Cities have recently become so clogged up with people, buildings or cars that they hardly leave any room for the good old fashioned backyard. However, taking a look at these New York brownstone backyards will remind you of the necessity of having a green relaxing place around your home. Green spaces should prevail in urban …
We live in an incredibly and progressively changing world. The built environment is certainly not an exception. With the rapid progress in technology, it is no longer a surprise that homes can just come out of a computer, printed and downloaded. And presto! The house you have been dreaming for all your life is just …
Have you ever wanted to move house…literally? Ten Fold Engineering offers you a portable house, ready to unfold and ready to use in just ten minutes. Tired of your new surroundings? You can relocate again, and again…and again. Prices start from £100,000 and the future housing potential of such a system is unlimited in such …
Airbnb has opened up opportunities for tourists to break away from the norm and enjoy the city as locals do. With millions of people worldwide renting their homes for short stays and shaking up the tourism industry, how did cities adjust to the so-called ‘Airbnb effect’? Melbourne, Berlin and Amsterdam showcase different reactions to the …
Every country’s landscape is haunted by industrial ruins, abandoned factories, old mines, mills or warehouses. However, some architects see opportunity in ruins and that is precisely the story of how Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill transformed, from scratch, an abandoned cement factory in Barcelona into a remarkable fairy-tale home. It is truly unique and inspiring to …
We’ve written about the debate around urban density and urban sprawl before, and found that there isn’t a definitive answer as to which is better for building sustainable, smart and friendly cities. However, Vishaan Chakrabarti from Columbia University offers a point of view strongly in favor of urban density, and even for a more advanced concept which …
An Austin-based startup has created a prototype of a prefabricated micro dwelling that can be slotted into a framework like a bottle into a wine rack. The micro-housing startup called Kasita – adapted from the Spanish word for a small house – was launched by a professor-turned-entrepreneur who once lived in a dumpster. The mobile structure is a …
Gentrification has been widely debated in the United States lately, as long-time residents of neighborhoods are being priced out by wealthier residents who flow back into these areas, and minority groups are said to be affected the most. A review done by researchers at the University of California Berkeley and UCLA, published by the Federal …