Olivia just moved into a new place. She lamented the need for new bedroom furniture, but the reality of a limited budget gave her reason to focus on bedding instead. While the decision to update with bedding is nothing new, the choice in fabric is; bamboo.
Having just learned the attributes of bamboo textiles, I suggested bamboo as an alternative to the familiar choice. Olivia isn’t as ‘green’ conscious as some I know; she’s more of the style and trend conscious segment. She was skeptical, at first.
Bamboo? Like the food of Pandas? Flooring under our feet? You want now that I should “lay me down to sleep” on it?
What about the hand, the feel of the sheets? How can they possibly be comfortable? What do these look like?
product: dreamsack / available http://www.freshandgreen.com/
Let’s be clear. The bamboo grass pulp for textiles is not the same as the Panda food. While Pandas eat over 30 species of bamboo, such as umbrella and sword bamboo, Moso Bamboo, from which the pulp is ground, is not one of them. According to Bamboosa (www.bamboosa.com), the Moso is the tallest of the moderate bamboos and too large for Pandas to eat. However, Moso bark, in its natural state as hard a wood as maple, is used for flooring, furniture, children’s toys, and reportedly, bicycles.
Olivia didn’t want to hear about flooring, furniture, and bicycles in the same breath as her bedding. Nor was she interested in the other outstanding features of bamboo; such as the textile’s ability to biodegrade; that it needs no fertilizers, pesticides, or chemicals; that ‘bamboo-kun’ a substance in the tree is antimicrobial and antifungal.
product: dreamsack / available www.freshandgreen.com
No, Olivia didn’t need to hear that the textile world expects bamboo fabric to surpass cotton, which uses about 25% of the world’s fertilizers and insecticides and 10% of pesticides for only 10% of agriculture land mass, as the fabric of choice in the near future. But, these features have real benefit to Sleeping Beauty, so, I quickly moved on to appeal to her comfort and style interests.
Fresh bed sheets are always desirable, and no one wants static cling between their teddie and sheets, or skin rash caused by fabric related skin irritants. The bamboo-kun, actually aids in the prevention of odors and allergies, with added benefit of an anti-satic. Its bacteria killing properties extend to its user, attacking skin bacteria to prevent unattractive body odors. The bamboo-kun is hypo-allergenic, so unlike other natural products causes no skin irritants.
product: dreamsack / available: http://www.freshandgreen.com/
Second to freshness, sheets must be cool, crisp, and comfortable. Because of natural absorption and insulating properties, bamboo sheets keep the body cool on sultry summer nights and warm on winter nights. Its properties wicks moisture from skin creating the perfect sleep environment. As a side note, bamboo can absorb 3xs its weight in water. But, she really wasn’t interested in water absorption or retention….just cool, crisp, comfortable sheets.
Bamboo bedding is smooth~ like cashmere or silk ~ and you know that was the deal maker for her. The fiber is round and smooth with a natural tendency to luxurious softness. Bamboo fabric retains its shape and natural bacteria killing properties even after multiple machine washings.
product: dreamsack / available: www.freshandgreen.com
The fabric can be bleached to a sharp white, but, takes dye well and can be processed to create a shade for the even the most discriminating Diva. If organic is preferred, bamboo in its natural state resembles unspun cotton.
And, in the unlikely event Olivia pulls a Scarlett and makes a new dress from her home textile accessories, bamboo fabric naturally blocks 91% of UVA and 98% of UVB rays. No parasol required.
She was sold. Bamboo, a sustainable, prolific, versatile plant is on its way to become the most sought after textile of the 21st Century. Olivia’s bedding on it! She has such excellent taste and vision!
For a Bamboo / Cotton blend, visit: http://www.unisonhome.com/
Welcome Spring! And I’m celebrating in grand company!
In particular, April is recognized by Global and National communities as World Landscape Architecture Month by the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) and National Landscape Architecture Month by the American Society for Landscape Architecture (ASLA.) April is the month we also celebrate Earth Day (April 22) and the birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26) Founder of American Landscape Architecture.
Worldwide there are 61 landscape architecture associations. Nationally, the ASLA represents 18,200 landscape architects in 48 professional chapters and 68 student chapters.
This year, the international theme is Landscape and Diversity. The two largest chapters, the Landscape Institute (LI) of Great Britian and ASLA will focus activities on broadening the profession. The ASLA is connecting with educators and students from kindergarten through grade 12 guiding them to “Discover Careers in Landscape Architecture.”
According to Perry Howard, FASLA, President of ASLA:
“Landscape architecture is a very distinguished, rewarding, and lucrative career, and National Landscape Architecture Month will allow us to introduce the profession to many who never realized the possibilities it offers. With demand projected to grow at an astonishing rate in the coming years, the profession offers tremendous creative and financial fulfillment for anyone considering landscape architecture as a career.”
Landscape Architecture addresses everything environmental; from repairing and rehabilitating landscapes after natural disasters, such as the Asian Tsunami, to designing city plazas and neighborhood parks, to creating a backyard oasis.
And, my celebration of National Landscape Architecture Month? As a member of Cadwalader Park Alliance, I’m coordinating a community discussion in Trenton, NJ on the importance of public / private partnerships in the design and managment of public spaces.
Landscape Architect Tim Marshall, Principal of ETM Associates and former VP of Central Park Conservancy (NY), will speak April 4 at historic
Check out the ASLA events in your state and listen to a podcast with ASLA Executive VP & CEO Nancy Somerville.
Join the Celebrations! And, Welcome Spring!
Cadwalader Park, Trenton, NJ
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Tidewater Residence, Virginia Beach, VA
I was recently introduced to the Canadian architect, Arthur Erickson. In 1977, he designed The Fire Island House, shown in the photo below. I am always pleasantly surprised when a design can look just as edgy and fresh today as it did when designed 30 years ago. That is the magic of good design. In 2000, he gave a speech to McGill University School of Architecture and said:
”Whenever we witness art in a building, we are aware of an energy contained by it. The intensity of that energy reflects the intensity of the creative act, the degree of devotion invested in the work, that is communicated immediately to the viewer.
Creation is the bestower of life. Vitality is radiated from exceptional art and architecture. Beauty - a word much avoided in this late mechanistic era, conveys an inexplicable sense of harmony and wholeness.
A thing of Beauty is not pretty, nor perfect, nor flashy - but restrained, often odd, tough, indefinable - it touches a higher sense than the emotions alone. Out of the most ordinary circumstance a transcendental experience is distilled. Though lacking in cerebral challenge, since it is beyond the limits of the brain it gives its viewers a sense of highest fulfillment.”
http://www.arthurerickson.com/
After my previous Liquid Sky post, I attended the opening weekend of MOMA’s P.S.1 Warm Up series. I found it to be a great house party with excellent live music and DJs, but was slightly disappointed in the architectural installation by Ball-Nogues. The Liquid Sky was only partially installed. The use of fiber-enforced mylar sheets, which are typically used for ship sails, was innovative. The sky consisted of a multitude of individually designed and cut triangular mylar panels in a custom color which created intriguing shadows. These flag ‘tents’ were stretched with metal cables in tension over large wood poles. Unfortunately, because it was incomplete, the effect was less magical than anticipated and rather looked like a deflated circus tent.
Also, in order to cool off the attendees, the architects designed a sprinkler to the top of each of the poles. A fine mist would have done the trick to cool us down, but these lawn sprinklers drenched the guests. For the New York crowd, on a less than scorching day, it was too much. By the afternoon, we were soaked and our drinks were watered down. As much as I appreciate the innovation, I wished it was completed and exhibited a bit more finesse.
