You can’t create a sustainable city without improving the buildings within it. Here’s 5 of the best Architecture articles we’ve featured on This Big City in 2011:
What Will a Typical 2050s Home be Like?
Most homes that will be standing in 2050 have already been built, but the interiors will be wildly different, says Peter Madden in this post. Predicting ‘an array of sensors which automatically switch lights and taps on and off’ and modular interiors which ‘change to suit needs during the course of the day and over your lifetime’, Madden concludes that, perhaps most valuably, the 2050s home will make ‘sustainable living more popular and desirable’. Read the full article here.
A Web App to Transform Architectural Practice
Web 2.0 technologies have brought about operational revolutions in numerous industries, but what about architecture? StickyWorld is a web app for sharing and receiving feedback on visual content, providing online space for private team meetings or public exhibitions with the opportunity for feedback on an online ‘stickynote’. But is it enough to transform architectural practice? Read the full article here.
Transforming Historic Urban Space into a Vibrant Cultural District
As the needs of cities change, older buildings can find themselves a bit redundant. This development in Toronto turned a distillery into a fully pedestrianised venue for a theatre, artists studios, restaurants and bars, with not a single chain store in site. Could this model be applied to other historic sites that are losing relevance? Read the full article here.
Japanese Architecture Takes Green Roofs to a Whole New Level – Literally
18 years old and still one of the most impressive green roofs in the world. This Japanese building covers over a million square feet across 14 terraces, covered in local species of plants and irrigated with a water recycling system. Read the full article here.
Three Smart Ideas for Improving Our Urban World
In this post, Alex Goldmark predicts that self-cleaning walls, resilient building materials and roof tiles that deflect heat rather than absorb it could transform our buildings. ‘As the climate shifts, the task of predicting and preparing for volatile conditions isn’t getting any easier’ – read how Alex thinks technology can assist us here.
