Archipod Garden Office Pods

Imagine working in an ergonomic modern workspace with rustic charm; Archipod is exactly that. This pod-shaped office has all of the features that you would need in a home office including electricity, heat and ergonomic office furniture, and it’s jacked for Internet as well.

The Archipod’s rustic cedar shake exterior would complement just about any home landscape, and the modern interior office design is a great place to get some work done in peace.

( via- xpertcollection.blogspot.com )

World’s Top Unique Structures

construction technologies are advancing extremely fast. Lets see top ten strange and unique structures of the world which have either been approved or are in the final stages of approval. some have already been partially constructed.

( via - xpertcollection.blogspot.com )

Earth Day

The Law Of Attraction : An Inspirational Video

EPA Announces New Guidelines for Energy Star Homes

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing new, more rigorous guidelines for new homes that earn the Energy Star label. Compared to the current Energy Star guidelines, the new requirements will make qualified new homes at least 20 percent more efficient than homes built to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) – slashing utility bills for qualified homes by 15 percent compared to IECC code-built homes.

The updated requirements will ensure that the government’s Energy Star label continues to deliver a significant increase in energy efficiency over homes that are built to code and standard builder business practices. These guidelines will go into effect in January 2011, although some builders may choose to adopt the new requirements earlier.

Key elements of the new guidelines for Energy Star qualified homes include:

· A Complete Thermal Enclosure System: Comprehensive air sealing, properly insulated assemblies and high-performance windows enhance comfort, improve durability and reduce utility bills.

· Quality Installed Complete Heating and Cooling Systems: High-efficiency heating and cooling systems engineered to deliver more comfort, moisture control and quiet operation, and equipped with fresh-air ventilation to improve air quality.

· A Complete Water Management System: Because Energy Star homes offer a tightly-sealed and insulated building envelope, a comprehensive package of flashing, moisture barriers, and heavy-duty membrane details is critical to help keep water from roofs, walls, and foundations for improved durability and indoor air quality.

· Efficient Lighting and Appliances: Look for Energy Star qualified lighting, appliances and fans helping to further reduce monthly utility bills and provide high-quality performance.

· Third-Party Verification: Energy Star qualified homes require verification by independent Home Energy Raters who conduct a comprehensive series of detailed inspections and use specialized diagnostic equipment to test system performance.

( via - yosemite.epa.gov)

Libeskind takes centre stage in Dublin

$75m USD theatre complex opens this week

The Grand Canal Square Theatre in Dublin is classic Daniel Libeskind: brave, full of life, dramatic lines and striking colour. It will no doubt immediately become a major landmark in the Irish capital. The 2,000- seat performance venue is the core of a wider, mixed-use complex comprising a pair of eight-floor commercial blocks, five-star hotel and residential block.

Libeskind describes his aim for the project, “To create a truly vibrant 24/7 community, commercial, retail, residential and cultural components must communicate in a fluid and transparent dialogue. For the Grand Canal project, I wanted to integrate the commercial buildings with the adjacent retail, residential and cultural components and with the public space by designing multi-storey glazed atria. Although both offices are designed in the same architectural language, each responds to the site in its own unique way. Two Grand Canal Square, which is adjacent to the new 2,000-seat theatre, opens up towards the Square, while 4 and 5 Grand Canal Square, in conjunction with the theatre, form a dramatic gateway to Grand Canal Harbour.”

Dublin, like the many contemporary performing spaces that go before it, is oriented around the water’s edge. Sydney undoubtedly started the trend but more recently, we have seen Snohetta’s Oslo opera house, HLT’s Copenhagen Opera house, Calatrava’s Tenerife Opera house, Foster’s Sage at Gateshead and Herzog De Meuron’s Elbe Philharmonic hall in Hamburg. Libeskind has unashamedly embraced the waterfront added more than a touch of drama with his iconic 'red carpet' leading from the entrance to the water’s edge.

Talking about the theatre itself, Libeskind expands, “The architectural concept of the theatre is based on stages: the stage of the theatre itself, the stage of the piazza, and the stage of the multiple-level theatre lobby above the piazza. The theatre becomes the main façade of a large public piazza that has a five-star hotel and residences on one side and an office building on the other.”

The developers, Chartered Land are clearly expecting the complex to attract a huge number of visitors and it will be supported by a full array of integrated transport links including a new four-lane bridge currently under construction.

( via - worldarchitecturenews.com )