From photovoltaic flooring to hemp-powered concrete, Charles F. Bloszies, FAIA , Ian Reves, AIA, and Mark Yoes, FAIA, share pioneering products that are changing the way we build.
Charles F. Bloszies, FAIA
Principal
The Office of Charles F. Bloszies
San Francisco
Concreteworks: Custom Concrete Panels
“This material approach frees design expression while creating lasting structural assemblies. Utilizing CNC equipment, the fabrication studio can produce sophisticated molds for cast concrete and other cement-based materials, including super-high-strength mixes.” concreteworks.com
Onyx Solar: Photovoltaic Floor Pavers
“This thin-film-laminated glass panel product can be made strong enough to include slip-resistant, walkable deck panels, offering a viable path to adding solar power to most commercial structures.” onyxsolar.com
Ceraclad: Fiber-Cement Cladding System
“Relatively low-cost cement boards from Japan, these panels for exterior and interior uses also have a photocatalytic, self-cleaning coating option that cuts maintenance costs further. They are available in a range of finishes and patterns. We’ve used the product for supportive interim housing.” ceraclad.com
Ian Reves, AIA
Design Director
IA Interior Architects
Atlanta
Branch Technology: BranchMatrix
“A friend from NASA has developed a ‘C-Fab’ process of large-scale, 3D printing that empowers an entirely new kind of architecture. We’re curious to sculpt interior forms using BranchMatrix, inciting entirely new behaviors, moods, and modes of habitation within.” branchtechnology.com
Noho: Noho Move Chair by Formway
“From the minds that brought forward Knoll’s Generation chair, Formway’s Noho Move chair combines highly engineered recyclable materials into a fluid, flexible structure that’s quite comfortable. Most intriguing is the wide range of uses the piece supports, ensuring a resilient life across a range of spaces.” noho.co
Maharam: 6/15/20 Wallcovering
“Maharam’s Digital Products have long featured inspiring art, textures, and tones. This composition by artist Sanou Oumar renders ephemeral dimensionality using mere rollerball pens and markers, evoking a deep sense of field and form from the most unexpected illustrative tools.” maharam.com
Mark Yoes, FAIA
Founding Principal
WXY
New York
Smarter Surfaces: Whiteboard Paint
“This high-performance commercial coating system turns most walls into writable and magnetic surfaces, creating flexible spaces for education and workplace collaboration while eliminating the need to hang whiteboards or metal sheets.” smartersurfaces.com
Hempitecture: Hempcrete
“This resilient biocomposite material also eats carbon by absorbing CO2 during the curing process. Additionally, CO2 is absorbed and offset during the life cycle of the industrial hemp plant, whether used as cast-in-place, unitary blocks, or spray applications.” hempitecture.com
GAF Energy: Timberline Solar Roofing
“Timberline Solar photovoltaic shingles offer a light and attractive profile for varied roof types even as they shed rain and withstand storm-force winds. Just as important, there’s no drilling through shingles, tiles, or roofing membrane, so warranties remain in effect.” gaf.energy
This article first appeared in the November/December 2022 issue of ARCHITECT.
Read more Designers Select: Smart-Home Technology|Sustainable Solutions