Saturday, April 25
LEED 2009 to Include LEED Credits for Regional Environmental Priorities
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released the LEED regional credits as part of LEED 2009, the new version of the LEED Green Building Rating System.
These LEED credits encourage that specific regional environmental priorities be addressed when it comes to the design, construction and operations of buildings in different geographic locations.
"Because environmental priorities differ among various regions of the country-the challenges in the Southeast differ from those in the Northwest, for example-regionally specific credits give LEED a way to directly respond to diverse, regionally grounded issues," said Brendan Owens, Vice President of Technical Development, USGBC.
"The inclusion of these regional LEED credits is the Council's first step toward addressing regional environmental issues."
With the help of USGBC's regional councils, chapters and affiliates, credits addressing six specific environmental issues within a region were identified from among the existing LEED credits.
In LEED 2009, LEED projects will be able to earn "bonus points" for implementing green building strategies that address the important environmental issues facing their region.
A project can be awarded afour extra points, one point each for achieving up to four of the six priority credits.
Affordable And Green: Sandbag Houses // Cape Town // South Africa // MMA Architects”
MMA Architects completed a home built out of timber and sandbags and became the winner of the Curry Stone Foundation Prize this year. The prize is awarded to individuals or groups that create architecture that has the potential to make positive changes in a community by offering shelter, community health, peace, or clean water, air and food. This sandbag house was built for a mere $6,000, making it affordable for low-income housing. The design also utilizes uncomplicated techniques- and was constructed with the help of its future residents who were able to gain a sense of ownership through the building process.
While these homes are not necessarily decked out with solar panels and energy-efficient insulation, the design and construction of the home takes advantage of techniques that conserve money and resources. First, the home uses inexpensive local materials which cuts down on transportation. Second, the home utilizes Eco Beams, a system of building that replaces brick-and-mortar with sandbags. The system is reported to be just as strong as a brick system and uses less timber than traditional construction.
The home is the first in a community of 10 other homes to be built in Freedom Park, near Cape Town in South Africa. The homes are the result of the 10×10 Housing Project, a project challenging 10 architecture teams to develop plans for low-cost housing.
Luyunda Mpahlwa has said that he plans on using the prize money- $100,000- to build more of these homes, and to send underprivileged students to architecture school.
>>>
Affordable And Green: Sandbag Houses // Cape Town // South Africa // MMA Architects”
MMA Architects completed a home built out of timber and sandbags and became the winner of the Curry Stone Foundation Prize this year. The prize is awarded to individuals or groups that create architecture that has the potential to make positive changes in a community by offering shelter, community health, peace, or clean water, air and food. This sandbag house was built for a mere $6,000, making it affordable for low-income housing. The design also utilizes uncomplicated techniques- and was constructed with the help of its future residents who were able to gain a sense of ownership through the building process.
While these homes are not necessarily decked out with solar panels and energy-efficient insulation, the design and construction of the home takes advantage of techniques that conserve money and resources. First, the home uses inexpensive local materials which cuts down on transportation. Second, the home utilizes Eco Beams, a system of building that replaces brick-and-mortar with sandbags. The system is reported to be just as strong as a brick system and uses less timber than traditional construction.
The home is the first in a community of 10 other homes to be built in Freedom Park, near Cape Town in South Africa. The homes are the result of the 10×10 Housing Project, a project challenging 10 architecture teams to develop plans for low-cost housing.
Luyunda Mpahlwa has said that he plans on using the prize money- $100,000- to build more of these homes, and to send underprivileged students to architecture school.
>>>
Monday, April 20
Low2No-A Sustainable Development Design Competition
Low2No-A Sustainable Development Design Competition
Register: Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Submit: Wednesday, July 01, 2009
The built environment is now the largest negative factor in the stability of ecosystems and the climate. And as populations become increasingly urbanized, the evolution of cities will largely shape the outcome of our long dependence on natural resources. Two pathways of evolution are evident: an urban society that is in balance with the environment, or one that has depleted available natural capital. The decisions that will direct this evolution over the next 50-100 years are being made now.
It is clear that no single organization, profession or nation can achieve the goals of sustainable global development. It will require an architecture of solutions including low/no carbon buildings; sustainable economic systems; enhanced/targeted mobility; sustainable planning and energy policies; resilient social systems (access, equity and capacity), among countless others.
Recognizing the need and opportunity to significantly improve sustainable building development practices, Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund—in collaboration with the City of Helsinki—is launching a sustainable development design competition. The competition will be launched March 31, 2009 with a global request for qualifications. The goal is to attract and identify the best teams to design a large building complex on an approximately 3/4 hectare site on the reclaimed goods harbour at the western edge of Helsinki’s central business district.
Given that the repertoire of sustainable urban development models is still in its infancy, the question of “who & how” is our question of first order. WHO: We believe that identifying the best team and approach is the key factor impacting the long term quality and robustness of the final solution. HOW: Our sustainable development design competition is designed to seek approaches for four central objectives applied at the scale of a city block:
1. energy efficiency 2. low/no carbon emissions 3. high architectural, spatial and social value
4. sustainable materials and methods
As part of their proposals, entrants must also consider the context and dynamics beyond the city block that will impact the project in the near and long terms. As such we will select teams with a robust and mixed set of competencies (such as architecture, engineering, economics, landscape, technology, urban planning and energy infrastructure), representing the mix of stakeholders and issues at play in urban development. We expect that architects will lead these teams in most cases, but are open to other team configurations.
Our program is a mixed-use development that includes: headquarters for an innovation driven organization; housing; retail; and potentially other programs that support a sustainable approach to urban development.
Our site is located on 100 hectares of reclaimed land known as Jätkäsaari. The relocation of Helsinki’s port facilities to the eastern edge of the city in 2008 has initiated the largest transformation of land use in the city since the industrial era. As many as six large areas in metropolitan Helsinki, including Jätkäsaari, are in various stages of planning as a result.
Jätkäsaari will be developed over the next two decades to house 16.000 residents, 6.000 jobs, offices and public services. Several new tram line extensions will provide access to the city centre only three kilometres away while parking space and vehicular traffic will be minimized through a mobility management plan.
It is our intention to stimulate innovation in sustainable architecture, energy efficiency, and city-building solutions. We hope that a model of sustainable urbanism emerges from the proposals that will not only serve the City of Helsinki and its inhabitants, but more broadly, be a learning model for development globally.
Visit: http://www.low2no.org/competition/ for more details. A summary of the competition is available here (PDF).
http://bustler.net/index.php/competition/low2no-a_sustainable_development_design_competition/
Dreamland: Architectural Experiments Since the 1970s
Rem Koolhaas's watercolor Plan of Dreamland (1977), a recent acquisition, is the point of departure for this presentation of selections from the Architecture and Design collection.
The 1970s saw an explosion of architectural thought and experimentation-with the city, and New York especially, becoming a screen for the projection of architectural fantasies and utopias.
The installation includes documentation of the real projects that resulted from these innovative ideas and experiments, including such traditional building types as single-family houses and skyscrapers.
Also featured are works by Raimund Abraham, Peter Eisenman, Steven Holl, Hans Hollein, and other well-known contemporary architects.
Finally, the display presents a number of new acquisitions, including works by Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Diller + Scofidio, and Simon Ungers.
Saturday, April 18
Architectural Damascene rose
Dramatic discovery centre leads way for Syrian educational programme
As one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, Damascus represents discovery all by itself. Evoking the necessity to embrace this spirit are the statistics - 40% of the Syrian population is under the age of 14. Embarking on a revolutionary project for the historical city are Henning Larsen Architects, Martha Schwartz Partners and engineers Buro Happold who will work together to create the dramatic Massar Children’s Discovery Centre and public park in the heart of Damascus.
The Massar project’s ambition is to create better educational opportunities for young people. The centre will comprise various scientific thematic exhibitions for children aged 5-15. The discovery centre – designed by Henning Larsen Architects - is located on a 170,000 sq m river bed site. It is located centrally in walking distance from Damascus’ historic city centre with the Umayyad Mosque and university, national opera and national museum in close proximity.
Louis Becker, Design Director of Henning Larsen Architects, said: “The discovery centre’s form is inspired by the unique Damascus rose. The shape provides shade and natural ventilation in the building. Its centre forms a large communal space. This is where the children will meet, share their knowledge and develop new ideas together. The idea of the project is to create a park which features a quilt of activities interwoven with the discovery centre. The visitors will be led through several intimate spatial experiences addressing all the senses. Water will be current theme – both as activity and as a visualisation of sustainable measures and educational media.”
Martha Schwartz Partners Ltd will provide the public realm and landscape design for the project. Based on the site of the old international fairground, the public realm acts as a ‘culture corridor’, connecting the public space of the Discovery Centre with nearby cultural venues. Lorraine Landels, Senior Principal at Martha Schwartz Partners, said: “This is a landmark project as the park and the discovery centre will be the focus for a new Syrian educational programme, and one that will help us develop our portfolio as we work in the unique cultural climate of Damascus”.
Tom Hay, Buro Happold’s project leader said “This project is unique in that it gives the children of Syria the means to view the world around them through Syria’s incomparable cultural heritage. This is a milestone that will empower the children of Syria, and the Buro Happold Massar team feels proud and privileged to take part in this process.”
Peter Z
Peter Zumthor of Switzerland becomes the 2009 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate
Posted on 13 April 2009 by aline chahine
from The Pritzker Architecture Prize
” Los Angeles, CA—Peter Zumthor of Switzerland has been chosen as the 2009 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. The formal ceremony for what has come to be known throughout the world as architecture’s highest honor will be held on May 29 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At that time, a $100,000 grant and a bronze medallion will be bestowed on the 65-year old architect….
Friday, April 17
Democratic Design: IKEA
Sent to you by wou via Google Reader:
via Dexigner Design Portal on 4/15/09
 | "The aesthetic form is there for all. And not just for the museum!" |
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Dexigner Design Portal using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Provide leadership
How can local authorities lead the way?
There are eight main ways in which local authority leadership can really influence climate change and sustainability outcomes:
- policymaker– interpreting national policy and guidance and formulating policy at the local scale to deliver climate change objectives and the sustainable community strategy. Key policies include the local area agreement, the local development framework and the core strategy plus a significant masterplanning role through area action plans and supplementary planning documents
- planning authority – the negotiating and consent-giving roles of local authorities in the planning process can have a big influence on both new build and refurbishment
- building control authority, setting, overseeing and signing off the standards for new development
- social landlord – local authorities may have control over a vast stock of existing housing and a considerable amount of new build and refurbishment
- client for new public buildings – including town halls, schools, leisure centres and community centres with opportunities to provide benchmarks of good practice in their design and management
- asset manager for existing buildings and open spaces, with opportunities for sustainable refurbishment and maintenance that reduces emissions and increases adaptability to a changing climate
- leader in local strategic partnerships in delivering effective services and resource management and working with private and public partners to provide a solid base for sustainable communities and local economies
- advisor to communities on how to live, work and play more sustainably, reducing their ecological footprint and building their resilience to a changing climate.
You can find out more about leading on energy, waste, water, transport, green infrastructure and public space on this website
TPAC
| MVRDV architects: taipei performing arts center international competition here is dutch firm MVRDV architects proposal for the TPAC - taipei performing art center international competition. their design received an honorable mention. with their design the three theaters are covered by a blanket proposed to be made of sprayed insulated concrete (with substantial sustainable potential) and covered with PU polished painting, giving it a subtle glance. the inside of the blanket is covered with mirrors creating a reflective environment for the audience. the blanket is punctured with glass windows that form a line pattern that is derived from a traditional taiwanese piece of textile. this pattern illuminates the foyer during the day. |
Thursday, April 9
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)