan & Dang via Morphogenesis

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Locally sourced materials make up a timber home that mimics its forest landscape

On the edge of the southern regional city of Ballarat in Victoria, Australian design practice Porter Architects has completed the Ballarat East House, a modern home that embraces the surrounding treed landscape with large windows and a materials palette of locally sourced Australian timber. Elevated off the ground to mitigate a tricky sloped site, the residence also emphasizes indoor-outdoor living throughout.

Spanning an area of 200 square meters on a half-acre lot, the Ballarat East House is divided into two main pavilions — the northern pavilion houses three bedrooms while the southern pavilion contains the master bedroom and an open-plan living area — that are set on either side of an outdoor deck along with a recreational room in the middle.

The home is wrapped in locally sourced Australian hardwood board and batten vertical siding to mimic the trunks of the surrounding trees. The cladding also has a three-dimensional effect that creates an attractive play of light and shadow throughout the day.

The timber palette is continued in the interior, which includes locally sourced, recycled Australian hardwood floorboards as well as native hardwood joinery and furnishings. White walls, black metal accents and other materials, such as the travertine stone countertops and backsplash in the kitchen, help break up the use of timber. Tall glazed doors visually connect the living areas to the landscape, while a large outdoor courtyard protected from the elements serves as a second living zone.

Related: A 1940s home gets a modern update with reclaimed materials

“The two main living/private pavilions are defined by a dark stained Australian hardwood shiplap vertically clad entry/circulation area, enlivening the architectural experience from the hideaway laneway view,” the architects explained. “The passerby pedestrian is welcomed with an unassuming surprise in a neighborhood of common suburbia.”

+ Porter Architects

Via ArchDaily

Photography by Derek Swalwell via Porter Architects

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Artist creates a living quilt to commemorate Santa Rosa fires

Memorials and national landmarks are common across the country as a way to respectfully remember events of historical relevance. This often takes the form of a statue or plaque, but following the Santa Rosa fires in October 2017, one artist took her own approach to honor the community following the devastation in the form of a living quilt.

With a grant initiated and awarded by the city of Santa Rosa Public Art Program, artist Jane Ingram Allen completed the public art project, which took form in colorful plants grown in the design of a handmade quilt. The outline for the quilt consisted not of your typical fabric squares, but handmade paper. The pattern was then enhanced with seeds embedded into the pulp to match the quilt design.

Related: New York Botanical Garden’s new artist residencies connect people with plants

The “Living Quilt for Santa Rosa” incorporates the traditional “Wild Geese” pattern. A variety of colors are integrated into the living quilt, and each color uses a different source material and subsequently matches to a wildflower of the same color. Blue is comprised of a pulp made from recycled denim; matching flowers include the California Bluebell and other mixed blue wildflowers. Abaca, a type of fiber from banana leaves, is colored with a non-toxic fiber reactive dye and used for the yellow and orange shades. White also stems from the uncolored abaca and marries well with Baby’s Breath and white poppies. All of the materials, from wildflowers to the dyes, are eco-friendly and biodegradable while offering the hope of continued life for many seasons to come.

Although Allen is credited for the work, the project was completed with the help of community members who laid out the paper, planted the seeds and built the “headboard” and “footboard” from locally harvested branches. During the time of construction, air pollution and burnt trees still plagued the area.

The original work was dedicated at Rincon Ridge Park in Santa Rosa, California in the fall of 2018, but what began as a temporary art installation just might bloom into a long-term testament to the resolution of both the land and the citizens. The idea to commemorate the destruction from the fires with life in flowers represents the regrowth, perseverance and tenacity of the Santa Rosa community as they recover.

+ Jane Ingram Allen

Photography by Timothy S. Allen via Jane Ingram Allen

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Will iconic red beer pong cups be replaced by aluminum?

Used for decades at family picnics, beach parties and beer pong games, the familiar red plastic SOLO cup might be headed for extinction thanks to a sleek, aluminum alternative that is endlessly reusable.

Founded by Leo Hulseman in 1936, the SOLO Cup Co. is facing some fierce competition that is promising to be better for the environment — a reusable, aluminum cup created by Ball Corp., the same company behind the beacon of sustainability that is the mason jar.

Related: Coca-Cola to offer Dasani water in aluminum cans and bottles to reduce plastic waste

The aluminum cups were recently introduced to some colleges and will soon be tested in other venues. The cups should be available for retail by 2021, John Hayes, CEO of Ball Corp., told Bloomberg. When they do hit the market, expect to pay 25 cents per reusable cup, versus an average 17 cents per disposable SOLO cup.

“The aluminum cup is a game-changer for the industry,” Sebastian Siethoff, Ball Corp.’s general manager, told Packaging Digest. “We hope that our customers and consumers view the aluminum cup as a sustainable and easily recyclable alternative to plastic cups, which are currently a mainstay of stadiums, restaurants and beaches and often end up in the trash or on the ground.”

As more and more consumers ditch plastic to reduce their carbon footprint, aluminum continues to be a popular choice for cups and cans. Aluminum cans are considered the most sustainable beverage package and are forever recyclable; the average can contains 70 percent recycled metal.

Ball Corp. has done its homework and found that 67 percent of U.S. consumers would visit a venue offering aluminum cups more frequently, and they are willing to pay the extra cost for reusable cups.

“We think they’re willing to make that choice,” Hayes told Bloomberg. “They know we’ve polluted our world, and they want to do something about it.”

Ball Corp. said the cups will be produced in different sizes and can be personalized with designs, logos and more, further enticing consumers to make the switch.

+ Ball Corp.

Via EcoWatch, Packaging Digest and Bloomberg

Image via Ball Corp.

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Modular materials make up an eco-friendly restaurant in Taiwan

In Taiwan’s southern city of Kaohsiung, architect Ken Lo of Chain10 has crafted an eco-conscious restaurant for the third location of the Japanese grill restaurant chain Tan Zuo Ma Li. Dubbed the Green Isle after its abundance of greenery, the project emphasizes reduced carbon emissions with its lush landscaping, use of locally sourced and recycled materials and emphasis on natural lighting and ventilation. The architect also used modular metal components to make it easier for the client to replace, disassemble, transport and reassemble parts as needed.

Spanning an area of nearly 6,000 square meters, the Green Isle features not only a restaurant space but also new green space that includes a nearly 120-meter pool and over 250 large trees around the property. A bridge was built across the pool to lead guests to the restaurant’s main entrance. At night, special mood lighting is used to illuminate the landscape.

Related: MVRDV-designed market in Taiwan will grow food on a massive green roof

The architect used minimalist decor to highlight the natural characteristics of the materials used — such as the locally sourced marble and the exposed concrete exterior walls — as well as the surrounding environment. “In order to respect the relationship between the building and the green environment, the decorations of the indoor dining area were simplified,” the firm explained. “There was nothing overly complex or intricate but rather a focus on simple, modern choices.”

The landscaping and the large pool also help create a cooling microclimate that counteracts Kaohsiung’s tropical heat. According to the architects, the Green Isle can be 2 degrees Celsius cooler than other parts of the city, which is built mainly of concrete and susceptible to the urban heat island effect. Walls of glass flood the interiors with natural light, while roof overhangs and solar shades mitigate unwanted solar gain.

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Photography by Moooten Studio / Qimin Wu via Chain10

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A shipping container is recycled into a chic nature retreat in Brazil

When a client approached Bruno Zaitter with a request for a minimalist and sustainable getaway in Brazil’s Balsa Nova, the Brazilian architect and professor decided that cargotecture would be the perfect fit for the brief. Proving that less can be more, the architect upcycled a secondhand shipping container into a relatively compact 538-square-foot abode with a bedroom, bathroom, living and dining area, kitchen and an outdoor terrace. Most importantly, the structure, named the Purunã Refuge, immerses the client in nature with its large glazed walls that embrace panoramic views in all directions.

Protected on the west side by a lush native forest, the Purunã Refuge is set at the foot of a geographical fault called Escarpa Denoviana and enjoys privacy, immersion in nature and views of the city skyline beyond. The project, completed in 2016, draws on Zaitter’s experience with recycling shipping containers into contemporary structures. As with its predecessors, the Purunã Refuge is elevated off the ground for reduced site impact.

Related: A modern farmstay suite minimizes site impact in Brazil

Raised 3 meters off the ground and accessible by outdoor stairs, the dwelling features a 12-meter-long container — comprising the sleeping area, a portion of the kitchen, the entrance and the bathroom with a soaking tub — that has been extended by two glass-enclosed volumes on either side. The larger of the two boxes houses the living and dining area as well as office space; the smaller box is a bump out of the kitchen that extends into the forest. Stretching northwest to southeast, the Purunã Refuge is accessed from the north side, which leads up to an outdoor terrace.

“The project’s concept was to group the essential universes of human life — eating, sleeping, sanitizing, working and socializing — in a space of about 50 square meters with the greatest possible contact with the surrounding natural landscape,” Zaitter explained. “The biggest challenge was convincing people who still believe that large space equals comfortable space, and that small space is uncomfortable space. The refuge proved that less is more.”

+ Bruno Zaitter

Photography by Sergio Mendonça Jr. via Bruno Zaitter

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