Architecture Corner

Cliff House

2010-04-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

Off the grid means many things to many people. The Cliff House on Muskoka Lakes, Ontario, interprets “off the grid” as grand self-sufficiency. Designed by Altius Architecture Inc, the home’s form is both integrated in the landscape’s mass and floats above it using cantilevers and floor-to-ceiling glass. The Cliff House plays with all the elements — stone, water, fire, earth, wind, and sun. Read on to find out how!

Sitting on a ledge above a lake, the mass of this 3200 sq. ft. home echoes that of the large granite boulder it rests upon. The local granite is brought inside to act as a thermal mass for the two fireplaces that bookend the living space. In the summer, prevailing breezes and thermal vent stack, along with a green roof, keep the building naturally cooled. The sun plays the key role of providing electricity thanks to a solar electric system, storage batteries, and a power inverter. There is also a solar thermal system that uses evacuated tubes to heat both the in-floor heating and solar thermal storage tanks.

There are a host of other sustainable features but what is really striking is the home’s sense of relaxation on the land. Its sensitivity in integrated design is accomplished by using design elements and materials that not only look exceptional but enhance the performance of the space.

Peter Mokaba, Polokwane

2010-02-22T19:20:00.000-08:00

Name : Peter Mokaba, Polokwane
Capacity : 46,000

The Peter Mokaba Stadium is situated in Polokwane (previously known as Pietersburg), the capital of Limpopo, South Africa. It currently serves as a football stadium and as an international athletics venue.

The stadium comprises only a main stand and three grass banks at the moment, but it will be upgraded in preparation for the 2010 FIFA™ World Cup.
The roof over the existing west stand of the Peter Mokaba Stadium will be removed and replaced by a roof that covers the entire western stand of the new Stadium. An additional 20 rows of seating will be built around the entire stadium to increase capacity to 40,000. In addition to the structural work, the Peter Mokaba stadium will be provided with first rate equipment, including an electronic scoreboard in the northern stand, new floodlights, sound system and a fire detection and protection system.

Seoul Transforms a Freeway Into A River and Public Park

2010-02-22T18:46:00.000-08:00

A stream runs through the center of Seoul, dividing the city into North and South, but for three decades it was totally buried beneath a busy downtown highway. In 2003, as part of a vast urban renewal project, the highway was removed and the stream was recovered and turned into a beautiful 5.8 km urban park. Demolishing roads in favor of urban parks is is a development project we can really get behind.

The Cheonggyecheon stream was formed during the Joseon Dynasty in order to provide drainage for the city. It lasted for hundreds of years until the 1940s, when the city became so populated that a shanty town popped up around the stream and began polluting the area. The stream was gradually covered over with concrete, and by 1976 a 5.6 km elevated highway was built on top of it.

Considered an example of ‘successful industrialization and modernization’, the highway remained there until 2003, when city planners tore it down to revitalize the area and help Seoul remake itself as a modern environmentally friendly city. The Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project took two years and cost around $281 million, but it has created a thriving stretch of green public space in the middle of the city.

What was once a dividing line between the north and south parts of the city has been recreated as an urban park that bridges the gap and brings people together. Over 75% of the material torn down from the old highway was reused to construct the park and rehabilitate the stream. Now fish, bird and insects have made their way back into the urban river, and the area surrounding the park is about 3.6 deg C cooler than other parts of the city.

In addition to the restoration project, Seoul has also implemented transportation planning, rerouting traffic through other corridors and adding more public transportation. As a result there has been a decrease in the number of vehicles entering the city and bus and subway use has increased. Even though the city took away one of the major thoroughfares, they were able to redirect and decrease traffic through efficient planning and expanded public transportation. Sounds like an amazing renewal project with many, many benefits.

www.inhabitat.com

Style at Home - April 2010

2010-02-16T17:18:00.000-08:00

Style at Home - April 2010
PDF | 149 pages | 40.4 Mb | English

STYLE AT HOME brings an exciting and stylish voice to the world of home decorating. It's the primary choice for Canadians who are interested in living in style.

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Style at Home - March 2010

2010-02-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

Style at Home - March 2010
PDF | 125 pages | 33.5 Mb | English

STYLE AT HOME brings an exciting and stylish voice to the world of home decorating. It's the primary choice for Canadians who are interested in living in style.

Download File

Style at Home - February 2010

2010-02-16T17:11:00.000-08:00

Style at Home - February 2010
PDF | 101 pages | 22.2 Mb | English

STYLE AT HOME brings an exciting and stylish voice to the world of home decorating. It's the primary choice for Canadians who are interested in living in style.

Download File

Style at Home - Januray 2010

2010-02-16T17:02:00.000-08:00

Style at Home - Januray 2010

PDF | 230 pages | 31 Mb | English

STYLE AT HOME brings an exciting and stylish voice to the world of home decorating. It's the primary choice for Canadians who are interested in living in style.

Download File

Gary Neville's Home, Bolton UK

2010-02-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

Bolton Council in the United Kingdom may soon see the construction of its first zero-carbon underground home. Designed by Make Architects for green enthusiast and British football star Gary Neville, the one-story, nearly 8,000 sq ft structure has been designed to be beautiful and functional while keeping energy consumption to a minimum.

Far from classification as a drab bunker, this thoughtful design not only considers its eco-impact, but keeps in tune with the tranquil and expansive meadows and hillsides which surround it. The positioning and orientation of the property was carefully thought out, building materials will be locally sourced, and traditional building methods will be used where possible. A ground source heat pump will provide the heating and photovoltaic panels and an on-site wind turbine will generate renewable energy.Almost all of the home will be constructed into the hillside, which, according to the design firm, “enables the surrounding moorland to seamlessly flow across the roof.” The layout takes the form of a flower, with the “petals” hosting areas to eat, relax, entertain, work and play, all around a central kitchen. When lit at night, the house will leave a distinctive, glowing floral impression on the darkened landscape. Amusingly, some have compared the structure to the famed Teletubby house, which admittedly shares some aesthetic value. However, the architects at Make contend their inspirartion arose from Skara Brae, a neolithic underground settlement in Orkney.

While the house will likely be quite costly, the eco-standards it is implementing will certainly make it a worthwhile and impactful venture. The structure has already been selected as an exemplary project within the Government’s ‘Planning Performance Agreements for Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Schemes’, and it is anticipated to be so advanced that the government is considering using the scheme as a benchmark for all future zero-carbon developments. The team hopes that construction permits will be granted soon in order to commence preliminary work on the residence this year.

EDITT Tower, Singapore

2010-02-09T17:14:00.000-08:00

Currently pending construction in Singapore, the EDITT Tower will be a paragon of “Ecological Design In The Tropics”. Designed by TR Hamzah & Yeang and sponsored by the National University of Singapore, the 26-story high-rise will boast photovoltaic panels, natural ventilation, and a biogas generation plant all wrapped within an insulating living wall that covers half of its surface area. The verdant skyscraper was designed to increase its location’s bio-diversity and rehabilitate the local ecosystem in Singapore’s ‘zeroculture’ metropolis.

Approximately half of the surface area of the EDITT Tower will be wrapped in organic local vegetation, and passive architecture will allow for natural ventilation. Publicly accessible ramps will connect upper floors to the street level lined in shops, restaurants and plant life. The building has also been designed for future adaptability, with many walls and floors that can be moved or removed. In a city known for its downpours, the building will collect rainwater and integrate a grey-water system for both plant irrigation and toilet flushing with an estimated 55% self-sufficiency.

855 square meters of photovoltaic panels will provide for 39.7% of the building’s energy needs, and plans also include the ability to convert sewage into biogas and fertilizer. The tower will be constructed using many recycled and recyclable materials, and a centralized recycling system will be accessible from each floor.

The University of Technology Sydney Tower, Sydney

2010-02-09T17:04:00.000-08:00

Sydney’s ugliest building may soon be getting a new lease on life through to a plan to ‘reskin’ the entire tower with a high-performance photovoltaic skin. Architecture firm Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA) has proposed the retrofit, and if their plan is enacted it would turn the 1960’s brutalist building into a brilliant super-efficient eco-tower.

The University of Technology Sydney Tower has long been known as Sydney’s ugliest building (it even says so on their website). It was built in 1960 and it currently hosts the headquarters of the University.

LAVA’s proposed ‘Tower Skin’ concept would wrap the building with a lightweight composite mesh textile. The cocooned shell would then collect rain water, generate electricity and assist the ventilation system in cooling the tower. At night, the skin works as an intelligent media surface that communicates information on events in real time.

While this design is only concept, UTS is making extensive renovations on the tower with the goal of improving energy and water efficiency. Unfortunately, it probably won’t look as cool as this one. The concept design is on display at STATE. RESPOND in the Object Gallery in Sydney.
Inhabitat

Prototype for the House Arc Modular Home Unveiled

2010-02-06T23:57:00.000-08:00

We love prefab designs, but we love seeing them come to life even more! Last July, we brought you renderings for the House Arc, a bicycle rack-inspired modular home designed by Joseph Bellomo, and now we’re thrilled to give you a peek of the prototype version which was just unveiled. Prefabricated and flat-packed into a 4-by-10-by-3 foot box, the House Arc can easily be shipped and assembled at its final destination.

The prototype is a 150 sq foot prefab home and weighs all of 3,000 pounds. Built to withstand tropical environments and nasty weather, the rounded design is like an “eggshell where you only need the minimal amount of structure and still have something that is incredibly strong,” says Bellomo. The frame is made from lightweight steel tubing and the foundation consists of a few concrete blocks. Designed to be off-grid, the home will be powered by solar panels mounted on the roof.Although not originally intended as a solution for catastrophe-wrought Haiti, Bellomo thinks his home might make sense as disastar relief housing, and is currently looking for sponsors and investors who may be interested in developing his prototype for that purpose. He says, “We’re going for a kit of parts that the average person can assemble quickly–like an IKEA house, only easier to put together.”www.inhabitat.com

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

2010-02-06T23:44:00.000-08:00

ALMOST all know where the name of this stadium. No other took the name of antiapartheid, Nelson Mandela. Dad and a great hero of South Africa who is willing to jail for 25 years fighting for racial differences in the country (apartheid).There is an additional name "bay" or the bay behind him, because the stadium is located in front of the Gulf of Nort End. The only world-class stadium in the Eastern Cape Province was built at a cost of U.S. $ 150 million (approximately USD 1.4 trillion). VIP has 150 rooms, 60 business class rooms, sports clothing shop, gym, 500 parking bays, and several multipurpose rooms. In addition, the stadium has 74 blocks of toilets.

It's one of the five new stadiums in South Africa (South Africa) which was built to hold 2010 World Cup, but in Cape Town, Durban, Polokwane and Nelspruit.

Stadium with the entrance 32 is designed with a unique purpose. Grooved dome. Has a multifunction, the stadium is 40 meters high. On the west side, the stadium consists of six levels. Whereas in the other three sides with only five levels of the total capacity of 48,000 spectators. However, after the World Cup will be reduced to 440,000 spectators.

Construction began in 2007, FIFA had hesitated whether to be completed by deadline, in January 2010. However, it was Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to be completed even earlier, in December 2008. On June 6, 2009, the stadium was opened and attended by 17,000 local residents. A month later, the stadium has been used for the Confederations Cup.

On 28 November 2009, the stadium for the first time will be used for music Koser. Group and renowned singer will perform in South Africa, including the popular group Busta Rhymes.

Magnificent stadium by taking a big name world leaders, stelah World Cup will be the headquarters of Southern football team and the Kings Bay United.

Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

2010-01-23T06:54:00.000-08:00

Name : Moses Mabhida Stadium

Capacity : 70,000

Moses Mabhida stadium is a new stadium built in the city of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province. Stadium seating capacity of 70,000 spectators has spent around 450 million dollars or about Rp 4.2 trillion.

The funds are quite fitting for this stadium to put forward the architecture. The shape is designed by using the flag of South Africa as its design inspiration. The construction has a large arch that represents the unity of the football-loving country. Two arched feet on the south side of the stadium to see a northern foothold as a symbol of a nation once divided and then united.

In addition, the stadium was also very indulgent audience because they have enough seats so spacious and comfortable audience has a clear line of sight to the playing field.

The beauty of this stadium can also be enjoyed with a hanging cable car cutting the stadium. From this point, visitors can enjoy the panorama of the coastline and the beautiful view of the city. Not only that, the stadium is also equipped silencer.

Umeda Sky Building, Osaka Japan

2010-01-23T06:41:00.000-08:00

Umeda Sky Building is a landmark building and observatory in Osaka. The Umeda Sky Building is also know as the Floating Garden Observatory.The observation platform of this observatory is a bridge connecting the two towers of the Umeda Sky Building, whose roof features a doughnut shape that provides an unobstructed 360-degree view. While enjoying the breathtaking sights you can also directly feel the wind—which at 170 meters off the ground can get quite strong. From this observatory you can not only see all of Osaka but as far away as Awaji Island. The basement of the Umeda Sky Building houses the Takimi-Koji gourmet street with old fashioned images of Osaka from the 1920s.The futuristic Umeda Sky Building in Osaka Japan is a great place to view the Osaka skyline, but its unusual design makes it a sight worth seeing itself. Escalators in suspended tubes guide visitors up to the observation deck and the "Floating Garden Observatory" where, high above the ground and out in the open air, Osaka almost seems peaceful.

Located in the Umeda district of Kita-ku in northern Osaka, the building was designed by Hiroshi Hara and was constructed by Takenaka Corporation. It consists of two 40-story towers that connect at their two uppermost stories, with bridges and an escalator crossing the wide atrium-like space in the center. The escalator ride is an event in itself as it feels like you are floating up into the sky.

Once inside, you pay 700 yen (a little under $6) for a ticket to take the glass elevator up to nearly the top. Then you take the famousescalator to the top, which is surprisingly underwhelming. It’s not all that scary as your view is really blocked quite a bit going up, so you don’t really get a great sense of being suspended 550 feet in the air on a moving staircase. At the top, it’s your standard observation deck, with binoculars that let you zoom in on places of interest.

Boston Arcology (BoA)

2010-01-16T23:29:00.000-08:00

Get ready Boston, someday you might just have this incredible floating city within a city located in your harbor. The BoA, short for Boston Arcology, is a sustainable mega structure designed by Kevin Schopfer, who also designed the amazing New Orleans Arcology Habitat (NOAH). The BoA will house 15,000 people in hotels, offices, retail spaces, museums, condominiums, and even a new city hall. Built to LEED standards with golden proportions, this amazing building would serve as an expansion of the city without impacting what is already currently built.To be located on a buoyant platform of concrete cells right in the Boston Harbor next to downtown, BoA would sit perpendicular to the waterfront, thus minimizing the view sheds of existing buildings onshore. The massing of the structure was designed using the principles of the golden triangle. Angles and towers criss-cross inside of a fixed border, giving structure to the projections inside. Elevators and moving walkways aid the transportation of the residents, employees and visitors in order to create an all pedestrian environment.

Sky gardens will be located every 30 floors and act as public squares for gathering spaces. BoA will also include a bevy of sustainable elements in order to achieve a LEED building certification. Energy will be generated via wind turbines, solar panels and harbor based water turbines. Natural daylight will flood the building with the help of a passive glazing system. BoA will also include a fresh water recovery system, greywater recycling, and sky garden heating and cooling vents. And while the design seems pretty incredible and maybe even impossible (especially considering the economy and lack of funding), it truly is a spectacular mix of architecture and ecology.

Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

2010-01-16T04:25:00.000-08:00

Name : Ellis Park (Coca-Cola Park)

Capacity : 62,567

Ellis Park was first built in 1928 as a field rakbi. The stadium was later destroyed and rebuilt in 1982, to once again become rakbi stadium. At that time, the stadium is named JD Ellis, a tribute to the chancellor of the city of Johannesburg who approved the use of an area of 13 acres to become the stadium.

Greatest moments in the stadium when the team is rakbi South Africa are surprisingly able to subdue New Zealand at the World Cup finals Rakbi 1995. The incident became the making of South African citizens together to celebrate success with Nelson Mandela.

Welcoming the 2010 World Cup South Africa, the stadium was renovated so that the seating capacity increased from 57,000 to 62.567penonton in 2009. Tribune north stadium is part of experiencing the greatest development.

Tribune is providing facilities for the media, VIP seats, a special place for spectators who have physical disabilities, and a set of high-quality audio visual as a means of providing information to the audience. The stadium was built with a very modern, in order to accommodate the needs and desire of all people to football. In fact, through his official website, FIFA claiming that no one will leave this stadium with a sense of disappointment.

Green Point Stadium, Cape Town

2010-01-16T04:11:00.000-08:00

Name : Green Point Stadium
Capacity : 68,000 (13,000 temporary)

Green Point Stadium is an arena located in the northernmost part of South Africa. The location is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the view of the spread of sea water which is the plus value of the stadium. At first, this stadium has a seating capacity for 18,000 people. The people of Dutch descent who are in the area called it "de Waterplaats" or "Container Water". Initially form such as a wide plate and happened near the ocean sea water.

Once South Africa was appointed as World Cup host in 2010, the government immediately restore and increase the seat capacity to 70,000 seats. To build it, the government involving SAIL as operators had to build stadium de France in 1998 World Cup. With funding of about 4.4 million rand, and then formed a large building resembling the surrounding environment.

Across the sea in the north, the south of the stadium loomed hills Signal Hill. Farther south again, there appeared mountains called "Table Mountain" or "Table Mountain" because it resembled a flat top surface of the table. That form the underlying design of this stadium. Oval-shaped building. Outer walls are made like fabric order. At night, the lights in the stadium will feature incredible lighting and circled the stadium. Naturally, if then this place is nicknamed "The Ring of Fire" or "Ring of Fire".

The plan, the stadium is still used for football and rugby. Football club FC Santos and Ajax Cape Town has long been "occupied" this arena. In mid-2006, reported that the Western Province Rugby Union (Rugby Union of Western Province) will probably occupy the stadium after the World Cup mat. The main reason Rugby Union's move from Newland Stadium is a stadium that is still preserved.

Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg

2010-01-16T03:54:00.000-08:00

Name : Soccer City Stadium (FNB Stadium)
Capacity : 94,700

Soccer City was first opened in 1989 with a seating capacity around 80,000 spectators. For the purposes of the 2010 World Cup South Africa, the stadium was renovated in 1989 and its capacity increased to 94,700 people. This stadium is the largest and grandest stadium in South Africa.

Given the architecture, the most magnificent stadiums in fact refused to take a modern form. Instead, they go back to basics and tradition of their native culture.

This building takes the form of earthen pots Africa (calabash), which is shaped pumpkins. Outer wall of the stadium is a mosaic of colored fire and earth. Lighting circuits installed base around the outside wall of the bottom. Seeing the stadium from a distance at night, you like looking at a pot on the fire. The atmosphere will be more dramatic, when the mosaic layer was washed wall lights from the spotlight.

Soccer City surprises did not stop there. On the inside, tribune tribune-shaped and colored in a way that looks ten vertical black lines. Nine out of ten lines is a symbol of geographical and other nine stadiums that will be used as a World Cup event in 2010. While the tenth line is a symbolization Olimiade Berlin Stadium, which is where the party digelarnya World Cup 2006 Germany.

With the grandeur and elegance in such a way, was proper and fitting didaulat stadium to begin and end the biggest football celebration first in mainland Africa.

SAMOO's Korean Culture Center

2010-01-14T19:15:00.000-08:00

Talk about a beautiful building! This international competition-winning design for the Korean Cultural Center in Manhattan is set to begin construction at the end of this year. The New York City studio of SAMOO Archictects PC is responsible for this out of the box (literally) design for the new home for the Korean Cultural Service in NYC. And this elegant addition to the K-Town and Murray Hill neighborhood isn’t just another pretty face(ade) – it will be striving for LEED certification, making it a shining example of sustainable building for the area as well.To be located on East 32nd Street in Midtown, the eight-story Korea Center will house administration offices, exhibit space, gardens, artist studios, a library, a cafe and a theater for events, lectures and performances. The street facing facade is completely glass, which allows passersby to see into the center and be enticed inward by the street level exhibitions on Korean culture, including music, movies, food, technology and TV dramas.SAMOO’s winning design embodies the modern Korean sensibility of innovation in harmony with tradition. Inside, the center is dominated by three sculptural figures made from different materials – ceramic to represent Heaven, terracotta to represent Earth and milled wood to represent Humanity. Along with staying true to Korean sensibilities, the glass facade will allow ample daylighting into the interior reducing the need for artificial light.

Central Java Grand Mosque, Semarang

2010-01-09T22:06:00.000-08:00

Central Java Grand Mosque is located in Jalan Gajah, Semarang City. The mosque is an extraordinary building and a large area. Even from a distance the building will appear upright supported by the high tower.This mosque is more than a year ago opened and has been used for Eid prayers 1024 H ago, however so far the building process continues. On the front page is currently being installed giant columns to the umbrella of the mosque. The tower is also still in the process of completion. Central Java Grand Mosque tower is 99 meters tall or equal to the 19-story building. The plan on the 2nd floor of the tower will be used as a library for the Islamic literature, while in another floor will be used as a museum of Islamic culture. The atmosphere is fresh and cool in the different when in the heat under the afternoon. At the top of the tower will also have binoculars binoculars sophisticated look. Kota Semarang can be seen from there, until the ship docked at the port would also be clearly seen.

Recycled Cardboard Interior

2010-01-09T21:46:00.000-08:00

The British menswear label Smithfield recently teamed up with furniture designer Peter Masters to create an eclectic and 100% recycled interior for their new Manchester shop. The dynamic space uses mailing tubes and shipping boxes as elements of digital-age styling, recycling them into incredible wall coverings, light fixtures, hanging sculptures, and clothing displays.

Peter Masters runs a company called Burnt Toast that specializes in clean-lined, well-crafted objects, and he has also created interiors for a variety of clients including the UK based store Habitat and sportswear label Adidas. Burnt Toast’s deconstructed aesthetic, which can been seen in their designs for chairs and tables, coordinates well with the upscale urban fashion at Smithfield. Although the corrugated interior is intentionally minimal, a designer’s eye can tell that there was considerable planning behind these well chosen forms.The concept behind Brunt Toast’s interior is that the cardboard components can be reused in a variety of configurations without added materials or cost. As the fashions change through the seasons, the store will also continue to look fresh. The store’s relaxed, but mature aesthetic compliments the clientele that visit The Northern Quarter neighborhood in Manchester.

All the cardboard components are made from 100% recycled materials and are sourced from Romiley Board Mill. All of the wood used in the construction came from MRC, a Manchester wood recycling company. Smithfeild’s store blog states that “the focus behind the shop, both interior and contents, is that to stand out from the crowd it shouldn’t cost the earth.”

Besides the tubes and boxes, there are cardboard animals watching over the fashions. The dogs were inspired by the collie in the Smithfield logo. The company chose this breed to represent them, because they are synonymous with hard work and a fiery temperament. The store carries a host of Scandinavian and European brands including: Wood Wood, Spitfire Design, On Tour, Organic label Knowledge Cotton Apparel, Dunderdon and local brand Three Crowns.

Mies van der Rohe - Tugendhat Villa

2010-01-08T15:02:00.000-08:00

Tugendhat Villa is one of the masterpieces of Mies van der Rohe. Villa is an implementation of the ideas which states that "less is more". The theory can we see that not all the simple things of scarcity, but it could be the potential to produce something more.

Many things can we learn from this book. Therefore, for those of you who want to learn more about the thinking of Mies van der Rohe, primarily related Villa Tugendhat, please download this book here.

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Tafoni Prefab Floating House is Inspired by the California Coast

2010-01-08T14:41:00.000-08:00

Houseboats are a staple of the San Francisco Bay Area, but many people find them too cramped to be a permanent residence. The Tafoni Floating Home, designed by Joanna Borek-Clement aims to change that with a design that is both spacious and compact. The home, which is inspired by smooth, oval California coastal pebbles, is ideally meant for the houseboat district of Sausalito, and is roomy enough for even the most claustrophobic customer.

Borek-Clement’s 960 square foot home is divided into a kitchen, living room, and bedroom area. The living room and bedroom both feature Tafoni-shaped windows – windows that resemble the naturally occurring sandstone formations that appear along the Northern California shore. Unlike most houseboats that have low ceilings, the Tafoni house has high ceilings and minimal partitions, giving it the illusion of spaciousness.
There are no particular features of the home that stand out for their sustainability, but Borek-Clement points out that, “Houseboats, as opposed to traditional homes, have no foundations that permanently impact the land. They can be moved from one dock to another to allow the shaded land underneath them to recover.” As climate change hits some coastal areas hard, floating homes may, in fact, become a more popular type of dwelling. And as Borek-Clement notes, living close to nature makes it more important to be respectful of the surrounding flora and fauna.

High Line "HL" Park, New York

2010-01-06T16:24:00.001-08:00

An elevated park in the sky built on top of the skeleton of an old rail system? It may have sounded impossible only five years ago, but today, the eagerly awaited High Line elevated urban park officially opens for thousands of New Yorkers looking to escape the hubbub of the city below!Here at Inhabitat, we have been following the journey of the High Line for the past several years and were super excited to get a sneak peek yesterday of the new park, which was renovated / designed by James Corner Field Operations, Lead Designer, with starchitects Diller Scofidio + Renfro. We were thrilled to get a chance to scope out the High Line yesterday as we’ve been waiting for this for ages!), so check out our pics below!

The High Line was originally constructed in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District in the 1930s to lift dangerous freight trains off of city streets. Abandoned in the 1980’s the High Line went into decay and disrepair and was rediscovered in popular consciousness in 2000, after acclaimed photographer Joel Sternfeld captured the beauty of the industrial relic in photos: overgrown with wildflowers — an abandoned human structure essentially reclaimed by nature in a matter of 20 years.
The City of New York was originally planning to tear down the High Line, but a group formed, called ‘Friends of the High Line’, to protect, preserve, and renovate the High Line. This eventually lead to a design competition, and the commissioning of landscape architects James Corner Field Operations and architects Diller Scodifio + Renfro to rehabilitate this abandoned space into a lush, green, elevated paradise for Manhattanites.

Renovations spanned a time frame of several years (with another section yet to be complete until 2010), but visitors to the park yesterday all seemed to agree that it was well worth the wait.So what was our verdict? Well, while we view slick renderings of concepts for urban green spaces almost everyday, it is an entirely different thing to actually step into a completed project and see it with our own eyes. We weren’t sure if it was going to be possible for a starchitect-designed renovation to maintain the simple, stark beauty of the original, overgrown High Line – the one that had captured the imagination of so many Manhattanites in 2000. But we were impressed and pleasantly surprised!

The feeling at the High Line today was one of excitement, optimism and pride that our city was able to take something that was just a gleam in our eyes a few years ago and turn it into something that we, and hopefully generations to come, can enjoy. For New Yorkers like myself, who are just witnessing the beginnings of an urban space revolution, the High Line is a tangible manifestation of what the future could look like.

That being said, you’re probably wondering what it looked like. The most prominent features of the long and winding park are the preserved rail tracks that poke out through the porous layer of concrete that has been cut away in strips here and there emphasizing a linear aesthetic. Lush shrubbery, reedy grasses and watercolor-hued flowers surround the rust-red tracks in a way that seems deliberate yet natural. Farther down along the meandering pathway, sunbathers relaxed on blocky wooden chaise lounges, some of which have casters that look like they can roll right along the tracks (although they can’t, we tried). Vistas that were unseen to most New Yorkers, like a view of the clubs in the Meatpacking district from above and peeks into the posh lofts that are at the same level as the High Line were visible, for the very first time, from here.

Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi

2010-01-06T15:51:00.000-08:00

Yas Marina Circuit is a magnificent circuit current, past still dominates in Sepang as a circuit design the most luxurious. But with the presence of Yas Marina, we seemed to be amazed at the beauty of the track combined with the hotel. Here's a collection of images of Yas Marina Circuit image, either still or animated images of existing now.