Modhound

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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Modern hanging gardens

When ac and i were walking along abbott kinney boulevard i snapped a shot of this fantastic hanging garden on the side of a building (anyone know which building this is? i couldn't find any signage out front). i love the way it combines beautiful organic plants with such a modern, industrial structure. it would be great to see something like this applied to simple, concrete box-style buildings.

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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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So Succulent

Just found these wonderful creations from Greenware Design , via Holly's spotlight on the Storque -> stunning arrangements of plant life to dress up your nest, come complete with gorgeous, handmade ceramic planters in varying shapes and sizes.  Oh how succulent they are!

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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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Roof Carpet

Soft felt tiles give shape to a carpet made to dream or to walk barefoot, to feel the warmth of wool in the coldest winter evenings. It suggests the...

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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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Garden Office

The building owners, a young family, needed additional space for the husband’s works as journalist and the wife’s acupuncture practice.

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