This conceptual proposal for Chicago's Monroe Harbor was designed in honor of the great American architect Daniel Burnham, but perhaps more importantly, to secure Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympic games. The proposal is a modern interpretation of Burnam's 1909 master plan for Chicago. In a land locked city, the Chicago Eco-Bridge offers an extension of the landscape that would dramatically change the face of the city, and perhaps the United States.
Although the finishing touches are still being placed on East Portland Community Center natatorium, or aquatic center, the expansion project is on target for beyond LEED Gold and possibly LEED Platinum territory. Does this make it the world’s first LEED Platinum aquatic center? Hard to say, we’ll just have to see, but certainly, this facility is indicative of a future where all buildings – whether parking garages, civic centers, libraries, museums, hangars, or skyscrapers – need to have a lighter impact on the environment, especially when mandated by the relevant state or local authority, as was the case here. Here are a few green stats:
These days, you can't really attend a convention or exhibition unless there's a prefab and we think that's a great thing. In this case, ideabox is at it again with a new iteration of their popular confluence prefab at the Portland Home & Garden Show. If you're in the Pacific Northwest, go check it out through the 22nd of this month; if you're not, ideabox was nice enough to send us a few informal shots. The 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom home has a tidy footprint, as well as updated detailing, Kohler fixtures, and Design Within Reach furnishings. Simple living in a modern package …
With an idea like this, you're going to win some prizes. Morris Architects took home first prize, as well as $10,000, in the second annual Radical Innovation in Hospitality Awards, which was sponsored by the John Hardy Group and Hospitality Design magazine. Some of the other entries were also unique, but this Oil Rig Hotel and Spa is particularly innovative. To understand the innovation behind the adaptive reuse, a background understanding of oil rigs is necessary.
Ecolect, a website that helps designers, architects, and builders discover eco-friendly material alternatives, has launched an interesting service called GreenBox. GreenBox is an annual subscription of green material samples that's shipped right to your door every three months. Each GreenBox delivery includes 8-12 material samples, material information, sustainability specs, performance overview, cost profiles, and distributor information. And it's all neatly designed to hang on the wall or cubicle or any other place you have in mind.
