The inaugural opening ceremony of the new MOL Campus, designed by Foster + Partners in London and Finta Studio in Hungary, was held on 8 December. The impressive 143-meter-high building, which will accommodate about 2500 MOL employees, has been designed to create an inspirational and sustainable workplace. Rich with a...
The Kö-Bogen I by star architect Daniel Libeskind has become a landmark in the heart of Düsseldorf, Germany. Behind its facade of glass and white natural stone, which is broken up with diagonal cuts, or "cuts," is a mix of high-quality shopping, gastronomy and office space. Two 26meter-high buildings offer...
A stunning fusion of raw, natural beauty and modern, quirky aesthetics come together in the new architectural rendition down under. Cheshire Architects used local Kiwi materials and craftwork for the interiors of this hotel in Auckland, New Zealand. The past and the present collide masterfully, as the newly renovated 99-room...
Longhua Airport in the Xuhui riverfront area of Shanghai, has a history that spanned from being the first large-scale airport in China in 1917 to becoming one of the longest-servicing airports in the world when it was completely shut down in 2011. How could this piece of history be celebrated...
Anne Hidaglo, mayor of the city of Paris, France has announced the city's plans of transforming the emblematic Champs-Élysées avenue into what she is referring to as "an extraordinary garden." The entire project is expected to be completed by 2030 and centers on making this highly transited area into a...
TUMI, a travel and lifestyle brand, has launched Merge, the brand’s first travel collection made with recycled materials, as well as select styles within the Alpha Bravo and Devoe collections. The company has created a program that underscores the importance of sustainability throughout every aspect of its business. It focuses on: ...
A new wine bottle made from recycled paper with a food-grade liner can be completely recycled after use. Packaging company Frugalpac reported that the bottle has a significantly lower carbon footprint than glass or recycled plastic. The Frugal Bottle is produced at Frugalpac’s facility in Ipswich from 94% recycled paperboard. Assurance,...
Mycelium pendant lamps dangle above recycled-plastic dining tables inside Silo, a zero-waste restaurant in east London designed by studio Nina+Co. Silo is set within The White Building, a creative hub in the Hackney Wick neighborhood that contains studio space for artists and a craft brewery. The restaurant, which is headed...
A San Rafael-based technology company XiO, Inc. has released a Lift Station Control System package designed to allow operators remote monitoring and control of pumps used to transport sewer waste through collection system pipes to wastewater treatment plants. The announcement comes as sanitary districts and collection agencies throughout the country...
To address plastic pollution plaguing the world's seas and waterways, Cornell University chemists have developed a new polymer that can degrade by ultraviolet radiation, according to research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society."We have created a new plastic that has the mechanical properties required by commercial fishing...
With the help of Spillman Farmer Architects, Millersville’s new Welcome Center is a beautiful, high-performance project that was designed to achieve Net Zero (meaning that energy consumed by building occupants is less than or equal to energy created on-site). The first of its kind on campus, the building demonstrates Millersville’s...
Growing fruit and vegetables in just 10% of a city's gardens and other urban green spaces could provide 15% of the local population with their 'five a day', according to new research. In a study published in Nature Food, academics from the Institute for Sustainable Food at the University of...
Here we discuss reducing the embodied carbon of building materials and how it relates to the overall environmental footprint of healthcare buildings. Sustainable design challenge: reducing building materials’ carbon footprint: For many years, addressing energy in healthcare design has focused on reducing the energy required to operate buildings. This approach is...
Many in the construction industry understand and are committed to moving to net-zero energy homes and buildings. And the number of zero energy homes and buildings is growing rapidly. But when it comes to zero carbon, many of us may feel overwhelmed with the complexity that appears to be involved in taking the...
Resiliency is not any single solution, concept, or perspective. Resiliency is a multifaceted lens that balances proactivity and reactivity to inform solutions to disruptions. Resilient Design is taking that lens and using it to rethink the built environment. In this brief introduction, we discuss some practical elements that begin to...
Building an indoor tropical rainforest requires special architectural consideration. How does one design a manmade tree that can sustain wildlife? How can that tree be housed within a larger structure? What systems and materials can provide and withstand the constant high temperatures and humidity required by tropical plant life? Canadian...
Sustainability is essential (now more so than ever), and it's now one of my personal missions to give my family and help others to learn how to enjoy a more sustainable lifestyle. That's why I'm very excited to see this mindset extending to our outdoor personal spaces across America and...
There is one great truth about life, which could not be truer for homes in America: what goes around comes back around. Building homes are big undertakings for families, and their designs are undeniably being revisited. For two decades now, we’ve seen both the ‘supersizing’ and the ‘homogenization’ of the...
Reminiscent of a 'Modern Day Babylon', vertical gardens will make any minimalist swoon. Refusing the traditional pots and soil, these green artscapes provide sleek simplicity and seem to defy gravity. The trend is a result of arduous research and thoughtful design, and the main focus is to maximize space and...
If you - like us - are obsessed with alternative homes and unique design, you’ve probably considered joining the shipping container home revolution. Although the trend has had its share of opposition from select builders, it’s proven to be a cool and cost-effective shelter solution across the globe. The fact...
I’ve got two kids, a home office, and my husband happens to be one of my favorite chefs in the world, so we probably eat at home more than anyone else I know. I’ve learned firsthand that no amount of planning, bulk purchases, and eco-friendly tips can hide the fact...
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