Here are some of the latest sustainable projects from around the world: 

Transformation plan

Architectural company Henning Larsen has revealed plans to transform a former junkyard into Copenhagen’s first all-timber neighbourhood.

Fælledby is a sustainable housing scheme just beyond the centre of the Danish capital that will accommodate 7000 residents in timber homes.

Small nests for songbirds and bats will be built into the walls of houses, new ponds in the centre of each of Fælledby’s three communities will offer a habitat for frogs and salamanders, and community gardens will create new flowers to attract butterflies.

Narrow roads and underground parking within the plan aim to reduce vehicle traffic and visibility, ensuring nature remains the focal point of the project, which has been developed in collaboration with biologists and environmental engineers from MOE and preserves 40 per cent of the 18.1-hectare project site as undeveloped habitat for local flora and fauna.

Signe Kongebro, Partner at Henning Larsen, said: “We’re creating a city where biodiversity and active recreation define a sustainable pact between people and nature.”

The neighbourhood merges traditional Danish urban and rural typologies to create a hybrid that balances the city and its natural surroundings.

Fælledby will be developed in phases, growing outward from three distinct ‘cores’ that provide residents with increased and direct access to nature and allow animal species to move freely through and within the area.

Kongebro added: “We see potential to build a new city that speaks to the sensibilities of younger generations; to create a home for people seeking a solution on how to live in better harmony with nature. For us, Fælledby is proof of a concept that this can indeed be done.”

Solar star

A solar-powered unmanned aircraft designed to stay in the skies for a year has made a successful maiden flight.

Built by BAE Systems subsidiary Prismatic, the Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft (PHASA-35) has come through its first trial in South Australia.

The plane, which has a 35-metre wingspan, is designed to operate in the stratosphere, above the weather and conventional air traffic.

It is viewed as an alternative to satellites; other potential applications include forest fire detection and maritime surveillance.

PHASA-35 is powered by the sun during the day and by batteries overnight. The long-life battery and highly efficient solar technology could allow the aircraft to maintain flight for up to a year, operating in the upper regions of Earth’s atmosphere.

Ian Muldowney, Engineering Director at BAE Systems, said: “This is an outstanding early result that demonstrates the pace that can be achieved when we bring the best of British capability together.”

Transparent solar window

Ubiquitous Energy has installed what it claims to be the world’s first transparent solar window façade at its company headquarters in California.

Each double-pane window in the 10-square metre project has been glazed into a fibreglass frame, matching the existing aesthetic of the building’s windows.

The windows produce electricity that powers the LED lighting in an adjacent room while simultaneously maintaining the performance of standard commercial window glass.

The façade is also connected to an energy management system that monitors and logs its power generation.

Coffee to go

Ford is recycling coffee waste from McDonald’s into car parts thanks to an innovative partnership between the two companies.

They discovered that chaff – the dried skin of the coffee bean – can be converted into a durable material that reinforces certain vehicle parts.

By heating the chaff to high temperatures under low oxygen, mixing it with plastic and other additives and turning it into pellets, the material can be formed into various shapes.

The chaff composite meets the quality specifications for parts such as headlamp housings and other interior and under-bonnet components. The resulting components are about 20% lighter and require up to 25% less energy during the moulding process.

Heat properties of the chaff component are also significantly better than the currently used material, according to Ford. This is the first time the company has used coffee bean skins in the manufacture of vehicle parts.

Debbie Mielewski, Ford Senior Technical Leader of Materials Sustainability, said: “This is an example of jump-starting the closed-loop economy, where different industries work together and exchange materials that otherwise would be side or waste products.”

Green move

IKEA is constructing its greenest ever store in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

Some 160 trees are to be planted on its façade, lowering the temperature by “at least two degrees”, according to the company.

But the most radical aspect of the design, by local studio Querkraft Architekten, is that the store will not feature any car parking facilities at all.

The company stated: “Around two-thirds of people living in the inner city districts of Vienna do not even have a car any more.

“They come by public transport, walk, ride bicycles or take a scooter. IKEA Vienna Westbahnhof serves all these changed behaviours.”

Customers will be able to take home products by foot or on public transport, while items can also be delivered home on the same day as purchase.

The building, meanwhile, will also accommodate a two-storey hostel on its upper levels, along with a roof garden and restaurants, as it aims to become an iconic meeting place.

Vision of the future

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has taken the wraps off Project Vector, a concept vehicle representing a “vision of an autonomous, electric, connected future for urban mobility.”

It’s a flexible vehicle that is four metres long and designed for the city, packaging all its battery and drivetrain components into a flat floor to enable a variety of uses.

The interior cabin space allows seating configurations for private or shared use and even the opportunity for commercial applications, such as last mile deliveries.

The concept has been developed at the National Automotive Innovation Centre, with an on-road pilot programme in the central city of Coventry scheduled from 2021.

Jaguar Land Rover Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Sir Ralf Speth said: “Project Vector shows JLR as a leader in innovation to make our societies safer and healthier, and the environment cleaner. Through this project, we are collaborating with the brightest minds in academia, supply chain and digital services to create connected, integrated mobility systems.”

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For those looking to breathe new life into their living spaces the Swedish design group is making it easy for customers.

It could also be an opportunity for people to revamp their home offices, since the majority of UAE citizens and residents are currently working from home.

A free consultation process is available for the home planning services whereby customers can coordinate with consultants how best to reconfigure spaces in the home whether it in the kitchen, bedroom, living spaces and more.

The interior design services start from Dhs250. Customers will be able to chat one-on-one with an expert about their interior goals for their home.

The online home planning and interior design services are available daily from 9am until 6pm.

It should also be noted IKEA is taking every precaution necessary, as has been advised by the World Health Organisation, in order to ensure the highest health and safety standards for both their employees and customers.

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Named after the Swedish word for delightful, LJUV combines traditional Middle Eastern patterns and symbols with Scandinavian design. Every piece incorporates Debs’ trademark geometrical patterns and an interesting mix of materials. The collection has been designed to make it easy to host many guests.

Debs says: “The Middle Eastern Ikea stores wanted to collaborate with a designer who understood Swedish design principles and Middle Eastern Ramadan culture. I grew up in Japan, and Japanese design and Swedish design is quite similar in its sense of simplicity and practicality. Being also from the Middle East, I understand the Ramadan culture of entertaining with family and friends. I was approached as the right designer to design this collection.”

From luxury to ‘democratic design’

However, Debs is more used to designing for the luxury sphere and so LJUV marks a departure for her. “It was quite a learning curve for me and the studio. We are used to designing luxury items; that means our pieces are very studied and crafted in detail. The collaboration with Ikea taught us to look at the essence of what we design and apply this in a simple, functional way.”

“In this collection, we worked mostly towards objects for entertaining in a Middle Eastern household, which often revolves around food. We have used brass and ceramics and incorporated our signature geometric pattern on them. We have used cushions, throws and carpets, which adds a soft contrast to the harder surfaces. A lighter sense of colour and degradation has also given the collection a modern touch.”

Taking a collaborative approach

On her approach to working collaboratively, Debs says, “I usually like to look at the essence of each brand and find the common element between them. I’ve always loved Ikea products and have bought them for many years. I especially love their tableware.”

Debs also brought her love of entertaining to the project: “For me, the main element of entertainment is mood and lighting. That means indirectly lighting, lots of candles and a play of shadow and light. I believe that once a mood is set, it is about having a comfortable seating arrangement where people can converse comfortably. After that, it is about home accessories that can be mixed and matched.”

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Weighing one tonne, the structure comprises 300 pieces, including the iconic POÄNG armchair, STRANDMON wing chair, new TRANARÖ stool, HEMNES bedside table and KALLAX shelving unit.

Covering 35,500 square metres, the new store is IKEA’s second in the UAE and its 468th in the world.

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To promote this idea, they have wrapped the trees with sustainable, eco-friendly fabrics in an effort to create a better everyday life for all.

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As a result, IKEA has identified insights to facilitate mental wellbeing in addition to comfort, safety and function of the bedroom. To counteract the difficulty in winding down at the end of the day, IKEA suggests creating a relaxing atmosphere to support healthy routines and rituals.

In addition to sleeping, the bedroom is where people get dressed and seek quiet moments. Lighting is essential for these activities. During the day, natural light helps people feel and perform better, however, mood lighting encourages relaxation and specific task lighting improves functionality. While it is important to reduce the blue light from electronic devices, music can improve the harmony of the room.

Smart storage solutions and multi-purpose products help create an organized, less stressful environment that promotes an atmosphere of warmth and security in an uncertain world.

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Through research presented in their ‘Life at Home’ report about people’s needs and dreams for their homes around the world, having ‘too much stuff’ is the single biggest cause of stress in the home. Globally, 27% of people think that society puts pressure on them to live minimally, and 49% of people say that the main cause of their domestic arguments is clutter – and in many homes, there is a battle of clutter versus minimalism.

As they celebrate 75 years, the new catalogue also includes a diverse range of furnishings and fittings for the home which reflect its Swedish heritage and other cultural influences from around the globe. True to its ethos, the 2019 edition is also full of features and content that not only offers design inspiration, but promotes the idea living sustainably.

www.ikea.com

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