TROPOLISM

Treehugger has posted an article about this project by Elizabeth Demar called the "Hand Up Project". Demar, with the help of a paleontologist, a mechanical engineer, Auto-cad, and a laser cutter has created a small plastic shell for hermit crabs she claims is based on a design by Guiseppe Terragani. The article raises a head spinning array of questions about the designers interaction with the environment planned or otherwise, and the environments ability to adapt. Do we really need to be building tiny shells for Hermit crabs? Maybe not but Rapid Prototype, Prefab Mobile Housing for other species has got to be the next big thing if you ask me; it's got too many buzz words to pass up.

Cabinet magazine did a more in depth article a few years back.

Contributed by Colin Peeples.