The Knowledge to Decide

The construction material that could define the 21st century might just be wood. As part of the United Kingdom’s prestigious design festival at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, a construction made entirely of tulipwood is the most complex structure produced by cross-laminated timber (CLT). The installation known as ‘The Smile’, is a 34-meter-long, 3.5-meter-high tube which is rectangular with curves on both ends – similar to a Cheshire cat grin. Visitors can walk through the hollowed interior. This collaboration with the American Hardwood Export Council and Arup aims to highlight the potential of timber construction for architects and engineers. Furthermore, timber is a sustainable material that is less energy-intensive than concrete. Is timber construction the future of architecture? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/is-wood-stronger-than-concrete/

Can you imagine using paint made from recycled air pollutants? A novel concept from India-based Anirudh Sharma’s Graviky Labs in 2013, Air Ink uses polluted air to create paint and ink. Their first line of products includes spray paints, oil-based paints and even pens where pigments were extracted from carbon soot taken from chimneys and exhaust pipes. A recent partnership with Tiger Beer resulted in the product being tested by local artists in Hong Kong. These artists were invited to use the ink in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan district to paint murals. Considering the fact that Delhi is one of the world’s most polluted cities – rated as having the most polluted air in 2014 by the World Health Organization – this revolutionary concept could help find a silver lining amidst the smog. Can air pollutants be recycled into raw materials for paint? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/painting-with-pollutants/