Sustainability

On the edge of Aamri village, in the vicinity of the Purna River, 40 kilometers from Surat city, is a weekend getaway called The Weave House. The client had a specific vision of a home that exudes an organic lifestyle, with spaces specifically designed to be meditative and enveloped in verdant greenery. They sought an abode that radiates serenity, a Zen-like ambiance, and a persistent flow of energy. The concept evolved to seamlessly create a harmonious interweaving of the built environment and landscape. The spatial planning inspired by a traditional house is modernized with design elements and materials to constitute a contemporary home woven into a rural settlement. The architects sought to incorporate the client’s lifestyle into the design and drew inspiration from his profession of textile weaving to inform the design of the space, integrating elements that are reflective of the craft throughout the house.

During the 19th century, efforts to improve the quality of urban life focused on creating gardens and parks, marking the beginning of the evolution of landscaping as a modern discipline. However, despite remarkable examples worldwide, excessive structure and artificiality in urban parks have gone against the motivations that gave rise to them. In many cases, their design has resulted in decontextualized and inefficient public spaces that are highly demanding on resources and far from being truly sustainable.

During the 19th century, efforts to improve the quality of urban life focused on creating gardens and parks, marking the beginning of the evolution of landscaping as a modern discipline. However, despite remarkable examples worldwide, excessive structure and artificiality in urban parks have gone against the motivations that gave rise to them. In many cases, their design has resulted in decontextualized and inefficient public spaces that are highly demanding on resources and far from being truly sustainable.

Mass timber’s reputation as the go-to low-carbon construction material is a problematic oversimplification that is leading to greenwashing, says carbon expert Amy Leedham in this Timber Revolution interview. “We’re seeing a little bit of oversimplification and glorification of mass timber,” said Leedham, who is carbon lead at engineering consultancy Atelier Ten. “The main thing that

The post “Mass-timber buildings can have very high carbon emissions” says Amy Leedham appeared first on Dezeen.

At a compact 700 square feet (65 square meters), this weekend getaway in Napoles, Ecuador goes back to basics and celebrates the vernacular architecture of its surroundings. The home’s four primary materials—locally sourced brick, steel, concrete, and glass—interact through simple and pure forms, dappled by an interplay of lights and shadows. In addition to sourcing local materials, Make Estudio, the Design-Build division of PJCArchitecture in Ecuador, employed local craftsmen and crew members to create this hidden gem. The resultant “tiny” home contains one bedroom, one bathroom, and a flexible loft space, and features a passive solar design to accommodate the rapidly shifting temperatures of its locale.

The Roxbury House marries art and landscape in intimate and broad moments. The house is positioned uphill and on the edge of the 12-acre property to strategically take advantage of prevailing winds for natural ventilation and to minimize site disturbance, allowing the existing open meadow and forest to support local wildlife and native vegetation. The undulating roofs and their deep overhangs simultaneously draw in sunlight at different times of the day and frame landscape views while also reducing direct glare and solar heat gain. Rainwater management— through a series of rain gardens and retention ponds— mitigate erosion along the steep terrain.

Co’met brings together three distinct programs in a new and powerful architectural image. The Arena, the convention center, and the exhibition center come together in a spectacular sequence along the southern entrance to Orléans. The whole constitutes a vast multifunctional facility, a unique tool for sports, culture and events. By installing the functions in a way that is both distinct and continuous, Co’met drastically changes the perception of the entrance to the Orleans metropolis.