Wall cladding made from corn cob waste brings sustainable construction materials

Construction is something that we probably cannot do without as we continue to build houses, buildings, and other structures. The quest for coming up with sustainable construction is ongoing as we look for materials that are eco-friendly and the process in creating them to be as sustainable as possible. There are a lot of waste in our world that can actually be used for other purposes instead of just becoming biomass as they are mostly used now. A breakthrough in terms of interior wall cladding is now available and it comes from the most unlikeliest of sources: corn cobs.

Designer: StoneCycling and Studio Nina van Bart

CornWall is an alternative to interior wall cladding that uses organic corn cobs, subjecting them to up to 150 degrees Celsius so as to activate and create “strong bonds”. Aside from using sustainable materials, the heating process is also eco-friendly as it uses sustainable energy. The electric heating process uses the solar panels on their factory’s roof. So from the materials to the process itself, we are seeing something that will lessen or leave no carbon footprints at all.

Mostly corn cobs are left on the fields or fermented or burned as biomass. But with this process, they are able to turn them into wall cladding. It is better than the usual ceramic wall cladding that is used or even composite materials like high pressure laminate (HPL). Another advantage to this is that it is able to store more carbon dioxide because of the absorbed CO2 already in it. It is also 100% reusable as it can be removed from interiors through the demountable anchoring system.

Based on the product photos, it doesn’t look much different from the usual wall cladding. It actually looks like those cork coasters that we’re seeing now. It comes in different colors loke DarkBlue, MustardYellow, TerracottaPink, etc. Hopefully we see even more construction materials that use sustainable materials and processes so we can have an industry that is more eco-friendly.

The post Wall cladding made from corn cob waste brings sustainable construction materials first appeared on Yanko Design.

A Minimalist Wall-Hanging Christmas Tree

Does a traditional Christmas tree just not fit in with your design motif? Already have everything exactly where you want it and simply can’t spare any room for some bulky Christmas spirit? Well, the brand Aqestyerly has you (and your wall) covered with this minimalist wall-hanging Christmas tree (affiliate link). Cool, but where do all the presents go?

The tree measures approximately 40″ x 44″ when closely assembled and includes some fake greenery to attach to the wall, along with ornaments to hang from the branches. I imagine some busy business executive who just doesn’t have time for Christmas finding this hung in his modern penthouse apartment by his decorator while he sips fine scotch and bah-humbugs his way through the holidays.

Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer a real Christmas tree. The bigger, the better too, that way there’s maximum room underneath for presents. Granted, I was absolutely terrible this year, and Santa shouldn’t deliver me anything but a stockingful of coal to the side of the head, but a boy can dream. Mostly about Santa confusing my house with somebody who isn’t on his naughty list.

[via DudeIWantThat]

Robotic Swarm Cubicle Walls: Privacy on the Go

Because scientists are working hard to make sure the future is going to be nothing like Back to the Future II led me to believe, WaddleWalls are an interactive partitioning system that can set up semi-private walling around a person on the fly. The future of office workspaces! It’s… bleak.

Developed by researchers at Japan’s Tohoku University, the swarm of wall-bots can either autonomously set up partitioning around an identified person or assemble preset partitions, navigating around an office space on their own. The heights of the partitions can also be adjusted for the necessary level of privacy. Me? I want them to go all the way to the ceiling. And be covered with fiberboard and filled with insulating foam. You know, actual walls.

Will these prove to be the future of cubicles? I doubt it. You never know, though. Of course, as flimsy as these walls are, it would take almost no time or effort for a human to set up the same thing. Just buy three portable projector screens, and boom, you’ve got yourself an equally depressing cubicle in less than a minute and at a fraction of the cost.

[via Gizmodo]

Blokaloks modular system lets you build walls or even rooms in just minutes

People today live in the fast lane, for better or for worse. Many change jobs or even careers in a snap; others change residences or living arrangements. A lot of the products today are designed to cater to that kind of lifestyle, from smartphones that put everything under our fingertips, almost literally, to modular and portable equipment that let us pick up and go anywhere we need to be. There are, however, still a few things that are still set in the old ways, so to speak, like how furniture is made or how rooms are built. While there’s nothing terribly wrong with traditional processes, they can sometimes be wasteful, inefficient, and unsustainable. Modularity has started to make inroads in construction and architecture, like this modular block system that empowers people to set up walls, dividers, or even rooms with no tools or knowledge required.

Designer: Stan Spencer (Blokaloks)

Blocks have become a favorite form when it comes to modular systems. After all, they’re akin to bricks that serve as the foundations of many things that we build, so it’s really no surprise that LEGO chose this metaphor for its now iconic line of construction toys. Some block-inspired systems offer the ability to build simpler pieces of furniture or products without much effort, but Blokaloks really takes it to the next level when it comes to putting up walls.

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Instead of actual rectangular blocks, though, Blokaloks come in four shapes that you mix and match to create a flat vertical surface like a wall. It doesn’t have to be just a single wall, though, or a floor-to-ceiling wall. It can be as simple as a divider or as big as a full-blown room. The system comes with stands to prevent the wooden walls from tipping as well as trim pieces for edges and corners.

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Unlike other modular construction systems, Blokaloks offers something that goes beyond modularity. There is, for example, an eye towards sustainability, with all blocks made from different types of wood such as Bamboo, Beech, Maple, and Walnut, just to name a few. Even the core is made from mineral wool to help dampen sound from the other side. That core is optional, though, in case you actually want chatter to go through.

Blokaloks also give freedom and flexibility in the way you build your structures. You don’t need tools to put things together, nor do you need tools to take them apart. The design makes it easy to redesign walls and rooms as needed. Rather than having to physically expand the room to accommodate new uses, you can simply “tear down” some unused sections to make room for a different one.

With this in mind, Blokaloks seems to be perfectly designed for fast-paced changes that go along with today’s lifestyles. Even the pricing scheme is meant to be scalable, depending on the need at that time rather than being stuck with what you purchased forever. Even if the materials or the manufacturing process isn’t 100% sustainable, the modular system already helps reduce wasted resources and energy by leaving room for growth and change anytime.

The post Blokaloks modular system lets you build walls or even rooms in just minutes first appeared on Yanko Design.

Wallganize solves your storage space problems in a creative and artistic way

Reclaim your walls from the evils of boring emptiness with a storage solution that is both ingenious and artistic at the same time.

Floor space is at a premium these days, and more and more people are finding themselves running out of ways to keep their stuff. You can only stack up so many containers, and stairs don’t go on indefinitely, leaving many homeowners and tenants scratching their heads on the next frontier to conquer. Some might even be left staring at their blank wall, which is exactly where Coulf’s Wallganize wants you to set up your next stronghold, thanks to the power of magnets.

Designer: Coulf

Click Here to Buy Now: $69 $115 (40% off). Hurry, less than 48 hours left!

Organizers and containers that stick to walls aren’t exactly new, but Wallganize adds a touch of magic to them. It isn’t simply a collection of boxes, clips, and rings that you stick on a wall. It is, instead, a system that offers both a platform and a set of modules that firmly attach to those platforms using strong magnets, letting you mix and match as you need and please.

Hexstatic platform.

Blankstatic platform.

Wallganize has three platforms or bases that you “stick” your containers on. The BlankStatic is your most basic, rectangular sheet of magnet where you can attach boxes or whatnot willy-nilly. There’s also an “Attachnote” platform, which is practically a magnetic notebook organizer for those times when you can’t take your wall with you.

Attachnote platform.

The real star of the show, however, is the Hexstatic, modular hexagon-shaped pieces that you can use individually or in a group. Hexagons are underrated shapes, sort of a cross between a square and a diamond that lets you connect with other hexagons in more interesting ways than a boring square, but with more freedom compared to complicated puzzle pieces. With the Hexstatic and its NFC-enabled sibling, the Hexstatic+, you can create your own pattern of hexagons to liven up your wall while still helping you keep your life uncluttered.

And if you haven’t guessed it yet, you aren’t stuck with how you want to organize your stuff either. Whether you want to lump big boxes together or interweave them with smaller boxes, or you can even leave some hexagons blank for dramatic effect. The choice is yours to make, and if you change your mind later, you can simply rearrange the boxes or even relocate the platforms to another part of the wall.

The use of premium vegan leather helps give the system and your wall a more luxurious ambiance, especially compared to the usual plastic affair of more permanent wall organizers. Promised to be wall-safe and easy to relocate, the system lets you be the boss of your stuff, not the other way around. With Wallganize, organizing is no longer just a mechanical chore but becomes a creative endeavor as well.

Click Here to Buy Now: $69 $115 (40% off). Hurry, less than 48 hours left!

The post Wallganize solves your storage space problems in a creative and artistic way first appeared on Yanko Design.

EverBlocks: Giant LEGO-Style Bricks for Building Real Walls

Ever dreamed of living in a LEGO house? We all have. It’s one of the universal dreams that ties humanity together. And to help make that dream a reality, EverBlocks are giant modular LEGO-style building blocks that you can stack to construct interior walls in your home. Obviously, I’m about to become a landlord after turning my studio apartment into a four-bedroom. Quick question – how many beds can you fit into a 4′ x 6′ room?

Available in sixteen different colors (including translucent), EverBlocks can be used to construct solid decorative walls or room dividers, staggered patterns with holes you can see through, and even entire rooms with doors. Prices are around $990 for a basic 6′ x 7′ wall and go up from there. Ouch! Don’t tell my tenants, but they can expect a pretty drastic rent increase the moment they move all their stuff in and get comfortable.

Where were EverBlocks when I was a kid? Instead of building forts out of blankets and chairs, I could have been building actual forts, which would have undoubtedly proved much more capable of withstanding an attack from my angry older brother. That guy – he could give even the Big Bad Wolf a run for his money.

[via DudeIWantThat]

White House evacuated after Breach of Security by Man


A loner had the guts to jump over the fence surrounding the White House lawns and nearly make his way to the front doorway before he was caught and immobilized by security personnel. It was a...