WEBER THOMPSON'S ECO-LABORATORY PRESENTED IN "NATIONAL DESIGN TRIENNIAL: WHY DESIGN NOW?" EXHIBITION AT THE SMITHSONIAN'S COOPER-HEWITT, NATIONAL DESIGN MUSEUM
NEW YORK, NY – May 13, 2010 – Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum’s National Design Triennial exhibition opens today in New York City and includes a five-minute film about Eco-Laboratory, a theoretical project by Weber Thompson, a Seattle architecture, interior design, landscape architecture and planning firm. Designed by Weber Thompson, with video production by Hansen Belyea, the Eco-Laboratory film focuses on the vertical farm aspects of Eco-Laboratory and makes the greater case for the benefits of vertical farming. Eco-Laboratory is one of 134 total entries in the National Design Triennial, and one of nine chosen internationally to represent the exhibition’s community focus.
First place winner in the national 2008 Natural Talent Competition, Eco-Laboratory was conceived to meet the Living Building Challenge. The concept design re-envisions a downtown Seattle block with a mixed use project that integrates vertical farming, and an expanded community garden, while merging existing neighborhood amenities — such as the neighborhood market, vocational training facility and a public sustainability educational center — into a financially viable residential development.
For the Cooper Hewitt’s Triennial exhibition, Weber Thompson highlights Eco-Laboratory’s vertical farming aspects. The firm’s approach to a Living Building incorporates a series of stacked indoor growing spaces to enhance and augment the water re-use and reclamation systems. The vertical greenhouse sections also contribute to natural ventilation, and indoor air quality, and solar heat gain mitigation in this mixed-use building.
The film was developed with input from Dickson Despommier, Professor Emeritus at Columbia University; author of the upcoming book The Vertical Farm: The World Grows Up. Dr. Despommier will join Weber Thompson Principal Peter David Greaves and Ecological Designer Dan Albert at the opening events at Cooper-Hewitt in New York.
“Why Design Now” is the fourth exhibition in Cooper-Hewitt’s National Design Triennial series. The exhibition “gives voice to a revolution taking place within all areas of design practice, from how materials and products are planned and conceived to how goods and services are manufactured, distributed and reclaimed worldwide,” stated Cara McCarty, curatorial director of the museum in its press release about the exhibit.
The exhibition opens tonight with a members-only event, and then is open to the public May 14, 2010 through January 9, 2011.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The film can be viewed at here. High-resolution images of Eco-Laboratory are available on request.
About Weber Thompson
Weber Thompson was founded in 1987 as an architectural firm focused primarily on urban infill, mixed-use projects. With a staff of 30 professionals, the firm has since evolved into a highly diversified design agency with capabilities in four complementary design disciplines: Architecture, Interior Design, Community Design and Landscape Architecture. With special attention to its clients’ vision and the environment, as well as careful collaboration between client and design/construction teams, Weber Thompson’s primary objective is to design exceptional, sustainable projects that help its clients find success. For more information, visit www.weberthompson.com or contact Weber Thompson at (206) 344-5700 or info@weberthompson.com.
About Hansen Belyea
Hansen Belyea is a Seattle creative agency specializing in branding and marketing. Founded in 1988, the firm has evolved from a pure graphic design studio to a leader in electronic communications that educate, inspire and persuade. Principals Patricia Belyea and Ron Lars Hansen lead the strategic and creative teams that guide successful brands to new levels of performance. For more info, visit Hansen Belyea online at hansenbelyea.com, or contact patricia@hansenbelyea.com, or call 206-445-0229.
About Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum is the only museum in the nation devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design. Founded in 1897 by Amy, Eleanor, and Sarah Hewitt – granddaughters of industrialist Peter Cooper – as part of the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, the museum has been a branch of the Smithsonian since 1967. The museum presents compelling perspectives on the impact of design on daily life through active educational programs, exhibitions and publications.