Page 75 - Lighting-Magazine-August-2014

An Organic Original

The compostable building is designed to create a pleasant
microclimate in the summer heat by drawing in cool air at the
botom and pushing hot air out of the open top.

ground, air, water, and living mater is temporarily materials met The Living’s original project goal of
diverted to produce a building that grows out of, and creating a structure from materials that require
returns to, the earth. as litle waste, energy, and carbon emissions as
The shiny blocks near the top of the structure possible while delivering an intriguing and inviting
are the molds in which the organic bricks are grown. space for MoMA PS1 visitors.
They are coated in a special light-refracting flm According to 3M’s Business Development Man-
invented by 3M, which helps direct light down into ager George Levendusky, “The YAP exhibition
the towers. Once the structure is taken down, these [was] an opportunity to expand sustainable think-
molds will be sent back to 3M for further research. ing and cross-pollinate ideas between architecture,
The compostable building is designed to create design, science, and technology. We were thrilled
a pleasant microclimate in the summer by drawing to collaborate with The Living to use our materials
in cool air at the botom where visitors congregate in new ways that we believe will have far-reaching
and pushing hot air out of the open top of the cir- efects. We are commited to fostering just this
cular towers. Overall, the Hy-Fi project ofers shade, kind of innovative thinking and exploration.”
color, light, views, and a futuristic experience that is Architect David Benjamin involved 3M early in
described as refreshing, thought-provoking, full of the design development process for assistance
wonder and optimism. both on the brick development and light manage-
ment. 3M Architectural Markets’ Design & Trend
Reflective light Researcher Gina Albanese introduced the design
What makes this biodesign installation innovative is team to the company’s Specular Film and worked
its construction made with Ecovative’s “living” bricks with them to manipulate the material to develop
and 3M refective flms. These highly refective flm the fnal brick form. “Our frm’s work is ofen in-
bricks give a mirrored efect that not only ofers a spired by new materials, and [the flm] opens up
striking visual for the outside of the tower, but also a whole new world of possibilities. This material
diverts and bounces sunlight down through the solves design problems with its high-performance
structure inside to illuminate the space in a kaleido- qualities, but also provides a mesmerizing aes-
scope of light. The successful combination of these thetic atmosphere,” Benjamin explains.

August 2014 | enLIGHTenment MAgAzine 73