Reducing use of Hardwood

As the world gets warmer, the more time we want to spend outside. The more lovely hardwood decking we lay to do so, the warmer the earth gets!

Not that hardwood is the only problem with decking - preservatives used to increase the life of timber can also be very bad for the environment. Fortunately a German entrepreneur has invented an alternative. 

Discovered after accidentally spilling wax over a wooden plate he'd recieved as a present, Jan Nies realised that if he replaced all the water in the wood with wax it produced a wood which was shown to be of comparable strength to tropical hardwoods when tested by the official office for environment and nature (StAUN) in Rostock. Currently Dauerholz (literally durable wood) decking is produced using pine wood sourced from PEFC certified managed forests within Germany but they are also testing other wood types. The wax impregnated wood is said to be non-slip and performs well in resisting mould growth, dampness and insect infestation. The wax used is composed of just carbon and water and is commonly used for such things as lipsticks or cheese rind! It is said to be clean, tasteless, odourless and insoluble in almost all liquids including water and sulphuric acid - meaning no nasty run off. The melting point of the wax is over 80° C so that Dauerholz gives off no wax emissions even when heated to extremely high temperatures - so those in sunnier climates needn't worry about their veranda melting!

Dauerholz planks can also be used in external furniture
design as demonstrated by the 'Loop' chair

Dauerholz is not perfect - paraffin wax is essentially produced from crude oil which is obviously not environmentally friendly, but considering the amount of fuel that is necessary to transport exotic woods to deck our gardens, it probably represents a massive improvement. It also undoubtedly uses less crude oil than composite or plastic alternatives to timber decking. It is also not clear how recyclable the product is at the end of it's life, but the company has also started marketing re-treatment options for after the 15 year guarantee period. 

Since many of the benefits of the product require the the raw materials are sourced locally, shipping Dauerholz to North America would negate many of the positive benefits. America also has it's own (temperate) rainforests so the benefit here would be the reduction of the felling of these old growth trees in favour of the quick growing pine. There is currently no information to suggest that the technology has been franchised to the US but it is still a new product, going into production only 3 years ago. Dauerholz will undoubtedly gain marketshare when EU legislation against the sale of non certified tropical woods comes into effect in 2013 and maybe this will spur international expansion.

References / Sources

http://www.dauerholz.de/    (For information in English - click here)
http://www.pefc.co.uk/about-pefc/about
http://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/deck-wood-or-plastic.html

Badehaus am Kaiserstrand, Bregenz, Austria

Click to enlarge.
all photos © Caroline Hather.

In the tradition of the bathing machines popular in 18th & 19th century Europe, das Badehaus am Kaiserstrand provides changing facilities and steps down for bathing in the lake as well as event rooms, a cafe and sunbathing facilities. It is located in an interesting part of the world - Lake Constance or Bodensee as it is known in Germany, has shores belonging to Switzerland, Germany and Austria meaning that whilst sunbathing one can gaze at the mountains of three different lands.

Designed by local architects Lang + Schwärzler Architekturbüro and operated by the recently renovated historic Seehotel, the bathing pavilion is clad inside and out almost entirely in pine. Externally this has weathered down to a silver grey that harmonises perfectly with the pale blues of the water and skies in this beautiful and tranquil part of the world. Movement is created in what could have become a monotonous facade through varying transparencies and folding shutters. The changing form reflects all the different activities that take place within over the course of the days and seasons.

Accessed via a 40m* long walkway giving full access from the lake promenade and linking the pavilion to the Seehotel, the route takes you directly through the building to the open rear deck which provides wide views of the lake and mountains beyond. Restrooms and changing rooms are located to either side of the corridor but showers are open to the rear deck so that bathers can rinse off after a swim without leaving sight of the lake.

For such a simple form, it offers a great range of enclosed and open accommodation and the deck on the roof has to be one of the top 10 places in the world to take an early morning yoga class. The restaurant which is fully glazed and seats 50 can be hired out for weddings and is host to jazz and classical concerts.

* or 42m depending on which source you believe!

Links & Resources:

http://www.seehotel-kaiserstrand.com/restaurant-bodensee/badehaus/

http://www.austria-architects.com/de/lang-schwaerzler/de/

http://www.hagen-huster.at/

Floor plans & Sections can be found in the March issue (2012) of Detail magazine.

http://www.detail.de/architektur/themen/badehaus-in-lochau-018287.html

Update: Kaulbachplatz U-Bahn station Interior

In July last year Tollpatchy featured the new U-Bahn station by Haid + Partner Architects that was being built in Nuremberg, Germany - See article.

The station opened in January 2012 and the interior did not disappoint. 

In contrast to the exhibitionism of the bionic forms of the entrance pavilions, the interior is a study in subtlety. Ghostly images in the lightly ribbed concrete panels appear and then disappear as the carriage passes through the station. 

The counterpoint to the restrained interior is the lift shaft which brings the above ground design language through the ground plane. Perhaps answering my concerns about how well the lift shaft fit with the scheme in the earlier article.

The skill with which the concrete work has been executed in this project is remarkable - the juxtaposition of the smooth dark grey pigmented entranceways with the ribbed white pigmented interior panels works perfectly.  Haid + Partners have also managed to further compound a sense of place and history by the ghostly use of works by painters from the Munich school of art, after which the streets in the city quarter are named. Photos really cannot do this station justice.

All photos copyright of Caroline Hather.

Links:

Haid + Partners Architekten

Accessible bathrooms

HEWI System 800 Grab Rail

For all the criticism that modern architecture receives, it is undeniable that the factors modern designers have to consider in even the smallest building, are much more numerous than those that the much celebrated Victorian architects ever had to consider! Amongst these factors, accessibility and sustainability are those that designers come across on a daily basis at all stages of the design process and which often present the biggest challenge in how to incorporate them in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Since the early nineties, accessibility legislation has been introduced across the world making it mandatory to ensure equal access to buildings, their facilities and services. Even though it is now over 20 years since the US first introduced their anti discrimination legislation, it is sadly the case that accessibility is often a secondary concern to designers and is often added on as an after thought or even hidden out of the way. One of the reasons for this is that the products to help designers incorporate accessibility within the design language of their projects just weren't available.
However with the increasing emphasis on sustainability, the issue is being re-framed as universal design. There is now increased impetus on manufacturers to provide solutions which enable property owners to make their homes and projects suitable for the span of the inhabitants ages as well as their families'

Some of these products have been honoured by the Red Dot design awards in both design concept and realised product categories.

Bathtubs

For years accessible bathrooms have omitted bathtubs in favour of level access showers. One of the reasons for this is that the accessible bathtub options available are usually reminiscent of care homes - which is not a look that sells high end apartments! Two product concepts awarded Red Dot awards in 2011 rethink this unattractive bath type.

The first is this interesting bathtub design named the Flume bathtub by designers Kim Jung Su, Yoon Ji Soo & Kim Dong Hwan. The design works on a see saw principle, using the weight of the water to level out the bath tub as it fills.

Flume Bathtub

Another, the inflatable bathtub by designer Su Pin Chia, focuses on a different way to deal with the door in the traditional accessible bath. Unfortunately details are not available on how this bathtub would be cleaned but it is undeniably an attractive and innovative re-imagining of the type.

Inflatable Bathtub

Whilst the previous bathtubs are very imaginative, both are unfortunately still at the concept stage. A less innovative re-imagining, but one that is available to buy, is this accessible bathtub from German firm Saniku.

Saniku Bathtub

On a practical note - something that it often overlooked by designers when specifying this type of bathtub, is the importance of checking the flow rate of the tap. This is particularly important because the user has to sit in the tub as it fills and empties and that can get chilly!

Accessible Accessories

HEWI System 800 Adjustable mirror

Sometimes it's the small details that make all the difference, and not just aesthetically. Placement of mirrors, grab rails and even power points can really help make a bathroom accessible for everyone. Unfortunately finding attractive grab rails can be a real uphill battle. The image at the start of this blog entry shows an attractive version from architectural hardware firm Hewi.

Hewi, another German firm, started developing products for the disabled and elderly in 1979. Since then it has won numerous consumer as well as design awards, including for it's system 800 range from which the selected images are taken. Many of the products, like the stools below, combine plastics with chrome to allow designers to have a minimalist appearance that still fulfils practical requirements. 

HEWI System 800 Hinged Seat 

HEWI System 800 Shower Stool

However, the holy grail of grab rails is a rail that is warm to the touch but doesn't look plastic. Hewi claim to have developed one with their Warm Touch product range that claims a high gloss chrome appearance with the physical characteristics of Polyamide. Unfortunately they still have only standard round grab rails available in this coating but it is to be hoped that they will gradually roll out the coating to their 800 range products.

Links

Saniku bathtub
http://en.red-dot.org/2845.html?&cHash=b14b6f500a0ef940b3005c97dce1fe95&detail=4079
http://www.saniku.de/

Flume bathtub
http://www.red-dot.sg/concept/porfolio/o_e/BR/R046.htm

Inflatable bathtub
http://www.red-dot.sg/concept/porfolio/o_e/BR/R049.htm

General design led accessible fittings/System 800
http://www.hewi.de/content/de/index.php
http://www.hewi.de/content/en/produkte/Sanitaer/system800/ue/