Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in New York is one of the most significant bird sanctuaries in the Northeast. Over 300 species have been spotted in the last 25 years on the refuge’s 9,000 acres of woods, fields, marshes and open bay. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this tranquil place is its location – within the limits of New York City, less than 12 miles from Manhattan. Photo by Micael Fano (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).
On a mountain in the rugged north of Ibiza, lies this beautiful casita. What formerly served as stables and storage, is now transformed into a contemporary dream house. The owners of Ibiza Interiors developed this 200 year old finca into their showroom and guesthouse.
To keep the character of the original building, basic materials are used. The beautiful authentic ‘sabina beams’ have been preserved, just like the original ancient stone walls in the kitchen and bathroom. The architects only used materials that were used traditionally on the island, like the iroko window frames, concrete and white chalk plastered stone walls.
The building had been unused for years, and was in very poor condition. Therefore only the walls, and parts of the roof could remain. Electricity, water and sewage were not present, the architects had to add all these things to make it work as a contemporary home. Water comes from a private well and there are solar panels installed for hot water, floor heating and electricity. The cottage is consequently completely independent of the grid operation and is thus self-sustainable.
For the interior the designers used a number of brands and partners, where they often worked with in their hometown Amsterdam. So there are Coco-mat beds, made from natural materials and there’s art from the gallery Vroom & Varossieau. The upholstery is Etoffe Unique and all the other furniture, lighting and carpets are from their partner shop Modern Vintage. The beautiful steel designer kitchen with marble top is from Eginstill. The owners Jurjen and his wife Selina represent these brands and the architectural firm Standard on the island through their new company Ibiza Interiors.
The result is a fantastic contemporary residence where contrast plays a big role; old and new, sleek and rustic, light and dark. At the same time there’s a certain balance as well, and everywhere you look something is happening. With an incredible view from the mountain, a yoga platform above the house and many fruit trees and a vegetable garden, this is truly a piece of paradise. Here you really get into another world and you can relax and unwind. The nice thing is that everything is for sale, so except the house itself, you can take everything home!
Aiming to make this white apartment feel warmer, interior designer Maayan Zusman used wooden herringbone flooring and soft pastel furnishings (+ slideshow). (more…)
Music is all around us! An some musicians are true legends. Just like Elvis! Do you know his music? Do you have a favorite song from his repertoire?
No matter the answer, with this test you will discover something about your character and as a bonus you will get to listen to a song from the man known as The King.
Take just now this quick, fun quiz and find out which Elvis song is your anthem!
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Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter and Dualchas Architects have unveiled their plans for the St Kilda Visitor Center, which will be located on a cliff-top site at Geodha Sgoilt in the Uig area of the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Through the project, visitors will be able to experience the drama of St Kilda without physically visiting the famous archipelago, which lies over 50 miles to the southwest.
A triple world heritage site, St Kilda is famous not only for its sea cliffs and marine life but more for the story of how a community survived at the remote location before being evacuated in 1930.
By telling the story of this abandoned community, the current community of Uig hopes to catalyze economic development and reverse the population decline they have been suffering.
High-quality architecture can be an economic generator in remote rural communities- something both RRA and Dualchas have been committed to in rural Norway and the Scottish Highlands and Islands,” stated Dualchas director Neil Stephen. This can only happen if there is ambition and vision, which the community of Uig have in abundance – which is why this project is both exciting and important.
The project has been backed by UNESCO, and will serve as a template for creating “remote access” to the many World Heritage Sites that are geographically out of reach, environmentally fragile, or located in war zones.
News via Dualchas Architects.
💙 Yellow tree on 500px by yoctox ☀ 2844✱4266px-rating:67.2 http://ift.tt/1SejVcp
This angular house in Cork, Ireland, was designed by A2 Architects with a crank in its middle to give residents more sun exposure, and to create a route through to a garden courtyard. (more…)
Ristrutturazione Cascina is a project completed by Atre Studio Architetti. It is located in Ozzano Monferrato, Italy.
The “Golden Garland” (K.G. Zochernrug) is a bridge in Tiel that strengthens the route from the shopping area to the city center. The bridge crosses the water diagonally and forms the best possible visual and functional connection between the embankments. By defining the entrance to the city the Garland plays the role of a “city gate”. In an elegant gesture the bridge invites people into the city.
The bridge relates to the canal environment and its design expresses fluidity and flow. It embeds itself into a network of pedestrian paths. The bridge negotiates the difference in the ground levels between the inner city and the station quarter, accentuating the continuity of the route with a graceful curve. A gentle double arc resolves the difference of height between both shores. The bridge doesn’t interfere with the monumental continuity of the canal and therefore appears open and transparent, modestly adding itself to the historic district.
The Golden Garland is an icon of the Burensepoort. Its golden coating, the city color of Tiel, reinforces the gate symbolism and links the bridge to the other two city gates. By night, the bridge looks like a golden curtain hanging above the city canal.
The steel bridge has asymmetrical longitudinal profile with the deck and girder welded into one slender closed form. The guardrails and supports are made of steel too. The concrete foundation at the inner city side disappears in the grass slope. On the other side the concrete foundation is wrapped by brick similar to the embankment. The different treatment of bridgeheads emphasizes the contrast between the inner city and the station quarter.
Twin House in Padua is a project completed by StudioPietropoli in 2015. The home is located in Padua, Italy, and covers an area of 10,764 square feet. Twin House in Padua by StudioPietropoli: “In a quiet residential neighbour in Padua, this house consists of two cubic volumes mounted on a concrete basement. The cubes above ground are made entirely of wood, covered with wood (grey/white and brick red) as well…
Sig Nordal 