Friday, April 17, 2015

Clemson University's Ceramics Program Designs Tableware for Indigo Pine Design & Solar Decathlon

Greenware ready for bisque!

The Art Department's Ceramics Tableware Team has been busy this semester designing and fabricating the bowls, plates and mugs the will be an integral part of Indigo Pine, the Clemson University entry into the Solar Decathlon.  While the competition will take place in Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California, local appreciators of fine design may view a version of the entry - along with the ceramic wares - at this year's Artisphere event in downtown Greenville, SC, May 8-10. 

Assistant Professor of Ceramics, Valerie Zimany, (foreground); Brittany Wilund (left)  and Lindsey Elsey (right). 

Indigo Pine: Clemson University Solar Home

www.clemson.edu/indigopine

www.indigopine.com

Every two years the U.S. Department of Energy sponsors the international Solar Decathlon competition. Comprised of architecture, art, engineering, and social science majors, along with dedicated faculty members, the Indigo Pine team is eager to take part in the event that will take place this fall at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California. Furthermore, the team will be building an iteration of the home in South Carolina that will serve as a hub for research and innovation for years to come on Clemson’s campus.

The Solar Decathlon challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and visually appealing. The competition winner best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency of their design.
The entire Ceramics Tableware Team!
Clemson University is altering the competition standards by electing to "email" our house across the country using only digital files to cut out our structural system using a CNC routing machine. This allows our home to be built virtually anywhere a CNC is available using off-the-shelf materials. We are challenging the construction and design world to think differently about sustainable building.

The competition will be widely broadcasted on a variety of media networks, including a live TEDtalk, and the event itself has sizable public attendance. In the 2013 Solar Decathlon, more than 65,000 visitors came through during the eight day public exhibit. Furthermore, a version of the home will be built on Clemson’s campus in South Carolina and will remain on site for an extended period of time for ongoing research on sustainable design.

The competition will be widely broadcasted on a variety of media networks, including a live TEDtalk, and the event itself has sizable public attendance. In the 2013 Solar Decathlon, more than 65,000 visitors came through during the eight day public exhibit. Furthermore, a version of the home will be built on Clemson’s campus in South Carolina and will remain on site for an extended period of time for ongoing research on sustainable design.