I like the scale of this project and its potential low maintenance material choices. Holds about 10 people, has rough-ins for wind/solar and sounds like the long term plan is for this place to house a family year round. More here.
Toolbox House - YYAA Yoshihiro Yamamoto Architects Atelier (Osaka, Japan)
Love how tiny and organized this project is - it’s under 1000sf and has 3bdrms, bath, office, kitchen/dining and motorcycle storage. More information and photos here.
Side Note: This is the day I got my 1st Moderna vaccine.
Bird houses
Spring is here tomorrow and perhaps I can hardly wait too. Great simple bird houses and graphic renderings by Husos Architects.
Holy Water Cabin
Located in England and designed by Out of the Valley. The corner that slides opens and onto a wrap around deck makes this otherwise tiny project feel large-ish. The soak tub on the front porch also really cinches the cabin vibe.
Electric pickup by Canoo
The Swiss Army would be proud of this one. Check out more here.
…also, it’s supposed to get 200 miles/charge and has outlets & usb ports everywhere.
Taiyuan Botanical Garden (CHINA)
Impressive glulam domes, site planning and design by Delugan Meissl Associated Architects. More here.
Brick
I love that this is what it can do, or…this is what can be done with it.
Amidst Texas Blackout, Ford F-150 Hybrid Owners Power Their Homes & Help Neighbors
I love this kind of story: People using electric vehicles as mobile generators to solve power issues for others in crisis. More here.
Ecological Pavilion - Studio 1984
Love when you can see how things are made, especially when made like this. Check out the wood interior here.
MU50 modular cabin (Teke Architects)
A prefab prototype that’s low-impact, recyclable, and adaptable enough to be built virtually anywhere. More here.
Aeroslider (Manyone)
Another creative idea for moving people and things using magnetic propulsion. More here.
Minimum/Maximum - Punch
This is a bit bigger than is probably necessary, but very nice material palette, details and analysis. More here.
Denver Net-Zero Energy 2030
Denver has a goal for all new buildings and homes to achieve net-zero energy by 2030. Denver defines “Net Zero Energy (NZE)” as a new building or home that is: 1. Highly Energy Efficient, 2. All-Electric, 3. Powered by Renewable Energy, and 4. Providers of Demand Flexibility for the Grid. Read more here.
Here’s the breakdown:
Net zero energy, all-electric new homes in the 2024 Building Code
Net zero energy, all-electric new buildings in the 2027 Building Code
New buildings perform as designed (performance verification) in the 2030 Building Code
Hill House - David Coleman Architecture
Tiny cabin with strong axis. Love the glass, gabion wall and 115’ long tiered deck. More here.
Wine Factory Retrofit (Greece) - K-Studio
K-Studio took an abandoned seaside factory and thoughtfully cleaned-it-up by turning it into a luxury beach hotel. No big new construction, just thoughtful interventions. This short video is great highlight reel.
SKIDMORE PASSIVHAUS - In Situ Architecture (Oregon)
This project merges modern design with energy efficiency: high levels of insulation, airtight construction, triple glazed windows, and a super-efficient heat recovery ventilator. Generous amounts of S. facing windows maximize solar gains for most of the year, while motorized ext. aluminum shades can be lowered to block unwanted summer heat gain resulting in comfortable inside temperatures year round. A green roof helps manage stormwater on site, while a roof-mounted PV array provides enough electricity to result in a near net zero sustainable building. Pretty impressive. More here.
Step by step : Propagating Succulents
At the moment, I’m a bit obsessed with succulents - maybe it’s their elegant Fibonacci structures or could be their seemingly tough exteriors with gentle interiors. Whatever it is, I found this helpful post from Needles + Leaves for making more from cuttings and leaves.
Tower C - Zaha Hadid (China)
Zaha Hadid Architects’ proposal is the winner of a competition at Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters — a business/ financial center for 300,000 employees. The development will include int’l conference venues, exhibition and cultural programs, while also incorporating residential development, a transportation center, botanic grasslands, and a coastal zone with wetlands. More here.
This is the kind of fwd thinking future I’d like to see emerge everywhere.
Multifunctional Community Centre Bansberia, West Bengal
Lovely, textured and tiny building by Abin Design Studio. And again, I love to see what people do with hardened blocks of clay that fit nicely in your hands and stack so well. See more here.
Jiangyin Greenway - Weaving and Stitching Jiangsu, China
For all the construction that is currently taking place in China, I’m always happy to see when cities there embrace large-scale green projects. More here.
