Green architecture award: Green Villa and Tower in Almere, Netherlands

The green residential building complex designed by Faro Architecten BV has won a competition to design an urban villas and residential tower of Almere, Netherlands. 57 residences are in the tower and the green balconies will serve as public space.

Completed with photovoltaic and PCM panels, this building will save energy throughout the year. The gardens of the tower will live with rain collected water.

+ via ecofriend

A cozy library corner, with fireplace

Via thisoldhouse.com

Amazed by this cozy corner, I post this here. A library area with shelves, stone veneer chimney, and windows masked from the street, that feels like a homey space.

The home owner, George Mabry, says he will use the room every day. "I'll have dinner parties," he says. "But I didn't want the room gathering dust the rest of the time."

Very nice room to enjoy the day isn't it? But what if the window can be more open?

Modern house design, in Flickr by Jason McMinn

Jason McMinn shows us great series of a contemporary house design in Flickr.

The house is quite simple, but has a lot of beautiful detail. Find new ideas with him.

Remote interior designing

Arthur, a designer from Chicago did this interior design remotely, and measure all space in occasional weekend visits. And the first time he stepped inside the house was after he was done with the interior design without ever stepping inside the house.

via ApartmentTherapy.com:

"...the space is so well organized! From a great landing strip with built-in shoe storage, a streamlined home office set up, and compact but fully functioning kitchen to the hands down neatest-closet-ever featured on AT:Chicago, this place simply works. But it is not all about function - the choices of furniture, artwork and all the details that make a house a home are there. The mementos and books and colorful art warm up the crisply designed and outfitted urban space, giving a glimpse of the interests of the owner and making it warm and inviting. A fantastic job, remotely done or not - we think Arthur is rightly proud of his new Chicago home!"

(New House (?) in Paris

Flickr magical image of a house in Paris (?), I found this in here.
There's no further explanation. But I think this house really show simplicity of geometric forms. There's a Japanese de ja vu in the facade. Don't you think?

SHIGERU BAN New York City Shutter Houses

Via Inhabitat.

Scaling his literal Curtain House into a larger and more dense development, Shigeru Ban’s Shutter Houses are one part architecture, one part art, and one part pure poetry from one of our favorite thoughtful architects. The 9-unit condo located in West Chelsea blurs the line between indoor and outdoor with a perforated metal shutter system that lets residence open and close their spaces on a whim.

Units range from 1,950 to 3,180-square-feet. The rolling shutters are inspired by Korean delis and Chelsea galleries that use industrial rolling grates to open and close their storefronts. Shigeru makes industrial chic, and allows urban dwellers to let the sunshine in and live among nature even in the bustling Big Apple. Metal Shutter Houses at 524 West 19th Street are scheduled for completion in Fall 2008.

Living in Small Spaces

A book published by Loft publications, now available in Amazon. It is a design guide for cozy urban apartments with size 30-40m2. Quite small space that need special arrangements. This book might help to adapt with your urban lifestyle.

More can be found in Amazon