omnispace

Peter Yeadon on Nanofutures

Peter Yeadon introduces us to structures in "an age of molecular manipulation," in which we'll see "the dawn of nanofactories, robust molecular machine shops that harvest atoms from a reservoir of molecules to make sophisticated materials, devices, and systems one atom at a time." Archfarm has also published an interview with Sonia Cillari pdf, about emotion and interactivity in architectural design, as well as Usman Haque's rough guide to "open source architecture" pdf published last summer.

Parasitology

Rudolf Leuckart was considered the "Father of Parasitology" as well as one of the most famous zoologists of the 19th century. His careful descriptions of morphologic details gave major support to the newly established field of animal systematics: the idea that evolution can be traced through structural changes. Leuckart's textbooks remain a classic to this day.

Worm Drive

This worm drive assembly designed by K. Eric Drexler, Josh Hall, Ninad Sathaye and Mark Sims includes 11 components totalling 25,374 atoms. The animation above has been created from simulation results using NanoEngineer-1 Alpha 7. It is the largest model ever simulated with NanoEngineer-1. nanoengineer

Atomic Space

Nike Savvas's "Atomic : full of love, full of wonder" at AGNSW's Ball Naves Sculpture Project is one of many installations fitting this year's theme of "Adventures with Form and Space." Savva's technicolor landscape of suspended polystyrene balls are held in place with near-invisible nylon wire to depict freeze-framed atoms.

Future Studio

Transgenic Zoo by Peter Yeadon
Transgenic Zoo is an ongoing case study which explores the architectural implications of  nanobiotechnology. "We're already designing new forms of life and new classes of substance," says Yeadon referring to cloning, genetically modified food and nanotechnologies. "So, how can architecture acknowledge this era of living products?" The Transgenic Zoo would be situated in Toronto - the existing zoo relocated downtown and enhanced with bioengineered plants and animals. The bioengineered creatures are already available: we have injected jellyfish genes into plants to make glow in the dark trees, cloned goats, etc.

Yeadon argues that architecture can no longer ignore the achievements of disciplines that are creating new forms of life and are altering the fundamental properties of matter. As in the past, the scientific innovations that surround us today will imminently inspire a new spirit in architecture.”

Viewing Nanoscale

via NanoArchitecture: Ever wonder what a water molecule looks like? Take a moment and imagine one. Are you picturing two letters and a subscript numeral? Are you picturing three spheres, red and white, connected to form a chunky boomerang? Do you see a mysterious fuzzy cloud of electrons and three infinitesimally small nuclei? In the current issue of NanoToday David S. Goodsell provides a great overview of the imagery that is making the invisible world comprehensible.

NanoHouse

The NanoHouse™ Initiative, conceived in 2002 by Dr Carl Masens at the Institute for Nanoscale Technology and visualised and implemented by architect James Muir, has proven a successful method of explaining what nanotechnologies are and how they work; e.g. how the latest technology windows clean themselves, how tiles might resist build up of soap scum, or timber surfaces resist UV damage. In the building industry, nanotechnology provides a whole new palette of materials that could potentially have profound affects on building design. For instance, in the near future, glass can be used more liberally if it is optically tuned to block heat and UV. It would be possible to construct a building with many more, larger windows than is currently viable, since heat can be kept out and UV photo-damage prevented.

Nano Architecture

Nanoarchitecture is an online resource for architects and designers focusing on the architectural implications of nanotechnology. Their mission: to inform architects about nanotechnology; to track emerging developments in nanotechnology that will revolutionize design, and to feature works that are enabled by nanotechnology.

Living Glass

Beginning with the premise that architectural elements might move in response to the environment, the Living Glass project by David Benjamin and Soo-In Yang uses a shape memory alloy to open and close the surface like gills. To achieve this, they embedded Flexinol wires in cast silicone; the wires contract due to an electrical stimulus, causing gills to cut into the surface to open and close. With minor changes the system could be tuned for environmental control, detecting carbon dioxide in a room and in multiple grapefruit-sized zones, and “breathe” when levels are high. Here, movement promotes health by allowing air flow when needed, and it provides information by signaling a high carbon dioxide level, which is normally invisible.

NanoFabric

This electrospun fiber mat was developed by the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Center, Supporting Science and Technology Directorate, and fabricated by Heidi Schreuder-Gibson. It's made in part of electrospun nanofibers of polyethylene oxide.