First stop Houston Texas where a couple whom has been building buildings for years has decided to take a more eco friendly route. Built out of earth friendly materials where ever possible, reclaimed timber etc. The home is not only affordable but also incredibly good on the environment especially considering the city it is situated in.
As you can see the concrete and reclaimed timber provide an interesting view while still maintaining an ecologically friendly construction.
Dwell Magazine: November 2007
Meanwhile over in Santa Monica California 2 architects who also happen to be married attemptted to find some way to incorporate solar energy as much as possible into home design. By taking the modernist route with a geometric walls allows the solar panels to stand right out on the side of the building while making it appear like a part of the design.
Dwell: December/January 2006
Next up a building that while it has not been built yet, does symbolize what I believe might very well be the most sustainable design idea I have ever seen be implemented. In London the 2012 Olympic Games are fast approaching and in response Great Britain has commishsioned a new sports complex for the athletes. the complex is designed in such a way that the entire facility can be disassembled and moved some where else so that the Olympic park may be used for other things. It strikes me as being very careful about planning and about what materials you are using. This way many materials that could be harmful are essentially being recycled into this sports complex when and if it must be moved.
from the Architectural Record
Homes more and more today are becoming the target of more Green design. No better example can be found in none other than Oakland California where architect Robert Swatt has designed a Loft Apartment Complex that is made from sustainable materials and is considered by California to be a sustainable structure. Although his motive may not have been to build something sustainable Swatt has certainly shown that just because you dont intend a "green" project doesn't mean that you cannot in the end do so.
Dwell: December/January 2007
Ahh greenhouses, not just for plants any more I'm afraid, it would seem in Japan this kind of thing might be picking up steam. The buildings themselves seem more like an experimental Utopia but none the less the buildings themselves are quite amazing due to their being sustainable. Nearly everything about the building is made from recycled materials, even the solar panels which are made from plastic bottles. Temperatures are kept in check by the trees within the greenhouse an ingenious way to keep energy use down.
Dwell: Dwell Web page
Back into California in an attempt to break away from using so much energy one architect, Tryggvi Thorsteinsson renovated an old home with recycled materials and designed the plan in such a way that cooling and heating is very efficient thus reducing its necessity. what really stands out in this project is of course its outdoor dining room. My favorite feature is not only sustainable but designed with his children's safety involved. In th kitchen the corners are covered in recycled rubber to allow for the children to play safely. The walls remain unpainted to help save the enviornment from hazardous chemicals. Despite the fact they have nearly tripled the size of the home the energy cost is 1/3 of the original.
Dwell: February 2007
In Maryland the Clipper Miller Assembly building designed by Cho Benn Holback + Associates has recently been rebuilt after being destroyed in a fire in 1995. Now it has been rebuilt as a residential complex. But the point of sustainability I wanted to make a point of was the light shafts that have been placed in the building. this idea of sustainability is one that is gaining some popularity and I believe it was very appropriate in this space since the natural light it would provide through out the structure allows for the energy costs to be massively reduced and thus, helps to protect the enviornment further.
Architectural Record: May 2007
Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, on the coast of Tasmania a couple have commissioned a vacation home by 1 + 2 Architecture. this home is suprisingly efficent something many people would not concern themselves with in the middle of no where let alone on some sort of vacation property. The building is powered by solar panels on an angled roof. water is collected from rainfall and used through out the house. It is a largely self sufficent home this was due partly because of its location but also was considered in the design.
Dwell: April/May 2005
Abit outside of San Francisco a couple has taken to showing that style and sustainability go hand and hand and are possible. There homes design is so efficient that it can actually put energy back into the power grid. 95% of its timber is recycled, any materials that are recyclable could be found they were implemented. The building is a huge example of green design at work and successfully executed.
Dwell: June 2006
Even low income housing is beginning to embrace the green scene (you like that, you know you did). In Chicago, Murphy/Jahn has created a new low income housing unit which focuses not only on providing a home but also helping protect our enviornment. The airflow is efficent enough that it does not use nearly as much energy and the building is actually capable of generating between 200-300 KWh per module (of which there are 8) per month.
Greensource Magazine: October 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment