|
|
Thai monks from the Sisaket province have used over one million recycled glass bottle to construct their Buddhist temple. Mindfulness is at the center of the Buddhist discipline and the dedication and thoughtfulness required to build everything from the toilets to their crematorium from recycled bottles shows what creativity and elbow grease can accomplish.
T. R. Hamzah & Yeang International architectural firm’s Editt Tower design is a truly amazing design that is packed with sustainable amenities and mindful of it’s environmental impact on every level right down to site selection.
If you happen to be any where near New York City in the next few weeks, be sure to check out Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling at the MOMA before it closes on October 20th. Prefabricated building is a great option for those interested in a more sustainable home. Prefab integrates green concepts, architectural invention, and new materials, as well as reducing both construction and living costs.
Quick up, light weight, easily packed, modular shelter for disaster relief made from 100% recyclable Coroplast. Mathew Malone is taking the bull by the horns fresh out of the gate! First year out of Syracuse’s Industrial and Interaction Design Program he already has a blockbuster with his simple accordion shaped emergency shelter intended for medical centers, short term housing, and other relief necessities. The possibilities are endless.
The Panhandle Bandshell built in San Francisco’s Panhandle Park is a nearly all reclaimed/repurposed materials amphitheatre. With the goal of educating about recycling, creating a free performance space, and installing a working piece of art the Bandshell truly wears many hats. Made from 65 used car hoods, reclaimed wood including French doors, old circuit boards for decoration, 3,000 plastic water bottles, and recycled steal the Pandhandle Bandshell was built with a modular design so it could be broken down for transportation and rebuilt in a new location.
Remember our post about paying to sleep in an old drain pipe? Well now next time you go to London, you can sleep in an old shipping container. Travelodge is getting their recycle on with this hotel made completely of old shipping containers. It may sound like a gimmick but besides the fact that they are reusing manufactured materials, using this method allowed them to build 25% faster, using less energy. The steel buildings are strong and apparently you’d never know you were sleeping in a shipping box. Check out SmartPlanet for the whole story and more pictures of this cool sustainable structure.
Some think that modern society’s biggest problem is our separation from nature and the only way to really be happy is to reconnect and become in tune with our surroundings. I know I definitely feel better when I’m out on a hike or a bike ride than when I’m sitting here behind the comp. If the weekend trips just aren’t doing it for you, maybe you should consider following in Thoreau’s footsteps and retreat to nature. Here are 14 amazing house designs that can help you reconnect with your environment… and don’t worry there’s a little something for everyone from billionaires to… well, the homeless.
These eco-friendly resorts look like something out of Return of the Jedi, but really they are a unique way to get away and to invest. Our Planet Retreats is creating a unique travel experience and they are funding it with $30 micro-finance shares.
We’ve posted about hotels in the past but this one stands alone. I am sure we’ve all seen these enormous concrete drain pipes on the side of the road, sometimes abandoned and overgrown with grass. Dasparkhotel of Austria offers stays in these repurposed tubes for the adventurous traveler. Although you may feel like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sleeping in the sewer the accommodations are very private, supplied with 220V power, double bed, skylight window, decorative wall art, double door, storage space, and some peace and quiet. The main building located on the premises offers all other hotel amenities (including the bathroom!). Dasparkhotel is a cross between camping and a Capsule Hotel but with enough headroom to stand upright. Check out some other angles of this unique recycled hotel after the jump.
Over 400,000 people were left homeless by the flooding in Sri Lanka. Massive amounts of people are being displaced by natural disasters or regional conflicts every year so the demand for temporary shelters is huge. The challenge is to come up with something that is more sturdy and inviting than a tent but still practical considering the limited resource available in most situations. Another consideration that is not usually at the forefront of emergency shelter design is the impact on the environment. The Pallet house design by Azin Valy and Suzan Wines of I-Beam Design is an innovative approach that satisfies all of these considerations.
You don't have to give up living well to be "Green". We believe small choices we make can make a big impact.
Green Alltop compiles all the best Green stories from the top Green site all in one place.
© greenupgrader, All Rights Reserved 2007-2008.
Any Suggestions?
