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The Challenge:
To design an environmentally sustainable camping shelter for use in the Mojave Desert in and around Joshua Tree National Park. A handful of winners and finalists are currently being prototyped at Ecoshack in Joshua Tree, California (see below). Winners and all other entries were exhibited at gardenLAb and HDTS in 2005.
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Ecoshack builds
camping tents to test green design concepts, systems, materials and experiences.
Human-scaled and easy to prototype, the tents are “follies”
with a purpose. Groups participating in Ecoshack offsite retreats can
sleep in the tents as part of their experience.
NEW!
Prototyping Thermalwing... (this video takes a few seconds to load...)
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The Jury:
Conny Purtill and John Kieselhorst are graphic designers and partners at Stephen Kinder Design Partnership (SKDP).
Stephanie Smith is an environmental designer and strategist, and the founder of Ecoshack.
Chris James is an artist who has spent hundreds of nights in tents while climbing on four continents.
The
jury at Ecoshack 8/21/04
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Stephanie
Smith, David Erdman, Angelica Biddle, Chris James, Conny Purtill and John
Kieselhorst review a digital entry.
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The Winners:
Cocoon
: Robert Schwermer / Dietmar Koering, Cologne, Germany
Cocoon uses the abandoned homesteader cabins scattered throughout the Mojave Desert as camp sites. The easily-installed, floating Cocoon combines elements of a sleeping bag, a hammock and a tent.
Cocoon uses the abandoned homesteader cabins scattered throughout the Mojave Desert as camp sites. The easily-installed, floating Cocoon combines elements of a sleeping bag, a hammock and a tent.
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Endemic Synthetic is a shelter that uses recycled waste
(PVC piping) and adjustable solar panels to create a futuristic natural experience for campers.
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Thermalwing engages the desert floor as a building component
and shelters inhabitants via a mutable system of nocturnal
enclosure and daytime shade.
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The Finalists: (view)
Prototyping:
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Competition Guidelines:
Design a sustainable camping shelter - a "green tent" - for use in the Mojave Desert in and around Joshua Tree National Park. We are looking for innovative solutions that explore nature, culture and experience.
Eligibility
This is an international competition open to anyone with great design ideas inspired by Southern California's green lifestyle. Enter alone or in a group. Collaborative and multi-disciplinary teams are encouraged (i.e. a designer and an artist, a graphic designer and a rock climber).
Design Brief
• the tent structure can be tensile, compressive or inflatable
• use of recycled and recyclable materials is encouraged; use of materials made using sustainable processes a plus
• tent structures should be able to be erected by 1 - 2 people; and should fold down or disassemble to fit in the back of a small pick-up truck
• size: 40 s.f. - 100 s.f. of floor area and 48" - 84" tall; to sleep 1 - 2 people
• the tent structure should have a 2-year lifespan; a 2nd life is a plus (i.e. propose a second use for the structure once it has served its purpose as a camping tent)
• the tent will be used in the Mojave Desert in Southern California (a climate with extreme temperatures, high winds, and occasional rain), so consider waterproofing, ventilation, and insulation
Optional
• integrate a soft energy source (solar panel, solar battery, natural fluorescents) to power interior and/or exterior lighting or other technology (digital, video, sound, sensory)
• include an operable roof panel for viewing the stars
• propose alterations to the surrounding landscape to create an installation or extended "experience"
• show how tents combine to become a "community" of tents
• use tent surfaces for environmental graphics
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