bayern design exhibition "Smart Living" at Munich Airport, Plantcube of Agrilution, photo: Sebastian Lock
Smart Living Today and in the Future – now on at Munich Airport
05. December 2019
Nuremberg/Munich – We want our homes to be connected efficiently and at the same time we want to preserve them as spaces in which we feel comfortable and our privacy is protected. This is why we needs all-encompassing ideas, smart ways to communicate, and innovative approaches to design. Design is the element in this process that connects intelligent technologies to users. The Smart Living exhibition organized by bayern design, the center of design competence in Bavaria, and Munich Airport addresses topics relevant to modern society. Beyond learning about smart appliances developed for smart homes, visitors can familiarize themselves with complex systems from the Internet of Things (IoT) and concepts for innovative, sustainable living quarters and buildings in both an urban and a rural context. Smart Living will run until January 31, 2020 at Terminal 2, Level 04, Check-In Area South at Munich Airport.
Sustainable smart living
Selbstversorgersiedlung UPSIDE is a sustainable project which was implemented at Siebentischwald in Augsburg based on Michelle Weck’s conceptual bachelor thesis (HS Augsburg). The car-free residential area matches its natural surroundings; vacant lots are used for agriculture or to cultivate organic orchards. The residents gather the harvest together. The homes are made of regionally sourced materials and feature greenhouses on the ground floors as well as living green walls and roofs to complement the agricultural activities. A sophisticated energy concept which includes sustainable heat insulation and natural temperature storages has been implemented for all homes in the project.
büro für bauform (Nuremberg) has developed PlantHouse for urban environments. PlantHouse takes sustainability into consideration as well as the lifestyle adjustments necessary as a result of climate change. The building in downtown Nuremberg in which the project was realized dates back to the mid-1800s but suffered war damage. An integrated urban garden was installed on the walkable rooftop which also offers a premium leisure area.
Not all projects have to be so large-scale: Developed by Agrilution (Munich), Plantcube is a customizable garden specifically designed for the kitchens of tomorrow. Herbs and/or leafy greens can be cultivated in dishes in the glass Plantcube cabinet the size of a small refrigerator, and be available to be cut and processed fresh anytime. Plantcube is a fully-automated indoor greenhouse cabinet that offers ideal conditions in which plants can grow.
Another project dealing with sustainability in modern homes was created by designer Nina Renth of Designbüro Barthke Renth and carpenter Rudolf Worofka (Hersbruck). Renth and Worofka are determined to curb the amount of waste materials in the furniture industry. In their Save the Rest upcycling workshops the two showcase their ideas and products based on diverse materials left over from the production of furniture. For example, pieces of chipboard can be transformed into wall organizers, furniture for student apartments, and even entire shop furnishings – another contribution to smart living.
Smart connectivity
While applications for smart devices have changed rapidly over the past few years, one of the remaining challenges is the joint control facilitated by smart connectivity. This is where iHaus, developed by iHaus AG (Unterföhring), comes into play. iHaus is a smart-living platform that acts as a cross-system connectivity interface for smart homes.
S. Siedle & Söhne OHG (Furtwangen), manufacturer of building communication technology, also has set out to connect diverse functions. The company’s communication tool, Siedle Axiom, is an all-in-one indoor station, telephone, and operating panel featuring a wireless receiver and a smart user interface. Siedle Axiom can be used to make phone calls and to answer and open doors. In addition, users can communicate with each other via a hands-free system or through video telephony.
Smart systems also have been developed for heating systems. For example, EBERLE CONTROLS (Nuremberg) has developed Wiser, a system that integrates heaters into a smart control system. Up to 16 heating zones can be adjusted and controlled individually and conveniently via a smartphone or a tablet. The only prerequisite is that each heater be equipped with a Wiser thermostat designed by Tom Farenski Industrial Design (Fürth).
As an alternative to or to complement Wiser, homes can be heated quickly using electric heaters. Elveo, the new heating system developed by Kermi GmbH (Plattling), is comprised of ultra-flat heaters that ensure comfortable room temperatures rapidly. Each device transfers heat through infrared rays, similar to the sun’s rays, directly and quickly onto human bodies and into specified areas. The WRX operating panel connects the heaters with intelligent components supplied by other manufacturers.
Robotics are being used in an increasing number of smart homes. For example, the smart automated floor vacuum cleaner Roxxter, developed by Bosch (Munich), helps keep the entire home clean. Roxxter is controlled via a smartphone or a tablet. Designed by BRANDIS Industrial Design (Nuremberg), the robot also can be used to clean individual rooms only and ignore no-go areas such as children’s play mats. In addition, Roxxter responds to voice commands. Users can connect live on the integrated camera (R-cam) via the Home Connect app even when not at home. For example, if the cat knocks over its food bowl, Roxxter can clean this specific area on command.
Smart Living is the last in the five-part exhibition series Bayern gestaltet – Lebensweisen der Zukunft / Bavaria designs – Future Ways of Living shown at Terminal 2, Level 04, Check-In Area South at Munich Airport and will run until January 31, 2020.
