CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Businesses in the food and hospitality industries have been forced to overcome multiple obstacles in 2020, with social distancing protocols, indoor dining restrictions, and personal protective equipment requirements all resulting in major operational adjustments over the past nine months. An additional challenge that many business owners are facing comes in the form of the dangerous pathogens and infections that can quickly spread and endanger employees and customers if not managed properly. The team behind The GREEN DRAIN, an environmentally water-free trap seal, has prepared information as to how owners and operators can minimize the risk in the months to come.

"Businesses that operate in the food and hospitality industries are particularly vulnerable to the spread of infections," said JasonBocchino, CEO of The GREEN DRAIN.

"Restaurants, food distribution centers, hotels, and similar institutions typically experience high volumes of human traffic. This can lead to the transmission of harmful diseases, which can be especially dangerous during the winter months."

An infection outbreak can devastate a business in the food or hospitality industry, forcing it to close its doors and lose revenue during its shutdown period. For these businesses, infections and pathogens can spread quickly through unexpected means such as drainage systems. To minimize the risk of harmful transmission, business owners can improve air filtration systems to ensure proper ventilation and circulation, as well as upgrade HVAC systems to achieve maximum airflow control. Owners can also utilize tools such as The GREEN DRAIN to fight against deadly microorganisms, waterborne pathogens, and airborne bacteria that live in drains.

"Thanks to the physical barrier of protection provided by The GREEN DRAIN, food and hospitality businesses can prevent the cross-contamination ofaerosolizedpathogens caused by faulty or evaporated traps," saidBocchino. "The barrier allows liquids to pass down the drain, then automatically seals itself shut to prevent the spread of pathogens. This allows business owners to effectively target and eliminate some of the most problematic disease-related concerns plaguing the food and hospitality industries."

For more information about The GREEN DRAIN and how to keep your business safe from the transmission of potentially dangerous diseases, please visit http://www.greendrains.com.

About The GREEN DRAIN

The GREEN DRAIN is an environmentally friendly water-free trap seal, which can be installed in basically all floor drains without the use of tools.

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The GREEN DRAIN on Preventing Infections in Food and Hospitality Businesses - PRNewswire

As UMass Amherst looks ahead to the start of the spring semester, students, faculty and staff who return to learn and work in person will encounter a transformed center of campus following the completion of a series of major construction projects. Among the marquee projects are the renovated Student Union, the new Worcester Commons, a major upgrade to campus infrastructure and striking landscape improvements.

These long-planned projects are now coming to fruition, and they are going to markedly improve the student experience at UMass Amherst, said Shane Conklin, associate vice chancellor for facilities and campus services. We are, of course, implementing COVID-related restrictions for the spring, but people will immediately benefit and in the long term these investments will have an even greater positive impact for decades to come.

Campus Core Utilities, Landscape and Accessibility Project

A major infrastructure project in the center of campus immediately north and west of the Lincoln Campus Center was completed early in the Fall Semester.The Campus Core Utilities, Landscape and Accessibility Project is a $31 million undertaking with major underground infrastructure investments, as well as accessibility and landscape improvements, which was started in May 2019.The project includes the waterproofing of the parking garages subterranean roof systems, as well as new steam, data and electric duct banks, domestic and fire water services, storm drainage, sanitary sewer and other utilities that feed approximately 100 buildings. Many of the utilities replaced were more than 75 years old.

Given the extent of earth removal required to install the new underground infrastructure, campus planners also identified an opportunity to address accessibility issues in the campus core and integrate comprehensive landscape improvements. The enhancements include an accessible entrance to the garage, an accessible west entrance to the Campus Center, and an accessible pedestrian path from the Student Union to the Worcester Commons.

New Worcester Commons

Earlier this fall, the new 87,000-square-foot Worcester Commons, which replaces the old Worcester Dining Commons, was opened on a limited basis for student dining, with reduced seating capacity due to COVID-19 safety protocols. When the facility eventually is fully operational, it will be able to seat more than 950 people in various dining areas. It will feature residential, grab-and-go, retail and restaurant dining options as well as a campus bakery. The building will also house a Neighborhood Center of student spaces, including lounge space, meeting space for students and student organizations, music practice rooms, a contemplative space and a fitness room. It also includes a new campus restaurant.

The $68.8 million project is expected to be fully completed, with landscaping and new parking lots, before the start of the spring 2021 semester. It is targeted to be certified LEED Gold for sustainability.

Student Union

Progress continues on the comprehensive renovation of the Student Union, with student businesses and student government representatives now in the process of moving into their new spaces. The building is expected to officially open in February 2021. The $64.2 million project to update the 1957 building includes a rain harvesting system, which was requested by the student body, and it is targeted to be LEED Silver for sustainability. Students approved a $100 increase in the student activities fee to partially fund the renovation in December 2017.

The building will feature a Main Street promenade that will be a hub of student activity, a black box theatre, and a new, third-floor ballroom. The facility is designed to be the student living room of the campus, and will provide comfortable and expansive space to gather, informally and formally, and will support the endeavors of more than 200 student organizations.

Once open, the Student Union will house:

When the Student Union was built more than 60 years ago, it was the largest building on campus, serving 4,800 students. Today, the campus has more than 31,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Given that growth, the upgraded facility will provide students with modern spaces to meet 21st century needs and build community in new ways.

Additional Project: University Drive

A project to improve University Drive was completed in the Fall 2020 Semester. Changes include complete new paving and bike lanes, improved drainage, new sidewalks and a roundabout at Fearing Street to slow traffic and improve pedestrian safety in the Southwest Residential Area.

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Impressive Set of Core Campus Improvements, including Student Union and Worcester Commons, Will Be Ready for the Spring Semester - UMass News and...

Each Sunday morning, the air of Pelham Street is punctuated with the sound of chimes. The services at Channing Memorial Church are virtual on Zoom and Facebook, but the chimes are live, played by people inside the steeple.

The chimes play every Sunday from 10:45 to 11:15 a.m. Five dedicated volunteers chime the historic William Blake bells after the 10 a.m. online service. In the bleakness of virtual reality and empty church halls, neighbors wouldnt have it any other way.

It sets a benchmark for the rest of the week, said Paul Doucette, who has lived two houses away for 20 years.

Doucette was raking leaves on this crisp Sunday, enjoying what has been remarkably warm November weather. I was just thinking how lucky I am to rake leaves to a concert, he said.

Across Touro Park, John Gillespie, who has lived within the echoes of the bells for 18 months, was walking his two dogs. I love it, he said. I just think its a nice way to start the day. Its nice to have less tourists and more bells.

Channing Memorial Church has the only mechanically operated chime in Newport and now boasts 17 bells. (Photos by Grace Trofa)

Also walking her dog was Sarah Pierce, who rents an apartment within 20 feet of the church. I used to travel through Europe. I traveled through Spain, and no matter where I was, there was always a church playing bells. It reminds me of that, she said

She found the sounds even richer because people are making them ring in real time. Channing Church has the only mechanically operated chime in Newport. Other churches play electronically generated music.

I especially enjoy them because they are not a machine, she said. People are playing them inside.

There were seven tones last year; now there are nine, for a total of 17 bells.

The volunteers are really skilled chimers, said Channings office administrator Michelle Dubuc. It has been wonderful that during this pandemic we can play the bells and listen, and at last be together in that way. The whole Newport community has enjoyed them, and the weather has been fabulous, she said.

The volunteers who make the music are Linda Beall, Jim Freess, Christine Ariel, Janna Pederson and Cynthia Skelton. Christine Laudon has also been an integral part of the bell restoration and expansion projects, Dubuc said.

The console for the bells is located in a small loft on the second floor of the northwest tower. It looks like a small upright piano, and has 17 short levers, each connected by a steel cable to the clapper of one of the church bells. By pushing down on a lever, a cable pulls on a clapper, striking the immobile bells.

The console dates to 1881, when the original nine bells were installed. They were donated by Mrs. Alfred Smith, wife of the famed real estate agent and developer of Bellevue Avenue, and were cast at the William Blake Foundry of Boston.

The bells were refurbished in Holland in 2007 by the Royal Eijsbouts Foundry, which also cast the seven new ones. Last February, the two latest bells were installed.

Coat and gloves were needed by volunteer Christine Ariel in order to stay warm in the belltower to sound the chimes. By pushing down on a lever, a cable pulls on a clapper, striking the immobile bells.

They all had to be re-tuned by carefully lathing the interiors, a process guided by a sophisticated computer modeling system to create clear, precise tones. The work was done before, during and after the 2008 completion of the tower restoration, with parishioners fearing it wouldnt hold.

Now, nothing can hold back the sound.

In addition to the usual Sunday bells, the chimes will ring on Christmas Eve, from 3 to 4 p.m., and Christmas morning, from 11 to 11:45 a.m.

Tradition of Christmas Chimes

On Christmas Day 2010, chimer Christine Ariel performed the first Channing Church chime concert. At that time, with only 10 bells, there was a lot of improvising, Ariel said.

This year will be the 10th annual chime concert, but the first with the full set of 17 bells.

Ringing bells on Christmas Day is an age-old and popular tradition in Europe, and we are particularly proud to have one of the few instruments that can follow in that tradition, said Ariel, who will be playing with Linda Beall at 11 a.m. We hope everyone will enjoy our selections of both sacred and secular tunes.

For singalong purposes, Ariel provided the following lyrics to a well-known tune:

I heard the bells on Christmas Day, their old familiar carols play, and wild and sweet, the words repeat, of peace on earth, to all goodwill;

Till ringing, singing on its way, the world revolved from day to day, a voice, a chime, a chant sublime, of peace on earth, to all goodwill.

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Channing Church Chimes Play On - Newport This Week

Barbara Kerr| Wicked Local

If you take a ride down High Street,you will see the new Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library rising at 111 High St. Construction is going well and the new building is tentatively scheduled to open in October 2021.

It is hard to believe that we will be moving back into a brand new building in just one year, and even harder to believe that we started this project four years ago. The process of designing a new building has been challenging but really rewarding. Over the years, there have been so many things that I wished we could offer that the old building could just not accommodate.

A users experience in a library should be what they want it to bethere should be options for design and chairs and noise and quiet and comfort, and all ages should have the experience appropriate for their age group.

The old building could offer very few options all operations and ages were on one overstuffed floor with no walls and very few electrical outlets. When we sat down to map out the new design, our focus was to make the library a space with options for everyone, and I think the community will be really pleased with the result.

There will be quiet spaces, and social spaces, reading spaces, public spaces, creativity spaces, spaces for kids and teens and adults, and lots of computer spaces. The new library sits on almost exactly the same footprint as the previous library. Unlike the old building which had a partial second floor, the new one will have two full floors. This provides a lovely amount of room to grow.

The second floor will be divided between public use spaces, and the Realm of Youth Services two separate spaces for children and teens which share meeting and programming rooms. This is one of the best things about the new building. In the old library, spaces for all ages were stuffed together on the first floor, and the spaces for kids and teens were not really made for them. The new spaces are theirs entirely, designed with their needs and preference in mind.

The spaces will be colorful and full of light, with mobile shelving and lots of nooks for play and reading. Everything is designed to be adaptable so that the library spaces can change along with the community.

With Youth Services moved to the second floor, there was capacity to expand Adult services on the first floor. The public computer area has been more than tripled in size, and there will be a laptop vending station for those who want to check out a laptop and sit in a quiet corner. You can also bring your own laptop and hang out.

The shelving for collections has been expanded and the magazine and newspaper shelves will be in easy reach of comfortable chairs by the windows. Chairs were a hot topic when we were discussing what to put into the new building everyone hated the ones we had before. There are going to be lots of seating options. It will be a bit like the Three Bears some will be soft, some will be hard, and hopefully everyone will find one that is just right.

We have also planned for a variety of table configurations for study and collaboration. There will be electrical outlets galore so you can plug in everywhere. There will finally be options. One of the most satisfying things in the new design is the study and meeting rooms.

In the old building, the single meeting room was one of very few in the city and it was in constant use. There will be five study/meeting rooms on the first floor three small, one medium, and one large.

On the second floor there will be a large auditorium.

The Youth Services space will house another three study/meeting rooms as well as a program room. There will also be a Local History room available for small group use. The Local History room is a great feature of the new building. The Library houses a unique collection of materials related to the history of Medford and its residents.

Due to the lack of space in the old building, much of the collection was on the locked second floor and using it was awkward. The new Local History room will be front and center, right off the main lobby. A large part of the collection will be available to browse, with more fragile resources close at hand in locked storage.

Both the room and the storage will be temperature and light controlled so the collections will be in a safer and substantially less dusty environment. There will also be several display cases so that we can feature historical displays. Public spaces of all sorts feature in the new design.

In addition to the auditorium, which will seat 100, there will be a tech lab for classes and training on the second floor. Next door is a makerspace, a public workshop that will be available for all sort of community creativity. And right outside is the caf, across from our long-awaited art gallery space.

A commercial caf was not possible, but we will have vending machines and are planning for a commercial coffee/snack cart or stand. The building is designed so that the public spaces can be available after library hours. We expect the cafe area and auditorium to be used for lots of community events and art openings as well as our popular Friends book sales.

The Friends will have their own room as a base of operations on the second floor. One of the nice things about designing from the ground up was the potential for green construction. In fact, the new library is expected to be the first net zero library in Massachusetts.

It will also have a LEED Silver rating. The building systems are very energy efficient and upwards of 700 solar panels will be installed on the roof.

The landscaping will use native, drought resistant plants and there is a plan for flowers and groundcovers and trees all around the building. On the Hillside Avenue side there will be a large terraced area so you can sit outside and read or talk or drink coffee from the caf. Great pains were taken to protect the large beech tree on Hillside and it will be an integral part of the terraced landscape.

Access to the building will also be much easier. In the old building both entrances involved stairs and there was no public elevator. The new building has been designed so that both entrances come in level. The rear entrance is right next to the very welcome public elevator.

And yes there will be more parking. Because of the limitations of the lot it wont be a huge increase but it will be better. And if you come by bike, there will be bike racks at both entrances as well as a bike repair station in the parking lot.

During the whole design process, we kept in mind all of the things that the community had asked for through the years. With the architects and the construction specialists from the Board of Library Commissioners we designed a building that balanced library services with community needs.

I am excited about all the possibilities for library service and programs and community activity. Many times, over the last four years I have said that we were a good library in a bad building I cant wait to see what we all do in the new one.

There is so much potential and so many options its going to be great. If you would like to donate to the library project, there are lots of naming opportunities. Starting at $50 there are tiles and leaves and paving stones and larger things like rooms and solar panels. This has been a community effort and we have been so warmed by the support weve received.

We hope that lots of people will seize the opportunity to put their names in the new building.

To see what naming and donation opportunities are available, please visit the Medford Library Foundation website at https://www.medfordpubliclibraryfoundation.org/.

Barbara Kerr is the director of the Medford Public Library.

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New Medford Public Library will offer users many options - Wicked Local

Faade installation is moving along at1059 Third Avenue, a 481-foot-tall mixed-use tower on Manhattans Upper East Side. Designed by Manuel Glas Architects for Real Estate InverladandThird Palm Capital, the slender 30-story structure is located between 62nd Street and 63rd Street and will yield a total of 127,000 square feet of newly built space. The property will contain 38 condominiums spread across 103,900 square feet, averaging around 2,740 square feet apiece.

1059 Third Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

Recent photos show the degree to which the curtain wall has progressed since our last update in June. Scaffolding rigs with workers can be seen scaling up the main western and wide northern elevations, where the final light-gray faade panels are being attached to the metal framework between the window grid. The panels, which feature an irregular pattern of black speckling, are arranged in vertical strips and will eventually run up the entire height of the reinforced concrete edifice.

1059 Third Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

1059 Third Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

On the opposite southern face, a tight mesh of metal is in place, to which the final curtain wall panels will eventually be affixed. This treatment will run over much of the elevation, interrupted only by a few vertically stacked windows spanning several of the upper levels. The eastern backside of the tower features multiple protruding and cantilevering setbacks, though these architectural gestures are currently obscured by the exterior hoist. Most of the buildings floor-to-ceiling glass has been installed, especially on the eastern corner of the final floors facing the East River.

1059 Third Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

1059 Third Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

1059 Third Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

1059 Third Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

In addition to residential amenities including a fitness center, spa, and lounge, 1059 Third Avenue will also contain 7,100 square feet of office space on the second floor and a hospital facility measuring around 9,700 square feet on the third and fourth floors.

A formal completion date has not been announced, but sometime in 2021 is conceivable.

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1059 Third Avenue's Faade Continues Installation on the Upper East Side - New York YIMBY

Catton, Thirsk, UK, December 1, 2020-Winners of the United Kingdoms 2020 National Flooring Innovation Awards have been announced.

Judges for the contest were Chris Moffat (Chairman), SMG buying group chairman; Bridgette Kelly, FIA organiser, previously head of Campaign for Wool; Laurance Bird, founder of Carpet Recycling UK; Wendy Adams, event organizer who revitalized The Flooring Show, Harrogate; and David Spragg, editor of The Stocklists magazine.

Natural Carpets

Gold: Natural Choice by Ulster Carpets

Riverline by ITC

Sisool by Crucial Trading

Man-Made Carpets

Gold: Luxuria Velvet by Victoria Carpets

Maximus by Abingdon

Eternity Collection by Balta

HassleFree Finesse by Hugh Mackay

Smooths (Hard Surface)

Gold: Pattern by Dee Hardwicke from Harvey Maria

Artistik by Adore Floors

Signature by Amtico

Protekt Anti-bacterial Protection for Leoline

Design

Gold: Quirky Runners by Alternative Flooring

Camden by Associated Weavers

Oak Carpet Planks by INCATI

Bespoke Runners & Rugs from Stonegate Carpets

Underlay

Gold: Ezy-Install Underlay from IOBAC

Elegance from Floorwise

Tredaire Kensington Deluxe from Interfloor

Springbond from Texfelt

Installation

Gold: TopClip Transition Profiles from Quantum Flooring Solutions

Styccobond F73 Plus from F Ball & Co Ltd

Flash Cove Rollers from Stubbi

Environmental

Gold: Bamboo Charcoal Sustainable Flooring by BamcoFlor

Micodur by LiCo from Floorsauce

Recycling Hub at Ulster Carpets

Marketing

Gold: Invictus Digital Display by Associated Weavers

Lockdown Lobbying by The Carpet Foundation

Lead Generation Web Platform by Computers for Flooring

COVID-19 Signage by Metro Carpet 1st Buying Group

Technology

Gold: VisualMine by Freetail

Show Me My Room by Alternative Flooring

Combi-bac Backing Technology by Furlong Flooring

U2V Online Portal by Victoria Carpets

Continue reading here:
UK's 2020 National Flooring Innovation Award Winners Announced - Floor Focus

Number 30 on our countdown of the tallest projects under construction in New York is the Turkevi Center, a 563-foot-tall mixed-use skyscraper at 821 First Avenuein theMidtown Eastneighborhood ofTurtle Bay. Designed by Perkins Eastman, the 35-story tower will serve as the consulate for the Republic of Turkey.

821 First Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

New photographs show the state of progress on the skyscraper, which is located between East 45th and 46th Streets, across from the United Nations Plaza. The most notable addition since YIMBYs last update in early September is a decorative arabesque metallic framework that sits in front of the podium windows on wide northern profile. The shimmering, geometric star patterns match the motifs etched into the chamfers of the stone-paneled frame that surrounds the podium windows on the eastern elevation.

The mechanical hoist has also begun disassembly since our last visit, and glass panels are being installed on the southwestern corner where it was formerly attached.

821 First Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

821 First Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

821 First Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

821 First Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

821 First Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

821 First Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

821 First Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

The development will yield 102,000 square feet of commercial space spread across the first 15 floors. An auditorium will be located in the cellar levels, while offices, a prayer room, passport and visa branch offices, and outdoor terraces will span the seventh, 11th, and 16th floors. Above will be 40,195 square feet of residential space divided among 20 apartments for both staff and visitors. These units start on the 20th floor and are expected to average 2,045 square feet apiece. Two homes will be duplexes. Residential amenities include a fitness center, a shared outdoor terrace space on the 20th floor, and an underground parking garage for 20 vehicles.

Construction on 821 First Avenue is expected to be finished in the second half of 2021.

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Ornamental Elements Installed on Nearly Finished Turkevi Center at 821 First Avenue in Turtle Bay - New York YIMBY

While many cities around the world have dialed back their holiday celebrations due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, San Francisco has found a way to (safely) flip the switch and move forward with one of its most popular festivities this winter. Last week marked the start of the eighth installment of Illuminate SF Festival of Light. Running nightly through January 23, the annual event features more than 40 light installations scattered across 17 of the citys neighborhoods, turning San Francisco into a dazzling wonderland.

The festival was able to move forward this year because nearly all of the installations featured are visible outdoors, making it an activity that people can enjoy while also practicing safe social distancing. Its a great opportunity to experience either on foot or driving around in a vehicle, says Brenda Tucker, director of arts marketing for the San Francisco Travel Association, the entity responsible for organizing the festival. Because of the pandemic, people want to feel safe, but also inspired.

As in previous years, the festival features installations created by a roster of world-renowned artists who create dramatic, eye-grabbing illuminated artworks, many of which are large enough to alter the citys iconic skyline. In addition to a number of permanent displays that are visible year-round, including New York City-based artist Leo Villareal's The Bay Lights, a massive piece featuring 25,000 white LED lights stretching across the western span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, and local artist Jim Campbell's Day for Night, a beacon comprised of 11,000 programmable lights and video screens atop Salesforce Tower in the Embarcadero neighborhood, several pieces by artists new to the event debuted this year.

One piece premiering this year is The Ladder (Sun or Moon) by Chilean artist Ivan Navarro, whos known for creating ladders and other architectural elements in his work. For this piece, located at 1066 Market Street, hes created the rungs of a ladder using neon tubing. Other installations coincide with the 150th anniversary of Golden Gate Park. These include the 15-story SkyStar Wheel, a Ferris wheel lit with more than 1 million colored LED lights, and Entwined, a grove of towering trees ranging in height from 6 feet to 20 feet located in the parks Peacock Meadow, designed by Bay Area artist Charles Gadeken.

While Illuminate SF Festival of Light does feature creations by artists recognized around the world (James Turrell, Jenny Holzer and Olafur Eliasson, to name a few), it also strives to nurture up-and-coming local artists who are doing impressive work. One of these emerging stars is Dorka Keehn, a self-trained artist who serves as chair of the Visual Arts Committee with the San Francisco Arts Commission and also runs an art consulting firm called Keehn on Art. After spending much of her career in politics, Keehn shifted her focus to art and began collaborating with fellow artist Brian Goggin, resulting in two installations for the festival.

The first, Carusos Dream, in SoMa, features 13 pianos made from pieces of illuminated glass dangling off the side of a 17-story residential tower. The piece is inspired by the late opera singer Enrico Caruso, who, in 1906, was staying in the nearby Palace Hotel when he was jostled awake by the historic 7.9-magnitude earthquake. This piece is what we imagine he wouldve seen in a dream before waking up to the earthquake, Keehn says. The display is programmed to music, so people can tune into 90.9 FM [from 4 to 10 p.m., within a block of the artwork] and listen to Caruso singing.

Keehn and Goggins second piece, located in a plaza connecting Chinatown and North Beach, is called Language of the Birds. It serves as an homage to the citys thriving literary scene and features birds in flight, each of their wings represented by the pages of a book illuminated by LED lights. Beneath the display are words and phrases embedded into the plazas floor, each verse selected from written works penned by area authors and poets. As an artist, I strongly believe in the importance of the creative economy, Keehn says. Its a driving force and one reason why people want to live in [San Francisco]. Illuminate SF is an example of how this city supports artists and allows them to be creative, which attracts people to come here.

Keehn says that every year the festival continues to grow and evolve, citing the early years when she and Goggin would offer impromptu walking tours of their artworks to crowds of people. This year the festival features a Light Art Trail that visitors can follow on foot on their own. Organizers have also teamed up with Big Bus to offer nighttime open-air bus tours where passengers can sit on the top level of the double-decker buses (face masks required).

The breadth and depth of our program is pretty spectacular, Tucker says. The art trail is designed so that people can drop by area coffee shops and cafs to pick up a warm drink as they walk around the city. [Especially during this pandemic], its important to support small businesses as well as the arts.

See more here:
More Than 40 Light Installations Have San Francisco Aglow During the Holidays - Smithsonian Magazine

Eight years ago, Ojai, Calif.-based designer Vina Lustado created an off-the-grid tiny house so she could live a simpler, more sustainable lifestyle. The 140-square-foot home includes a workspace with a built-in wooden desk, and is furnished with storage units that nest inside each other and can be moved easily throughout the space.

While Ms. Lustado designed the tiny house for herself, the resulta seamless, minimalist living space for sleeping, cooking, eating and workingresonated with her clients. People asked me to design their homes and offices to maximize efficiency with a very minimal square footage, she says.

Fast forward to the coronavirus outbreak, which sent homeowners scrambling to configure their spaces for a new normal of working and schooling from home. Interest in a prefab, modular tiny home designed by Ms. Lustados firm, Sol Haus Design, soared. She will begin installing the outbuilding, which costs between $120,000 and $150,000, in backyards next year.

Having a backyard unit with dedicated office space is really in demand, she says.

The 260-square-foot module has ample storage within a simple, streamlined design. But for those without the budget or room to install an entire tiny home on their property, it can offer lessons on how to optimize space within close quarters.

Link:
You Dont Need a Home Office to Work From Home - The Wall Street Journal

Arjan Kouwenhovens company Fonte Verde Agro is located in Adradas, not far from Sao Paulo in Brazil: more than 1.5 hectares of the growing facility of two hectares are used for growing tomatoes. This is a glass greenhouse and that is unique for the South American country - but there's more that is unique about this facility. The young tomato plants are being grown on a cultivation floor. ErfGoed levelled the land and installed the cultivation floors for growing the young tomato plants.

"Growers are usually surprised when they hear about growing vegetable plants on a cultivation floor," Hugo Paans with Erfgoed says. "It is believed they are only grown on concrete and are afraid that a porous cultivation floor involves a risk."

Yet sometimes it is the only way to go. Kouwenhoven opted for the ErfGoedFloor because of the local high temperatures and high light intensity, which meant a concrete floor would have become too hot. With an ErfGoedFloor, he can allow water in to keep the floor cool and establish a good microclimate. The second crop is now on the floor. Kouwenhoven: Everything is positive so far: the floor looks neat, water distribution is uniform and the yield is very good.

More vigorous plantsHugo adds that more growers notice vigorous plants with larger and healthier root systems. "Every time we have tests conducted, whether with vegetable plants or, for example, Phalaenopsis, they tell us that the root system of the crop in question develops better on our floor than on other cultivation systems. And, by definition, a healthy root system means a vigorous plant.."

Another major benefit of the cultivation floor is that it makes growers much more flexible, Hugo says. "The structure of the floor makes it suitable for all pot sizes. I am sometimes surprised myself to see how easy it is to switch between crops and how many crops you can actually grow on it. And that includes much more than just pot and bedding plants. On top of all that, plants demonstrably do better on the cultivation floor and they also grow faster. So you also have a shorter growing period."

All good and well - but what about the hygiene? Does a porous cultivation floor involves a risk? "In the Netherlands, the idea was that concrete is more hygienic. Wageningen University Greenhouse Horticulture has now clearly proven that the hygiene protocol for the prevention of quarantine organisms on this floor can be implemented effectively and efficiently," Hugo concludes.

For more information:ErfGoedBredeweg 592751 GH MoerkapelleNetherlandsT +31 (0)79 593 38 00info@erfgoed.nlwww.erfgoed.com

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Growing tomato plants on a cultivation floor - hortidaily.com