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Dubai-based environmental design firm Timelinks recently released some eye-catching renderings of the gigantic eco pyramid – aptly named Ziggurat. The ginormous pyramid will cover 2.3 square kilometers and will be able to sustain a “community” of up to 1 million. Timelinks claims that their Ziggurat will be capable of running completely off the grid by utilizing steam, wind, and other natural resources. The tightly knit city will also feature a super efficient public transportation system that runs both horizontally and vertically, and plans are being drawn up to utilize both public and private green spaces for agricultural opportunities.According to the International Institute for the Urban Environment, the technologies incorporated into the Ziggurat project will make it a viable metropolis, and Timlinks has responded by quickly patenting the design and technology developed for the project.  (source).

 

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According to architect Vincent Callebaut, the Paris of 2050 could look very different than the city we know today. The architect recently unveiled plans to transform the famous locale into a futuristic “smart” city. His design is a nod to the metropolis’ historical architecture as it’s punctuated by flourishing, eco-friendly structures, and was commissioned as part of the Climate Energy Plan of Paris.  Buildings use green construction strategies like passive heating and cooling, rainwater recycling, and living green walls. These unique walls are especially helpful because they infuse the urban atmosphere with fresh air. Exteriors of the honeycomb-esque towers are solar energy generators that harvest sunlight and produce biofuel. And, using “phylolights” produces light and energy thanks to wind turbines. Buildings are mixed-use and encourage the integration of residential and commercial enterprises. By having all these things within walking distance to one another eliminates the need for daily transportation and cuts the fuel pollution in the air. (source).

 

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This surreal walkway recently installed in Cape Town, South Africa, creates a meandering, aerial path that allows visitors to stroll through the treetops. The steel-and-pinewood Kirstenbosch Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway begins on the forest floor, gradually sloping upward and eventually elevating guests to a spectacular vantage point above the canopy. From the heights, guests can witness the South African forest in all its glory — and in all kinds of weather. The snaking bridge, inspired by the shape of a snake skeleton, measures 130 meters long. By carefully hoisting the prefabricated steel beams over the canopy, the builders were able to give people an amazing new way to appreciate the forest while causing minimal disturbance to the natural environment. (source).

 

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This amazing prototype, rolled out by green architectural and manufacturing firm ArchiBlox, is billed as the first pre-fabricated, carbon-positive house. The one bedroom, one bathroom unit ingeniously generates more energy than it uses. The first model was recently installed as an exhibition in a public square in Melbourne, Australia, but the company plans to make more for resale. Designed to face north, the small unit harnesses natural forces to minimize the manmade carbon footprint and actually gives back to the environment. Underground tubes help cool the house, and “airtight building envelope” technology keeps energy from escaping wastefully. The roof features solar panels, which power the unit, plus green space for growing herbs and vegetables. (source).

 

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The city of Newark, New Jersey will soon be home to the world’s largest indoor vertical farm.  Having this facility means that they’ll be able to aeroponically grow two million pounds of pesticide-free baby leafy greens and herbs each year.  A converted steel factory will house the vertical farm. There, AeroFarm’s aeroponics technology will spray a mist of high-nutrient solution onto the crops. No soil is necessary for growth. Instead, the plants root themselves in microfleece cloth that’s stretched across modular, stackable planters. The sustainable process also uses recycled water and monitoring equipment. This manages the plant’s carbon dioxide intake as well as the intensity of the overhead LED lighting. AeroFarm is part of a larger redevelopment project called Maker’s Village. They will be an anchor establishment for the locale, which intends  to bring “maker-type” businesses to the Ironbound neighborhood in Newark. (source).

 

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Inside Switzerland’s Bellelay Abbey, two intriguing pools of recycled motor oil create serene, unbroken reflections of soaring architecture. The chapel’s ornately decorated arches and vaulted ceilings are mirrored in vivid detail on the oil’s rich, glassy surface. Unlike reflections in water, the oil pool minimizes glare and lets viewers gaze deeply into the images. The addition of the oil pools to the chapel is interesting because it contrasts light and dark in a striking juxtaposition. The oil’s shimmering black surface boldly complements the chapel’s pristine, white-washed walls. The pools were added to the church as part of an art installation by Swiss artist Romain Crelier in 2013. Along with creating a feeling of augmented spaciousness, the reflection pool offers a means of recycling otherwise unusable material. (source).

 

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A Chinese design team recently rolled out a fascinating set of plans that creatively re-imagine oil rigs as floating, eco-friendly habitats that could help the environment recover after an oil spill. The designers created the plan in response to the increasing need to balance responsible resource-harvesting practices with preservation. In the renderings, we see strong, healthy branches towering into the sky alongside steel beams. The underwater pilings that stabilize the rig become structures to host thriving coral reef colonies. In these ways, the Noah Oasisvisualizes using the industrial equipment as a vehicle for saving natural resources from harm, much as the Bible character Noah sheltered animals from disaster aboard an ark.  The plan was nominated honorable mention in eVolo Magazine’s 2015 skyscraper design competition. (source).

 

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On 2010, the Tree Museum situated on 75,000 square meters of breathtaking land near Upper Lake Zurich in Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland, opened officially its gates.The Tree Museum exhibits individual trees, which are used to create spaces in a unique way that integrates aesthetics, sustainability, history and lifetime. The collection is solely composed of varieties which belong to Switzerland’s climate zone. The Museum features approximately 50 trees representing more than 25 varieties- several examples of which are more than 100 years old- creating an aura of immortality and an awareness of ‘time’. Another 100 trees and plants are located in the Park which surrounds the Tree Museum. In total, the Enea grounds contain more than 3000 exclusive wood species. (source).

 

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The High Line in New York City is a 1.45-mile-long structure built in the 1930s to carry freight trains. It runs from the Meatpacking District, through West Chelsea, and ends at 34th Street, next to the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The last train ran on it in 1980. It is now being remade into a landscaped set of gardens right in the middle of the city. The plants were specifically chosen to be like those that grew naturally when the rail line was abandoned, so that it gives you the feel of what the city would be like without people. Some of the original rails are left in place and the concrete has been designed to evoke the shape of the old wooden ties. Some areas have seating and lounge chairs with wheels on them that ride the rails. The first section, from from Gansevoort Street (between 10th and 11th) to 20th Street is now open. (source).

 

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Studio Gang Architects for recently earned a PETA Proggy award for Aqua Tower’s bird-deflecting elements. PETA’s Proggy Awards (“Proggy” is for “progress”) recognize animal-friendly achievements in commerce and culture. Collisions with windows are among the most common human-related killers of migrating birds in North America, causing the deaths of more than 34 million birds in urban areas alone. By including a wavy exterior and special glass, which is etched with gray marks to make it easier for birds to see, the company has created a design that will help prevent birds from flying into windows. The 823-foot building is currently under construction in Chicago, and will contain 55,000 square feet of retail and office space. (source).