Green architecture
In Newsweek, there is a good article about green architecture in China (project summary here). US architect William McDonough plans (among other things) to:
The cities are zoned for mixed residential, commercial and industrial use to ensure that transportation connects residences to the workplaces. Shops will be on the ground floor, residences above, and the rooftops will have farm plots. Bridges over the streets will connect the plots. The farmers will live downstairs.
(…)
McDonough’s ideas have worked well, albeit on a smaller scale, in the United States. He’s designed green developments for communities and corporations, including the Gap and Ford. The headquarters for the clothing retailer the Gap in California has a roof with vegetation on it, a raised floor for better heating and cooling, and makes good use of daylight.
Why do I blog this? I like this idea of roof farms; besides my parents’ house is made of a vegetal-roof (no tiles), maybe that’s why this idea is not so weird for me.
September 30th, 2005 at 3:03 pm
imagine Genève en 2050, avec des toits transformés en terrasse et des passerelles entre les parcs suspendus… j’achète! en plus, y’a tellement d’espaces vides en hauteur, dans toutes les villes du monde, que cette idée pourrait bien séduire les propriétaires d’immeubles à tendance humaniste et écolo!
October 22nd, 2005 at 3:41 am
Center for vernacular Architecture>Bangalore>India>www.vernarch.com
The Centre for Vernacular Architecture is a Co-operative of building craft persons established in 1989. A non-profit organization, the Centre has been designing and executing turnkey, various vernacular architectural projects in South India. Vernacular Architecture is a little known and little explored field that is concerned with Architectural building traditions/practices that are cost effective, ecologically sensible and culturally relevant. Building on the work of practioners like Laurie Baker and Hassan Fathy, our architectural practice promotes the use of locally available materials, traditional building techniques, culturally and climatically relevant building design.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Hello,
I too liked this idea of terrace gardening/farming.
Could you let me know what extra care or attention that needs to be taken during construction of a house/terrace for this purpose ?
Defenitely some care needs to be taken to avoid creepage, leakage, cracks etc..