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Posts tagged architecture
Instead of building green, you can fix it green
Oct 1st
After a full year of thorough field and lab testing, New York’s electric, gas and steam utility, Con Edison, gives the earth-friendly GreenPatch their official companywide approval for exclusive daily use. GreenPatch replaces the conventional petroleum-based cold asphalt patching material (commonly referred to as “cold patch”) used on all subsurface utility construction and repair projects
The World’s First Sustainable City
Sep 2nd
Masdar, United Arab Emirates. It’s scheduled to be completed by 2016, but the city will be the first zero carbon, zero waste city powered entirely by renewable energy sources. Located 10.5 miles from Abu Dhabi, Masdar will be completed in seven phases and will include a plaza, a five-star hotel, a convention center, an entertainment complex and retail facilities. Images after the break
A Garden of Bricks? Startup Makes “Garden Grown” Bricks
Sep 2nd
The winner of the 2010 Next Generation contest from Metropolis Magazine is a brick that is grown rather than baked or fired. The process starts with sand, which is then printed with a layer of bacteria, calcium chloride, and urea. Microbes in the sand react with that mixture, forming a glue that binds the sand together. The finished product is as strong as marble and world-wide carbon emissions could be reduced by “at least” 800 million tons a year if this process were streamlined and the bricks were mass produced. Over 1.2 trillion bricks are manufactured every year. Images after the break
Old Red Goes Green
Sep 1st
With the environmental movement, why not improve the old building materials instead of making entire new ones? Introducing the save water brick from designer Jin-young Yoon that has built-in grooves meant to funnel water for gardening or long-term underground storage. Made from recycled plastic and decomposed leaves, the save water brick has the grooves on one side and looks like a normal brick on the other. So those self-conscious environmentalists can still blend in while sticking to eco-friendly principles. Images after the break.
Open Source Software Is Passé. Say Hello To Open Buildings.
Aug 6th
Who said only software and hardware can be open source? Open Buildings has been putting together a set of building designs that make the cut in terms of design, function and tech. Why? To spread the knowledge of architecture to people like you and me. The website houses an impressive database of buildings, monuments and homes. All this, crowdsourced. The website is a directory of the world’s buildings powered by you and me.
Sustainability: World’s Most Sustainable Building
Jun 26th
What do you call a building that’s powered by the sun and the wind? It’s called the Wuhan New Energy Center. Coming up in Wuhan, China, the Wuhan New Energy Center boasts to have a zero carbon footprint. The lily shaped building generates its own energy thanks to the vertical axis windmill and solar chimney. The building also harvests rain water within the building. The roof of the building is basically a solar panel array for generating electricity. The design allows the building to be cooled naturally. Designed by the design consultants Grontmij and Soeters Van Eldonk Architects the building will eventually stand 140 feet tall. The Wuhan Lily building is also the first building to be credited to be the world’s most sustainable building title. The building plans to house a research center and labs for researching new energy initiatives. Pictures of the lily after the break.
Video: A Full Sized Home In 300 Sq. Ft. Yup, Possible
Apr 26th
When you live in Hong Kong where space is the most important commodity, you tend to innovate in the way you live. That’s exactly what architect Gary Chang did with his tini-tiny apartment. Just 300 sq ft in overall floorspace, Gary Chang changed his home into a really large one by adding moving walls. A full sized bedroom, a TV room, a decent sized kitchen, a bath tub and even a guest bed – all in this much space? Watch video below to know how.
