Aluminium for eco-design

Two projects (+ one) have been rewarded in the ninth edition of the Aluminium for Eco-Design competition. Both revisit the habitat by giving new functionalities to facades and partitions.
The first is a building envelope, aesthetic and electricity producing. The second, a mirror made of polished and folded aluminium sheet, introduces poetry, space and volume into our interiors. In both cases, these projects respond to the constraints of the product's life cycle, with objects that are environmentally friendly and can be used over a long period of time.

The jury, made up of recognized personalities in various disciplines, selected the projects based on five main criteria: the integration of the project into an eco-design approach, the enhancement of the qualities of aluminum, the quality of the proposed innovation, the apparent feasibility of the project, and the quality of presentation.
The two projects arrived ex-aequo, and share first place (€2,500). They were awarded to the Piezoelectric Façade and Kali projects.

The piezoelectric facade

The Piezoelectric Façadepresented by Jérémy Richard, Jordan Cieski and Jade Renaut (24), is a second skin that adapts to any type of urban building. Thanks to an ingenious technological process, it produces electrical energy from mechanical energy. At the heart of this innovation: aluminium slats that make up the vertical panels that vibrate at the slightest breath of wind. The energy produced can then be stored or reused for the needs of the building. The Piezoelectric Façade is part of the trend towards "positive energy" buildings, offering a design alternative to photovoltaic panels.
Aesthetically, this project is inspired by the work of Ned Kahn, " The Wave", Target Field - Minneapolis, 2010″, an artist who had already used aluminium slats to clad a building: aluminium slats that lift with the wind and produce a strong visual appearance on the entire façade, but without incorporating the idea of wind energy capture or pivoting panels. So the idea of installing pivoting panels and capturing wind energy belongs to these three young students from ENSA Paris Malaquais.

For more information on the project

Kali Project

Project Kali, presented by Maureen Barbette (21), a student at the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs, is a range of mirrors made of polished and folded aluminum sheet. Maureen was inspired by "...the magic of kaleidoscopes... to redraw and redesign space with an aluminium mirror."It is an ideal material due to its malleability and lightness. It introduces poetry, space and volume into our interiors.
Kali is a range of mirrors made of folded mirror-polished aluminium sheet. Each mirror size corresponds to a different space to be reflected, at a different level of detail: The flower, the man, the room. The repeated folding over the entire surface of the mirror, convex or concave, fragments the reflected image. It is then that a new image appears, rewritten, recomposed like a jewel reflection, a space that we did not know.

The jury was sensitive to the artisanal dimension of the project, which takes aluminium out of its industrial connotation. It therefore considered that by offering a new sensitivity to aluminium, Kali could claim the status of a work of art.

For more information on the project

Special mention for Cookaround  

Partner of the competition since its creation, Solid Works gave a special mention to a project for its eco-responsible approach: Cookaround, directed by Hélène Coignet and Bahaa Alawieh. Cookaround is an innovative, alternative and sustainable solar cooker that simultaneously heats food and drinks from solar energy in a short time. Designed around an aluminium ring filled with water that catalyses and diffuses heat, its harmoniously designed dimensions are adapted to be as nomadic as we are.

For more information on the project

Awards ceremony on Thursday, June 4, 2014

Aluminium for Eco-Design 2015 Competition: A Brief History of Aluminium in Design

Aluminium is a 100% material that can be recycled infinitely and without loss of its qualities. Its recycling, which covers 50% of the demand for aluminium on the French market, saves 95% of the energy required for its primary production.
If the history of bronze, iron or copper is rooted in very distant times, the history of aluminium began in the 19th century, at the crossroads of the two industrial revolutions. Known since antiquity as alum, it has long been considered a precious metal, often associated with gold or silver and inlaid with precious stones in jewellery adornments.

A 19th century French material

Isolating aluminium was for a long time a subject of study for European scientists during the 19th century. Indeed, the metal's very high affinity with oxygen made it extremely difficult to isolate. Three chemists or physicists made numerous advances in this field: the Englishman Humphrey Davy in 1807, the Dane Hans Christian Oerstedt in 1825 and the German Friedrich Wöhler in 1827.
But it was finally Henri Sainte-Claire Deville, a French chemist from the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, who in 1854 was the first to succeed in putting the
point a process to produce a significant amount of pure aluminium. The meeting between aluminium and industry took place during the 1855 Universal Exhibition in Paris, at the instigation of Emperor Napoleon III, who wanted to put French science and industry in the spotlight.
The Emperor gave financial support to Sainte-Claire Deville, who was able to continue his experiments and isolate larger quantities of metal.
Several refined objects were thus created: a kettledrum signed Christofle (famous Parisian goldsmith), a chiselled rattle made to order by the Emperor for his son Eugène Louis Napoleon, watch gears, etc.

Aluminium conquers the 20th century

With the advent of electricity, the use of aluminium has become more and more widespread, to the point where it is now a commonly used material. The light metal then identified itself with modernity in a society undergoing rapid change. Its uses multiply infinitely, judicious, astonishing, revealing a fertile world. Very shiny in its pure state, the metal was then used for the mirrors of the telescopes of large observatories and associated with electric lighting for the reflectors of light fixtures.
It is mainly the ease with which it can be combined with other materials that makes aluminium a highly prized metal: it easily adapts all the desired mechanical characteristics, while retaining its own (in particular its lightness and good conductivity). The knowledge of alloys progressed rapidly according to the desired uses. Almélec, an alloy of aluminium, magnesium and silicon, developed in 1921 and used in the manufacture of electrical wires, gave it an essential competitive advantage over copper. Its lightness and ease of maintenance also made it an essential ingredient in the manufacture of kitchen utensils and the automotive industry.
Aluminum will naturally follow the footsteps of the consumer society after the Second World War. Widely present in our daily lives, it became an essential part of high technology, particularly during the many polar and space explorations.

Aluminium and design

Metal revealed itself in all its splendour during the inter-war years. Supported by powerful development organisations, aluminium conquered new spaces. Through the organisation of numerous competitions under the aegis of the International Aluminium Bureau, famous architects and designers such as Breuer, Eileen Gray, Le Corbusier and Prouvé breathed a wind of dynamism and innovation.

With its versatile production processes and outstanding properties, aluminium is today the building material that allows architects' visions to be freely realised. After steel, it is the second most widely used metal in the building sector and is found in the Wimbledon Centre Court No. 1 and in the family home project by German architect Horst Schmittges. The latter erected a building with an atrium in the Viersen, a Rhineland municipality, without any external windows, but with an exterior façade entirely covered with aluminium.
Very often used for the manufacture of everyday objects, aluminium remained a material favoured by designers from 1980 to 2000.
Our daily life is thus punctuated by objects which, beyond the "trend", participate in the collective imagination. French designer Philippe Starck's objects, such as the lemon squeezer or the kettle, are illustrations of this.

Aluminium and ecology

In the sustainable development perspective towards which our societies are moving, aluminium now plays a central role: recovered and remelted, it is constantly taking on new forms while retaining its properties. In the past, the priorities were economic, functional and aesthetic.
Since the end of the 1980s the ecological factor of the material has played an increasing role. For aluminium, this development represents an opportunity to increase its market share. Its recycling properties and the economic gains made have made it possible to revalue the material's primary uses over time.
Due to the longevity of aluminium products, the return of old materials from the 60s to 70s is constantly increasing. New technological processes for separating foreign materials from aluminium have made it possible to reuse and remelt these "returns" under environmentally friendly conditions.

The members of the jury of the Aluminium for Eco-Design 2015 competition

– Lionel Blancard de Léry, vice-president of the Union Nationale des Syndicats Français d'Architectes (UNSFA)
Lionel Blancard de Lery is an architect with a D.P.L.G. degree from the University of Paris IX in 1984, then from the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in urban planning and project management and from the Paris Urban Planning Institute. Founding President of Qualit'Archi Ile-de-France (network of architects), he is a member of the Board of Directors and the Bureau of the QUALITEL Association as a representative of the National Union of French Architects' Unions (UNSFA), of which he is the Vice-President.
Lionel Blancard de Lery was also a member of the interministerial working group for the dissemination of new energy technologies. He is
advice on HQE procedures.
http://www.syndicat-architectes.com

- Caroline ColombierGeneral Delegate of the French Aluminium Association (AFA)
Caroline Colombier is a lawyer by training and was a member of the Paris Bar for a number of years. She has held various positions in Legal Departments, notably at Thomson Multimedia. She then moved on to Human Resources Management positions at Thomson Multimedia, TNT Express France, Lejaby and Cremonini Restauration.
From 2006 to 2007, Caroline Colombier was Secretary General of the Ganzoni Medical Group.
http://www.aluminium-futur.fr/

- Brigitte Kahane, founder of the ecodesign observatory
Brigitte Kahane is the founder of the eco-design innovation firm Pimliko. In 2010, she created the EcoDesign Observatory, a collaborative and participative platform designed to promote eco-innovation within companies and communities. Brigitte Kahane is also a member of the Environment and Sustainable Development group of Sciences-Po Paris. She masters the latest French and international creativity techniques and works on Innovation-Design at Parsons Paris, School of Art + Design.
http://observatoire-ecodesign.com

- Monique Large, trend setter
Monique Large is a graduate of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris and of the Ecole Camondo, where she obtained a degree in interior architecture and design. She was head of communications at Canberra, a subsidiary of Areva. She was then appointed Deputy Marketing Director at Econocom Group before joining Connectworld, where she was responsible for coordinating Internet projects for Peugeot automobiles.
After co-founding Dezineo, an agency for deciphering consumer lifestyles, she has just created Pollenconsulting, an innovation and design consultancy.
http://www.pollenconsulting.com

- Yann Leroy, professor of eco-design at Ecole Centrale de Paris
Yann Leroy holds a Master's degree in Environmental Sciences (University of Burgundy) and a DESS in Industrial Ecology (UTT).
PhD thesis from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Métiers ParisTech on the Reliability of decision-making based on the results of Life Cycle Analyses in 2009.
He is currently a teacher-researcher at Ecole Centrale de Paris, where he teaches Eco-Design and Life Cycle Assessment. He also participates in the supervision of 2 PhD theses in eco-design:
Alstom Grid (2009-2012): Development of an eco-design methodology for a complex system, application to aluminium smelter electrical substations ;
Bouygues Construction (2010-2013): Model of use within the building.
Yann Leroy is the author of several works on the life cycle of products and metal recycling.

- Anne-Marie Sargueil, President of the Institut Français du Design
After training in the humanities, Anne-Marie Sargueil has had a wide range of professional experiences. She has worked at the
Compagnie de Raymond Loewy, for the press (specialising in particular in environmental and social issues), for institutions by collaborating with several ministerial cabinets and with the MEDEF. It has created a consulting firm working with local authorities and design professionals.
In 1984, Anne-Marie Sargueil was elected head of the Institut d'Esthétique Industrielle, which she renamed Institut Français du Design. She works at the
promotion of design at the service of the company and the user, by renewing the Institute's communication. For Anne-Marie Sargueil, design is today linked to essential economic and human issues, highlighted through the Janus label, which she has broken down into the Janus for Industry, Health, the City, Commerce and Services. In 1985, Anne-Marie Sargueil created the Janus de l'Etudiant to identify and support young designers. Recently, the Janus label has been enriched with an eco-design mention in order to highlight the eco-responsible approaches of the Janus laureates.
www.institutfrancaisdudesign.com

- Evangelos Vasileiou, architect and designer
Evangelos Vasileiou was born in 1976 in Athens. After graduating in interior architecture and product design at the Camondo School, he continued his architectural studies at the Paris-Malaquais School where he obtained his DPLG. In 2001, he received a permanent call from VIA and subsequently worked in architecture, design and teaching.
He has been a guest lecturer on several occasions and is currently a temporary lecturer in the first year of the master's programme at the Paris-Malaquais School of Architecture. He collaborates with various design companies and at the same time he carries out redevelopment and scenography projects. His work is presented in exhibitions and galleries in France and abroad.
http://evangelosvasileiou.com

- Micaella PedrosDistinguished student at the 2014 edition
Micaella Pedros, 25, is a graduate of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d'Arts. She is now a student at the Royal College of Art in London.

The partners of the Aluminium for Eco-Design 2015 Competition 

- The French Institute of Design
Created in 1951 by Jacques Viénot, the French Institute of Design, which was then called the Institute of Industrial Aesthetics, was one of the pioneers in this sector, both in France and in the world. Its aim was to promote industrial creation based on respect for the end user and his environment.
The Institute changed its name in 1984 when Mrs Anne-Marie Sargueil became its President. The Institut Français du Design has several missions.
First of all, it brings an expertise that translates into the Janus label, the official design label recognized by professionals. The Janus is awarded to
companies and rewards their efforts to sustainably improve the quality of life of users. Over the years, the label has opened up to new fields: Industry, Health, Commerce, Cities, Services, Students. Recently, the Janus label has been enriched with an eco-design mention. The IFD also has a mission of support, particularly for students, and has thus created an Observatory of training, professions and employment, called Design Campus. Finally, the IFD has a mission to advise companies in various sectors to guide their approach in the development of specifications, the choice of a designer, etc...
> As part of the competition, the IFD invites the winner to an upcoming Janus award session and interviews him/her on its website.

- The National Union of French Architects' Unions
UNSFA, created in 1969 as an extension of the General Confederation of French Architects, is a national federation of departmental and regional architects' unions. UNSFA works for the profession in several ways. First of all, it defends the rights and material and moral interests, both collective and individual, of practising architects.
It operates in all areas, from the negotiation of regulatory texts to inter-professional exchanges, from prospective reflection to training.
UNSFA also represents architects in national, European and international institutional or professional organisations.
Finally, the UNSFA awards the annual "Prix du Projet Citoyen" and organizes the annual congress of architects.
> The federation invites the winner of the competition to the architect@work fair, which it sponsors.

- SOLIDWORKS
Dassault Systèmes S.A., "The 3DEXPERIENCE Company", offers companies and individuals the virtual worlds necessary to design sustainable innovations. Its cutting-edge solutions transform the way products are designed, manufactured and supported. Dassault Systèmes' collaborative solutions promote social innovation and expand the possibilities of the virtual world to improve the world around us. The group brings value to more than 170,000 customers in all industries, of all sizes, in more than 140 countries. In a comprehensive program,
Dassault Systèmes offers the SOLIDWORKS® Education Edition 3D CAD license (also including design validation, data management, eco-design, plastic part and mold design optimization) but also interactive course materials and a free Student License program for home use and Certification.
> Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp. provides all students participating in design competitions with a free SOLIDWORKS Engineering Kit (SEK) license and sponsors the website www.concours-alu.com. Winners are awarded SolidWorks Student Edition 2014-2015 licenses.
For more information : www.solidworks.fr/concours

- The Institute for the History of Aluminium
The Institute for the History of Aluminium (IHA) is a resource and expertise centre dedicated to the knowledge and development of aluminium's heritage. At the heart of a network bringing together aluminium professionals, researchers in the human and social sciences, culture and heritage specialists, it provides a different perspective on aluminium. It offers its expertise to companies and organisations to promote their heritage. Its collections of objects, testifying to major developments in technology, design and lifestyles, are on display in museums around the world. Its regularly enriched documentary resources are exploited by researchers. As publisher of the Cahiers d'histoire de l'aluminium, IHA promotes its work through reference publications in paper or digital format, intended for specialists or the general public.
> The Institute for the History of Aluminium participates in the pedagogical supervision of the competition and contributes to supplying it with prizes. In particular, it is offering the winners a beautiful book on Jean Plateau's collection of aluminium objects - unique in the world - Passion Aluminium. The widely illustrated book traces 150 years of design applied to the most diverse areas of everyday life: transport, tableware, jewellery, packaging, games, etc. (Editions du Mécène, 2013).

The 2015 competition in figures: 209 registered; 62 participants (36 girls and 26 boys), including :

- 9 of the Ecole Supérieure des Arts Appliqués de Bourgogne (ESAAB, Nevers)
- 7 of the Lycée François Mansart (La Varenne Saint Hilaire)
- 4 of the École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Paris-Val de Seine (ENSAPVS)
- 4 of Creapôle (Paris)
- 3 of the Ecole supérieure des Métiers artistiques (ESMA, Nantes)
- 2 of the Rubika Higher Institute of Design (Valenciennes)
- 2 of the University of Evry
- 2 of the Lycée Général et Technologique Alain Colas (Nevers)
- 2 of the École nationale supérieure des arts appliqués et des métiers d'art (Paris)
- 2 of the University Jean Jaurès of Toulouse
- 1 from the Ecole Boulle (Paris)
- 1 from Lim'Art (Paris)
- 1 from Bellecour Ecole (Lyon)
- 1 of the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs (ENSAD, Paris)
- 1 of the École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Normandie (ENSA, Darnétal)
- 1 of the Troyes University of Technology
- 1 from the MJM Graphic Design School (Paris)
- 1 from the School Studio M (Montpellier)
- 1 from the Société d'Enseignement Professionnel du Rhône (Lyon area)
- 1 of the Lycée Edouard Branly (Amiens)
- 1 of the Lycée Vauban (Brest)
- 1 of the Lycée Polyvalent Haroun Tazieff (Saint-Paul-lès-Dax)
- 1 of the École supérieure d'art et de design de Reims (ESAD, Reims)
- 1 of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Montpellier (ENSAM, Montpellier)
- 1 of the Belfort-Montbéliard University of Technology
- 1 of the European School of Art of Brittany (EESAB, Rennes)
- 1 from the Saint-Etienne School of Art and Design (ESADSE, Saint-Etienne)
- 1 of the Faculty Paul Sabatier Toulouse III
- 1 des Beaux-Arts de Luminy (Marseille)
- 1 from ENSA Paris Malaquais
- 1 from the Ecole Duperré (Paris)
- 1 of the University of Strasbourg
- 1 of the African School of Architecture and Urban Planning (Lomé, Togo)
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