Neighborhood Tours

We recently caught up with architect Adam Kushner who's currently in the process of building the world's first 3D-printed estate up in Gardiner, New York. Though this project is what's garnered him the most attention lately, Kushner has always been one to experiment with new materials and methods of construction. One of his earliest projects is this modern duplex penthouse located in the heart of the West Village. Once home to Kushner himself, this pad—which has previously been called both "sexy" and "unconventional"—is all about pushing boundaries, and includes some surprising details that, well, we'll just say aren't for shy folks afraid of showing a little skin.
Tour this unique West Village penthouse

October 5, 2014

Luderowski Architect’s Pagoda-Shaped Stunner is Not Your Average Treehouse

By Patty Lee

This ain't your average treehouse. While the ones of our childhood dreams are usually simple little structures patched together with pieces from dad's leftover lumber piles, this eye-catching structure is more of a floating adult oasis. Shaped like a piercing pagoda, the honey-yellow treehouse seems like it was taken from the forests of Kyoto and carefully unloaded in Long Lake, NY, a picturesque town nestled in the Adirondack Mountains.
See more pictures straight ahead

October 3, 2014

Nir Meiri’s Seaweed Marine Lights Bring the Ocean Indoors

Tel Aviv-based Nir Meiri Design Studio has an unconventional approach to everyday objects. With a special love for raw, wild materials, this studio creates high quality handcrafted designs that are surprising yet minimal. The Marine Light is one of their latest creations—a design that uses seaweed for a lampshade that gives off an emerald gleam.
Find out more about this fishy design

October 3, 2014

Following Demo of 5Pointz, New Group DEFACED Seeks to Preserve Artistic Relics

We were pretty bummed over the summer when we heard that Long Island City graffiti mecca 5Pointz was being torn down and replaced with condos. But now that the site has officially been razed, a group of architects are taking this crime against architecture and using it to fuel their mission of preserving the city's unofficial artistic and cultural landmarks. Arianna Armelli, Ishaan Kumar, David Sepulveda, and Wagdy Moussa created DEFACED as a group that "values artistic freedom and expression, protecting the cultural relics of New York City refusing to witness the complete disregard for the history of New York." As their first order of business, they've created a proposal to buy back the 5Pointz site from developers and build a creative oasis that includes an urban rooftop with rainwater collection system, artist gallery, and recycling center.
More on DEFACED and its proposal

October 1, 2014

Earth-Sheltered Home Uses Surroundings to Save on Energy

By Alyssa Alimurung

We’ve featured plenty of beautiful sustainable homes here on 6sqft, many of which include some pretty hi-tech gadgets from geothermal wells to highly reflective roofing materials. But John Grzibowski decided to just use what’s available in nature. He built an Earth-sheltered home in Newburgh, New York that strategically uses the surrounding landscape to insulate itself. The […]

September 30, 2014

NYC Buildings That Add Solar Panels Will Now Get an Even Bigger Tax Break

New York is serious about going green and Governor Cuomo just signed into law a bill to extend—and double—the possible tax breaks given to those who install solar panels on their properties. A press release notes that the break will offer a rebate of 5 percent on either the solar panel installation cost; property taxes the year panels are installed; or $62,500—whichever is less. The new bill is meant to offset the 25 percent higher cost of installing solar systems in the city due to stringent regulations and the complexity of building sites.
Find out more on here

September 29, 2014

Even Wackier Design Emerges for an Earthship Home at 61 Pitt Street

Some of you may remember a proposal from 3+ years ago to bring a sustainable Earthship home to 61 Pitt Street—a vacant Lower East Side lot zoned for a twelve-story building. The proposed design was the brainchild New Mexico-based architect Michael Reynolds and backed by local resident Ken Ruck who championed for its construction with the LES' Community Board 3. Surprisingly, the board wasn't against it, nor was the site's owner, but Ruck and Reynolds didn't make much headway beyond that meeting and quietly disappeared without any word on what would come next. Now fast forward to 2014, and Mr. Reynolds is back with a new and improved (but equally out-of-this-world) iteration that employs the popular floor-maximizing cantilever taking our city by storm.
More on the updated here

September 28, 2014

Take-off Is a Customizable Lamp That Let’s You Design Your Favorite Pattern

It’s always refreshing when an object requires actual human input. Just look at the brilliant Take-off Light; its simple design allows people to create their own geometrical pattern on its shade. Designed by German label Fifti-Fifti, it features a hanging paper shade for peeling, or to take off little bits, into endless patterns combinations.
Learn more about this stunning customizable lamp

September 26, 2014

No. 3 Bench by Floris Wubben Combines Natural and Hi-Tech Materials

Dutch designer Floris Wubben crafts beautifully strange pieces that combine natural and high-tech materials. It's that blend of rough, textured surfaces with new technologies that makes his designs stand out from the crowd. One of our favorite examples is the No. 3 Bench, made from an accordion-folded sheet of white polypropylene that follows the contours of a piece of driftwood.
Learn more about this stunning sculptural design

Milo is a Greenhouse-Lamp That Cares for Your Indoor Plants

Meet Milo, a glazed lampshade and miniature greenhouse all in one. Apart from looking very pretty, this glass lamp by Polish studio Lightovo will highlight your favorite interior plant and even vows to protect and feed it with light. Just place your favorite potted flower inside, and let it bloom.
Learn more about the blooming light

September 24, 2014

Luxury ‘Glamper’ by Tinywood Homes is Perfect for Fall Excursions (Hot Tub Included)

The autumn months can get a bit chilly, but rest assured, fall is one the best seasons for camping. Cool and crisp weather make for ideal hiking conditions, and beautiful colors reign supreme immersing onlookers in otherworldly-hues. However, if you're still adverse to sleeping with nothing more than a slip of fabric between you and the ground, this luxurious 'glamper' is the perfect solution for those who'd rather experience nature with the creature comforts of home. In fact, this cool camper comes with one fun (arguably, low-brow) indulgence most of us never get to enjoy: a hot tub.
Inside the 'glamper' here

September 24, 2014

Pressed Objects: Floris Wubben’s Brutally Tactile Designs for the Human Touch

Tactility is especially important in today's day and age, as we're in constant competition with a world full of screens. That is the beauty of Floris Wubben's Pressed Objects; they aim to bring back textures to our day-to-day life. Made from pressed epoxy clay, the objects come in the shape of vases, flowerpots, and recipients, all created by a coalition between the hands and a machine.
Learn more about this textured design

September 23, 2014

Hudson Design’s Rustic Writer’s Studio Barn is a Converted Two-Story Garage

There's something intriguing about living in a former garage...maybe it's the lofty openness or the unexpected conversion. But whatever the case, the Writer's Studio Barn by Hudson Design lives up to our enchantment. Located in Garrison, New York, the iconic American barn was originally used as a garage with two horse stalls. The conversion was conceived as a tranquil retreat for a couple to find inspiration among the lush landscape and natural views. And the existing stick-frame structure offered a loft with the perfect space and orientation for a secluded studio. It's now a rustic one-bedroom apartment with room for cars and storage.
Take a tour and get the creative juices flowing

September 23, 2014

Plyfelt Playfully Combines Warm and Cold Materials Into a Sculptural Seat

Playful and made from felt, Plyfelt is an exploration in materials in the form of a unique, undulating seat. The work of Dutch designer Floris Wubben, this two-person sofa fashions the eco-friendly fiber into a wave-form for a naturally comfortable rest you'll want to plant your—erm—bottom on.
Learn more about this contrasting piece

September 23, 2014

The Whitechapel Projects Plan to Reuse Jersey Warehouse as a Sustainable, Artsy Space

By Alyssa Alimurung

We don’t usually cover Jersey here at 6sqft, but this inspiring adaptive reuse project was too good to pass up. Inhabitat NYC reports that a newly approved development, The Whitechapel Projects, will be converting an old industrial warehouse in Long Beach into a paradise for all things sustainable, artistic and foodie (read: super hip). The new […]

September 19, 2014

Floris Wubben’s Eyrie Bench is a Human Nest Inspired by Eagles

The noun Eyrie is "a large nest of an eagle or other bird of prey, built high in a tree or on a cliff." Take it poetically or quite literarily, like this Dutch design studio recently did. The Eyrie Bench by Floris Wubben is a cumulus of interconnected wooden ash slats resting on tree branches that form its legs. Sculptural and natural, this seat works as a human nest inviting you to sit back and take a rest.
Learn more about this wooden human nest

September 18, 2014

POP: Scandi-Thai Bamboo Lights by Ljung & Ljung Are a Sophisticated Take on Paper Lanterns

Greta Ljung & Martin Hedenstöm Ljung from Swedish Studio Ljung & Ljung travelled the world and created these wonderful luminaires. POP combines a Scadinavian minimalistic shape with a fresh edge given by waved bamboo stripes. Produced in Thailand, they offer a sophisticated take on paper Chinese lanterns.
Learn more about this Scandi-Thai design

September 17, 2014

World’s First OLED Panel Will Bring Buildings 40,000+ Hours of Energy-Efficient Lighting

New York buildings racking up big energy bills may soon be able to breathe a sigh of relief. Thanks to new OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) technology, lighting will be getting greener, healthier and much more energy efficient. This November, LG Chem, Korea's largest chemical company, will bring their new OLED panels into production. The new panels will boast 100 lumens per watt, a life of 40,000+ hours (a world's best, outperforming Osram, Philips, and Panasonic; and almost on par with conventional LEDs), and be flexible enough to be used in everything from automotive to architecture. Currently plans are to focus distribution on markets in North America and Europe, and so far LG Chem has secured contracts with more than 50 lighting companies, including Atlanta-based Acuity Lighting.
More on the technology here

September 15, 2014

Stop Procrastinating with Help from the Rewrite Desk

Rewrite, by Copenhagen-based designers GamFratesi, is an isolating bubble that offers a space for work and concentration. No matter how many distractions your home might have, this cocoon-like desk will help you focus and hopefully overcome procrastination. Featuring organic modern lines and a cozy appearance, its upholstered shield protects against any environmental noise that might take you away from the job.
Learn more about the Rewrite desk here

September 14, 2014

Flow is a Bamboo Lounger Shaped Like a Cloud Blowing in the Wind

Taiwanese designer Cheng-Tsung Feng and craft artist Kao-Min Chen co-designed a dynamic furniture piece made entirely from renewable bamboo. "Flow" is light and free like a cloud and offers a unique place to spend a lazy afternoon. Its poetic, sculptural aesthetic resembles a flying cloud blowing freely in the wind.
Learn more about this dynamic bamboo seat

September 12, 2014

Lang Architecture Debuts Completed Hudson Woods Community in the Catskills

By Alyssa Alimurung

Back in July, we sat down with Drew Lang of Lang Architecture to chat about his new eco-village, Hudson Woods, located in the Catskills. Now that the homes are finished, they need forever owners (us! us!). Inhabitat NYC featured the gorgeous—and we mean drop dead gorgeous—homes within the private 26-house neighborhood. The community is located upstate, but only […]

September 10, 2014

Gluck+ Architects’ Scholar’s Library is a Cubic Retreat for Studying in the Woods

Now that school's back in session, we've found the perfect solitary haven for reading, writing, and studying. A minimal cube in the woods, the Scholar's Library by Gluck+ Architects is located in a serene, forested area of Olivebridge, New York. The design is enclosed on the bottom, but open with wrap-around windows on the top. It's "walls" change with the seasons, turning green in the summer, orange in the fall, and white in the winter.
Learn more about this cute studying retreat here

September 10, 2014

MAKE/SHIFT by Movisi Takes a New Angle on Modular Shelving

And we mean that literally. The unique wedge-shaped units of Movisi's self-adjusting shelving system MAKE/SHIFT can be installed at almost any angle. They also cleverly interlock with each other thanks to corrugated edges, filling unusually shaped niches, spaces between columns, or empty wall space.
More on the design

September 10, 2014

You May be Able to Print Your Own Solar Panels Soon