ENERGYE-HARVESTING STREET TILES / PAVEGEN

Pavegen is a ground-breaking smart flooring technology that converts the kinetic energy of footsteps into into electrical energy, data, and rewards. Invented in 2009 by Laurence Kemball-Cook, the technology emerged from his research on solar and wind energy solutions for cities. Realizing neither was well-suited for urban environments, he had an insight: why not harness energy from the people themselves?

The brilliance of Pavegen lies in its simplicity. The system consists of three key components: an electromagnetic generator, a durable composite tile, and—most importantly—people. As pedestrians walk over the tiles, their steps create a small vertical movement, which the generator converts into electricity. This energy can then be either stored in a battery or used directly to power applications like LED lighting, smart street applications, irrigation systems for living walls and rich data insights and

As climate change continues to pose a global challenge, sustainability in the built environment is no longer optional — it's essential. Innovations like Pavegen demonstrate that creating renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly accessible in everyday settings.

Pavegen tiles have a broad range of potential applications, from bustling public spaces to high-traffic areas like stadiums, shopping malls, and transport hubs. These tiles are particularly valuable in locations where foot traffic is frequent, allowing the energy generated to power streetlights, digital displays, or charging stations. Furthermore, Pavegen's interactive design turns sustainability into a shared experience. Gamification boosts engagement by 48%, creating an immersive environment where the public can directly contribute to energy generation in real-time while moving and having fun.

 
By transforming everyday movement into a catalyst for change, Pavegen empowers people to play an active role in making progress toward a more sustainable world.

[ Sources: Medium; Wired; Pavegen ]

SKATE BREAK / ZENGA BROS

Zenga Bros, a Vancouver-based, multidisciplinary creative duo, in collaboration with professional skateboarder Andy Anderson, created an ingenious furniture collection with a rebellious spirit - Skate Break. The collection consists of five unique pieces that can seamlessly transition between functional office furniture and skate-ready ramps. Each piece invites a different use, expanding the furniture’s utility beyond a single, static purpose. In the accompanying short film for the Skate Break collection, Andy Anderson showcases the skateable furniture pieces in action, illustrating how everyday items can redefine form and function with thrilling, playful results.

With this furniture collection, the Zenga Bros challenge us to rethink the spaces we inhabit and the way we design them. This approach aligns with architect Bernard Tschumi’s theory of Event Architecture, where space is not merely a container but an active participant in the experiences it hosts. Tschumi’s concept of “transprogramming” — fusion of two programs, regardless of their incompatibilities, together with their respective spatial configurations — mirrors the Zenga Bros’ innovative approach of blending workspaces with skate parks, letting two seemingly incompatible functions share a dynamic relationship.

In Tschumi’s words, architecture should be more than just form or function; it should be about creating “conditions” that encourage diverse and unexpected uses. The Skate Break pieces are exactly that — furniture that responds to both the need for functionality and the desire for play, creating moments of surprise and non-conventional interaction within the everyday.

The Skate Break furniture collection concept also finds a compelling resonance in Bobby Young’s article “A Skateboarder's Guide to Architecture or an Architect’s Guide to Skateboarding”, which positions skateboarders as some of the most functional, innovative users of urban spaces. Young argues that skaters, like architects, question the relationship between form and function, yet do so in a direct, physical manner. While an average person engages architecture and urban space at only one level and sees a bench merely as a place to sit, a skateboarder sees a set of opportunities: slides, grinds, or foot plants. Skateboarders are “purist” users of architecture, as Young notes, bending traditional uses and engaging the urban environment in unconventional ways. Similarly, Skate Break invites us to question the boundaries of work and play, practicality and imagination, as each piece blurs the line between art and action, utility and excitement.

Through Skate Break, the Zenga Bros and Andy Anderson are not just designing furniture, they’re redefining the relationship between function and form, making it easier to challenge conventional perceptions of space and purpose as these products become more accessible. Imagine a kindergarten furnished with these objects—instilling from an early age a sense of creativity and possibility, and reshaping how everyday environments are experienced and understood.

These multi-functional, skateable objects represent a call to action — a chance to see potential in the mundane, to engage with our environment on multiple levels, and to celebrate the playful possibilities that lie just beneath the surface of the everyday.

[ Sources: designboom; stupid dope; skateboarding.com ]