Greensulate™ - green alternative to Styrofoam

Ecovative Design is in the forefront of eco-friendly insulating materials and are developing a green alternative to expanded polystyrene. Amazingly, this material grows into shape and is made of mushroom fibres, rice hulls and recycled paper. The process is using minimal energy and the material itself is completely green and biodegrades when it is no longer wanted. It is apparently cheaper than petroleum-based products and serves as an alternative to these for both building and packaging insulation.
Images courtesy of Ecovative Design.

Inflated Molten-Glass Envelopes

Former industrial design student C. Matthew Szösz is exploring new ways of working with glass; he uses flat sheets of glass, like window glass, which he fuses and inflates with compressed air. The result is interesting sculptural pieces that clearly expresses the working method.

His work was shown in the exhibition The Space Between, at Urban Glass in Brooklyn, New York, last November.

Take a look at the video to see how he does it, and get inspired by this experimental way of working with such a traditional material.