Special hurricane braces are added for structural strength. Photo ©2011 epic software group, inc.
The rooftop garden planters were developed using computer software that eliminated the need for screws or glue. They hold an array of local plants and also funnel rainwater into a collection tank below.
Istanbul (Atelier d'Architecture and Superpool)
On flights into the Turkish capital, one of Europe's fastest growing cities, the rate of expansion becomes stark, and not only because you may catch a glance of the massive, centrally planned TOKI housing complexes out the window. According to Superpool member Gregers Thomsen, in-flights magazines are filled with ads selling the upwardly mobile lifestyle these middle-class starter homes promise.
To fill in the gaps in community and infrastructre found among these drab structures, the Istanbul team proposed KOTI, an alternative housing alliance that seeks to spark entrepreneurship within the sharing economy while making the areas more livable.
"It’s not just about green space, it’s about resilience and self-organization," says Doina Petrescu of Atelier d'Architecture. "We wanted to add layers to the existing TOKI developments."
Social gardens, coworking spaces, and green spaces would blossom amidst the high concrete towers, supplementing an already popular system with more livable features.
"We want people take action and be part of their surroundings," says Thomsen. "We’ve become a little fragile with everything coming to us. We can’t even grow a tomato ourselves or make simple repairs."
The development includes laundry facilities, storage, and parking. Common areas are located on all three floors for residents to lounge around. Douglas fir wraps the staircase with galvanized steel railing as well as the desk.
Architects Hariri & Hariri thrive on conceptual cross-pollination. Their research into geology and quarrying for the Sternbrauerei residential development in Salzburg, Austria, inspired the faceted, gemlike fixtures they created for AFNY and Rapsel’s Crystalline Bath Collection and, more obviously, their Swarovski-fabricated Kryptonite
jewelry collection.
The development's four distinct yet interconnected volumes share a garden.
The company is in the process of training teams around the country on how to install the simple but technologically advanced shades. The just-opened New York showroom is located in the A&D Building in Manhattan, and the Los Angeles showroom is located at 8687 Melrose Avenue.
Using another service, Outback Power, Pendl can see how much energy he's drawing from (or sending to) the grid when his 450 watt wind turbine and 800 watts of solar panels are operating.
This all being said, the trailer isn't yet fully integrated with smart technoly: climate control and HVAC are still a separate system. "Another nice addition down the road would be to add smart tires to the trailer so that I can monitor and adjust air pressure from afar," Pendl says. "I take the Airstream on some pretty bumpy forest roads—the high desert of Nevada for Burning Man included—and it'd be great to quickly see an adjust tire pressure for better traction."