This Seattle Home Brings Together Sustainability, With A Rustic Modern Edge

Mar 6, 2015

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This beautiful home comes to us courtesy Dwell Development and is found in Seattle, and was built using a mixture of sustainable and reclaimed materials. The look and feel bring together a decidedly modern and contemporary lines with the rustic warmth of reclaimed woods, and a dash of sustainable features.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Students Design Retro-Rustic Offgrid Nomad Camper For Easy Towing

Sep 2, 2015

The housing crisis may be over, but plenty of people all over still face the challenge of trying to find a place to call home. This retro-rustic styled dwelling is one of the prototypes from +FARM‘s summer design studio, where students immerse themselves in design and construction practices, attempting to bring new solutions to fruition.

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The 2015 Nomad Studio shown here is modest, but beautiful, with a tiny 8′ x 5′ interior that sleeps two and quickly transforms into a lounge space. It has deployable solar panels that create 1kw, powering the coffee maker and film projector, and there’s even a stowable composting toilet hidden away.

Photos courtesy Andrew Nisbet

Miracle “Algae Canopy” Makes The Oxygen Equivalent Of 10 Forest Acres In One Day

May 1, 2015

That thick green film that collects on rocks at the floor of a body of water may just be the solution to the excess CO2 in our atmosphere. In the past two decades researchers have been searching for ways to apply the positive atmospheric attributes of algae to design technology. EcoLogic Studio has done just that with the Urban Algae Canopy.

The structure is currently in the prototype stage of development and will be the first of its kind on display at the Expo Milano 2015. The canopies are completely reactive, and can produce and move energy and oxygen based on a number of inputs, including weather patterns and user movement. EcoLogic Studio claims that the canopies have the capability of producing the oxygen equivalent of four hectares of woodland area.

The ambitious project presents an innovative intersection between technology and biology, and fits in with the ever-growing movement of integrating natural processes into man-made structures.

This Postman Collected Pebbles During The Day. At Night He Built Something Incredible.

Mar 18, 2015

In 1879 a postman by the name of Ferdinand Cheval stepped on a small pebble, and after picking it up and examining it, he got an idea. He would spend the next 30+ years collecting pebbles of various shapes and sizes on his 18-mile-long route. After work he would mix together lime and concrete to build the Palais Idéal.

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“I said to myself: since Nature is willing to do the sculpture, I will do the masonry and the architecture”

Located in Hauterives, the palace is a popular tourist destination and also serves as inspiration for artists. An example of “naïve art architecture”, . He spent 22 years building the outer walls, using stones he gathered in his pockets. Eventually he carried a basket and finally a wheelbarrow to collect the necessary stones to complete the project.

Ferdinand is an inspiration not just to artists, but anyone who rides a wave of inspiration to the finish. His efforts prove that with time, passion, and effort, you can achieve almost anything.

Photographs by EMMANUEL GEORGES and CLAUDE TRAVELS

It’s Alive! This Home Uses Compost For Climate Control

Jun 25, 2015

A collection of crafty and clever students at Japan’s Waseda University have developed a way to utilize the natural fermentation process of straw to heat and cool your home. On the interior, pre-fabricated acrylic boxes are stuffed full of common straw. The straw is left to ferment and compost, naturally giving off a staggering amount of heat – up to 86 degrees Fahrenheit!

The design of the home is fairly simple – meant to be more of a shell for experimentation than a display of architectural ingenuity. It serves its purpose well enough to showcase this nontraditional building technology, and the exterior is also clad in straw, showcasing its use as an effective weather barrier.

The fermentation is a result of a low-odor composting technique called “bokashi” (meaning “fermented organic matter”). The process happens over a four week period, so the real downside to this type of system would be the maintenance. If anything, the project is an example of what is possible using natural processes in building tech. The acrylic boxes are placed strategically throughout the interior so as to provide each space with the appropriate amount of heat. In the summer, the dormant straw that has already been composed acts as a natural insulator – keeping the home passively cool. They will even release moisture, which acts as a natural cooling mechanism. This floor plan shows where the boxes are hung on the interior walls.

Designed by Masaki Ogasawara, Keisuke Tsukada and Erika Mikami, the students hope the prototype ushers in new and interesting investigations into natural building technologies. Their “Recipe to Live” house is certainly an example of the possibilities as we move towards a move eco-conscious society.

Images by Waseda University.

This Swiss “Eco Pod” Luxury Hotel With Private Ski Lift

Mar 26, 2015

For anyone lucky enough to pay a visit to the Swiss Alps, we would encourage you to stay at this very special hotel. The Whitepod hotel is an exclusive hi-tech camp located at 5000 feet elevation. The design garnered the resort a Responsible Tourism Award for Innovation, thanks to its low-impact mark on the surrounding nature.

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“Whitepod is inspired by a desire to create a haven of beauty and tranquility where guests can restore tired bodies and jaded spirits in the knowledge that their presence will bear little if no impact at all on the surrounding environment.”

Each pod sleeps up to four, and comes with its own individualized decor and a fully equipped bathroom/shower. During the winter, they cover the pods with a white blanket and in the summer with a green one. A main chalet nearby offers dining and spa facilities.

Visit http://www.whitepod.com/wpod/winter/en/ to learn more

Star Wars Inspired House In South Korea

May 4, 2015

Star Wars fans are a dedicated bunch, as this unusual home in Korea demonstrates. Built by architecture firm Moon Hoon, this inspired home takes a detour from its neighbors, bringing a spaceship-like design into the mix. The exterior draws its geometric inspiration from the Sandcrawler, which appears in the beginning of A New Hope, and a touch of gray from the Death Star.

Inside however, the theme is much more subdued, with its bright and open layout that’s decidedly modern, showing off a minimalist approach to decor and furnishings. The couple who built this home wanted to upgrade from their apartment to a small countryside home where they could raise a family, and spent about $200k to complete the build.

Garden of Eden? This Church’s Interiors Are Covered In Grass

Mar 17, 2015

In an effort to rejuvenate the interiors of this ancient Italian-style Church in London, artist and composer Graeme Miller has collaborated with Ackroyd & Harvey to carpet its interiors with living grass. Greenery covers the walls, floors and ceilings of the awe-inspiring space, resulting in a surreal experience that speaks to the sanctity of life and the preciousness of our relationship to faith.

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The converted church was in complete disrepair prior to the planting and cultivation of the grass. In addition to making unique use of a once decrepit ruin, Miller and company created the installation as an experiment in human experience. They explain, “We were curious about how the architectural space, the atmosphere, and the perceptions of people entering it, would be affected by the application of our materials.”

This Crooked House Warps The Mind With Its Crazy Facade

Apr 24, 2015

Like the twisted beauty of the Polish language, the Krzywy Domek or “Crooked House” by Szotyńscy & Zaleski elegantly distorts familiar architectural convention. The street-facing facade presents an unusual collage of undulating forms that looks like it was tailor-made for the setting of Disney’s next animated film.

The building is a popular destination on Sopot, Poland’s famed Monte Cassino Street, and contains shops, restaurants and cafés. A central gazed section is bookended by two stucco masses that would resemble traditional vernacular if they weren’t pinched and bulbed to appear more fantastical. The architects were inspired by the illustrations of Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg in addition to legendary Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi.

At night, the structure glows like a warped jack-o-lantern. The deep-set window openings cast dramatic shadows adding to the dream-like appearance of the facade.

The inside follows suit, imitating the the same playful forms and details, seamlessly blending the conceptual force behind the design’s iconic exterior.

The Multipurpose Cube Inside This Home Is Pure Genius

Mar 7, 2015

On the outside this home appears to be your everyday little cottage, but inside things have changed quite a bit since it was originally built. A young family of four occupies the space, which saw a dramatic remodel. They removed the back half of the home, replacing it with an open living/dining room area and then added a totally unique cube/pod system in the center.

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The pod may seem a bit odd at first, almost a waste of space, until you understand what it’s used for. Inside its walls you’ll find a bathroom, powder room, and pantry. It also serves as a wall to separate the playroom from the main living and dining area.

Photos by: Lauren Bamford