Published June 24th, 2010 at 11:42 am in Great Green Building Blocks, Waste Not, architecture with no comments
Tagged with accordion apartment, architecture, Gary Chang, Glenn Meyers, Hong Kong, Marcel Lam, small space design, smart interiors, urbanism
Photo of Chang's Hong Kong apartment Source: Marcel Lam
Architect Gary Chang has implemented some stunning solutions for small-space living in his Hong Kong apartment. To get a first-hand glimpse of Mr. Chang’s take on how spaciousness in a small space might look and feel, look at this You Tube video clip: story from Hong Kong.
This compact living space represents an inspiring case study for anybody considering the challenges of living in inner city areas with limited space. From the standpoints of density and functional practicality, this Chang design offers great potential. Consider that Chang’s apartment contains not just one room, but 24 rooms in one.
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Published June 23rd, 2010 at 12:11 pm in Food & Growing, World, agriculture with no comments
Tagged with ACHM, BFI, buckminster fuller challenge, land management, Operation Hope, Savory Institute, Zimbabwe
Land monitoring
This June the Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI), founded after the man who made the geodesic dome a household word, awarded its 2010 Buckminster Fuller Challenge prize of $110,000 to African-based Operation Hope for its promising work to transform degraded Zimbabwe grasslands and savannas into a sustainable environment.
The grand prize was well deserved. Here’s why: smart land management work like this can foster water and food security for millions of impoverished people that have suffered for years without such living basics. Read more of this >>
Published June 14th, 2010 at 8:21 am in Great Green Building Blocks, World, architecture with 2 comments
Tagged with Denver, George Nez, grmeyers, hyperbolic paraboloid, latex concrete, Nez roof, Romania, roofs, roofs first, Rwanda
Taking the roofs-first approach, a kitchen is built in Rwanda. Source: George Nez
On one Denver, Colorado back lot a visitor will encounter an unorthodox-looking roof that just might help meet the housing needs of displaced people worldwide.
The roof, shaped like a hyperbolic paraboloid, was constructed on the ground and then lifted in place by African student builders who wanted to build similar structures in locales like Rwanda and Sudan.
Remarkably strong and weather resistant, this new age shelter contains few structural elements, can be constructed without electrical power, and costs very little money.
George Nez is the developer of this roof system, simply calling it a “hypar roof.” Those familiar with his work – especially those builders in Rwanda and Sudan – fondly refer to this structure as the “Nez roof.” The roof is built using latex-modified concrete that is painted over a mesh backing. A video interview with Mr. Nez can be seen here. Read more of this >>
