Neighborhood Tours

August 12, 2014

Sunbreak Shades Could Control Skyscraper Temperatures Right From an iPhone

You know the drill, wear a wool sweater to work in the summer and layer with a thin t-shirt in the winter. It's the curse of working in a tall, glassy, climate-controlled building. But a new shading prototype called Sunbreak, created by the architects at NBBJ, acts as a skyscraper skin that adjusts on a window-by-window basis depending on the angle of the sun, conserving energy and allowing workers to control office temperatures. Sounds like just what we've been waiting for, huh?
More about the proposed product

August 11, 2014

Ocean Guest House by Stelle Lomont Rouhani Architects Uses Shifted Volumes to Shield from the Elements

By Dana Schulz

The allure of living ocean side can come with its own set of challenges, including intense direct sunlight, heavy rains, and strong sea breezes. Stelle Lomont Rouhani Architects built their Ocean Guest House with these weather-related qualms in mind, utilizing geometric, shifted volumes to create a functional and visually stunning structure. Situated on the street side of this ocean-front property, the guest house is a simple, two-story, two-bedroom structure. The apartment resides on the second floor, while a garage and storage/laundry space occupy the ground floor.
Find out all the guest house's tricks here

August 11, 2014

Sabin Design Lab’s 3D-Printed, Ceramic PolyBricks Eliminate Construction Waste

By Dana Schulz

3D printing has been making the design rounds lately, popping up as the construction method of choice for many new furniture pieces. Now, though, a team of researchers has created a 3D-printed product that can be used to construct entire buildings. Developed by the Sabin Design Lab in collaboration with Cornell and Jenny Sabin Studio, the ceramic bricks are interlocking and require no mortar, the first of their kind. Additionally, the technology eliminates construction waste completely.
More about the one-of-a-kind product here

August 9, 2014

Fishers Island House’s Modern Extension by Ryall Porter Sheridan is Built With Recycled Newspaper

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Here at 6sqft we are big fans of Manhattan-based Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects. We love the way they often use reclaimed and recycled materials for the creation of simple but beautiful eco-homes. To build their very unique Fishers Island House extension, the firm used a surprising, environmentally friendly and very affordable material: recycled newsprint.
Learn more about the recycled newspaper extension here

August 7, 2014

Leading with LEED: A Look at NYC’s Eco-Friendly Housing

By Dana Schulz

Radiant Orchid may be Pantone's color of the year, but here in New York City we think green is the hot hue of the moment. Eco-friendly design features and sustainable buildings are sprouting up faster than ever, and buyers are seeking out the next best green amenity, from Vitamin C-filtered showers to electric vehicle charging stations. And thanks to some A-list support from the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, environmentally friendly design is being embraced by developers and real estate professionals alike. Last week, we took a look at Battery Park City, the largest green neighborhood in the world, which is often credited with launching New York City's modern sustainable movement. And now we're exploring some of the latest eco-friendly buildings to follow in its footsteps and take advantage of contemporary environmental technologies.
Read about these green developments here

August 7, 2014

Tranquil Wooden Cottage by Gray Organschi Architecture is Topped by a Lush, Moss Roof

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Perched atop an upland meadow in Guilford, Connecticut is a charming wooden guesthouse growing lush, fluffy moss on its roof. Designed by Gray Organschi Architecture, the Cottage is a small but brilliant dwelling, designed to optimize the visual and environmental qualities of the area. Featuring panoramic views of the Long Island Sound and Thimble Islands, this tranquil shelter is a successful experiment in architecture and sustainable design.
Learn more about this green-roofed guesthouse here

August 6, 2014

Freshwest Studio’s Brave New World Lamp was Created Like a Childhood Construction Game

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

The Brave New World Lamp, a complex design made from simple materials, was envisioned by award-winning UK design duo Freshwest after hours of experimentation. Its sculptural shape is a result of random, thought-initiated constructions approached without an initial plan, just like those childhood creations made of Meccano or LEGO.
More details on the Brave New World Lamp here

August 5, 2014

Rianne Koens’ Modular Otura Furniture Takes Inspiration from Her Turkish In-Laws

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Dutch designer Rianne Koens' latest furniture collection was inspired by the friendliness and warm hospitality of the her own Turkish in-laws. Named after a combination of the Turkish words 'otur' (sit) and 'oturak' (stool), the Otura family has a flexible design that can easily adapt to any occasion. Separate stackable drawers, cabinets, tables and stools, all made from wood, were designed to be arranged and rearranged in an easy functional way.
about this versatile furniture here

August 5, 2014

Spray-Painted Solar Cells Get One Step Closer to Reality

By Dana Schulz

You may have heard last year that scientists began exploring the idea of spray-paintable solar cells, and now researchers at Sheffield University in England have made a breakthrough that could bring this green energy dream one step closer to reality. The advance comes from the use of organometal halide perkovskite, a mineral/crystal, organic/metal hydra, which offers the potential to combine high-performing, mature solar cell technologies with organic photovoltaics that have a low embedded energy cost.
More on the technology ahead

August 4, 2014

Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects Wrap a Pristine White Studio with a Beautifully Aged Wood Skin

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

We recently featured how Ryall Porter Sheridan renovated a 1970s house into a beautiful green retreat using Passive House standards. In a similar vein, the Manhattan-based architects have created a small artist's shelter with comparable aesthetic, employing many of the same sustainable strategies throughout. Called 'Orient Artist Studio', this project on the north-fork of Long Island is clad in a beautifully aged timber envelope that protects its pristine white interiors.
Learn more about this Passive artist studio here

Paolo Venturella’s Flex Tower Twists to Soak Up Sunlight

By Dana Schulz

It's 2040 in New York City, and the metropolis' population has doubled over, thereby drastically increasing energy consumption. How do architects alter their designs to deal with this new landscape? Italian architect Paolo Venturella thinks he's come up with the answer to this (currently hypothetical) conundrum. The Flex Tower concept combines the need for housing with a sustainable energy system that uses a new typology for photovoltaic panels. At ground level the structure is in keeping with the traditional street grid, but as it rises it rotates toward the sun to position the panels correctly.
More about the curving creation this way

July 28, 2014

Stelle Lomont Rouhani Architects’ Bridgehampton Surfside Residence Floats Elegantly Above the Dunes

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

There is a beautiful, breezy property in Bridgehampton that seems to be floating atop its sandy site. Called the Surfside Residence, this stunning home was designed by local studio Stelle Lomont Rouhani Architects as a retreat from all the hustle and bustle of daily life. Clad in wood and featuring two levels, just about every room in this abode boasts jaw-dropping views of the ocean. If you want to take a little mental break from today's grind, take a tour of this gorgeous house with us—the pictures alone are guaranteed to put you in a more peaceful state.
Tour the home here

July 28, 2014

Brooklyn Family Expands Fort Greene Townhouse with Airy Garden Pavilion by O’Neill McVoy Architects

By Patty Lee

Few things look more out of place than a clunky new addition to a beautiful historic house, especially in a neighborhood as quaint and peaceful as tree-lined Fort Greene. So when the owners of this 19th-century townhouse wanted to expand and make room for two growing teenage daughters, they sought out a team who could do it seamlessly: Beth O'Neill and Chris McVoy of O'Neill McVoy Architects.
Check out the lovely new addition straight ahead

July 25, 2014

Grzywinski + Pons’ Dutchess House No. 1 is an Aluminum-Clad Country Retreat

By Dana Schulz

There are no cedar shakes or white picket fences at this country abode in Millerton, New York. At Dutchess House No. 1, the architectural firm Grzywinski + Pons met their client's needs for an upstate retreat with a strikingly modern yet traditionally functional design, incorporating sustainable elements, rustic details, and clever security features. The most unexpected element of the home is its aluminum-clad façade, playfully sculpted to resemble the surface of bricks. Contrasting the shimmery panels are Ipe wood screens and bright yellow doors, both of which connect to the surrounding landscape.
There are a lot more surprises in this home that you won't want to miss

July 25, 2014

Matthew Strong Reinvents the Iconic Eames Sofa Using Lightweight Carbon Fiber

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Architect and designer Matthew Strong pays homage to the Eames by re-inventing their classic Molded Fiberglass Chairs. Called the Carbon Fiber Eames Sofa, this light and elegant design is produced by weaving carbon fiber tow into a streamlined new piece that can accommodate more than one person.
Learn more about this elegant re-design

July 22, 2014

You Can Own This Energy-Efficient Beach House Designed by Bates Masi + Architects

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

If you've been following our site from the start, you know that we love the rustic-meets-modern works of Bates Masi + Architects. So you can imagine our excitement when we were told that this small but stunning retreat, just steps away from the ocean, is now up for sale. Simply named the 'Beach Hampton House', this structure situated on the shores of Amagansett is a study in geometry and space at just 600 square feet, and offers luxurious seaside living with a minimal footprint.
Learn more about the Beach Hampton house here

July 21, 2014

Superdave’s Precious Slag Candlesticks Upcycle Pieces of Iron Found Scattered in the Forest

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

David Taylor, aka Superdave, is a Scottish-born, Stockholm-based designer who creates precious objects out of ordinary and found materials. His latest work, called Slag, consists of candlesticks made from assorted materials combined with pieces of iron found at the site of an abandoned 1600s iron foundry deep in the forests of Sweden.
Learn more about these precious candlesticks

July 20, 2014

1970s Orient House IV by Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects Employs Passive House Principles

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Manhattan-based Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects recently renovated a 1970s house into a green escape that strictly follows Passive House standards. Located in Long Island just a few steps away from the sea, the minimal Orient House IV is completely clad in aged timber and features expansive north-facing windows that not only frame the beautiful views of its locale, but pulls in plenty of natural light. Designed to be more than just a vacation home, this stunning getaway is about as eco-friendly as it gets, and is said to be the second most energy-efficient structure on the island.
Learn more about the Orient House IV here

July 18, 2014

MB Architecture’s Energy-Efficient Green Arc House is Mostly Buried Underground

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Architect Maziar Behrooz is a big fan of airplanes hangars and his stunning Green Arc House takes inspiration from the airship shed's curvaceous design. Located in East Hampton, this luscious green home is not only grand and luxurious, but also extremely energy efficient. It measures a whopping 6,400 square feet, but you would never guess it because more than half the home is buried underground!
Learn more about this stunning sustainable home

July 17, 2014

Pulltab Design Brightens Up this East Village Duplex with a Living Green Wall

By Dana Schulz

The green wall at the 7th Street Residence designed by Pulltab Design puts our few measly house plants to shame. The custom-made garden wall was installed as part of an apartment renovation to be a focal point of the home, as well as to give the contemporary space a mysterious quality. A shallow reflecting pool sits under the vertically planted wall and serves as a landing pad for water droplets that fall from the wall's concealed irrigation system. Additionally, the pool, fabricated from folded steel sheets and complete with swimming goldfish, adds a calming water element to the living room.
More about how this sleek apartment comes

July 17, 2014

Studio Allergutendinge’s Soul Box is a Portable Retreat for ‘Glamping’ in Nature

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

If you feel the need for a summer break away from the city but don't want to rough it in the great outdoors there is always the option of "glamping", or glamorous camping. For those want to keep the comforts of home in reach, this mobile wooden shelter by studio Allergutendinge is the ideal solution. It offers all the conveniences of home and can be transported just about anywhere.
Find out more about Soul Box here

July 14, 2014

Danish Studio FEM’s Koruku Tea Set Enhances One of Life’s Simplest Pleasures

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Enjoying a good cup of tea is one of life's most simple pleasures, but the whole experience gets even more exquisite if we prepare it with something as beautiful as FEM's Koruku tea set. The design beautifully blends the Japanese tea culture with Scandinavian design traditions, made from a combination of milky white porcelain and renewable cork.
Tea for two?

July 14, 2014

Glass Towers to Go Green? Environmentalists Are Calling for Stricter Regulations for Supertalls

By Dana Schulz

Two of the biggest trends in the current NYC real estate market are tall, glass towers and eco-friendly design. Oftentimes, though, these two architectural movements don't meet, and now environmentalists are calling for stricter regulations that would make this marriage a requirement, by way of decreasing the huge expanses of curtain wall windows that the towers have adopted as their hallmark.
More of the debate this way

July 13, 2014

Architect Andrew Franz Restored This West Village Townhouse to its Historic Glory

By Patty Lee

In recent years, the West Village has become one of the hippest areas in New York City, thanks to a slew of celebrity residents and its reputation as the epicenter of the cupcake boom. But at its heart, the neighborhood is still one of the most picturesque and charming in town, dotted with historic townhouses that have been around for decades. Tasked with restoring one of those iconic brick buildings, architect Andrew Franz sought to maintain its original character, while giving the owners a home that's both spacious and functional.
There's a gorgeous rooftop garden you just have to see...

July 11, 2014

RLW Cabin: A Modern “Stone House” by Shadow Architects is an Eco-Friendly Upstate Getaway

By Dana Schulz

We recently swooned over a traditional, historic stone house upstate in Brewster, New York, and we're now equally smitten with its modern counterpart in Barryville, just two hours away from Manhattan. The RLW Cabin by Shadow Architects was built from the ground up on a sloping, woodsy lot. A LEED Silver-designated building, it features many environmentally friendly materials and building methods and keeps a simple form so as not to compete with the natural surroundings. The 2,300-square-foot, rectangular cabin was conceived by owners Larry Cohn, Principal of Shadow Architects, and RJ Millard. Their getaway home was inspired by a loft-style lodge in which they had stayed in Shohola, Pennsylvania. When the Barryville lot matched their ideas, the building commenced. They chose the bright red door (a welcoming feature that the Stone House shares) as a simple finding device, and the dark wood siding was modeled after the color of pine tree bark in the rain.
See why we're loving this modern, green home

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