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Charlie Paton is a product developer, maker, designer and forester. His early success was the invention and development of motorised lighting for theatre, TV and concerts. For the past twenty years, he has been developing his Seawater Greenhouse concept, designed to produce food and water on barren land, in hot and arid coastal regions. It harnesses sunlight and seawater in a unique and inspired way, to create a virtuous cycle that produces fresh food and fresh water, in locations where shortages of both are a significant problem. Charlie has designed and built projects in five locations around the world; simple and elegant it is potentially life-changing for huge numbers of people living in deprived coastal regions. The design has received many awards; most recently the national winner of the 2018 Shell Springboard Award for low-carbon design.
Mike Dempsey RDI talks with designer Charlie Paton RDI about his passion to provide a low-cost solution to one of the world's greatest needs - fresh water in hot, arid areas of our planet.
56 mins
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The Makings of a Better World | In Conversation
Charlie Paton RDI and Elora Hardy RDI are designers whose innovations in architecture and agriculture are changing the world. Sit in on a unique online conversation as they meet, exchange notes and consider the contribution design can make to sustainable development.45 mins
World first fully automated studio lighting
1988
1988
Power, fresh water, food crops and vegetation from sunlight and seawater
2008
2008
Restorative agriculture using sea water in the Australian Outback
2010
2010
Credits from left to right
Strand Lighting Ltd
Concept illustration, Seawater Greenhouse Ltd
Concept illustration, Seawater Greenhouse Ltd
Strand Lighting Ltd
Concept illustration, Seawater Greenhouse Ltd
Concept illustration, Seawater Greenhouse Ltd