What’s New at The Body Shop?

As part of its Nature’s Way to Beautiful campaign, the first marketing effort since its purchase by L’Oreal, The Body Shop has launched its Wellbeing line of  beauty products in 100% PCR (post-consumer recyclate) bottles, and will feature in-store displays describing the environmentally friendly nature of their products.  According to a Body Shop spokesperson, the company intends over the next 12 months, to convert all of their PET bottles from 30% PCR to 100%, with significant gains in PCR expected even before the end of 2008.  In an effort to get customers to stop using plastic bags, they have also introduced the Bag of Life, a shopping bag made of organic cotton-canvas, with $2.00 from each purchase being donated to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  In the long term, The Body Shop intends to become carbon neutral by 2010.

The Body Shop

Bag of Life

The Structural Potential of Blobs

(All images courtesy of arcspace.com)

With a father who worked in the early days of plastic packaging materials for Container Corp. of America, architect Greg Lynn grew up as he says, “surrounded by plastics”, and often exclaims about how plastic-centric modern culture has become.  He is credited with coining the term ‘blob architecture‘, and is well known for his implementation of high end CAD software in the development of biomorphic architectural structures, as well as the notion that Calculus is an effective means by which to achieve complex abstraction and expression in the form of architecture.  All of these principles are evident in his Blobwall Pavilion, an organic modular structure consisting of colorful recyclable plastic blow-molded modules (or “bricks”, as Lynn calls them), on view at the SCI-Arc Gallery in Los Angeles, through July 13, 2008.  In collaboration with well-known architectural material innovator, Panelite, and CNC fabricator, Machineous, Lynn developed the modular bricks to be used in quickly constructed freestanding indoor/outdoor structures, which could be adapted depending on need.

Aside from its dramatic visual impact the Blobwall presents a new way to think about modular construction, taking a step away from the standard masonry-based brick, and offering an organic alternative to allow for practically endless structural form. By using lightweight recyclable plastic modules, Lynn has shown that the standards of geometric shape and form no longer need to be adhered to by the practitioners of modular architecture.  It wouldn’t be surprising if he is currently considering numerous variations to the current brick, as well as the myriad applications for which they could be used, such as bus stops, temporary shelter and housing, etc.  But no matter what Lynn’s Blobwall may evolve into, it will surely maintain its dual nature of playful yet practical, as he emphasizes that “It is both product, like a child’s toy, and building.”

Some helpful links:

Greg Lynn FORM Blobwall

Blobwall Pavilion Blog

Panelite

Machineous

Studio Greg Lynn on YouTube

Southern California Institute of Architecture

Daniel Schipper’s Foldable Greenhouse

If you have ever wished you could have a verdant garden in your urban apartment but didn’t have the luxury of space, Dutch designer Daniel Schipper, may have come up with a solution, with his Foldable Greenhouse prototype. Made from recyclable plastics (the top appears like translucent polypropylene), the greenhouse is noteworthy in that it unfolds in origami fashion from flat plastic stock, is potentially modular, and with its compact form factor, is practical for balconies, small yards or rooftop decks and gardens. It also incorporates the same design and engineering approach as one of Schipper’s other products, a dramatically foldable/collapsable shelter he made from misprinted milk packaging.

The designer is even accepting email inquiries from those interested in investing in and manufacturing the greenhouse, a product with some great potential applications, especially in light of the trend of ever increasing migration to urban centers. And perhaps taking a cue from his Foldable Shelter, Schipper could consider incorporating recycled plastic from those ubiquitious (and often non-recyclable) throw away planters one sees at many flower stores and garden centers, as Recycline does with used yogurt containers. Surely the Foldable Greenhouse is a great suggestion of a range of products that could be developed for urban gardeners-to be, who only wished they had the space!

Daniel Schipper