Archive for the ‘Sustainable Energy’ Category
Friday, September 25th, 2009
The question, “what will our cities of the future look like?”, is a question that has captured the imagination of many minds, at many times.
After all, here we are in the 21st century, a millennium ahead of us for testing and witnessing just how far the lines between science fact and science fiction will blur.
At the ground level in little ole Aotearoa we all have reason to despair at a lack of focus on our urban futures and the design of those urban futures. We don’t do “urban” as well as we need to.
A suggestion for Auckland’s Queens Wharf
Abstract from Urban Logic’s Article in the Idealog Magazine
Delaying the doing is a fine art. The tools are many and varied. Take time for a lavish display of consultation; commission a report or, even better, commission a scoping study for a possible report. Form a working party, a subcomitteee, perhaps a Commission (that’ll be productive). Wait while facts are found, legislation is passed, funds are freed or an election is held. If that doesn’t work, urban planners everywhere have another option: hold a design competition. Invite the world to enter. Now you have years before anything needs to be done.
Read the full article here at Idealog.co.nz
Posted in Architecture, Engineering, Green Designs, Just Interesting, Landscape Architecture, Landscape Art, Sustainable Energy, Transport, Urban Design | No Comments »
Thursday, September 17th, 2009
Wind power is the fastest growing source of renewable energy in Europe, so it’s no surprise to learn that Denmark is launching the world’s biggest offshore wind farm this week. Using 91 turbines scattered across 35 square kilometers, the Horns Rev 2 farm, built by Danish utility company Dong Energy, will be able to produce 209 megawatts of power – enough for a staggering 200,000 homes.
With a price tag of $1 billion, Horns Rev isn’t cheap. But the project could offset some serious carbon emissions and help Europe achieve its goal of getting 20% of its power from renewable sources by 2020. If offshore wind projects continue, the European Wind Energy Association predicts that offshore turbines could produce as much as 10% of the EU’s power in the next 11 years.
The US has been reluctant to get on board with offshore wind power, mostly because of the increased cost of offshore energy, maintenance concerns, and naysayers who think the turbines are unsightly. But with Europe expecting offshore wind to provide up to 200,000 new jobs by 2025, perhaps the US should think twice before dismissing the technology.
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Thursday, September 17th, 2009
the architectural reconstruction project of lycee jean moulin in revin, france is to be completed by off architecture in association with duncan lewis scape architecture and jeans giacinto. located within a vast and undulating terrain with many curves, the architects want to install the new building into the topography of the landscape. they will utilize the constraints of the slope, so the school is elevated and recedes upwards, creating a pattern of movement. through incorporating the architecture into hilly surroundings, they want to ensure that the users of this new college will benefit from the natural qualities of the surrounding environment. the project is located in revin, france and set to be completed for 2012.
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Thursday, September 17th, 2009
NBBJ’s proposed design for the new Dalian Shide football stadium in China represents a new direction in sports architecture by moving away from the creation of a building based on pure form. The organic architecture of the building challenges the typical stadium typology to become more than an impressive skin wrapped around an ordinary seating bowl.
Designed to emulate a garden, NBBJ’s Garden Stadium has only what is needed to thrive, and those functions are clearly organized and expressed. This simple effectiveness in design leads to a dramatically improved fan experience as well as greater ease of operations. In addition, the building’s carbon footprint is minimized, making Garden Stadium a part of a larger sustainable community
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2009
the melbourne rectangular stadium by cox architects is the latest sports facility to go up in the sports capital of australia. the stadium will have a capacity of 30,000 spectators when complete in 2010, when it will house the melbourne victory soccer team and melbourne storm rugby club. The building’s key design feature is its bubble-like bio-dome which will be covered with thousands of LED lights.
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Saturday, August 29th, 2009
Australia-based LAVA Architects recently won the bid to design the City Center for super sustainable eco-city Masdar in the UAE. LAVA imagined an outdoor city center based on traditional European public plazas that would encourage social interaction. However, Masdar’s arid climate make outdoor spaces subject to the blistering heat of the desert. To ameliorate this problem and create a comfortable place to gather and shop, the architects incorporated adaptive building technologies, and efficient use of energy and water — creating a rather dazzling sustainable city center.
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Monday, August 24th, 2009
Santiago Calatrava’s design for a new $24.5 million foot and bike bridge for the city of Calgary, Canada has just been unveiled. This new bridge, named the Peace Bridge, will span the Bow River and accommodate 5,000 bikers and walkers daily, allowing for swift foot-powered exit and entry into the city’s downtown. Anticipated for completion in 2010, the bridge meets the City of Calgary Council’s desire for the integration and implementation of more environmentally and health friendly transportation options for its citizens.
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Friday, July 31st, 2009
The Globe Ecological hub in Modiin is a generator, creating a thorough connection with its local population. The natural formations characterising our planet are expressed within the spatial perception of the project. Round shapes, curved surfaces and methodical voids are being exposed as integral part of the landscape surrounded the site.
The city of Modiin has been established a decade ago, and planned as a multi-level endeavor by Moshe Safdie and Associates. It has become a dynamic, rapidly growing center and a home for young, educated and cultural-seeking population. The GEH is situated at the city core, as part of a “green chain”; a series of urban open spaces consist of main boulevards and a recreation park, planned by the City Hall.
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Friday, July 31st, 2009
Although electric vehicle use is on the rise, we’re certainly not out of the woods yet in terms of providing them with a steady supply of clean energy – that’s why designer Neville Mars has conceived of an incredible EV charging station that takes the form of an evergreen glade of solar trees. His photovoltaic grove serves a dual function, acting as a go-to source for clean renewable energy while providing a shady spot for cars to park as they charge.
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Monday, July 27th, 2009
ASLA created a new online resource guide on sustainable transportation. The guide contains lists of organizations, research, concepts and projects related to sustainable transportation, including siting, planning, and designing sustainable transportation infrastructure. Developed for students and professionals, the resource guide contains recent reports and projects from leading U.S. and international organizations, academics, and design firms.
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