Design of the space for the Shanghai World Expo 2010 is underway and this stunning Shanghai Corporate Pavilion by Atelier Feichang Jianzhu is one marvel of green engineering to look forward to. Crafted from plastic tubes made from recycled CD cases, the Pavilion is structured with a grid-like matrix. After the expo is over, the plastic tubes will be recycled once again. The outside appearance of the structure is influenced by multi-colored LED lights that are controlled via computer. Energy will be derived from a 1,600 square-meter solar thermal system installed into the roof, for use during the expo and in day to day operations. A misting system utilizing treated, filtered rainwater will cool down the inside and enhance the overall look and experience. The Pavilion is sure to be one of many highlights of the expo. [via Inhabitat]

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Font choice is the key to any and all tasteful design – it communicates instantly and can be the lasting impression. Of course, fancy font software packages can be expensive. As a result, we have decided to put together an offering of the web’s most popular and peer recommended free fonts. Browse the gallery and feel free to download what you want.

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Some tattoos have interesting, creative stories behind them; thought and artistic ability went into creating them, and it becomes obvious when a back-story is explained. Other tattoos didn’t have quite as much thought behind them, but go unnoticed because of their simple and common design. These tattoos are well beyond common, and well beyond creative. Then there are the are fanatical tattoos worn by people that were either not creative enough to come up with something on their own, or they love their favorite brands so much that they never want to let them go — sometimes a combination of both. The following are twenty of the most interesting and over-the-top brand tattoos.

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The only thing that I see when I view any type of wooden bicycle is the frame shattering after hitting an unexpected pot hole and sending an arrow-shaft-sized splinter straight into the right quadracep of the cyclist. I’ll never understand the fascination with wooden frames, but trendy environmentalist types and designers seem to love them. The R4 Pursuit, designed by Ken Wheeler for Portland-based Renovo Hardwood Bicycles, features a monocoque frame composed by bonding two hollow wood halves together with epoxy. For a more detailed break-down of how a wooden bike comes to be, check out Renovo’s description. For those that never actually want to ride one, but enjoy the striking, multi-toned looks, skip to the gallery after the break and check out some more shots. [via Core 77] Continue Reading

On a mission to lower the energy consumption, noise and size of the modern airplane take-off system, designers Leonie Lawniczak, Deniz Örs and George Milde offer the MagLevAir. While the name could use a little work, the concept is something like this: the decentralized maglev shuttle ferries the airplane for take-off using magnets to boost it into the air while saving fuel and limiting the space needed to obtain flight; the plane itself uses scram jets to accelerate into flight and bring passengers to their destination of choice. The space-saving, noise/fuel-lowering nature of the system makes it ideal for smaller, urban airports where space, noise space and clean air are at a premium. The idea is to use it as a link to connect passengers with larger hubs that utilize standard airplanes. [via Yanko]

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Winners of the Future City Mobility competition, Marten Wallgren, Il Choi, David Seesing and Miika Hekkinen designed this project dubbed London Garden, envisioning a cleaner, more integrated future for London’s transportation. The design begins with electric bicycles that operate in three modes: standard; exercise mode, in which resistance is added to generate and store electricity; and electric, which uses stored electricity to power a motor. The foldable bikes are designed for community use and stored in bus stops modeled to look like trees, blending seamlessly with the natural landscape. The bus stops also generate electricity using sun, wind and rain water. The bicycles work in conjunction with electric buses and taxis, where they’re brought aboard and used as seats, bringing their energy reserve in for use by the vehicles. [via Tree Hugger] Continue Reading

In the latest attempt to ensure that robots are the end to humanity as we know it, designer Tony Weichselbraun brings us Kaputt.R, the demolition robot. Why save things like bringing down 10-story buildings for qualified professionals, when we could unleash an army of robots hell-bent on destruction to do the job? Kapputt.R uses 4 catepillar tracks to drive to the target of its agression then unleashes with its two monstrous arms. If the arms can’t quite get it done, a number of attachments such as buzz saw and plow can be used to finish the job. Another accessory that requires a bit of explanation is the Powergun; “inspired by conventional explosive demolition”, the Powergun fires pressure waves induced by propane explosions at your target, weakening the structure until it collapses. Yes, buzz saw, Powergun-wielding, wheeled robots–surely that won’t cause any problems. [via Yanko] Continue Reading

Reconciling a desire for a functional and modern cabin that impacts minimally the fragile river ecosystem of near Skykomish, Wash., Seattle architects at Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen assembled a 1,200 square-foot forested getaway that’s both cozy and contemporary. The two-bed/one-bath cabin is simple and sparsely outfitted, a “wooden tent on a platform” with a 600 square-foot central living space and an efficient kitchen. The retreat is accented by a poured concrete fireplace and reclaimed old-growth Douglas-fir and the cabin’s myriad windows and glass doors help to bring in the greenery of the home’s lush, nine-acre lot. The Tye River Cabin design in 2007 won a custom housing award from the AIA. [via plastolux and oskaarchitects]

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Taking a page from Altec Lansing’s latest line of spaceman-like speakers, designer Nuno Teixeira’s mock-up looks sort of like the tiki torches of tomorrow. The Omni system’s two speakers each have a subwoofer at the bottom, mid-range speakers in the middle and tweeters on top. Ceramic plating separates each frequency range, and all the sound is projected through upward-facing cones on top. As a bonus, it’s possible to stare deeply into the Omni’s soul to see a heart of pure evil. Or perhaps that’s just the plating. Hope, fruitlessly, that Altec Lansing picks this one up. [Yanko Design via Dvice]

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