And yet, few want to know that. The otherwise omniscient Kenneth Frampton was recently heard to say, “The New Urbanists … are they still around?” “They make porches for white Southerners, don’t they?” is Rodolfo Machado’s joshing version. Unfortunately, architecture students from our elite schools believe this more easily than the truth... — Metropolis Magazine
Andrés Duany is looking to open a new architectural can of stylistic worms. And he wants you to reply. The gist of the argument can be summed up by the following quote: "The problem, it seemed to us, was not one of inadequately designed “unprecedented typologies.” Suburban... View full entry
In the year since the wellhead beneath the Deepwater Horizon rig began spewing rust-colored crude into the northern Gulf of Mexico, scientists have been working frantically to figure out what environmental harm really came of the largest oil spill in American history. What has emerged in studies so far is not a final tally of damage, but a new window on the complexities of the gulf, and the vulnerabilities and capacities of biological systems in the face of environmental insults. — New York Times
In June, oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico was absorbed by booms in Bay Jimmy, south of New Orleans. View full entry
Documentary by SBS Dateline (Australian TV) about the Chinese real estate market. — SBS Dateline
Norwegian practice A-lab won the open international ideas competition on climate efficient urban development on Furuset area in Oslo. — bustler.net
The project goal is to condense the suburb Furuset i Groruddalen outside Oslo with 2,500 new homes and 1,500 new workspaces, and to reduce CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2030. The project provides a district that stands for sustainable urban development. View full entry
Eliphante offers a place for artists to create a unique and inspirational experience in the natural environment for visitors to enjoy that will leave them with a renewed sense of enthusiasm for the natural world and how we can creatively design our communities within in it. — eliphante.org
Environmentalists says plans, which also include hotels and a marina, are 'complete madness' and warn public to be sceptical — guardian.co.uk
Yisrael Katz, the Israeli minister for transport, said the plan had been under consideration for many months and had been encouraged by Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. He said it would also relieve Israel of the obligation to be the transit point for goods into the enclave. View full entry
An exhibit at the American Institute of Architects headquarters shows off the LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system — theatlantic.com
As we reported previously, the biennial Solar Decathlon Competition, put on by the US Department of Energy, has received a major blow this year by getting denied the use of the National Mall for presenting the homes. Today it has been announced that the event has found a new, nearby home... As we... View full entry
A groundbreaking project is currently being implemented on the Hönggerberg Campus of renowned Swiss Federal Technical Institute, ETH Zurich. In the future, waste heat from buildings on the Science City Campus will be stored in the earth during the summer through 800 ground probes. A... View full entry
Honolulu City Councilman Donovan Dela Cruz has introduced a bill that would require applicants for building permits to submit plans to recycle or reuse at least 60 percent of construction and demolition waste. Honolulu City Councilman Donovan Dela Cruz has introduced a bill that would require... View full entry
"One of LEED’s major accomplishments — saving energy by making buildings more airtight — has had the paradoxical effect of more effectively trapping the gases emitted by the unprecedented number of chemicals used in today’s building materials and furnishings. " "It places... View full entry
A superblock is a large urban block of mixed-use buildings, often cut off from city traffic. In China there are a dozen superblocks built each day, according to this article in The Economist. Many experts have shown how these superblocks can be unsustainable, from the individual to global scale... View full entry
Building in bamboo...Bamboo houses combat climate change, encourage economic growth and protect the poor from natural disaster. Why aren’t there more of them? Miller McCune View full entry
LIFE Magazine has a slideshow showcasing some historical examples of solar technology, with some innovative applications by architects. It starts out with Charles Eames' small solar engine invention.LIFE Magazine has a slideshow showcasing some historical examples of solar technology, with some... View full entry
A hotel made completely out of trash has opened in Rome. The objective of the project by artist HA Schult is to focus attention on the importance of keeping the beaches clean. A hotel made completely out of trash has opened in Rome. The objective of the project by artist HA Schult is to focus... View full entry
