Bio Architecture: Designing with Nature in Mind

Several decades ago, a few creative thinkers started redefining the traditional idea of home. From coast to coast, people started looking at their environment and began building with hot eco trends. Hawaii’s famous Onion House is one popular example of a creative idea, now a national landmark and a beautiful testimonial to shift toward bio-architecture. Designed in tune with the curves of an onion, with a layered feel that mirrors the lucid skins of an onion, the house is a beautiful demonstration of the possibilities when nature if design icon.

Further down south in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, the Shell House takes the idea literally by designing a house that looks like a magnified shell. Senosian Arquitectos has the same idea with their design called “The Nautilus”. This Mexico-based design firm went beyond a shell exterior and designed an entire home patterned after a shell with a winding organic interior.
Nature is the Best Designer

A student of the world’s best designer, bio-architecture seeks to emulate the principles in naturally occurring constructions. In studying the natural principles of the most long-held designs, this form of aesthetic design looks at fundamental shapes in nature – the most recognizable being the seashell.

The seashell is the best representation of a math-centric natural element that shows why nature is the best designer. Encompassing the Fibonacci Sequence, or “the Golden Ratio”, a seashell shows perfection in proportion that has been the foundation for some of the greatest designs, including the Parthenon, and by some of the greatest minds, including Leonardo Da Vinci. The pattern has also been replicated in some of the world’s most cherished poetry by regulating rhyme and meters, as well as in music, such as Beethoven’s Fifth and many of Mozart’s sonatas.

The term “bio-architecture” is also often referred to as “organic architecture”, a thinking that has gained popularity with the rise in eco-awareness. A shift toward green thinking took bio-architecture a step further and had creative-minded people thinking of how building could merge with the environment as well as reflect it.

Working with the Environment

Bio-architecture can not only emulate natural designs, but can also become a part of natural constructions. Rather than create jarring buildings jutting out of plains, this type of architecture looks to emerge as a part of natural settings such as mountains, caves, and wooded areas, as well as present a home that uses resources wisely by cutting utility costs.

Even though these newer designs are based on older shifts toward innovative thinking, the earliest and most architecturally stunning design is still the pyramid. First built in 2700 BCE, pyramids reflect that most natural and easily recognizable natural element, the sun, by building a structure that represents the descending rays of light. These ancient structures are still being replicated today with the Louvre and Kazakhstan’s Palace of Peace and Reconciliation.

How to Set up the Perfect Home Office

Though the benefits of working from your home include not having to deal with rigid schedules, commutes and irritating co-workers, we do still have our share of drawbacks. Those of us working from home have our own set of challenges to deal with, including unwanted visitors, family intrusions and carving out your own little niche that lets you separate your home life from your work life.

This is possibly where the biggest challenge comes in. If you’re working from home and have a family, how do you set aside a personal space that help you focus and also set up clear boundaries for family members who often have a difficult time disassociating the work you from the home you.

Everyone is different; your environment and available resources are different. Depending on what you have to work with, and what your preferences are, there are likely quite a few good home office options to get you well on your way to a productive new year.

The Budget Office

If you’re main concern is cost, then chances are you’re also highly business minded and want quick effective steps to get you started on the bigger job at hand. For a budget office, begin with what you have. Look for a sturdy work table, a comfy chair, lighting and a quite nook. If you’re starting your office from scratch, then consider:

• Buying used furniture – Many cities have liquidation, overstock.com, or warehouse sales, where the listed price is lower and you have the option of haggling with them for a lower price. You can also use Craigslist’s “free” section to see if anyone is giving away any furniture, requiring you to only go and pick it up.

• Buy a refurbished laptop – Look around Craigslist, ask your local electronic dealer for this type of deal, or call up the manufacturer directly asking if they have a special offer for refurbished computers.

• Purchase all-in-one – instead of buying a separate scanner, printer, copier, and fax, try purchasing an all-in-one unit. It might be slightly pricier as a whole unit, but you will definitely be saving by not having to buy individual units, nor dealing with the cost of multiple ink cartridges. You’ll also save a little on electricity since you’ll only be using one outlet rather than four different ones.

Budget office ideas are also great for those who have smaller spaces to work with, since they’re looking for quick space-saving economical choices - great for East Coast homes where space is often an issue.

The Kid-Friendly Office

If you’ve got little rug rats running around, then you have a whole different set of concerns when it comes to your home office. Here are some ideas of how you should go about setting up your space:

• Be Boring – There’s nothing kids of any age love more than to satisfy their curiosity, and there’s nothing that interests them more than clutter, cuteness and lots of interesting colors and shapes. Keeping your workspace boring helps keeps them disinterested.

• Setting up a Mini-Me Station – Kids love to be like you, so setting up a little work desk of their own in the same room as yours will give them a sense of pride and belonging. Plus they’ll be too busy with their own desk to be puttering around yours. This little trick also helps you keep an eye on them while you’re working.


The Shed Office

One of the biggest problems in setting up a home office is a lack of space. If this is your problem, then considering having an outdoor office. An outdoor office is a great alternative that lets you work from home but have a completely separate, private area in which to work out of.

The easiest way to set up an outdoor office is to follow these steps:

• Unit – Purchase a outdoor shed from home improvement warehouses such as Home Depot or Lowe’s.

• Insulation – Add dry wall and wood flooring to insulate it, this is particularly important if you’re in a colder climate.

• Cost – The total costs can run anywhere from two to six thousand, depending on the quality of the shed, the level of insulation, and wiring work. However, even the higher end cost is still far cheaper than building an addition, dealing with zoning/construction permits, or striving to maintain your sanity with a make shift in-house office.

Alternative to the outdoor office include setting up a garage office. If you do opt for this choice or even if you’re in a shed, then you should likely think about the ozone air quality of your work area.

What You Should Know to Protect Your Skin

Your skin is a layer of porous fabric, a living breathing organ exposed to free radicals and pollutants that act as hidden skin gremlins. In the case of most women, your skin is also exposed to all the harsh chemicals we keep lathering on it throughout the day in an attempt to secure some sense of beauty.

Most women want pure skin, but what most women don’t realize is that their skin is exposed to far more than they imagine. Read on to find out what acts as a skin gremlin and what you can do about it…

• YOUR COSMETICS

There are an alarming amount of toxic chemicals in the majority of cosmetics. The FDA does not review, nor does it have the authority to regulate, what goes into cosmetics before they are packaged and marketed.

Some things to watch out for are:

1) Lead in lipsticks

2) Neurotoxins in fragrances and perfumes

3) Formaldehyde (a well known human carcinogen) in nail polish.

If you consider that all these products are applied to your porous skin, you quickly see the effect of daily/weekly product use on your health. A great alternative is to learn what goes into the cosmetics you use, and to opt for mineral-based products

• YOUR BEDDING

Though your bed is seen as a sanctuary for rest and relaxation after a long hard day, you should take a moment to see the flip slide of it too. The average person is in their bed for between 4-8 hours a night.

And if you consider all the creepy crawlies, the dust mites scavenging across the plains of your sheets, you quickly realize that you’re not alone – and not in a good way.

Dust mites feed on your dead skin, which is continuously flaking off with every touch. As a natural organism, they produce excretions which go unseen and which most people are allergic to, making this not only highly unsanitary but it’s also an allergen.

Additionally, your face is squished up on the same pillow for hours on end and your body/scalp are excreting oils, which you’re then rubbing back against your delicate skin.

To make sure you have a healthy sleeping environment, change out your bedding at least once a week and vacuum your area often. However, your vacuum is not a black hole and you should take a moment to consider what's living inside your vacuum.

• YOUR ENVIRONMENT

While you may be able to control your home or what you put on your face every morning, you have very little control of what free radicals and pollutants are actually in the air. This is especially true if you live in an urban area where car exhaust slaps you across the face as each driver passes by…or where fast food grease sets up a perimeter on nearly every street corner. The fact is that your face is constantly assaulted with chemicals, fumes, and other pollutants.

To protect your skin, the first thing you should do is make sure your natural layer is clean and unclogged. Take the time to wash and exfoliate your skin, or simply use a cleansing toner. Then take a moment to wear sun screen or some other daily facial protecting cream or spray to act as a barrier between your skin and your environment.

Your Mother Was Right: Organic Beaty Tips that Pass the Test of Time

Everyone hates being told “I told you so”, and most women also hate thinking their mother was right. However, on stepping upon the threshold of 30, and with my South Asian mother now in her early sixties, I can’t help but notice that on a good day, she looks not more than maybe only five or ten years older.

And with each wrinkle, thinned out skin or spot I notice, I hear her quite literally echoing voice telling me “I told you so”. So what was it exactly that she used to always harp on about while growing up?

Quite simply - endless beauty tips that at that time seemed to have been carved on stone tablets alongside Moses’ 10 Commandments. But these then thought of as primitive beauty routines now seem charming and simple in an age where we’re constantly fed a barrage of beauty adverts and overly photo-shopped images of perfection.

In my own desperate attempt to look great, I have ventured down every possible winding road that ultimately lead me nowhere, pick-pocketing my hard earned dollars with daylight robbery rates and empty promises of youth and beauty. I finally decided to throw in the towel and revert to the ‘old ways’ of doing things…

Best Kept Beauty Secrets

Face

• For smooth skin, crush four uncoated aspirins and mix 1 cup distilled water and ¼ cup apple cider vinegar. Use this 2-3 times a day for incredibly smooth skin and as an alternative to washing your face in the morning.
• Once a week, use a natural honey face mask for softer skin and cleansed pores. Honey is a natural anti-bacterial and the best type to use is a raw honey, which usually has a sugary texture and doesn’t drip like processed honey.
• If you have sensitive acne-prone skin, stay away from rich spicy foods, which only irritate and inflame your system.
• Sleep. Staying up too late or not getting enough sleep wreaks havoc on your skin, causing it to look dull, tired, and likely leading to breakouts.
• Use patchouli oil to quickly get rid of acne. Mix 10 drops of this strong smelling oil with 10 oz of almond oil as a nightly moisturizer and anti-wrinkle treatment.
  

Hair

• For soft hair, massage your head with rich coconut oil once a week, working it into your hair. Leave it in there for about 3 hours prior to washing it out with shampoo. Use just a dab of conditioner at the ends.
• For shiny hair, mix one egg with a mashed up banana and apply it as a thick paste to your hair. Leave it on for 10-30 minutes, depending on your hair texture. Then, wash it out as usual and use conditioner only at the ends.
• For natural hair dye, use henna and add in a bit of lemon to the paste. Leave it in your hair for about 30 minutes to one hair for a natural reddish/auburn tint.
• To eliminate build up, rinse your hair with one cup of apple cider vinegar, followed by a minimal use of shampoo.
• Washing your hair with boiled rice water is also a great alternative for shiny hair.

Body

• Use a mixture of pure olive oil with 1/2 parts sea salt as an in-shower body scrub. This combo completely eliminates the need for lotion and is great for winter weather.
• Make sure you get in some sort of physical activity. Our mothers and grandmothers stayed in shape with simple stretches, and not grueling hours at the gym. Try reaping the benefits of yoga as a way to maintain your girlish figure.