Interior Design Sense

We have covered a lot of architecture projects and this one, called “Leaf House”, may well be the most amazing cottage in the world. The cottage is located on an escarpment overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Sydney, Australia. It belongs as part of a larger private residence. The shape of the project has been fastened from the images of leaves making this very unique indeed. The roof is constructed of copper which has been woven into a pattern much like how a plant in nature would appear. The inside construction is anchored by supports that have been shaped to mirror that of plant stems; growing wild and in all directions. The end result is a panoramic view from the cottage that also contains a unique look from inside as well. Leaf House was designed by Undercurrent Architects.

Post from The Most Amazing Cottage in the World

Olson Lewis Dioli & Doktor Architects recently shared their appreciation of upcycling with youngsters at the Brookwood School Sustainability Fair by teaching them how to turn trash into treasure. The firm taught children at the elementary school how to save simple wooden pallets from the incinerator and craft their very own bird abodes!

The children were provided with a premade kit made from the wooden pallets, and had help from architects on the scene to piece the parts together. The result of their efforts was a batch of adorable, hand made birdhouses perfect for encouraging birds’ own form of upcycling – nest building. The Sustainability Fair, which was open to the public, successfully gathered students, parents, community members, and organizations, in order to promote the use of sustainable practices, like upcyling, “a life-long habit”.

Thanks for the tip Henry Louis Miller!

+ Olson Lewis Dioli & Doktor Architects

Permalink |
Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: birdhouse, carpentry, eco design, green design, Olson Lewis Dioli & Doktor, sustainable design

The International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, will soon have a permanent new home close to the North Sea. Danish firm Schmidt Hammer and Lassen won the rights to design the new building, which will be built to be environmentally sustainable as well as sensitive to the bordering natural environment. The new International Criminal Court (ICC) will be a striking building meant to convey eminence and authority as well as trust and hope.

Read the rest of The Hague’s International Criminal Court Aims for BREEAM Excellent

Permalink |
Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: BREEAM, eco design, green design, ICC, international court of criminals, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, Sustainable Building, the hague, the netherlands

Read the rest of Stacked Shipping Container Medical Complex in Sudan

Permalink |
Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: “prefabricated housing”, container houses, eco design, green design, Prefab Housing, salam centre, shipping container, shipping container architecture, sudan, sustainable design, tam architects

Not too long ago, we had a post here on Freshome about the earthquake in Chile with a few tips on how to design safe homes, that would resist minor seismic activities. In this post we would like emphasize some efforts that are being made in order to help the people of this community. Architecture for Humanity is a non-profit organization which plans on helping Chile reconstructing its buildings, after the devastating earthquake The organization was founded in 1999 and is currently collaborating with more than 40000 designers and architects who are “willing to lend time and expertise to help those who would not otherwise be able to afford their services”.

This is the call for action message we found on their site:. “By making a donation today you are supporting a grassroots network of architects, designers and building professionals to lend their talents and expertise in communities where there services are most needed and can least be afforded. You know design matters. Help us use the power of design to build a more sustainable future in communities around the world.“

We salute the initiative of Architecture for Humanity and we are giving you a chance to help out as well, by donating in order to help rebuild the constructions in Chile.

The passing of Measure R at the end of 2008 provided Los Angeles County with funds for up to $40 billion in transit-related projects over the next 30 years. The measure also inspired a competition to design new transport solutions, and Paris-based Odile Decq and Bonit Conrnette Architects have proposed an extensive plan to make the ‘freeway city’ a little greener. The project proposes large stretches of green space, a system of small vehicles with designated transportation lanes and parking stations, and a complete overhaul of the city’s streets, overpasses, culverts, right of ways, power lines, and underutilized rail lines.

+ ODBC

Via Design Boom

Permalink |
Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: Green LA, inhabitat, Inhabitat LA, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Transportation, Measure R, odile decq and bonit cornette architects, sustainable urban design, sustainable urban planning

The METI school in Rudrapur Dinajpu, Bangledesh teaches the invaluable lesson of green design through its very earthen structure. Architects Anna Heringer and Eike Roswag directed a team of local parents, teachers, school children and craftsman in building the primary school by hand using raw materials including bamboo, straw, jute rope and the ancient building material cob (a layered mixture of wet earth, rice, straw and jute). Completed in just four months time, the collaborative effort has created a meaningful environment wherein rural children may pave a more fruitful future for themselves by receiving an education.

READ MORE AT INHABITOTS >

Permalink |
Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: ann aeringer, earth architecture, eco friendly school, eco kids, erik roswag, green design, green kids, green school, hand-built school, hand-made school, meti, meti school, meti school in bangledesh

Located in Atlantic Beach, New York, this impressive display of architecture comes from Belmont Freeman Architects and is a symbol of modern design. In a community of 1920’s and 30’s homes, this project comes to break the pattern and impose contemporaneity. We are not fond of this idea, however the building team considers that the the Kowalewski residence remains “respectful of the scale and architectural traditions of the community”. Overall, we think the house has some pretty cool architecture features, such as the irregular shape or the vertical window section which brakes monotony and seems to split the building in two unequal parts. The round window is also of great aesthetic effect. Still, in our opinion, homes should lose the rigid feel and stick to a design that inspires a homey atmosphere. What do you think about this idea?-via Arch Daily

Do you enjoy unusual transformations? Nicolas Tye Architects came up with one that teaches us something about innovative architecture. Long Barn Studio is the name of the building below and it was raised on the ruins of an old barn measuring a total surface of 2,200 square feet. The place has an interesting architecture and it manages to blend in its environment. You would probably expect an office building to have a certain height and a futuristic look, but the architects over at Nicolas Tye thought of messing with this pattern. However, if the exterior is somewhat peaceful and not very flashy, all the high-tech and modern stuff is located inside, in the actual work studio. And what a great place take inspiration from!-via Arch Daily

You’ve probably heard of Warren Buffett and know him as president Obama’s billionaire oracle. He is also famous for his investment plans, as they all turn out to be very successful in time. For all of you designers and architects out there, here is a good news for the day. According to Buffett, “within a year or so, residential housing problems should largely be behind us.” He also stated that by that time, demand will grow in order to catch up the supply witch means the market will be healthy again.

Buncing back to “normal” will occur slowly but surely. “Prices will remain far below ‘bubble’ levels, of course, but for every seller or lender hurt by this there will be a buyer who benefits. Indeed, many families that couldn’t afford to buy an appropriate home a few years ago now find it well within their means.”

What do you think of this statement? Do you believe in the rehabilitation of the housing market? Do you think this is just a phenomenon about to happen in the US or will things go global and resemble a domino effect? -via USA Today