Author Archives: elisae

Project 21

Charleston, South Carolina, Futrex inc.
faculty.washington.edu

Mono Beam
A concept thought of before the 1980s. Flyda developed and designed the idea of a heightened track system. Out of the way, these trains would be able to cruise through inner cities. It poses a public transit alternative for dense cities with already overcrowding public transportation systems that can’t be easily retro-fitted to handle safety and heatlh requirements. It could also be envisioned in combination with sanitation technology and separate seating pods.

PERSONAL SOLAR POD TRANSIT

Texas, Dave Owsen
https://www.wired.com/2010/04/solar-powered-pods-bring-privacy-to-public-transportation/


Criteria used to assess innovations: Eco-friendly, safe public transportation

The Community Transit design study is an overhead rail system promoting personal pods as means of public transportation while maintaining social distance. It is powered by solar energy and suggests two rails alongside each other. This will allow the pods to stop only when desired and pods advancing can simply pass the stop and passengers can ride directly to their destination. The solar pods that don’t get used for travel can be used for packages and other parcels that need to be delivered in the city which could help eliminate delivery traffic on roads.

Personal Greenhouse

Amsterdam, Netherlands
www.timeout.com/news/this-amsterdam-restaurant-is-opening-private-greenhouses-for-socially-distant-dining-050520/amp

Criteria used to assess innovation: social growth and new norms 

A restaurant in Amsterdam called Mediamatic has found a solution for their customers to go out on the terrace to dine. They created personal greenhouses that can hold up to three people who all live together. These greenhouses are made to be reserved in advance. The servers use a long wooden board to give the customers their food while they wear personal protective equipment (PPE). This gives customers the opportunity to get out of their house and enjoy a nice meal while keeping them as well as the workers safe. The restaurant is working towards making larger greenhouses for households of more than 3 people. Using this innovation to help socially distance it could be implemented within the restaurant and in many other settings.

TASINGE PLADS | OUTDOOR SPACE CREATION

Copenhagen, Denmark, Tåsinge Plads
https://www.citylab.com/design/2016/01/copenhagen-parks-ponds-climate-change-community-engagement/426618/


Criteria used to assess innovations: Societal/Community growth

Copenhagen has been reclaiming unused parking lots and converted them into parks. Not the typical green spaces, but intelligent water collection systems. Water from heavy rainfall and rising seawater levels is stored in underground tanks and can turn the park into a pond, upside down umbrellas collect water and function as irrigation system, bouncy floors can be activated by kids jumping and collect energy to fuel the system. This model is part of “climate-resilient neighborhoods” and in times of COVID-19 an opportunity to examine the innovative expansion of green spaces in urban environments.