+ POOL - The World's First Water-Filtering, Floating Pool in New York - Ryan Barker

Concept Proposal For + Pool at Night

Vancouver, like New York, is a city surrounded by water that is questionable for some to swim in.

A small team of designers including members from Family architecture and Playlab (an innovation school) began by asking "Wouldn't it be great if we could swim in the Hudson River?" Historically there have been a number of floating pools in New York, but in 2007 a converted barge in the Bronx heralded back this concept.

The + Pool design team, headed by Dong-Ping Wong, Archie Lee Coates IV, and Jeffrey Franklin considered the fact that swimming pools are often used by everyone. The form is derivative of what the project means. In a statement from the design team, "An offshore reflection of the city intersection, + Pool both exemplifies the dense, busy character of New York City and offers an island retreat from it." The design of the plus sign is not only symbolic but also four pools in one:  

The + Pool consists of a children's pool, a sports pool, lap pool, and a lounge pool.The intention is that each can be used individually or in tandem with each other as one large 9000 sq foot party pool.   

How it Works

Deep Fried Swimmers!

Like a giant Britta Filter or Strainer, the exterior of the pool is composed of three layers of filtration to ensure that even bacteria and viruses will be kept out. It is projected to filter 500000 gallons of river water a day. The design team has worked in partnerships with the city, urban planners, engineers, organizers, developers, and environmental experts throughout the process of shaping this project. The Metropolitan Waterfront Association, NYC Swim, and the department of Parks and Recreation have also all ensured the water will be meeting health and safety standards.

Family Architecture and Playlab have already designed and tested "Float Lab" as a prototype to ensure that +Pool will function properly. Funding for "Float Lab" ($275000) has been accomplished through Kickstarter.

Float Lab Construction

The + Pool is still a Kickstarter project and will require a total of $21 million for completion. They currently require an additional 4500 additional supporters to reach their goal. When you provide support, you are given a commemorative tile with your name etched upon it as a permanent component of the construction. 

Example of Pool Tiles

The Project stands as a testament to the direction of public architecture in that it combines a publicly funded project to create a place as a reward for the many residents of a city who wish to enjoy their home. The + Pool will stand as an iconic piece of architecture and a destination for the purpose of enriching the lives of everyone. It also carries with it implications of other permanent social spaces that encourage community involvement. Further, it may add a component of a haven or park space that may spring up around it depending on its location on the Hudson.

Recently Kanye West and Olympian Conner Dwye hosted an event to raise awareness for the + Pool. This is currently the largest publicly funded civic architecture project in history and the first filtration pool to be built, The project is currently projected for a 2017 completion date. Looks like in the meantime we'll just have to do like this guy:

Cosmo Kramer - Hudson River Swimming Enthusiast

http://www.pluspool.org/

The Lowline - Kelsey Reddekopp

The Lowline is a plan to use innovative solar technology to illuminate an historic trolley terminal on the Lower East Side of New York City. The vision is to create an underground park, a cultural attraction and a moment of rest in one of the world’s busiest urban environments. The proposed location is the abandoned Williamsburg Bridge Trolley Terminal. The original site was opened in 1908 but has remained unused since 1948 when the trolley service discontinued. Although it has since been neglected, the site has incredible features like vaulted ceilings, cobblestones and crisscrossing rail tracks. The hidden site is located in one of the least green areas of New York City which presents the need to reclaim the space.

The park would be made possible with solar technology designed by James Ramsey of Raad Studio. Ramsey has designed a “remote skylight. In this approach, sunlight passes through a glass shield above a dish collector, and is reflected and directed underground. The light is than transmitted onto a reflective surface on a distributor dish, transmitting that sunlight into the space. This would supply sufficient sunlight to support natural photosynthesis allowing life to flourish below ground.

http://www.thelowline.org/

Undulating Interactive Installation - Alica Majercinova

This interactive instillation was designed by the  Scandinavian Design Group, ctrl+n, Abida, Pivot Product Design and Intek for a Scandinavian energy conference. The instillation is a reference to a new technology created by the commissioning oil company called Lundin Norway.

The instillation is made up of many small tubes piercing one floor of the exhibiting building and creating an interactive sculpture that moves as it interacts with the users. The concept behind the idea was to imitate the movement of the ocean tides and undersea geography while playing the soothing music of ocean waves. Six different crystals are hung within the tubes, containing oil samples from Lundin’s newest discoveries. The tubes are operated through an advanced sensory technology. The instillation contains many embedded sensors that can sense the movements of visitors and adjust the tubes accordingly, making it impossible for the visitor to bump into any of the tubes. This not only creates a very sensory and interactive experience for the visitors of the space but also a very beautiful moving sculpture that is very enjoyable to experience.

The lower level of the instillation is where the visitor can observe and experience the instillation. The upper level becomes the place where the visitor can learn more about the operational technology. 

Source: http://www.archdaily.com/558462/scandinavian-design-group-and-ctrl-n-create-an-undulating-interactive-installation-for-lundin-norway/ 

By Alica Majercinova 

Ambio Light- Sahra Samnani

Nature can be the catalyst to inspirational design solutions. Looking to nature as a case study can often lead to creative solutions that have been under our nose the entire time. Biomimicry is a powerful concept that creates not only functional fixes to design problems but it also enhances our well-being in the build environment. Designs derived from nature can be elegant, subtle and powerful.

Bioluminescence is a naturally occurring phenomenon in many organisms. Chemical reactions take place in these beings causing them to emit a “cold light”. This specific type of light has extremely low rates of generating thermal radiation or heat. Primarily Bioluminescence is found in ocean dwelling organisms.  In small bioluminescent plankton and bacteria chemical reactions are generally triggered by ocean waves and currents.

 In the depths of the night, along the temperate shores of the Pacific and Indian oceans large blooms of plankton and algae cause the waters to glow blue with every breaking wave. Creating a mesmerizing spectacle.

This naturally occurring light is what inspired the Amsterdam designer Teresa van Dongen to create the Ambio Light.  The elegant system contains a glass tube that houses bioluminescent bacteria. Two waits keep the light in motion, when nudged the fixture gently rocks the water causing the bacteria to glow.

This fixture demonstrates how effective this natural source of energy is, and how we can look to nature to derive simple solutions that not only have a meaningful purpose, but are also breathtakingly beautiful. 

Ambio Light Video

Delicate Web of Shadow - Whitney Robinson

Pakistani artist, Anila Quayyum Agha, uses the play of light and shadow in creating the piece 'intersections' for the Grand Rapids Art Museum in Michigan. With a single light bulb and a 6.5' laser-cut wood cube, the piece casts shadows over the interior of the 32' x 34' space. Patterns cut into the wood are similar to ones found in Islamic sacred spaces. The illumination from the inside casts these large geometries on the surrounding walls, ceiling, and floor. Visitors to the space are immersed in the dynamic light and shadow, turning an otherwise blank white space into a web of pattern. The Islamic geometries are inspired by the artist's own personal experiences growing up in Pakistan. Quayyum Agha explains, "The wooden frieze emulates a pattern from the Alhambra, which was poised at the intersection of history, culture and art and was a place where Islamic and Western discourses met and co-existed in harmony and served as a testament to symbiosis of difference. For me the familiarity of the space visited at the Alhambra Palace and the memories of another time and place from my past, coalesced in creating this project".

http://www.designboom.com/art/anila-quayyum-agha-intersections-artprize-shadow-light-10-15-2014/

Patient Room 2020 - Jenica Lee

Patient Room 2020 was a collaborative design endeavor that was initially developed by a non-profit organization called NXT Health who specializes in innovation within the healthcare industry.

The concept was developed by NXT Health and Clemson University Healthcare and Architecture Graduate program. The idea was to take into consideration the issues that were present in current healthcare environments to help better patient experience. 

The focus was mainly on these elements:

"Humanize the healthcare experience by promoting personal customization, control and comfort for patients, family and staff.

Restore health by promoting therapeutic outcomes through the prevention of adverse events such as patient falls, hospital acquired infections, and medication errors. Also creating a safe and healthy work environment for staff.

Streamline operational processes and work patterns in order to improve efficiency, limit the ability for mistakes to occur, and increase staff time for direct patient care.

Empower individuals through improvements in collaboration between staff, patients and families by provideding on-demand access to information and resources, which can increase patient advocacy and participation in the care and delivery process.

Adapt the physical environment to compliment varied user preferences, as well as streamline the design and construction phase of a hospital project for healthcare systems through the utilization of customizable and environmentally sustainable pre-fab technologies."

(NXT Health, 2009)

NXT Health then collaborated with several companies who were willing to help make this concept a reality. Companies like Dupont Corian Design Studio, Grohe, Milliken and Dalsouple came together to contribute to this project to create a full-sized prototype. 

Features include cornerless walls to minimize the likelihood of germ and bacterial growth, a shock-absorbent floor to cushion potential patient falls, as well as integrated lighting, controls and technology to allow patients full comfort and seamless interaction with care staff.

The prototype is on display until 2016 and can be by appointment only at the Dupont Corian Design Studio.

Award Winning Solar Hourglass- Taylor Culler

The Land Art Generator Initiative is an organization that aims to bring people from all areas of innovation together to create art for public use, that betters the space for the users in combination with providing clean energy options that helps to power the areas in which it exists.

The awards were announced and the first place winner was called the Solar Hourglass created by the Argentinian architect Santiago Muros Corté. The site for the Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) was located in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The premise for Muros Corte's design was to create an hourglass form. The concept of the hourglass is based on the idea of the timer indicating "Time's Up" which is usually symbolized by sand, is now symbolized by the transfer of clean energy- speaking to the importance of clean energy before time is up.

There would be two halves of the hourglass; the upper half would be for the collection of solar energy, and the lower half would be for the generation of usable energy. The centre point between these two hourglass forms creates a place for the public to gather and have a view of the water, as well as their beloved Little Mermaid sculpture, but more importantly to see the transfer of clean energy through the sunbeam. They predict that this sculpture would become a great tourist attraction for the area. 

The way in which the sculpture collects energy is through sun tracking mirrors called "heliostats" lining the inner part of the top dome. These heliostats will direct sun energy to a singular point and is able to concentrate the heat. By using computers, the heliostats can adjust during the year to get optimum direct sun.

The lower half of the hourglass will then turn that concentrated heat energy into usable electricity as this half houses generators and storage tanks. As a result, steam is created which a small portion will be released into the public viewing area, making the solar beam transfer from top hourglass to lower hourglass visible to the public. This also makes this sculpture educational, as people from the public gain insight into the concept of clean energy. The result of this project is able to create 7500 MWh per year which ultimately can power at least 860 homes in Copenhagen.

Check out the original article: http://landartgenerator.org/blagi/archives/3610

-Taylor Culler