Sustainable Matters
Architects Stefano Boeri and Elizabeth Diller on demineralizing the city: urban green grafts
What can we do to defend our public space? A public space is not about density, where we can observe or participate, where behaviors are not codified
Social, economic, and environmental sustainability – Bvlgari’s Responsibility in Society
Bulgari underscores the essence of culture by advancing female talent, scientists and the youth, fighting the virus and enacting the agenda of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals
A. Petersen: a short supply chain in Denmark – master craftwork and local material sourcing
Skari Svarre, founder of A. Petersen on how consumers need to relearn how to approach and appreciate long-lasting goods
Renzo Piano, D.A.P. and Sapienza University join forces: a project for detained mothers
A modular house project built inside Rebibbia women’s penitentiary in Rome, giving detained mothers a space to be with their children in a more humane environment than the prison’s visiting...
Eugenia Errázuriz – From South America to Paris and Biarritz pioneering an aesthetic of subtractions
Eugenia Huici Arguedas de Errázuriz paved the way for the modernist minimalist aesthetic that would be taken up in fashion by Coco Chanel
Unspun – an apparel start-up, straddled between two continents, merges together robotics and denim
Unspun and their drive to solve one of fashion’s problems proves that society’s demand can evolve by thinking of new solutions
Building with concrete made with Salt – a big trouble could become a solution
The Anatomy of Sabkhas: preserving sustainable salt flats book, written by urbanists Rashid and Ahmed Bin Shabib, provide an urban research of the phenomenon and possible applications
Post World War II oceanography: how science and politics in the US became intertwined during the Cold War
A military driven mission allowed for an unnecessary production of ignorance of our oceans during the Cold War period – we now face the problems of years of negligence
Leather-like material from discarded Danish Christmas trees – news in the realm of textiles
More awareness needs to be spread regarding what it means to buy something which has biodegradability properties. In conversation with Bonnie Hvillum, founder of Natural Material Studio
Updating the Social housing, matter: bioclimatic measures, solar radiation and natural ventilation
TAMassociati and Arup on display at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2021 to respond to the rapid population growth in urban areas and the lack of affordable housing
Diamond graders – holding up the stones with Borsalino Diamanti: transparency for 50 years
Where diamonds really come from. Jewelry, family heirlooms but most especially mining, labor, suppliers, diamond graders and manufacturers
Restoring an ecosystem under pressure – Mangrove forests: the case for a science-based restoration
«If you recreate the conditions for mangrove growth like this, then the mangroves will come back in on their own». In conversation with Dominic Wodehouse, executive director of the Mangrove...
AHEC – education about wood: designers and producers have to work together
After Perpetual Mobile show in Barcelona, AHEC partners with RIVA 1920 to showcase the work of the new generation of designers encouraging a more responsible use of wood
Mark Grinstaff, Boston University: adhesives from the copolymerization of CO2
Grinstaff’s team envisions a sustainable solution which could be tailored to fit the needs of industries from everyday-use products to biomedical applications
Globally Connected: when a fashion production inspired by another culture is not respectful
One of the most common mistakes made by fashion houses when using specific traits from another culture to which they do not belong, is the non-admission
Roberto Burle Marx: an end to the deforestation of the Amazonian rainforest
In conversation with Irish and Italian professors Gareth Doherty and Barbara Boifava, respectively, on Roberto Burle Marx’s landscapes and urban ideologies
Décor vs Design: can you understand the distinction? A balance to try if your taste is a matter of elegance
Current good taste has eroded an orthodoxy that began to crumble in the Seventies: design is today emptied of its original political militancy – worse still, it can be the...
Faith organizations: the fourth economic power on Earth
UNEP director Iyad Abumoghli and activist and cartographer Molly Burhans speak of how engaging with faith institutions is not just necessary but can be immediately beneficial
Talking to Quantis: no more greenwashing, we need to fix precise targets and clear numbers
In the next ten years, the fashion industry will be under close scrutiny to maintain a commitment that has to fix a defined goal. In conversation with Simone Pedrazzini, director...
Genre-less upcycled fashion: old farming clothing, workwear or parachutes
«Every piece is constructed from old clothing or garments that have an aged quality that is then cut into patches which are sewn to new patterns», designer Fumika Oshima
Smog Free Tower – Air pollution, a global disaster: to be solved with solar-powered air cleaners
«We should start to see the world; not as a utopia, but as a protopia». In conversation with Daan Roosegaarde, on his 7-meter smog eating tower
The dark side of the cut-flower industry and the demand for not-in-season flowers
«The event industry requires large quantities of the identical flowers, that only the Dutch market (which serves as a collector of crops from Colombia, South Africa, and Ecuador) can satisfy»
Migratory birds – mitigating climate change is necessary to protect all animals
Birds could respond to the consequences of the world’s changing climate by shifting distributions, altering their bodies and experiencing microevolutionary changes
The Romanian diaspora at Venice Biennale: how the mobility of large masses will impact architects
Mapping and investigating migrations to understand the way society will look like in the near future. A first step is Fading Borders, telling the story of the Romanian diaspora at...
Tuna farming: the billion-dollar-business – talking to Seaspiracy movie directors
Conversations with Lucy and Ali Tabrizi, directors of Seaspiracy, show how local traditions can be used to justify continuation of business-as-usual drastically damaging marine ecosystems
Cities will be forests: making buildings as tree houses is not just a matter of imaginary
A strategy for greener cities is to build greener architectures through the integration of trees, shrubs, and plants in the design of our houses
Can lab-grown leather be a competitor to cow leather? A new raw material by Modern Meadow and VitroLabs Inc.
Scientists at Modern Meadow and VitroLabs Inc. have patented a technology that allows to manufacture only needing material using yeast and collagen cells
Bellini Nautica preserving the world’s most precious boats – the Riva Aquarama
Romano Bellini’s vintage Riva collection and the yard where he restores these ‘Ferraris of the sea’ «you can be as rich as you want, but if you close the door...
Volcán de Mi Tierra, Mexico: revalue agave plantations – with higher hydro-efficiency
The Mexican drink par excellence, tequila, finds its origins in the use of a particular refined material of the region of Jalisco: the case of Volcán De Mi Tierra
Belvedere – Biochar/ Biomass: the real solution: global climate change, soil infertility and pollution
The use of biochar amendments on soil could address the issues of soil fertility, water holding capacity, and climate change mitigation via carbon sequestration
«In, on and with the Ocean»: Ocean Space and TBA21 Academy fighting for our seas
«The micro-sale is the same as the macro-scale when we talk about climate». Studying local issues to find that seas are «our best allies in mitigating the effect of global...
Desalination will us combat the water crisis: the Watly case – when technology is on the way
Solutions to the water crisis exist—desalination plants, solar panels, and thermodynamic computers—they just need to be implemented on a global scale
Teltower turnip – Rediscovering traditional crops is mandatory to preserve food biodiversity
The Teltower turnip: many traditional crops are disappearing, as they are considered unprofitable. Discovering them can keep local traditions alive and preserve biodiversity
Producing with scraps: having certifications doesn’t grant for real ethical practices
«If I can create a luxury brand that has a strong message and gets on the catwalk, it can inspire the industry to become more conscious». In conversation with Bav...
Cotton versus polyester: If you use waste material which is already there, you keep it in the loop
Following the Ioncell process, a team of researchers have found a way to dissolve cotton from polyester blends and transform them into new fibers
Slak Campus in Kenya was built on the model of termites’ mounds
Local materials and labor, little resources can improve efficiency and creativity: the campus is solar powered and passively ventilated
Pesticides used for hazelnut growing are not good for Italy
Is the Ferrero Hazelnut Charter beneficial, or just an act of greenwashing to avoid corporate social responsibility?
High atop Mt. Everest and Tupangato. Glaciers serve as water towers: we need high-altitude data
The world’s highest weather stations have been installed on Mt. Everest and in the Chilean Andes to assess how climate change will impact the water supply of more than one-fifth...
Finisterre: a brand born from a lack in the surf market and the creation of a neoprene-free type
Wetsuits traditionally made from petroleum-based material - UK located brand Finisterre invented an eco-friendly version made from Yulex: revealing its business model
Basil and strawberries growing underwater: future farming and the case of Nemo’s Garden
Filled with 2000 liters of air each, tied to the seabed via ropes and weight screws, six biospheres contain 90 seedbeds and float between 15 and 36 feet below the...
Ashish Gupta: the backbone of the Indian social system is craftsmen
Delhi, India. The setting of local artisans and the combined zeitgeist of east and west by the Indian designer distinguishes his creations by encompassing the additional element of social commitment
Will CBD replace steroid creams? Dermatological studies and support thesis
Doctor Adam Friedman, Professor of Dermatology at George Washington University on using nanotechnology for delivering cannabinoids to treat skin inflammation
C40: megacities emit 60% of the global GHG emissions, but change seems to be afoot
Between 2009 and 2020, there was an increase of more than 750 percent in the number of C40 member cities restricting the circulation of high-polluting vehicles
AHEC and Wallpaper* at the Design Museum: talking about reforestation and natural materials
Slow reforestation is key; so far, our planting history is bad: we should be correcting this tendency to protect biodiversity long-term
The relationship between public health and greenery – a decrease of diabetes and anxiety
Architects and engineers focus on designing efficient buildings in terms of energy consumption. But the influence of greenery on domestic comfort must also be considered
Biochar: to better understand one of our stronger chances when we ‘kiss the ground’
Farmers, activist and scientists are reclaiming our shared soil as the site of regenerative possibilities, from multicultural agricultural fields, potential applications of biochar and hydrochar
