Dancing on air

Next Generation author wins James Dyson Award in Austria for problem solving in industrial design

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    Project update – Air-Shade: Responsive sustainable shading system, Vienna, Austria

    Next Generation prizewinner Nikola Znaor has been named national winner for Austria of the James Dyson Awards 2016 for problem solving in industrial design.

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    Project entry 2014 Europe – Air-Shade: Responsive sustainable shading system, Vienna, Austria

    Accordingly to the size of the structure, the shutter units could differ in size, and where possible even in form. Freeform structures could benefit from this as well. Unlike lamellas or shading screens, smaller units allow local response and higher shading quality. Responsive shading systems have been emerging over the past few decades. However, they share the common problem of using sensors, electronic, motors, and external energy sources which require frequent maintenance.

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    Project entry 2014 Europe – Air-Shade: Responsive sustainable shading system, Vienna, Austria

    Shading system responds to the immediate local environment: eg: clouds, vegetation, etc.

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    Project entry 2014 Europe – Air-Shade: Responsive sustainable shading system, Vienna, Austria

    Air container with a thermomanometer tracks the changes in temperature and pressure.

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    Project entry 2014 Europe – Air-Shade: Responsive sustainable shading system, Vienna, Austria

    The functioning prototype with 1m2 shading area and one of the possible shading textiles.

Nikola Znaor, winner of a Next Generation prize in 2015, is the James Dyson Award 2016 winner for Austria. His project named Air-Shade is a responsive sustainable shading system powered by air that is sensitive to solar exposure with no need for any external energy source or sensors. The James Dyson Award recognizes the work of university students and recent graduates in the fields of product design, industrial design and engineering who respond to the challenge of “designing something that solves a problem”.

Last updated: September 28, 2016 Vienna, Austria

Nikola Znaor, winner of a Next Generation prize in 2015, is the James Dyson Award 2016 winner for Austria. His project named Air-Shade is a responsive sustainable shading system powered by air that is sensitive to solar exposure with no need for any external energy source or sensors. The James Dyson Award recognizes the work of university students and recent graduates in the fields of product design, industrial design and engineering who respond to the challenge of “designing something that solves a problem”.

The LafargeHolcim Awards jury praised the Air-Shade for the simple transfer of a low-technology artifact (an umbrella) to create a high-technology apparatus to shade buildings. Sophisticated and innovative, the prototype of the Air-Shade was produced in Germany in 2014, and is a functioning shading unit of the system with a core of aluminum and fire protection fiber textile for the shading surface. An ongoing development and production of prototypes is planned and European patents have been secured.

A14EUng6AT-01.jpgThe national winners and runners up in the James Dyson Award will now be judged by Dyson engineers, who will shortlist the top 20 international projects. This shortlist will be announced on 29 September 2016. The international winner, selected by James Dyson, will be revealed on 27 October.