This week on Dezeen, PETA’s general counsel for animal law Jared Goodman spoke about how architects could “easily” prevent billions of bird deaths per year caused by collisions with glazed and mirrored buildings.
According to Goodman, the “simple indifference” of architects who construct buildings with large amounts of glazing or mirrored facades is partially responsible for the huge number of bird deaths that occur every year.
He believes that architects should amend their designs with films, ultraviolet patterns and other “bird-friendly” glass.
“All architects must take into account and attempt to reduce the impact of their designs on the sentient beings around us,” Goodman told Dezeen in an exclusive interview.
In other architecture news, Dubai-based architecture studio ZN Era unveiled its vision for a mixed-use building called Downtown Circle, which would be built around the Burj Khalifa skyscraper.
The proposed building, which would measure 550-metres tall and 3,000 metres in circumference, would be comprised of two interconnected main rings that sandwich a “green belt” containing parks.
This week, the designs for Los Angeles’ third tallest skyscraper were revealed by US studio Handel Architects.
Described by the studio as a “modern interpretation of an Italian hill town”, the development will be located between Hill Street and California Plaza. It will include two mixed-use towers, retail shops and restaurants, as well as a multi-storey outdoor park.
In design, bathroom company Duravit showcased a shower toilet that could be used in future homes on Mars. The company hopes that the toilet would be comfortable for people who are living on Mars for long periods of time.
A prototype version of the product, which looks similar to current toilets used on Earth, was installed at Martian House in Bristol, UK.
The founder of design studio Olaniyi Studio Yussef Agbo-Ola revealed Kajola, a conceptual collection of nine shoes that curl up like plants when they decay.
Agbo-Ola used biomaterials including clay, volcanic dust and cacao powder for the shoes, while the soles were constructed from plant fibres.
Another fashion accessory that made the headlines this week was the OoOoooOoooOh la l’ice necklace by Paris-based design studio Golem. Made from ice cubes, the jewellery melts within 30 minutes.
In an exclusive interview with Dezeen, To.org co-founder Nachson Mimran shared how how “creative activism” can unlock social and economic growth.
To.org, a venture capitalist charitable foundation, recently launched a design consultancy that produces experimental prototypes as a way of tackling global issues like climate change, gender equality and the refugee crisis.
“Design can be used as a Trojan horse,” explained Mimran. “We can use design as a conversation starter – as a meme – and we can embed really important messages inside.”
Projects that sparked readers’ imaginations this week included a house perched above Australian bushland, a cabin influenced by Californian wildfires and a concrete holiday home overlooking Ise-Shima National Park.
This week’s lookbooks showcased residential interiors bolstered by exposed wooden beams and living spaces with glossy surfaces that create depth and dimension.
This week on Dezeen
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