Top 5 news and articles regarding green architecture in 2012

We’re glad that there’s a growing number of architects and architecture professors which promote green building, and our little contribution of fine examples of green architecture and sustainable solutions. While we’re still going to be picky about the projects we choose to cover, we’re going to widen our news and articles about architecture by describing other fine examples of architecture which promote healthier living and lower impact on our environment.

These are the top 5 news and articles about architecture that were published in last year:

5. Green architecture – Mill Valley Cabins

Designed by Feldman Architecture, the Mill Valley Cabins deserved were designed in a way that takes the full advantage of their setting. The 47 square-meter (500 square-foot) upper cabin and the 35 square-meter (380 square-foot) lower cabin represent accessory structures to the owners’ existing hillside home. The owners plan to use them as space for an artist studio and a yoga space that can easily be transformed into a private guest cabin when needed.

Although the slope where the cabins are situated has a 20-foot grade change, neither the designers nor the homeowners wanted to perform extensive grading of the site. The architect opted for minimal re-grading of the area by choosing the natural gaps between trees to select locations for the cabins and made them blend into their surrounding greenery by making an understated but warm design of the exterior, while the interior of the cabins emanates with light and warmth.

4. Green architecture – Integer ‘INN’ eco-hotel

While China’s growth is being debated across the world, Kunming (the capitol of the Yunnan Province, China) is becoming well known for its eco-communities and developments which make it a liable representative of the growing green architectural movement in China. Designed by the Oval Partnership Limited, the 2,600 square-meter (28,000 square feet) Integer ‘INN’ eco-hotel (also referred as Innhouse hotel) is one of the examples of green architecture in Kunming.

The hotel is set on a forested hill with sweeping views of a green valley and the Kunming cityscape, a city developed in a highly desirable geographic location with year-round moderate temperate climate which made it known as the City of Eternal Spring. It is an experimental project with four focal areas – natural preservation in EXPO region, low carbon community, lifestyle of healthy and sustainable (LOHAS), and new tourism.

3. Green architecture – VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre

Designed by Perkins+Will in conjunction with landscape designer Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, the 1,765 square-meter (19,000 square-foot) VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre presents a great civic landmark and a major tourist attraction. Located between Oak Street and Livingstone Lake in an area once occupied by a collection of hollies that have been transferred to other botanical gardens, the VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre is a great example of Vancouver green architecture.

VanDusen‘s collections and education programs help raise awareness of the importance of preserving the earth’s biodiversity, in keeping with the Garden’s plant conservation mandate. The building exceeds LEED Platinum certification status, and it is designed to meet much stricter Living Building Challenge by International Living Future Institute.

2. Green architecture – New Monte Rosa Hut

Finished at the end of 2009, the New Monte Rosa Hut is the result of joint work between Swiss Alpine Club (SAC), Monte Rosa section of SAC, and master students from ETH Zurich’s Department of Architecture supervised by professor Andrea Deplazes. It represents one of the best uses of green architectural principles in harsh conditions of Monte Rosa in south Switzerland, and it was awarded by “Holcim Awards Bronze 2008 Europe” for its solution.

New Monte Rosa Hut is situated at 2,883 meters (9,458 feet) of Monte Rosa at the place called “Plattje”. Its location offers stunning views of the glacier Gornergrat at one side and twin peaks Castor and Pollux, peak Breithorn, and the majestic Matterhorn (Zermatt) at its other side. The project proves that sustainable construction can be achieved in any setting, since it is nearly self-sufficient while being isolated, and it was built to withstand extreme climatic conditions.

1. Green architecture – 2012 New American Home

Designed by Phil Kean Designs, the 380-square-meter (4,100-square-foot) 2012 New American Home (TNAH) is constructed in cooperation with the NAHB International Builders’ Show. It represents a re-interpretation of the Classic White Box of the 60′s and 70′s that was made popular by architects and artists such as Le Corbusier and Richard Meier, and it is built to exhibit innovative building technologies and the latest building materials.

2012 New American home is designed to appeal an empty nester, but it has four additional rooms that could be converted to bedrooms if needed.  The second floor of the house is accessible by public stairs or private elevator and it is occupied with two bedrooms, a master suite with private workout studio, outdoor yoga deck, private sitting room, and spa-like master bath. The guest suite is located on the main floor with an en-suite bath. Among additional public spaces, the house features an art gallery with cathedral ceiling, an artist studio, three-second floor decks, and a lower level patio covered connecting to the pool and summer kitchen.