Pantheon of Wonder

Essay

Abstraction of Colorful Light

New Nanotechnology for Architecture: Liquid Repelling Coating

by Maria Lorena Lehman

Nanotechnology

Architecture Drawing

A new nanotechnology application has emerged where a special hydrophobic and oleophobic coating can be applied to almost any surface — and then that surface repels liquids like water and oil while also preventing rust, dirt, ice or grease from affecting the material’s surface. As you can imagine, nanotechnology applications emerge where within buildings such a coating can be applied to flooring, stairs, and rails to prevent slipping.

Other uses emerge for this coating as well. Just imagine protecting technologies that sit outside from natural elements like rain. The coating also helps to prevent corrosion, and it is even good for more sterile environments because it helps to prevent bacteria on treated surfaces. All in all, this nanotechnology coating can help buildings to be maintained, where their materials last longer.

So, what does this all mean?

Safer, Cleaner, and Longer Lasting Buildings?

There are a couple of examples where the use of such a nanotechnology coating still leaves questions to be answered. For example, this coating could help to keep building windows cleaner — but the coating is not made in a translucent “color” just yet. Also, what if this coating was applied to building materials, and then they caught fire. Could the fire be put out if such materials repelled liquid?

Of course, concrete coating in this nano material would stay cleaner longer — as it repels debris.

And this is only the beginning.

How might this coating impact the way buildings get perceived?

Well, building elements would behave a bit differently than expected. For starters, building materials would most always be dry. They would also be cleaner, and they would stay looking and feeling newer for longer. Plus, when it rained — the water would be repelled from the building, slipping right off. Walking within the building would prove to be safer, where shoe soles would grip the flooring materials that had been coated.

Do you think there are uses for such an innovation within buildings? And remember, repelling liquids is great, but there are times when you may want liquid to work on a material. So, it is important to be selective about where you use such a coating. The benefits must outweigh any risks.

Image Credit: © Kevin Krejci | Flickr

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Dear reader,


I believe life is a continual process of awakening. As the journey of my own life continues, I always find myself connecting my experiences, studies, and ideas to new creative projects that bring beauty, inspiration, and hope for our world. For over 30 years, since starting at age 17, I have immersed myself in architectural design; and early on, I earned a Master of Design with Distinction from Harvard University, setting the foundation for decades of deep immersion in the field. Yet even before this, I held music close to my heart. At the age of 5, I began my first piano lessons; and since then, I began to see the world through a musical lens — even while designing architecture.


Over the decades, I grew closer and closer to music with a deep love for the design of instruments, their unique timbres, and for all the immersive ways their sounds could be interwoven into beautiful orchestrated compositions. I even began to develop a musical composition methodology, Spatial Symphonics, as I found my architectural design work becoming more and more emotive, soul-stirring, and yes: musical.


In recent years, I finally turned my focus to music composition. I hold a Graduate Diploma from the Film Scoring Academy of Europe where my works have been recorded by the acclaimed European Recording Orchestra (ERO), and I am founder of MLL ATELIER® — an award-winning studio now dedicated to my work as an orchestral composer, recording artist, and spatial symphonist — where I advance architectural design through music, and innovate music through an architectural design lens.


It is my hope that I can share my ongoing musical-design journey with you, directly from my studio through my video-newsletter entitled 'Orchestral Notes'. Expect video updates filled with first-access studio news announcing: album/book releases, concert premiers, sheet music publications, creative process sneak-peeks, and my own compositional philosophies as they develop to fuel my ongoing body of musical and architectural authorial works.


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Let’s enjoy the beauty, inspiration, and hope that music brings.


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Warmly,

Maria Lorena Lehman


Founder of MLL ATELIER® | Orchestral Notes

Your invitation:


Dear reader,


I believe life is a continual process of awakening. As the journey of my own life continues, I always find myself connecting my experiences, studies, and ideas to new creative projects that bring beauty, inspiration, and hope for our world. For over 30 years, since starting at age 17, I have immersed myself in architectural design; and early on, I earned a Master of Design with Distinction from Harvard University, setting the foundation for decades of deep immersion in the field. Yet even before this, I held music close to my heart. At the age of 5, I began my first piano lessons; and since then, I began to see the world through a musical lens — even while designing architecture.


Over the decades, I grew closer and closer to music with a deep love for the design of instruments, their unique timbres, and for all the immersive ways their sounds could be interwoven into beautiful orchestrated compositions. I even began to develop a musical composition methodology, Spatial Symphonics, as I found my architectural design work becoming more and more emotive, soul-stirring, and yes: musical.


In recent years, I finally turned my focus to music composition. I hold a Graduate Diploma from the Film Scoring Academy of Europe where my works have been recorded by the acclaimed European Recording Orchestra (ERO), and I am founder of MLL ATELIER® — an award-winning studio now dedicated to my work as an orchestral composer, recording artist, and spatial symphonist — where I advance architectural design through music, and innovate music through an architectural design lens.


It is my hope that I can share my ongoing musical-design journey with you, directly from my studio through my video-newsletter entitled 'Orchestral Notes'. Expect video updates filled with first-access studio news announcing: album/book releases, concert premiers, sheet music publications, creative process sneak-peeks, and my own compositional philosophies as they develop to fuel my ongoing body of musical and architectural authorial works.


I would love for you to join me for this exciting adventure.


Simply click the button below to join my Orchestral Notes video-newsletter delivered every two weeks directly to your email inbox. Plus, get access to the full publication archives.

JOIN ORCHESTRAL NOTES

Limited availability each month.


Warmly,

Maria Lorena Lehman


Founder of MLL ATELIER

Author of PANTHEON OF WONDER

Maria Lorena Lehman has received the following awards and has been seen in the following publications: