Kids with special illnesses, disabilities, and other challenges received a new toy this summer at Camp Twin Lakes in Rutledge, Georgia. Designed by Amy Leathers, senior associate at Lord, Aeck & Sargent, the treehouse serves as a play area and educational space for learning about nature and sustainability. It's wheelchair accessible and outfitted with a number of environmentally-sensitive features.
Ann Arbor, Michigan architectural firm A3C has turned its building into a showcase for a number of green building components, and managed to produce a LEED-CI Gold renovation of the existing two-story building while they were at it. The firm wanted to have a showcase for a variety of green building options, as well as providing themselves with firsthand experience with a number of different systems.
The other day, Design Boom reported on this project for the city of Groningen in the Netherlands. Designed by NL Architects, the project, called Sozawe — welfare department and work agency — has office spaces, a large interior public space, and 215 parking spaces. Each of the nine office floors includes access to outdoor spaces with trees and a view over the city.
We've seen solar-powered transit shelters, but this eco-friendly transit center with transit stops outfitted with green walls may be a first. With the help of greenscreen green walls, the City of Tempe Transit Center is seeking LEED Platinum certification. The mixed use facility, designed to be 52% more efficient than a traditional building of its kind, went with green walls to provide a buffer from the harsh Arizona sun and heat.
It's time to follow up on a project a cool project, the Zero Energy Idea House, that we mentioned at ground breaking in July 2008. Located at Bass Cove near Bellevue, Washington, the 1,630 square-foot, two-bedroom Zero Energy Idea House was designed by Clinkston Brunner Architects and built by Shirey Contracting. Overlooking Lake Sammamish, the home is planted into the hill as a demonstration of energy efficiency — the goal is to show that it generates as much energy as it uses.
Project Profiles
