Architects: Juan Luis Martínez Nahuel
Location: Panguipulli, Chile
Client: Francisca Boher Elton
Project area: 112 sqm
Project year: 2007 – 2008
Photographs: Courtesy of Juan Luis Martínez Nahuel
© Daici Ano
Architects: Dorell.Ghotmeh.Tane
Location: Milan, Italy
Project area: 534 sqm
Project year: 2010 – 2011
Photographs: Francesco Niki Takehiko, Daici Ano
by Steve Sanderson
This is the first in Practice 2.0, a regular series of posts guest authored by our friends at CASE (@case_inc), focusing on technology and innovation in the building industry. While we all share tremendous enthusiasm for the opportunities afforded by technology, my particular interests are on gaining better, more timely access to information and improving building performance through informed decision making. Given the proximity to Earth Day (better late than never), I’m going to start things off with a related post. You can expect future posts to focus on building simulation and evidence-based design, with an emphasis on energy, validation and standards. You can also expect to hear a lot about Passive House.
Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of seeing Ed Mazria of Architecture 2030 speak at Cooper Union. For those that don’t know, Mazria and his organization have been instrumental in raising awareness of the enormous impact of buildings on climate change. His initiative, The 2030 Challenge, has been adopted (in varying degrees) by the most influential organizations on the built environment in the United States, including: the Federal Government, US Army, State of California, AIA and ASHRAE, among others. What does that mean? It means these organizations will require (or encourage) all new construction and major renovations to be carbon neutral by the year 2030.
Sounds good right? Frankly, it sounds awesome, but when you dig deeper into how this is received by the industry, you come away with a different perspective. As a building technology consulting firm, we interact with a diverse group of stakeholders from across the industry, representing all of the organizations noted above. In conversations with these individuals about the goals set out by The 2030 Challenge, you can basically group nearly everyone into one of two groups: The Blissfully Ignorant or The Fearfully Aware.
Slated to be one of the most ambitious green buildings in North America, the Cascadia Center for Sustainable Design and Construction will be the world’s most energy-efficient commercial building reinforcing the city of Seattle’s commitment to be at the forefront the green building movement. This exciting new building is planning to achieve the Living Building Challenge (version 2.0), as described by the International Living Building Institute.
The mixed-use building will serve as the future headquarters of the Bullitt Foundation as well as provide office and commercial space for leaders in the green building industry. Thursday, May 4th, at the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall, a free community event will present the Cascadia Center. Further details can be found here.
Architects: Miller Hull Partnership
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Project Team: PAE Consulting Engineers, Point32, Schuchart Construction
© UNStudio. Photographed by Ronald Tilleman
In recent years, UNStudio – which has been internationally recognized for its approach to developing dynamic forms – has also grown to focus on sustainability with the intent to decrease C02 emissions. With this in mind, the firm, with consortium DUO², has realized one of the most sustainable large office buildings in Europe for two governmental offices, the Education Executive Agency and the Tax Offices. “The design contains numerous new innovations related to the reduction of materials, lower energy costs and more sustainable working environments. It presents a fully integrated, intelligent design approach towards sustainability,” explained Ben van Berkel.
More images and more about the project after the break. read more »
Courtesy GOMMA Design
Rome based architecture and design firm GOMMA Design has submitted one of their latest projects, Coral City, a self-sustaining and disaster-resistant eco-village in the Philippines, submitted for the DAtE competition. Additional images of their proposal and a lengthy description are available after the break.
read more »
© Jack Parsons Photography
The Tim Palen Studio at Shadow Mountain is a 2nd generation pre-fab design for a residence and workplace developed by ecotechdesign in collaboration with ecotechbuild. A container hybrid prototype this kit-like housing product is offered for the first time to homeowners who want more than what is currently available with pre-fab and manufactured housing, even custom construction.
Loosely based on the efficient Prius automobile engineering concept, the hybrid house concept combines diverse pre-engineered building and energy conservation features to maximize efficiency and cost savings, while offering architectural design flexibility and variation.
The hybrid house consists of cargo containers and pre-engineered steel building components that can be erected and combined together at the site, often in less than an hour.
Architects: ecotechdesign
Location: Joshua Tree, California, USA
Project Team: Walter Scott Perry and Eric Engheben
Photographs: Jack Parsons Photography
© Nic Lehoux
The LOTT Clean Water Alliance Regional Services Center designed by the Miller Hull Partnership is a LEED Platinum certified wastewater treatment plant and recently named a COTE 2011 Top Ten Green Project.
The design challenge for the project included renovating the existing administrative and laboratory building, and the creation of a new four-story Regional Services Center to house administrative offices, an emergency operations center, and boardroom, and an education center with interpretive exhibits and a classroom.
Architects: Miller Hull Partnership
Location: Olympia, Washington, USA
Landscape Architects: Murase Associates
Renderings: Miller Hull Partnership
Photographs: Nic Lehoux
view of the pit 01
Currently under development, OKRA’s Xiang’he Garden City, consisting of a masterplan for the Park of the Floating Gardens, defines challenging ambitions, turning the former clay pits into a water park. A new garden city of approximately 700 hectares will arise close to the future 7th ring of Beijing, China. The ambitions for the park are high and should create the perfect setting for the first housing development. The park should be a place for recreation, for running, for barbequing, for celebrations and more. It should also contribute to a sustainable environment, combining green design and water. More images and architects’ description after the break. read more »
LOTT Clean Water Alliance / The Miller | Hull Partnership © Nic Lehoux
The Committee on the Environment (COTE) has announced the Top Ten Green Projects for 2011. Receiving this honor at the upcoming AIA 2011 National Convention and Design Exposition in New Orleans, the following projects are examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment.
Celebrating its 15th year, the COTE Top Ten Green Projects program is one of the profession’s highest recognitions for sustainable design excellence.
The jury assembled for the 2011 COTE Top Ten Green Projects includes: Joshua W. Aidlin, AIA, Aidlin Darling Design; Mary Guzowski, University of Minnesota School of Architecture; Kevin Kampschroer, General Services Administration, Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings; Mary Ann Lazarus, AIA LEED AP, HOK; Jennifer Sanguinetti, P.E. LEED AP, Smart Buildings & Energy Management, BC Housing; and Lauren Yarmuth, LEED AP, YRG New York.
The COTE 2011 Top Ten Green Projects following the break.
This competition entry for the densification of the surburb of Furuset outside of Oslo, Norway comes from a-lab in collaboration with COWI AS and Architectopia. The goal of the project is toreduce the CO2 emission by 50% by the year 2030, Furuset will be a model project in sustainable urban development by increasing the density of the community with the addition of 2500 housing units and 1500 workspaces.
With a growing and diversifying population, the designers considered the kind of urban plan that is adaptive and stable enough to nurture the growth of the community developing in Furuset. The proposal looks forward to creating a strong identity that forms the framework for a high quality of life. exciting urban spaces, diversity, density and a healthy economy.
More on the development of this proposal after the break. read more »
Courtesy of NDA Planning
NDA Planning, part of NDA Design Associates, an international French-based architectural practice, creates a new ‘Balanced City’ concept that won the international urban masterplan competition against key industry players to design Dalian’s New Airport Zone with MVA, its partner for transportation planning in Dalian, Northern China. The area covered also includes Dalian’s New Sports City and, with a surface area of 168 km2, it is one of the largest development sites ever managed by a foreign design team in China. Dalian Aeropolis, the Balanced City, introduces a vibrant new urban quarter whereby the city’s existing resources and NDA’s innovative development concept blend together in perfect harmony. More images and project description after the break. read more »
© Brian Rose
This new neighborhood, situated on seven-and-a-half acres in the southern end of Oakland, has a range of affordable housing, green pathways, pocket parks, and open spaces. The development has achieved one of the first LEED ND Certified Gold Plans.
Architect: David Baker + Partners
Location: Oakland, California, USA
Landscape Architect: PGA Design
Structural Engineer: OLMM Consulting Engineers
Electrical Engineer: FW Associates
Lighting Designer: Horton Lees Brogden
Mechanical/Plumbing Engineer: Guttmann + Blaevoet and SJ Engineers
Contractor: Cahill Contractors
Civil Engineer: Sandis
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Brian Rose, Courtesy of David Baker + Partners
© Brian Rose
Registered for LEED certification, h2 Hotel infuses all aspects of its design, operations, and attitude with eco-consciousness—including such energy-saving measures as a green roof and solar panels.
Architect: David Baker + Partners
Location: 219 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, California, USA
Interior Design: Jen Gadiel Design and Marie Fisher
Landscape Architect: Andrea Cochran Landscape Architects
Lighting Designer: Horton Lees Brogden
Mechanical/Plumbing Engineer: Guttman + Blaevoet
Acoustical Engineer: Wilson Ihrig + Associates
Contractor: Midstate Construction
Photographs: Brian Rose
Architects: Eduard Epp, Matt Cibinel, Michael Chan, Taren Wan, Elaine Pang, Thilini Samarasekera, Richard Chiang, Jen Rac, Scott Dean, Alex Needham
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Cost: $5,300.00 CDN
Project year: 2010
Photographs: Eduard Epp
Courtesy Reality Cues
Reality Cues has shared with us their unique idea for the handling of consumer waste and the physical possibilities they imagine stemming from this condition. Images of Excess Heights in addition to a brief narrative description after the jump.
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Courtesy Team CLS
Designed by Team CLS, headed by award winning UK Architect Darren Chan, other members including Emily Lau (Architecture Graduate) and Jonas Sin (Netherlands Architect), their project, Helios Rehab Sanctuary, innovates in the application of sustainable technologies to create a new and exciting typology. More on this project after the break.
read more »
eNJoy
In 2002, the United States Department of Energy initiated the Solar Decathlon – an intense competition challenging collegiate teams to create residences that fuse the most sustainable technologies with functionality, comfort, and of course, aesthetics. Over the course of the past decade, interest in the Decathlon has grown dramatically [be sure to read our previous Solar Decathlon coverage] as the competition has piqued the interest of students from top universities, as well as millions of public followers learning the advantages of energy-efficient, cost-effective housing.
Team New Jersey, a collaborative effort between the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University, has designed a handicap accessible net-zero energy prototype featuring low-maintenance concrete construction and the latest green technologies, complete with a striking beach-inspired aesthetic.
More about the residence, including a great video, after the break. read more »
© Raimond Koch
We were first introduced to Onion Flats by you, our readers. After posting our Architecture City Guide to Philadelphia we received numerous comments suggesting that Onion Flats’s work should be among the cannot miss list if you visit Philadelphia. We certainly agree. We chose to showcase their project Rag Flats first, but we will bring you more of their work in the coming days. Rag Flats is an experiment in and a critique of sustainable forms of urban dwelling. The former industrial rag factory has been re-conceptualized as a residential garden community created by prototypical forms of dwellings commonly found in Philadelphia: the row house, the trinity, the loft, and the pavilion. Rag Flats intentionally explores the necessary relationships between density, intimacy, and privacy in any urban community. Rag Flats was a collaborative design/build project.
More on this project after the break!
Architect: Onion Flats
Location: 1338-52 E. Berks St., Fishtown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Developer/Builder: Onion Flats
Project Year: 2006
Photographs: Courtesy of Onion Flats
© Benjamin Benschneider
Designed by Mithun, the 12-story Mosler Lofts were the first LEED Silver certified condos in Seattle. An example of how to create value through innovative, sustainable design beyond an initial development vision, this development was 90% sold within the first 6 months on the market due to its highly sustainable features and contemporary design.
Architect: Mithun
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Project Area: 242,800 sqf
Project Year: 2007
Photographs: Benjamin Benschneider
Log 23, like the other Log issues, gathered together a great collection of essays about architecture and the city. This issues features essays from notable people such as, Greg Lynn, Pier Vittorio Aureli, Joseph Clarke, and more. Also there is…
50 US Architects / Damir Sinovcic
This informative 11″ by 11″ hardcover book presents a curated collection of award-winning residential and master planning work from leading American designers. Meticulously detailed and site-specific, the featured projects focus on sustainability, technology, and the human spirit. They reflect ideologies…
Design Like You Give A Damn [2] / Architecture for Humanity
![Design Like You Give A Damn [2] / Architecture for Humanity](http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/1337368807-design-like-you-give-a-damn-ii-125x125.jpg)
There are few organizations that would utter the words: “we need to constantly look for ways to make ourselves redundant” (46).
But Architecture for Humanity isn’t your typical organization. Since its inception in 1999, the company has put design professionals in…
