PREFAB TREE HOUSE

The pairing of prefab and tree houses is a brilliant combination. Sybarite obviously understands this. Their new conceptual project in the rural UK approaches modular design with the goal of creating a

THE NEW ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit)

Recognizing a deficiency of affordable housing, The City of Santa Cruz, California has begun a program based on the reuse of the once vital “granny flat,” or ADU (accessory dwelling unit.) The

OFFICE OF MOBILE DESIGN

In light of the fact that the Prefab Now event is wrapping up today in Los Angeles, we thought it was a good time to highlight one of prefab architecture’s original purveyors. You can’t talk

POPPYCOTTON

Melissa Cotton Womack, of How-To-Make-a-Terrarium fame, has just launched a new business of recycling vintage textiles into lovely home accessories such as pillows, wall hangings, and lampshades. Inspired

PREFAB NOW

We meant to announce this one earlier, but for those of you who haven’t heard it elsewhere, Prefab Now is this weekend in LA. Hosted by Dwell Magazine and the Hammer Museum at UCLA, the event (as

reTHINK / reDESIGN / reCYCLE

Striving to redefine the concept of urban recycling, The City of Chicago’s Green Initiatives Committee put together a juried competition with the Chicago AIA Young Architects Forum to develop a new

PUGH + SCARPA SOLAR HOMES

The Santa-Monica-based architecture firm, Pugh+Scarpa, has been integrating their environmental commitment into pristinely designed and constructed architecture since 1991. Among numerous stunning

LIVING HOMES

Next up on the list of fabulous, environmentally-conscious prefab: Living Homes. With an immanent launch in Santa Monica, Living Homes is preparing to debut a structure that incorporates the key elements

SERGIO PALLERONI

Last Thursday, the National Design Awards were announced at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, honoring the best of American Design in ten broad categories including Architecture, Fashion, and

GALAPAGOS COFFEE TABLE

There’s something unconditionally appealing about seeing greenery growing in unexpected places. Whether it’s from concrete, rooftops or furniture, it’s a decorative detail that adds

IKEA GOES GREEN

In a move sure to please college students everywhere, home furnishings colossus IKEA is making attempts to green-ify and hip-ify its business through a new line of eco-friendly (and yet still cheap!)

SEA BAGS

There’s nothing we love more at Inhabitat than seeing waste materials recycled into innovative new pieces. That’s why we were super excited to come across Sea Bags, a small company in Maine

MISSISSIPPI RENEWAL FORUM

While most of the country has shifted focus, the Gulf Coast is far from putting the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina & Rita behind them. The Mississippi Renewal Forum, a weeklong charette hosted by

UNDERGROUND HOUSE

Faced with height restrictions when building his family home in London, architect Alex Michaelis decided to go underground. Observing a 6′ limit, he created a light-filled, spacious home that uses

FUTUREFACTORIES

At FutureFactories, inconsistency is of the essence. The question that drives the company’s concept is “If it costs the same to produce similar parts as identical ones, why produce two

LIGHTS OUT SAN FRANCISCO — OCTOBER 20TH!

Calling all San Franciscans!!!! Join us this Saturday, October 20th, and turn off all non-essential lights from 8-9pm, Pacific Time. So what exactly does one hour of lights out in the city do? Lights Out

PIE NATURAL FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES

A group of designers in Miami recently launched PIE, a company that designs and manufactures a diverse line of furnishings and accessories for the home. An acronym for Project Import Export, PIE uses

Eco-Friendly Bamboo Designs by Todd Laby

Last week I attended the opening of the Bay Area Furniture Art exhibit at the Blue Room Gallery. One of the designers that stood out to my green-hunting eye was Todd Laby, whose company, Rhubarb Decor,

SOLAR DECATHLON

Last week, the National Mall in Washington, D.C. was host to a solar village constructed of the 18 entries in the 3rd annual U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon. Defending their title, the

SUSTAINABLE SOUTH BRONX

New York City produces around 50,000 tons of waste every day. If you need a mental picture, imagine 25,000 SUV’s. Now imagine all of them in a single heap in the South Bronx. Such is the reality of

TINY TUMBLEWEED HOUSES

As consumers become more enamored with super-sized food, homes and vehicles, it is refreshing to see the simple and efficient structures of Jay Shafer’s Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. Founded on his

LANDSCAPES OF A WORLD GONE WRONG

Architectural conjecture, urban speculation, landscape futures… If any of these subjects intrigue you, you absolutely must check out the fabulous BLDGBLOG. My newest favorite blog is like the

REDSTR COLLECTIVE PLYBOO FURNITURE

Redstr / Collective is a cutely named Brooklyn design company with even cuter furniture. We especially love their Cha Plyboo series. Yes, we know the names are little loopy, but the furniture is so

GROUNDSCRAPER

While we’re working to change the paradigm of urban planning and development, it is always helpful to consider the language we use to further our objectives. Feilden Clegg Bradley, an architecture

THE FIRST SIX CRADLE TO CRADLE CERTIFICATIONS

After publicizing their Cradle to Cradle Certification a few months ago, Mcdonough Braungart Design Chemistry has announced the first six products to receive their official stamp of approval. The

TOYOTA’S POLLUTION-EATING SHRUB

While we’re on the subject of biotech, here’s a bit of interesting news from Japan. Toyota’s non-automotive division has developed a shrub related to the Cherry Sage that absorbs air

BIOPRESENCE: HUMAN DNA IN TREES

Genetic modification is a controversial subject. We’ve got corporations promising to reduce world hunger by introducing badly needed nutrients into staple food crops. The same companies sue farmers

CAMERON SINCLAIR TAKES A TED PRIZE

We want to give a big shout-out to Cameron Sinclair, who has just been selected as one of three recipients for the 2006 TED prize, which honors individuals who are making a positive impact on people and

WOODEN BATHS & BASINS

William Garvey makes the most beautiful wooden bathtubs and water basins. The products are inspired by the Japanese Ofuro, which is traditionally used for a long soak that warms the body and relaxes tired

PAD HOUSE

Infatuation has given way to obsession. I need to make my prefab favorites list modular so that I can rearrange it to accomodate new arrivals, like the Pad House, which is nearing its official launch in

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