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The Watercube Wins Australia’s Highest Architecture Award

The Chinese National Aquatic Center, better known as the Watercube , recently won the most prestigious architecture award from the Australian Institute of Architecture ! Although not officially a cube, the incredible aquatics facility is the 2008 winner of the Jorn Utzon Award for International Architecture . The design and construction of the memorable facility was a collaboration between Australian firm PTW Architects , Chinese practices CSCEC and CCDI, and international firm Arup

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Woodloops’ Gorgeous FSC-Certified Furniture

These gorgeous pieces of FSC certified wooden furniture were created by German design company Woodloops .

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Innovative Desert Architecture from Binary Design Studio

Desert living has long been characterized as a lifestyle that requires considerable intervention to be sustainable. Still, at least one team of architects and designers believes that the secret to living comfortably in the desert is already there - in two unlikely sources: desert plants and prehistoric dwellings. Binary Design Studio , made up of Dale Clifford, Jason Vollen, M.

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The Bright Idea Light Bulb Shade

Many of our readers have already switched out their incandescent light bulbs in favor of energy-efficient CFL s, and for this we applaud you! However for those out there who have not made the switch, it may be due to concerns over the bright glare that these bulbs emit.

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The Origami-Inspired Folding Bamboo House

Ming Tang’s beautiful origami-inspired Folded Bamboo Houses are intended to be used as temporary shelters in the aftermath of an earthquake. Brilliant in their simplicity, the geometric shelters are constructed from renewable materials and can be folded into a variety of structurally sound shapes. Their elegant design was recently honored as a notable mention in this year’s Re:Construct competition sponsored by San Francisco’s Urban Re:Vision (more…)

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Heather Heron Hemp Clutches and Totes

It’s a rare thing to find eco accessories that seem as essential as the basic staples in our lives. Sustainability is not about acquiring more goods but about finding a balance and a loop of consumption that closely examines ecology and personal need. This is probably why Heather Heron ’s clutches and totes feel so right. Designed and crafted with organic European hemp , Heron’s eco glam designs are guilt-free luxurious and beautifully streamlined. With L.A.

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PHILLY PREFAB EXHIBIT: A Clean Break

This week our Prefab Friday radar went crazy when it detected  A Clean Break ’s green, prefab neighborhood in the City of Brotherly Love, hosted by  Minima Gallery as a part of overall  DesignPhiladelphia and National Design Week festivities. From October 17 to October 30 visitors can wander through a modern, green village featuring innovative design solutions from international architects and designers, including  Alchemy Architects and Sustain Design/Altius Architecture . See what it means to live green in the neighborhood!

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The WaterMill Produces Fresh Drinking Water out of Thin Air

What if we could, like mythical alchemists, change stone into gold; or like Superman, make coal into diamonds by squeezing it with our bare hands? In possession of such powers might we choose to create something that could make the world a better place? Element Four seems to have answered this not-so-hypothetical question with a resounding “yes” with the WaterMill , a water purification and filtration system that creates “fresh, potable water from an unlimited source: the air.”

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Bubbletecture H by Shuhei Endo

When Japanese architect Endo Shuhei adds another delectable design to his repertoire, you can expect a project title just as incredible as the structure itself. He names each of his projects by letter and then style, with appellations ranging from “rooftecture”, to “slowtecture”, to “refurbitecture” and beyond. His recently completed ‘Bubbletecture H’ building in Hyogo is the 8th (Hth) project he has created that is bursting with bubbly bulges and arches. Designed with curves of the land in mind, this open-air environmental education center aims at minimizing its environmental impact while blending in naturally. (more…)

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Energy Seed Lamp Powered by Recycled Batteries

Although consumer electronics are tending towards rechargeable batteries these days, those ubiquitous alkaline disposables continue to present an environmental problem.

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