Rabalder Park in Roskilde, Denmark, has a rainwater harvesting system that can store up to 23,000 cubic meters of h2o - that's the equivalent of 10 swimming pools! In addition to the usual amenities such as swings, trampolines, jogging and cycling trails, the park also features a huge concrete skate park. Rabalder Park is fully integrated into the local water canal system and built to hold rainwater in the event of flooding. This amazing urban design was recently selected as a finalist for the 2013 Index: Award.

 

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Created by Anders Stai Fougner, a 19-year old student from Oslo, Norway, these cool-looking headphones boast a rectangular shape that makes them stand out amongst the bunch of boring earbuds and conventional headphones. Dubbed Wood.Head.Phones, as the name suggests, these unique headphones are made completely out of wood and are custom handmade to suit their users. Currently, Fougner is looking for funding to bring these beauties into full production.

+ Anders Stai Fougner

Via Damn Geeky

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A webbed steel pavilion with a network of flickering blue lights has popped up in China’s city of Xi’an. Dubbed the Guangyun Entrance, this brilliant structure was created by Plasma Studio for the city’s International Horticultural Expo. Under the structure, several lanes bring hundreds of people in and out, within a system that takes inspiration from the London underground’s overloaded escalators during rush hour.

 

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Vasileios Roumeliotis transformed an old bike tire into this beautiful Wheel Light for Roumelight. This lamp is made from a recycled bicycle wheel set on a black glass surface which acts as a canvas, showcasing the play of light and shadow. The Wheel Light can be illuminated by a striking circle of 18 dimmable bulbs (G4) or a hidden length of perimetric LED tape that gives off soft ambient light. The lighted wheel represents both a green method of transportation and an enlightened forward movement full of inventive ideas and creativity.

+ Roumelight

Via Decoholic

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Renowned architect Kengo Kuma’s Kids Academy Taiyogaoka Hoikuen is not your average kindergarten. Rather than featuring cheerful colors and a plastic playground equipment, this new learning center is made entirely from locally sourced wood. Located in the coastal city of Ishikawa, in Japan, the modest single-floor shelter provides kids with a natural environment for playing and learning.

 

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Nguyễn Hùng Cường is more of a paper sculptor than an origami master, taking the folding craft to the next level with his incredibly detailed pieces. Using mostly a handmade Vietnamese paper with a waxy finish called Dó, Cường’s creations seem softer and more realistic than other fine folding. Cường’s gorgeous collection reaches all spectrums of the animal kingdom, from realistic gorillas to undersea lobsters and great white sharks, each in painstakingly perfectly folded detail.

 

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Architect David Adjaye recently unveiled plans for a new solar-powered building for silk weavers in Varanasi, India. Clothing brand Maiyet partnered with non-profit organization Nest to commission the facility, which was designed to preserve the tradition and cultural treasures of the region. The daylit, open-space community center will provide locals with clean water, green energy and training.

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When transit watchers look back on 2013, they’ll remember it as the year of the bike share. Last month, the country watched as New York rolled out Citi Bike to much fanfare (and plenty of grumbling). Then, a couple of weeks later, Chicago officials announced plans to rollout “Divvy,” the Second City’s new bike-sharing program. Now, the latest city to catch the bike-sharing bug is San Francisco, which is set to launch a bike-sharing program of its own in August. Unlike New York and Chicago, San Francisco isn’t committing to a full-scale rollout just yet. Instead, the City by the Bay will launch a one- to two-year pilot program to test the system’s efficacy.

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Photo via Shutterstock

According to numbers recently released by the UN, the world’s population is expected reach nearly 11 billion people by 2100. That’s about 8 percent more than was predicted in 2011. While population growth has slowed in developed countries, populations in developing countries, particularly those in Africa, are increasing at a higher rate than expected.

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It’s official. According to a report released yesterday by the Building Resiliency Task Force at City Hall, the buildings in New York are not ready for another storm like Sandy. After last year’s hurricane, Mayor Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn wanted to know what could be done to improve the resiliency of the city’s buildings and prepare them for extreme weather conditions like high winds, high temperatures and flooding. Over the past four months, a group of 200+ experts, led by Urban Green Council, deliberated on how to answer these questions and came up with four specific suggestions on how commercial, multifamily residential, homes and hospital buildings could get ready for another super storm.

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Visitors to downtown Philadelphia should take notice of the new Sister Cities Park and cafe. Not only is it the perfect spot for a locally-sourced lunch in between touring the downtown museums, it's also a great spot for kids to play. The renovated park was designed by DIGSAU and managed by the City Center District, whose goal for the park was to create a space for visitors, children, residents and business people to use. Topped with a dramatic cantilevered green roof, the energy-efficient building makes use of daylighting, local and eco-friendly materials. Meanwhile the surrounding garden takes inspiration from the natural environment in Philadelphia. Our recent trip there has us dreaming of leisurely afternoon lunches in a beautiful park.

 

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Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is one of the world’s largest public celebrations, featuring nearly 2 million costumed party goers, an extravagant parade, and of course, lots of alcohol consumption. The creatives behind Ambev‘s Antarctica Beer saw an opportunity, and installed custom turnstiles during the event that allow people to “pay” with an empty beer can. Not only did this encourage over 1,000 people per hour to use public transit (instead of getting behind the wheel), it also helped a recycling NGO, to which all of the cans were donated. How cool would it be if all public transit could be paid for with recyclables?

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The Lower East Side just got a little more delicious thanks to the new Black Tree Sandwich Shop on Orchard Street. In addition to its menu of mouth-watering delights, the shop also boasts an interior that is made largely from upcycled materials. From handmade reclaimed wood tables to vintage speakers salvaged from a friend’s grandmother’s basement, Black Tree is a quaint place to get a tasty bite, or grab a refreshing drink from their well-stocked bar.

 

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littleBits may be small, but they're changing the way kids (and adults) learn and play in a big way. Like LEGO blocks - but dynamic - littleBits is a library of electronic components such as motors, lights and buzzers that allow users to take their creativity to the next level with light, motion and sound. To demonstrate some of the endless possibilities that can be unlocked with littleBits, the MoMA Design Store recently curated several animated displays made with the kits for their windows. Explore our gallery to see them all.

 

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There's hardly anything more tranquil than a cabin out in the woods, and Haus am Moor is one of the most exquisite designs we've seen in a while. One of Bernardo Bader Architects' creations, the 220 square meter holiday dwelling was constructed out of locally-sourced spruce, fur, and elm and features a wood-fired stove and a ground-source heat pump that keeps it warm in chilly Austrian winters.

 

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