Page 76 - Lighting-Magazine-August-2014

An organic original

typical vapor coated aluminum refector, which has
10-percent light loss per bounce, these flms have
1.5-percent light loss per bounce. 3M has multiple
versions of Specular Film for various applications
including options appropriate for thermoforming,
artifcial light, and indirect sunlight. Currently, the
company is investigating technologies that enhance
long-term outdoor use. Originally developed to as-
sist lighting designers, the Specular Film improves
thermal management, increases optical efciency
and lumen output, and reduces LED and LED cir-
cuitry costs.
In addition to contributing the refective flm, 3M
also has a connection to the organic brick provider
Ecovative. (3M New Ventures has invested in Eco-
vative for approximately four years.) As an early
investor in Ecovative, 3M recognized the brand’s
potential as a new sustainable platform for material
development.

cReative collaboRation
Founded with the mission of creating architecture
of the future, the architects at The Living believe
there is a great opportunity for designing corre-
sponding living, breathing, design ecosystems. To
execute Hy-Fi, The Living’s team worked with a
wide range of like-minded companies. In addition
Originally developed to assist lighting to Ecovative and 3M, The Living tapped the talents

designers, the Specular Film improves of Advanced Metal Coatings Inc., (which tested its
natural materials for durability in New York summer
thermal management, increases optical conditions), Shabd Simon-Alexander and Audrey
Louise Reynolds (the natural-dye textile artists who
efciency and lumen output, and developed custom coatings for their organic bricks),
Build It Green Compost (the Queens, N.Y.-based
reduces LED and LED circuitry costs. non-proft that will process the building materi-
als afer the installation and provide them to local
community gardens), Art Domantay Artworks (the
above: From the “The Living is a much-admired frm in the ar- builder who led the on-site construction), Associ-
outside, it’s hard for chitectural community and is renowned for its ated Fabrication, Kate Orf and SCAPE Landscape
visitors to imagine all experimental profciency,” Albanese remarks. “Da- Architecture, Arup, Atelier Ten, Autodesk, Bruce
of the eco-friendly
engineering involved in vid [Benjamin] is passionate about understanding Mau Design, Brooklyn Digital Foundry, and a team
the Hy-Fi installation. emerging technologies and is able to think so cre- of graduate research students at Columbia Univer-
atively about the intelligent use of materials within a sity, who assisted in the construction and will help
full-circle system so that nothing is wasted. We are deconstruct the structure.
honored to be integral to such an important project The Hy-Fi exhibit will be on display at MoMA
that reveals the potential future of materials for the PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City, N.Y. and
built environment.” is open 12–6 p.m., Thursday through Monday. The
exhibit is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
how it woRks The 2014 Young Architects Program is sponsored
3M Specular Film bounces light at a rate of 98.5 by Bloomberg with additional funding provided by
percent refectivity per bounce, with 95.5 percent Bertha and Isaac Liberman Foundation, Jefrey and
total light output at three bounces. Compared to a Michèle Klein, and Agnes Gund. 

74 enLIGHTenment MAgAzine | August 2014 www.enlightenmentmag.com