OF McMANSIONS AND SHANTYTOWNS

If you’ve ever driven south from San Diego and crossed into Mexico, you know that the border marks a distinct line between two dramatically contrasting cityscapes, with a surprisingly short distance

ALPINE HOUSE

Considered the greenhouse of the 21st Century, the groundbreaking Alpine House is opening this month in London’s Kew Gardens The innovative cooling greenhouse was designed by Wilkinson Eyre

PLI FURNITURE FROM BANGDESIGN

There are two problems with talking about office chairs: 1.) they’re boring and 2.) Herman Miller’s already got them dialed. But every once in a while, an office furniture company comes along

We love sunlight transportation devices here at Inhabitat. Some of our favorite developments this year have been things like Parans Sunlight Transportation system, and the Sunlight Table designed by two

JOHN HOUSHMAND’S RECLAIMED WOOD FURNITURE

New York’s John Houshmand creates what he calls “urban organic furniture.” Large slabs of rough-cut timber (most of it reclaimed or salvaged) are married with simple, modern design.

PREFAB FRIDAY: Karim Rashid’s KIT24 Update

Karim Rashid’s Kit24 house was revealed several weeks ago at Toronto’s 2006 Interior Design Show. When we last wrote about Kit24, we could only gaze at the candy-coated renderings and dream of

MOE RECLAIMED-WOOD FURNITURE

It seems that Brooklyn is fast becoming the hotbed for reclaimed wood furniture. Inhabitat has long been a fan of designer wood-recyclers like Scrapile and RG Furniture, and we are excited to discover

GREEN SHUTTER

Landscape Architects have always used trees and plants as a natural way to block sound, and impede the sun and the wind. The Green Shutter designed by Yvew Fidalgo, takes the same concept out of the

KATRINA COTTAGE

At only 308-square-feet, this cute yellow house known as the Katrina Cottage grew out of the unique housing crisis facing the Gulf Coast. With four different variations based on the vernacular

GLOWING ROCK LAMPS: Oluce Stones

Why use regular old patio lights when you can have giant glowing pet rocks instead? Made of durable, weather-tested polyethylene, Oluce’s stone lamps can be used indoors and out. Now if these were

STELLA’S URBAN TABLEWARE

We don’t often wax lyrical about kitchenware here at Inhabitat (we tend to focus more on the big stuff) – but we are completely entralled with Stella’s Urban Myth tableware.

FARMADELPHIA

Farmadeliphication (fahr’muh’deli’fi’kay’shun), n. 1. The process of turning all of Philadelphia’s vacant and abandoned lots into urban farms: The

MODERN PLAY SHED

Who says prefab is just for adults? Certainly not Ryan Grey Smith. Best known for his diminutive Modern-Shed, the architect and father is now designing prefab for the pint-sized. Complete with sloped shed

TRANSMATERIAL – Blaine Brownell

We love hearing about new materials coming to market, as they offer so much potential to change the way we build, make, or even feel within an environment. Remember Light Transmitting Concrete? The Energy

PREFAB FRIDAY: Icelandic Prefab Update

Some time ago, we wrote about Icelandic design firm Glama-Kim’s prefab Summerhouse. A few days ago, I got a nice email from architect Olafur Mathiesen with an update on their work, including some

PREFAB FRIDAY: kitHAUS

If prefab styles can be categorized geographically, the kitHAUS is truly Southern Californian. Its luminous and airy interior, lightweight exterior, vibrant wood paneling and soaring windows almost create

FIDO LUGGAGE

Dragging your luggage around the airport is, well, a drag. You’ve probably imagined almost every scenario possible for making life easier when traveling. Almost – because you definitely