:: art of design ::

GM+AD

Dave — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:56:35 +0000

It has to be said that Glasgow has produced (yet again) an astonishingly good firm of architects in the form of GM+AD (Gordon Murray and Alan Dunlop).

GM+AD do not have a specific GM+AD-ness, they are not selling a specific style a la macintosh, or an architectural school or movement. What actually happens is this: a normal person with no particular interest in “architecture” notices and admire a particular building one day, and does the same with another building some time later — and then realises that the common denominator is GM+AD.

For example, there is an extraordinary building in Glasgow — it’s the Radisson on Argyle Street — and is described as different, unexpected, remarkable, very noticeable, very new and modern, unusual and stylish. The general opinion is that the building is not a carbuncle, but that it is a credit to the city. OK, that’s quit enough.

So now to another building in Glasgow — Hazelwood School — and again, this building is described as different, unexpected, remarkable, very noticeable, very new and modern, unusual and stylish. Yet the two buildings are completely different from each other.

The Radisson is a serious multi-storey hotel in a city centre location, while the school is for children with severe sensory impairment.

Now, it has to be said that, of the two, the best has to be Hazelwood School — not merely because of the challenges of the end users, but because it is actually beautiful to people of “normal” sensory levels.

All the materials and every fixture and fitting had to be carefully analysed and considered, and this makes this project unique.

Data on Living Room Layouts

Dave — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:05:32 +0000

We did a trial post called “Data on Living Room Armchairs and Sofas” some years ago (along with other “test posts”. the idea being that if it achieved a certain number of hits then we would generate more articles of that ilk.

We recently have noticed that his post has met the target — so this is the “follow up”. It is about layouts of living rooms.

Furniture sizes are known, and the access and use areas around them have been documented, the obvious next step is to come up with optimised layouts for furniture in living rooms – sofas, chairs, TV sets, sideboards and occasional tables mainly. The three dimensions provide a small/ medium/ large variation based in FIRA survey results for production furniture.

The layouts can be useful for planning homes and extensions.

It ought to be apparent what everything is — what is a chair, a sofa, a coffee table etc., just use your imagination! There are four arrangements (and one section) of four sizes — which is sixteen options, although the middle dimensions seem to be the obvious way to go in terms of cost versus space, but space is not always available, so please use these layouts as a guide and use actual furniture-ergonomic data for specific design.

Polanti

Dave — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 04:53:40 +0000

On this site you will find a lot of very, very expensive wristwatches. These are hand-made works of art and can only be owned by the very rich who commission them. Although inexpensive Polanti has been included here, not merely for their design and artistry, but because they have an unusual business model that have made them iconic.

The Thing about Polanti is that it is thoroughly American. It’s the “American Dream”. Yes, the watches are “Swiss Made”, but you can only buy them in North America or the Oil-rich Middle East (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Dubai). That’s it! They have a very clear and specific target market.

The company set up in Los Angeles, California, at the beginning of the 2oth century and targeted the new Hollywood movie business that was getting underway at that time. This has continued today; Polanti watches are found on the wrists the likes of:

Jack Nicholson;
Joe Pesci;
Sylvester Stallone;
Usher;
Cedric;
Jay Leno;
David Arquette;
Ashton Cutcher;
George Hamilton;
Devean George;
Brooke Burke;
Rob Schneider;
James Caan;
Snoop Dogg;
Don King;
Ken Davitian;
LaDainian Tomlinson;
Ryan Seacrest; and
Paris Hilton.

It must be said that the wristwatches worn by the actors are specially made timepieces that come under the “Custom” section. The regular collection is very affordable to those aspiring to Hollywood fame and fortune, and this is the point; Polanti know well the value of celebrity endorsement, and this puts them at the very top of the watch-makers of that Continent.

A look through eBay shows that you can pick up a Polanti (in the USA/Canada) for under a thousand pounds, some are only £500 to £600. This makes Polanti the cheapest range of watches mentioned on :: art of design :: — but somehow they have still managed to have the caché and exclusivity of brands that cost sixteen (or even a hundred) times more!

As a result, the Polanti brand is a design icon (rather than their actual wristwatches), and the business model is unique and worthy of a design award in itself!

Wristwatch information

International Standard Football Pitch

Dave — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:42:16 +0000

The International football pitch is shown in the diagram with dimensional details (click to enlarge).

DIMENSIONS OF THE FOOTBALL FIELD

FA International matches: 100 to 110 metres in length by between 45 and 90 metres wide, so the variation in width can vary considerably. The pitch must be rectangular in shape so that the length must in all cases exceed the width.

MARGINS

There is a recommended 9 metre end margin, and a 6 metre side margin. For 100m x 64m playing area, an area of 118 metres by 76 metres would be required.

GOALS

Inside opening is 7.32 metres apart. The Lower edge of the cross bar is 2.44 metres above ground. The Width and depth of goalposts and crossbar must not exceed 120mm

International Standard Dojo

Dave — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:24:51 +0000

The International Standard Dojo is for martial arts combat such as Karate and Judo. The setting out dimensions are shown in the figure. Click on it to enlarge.

DIMENSIONS OF THE COMBAT AREA

Freestyle fighting is carried out between two contestants within a dojo area specified as 8 000 x 8 000 (minimum) or 10 000 x 10 000 (maximum). The centre is marked with a cross, and there is a 50 thick start line for each contestant, 1 500 from the centre (meaning that the contestants begin 3 metres apart).

SURROUNDING THE COMBAT AREA

The recommended minimum space surrounding a martial arts combat area is 1 500.

The minimum area required is 12 metres by 11 metres, however for international competition a safety area of 2 400 is required around a maximum combat area of 10 metres by 10 metres, so the overall area required is 15 000 x 15 000.

Cool Dentistry

Dave — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:40:13 +0000

Many people are scared of a visit to the dentist, some are scared of the drill, others of the needle, but everyone is scared of the pain.

BioMedDevice Limited have developed a flexible dental mouthpiece (called gumEase) that is stored in a freezer, and which after only a couple of minutes, numbs the mouth for up to 20 minutes at a time.

The manufacturer has produced a rather graphic video depicting a hypodermic-free tooth extraction on YouTube.com:


It may not be for everyone, but it is at least an alternative to syringe phobia. Anything that makes dental visits better for the patient is step in the right direction.
Another dental innovation is the device that uses your MP3 player to whiten your teeth!

Refer to www.rockmyteeth.com for details and ordering of the Bocelli strips and sound system.

Attach self-adhesive and dissolving peroxide-loaded whitening strips to your top and bottom teeth then put a custom mouthpiece between your teeth, plug it into your music source and turn the sound all the way up. The sound energy stimulates the peroxide and provides for a better, deeper, faster whitening process.
The mouthpiece also includes headphones so you can listen to the music while you're whitening, but apparently you can hear the audio just fine through the bone conduction of your jawbone.



Hautlence
Dave — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:56:58 +0000
The HAUTLENCE brand was created in 2004, with the first wristwatches ready for September 2005, and the first collection by 2007.
Approximate Cost: 20 278.00 GBP


The company has set up a watch-maker’s college in Neuchatel — in Switzerland’s famous watch valley. They developed their own new movement, built around the caliber, with all the technical elements exposed to view.
Like Richard Mille, Hautlence is a very young company, but unlike Mille, Hautlence does not seek a new approach with computers and new materials, nor does it seek to break into the top end of the market. Instead Hautlence seems to be competing with the likes of Jaquet Droz or even FP Journe by aiming at the lower end of a market that has for so long been dominated by Rolex, Omega, Cartier, Breitling, Tag Heuer, Gucci, etc.
While Hautlence cannot be compared with such valuable and exclusive timepieces as those created by Roger Dubuis, Patek Philippe, Parmigiani, Girard-Perregaux, Chopard, Blancpain, Audemars Piguet, Breguet, Vacheron Constantin, or IWC,  the styling and traditions of such watches may be seen to be available now at an affordable price by Hautlence.


Hautlence.com 
Wristwatch information



         


Fourier’s Law
Dave — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:14:01 +0000
Fourier looked at heat flowing through building  materials, and his experimental results produced ideas such as thermal conductivity, resistance and the thermal transmission co-efficient or u-value.
In a slab of material, if we say that the quantity of heat passing through it in t₁ seconds is q₁ joules, then we can measure q₂ later at the point t₂.  This is simply:
heat flow rate equals the difference in quantities of heat divided by the difference in time
This is expressed in mathematical shorthand like this:
heat flow rate = Δq / Δt
heat flow rate = [ (q₂-q₁) / (t₂-t₁) ]
and joules / seconds equals watts
Experimentally, Fourier found that

heat flow rate was proportional to the surface area
heat flow rate was proportional to the time difference
heat flow rate was proportional to the thickness of the slab

he concluded that it therefore must be the case that
heat flow rate is proportional to the product of the area and temperature difference divided by the thickness.
It is always the case in mathematics that, for example, when
a is in proportion to b
we can say that
a = k . b
where k is the constant of proportion.
Thus, Fourier found the mathematical constant that is now known as thermal conductivity.
q = k . (A . ΔΦ / T)
q = heat flow rate (W)
k = thermal conductivity
A = area (m²)
Φ = temperature difference [C-C]
T= thickness (m)
We can find out the units of thermal conductivity easily enough –
W = k . (m² . [C-C]) / (m)
W = k . m² . C . m^-1
W = k . m. C
k = W . m^-1 C^-1
The next step for Fourier was to figure out Resistance to heat flow…
He concluded that resistance equalled thickness divided by thermal conductivity:
R = T / k
This lets us figure out composite structure resistance, which is handy as plaster is stuck to brick and so forth –
R_TOTAL= (T₁ / k₁) + (T₂ / k₂) etc.
The thermal transmission co-efficient or u-value is the reciprocal of resistance:
u = 1/R
for composite materials.
u_TOTAL = (1 / R₁) + (1 / R₂) … etc
HEAT TRANSFER EQUATIONS:
E = A . ΔΦ . u
E = A . ΔΦ / Total resistance
E = A . ΔΦ  . R_total^-1
E = thickness . Area . temp diff / Resistance
E = T. A . ΔΦ  . R^-1
E = volume   .  temperature diff  / Resistance
E = V . ΔΦ  . R^-1
E = amount of heat in watts
HEAT TRANSFER DEFINITIONS
CONDUCTIVITY
k = W . m^-1 C^-1
The quantity of heat which is conducted through unit area of a slab of material of unit thickness with unit difference of temperature between the faces in unit time.
CONDUCTANCE
c = W . m^-2 C^-2
The quantity of heat conducted through unit area of a complete structure with unit difference in temperature in unit time.
c = k . thickness^-1
RESISTIVITY

r = m.C. W^-1

(i) reciprocal of conductivity

(ii) resistance to heat transfer through unit thickness of a material of unit surface area an a face to face temperature of 1C in unit time.

(iii) the temperature differential between faces of unit thickness of a slab of material of unit area for the transmission of unit quantity of heat in unit time.
RESISTANCE

R = m².C. W^-1

(i) reciprocal of conductance

(ii) equivalent to the temperature differential between faces of a thickness of slab of material of unit area for the transmission of unit quantity of heat in unit time.
R = thickness / k
TIP

unit thickness = …ivity

overall thickness = ….ance

         


Air Condition Terms
Dave — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:25:45 +0000
There are two ways of heating air — directly and via moisture  control.
It is the condition of water vapour that is the issue  here.  The following are terms which reflect this, and these terms form  essential vocabulary to anyone concerned with air conditions.
MOISTURE CONTENT
kg.kg^-1
The amount of water (as a vapour) present per kilogramme of dry air.
VAPOUR PRESSURE

N.m^-2 or Pascal
This is the partial pressure ( see Law of Dalton) exerted by the water vapour in atmospheric air.
The maximum value of Vapour Pressure (for a specific, given, temperature) is called the SATURATION VAPOUR PRESSURE (Pa).
RELATIVE HUMIDITY

%
The per cent ratio, at a specific temperature, of Vapour Pressure to Saturation Vapour Pressure.




100% x


(

Vapour Pressure
)


———————————————-


Saturation Vapour Pressure



When the Saturation Vapour Pressure equals the vapour Pressure, Relative Humidity = 100% so the water vapour condenses out — this is called DEW POINT TEMPERATURE.
SATURATION MOISTURE CONTENT
The amount of water vapour contained in atmospheric air at saturation (at DEW POINT).
PERCENTAGE SATURATION
%
The per cent ratio of the moisture content at some specific temperature, to the Saturation Moisture Content…




100% x


(

Moisture Content
)


———————————————-


Saturation Moisture Content



SPECIFIC VOLUME

m³ . kg^-1

The volume of atmospheric air which contains 1.kg dry air per kg of combined dry air and associated water vapour
SPECIFIC MASS

kg.m^-1

mass per volume

density

viscosity
SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY

kJ . kg^-1 . C^-1

The amount of heat an element will accept.

Experimentally determined and results tabulated.

The quantity of heat required to raise unit mass through unit change in temperature.
VELOCITY PRESSURE

N.m^-2

Pa

Pressure created by velocity of air flow at any point.

Always a POSITIVE value.
STATIC PRESSURE

N.m^-2

Pa

The radial (bursting) pressure at any point.

A positive value = bursting outward

A negative value = suction inward.
TOTAL PRESSURE

N.m^-2

Pa

Static Pressure plus Velocity Pressure.
WORKING PRESSURE

N.m^-2

Pa
This is the sum of the surrounding atmospheric pressure and the static pressure.

         


Energy and Heat Transfer
Dave — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 23:13:42 +0000
Energy is applied in the form of heat, light or sound.
If energy, in the form of heat, is applied to a solid, the molecules become excited enough to “loosen” — particles moving faster in more space — effect is the entering of the liquid phase.  Continued application of heat energy will result in a gas or vapour phase.
It is a fact that at the solid-liquid phase boundary, heat energy seems to be absorbed without a rise in temperature for quite a while.  This occurs again at the liquid-vapour phase boundary.
Energy can be transferred by conduction, convection or radiation.
Heating something which creates a rise on a thermometer is known as “sensible heating” (there is no change of moisture content in air).
Heating something, creating an increase of internal energy — but no temperature rise on the thermometer is called “latent heating“
Enthalpy (h) is the sum of the sensible heat and the latent heat.
Enthalpy is therefore sometimes known as “total heat“.
Latent heat is the amount of heat necessary to change a quantity of water to water vapour without changing either the temperature or pressure of the air.
When water is evaporated and passes into the air, the latent heat of evaporation passes into the air with the vapour.
Latent heat is removed when water vapour is condensed.

100% x	(	Vapour Pressure	)
		———————————————-
		Saturation Vapour Pressure

100% x	(	Moisture Content	)
		———————————————-
		Saturation Moisture Content