If necessity is the mother of invention, then opportunity is the father. And thankfully, there are still some people who view problems less as obstacles and more as opportunities.
Take a problem like the lack of lodging for outdoor events, for example. Such open-air events, like music festivals, which are typically held in large, open fields, end up looking like a 1960s commune as tents, teepees, and other makeshift living arrangements pepper the venue. And if it rains, well, everyone there better be prepared to get wet and muddy. Unless, of course, the festival planners had the foresight to provide Snoozebox’s portable hotel rooms, designed with mobility and ephemerality in mind.
These portable hotel rooms are just one of novel ideas featured in our annual Great Solutions report. Others include pop-up farms designed to provide communities with a sustainable food supply, a new anti-bacterial paint perfect for hospitals, schools, and nursing homes, and digitally fabricated concrete formwork that pushes the bounds of what can be cost-effectively constructed in concrete.
Go to our Great Solutions landing page to read about these 13 innovations (also, see the table of contents below).
Great Solutions Table of Contents
Bacteria-killing paint, IdeaPaint PULL magnet paint
Automated vehicle medical supply delivery
Physical therapy healing garden
Porcelanosa’s retractable ceiling
Double-angle precast concrete anchor
WWII watchtower turned guesthouse
Emergency department behavioral health unit
Digitally fabricated concrete formwork
Dual-purpose fire sprinkler systems
BubbleDeck voided biaxial slab
Or view all the Great Solutions on one page.
Related Stories
Design Innovation Report | Apr 27, 2023
BD+C's 2023 Design Innovation Report
Building Design+Construction’s Design Innovation Report presents projects, spaces, and initiatives—and the AEC professionals behind them—that push the boundaries of building design. This year, we feature four novel projects and one building science innovation.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023
Reinforced concrete walls and fins stiffen and shade the National Bank of Kuwait skyscraper
When the National Bank of Kuwait first conceived its new headquarters more than a decade ago, it wanted to make a statement about passive design with a soaring tower that could withstand the extreme heat of Kuwait City, the country’s desert capital.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023
HDR uses artificial intelligence tools to help design a vital health clinic in India
Architects from HDR worked pro bono with iKure, a technology-centric healthcare provider, to build a healthcare clinic in rural India.
3D Printing | Apr 11, 2023
University of Michigan’s DART Laboratory unveils Shell Wall—a concrete wall that’s lightweight and freeform 3D printed
The University of Michigan’s DART Laboratory has unveiled a new product called Shell Wall—which the organization describes as the first lightweight, freeform 3D printed and structurally reinforced concrete wall. The innovative product leverages DART Laboratory’s research and development on the use of 3D-printing technology to build structures that require less concrete.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Apr 5, 2023
Façade innovation: University of Stuttgart tests a ‘saturated building skin’ for lessening heat islands
HydroSKIN is a façade made with textiles that stores rainwater and uses it later to cool hot building exteriors. The façade innovation consists of an external, multilayered 3D textile that acts as a water collector and evaporator.
Transportation & Parking Facilities | Mar 23, 2023
Amsterdam debuts underwater bicycle parking facility that can accommodate over 4,000 bikes
In February, Amsterdam saw the opening of a new underwater bicycle parking facility. Located in the heart of the city—next to Amsterdam Central Station and under the river IJ (Amsterdam’s waterfront)—the facility, dubbed IJboulevard, has parking spots for over 4,000 bicycles, freeing up space on the street.
Concrete | Jan 24, 2023
Researchers investigate ancient Roman concrete to make durable, lower carbon mortar
Researchers have turned to an ancient Roman concrete recipe to develop more durable concrete that lasts for centuries and can potentially reduce the carbon impact of the built environment.
Sponsored | Resiliency | Dec 14, 2022
Flood protection: What building owners need to know to protect their properties
This course from Walter P Moore examines numerous flood protection approaches and building owner needs before delving into the flood protection process. Determining the flood resilience of a property can provide a good understanding of risk associated costs.
Giants 400 | Nov 14, 2022
4 emerging trends from BD+C's 2022 Giants 400 Report
Regenerative design, cognitive health, and jobsite robotics highlight the top trends from the 519 design and construction firms that participated in BD+C's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
AEC Tech | Apr 13, 2022
A robot automates elevator installation
Schindler—which manufactures and installs elevators, escalators, and moving walkways—has created a robot called R.I.S.E. (robotic installation system for elevators) to help install lifts in high-rise buildings.
