Los Angeles design studio ensso unveils the titanium edition of  their minimalist UNO pen– a writing instrument with a simple and refined aesthetic with the utmost attention to detail. The design has been stripped down of all unnecessary components and with only 5mm in diameter it is one of the slimmest pens ever manufactured. Yet, it is amazingly comfortable to use because its grip section which doubles as a twisting cap is wider, like a traditional wooden pencil. The innovative cap moves up and down to protect or expose the pen tip. UNO accepts standard D-1 ink refills, which are widely available worldwide from many different manufacturers. It comes equipped with a super smooth 0.4mm black gel ink cartridge.

The aluminum edition of UNO was unveiled in 2016 to critical acclaim and was included in the permanent collection of design museums worldwide. The titanium edition has been re-engineered according to the new material properties with the intention to last a lifetime. This edition is exclusive to Kickstarter and won’t be available at retail.

Established in 2014, ensso has received the Red Dot Award, the Good Design Award, and the ICFF Studio Award.

Shahar Polachek, Noy Ilan, Ben Kahana
Israel

Our world changes constantly. Changes in recent years are equivalent to changes that took decades in the last century. Technology is evolving and its use intensifies in every aspect of our lives. Society and culture are changing at the speed of light. But this process seems to skip the field of architecture.

One hundred years ago, we used to communicate with letters and Morse. Nowadays, trillions of gigabytes of information flow every second between distant locations on our planet, without any complications. In contrast, architecture remains almost the same – a constant skeleton on which systems are tacked. When one wishes to make a difference in architecture or urban fabric, a significant problem emerges – the amount of waste produced in the demolition of one building is huge (27,000 tons on average in New York) and no more than 60% of this waste can be recycled. Any changes will involve great amounts of waste and an enormous amount of power. The current system makes it barely possible to manipulate and match architecture to other fields in people’s lives.

In 2017’s Manhattan, about half of the buildings are more than a hundred years old. If we wanted to keep the city relevant for today’s needs and habits, the waste that cannot be recycled from the ruins of these buildings would cover about 33% of Manhattan. Another problem is the very crowded urban fabric which makes it difficult with to cope with change and urban renewal.

The use of Nanotechnology in architecture will open new possibilities. We would be able to choose spaces which will provide any unexpected need at any specific time, and to provide a solution which changes and evolve over time according to the needs of the evolving population. The bureaucratic way of planning and the dependency on architects and constructors would disappear and a new, free age of architecture will arise. Read the rest of this entry »

Chen Cao
China

Around the world, waterfalls are found commonly. Many waterfalls have enormous gravitational potential energy. To convert the gravitational potential of waterfalls to work, as a sustainable energy source, is a key concept of my design. I experiment a completely new concept to utilize a precisely designed structure as a medium of energy flow and a bridge connecting people and natural. It is also an attempt to establish a self-sustained structure on extreme terrain.

Background
The over dependence on coal and petroleum has made globe environmental issues, such as acid rain and greenhouse gases. They destroyed natural environment. The use of nuclear energy is associated with high cost and general concerns of public. Radioactive isotopes as main fuel of nuclear reactor is also unsustainable. While population is blooming, usable land is constant deceasing. The idea of Waterfall Tower could be a solution.

Location
Waterfall Tower could be located on the Iguassu Falls cross the border of Argentina and Brazil. Iguassu Falls is the biggest one in southern America, and it is also the widest in world. Its width is about 4 kilometers. The difference in height is ranged between 60 and 82 meter. The flow rate is 1756 CUMEC. The ideal locations to build Water Tower are water falls such as, the Niagara Falls, Victoria Falls and Angel Falls. Read the rest of this entry »