Bjarke Ingels loves to ski, so there’s no doubt he’s thrilled that his firm, BIG, just won first prize to design the renovation and expansion of the Kimball Art Center in Park City, UT. BIG’s winning design features a soaring, twisting, timber eco-tower that pays respect to the mining history of the Utah ski town. Using reclaimed trestlewood for the structure along with other sustainable strategies like solar power, rainwater collection, a high performing thermal envelope and daylighting, BIG’s tower is sure to make a huge statement. The Danish firm best be on the lookout for office space in Park City so they can get to work on the new and improved art center.

The auto world is buzzing today about Tesla‘s highly-anticipated Model X family-sized vehicle, which was unveiled just last night. Built for parents with a need for speed, this car breaks the mold for crossover vehicles with “falcon wing” doors, a completely web connected digital interface, an ultra-performance dual motor all-wheel drive, and room for seven passengers. All of this comes at a price though since the car starts at around $50,000, but from the looks of this sexy all-electric crossover, it will be money well-spent.

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To celebrate the Lunar New Year, the Chinese host a variety of spectacular events and this gorgeous city of ice in Beijing is one of the most shining examples. Part of the city's Lantern Festival, the Yanquing Ice Festival is an enormous ice city lit by glowing lights which, as you can see, could not look more festive if it tried. Step in for more photos of this monumental homage to ice architecture!

 

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As Azerbaijan enjoys its relatively newfound status among oil- rich nations, it’s looking to join the seemingly endless race to construct the world’s tallest tower. Azerbaijan’s Avesta Group has announced that they are hoping to build a $2 billion, 3,444 foot tall tower in the former Soviet Republic. This would place it at 720 feet above present title holder, the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai. Its height will also surpass that of Saudi Arabia’s 3280 foot Kingdom Tower, which is still in development with completion slated for 2017.

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Clean tech company AROA recently installed their second energy-generating Solar Tulip power tower in Spain, and the soaring flower-shaped power plant just went online this week. The beauty of the system stems beyond the elegant solar energy capturing tower - the system is designed to be modular, unlike any other concentrated solar power (CSP) electrical generator out there. The system also uses much less water than steam solar generators, enabling it to conserve precious resources on its hot desert site.

 

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The Southern Company just got a thumbs up from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to move forward on construction of the nation’s first new nuclear reactors in 30 years. The dueling reactors will be built at Plant Vogtle outside of Atlanta, Georgia and will round their set of reactors from two up to four. The company obtained their Combined Construction and Operating License (COL) yesterday and expect the first new reactor to be on-line in 2016.

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When it was time for this couple to remodel their little home in Seattle, the didn't want to make it bigger - they just wanted to make it smarter. So they hired Atelier Drome to come up with a smart, efficient plan to make better use of their 600 sq ft home. Built-in storage, multi-purpose rooms and furniture, and large windows make the home feel larger than it is. Remodeling is almost always a better option than brand new construction, so it's lovely to see how a small home can be turned into something fantastic and functional.

 

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Stay away from complicated assembly instructions, messy adhesives, and tools with this straightforward and easy-to-build furniture system that requires neither screws nor glue. Born in Japan and based in Copenhagen, designer Yukari Hotta created his “Kile” furniture collection by mixing wedge-based components with stylish Nordic aesthetics. Made from an eco labeled wood board material and featuring neat lines and a delicately colored flat pack design, Yukari Hotta’s “Kile” collection captures the essence of modern simplicity.

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Mumbai-based designers Nishant Jethi and Aalap Deasi have developed a psychedelic public trash bin that rewards people for properly disposing of their waste by displaying colorful kaleidoscope patterns. Dubbed the Cleanoscope, the eco-friendly bin shows that “cleanliness creates beauty” by making waste disposal a creative act rather than a dull task.

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At first glance the 3 Mews complex in Dublin seems to match the industrial character of its surrounding neighbors, but upon closer inspection you will see glimpses of gardens and trees peeping out through the building's louvered slats. Designed by ODOS Architects, the three-unit building is at once sturdy, impenetrable, mysterious and delicate, all while hinting to a secret garden hidden behind the walls.

 

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Using sustainable design as a bridge between craftwork and the industry, this collection of earthy vessels combines low-impact materials and old world techniques to create durable, functional objects. Designed by Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin of Formafantasma, the Autarky Vessels are handmade containers created using only natural materials and plant-based dyes that have been cooked at low temperature. Made from a biomaterial consisting of 70% flour, 20% agricultural waste and 10% limestone, these designs take a critical approach to sustainability, focusing in on an autonomous way of producing goods while rediscovering old techniques.

Today GE announced the launch of GeoSpring, its most energy-efficient hybrid-electric hot water heater. They also announced the opening of their new GeoSpring manufacturing facility in Lousiville, KY, which is part of GE’s commitment to invest $1 billion and create more than 1,300 new U.S. jobs by 2014. According to GE, The GeoSpring uses 62% less energy and will save average users $325 a year on their electric bill – imagine the savings if you have shower hogging teenagers!

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It would appear that America’s City of Sin is going solar with news that Las Vegas will soon be powered by a massive 100MW 540 foot solar tower. Atop it will be 100-foot receiver that will received solar energy from the field of 10,000 large mirrors that will populate the area around the tower. Thanks to Nevada’s large amount of sunlight, it is hoped that the solar tower will be able to receive 10 to 15 hours of sunlight a day. The project, known as the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, is being headed by American company SolarReserve, who is using a molten salt storage facility to deliver power to the grid once the sun has gone down. In a statement, the company said that they hope to complete the solar tower by the spring and aim to start delivering 110 megawatts by the end of 2013. Hopefully, not all of it will be used to power the famous Strip.

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Aerial view of the area where the Brooklyn-Queens pipeline would run

Brooklyn and Queens homes may soon be powered by natural gas instead of heavily polluting number 4 and number 6 heating oils. On February 7, a bill for construction of a new three-mile pipeline sailed through the House of Representatives. The pipeline would traverse under Jacob Riis Park and the Gateway National Recreation Area in Queens and through a small part of southern Brooklyn. The plan has been met with little criticism, and NY1 reports that it is part of Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC initiative for a more sustainable city powered by cleaner energy. However, we can’t help but be ticked off by this, as natural gas is not a sustainable resource nor is it a source of clean, renewable energy.

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