Wow, these turned out nice!  We mentioned Celadon a long time ago, and now the twenty-four unit development is complete.  The Charlotte Business Journal gave Celadon their Green Multifamily Project of the Year Award, and despite this crazy real estate market, buyers (who committed to a unit at the top of the market) are getting appraisals at the contract price.  I guess you could say green and modern design holds market value … we certainly think it does.  The interiors are minimalist and just right. 

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Pretty much every website, organization, and movement has something to say today, and a lot of it is worth listening to.  We’re not going to get caught up in the hype cycle, but we also recognize that experimental Earth Day efforts could lead to greater commitment 365 days of the year.  We like the USGBC’s Earth Day Challenge, because it gets you thinking big outside of this isolated day.  If you're still looking for some time to kill this Earth Day, here are a few links that we noticed …

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Everyone has something to say on Earth Day, and that’s not all that bad.  We’re going to keep the noise to a minimum, but here’s the thing:  A good Earth Day experiment just might lead to greater commitment, so why not give this one day a shot?  The USGBC sent out an email with an Earth Day challenge that may pay dividends long after this day is over …

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A little while back, Robert Kerr let us know about a new line of hybrid construction homes that his firm developed called Select.  The renderings in this article show the first Select home, which was designed for a private client to be built in Los Angeles.  Referred to as the Meridian Residence, this unique home accommodates mature trees already on the site — notice the Olive tree atrium in the middle.  We'll definitely keep you posted as the home moves forward and approaches completion …

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The great American architect Daniel Burnham once said, "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood."  The Venus Project is no little plan — it's a proposal for a total redesign of the world.  From cities on the sea to mass transit, mega sky scrapers, and even colonies in outer space, it covers every angle.  Furthermore, it proposes to achieve all of this by switching to a resource-based economy and adopting radical lifestyle changes.  The plan is large, thoroughly documented, and beautifully rendered.  The architecture even comes with plans to build the machines needed to build these massive structures.  Here's a look at just a couple of the many concepts …

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