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80 South Street Tower- New York
80 South Street Tower, at Fletcher and South Streets in Lower Manhattan is one of the most original skyscrapers I’ve ever seen. Designed by Santiago Calatrava the 12 modular glass cubes are stacked into a tower of alternating solids and voids, cantilevered from either side in a series of contrapuntal steps.
Each cube contains four floors at slightly more than 2000 square feet per floor. Each module, except the highest, provides an outdoor terrace for the one above. Only 10 townhouse condominiums are available, pricing starts at $29M.
Tropical Green Conference
If you’re lucky enough to be in the Miami area this February, be sure to check out “Tropical Green”, organized by Metropolis magazine:
‘With Miami’s current building frenzy, the city needs to consider sustainable design principles urgently, and not only for environmental reasons. Indeed: such an earth-friendly approach is also a smart business investment, offering long-term profits. The two-day Tropical Green conference will be an invaluable experience for architects, interior designers, developers, city planners, politicians, and voters in search of learning the ways of 21st century design that will both help the environment and their wallets.’
For more information on registration, etc, click here.
Barkitecture
My Design Within Reach e-newsletter featured designs that have ‘gone to the dogs’, with some great photos from a competition inspired by the 1999 book, Barkitecture.
DWR’s Boulder studio recently presented a modernist ‘barkitecture’ challenge to a group of architects in the area. The challenge was to create a doghouse with dimensions not exceeding 3 cubic feet, that was under $1000 and used at least some recycled or ‘green’ materials. 11 entries were submitted and then auctioned off to benefit the humane society of boulder. The five winning designs are on display through this weekend at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art…pictured above are just some of the winners…enjoy!
Living Homes
Most of you know I’m developing a love for modern prefab housing. Today I ran across Living Homes designed by Ray Kappe on Inhabitat.
True to it’s name, Living Homes feature modular interiors that residents can rearrange to suit their changing needs. The home also has “smart technology” that allows you to adjust the temperature and arm the security alarm remotely.
The house looks amazing. I really like the indoor/outdoor spaces and the green area on the roof.
“The first Living Homes community is being developed near Joshua Tree National Park California, where the stark beauty of the landscape is a perfect backdrop for the spare elegance of the homes.”
Via Inhabitat.
Floating Homes
I have this fascination with living on the water. Maybe it’s because I grew up around the water. Orlando has its share of lakes, but the homes there are not my style out of my price range.
I found this great article on Inhabitat featuring the home you see above. According to Inhabitat, this Floating Home is a prefab dwelling created especially for the water.
The Floating Home comes in three sizes, from 170m-sq-m to 200m-sq. The floor plans are flexible, with roof decks and extended water-level decking. Interiors feature a wide choice of hardwood (and teak) for flooring and Grohe fixtures. The site is not immensely detailed at the moment, but promises that more is on the way (don’t we all).
I’m love the modern aesthetic of these aquatic prefabs, there are many more images available @ the Floating Homes website.
Via Inhabitat
Dwell Launches Prefab Collection
My wife and I have been reading Dwell magazine for a while now and have been turned on to prefab homes and their resurgence. So we’re very excited to see that Dwell Magazine has just announced the launch of an exclusive collection of custom-designed, modern prefabricated homes.
According to Inhabitatthe publication has teamed up with Empyrean International LLC (formerly Deck House), Resolution: 4 Architecture, and Lazor Office to create The Dwell Homes by Empyrean.
‘One of the major obstacles prefab has faced,’ said Dwell Editor-in-Chief Allison Arieff, ‘has been effective collaboration among designers, manufacturers, and clients. This partnership brings together experienced parties across that spectrum, all of whom are passionate about and committed to prefab’s potential. As a result, we’re able to offer the public not one but three beautifully designed, highly functional, and eminently livable homes.’
The three designs are featured in the Fifth Anniversary issue of Dwell, which hits newsstands Tuesday, September 20.
The three designs will be Charles Lazor’s Flatpak House, Joel Turkel’s Next House, and Resolution 4: Architecture’s Dwell Home design, which won Dwell’s Home Design Invitational competition in 2003.
Though prices will vary based on size and local labor costs, the average cost of a 2,500 square foot Dwell Home is estimated to range between $175-$250 per square foot. The Dwell Homes will launch at a series of kick-off events throughout the fall, so check the site for details.
Via Inhabitat
Floating Habitat
A friend of mine just bought a condo at the Beach. He plans to retire there (in 20 years or so). Me? I’m holding out for this 2.5 million dollar “floating dwelling.”
The Jelly-fish 45, designed by Giancarlo Zema houses up to six people James Bond style. Sub-find recommends parking your personal island in sea parks, atolls, bays and seas rich in flora and fauna.
It consists of five levels connected by a spiral staircase. The top level has been kept for study rooms. The next lower level contains the nighttime zone (sleeping quarters), while the main level contains the daytime zone with a kitchen and bathrooms. The lowest living level is semi-submerged and has been kept for the guest room, bathroom and technical spaces.
The lowest level, (the submerged viewport globe) allows the occupants 360° views of the submarine world.
The Jelly-fish 45 shape is inspired by, you guessed it, jellyfish- with their transparent and weightless structure. It is mostly constructed from plastic reinforced by incorporated fiberglass while the submarine globe is made from acrylic with a high compressive resistance.
Moneypenny, my slippers please.
LEGO-LIKE MODULAR HOME
As a kid, one of the greatest parts about building a LEGO house was that you could transform it over and over. Løvetann is proving that grown-up homes can have that limitlessly flexibility.
Løvetann makes homes that stretch the conventions of modular design. The framework of each module is identical, framed in Hydro aluminum. The frame is then fitted with wall panels that can be customized according to the homeowner, with built-in features such as wireless networking, fireplaces, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Each home comes fully equipped with home entertainment systems and electrical appliances by Siemens.
Løvetann incorporates environmentally-friendly design by building on a low-impact foundation and offering solar panels and green roof options. They also include services like organic food deliveries and garden consultations, and are slated to grow their service offerings next year.
Løvetann’s design has a futuristic style that is so functional as to nearly behave like an appliance, responding and adapting to the evolving needs of its inhabitants. If you thought you’d hit your peak in the LEGO era, rouse your imagination and check out Løvetann.
Skyscraper Farms
The Problem
By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth’s population will reside in urban centers. And there just isn’t enough new land to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today.
The Solution
What to do about this impending food crisis? Many think the solution might lie in urban “skyscraper farms”.
Indoor farming is not a new concept, of course. A wide variety of produce, including tomatoes, herbs and spices, have been grown indoors quite successfully for many years. What is new, however, is the growing need to scale this technology to mass-production, to accomodate the rapidly accelerating migration of people from rural areas to cities. Skyscraper farms have enormous potential to improve both the urban and rural environment in many ways. They “green” up the concrete jungle, providing more plants and more carbon-dioxide conversion in polluted urban areas. Plus, just imagine the cool urban farmers markets.
The Vertical Farm Project is a website devoted to all-things urban agriculture. Currently it is showcasing a design proposal by french architect Pierre Sartoux, called the Living Tower.
