Metal Panel Innovations

ATAS has introduced horizontal metal panel elements. Both linear metal panels are rainscreen systems with the Versa-Seam being the plank-reveal look and - more exciting - the Versa-Lok being the shingle look. Versa-Seam comes in different widths and Versa-Lok comes in different widths and lengths that can be randomly mixed for a dynamic effect. I wasn't able to find information on their website (though they have plenty other products to check out) but did find a few articles.

Even more exciting is Dri-Design's Ombrae panels. These panels use computer technology to turn images - photos, logos, graphics - into "pixels" in the panel. These pixels are incomplete perforations that could change in size and angle in order to reflect light differently. The effect is a large scale "mural" or digital graphic that interacts with the sun or the artificial lighting. There are a few photos and a video here but it looks like it hasn't been used too much yet. Such great possibilities!

Hippy, Treehuggin' Building

It looks a little bit like a organic, healthy, bland chicken salad sandwich but it's actually organic, healthy rigid insulation. Greensulate is a rigid board that uses organisms to actually grow the board. "We use a growing organism to transform agricultural byproducts, like cotton burrs and rice hulls, into energy-efficient insulation." It uses mushroom roots to bind everything together without glues or VOCs. With two different density options it has good strength characteristics, making it great for SIPS panels. It also passes testing standards for vapor transmission, water absorption, and has a Class 1 fire rating. Of course if it does burn, blackened mushrooms and rice hulls go great with a grilled pork loin with an orange glaze.

Hemcrete is a lime plaster product that uses hemp stalks as the filler. This isn't just a plaster coating, this would be your wall. After framing up a stud wall, you create forms and pour the mixture in to create a solid, insulating, sound proof, energy efficient, carbon dioxide absorbing (yeah, that's right), breathable wall. One article claims you could mix this plaster up yourself if you happen to be growing a crop of hemp in that secret field out back. Though most of the projects that have used it are in the UK where they can grow hemp legally I suppose, Push Design was able to build one in North Carolina.
This product is also fire resistant. Of course if this one does happen to burn... It's all good, man...just relax...giggle...dude, your house is burning...cooool

ArchiKids

Do you remember being young and not being able to explain what your parents did for a living? It took me a long time to learn the word stevedore and then another equally long time to learn what that meant. Well, being in the architecture/design field, there are now a few books to help us explain to the little ones what it is that we do. Le Corbusier In His Own Words is a book about the world famous modernist geared toward preteens and older. It simply explains Corbu's concepts using his drawings, illustrations of his buildings, and supposedly using "his own words" though the excerpt "Sun, space, trees: That is what all cities need." makes me doubt that a bit.
As amazing as he was, I doubt he went around speaking in rhyme.
It's just so hard to do all the time.
For another architectural children's book,
click right here and take a look.
There's a little pig named Gehry and a Corbu.
There is one named Frank Lloyd Wright, too.
Or maybe this bug named Roberto,
with his hero, Fleas Van Der Rohe.
But no matter how you explain what you do every day,
the kid's gonna end up resenting you anyway.

The product you see here is Cementoresina by Kerakoll. The product consists of cement, marble and resin and it is solvent and VOC free and uses natural pigments. It says it has no joints so my assumption is that it is poured on for floors (3 mm thick) and troweled on for walls (2 mm thick). The top picture is of the MAXXI museum in Rome by Zaha Hadid where it looks like they used this material extensively.
The manufacturer claims that it comes in 45 different colors each with 5 different possible textures but, alas, it is so new that their website doesn't even list it. Kerakoll is one of the largest chemical manufacturers but they also have developed many environmentally friendly products. For example, they created a resin for this project in Milan. They also sponsor this guy in MotoGP if anyone is interested (that's Motorcycle Grand Prix for those of you who don't know and maybe are not interested.)