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People and Places | |
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Autodesk University #16 | |
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Vertical Gardens | |
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Architectural Products Update |
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National Gypsum offers Gold Bond®-brand SoundBreak™ Gypsum Board, a noise-reducing wallboard. It installs and finishes like traditional wallboard, and can be used as a single-layer application or in multi-layered wall assemblies to reduce sound transmission and improve privacy in schools, healthcare facilities, hotels, residential dwellings, and other applications. The wallboard features a viscoelastic polymer, offering constrained-layer damping, sandwiched between two pieces of high-density gypsum board. It has a sound transmission class (STC) rating of 55 or above in most wall assemblies. Available in sheets four feet (1.2 meters) wide and in lengths of eight, nine, ten, and twelve feet (2.4, 2.7, 3.0, and 3.7 meters). |
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Big Ass Fans® has introduced the Element™, an industrial-grade ceiling fan designed to increase air movement and reduce energy usage in large air-conditioned spaces, such as shopping malls, office buildings, and recreational facilities. The 12-foot- (4-meter-) diameter fan uses only one-half horsepower (373 watts) at maximum speed. When integrated into HVAC systems, it allows delay in the activation of air conditioning, and may reduce energy costs by 10 to 15 percent over standalone AC. Used year round, it can reduce the amount of ductwork required in buildings. |
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SystemX fluorescent lighting is a modular system designed by Ross Lovegrove for Yamagiwa. The basic X module is made of plastic and aluminum, with two 21-watt fluorescent lamps linked by rubber connectors. A single unit can be used alone or large areas can be covered with interconnected modules in a variety of configurations. Horizontal and vertical arrays are possible. The programmable system can control color temperatures for zones of illumination, including lightness and brightness with dimming options. An energy-efficient and unusual sculptural design solution for the office environment. |
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Tumbleweed Tiny House Company sells very compact ready-made houses and house plans. Design priority is given to light, warmth, energy efficiency, and proportion, while minimizing transitional areas and maximizing storage space. The "Tiny" homes range from 65 to 140 square feet (6 to 13 square meters), and are built as towable travel trailers on wheels. Pictured is the Weebee model, at 102 square feet (9 square meters). Plans are also available for the line of "Small" houses, which measure 251 to 837 square feet (23 to 78 square meters) and are designed to meet International Building Code. Workshops and free telephone support are available to support use of plans. |
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International plumbing product manufacturer Hansgrohe offers the Axor Citterio M collection of high-end kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Designed by Italian architect Antonio Citterio (with Toan Nguyen), the collection is characterized by slim, modern lines inspired by the city of Milan. Two products from the collection won International Forum (IF) Gold Awards in 2008: the showerpipe and the single-lever washbasin faucet. The tall model of the single-hole faucet (pictured), created for vessel-type sinks, won a "red dot: best of the best" award for outstanding design. |
