Neighborhood Tours

September 8, 2014

Torafu’s Koloro is a Cute and Functional Office Wrapped Up in a Compact Desk

If you work from home, you know how difficult it is to separate personal and professional life. But not if you have something like this—a desk that you can just turn over when you finish work, leaving all the clutter and to-do lists behind. The cute Kororodesuku (Koloro desk) is a brilliantly simple design by Japanese designers Torafu studio; it's made from wood and comes in any color you like.
Learn more about this cute little desk

September 5, 2014

Chiat Beach House by HS2 Architecture was Built with an 18th Century Barn Frame

By Dana Schulz

Since it looks like New York's summer heat wave came a little late this year, we decided to feature one of our most swoon-worthy seaside dwellings. The Chiat Beach House by HS2 Architecture is located in the small Southampton town of Sagaponack, notable for being the country's most expensive zip code back in 2009. And though this home might not scream "million dollar listing," it most certainly is something to see, as it's built around an 18th century Vermont barn frame that was salvaged, restored, and re-erected to create the home's striking "great room."
Take a tour around the property

September 5, 2014

Splinter Works’ Futuristic Carbon Fiber Bathtub Hangs Like a Hammock

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Extremely strong and light, carbon fiber is used in many applications, including aerospace and automotive parts, sporting goods, and structural engineering works. So we were struck when we spotted these sculptural bathtubs made from the material. Elegant, beautiful, and strong, the Vessel Series by Splinter Works brings the relaxing experience of lounging in a hammock to the everyday cleansing ritual.
Learn more about this luxurious sculptural design

September 4, 2014

Nucleo’s Jade Stools Crystallize 200-Year-Old Oak Branches

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Turin, Italy-based design collective Nucleo has developed a series of extraordinary stools they called "Jade." Created by director Piergiorgio Robino, these unique cubic pieces were made by submerging organic material into a mold full of a liquid polymer. The technique evolved from the studio’s previous works, but the difference lies in the precious color and the embedded log, which was part of a 200-year-old oak tree.
Learn more about this crystallized Jade stool

September 3, 2014

Olivier Van Herpt Crafts Beautifully Functional 3D-Printed Ceramics

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Dutch designer Olivier Van Herpt has been experimenting with 3D printing for many years. But it wasn't until he made his own machine that he managed to craft the imposing designs he imagined. Olivier created his own extruder and experimented with different types of clay before coming up with his stunning Functional 3D Printed Ceramics collection.
Learn more about this 3D-printed ceramics collection

September 2, 2014

Green Roofed Pool Pavilion by Gluck+ Heats up with Geothermal Energy

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Just because summer is officially over doesn't mean we've stopped imagining weekend getaways and warm-weather retreats. And the Pool Pavilion in New York´s beautiful Adirondack Mountains along the shores of Lake George is the perfect place to satisfy our daydreams. Design by Gluck+, this elegant recreational structure works as a central gathering space, uniting the existing family and guest houses around a series of exterior and interior spaces. Naturally heated by a deep geothermal well and topped by a luscious green roof, this sustainable shelter blends in beautifully with its rolling environment.
Learn more about the green Pool Pavilion and peek inside

September 2, 2014

Contemporary HEDGE Planters Pay Homage to the Pioneering Women of Landscape Design

By Dana Schulz

There's nothing we love more than an innovative, green design that also carries a social message, and these contemporary HEDGE planters do just that. Aside from being a fun way to bring the outdoors in to small spaces, they are named after the pioneering women who broke into what were once the male-dominated fields of landscape and garden design. They include Gertrude Jekyll, Beatrix Farrand, Marian Cruger Coffin, and Florence Bell Robinson. Cora Neil, a Los Angeles-based environmental designer, created HEDGE with these notable women in mind while working on a public garden space project at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. The colorful, indoor/outdoor planters look great anywhere, notes Cora. She also says, "It's hard to find planters that fit—and actually look good—in your home or on your patio or balcony. The modern design and clean geometry make them fashionable solo, but look equally as good as a pair, trio, or sextet."
More on the design ahead

August 31, 2014

Chinon Legato Amplifier Provides an Eco-Friendly Way to Play iPhone Tunes

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

There are plenty of cool iPhone amplifiers around the web, and they come in many different materials including cardboard, wood, bamboo, plastic, and even molded vinyls and vintage brass horns. But we especially love the Chinon Legato amplifier because it has a cute, graceful design shaped like a mini gramophone. Crafted from ash hardwood, it amplifies sound naturally, without the use of electricity.
More details on the wooden iPhone amplifier

August 28, 2014

Become Your Own Meteorologist with BloomSky, A Crowdsourced Weather Information System

By Dana Schulz

While we love a good one-liner by Al Roker or staring at Sam Champion's perfectly coifed hair, we admit to getting a little frustrated when we get stuck in the rain with no forewarning. But a new product called BloomSky lets you control your own meteorology destiny through a crowdsourced, hyperlocal weather information system. The personal station comes with an outdoor module and an app, and its nifty functions include: a rain sensor that can tell exactly when it starts and stop raining; weather pattern push notifications (never be caught without an umbrella again!); a wide-angle HD camera that captures weather scenes; an auto-generated timelapse video of every sunset; and subscriptions to worldwide BloomSky stations.
More on the weather device here

August 26, 2014

Gluck+ Architects’ Rado Redux is a Naturally Modern Take on a Classic 1950s Home

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

New York-based Gluck+ Architects recently renovated a classic mid-century modern home to its former glory. Built back in 1956, the Rado Redux House in Armonk was originally designed by Czech émigré architect Ladislav Rado, who arrived from Europe with an invitation from Walter Gropius and eventually became Harvard University's architecture chairman. Exemplary of its time, the building is openly related to its external environment and features influences from Japan.
Learn more about the classic Rado Redux house here

$4 Million Unit in the Neil Denari-Designed HL23 Shines with Unbelievable Windows

By Aisha Carter

Kanye West is in luck. As of just a few days ago, a new unit popped up in the iconic Neil Denari-designed HL23 condominium he once so desperately coveted; asking $3.95 million. It’s no wonder the starchitect’s first free-standing building is such a draw. Not only did the futuristic design inspire former New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff to write car metaphors, but it's also sustainably built. Making the city a better place and looking good while doing it? What’s not to love?
Take a look inside, here

August 22, 2014

Could JPods’ Solar-Power Commuter Pods Make Their Way to Manhattan?

By Diane Pham

Every day the NYC subway carries more than 1.3 million riders to all corners of our fair city. A feat yes, but if you're a rush hour commuter, you know the hellish conditions that can arise when trying to pack several hundred (though it can feel like thousands) of people into a line of sardine cans. If you're one of the many who constantly curse the MTA, try not to get too green-eyed as you read on. As it turns out, our neighbors in grid-locked Secaucus, New Jersey are gearing up to test a out new form of solar-powered public transit called JPods. This innovative new system uses a combination of light rail and self-driving car suspended above roads, and unlike the NYC subway, you can leave your running shoes at home. This rail network is designed to get you as close to your final destination as possible.
More on the new venture here

August 22, 2014

ChopChop: A Hyper-Functional Kitchen Unit by Industrial Designer Dirk Biotto

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

ChopChop is the ideal product for people who hate cluttered kitchens but still love cooking (or for those of us who don't have space in our apartments for an actual kitchen). It consists of two hyper-functional workbenches, one for preparing the meal and one for cleaning up. Created by Berlin-based industrial designer Dirk Biotto, ChopChop also takes into consideration elderly and disabled chefs by using a universal design philosophy.
More details on the clever kitchen

August 22, 2014

Gramercy Duplex by Slade Architecture is a Healthy and Eco-Friendly Home

By Dana Schulz

Oftentimes when environmentally friendly homes are designed the client wants to keep a low carbon footprint or be sensitive to the surrounding landscape. But there's another very important reason to go green in residential design, which is personal health. And that's exactly why Slade Architecture was asked to take an eco-friendly approach when creating this contemporary Gramercy Duplex. The renovation combined two existing one-bedroom duplex units into a single two-bedroom duplex. All materials were specified as low VOC, including recycled denim insulation, recycled paper countertops, Low-e windows, and Eco Spec paint.
Take a look at how Slade created a functional space with a green mentality

August 21, 2014

Brooklyn-Based Designer Danielle Trofe Grows Compostable Lights From Mushrooms

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Danielle Trofe Design is a Brooklyn-based studio that creates function-forward, sustainable furniture and lighting. One of their most curious designs is the Mush-Lume collection, which is not manufactured but rather grown from mushrooms. Organic and biodegradable, these brilliant designs will light up your days and, most likely, end up in your compost bin.
More on this curious mushroom lights here

August 20, 2014

Sands Point Renovation by CDR Studio Architects is Clad in Charred Cedar

By Dana Schulz

Can't you smell the musky cedar just by looking at this rustic dwelling? Located in a rural community on the edge of the Long Island Sound, this Sands Point home was renovated by CDR Studio Architects to both preserve and refine the structure that had been present on the site since 1961. To achieve this balance, the firm retained the house's frame, but added large expanses of open windows and a more seamless roofline. The dilapidated skin was replaced with a highly insulated, open-joined rain screen made of cedar boards charred using the traditional Japanese burning method of Shou-sugi-ban, an environmentally friendly way to preserve the timber.
See more of this vision in cedar

August 20, 2014

Flux Chair: A Colorful Plastic Seat That Can Fold Up in Just 10 Seconds

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

The Flux Chair might look like a giant plastic envelope, but it's actually a surprising seat that can be assembled in about ten seconds. Design by Dutch duo Douwe Jacobs and Tom Schouten, it's made from recyclable plastic and comes in eight different colors. Flat-pack, space saving, and durable, this clever product can quickly become a comfortable, graceful seat.
More about this fantastic plastic seat here

August 20, 2014

With New Transparent Solar Concentrators, Glass Towers Can Generate Solar Energy

By Dana Schulz

It's no secret that super tall, glassy towers are the go-to architectural style for many of today's leading starchitects. But environmentalists worry that the huge expanses of curtain wall windows are not very eco-friendly. A new product, though, just might satisfy those on both ends of this debate. Researchers at Michigan State University have developed a new transparent luminescent solar concentrator that creates solar energy when placed over a window. The exciting part is that the product is totally translucent, so people can still see through the window while the green technology is working. The concentrators can also be placed on cell phones or any device with a flat, clear surface.
Learn more about the solar cells here

August 18, 2014

90% of NYC Buildings Fail to Meet Energy Codes

By Dana Schulz

In early 2014, the Department of Buildings (DOB) set up a permanent audit unit and started reviewing the architectural plans for thousands of new and renovated buildings. What they've found is alarming; nine out of every ten office and/or residential buildings failed to meet the New York City Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC). The energy standards were implemented over 30 years ago, but are just now being enforced. And while environmentalists welcome the stricter monitoring, some building owners and construction companies are nervous about the potential increased costs of compliance, both in terms of money and time.
More on the city's energy codes and how they're being updated

August 18, 2014

Let the Sunlight In and Save Up to 70% on Energy Costs with the Lightcatcher Solar Dome

By Dana Schulz

In theory, it seems silly to pay for light bulbs and electricity when natural sunlight is free, and now this eco-fantasy is becoming a real possibility. Developed by EcoNation and installed on the roof, Lightcatcher is a sun-tracking solar dome that uses a mirror and technology-based system to generate green energy, bring light indoors, and mitigate temperature fluctuations. The sensors and motorized mirror and lenses harvest sunlight, reducing energy costs and environmental impact eight times more than solar panels, according to EcoNation. The company also claims that Lightcatcher can provide sufficient light for up to ten hours per day, using only 1-3% of roof surface area.
More details on the new technology

August 17, 2014

Tower House by Gluck+ is a Stairway to the Treetops in the Catskills

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Though you may not be as limber as you once were, there's still hope that you can climb to the top of a tree. Well, sort of. Rising above the Ulster County landscape is a uniquely glazed home that was designed as a stairway to the top of its surrounding landscape. Created by New York-based architecture firm Gluck+, the contemporary Tower House works as both a viewing platform and a functional home, sitting atop a plateau on the 19-acre property. Its unusual, cantilevered shape causes minimal impact on the ground and provides inhabitants with amazing views of virtually the entire Catskill mountain range.
Learn more about the Tower House and peek inside

August 15, 2014

Stereotank’s Taku Tanku is a Floating Sleeping Shelter Made From Recycled Water Tanks

By Dana Schulz

Light enough to be towed by a car or bicycle, or even carried by hand, the Taku Tanku shelter will change the way you camp, travel, and prepare for possible disasters. Created by the architecture firm Stereotank, along with Japanese designer Takahiro Fukuda, the portable, floating structure is made from two 3,000-liter recycled water tanks connected by a wood-framed entrance. It has sleeping space for two or three people, but the designers also envision it as a sculpture that "celebrates the vital role of water in our lives."
Learn more about this convenient, eco-friendly pod

Neighborhood Tours

August 14, 2014

Could You Live on a 9 x 18 NYC Public Parking Space?

By Dana Schulz

Earlier this year, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) unveiled new ideas for public housing--in a parking lot on its Atlanta campus. SCADpads, as they're called, reimagined the common public park space as a solution to the growing need for sustainable, efficient housing worldwide. Now, a team of architect-fellows at the Institute for Public Architecture are building on the same idea, proposing ways to turn unused public parking spaces in New York City into housing, co-working spaces, bike-share stations, playgrounds, and farmers markets. The group is called 9 x 18, the size of a typical parking spot, and they have reevaluated the current zoning laws surrounding parking and affordable housing, using the Carver Houses in East Harlem neighborhood as a case study.
More about the new ideas

August 13, 2014

Colorful Shelter Island Pavilion is a Sustainable Take on Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Keeping the plan of Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion in mind, New York-based architects Stamberg Aferiat created an eye-catching, colorful home. Built using industrially produced materials and current sustainable principles, the home features seemingly disjointed planes that create the overall geometry of the structure. Located in the island with the same name, the Shelter Island Pavilion is an experiment in color, shape, and sustainability.
Learn more about this striking sustainable home here

August 12, 2014

Jeffrey S. Poss’ Double-Gable Woodland Dwelling Shelters Guests and a Sculpture Studio Inside

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

No, you are not seeing double, at least not quite. This sweet woodland shelter was created for two different functions, hence its unique double-gable design. Called the Polygon Sculpture Studio, this shelter in Hague, New York, doubles as a guesthouse and small work studio. It was designed by architect Jeffrey S. Poss and offers a comfortable, light-filled space for guests, as well as a great environment for artistic creation.
Learn more about this woodland shelter here

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