United Nations recognizes first-ever carbon-neutral soccer club

The Forest Green Rovers, a Gloucestershire-based team in the English Football League, who prides itself as "the world's greenest football club" has been recognized by the United Nations as the world's fist ever certified carbon-neutral club. The team joined the Football League last year in its first ever debut in the 129 year history of the club and is part of League Two. Along with receiving the prestigious designation, the professional football club has has signed up for the United Nations Framework...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/united-nations-recognizes-first-ever-carbon-neutral-soccer-club
via Inhabitat

About 90% of world's largest king penguin colony has mysteriously disappeared

Only 200,000 of the 2 million king penguins who lived on the French island of Île aux Cochons in 1982 still remain. The remote sanctuary lies halfway between the tip of Africa and Antarctica and is home to the largest colony of king penguins in the world. The species is the second most populous type of penguin after the Emperor penguin and they're drastic disappearance is a puzzling occurrence that scientists are still trying to piece together. “It is completely unexpected, and particularly...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/about-90-of-worlds-largest-king-penguin-colony-has-mysteriously-disappeared
via Inhabitat

Colorado Caravan converts a vintage Airstream into a sleek office for under $20K

You’ve probably spotted an old house trailer rolling down the road once or twice, looking shiny and new, and longed for that ramblin’ life. That freedom may be beyond your grasp at the moment, but Kerri Cole and Patrick Neely, the couple who own and operate Colorado Caravan, an Airstream trailer overhaul business, will be there when you’re ready. Since 2016, the Denver couple has transformed old Airstream trailers into portable bars, rooms on wheels for motor lodges, and mobile sales...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/colorado-caravan-converts-a-vintage-airstream-into-a-sleek-office-for-under-20k
via Inhabitat

A former Czech distillery is transformed into a vibrant co-working space

Czech architecture practice KOGAA Studio has transformed a former distillery into the Social Reactor, a new multifunctional venue in the heart of Brno, Czech Republic. The redesign preserves the 19th-century building’s post-industrial charms while inserting a new bright and modern aesthetic. Once vacant, the building is now an active gathering space with the power to regenerate a post-industrial area. Completed this year, the four-story property was originally part of a Distillate...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-former-czech-distillery-is-transformed-into-a-vibrant-co-working-space
via Inhabitat

Sebastian Maluska's pop-up rooftop tent converts any car into a camper

Related: The Tamarack Constellation Rooftop Tent Boasts an ‘Emergency Unisex Urinal’ "I spend a lot of time outside doing sport like skiing and surfing," said Maluska. "It is always nice to be the first on the mountain or the first in the water. Therefore I have to sleep right at the spot." + Sebastian Maluska Via Dezeen

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/sebastian-maluskas-pop-up-rooftop-tent-converts-any-car-into-a-camper
via Inhabitat

Former businessman bicycles down the Thames River to stop plastic pollution

Dhruv Boruah, a former management consultant turned environmental hero is cleaning up the Thames river in London on a floating bicycle. The self-constructed rig, made up of a bamboo bicycle with yellow floats on either side, a rudder and a pedal-powered propeller in the front has retrieved thousands of kilograms of plastic waste since beginning the project in 2017. The endeavor, named The Thames Project, is more about striking up conversations with passerbyers and raising awareness than it is about...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/former-businessman-bicycles-down-the-thames-river-to-stop-plastic-pollution
via Inhabitat

This gabled home wraps around an existing pine tree in Mexico

The magnificent pines of Mazamitla, Mexico are more than just scenic background for this single-family home—one of the trees has been integrated into the architectural design itself. Architects Alessandra Cireddu and Carlos M. Hernández of Barcelona-based design practice Espacio Multicultural (de) Arquitectura (EMA) crafted the ‘House Around a Tree’, a single-story abode punctuated by a mature pine tree. The house further embraces the landscape with its use of natural materials and an outdoor,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-gabled-home-wraps-around-an-existing-pine-tree-in-mexico
via Inhabitat

Movement to save grizzly bears from hunters scores a victory

Thomas Mangelsen who brought fame to "Grizzly 399", a female Yellowstone bear with her three cubs now recognized all over the world, has been selected to receive a hunting license in Wyoming. The photographer was one of 7,000 hopeful lottery applicants to appear on the "Issuance List" released on Thursday by the state's Game and Fish Department. However, unlike the majority of entrants in Yellowstone's first bear hunt in nearly half a century, Mangelsen hopes to tag his catch in a photo rather than...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/movement-to-save-grizzly-bears-from-hunters-scores-a-victory
via Inhabitat

Cleverly rotated volumes make the most of a tiny Shanghai apartment

With a population of over 24 million, it’s no wonder than apartments are small in the Chinese megacity of Shanghai. Thanks to clever space-saving techniques and design, however, making life pleasant in small spaces is more than possible, as seen in this recent apartment renovation on Kangping Road. Local architecture practice TOWOdesign transformed a 430-square-foot dwelling into the 10 Degrees House, a multifunctional abode that uses enclosed volumes to cleverly delineate its various programs...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/cleverly-rotated-volumes-make-the-most-of-a-tiny-shanghai-apartment
via Inhabitat

A terracotta home keeps naturally cool in one of Thailands hottest regions

The Thai province of Kanchanaburi is one of the country’s hottest regions, with a tropical savanna climate and annual temperature averages of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. So when Bangkok-based design practice Anghin Architecture set out to create a new addition to a riverside house they designed years ago, they prioritized passive cooling throughout. Taking advantage of the site’s topography, the house is positioned for optimal air circulation and cross ventilation to maximize comfort while minimizing...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-terracotta-home-keeps-naturally-cool-in-one-of-thailands-hottest-regions
via Inhabitat

Dramatic fountain and plaza define Foster + Partners newest Apple Store in Milan

Foster + Partners has unveiled images of Milan’s newest Apple Store—that’s just as strikingly gorgeous as we expected. Building off of Apple’s “Town Square” retail store concept and the city’s legacy of impressive public piazzas, the Apple’s Piazza Liberty Store features a new public plaza where locals and visitors can gather and enjoy views of the new dramatic fountain. The store is sunken below grade and includes a spacious, light-filled interior with mature live trees set in raised...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/dramatic-fountain-and-plaza-define-foster-partners-newest-apple-store-in-milan
via Inhabitat

Timber wedding venue in China mirrors the mountainous landscape

Related: Elegant Japanese wedding chapel mimics curved leaves + AIM Architecture Via Archdaily AIM Architecture, Mu We Co, wedding chapels, spa design, resort design, chinese architecture

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/timber-wedding-venue-in-china-mirrors-the-mountainous-landscape
via Inhabitat

After a makeover, this local shack becomes the envy of the neighborhood

Most everyone has strolled through a newly discovered neighborhood and suddenly come upon an orphan house. Sitting silently, often in the shadows of prettier houses, there’s a neglected home that once had dignity. A family of four discovered such home in Iowa City and transformed it into a star of the community.   Seeking a tranquil neighborhood near the University of Iowa campus, the family found the unpolished jewel built in the 60s on a quiet street lined with lovely modest homes....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/after-a-makeover-this-local-shack-becomes-the-envy-of-the-neighborhood
via Inhabitat

Computer modeling informed the whimsical design of this experimental home

At first glance, this house in Prague may look like a fanciful and whimsical work of art with little regard for practicality, but a deeper inspection reveals that careful computer modeling and budgeting actually informed its unusual form. Czech architect and co-founder Jan Šépka of the local practice Šépka Architekti designed this organic abode, called the House in the Orchard, as one of his latest experimental residences in the country. Raised on a stalk like a mushroom, the modernist three-story...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/computer-modeling-informed-the-whimsical-design-of-this-experimental-home
via Inhabitat

Hunters issued permits to import lion trophies to United States

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has revealed that the U.S. government has issued over three dozen permits allowing trophy parts hunted from lions to be brought back into the United States from Africa. The hunters' allowance of trophy elephant tusks was already set back in March 2018. The 38 permits issued to 33 lion hunters between 2016-2018 sanction the import of these trophy hunts undertaken in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Tanzania, Namibia and South Africa on a case by case basis. Both animals...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/trophy-hunters-allowed-import-of-african-lions-and-elephants
via Inhabitat

Only 13% of Earth's oceans remain untouched by humans for now

Only 13% of the planet's oceans are unaffected by human activities such as fishing and pollution according to a study from the Wildlife Conservation Society. This comes after studies in January and February revealed dead zones of marine wildlife quadrupling since the 1950's and industrial fishing areas now covering half the world's oceans. The study, published in Current Biology and executed in tandem with the University of Queensland, has completed the first systematic analysis of the Earths's blues...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/only-13-of-earths-oceans-remain-untouched-by-humans-for-now
via Inhabitat

School-in-a-Box brings the gift of learning to children in Papua New Guinea

Americans often take education for granted. Whether kids attend public or private schools, the opportunity to learn is always there, from kindergarten through high school and often beyond. Many squander this priceless endowment that many kids around the world only dream of. School-in-a box, the brainchild of Sydney architect Stephen Collins and various international non-profit groups, has made that dream a reality for many children in Papua New Guinea. In the Beginning Four years ago, Collins read...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/school-in-a-box-brings-the-gift-of-learning-to-children-in-papua-new-guinea
via Inhabitat

An urban farm and restaurant flourishes in Utrechts circular pavilion

A new restaurant celebrating sustainability has opened in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Designed by Dutch architecture firm cezeped, The Green House is a “circular” pavilion that houses a restaurant, urban farm and meeting center. Created as part of an initiative by Strukton Ballast Nedam and Albron, the experimental and temporary venue follows eco-friendly principles and features modular components so that it can be dismantled and moved to a new location in the future. The Green...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/an-urban-farm-and-restaurant-flourishes-in-utrechts-circular-pavilion
via Inhabitat

A striking modernist home in Joshua Tree can be yours for $498K

If you’re a fan of multidisciplinary American artist Fritz Haeg, here’s your chance to own and live inside one of his unique works. Located in Joshua Tree, this eye-catching Haeg-designed home has hit the market for $498,000. Sandwiched between two large five-acre Bureau of Land Management (BLM) parcels, this Joshua Tree home offers spectacular views in every directions. Located on a sprawling 45-acre lot at 2373 Arizona Road, this Fritz Haeg Joshua Tree residence is a one of...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-striking-modernist-home-in-joshua-tree-can-be-yours-for-498k
via Inhabitat

Colorful raised gardens bring greenery and shelter to the Thames riverfront

Cities across the world are reclaiming their waterfronts, including London where a series of verdant gardens are sprouting to reconnect the populace with the Thames River. As part of the Nine Elms Riverside Strategy to revitalize the waterfront in South West London, local architecture practice Studio Weave was tapped to design a landscaped pavilion that draws inspiration from the bygone industrial era. Raised on timber-clad steel columns, the pavilion—called the ‘Nine Elms Thames Walk Pavilion’—combines...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/colorful-raised-gardens-bring-greenery-and-shelter-to-the-thames-riverfront
via Inhabitat

SAOTA's Benguela Cove design takes rooms with a view seriously

  When you announce you’ve moved into a home on a cove, the first image that comes to mind is a house with glorious views. When SAOTA Architecture and Design in Benguela Cove Estate, Winelands, South Africa conceived this manor, they created a manse that affords spectacular visibility from nearly every room, on all levels – even from the bathtub. Perched just above the seashore of Benguela Cove Wine Estate in the Overberg region of the Western Cape, the sprawling 4550+ square foot...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/saotas-benguela-cove-design-takes-rooms-with-a-view-seriously
via Inhabitat

An old school bus is upcycled into an open-air theater in India

When Doaba Public School in Punjab, India decided to retire a twenty-year-old school bus, they were reluctant to part ways with the vehicle. The bus had belonged to the school’s first fleet of school buses—that has now increased to a fleet of over 50 vehicles—and so, the administrators tapped Indian design practice Studio Ardete to reuse the decommissioned bus. The resulting design, called the Bavillion, is a geometric pavilion that’s integrated into the school and offers a play area, an...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/an-old-school-bus-is-upcycled-into-an-open-air-theater-in-india
via Inhabitat

Set sail on these sustainable homes made from old cargo ships

Related: + Studio Komma Via Archdaily Studio Komma, Cargo ships into sustainable houses

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/set-sail-on-these-sustainable-homes-made-from-old-cargo-ships
via Inhabitat

Coca-Cola rewards recycling in the UK with half-priced theme park tickets

Many theme-park visitors in the United States are familiar with using bottle and canned soda they've purchased to score a discount entry to their favorite attractions. The United Kingdom however is flipping the script on who they'll reward with the premium concessions and how. Merlin, owner and operator of several resort theme parks in the United kindom such as Chessington World of Adventures, Alton Towers and Thorpe Park as well as LEGOLAND has teamed up with Coca-Cola to boost recycling and combat...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/coca-cola-rewards-recycling-in-the-uk-with-half-priced-theme-park-tickets
via Inhabitat

Taj Mahal will be restored to original glory thanks to environmental and cultural push

One of the Seven Wonders of the world the Taj Mahal, India's famous monument to love and popular tourist destination, is sparking a powerful environmental and naional heritage movement in India's city of Agra where it resides. The city can be found about 130 miles (210 km) away from the Indian capital, New Dehli, or eighth on the World Health Organization's (WHO) list of most polluted cities. The WHO reported that "92% of the world's population lives in places where air quality levels exceed WHO's...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/taj-mahal-will-be-restored-to-original-glory-thanks-to-environmental-and-cultural-push
via Inhabitat

Solar-powered glass PurePod cabins provide the ultimate connection with nature

Related: + PurePods Via Dwell

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/solar-powered-glass-purepod-cabins-provide-the-ultimate-connection-with-nature
via Inhabitat

A net-zero modern farmhouse kicks off a sustainable community in Texas

When a pair of retired ordained ministers set their sights on creating a sustainable community for “spiritual renewal”, the couple turned to Austin-based design practice Miró Rivera Architects to bring their vision to life. Located on a 47-acre meadow property in Texas, the recently completed Hill Country House serves as the community’s first housing prototype and as a private residence for the clients. Affectionately dubbed “The Sanctuary” by its owners, the spacious farmhouse-style abode...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-net-zero-modern-farmhouse-kicks-off-a-sustainable-community-in-texas
via Inhabitat

This round treehouse's undulating roof mimics the flow of water

Related: + MONOARCHI Via Archdaily MONOARCHI, Treewow O - A Tree House of Curved Round Roof

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-round-treehouses-undulating-roof-mimics-the-flow-of-water
via Inhabitat

Substance harmonizes with style in this former Spanish Colonial Revival home

Any home perched on the side of Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona, is a winner. With awesome sky views as the backdrop for majestic deep-red sedimentary sandstone mountain ranges, the vistas are demurely breathtaking, an awesome balance of beauty and tranquility. The owners of a Spanish Colonial Revival style house on the mountain loved the views but the design of the house stifled the indoor/outdoor relationship they craved. Claire and Cavin Costello of The Ranch Mine architectural firm stepped...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/substance-harmonizes-with-style-in-this-former-spanish-colonial-revival-home
via Inhabitat

This ivy-covered writers studio camouflages into a leafy backyard

Here at Inhabitat, we love the trend of creative backyard studios including this gorgeous Writer’s Shed that seamlessly blends into the verdant suburban surroundings of Melbourne. Designed by Australian practice Matt Gibson Architecture + Design in collaboration with landscape garden designer Ben Scott, the Writer’s Studio is a compact dwelling that uses a blanket of Boston Ivy for camouflage. Sustainability also played a large part in the energy-efficient design, which is based on passive solar...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-ivy-covered-writers-studio-camouflages-into-a-leafy-backyard
via Inhabitat

University of Queensland wants to drop "bommies" on the Great Barrier Reef

Experts at the University of Queensland are experimenting with a new way of saving Australia's Great Barrier Reef, one of the most endangered natural environments on the planet. Researchers in the Civil Engineering and Biological Sciences department have been salvaging portions of dead coral and recycling them into new structures that not only protect still active parts of the reef but restoring it with new life as well. The University scientists are working on the collaborative project with the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/university-of-queensland-wants-to-drop-bommies-on-the-great-barrier-reef
via Inhabitat

Colombia to produce free chocolate deforestation-free, that is...

As of July 17th Colombia has become the first Latin American country to commit to deforestation-free cocoa production, having signed a pledge with the Cocoa and Forests Initiative, an organization intent on achieving this goal throughout all cocoa producing nations. The country has been steadily increasing cocoa production in order to become a main stakeholders in the international marketplace. This effort has proved somewhat of a solution to Colombian figureheads in replacing crops like coca (what...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/colombia-to-produce-free-chocolate-deforestation-free-that-is
via Inhabitat

The origami-like monocoque pavilion in London is shaped by its environment

A striking prefabricated pavilion has popped up in London, bringing with it a social-enterprise cafe and multifunctional community space. Developed as part of the City of London Corporation’s transformation of the Aldgate gyrator into one of the largest public spaces in London’s Square Mile, the Portsoken Pavilion is a striking sculptural landmark that’s distinctive in its contemporary form yet sensitive to its heritage surroundings. Local architecture practice Make Architects designed the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-origami-like-monocoque-pavilion-in-london-is-shaped-by-its-environment
via Inhabitat

This family tiny home is built from recycled materials and reclaimed wood

Tiny houses have been in the limelight for several years but what makes the Margo and Eric Puffenberger custom built tiny home unique is how many of the materials were sourced from close family members. You’ll see wood from grandparents and Margo’s sister, shelves made from her great, great grandmother’s buffet, and windows and a door from Margo’s elementary school. The 180-190-square foot house was prompted by a casual car conversation. The 4 and 6-year old kids, Avery and Bennett, loved...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-family-tiny-home-is-built-from-recycled-materials-and-reclaimed-wood
via Inhabitat

Minimalism adds a modern twist to this traditional farmhouse

Columbus-based practice Jonathan Barnes Architecture and Design took cues from early 19th-century agrarian architecture for their design of the Sullivan House, a contemporary residence that comprises two gabled barn-like structures. Located in the leafy Ohio suburb of Worthington, this single-family home offers a modern take on the local farmhouse vernacular with its simple form clad in natural materials and large expanses of glass. Completed in June 2016, the Sullivan House is a...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/minimalism-adds-a-modern-twist-to-this-traditional-farmhouse
via Inhabitat

Recyclable House is an eco-getaway that celebrates the circular economy

A recently completed environmentally friendly retreat has opened for bookings on AirBnB in the picturesque countryside in Beaufort, Australia. Designed by Melbourne-based designer Quentin Irvine, the Recyclable House is an experimental modern home that stays true to its name with its use of recyclable materials and passive solar construction principles. Conceived as a “prototype house for the circular economy,” the four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath rental comfortably fits 10 guests and promises...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/recyclable-house-is-an-eco-getaway-that-celebrates-the-circular-economy
via Inhabitat

A modular extension boasts a seamless indoor-outdoor living experience

Modular architecture and sustainable strategies blend together in the Ivanhoe Extension, a bold and contemporary addition to a suburban home in Melbourne. Designed by Australian practice Modscape, the two-story extension not only creates more space for the clients’ growing family, but also offers a new way to embrace their beautifully landscaped backyard. The house is equipped with many energy-efficient solutions such as solar passive heating, rainwater harvesting, and double glazing with thermal...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-modular-extension-boasts-a-seamless-indoor-outdoor-living-experience
via Inhabitat

EPA may attempt to eliminate California's emissions independence

An announcement from Washington D.C. is expected on Thursday revoking California's state mandate that will require its citizens to purchase only electric vehicles that conform to its zero emission vehicle policy. The proposal, revealed by an anonymous source suggests the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Transportation Department plan to freeze national emission reqirements at 2020 levels until 2026. Experts estimate that national oil consumption post-2020 would increase by half...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/epa-may-attempt-to-eliminate-californias-emissions-independence
via Inhabitat

Astounding responsive map shows shark interactions with commercial fishers

Just in for the 30th Anniversary of Discovery Channel's popular Shark Week, an interactive map showing the interaction of 45 sharks tagged between 2012 and 2018 with commercial fishing vessels. The map, featuring over 150,000 miles of chartered shark territory and movement in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean seeks to shed light on the perilous environment in which the sharks manoever on a daily basis. Approximately 100 millon sharks are killed each year, some intentionally and others by accidental bycatch....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/astounding-responsive-map-shows-shark-interactions-with-commercial-fishers
via Inhabitat

Breezy, prefab cafe blends contemporary and traditional styles in Thailand

Thai design studio BodinChapa Architects designed Pasang, a contemporary cafe built with modular elements near the verdant city of Chiang Rai, Thailand. Envisioned as a community space where visitors and locals can interact and learn about the region’s relationship with pineapple farming, the cafe references the landscape with its natural material palette. Fitted with operable wood and glass louvers, the building can also be opened up to cross breezes for natural ventilation. Located in a “sufficient...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/breezy-prefab-cafe-blends-contemporary-and-traditional-styles-in-thailand
via Inhabitat

Escape to paradise in this nature-inspired surf hotel in Costa Rica

A beloved surfer hangout has been transformed into the stunning Gilded Iguana Hotel, a breezy and contemporary getaway that, despite its updated amenities, still exudes its original laid-back atmosphere. Located in the Costa Rican beach town of Nosara, the existing hotel was expanded and redesigned under the direction of Studio Saxe, a San Jose-based architecture firm renowned for their beautiful boutique hotel designs. Together with the owners, the architects sensitively restored and revitalized...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/escape-to-paradise-in-this-nature-inspired-surf-hotel-in-costa-rica
via Inhabitat

This cozy cabin in the woods was once just an old tool shed

An old tool shed has undergone a dramatic transformation in the hands of James Cutler, principal architect at American design practice Cutler Anderson Architects. Reimagined as a cozy, multipurpose cabin, the Studio/ Bunkhouse now serves as a workspace and living space for James and his twelve-year-old daughter. Nestled in the woods and faced with a large expanse of glass, the 80-square-foot cabin embraces stunning views of Puget Sound on Washington’s Bainbridge Island. Placed just...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-cozy-cabin-in-the-woods-used-to-be-an-old-tool-shed
via Inhabitat

Take a break in this nautically inspired tiny pod on a Scottish island

Related: + Via Archdaily

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/take-a-break-in-this-nautically-inspired-tiny-pod-on-a-scottish-island
via Inhabitat

A massive gabled roof protects this minimalist timber home from the snow

Linz-based architecture practice mia2/ Architektur has completed a charming minimalist home defined by a massive gabled roof. Located on a sloped site in Pyhrn-Priel-Region, an alpine region in Upper Austria, the timber home—dubbed Haus L—was designed to embrace the outdoors with full-height operable glazing that frames beautiful rural views and opens up to the outdoors. The dwelling also has an eco-friendly bent with its limited footprint and use of natural materials, including cellulose insulation....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-massive-gabled-roof-protects-this-minimalist-timber-home-from-the-snow
via Inhabitat

A new study reveals that urban green spaces may be an antidote to depression

A new study published in JAMA Open Network on July 20th by a group of researchers in Philadelphia suggests that symptoms of depression could be reduced by access to green spaces for those living near them. While previous research has cross-studied the beneficial effects of green spaces on mental well-being, experts such as Professor Rachel Morello-Frosch from the University of California, Berkley's Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management are regarding this experimentation as "innovative."...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-new-study-reveals-that-urban-green-spaces-may-be-an-antidote-to-depression
via Inhabitat

Green foods could clean up the construction industry

A new research study by Lancaster University's B-SMART program in the United Kingdom will be studying the effects of incorporating root vegetables in cement production thereby creating a stronger and more sustainable way of building. The project, funded by the European Union, has brought academic and industrial stakeholders together in order to identify "biomaterials derived from food waste as a green route for the design of ecofriendly, smart and high performance cementious composites for the next...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/green-foods-could-clean-up-the-construction-industry
via Inhabitat

A 1950s house receives a bioclimatic renovation in Mexico

When Mexican architecture practice HDA: Hector Delmar Arquitectura was tapped to renovate a dark and dated 1950s house in the city of Naucalpan, they did more than just update the dwelling to modern standards. The architects dramatically opened the existing structure up to light and the outdoors, expanded the footprint to a site area of 8,288 square feet and applied bioclimatic and sustainable strategies such as radiant floors and solar photovoltaic panels. The breezy home—called the C260 House—erases...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-1950s-house-receives-a-bioclimatic-renovation-in-mexico
via Inhabitat

Massive tree-like sculpture takes over Switzerlands largest train station

An explosion of color has taken over Zurich Main Station. In collaboration with the Fondation Beyeler, Brazilian contemporary artist Ernesto Neto has installed a stunning and monumental work of art that rises 65 feet to the ceiling height of the busiest station in Switzerland. Dubbed the GaiaMotherTree, this sculptural and interactive tree-like artwork resembles a living organism. Crafted from colorful strips of cotton knotted together with finger-crocheting techniques, Ernesto Neto’s...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/massive-tree-like-sculpture-takes-over-switzerlands-largest-train-station
via Inhabitat

A prefab chapels sculptural form amplifies the Spanish landscape

Perched on a hilltop in a bucolic rural landscape in southern Spain, the Sacromonte Chapel is a prefabricated, minimalist structure designed to coexist with nature in harmony. Designed by Uruguay and Brazil-based architecture firm MAPA, this sculptural place of worship is set on one of the highest peaks in the traditional Andalusian neighborhood of Sacromonte and overlooks unobstructed, panoramic views of its surroundings. The building was mainly constructed from cross-laminated timber panels and...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-prefab-chapels-sculptural-form-amplifies-the-spanish-landscape
via Inhabitat

Air pollution levels in national parks rival those of major US cities

The release of a study on Wednesday, July 18th in Science Advances could deter many national park visitors from exploring the country's national wonders in the near future. Research indicated that days where ozone levels presented a health hazard serious enough to prompt a warning by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were more prevalent in national parks than in urban areas. On the west coast, Sequoia National Park has become an air pollution chart topper according to a CNN report. The...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/air-pollution-levels-in-national-parks-rival-those-found-in-major-us-cities
via Inhabitat

Migratory barnacle geese threatened by rapidly rising Arctic temperatures

According to a study published in Current Biology, migrating barnacle geese that lay their eggs in the Arctic zones of northern Russia are becoming confounded by earlier springs in their traditional nesting grounds. The rising temperatures found in the Arctic circles are threatening the survival of this species that travels over 3,000 km, or 1,800 miles, to reach their egg-laying territory. The research, unveiled in May of 2018, noted that the geese habitually make the month long journey from parts...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/migratory-barnacle-geese-threatened-by-rapidly-rising-arctic-temperatures
via Inhabitat

Studio Gang to sustainably grow Toronto with this energy-efficient tower

American architecture practice Studio Gang has unveiled designs for One Delisle, a new residential tower that marks the firm’s first foray in Canada. Located in downtown Toronto on the corner of Yonge and Delisle, the project is envisioned as a standout architectural icon that combines a striking hive-like design with energy-efficient performance. The proposed building intends to achieve Tier 2 of the Toronto Green Standard. Inspired by plant growth, the sculptural, 16-sided One...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/studio-gang-to-sustainably-grow-toronto-with-this-energy-efficient-tower
via Inhabitat

This chic Moganshan resort celebrates the local Chinese landscape

Blessed with serene mountain vistas and rich in history, Moganshan also boasts a wide array of beautiful resorts including Anadu, a new rural retreat designed by local architecture firm Studio 8. Located at the northern foot of the Mogan Mountain in Huzhou about two hours from Shanghai, the luxury resort embraces its enticing surroundings comprising lush bamboo forests, tea fields and ancient villas. Constructed with natural materials throughout, the hotel is undeniably connected to its rural setting...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-chic-moganshan-resort-celebrates-the-local-chinese-landscape
via Inhabitat

An energy-efficient extension in Melbourne captures the owners adventurous spirits

A century-old Edwardian home has been combined with an airy and environmentally friendly extension in Melbourne, Australia. Commissioned by clients who had recently returned to Melbourne to settle down after years of working and traveling overseas, the renovated dwelling—called the Glide House—was crafted by local architecture firm Ben Callery Architects to serve as a space that would embody the clients’ adventurous spirit. The extension’s butterfly roof adds sculptural flair to the new building,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/an-energy-efficient-extension-in-melbourne-captures-the-owners-adventurous-spirits
via Inhabitat

A former leather tannery is transformed into an apartment trio in Lisbon

Lisbon-based architecture firm Aurora Arquitectos has breathed new life into a former leather tannery in the capital of Portugal. Five years in the making, the recently completed apartment refurbishment project turns a single floor into three independent apartments covering a total area of 3,385 square feet. To celebrate the building’s original 18th century architectural style, the architects applied elements of Pombaline design into their renovation including modular elements and a pared-back...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-former-leather-tannery-is-transformed-into-an-apartment-trio-in-lisbon
via Inhabitat

Unusual Kerplunk House is envisioned as a miniature forest in the desert

Design collective I STIFFEN THEE has completed Kerplunk House, a desert shelter with an eye-catching arrangement of exposed wood piercing through its cuboidal volumes. Inspired by nature and traditional colonial Spanish architecture, the structure was built with stucco and exposed wood and elevated off the ground for minimal site impact. Conceived as a multipurpose live-work space, the Kerplunk House forms part of a desert propagation center and will be gradually surrounded by desert flora. Split...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/unusual-kerplunk-house-is-envisioned-as-a-miniature-forest-in-the-desert
via Inhabitat

FDA re-appropriates the term 'milk,' to potential benefit of dairy industry

Current federal standards of what classifies as milk have been changed as of April 2017 in an attempt to boost sales on dairy related products. Alternative substitutions regarded as "plant-based dairy imitators" popular among vegetarians and health conscious individuals may no longer use the term as a result of changing regulations. Items in the category made from almond or soy must find a new label as the only recognition accepted by the FDA is "the lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/fda-re-appropriates-the-term-milk-to-potential-benefit-of-dairy-industry
via Inhabitat

Jane Goodall and conservationists move to obtain bear hunting licences in Wyoming

Up to 22 of Yellowstone's grizzly bears are in danger as Wyoming opens up its first bear hunt since the Endangered Species Act of 1975. Wildlife conservationists working alongside famed animal rights champion and educator Jane Goodall raised over $28,000 online for their campaign "Shoot'em with a Camera, Not a Gun" which has infiltrated the list of approximately 7,000 lottery members applying for a hunting licence in the state of Wyoming. The state's game and fish department, who unanimously voted...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/jane-goodall-and-conservationists-move-to-obtain-bear-hunting-licences-in-wyoming
via Inhabitat

This weekend home in Mexico blends in with the forest landscape

Mexican architecture firm AM30 Taller de Arquitectura has inserted a site-specific weekend home into a forested site in Atemajac de Brizuela, a small town southwest of Guadalajara, Mexico. Dubbed the EC House, the dwelling is split up into a series of interconnected stone-clad volumes placed around existing pine trees and oriented for best views of the nearby mountains. In addition to a natural materials palette that blends the home into the landscape, the EC House was designed to minimize site impact. Located...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-weekend-home-in-mexico-blends-in-with-the-forest-landscape
via Inhabitat

UNStudio completes a marina with a luxe yacht-like clubhouse in China

UNStudio’s Asia office recently completed the Keppel Cove Marina & Clubhouse, a massive waterfront complex in the city of Zhongshan in China’s Guangdong province. Set on the banks of the Xi River, the Keppel Cove Marina was created as part of a 50,000-square-meter masterplan that includes a service building, high-end residential villas, as well as supporting infrastructure such as bridges, roads, and external dykes. Sinuous lines define the eye-catching new marina and clubhouse, which is...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/unstudio-completes-a-marina-with-a-luxe-yacht-like-clubhouse-in-china
via Inhabitat

Girl Scouts introduces 30 new badges with emphasis on the environment and STEM

New STEM oriented Girl Scout badges have been announced by the Girl Scouts of the USA and Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council as of July 18th, 2018. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The 30 new badges round out last year's issuance of educational programs for girls ages 5-18. Among the curriculum are subjects that "address some of society’s most pressing needs, such as cybersecurity, environmental advocacy, mechanical engineering, robotics, computer science,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/girl-scouts-introduces-30-new-badges-with-emphasis-on-the-environment-and-stem
via Inhabitat

Danish-inspired holiday cabin is a dreamy Pacific Northwest hideout

Seattle-based design practice Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects is no stranger to creating charming cabins that embrace nature in the Pacific Northwest. So when a local family tapped the firm for a vacation home on a wooded plot overlooking the Hood Canal, the architects delivered with a clean and modern dwelling thoughtfully integrated into the site. Called ‘The Coyle’, the cluster of gabled buildings draw inspiration from the owner’s Danish roots and are wrapped in dark-stained cedar...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/danish-inspired-holiday-cabin-is-a-dreamy-pacific-northwest-hideout
via Inhabitat

A 19th century building is reborn as solar-powered temporary housing for families in need

No matter where you live or what you do for a living, there’s always a chance that fate will take a few bad turns and you’ll need short-term housing for your family. The Cambridge Health and Human Services Department (CHHSD) and Cambridge’s HMFH Architects recently joined forces to build a shelter in a lovely old 19th Century building once thought doomed for demolition. Once a grand aluminum-gilded lady keeping company among dignified homes on either side along Massachusetts...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-19th-century-building-is-reborn-as-solar-powered-temporary-housing-for-families-in-need
via Inhabitat

An updated Scandinavian summer cottage weaves Japanese influences throughout

There are few better places to spend a Scandinavian summer than in a breezy cottage by the water. One stellar example is the Summer House completed by Swedish architecture firm Kod Arkitekter in the northern Stockholm archipelago. Located on an island and surrounded by the forest and sea, this home makes the most of its idyllic surroundings with a design that maximizes indoor-outdoor living and combines Scandinavian cottage traditions with Japanese minimalism. Built of timber to reference the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/an-updated-scandinavian-summer-cottage-weaves-japanese-influences-throughout
via Inhabitat

This minimalist timber writers studio in Switzerland is suspended in mid-air

Most writers need a quiet space to gather their thoughts and do their work. Tapping into this need for solitude, Oslo-based Rintala Eggertsson Architects designed ‘In Praise of Shadows,’ a minimalist writer’s cabin built primarily of timber and suspended in the air on the grounds of the Maison de l’Écriture, a literature institute in Montricher, Switzerland. The compact hut takes inspiration from the cross in the Swiss coat of arms for its geometric form and is lifted into the air beneath...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-minimalist-timber-writers-studio-in-switzerland-is-suspended-in-mid-air
via Inhabitat

Mount Kilauea transforms Hawaii's coastline with the birth of a new island

Just as mass attention towards Mount Kilauea begins to diminish, the young Hawaiian volcano has commandeered this week's headlines by claiming the formation of a new island in the Pacific Ocean. Thankfully no fatalities have resulted from Kilauea's eruption, which launched its ongoing destruction of Hawaii's main island on May 3rd, 2018. Recently geologists working at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a leading organization in tracking global volcanic activity, have reported volcanic creation -...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/mount-kilauea-transforms-hawaiis-coastline-with-the-birth-of-a-new-island
via Inhabitat

Adorable prefab nursery in Greece mimics a tiny urban village

For design collective KLAB Architecture (kinetic lab of architecture), one of the biggest challenges with public buildings in Greece is the lack of architect involvement in the construction process. To circumvent the problem, KLAB Architecture turned to prefabrication for their design of a public nursery in the Athens suburb of Glyfada. Drawing inspiration from a child’s archetypal drawing of a house, the modular gabled structures are clustered together to form the appearance of tiny urban village....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/adorable-prefab-nursery-in-greece-mimics-a-tiny-urban-village
via Inhabitat

An old bungalow is transformed into an award-winning home with a modern extension

Los Angeles-based Edward Ogosta Architecture has breathed new life into a 70-year-old bungalow with a modern new addition fitted with massive windows. Named the Rear Window House, the Culver City dwelling spans 1,450 square feet and was commissioned by clients who sought extra space for their growing family. The new extension respects the local architecture—predominately low-slung bungalows from the post-war era—and maintains the 3:12 roof slope shared by the existing house and surrounding residences....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/an-old-bungalow-is-transformed-into-an-award-winning-home-with-a-modern-extension
via Inhabitat

The Eye of the Storm dome home can withstand hurricanes and it's officially on the market

Beachfront homes on Sullivan’s Island off Charleston, South Carolina are among the most magnificent dwellings in the country. With vistas that seem to extend beyond infinity and backyards bordering Charleston Harbor, these upscale houses offer the ideal trio of magnificent ocean views, peace and tranquility – except during hurricane season. After Hurricane Hugo demolished their prized home on the island in 1989, the owners’ son George Paul, a builder and designer of dome structures, rebuilt...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-eye-of-the-storm-dome-home-can-withstand-hurricanes-and-its-officially-on-the-market
via Inhabitat

Energy-plus home is a beacon of sustainability in Tel Aviv

Israeli architecture firm Geotectura recently completed a striking modern home that can produce more energy than it needs. Located in Tel Aviv, the single-family home—called the Eco360—combines traditional passive design principles with improved energy-efficient systems such as solar photovoltaic panels and a gray water system. The sustainable dwelling also embraces views of the outdoors as well as plenty of natural light. The project brief was for a modern home that could elegantly...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/plus-energy-home-is-a-beacon-of-sustainability-in-tel-aviv
via Inhabitat

Midcentury, Scandinavian-inspired Canadian chalet gets a spectacular renovation

An aging chalet in Canada that was facing demolition has been completely turned around thanks to a stunning renovation led by Montreal-based design studio Alain Carle Architecte. Originally built in the 1960s, the Maribou Residence features midcentury Scandinavian architectural influences—no doubt inspired by the rise of Alvar Aalto’s reputation during that time period. Enamored with the home’s history, the clients wanted to conserve the home’s original character while modernizing the appearance....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/midcentury-scandinavian-inspired-canadian-chalet-gets-a-spectacular-renovation
via Inhabitat

This massive Sun Ray could sustainably power 220 homes in Melbourne

What if renewable energy infrastructure could be both functional and beautiful? Exploring that notion is Italian architectural practice Antonio Maccà, who designed ‘Sun Ray,’ a massive solar collector that could generate enough energy to power 220 Melbourne homes—with approximately 1,100 MWh of electricity produced annually. Shortlisted for this year’s Land Art Generator Initiative Melbourne design competition, the conceptual design was conceived as a symbol for the future of sustainable...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-massive-sun-ray-could-sustainably-power-220-homes-in-melbourne
via Inhabitat

Futuristic library pops up in an ancient Chinese city

Incredible, futuristic-looking libraries have been taking root across China, including in one of the country’s most famous ancient cities, Xi’an. Once the capital for thirteen dynasties, the Shaanxi Province city is now home to the curvaceous, all-white Zhongshu bookstore with a design that looks like something straight out of a science fiction film. Crafted by Shanghai-based Wutopia Lab, the bookstore was constructed from 300 tons of steel and 30,000 meters of light strips. Located...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/futuristic-library-pops-up-in-an-ancient-chinese-city
via Inhabitat

This yurt-inspired modern cabin is a holiday getaway in Slovakia

Bratislava-based architect Peter Jurkovič of design practice JRKVC has designed a contemporary cabin by the lake that takes inspiration from traditional yurts. Created for a young married couple who own a creative studio in Bratislava, the holiday retreat—called ‘Attila’ as a nod to the nomadic tribes that used yurts in Central Asia—is located in the village of Vojka nad Dunajom, approximately 12 miles away from Slovakia’s capital city. In addition to serving as a cozy getaway, Attila...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-yurt-inspired-modern-cabin-is-a-holiday-getaway-in-slovakia
via Inhabitat

Escape into nature at Alberto Kalachs timber cabins in Oaxaca

Renowned Mexican architect Alberto Kalach has designed a series of idyllic timber cabins along the Pacific Ocean in Oaxaca, Mexico. Available to rent on AirBnB, these cabins built near the beach were developed as part of the Punta Pájaros, an ecological development located approximately 25 minutes from Puerto Escondido, a port town with stunning surf, jewel-like beaches, and a buzzing nightlife. The cabins, which are strategically placed away from the hustle bustle and are oriented to face the ocean,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/escape-into-nature-at-alberto-kalachs-timber-cabins-in-oaxaca
via Inhabitat

This beautiful planted bridge doubles as a public gathering place in China

When Beijing-based practice DnA Design and Architecture was tapped to renovate an old stone masonry bridge in Zhejiang, China, founding architect Xu Tiantian saw it as an opportunity to create a transformative and culturally significant gathering space for the public. Spanning the Songyin River, the updated Shimen Bridge now features a beautiful timber addition with built-in seating, planters, and even a centrally located square with trees. Here, villagers are encouraged to come and enjoy their surroundings...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-beautiful-planted-bridge-doubles-as-a-public-gathering-place-in-china
via Inhabitat

Derelict property transformed into a vibrant, sunny hostel in Portugal

When design firms Aurora Arquitectos and Furo were asked to transform an old building in the Portuguese coastal resort town of Cascais into a hip hostel, they had their work cut out for them. Though the roof was still standing, the interiors were completely rundown. Using a laminated steel frame to reinforce the structure, the architects steadily transformed the building from ruin into welcoming lodgings that play up the vacation theme with tropical prints and bright, sunny colors. Located...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/derelict-property-transformed-into-a-vibrant-sunny-hostel-in-portugal
via Inhabitat

Lush green roof camouflages the Chameleon Villa into the Indonesian tropics

True to its name, the Chameleon Villa is a residence that seamlessly blends into its forested surroundings in Bali thanks to its integration of lush greenery. Designed by international architecture practice Word of Mouth House, the contemporary dwelling spans nearly 11,000 square feet, yet deftly hides its bulk with a landscaped roof. The “camouflaged” roofs also help promote natural cooling and are integrated with rainwater collection and recycling systems as well as solar panels. Located...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/lush-green-roof-camouflages-the-chameleon-villa-into-the-indonesian-tropics
via Inhabitat

Glass elements dramatically open up a solar-powered Sydney home

In Sydney’s affluent suburb of Kirribilli, a contemporary home stands out from its Victorian manor neighbors. Local design practice Bijl Architecture reworked an existing semi-detached home into the Doorzien House, a two-story home that takes full advantage of its sweeping Sydney harbor views. In addition to floor-to-ceiling glazing installed in the rear of the house, glass elements are used throughout the house—in the form of skylights, flooring, highlight panels and balustrades—to fill the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/glass-elements-dramatically-open-up-a-solar-powered-sydney-home
via Inhabitat

UN Environment and Yale present a sustainable tiny home in NYC

Un Environment and Yale University’s School of Architecture just unveiled an innovative tiny-house that explores the intersection of policy and eco-conscious design. The Ecological Living Module, located at the UN Plaza in New York City, is a sustainable dwelling that embodies many of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Developments, several of which are under review this month at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Designed by an interdisciplinary group of engineers,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/un-environment-and-yale-present-a-sustainable-tiny-home-in-nyc
via Inhabitat

Ancient rural hamlet reinterpreted as a solar-powered modern home

Rimini-based GGA Gardini Gibertini Architects renovated a cluster of historic buildings into a modernist dwelling set in the lush Italian countryside. Named the AP House, the project comprises three structures with a more streamlined farmhouse aesthetic on the exterior and a light-filled contemporary interior. The striking renovation is located on one of the highest hills in Urbino atop ancient remains that date back to the Medieval Communes. Clad in rustic stonework, AP House consists...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/ancient-rural-hamlet-reinterpreted-as-a-solar-powered-modern-home
via Inhabitat

The spacious Camberwell House reconnects a large family with nature

Camberwell House, by AM Architecture, had a tall order to fill. The renovated property is a redesign of an existing structure that aimed to bring together parents and kids as well as fuse the indoors with outside.   The result is a 5,920 square-foot property in Melbourne, Australia. The family wanted a larger indoor living space to accommodate their numbers as well as an improved layout that would allow them to enjoy both indoors and outside.   To full the family’s demands,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-spacious-camberwell-house-reconnects-a-large-family-with-nature
via Inhabitat

Snhetta designs an energy-positive data center to fight climate change

Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta and real estate developer MIRIS have unveiled designs for ‘The Spark,’ an urban data center that reuses excess heat to power cities. Framed as a “solution to the global climate crisis,” the prototype is designed to power cities with up to 18,000 people. The city of Os, located south of Norway’s second largest city, Bergen, will be the first municipality to test the concept as part of a plan to become the world’s first-ever energy positive city. Created...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/snohetta-designs-an-energy-positive-data-center-to-fight-climate-change
via Inhabitat

Geothermal-powered Forest House showcases sustainable features in Maryland

Set on the edge of a forest conservation area in central Maryland, the Forest House is a contemporary home integrated with a wide variety of energy-efficient features. Local design firm Gardner Architects LLC designed the spacious home that responds to passive solar principles and rises to the height of the tree canopy to capture surrounding views. The sustainable technologies include geothermal energy, rooftop solar panels, rain gardens, as well as low-tech solutions like stack ventilation. Commissioned...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/geothermal-powered-forest-house-showcases-sustainable-features-in-maryland
via Inhabitat

The luxurious Pohutukawa tiny home on wheels lets you live large in style

The notion of living large in small spaces is perfectly captured in the Pohutukawa, a tiny house on wheels that fits up to six people and boasts a double mezzanine. Designed by New Zealand-based firm Tiny House Builders, the contemporary Pohutukawa is a luxury tiny house that comes with a fully fitted-out interior and all the necessary hookups. Keep scrolling to take a peek inside the surprisingly spacious tiny house. Fitted out with all the modern comforts of home, the Pohutukawa...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-luxurious-pohutukawa-tiny-home-on-wheels-lets-you-live-large-in-style
via Inhabitat

Confluence Park's new solar-powered pavilions collect rainwater and provide shade from the summer sun

San Antonio’s idyllic Confluence Park just became a little greener and more scenic, thanks to the teamwork between American firms Lake Flato and Matysys with the support of landscape architect Rialto Studio. The riverfront park now boasts sweeping sculptural pavilions that provide shade from the fierce Texas sun as well as an elegant method for collecting rainwater.   Confluence Park is located at the spot where the San Antonia River merges with San Pedro Creek. Covering just over 3...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/confluence-parks-new-solar-powered-pavilions-collect-rainwater-and-provide-shade-from-the-summer-sun
via Inhabitat

Historic warehouses transformed into a swanky boutique hotel in New Orleans

New York City-based architecture and interior design firm Stonehill Taylor tapped into New Orleans’ storied past for their design of The Eliza Jane, a new boutique hotel a few blocks west from the city’s iconic French Quarter. The unique hotel was created from seven centuries-old warehouses that were combined and renovated to form a variety of elegantly dressed spaces including 196 guest rooms with 50 suites, a fitness center, garden courtyard, lounge, restaurant, and lobby. Created...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/historic-warehouses-transformed-into-a-swanky-boutique-hotel-in-new-orleans
via Inhabitat

Go glamping with views of the Statue of Liberty on NYCs Governors Island

A new glamping destination has popped up in an unlikely destination—on a 172-acre island just across the river from New York City’s Statue of Liberty. Launched by Denver-based Collective Retreats on Governors Island, the Collective Governors Island retreat combines luxury tents with modern amenities in a verdant setting just a quick ferry ride away from Manhattan. The experimental campsite is the first time camping has been allowed on Governors Island, which has recently undergone dramatic changes...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/go-glamping-with-views-of-the-statue-of-liberty-on-nycs-governors-island
via Inhabitat

A former ski lift station takes on new life as a bold mountain lodge

A small mountain lodge has replaced an old lower ski lift in the Krkonoše mountains in the Czech Republic. The project from Czech studio ADRhas been nominated for a Czech Architecture Award 2018.   The lodge is named after the confluence of the Kolben and Černá Voda streams, which marks the location of the elegant mountain retreat.   The small structure was created as a lodge for short-term guests of the Tereza mountain chalet’s owner.   The mountain dwelling...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-former-ski-lift-station-takes-on-new-life-as-a-bold-mountain-lodge
via Inhabitat

This off-grid, lunar lander-inspired tiny home is out of this world

If you’ve ever dreamed of going to outer space, prepare to swoon over this spacecraft-inspired holiday home perched on the edge of the Columbia River in Central Washington. The tiny home—named the Lunar Lander—was designed and built by Kurt Hughes, a naval architect of Kurt Hughes Sailing Designs who applied boat-building techniques to make the unique structure habitable, comfortable, and environmentally friendly. Elevated off the ground on steel pillars, the off-grid geometric abode measures...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-off-grid-lunar-lander-inspired-tiny-home-is-out-of-this-world
via Inhabitat

This floating park in Rotterdam is made from recycled plastic waste

Over 1,000 square feet of plastic ultimately destined for the ocean is getting a second lease on life in Rotterdam. On July 4, 2018, Recycled Park opened their first phase to the public: a floating park made entirely of recycled waste. According to a report commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, over 1,000 cubic meters of plastic is transported every year down the Meuse River and into the North Sea. The plastics come from landfills, agriculture, sewage and...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-floating-park-in-rotterdam-is-made-from-recycled-plastic-waste
via Inhabitat

Illegal ivory trade continues to thrive in Europe

International rights group Avaaz says the illegal ivory trade is still alive and well in Europe, after they purchased 109 illegal items across ten nations. The items were taken off the streets by the activist group funded by public donations. <!—more--> During their four-month investigation, the non-profit was able to successfully purchase ivory items in ten European nations, including Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom. Their authenticity and age were...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/illegal-ivory-trade-continues-to-thrive-in-europe
via Inhabitat

This rammed-earth home features a beautiful, spiraling rooftop garden

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-rammed-earth-home-features-a-beautiful-spiraling-rooftop-garden
via Inhabitat

Eco-conscious Birkenstock HQ in Melbourne targets carbon-neutral status

A two-story heritage building in Melbourne has been remade into Birkenstock Australia’s new headquarters, an eco-conscious development with a modern aesthetic to reflect the classic elegance of their shoe line. Designed by local architecture firm Melbourne Design Studios (MDS), the adaptive reuse project targets carbon neutral status thanks to its solar photovoltaic system, passive solar design, and a sustainably minded material palette that includes recycled timbers and natural materials. The...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/eco-conscious-birkenstock-hq-in-melbourne-targets-carbon-neutral-status
via Inhabitat

This vibrant, waterproof pavilion floats along the canal at the 2018 Bruges Triennial

A spectacular art and architecture festival is currently underway in Bruges, Belgium—and the attractions include a beautiful floating pavilion by Spanish architecture firm SelgasCano. Evocative of their vibrant and curvaceous work for the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in 2015, the SelgasCano pavilion in Bruges is likewise a colorful affair, made with pink-orange fluorescent vinyl that allows light and views to pass through. Commissioned by the city for the 2018 Bruges Triennial, the pavilion serves...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-vibrant-waterproof-pavilion-floats-along-the-canal-at-the-2018-bruges-triennial
via Inhabitat

Award-winning Palm Springs home embraces the California climate in sustainable style

Los Angeles-based architecture firm Poon Design Inc. crafted a luxury residence that eschews the mid-century modern style for a more minimalist and contemporary design fitted out with sustainable technologies. Dubbed ‘Museum Modern,’ the Linea Residence G home serves as a production home that the architect and developer say can be completed for a “record low construction cost” totaling one-fourth the cost per square foot of typical high-end residences seen in Southern California. The all-white...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/award-winning-palm-springs-home-embraces-the-california-climate-in-sustainable-style
via Inhabitat

Foster + Partners-designed Apple Store glows like a paper lantern in Macau

Foster + Partners has unveiled a new Apple Store in Macau—and it’s very different from the all-glass buildings we’ve come to expect. In response to the hustle bustle of the port city known as the “Las Vegas of Asia”, the British international architecture studio crafted Apple Cotai Central as an oasis of calm housed in a glowing cube surrounded by bamboo. Instead of the Apple brand’s iconic full-height glazing, the architects applied a “first-of-its-kind” glass-stone composite facade...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/foster-partners-designed-apple-store-glows-like-a-paper-lantern-in-macau
via Inhabitat

Krill fishers partner with Greenpeace to protect Antarctic wildlife

An unlikely alliance has formed between krill fishing companies and environmental protection groups over a common cause: protecting the Antarctic Ocean. Greenpeace is teaming with members of the Association for Responsible Krill Harvesting (ARK) to ensure wildlife sustainability of the southern ice cap. The agreement was announced during the Greenpeace Antarctic 360° event in Cambridge. The individual fishing companies honoring the agreement are all ARK members, representing 85 percent...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/krill-fishers-partner-with-greenpeace-to-protect-antarctic-wildlife
via Inhabitat

Coral forests thrive near Sicilys underwater volcanoes

Nearly one kilometer below the water surface near Sicily, a rare ecosystem of corals, sponges and wildlife is thriving. A recent study from conservation agency Oceana discovered a healthy and active coral forest previously undiscovered by humans. As an under-researched area, scientists wanted to learn more about the wildlife near the Aeolians Islands north of Sicily, the location of several underwater volcanoes. Exploring around a kilometer under the surface, the team found a forest rich...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/coral-forests-thrive-near-sicilys-underwater-volcanoes
via Inhabitat

Starbucks ditches plastic straws for the environment

Coffee drinkers around the world can soon rest assured their daily latte is getting better for the environment. Starbucks announced they will eliminate single-use plastic straws from over 28,000 company owned or licensed stores by 2020. Plastic pollution from single-use products is a major concern. The United Nations’ Environment Program estimates as much as eight million tons of disposable plastic products end up in the oceans, where it ultimately harms aquatic ecosystems. Related: This...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/starbucks-ditches-plastic-straws-for-the-environment
via Inhabitat

Bjarke Ingels is crowdfunding a massive reflective sphere for Burning Man 2018

A massive airborne sphere is gearing up to be one of the most eye-catching pieces at this year’s Burning Man festival. Designed by architects Bjarke Ingels and Jakob Lange of the world-renowned architecture firm BIG, The Orb is a giant reflective sphere that would serve as an art piece and wayfinding device. To make the inflatable art installation a reality, the architects have launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo seeking $50,000 over the next two months. Elevated into...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/bjarke-ingels-is-crowdfunding-a-massive-reflective-sphere-for-burning-man-2018
via Inhabitat

Old shipping container repurposed as a 40-foot-tall parking booth

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/old-shipping-container-repurposed-as-a-40-foot-tall-parking-booth
via Inhabitat

Gleaming, recyclable facade clads a solar-powered Dutch house

Move over brick and mortar—a new house in Amsterdam is eschewing the traditional facade for a striking alternative that gleams golden in the sun. Local architecture practice MOPET architecten designed the contemporary home—named the Brass House Amsterdam—for a family who sought sustainable features. In addition to its fully recyclable facade, the house is equipped with solar panels, LEDs, and triple-insulated glazing. Sandwiched between two brick buildings in the city’s IJburg...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/gleaming-recyclable-facade-clads-a-solar-powered-dutch-house
via Inhabitat

These beautiful desert biodomes will be 100% self-sustaining

In an effort to decrease conventional tourism, which accelerates pollution, soil erosion, loss of natural habitats and endangered species, the United Arab Emirates is encouraging ecotourism for the millions that visit the country each year.   The Biodomes will be located in the Al Hajar Mountains, the eastern region of UAE, and home to rare species of Arab wildlife. The project seeks to raise awareness of mountain biodiversity through programs at the wildlife conservation center and an...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/these-beautiful-desert-biodomes-will-be-100-self-sustaining
via Inhabitat

Mode:lina upcycles construction materials into an industrial-chic eatery

This new eatery in Poznań, Poland sports an unconventional interior that’s all about imaginative upcycling. Polish architectural interior design studio mode:lina fitted out the restaurant—called The Rusztowanie Grill and Bistro—with a suite of construction materials repurposed into decor, serving plates, lighting fixtures and more. Serving up comfort food like massive burgers and hearty soups, the contemporary eatery’s contemporary and industrial-chic design matches its Instagrammable food...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/modelina-upcycles-construction-materials-into-an-industrial-chic-eatery
via Inhabitat

Sweden is on track to meet its 2030 renewable energy goals this year

Sweden’s ambitious goal to provide renewable and affordable energy by 2030 is expected to become reality a little ahead of schedule. The Swedish Wind Power Association (SWPA) says their members are on track to generate 18 terawatt-hours of electricity every year by the end of 2018, putting the nation on track to reach their goal 12 years early. In 2015, Sweden joined with 16 other world powers to develop the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The plan focused...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/sweden-is-on-track-to-meet-its-2030-renewable-energy-goals-this-year
via Inhabitat

Origami-inspired Aqualagon water park is a site-sensitive extension of the landscape

With their bright, multicolored slides and tubes, most water parks stick out like unsightly sore thumbs in the landscape—but that’s not the case for the site-sensitive Water Park Aqualagon in Villages Nature Paris Marne-la-Vallée, France. Designed by Paris-based Jacques Ferrier architecture, the enclosed water park features a folded and glazed design that takes inspiration from the Japanese art of origami and is largely informed by site conditions. Conceived as an extension of the forested landscape,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/origami-inspired-aqualagon-water-park-is-a-site-sensitive-extension-of-the-landscape
via Inhabitat

A couple turns a Mercedes Sprinter into a solar-powered home on wheels

Related: + Joyful Vans Via Tiny House Talk Joyful Vans

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-couple-turns-a-mercedes-sprinter-into-a-solar-powered-home-on-wheels
via Inhabitat

LEED Platinum housing for the homeless takes over a formerly vacant L.A. lot

Los Angeles-based design practice Michael Maltzan Architecture transformed a vacant suburban lot into the Crest Apartments, a LEED Platinum-certified permanent supportive housing center assisting homeless individuals and veterans. Commissioned by the Skid Row Housing Trust, this striking light-filled property promotes healthy lifestyles with its inviting community-focused design. In addition to serving the homeless, the 45,000-square-foot development also offers major benefits to the local community...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/leed-platinum-housing-for-the-homeless-takes-over-a-formerly-vacant-l-a-lot
via Inhabitat

Red List expands to 26,000 endangered species

Japanese earthworms, the Mauritian Flying Fox and the Bankoualé Palm are joining over 26,000 species categorized as “endangered.” The latest International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN) Red List report identifies 26,197 plants and animals facing extinction, out of 93,557 facing serious environmental threats around the world. Australia’s reptile population possibly faces the most threats of all species. With the current developments, 975 reptiles native to the island on the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/red-list-expands-to-26000-endangered-species
via Inhabitat

This kitchen in a box makes it easy to cook in micro-apartments and tiny homes

Young professionals living in micro-homes can install a fully functioning kitchen in their spaces soon, without additional space or even complicated hardware. A recent graduate of Britain’s Royal College of Art unveiled her capstone work aimed at helping , titled Assembly – a single-package, flexible cooking set for millennials. The complete kit is around the same size as a toaster oven but contains everything an individual living in a micro-apartment would need for a functional kitchen....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-kitchen-in-a-box-makes-it-easy-to-cook-in-micro-apartments-and-tiny-homes
via Inhabitat

A former anti-aircraft platform is now a beautiful skywalk in Gibraltar

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-former-anti-aircraft-platform-is-now-a-beautiful-skywalk-in-gibraltar
via Inhabitat

Snarkitectures mind-bending Fun House opens at the National Building Museum

In Washington D.C., a massive mind-bending Fun House has taken over the National Building Museum to offer an interactive experience that easily lives up to the exhibition’s name. Created by New York-based collaborative design practice Snarkitecture, Fun House is the latest installment in the Museum’s Summer Block Party series of temporary structures. The exhibition also commemorates Snarkitecture’s ten-year history and showcases 42 of the firm’s projects using the traditional American house...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/snarkitectures-mind-bending-fun-house-opens-at-the-national-building-museum
via Inhabitat

This Swiss straw-bale house is completely self-sufficient

Traditional building techniques and modern technology come together in the House in Berne, a self-sufficient straw bale house in Graben, a Swiss village located less than an hour’s drive north of Bern. Trun-based architecture practice Atelier SCHMIDT GmbH designed the modern home that was crafted to blend in with his rural surroundings by taking on the appearance of an old Bernese farming house and is powered entirely by rooftop solar panels. Completed this year, the House in Berne...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-swiss-straw-bale-house-is-completely-self-sufficient
via Inhabitat

The SPACE pod from IO House lets you go off-grid in style

THE SPACE by IO House allows you to go off-grid easily and harmoniously while still enjoying modern features and conveniences. Combining sustainable living with luxury comfort, THE SPACE can be placed anywhere you go, from a river’s edge to a forest clearing. All you need to bring along is a smart device to connect. THE SPACE brings the rest: water, electricity, heat and WiFi. Combining the tranquility of nature with the serenity of home, each detail in THE SPACE has been designed to be aesthetically...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-space-pod-from-io-house-lets-you-go-off-grid-in-style
via Inhabitat

This British caf is serving to-go coffee in ceramic mugs to combat waste

A coffee shop northeast of London wants to serve your next coffee in a mug from your home. The La Tour Cycle Café has a novel idea to stop their reliance on disposable coffee mugs: pour everything into reusable ceramic cups. A 2017 report from Britain’s House of Commons discovered as many as 2.5 billion coffee cups are disposed across the United Kingdom every year. This equates to over 6.8 million cups per day. To cut down the amount of waste from hot beverages, the café started serving...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-british-cafe-is-serving-to-go-coffee-in-ceramic-mugs-to-combat-waste
via Inhabitat

Eating seaweed could reduce cows' methane production

Cow methane production could be curbed by a special food mixed with a specific strain of seaweed. A recent study from the University of California, Davis suggests bovines who eat the experimental feed produce less greenhouse gas than their peers.   According to the Pennsylvania State University, agriculture contributes up to seven percent of America’s greenhouse gas emissions. Up to 264 gallons of gas are belched by ruminal animals (like cows) daily, consisting of carbon dioxide...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/seaweed-could-reduce-cow-methane-production
via Inhabitat

Schemata Architects weaves modern design into a traditional Japanese house

Tokyo-based design practice Schemata Architects have reworked a traditional Japanese residence into a modern dwelling with an office, while keeping many of the 80-year-old building’s original features intact. Located in the seaside city of Kamakura an hour south of Tokyo, the Hojo Sanci is set in a quiet and lush residential area. To minimize changes to the original building structure and retain an open feel, the architects used differing floor heights and finishes to differentiate the programmatic...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/schemata-architects-weaves-modern-design-into-a-traditional-japanese-house
via Inhabitat

The 1970s brick Upside-Down House gets an eco-friendly refresh

Melbourne-based Inbetween Architecture has breathed new life into a dark and tired 1970s double brick home in Kew, Australia. Nicknamed the Upside-Down House, the gut-renovation includes a dramatically transformed interior in addition to a focus on natural daylight and energy efficiency. In addition to increased daylighting with skylights and adherence to passive solar principles, the remodeled home was fitted with energy-saving LEDs, hydronic heating, improved insulation, and solar-powered ventilators....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-1970s-brick-upside-down-house-gets-an-eco-friendly-refresh
via Inhabitat

A 17th-century Spanish hospital gets transformed into a cozy library

When Madrid-based design practice Murado & Elvira Architects won a competition to turn the ancient Sancti Spiritus Hospital into the Public Library and Historic Archive for the Spanish city of Baiona, they wanted the renovation to focus on the concept of hospitality. In contrast to the historic stone and plaster facade that was left in place, the architects transformed the interior with maple wood volumes to create a sense of coziness and comfort. Eight years in the making, the 1.5 million Euro...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-17th-century-spanish-hospital-gets-transformed-into-a-cozy-library
via Inhabitat

This tiny home lets visitors experience life as homesteaders

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-tiny-home-lets-visitors-experience-life-as-homesteaders
via Inhabitat

7 meat-free alternatives for BBQ lovers

Marinated Halved Zucchini and Summer Squash - Sesame/Soy Sauce/Garlic/Ginger Corn on the Cob in its own Husk with Garlic Butter Tandoori Veggie Kebabs (squash or zucchini, cherry or grape tomatoes, red onion squares, tofu) Grilled Eggplant and

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/7-meat-free-alternatives-for-bbq-lovers
via Inhabitat

5 (mostly) free and easy ways to green your Fourth of July

Image credit: modified photo from Giolou's Flickr photostream Substitute Tofu Pups and Garden Burgers for hot dogs and hamburgers Raising livestock uses an incredible amount of energy and releases tons of methane into the air. This year, try serving

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/5-mostly-free-and-easy-ways-to-green-your-4th-of-july
via Inhabitat

7 tips for a red, white and GREEN Fourth of July!

TIP 1: Lose the Plastics If there's anything worse than plastic plates, it just might be their styrofoam counterparts. One of the easiest things you can do to go green is to reach for biodegradable plates, cups and cutlery when you're shopping for your soirée

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/7-tips-for-a-red-white-and-green-fourth-of-july
via Inhabitat

6 easy tips to green your Fourth of July

Summer veggies, Shutterstock 1. Go Meatless for the Day Nothing says 4th of July like a backyard barbecue but the global meat industry has put a terrible strain on the planet. So this year, why not ditch the pork chops and steaks and consider some delicious

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/top-6-tips-for-a-green-4th-of-july
via Inhabitat

Historic Danish cottage with lush seaweed roof hits the market for $414,000

Related: + Adam Schnack Via Treehugger

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/historic-danish-cottage-with-lush-seaweed-roof-hits-the-market-for-414000
via Inhabitat

This self-sufficient tiny house is designed to pop up anywhere

If you’ve ever dreamed of living off the grid without giving up contemporary comforts or style, you’ll love Petit Place, a sustainably minded tiny house designed by Dutch architecture firm RoosRos Architects. Created to follow the WikiHouse principle, the Petit Place concept was conceived as an open-source solution that will be available to everyone and easily customizable thanks to its modular design. Powered by solar energy, the tiny home is designed to pop up anywhere and follows sustainable...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-self-sufficient-tiny-house-is-designed-to-pop-up-anywhere
via Inhabitat

Dairy farmers' excess milk gets a second life feeding the hungry

When automation caused a significant surplus and price drop of dairy products, one non-profit stepped up to ensure food – and farms – don’t go to waste. Philabundance, a food bank in Philadelphia, is working with cow ranchers to sell their foods while keeping hungry families fed in the city. After shifting farms from traditional milk packaging and sales, Pennsylvania’s dairy farmers struggled to keep family businesses afloat. According to a study by the Center for Dairy Excellence,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/dairy-farmers-excess-milk-gets-a-second-life-feeding-the-hungry
via Inhabitat

Arctic shipping routes could threaten "unicorns of the sea"

The “unicorn of the sea” could be at risk from additional arctic shipping routes, as polar ice continues to recede. A peer-reviewed study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests as many as seven marine mammal species, including the narwhal, may face uncertainty because of increased ship traffic. The Arctic Ocean is home to hundreds of animals, like the narwhal, polar bears and whales. However, as the polar ice caps retreat, more shipping companies are taking...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/arctic-shipping-routes-could-threaten-unicorns-of-the-sea
via Inhabitat

Solar-powered Swiss home uses prefabrication to minimize site impact

Ralph Germann architectes completed the House MW, a contemporary prefabricated home designed to overlook views of the Lac de Joux in Vallee de Joux, Switzerland. Built for a couple and their child on a budget, the dwelling was constructed using prefabricated systems to reduce waste, costs, and site impact. The home was built with a concrete “skeleton” clad in locally sourced spruce with fiberglass insulation. Created as a modern home with traditional farmhouse influences, the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/solar-powered-swiss-home-uses-prefabrication-to-minimize-site-impact
via Inhabitat

These colorful glamping pods are tucked into a South Korean mountain range

Related: Alterra beach resort uses shipping containers for private glamping cabins "We wanted guests to feel as if they are living deep in the forest – directly in touch with the natural environment rather than being disconnected from it, as is the case with many 'destination' resorts," said Soohyun Chang, the founder of London- and Zurich-based practice Atelier Chang. + Atelier Chang Via Dezeen Atelier Chang, SJCC Glamping Resort, glamping tents, glamping resorts,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/these-colorful-glamping-pods-are-tucked-into-a-south-korean-mountain-range
via Inhabitat

Australia takes stand on single-use plastic bags

Single-use plastic bags are going out of style in Australia, but shoppers aren't thrilled by the reduction. Two major retailers, Big W and Coles, ended the use of plastic shopping bags from their stores. The move effectively outlaws their use in nearly every Australian state. After Tasmania and South Australia started by installing a plastic bag ban, national retailers voluntarily began relying on them in stores. On June 20, 2018, Woolworths stopped offering single-use bags, instead charging...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/australia-takes-stand-on-single-use-plastic-bags
via Inhabitat

Natural light floods this energy-efficient Dublin home from all sides

London and Dublin-based design practice Anthro Architecture recently completed a light-filled dwelling that takes cues from the region’s breezy seaside vernacular. Located in Dakley, South County Dublin, the two-story Villa 9010 was completed for a young family in the side garden of the client’s redbrick childhood home. Triple-glazed windows combined with underfloor heating, highly efficient insulation, an air-to-air heat pump and mechanical heat recovery ventilation ensure a low-energy footprint...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/natural-light-floods-this-energy-efficient-dublin-home-from-all-sides
via Inhabitat

Award-winning Hungarian home combines old-world charm with modern style

Hungarian architects András Varsányi, Péter Pozsár and Norbert Vas have given the traditional Hungarian farmstead a modern refresh with their design of the Wooden House, a contemporary country house completed for approximately 500,000 Euros ($585,300 USD). Located in the small village of Algyő in the Great Hungarian Plain, the tranquil family retreat was conceived as an antidote to city living. Although the new home is undoubtedly modern, it also shares the same footprint as the old farmhouse...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/award-winning-hungarian-home-combines-old-world-charm-with-modern-style
via Inhabitat

Renzo Piano-designed condo to become first high-end residential Zero Waste Building in NYC

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano’s first residential building at 565 Broome Soho is nearing completion in New York City—and it’s expected to become the city’s first high-end residential Zero Waste Building. That eco-friendly distinction—achieved through the diversion of over 90 percent of waste from landfills, incinerators and the environment—will be complemented by other green features such as ample daylighting, electric vehicle charging stations, and refillable water bottle...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/renzo-piano-designed-condo-to-become-first-high-end-residential-zero-waste-building-in-nyc
via Inhabitat

Trading specimens for science? Theres a website for that

Scientists looking for rare research specimens, like the Smoothtooth blacktip shark or Antarctic skates, now have a website to request or trade biological odds and ends. Built by scientists and backed by startup accelerators, Otlet.io allows researchers to list their surplus research samples and request those currently not available through other means. The website is a product of frustration: founders Lauren Meyer and Madi Green had trouble finding specimens to complete projects. After completing...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/trading-specimens-for-science-theres-a-website-for-that
via Inhabitat

Congo could open its national parks to oil drilling

Two national parks in the Democratic Republic of Congo could soon face pollution threats after oil drilling is given the green light. The national government announced on Friday, June 29, 2018, they would permit oil wells in parts of the Salonga and Virunga National Parks.   Salonga National Park contains over 13,000 square miles of rainforest in the Congo Basin, making it the second largest in the world. The dense jungles are home to approximately half of the world’s mountain gorillas,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/congo-could-open-its-national-parks-to-oil-drilling
via Inhabitat

Architect turns four shipping containers into an affordable and eco-friendly home

Related: Stunning shipping container home can be yours for $125k + Matt Elkan Architect Via Dwell Matt Elkan Architect, shipping container home, building a home out of shipping containers, shipping container architecture, shipping container home in australia, sustainable shipping container home, sustainable design, eco friendly homes, home design, green design,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/architect-turns-four-shipping-containers-into-an-affordable-and-eco-friendly-home
via Inhabitat