The Design Technology Blog

Author: nelleithy

  • The Development of Aspartame in the Food Industry

    Aspartame has been the main ingredient of commonly applied sweeteners for more than thirty years. However, it is one of the most dangerous chemical compounds added to nourishment. Aspartame was discovered by accident in 1965 during research that contributed to medical findings for ulcers. In 1981, it was initially added to dried food as it was a “dietetic” alternative to ordinary sugars and it was cheaper than sweeteners that were typically used. It could be manufactured at factories in any quantity.

    Soon enough, by 1983, carbonated drinks were being sugared with aspartame although on December 5th, 1974, the American Food and Drug Agency overrode its permission  for use of the substance. However, after producers presented research proving that aspartame was totally safe, the food industry began utilizing the

    Aspartame Chemical Structure

    ingredient once again. Until this day, aspartame has been the subject of many controversies since its approval by the US Food Agency.
    Aspartame consists of three compounds: aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol. The most harmful is methanol because it decomposes to form acid and formaldehyde, which is a highly toxic neurotoxin. An excess of aspartic acid causes the death of some neurons in the brain because it causes the constant inflow of calcium into the cells.
    Sources of aspartame in food are:  sugarless chewing gum, instant cocoa,  yogurts, jellies, fruit and milk drinks, dietetic drinks, instant coffee and tea, purgatives, and frozen desserts.

    Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, and weight gain.

    Aspartame is marketed under the names Equal® and Nutrasweet®. Some children’s sugar-free snacks and beverages may contain aspartame. It is now estimated that over 6,000 food and drink products worldwide contain this popular artificial sweetener. Aspartame’s components separate when heated over time, resulting in a loss of sweetness. If a food containing aspartame was inadvertently heated, it would still be safe, but would simply not provide the desired sweetness

    http://aspartame.mercola.com/

    http://www.healthynutritionguide.info/interesting.htm#aspartam

  • Ole Scheeran’s Mahanakhon Bangkok Tower

    The Architectural Design

    “Mahanakhon will be the most ambitious complex of contemporary architecture and design in Thailand and the tallest building in Bangkok.” – Ole Scheeran

    This  great modern architectural building, which began construction in the Fall of 2009, is said to be one of the best designs in the world. The Mahanakhon Bangkok Tower designed by German architect Ole Scheeren is planned to be the tallest construction in Bangkok, Thailand. Ole Scheeren  has unveiled plans for The Tower of Mahanakhon, a 77-story skyscraper. The building is due to be completed by 2012.
    The Architectural Design
    The complex will be 150,000 square meters (approximately 1,6 million square feet) and is a series of components that comprise the new Mahanakhon square, which will be a landscaped outdoor public plaza.  With distinctive sculptural appearance, Mahanakhon has been carefully carved to introduce a three dimensional ribbon of architectural ‘pixels’ that circle the tower’s full height, as if excavating portions of the elegant glass curtain wall to reveal the inner life of the building. The design has been created with purpose of revealing life inside the tower. On the other hand, the building has been following and taking security protocol into great consideration in order to ensure the successful construction of the project.  The building will include luxury retail and dining areas. Its glittering stacked surfaces, terraces and protrusions will simultaneously create the impression of digital pixilation and echo the irregularity of ancient mountain topography. This architectural geography is conceived to convey the energy, intensity and inclusiveness of Thai society and celebrate Bangkok’s emergence as a true global capital, fitting the Thai meaning of the name Mahanakhon, translated as ‘great metropolis’. The building plans to also feature an adjacent freestanding 7-storey building known as The Cube, which will offer multi-level indoor and outdoor terraces. This provides a network of social spaces with an extensive and carefully selected mix of dining and leisure facilities.

    A close up of the tower

    Inside Manakhanon

    The new project is intended as a novel public destination within the city. Manakhanon will include luxury retail space with lush gardens and terraces, a major transportation hub, and a five-star hotel designed by Ian Schrager. It will have multiple levels of restaurants, cafes and a 24 hour marketplace. It also plans on including  Ritz-Carlton residences. Each residence is offering the atmosphere of a sky box penthouse. The project is working in collaboration with Marriott International and renowned hotelier Ian Schrager.

    More about the Project

    “MahaNakhon will be the city’s tallest building, but more significantly it will

    accurately represent the audacity of Bangkok today – the optimism and strength ofThai culture and the value of that culture to Asia and the rest of the world.” –Sorapoj Techakraisri, CEO of PACE Development.

    Homes available at Mahanakhon will range in size from 125 square meters (1,350 square feet) to 830 square meters (8,930 square feet) with ceilings up to 3.5 meters high (approximately 11.5 feet).

    Prices for the residences range from $840,000 USD.

    The Mahanakhon Tower at Night

    Sources Listed:

    http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/7054/omaole-scheeren-mahanakhon-bangkok.html

    http://www.archdaily.com/30025/mahanakhon-ole-scheeren-oma/mahanakhon_copyright_oma_ole_scheeren_v_22/

    http://www.archicentral.com/ole-scheeren-omas-design-for-mahanakhon-unveiled-22616/

  • Vetrazzo Furniture & Recycled Glass

    Recycled Glass

    Glass recycling is the process of transforming glass waste into reusable material and substances. Due to the fact that glass retains its original color even after being recycled, recyclers categorize the glass into groups according to color, resistance, strength, and hardness. Bottles, broken glass objects, light bulbs, etc. are all common waste products from households around the world. Glass products and materials are thrown in the trash every day and in many areas, never used again. Every metric ton of waste glass recycled into new items saves 315 additional kilograms of carbon dioxide from being released into the environment during the production of new glass.

    Process of Recycling Glass

    Glass is mostly composed of three main ingredients- silica sand, limestone, and soda ash. When glass is crushed during the recycling process, it returns back to its natural state. While being in this state, the glass is non-toxic and inert meaning it cannot contaminate the environment. Unlike other materials, glass is 100% recyclable making it one of the most recycled material around the world. The crushed recycled glassed, known as cullet, is then mixed with virgin raw materials (soda ash, limestone etc.)

    Recycled Glass applied into Modern Businesses

    As the green design initiative becomes more and more popular and encouraged, ec0-friendly regulations are implemented into the creation of products in present-day businesses and firms. Vetrazzo Furniture is known for its glass recycled surfaces. 85% of Vetrazzo’s products are manufactured out of recycled glass. Most of the glass comes from curbside recycling programs. Other glass comes from used windows, dinnerware, windshields, stained glass, laboratory glass, reclaimed glass from building demolition, and others. Vetrazzo was awarded a significant grant by California‘s Department of Conservation, Division of Recycling, to help expand the Vetrazzo product line as well as aid them in increasing product capacity.

    Sources Cited:

    http://www.glassworks.org/product_stewardship/how.html

    http://www.vetrazzo.com/index.asp

  • Ice Hotel in Quebec, Canada

    The “Hotel de Glace” was built in 2000 and is the only ice hotel in North America. It first opened its doors in 2001 and has been immensely successful from its very first season until present-day. By 2009, more than half a million of people had visited the hotel even for just one night in order to experience this unique opportunity. The hotel consists of 36 rooms. With its very own ice chapel, many couples have come to this hotel to get married. The interior temperature remains between -3 and -5 degrees Celsius.

    How it was built

    Photography by Ahmad Tawakol. Lounge in hotel

    The Ice Hotel was constructed using 500 tons of ice and 15,000 tons of snow to craft the Ice Hotel with its ceilings as high as 18 feet. The walls are up to four feet thick and are covered with original artwork and furniture carved from ice blocks. The hotel has a four-month lifespan each year before being brought down in April. Therefore, the hotel usually opens from the first week of January until the last week of March. It only took about a month and a half to build this hotel

    with only 60 workers. The Hotel makes its own snow using a special mixture to adjust the humidity. It is built with metal frames in order to allow the snow to harden for a few days  and then the cranes are removed. Each new season, the design of the hotel is altered with the placement of huge new ice statues and an evident change in the hotel’s design. For example, in the 2003 season, the theme of the hotel was fusion. However, in the 2008 season, the style was transformed to an antique-ish style as shown in the image on the left. Therefore, the architecture of the hotel changes regularly.

    Life in the Hotel

    Photograph taken by Ahmad Tawakol. One of the Guest Bedroo

    The furniture of the hotel is all made out of ice. To be able to sit or lie down on these pieces of furniture, deer skin fur are always available in the rooms.

    Photography by Ahmad Tawakol. Left section of reception area

    All beds have a solid ice base and a wooden bed spring with a mattress on top. The sleeping bags guarantee warmth since they they are covered in deer furs from the inside of the sleeping bag.  Only the bathrooms are heated and located in a separate insulated structure.

    Sources Cited:

    Canada Online Casinos 2026 – Safe Canada Casinos

    http://www.thetravelmagazine.net/i-3708–h-tel-de-glace-quebec-canada.html

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Hotel_%28Quebec%29

    http://www.ahmadtawakol.com

    http://ahmadtawakol.com/