GREEN HOUSE IN GEORGIA In the American South, a region that tends to laud its heritage, modern can be a hard sell. A residential client often hears neighborhood fears that a new modern dwelling will look "chilly" and won't fit in. RainShine House by architect Robert M. Cain answers those concerns. Built near downtown Decatur, Georgia, part of metro Atlanta, the LEED Platinum-certified home is bright, welcoming, treads lightly on its site, and respects its neighbors. — Published 2009.0909
	GREEN STIMULUS MULTIPLICATION What if there were a way for states, cities, and counties to leverage each dollar of federal stimulus money they spend to generate $14 of private spending, create 14 times the number of jobs, reimburse the federal government $3, and get a dollar back to boot? And what if that economic solution could also help us tackle climate change by constructively attacking building-related carbon emissions? — Published 2009.0506
	MODERN PREFAB BY MARMOL RADZINER The Rincon 5 by Los Angeles firm Marmol Radziner recalls the pristine residential architecture of Mies van der Rohe, though this guest house may have more in common with the humble American mobile home. — Published 2009.0318
	PALLADIO AWARDS 2009 The Danforth University Center provides a new gothic-style gathering space and "front door" for Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Designed by Tsoi/ Kobus & Associates, Inc., the center received one of eleven Palladio Awards for 2009. — Published 2009.0311
	APPALACHIAN SUNCATCHER Nestled into a hillside near Asheville, North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center is projected to use 75 percent less energy than a comparable conventionally designed facility. Trombe walls, a planted roof, bioswales, daylighting, a high-efficiency mechanical energy-recovery system, and other "green" features add up to make this National Park Service facility a contender for LEED Gold certification. — Published 2008.0521
	RENZO PIANO'S NEW YORK TIMES BUILDING Ask most architects to name the most elemental ingredients of great architecture, and chances are they will say "space and light." But these are not necessarily the first two words that come to mind when thinking about skyscrapers, especially tall buildings in New York City. — Published 2008.0416
	TEACHING CLIMATE On February 20, 2007, architects and students worldwide demonstrated en masse that they are ready to go to work to stop global climate change. Their "gathering" was virtual, however, as schools, firms, and individuals from 47 countries tuned in to the 2010 Imperative Teach-In webcast. During several hours, a panel of three experts from different disciplines discussed the building sector's impact on global warming. Their presentations are available online. — Published 2007.0314
	STONE GREEN Architects Busby Perkins+Will and KEEN Engineering, which is now part of Stantec, combined multiple green strategies within a single project to achieve Canada's first LEED Gold certification for new construction for the City of White Rock Operations Building in British Columbia. — Published 2006.1101
	PATAGONIAN LUXURIES An exotic location like Chilean Patagonia demands an exotic hotel. Hotel Remota's design draws from the dazzling explosion of islands, glaciers, icebergs, and mountains on this southern tip of South America. Inspired by Patagonian sheep farm buildings, Hotel Remota offers warm interiors to shield visitors from the wind and cold. A central courtyard introduces visitors to the Patagonian wilderness: except for a few large boulders, the plaza is empty, but full of suggestion. — Published 2006.0405
	REGARDING WATER A building can outwardly but subtly express the functions it shelters and express institutional regard towards its surrounding context. An example of this is the new office building for Rijkswaterstaat Zeeland, the Department of Water Management and Transport (RWS), in Middelburg, The Netherlands. Through its many sustainability features, it shows deference to energy and water conservation and to the well being of its occupants. — Published 2005.0413

Passive Solar Design page: 01 | 02 | [next]