Marcia Patmos, the brains behind the much-loved M Patmos eco fashion line, applies her eco-conscious mindset to everything she does. When we saw the designer during fashion week, she mentioned her newly-upgraded Brooklyn apartment, which she sustainably revamped with the help of architect and designer Robert Farrell. She recently invited us to tour the beautiful space, which is a warm and light-filled home, outfitted with a carefully-curated selection of vintage and handmade home decor plus energy-efficient appliances. Hit the jump to see her pretty pad for yourself and learn more about her design inspiration!

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Post tags: "energy star", Brooklyn, eco design, eco-friendly, ethical design, Ethical Fashion, fashion designer, green design, green furnishings, green interiors, green living, green rennovation, interior design, M. Patmos, Marcia Patmos, Recycled Materials, Robert Farrell, sustainable design, sustainable living, upcycled furniture, vintage furnishings, vintage furniture

Read the rest of We Talk With Tracen Gardner of Reclaimed Space About Prefab Building & Salvaging Materials

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Post tags: artisan homes, artisan prefab building, artisan prefabs, hand made prefab homes, handmade prefabricated homes, off grid homes, off-grid, prefab building, prefabricated building, Reclaimed Materials, reclaimed space, reclaimed space buildings, reclaimed space homes, reclaimed space prefab, Recycled Materials, Tracen Gardner, Tracen Gardner reclaimed space

Everyone from design nerds and art critics to tech geeks and gadget junkies has sung the praises of “Talk to Me,” the Museum of Modern Art’s latest special exhibit that puts technology and interactive design in the spotlight. Put together by MoMA design curator Paola Antonelli, the show features nearly 200 pieces that range from talking plant sensors to robotic animal simulations to digital designs for building facades, each exploring how objects communicate with us. We were treated to a special guided tour of the exhibit by Antonelli herself, and we had the chance to talk with her about how technology impacts our lives and what she thinks about the future of sustainable design.

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Post tags: design events, inhabitat interview, inhabitat talk to me video, inhabitat video, moma design curator, moma events, paola antonelli, paola antonelli interview, paola antonelli talk to me, paola antonelli video, talk to me, talk to me exhibit, talk to me moma, talk to me moma events, talk to me moma lectures

After nearly a decade of planning, arguments, and heated discussions, the National 9/11 Memorial has officially opened to the public in New York City. Designed by architect Michael Arad, the memorial is a sensitive, respectful complex in the heart of the new World Trade Center site. Two vast reflecting pools, located in the exact footprints of the Twin Towers, are the focus of the site. Standing at the edge of the large voids, with the waterfalls drowning out the sounds from the surrounding construction sites, one easily remembers the magnitude of the loss we experienced that day. Visitor passes to the memorial are booked through the end of October, but through our exclusive photo gallery, you can view the memorial and see its graceful elegance.

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Post tags: 911 memorial, 911 memorial nyc, ground zero, ground zero new york, michael arad, michael arad 911 memorial, national 911 memorial, new york city 911 memorial, one world trade center, september 11 memorial, september 11 memorial nyc, world trade center, world trade center nyc

Thanks to piano-playing cats and finger-biting children, video-sharing websites like Vimeo and YouTube can be a total time-suck filled with mindless entertainment. But in between the fluff, you’ll find an endless wealth of inspiration. World leaders, innovative artists, and just regular Joe Schmoes have harnessed the power of the Internet video to share ideas that can change the world, or at least our attitudes. So before you hit play on the latest clip making the rounds, check out these seven short videos that are sure to get you motivated to do a little bit more.

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Post tags: inhabitat inspiring videos, inhabitat videos, inspiring videos, inspiring vimeo videos, inspiring viral videos, inspiring youtube videos, lifescoop, lifescoop inhabitat, make it count video, motivational videos, motivational viral videos, steve jobs video, two questions video, vimeo, YouTube

When you think of makeup, do you consider force-feeding and liquid injections a routine part cosmetics creation? If you don’t, you should — these horrible methods are exactly the types of tortuous practices used on animals to test beauty products. LUSH Cosmetics has partnered with the Humane Society to launch a campaign to put a stop to animal testing for cosmetics. The handmade skincare company turned its London storefront into a little shop of horrors as performance artist Jacqueline Traides subjected herself to 10 hours of the cruel procedures regularly used by the beauty industry.

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Post tags: animal testing on cosmetics, artist Jacqueline Traides, ethical beauty products, ethical cosmetics, green cosmetics, humane society, Jacqueline Traides, lush cosmetics, stop animal testing for cosmetics

There’s no simpler way to revamp your wardrobe for spring than with a bright pop of color. Enter Linda Wong’s stylish vegan Canopy Verde Cassia Mini bag, the perfect warm-weather tote. Clad in bright violet organic cotton, the bag is 100% cruelty-free and crafted with Oeko Tex-certified dyes, chemical-free embroidery, and polyurethane pleather in Brooklyn, NY. To celebrate Earth day and kick off the new season, Ecouterre is giving away one of these carryalls to one lucky reader.

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Post tags: Canopy Verde Mini Cassia bag, cassia mini bag, cruelty-free accessories, ecouterre giveaway, handbag giveaway, linda wong, purple hangbag, vegan handbag

Incorporating public art into new developments is not a new practice, but one developer in Minneapolis took the idea to the next level, commissioning a bright, vibrant sculpture to be a gateway into the community as well as a public amenity used everyday. Not only does the work, created by local architect and artist Marjorie Pitz, welcome residents to the community, but it is also a bus shelter located at one of the area’s busiest intersections. Duo-Gard fabricated the ‘Blossoms of Hope’ shelter, which has five 25-foot-tall, ultra-strong steel flowers sprouting through its roof.

Read the rest of Duo-Gard’s Blossoms of Hope Bus Shelter Sprouts in Minneapolis

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Post tags: 5 points plaza, 5 points plaza mn development, 5 points redevelopment, ackerberg group, blossoms of hope, Blossoms of Hope Bus Shelter Minneapolis, Duo-Gard, marjorie pitz, Minneapolis, Minnesota, public art

Read the rest of Phipps Conservatory’s Net-Zero Center for Sustainable Landscapes Opens Next Month

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Post tags: Andropogon, cjl engineering, constructed wetlands, design alliance architects, green buildings pittsburgh, green roof, leed certification, LEED platinum, Living Building Challenge, living buildings, massaro corporation, net zero building, phipps, phipps center for sustainable landscapes, phipps conservatory, phipps conservatory pittsburgh, phipps csl, pittsburgh, rainwater harvesting, solar panels, sustainable sites initiative, turner construction, vertical axis wind turbine

This Earth Day, give a gift to Mother Earth and yourself with Brooklyn Industries new Seed Bomb Bracelets. The simple earthy accessories each feature a piece of twine lined with three round beads made from a bloomable mix of clay, compost, and wildflower seeds. The limited-addition bracelets are a collaborative effort between local NYC designers Brooklyn Industries and Greenaid, an eco-conscious social enterprise. Click through for details on where to buy the bracelets and set your city abloom.

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Post tags: brooklyn industries, Brooklyn Industries Seed Bomb Bracelet, Greenaid, guerilla gardening, plantable jewelry, seed bomb bracelet

On the eve of the New York Auto Show, Nissan is unveiling the all-new NV200 Taxi of Tomorrow for New York City. The NV200 was selected as the Big Apple’s exclusive cab after a rigorous two-year design competition and selection process. At a special event this evening, Nissan will roll out the new minivan taxi cab, which features sliding doors, ample passenger space, a fuel-efficient engine, and much more. Click through for all the details!

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Post tags: green taxi, green transportation, minivan taxi, new york taxi of tomorrow, NISSAN, nissan nv200, nv200, nyc taxi, nyc taxi of tomorrow, taxi of tomorrow

For over a decade, artist Sean Kenney has been recreating his hometown, New York City, using tens of thousands of LEGOs. From a detailed West Village street scene, complete with tiny food carts and taxi cabs, to a sprawling model of Times Square that features flashing lights and photo-snapping tourists, Kenney has captured the essence of life in the Big Apple through his fun LEGO creations. The “professional kid” has built dozens of impressive models, like a 13,000-LEGO Empire State Building, of many of NYC’s most famous buildings. Click through for a photo gallery of our favorites!

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Post tags: empire state building legos, lego art, lego blocks, lego buildings, lego sculptures, LEGOs, nyc buildings in legos, nyc lego art, sean kenney, sean kenney legos

Just steps from the entrance to New York City’s High Line park sits fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg’s flagship store and studios. From the outside, the historic Meatpacking District building looks like a plain brick structure, but design firm Work Architecture has actually transformed the building into a glittering modern work space filled with natural light that shines down through a clear, 6-story staircase. The staircase peaks in a geometric skylight that connects to von Furstenberg’s stunning green-roofed penthouse apartment.

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Post tags: Diane von Furstenberg, diane von furstenberg penthouse, diane von furstenberg studios, dvf, dvf flagship, dvf new york, green apartments, green design, green nyc apartments, green roof, Meatpacking District

Today is the official first day of spring, but the season’s first buds and blossoms have been popping up all over New York City for weeks. From the cherry trees in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden to the dainty Dawn bodnant viburnum on the High Line, spring is certainly showing its colors. With a warm and sunny forecast for the week, we couldn’t ask for more perfect weather to take in the start of spring. We’ve rounded up our six favorite places in the city to see the season’s first blooms – hit the jump to check them out!

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Post tags: brooklyn botanic garden, central park, cherry blossoms, cherry trees bbg, cherry trees nyc, daffodils, high line, high line blooms, high line spring, narrows botanical garden, prospect park, spring, spring 2012, spring flowers, spring in nyc, spring nyc, Wave Hill, where to see spring bloom nyc

Thanks to a groundbreaking discovery by Ohio’s Air Force Research Laboratory, ordinary silk is now good for a lot more than making pretty clothes. A group of researchers have developed a chemical coating that’s applied to silk through a simple dip-and-dry method that enables the fabric to kill disease-causing bacteria and armor-coated spores like anthrax in mere minutes. The exciting development could pave the way for new protective devices to shield homes and buildings from bioterrorist attacks.

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Post tags: American Chemical Society, antrax killing silk, bacteria killing silk, eco textiles, green textiles, killer silk, Ohio Air Force Research Laboratory, silk, Sustainable Textiles

GreenTech Agro Inc., managed by Glenn Behrman, a 40-year veteran of the horticulture industry who founded The Plant Shed in NYC, recently announced the launch of the “Growtainer” project, a new concept in controlled-environment farming. Growtainers are specially equipped insulated shipping containers complete with the most advanced LED lighting, water conserving hydroponic or drip-irrigation systems, adjustable shelving for high yield vertical production, and a state-of-the-art HVAC system, all controlled by a specially designed PC-based microprocessor system which can be monitored from anywhere. Growtainers may be purchased as complete growing systems with nothing to set up or install –  just add seeds and start growing.

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Post tags: controlled environment agriculture, controlled environment farming, glenn behrman, greentech argo, grow tainers, growtainers, hydroponics, mobile farms, shipping container, shipping container farms, shipping container gardens, shipping container growtainer, shipping containers, the plant shed

Initial design plans have been revealed for the third and final section of everyone’s favorite elevated park, New York City’s High Line! At a community meeting last night, Friends of the High Line unveiled several colorful renderings from architects James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro. The park’s third section will wrap around the forthcoming Hudson Yards development and be closely integrated with the new buildings. From the looks of it, the new section will include some familiar elements as well as some brand new features. Hit the jump to get all the details!

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Post tags: Diller Scofidio + Renfro, final section of the high line, finished high line, Friends of the High Line, high line, high line design, high line final section, high line last section, high line new york city, high line park, high line rail yards, high line renderings, high line section 3, high line section 3 design, hudson yards, james corner, james corner field operations

Eco fashionistas have been able to get their fill of the latest green fashions on Inhabitat’s “Sustainable Style” Pinterest board, but now our eco-fashion sister site Ecouterre has launched a Pinterest account to call its own. From cruelty-free clothing and sustainable textiles to all-natural beauty supplies and DIY fashions, Ecouterre’s Pinterest puts all your favorite eco fashion stories in one place. What are you waiting for? Go forth and pin!

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Post tags: eco-fashion, ecouterre, ecouterre inhabitat, ecouterre pinterest, green fashion, pinterest, pinterest fashion, pinterest green fashion, Sustainable Fashion, sustainable style

We are huge fans of just about anything upcycled – from art to furniture to clothing – and it seems that the eco trend is catching on. Last month, the International Herald Tribune‘s Suzy Menkes, an influential fashion writer, dubbed “upcycling” the buzzword among London’s sartorial circles. For those unfamiliar with the term, upcycling means taking a used or discarded product — in the fashion world, this usually means textile scraps or leftovers — and refashioning it to create an entire new product of higher quality. Designer Orsola de Castro, known to many as the “Queen of Upcycling,” recently shared her upcycling tips at an EcoChic Design Academy seminar.

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Post tags: eco-fashion, ecochic design academy, emerging designers, Orsola de Castro, Orsola de Castro upcycling, queen of upcycling, Sustainable Fashion, upcycled fashion, upcycling, upcycling trend

Any regular Inhabitat reader knows that we are suckers for awesome art made from recycled or repurposed materials. So we were totally excited to discover Scotch’s “Off the Roll” design competition, which tasks the creatively-minded to create an original piece of art using packaging tape as your medium. To enter the contest, all you have to do is submit your photos here and you could win a whopping $5000! Last year’s winners include two different sculptures featuring life-sized people, an underwater scene complete with a mermaid, and a beautiful wreath-like piece made up of 1440 tape triangles. Several artists have already submitted their creations for this year’s competition, so you should check them out to see what you’re up against!

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Post tags: cash prize competition, Design Competition, design contest, design with tape, eco design, green design, make stuff out of tape, recycled art, repurposed art, scotch, scotch tape, scotchtape, sustainable design, tape contest