Rainforest Retreat is a nature lovers escape with minimal building impact

Hidden away in the British Columbia rainforest, the 825-square-foot cabin enjoys privacy and its many windows offer carefully framed views of the landscape. The building is handsomely clad in locally milled Douglas Fir and Red Cedar, which lend the cabin a sense of warmth, while helping it blend into the surroundings. The use of timber is repeated in the interior, where it is complemented by large white surfaces for a clean and contemporary appearance. Shade from the trees and cross-breezes naturally cool the building. Related: Modern timber-framed cabin is hidden high among the tree canopy of a Swedish island “The client’s wishes for simplicity, gentle exterior appearance, a small footprint, and abundant natural light set the stage for an open sculptural form,” writes Agathom. “Great effort was taken to minimize the building’s impact on the site, resulting in a long, slim structure. Slightly twisting two main blocks of the plan, and overlapping those shapes, made a building modest in area ever expansive and full of unexpected depth.” Custom lighting enhances forest views in the dark and a periscope light was installed to guide the client when outdoors. The Rainforest Retreat was this year’s Architizer A+ Awards winner in the Popular Choice category for Private House XS. + Agathom Via Dezeen Images via Agathom

View original post here:
Rainforest Retreat is a nature lovers escape with minimal building impact

Hacienda-style rammed-Earth home in Mexico City radiates stored heat during cool nights

Casa Candelaria is located in Mexico City ’s highlands, just outside San Miguel de Allende. Borrowing from the traditional hacienda style design, the 1,500 square meter dwelling features courtyards around which living areas are constructed. The central courtyard is topped with a  concrete roof which stretches out over a patio surrounded by desert landscape. Related: Rammed Earth desert courtyard house built from the ground upon which it sits in Arizona The rammed-Earth walls are made from soil excavated on site, saving the architects a great deal of money during construction. The nearly 20-inch thick, energy-saving walls are an ash hue thanks to natural pigments added to the soil. Heat from the sun is trapped within the walls, keeping the residents comfortable at night when temperatures drop. Four main volumes make up the structure, featuring parota, or Guanacaste, wood floors. Striking, full-length windows are surrounded by shutters of the same material, framing the scenery outside. Case Candelaria was one of the winners for Architizer’s 2016 A+Awards in the Private House category – and it’s easy to see why. + Cherem Arquitectos Via Dezeen Images via Enrique Macias

Originally posted here: 
Hacienda-style rammed-Earth home in Mexico City radiates stored heat during cool nights

Project Little Dream Funds Inspiring Bamboo Thom Mun Community Center and School in Cambodia

Read the rest of Project Little Dream Funds Inspiring Bamboo Thom Mun Community Center and School in Cambodia Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: Architizer A+ Popular Choice Award , bamboo community center , Cambodian community center , gabion wall filled with temple ruins , New Futures Organisation , Project Little Dream , Thom Mun Community Center , volunteer construction in Cambodia

See the rest here:
Project Little Dream Funds Inspiring Bamboo Thom Mun Community Center and School in Cambodia

Japanese-Inspired Woven Willow Kagome Sandpit Offers Natural Play for Kids in Vienna

Read the rest of Japanese-Inspired Woven Willow Kagome Sandpit Offers Natural Play for Kids in Vienna Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: 2014 Architizer Awards , Architizer Awards , children’s playground , Japanese weaving , Kagome sandpit , MuseumQuarter Vienna , PPAG Architects , sandpit design , temporary architecture , temporary structures , Viennese architects        

Original post:
Japanese-Inspired Woven Willow Kagome Sandpit Offers Natural Play for Kids in Vienna

Architizer Re-Launches Exciting New Architecture and Interiors Platform

Architizer , one of the most popular architecture and design blogs on the web, has re-invented itself with an exciting new platform designed to empower design professionals. The new site collates even more detailed information about each uploaded project, right down to the products used, allowing architects and designers to make the most informed decisions about the materials and technology they incorporate into their own work. Read the rest of Architizer Re-Launches Exciting New Architecture and Interiors Platform Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: architecture blogs , architecture photography , Architizer , design blogs , design images , design professionals , images of architecture , interactive architecture websites , marc kushner , new Architizer platform , online forum for design professionals , products for architects , products for designers        

View original post here:
Architizer Re-Launches Exciting New Architecture and Interiors Platform

Swiss Researchers 3D-Print Self-Assembling Helicopter Drones

Drones are the subject of hot debate , but a research team from Switzerland recently developed hovering plastic robots that are not only 3D-printed, but can also assemble themselves into a single unit. The Distributed Flight Array (DFA) was developed at the Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control (IDSC) at ETH Zürich university in Switzerland as part of an experimental research project and public art installation. Read the rest of Swiss Researchers 3D-Print Self-Assembling Helicopter Drones Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: 3d printing technology , 3d-printed drones , 3d-printed Swiss technology , eco design , green design , hexagonal plastic drones , IDSC , self-assembling drones , self-assembling robots , sustainable design , The Distributed Flight Array        

View post:
Swiss Researchers 3D-Print Self-Assembling Helicopter Drones