Topic “architecture”
A Better City
A fair bit away till the exhibition (mid-August) but interesting to be aware of for the meantime, B.A.R.C. 'Greening the Metropolis' is an architectural urban planning conceptual relay of sorts. 5 Chinese and 5 Dutch design offices are set up to explore the process of 'evolutionary greening' for the north Chinese city of Caofeidian. Over ten weeks the 3D file of the cumulative proposal will be handed from office to office, where each one will add their contribution to expand the city sustainably over an imagined 30 year period with a growth from 100,000 to 1 million people.
A quest to understand the qualities of a city as an organic entity, there will be different prescribed hopes and hazards (such as rising sea levels) and a disregard for 'globally outdated regulations'. Seeking to give room for green solutions beyond the current norm and to generate an ideal master plan, they look towards visualising a practical future living environment, how an evolutionary approach to planning today could offer possibilities to residents of a green city tomorrow - a tool to discuss how to move towards real urban sustainabiity in China.
Video footage of the process and the proposals will be presented at the Dutch Culture House of the Shanghai World Expo later this year, we'll give you another heads up as the time approaches.
For the time being, more on it all here.
And for a little more on future-proofing and re-imagining cities, we point you some good video insights via Worldchanging.
Guns and the London Olympics
London gets creative with the recycling in the vein of the Shanghai CD Case Pavilion. After confiscating over 52 tonnes of scrap metal from keys, guns and knives last year, they've decided to melt it all down and turn it into their Olympic stadium.
As Inhabitat note, the London Metropolitan Police have been looking for ways to lighten they're carbon load, and this is their most recent scheme in a line of bullet, uniform and body armour recycling to onward photo frame, jewellery, cooking oil and horse manure production.
CONCRETE MUSHROOMS
More than 750,000 abandoned bunkers in Albania of the Enver Hoxha communist era. Plans to turn them into habitable eco-hostels, gift shops and cafes in hopes to attract tourists to the country. Concrete Mushrooms - The Project, by two ingenious graduates.
Skyburbs
A sub-urban idea, stacking the suburbs into the city. Bringing the suburban loves of gardens, parks, community centres and homes into the more efficient urban centre.
As Inhabitat observe, similar to the vertical farm theory and taking us further into the idea of bringing together the best of the urban/suburban - check out the Urban Greenhouse.
Interlaced
Straight out of Transformers, your hexagonal connected living space. The Interlace represents another of the low-impact lifestyle and energy efficient properties due to be built in our neighbouring singapore. Get on it Malaysia!
via superfuture
Eat Your Walls
Arch Daily says Grace Restaurant will now be edible. The building, a vertical garden will be covered in tasty fruits, vegetables and herbs - free for the taking.
...we've got a thing for edible buildings... :)
See, The Incredible Edible House and The Green Tower.
Big, Folded
Oo, the Shenzhen International Energy Mansion will be folded, 'origami' style. BIG have got it on point, using the direction and 'folding' of the insulated facade to manipulate sunlight - gaining maximum efficiency of the solar thermal energy panels on it - that will reduce energy costs by more than 60%.
(via Designboom)
Shanghai Recycles!
The Shanghai Corporate Pavilion for the 2010 Shanghai Expo is being built from recycled CD cases. The polycarbonates and thermoplastics can be heated and reformed, leading the architects to suggest that they melt it all down once their done with it.
There's also a 1600 square metre solar heat-collecting tube on the roof, which will be used to generate electricity and "produce hot water, up to 95 degrees centigrade". As well as an "LED lights and mist making system", which will be used to change the outward appearance of the building.
I'm wondering who's going to be taking all those hot showers.
(via Treehugger)
The Urban Sprawl Repair Kit
A favourite over at Reburbia, the Urban Sprawl Repair Kit offers a little guidance in turning that suburbia into something a little more conducive than a McMansion housing two. A drive-through becomes part of the main street, a shopping strip to a green-roofed recycling centre, the McMansion - a senior housing complex.
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