Friday, April 30, 2010

6:51 AM
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All Terrain Cabin
Canada's Bark Design Collective built the All Terrain Cabin (ATC) as a showcase for sustainable (and Canadian!) ingenuity. The small home is based on a standard shipping container, and is said to be suitable for a family of four, plus a pet, to live off the grid in comfort and style.
The cabin folds up to look like any old shipping container, and can be sent via rail, truck, ship, airplane, or even helicopter. When you're ready to rest your bones, the cabin quickly unfolds to 480 square feet of living space, with a range of creature comforts.


The Ecopod
Another container home designed for on- or off-grid living is the Ecopod. Made from a shipping container, an electric winch is used to raise and lower the heavy deck door (power is supplied by a solar panel). The floor is made from recycled car tires, and the walls have birch paneling (over closed-cell soya foam insulation). The glass is double paned to slow heat transfer.
The Ecopod can be used as a stand alone unit or with other structures. It is designed to minimize environmental impact.


  • Author: kelvin

Thursday, April 29, 2010

7:46 AM
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Student Housing Project Keetwonen, Amsterdam
Billed as the largest container city in the world, Amsterdam's massive Keetwonen complex houses 1,000 students, many of whom are happy to secure housing in the city's tight real estate market. Designed by Tempo Housing in 2006, Keetwonen is said to be a roaring success, with units that are well insulated, surprisingly quiet and comfortable.
Each resident enjoys a balcony, bathroom, kitchen, separate sleeping and studying rooms, and large windows. The complex has central heating and high speed Internet, as well as dedicated bike parking.
Keetwonen has proved so popular that its lease has been extended until at least 2016.




LiNX Temporary Structures
Dublin-based designer Richard Barnwall envisioned this design, dubbed the LiNX, as a temporary structure for construction workers. The two-storey model pictured is to be comprised of four 20-foot containers. Such designs offer flexibility and rapid deployment, and may even work for more permanent homes.


  • Author: kelvin

Monday, April 19, 2010

8:06 AM
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Invented more than five decades ago, the modern shipping container is the linchpin in our global distribution network of products. In the containers go toys from China, textiles from India, grain from America, and cars from Germany. In go electronics, chocolate, and cheese.
While a number of resourceful people have converted shipping containers into make-shift shelters at the margin of society for years, architects and green designers are also increasingly turning to the strong, cheap boxes as source building blocks.
Shipping containers can be readily modified with a range of creature comforts and can be connected and stacked to create modular, efficient spaces for a fraction of the cost, labor, and resources of more conventional materials.
Discover some of the exciting possibilities of shipping container architecture, from disaster relief shelters to luxury condos, vacation homes, and off-the-grid adventurers. See what makes them green as well as cutting edge.


  • Author: kelvin

Thursday, April 15, 2010

5:29 PM
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Retail Wonders of the World
Today's boutiques, malls, and flagship stores seem intent on recreating old-fashioned shopping magic, but with a distinctly high-tech flair

The Newest Wonders in a Growing London
Britain's capital is bursting with new architecture, from Europe's tallest residential tower to the world's largest covered soccer stadium

Italy's Architectural Wonders
Richard Meier's new museum in Rome is leading the trend of the modern in a country steeped in history

Dubai's Architectural Wonders
As oil reserves dwindle, Dubai's attention-grabbing construction projects, including an underwater hotel, are aimed at drawing tourist dollars

Engineering's Modern Wonders
New technologies and materials are allowing civil engineers to build infrastructure projects of unprecedented scale and complexity

Architectural Wonders: Building Innovation
Architects face such challenges as terrorism and costly energy, while designing ever-higher, technologically advanced buildings

China's New Architectural Wonders
In our ongoing series on the world's most amazing buildings we look at the unprecedented building boom in Beijing and beyond

World-Class Sports Stadiums
Modern arenas are true architectural works, using the latest materials and technology. Take a look at 10 of the most impressive structures


  • Author: kelvin

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

5:42 PM
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Wonders of the World: Ships
These days, one might look skyward to find amazing ships, but there are plenty of modern-day miracles on the oceans

India's Modern Architectural Wonders
The country's forthcoming wave of slick contemporary architecture is a potent symbol of its rocketing economy

Wonders of Space
You can go via Soyuz for $20 million, or you can go Virgin Galactic for $200,000. Whatever your budget, there's a space trip just for you

Wonder of Wonders
A selection of the 10 most amazing projects from our 10 packages covering present-day architectural and engineering wonders

Bridges for a New Millennium
New materials and techniques allow bridges to be built better, lighter, and in places never before imagined

Green Wonders of the World
Green building technology has reached a tipping point that makes it more feasible—and elegant—choice for new construction


  • Author: kelvin

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

5:43 PM
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free counters


  • Author: kelvin
5:32 PM
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Libraries for the Internet Age

These centers of wisdom are not just about books anymore. They're diversifying—and designers are focusing on their social role

Wonders of the World:

The Buildings of 2006The major trend of the year, seen in everything from houses to skyscrapers: Environmentally benign design

Am I in Heaven, or Am I in My Hotel?

High-end business and leisure travelers are demanding superluxury, and hotels around the world are responding

Where Spirit Meets Stone

Whether centuries old or just-built, houses of worship tend to embody the spiritual side of architecture


On Campus: Sharing Space, Sharing Ideas
The return of the roundtable to college campuses is accompanied by architect-designed buildings with an emphasis on collaboration


  • Author: kelvin
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