Eksterijer

[bigvlada]

Dear visitors from stumble upon, please visit also our main page www.beobuild.rs news and especially (Belgrade) projects section. All content is translated to english except forum.

Have a nice time


mod edit.








Nova energetski efikasna zgrada u Singapuru. A kod nas se hvale projektom sarkofaga kod stadiona jna.

 

[bigvlada]

Norman Foster dobitnik nagrade "Princ od Asturije"
Autor: Tanjug | 20.05.2009. - 19:37

Britanski arhitekta Norman Foster dobitnik je ovogodišnje nagrade "Princ od Asturije" na polju umetnosti, saopštio je žiri koji dodeljuje ovo prestižno špansko priznanje.

Foster (74), koji je važio za velikog favorita među 26 kandidata, među kojima je bila i njegova zemljakinja glumica Vanesa Redgrejv, nagrađen je za svoja "izvanredna dostignuća".
Rođen 1935. u Mančesteru, na severu Engleske, Foster ima reputaciju jednog od najznačajnijih avangardnih arhitekata u svetu. Godine 1999. dobio je nagradu Pricker, svojevrsnim Nobelom u oblasti arhitekture.
Među zdanjima koje je njegov biro projektovao su novi stadion "Vembli", aerodrom u Hongkongu, Milenijumski most u Londonu i vijadukt Mijo na reci Tarn u Francuskoj.
Fondacija "Princ od Asturije", čiji je pokrovitelj španski prestolonaslednik princ Filip, dodeljuje godišnja priznanja u osam oblasti, a dobitnicima pripada novčana nagrada u iznosu od 50.000 evra.

Izvor: Blic
http://www.blic.rs/kultura.php?id=93467

 

[bigvlada]

World’s Tallest Wooden Building Planned for Norway
by Bridgette Meinhold

Recently the Norwegian Barents Secretariat announced plans for a new cultural center that is being touted as the world’s tallest wooden building. The Secretariat hopes that the new structure will serve as a physical symbol of their important role in the High North - a lighthouse of sorts and a beacon of knowledge and development. As part of that role, the new office and cultural center will also act as a model for sustainable building and carbon neutrality.

Currently the world’s tallest wooden structure is said to be a 144 ft, 13-story home in Arkhangelsk, in North-West Russia built by Nikolai Sutyagin. The new tower by the Secretariat will be located in Kirkenes, Norway and will be 16-17 stories tall and constructed from natural materials with innovative and environmental solutions in all parts of the building. Oslo-based Reiulf Ramstad Architects are responsible for the ambitious project, which will be situated in downtown Kirkenes on the historical ground of a multiethnic area.

To achieve carbon neutrality, Reiulf Ramstad Architects is relying on integrated systems that also enable it- to adapt to the changing seasons and climate. The firm also plans to reuse biodegradable household and industrial waste to produce biogas. Recycled materials from the surrounding area will be incorporated into the design, which is based on traditional architecture from Russia, Sweden, Finland and Norway.

The interior of the center will house energy-efficient offices for the Barents Secretariat as well as a library, a theater and a creative environment for artists, researchers, students and other relevant institutions. Their goal is that the wooden building will serve as an example of sustainable construction for the surrounding region while acting as a center for cooperation between Russians, Finns, Swedes, Saamis and Norwegians.

Izvor: Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/24/worlds-tallest-wooden-building-planned-for-norway/

 

[bigvlada]

Tidal Docks Use Waves to Power NYC’s Streetlamps
by Sarah Parsons

The Big Apple’s known for its bright lights, but the city’s iconic luminescence also sucks up huge amounts of power every year. Luckily, a team of designers came up with a plan to keep the city’s lights burning bright by harnessing the power of its massive rivers. One of the most exciting entries into Metropolis magazine’s 2009 Next Generation Design Competition, Richard Garber and Brian Novello’s design provides a way to power street lamps using tidal power.

The ambitious scheme would involve creating “Docking Systems” that would essentially extend New York’s existing piers by adding a network of floating, modular docks. The docks’ undersides come equipped with three vertical turbines that harness energy from moving river currents and create electricity. The power produced would then be used to light a network of LED street lamps. The designers claim that each module could produce up to 24 kilowatts of power from a 4 mph current moving in any direction. Additionally, the docks would feature green spaces and tidal pools that support wildlife, making them both efficient and aesthetically pleasing.

The Docking Stations plan was created as part of Metropolis magazine’s 2009 Next Generation Design Competition, which focused this year on the question of how to fix America’s energy addiction. Though Garber’s and Novello’s design didn’t earn the grand prize, it was still featured on the magazine’s Web site as one of the most innovative entries.

As of now, NYC has no plans to actually implement Docking Stations, although the city is already testing out their own tidal power stations. The Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project (RITE) began in 2002 and has just finished up its demonstration phase. The project, run by Verdant Power, places Free Flow Kinetic Hydropower Systems in the East River. The horizontal turbines then harness energy from a moving current to create clean electricity. However, designers of the Docking Stations say that their design offers an advantage over the RITE system because its vertical turbines spin regardless of the water current’s direction—RITE only works in a certain type of current.

And while Docking Stations may be just a concept for now, we’re guessing that tidal power will only become a larger part of New York City’s green energy plans. After all, the metropolis boasts 578 miles of waterfront—prime real estate for more underwater, silent power generators.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/14/new-design-uses-waves-to-power-nyc’s-streetlamps/

 

[bigvlada]

The Shard: Vertical City Will Tower Over London
by Bridgette Meinhold

Construction has begun on the Shard, a skyscraper that will be the tallest building in Western Europe and will provide amazing views of London. Designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop (who was also responsible for the California Academy of Sciences), the Shard was inspired by towering church spires and the masts of ships that once anchored on the Thames. The new mixed-use development is located in the heart of London Bridge Quarter and will sit adjacent to the London Bridge Station, one of the busiest train stations in London.

The 72-storey building in the London Bridge Quarter will contain premium office space, a world-class hotel, luxury residences, a spa, restaurants & cafes, retail space and a 15-storey public viewing gallery. On the ground level, public piazza, restaurants and cafes will be open to the public with places to rest and changing art installations. Access to public transportation via bus line, train and underground will be directly on site. Previously at that location was the 1970’s Southwark Tower building on Bridge Street, which has already been demolished to begin construction on the new tower.

Renzo envisioned The Shard as a ‘Vertical City‘ - a mixed-use and dense development open and accessible to the public and yet luxurious , exclusive, and central enough to be a highly desirable address for companies and residents. The Shangri-La hotel group has already claimed the hotel space from floors 34-52. The office spaces were first devised by Renzo Piano for his Aurora Place skyscraper in Sydney, Australia. Each floor is multifunctional and contains 2 winter garden, which are naturally ventilated break-out and meeting areas surround in glass for stunning views and natural lighting.

The structure itself is made up of multiple facets of glass which narrow into a point at the top, but do not touch. The concept was generated by the irregular site plan, and the open top allows the building to breath naturally. At 306 meters (1,016 feet) the tower is surely to become a beacon for the city and a strong and vital center for commerce and travel. The Shard at London Bridge Station and is due for completion in 2012.

Izvor: Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/26/renzo-pianos-shard-skyscraper-will-tower-over-london/

 

[bigvlada]

The Citadel: Europe’s First Floating Apartment Complex
by Bridgette Meinhold

The Dutch have been fighting the rising and falling tides for centuries, building dikes and pumping water out of areas that are below sea level. Now, rather than fight the water infiltrating their land, the Dutch will use it as part of a new development called ‘New Water‘, which will feature the world’s first floating apartment complex, The Citadel. This “water-breaking” new project was designed by Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio in the Netherlands, and will use 25% less energy than a conventional building on land thanks to the use of water cooling techniques.

Olthuis is responsible for a number of floating residences around the world and he thinks that we should stop trying to contain water and learn to live with it. The New Water and the Citadel projects are an attempt to embrace water in the Netherlands, which is almost completely composed of wetlands. The project will be built on a polder, a recessed area below sea level where flood waters settle from heavy rains. There are almost 3500 polders in the Netherlands, and almost all of them are continually pumped dry to keep flood waters from destroying nearby homes and buildings. The New Water Project will purposely allow the polder to flood with water and all the buildings will be perfectly suited to float on top of the rising and falling water.

The Citadel will be the first floating apartment complex, although there are plenty of floating homes out there. Built on top of of a floating foundation of heavy concrete caisson, the Citadel will house 60 luxury apartments, a car park, a floating road to access the complex as well as boat docks. With so many units built into such a small area, the housing complex will achieve a density of 30 units per acre of water, leaving more open water surrounding the structure. Each unit will have its own garden terrace as well as a view of the lake.

A high focus will be placed on energy efficiency inside the Citadel. Greenhouses are placed around the complex, and the water will act as a cooling source as it is pumped through submerged pipes. As the unit is surrounded by water, corrosion and maintenance are important issues to consider. As a result, aluminum will be used for the building facade, due to its long lifespan and ease of maintenance. The individual apartments are built from prefabricated modules. The Citadel will be situated on a shallow body of water, and in the future numerous buildings, complexes and residences will float on the water alongside it.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/29/the-citadel-europes-first-floating-apartment-complex/

 

[bigvlada]

T-Tree: A Towering Community of Prefab Pixel Homes
by Rebecca Paul

Appearing as a cross between a Tokyo capsule hotel and a pixellated prefab treehouse, the T-Tree housing community offers residents the opportunity to live among the clouds. One of 20 incredible finalists in our ReBurbia competition to save the suburbs, the sustainable community was designed by Adil Azhiyev and Ivan Kudryavtsev of Light+Space to help alleviate the problems of suburban sprawl with a site-sensitive vertical structure composed of two design elements — a central core containing an elevator and stars, and a lofted series of prefab housing modules. Like the trunk of a tree the core serves as the base, while the housing modules are stacked one on top of the other to create a tower of alternating cubes and activated space.

Although prefab residential skyscrapers such as this has been explored in the past, the design of the T-Tree is thoroughly dynamic, modern, and convenient. Each prefabricated housing module includes a full range of built-in facilities, including furniture, toilets, showers and kitchens. Each encapsulated living space is powered by additional modules containing energy generating wind turbines found on the top of each tower. These produce 25% of the structure’s required energy.

As one of the finalists in the ReBURBIA competition, the T-Tree submission has inspired a passionate debate about the use of space in the context of functionality. Is this design just a fancy rendering or does it effectively address the problems that are facing suburbia today?

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/11/t-tree-a-towering-community-prefab-pixel-residences/

 

[bigvlada]

Sustainable Tower “Peels” the Costa Rican City Skyline
by Danielle Rago

Driven by a progressive environmental strategy that will exploit sustainable energy design, Spanish-based firm Moho Arquitectura’s design for a mixed-use tower in San Jose will become a new benchmark for eco-friendly design in Costa Rica. In addition to its eco-conscious features, the unique “peeling” quality of the tower is sure to turn some heads!

Located in front of Sabana Park, a major recreation hub of San Jose, the proposed development offers sustainable living options for inhabitants of the city by balancing energy consumption between its mixed-use program that includes commercial and retail spaces, as well as the inclusion of a hotel and casino.

Constructed mostly from concrete, the tower will be clad in a wooden brise-soleil facade, specifically designed to allow natural light and ventilation to enter the complex, reducing the need for artificial light and air conditioning systems. Rising twenty-five stories above the city, the tower splits as it rises upwards into the sky, creating room for outdoor open spaces or sky gardens filled with plantlife.

Expected to be complete in 2012, the development will provide the necessary amenities for the city of San Jose in addition to protecting its inhabitants from the hot Costa Rican climate.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/12/sustainable-tower-peels-the-costa-rican-city-skyline/

 

[bigvlada]

SNUGGLES: Stay in a Modular Hamster Tunnel Hotel
by Lea Bogdan

This modular, mobile Snuggles hotel allows you to shack up in pods for an artsy camping experience not dissimilar to staying in oversized hamster cage tunnels. The project crosses the boundaries of temporary architecture and public art with its linkable framework, configurable platforms, and waterproof textile coverings. Able to be set up on a beach, in the forest, or in an urban environment, Snuggles offers a fun experience that’s on par with even the trendiest hostels.

Snuggles was designed by Berlin-based Raumlabor, which says that it is not an architecture firm, but rather an interdisciplinary team interested in urbanism, and the study of public and private space. The modular system was intended for use as comfortable, safe housing for travelers to festivals, workshops, or other artistic events. Each unit features a three-sided pod with a window and tunnel access to a central pod with sanitary facilities.

We love that their hotel design uses the barest of resources, and is totally mobile and reconfigurable. The pods can built on stilted platforms, which gives the the eco advantage of adapting to their environment without disturbing it. This vertical living configuration could be even more sustainable than camping, with the ability to fit more travelers per square foot of land used.

The other great thing is that the guests have a stake in a sort of public art design experiment. In an interview with Pantheon Magazine, Markus Bader of Raumlabor says that “temporary use means that there is a temporary user. That is, someone who has his own idea how to use space and what can be done with it. A temporary user can be another kind of developer.” Snuggles is a perfect example of this study of user-transformed design, since each traveler would naturally customize their room, and give passersby a glimpse into your hamster-tunnel turned art space.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/10/snuggles-stay-in-a-modular-hamster-tunnel-hotel/

 

[bigvlada]

Self-Sufficent Floating House Powered by the Sun and Sea
by Bridgette Meinhold

House on the Water by Poland-based Formodesign is a stunning floating home that relies on the surrounding sea and radiating sun to keep it self-sufficient in terms of energy and h2o. Accessible only by boat, the cantilevered home rests offshore from a beautiful beach and is intended to be used as a rental home for those seeking a life offshore.

Designed for the Mediterranean off the NW coast of the Greek Zante Island, this eco-friendly and self-sufficient home maximizes the use of solar energy through orientation of the structure as well as solar panels on top. Other eco features include water desalination, natural ventilation, tidal energy systems, and water recycling, all with the express purpose of reducing energy and water consumption. The floating home also has a high-tech shading system that is computer driven and runs on rails which are the the vertical lines on the facade.

Inspired by luxury yachts, the project’s architecture is white and pristine, and looks as though it would need a deck hand available at all times to keep it scrubbed down. Made from concrete and steel, the structure cantilevers from a central core, which is a concrete counterweight foot stabilizer with the sea bed pile system. The dock underneath floats with the help of rails installed in the core structure and can rise and fall with the tides. From the deck a stairway leads up to the main floor of the house, which has a cool and contemporary feel. Seems like all the benefits of yacht living without the constant rocking.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/26/self-sufficent-floating-house/

 

[bigvlada]

OFF Architecture’s Visionary Eco-Bridge Spans the Bering Strait
by Daniel Flahiff

In one of the most ambitious examples of speculative architecture of the year, Paris-based OFF Architecture recently unveiled an incredible eco-bridge spanning the Bering Strait from Russia to the United States that would facilitate international trade, protect wildlife, mitigate global warming, and promote peace. Every bit as beautiful and eco-conscious as it is quixotic, the project stole the show at the Bering Strait International Ideas Competition.

OFF Architecture’s proposal for a structure spanning the Bering Strait includes the obligatory bridge and park, but also adds a self-contained ecosystem powered by geothermal technology and ocean current turbines. The design also features a stunning, Utopian village of tomorrow and speculates that the separation of the Arctic Ocean from the Pacific could stabilize salinity levels and the Arctic ice sheet, protecting the ice cap from melting thereby reducing global climate change.

Launched last February by the Foundation for Peace and Unification, the Bering Strait International Ideas Competition invited architects and students to submit plans for an international peace park linking the Diomede Islands and uniting the Eurasian and American continents through a “pertinent architectural symbol.” The Bering Strait Competition was intended to promote “…the elimination of all the barriers like spatial disconnection of national borders and chronological disconnection of today and tomorrow, and thus, stepping forward to peace and prosperity for all earth and mankind,” according to the jury. 135 projects (71 from professionals and 64 from students) were submitted to the international jury, but we particularly appreciated OFF Architecture’s holistic, green approach and ambitious thinking, which is what this kind of competition is about.

Feasibility aside, we think this vision of the future — one in which the human-industrial-political world protects and celebrates the natural world — is worth pursuing. There is no doubt that we are creating our generation’s legacy today, and ideas and projects like the OFF Bering Strait proposal are valuable ways of envisioning a sustainable tomorrow. Congratulations to the entire OFF Architecture Bering Strait proposal team: Manal Rachdi, Tanguy Vermet, Mathieu Michel, Takanao Todo, and Lily Nourmansouri. Keep up the great work!

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/11/off-architectures-visionary-eco-bridge-spans-the-bering-strait/

 

[bigvlada]

NOAH: Mammoth Pyramidal Arcology Designed for New Orleans
by Yuka Yoneda

All renderings courtesy of Tangram3DS

Arcology may sound like a made up word - probably because it is. A hybrid of architecture and ecology, it is essentially a mega city which packs a ginormous population into one hyperstructure - think Death Star, Zion in The Matrix or the Anthill of Antz fame. Now, a real-life group of ambitious designers has taken their looming pyramidal arcology and placed it smack dab on the Mississippi River as a proposal for the rebuild of New Orleans which is currently in progress. This 30 million square foot beast-building with an array of green features is aptly named NOAH (Get it? Noah and the Arcology?), and is meant to house 40,000 mostly human residents.

NOAH, which stands for New Orleans Arcology Habitat, boasts 20,000 residential units as well as 3 hotels and 1,500 timeshare units. But that’s not all. Also housed within the triangular walls of this one-stop-building will be commercial space (stores), parking for 8,000 cars, cultural spaces, public works, schools, an administrative office, and a health care facility. This means that you could live your whole life within NOAH if you wanted to. Although that doesn’t sound very fun, it may be prudent, since NOAH has been specifically designed to withstand the hurricanes that have ravaged the city on the Mississippi in the past. Its floating base and open-wall structure are meant to allow “all severe weather /winds to in effect blow through the structure in any direction with the minimum of massing interference.”

In terms of sustainability, we were at first skeptical as we are with most supermassive structures, but the fact that so many inhabitants are meant to occupy the space offsets NOAH’s giant footprint. Another plus is that NOAH will supposedly “eliminate the need for cars within the urban structure” via vertical and horizontal internal electric transport links, creating a pedestrian-friendly community. Other eco-friendly elements include secured wind turbines, fresh water recovery and storage systems, a passive glazing system, sky garden heating/cooling vents, grey water treatment, solar array banding panels, and river based water turbines. And if NOAH truly is hurricane-proof, that will make the city more sustainable than any wind turbines or solar panels ever could.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/18/noah-mammoth-pyramidal-arcology-designed-for-new-orleans/

 

[bigvlada]

NASA Base is Most Sustainable Federal Building Project in America
by Evelyn Lee

NASA has planted its flag on planet Earth (for a change) with the groundbreaking of their “Sustainability Base” this week. The new endeavor is located on their Ames campus in Moffett Field, CA just outside of Silicon Valley and has specs that are pushing green building to new limits. In order to deliver in true sustainable style, NASA recruited Inhabitat favorite, William McDonough + Partners, to take on the 50,000-square foot collaborative support facility.

Determined to go beyond LEED Platinum in performance, NASA set two additional requirements for the building’s architect: to showcase NASA’s culture of innovation and to integrate the surrounding context acting as an icon for the Ames campus. The intensive three month design process helped establish targets to accomplish all three goals.

Going beyond Platinum includes a near zero net energy consumption and the use of 90 percent less potable water than buildings that are similar in size. The use of natural ventilation is the primary contributor to the buildings performance that is complemented by a geothermal system, high performance lighting, radiant cooling, intelligent building systems and on-site photovoltaic energy generation. Optimization of the water comes from use of natural landscape, non-potable irrigation systems, and on-site water-water treatment by an Eco-Machine.

In addition, the large column-free spans on the interior of the building allows the flexibility to easily adapt the building to the changing needs of the program, and a structural exo-skeleton even makes for easier repairs following earthquakes. The end result is not only a showcase of NASA’s innovation, but a show of their commitment to sustainable efforts on planet Earth. To date, the Sustainability Base is the most sustainable federal building project in all 50 states.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/28/nasa-breakes-ground-on-their-sustainability-base/#more-57819

 

[bigvlada]

Mobile Mecha-Towers Take Suburbia by Storm
by Mike Chino

While several of the finalists in our ReBurbia design competition tended towards the surreal, a few futuristic entries took an approach that was downright dystopian. In Radial Erect-Urbia Michael Hughes and Damon Wake envision a future where the suburbs are besieged by 3,000 foot-tall mobile crane towers. Once the massive mechanizations have toddled into place they drill deep into the earth’s crust and unfurl their tripod legs out in a 2,000 foot radius, at which point they proceed to rip nearby homes from their plots and stack them into vertical towers!

While we don’t expect to see massive mechanical bacteriophages invading the suburbs anytime soon, Hughes and Wake’s Radial Erect-Urbia does offer a striking idea for re-organizing suburbia’s inefficient sprawl into a more vertically dense form. Each tower is composed of 60 floors which are populated with houses, big box stores, and strip malls that have been literally plucked from the earth.

Once the towers have been anchored in place they proceed to extract geothermal energy and tap groundwater to sustain their reconfigured communities. Meanwhile their robotic crane legs proceed to till and cultivate the land around them, providing the pop-up community with a source of food. Eventually each tower will connect to other nearby towers via sky bridges, supporting public transit networks and allowing the flow of people of goods.

Each steampunk-esque moving castle is capable of housing 5,000 inhabitants in 1,200 single family homes, and offers 2.5 million square feet of public space. According to Hughes and Wake, “By radically retrofitting suburbs, the old methodology of horizontal sprawl is supplanted with a scheme of vertical-core sprawl freeing the suburbanite from the demands of automotive travel while maintaining the spatial desire for individual homes and returning the land to mother nature.”

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/12/radial-erect-urba-mechanical-towers-take-suburbia-by-storm/

 

[bigvlada]

Michael Jantzen’s Sun Rays Pavilion Leans Towards Sustainability
by Bridgette Meinhold


Internationally acclaimed designer Michael Jantzen continues to wow us with his architectural and renewable energy wonders. His newest brainchild, the Sun Rays Pavilion, consists of 12 massive columns that rise out of the earth like giant crystals reaching for the sun. Appropriate, because the acutely slanted building relies on the sun’s rays alone for power. Jantzen has many other designs for renewable energy pavilions, like his Wind Shaped Kinetic Pavilion or his Solar Wind Pavilion. This latest design is outfitted with photovoltaic film to generate electricity in order to power the pavilion and sell any excess to the grid.

At the top of the structure, the square ends of the pavilion are covered in photovoltaic film in order to generate electricity. The south facing roofs are angled in such a way to optimize energy generation for the site. Each glazed area is 20 by 26 feet and is also partially transparent, which allows light to filter down into the structure providing some daylight for the people inside. Any excess energy generated not needed by the pavilion will be sent to the grid. On the north side of the structure at the ground level, there are 5 large glass sections with doors that will ventilate the structure.

The pavilion will be approximately 150 feet tall, 250 feet long, and 130 feet wide and constructed from precast concrete rectangular columns. As with all Jantzen creations, symbolism and art play heavy roles in the design of structure and the columns are meant to represent the rays of the sun.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/04/michael-jantzens-sun-rays-pavilion-leans-towards-sustainability/

 

[bigvlada]

Istanbul Unveils $1 Billion Green Super Development
by Bridgette Meinhold

In what is set to be the greenest development in Turkey, Istanbul recently unveiled the VARYAP Meridian Project, a mixed-use super-development that will house the city’s new financial and business district. Set in the Atasehir District at the crossroads of major highways, subway lines and near the airport, the new project will be a model for future green development. New York and Istanbul-based RMJM are designing the project to LEED standards and have carefully analyzed the site to take advantage of the surrounding topography, climate and context.

The project will consist of a 60-storey tower, 1,500 residential units, a five-star hotel, offices, and conference facilities with landscaped public areas and parking facilities. The residential complexes will contain a variety of options ranging from luxury 5-bedroom penthouse apartments to small studio apartments. In total, the development is meant to serve 20,000 people and is expected to cost $1 billion. Set on a 107,000 square meter parcel, the project will be built out to 372,000 square meters. Considering all of this, the project is on an incredibly fast paced schedule with completion set for 2011.

The large development will feature many sustainable elements including rainwater collection sites and facilities to optimize water usage and reduce energy consumption, wind turbine technology, cooling water pools that enhance the external landscape, and a co-generation plant that will produce electricity for the development. The designers at RMJM have also carefully analyzed the location, orientation, and landscaping of the project to optimize panoramic views and minimize solar heat gain to the buildings. Istanbul’s culture and heritage are also included in the design, which incorporates a spectral tiled facade that ranges from terra cotta to blue to white.

Chris Jones, RMJM design principal who leads RMJM’s new Istanbul office said, “RMJM’s design not only addresses Istanbul’s culture, climate, architectural heritage, and cosmopolitan attitude, but also sets a new standard for sustainable design for Turkey. Sustainable design is no longer a trend but a necessity and our client VARYAP embraced the idea from the start.”

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/13/istanbul-unveils-1-billion-green-development/#more-51357

 

[bigvlada]

Habitat 67: Montreal’s Prefab Pixel City
by Bridgette Meinhold

Canadian architect Moshe Safdie designed and built this extraordinary experimental housing complex made up of modular concrete units for the 1967 World Expo in Montreal. Named Habitat 67, the apartment complex was Safdie’s attempt to redesign urban living, provide affordable housing and create a community complete with shops and a school. All of the units were prefabricated on-site, and each has its own rooftop garden space located on the roof of the neighbor below.

Safdie was dissatisfied with suburbia and visualized a new type of urban dwelling that would house a lot of people and yet still provide them with privacy. Originally Habitat 67 was planned to have 1000 housing units, which would be used during the Expo as temporary residences for visiting dignitaries. Unfortunately, it was downsized to 158 units without a school or shops. Construction began in 1966 and soon a mountain of 354 concrete blocks rose on the Marc-Drouin Quay on the Saint Lawrence River. 15 different types housing options were designed by Safdie to accommodate different sizes of families and create a diverse community.

In order to make the complex affordable, Safdie devised a plan for on-site mass production of the concrete blocks. Safdie felt that prefab construction was much more efficient, so he created a factory on the peninsula to construct the housing units. There were four large molds to form the basic shape of each standardized unit. A reinforcing wire cage was dropped into the mold and concrete was then poured around it. After the unit cured it was removed from the mold and moved to the assembly line where a wooden sub-floor was installed with electrical and mechanical services below it. Windows and insulation came next, and then prefabricated bathrooms and kitchen modules were installed. Finally the unit was lifted by crane into position on the building.

Unfortunately Habitat 67 was not as affordable as Safdie had hoped, costing $22,195,920, or about $140,000 per living unit. Also, at the time the complex was not completely embraced as its location was too far from the center of Montreal. Still, it’s a fascinating study in prefab architecture and Safdie’s model for industrialized manufacture of affordable housing offers a good lesson for anyone attempting a similar project.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/20/habitat-67-montreals-prefab-pixel-city/#more-55882

 

[bigvlada]

Green Skyscrapers Unveiled for China’s Raffles City
by Bridgette Meinhold

Dutch architect Ben van Berkel of UNStudio recently unveiled a new set of elegantly twisting sustainable skyscrapers that will grace the skyline of Hangzou, China by 2012. Dubbed Raffles City, the design features two 60-story tall buildings set near the Qiangtan River in the captial city of Zhejiang province. The project will be a mixed-use development with office, retail, residential and hotel space and will be built according to LEED green building standards in hopes of achieving a Gold rating. On top of the green building techniques, the project aims for urban sustainability - it’s designed as a hub of activity, commerce and transportation meant to condense life into a smaller footprint.

Hangzou’s Raffles City will be the 6th Raffles City in a series of large-scale shopping centers developed by CapitaLand in Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Bahrain. The new 300,000 sq meter development will seek LEED Gold certification and will focus on environmentally-friendly building materials, energy efficiency and the reduction of material demands. Situated in the heart of the city, the center will provide for shopping, leisure activities, business and gatherings. Open and operating 24 hours a day, Raffles City aims to be a one-stop shop for all needs, and at 60-stories high and with a building footprint of 40,000 sq meters, it definitely qualifies for urban density.

Ben van Berkel of UNStudio believes sustainable architecture requires that is it attainable and affordable, which is why this project seems more subdued than some of the skyscraper designs that we’ve seen. The project seems practical - a mixed-use development, lots of office, retail and residential space, combining a transportation hub, ground floor public plaza. We’re excited to see affordable and practical designs such as this, and look forward to the day when sustainable architecture is the new norm and achieving green building certification is just part of the status quo.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/20/raffles-city-chinas-take-on-urban-sustainability/

 

[bigvlada]

GREEN GLOBE: Plans for Israel’s New Eco-Hub Revealed
by Danielle Rago

Israeli-based architect Zvika Tamari of TeaM Architects recently proposed a conceptual plan for the burgeoning city of Modiin in Israel that takes the form of an incredible grass-roofed eco-dome. Situated at the center of the city and surrounded by a series of green spaces, the Globe Ecological Hub functions as a museum and multi-use urban center that promotes sustainable living. The grass-crowned hub takes advantage of natural ventilation, daylighting, active solar systems, and a host of other green building strategies.

Composed of spherical shapes, curved surfaces and purposely positioned voids, the Globe Ecological Hub creates a new set of connections within the city of Modiin, helping to circulate inhabitants into and around the city center. The project is divided into two main areas: a partially submerged museum and a series of interconnected open public spaces.

The hub uses natural ventilation to keep the interiors of the museum cool, and smart sensors on the exterior facade are used to direct natural light into the exhibition spaces within the structure. The top of the hub is covered in an insulating layer of grass framed by photovoltaic cells that convert light directly into electricity and act to further reduce energy costs. Lastly, drinking and washing water is recycled for irrigation of the surrounding landscape and site.

If completed, the Global Ecological Hub will promote sustainable living in the city of Modiin while also serving the needs of the city’s inhabitants through public programming and museum-related events.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/03/green-globe-plans-for-israels-new-eco-hub-revealed/

 

[bigvlada]

Germany Unveils World Class Sustainable ECO CITY
by Rebecca Paul

Today Germany’s historic Hamburg-Harburg Harbor announced the development of a sustainable ECO CITY that combines industry, entertainment and pedestrian life into one super green package. Designed by international firm Tec Architecture and the global engineering company ARUP, ECO CITY is one of the only projects in the world that is seeking to achieve the highest level of environmental certification from all three major green building rating systems (LEED, BREEAM and DGNB). The project is an exceptional example of how to integrate efficient technology and building methods while fostering social interaction and community rebirth.

Through their use of environmentally-friendly materials, passive design techniques, and efficient facades the masterminds behind this project were able to reduce the community’s energy consumption by 30%. Starting with the rehabilitation of existing structures and re-purposing of used materials, the development will go through three phases of construction and ultimately stand 10 buildings strong. ECO CITY will use wind energy to generate 10% of the complex’s power (more than any other high-rise in the world), as well as solar water heating systems and solar-powered lighting technology. Most of the visible roofs will be covered in greenery to slow storm water runoff and significantly reduce the heat island effect of the development itself.

In addition to the project’s environmental advances, ECO CITY was created in keeping with the designer’s progressive philosophy, which imbues every project with a socially and economically sustainable elements. The integration of these three ideas is vital to the impact these structures will have on the community inhabits them.

Tec Principal Sebastian Knorr explains: “ECO CITY represents a synergistic approach to urban development. By working in close cooperation with all the stakeholders and taking into consideration the immediate environmental context of the project, we’ve created a different type of sustainable, creative-industrial complex. We hope that iconic ECO CITY project becomes a model for sustainable urban development.”

Hamburg-Harburg Harbor has a long-standing history of German entrepreneurship and ingenuity, and the community foresees ECO CITY to be a major contributor in its efforts towards revitalization.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/19...m-the-three-major-major-green-rating-systems/

 

[bigvlada]

Futuristic Designs Protect SF Bay From Rising Tides
by Moe Beitiks

In the San Francisco Bay, water levels may rise 55 inches over the next 100 years. That doesn’t sound like much initially, but around the coastline, that makes a huge impact. High water levels are a liability. The challenge for the entrants of the recent Rising Tides competition was to take this liability and make it an asset. The winning proposals include inflatable dikes, laser levels, water recycling, habitat restoration, and bioswale street systems.

Originally slotted to endow one winning entry with $25,000, the competition’s jury has decided to split the prize amongst six separate entries. Says Juror Walter Hood: “San Francisco Bay is not the place for a single idea. Taken as a whole, the six winning entries begin to tell a story about adaptation to sea level rise.”

One chapter of this story is RAYdike, a proposal by Faulders Studio of Berkeley, CA to line the shore with lasers. These beams would sit atop wave-powered bases, delineating the possible future water line of the greater bay area. As a constant reminder of the physical effect of high water levels, the project seeks to catalyze action against climate change by making its effects a near-reality.



Another mind-boggling solution to the high-water mark is Folding Water, by Kuth Ranieri Architects. The proposal is an alternative to the traitional barrier dike: this one placed in the middle of the bay, maintaining current water levels with a series of pump walls and artificial estuaries. It looks invisible: reminiscient of what we hope our future impact to be: undetectable.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/13/futuristic-designs-protect-sf-bay-from-rising-tides/#more-49450

 

[bigvlada]

Foster + Partners Unveil Energy-Efficient Heathrow Airport Terminal
by Bridgette Meinhold

Heathrow Airport is the world’s busiest airport for international travelers, and anyone who has flown through Heathrow knows it can be a bit chaotic there. BAA, who owns and operates Heathrow, recently unveiled a massive renovation project worth £4.8 billion that includes completely rebuilding Terminal 2 to help ease the congestion. Designed by Inhabitat favorite Foster + Partners, the new super-efficient, solar and renewable energy powered airport terminal will cost £1 billion and will produce 40% less carbon than the existing building.

Foster + Partners‘ new Heathrow terminal will provide 185,000 sq meters of floor space and will be built on the current site of Terminal 2 and the Queen’s Building. Construction will occur in two phases to accommodate flights and travelers, with the first phase set to be completed in 2013. The second phase will connect Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 as well as a second satellite building. Once both phases of construction are completed in 2019, the new terminal will be able to accommodate 30 million passengers a year. The new terminal will include 9 new aircraft parking stands, a third of which are configured to accommodate a new generation of aircraft such as the A380.

Foster + Partners, who is also responsible for the nearby Stansted Airport, has designed efficient energy systems into the new airport terminal that will reduce the carbon emissions of the complex by 40% from its current state. To reduce energy consumption from lighting, large north facing windows in the roof will flood the terminal with natural daylight. A solar system on the roof will provide renewable energy to the building, coupled with a new energy center that provides heating and cooling and is partially fueled by renewable resources.

Foster + Partners is also responsible for a luxury 5 star Riva Hotel being built nearby that is energy efficient and features natural daylighting. Both projects will help provide a heightened and easier experience for travelers coming and going from the Heathrow Airport. Mike Brown, Heathrow Airport’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “The new Terminal 2 is part of a major programme of work already underway. Passengers travelling through Heathrow will be using new and extensively refurbished facilities which provide us with an excellent platform from which we can provide a better service to our customers than ever before.”

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/17...s-energy-efficient-heathrow-airport-terminal/

 

[bigvlada]

Entangled Bank: Sustainable Urban Skyscraper for Dallas
by Danielle Rago

Charlotte, North Carolina-based architecture firm Little Diversified Architectural Consulting has conceived of an incredible project that transforms a vacant parking lot in Dallas into a completely self-reliant eco-city. Dubbed the Entangled Bank, the project features a green-walled citadel emblazoned with solar panels, an agricultural field, and an extensive system for greywater treatment and recycling, providing its residents with sustainable sources for food, water and energy.

Little Diversified Architectural Consulting’s project was recently was named one of the finalists in the Re:Vision Dallas international design competition, in which participants were asked to transform a parking lot spanning one square block into one of the world’s most sophisticated models for sustainable urban development.

Little conceived their plan for the mixed-used development based on Darwin’s “Entangled Bank” theory, in which a complex network is made up from simple elements. The community was designed to be completely self-reliant through a series of innovative sustainable techniques and the efficient use of natural resources. Made up of residences, retail, and educational components, the complex also includes communal sky pastures, 80,000-square-feet of vertical farmland, and a 20,000-square-foot grain field that provides food for the city’s inhabitants.

The structure itself uses photovoltaic panels on the southern facade to power the residential units within the building and includes a series of vertical axis wind turbines to provide power to the central development. Energy needs aside, the architects also incorporate greywater treatment facilities on the premises that recycle and redistribute used domestic water and retention ponds to capture water runoff into their design for a sustainable city.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/05/entangled-bank-a-sustainable-urban-skyscraper/#more-48178

 

[bigvlada]

BMW’s Stunning Energy-Efficient Production Plant
by Diane Pham

In a perfect world we’d all be getting back to our zero energy, prefabricated homes by foot, bike or public transport, but on a planet where cars won’t be disappearing anytime soon, it’s nice to know that some car companies are trying to reduce their carbon footprint when producing new vehicles. In 2003 BMW set out a design competition for a new building and distribution center located in Munich, Germany. The results were more than grand; not only is the new BMW Welt aesthetically pleasing with its sinuous curves and gleaming façade, but it was also consciously designed to save energy in its production of cars through efficient solar heating and natural ventilation systems.

The BMW Welt was designed by architects Coop Himmelb[l]au in five thematic blocks: Hall, Premiere, Forum, Tower, and Double Cone, where areas have been reserved for car production, exhibition space, restaurants, shops, and even a business center. Coop Himmelb[l]au, not unfamiliar with designing large and complex spaces, developed a totally integrated and ecologically friendly air system combining both low and high tech methods to create optimal air circulation.

The multifunctional Hall, which sits as the centre point of the complex, was designed as a solar-heated, naturally ventilated sub-climatic area, removing the normal requirements for building heating and ventilation. Instead, a natural air supply is generated by thermal currents, wind pressure and turbulences when air accumulates in the area of the façade and roof projection. Air intake and outflow take place through automatically controlled and strategically placed vents providing the Hall with all its air needs.

The system proves to be especially beneficial to the Premiere section where BMW Welt produces its cars, and which directly opens up to the Hall. Because of the intensive exhaust gases that are released during the delivery process, and the subsequent energy heavy regulation typically required for air cleanup, the system was further fine-tuned to adjust the volume of air intake and outflow and to extract the exhaust fumes directly and pump in fresh air. A considerable feat given that BMW assumes a turnover of about 40 cars per hour, for a total of 250 cars per day.

On top of all this, the Forum, Tower and Double Cone are definitively public spaces, and have specially incorporated air systems to meet the comfort needs of their occupants while utilizing natural ventilation when possible.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/28/bmws-stunning-energy-efficient-production-plant/

 

[bigvlada]

Bibliosphere: Eco Death Star Filled With Books
by Ariel Schwartz

Seeking an eco-friendly update to musty old libraries and sterile offices, Greeen! Architects has unveiled the Bibliosphere, a massive sustainable structure where city and university are combined. Bearing more than a passing resemblance to an earth-bound death star, the great green globe features a number of low-impact and sustainable features including natural ventilation, sweeping views of the cityscape for natural lighting, solar protection, and the use of renewable energy sources.

Greeen! Architects designed the Bibliosphere library and office complex as a landmark and focal point for the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. When the Bibliosphere is complete, the architecture firm hopes to receive a gold certification from the German Sustainable Building Council thanks to its low energy consumption–the building is expected to use 50% less energy than German standards require.

Of course, less futuristic-looking library complexes have their merits too. Scottsdale, Arizona’s Arabian Library is aiming for a LEED Silver certification and features steel, granite, and recycled cotton insulation from nearby towns.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/20/bibliosphere-eco-library-contained-within-a-green-globe/