©Transplant 2010/ Kvik team on boat trip during their photo shoot session in Transplant in August 2010.

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In the middle of August Transplant was transformed into a “cool kitchen” by Kvik. A team of 7 persons and extensive equipment came from Denmark for the shooting of the Kvik 2011 kitchen collection. We also thank Skigutene to select Transplant in front of any exciting capital, for their Bula design work session!
Check up the summer press coverage of the Transplanteurs.
In September 2010, Transplant is booked for the next Alkymisten workshop. We’re looking forward to receive several young entrepreneurs for this four day program organised by Innovation Norway. Last month the Ideal Lab´/ Longer participation exhibition opened, and can be visited until the 30th of September. 2010 (info about the closing event coming shortly, note the date, you’re invited!). The exhibition includes designs by Mathieu Lehanneur, psycho geographical art by Charlotte Grum, speculative design by Auger/Loizeau and photographs by Erwin Olaf.

Transplant Lunch Club

Welcome back to work! We start to serve a selection of home-cooked food and fresh bread again on working days Tuesday to Friday at 12.00. You serve yourself the portion that you desire. Call to book lunch before 09.30 at +47 5773 5200. Sign up here to get the menu sendt to you once a month or:
Download your September menu here ! (soon/ we are on it…)

04.09.2010 / Open Bar

Come and enjoy a Saturday with some friends and cool music. From 22.00 to 02.00 / min. 18 years old

09>10.09.2010 / Privatised for Coaching Days

A strategical coaching session by Ralston & Bau. Transplant is closed to the public on the 9th.

11.09.2010 / Lecture at Kvamsøy

Birgitta Ralston is invited to talk about the Ideal Lab’ Longer Participation theme at the Wood seminar organised by Tretema

17.09.2010 / Friday Quiz

Get your friends and colleagues together for the first quiz of the autumn! Doors open at 21.00, the quiz starts at 21.30. Welcome to Transplant!

25.09.2010 / Live Music bar

Live music from Trond Ole Håland, the known guitar player from the area. He will play songs that you know and make you want to dance. Doors open at 22.00. Welcome to Transplant!

28.09>01.10.2010 /  Privatised for Alkymisten 2010

The Alkymisten project is an initiative and organized by Innovation Norway. The program was invented to support young businesses that are in the period of establishing. The participants get trained during three sessions, pushing their business ideas further with the help of professionals. The exchange of experiences and building up new connections are an important part of the program. Transplant is hosting the first gathering for the 2010 edition.
Transplant is closed to the public during these days.

30.09.2010 / Closing of Longer Participation exhibition

The ending of the Ideal Lab’ Longer participation exhibition will be celebrated by a special event. Details will be communicated later in the month.

© 2010 Transplant / Mathieu Lehanneur.

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Our mission at Nordic Materials is to collect knowledge about material technologies and processes that have the potential to evolve your design and production sustainably, formally and functionally. In our materials updates, like this one, you can read our point of view about a special theme. This time, we bring you the interesting point of view of Mathieu Lehanneur, french designer, who came to visit us in Transplant this summer.

Like a shock absorber, his work dresses the daily wounds we have in our interiors. Welcome in the 4th dimension, where the objects live like robots, using their superpowers to improve our life.

© Mathieu Lehanneur

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Impregnated by his first vocation, medicine, Mathieu Lehanneur took design close to the body, primarily with drugs. Even if a drug is bearer of healing, it has also undesirable effects,  by improving the relationship people have with drugs, he aims to make them more pleasant. This studies project, still alive, is waiting patiently in the Moma, New York, to find a place in the pharmaceutical industry.

What would humans need inside their house, more than the ergonomics? Let’s not forget that our five senses and our immune system make the link with our exterior, and not only the touch through direct contact. Everything which is in contact with us or around us has an effect and affects us. We have needs in heat, light, silence, oxygen and immunity. Study those elements and try to complement them, by emission, absorption or transformation could lead to a perfect balance. Mathieu Lehanneur brings an impalpable comfort, which acts like micro-anaesthesias on several levels of our perception.

Imagining that the indoor is more polluted than the outdoor seems like a misunderstanding. Thinking that our hiding place, our cocoon, our home, is the best shelter we have, is simply a dream. Interior pollution comes from design and designers. Crazy but true, the plastics which compose our furniture liberate harmful gasses. The materials composed of polymers, glass fibers and insulating materials, expire and emit volatile components which take place in our body and poison it. NASA, following the return of its astronauts from the space, found them totally intoxicated by the emissions of the material components comprising the interior of the shuttle.

© Mathieu Lehanneur

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Gardener at heart, Mathieu Lehanneur designed a solution using plants. He takes nature in its raw state for its functional aspects. As with O, the Element transmitter of oxygen containing a green alga solution, he gave birth to Bel-Air (beautiful air). A cleansing filter is associated with a depolluting plant (Clorophytum, Philodendron, Gerbera, Spatiphyllum, or Pothos) and a high tech ventilator. This prototype, was produced in pyrex (infinitely solderable) and aluminum, two materials which emit no gasses. Andrea, the produced product version stimulated our interest because of its components, polycarbonate and ABS plastics; unexpected materials for a cleansing filter. The designer explained us this choice, which goes against the concept of this object:
“The use of aluminium and pyrex would have multiplied the production price the weight and transport cost by 10. The extra weight would have largely increased the carbon footprint of the product. The plastics in comparison, is lighter and on this point of view, are more attentive to the environment. The polycarbonate component used for Andrea was initially destined to produce baby-bottles, but as it was declared toxic for food contact, the stock was in pending, waiting to be incinerated”, explains Mathieu Lehanneur.

In a sense, the use of a harmful plastic for the creation of his filter, was more respectful of the nature than the use of the ideal and obvious green material. As Andrea absorbs its own pollution, his choice doesn’t disturb the function and the utility of the product, but seeks to find it’s sustainable balance. Later, like with drugs (savers and poisonous), we’ll discover the effects of Andrea.

© Mathieu Lehanneur

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We declare our love to Mother Nature, by fear of destroying our cradle, to upset the cycles of the planet or by simple awareness. We remove our pink tinted glasses and discover the world, a little dull. Let’s paint it in green with a branch in the place of a brush, just for fun. We eat green, we wear green, we sit green… and we even speak green. Sustainability, eco-friendly, we use so many words which sounds like a new way to think, is it a religion or a new trend? This way to communicate seems to be the new language of both manufacturers and designers, sprinkled on by marketeers and the media to be served on wood plates, like our buried past. Today we wish to change, but do we take the good turn ? According to Mathieu, there is a desire of simplification of a such complex problem that the designers try to resume only at the surface of the objects:

“Of course, the choice of materials has to be done in an overview of its cycle of production, of use, of life and death. Questions of energy (extraction, manufacture, transformation, recycling, transport, …), water, chemicals, quality (recycled plastics, do they perform as well a the others?), price (unfortunately), …. Yes the products have to be made with the most respect to the environment as possible. Designers follow the flow, by belief or trendy mood and give to their clients those wooden plates, but this won’t save the world. Let’s just hope it will improve a small part of it. The problem today, is when a client wants it to be seen, to develop a sustainable image because it’s “commercially correct”. Mathieu concludes:  “I am alert to never adding a varnish, a blush of sustainability for it to look eco-friendly”.

To be or to look green, that’s a question!

©2010 Transplant / Mathieu Lehanneur Pyramid of Age in Transplant.

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The 14th of August 2010, Transplant opened the exhibition of the first Ideal Lab´theme; Longer Participation. Longer Participation is locating design taking as a departure point the social challenge of the western world, that the elder generation might become bigger than the present working generation. After a life of working, and with little experience of using modern communication tools, motivated elders can get isolated. The exhibited designs in Transplant is proposing ways of reintegrating this valuable knowledge in our society.

The exhibition can be viewed Tuesdays to Fridays 12h-14h until the 30th of September  2010 (outside these times, visits by reservation only). The full exhibition catalog is available for downloading (pdf).

©2010 Transplant/Opening Longer Participation

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The opening of Longer Participation attracted a wide audience. The senior visitors had the opportunity to contribute to the “Sensing Dale” project with more personal stories that were added to the dedicated blog. Inspired by the presented results, the audience opened up a frisky discussion around the urban development of the town centre. The exhibition shows projects of:
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©2010 Transplant/Sensing Dale Workshop with Charlotte Grum

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The process and the results of the “Sensing Dale” workshop with Charlotte Grum/ artist/ Denmark
The workshop results can be followed on the Ideal Lab´Longer Participation Blog.

©2010 Transplant/age pyramid Norway by Mathieu Lehanneur
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©2010 Transplant/age pyramid Fjaler and Europe by Mathieu Lehanneur

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The “Age of the World Pyramids” of Fjaler, Norway and Europe by Mathieu Lehanneur/ designer/ France.

An Age Pyramid is a snapshot of the inhabitants in a specific place at a certain year. You can find yourself in the pyramid and see large social shifts and events. Mathieu Lehanneur who first developed the Age of the World Pyramids for Issey Miyake with the ceramic producer Vallauris, developed three new models for the Longer Participation exhibition; the demographic pyramids of Fjaler, Norway and Europe in 2007. The Fjaler and Europe models are presented as rendered images in the exhibition, while the age pyramid of Norway, which was produced by Shape in CNC production, is exhibited as a sculpture.

©2010 Auger&Loizeau/Afterlife

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The “Afterlife” by Auger & Loizeau/ speculative designers, UK.

The design presented are personal versions of how to use ones own residue energy in an object post mortum. The designers, James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau, held a lecture about the project in Transplant in July. You can read more about the lecture here…

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©2010 Erwin Olaf

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The photo series “Mature” of Erwin Olaf/ photographer and movie maker/ The Netherlands.
“Mature” is a series of 10 photographies. All of them are visible in the exhibition catalog which is available for downloading as pdf below.
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The exhibition opening was covered by the local newspaper.

More projects within the Longer Participation theme will be developed until the end of the year 2010. The present exhibition will be open for visitors until the 30.09.2010.

Ideal Lab´Longer Participation is funded by:
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Ideal Lab´Longer Participation is supported by:

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You can download the catalog of the exhibition in English as pdf here.

©Transplant 2010/ Mathieu Lehanneur and Alexandre Bau at the Laukeland falls in Dale.

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Nordic businesses returning from holiday makes August a busy month in Transplant! This month Transplant is booked for Coaching Days, workshops and privatised for an advertising campaign photo shoot. Last month the designers and artist selected for Ideal Lab´/ Longer participation had working sessions in Transplant; the french designer Mathieu Lehanneur, elected in january the “Designer of the year”  by the Now! fair worked on a local version of his Ages of the World. Charlotte Grum had a two days workshop with local seniors from Dale. James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau had a lecture, and presented the project “Afterlife” inviting the public to participate. The results will be presented in the exhibition Longer Participation, opening the 14th August. The same week, in the “Dalsfjordveka”, will we also have Dalsfjord Dinner and a Concert with Tango Twist. We hope that some of this will inspire you to visit us soon!
Even if busy, the Transplanteurs had time in July to go on an amazing trip in the  local mountains with an overnight stay in the Nipebu cabin.

©Transplant 2010/ The Transplanteurs fresh and ready to go on a field trip among the Fossedalen mountains!.

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03- 04.08 / Privatised for Coaching Day

A strategical coaching session for a leading Norwegian furniture company by Ralston & Bau.
We are still open for the Lunsjklubb both days at 12h.

07.08 / Dalsfjord Dinner & Open bar

Dedicated to the yearly “Dalsfjordveka” we invite you to enjoy tapas food by Christel Eide from “mitt lille kjøkken”. The Saturday 7th of July 2010, from 17.00 to 19.00. Price per guest: 350,-Nok.
Please, book your table in advance (before Wednesday 04.08.2010 at 17.00): +47 57735200.
In the evening the bar is open where you can come and enjoy good music.

12.08 /  Tango Twist Concert

“From 1920 to 1950 the Argentinian Tango became very popular in Europe, America and Asia. The music was adopted by countries all over the world, and many regions developed their own tango-style. Tango Twist refreshes some of the old tangos, and among others will give you a taste of German humour, Norwegian nostalgia, Finnish melancholi, Argentinian passion and Oriental surprises…”

Tango Twist consists of Ingvild Storhaug (vocal and melodica), Tove Törngren (cello) and Marita Vårdal Igelkjøn (piano and accordion).

This event is co-produced by Fjaler Kommune and Transplant for “Dalsfjordveka 2010″.

Open doors at 20.00 / starts at 21.00
Sales in Transplant tuesday to friday, 09.00>17.00./ Dale Bok & Papir
150,-Nok / 18 years

14.08 /  Exhibition opening: Longer Participation

The design research program Ideal Lab´ relocates the meaning of design in a mutated social environment. “Longer Participation”, the first theme of Ideal Lab´ asks, how can the older generation participate longer in the community. After a life of working, and with limited experience of using modern communication tools, motivated Seniors can get isolated. Valuable knowledge is lost, which could be useful for society. The exhibition shows results of several scenarios within the theme “Longer Participation”. The exhibition is open until 30th of September.

Charlotte Grum /DK- Sensing Dale Workshop / workshop process & result
Mathieu Lehanneur / FR- The Age of the World pyramids / object
James Auger & Jimmy Loizeau / UK- Afterlife + Gadgets / objects
Erwin Olaf / NL – Mature / photography

This program is funded by: Norsk Kulturråd, Sogn og Fjordane Fylkeskommune, Den Kulturelle Spaserstokk

18-19.08 /  Privatised for photo shoot

Kvik will come to use Transplant, for making a photo shoot off the new kitchen collection for their cataloges 2011.
Sorry, we are closed for the Lunsjklubb these two days.

24-26.08 /  Privatised for Design Workshop

A Norwegian ski equipment and sportswear company privatise Transplant construct their new design collection.
We are open for the Lunsjklubb both days at 12h.

28.08 /  DJ Grim

Talented DJ Grim together with Førde light and sound, play the latest hits for people who like to dance.
From 22.00 to 02.00 / min. 18 years old

© 2010 NSB / Photographs by Ralston & Bau.

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NSB and the PLT Innovation Lab’ chose Ralston & Bau to create the scenography and identity for the NSB Leader conference in May 2010. NSB is the public Norwegian train transport company.
200 participants attended to the leader conference and worked around service, customer relations and processes during two days. Ralston & Bau created the scenography design for the space, including the physical materialization of the workstations and graphical profiling for the conference.
The whole mission took one month to execute, from ordering to the opening of the event.

The project leader Bente Kristin Malo, says:

“Det har vært spennende for meg å lære av dere og se hvordan vi kan gjøre ting slik at budskap forsterkes gjennom å skape spennende omgivelser. Og ikke aller minst oppleve et unikt kvalitetsnivå på leveranser! Jeg håper vi får muligheten til å samarbeide med dere igjen.”

“It has been exciting for me to learn from you; see how we can do things in a way that strengthens messages through captivating environments and last, but not least, experience a unique level of quality when it comes to the delivery! I hope I’ll get the opportunity to work with you again.”

www.nsb.no

Name: NSB Leader Conference
Mission: Scenography Design
Client: NSB/PLT Innovation Lab
Period: 2010
Delivery: concept, space design, graphic design

© 2010 Ralston & Bau / Room impression with the team.

© 2010 Ralston & Bau / Paper workstations.

© 2010 Ralston & Bau / View into a workstation.

© 2010 Ralston & Bau / “Kundesporet” entrance area.

© 2010 Ralston & Bau / 200 participating NSB leaders.

© 2010 Ralston & Bau / Topview on workstations.

© 2010 Ralston & Bau / Member of the service team.

© 2010 Ralston & Bau / Workstations with LED lighting.

©2010 Transplant / James Auger & Jimmy Loizeau.

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The British design duo James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau, both Transplant Coaches in Speculative Design and Robotics, take part in the Ideal Lab´ theme Longer Participation. The 26th of July 2010 they held a lecture on their work, with focus on the project “Afterlife”. The projects of Auger/Loizeau focus less on “bringing products to market, making them desirable and therefore sellable”, instead they develop and disseminate speculative and critical products and services in the hope “to instigate a broader analysis of what it means to exist in a technology rich environment both today and in the near future.”
In Transplant Auger/Loizeau worked on a new series of products within the Longer Participation theme.

©2010 Transplant / Lecture Auger-Loizeau.

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The “Afterlife” project of James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau “offers a technologically mediated service providing a tangible expression of life after death. Under normal circumstances after death, the human body would be assimilated back into the natural system. The Afterlife device intervenes during this process to harness the chemical potential and convert it into usable electrical energy via a microbial fuel cell – a device that uses an electromechanical reaction to generate electricity from organic matter.
This electricity is contained within a familiar dry cell battery.”

©2010 Transplant / Afterlife objects.

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During their project and the lecture, people were asked what they would run with the electricity of a loved one. The objects which people chose were shown at Transplant and opened up a discussion about the project among the participants.

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The interest in Auger/Loizeau´s project “Afterlife” was immediate and found its reflection the day after the lecture at Transplant on the front page of the regional newspaper, which at once brought the project to a bigger audience.
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The “Afterlife” project will be presented at Transplant during the exhibition of “Longer Participation”, which opens the 14.08.2010.

© 2010 Kvik kitchen promotion picture.

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“Everybody has the right to a cool kitchen” -states the slogan of the danish company Kvik. They are part of the Swedish group Ballingslöv, one of the leading companies in kitchen and baths in Scandinavia, as well as Great Britain. Kvik was based on sound reason, deep respect for their customers and, not least, a willingness to embrace change.
Inspired by the landscape and contemporary building, Kvik chose Transplant as the scenery for showing their collections in the next advertising campaign. In August a team of 6 people will transform the Transplant wing into a kitchen space, which is of course … cool!

©2010 Théo Mercier
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Another chapter in the materials story.

There’s such a big family of composites, and with an array of applications. They are present both in our bodies and in space, they have invaded the entire world. Like in Gattaca where the doctors preselected the genes to create perfect men, we mix materials to obtain a wholesomeness of qualities hard to match without combining. Due to environmental concerns, makers have to change the way they produce, and turn in the direction of green production.

This month we present healthy sandwiches full of natural fibres, a new alternative for green teeth, instead of the bloody smile given by the glass fibres. Manufacturers of composites, in search of “authentic” components, reach out to scientists for help, who empty their pockets full of seeds. They put on blue overalls over their white smocks and sink their latex gloves into the soil, to plant a new variety of materials, the bio-composites. These new products spring into life and begin to grow like mushrooms in the rain. They emerge, giving colors and perfume to our previously less green composite garden. It is time to harvest now, take your scissors. Ready, steady, cut!•

Francisco Gallo Mejia, a Columbian architect-researcher, is working on BambHaus, a project of low-cost eco-responsible houses in Colombia, built with a bamboo composite. He based his research on an engineered bamboo, 100% natural and renewable, made from fibres of the Guadua Bamboo.

The bamboo is a resistant material that nourishes the soil. It doesn’t need water other than the rain, and requires no pesticides. As it grows quickly (around 21 cm per day), it also absorbs and stores CO2. Bamboo is a traditional and common building material in tropical areas. Fabrication of this composite requires little energy and small machinery. It will be manufactured locally, directly in the villages, near the plantations. This proposition sounds like a great idea on several points, as it will also act as a stimulant for bamboo reforestation, and will create new jobs. The houses will be equipped with a water recycling system and LEDs.

© 2010 Agrochanvre

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Like the bamboo, the hemp and the flax stock CO2 and do not need any pesticides or other water than the rain, to grow. Through the manufacturing process the entire plant is used.

Lineo, an old Belgian company, specialises in flax fibres production. And today, whoever says flax, says flax composite. With their mechanical properties close to glass and carbon fibre, and lighter than those two, flax fibres absorb vibrations and are good as acoustic and heat insulators. Lineo proposes a new generation of prepreg made up of 50% of flax fibres with an epoxy resin. Applications for such a product are large: sport, packaging, transport, design, marine. This kind of composite has a lower cost than carbon fibres. The next step would be to find a new alternative for the epoxy resin.

Hemp is able to grow fast in a minimum amount of time (5 to 6 months to reach its adult size), it kills weeds and feeds naturally from the ground. Used during previous centuries for clothing and linen, hemp disappeared from the surface of the textile mills, to hide in the darkness of the streets. Its comeback to production sounds like a redeeming effort.

Agrochanvre produces hemp composite materials. Originally specialised in wood polymer composites, this French company decided to switch to the other side, to the natural fibres. Decking, mulching, cinderblock; they specialise their production mostly to housing materials. The hemp decking is composed of 55% hemp and 45% pvc. It is durable, rot resistant, anti-slip, easy to clean, and renewable. A good alternative to polymer wood composites or tropical wood. During the manufacturing process the whole plant is used, preventing waste.
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© 2010 Hemcrete / Making of.
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Hemcrete is a hemp concrete for housing. Produced by Limetechnology in England, this material is the result of a special lime binder with cement and a hemp aggregate made from the stem of the hemp plant. The treatment is mechanic and uses little energy. It needs an addition of water and can be sprayed or cast around a timber or steel frame and relies on the frame. It can take any shape. Hemcrete is also available in blocks. This material is robust, fire resistant, breathable, insulating, it has high thermal and acoustic properties, and it absorbs CO2 . It can be used as roofs or walls.

© 2010 François Azambourg

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This year, during the fairs Maison et Objet and Jec Composites in Paris, French designer Francois Azambourg presented the Linen Matrix. By chance, we were there and had the opportunity to visit this giant hut, full of linen hairs, which could not help but remind us of Cousin It from the Adams family. The aim of such an installation was to promote the use of flax and hemp fibres in textile and composite industries. For this occasion the designer presented his last collection of chairs and table, LIN 94, composed of 94 % linen (fibres and resin) and epoxy. Those products were made in collaboration with Design Composites Solutions, a company specialising in carbon composite industry.

© 2010 James Auger & Jimmy Loizeau.

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The Nordic holiday month is here and we hope that you are enjoying the summer so far! In June Transplant received the Nordic Material partners of Denmark, Svend-Erik Nissen and Finland, Kari Kuhmonen to develop a commune Nordic strategy for transmitting knowledge about material innovation in 2010-2013. Transplant is open like usual during the summer and you can enjoy concerts such as flamenco organised by the International Førde Music Festival. Transplant are pleased to tell that we will have interesting workshops and people to participate for Ideal Lab’ – Longer participation. Things are moving forward and Transplant starts to get filled up for the Summer and Autumn with companies that are working on their strategy and design development. So, book your coaching day for the Autumn, to get started after a long Summer holiday and get ready for 2011.

Summer hours

The Transplant café with ice-cream, cake and coffee specialties is open Tuesday’s to Friday’s from 9am to 5pm. We continue our Lunch-club with homemade food and bread the same day’s. Reserve before 9:30 the same day at +47 577 35 200

Cultural Thursday in Dale

This year we are happy to be able to offer tours of the design competence centre Transplant and it’s design studio, model workshop and Norway’s only innovative material library! Every Thursday we propose a tour, homemade lunch and a tour of the Jakob Sande-Tunet. Program: Lunch at 12h at Transplant, a guided tour at 13h and a guided tour of the Jacob Sande-Tunet at 15h. Reserve before 9:30 the same day at +47 577 35 200.

03.07 / Open bar

We will invite you to open bar with good music! Bar is open from 22.00 to 02.00. Bring your friends and enjoy a saturday night!

11.07 / Førde International Music Festival Concert / Orquestra Chekara Flamenca

Passion and mystery, a violent encounter between ancient Arab and Andalusian traditions.Arabic mysticism and Andalusian passion melts together in a fiery performance in which musicians and dancers from Morocco and Spain celebrate the close ties that existed between the countries for several centuries. The cooperation between the Moroccan orchestra and Spanish flamenco artists have been around for over 20 years, and is based on music from a time when Jews, Christians and Muslims lived side by side in southern Spain. Live an intense and emotional dialogue over Gibraltar Strait. Book your tickets for the concert.

Starts at 18.30
Food and drinks available.
Bus from Førdehuset at 17.00 and returning after the concert.
Kr 200/50 incl bus (with festival pass for Kr 120/50.)
www.fordefestivalen.no

13-14.07 /  Illuminate Dale Workshop

Transplant will organize the workshop “Emotional Mapping Dale” with the danish artist Charlotte Grum.  Charlotte Grum is holding a two day workshop with citizens of Dale i Sunnfjord to define the urban space in the village. On the  first day of the workshop, participants will be asked to point out places in Dale with which they connect a personal emotional memory. On the second day of the workshop, participants will be asked to define their personal important atmospheric spots in Dale. Both workshop days will include a tour through Dale with a summarizing meeting afterward. The result will be a map of Dale which will be based on individual lives and subjective experiences rather than material functions and institutions. This insight information about the social texture of Dale can inspire town planning and design processes, such as the light project “Illuminate Dale”.
Register to participate here or at 577 352 00

16.07 / Friday Bar

Meet up with old friends and join us for summer on the terrace. Doors open at 21:00.

17.07 / Gourmet Dinner

Bring your family or friends and you are more than welcome to enjoy delicate food in Transplant from 550,-Nok per guest, the Saturday 17th of July 2010, from 18.00 to 21.30. We have invited our Chef Øystein, from To Kokker, located in Florø. Please, book your table before Wednesday 14.07: +47 57735200.

24.07 / DJ Grim

A new tradition it’s been born in Transplant. Talented DJ Grim together with Førde light and sound, play the latest hits for people who like to dance. From 22.00 to 02.00 / min. 18 years old

26.07 / Lecture James Auger & Jimmy Loizeau

The British designer and PHD candidate at the RCA London James Auger, known for example for his work “Afterlife”,  and the design consultant Jimmy Loizeau, who teaches at Goldsmiths and the RCA, will visit Transplant. They will make design research on the theme Longer Participation during their stay. The 26/07 at 17h Auger/Loizeau will give a lecture/session. You’ll be able to participate to the design research project “Afterlife” that will be presented during the lecture. For more info.

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Longer Participation, the first theme in the design & research program Ideal Lab’ is launched.

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About Longer Participation:
The population is aging and have longer active lives through improved health.

From a certain age, humans can be left outside of the community as well as from an economic standpoint. In this program Transplant asks: “How can we make the older generation participate longer in the community?”. In order to give an answer to this, we wish to develop the program: “Participate Longer”. Each person which has a “normal functioning” mind, also has a creative soul. This means that anyone is able to influence society, assuming that they have the technical aides and the competence to use these tools, to materialize their ideas. Senior citizens do not always have these aides nor the skills to use them, due to this they are often ignored during a creative process. Even more the main part of the senior would be in touch with technology (a survey show that between September 2008 and  March 2009 the 55-65 year old users grew more than 550%). By ignoring them, we create a deeper generational gaps and lose opportunities to develop better systems and profit from of their knowledge and life experiences.

From June 2010 until December 2010, the participants of the program will have produced a series of products/processes, answering to the theme problematics. The series will be developed as product design, space design (interior/exterior), creation of organization, service, processes… Events, exhibitions, gatherings, workshops, where most of the time the public can take part, will be organized to enrich the project. Stemming products like books or videos will be edited to keep tracks of the experiences and make the research available to a larger public.

Please contact us if you’re interested to join the program as a producer, a designer or a senior citizen.

The participants of Longer Participation are:
Charlotte Grum (artist, Dk), Mathieu Lehanneur (designer, Fr), James Auger & Jimmy Loizeau (designer & design consultants UK), Erwin Olaf (photographer, NL), invited artists from FRAC de Lorraine (Fr), Ralston & Bau (designers, No), Rainer Rosegger (sociologist, Au), Dingemoen Barneskule (No), Fjaler Kommune (No), Senior citizens of Dale i Sunnfjord and HAFS (No).

© 2010 Transplant / Introduction meeting of Ideal Lab’ Participate Longer.

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Introduction meeting about the Participating Longer theme

For the first time the Ideal Lab´and the theme Longer Participation was introduced to the public. People were informed about the Ideal Lab´and Longer Participation and about the different projects within the theme in which they can participate. This introduction meeting set the base for the two projects “Illuminate Dale” and “Craft+Design”.

Illuminate Dale/the project explores new outside lighting design solutions using the example of Dale.
Craft+Design/the project combines and explores the crafts knowledge of elders with contemporary design.

Upcoming events
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5-7.07.2010: Mathieu Lehanneur / Fr

© 2010 Matthieu Lehanneur / Participant to Ideal Lab’
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The french designer Mathieu Lehanneur, known for example for his air-filter “Andrea”, will visit Transplant. He will make researches on the theme Longer Participation during his stay. Mathieu Lehanneur will be accompanied by the french magazine “Le Figaro Madame”.

13-14.07.2010: Workshop with Charlotte Grum / Dk

© 2010 Charlotte Grum / participant to Ideal Lab’.

Transplant will organize the workshop “Emotional Mapping Dale” with the danish artist Charlotte Grum.  Charlotte Grum is holding a two day workshop with citizens of Dale i Sunnfjord to define the urban space in the village. On the  first day of the workshop, participants will be asked to point out places in Dale with which they connect a personal emotional memory. On the second day of the workshop, participants will be asked to define their personal important atmospheric spots in Dale. Both workshop days will include a tour through Dale with a summarizing meeting afterward. The result will be a map of Dale which will be based on individual lives and subjective experiences rather than material functions and institutions. This insight information about the social texture of Dale can inspire town planning and design processes, such as the light project “Illuminate Dale”.

Register to participate here or at 577 352 00

26-27.07.2010: James Auger & Jimmy Loizeau / UK

© 2010 Auger Loizeau / Participants to Ideal Lab’.
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The British designer and PhD candidate at the RCA London James Auger, known for example for his work “Afterlife”,  and the design consultant Jimmy Loizeau, who teaches at Goldsmiths and the RCA, will visit Transplant. They will make design research on the theme Longer Participation during their stay.
The 26.07.2010 at 17h Auger/Loizeau will give a lecture/session. You’ll be able to participate to the design research project “Afterlife” that will be presented during the lecture. More info.

14.08.2010: Opening of the exhibition Longer Participation

The full program will follow.

This program is funded by:

© 20

10 Transplant / Strategical workshop with Vestnes Group in November 2009.

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In June 2010 the Vestnes Group chose the designers Ralston & Bau to develop a new client segment with an interior collection and the design the group’s profile. In the last 4 years Vestnes Innredning has evolved from delivering products to the maritime industry and building cabins, to being producers of Willy a complete maritime furniture series and interior collection. The design investment contributed to doubled revenue for the company from 2006 to 2008.

During 2009 the companies in the Vestnes Group went through a strategical process coached by the designers in Transplant. The aim was to define a common future for the two companies Vestnes Innredning and Vestnes Produkt. Soon the new strategy will be visible through the whole group as it’ll use design as a tool to evolve their services and build a homogenized brand, to become more competitive on the international market.

© 2010 Transplant / Strategical workshop with Vestnes Group in November 2009.

© the Sustainable Dance Floor.

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Here we are, in the summertime! We exchange our leather sandals for rubber boots and walk in puddles instead of sand. Unlike Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain, we take small steps. The analogy of the cartoon banana skin is not so far, the slightest inattention can provoke a fatal fall. Happily, the floor companies do their best with anti-slip to avoid us braking our legs, to the dismay of plaster manufacturers!

A ground which supports our weight and movements, a magnet which attracts us due to the effect of gravity, a landscape which horizon is limited by the walls and objects, the floor is this expanse, membrane interior of architecture, on which we can walk, run, jump, dance, sit and  sleep on.

© Vincent Lamouroux.
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Outside to inside. A landscape, full of waves and bumps extends in front of us. Sol.07 from Vincent Lamouroux is an art project which creates a kind of imbalance. It changes the usual perception we have of a floor, not only flat, it undulates. Is it time to give life to objects ? A massive piece which can’t live without any contact with the public. Its relief encourages the spectators to sit, to lie or to move on it. This proposal questions the relation we have with our environment, the influence of the forms on our behavior. Essentially made of wood, this piece takes its proportion in function of the space it is installed. A new way to imagine our interior flooring, a dream parquet for a skater’s home.

Dressing the interior architecture like we dress our body, in a research of effectiveness in response to needs of resistance, slip, hygienic, sound, comfort, heat flux, allergy, ecology, without forgetting the look.

A perfect vinyl combination, not only sexy, but primarily green and trendy, is the Botanic Collection. Bolon or “the green fingers in the vinyl field”,  gave birth recently to the first flexible floor covering based on 80% renewable raw material composed of modified vegetable oils. This material is wear resistant, fire resistant, slip resistant and sound absorbing.  The wish of the company in the close future, could be to make a totally environmentally adapted and climate neutral product. Bolon has adopted the voluntary measures of the VINYL 2010 program and tries to minimize the impact on the environment by reducing the use of energy in its factory.

© Nordic Materials / Korkmozaik..

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Another product for wet environments like saunas or bathrooms, is the Korkmosaik, a floor mosaic composed of post-industrial wine cork material. The cork like we know it, has natural properties, anti-static, anti-microbial, sound absorbing and slip resistant. Additionally it is comfortable, durable, suitable in wet and water prone areas. Friedbert Bleile, the founder, is firm concerning the quality, the human and the environmental respect in the production. The Korkmosaik is a unique material, essentially hand made by handicapped people, it is based in Germany. Their wishes are based on a positive way to act, a future as nice as possible, without a sustainable trendy attitude. They advocate a kind of truth, a certain purity.

The Pergo Sense, from Pergo, is a laminate flooring particularly good at sound reduction, vibration and energy absorbing patented the technologies Soft _Tech, SoundBloc and Expance. Also anti-microbial, static, fire, scratch and wear resistant. It is composed of HDF from sawmill residue, recycled polyurethane foam and recycled cellulose fibres. It is a very efficient product improved protection to high traffic and extraordinary durability thanks to the Titan X coating. A product made with 80% of waste from pine and spruce. Pergo proposes an interesting material, both ecologic and effective, warranty for a very long time. A kind of flooring dreamed in buildings and apartments especially.

The floor is the element in a house, in a room, in an interior with which we are probably the most in contact with. Even if we don’t think about it, this horizontal and flat surface condition our wellness, it contributes to our comfort. If the floor could be an actor in the energy/sustainability scene, how could it look like ? Why not imagine the floor like a power reserve ?.

© Sustainable Dance Floor.
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This is the challenge of Sustainable Dance Club, an energy generating dance floor powered by the movements of the dancers. Like the new mobile hulls which charge the batteries with the movements of the body, this floor captures the kinetic energy emitted during passages and movements of clubbers, to transcribe it into electricity. A product which encourages people to have fun and  to care of the planet in the same time. “We are planning to change the world by clubbing” says Michel Smit, the project leader of the company. A different use to clubbing was also developed in the city of Toulouse, in France. “Pavement power”, tiles prototypes, were installed in a street to power the streetlamps. What more efficient than using the electricity produced by street passers to illuminate it? This principle is in line to revolutionize the production of electricity and we are impatient to try it!

Powered by Marginal.dk for the Danish Furniture Center / www.moebelcenter.dk

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Often, a drawing is better than a long speech. This time, three videos are better than a long speech / including Alexandre Bau/Nordic Materials contribution to Smart Conference in Denmark, 2009.

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Powered by Marginal.dk for the Danish Furniture Center / www.moebelcenter.dk

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Powered by Marginal.dk for the Danish Furniture Center / www.moebelcenter.dk

© 2010 Transplant / NTE dinner with Transplant Coaches.

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The summer is here and soon we are the 23rd of June is Midsummer, the longest day of the year.
If you are organizing strategical meetings or a design development, do as NTE; book the space and have a work process in Transplant where the Ralston & Bau creative team and the Transplant Coaches can bring their knowledge into your project. You can reserve Transplant for bigger gatherings or meetings where we provide services including food and sleeping facilities, tailored to your needs.
There is a time to think and a time to do, this summer do it in Transplant!
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Summertime

We invite you to our summer opening hours for the café/lunch club  and events during June, July and August. If you are visiting the west-coast of Norway, come and visit cultural Dale, where Transplant is located next to the fjord. Open hours from  Tuesday to Friday: 09-17. We serve cold drink, coffee specialities, ice cream and cake. Homemade lunch is served at 12.00 sharp for the good price of 100,-nok. To reserve, call us before 09.30 the same day at +47 57735200. You can download the Lunch Club Summer menu here. If you would like to get the monthly menu sent to your e-mail, please sign up to the Lunch Club!
The June event program includes late summer nights with quiz, concerts and open bar during weekends or evenings from 22.00 to 02.00.
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11.06 / Friday Bar with Summer Quiz

Get your friends and colleagues together for the first summer quiz session. Doors open at 21.00 and quiz starts at 21.30 sharp! Welcome to Transplant.
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19.06 / Concert with Dagny Sandvik & Tina Refsnes

Transplant is happy to receive the talented Dagny and Tina for an intimate acoustic concert for our first summer event. We invite you to come to our open bar: 21.30 – 02.00. Concert start at 22.30. Tickets for sale in Dale bok og Papir or at Transplant. Entrance: 75,-nok./ min. 18 years.
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26.06 / Tribute & Open bar

We will invite you to a summer night which makes you want to dance the whole night. Bar is open from 22.00 to 02.00. Bring good mood and come!
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27.06 – 01.07 / Nordic Materials Agents

Nordic Material Agents from Denmark and Finland are coming to Transplant end of June for a strategical session. Plans will be laid for the evolution of the Nordic Materials network and 2010/11 programing.

© 2010 Transplant / Strategical debriefing.

NTE is an energy company from northern Norway. Since a period of several months NTE have gone through a strategic process coached by Truls Paulsen and Mads Bruun Høy. The work has resulted in several innovative business ideas for the future of renewable energy.

The NTE project group with coaches came to Transplant for a two day visualisation workshop the 27-28/05. All the Ralston & Bau designers where involved in the pre-research and then designing together with the NTE team during two full days. The aim was to make the business ideas real through design and then be able to make decisions about what projects to pursue in the future.

© 2010 Transplant / Truls Paulsen, Cand. Psychl. is a Transplant Coach.

© 2010 Transplant / The Transplanteurs in working mood.

© 2010 Transplant / Dialog session outside.

© 2010 Transplant / Finalizing the design together.

© 2010 Transplant / Three course dinner in the sunset.

© “Sunshine”, directed by Danny Boyle / Fox Searchlight 2008.
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If we could catch the energy emitted by the sun during one hour, we could supply all of humanity needs for one year. So the postulate is simple: we need to shift all our fossil energy needs to renewable ones. Governments and dedicated people know this fact since decades. But now you know it too. As reminder, we invite you to share some inputs…
Solar? The best. The whole planet is operating this shift, as for example milliards invested into the wind fields all over the world. But if we follow the biomimicry principles, before biomass, the sun is still the best ever source of energy, used by millions of generation of natural organisms before human beings. We, as a gender, begin to get it and learn that the best solution is often the simpler: we wanted to make your life easier and make you an update on the solar technologies actually out there. From our side, the future is soon here as the Professor of MIT Dan Nocera not only discovered how to make energy from water and solar energy, but he is saying it will be on ebay next year for the price of a good pair of shoes. Now you could make your choice. We did. Help yourself, and be careful: hot matter. May be the millennium scoop indeed.

Solar soft > Solar Next

Solar glass > Peer +

Solar film > Powerfilm

Solar & Water catalyse > Sun Catalytix

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© Professor Dan Nocera / 2009.

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© 2010 Ralston & Bau / Storehagen Atrium.

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In september 2010, Storehaugen Atrium, a 5000 m2 large governmental building, will open it’s doors to the public in Førde, Norway. Now under construction by Futurum, the national Stiftelse og Lotteritilsynet and the regional Cultural Department, among other institutions, will invest the premises. After a competition by invitation, Ralston & Bau was chosen to design the signage concept of the building. The selected signage design is using the simplicity and clarity of the underground signage systems. The idea was inspired by the fact that Storehagen Atrium will become an important hub in Førde and the desire of the city as a whole to become a metropolis.

The mission includes designing the exterior and interior signs, from directions in the public areas to the personal signs on each office door. The work will be completed and mounted in august 2010.

© 2010 Culinaire Design / by Marc Bretillot.

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We are happy to present two books just launched about the work of three of our Transplant Coaches. Former furniture designer, now head of the culinairy laboratory at the design school in Reims (ESAD), Marc Bretillot just released his first monography, ‘Culinaire design‘, by Thierry de Beaumont at Alternatives publishing house, which chronicles his projects of the past ten years for the food industry or in the contemporary art world. Marc’s Disappearance performance in Transplant august 2009 is published with four pages. Marc Bretillot is a Transplant Coach on the theme “Food design”.

© 2010 Culinaire Design / by Marc Bretillot.
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Stoffel Kuenen presented in the May 2010 newsletter, just launched his book “Metamorphosis”(metamorphic fashion design), co-writed with Ambra Trotto. This book focuses on the Italian fashion system as an example of a sector wrought with tradition, saper fare and high quality that forms a fertile ground for a human centered application of the latest technologies in all aspects of the production chain, ranging from strategic and marketing aspects, to processes and tools of production, from materials used and sustainable strategies to the skills of the designer. The user literally and figuratively forms the center of the fashion product. Hence fashion products are presented, in which a subtile application of state-of- the-art technologies extend functional, expressive and communicative properties, resulting in metamorphic fashion.

© 2010 / Editor: Stoffel Kuenen / Co Author: Ambra Trotto.

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The products we use shape the way we view the world, the way we interact and perceive it and others. This places a delicate responsibility in the hands of me as designer, as I literally and figuratively help shape the world. Not only do the function, form and behavior of the products do so; the way they are constituted, the materials used, the manufacturing techniques, the place and thus the social circumstances of manufacture, all those in many ways frame the way a user sees himself in this world. Both authors are Transplant Coaches™. Ambra Trotto on the theme “Design & Ethics” and Stoffel Kuenen “Wearable technology & interactive products”.

© 2010 Transplant / NTE & Truls Paulsen.

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May is the month of bank holidays, music and strategic thinking. We are receiving Ingrid Olava for an intimate concert the 22nd of May in Transplant! Then Dekor will treat us to an acoustic singing event with choir friends from Hyllestad.

After the positive feedback from the Lunch club in April we are following through in May. You are warmly welcomed to join us for a home-cooked meal on working days. Every day at 12.00 sharp, (time is changed) we serve a different dish for the same small price; 100,-. You’ll find the food of the day in the month menu. You can download the Lunch Club May menu here. If you would like to get the monthly menu sent to your e-mail, please sign up to the Lunch Club!
(Groups can like before reserve Transplant anytime, with complete lunch and dinner menu choices by our partners To Kokker and Mitt Lille Kjøkken).

Transplant Lunch Club

Home-cooked food and fresh bread (with soups) are served at 12.00 sharp on working days (Tuesday to Friday) . You serve yourself the portion that you desire. Transplant is open for food and coffee from 12.00 to 14.00. Call to book lunch before 09.30 at +47 5773 5200. Download your May menu here !

14.05 / Friday Pub with Quiz

Its quiz time again! So gather up your friends, family, neighbor and colleagues and get you team together to share and play with your knowledge. The night is on at 21.00 and quiz starts 21.30 sharp! See you there.

22.05/ Ingrid Olava

Last time Ingrid Olava was scheduled for Transplant, all but a few tickets was sold in advance. Unfortunately she couldn’t play because of illness. Keeping her promise, she’s now coming back to play for you in Transplant! You can buy your tickets at Dale Bok og Papir or at Transplant!

24-26.04 / Nordic Materials in Sweden

Alexandre Bau and Diane Noetinger will meet partners in our neighboring country and attend the Next Textile conference in Borås.

27-28.05 / NTE strategic workshop

The Nord Trønderlag Energi company has chosen Transplant as the location for their next two day strategic workshop with TRD Innovation Lab’ and Ralston & Bau.

28.05 / Dekor choral

Dekor is inviting to party and singing at Transplant. Welcome!

© 2010 NSB / photo by Ralston & Bau

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NSB and the PLT Innovation Lab’ chose Ralston & Bau to create the scenography and identity for the NSB Leader conference in May 2010. NSB is the public Norwegian train transport company. 200 participants will attend the leader conference and work around service, customer relations and processes during two days. Ralston & Bau are creating the scenography design for the space, including the physical materialization of workstations.

Ralston & Bau especially cherish to work with local clients with international potential. Our new client Sunnfjord GeoCenter from the Askvoll challenged us to create their new profiling: logo, brochure and visual identity. The company is run by a couple, Synne and Einar, passionated about offering knowledge about geology and an immersive medieval food experience. Visuals of both projects will follow soon.

©Transplant Coaches / Truls Paulsen (No) / Innovation strategies

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The Transplant Coaches is a network of specialists who has expertise around and within the design field. Transplant is a competence centre that is a tool in business strategy and product development processes. The Transplant coaches have a thorough experience about a specific topic and contribute as part of a complete workshop or a one-to-one business coaching in one day. The process gives insight into specific issues in a condensed time frame and help to take strategic decisions. All Transplant Coaches have senior expertise and proven experience and reputation in its field.

Transplant Coaches main categories are Design + Prospective / Business / Materials.
The detailed description of Transplant Coaches will be launched the 01th of June 2010 on www.transplant.nu. Please contact us for further information

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© Transplant Coaches / Ambra Trotto (It) / Design + Ethics

© Transplant Coaches / Julien Dossier (Fr) / Green business development

© Transplant Coaches / James Auger (Uk) / Speculative, critical and conceptual design

© Transplant Coaches / Stoffel Kuenen (Nl) / Wearable technologies

© 2010 Nordic Materials / a Material Selection before sending.

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We all have been affected by this highly unexpected consequences coming from Iceland during the last weeks. From Nordic materials side, we upgraded without delay our way to communicate and transmit knowledge, performing with ubicuity talent a Material Afternoon for Upper Savo Network in Finland. Thanks a lot to Mika from Vidyo by the way for this nice tuning, and to Juha for his kindness and pro activity. This situation made us thinking about how to operate, work, with the less spent energy possible, or at least required. In this sense, Nordic Materials is permanently developing new solutions. Like the Material Selection, an edgy and up to date selection tailored for your eyes only and sent by post.

It is a pleasure to also introduce you our new Agent for Denmark: UMT with our partner Svend Erik Nissen. From now on, if you operate from the danish region, we invite you to take contact with our UMT; they will take care of your request, listen to your needs, and will transmit to us your challenges. As an illustration, we are at the moment focused on three new Material Selections that soon will departure to meet the danish innovators within UMT environment.

© Nordic Materials network / May 2010.

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The Nordic Materials team will attend to the Future Design Lab event  “Next Textile” in Borås, Sweden. We hope to see you there, and we will be delighted to meet again our friend Linda Worbin. Nordic Materials is a network and Sweden is a territory where Nordic Materials will soon be present too. If you would like to meet us there, please contact Alexandre here.

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© Hulk / Marvel Comics.

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Working permanently on innovative materials, we have to admit that “some” of our babies are not really junior, they are not all really fashionable; they are sometimes not even really new (ref. Aerogel in the last Material Update “Insulately“, invented over 75 years ago). But they are something that is just and simply close to perfect: they work ! and even better: they are meta-working.

Stronger. Better. Harder. Faster. Easier. Healthier. They are our “Super Green” Materials.
One advice: do not under-estimate them: you might regret it.

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Concrete Canvas

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Nordic Materials Feedback

Concrete Canvas seems to be a perfect solution facing the need to deploy temporary architecture, after earthquakes for example. From our side, we just perceive the simplicity, evidence of using it, as it spares energy as the deployment/mounting phase (1 hour) compared to the durability (10 years) is more than correct. Sometimes, the answer is simple and good enough. Concrete Canvas got its strength from the requirements of a very hostile environment  (as defense, natural disaster, etc…); it would be positive to “re”-humanize a bit its components so it is visually including the friendly details as windows and privacy internally. But super strength needs time to get tamed. And cool down…

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Fermacell

© Xella / Fermacell put in several very informal crash tests…
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FERMACELL has a very simple homogenous composition: 80% recycled gypsum and 20% cellulose fibres derived from recycled papers, mixed with water. In other words, it’s a 100% recycled material. There are no additives or preservatives used whatsoever. The entire process is also fully recycling, which means that all by-products are fed back into the production cycle.

In terms of sustainability matters, this product’s manufacturing technique seems to be unique.

Both Fermacell and its process have been awarded the coveted Rosenheim Institute of Construction Biology and Ecology Certificate and the Low Emissions Product Eco Certificate. This material has also been defined as a ‘Heathy Living’ Building Material for allergy-free environments.Its commitment to sustainability focuses on a ‘whole lifecycle’ approach to environmental management (BBA certificate No 90/2439, DN EN ISO: 14001, recycled content to ISO 14021: newspaper and gypsum recovered from desulphurisation plants-100%)

Nordic Materials Feedback

Seriously, expect a little bit harder “skin” at the cutting phase (it can not be stronger without being harder to cut…we know it, Transplant built all its wet rooms with Fermacell), it is a plug and play product compared to regular plaster panels. To simplify the all thing:
- really stronger to impact, no need anymore to double it with ply wood.
- environment with humidity until 80%: resistant! So bathroom, swimming pools are more than welcome.
- fire resistance M1. no need to go further, it is fire classified with the highest rates.
- it has good sound performance. three time more effective compared to another block wall as example.
- a high load bearing and can carry upto up to 50kg from a wall plug fitting.
- it eliminates the need of plaster for finish surfacing.

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© MA Arkitekter

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How to Dress Buildings Up

Textiles can be used as building skins, adding new aesthetic and functional qualities to architecture. Just like we as humans can put on a coat, buildings can also get dressed. Depending on our mood, or on the weather, we can change coat, and so can the building. But the idea of using textiles to create human habitation is not new. As Diether S. Hope phrases it, referring to tents: The history of development of humanity would be barely conceivable without free spanning textile membrane structures.

Architecture is one of the many areas of applications for technical textiles; the latter in fact offer the necessary weather resistance and fireproof properties for building applications.

Flexibility is what differentiates textiles from most other (stiff) materials. Textiles can in fact hang, but they cannot support themselves. They can however adapt to their environment, this adaptation being allowed by their thinness, lightness, production technique and material. This adaptability explains the versatility of applications in which textiles are used.

Thanks to their transparency or translucence, textiles can act as filters permitting us to see without being seen. Furthermore, textiles have shorter lifetimes than e.g. concrete, but this can be turned into an advantage, as it can allow a building to change appearance over time, depending on the needs of its users.

© Naturtex

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A good example of translucency is Batyline Canatex, a woven fabric made of polyester fibres (core) with a composite sheath partly made of hemp thread grown using sustainable farming techniques. Even though it is made of two different materials, Batyline Canatex is entirely recyclable thanks to the manufacturer’s Texyloop® process. The product is flexible, light, quick-drying, anti-fungal, UV-resistant, fire-resistant and comes in a wide range of colours. Mechanical tests and tests for abrasion and low and high temperatures have proven the product’s sturdiness. Thanks to the listed characteristics, Batyline Canatex is a textile alternative that opens for many applications such as indoor and outdoor furniture, architecture and other high requirement applications.

Another suitable textile for architectural applications is Naturtex’ woven metal textiles (A1518), which produce very special reflections and light effects. The metal textiles are weather resistant and can be used for long lasting and durable decorative features. Naturtex woven metal fabric is part of the C(h)ameleon exhibition, displayed at Transplant from the 18th of March.

Yet a manufacturer proposing textiles suitable for outdoor architectural use is Quantum Textiles. The fabrics can be engineered and customized to fit specific applications, and are available in many different fibres, yarns and weaving techniques. The fabrics are flame retardant, UV-resistant and anti-microbial.

© Walter Unterrainer

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Today, using textiles for permanent building facades is a relatively unexplored area, and more experimentation and exploration is therefore necessary. Some projects have however been realized, such as Walter Unterrainer’s passive dwelling house in Austria, covered in pieces of black fabric joined together by a button-like system.

This Material Update has been designed and co-written by Elisabeth Jacobsen Heimdal / PhD Candidate working on how textiles can be used in new ways in buildings, at the Technical University of Denmark, and Nordic Materials.

© “Salone Internazionale del Mobile”/  from the 14th to the 19th of April 2010.

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Milano

Transplant is invited to Milano to talk at a Norwegian Design Event the 15th of April in the zone Tortona. The event is coordinated with the 48th edition of the 2010 Milano Furniture Fair. Organized by ANSA Italia (Association of Norwegian Students Abroad), they present: “Design Talk: Norway”, a Norwegian design event taking place during Milan Design Week 2010, Thursday, 15th of April, from 5pm-8pm. The event is organized as a cross projection between a mini-seminar and the traditional Milanese aperitivo, in other words: academic input, mingling, and food, drinks. “Design Talk: Norway“ reviews Norwegian design, production and the process from student until the professional life as a designer. The event has a particular focus on the future of young designers and the profession itself. The purpose of this event is to bring Norwegian and Italian communities together to point out the benefits of cooperation and expertise exchange, highlighting Norway as a design-nation, describing what is the contemporary situation in the Norwegian design community, and try to make some predictions for the future.

Andreas Engesvik, Ingrid Helvik, Birgitta Ralston og Atle Tveit / Photo: Pål Lothe Sæterdal

“From the deep fjords and cool office-landscapes in the far north, we have been lucky to get Birgitta Ralston from Transplant, Andreas Engesvik (from ex Norway Says), Lars Tornøe and Atle Tveit, all designers with various backgrounds, fabled projects in the suitcase, and adventurous experiences from the Norwegian and international design world. They will present projects and answer questions like: What is distinctive and unique about Norwegian design? What differences and similarities is there in the Norwegian and Italian approach and practice, and how can we benefit from each others skills and capabilities?“. Design Talk Norway, 2010.

The event and talks are held in English and during the event there will be dialogue and Q & A session with the audience. Design Talk: Norway will be held in a smashing bar called Uainbar in Via Savona 1, in the heart of the “Fuori Salone”. Come along and join us!!!

Iisalmi

Innovation within composites is the theme of the next Material Afternoon by Nordic Materials in April in northern Finland. Organized by the Upper-Savo Development Ltd., this lecture includes a prospective report, presentation of real innovative material samples and a debate around the specific theme “Composites”. The Material Afternoon is hold by Alexandre Bau the 22nd of April in Iisalmi in Finland.

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April is here and Transplant is introducing it’s Lunch Club. You are warmly welcomed to join us for a home-cooked meal on working days. Every day at 12.30 sharp, we serve a different dish for the same small price; 100,-. You’ll find the food of the day in the month menu. You can download the Lunch Club April menu here. If you would like to get the monthly menu sent to your e-mail, please sign up to the Lunch Club!
(Groups can like before reserve Transplant anytime, with complete lunch and dinner menu choices by our partners To Kokker and Mitt Lille Kjøkken).

Transplant Lunch Club

Home-cooked food and fresh bread (with soups) are served at 12.30 sharp on working days (Tuesday to Friday) . You serve yourself the portion that you desire. Transplant is open for food and coffee from 12.00 to 14.00. Call to book lunch before 09.30 at +47 5773 5200. Download your April menu here !

01.04/ Easter Café

Transplant is dishing up brunch this Easter. Our café is open from 12.00 to 16.00, serving a complete brunch with eggs, juice, butter & jam, croissant, homemade bread and coffee, hot chocolate or tea.

01.04 / Cocktails & Chocolate Party

Easter is here, and what better way to welcome this festive season than with cocktails and chocolate. Transplant is serving up an Easter party, so get your gals and guys together for a fun night out.  The event starts at 22.00 and cost kr. 50,- in cover charge.

03-04.04 / Easter Café

Transplant is dishing up brunch from 12.00 to 16.00.

15.04 / Transplant in Milano

Birgitta Ralston is invited to talk at a Norwegian Design event during the Milano Design Week in Zona Tortona. See you in Italy!

16.04 / Friday Pub with Quiz

Its quiz time again! So gather up your friends, family, neighbor and colleagues and get you team together to share and play with your knowledge. The night is on at 21.00 and quiz starts 21.30 sharp! See you there.

22.04 / Nordic Materials in Finland

Alexandre Bau will motivate the Material Afternoon “Composit-ation” in northern Finland requested by the Upper-Savo Development network.

24.04 / Concert

More info shortly.

© Torbjørn Anderssen / photo: the Danish and the Nordic Pavilions

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Since the beginning of 2010 the Nordic Materials innovative material library has an increasing number of creative professionals as members and the Nordic network is expanding.

We are proud to welcome the Danish Development Center for Furniture and Wood (UMT) to become Nordic Materials Agent and member of the network. From April UMT is assisting industries and creative professionals to make their choice in terms of materials and processes, using the Nordic Materials knowledges. UMT Denmark / +45 9616 6200

From Norway, new materials addicts joined the network through “Material Access“: Torbjørn Anderssen and his studio Anderssen-Voll (ex Norways Says) became member in March 2010; joined by the awarded industrial design studios Inventas and Kadabra, followed by Nordplan, architect studio. The leading Nordic office furniture producer Scandinavian Business Seating (Håg/RH/RBM) became member of the Nordic Materials database as well and Pernille Jensen Stolze, textile designer R&D at SBS joined our last “C(h)ameleon Afternoon” a dedicated time to talk, learn, exchange and upgrade our know-how within material field: “I had a very nice time and it really worth the trip”.

To know everything about Nordic Materials services, click here.

© Nordic Materials™ / C(h)ameleon in Transplant, Norway.

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Discover the latest material innovation shown for the first time in Norway. We propose to look at how objects can reinvent themselves and break the monotony. Dead, dull and colourless environments could become things of the past. Biomimicry materials follow the example of nature, which adapts, change and metamorph in order to survive. We are used to deciphering and analysing the pictorial signals that nature gives us. The yellowing of the leaves from a lack of chlorophyll announces the arrival of winter. The chameleon shows what mood it is in by changing the patterns and colouring of its skin. “Colours are the smiles of nature,” wrote the English poet Leigh Hunt. Men have always observed the ways in which nature adapts to change and it has inspired them to come up with sophisticated technologies that improve our everyday lives and make them more enjoyable. Just as a chameleon can change the colour of its skin by altering its pigment cells, so does the latest technical materials that are active and reactive. There are thermo-chrome, thermo-regulating or phase-change materials. They are also able to detect and analyse changes in their environment and adapt. Their uses in the design of our homes, our offices and our furniture, mean that we can look forward to functional improvements that would have been hard to foresee. They encourage and contribute to the emergence of an almost boundless world of design possibilities.

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© Nordic Materials™ / C(h)ameleon in Transplant, Norway.

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Making of

Created by Nordic Materials / Motivated by Alexandre Bau and Elisabeth Jacobsen Heimdal

Prospective: material and design visions, innovator, artist and scientific point of view.
Material: showcase of 10 alternative processes and material samples
Application: examples shared as case studies
Lunch: warm lunch at Transplant and networking
Opening of “C(h)ameleon”: guided tour of the exhibition containing 68 materials.

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After Finland, the latest material innovation is shown in Norway. C(h)ameleon is open to public for visit on reservation from: the 18.03.2010 10h to the 25.03.2010 16h. Visits are organized for companies, schools and institutions from 1500,-.

© 2010 Concept sketch by Ralston & Bau.

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Ralston & Bau are in the beginning of a new project: to design a 500 m2 hotel on the west coast of Norway. Our challenge and mission is to create a special place close to the values of our client; authentic living, foods and sustainability. The original building, a barrels factory is being replaced by a same size new structure using beautiful existing wood beams and a full glass front catching the sun for energy in it’s solar modules.

The design studio is commissioned for concept development, architecture and interior design.

© C(h)ameleon in Paris, France / 2009.

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March is all about materials. Sign on and meet furniture producers and designers at the opening of the C(h)ameleon exhibition, showing 68 biomimicry inspired materials. Transplant is also welcoming a PhD student from Denmark, studying textiles with architecture. If material innovation are not for you Transplant offers several other events in Transplant such as, free screening of the movie “HOME”, friday lounge and Ingrid Olava concert.

06/03 Feeling at HOME in Transplant

Its always been fundamental for us to care about the environment. We would like to invite everyone for a free public screening of the recent movie “HOME” directed by Luc Besson & Yann Arthus Bertrand at saturday night at 8pm. The movie is in english. Hang around after in our bar to chat about experiences and viewpoints on the matter. Welcome!

07-19/03 Danish PhD candidate at Transplant

Nordic Materials will receive a temporary team member during march: Elisabeth Heimdal, PhD candidate at the Technical University of Denmark will experience two weeks of research and work process,integrated into the material knowledge team. Her project is about new approach within textile materials through architecture. Elisabeth, welcome!

12/03 Friday pub

Our famous friday pub is kicking. This time around the host title belongs to Elis as. Can they deliver a quiz that will make your head spin or is it gonna be easy as a pie? Bring your friends, colleagues and neighbours to check it out. Quiz starts at 21:30 sharp. See you there!

18-25/03 Material Exhibition: C(h)ameleon

Discover the latest material innovations, shown for the first time in Norway. Transplant is exhibiting the Material collection of C(h)ameleon, showing over 68 innovative materials. The exhibition propose to look at how objects can reinvent themselves and break the monotony. The selection of biomimicry inspired materials follow the example of nature, which adapts, change and metamorph in order to survive. Book a material talk with one of our experts or visit us on our Opening day. For more information visit C(h)ameleon page or call +47 577 35 200.

18/03 C(h)ameleon Afternoon and opening

The opening of the C(h)ameleon Exhibition is a great time to get updated on the future in industrial processes and trends at the moment, as well as being a great venue to network with people. The day will give material updates, processes and case studies and a delicious lunch!

22/03 Workshop with Luster High School

A group of students from Luster High School are being coached in interior design by designers from Ralston & Bau.

27/03 Concert with Ingrid Olava

We are thrilled to be welcoming the up and coming Norwegian artist Ingrid Olava to an intimate concert at Transplant. Limited seats, so be quick, tickets are on sale from 27th of february at Dale bok & papir and Transplant and costs kr 200,- Doors open at 22:00 and concerts starts at 22:30.

© 2010 Norwegian Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria

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The 8th of March the Norwegian Embassy in Sofia organize a Partnership for Development seminar. The aim of this event is to help chart the way forward for female entrepreneurship by debating the issues from the perspectives of experienced female entrepreneurs and to create profitable business cooperation between Bulgarian and Norwegian companies. Birgitta Ralston and four other entrepreneurs have been selected to travel to Sofia from Norway to participate to the event.

> Norwegian Embassy in Bulgaria

Transplant also join the Fjaler Municipality to meet with the west Norway Brussels office in the beginning of March. The mission of the Office is to make our region visible in Europe and provide and two-ways flow of information with EU.

> West Norway Office

© 2010 Owens Corning
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Norway is beautiful, and cold, and beautiful, and cold.
But beautiful.

But cold.

We searched our resources to identify innovative solutions and decently environmental on insulating materials. As we know you are busy, the nominated material & process for “Best Insulation 2010” are…
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AttiCat™

“Loosefill insulation from Owens Corning, also called “blown-in” insulation, is made of virgin PINK fiber glass insulation. It is used in new construction and in existing homes, typically applied in hard-to-reach areas. Since fiber glass insulation is non-combustible and non-corrosive by nature, PINK fiber glass loosefill insulation offers significant advantages over other loosefill insulation products and will not settle or lose its energy-saving abilities over time, does not require the addition of fire-retardant chemicals that can promote corrosion of pipes or wires, will not rot or decay, support fungus or mold growth or provide sustenance for insects or vermin.”

At Nordic Materials, we appreciate this values, and the large application of the product range, from B to B extended to B to C with a nice experience, which is not really expected when you invest in the hard task to insulate your house for example.

AttiCat™ is C2C certified/Silver. And pink. and we love pink.

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EcoRock™

“EcoRock uses 80% less energy to produce than gypsum drywall. EcoRock is made of 80% recycled materials. EcoRock is made using 80% post-industrial recycled waste, including waste from steel and cement plants—with no gypsum. EcoRock is designed to be fully reutilized at end of life. EcoRock can be used as a pH additive for soils and can be returned to the production of EcoRock and other building materials as a valuable raw material. Unlike gypsum, EcoRock may be safely disposed of in landfills if necessary. No harsh anti-fungal chemicals are used on its surface or within its core. EcoRock generates 60% less dust, and presents no negative effects of airborne mercury often generated during wallboard production using FGD (recycled) gypsum from coal plants.”

We barely find anything to add. Do you?

EcoRock™ is C2C certified/Gold. Period.

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Nanogel™

“Nanogel is Cabot Corporation’s trade name for its family of silica aerogels. Although aerogel was first invented 75 years ago, Cabot has been producing Nanogel aerogel since 2003 at its state-of-the-art plant in Frankfurt, Germany. Nanogel is an ideal solution for daylighting systems, allowing significant thermal insulation, weatherability and acoustic improvements without sacrificing, and even improving, daylight and aesthetics. Nanogel’s unique properties like hydrophobicity and ultra low thermal conductivity virtually eliminate the notion of the ‘weak link’ of a building’s fenestration. In fact, it enables adherence and even surpassing of the most stringent energy and building codes.”

Looking for a unique, lightweight insulation solution? One that repels water, retains properties under compression? and guess what, translucide?.. yes. I am not kidding, translucide and indeed very nicely. It is sound insulating, doesn’t have any weight (95% of air), and is up to 4 times more insulating than an equivalent thickness of regular insulation material.

The potential worldwide market for low-cost aerogels is projected to be $10 billion a year by 2010.

Aspen Systems developped for NASA an equivalent aerogel, C2C certified Silver.
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and the winner for “Best Insulation 2010″ is
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Transplant receives national funding for Ideal Lab.
From 2010 Ideal Lab, a new research program involving contemporary art and design starts in Transplant. Ideal Lab takes the departure point in society shifts like the aging of the western world population and waste of food.

In November Transplant was granted a fund from the Norwegian Arts Council to develop the first theme Longer Participation inviting sociologists, artists and designers to reflect on how vital seniors can contribute longer and bring their knowledge to society.

One of the design projects that will result from this work is the urban development of a small Norwegian village involving seniors and youth. The goal is that several work sessions and exhibitions of concrete propositions in the subject Longer Participation will take place in 2010.

The program is open for business participation. Take contact with Birgitta Ralston for more information at: +47 577 35 200 or bra [ a t ] transplant [ d o t ] nu.

Supported by

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Though it’s still icy outside, the days are getting lighter, pushing businesses in the direction of a fresh start to the year.

Transplant and Dale is one of the first places on the west coast that catches the spring and possibly one of the most urban spaces in Norway to host your meeting. In an international environment situated on the edge of Dalsfjorden, innovation and ideas are shared in order to stay ahead of the ever-changing world.

“Great place, location, nature, design, aesthetics, food and not least the staff”.
- Alchemist Workshop, Innovasjon Norge, Oct 2009-

Be inspired to take part in this environment by booking your company’s meeting at Transplant. We take care of everything from dinner to accommodation and service in regards to your event/meeting.

Transplant is more than just the average meeting space. With the in-house design studio Ralston & Bau and the material experts from Nordic Materials the centre provides knowledge that can help your business with strategic decisions. Are you looking to optimize your outcome? Book our coaches together with the meeting space.

These are some of the companies who did just this: Bergenes Tidene, Dooria, Figgjo, Framtidsfylket, Hagen, TV2, Solberg maritim elektronikk and Vestnes Innredning.

© 2010 Photography by Ralston & Bau. DECO Journal from South Korea, Dec 2009.

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Last year ended with high visibility as Ralston & Bau’s restaurant design was shown in the worldwide known design and interior magazine Wallpaper. The Parisian restaurant Sous les Cerisiers was highlighted in the December issue. The restaurant also caught the eye of a publisher, including it in the “New bars and restaurants 2″ book. The book is made by Loft Publications Harper Collins and will include several pages showing the interior of Sous les Cerisiers. The book will be on the market in approx. summer 2010.

The Deco Journal first published the Parisian restaurant last November. Now the South Korean publisher has featured the Hagen Flagship Showroom on eight pages.

in the December issue. The new year started great as the Norwegian daily newspaper Dagbladet chose Ralston & Bau/Transplant to be one of “50 things, places, people and trends we believe in 2010″, worldwide! The list was presented on January the 3rd, and Ralston & Bau/Transplant was nr 21, displayed on one whole page before the national museum in Roma.

In the middle of January Alexandre returned to Mikkeli, Finland to open the brand new material exhibition C(h)ameleon in combination with a specific Material Afternoon named C(h)ange. This brought three publications in finnish magazines as a result: in Maaseudun tulevaisuus, Länsi-Savo and Viikkoset.

In February look out for ELLE Interiør special green issue. Read Ralston & Bau’s point of view according to sustainable design.

In this beginning of the year Ralston & Bau has been asked to apply profiling designs on a series of small communication tools, such as cups, t-shirts and banners for the fair stand of Driftig.no Sogn og Fjordane’s Internet platform for education and businesses. The profiling of a company is only as strong as the coherent application that is made of it. Therefore we like to make the most of these communication tools. We consider them an opportunity to enrichen the initial design. Driftig.no will be present at carrier fairs all over Norway during 2010. The first date is in Oslo the 1st of February, (where you can also find Transplant represented), then in Trondheim the 11/02 and in Bergen the 16/02.

Name: Driftig
Mission: Merchandising Products
Client: NHO, Innovation Norway and the County of Sogn and Fjordane
Period: 2009
Delivery: concept, graphic design

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© Home movie: making off, Luc Besson, Francois-Henri Pinault, Yann Arthus Bertrand

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Transplant is projecting publicly the unique and essential movie of Yann Arthus Bertrand “HOME”. You are all invited to share this non only beautiful check point on our planet but to awake conscience. Family are invited and expected. The movie is in english.

FREE projection: 20.00 to 21.33 / 06.03.2010 / Transplant

Then you are very welcome for a dialog around a drink about the movie.

“We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth’s climate. The stakes are high for us and our children. Everyone should take part in the effort, and HOME has been conceived to take a message of mobilization out to every human being. For this purpose, HOME needs to be free. A patron, the PPR Group, made this possible. EuropaCorp, the distributor, also pledged not to make any profit because Home is a non-profit film.

HOME has been made for you : share it! And act for the planet.”

Yann Arthus-Bertrand

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Welcome back everybody.
We hope that you had a relaxing holiday and are full of inspiration for whatever you wish to do. We want to take the opportunity on this first day of the year to thank you: dear clients and partners – for the great projects and special moments we had in 2009! We look forward to be seeing you again soon, sharing ideas and experiences.

To have the best start into 2010, we gave some Christmas presents to Transplant which we hope you will appreciate just as much as we do. First, our meeting-room sound-curtain has been upgraded with a border lining, sealing any sound leaks. The profit is better sound, for seminars in the closed live room as well as for public events.
Secondly Transplant got a new car and you’ll see us coming! The T-Cab got a yellow and white look with logo and activity information. See you around!

Your Transplant, Ralston & Bau and Nordic Materials team

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AccessA is Australia’s National Network for infertile patients. They support families which need knowledge and assistance on the path of getting a child. Handling this delicate subject, AccessA s’ aim is to inform and give a helping hand. AccessA’s strength is their international network that they use to keep artificial procreation matters on the top of the agenda in Australia and in the world.

Sandra Dill was one of Birgitta Ralston’s first clients in the beginning of the 90′s when they worked on the design for an international organisation. When Sandra needed design for AccessA, which she presides, she googled and found Birgitta! This was the beginning of a change of look from the outdated identity. Logo and the communication documents and website has been redesigned since. A newly designed website will soon be online as well.

We were inspired by the icons and colours of the aborigines for the head illustration used on the communication tools. Colours as orange, for the local earth, fresh blue and green are combined through the profile. We intended to make the information flow as easy as possible, resulting in two main sections: everything what describes the journey the member is facing are marked with blue; and the help AccessA provides uses a green background.

AccessA also confided in us the mission to design the AccessA newsletter on a yearly basis. with the creation of a new illustration for each issue.

www.access.org.au

Name: Access
Mission: Patients Network profiling
Client: Sandra K. Dill
Period: 2009
Delivery: concept, profil reneweal, communication tools, web design


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© 2009 / EDAG Light Car / electrical car following Cradle to Cradle principles.

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Could innovation be to make new things with old? Well, I don’t believe human beings are intrinsically able to be part of a fondamental creation process. Understand me well: we are creative but not capable of generating from nothing a tangible matter. Could we create water, the concept of heat, or the magnificence of tree? We agree: we can not. Shall we? the question is not even there. Humanity is part of an ecosystem, and as all systems, follow rules and is efficient as long as it is balanced, and well tuned. Nordic Materials is constantly getting upgraded by knowledge from the nordic regions and beyond. Hopenhagen sounds far away: our danish network is definitively closer. Nordic Materials is part of CradlePeople in Denmark. What happens after the time life of the product, where does things goes and what are the consequences?

Cradle to Cradle Design , alias C2C, is a biomimetic approach to the design of systems. It models human industry on nature’s processes in which materials are viewed as nutrients circulating in healthy, safe metabolisms. It suggests that industry must protect and enrich ecosystems and nature’s biological metabolism while also maintaining safe, productive technical metabolism for the high-quality use and circulation of organic and synthetic materials. The model in its broadest sense is not limited to industrial design and manufacturing; it can be applied to many different aspects of human civilization such as urban environments, buildings, economics and social systems.

The certification criteria in C2C certification process are:

Material Health, which involves identifying the chemical composition of the materials that make up the product. Particularly hazardous materials (e.g. heavy metals, pigments, halogen compounds etc.) have to be reported whatever the concentration, and other materials reported where they exceed 100 ppm. For wood, the forest source is required. The risk for each material is assessed against criteria and eventually ranked on a scale with green being materials of low risk, yellow being those with moderate risk but are acceptable to continue to use, and red for materials that have high risk and need to be phased out. Grey for materials with incomplete data. Material Reutilization which is about recovery and recycling at the end of product life. Energy required for production, which for the highest level of certification > 50% on solar for all parts and subassemblies. Water, particularly usage and discharge quality. Social responsibility which refers to fair labour practices. The certification is available at several levels: basic, silver, gold, platinum, with more stringent requirements at each.

C2C is a holistic economic, industrial and social framework that seeks to create systems that are not just efficient but essentially waste free.

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© 2008 Nike Considered corporate website

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One effective example is a shoe that is designed and mass produced using the C2C model. The sole might be made of “technical nutrients” while the upper parts might be made of “biological nutrients.” The shoe is mass produced at a manufacturing plant that utilizes its waste material by putting it back into the cycle; an example of this is using off-cuts from the rubber soles to make more soles instead of merely disposing of them (this is dependent on the technical materials not losing their quality as they are reused). Once the shoes have been manufactured, they are distributed to retail outlets where the customer buys the shoe at a fraction of the price they would normally pay for a shoe of comparable aspects; the customer is only paying for the use of the materials in the shoe for the period of time that they will be using the shoe. When they outgrow the shoe or it is damaged, they return it to the manufacturer. When the manufacturer separates the sole from the upper parts (separating the technical and biological nutrients), the biological nutrients are returned to the natural environment while the technical nutrients are used to create the sole of another shoe. As decent case study, the Nike Considered shoe (picture above) which fellows the C2C and is certified. This giant corporate company is implanting visible processes to achieve the missing link, as Re Use initiative. You could check all details about C2C interactions here.

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© 2009 / Climatex / C2C certified

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Climatex upholstery fabrics fulfill the highest expectations with regard to well-being, beauty, safety, and longevity. They are the result of intelligent product design and formidably suited for residential, contract, and passenger transport applications. Climatex upholstery fabrics comply with the principles of eco-effectiveness and are biologically regenerative. The selection of materials and dyes is the result of a scientifically evaluated “whitelist” of ecologically safe substances. The materials contained in Climatex fabrics are defined in consultation with the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA). McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) assesses the continuity of processes and issues the certificates. Climatex enables all manufacturers to optimize their performance in terms of eco-effectiveness. Climatex is a certified Cradle to Cradle product and can therefore be integrated in new durables as a component that is guaranteed to be biologically regenerative. The use of Climatex fabrics in other eco-effective products establishes the beginning of a new and larger cycle. The Cradle to Cradle principle positions sustainability as a success factor.

Climatex stands for holistic thinking. Everything as sociated with Climatex honors the Cradle to Cradle philosophy: from raw materials, packaging, processing, and use, ultimately through to repatriation into natural cycles. And Climatex guarantees transparency and full traceability. From the very outset, Climatex products are designed according to the principle that they will be returned to natural cycles as biological nutrients at the end of their service life. This represents an analogy to natural evolution. Everything developed, produced, and ultimately discarded by nature is returned, without loss, as an underlying substance for new and different organisms.

© 2009 / Photo by Ralston & Bau

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Making good, being real: food from Stockholm

As the local food trend is hitting the supermarkets and delicatessens with fabricated authenticity around the European cities, it is really fresh to stumble on some casual yet followed through concepts. Birgitta went to Stockholm this fall and discovered some forward thinkers.

Saltå Kvarn that takes the locavore attitude to the letter assembling organic grains and cereals farmed in the region, packed in 60′s style designed packaging to be found in nordic stores (I actually found Saltå Kvarn bulgur, couscous and quinoa in Førde).
Saltå Kvarn is not for the opportunist shopper in a hurry to buy a pint of milk. This extraordinary shopping experience is hidden away over a small foot bridge. Having the feel of a well established farm shop filled with organic farmed oats and grains, Saltå Kvarn remind us of a time when life wasn’t so pressured and busy. This secret place has an excellent summer café at the factory premises in Järnia.

Photos by Ralston & Bau

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With fears of a world food shortage we are starting to think about where our food is coming from. The locavores are living as they learn and eat food coming from a limited radius around thier habitat.  Matbruket is supplied with produce from local farmers. Both the smaller scale and in season products means the quality of food is far greater. Locally produced foods is no new idea, but by supporting the idea of selling in season food on a smaller scale Matbruket stands to gain a cult following, giving the big corporations a run for their money.
Its always a refreshing to see someone doing things a little different.

Photo by Ralston & Bau

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. Johan & Nyström is a fairtrade coffee company which aims to teach and enrich the life of their customers. Walking into the store customers are greeted by warm and friendly staff who all play their role in providing extensive coffee knowledge as well as a great cup of coffee. Johan & Nyström source there own ingredients at the source, knowing personally the farmers and pass on the story to their customers, ensuring everyone is informed about what’s in their cup. A humble and honest way to sell coffee.

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The Transplant design shop now filled with gifts!
Drop in and find unique christmas gift ideas: a one-of-a-kind redesigned “Tekannelampe”, a practical Moleskine notebook, a Koziol cup perfect for your mulled wine and much more for your kids, friends, family… or just for you. Gifts from 50,-.
In the Transplant café we serve hot chocolate, coffée specialities with croissants or sandwiches on homemade bread. The shop and café is open weekdays from 10 to 16 o’clock.

1/12 Material “Boost” in Denmark
Nordic Materials holds an afternoon material workshop for danish industries appointed by Danish Design Center

3/12 Sigurd Solberg strategi workshop
Business development from a designers perspective. Coached by Ralston & Bau.

4/12 Deer chat with deer hunters!
Egill Danielsen is coming to Transplant with some of the hunters to give a presentation of the book while sharing some secrets on how to improve your skills in deer hunting. The event starts at 19.30, entery fee 100,- includes finger food from Kystvilt and Matglede.

11/12 Fridays Pub
Have a relaxed evening next to a cosy fire with colleagues, friends or family, of course in christmas mood with an affectionately decorated live room. If you are over 20 and want to feel like having christmas holiday already, come to Transplant for the fridaypub from 21 o’clock. Free entry. This week, quiz by Fjaler Sparebank!

19/12 Concert with ISGLEM / Karl Seglem & Terje Isungset
Join us at Transplant in discovering two of Norway’s most talented musical improvisers. With the winter weather brushing up against the window it is set to be a magical evening! Tickets are kr200,- in advance (sold at Dale Bok & Papir and Transplant) and kr300,- in the door on the night.

23/12, 27-31/12, 2-3/1 Xmas Café
We love christmas! And we want to give you an alternative to your homey living room atmosphere, so we open the Transplant Xmas Café. During the whole period you can enjoy the generous live room, christmassy decorated and warm yourself with our chocolate, tea and coffee specialities. The Transplant bar has all serving rights and will be open from 12:00 to 16:00 o’clock on the dates above.

29/12 Concert with “Eg, Meg og Irene”
To make your christmas a real holiday experience we open our doors for the concert with the duo “Eg, meg & Irene”, promising a pure party. You are welcome from 22:00 o’clock (tickets costs kr 150,- before 23:00 and kr 250,- after 23:00).

31/12 New Years Eve: Transplant Sparkling Party
You want to have an unforgettable party and celebrate this years New years eve this friends? Transplant offers music, champagne and fireworks! Get your prettiest frock on and join us from 22:00 o’clock. The entry fee includes a donation to the firework show over the fjord, as well as a free glass of sparkling wine at midnight to toast your way into the new year. Please book your Sparkling Party tickets in advance at Transplant for kr 150,- or in the door on the night for kr 250,-

02/01 Krabbetorcup Party / Concert with Babe Rawlins
Don’t miss out on the first party of the year! 2^nd of January, Transplant is together with Krabbetor Soccer club (www.krabbetor.com) hosting the Krabbetorcup Party, which is promised to be the ultimate party of the year not to be missed! Babe Rawlins is providing the music to dance too. If you are over 18 years of age, join us from 22:00 o’clock. Stay tuned for more info in regards to tickets

© 2009 Photography by Ralston & Bau. DECO Journal from South Korea and Maison Mat & Vin, nov/dec 2009.

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Lately Asian publishers and media are showing interest in the work of Ralston & Bau. In november the “DECO Journal”, a South Korean design and interior magazine, featured the Sous les Cerisiers restaurant on six pages, describing details of the interior design and profiling. In the January 2010 issue  the Hagen Flagship Showroom will be published as well.

The Japanese press has also showed interest for the restaurant design and it was published in october in the lifestyle magazine, “PEN”.
After the introduction of the Sur Un Arbre Perché restaurant published in the “New French Restaurant Design” book, the Chinese Shenzhen Chuangyang Cultural Dissemination Co., Ltd, that is one of the largest publishing houses of architectural and decoration books, will soon dedicate several pages to Sous les Cerisiers and Hagen Showroom. The magazine “Public Interior Space” published in April 2010 makes the start with a 4-page-presentation of Studio Hagen.

The Norwegian is also featuring Ralston & Bau with articles about the Permanent Installation in Måltidets Hus in the december issue of “Maison Mat & Vin” and the Hagen showroom in “Design Interiør”.

Congratulations to Kystvilt who got a honorable mention in the competition of the taste of Norway! Kystvilt offers a rich range of meat products from fresh meat to salted and smoked sausages, all done in a one-man-company. The deer rumpsteak of Kystvilt made the run in the project of “Norway’s meal”. The meat gets it’s special flavour from the blueberry plant, that the wild deer feeds on. Ralston & Bau designed the Kystvilt profile in 2006 and the product packaging; rough textile straps and bags to add real hunter feeling for the customers.
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© 2010 Photography by Ralston & Bau. Public Interior Space from China, April 2010.

© 2010, The Year we make contact / Stanley Kubrick -MGM

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The end of the year will be charged of nice intentions. At Nordic Materials, we believe strongly in some 2010 resolutions. For example, what will come out of the Copenhagen Conference, and the fact that we have to go down to zero (enough is enough says Gaïa) CO2 emission within maximum 80 years if we just want to stabilize the situation, according to 29 climatologs. It is not that things will be that horrible and that we will disappear at once; but it is just going to change faster, much faster than expected. It could be clever to buy pieces of land in what is for now rural areas of the Netherlands or outer Londonian suburbs. Because in one small century, they will become the next thermal city fashionista, as Bruxelles could be, in 200 years, an ocean city. To change our use of natural resources in the soon future, contribution can come from alternatives for the production industry within the field of materials.

From january 2010 Nordic Materials, is touring the exhibition called “C(h)ameleon“.
Over time and through evolution, animals have developed natural forms of defense and survival techniques.  One of the most visibly apparent examples of this is the Cameleon, a distinctive type of lizard.  Some, but not all, chameleons have the ability to change the colour of their skin as to blend into their surroundings and camouflage themselves from potential predators or prey.  This transformational ability and many more, such as the possibility to change under the influence of electricity, light, water or movement with varied optical effects can be found in  the materials exposed in the Nordic Materials latest exciting C(h)ameleon Material Exhibition. C(h)ameleon will open at Miktech, Mikkeli University in Finland the 5th of january 2010. Transplant will then show the exhibition during the month of March 2010 (an invitation will follow). Here can you discover materials from the textile industry to materials that have been used for building facades, C(h)améléon is an up to date insight into a field related to the Biomimicry field many are exploring at the moment. For more information about renting or attending the exhibition please contact us: about [ a t ] nordicmaterials [ d o t ] com.

© Superfabric

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SuperFabric® technology by HDM inc.
Before the bubbly moment of this so called 2010 first day, we would like to share, after watching 2010 Odyssey of Kubrick (again), a material coming out if this anticipated dream: SuperFabric® technology by HDM inc, is a finishing process that takes ordinary fabrics ans transforms them into high performance fabrics. These new protective fabrics can be engineered from optimum resistance to abrasions, lacerations, punctures, stains, and more while remaining flexible. The plates are inert, eco-friendly materials. 
There are a wide variety of environmentally-friendly SuperFabric brand materials that can be constructed. For example, non-halogenated flame retardants can be used with SuperFabric brand materials along with a flame-retardant cotton substrate to produce an eco-friendly flame-retardant and tear-resistant product.

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Make new things out of old!
That’s what 15 students and designers did during a two days workshop the 20-21/11 in Transplant. The participants got to choose whatever they wanted out of the delivery of furniture and objects provided by Fretex, to redesign or upcycle. The designers at Ralston & Bau coached the workshop and made sure everyone could bring home their finished product or furniture.
We saw floor lamps emerge out of table and stool legs, a wooden armchair dressed in jeans and another one that got 34 legs!
Please contact Maria at 577 352 00 or maria [ a t ] transplant [ d o t ] nu, if you or your company/school would like to try out upcycling design in 2010.
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