University of Buffalo’s Newly Constructed SEAS Building Designed for LEED Gold Certification

University of Buffalo’s Newly Constructed SEAS Building Designed for LEED Gold Certification

The University of Buffalo is attracting a new crowd of high-tech and sustainability industry leaders with the redesign of its School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) building. Designed by Perkins+Will, the airy building, also known as the Barbara and Jack Davis Hall, was designed with LEED Gold certification in mind and aligns perfectly with the university’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
 

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Composting Poop Potties Planned for Prospect Park

Composting Poop Potties Planned for Prospect Park

Well House rendering via NYC Parks Department

Prospect Park wants to change the way you “go” at the park with a new system that will compost human waste. NYC has plans to build a $1.8 million composting green latrine in the park’s historic Well House building that will look much like a regular bathroom except it will use “eco-friendly foam” and very little water. Luckily, visitors won’t be subject to the smelly side of the new system as waste will be stored in the depths of the composting compartment in the bathroom’s basement, keeping it out of treatment plants and the Gowanus Canal.

Well House Rendering via NYC Parks Department
Well House Image via NYC Parks Department

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SiloHome: Cold War Era Missile Silo Transformed into Luxurious Underground House in Upstate New York

SiloHome: Cold War Era Missile Silo Transformed into Luxurious Underground House in Upstate New York

This upstate New York home may look like a single-level hunting lodge on the surface, but delve a little deeper and you'll find that it actually conceals a luxurious, bunker-style underground wing that was built in an old missile silo. During the Cold War era, hundreds of missile silos were built across the United States, but most have been left forgotten and in disrepair. Bruce Francisco and his cousin Gregory Gibbons saw the potential in this silo located in the Adirondack State Park, and turned it into SiloHome, a gorgeous residence with 2,300 extra square feet of hidden, subterranean living space.
 

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Disused Coal Silo Turned Into Bustling Restaurant Overlooking the Niagara River

Disused Coal Silo Turned Into Bustling Restaurant Overlooking the Niagara River

Long before the superhighway to Toronto was built, tourists flocked to Ontario via the Great Gorge Railway and steamships originating in Lewiston, New York where an old coal silo stood. In 1938, the railway was dismantled and the giant concrete silo became obsolete - until 1997, when Mr. Richard Hastings from Youngstown approached the city and offered to turn it into a restaurant. It is now known as The Silo and it attracts hundreds of people every day.
 

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WXY Architecture Reimagines Crumbling Pier 40 as Usable Park Land for Residents to Enjoy

WXY Architecture Reimagines Crumbling Pier 40 as Usable Park Land for Residents to Enjoy

A new plan by WXY Architecture + Urban Design envisions Hudson River Park’s currently crumbling Pier 40 as new housing and public green space for lower Manhattan residents to enjoy. Right now, the site hosts ball fields for seven youth sports groups, who have to compete for the limited field space on the pier site. The new plan would accommodate the growing population by providing more usable areas, two residential buildings and a direct link to the waterfront.
 

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8 Green Designs Included in AIA New York’s 2013 Architect Awards Winners

8 Green Designs Included in AIA New York’s 2013 Architect Awards Winners

The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects recently unveiled the winners of its annual design awards, and we were excited to see that eight of the top designs were focused around sustainable features. The AIA NY based their scores on quality of design, innovation, technique and response to context and community, and only 21 projects made it to the cream of the crop. The selected works will be on exhibit at the Center for Architecture from April 18th through May 31st, but if you'd like to get a glimpse of the eight green winners ahead of time, click through our photo gallery now.
 

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See Pics of the New Flood-Proof, Prefab Beach Buildings NYC Plans to Roll Out This Summer

See Pics of the New Flood-Proof, Prefab Beach Buildings NYC Plans to Roll Out This Summer

When Hurricane Sandy wiped out the lifeguard stations and public bathrooms on many of New York City’s beaches, the city found itself in a bind. How could it rebuild these necessary facilities in time for the summer of 2013? To answer that question, officials

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The Allotment Concept Proposes Growing Farm-Fresh Food In and On an NYC Hotel

The Allotment Concept Proposes Growing Farm-Fresh Food In and On an NYC Hotel

An entry in Tablet Hotel’s Rethink Hotels competition, the Allotment is a totally new concept in hospitality: A hotel centered around food, rather than sleep. Dreamed up by Dean Moran, the prospective NYC hotel is all about the process of growing, selling

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PHOTOS: Couple Moves into Stacked Shipping Container Home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

PHOTOS: Couple Moves into Stacked Shipping Container Home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

"People in the neighborhood call it Casa Blanca," says contractor David Boyle of his four-level white house in Williamsburg, but there's something else besides the color of the home that makes it stand out from the others on the block. A labor of love between Boyle and his wife, architect and NYIT professor Michele Bertomen, the residence is made up of six shipping containers stacked atop one another, and is the first and only legal residence of its kind in Brooklyn. Bertomen and Boyle understand that the home may be unconventional, but for them, it's the perfect example of the American dream (not to mention a way they could afford a 1,600 sq. ft. property in the middle of NYC's priciest locales). We recently had a chance to visit this very special home on Keap St., and snapped photos of everything from the two amazing rooftop decks to the clever repurposed furniture to the house's furry mascot, Zero. Click through our gallery to take your own tour through this inspirational abode.
 

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See the Second Episode of StreetEasy’s New York City Brownstone Renovation Video Series

See the Second Episode of StreetEasy’s New York City Brownstone Renovation Video Series

In the second episode of StreetEasy’s NYC brownstone renovation video series, Demo to Decor, local architect and historic NYC townhouse expert Brendan Coburn walks us through the renovation of a Park Slope brownstone and highlights several recent developments

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Private Golf Green and Rooftop Oasis Redefine Work and Play at a Midtown Office Building

Private Golf Green and Rooftop Oasis Redefine Work and Play at a Midtown Office Building

Wouldn't it be nice to escape your grey cubicle for a moment and step out onto a beautiful rooftop oasis like this one? That's exactly the luxury that this 7,000 square foot green roof, which was designed by HM White Site Architects and installed by New York Green Roofs, gives to employees at midtown Manhattan’s historic Western Publishing Building. Click through the gallery to see more of this incredible project, which even includes a private putting green.
 

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Beth Israel Hospital’s 19,000 sq. ft. Green Roof is Dotted with Diamond-Shaped Skylights

Beth Israel Hospital’s 19,000 sq. ft. Green Roof is Dotted with Diamond-Shaped Skylights

The massive 19,000 square foot green roof that sits atop Beth Israel Hospital in Union Square is one of New York City’s best-kept secrets. The rooftop, completed in November 2010 by New York Green Roofs in conjunction with Rally Restoration, boasts a rich collection of shrubs, trees, mosses and herbaceous perennials, and its sprawling size makes it one of the largest planted roofs in NYC. Step inside our gallery to see some of what this very special urban oasis has to offer, from its diamond-shaped skylights to its rainwater-filtering flora.
 

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Massive Hunter’s Point South Affordable Housing Project Breaks Ground in Long Island City

Massive Hunter’s Point South Affordable Housing Project Breaks Ground in Long Island City

Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined developers yesterday to break ground on the first two permanently affordable residential buildings that will be part of the Hunter's Point South complex in Queens. Joined by Phipps Houses, Related Companies and Monadnock, the Mayor kicked off the project, which aims to combine more affordable housing with the redevelopment of coveted waterfront property. The Long Island City mixed-used complex will bring 925 new units to the Queens riverside area.
 

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Geometric Shelter Island Pavilion Brings Modernist Bursts of Color to Long Island

Geometric Shelter Island Pavilion Brings Modernist Bursts of Color to Long Island

Stamberg Aferiat and Associates put decades of combined experience into the colorful and unique Shelter Island Pavilion in New York. Taking cues from Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion, Le Corbusier's Ronchamps, and Marcel Breuer's Wassily Chair, the design team sought to use simple industrial materials in new and exciting ways. Sustainability was an equally important aspect of the project, and the home is one of the first on Shelter Island to utilize geothermal energy for heating and cooling.
 

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Domino Sugar Refinery to Be Transformed into Affordable Housing Complex by SHoP Architects

Domino Sugar Refinery to Be Transformed into Affordable Housing Complex by SHoP Architects

DUMBO’s Two Trees Management Company has a new vision for the iconic Domino Sugar Refinery on Williamsburg’s waterfront. The company bought the property in 2012 with plans to renovate, but has just released an alternative plan designed by SHoP Architects that

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Brooklyn Couple Moves into Stacked Shipping Container Home in Williamsburg

Brooklyn Couple Moves into Stacked Shipping Container Home in Williamsburg

Over the last ten years, rising property values in Williamsburg, Brooklyn have made home ownership difficult or impossible for many. But one couple, David Boyle and wife Michele Bertomen, decided to get around the high pricetags in the area by turning to

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MoMA Challenges Designers to Rebuild Far Rockaway Sustainably After Hurricane Sandy

MoMA Challenges Designers to Rebuild Far Rockaway Sustainably After Hurricane Sandy

Thousands of New Yorkers are still rebuilding after the devastating wrath of Hurricane Sandy – and as restoration of the hard-hit Far Rockaway continues, the Museum of Modern Art is seeking to collaborate with artists, architects and designers to rebirth the

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Grant Davis Thompson Creates a Backyard Cedar “Playhouse” in Clinton Hill

Grant Davis Thompson Creates a Backyard Cedar “Playhouse” in Clinton Hill

Space -- particularly outdoor space -- comes at a premium in New York City, and those who are lucky enough to have a backyard tend to take full advantage. Such is the case with this outdoor playhouse retreat, which was recently designed by Grant Davis Thompson for a private residence in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. The owner was looking to build a structure that would evoke "a small cabin in the woods" in his urban yard. To achieve that goal, GDT constructed a low-impact structure made from cedar and reclaimed materials that provides a space for both children and adults to play.
 

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MicroGreens: Bernheimer and LevenBetts’ Tiny Apartment Concept Boasts a Vertical Greenhouse

MicroGreens: Bernheimer and LevenBetts’ Tiny Apartment Concept Boasts a Vertical Greenhouse

Designed for the adAPT NYC micro apartment competition, Bernheimer Architecture and LevenBetts' MicroGreens is an apartment building that combines small spaces and urban farming. The draw of the complex, which was conceptualized with the help of David Leven and Stella Betts, is that every unit has its own edible garden as well as access to a shared vertical greenhouse. MicroGreens also emphasizes how community and social living can be achieved, even in tight living quarters.
 

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New Arbor House Apartment Boasts a Massive Rooftop Farm and Affordable Rent in the Bronx

New Arbor House Apartment Boasts a Massive Rooftop Farm and Affordable Rent in the Bronx

The New York City Housing Authority recently announced the opening of Arbor House, a new 124-unit, energy-efficient building located in the Morrisania section of the Bronx. The 8-story building is reserved for low-income households, is LEED Platinum-certified and also boasts a hydroponic farm on the roof that will supply residents and the community with access to fresh produce. Click through to see pictures of this exciting new green residence in NY.
 

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Brooklyn Botanic Garden Building Ivy-Clad Treehouse Using Trees Felled by Hurricane Sandy

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Building Ivy-Clad Treehouse Using Trees Felled by Hurricane Sandy

Most of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s historic oak trees survived Hurricane Sandy last year, but a few were not so lucky. Ten of the fifty foot specimens are being chopped due to damage from the storm, but they will be given new life as a treehouse! Designed

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7 Bryant Park LEED Gold Office Building to Break Ground in Midtown Today

7 Bryant Park LEED Gold Office Building to Break Ground in Midtown Today

We’ve been patiently following the development of new green office building 7 Bryant Park, which will finally be breaking ground today. The state of the art building, designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and developed by Hines Development, will offer 470,000 square feet of LEED-certified office space. Click through our gallery for more photos of the iconic new building that is sure to make its green mark on NYC design.
 

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Tiny Upper West Side Apartment Transformed into a Sexy New Space With Smart Storage

Tiny Upper West Side Apartment Transformed into a Sexy New Space With Smart Storage

Sometimes tiny apartments can be intimidating, so calling an expert in can help maximize space without sacrificing style - and that's exactly the premise behind the new SpacesTV series, “Thank God I Hired a Designer.” Adrian’s historic Upper West Side apartment hadn’t been renovated since the 1950s, so he enlisted designer West Chin to help create a cozy and welcoming space by incorporating innovative storage solutions into the design aesthetic. We think the result is both elegant and functional - step into our photo gallery to see more!
 

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Bold Cobble Hill Townhouse Renovation Stars Giant Living Wall of Plants

Bold Cobble Hill Townhouse Renovation Stars Giant Living Wall of Plants

The townhouse at 305 Degraw Street in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill neighborhood isn’t your average New York rental. At a whopping $25,000 per month, the property - which offers four bedrooms, three full and two half baths - was gut renovated and finished with a giant living wall of plants. Click through the gallery to see all that this delightful home has to offer.
 

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East River Blueway Now Includes Plan for Urban Beach and Storm Surge Barrier

East River Blueway Now Includes Plan for Urban Beach and Storm Surge Barrier

East Siders have been looking forward to the East River Blueway plan to beautify their waterfront for quite some time now, but it seems the project will be more than just a pretty face. Manhattan's borough president, Scott Stringer, recently lauded the Blueway's newly updated design, which now includes a storm-water absorbing wetland and a sandy urban beach. The city had been exploring natural solutions to act as a storm surge barriers for vulnerable areas after the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, and was able to incorporate the wetlands with the help of WXY, the Blueway's lead architects and planners.
 

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