Five architecture and design events in September from Dezeen Events Guide

The 15th edition of Design Miami/Basel, the return of London Design Festival and a special version of Salone del Mobile are just some of the many events featured in Dezeen Events Guide this month.

After over a year of fairs being cancelled and postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the global design fair calendar is back in full swing with a packed schedule of physical events in a month we are calling "Super September".

These include Vienna Design Week, Design China Beijing, 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen and Maison and Objet in Paris.

Regular September events are joined by rescheduled shows such as DesignMiami/Basel and Milan design week, resulting in a diverse selection of listings.

Many other architecture and design events are also taking place around the world. In Amsterdam, What Design Can Do Live will explore climate change and justice through a programme of talks, while industrial designer Marc Newson will host a talk on Hyperconnectivity at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.

Read on for details of five highlights and see Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

Milan design week
5 to 10 September, Milan

Milan design week, which finally takes place after Covid-19 prevented it from happening last year, is the unofficial name for the world's biggest annual design gathering.

It features the giant Salone del Mobile furniture fair, which this year hosts a special Supersalone edition curated by Stefano Boeri (above), plus hundreds of events around the city collectively known as the fuorisalone, which are spread out across several design districts in the city.

These districts will showcase installations and exhibitions featuring new design from a host of emerging as well as established designers, studios and brands.

3 Days of Design
16 to 18 September, Copenhagen

Attendees at Copenhagen's annual design festival 3 Days of Design can expect to see shows, workshops and lectures spread across 200 showrooms and exhibitions.

The event showcases Danish products and concepts from lifestyle, lighting, furniture and interior design brands.

This year, Danish homeware brand Vipp will launch Vipp Pencil Factory (above), a venue for pop-up supper clubs located inside a former Viking pencil factory in Copenhagen. The intimate dining experience is the brand's first foray into food.

London Design Festival
18 to 26 September, London

This year will be the 19th time that London Design Festival takes place in the UK's capital. Offering up a mix of over 200 digital and real-world events, the festival will feature installations and exhibitions from both leading and lesser-known artists, designers and architects.

Events will be dotted around various locations, all within walking distance from each other in what the festival calls Design Districts. The V&A museum will host a series of installations and exhibitions exploring design and its relation to climate change, including a collaboration between mixed reality studio Tin Drum and Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto (pictured top).

Design Miami/Basel
21 to 26 September, Basel

The 15th edition of Design Miami/Basel is curated by Aric Chen (above) and showcases collectable design from artists and galleries around the world.

The event usually takes place in June, but, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the fair is one of several that have been rescheduled to happen in September.

The three-day event will explore the relationship between humans and the natural world through furniture, innovation and design.

Design China Bejing
24 to 27 September 2021, Beijing

Taking place later on in the month, Design China Beijing is a three-day event that celebrates both international and Chinese design.

Over 200 designers, galleries and brands will showcase design over the 12,000-square-metre space.

As well as the exhibition, the event features talks from over 30 design icons, including Feng Cao, Ab Rogers and more.

About Dezeen Events Guide

Dezeen Events Guide is our guide to the best architecture and design events taking place across the world each year.

The guide is updated weekly and includes virtual events, conferences, trade fairs, major exhibitions and design weeks, as well as up-to-date information about what events have been cancelled or postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Inclusion in the guide is free for basic listings, with events selected at Dezeen's discretion. Organisers can get enhanced or premium listings for their events, including images, additional text and links, by paying a modest fee.

In addition, events can ensure inclusion by partnering with Dezeen. For more details on inclusion in Dezeen Events Guide and media partnerships with Dezeen, email eventsguide@dezeen.com.

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Logan Architecture and ICON complete "first 3D-printed homes for sale in the US"

A quartet of houses designed by local firm Logan Architecture and built from 3D-printed concrete by construction tech company ICON has completed in Austin, Texas.

The East 17th Street Residences in East Austin are now on the market, which construction company ICON and developer 3strands claim is a first. "They are the first 3D-printed homes for sale in the US and ready for move-in," ICON told Dezeen.

The East 17th Street Residences development includes four homes of varying sizes and layouts

The four dwellings have ground-floor walls built using ICON's Vulcan construction system, which uses a robotic armature to layer Portland-cement-based material Lavacrete into striated surfaces.

ICON claims that this process creates a stronger and longer-lasting building material compared to traditional techniques, and makes the homes tougher in the face of extreme weather.

Each of the houses has a ground floor built using an additive manufacturing technique

"3D-printing technology provides safer, more resilient homes that are designed to withstand fire, flood, wind and other natural disasters better than conventionally built homes," said the company.

The 3D-printed elements for the development, which comprises two two-bedroom homes and two four-bedroom homes, were completed in March 2021. It took five to seven days to print each house.

Black standing-seam metal clads the timber-framed upper floors

Although differing in size and layout, all four of the 3D-printed homes have the same external and internal features.

Black standing-seam metal clads the timber-framed upper floors and roofs, while large porches have red cedar undersides.

The houses' interiors were designed by Austin-based Claire Zinnecker, who referenced southwestern design when creating the spaces.

"Drawing inspiration from the homes' natural structural materials, wood, metal and concrete, she chose a simplified colour palette of green, white and terracotta and fixtures that play off the natural materials," ICON said.

Minimal interiors by Claire Zinnecker draw influences from southwestern design

The open-plan spaces have a neutral palette, with wood cabinetry, woven rugs and touches of greenery.

Zinnecker also incorporated glazed saltillo tiles from her collection for local company Clay Imports into some of the homes.

Kitchens feature wooden cabinetry and marble countertops

Flooring downstairs is finished with a concrete overlay, while engineered wood is used upstairs. Double glazing, tankless water heaters and variable capacity AC systems are all included to help with energy efficiency.

Of the small development, the two-bedroom properties are currently under contract, but both of the four-bedroom houses are still available.

The striations created by the printing process are visible on the interior walls

3D-printed homes are popping up all over the world, built using a variety of materials that range from bioplastic to clay, and even waste from rice production.

ICON's 3D-printing technology is also being used to build a prototype habitat for Mars, designed by architecture firm BIG in collaboration with NASA.

The company is also working with the space agency on robotic construction techniques for the Moon, and planned a community of affordable printed houses in Latin America with Fuseproject.

Photography is by Regan Morton Photography.

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Offshore wind power generator needs "warning signs so birds stay away" says commenter

In this week's comments update, readers are discussing the viability of an offshore wind power generator and sharing their views on other top stories.

Norwegian company Wind Catching Systems is developing a floating 300-metre-high structure, which it claims will be able to renewably power 80,000 homes without increasing power bills.

Readers have practical concerns about the wind power generator, starting with worries about wildlife.

"Wind farm? You mean giant bird chopper," said SalamOOn.

Matt G agreed: "The most efficient bird killing machine ever conceived."

"Need to put up warning signs so birds stay away," Jrj90620 joked.

Others are feeling cautiously optimistic. "I think we all want to love renewable energy solutions," said SR, diplomatically. "That said, I feel like there are more questions with this proposal than the write-up has covered to help it make sense."

"Interesting concept, which we should hope works well as planned," concluded Mr J.

Are commenters right to question the practically of the Windcatcher? Join the discussion ›

Bjarke Ingels launches company to "reimagine the way we build our homes"

Commenter says "the skepticism alarms are blaring pretty loud right now"

The news about a housing design company founded by architect Bjarke Ingels, former WeWork executive Roni Bahar and former Sidewalk Labs model-lab head Nick Chim is one of our most-commented stories this week.

While some readers support the concept of offering residents the opportunity to co-design spaces tailored to their needs, many are disenchanted with Ingels and his approach.

"Would be great to learn more about this but the skepticism alarms are blaring pretty loud right now," began Onshay. "While the move to make homeownership more affordable is totally admirable, the claim that '99 per cent of homes are the same' is just untrue."

"Oh yeah, because mass manufacturing will end land speculation," pointed out Christian Kennedy.

Puzzello felt the idea has been done before. "Nothing new and theoretical announced here that hasn't been questioned or executed already in this industry," they said.

"Here's a thought: make the comments the subject of the article – they are much more intelligent than the article itself," suggested al otero, RA, earning a mention in this week's comments update.

Will Ingels' company bring something new to the market? Join the discussion ›

Carlo Ratti Associati designs hydroponic "farmscraper" for Shenzhen

Reader dubs skyscraper farm a "publicity stunt"

Commenters are unconvinced of the viability of Carlo Ratti Associati's plans to build a skyscraper in China that will serve as both a vertical hydroponic farm and a space to sell the farm's produce.

"You don’t see many vertical factories in central skyscrapers...nothing is different with plants," said Lukas_Arvidsson. "Looks more like a publicity stunt."

To which, Don_bronkema argued: "Growing in situ is more efficient".

"Now that's what I call greenwashing, quite literally," said Alfred Hitchcock.

Is Carlo Ratti Associati's hydroponic "farmscraper" an unsustainable proposal? Join the discussion ›

Kiyoaki Takeda designs Tsuruoka House to accommodate both people and plants

A plant-covered house in Tokyo has reminded readers of why they love architecture. Japanese studio Kiyoaki Takeda Architects designed the home to feature vaulted slabs filled with soil for growing plants.

"Archi not dead! This project definitely made my day!" said Bras cubas.

"This is what architecture is all about – the purity of a good concept, followed through with no compromises," agreed Woop Woop. "Very happy to witness this."

Bsl has a request: "Would love to see a high-rise built like this," they said.

Is the Tsuruoka House deserving of commenters' praise? Join the discussion ›

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Dezeen is the world's most commented architecture and design magazine, receiving thousands of comments each month from readers. Keep up to date on the latest discussions on our comments page.

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CumuloLimbo inserts plywood-clad loft within UpHouse in Madrid

Inexpensive materials such as salvaged plywood feature in a compact apartment in Madrid that has been overhauled by Spanish studio CumuloLimbo.

The project, called UpHouse, entailed an extensive redesign of a small apartment in Madrid's Hortaleza district.

A mezzanine was added to the flat in Madrid

The clients, a young couple, wanted to create more space by raising the apartment's ceiling and adding a second level. They turned to local firm CumuloLimbo to design the fit-out. The project had a tight budget of $39,000 (£28,334).

To prevent the unit from feeling too dark and cramped, the studio suggested adding a mezzanine rather than a full floor.

The loft spaces sits above a bathroom

"UpHouse is the tale of an implant – the introduction of a space of intimate scale into another space, which, within a domestic diagram, is exposed and social," said the architects.

The team removed the plasterboard ceiling and, over a central bathroom, inserted the loft space, which holds a bed, closet and vanity.

Floor and walls are clad in plywood

The loft is supported by steel columns and beams, which were left exposed. The floor and walls are clad in deconstructed, plywood shipping crates that were once used to transport electronic equipment.

The sides overlooking the lower level of the apartment were left open, with the exception of a few cables.

A staircase leads up from the kitchen counter

The loft is accessed via an unusual staircase that terminates atop a kitchen counter. To reach the floor, a black step stool can be pulled up to the counter and stashed away when not in use.

The new mezzanine divides UpHouse's ground level into distinct zones.

"The new upper floor divides the apartment into two spaces, a private and a public function," the team said. "The choice of materials for these two spaces reflects this duality."

To the east is a revamped kitchen and living area, where white walls reflect light from an adjoining patio, creating a bright atmosphere.

One side of the flat has a music studio

The cooking area features a new, open shelving system. Black tiles were cleverly arranged to form a graphic backsplash.

The other side of the unit holds a music studio. Plywood-covered walls lend an intimate feel to the space.

Mirror-lined slats hang from the ceiling

Getting light into the upper level of UpHouse was a significant concern. In response, the team hung an installation in the music studio composed of mirror-lined, wooden slats.

"In order to maximise natural light in the new upper level, a mirror-faced wood vault is built in the private side," the team said. "Natural light is reflected and multiplied with a great visual effect."

The bathroom has geometric tiles

The team also updated the apartment's bathroom by adding geometric tiles and a new vanity.

Other apartments in Madrid include a unit by Nomos inside an old workshop that features tactile bricks and pinewood partitions, and a plywood-lined apartment by Husos Arquitectos that totals 46 square metres.

Photography is by Javier de Paz García.

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Milan apartment block fire "closely recalled Grenfell Tower" says mayor

Milan's mayor Beppe Sala has likened a fire in a tower block in Milan on Sunday to the Grenfell Tower fire in London due to the way the flames seemingly spread through its cladding.

The fire in the Torre del Moro apartment block, an 18-storey residential building in Milan, started on the 15th floor and first rose to the top of the building, before moving downwards in an "unnatural" path, reported Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

"The causes of the fire are still being investigated," Milan mayor Beppe Sala said in a post on Facebook.

"What became clear from the beginning, though, is that the exterior coating of the building went up in flames all too quickly, in a dynamic that closely recalled the Grenfell Tower fire in London a few years ago."

Fire reportedly spread through building's cladding

The 60-metre-high building was clad in materials including aluminium and polystyrene, Corriere della Sera said.

The fire, which begun on 29 August at around 5:30pm, engulfed the exterior cladding of the building, which burnt and fell into the street.

Despite the speed of the fire, all of the residents who were in their apartments when the fire started were safely evacuated.

"When we arrived, the fire had a normal course, that is from the 15th floor upwards," a firefighter told Corriere della Sera.

"When the first team entered, the tower was immediately engulfed in flames and the fire went down unnaturally, as evidence that it found in the lining not only non-fireproof material but also fuel capable of extending the fire quickly."

#Milano #incendio grattacielo: fiamme sotto controllo, le nostre squadre stanno avanzando dall’interno verso i piani superiori dell’edificio. Sono 15 i mezzi impiegati, oltre 50 i #vigilidelfuoco. Immagini della ricognizione aerea dall’elicottero. [#29agosto 20:00] pic.twitter.com/dKtm1eznUi

— Vigili del Fuoco (@emergenzavvf) August 29, 2021

Milan emergency services try to put the fire out

Authorities fear the high temperature of the fire could have melted the building's steel columns, meaning there is a risk it may now collapse, reported The Guardian.

The cause of the fire in Torro del Moro and the speed with which it spread is currently under investigation.

Deputy prosecutor Tiziana Sicilano, who is coordinating the investigation into the fire, said remains of the cladding panels "burned like cardboard".

According to Corriere della Sera, the inner lining of the cladding panels on the building's facade would have "acted as gasoline".

Additionally, some of the building's tenants said the fire-fighting system inside the building might also have failed, with residents saying that "vents" between the tenth and fifteenth floors did not deliver water.

Tower only ten years old

The tower was completed in 2011, leading the mayor to question how the fire managed to decimate the building so quickly.

"My hope is that responsibilities will be quickly ascertained," Sala said. "The Torre del Moro was built a little over 10 years ago and it's not acceptable that such a modern building proved completely vulnerable."

The Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017, which killed 72 people, spread through the building's cladding system and trapped residents inside. An official inquiry into the disaster is still ongoing after it was paused due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Grenfell Tower fire started a discussion around dangerous cladding materials used for high-rises in the UK, with the Royal Institute of Britsh Architects criticising the government for its "naive" decision to only fund the removal of Grenfell-style cladding on housing over a certain height.

Top photograph is by Piero Cruciatti via Getty Images.

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Ila chair by Patrick Jouin for Pedrali

Dezeen Showroom: Italian furniture brand Pedrali has released a new version of its Ila armchair by French designer Patrick Jouin, adding the option of a four-leg base made of solid ash.

Pedrali introduced the Ila armchair last year as a comfortable and enveloping seat made of large volumes and flexible polyurethane that cocoons the sitter.

The Ila armchair is now available with an ash wood base

"The elegant, high-quality Ila armchair is a refined piece of furniture with a strong personality, expressing utmost comfort, softness and sensuality," said the brand.

Ila was initially made available with either a geometric swivel base and four-leg steel tube frame options. Pedrali has now added the option of a base made of solid ash.

There is also a version with a headrest that partially muffles sound

Ila comes in a range of colours and finishes, and for those who want an added sense of escape from the world, there is a version with a large headrest that creates a private niche and partly muffles sound.

The chair is designed to be disassembled, so it is possible to change the upholstery during its lifecycle.

Product: Ila
Designer: Patrick Jouin
Brand: Pedrali
Contact: press@pedrali.it

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Pleiadi outdoor rug by Paolo Zani for Warli

Dezeen Showroom: woven, weatherproof ropes are wound into a serpentine pattern to form the Pleiadi outdoor rug, designed by Paolo Zani for Warli.

The Pleidi rug comes in a range of monochrome colours with the sinuous lines of the ropes providing visual interest.

The Pleiadi rug has a serpentine pattern in monochrome yarn

Each rope segment is tied off with a decorative element that puts a contemporary spin on traditional fringing.

Made of synthetic yarn and sewn by hand, Pleidi is both UV and weather resistant while being soft underfoot.

The rug features a contemporary take on traditional fringing

"Pleiadi is an idea born out of the blue, a sketch from the past made on a piece of paper," said Zani.

"No research, no computer processing, only the continuity of an element that repeats itself within a geometric shape."

The Pleidi rug comes in two sizes and is suited to outdoor spaces as well as wet areas around saunas and spas.

Product: Pleidi
Designer: Paolo Zani
Brand: Warli
Contact: info@warli.it

About Dezeen Showroom: Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen's huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.

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Sergei Tchoban uses Corten steel to create huge basket-weave facade

Undulating panels of Corten steel create a woven effect across the facade of a seven-storey office block in St Petersburg designed by architect Sergei Tchoban.

Ferrum 1 is one of several buildings that Tchoban's Germany-based studio, Tchoban Voss Architekten, has designed for the site of the former Rossiya factory in St Petersburg's Polustrovo district.

According to the firm, it is "one of the first buildings in Russia to be constructed with a sculptural Corten steel facade".

The facade is constructed from Corten steel

These weathering-steel panels feature on all four of the building's facades, creating a grid around the square and rectangular windows.

The panels curve up and down and appear to overlap one another, creating a basket-weave effect. The three-dimensionality of the panels adds emphasis, meaning the effect is the same no matter the viewing angle.

Undulating panels create a basket-weave pattern

"The sculptural façade is constructed in a geometric grid and presents itself as a coherent, dynamic, organically flowing fabric of loose 'warp and weft' threads," said Tchoban Voss.

"Three-dimensional stripes span the rectangular building both horizontally and vertically. The alternation of flat and protruding modules creates the illusion of a plaiting."

The panels appear to be overlapping

To allow the basket-weave pattern to take centre stage, the structural glazing is highly minimal with slender frames even at the corners.

Inside Ferrum 1, the rusty orange hues of the Corten steel are replaced with the golden tones of the aluminium panels that line the entrance lobby. This space dissects the centre of the building, creating two evenly-sized ground floor offices on either side.

The upper levels contain smaller offices, organised around central corridors, but these spaces have been left bare so that occupiers can design their own fit-out.

Gold tones feature in the entrance lobby

The former Rossiya factory site has housed a variety of establishments. Before becoming an industrial site, it was home to a country palace designed for Prince Alexander Andreyevich Bezborodko at the end of the 18th century.

It briefly also served as a health resort for St Petersburg's wealthiest residents.

Read:

Architecture Discipline wraps New Delhi office in "protective armour"

The site has been under development for over a decade. Tchoban Voss's other buildings on the site include office complex Seasons-Ensemble, the Five Stars residential blocks and commercial campus Benois.

The studio is also building another block to sit alongside Ferrum 1, called Ferrum 2, which will boast an identical basket-weave facade.

The building is located in the former Rossiya factory site in St Petersburg

Sergei Tchoban was awarded the European Prize for Architecture in 2018.

As well as his work with Tchoban Voss, he also has another studio, SPEECH Tchoban & Kuznetsov. His projects include the Museum for Architectural Drawing in Berlin and the Russian Pavilion at the Milan Expo 2015.

Photography is by Ilya Ivanov.

---

Project credits

Client: Teorema (Business Park Polustrovo)
Architect: Sergei Tchoban
Project manager: Valeria Kashirina
Team: Severin Burr, René Hoch, Natalia von Kruechten, Puk Paludan, Evgenia Sulaberidze
General contractor: Teorema (Business Park Polustrovo)
Project management: Teorema (Business Park Polustrovo)
Landscaping: Teorema (Business Park Polustrovo)
Structural engineering: Nord Fassade
Corten steel: SSAB
Windows/doors: Guardian Glass
Aluminum frames: Reynaers
Lifts: Mac Puar
Assembly lifts: Schtihmas

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WPP building online "Minecraft world" featuring all its global offices in one place

Global communications group WPP is creating a digital campus in computer game Minecraft featuring replicas of its offices around the world, allowing employees to visit other buildings without leaving their desks.

The "Minecraft world" will allow employees to attend events, launch projects and visit more than 19 offices, according to Colin Macgadie of BDG Architecture + Design who is helping to realise WPP's metaverse.

"WPP is building this Minecraft world of all its campuses next to each other, all at scale and fully realised," said Macgadie, who is BDG's chief creative officer.

"So it doesn't matter what campus you're working in globally, you can visit any of the campuses inside Minecraft."

WPP is using Minecraft to build digital replicas of its offices (top image) including the new Detroit campus (above)

BDG, which is owned by WPP, has designed a number of the company's campuses including Sea Containers House in London and an upcoming outpost in Detroit.

Speaking during a live talk broadcast from the new Dezeen Studio Space in London, Macgadie revealed that the practice is now helping to translate these buildings into a parallel virtual world, or metaverse, as part of a dedicated task force that also includes customer experience agency VMLY&R.

The virtual spaces will be used by employees to socialise, hold events and launch projects

WPP's Minecraft world will feature the London and Detroit buildings, as well as offices in Madrid, Jakarta, Melbourne and other locations laid out "avenue by avenue, street by street".

"It's not just a way of exploring the campuses but actually experiencing them in a virtual sense," Macgadie added.

"It's early stages but we're now beginning to give them access to the CAD plans and the information around Sea Containers House and other buildings so you'll be able to go street by street to different parts of the world."

Metaverse can improve productivity and build community

The news comes after WPP revealed that only two per cent of its staff in the US and three per cent of those working in the UK had returned to their offices as of December 2020, emphasising the need for more "flexible, hybrid models of working" post-Covid.

Macgadie revealed details of the Minecraft project during a talk exploring how BDG designs office buildings that adapt to the changing needs of companies and their employees.

Minecraft has already been used by Microsoft to create a virtual version of the company's new Washington state campus so that employees could familiarise themselves with the space.

But according to Macgadie, WPP hopes to push this idea further by using the platform as a means to improve productivity and build community while in-person interactions remain rare.

"What else can we do with this," he posited. "How can we launch things in it? How can we run events in it? And how can we use it as more than just a communication tool?"

"It's going to be exciting to see how they pull it off," he added.

Technology can't replace real-life interactions

However, Macgadie also believes it is crucial to reinvigorate physical offices post-pandemic, especially in creative sectors where effective collaboration is key.

"I think technology will make leaps and bounds, there's no doubt about that," he said.

"From our own experience of running our studio and having to continue workshops for clients, the online collaborative whiteboards we use have been fantastic but they don't quite replace that physical collaboration."

Minecraft is a game that allows users to build their own virtual worlds. Launched in 2011, it now has over 126 million monthly active users.

The game can be used for team and community building

Other initiatives in the platform include a virtual library created by non-profit organisation Reporters Without Borders that gives gamers access to censored books and articles, while Argentinian designer Andrés Reisinger created ten pieces of virtual furniture that can be integrated into the game.

Leading figures in digital design predict that the digital metaverse that is being built in Minecraft and other gaming and VR environments will eventually merge with the real world.

"The virtual world and the real world will integrate," said Amber Slooten of virtual fashion studio The Fabricant.

"There will be like a virtual layer on top of the reality that you'll be able to switch on and off," she said during a panel talk at Dezeen's metaverse meet-up earlier this year. "And there will be virtual worlds that you can go into."

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Cement and concrete "are not carbon sinks" says Cambridge materials scientist

The recognition of concrete's ability to absorb atmospheric carbon in the latest IPCC climate report means climate change "is worse than we thought," according to Cambridge University materials scientist Darshil Shah.

Shah contacted Dezeen in response to last week's story reporting that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified cement infrastructure as a carbon sink.

"We are very concerned about the incorrect message [the story] gives, particularly in the run-up to the COP26 climate conference and given the urgency for climate action," Shah said.

The IPCC report points out that around half the carbonate emissions from cement production are reabsorbed by concrete structures.

But Shah said these emissions are "only a fraction" of the total produced by the cement industry, which is estimated to produce around eight per cent of all global greenhouse gases.

Darshil Shah said he was "a bit frustrated" with the IPCC report

Concrete surfaces naturally absorb atmospheric carbon via a process called mineral carbonation.

This "cement carbonation sink" absorbs an estimated 200 million tonnes of carbon every year, according to the landmark IPCC report published earlier this month ahead of the Cop26 climate conference.

​​"The uptake of CO2 in cement infrastructure (carbonation) offsets about one half of the carbonate emissions from current cement production," the report says.

In reality, Shah said, carbonation only absorbs around a quarter of total cement-making emissions, when you take into account the fossil fuels that are burned to power cement plants.

Atmospheric carbon rising to "dangerously high levels"

Shah, who is senior researcher at the Centre for Natural Material Innovation at Cambridge University, said that the acknowledgement of the cement carbonation process in the IPCC report means that "the [climate change] problem is worse than we thought".

This is because levels of atmospheric carbon are rising to dangerously high levels even with this newly recognised "sink".

Shah added that he was "a bit frustrated with the IPCC using the word 'sink' because that gives the impression that it is beneficial."

Read:

Concrete construction "offsets around one half" of carbonate emissions from cement industry says IPCC

"Cement and concrete are not carbon sinks," Shah said. "They are net sources [of CO2]."

"Timber or plant-based materials are net sinks and we need to construct more with them," added Shah.

The IPCC report refers to "carbonate emissions", which occur when limestone, which is a calcium carbonate material, is crushed and burned to produce clinker.

This calcination process separates the calcium, which is retained, from the carbon, which combines with oxygen and is released into the atmosphere.

The IPCC report refers to these emissions but not the more substantial emissions created by other aspects of cement production. Dezeen's original story has since been updated to make this clearer.

Cement carbonation requires "very specific conditions"

"Carbonate emissions, or process emissions, are only a fraction of the emissions related to cement production and use," Shah explained.

"They exclude the more substantial fossil-fuel energy emissions associated with cement production, they ignore CO2 emissions from the manufacturing of concrete and mortar and construction of buildings, and exclude any fossil-fuel emissions associated with deconstruction of the concrete structures."

Shah also said that "cement carbonation requires very specific conditions" including humidity of between 40 and 80 per cent and open-air conditions.

"Submerged or buried concrete or concrete will not undergo carbonation," he said, adding that "concrete carbonation happens at an extremely slow rate: an average of one to two millimetres per year."

Shah, who specialises in studying biomaterials, previously spoke to Dezeen about the carbon-capturing potential of hemp.

"It's even more effective than trees" at sequestering carbon, he said. "Industrial hemp absorbs between 8 to 15 tonnes of CO2 per hectare of cultivation," which is twice as much as forests.

Main image: The DL1310 apartment block in Mexico City. Photography is by Rafael Gamo, Young & Ayata and Michan Architecture.

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Dolly Recycled fabric by Søren Møller for TexStyle

Dezeen Showroom: Danish brand TexStyle has launched Dolly Recycled fabric, a textile that looks like wool but is entirely made of recycled plastic bottles.

Designed by TexStyle founder Søren Møller, Dolly Recycled fabric has a softness and texture that is characteristic of wool and a composition that is 100 per cent recycled polyethylene terephthalate, known as PET.

Dolly Recycled fabric has a look and feels similar to wool

Thirty empty 1.5-litre bottles go into making each metre of the fabric. TexStyle estimates that an accent chair upholstered in Dolly Recycled would use around 75 bottles.

The brand abides by international recycling standards and has been investing in research and development into recycled polyester yarns since 2018.

It says that used as upholstery, Dolly Recycled fabric continues the innovative values of nordic furniture while adding comfort and tactility.

It adds comfort and tactility to furniture

"Nowadays, it is possible to have high-quality upholstery fabrics made 100 per cent of up-cycled yarns from PET bottles," said TexStyle.

"Thanks to our new recycled range and our customers, a certain amount of plastic waste is no longer ending up in nature but in beautiful interiors."

Dolly Recycled fabric is available in the neutral shades white and natural, classic grey, black and brown, and modern old rose, as well as some more bold colours such as forest green and Bordeaux grapes.

Product: Dolly Recycled fabric
Designer: Søren Møller
Brand: TexStyle
Contact: marketing@texstyle.dk

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Eight power plants that combine innovative architecture and energy solutions

Following AL_A's reveal of the world's first fusion development plant and rumours that BIG's CopenHill ski slope would permanently close, Dezeen has rounded up eight power plants that are architecturally significant.

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Fusion Demonstration Plant, UK by AL_A

The first of its kind in the world, this prototype power plant will be used to prove the viability of nuclear fusion technology as a carbon-free energy source.

The plant was designed by Amanda Levete's firm AL_A and is planned to be built in Oxfordshire. Visuals depict a tubular building that envelops a reactor at its core, surrounded by a viewing gallery.

Find out more about Fusion Demonstration Plant ›

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CopenHill, Denmark by BIG

Designed by architecture practice BIG, CopenHill is a waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen that is topped with an artificial ski slope.

The plant is 10 storeys tall and houses administrative space and a large education centre. It was clad in aluminium bricks that surround glazed panels that naturally illuminate the interior.

The Danish press recently speculated that the ski slope would permanently close due to the deterioration of its skiing surface, but the rumours were squashed by operator Amager Bakke.

Find out more about CopenHill ›

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BEI-Teesside, UK by Heatherwick Studio

BEI-Teesside by London design studio Heatherwick Studio was planned as a biomass power station to be built on the bank of the River Tees, providing power to 50,000 homes.

With a tapering form designed to be clad in panels planted with indigenous grasses, it was intended to become a landmark on its bankside location.

Find out more about BEI-Teesside ›

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Shenzhen East Waste-to-Energy Plant, China by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects and Gottlieb Paludan Architects

Danish firms Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects and Gottlieb Paludan Architects designed what is said to be the world's largest waste-to-energy power plant in China.

The circular building was designed to have a 66,000-square-metre roof that will be mostly covered with photovoltaic panels that would allow the building to generate its own energy.

In order to keep the facility as compact as possible, the circular structure will house the entire power plant and its auxiliary buildings. The entrance to the building is marked by a winding ramp and two smokestacks.

Find out more about Shenzhen East Waste-to-Energy Plant ›

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Hydroelectric plant, Canada by Atelier Pierre Thibault

Canadian architecture studio Atelier Pierre Thibault wrapped this hydroelectric plant in Quebec in vertical timber slats.

The wooden slats enclose a public walkway that surrounds the outer walls of the plant, and shelters it from the sun and snow.

The studio designed the slatted walls with the hopes that vegetation would grow between the wooden battens, allowing the structure to blend into its natural surroundings.

Find out more about Hydroelectric plant ›

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The Brewery Yard, Australia by Tzannes Associates

Blanketed in zinc cladding, three towers positioned on the roof of a former beer brewery are used to supply energy to a housing and shopping complex.

The trigeneration towers, known for their ability to heat and cool water, were wrapped in moulded sheets of zinc mesh to form a curving, green-hued skin across the power station.

Find out more about The Brewery Yard ›

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Energy Bunker, Germany by IBA Hamburg

Urban development company IBA Hamburg converted this second world war concrete bunker into a renewable energy plant and visitor centre.

The former bunker, which had been left unoccupied since the end of the war, was sprayed with concrete to protect and stabilise the crumbling facade.

Bomb-damaged floor plates were removed from the interior and replaced. IBA Hamburg also added a two-million-litre reservoir at its centre, which acts as a large heat buffer.

Find out more about Green power plant ›

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BIO4 Unit, Copenhagen by Gottlieb Paludan Architects

Danish architecture firm Gottlieb Paludan Architects designed a tree trunk-clad structure with a golden-domed roof that houses a combined heat and power plant.

Tree trunks would clad the exterior of the building and surround a staircase that leads to a plant-filled viewing platform. With each tree trunk having a lifespan of 30-plus years, the forest-themed facade could be easily replaced when trunks become old and ground into wood chips.

In places behind the trunks, the building would be wrapped in gold metal to make it appear as though the tree trunks are glowing.

Find out more about BIO4 Unit ›

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