Mr. Andersen inspecting the new experiment in compost toiletting at MMM

We all know it - “flush and forget” - we need to turn it into “Flush & Remember” - how can we design activities and acts that makes us understand that waste does NOT exist - everything is a resource, nothing EVER is waste - or should we say should or rathar CANT be. We need to redefine our view on how we manage our resources - all of them - even our own “left-overs”.

This video is the part 1 and 2 of maybe 10 more on same project - the ultimate composting toilet experience - and this film just shows some initial experimentation, just you wait and see the final result. And in case you want to come and work on this project please contact me. And also if you know where to get funding for the project - please contact me.

The following link is for Blip.TV - the quality is unfortunately not very good so a new version will come up asap. So please go to this link:

http://blip.tv/file/2061646/

“Rubbish - you are taking the piss”

This is acording to writer Adam Hart-Davis from the UK what people said to the men who were sailing urine to be made into alum (to be used for color fixation) in the UK in the 1600. Urine has been used for numerous purposes - and should if you ask me be again. Adam Hart-Davis has written some very interesting and entertaining articles about urine and feces - please click here to read more.

As one of the many activities there is to do here at MMM is of course gardening - and the DREAMS are BIG. I want to create a paradise here where nature and culture thrives - and I want to write and do more videos about the considerations and experiments happening here at MMM. This posting on the EXDL blog will be dedicated to the development of the MMM Gardens and micro farming.

The first video to be posted here is about the actual design of the kitchen garden - a garden for lazy people..or maybe busy, BUT also gardening about having a pact with the system around - as in nature, the plants, the earth, the water etc…see some of the considerations here.

Me with my planting in the new MMM kitchen garden - rubarbs and melons and some flowersseeds - will probably look stunning in some months..

MMM waterfall

Did you know that 70% of the earth surface is water and approximately 70 % of the human body consist of water. Water is one of the main elements for life on the planet. Without – read: CLEAN water - things could get rather grim. We actually know this and yet what do we do with water? Well we all know – and currently water is as so many other elements of the planet a bit out of balance due to our maybe not so appropriate use of it. There is perhaps nothing as important as the huge challenges we are facing when it comes to water. As all other elements we need to come to terms with our relationship with it. We need to treat it again as matter that’s as precious – or even more precious than gold. It is abundant but maybe too wild and mysterious to understand how we have managed to “influence it” in maybe not the best ways. Water is not dead or passive matter just floating in and around and everywhere us – it’s a beautiful amazing series of molecular structures which provides us with access to life as we know it here on the planet. Without clean water in todays and tomorrows world human life will stop to exist.

The challenge

We need to find more intelligent ways to live with water. Water dissolves more substances than anything else – but water has many more capacities, for remembering, for healing – some claim water has emotions and a kind of intelligence. Well for sure its smart and we could learn a lot from it – if we were listening and open enough as fx. Masuru Emoto (http://www.masaru-emoto.net/). Water is like all other natural elements needed to be seen as another collaborator – another living element - that helps and which as we do need care, love, and admiration. We need to re-establish a co-evolution with water – in all ways.
And as the Native Americans said: we do not own the water on this planet. We have to let it flow. We could also describe in a way that water needs to be considered and respected in equal ways as everything else that surrounds us . we all come from the same substances and we will all go back to the same forms. There is really not very much hocus pocus around that – its life as we know it here in this planet. And as animals, plants and the earth it self we all share life with water – in harmonious cycles – eternal cycles  – water is really air – its every ones and no ones – its just essential matters for life.
Lets work with water in respect for what it is and what it brings us and lets try and develop some amazing concepts where we live with and show apriciation at the same time. As we are doing it with other projects here on MMM – lets try to be as pragmatic as possible and allow for communal inspiration and accept of each others diversities and needs – does it sound gaga, well then go Mr. Emotos site and read about what water is all about.

Micro Macro Monde project:

-Aqua Culture MMM

The MMM project to be developed during this MMM Future Camp is called AQUA CULTURE – and a real project will be developed at MMM where some of the spaces in the old watermill will be developed as a kind of public bathhouse or spa or a sacred place for working with water – just an AQUA CULTURE project – a possible public bath or water house of tomorrow.

With:
- Niels Peter Flint,  designer & founder of MMM and EXDL
- Søren Femmer Jensen, Concept Developer, Strategic Director of Cocreative

Assisted by:
- Peter Pilkington, MMM centre operation manager

Time:

June 15th to June 20th 2009

IF YOU WANT TO DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE MICRO MACRO MONDE PROGRAM PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Paint On for Interfaceflor. Radical Sustainable Innovation concept developed by EXDL & Niels Peter Flint for INterfaceflor Europe. Photo Per Morten Abrahansen

-short intensive courses over 2 to 3 days or longer with top level executives, where you learn and experience how you can develop Radical Sustainable Innovation concepts and also learn about how you can implement them into your business / organization. The courses consists of lecturers, group work etc. steered by Niels Peter Flint & Søren Femmer Jensen.
Please require more information by e-mail or phone (please see below). These courses are only offered to companies and institutions – either at MMM or elsewhere, but please enquire about possibilities.

These courses are available to do on any location and can vary in length.
Reg. timings, payment and other practicalities please send an email to direct to npflint@exdl.com.

F YOU WANT THE MICRO MACRO MONDE COURSE & CAMPS PROGRAM summer 2009 focussed at students FOR DOWNLOAD PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Intense days about how to developing life-cupboards as NPF defines this RSI-concept on how to design your own very personal space. An kind of furniture which is where you keep your most “precious things” as well as “personal objects” etc. but its also a piece of furniture that you live with – and transform with – its possibly a coffin but for sure its your life rider cabinet. Come and build this unique object – and take it home (at your own cost - and materials are NOT included unless its scrap from the MMM re-resource centre).

With:
Niels Peter Flint, CEO and founder of MMM & EXDL

Possible Gueststars:

Peder Thomasen - UNdertaker and managing director EVERGREEN & Begravelses Service

Dorte Dahlin - Visual Artist www.dortedahlin.dk

Assisted by:
Peter Pilkington – MMM Centre Operation Manager

Time:
August 10th to August 15th 2009

IF YOU WANT THE MICRO MACRO MONDE COURSE & CAMPS PROGRAM FOR DOWNLOAD PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Liferider - the life cabinet - exhibition

Liferider - the life cupboard

This course is about how to design and develop small as well as the BIG solutions for tomorrow’s solar powered world. The course and related workshops will primarily focus how we can use photo voltaics (PV) appropriately in products as well as in buildings.

Solar power is most effective when it produces energy exactly where it is needed, becoming part of people’s lives. This course is about how to design and develop solar products to be attractive, efficient, accessible, and affordable. The course and workshops will cover micro and macro perspectives on how we can use photovoltaics (PV) appropriately in products as well as in our existing infrastructure.

2 solar experts will discuss various aspects of the emerging technology. Solar Designer, Amelia Amon, has worked with the integration of photovoltaics in numerous projects. She brings experience and knowledge about the latest developments in 3rd generation PV technology. Her approach will be to conceptualize the large-scale integration of PVs into the built environment, with a focus on aesthetics and multi-functional applications.

Shayne Mcquade utilizes PV’s in compelling consumer products, produced and marketed by his innovative company, Voltaic Systems. He will lead a workshop on designing and fabricating a new solar lamp / light for the lesser-developed part of the world.

Niels Peter Flint and Søren Femmer Jensen will invite students to work on realizable projects with the integration of PVs and other active and passive ways of using the sun. This work will be part of the design of a Micro Living house concept - please read more about Micro Living by clicking here.

This solar design course is an opportunity to create concepts and functional designs using PV technology as well as other sun and site-specific techniques. As always, this course work ties in to other MMM courses - in our global sustainable design perspective.

So all in all a course about how to create concepts and design around the use of PV technology and other techniques using the sun in new and BIGGER perspectives.

With:
- Amelia Amon, Designer, New York – expert on solar design - http://www.alt-technica.com/
- Shayne Mcquade, CEO of voltaicsystems – www.voltaicsystems.com
- Søren Femmer Jensen, Concept Developer, Strategic Director of Cocreative www.cocreative.com
- Niels Peter Flint,  designer & founder of MMM and EXDL www.exdl.com

Video presentions:

Amelia Amon:

Shayne Mcquade:

Time:

SOLAR & SUSTAIN
June 29th to July 4th 2009.

IF YOU WANT THE MICRO MACRO MONDE COURSE & CAMPS PROGRAM FOR DOWNLOAD PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Lightscape designed for Sharjah by Dorte Dahlin and Annemette Larsen. NPF consultant designer.

With:

- Dorte Dahlin – Visual Artist & founder of  Nomad Academy
- Niels Peter Flint – designer
-Feldenkrais teacher

Time:
August 3rd to august 8th 2009

IF YOU WANT THE MICRO MACRO MONDE COURSE & CAMPS PROGRAM FOR DOWNLOAD PLEASE CLICK HERE.

ESTETIQUE DURABLE ????

ESTHETIQUE DURABLE – Durable Aesthetics’

-About new dimensions in aesthetics’.
This course is a dialogue between 2 designers who have gone totally different directions and yet have a deep respect for each other and their work. Be part of an exploration process when they meet and “challenge” each other and their guests to develop an out door furniture / spaces exhibition made purely from materials available from the within 5 km from MMM – and spiced with new technology… Its about new aesthetics’ and sustainability.
This course is a dialogue between two designers sharing their experience of questioning design process.
Having shared their views as young designers in Milan twenty years ago, at the time when that city was the centre of design, they are now doing design, teaching, giving lectures and doing workshops worldwide
The world is at an exiting turning point, when questions relating to design process and responsibility are linked in a new way
NPF is an expert on sustainability and design, he also calls what he does “experience design” or “radical sustainable visions development”. MB is a designer focused on the power of shapes and materiality and the social connection objects have with humans and society.
You are invited to work and experience new cross sections in this
workshop, which will be a scenario for talks, experiments, making, showing, in other words, exploring a way for designing.

Time
July 27th to August 1st 2009

Mathilde Bretillot and Niels Peter Flint started their career in Milan (where they also met) 25 years ago working for members of the legendary Memphis Group. Both NPF and MB has since then worked with projects globally. NPF has since he left Milan dedicated his life to working with sustainability and design.

Concepts and products developed during this workshop might become part of the Micro Macro Monde Products Collections.

Monsieur and Madamme ESTHETIQUE DURABLE

With:
-Mathilde Bretillot
-Niels Peter Flint

Gueststar:
-George Lathourakis

Assisted by:
Peter Pilkington

IF YOU WANT THE MICRO MACRO MONDE COURSE & CAMPS PROGRAM FOR DOWNLOAD PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Trees once "ruled" the world - ever wonder what it would be like if there were noone left? It could happen if all the inhabitants of the world started using toiletpaper - and at the same time also would all want garden furniture made from wood.

WOODY SPARKS - Kick your perception of what wood is all about – or other ways of using wood and various ways of doing it. This workshop is totally dedicated to this unique material that makes up so much of what we do in today’s world. We have invited one of Denmarks best furniture makers and he will with local cabinetmakers be part of helping the participants to develop smaller object relating to wood which all and at the same time will be part of a kind of pavilion for the appreciation of wood - a small temple maybe - or maybe its a piece of furniture - who knows?? The idea is to discuss and see and understand better what wood is all about - not just as wood, but also as what are trees all about - and what do trees do and what would the world look like if we had no trees etc…a course for young students to learn about a fantastic material from people who believe they know something about it.

Time:

June 8th to June 13th 2009

With:
Niels Peter Flint, CEO and founder of MMM & EXDL
Søren Femmer Jensen, Concept Developer and Director Cocreative
Gert Kjeldtoft - http://www.kjeldtoft.com/

Assisted by:
Peter Pilkington – MMM Centre Operation Manager

IF YOU WANT THE MICRO MACRO MONDE COURSE & CAMPS PROGRAM FOR DOWNLOAD PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Wood delivers life as well as death - or maybe it just transforms....

The Crafts challenge

CRAFT = Utilitarian Design??

Crafts are deeply connected to the roots and mythical cultures all over the world. In many places crafts represent the connection between everyday life, philosophy, and a deeper belief in higher powers and forces. Today crafts are often transformed directly into a replica industry that rapidly loses its soul. But crafts are bearers of cultural soul. The craft industry employs millions of people worldwide. However, new technologies and cheap products flood the world with substitutes.
In order to make the crafts an up-to-date catalyst for prosperous development for millions of people and their cultures new ways of thinking and doing needs to considered. This project is about how to find new ways of using technology as well as maintaining the world heritage of old traditional ways of doing Craft. Crafts connects the material elements with spiritual dimensions, imaginary aesthetics with practical everyday life. The project is about dialogues between south and north, about movements that builds most of all on the skills and souls of the south – blend with the coolness of the north and the sustainable scope in general. The project will demonstrate new amazing visions and concrete actions that can happen when south inspires north and vide versa.

The Crafts opportunity – the challenges

CRAFTS new challenge

Chances are probably small that a traditional craft industry producing what it has done for decades can survive since there is a limit to how many breadbaskets and ashtrays the world needs. Crafts come from the art of living – the art of making useful, meaningful and beautiful objects. This could all be forgotten with a mass consumption market that just demands masses of products at as low a cost as possible.
How do we maintain a global craft industry that is vital and innovative and brings new maybe often controversial solutions to everyday life and is at the same time economically as well as ecologically sustainable?
Could the new advanced industrial ways of doing products and new concepts work with the old techniques?
Can we fusion these various ways of thinking and doing and come up with new seriously visionary and pragmatic concepts which will create possibilities NOT just for the craft industry BUT also create NEW and INNOVATIVE solutions that might help humans living more sustainable lives. Indigenous cultures often have many answers – and visions too. We think if we started sharing the concepts WORLDWIDE then maybe the crafts could get a “revival” and actually be part of the solutions rather than being part of the problem.

Crafts-echo – glocally

Of course a transformation of the crafts industry can only happen by involving the people being in there. We do not believe that its possible to come with a global solution – things need to be developed at local level, but we do however also believe it is extremely important that projects and ideas are linked globally in order for the people involved to benefit from each others experiences. The source is local – the products might be global and glocal.

Crafts – the customization industry of tomorrow

Fruit Bird

We believe that Crafts have immense possibilities when it comes to deliver “Products on demand” or “customized products and services” – customization is a “new” ancient way of thinking crafts. We believe this area needs lots of attention since it will be a way for creating entirely new possibilities for the Crafts.

Crafts for the future

MMM tree

Of course there will be sustainable craft business cases in 25 years. Terra cotta compost systems, rivergrass carpet tiles, new solutions for the homes of the next generations, African and Asian craft will transform over the next decades as time changes. Join us on a trip to the hearts of original human creativity – CRAFTS – the work of hands and mind – the connection between the social systems and the culture – lets do FUTURE (world) CRAFTS like when world music was created decades ago.

This first part of the FUTURE CRAFTS project consist of a series of activities (a camp and workshops and actual product / service development), which will start with a MMM Camp in France this summer 2009. Following FUTURE CRAFTS workshops will be held in minimum India and one other place before the results achieved till then will be shown and elaborated further on a FUTURE CRAFTS workshop in Denmark December 2009 during the UN Climate Change Conference.  The FUTURE CRAFTS visions and results will presented at The MMM event happening in The Old Couth Theatre in the centre of Copenhagen

Parts of individuals participating in this project will be offered to be assisting in the workshops in India and Mexico and also eventually being part of the MMM event in Copenhagen December 2009.

Participants in this project can be anyone, but if you are a student you are expected to be at minimum master level.

MMM project:
-STILL TO BE EXPLORED….or rather it’s a surprise. But projects and services and actual products are expected to come out of this process. We do not want to predict at all what it could be – just say that we know this process will bring new, radical and exciting results.

With:

-Neelam Chipper - Designer and CEO of INdus Tree - India

-Aparna Karve – Interior Designer & architect - India
-Nicholas Xynos – France ADER
-Niels Peter Flint – CEO Micro Macro Monde, EXDL - Denmark / France
-Mathilde Bretillot - Designer and Interior Architect, France

Mathilde Bretillot, Nicolas Xynos & NP Flint

Aparna Karve

Neelam Chibber & Mathilde Bretillot

ASSISTED BY:

-Peter Pilkington, Operations Manager Micro Macro Monde, France

-METTE Flint, Activity Coordinator Micro Macro Monde, France

Peter Pilkington

Mette Flint

Time:
20th to 26th of July 2009 –

Price:
This MMM-lab might get some sponsoring for the follow up activities but at this point in time nothing is sure. Pricing is based on the MMM basic costs which is 600 € pr. Person for the entire course in shared tent or room - all inclusive apart from insurance, internet, phone, travel, drinks and personal matters.

IF YOU WANT THE MICRO MACRO MONDE COURSE & CAMPS PROGRAM FOR DOWNLOAD PLEASE CLICK HERE.