ISOphonix in cooperation with ArteCOOP present the ISOform Hexome sustainable shelter and modular housing solution, using an new emission free Structural Insulated Panel (SIP).

The ISOform Hexome is modular format for housing and shelter using a natural honeycomb design principal. The basic building material is the ISOphonix SIP, built into ISOform Hex units. These units are then combined and stacked in any number of ways to form shelters, houses, communal buildings, even entire communities and towns.

The ISOform Hex unit has been designed specifically for application within third world countries to enhance general living standards, and to provide a mechanism for fast deployment in times of emergency, war and natural disasters; lightweight flat-pack design, modular implementation, ease of construction, cost, re-use and re-location are of primary concern.

ISOforms are earthquake-proof, bullet-proof, water-proof, and heat-proof (i.e. reflects the suns heat during the day, and retains heat during the night). The expected life-span is anticipated to be in excess of 60 years depending on treatment, utlisation and environmental conditions.

ISOphonix SIPs meet all current international standards and ecological initiatives, including the the Kyoto and Montreal Protocols; no Ozone Depleting Potential, no Global Warming Potential. They are pre-fabricated and factory engineered prior to distribution and can be constructed in a matter of hours or days (depending on scale) by easily trained construction workers. The lightweight design, and modular construction allows for easy re-use and re-location, ideal for temporary and semi-permanent encampments.

The modular Hex format promotes re-use and community living, whilst providing significant economies through shared walling and resources (water + electricity) when grouped into small communities and village configurations.

The basic ISOform Hex unit has a 7.2m diameter footprint, with options for access doorways and various window configurations. The modular design allows the ISOform to be increased in size by addition of more SIP panels, or by grouping into larger complex structures. ISOforms can also be stacked upto four stories high where real estate is at a premium.

The roof design acts as a water collection reservoir that feeds into an optional bio-water purification system and storage tank. Electricity can be provided with the addition of the SunHopes Helium Filled Photovoltaic Arrays by Geotecura or other solar/wind systems providing a completely autonomous solution.

For information and enquiries please contact david.carry@artecoop.net or call David Carry on +972 (0) 54 231 9641.

ISOphonix in cooperation with tSUBO Design and the ArteCOOP present the ISOform Shelter using its eco-sustainable Structural Insulated Panel (SIPs) technology.

ISOphonix SIPs are an in-expensive, eco-sustainable, and durable building technology, utlising a sandwich of Oriented Strand Board (OSB) and a Polyurothane core (PUR).

The ISOform Shelter is earthquake-proof, bullet-proof, water-proof, and heat-proof (i.e. reflects the suns heat during the day, and retains heat during the night). The expected life-span is anticipated to be around 15 years depending on re-utlisation and weather conditions.

ISOform Shelters are pre-fabricated and factory engineered prior to distribution, and can be constructed in a matter of hours by easily trained construction workers. The lightweight design, and modular construction allows for easy re-use and re-location, ideal for temporary and semi-permanent encampments.

The ISOform Shelter has been produced by the ArteCOOP in collaboration with ISOphonix, specifically in response to requests from the British Embassy in Israel to devise an inexpensive housing and shelter solution for the Palestinian refugees in the Gaza and the West Bank. Subsequent to initial talks the ISOform Shelter will be presented to UNRWA as a potential solution for mass production and distribution.

UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) is a relief and human development agency, providing education, healthcare, social services and emergency aid to over 4.4 million refugees living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab republic.

For information and enquiries please contact david.carry@artecoop.net or call David Carry on +972 (0) 54 231 9641.

SunHopes is a novel design paradigm that explores original use of photovoltaic technologies for utilization of solar energy while satisfying a growing need for a sustainable environment. We suggest using a lighter-than-air helium-filled platform containing embedded photovoltaic arrays (PVA) in order to extract electrical power from the incoming solar radiation.

The goal is to develop an efficient, portable, land area-independent, inexpensive and reliable energy source for all, thus contributing to promoting society by decentralizing and diversifying energy resources while generating an ecological coherence between humans and nature.

Many concepts can be developed:

1. A simple, helium-filled spherical balloon containing a PVA on the outer skin surface
2. A paraboloidic balloon with a transparent upper part and an opaque lower part containing paraboloid-shaped photovoltaic cells on the inner surface, thus increasing the solar radiation conversion efficiency
3. The same balloon where the inner collectors are replaced by mirrors, and the upper transparent part contains a PVA at the focus of the inner paraboloid-shaped mirror, thus concentrating and augmenting the solar radiation.

Spatial and vertical arrays of the different balloon types will use minimal footprint while producing unlimited energy. It constitutes an accessible, portable and infrastructure-free access to electric power in diverse locations.

Designer Name:
Joseph Cory + Pini Gurfil . Geotectura

Link:
www.geotectura.com
Awards:
Runner-up in the RE:Vision Design Competition

Press Release :

The Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design is conducting an international architecture competition for the design of its new campus in the center of Jerusalem, and invited architects from around the world to participate.

Daniel Mintz of MM+L together with, Rosenfeld Arens Architects, and were invited, along with four other notable architectural studios, including Foreign Office Architects and Marazzi to the second phase of a design competition for the new campus of Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in the Russian Compound Jerusalem, replacing the previous campus on Mount Scoupus.

David Carry of tSUBO was contracted to assist with the competition entry, provide information architecture, branding, graphic design, multi-media and strategic consultancy.

Design Concept Summary:

“The development of a memorable urban space invites the citizens of Jerusalem to a place of cultural events. The proposal binds the relationship between the multiple human dimensions of the city and calls for a shared urban experience.

The design will generate urban intensity emphasizing the origins of the universal memory of Jerusalem and introduces the presence of the evolving Israeli society, represented by the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, through a continuous cultural event.

The architectural complex is governed by four qualities:

1. TRANSPARENCY – The conceptual and physical exactitude enables the proportioned urban space and its geometry to become transparent, thus accentuating human events.
2. TRANSLUCENCY – The crystalline structure permeated by the ambiance of the temporal changes, challenges gravitational presence, thus establishing the experience of lightness.
3. FLEXIBILITY – The frame format and the stereotomic approach offers possibilities for change within the program of the complex, without compromising the overall conception.
4. RESONANCE – The inner space refracts and reflects itself, the urban scape, the sky, and the students, all becoming a kaleidoscopic collage.These qualities transform the external physical reality into a total abstraction enabling each individual to rediscover a sense of being.”

by Daniel Mintz, Architect

Architects:
Daniel Mintz (MM+L) + Rosenfeld Arens Architects : daniel.mintz@artecoop.net

Communication Media:
David Carry (tSUBO) : david.carry@artecoop.net

Client Name:
Bezalel International Architecture Competition
Design Year:
2007
Function:
Academy . Cultural Engineering
Project Status:
Completed
Country:
Israel

In a call to the challenging competition held by Arup and WaterAid to improve the access to safe water for billion people we suggested the integration of existing ideas and technologies through sustainable guiding principles.

The WatAir design will simply produce water from the air. WatAir should bring Change and Hope with its simple and efficient approach! We looked at the spider web and the water on leafs for inspiration. Our water web is a social design inspired by nature through its symbiotic relationship both with nature and rural dwellings and can be easily deployed within the eccentric environments as well as deployment on rooftops in dense cities. Minimal footprint of the device on the ground together with vertical and diagonal design will increase collecting area via gravitation and will save space on the ground for other activities such as: Shading for outdoors activities, playground for children etc. The shading canopy will prevent vaporization while protecting from rain and heat the people beneath. Parachuting capabilities to remote and isolated communities increase transportation efficiency and gives greater freedom, saves time and improves productivity.

The compact lightweight packing can be installed easily via its flexibility in the spatial arrangement through different layouts and even folding option during day time. Optional PV elastic panels can produce clean & free energy along side the dew and rain collection in order to supply all the energy needed for the other basic necessities.

In order to increase public’s awareness to the problem and to the possible solutions we used simplicity as our design process. Our design should be with in reach for all people around the world. Our architectural background helped us to see beyond the technological solution and to give more functions and deeper meanings to it all.

The WatAir has humanitarian aspects, education potential and sheltering capabilities. In order to make safe water an accessible reality worldwide we had to take into consideration minimal cost for the manufacturing of the product, easy and quick deployment in remote places, practical solution that will also work as environmental regenerator and as educational icon.

By printing logos and advertisements on the canvas sheets it will be easy to convince potential sponsors to pay for the manufacturing and the shipment cost of the products. Local art and literature will make it a culture event. The design has minimal special demands. It is low tec and low cost and in fact can be even produced with local means.

Designer Name:
Joseph Cory + Eyal Malka . Geotectura

Link:
www.geotectura.com

Awards:
1st prize in the Drawing Water Challenge Competition

The Sufi Order International (SOI) community desired to build an inter-spiritual temple called the ‘Universel’ at the Abode of the Message located in the Berkshire Mountains near New Lebanon, New York. The UniverCell project by GEOTECTURA was inspired by the existing structure and site.

The impact of enhancing the presence of the original quartz walls was achieved through the symbiotic relationship with the surroundings using the local stone - durable building materials that require low-maintenance. The spatial glass structure is open to the sky and to the surroundings allowing open air flow while having a constant shelter from rain and snow. Embracing the outside quartz circle with an inner wood terrace ring celebrates nature as a crucial part of the design.

Simplicity and clarity of the structure and form was due to the turned spatial cube that was added as an addition to the original foundation and stonework. The sacred geometrical proportions are based on the golden ratio. Pre-assembled steel meshes with cast-in-place ferro-cement embedded with quartz stones make the installation process quick and cost-effective.

The spiritual ritual of pilgrimage from the outer circle to the inner ring of meditation is enhanced by the cube and circle relationship. The three curtain glass faces are pointing towards the north, south-west and south-east.

• The south-west façade - Love - is respecting and reflecting the existing.
• The north façade - Harmony - representing the structural balance of the cube.
• The south-east façade - Beauty - gets its name from the sun that shines on this uncut diamond.

The unity of the structure is representing the unity of religious ideals. The optional transparent solar panels will provide eternal inner light emphasizing the energetic connection to the earth and to the sky through the unique spacious structure. Optional colored glass panels might evoke the sacred feeling from within the inner reflecting glasses. To my surprise energy of the old burned temple reappeared in the shadow of the new structure that was similar to the old temple’s contour.

–
Designer Name:
Joseph Cory
Link:
www.geotectura.com

The i-rise manifests an ecological approach that is far removed from the romantic attitude of the common single family house. The i-rise is an experiment of both practical and theoretical level transforming the single family house from its traditional horizontal land wasting state into a vertical state which is much more economical and ecological.

The footprint of the new residential structure is only 5 meters by 7.5 meters. The re-configuration of the house holds great potential in reducing existing social, economical and technological gaps. The construction of the i-rise is significantly cheaper and faster, due to industrial prefabrication of the structure, easy transportation options, and a quick building process. People will be able to inhabit the i-rise in several weeks.

The process of “planting” the building in the foundations is very similar to the process of planting a tree, and does not require extended infrastructure preparations. It is just as easy to uproot the construction in order to recycle it or to move it into a new location.

The Brain Unit functions as a heat isolated hanging roof and contain other systems such as a simple solar system, utilizing 3-D pyramidal panels that expand the active surface area of the unit, thus achieving maximum exposure to the sun. Energy utilization through simple and easily-sustainable technologies on the one hand, and energy saving through built-in recycling systems on the other hand are all basic necessities in the sustainable era and should not be luxuries and expensive elements.

By bringing the ecological awareness to the majority of the people we will be able to make a positive impact on our planet. Frederick Kiesler once said that:

“The answer is not in the comforts of technology… The answer lies beyond the idea of function. As we can see around us, the whole idea of function is in constant evolution, and I think it is the duty of the architect to foresee, to plan, to forefeel his way toward the future in order to be planning properly for today.”

Designer Name:
Joseph Cory + Eyal Malka . Geotectura
Links:
www.geotectura.com

Awards:

• 3rd prize in the International Shinkenchiku Residential Design Competition, Japan, 2005
• 1st prize in the Project of the Year Award (Conceptual projects category), Israel, 2006
• Runner-up in the Metropolis Next Generation Award, USA, 2007

Although Bamboo is usually associated with traditional building style the Bamboo Diamond prototype is a modern interpretation combining the traditional benefits of this ecological material together with the sustainable needs of today.

These are the leading principles of the design:

Structural Integrity:
Skeleton infrastructure of structural bamboo straps & lattice joists
Bamboo poles in a spatial arrangement for strength & stability
Optional reinforced brace panels
Simple girded layout

Material & Technology:
Cost effective materials
Prefabricated construction
CAD into CUT & numbered process effectiveness
Fast structural & cladding installation
Individual aesthetics adjustments on the site
Modulated system panels with different functions & colors
Double layer inner wallboard for fire protection
Insulation & acoustic layer + air gap layer
Dual glazed windows + sliding louvers

Function Flexibility:
One or two story building (120 sq.m. for up to 8 visitors)
Multiuse functionality (Family/Resort/Hybrid)
Can be attached to other Bamboo Diamonds
Different floor plan options & façade arrangements
Livable roof garden on top of the structure
Affordable investment

Ecological Responsibility:
Minimal site impact via minimal footprint on the ground
Adjustable panels according to climate & orientation
Indoor air quality through climate regulators
Passive ventilation & proprietary ventilators
Vertical and horizontal wind shafts
Sun and rain shading canopy
Natural daylight is manifested in the entire space
Organic vegetables garden using rain accumulation

Energy Concerns:
Self sufficient house
Off-the-grid electrical system
PV panels with maximum sun exposure on the roof
Passive solar gain panels for thermal storage
Wind turbine

Designer Name:
Joseph Cory

Link:
www.geotectura.com

By Robert Roy Britt
Senior Science Writer
posted: 07:00 am ET

What comes out of the human body and goes into a toilet is often thought of as an end product. But for future residents of Mars, human waste will need to take on a more vital role.

Like becoming fertilizer for growing food.

Because it costs thousands of dollars to lift every pound of stuff into space, and even more to get it to Mars, mission planners don’t want to waste a thing. Human excrement, being rich in nutrients, can be a composter’s dream. So a group of European researchers is taking on the task of figuring out just how to safely manage a high-tech Martian outhouse.

Because somebody, of course, has to do it.

The European Space Agency is building an “artificial ecosystem” near Barcelona, Spain, that will use three rats to test an idea for processing rodent waste with microorganisms. The rats will be kept under close veterinary supervision throughout the test, according to ESA officials.

Rats, it seems, have more in common with humans than you might have realized. Their oxygen demand and carbon dioxide production are roughly equivalent to ours, for example. Certain microorganisms, on the other hand, have a penchant for dealing with whatever comes their way.

Steps Toward an Organization for Security and Cooperation in the Middle East

Rene Wadlow*

Jean Monnet, one of the fathers of the European Union, had said “Men take great decisions only when crisis stares them in the face.” Crises have dragged on in the Middle East, in particular Iraq and Israel-Palestine without any great decisions being taken that could lead to peace. As the Ambassador of Pakistan to the United Nations in Geneva had said at an earlier Special Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights devoted to Israel-Palestine
(October 2000) “In the wake of recent tragic events, the mutual trust amongst the parties has been virtually destroyed. It is difficult to suggest the policy of forgive and forget in a situation when emotions are charged. Never-the-less, a path to peace cannot be paved with provocation, violence, hatred and armed actions…There is no other path to peace but mutual coexistence. We appreciate all those who have worked to curtail the events from developing into more menacing situations.”

The summer of 2006 has highlighted these crises: the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, the five-week war in Lebanon, the ongoing violence in Iraq, the mounting tensions around the nuclear policies of Iran and the continuing conflict in Darfur, Sudan.

We need a global approach to the Middle East as the conflicts and tensions in each country have an influence on the neighbours. Currently there is no permanent regional body for discussion and action in the Middle East. There is the United Nations which, as a universal body does deal with the Middle East but not on a permanent basis – rather in fits and starts, often as a reaction to events. In the past, the United Nations was often sidelined by national initiatives, especially those of the United States. Now, no single state, especially not the USA, is a position to play a dominant role for mediation. There have also been ad hoc conferences, but these have no secretariat nor real follow up. It is important to have regional bodies with an independent secretariat which can facilitate different elements of the needed confidence-building and peace process. Conflicts and tensions exist at many levels: political, social, economic, ideological and strategic. These levels interact and reinforce each other. Therefore, they must be approached in a multi-level and interrelated way.

The prime example of a multi-purpose regional security organization is what is today the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The creation of such an organization arose from proposals and discussions in the late 1960s as an effort to find ways for structured discussions between NATO, Warsaw Pact, and neutral countries of Europe. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, it was a small number of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) who were first calling for a pan-European agreement. Then governments began the negotiations which led to the creation of the OSCE in Helsinki in 1975. Likewise, it may be that there is such great suspicion of the motives of states in the Middle East, that NGOs must again take the lead. The aim of active public opinion organized through NGOs should be to accelerate this process. As the OSCE was a framework for cooperation among the enemies of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, as well as the neutral states of Europe, so an Organization for Security and Cooperation in the Middle East (OSCME) must have both Israel as well as its Arab neighbours, and Iran and Turkey which are non-Arab states but have important interests in the area.

Once created, the OSCE took the lead in military confidence-building measures and arms control, economic cooperation, human rights, and cultural development. Today, the OSCE has a decentralized secretariat and a host of conflict-reduction missions as well as technical assistance programmes for strengthening civil society institutions and an independent press.

While the OSCE has not lived up fully to its security aims as the conflicts in former Yugoslavia, Chechenya, and Central Asia have shown, the over-all record is good. Important precedents have been taken, including the creation of a Parliamentary Assembly where elected members of national parliaments meet to discuss policy and cooperation.

The Middle East needs such a security and cooperation framework for action. Beyond the conflicts which make the headlines of the world’s press and which are fundamental crises of the world political-security system, there are other tensions in the Middle East, currently overshadowed, concerning water, minorities, natural resources, and relations with Afghanistan and states of Central Asia, which could grow if not discussed openly and creatively.

The wider Middle East has not only problems but also potentials. If a security framework can be established, the currently submerged talents will come to the surface, and the area will again play an important role not just with its natural resources but also with its human energies in the world community.

The times call for leadership and concerted action. Most historical progress is achieved by leaders who can discern the main currents of their time and give a new sense of direction and ascent to a community. Today, the crises and opportunities of the Middle East call for the creation of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in the Middle East.

*Rene Wadlow is the editor of the online journal of world politics
www.transnational-perspectives.org – and the representative to the
United Nations, Geneva, of the Association of World Citizens.