NKA Foundation: Mud House Design Competition

For most of us mud houses are something of the past. We are used to modern houses, tall apartment blocks and skyscrapers. Our homes are made of the best materials. We know there are small zinc sheet homes for the poor. Just as there are zinc homes, there are also plenty of places in Africa where mud houses are still used. Nka Foundation makes us aware of this situation and is reaching out a helping hand in a creative and innovative manner. It is currently accepting ideas and proposals from designers, architects and builders to improve these mud houses and entries can come for anywhere around the world.

Design Problem: A Typical Mud House at Abetenim Village

• The competition is open for entries until the 31st of August. The selection of the winning designs will be chosen between 15 September and 30 September by a panel of judges. 
• An individual or a design team can submit an entry to the Mud House Design competition.
• There will be three winning projects. The prizes are: 1st prize- $1,500 or Construction of design in Ghana plus a short trip to Ghana for the opening ceremony once construction is completed; 2nd prize- Construction or $1,000 and 3rd prize- Construction or $500. Honorable mentions may be awarded.
• Judging criteria involve the functionality, aesthetics and technical factor to the degree the design response resolves the design problem.

ENTER NOW

Visit www.nkafoundation.org/2014mudhousedesign.html to read more about the requirements, background, conditions and more. If you have the talent, you now have the chance to show it where it will matter: designing for life, improving people's lives.

Publishing with fewer environmental Perils?

A bit of a focus on Green Design
written by visual artist Janet Botes

While doing some online research for my studies in 2006 I came across Celery Design Collaborative, based in Berkeley in the US. On a recent search for this Design company I found that 5 years later they're still going strong. With updated branding and some outputs or "eco tools" from their efforts in creating and supporting sustainable design they're a great example or role model for other design and publishing companies. One of the outputs is a Sustainability Score Card that gives a good overview of what options to favor when choosing paper, plastic, ink and binding methods for your next creative or publishing project. Check it out at celerydesign.com//images/uploads/Celery_SustainScore_11.08_.pdf. Looking at paper, they have also created an ecological Guide to Paper. Go and read more about paper processes and how to choose your paper at www.celerydesign.com/ecological-guide-to-paper

Another output is a book published in 2009, Green Graphic Design, by Brian Dougherty. Check it out at www.greengraphicdesign.net. According to Jade-Snow Carroll of the Design Observer, it is a "great resource for designers wanting to practice their craft sustainably".

On the same track there is a fresh, new and local company to keep an eye on... Paper People Publishing Collective, based in Johannesburg. As a book arts network and a publishing house they encourage all their authors to print on recycled materials, and are developing solutions for hand-printed and hand-bound books from Studio 6 at the Newtown Artist-Run Centre.

As a general guideline, when choosing your paper, try choose paper that are approved by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), tree-free paper or recycled paper.

When choosing your recycled paper also consider the percentage of waste used, and the amount of chlorine used to whiten or brighten the post consumer waste paper used in the production of the paper. And how about hemp paper? From what I hear things are looking good for the possibility of having industrial hemp legalized in our country! Industrial hemp is not from the same strain of plants that can be smoked, and as hemp grows much quicker and with less water than cotton it is a great raw material for use in the clothing industry, building industry and, of course, for paper. Another new option is stone paper, have a look at the post we published about Stone Paper: greenyourart.blogspot.com/2013/02/stone-paper-is-writing-on-wall.html

When looking at ink, suggest to your printers that they use vegetable-based inks and low-VOC solvents. And from what I've read, don’t use a printer that uses isopropyl alcohol. Generally, as with all materials and products, try to avoid inks with toxic chemicals.

When delivering and packaging your books, brochures and other designed materials for your clients, don’t wrap them in plastic, but pack them in re-usable, recycled or re-used packages. Also tell buyers to recycle or re-use all packaging and containers as far as possible.

Together all the small changes and effort we make makes a big difference.

Learning from Nature

by Tayla Tucker


I recently went to a film festival which was part of the ‘Sustain our Africa Summit’ and watched a film entitled: ‘Second Nature – The Biomimicry Evolution.’ This film explored the emerging discipline of biomimicry, which examines nature’s best ideas, models, systems and processes, and emulates them to solve human problems. The film was inspired by famous biologist Janine Benyus and followed her and the Biomimicry Institute team in the bush in South Africa as they demonstrated how organisms in the natural world can show us how to be more sustainable and efficient with the things we already have.
 Biomimicry, also known as Biometrics, comes from the Greek words ‘bios’ = life; ‘mimesis’= imitate, and is not a new idea. Man has been looking at nature for answers, both simple and complex, throughout existence. An early example of Biomimicry in Engineering is the study of birds for human flight and even today the most advanced aeroplane building companies are looking at wing structure of larger birds in order create safer commercial passenger carriers.

"The more our world functions like the natural world,the more likely we are to endure on this home that is ours,but not ours alone." ~ Janine Benyus

Throughout the video Janine gives us examples of designs from nature and how they have been used to create superior man-made products, an example being the Lotus leaf. A Lotus leaf is self-cleaning, which means that after rainfall it is clear of water as well as dirt. Janine explains that the surface topography of the leaf interacts with water molecules in a way which allows water to roll off taking dirt with it. A company by the name of Sto Corp has created a sealer which mimics this topography, effectively creating a self cleaning paint. This simple sealer has the potential to change home life forever. No more having to physically wash the walls, the rain can do it, or a simple spray with a hose pipe. This should also eliminate the use of soaps; which will be good for the environment.

 
Images: (left) by Janet Botes, (right) sourced from EcoSalon

If we can learn techniques like this from something as simple as a leaf, imagine what else is waiting out there to be discovered! Nature has been evolving for 3.6 billion years, testing through trail and error, in order to create the most effective with the least resistance. There is so much we can learn, we just need to open our eyes to what is in front of us.

There is a local Biomimicry organisation which provides information and offers courses, where you can learn more about this amazing new branch of science! Go to biomimicrysa.co.za for more information.

Here is a link to a bio of Janine Benyus as part of TEDx, which also includes links to talks that she has given: www.ted.com/speakers/janine_benyus

JULY DESIGN WORKSHOP by Karen Suskin, Haldane Martin, Helen van Zyl

The search for a Human Rights logo - DESIGN ONE!

On May 3, 2011 the Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle launched a world-wide competition to find a logo for the issue of Human Rights, an issue which is one of the priorities of the German foreign policy. Creative people from around the world who are committed to human rights can submit their designs or rate and comment on the entries of others until July 31, 2011. You can find more information on the competition on the website of the German Embassy www.yaounde.diplo.de. You can also follow the following direct link:

http://www.jaunde.diplo.de/__Zentrale_20Komponenten/Ganze__Seiten/en/__Aktuelle__DiA__Seiten/humanrights__Logo__en__Uebersichtsseite.html?site=15641

They are also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/humanrightslogo

Change of season

I know I've been very quiet and that it seems like nothing's been happening. But things are actually still on a roll. I'm looking for some eco-enthusiastic writers to contribute to the Ecojunki blog and keep everyone updated on what's green and happening. In the meantime I've got empty milk cartons piling up and I'll soon figure out what I want to create with them in order to recycle or repurpose them.

While on the subject of repurposing - check out Recreate, started by Katie Thompson! Recreate repurposes old suitcases, cans and all kinds of throw-away articles into quirky and pretty decor items like chairs, end tables, candlestick holders and clocks! See some images on www.recreate.za.net and be sure not to miss seeing some of Recreate's very creative furniture and decor items at The Fringe Art Store and Wessel Snyman Creative in Cape Town during May.



The Fringe Arts Store is in the City Hall, Darling Street, Cape Town until 14 May, and Wessel Snyman Creative is at 17 Bree Street in Cape Town, where Recreate will be featured and exhibited from 4-29 May.

Groen. Groei. omGee

Hierdie ontwerpe (behalwe natuurlik die engelse "naturelover") is deel van 'groentji' wat fokus op Afrikaanse skryfwerk en ontwerpe.

Shades of green

WWF

Advertisement promoting the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
PLEASE only buy wood and paper with the FSC mark, to ensure that you do not support unsustainable forestry. Deforestation is a huge problem, especially in the fight against global warming.
Done as a student project
2006


Web-banners, submitted entries to a competition hosted by WWF International
2007

Responsiglobe

Poster and leaflet promoting energy-saving globes.

Green Design layout

A selfpromotional page - easily usable as email promo, ad, leaflet, etc. - using my own photography and copy writing.
2008