Designs and Architecture

The Doodad

This is my design for a universal furniture I created because I needed one on which to do to do crafts in 1974.
It is posturally correct when you sit with your knees under you and use the desk. It is also a park bench, lectern, bookshelf, and coffee table.
It hangs on the wall out of the way when not in use.
A Danish furniture company's designers loved it and did market research on it in the mid 80's
and while they liked the design, the market study showed that not enough people live
 on the floor to make it worth mass production.
 It weights 12 pounds out of solid oak made with no screws with dowel and pin construction.
 I still love this design .
 I made about 5 copies of it which I know of the current existence of possibly 2.



Original graphic Art by Mark Yurman


Sketchup Designs

My page of Designs at the Sketchup warehouse


Aloha and welcome to my Sketchup models page. My father was an architect and builder, so some of my earliest memories are of designing and building models of houses. I went on to help build a few myself, but it is the design process which has been my first love. Since I began using Sketchup, in 2007, I have spent many hours creating these virtual models of ideas which have been floating around in my head all these years. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I have enjoyed making them.

 Here are a few of my favorite screenshots below. Enjoy!

    To view them in 3-d, You must first get a free trial download of Sketchup. Then you may add your own ideas/design improvements, or whatever you wish.  



Eco-Laundry/Well/Windmill/Playground



Overview showing Savonius, laundry, pump/generator merry-go-round, storage tank



Closer view
This is a result of viewing this Ted talk which proves the need for such a device. Whenever the wind is blowing, the children are playing or the sun is shining (if solar panels are affordable) this facility pumps/purifies water, provides a laundromat, and thus frees millions of (mostly) women from hours of mindless work.
 


Power Tower



This is the design I conceived in 1974 after I spent the night in a tipi and the wind blew 125+ mph.
(+ Because the University of Colorado anemometer 1/4 of a mile away ripped out of its concrete moorings after going off the scale at that windspeed.)
Combining the Buckminster Fuller Aerodynamic windmill design with the tipi gave me the power tower. If the outer skin of the tower is transparent, then it also becomes a greenhouse. Therefore, any time the wind blows from any direction, anytime the sun shines, Electrical Power will be generated by the rising hot air turning the blades at the top , accelerated by the Venturi effect. Not included in this model would be a wasp waist around the fan blades similar to a jet aircraft engine (to further speed the wind), as well as internal vanes which would block the air inside the structure from blowing around the conical structure inside the outer skin. These possibly could be spiraled for greater effect, and reverse Dyson-fan-type external air intakes may also be an option.(Needs mathematical modeling + testing.) (Look for V2.o of this model coming someday.) Collaboration is welcome. A similar design was proposed, budgeted, disposed of, re-budgeted and is possibly some day being built in Australia by this company http://www.enviromission.com.au/ (without wind scoop effect however)In windier areas, the scoops could be larger, In sunny areas, the circumference of ground level could be increased.(Needs mathematical modeling + testing.) Mahalos to Simpsonizer for the fan blades and jjjasper123 for the curved conical structure.



Detail of generator and blades blades on top.(For visual info only, needs mathematical modeling + testing.)



If one this size (Eiffel tower included for scale)a small town could be built underneath the central cone,with warmed. protected, climate control farms encircling it



The recent reefing of the cruise ship Costa Concordia has dramatized the need for a device such as this to be deployable on large ships . It is a simple modification of the system used on large passenger aircraft.




This is a house which could be built like a Nautilus shell, able to expand by opening up a larger chamber.  

Cliff house


Cliffhouse showing stairs to elevator and the single steel beam inset into the cliff from which the house is suspended.
Vertical property is cheap!
 

Waterfall bathub



Waterfall bathtub  (in Roundhouse bedroom) 

Roundhouse



View of roundhouse from outside



  Roundhouse kitchen from outside showing island,
half-round refrigerator, sink, stove, glass cabinets and part of living room

   
Greeley kitchen




Planter, still working 1958 GE washer, dryer, 70's avocado green stove,
microwave with garage roof visible thru open roof drawing of Greeley house.

This is an idea to generate hydropower without all of the negative effects of dams on fisheries, erosion, silting, etc.



This would be one of many anchored in the center of a stream or river,
(scale up for the Amazon, down for the creek behind your house,). Generators
 would be housed in the rods which also connect the line to the anchors/powerout points. Slow rotation geared up would not hurt a minnow. Could also be anchored underwater with neutral buoyancy in areas of constant ocean current (Moloka'i channel)


This is my design for a tube the thickness of two lighters which would house a roll-up
and stiffen screen and keyboard. Could be used as a pad and/or as a notebook device.
Use as a relay baton invalidates Applecare
iTube SketchUp page
Folding iTube SketchUp page


Could also function as a phone/cam when folded