Dwell Daily Blog

Out of the Dumpster (and Back Again?)

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:22:29 PDT

As we've previously noted, a growing number of designers are creating pieces from typically unwanted materials-factory scraps, discarded furniture, etc. While some are innovative, functional, even beautiful, others appear to be little more than what they're made of: trash.

DIY: Green Roof Pet Home

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 9:33:34 PDT

The booming pet-pampering industry is taking on the issue of sustainability...sort of.

RIAI Award: Tuath na Mara

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:3:51 PDT

Tuath na Mara, which earned MacGabhann Architects the Royal Irish Architects Institute's Best House and Public Choice Awards last month, sits on the craggy, heather-covered slope in Donegal, Ireland.

Green Guide: Cork Tiles

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:35:0 PDT

Attention problem drinkers: You can now help turn wine corks into tiles.

Slideshow: Capitol Hill House

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:19:24 PDT

Who says the housing bubble has burst? This week, the Fed continued to proffer a dismal outlook for the U.S. economy, warning that the rising costs of energy and other commodities have precipitated an increase in inflation. And yet, despite these warnings, and despite figures across the country indicating a sharp decrease in the number of houses being built, intelligent design seems to be winning the day.

Sale Alert: MoMA Design Store

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 8:37:13 PDT

The MoMA Design Store is striking 20 to 50 percent off select items online and in its New York location

House Shopping

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 7:35:52 PDT

I spent the early morning doing some rigorous (read: imaginary) house shopping on the website of The Modern House Estate Agents, a London firm "specializing in the sale of 20th and 21st century homes of architectural distinction."

Prefab: Homes by Toyota

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:56:21 PDT

One of the revelations of Home Delivery, the prefab show opening Sunday at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, is how much prefab is out there, and how long it's been around.

A Garden in the Sky

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:58:31 PDT

In the closing pages of Blubberland, Elizabeth Farrelly's pointed critique of Western civilization's excesses, the author paints an idyllic turnabout, one in which cities and agricultural communities merge into a blissful, sustainable harmony. It seems these dreams aren't just those of a wistful social critic, but of scientists and architects as well. Dickson Despommier, professor of public health at Columbia University, has been championing the idea of vertical farms since 1999 when he conceived of the idea with a group of graduate students in his course on medical ecology.

DIY: Mowercycle

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:12:50 PDT

As I've previously noted, lawnmowers account for five percent of U.S. air pollution. Because of this, eco-friendly alternatives like the battery-powered Neuton have garnered a great deal of attention.