Eco / LUMI rainwater tank
Rainwater tanks are here to stay. Not only is the general populace turning to them as the realization sinks in that water is a scarce resource, but they are also being legislated by government at all levels. The unfortunate problem is that the vast majority are not the most attractive additions to the built environment, particularly the latest round of polypropylene models, which are mostly big beige blobs.
Full Tank, grown as an adjunct to a Melbourne based architectural firm, has spotted this need in the market and in response has presented the LUMI water tanks. Using Plexiglass in a variety of saturated colours, these tanks have been designed to fit into urban environments as an alternative to a naked normal water tank. The material used has a satin finish, which glows in the sunlight and illuminates by night with internal LEDs. LUMI is fully recyclable and compatible with greywater recycling systems and rainwater diverters. The outer casing can be retro-fitted to most domestic sized rainwater tanks.
Tagged: environmentalism
RELATED
Switchgrass derived bioplastics
With the growing recognition that petroleum-based plastics are killing the planet and giving us cancer comes an increasing interest in biodegradable bioplastics that come from more sustainable sources. Environmental tech company Metabolix recently announced that they have discovered a way to derive large amounts of bioplastic by growing it in switchgrass. The company uses the plant to create its own line of plastic, Mirel, which it hopes will supplant traditional plastics in the years to come.
British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy uses found materials to make his site-specific pieces. A devout environmentalist, his work aims to draw out the impermanent yet ethereal character of the spaces in which they are placed. Read more
Michael Pollan on the beef recall
Seriously, not to be preachy, but why are you still eating fast food? Eating habits are not matters of personal choice anymore. Most environmentalists, not to mention nutritionists and even economists, are increasingly in agreement that partaking of the cheap food produced by the industrialized food chain is akin to, if not worse than, driving a gas-guzzling SUV. Read more
Also by SNELL
Dutch uber-firm OMA, headed by Rem Koolhaas, has created this concept in Mexico City to symbolize the coming two hundred years of Mexico’s independence. There are many layers of symbolism in this building, from Mayan pyramids to which part of the building controls the park and which part controls the city, to the fact that the bulge of the building is below the centre height, and that it all happens on a relatively small footprint. Most of all, in this building there is a barely contained energy that seems near to release and it may be that this is what Torre Bicentenario represents.
The Danes are renowned for their considered and subtle design. However, in these times of change, they must feel they need something with this selection of a bridge building as the winner of a recent architectural competition in Denmark. The American architect Steven Holl designed this building with a pedestrian bridge that links two sides of the harbour in the distinctly low-rise Copenhagen. Read more
Hamburg’s music and glass ice sculpture
Since the beginning, architects have been faced by the challenge of housing the ever unpinnable idea of music. The challenge here is the Elbe Philharmonic Hall in Hamburg, Germany. Basel-based architects, Herzog and de Meuron have created an ephemeral glass tent-like structure perched on top of an existing heavy modernist abandoned warehouse. The warehouse will be composed mainly of parking and back of house, while the glass structure incorporates concert halls, restaurants, bars, apartments and a luxury hotel. Clearly, this is a tremendously exciting alteration and addition to an existing site and building, with this new ice sculpture reflecting the surrounding changing environment and the soaring notes within. Completion is scheduled for 2010.
YOU'RE SAYING (2)
Uncle B said | 10 October, 2008
Love the tanks, am looking forward to instructions on aquaculture and GMO’ed super veggies that grow bug free and faster in my garden. I need these to provide additional protein and fiber for my family as we work our way through the “Great Depression” We will need self-sustaining solar lighting systems and solar cell phones as well as a cheap home heating system like geo thermal/solar. I appologize for even looking at the current market overload of McMansions, and will now be looking for super insulated, rainwater conserving, solar oriented smaller survival units with gardens, composting and maybe even room for a few chickens. McMansions were a harmful, evil extravagance we could not afford, and now we must pay the price, and re-build using the best of science and technology to attain “zero running cost, zero maintenance sensible survival oriented country strengthening homes - it is our patriotic duty!
HAVE YOUR SAY
Our friends over at the inspiring blogzine, Flak Photo, which features ‘work from an international community, promoting interesting visual approaches to seeing the world and celebrating the art of exhibiting quality photography online’ have teamed up with David Wright and Ethan Jones to show a selection of images [including the one above by Alejandro Cartagena] from the photographic book, Pause, to Begin. Read more
It goes without saying that Hip Hop has taken a few very low hits in the past decade. Thanks to the likes of 50 Cent and company, it accounts for around 40% of all music sold in America. It’s a huge industry. So where does that leave Hip Hop artists doing something a bit different? Lord T and Eloise wear wacky outfits, make crazy music and bring a whole lot of fun back into Hip Hop. What’s more, they’ve started a new genre called ‘Aristocrunk’. Watch out!
Many moons ago, when my hair was longer and my eyes were wider, I played guitar in a Sydney rock band. Over a period of several years, the four members in the group went from relative normality to the very personification of imagined rock glory. Read more
Marc Jacobs’ newly unleashed Autumn 08 collection hit the stage this week and if there is an international designer who I couldn’t appreciate any more, then it’s Marc. His signature patent-leather goods are the apple of my eyes and I think my MJ leather-quilted wallet, stam-bag and ballet mouse flats are being overlooked for Mark Jacob’s freshly launched red velvet trimmed pumps. Read more
Jean-Julien Pous’ Seeking You is an animated love letter to the city of Hong Kong. It presses all the same buttons as Blade Runner and In the Mood for Love, with a touch of Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s gothic style, and though it’s really amazing eye candy, it also smacks of creepy, orientalist expat. Here, an entire Asian city is exoticized, fetishized, and finally anthropomorphized in a rather unsubtle way. Why are so many creepy old European dudes so lecherous when it comes to Asia?
Seldom has black humour been done so well. On the surface, this film about the everyday lives of some unusually mundane characters, sounds extraordinarily boring. But it is instead a cutting comment on the absurdity and drudgery of everyday life. The characters try to break out or change their lives without success, and the results are bleak and hilarious. Read more
DJ Spooky — That Subliminal Kid — is just about the deepest crate digger around, trawling the barrels of long-lost record stores for choice vinyl to spin in his wickedly dubby sets. He gave us the inside word last week on his eight favourite songs right now via our sister website, My Secret Playlist. This is what he had to say about Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Panic in Babylon: ‘If there’s anything that the twenty-first century has told us, it’s that dub is the real original hip-hop. Lee Scratch even had to make it clear in 1965 by adding “Scratch” to his middle name. Take that, Grandmaster Flash!’ Read the rest of DJ Spooky’s Secret Playlist.
WE'RE RESPECTING
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
Sam Weber on his favourite emerging artists
We asked illustrator Sam Weber to give us the inside word on some of the young artists who have caught his eye recently: ‘Francis Vallejo, Yoko Furusho [above], and David Jien [below]. For up-and-comers, they are a few with some really amazing work’. Read more
Barack sweats it out on Election Night
While the rest of the world spent election night biting fingernails whilst glued to the TV set, it’s kinda nice to know that President Elect, Barack Obama, was doing exactly the same thing, as these wonderfully low-key insider snaps from David Katz reveals. Read more
Freelance designer Alex Trochut uses typography, illustration and a solid idea to create works that communicate to each brief. He states that he doesn’t want to choose a particular style but instead enjoys ‘expressing himself and communicating though the needs of every project’. And his formula has worked: his clients include The Guardian G2, Nike Football, and my pencil-case favourite, Faber and Faber.
The Japanese sure know how to think outside the box. The country that brought us Takeshi’s Castle has come with this equally genius take on modern sport, and it’s absolutely hilarious.
Adult Hotel opens in Nanning, China
State-controlled news outlet Xinhua reports that a new ‘adult hotel‘ is opening in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Province in southern China. Apparently state censors think homosexuals and tattoo parlors sully their nation’s image, but not establishments aimed at facilitating heterosexual unions. The owner is apparently worried his business will be perceived as a brothel. Hmmm. In any case, the photos of a staff member demonstrating the, uh, equipment is caption-worthy for sure.
We have a stack of CDs and DVDs to give away to a lucky new subscriber who signs up to receive our free weekly email publication between now and New Year’s Day. There’s 50 new CDs in the pile, along with a handful of DVDs. So sign up now and leave a message here telling us what album you hope will be in the pile!
Australian illustrator Moofus is just 11 years old. As he says, ‘my mum and dad won’t let me leave school to get a proper job, so I draw lots of pictures’. This limited edition print of Sydney’s Coogee Beach is printed on Epson heavyweight matt paper with archival inks and is just US$20 through the Lost At E Minor store. Read more
Recently
- Urs Fischer’s installations Gerry Mak
- Paper Water Bottle Gerry Mak
- Faith No More reunion Gerry Mak
- Bestial Mockery Gerry Mak
- Win an instant CD collection Zolton
- 70s Rock Musicians and Their Parents’ Homes Gerry Mak
- Cooking by the Book mashup with Lil’ Jon Gerry Mak
- David Bray t-shirt Zolton
- Alan Warburton’s food and politics series Zolton
- Snap! Exploring Montreal creativity Zolton
DISCOVER MORE
SO...
TAGS: acoustic music animals animation Australian bands Australian fashion black and white illustrations blogs Brooklyn Brooklyn artists Brooklyn bands cartoons China collaboration colour colourful artwork colourful illustrations comics electronic music flash games folk music Hip Hop installations Japan jewellery London Los Angeles magazines Melbourne New York New York artists New York bands New York illustrators pop music portrait portraits prints rock music San Francisco soul music street art Sydney Sydney bands t-shirts technology UK bands
IMAGES:
POPULAR:
- Marc Collin: My Secret Playlist!' - loved 63 times
- Brittanie Pendleton - loved 50 times
- Elaine Biss's feminine charms - loved 25 times
- Ed Harcourt: 'My Secret Playlist' - loved 22 times
- Prefab House - loved 19 times
- Andreco's brilliant visions - loved 18 times
- I Give Up On T-Shirts - loved 18 times
SEARCH: Can't find what you're looking for? Do a search..
IS IT GOOD FOR YOU TOO?
We hope you're enjoying your time on Lost At E Minor, but it’s not over yet. Got something to share? Tell us about it and we'll look to publish it. If you want to have your work featured on the site, we'd love to hear from you. Or if you’d just like to talk amongst yourselves, that’s cool too. Pssst, we also have an online store stocking some of the goodies we feature on the site.
If you're a media agency and want to use this platform to connect with our readership, then drop us a line and tell us about it. Oh yeah, and we do digital consulting for cool brands that want to reach the sort of demographic that visits this site.
Nick said | 8 September, 2008
Almost worth getting one for the looks alone… Shame our tank is behind the garage where no one can see it…