Google seeking greenest architect for new HQ

You can’t even, well, Google it yet, but we’ve picked some meaty news from the grapevine: Google has fired German firm Ingenhoven Architects as the designers of its new headquarters in Mountain View, California. The building, to be located on 18.6 acres next to the current “Googleplex,” off of North Shoreline Boulevard, would measure a maximum of 595,000 square feet and house 2,500 to 3,000 employees, including executives, engineers, and scientists.

“We have asked them to build the most green, sustainable building possible,” said Google Spokesman Jordan Newman last year. Newman had no comment about the latest developments. Meanwhile calls to Ingenhoven’s office in Santa Clara have not been returned.

Construction was supposed to start later this year. But according to our sources, Google has sent out another request to solicit new architects and engineers. Google has already leased the land on the site, known as Charleston East, but according to Randy Tsuda, director of community development at the City of Mountain View, Google has not yet submitted an application for development on the property.


Source: Archpaper.com

Sustainable Architecture in the Ancient Worlds

I hold that sustainability is not just about energy efficiency and carbon footprints, but in the realm of architecture it also requires attention to durability. In these times of climate change and extreme weather events, biomorphic buildings will begin to appear more regularly, as will pyramid-shaped structures, the pyramid being the most durable building form.

Here are 5 ancient creations that have stood the test of time:

THE GREAT TEMPLE OF RAMSES II (left) / TEMPLE OF HATHOR / NEFERTARI (right) - EGYPT



These rock-cut temples are located in the ancient Wawat (or the legendary Ybsambul) in Nubia, near the borders of Sudan, about 300 kilometers from Aswan. Earlier temples in Nubia had been located within forts, but here the confidence of Ramses II, whose reign may have lasted as many as 67 years, is illustrated; these temples, probably once brightly colored, were cut into the natural rock and lapped by the Nile. After eleven centuries of oblivion, these temples were rediscovered in 1813 when Johann Ludwig Burckhardt saw by accident the upper parts of the colossal figures. In 1817 Giovanni Battista Belzoni found the entrance, partially freed from the sand. In the following years these temples were often partially covered by shifting sands.

Today visitors see the reconstructed temples now relocated on higher ground (60 meters directly above their earlier position) after the heroic international rescue efforts to save these treasures from Lake Nasser.

The facade of the Great Temple of Ramses is about 38 meters long and 31 meters high. The temple is dedicated to the most important gods of the New Kingdom, Ptah (the creator god of Memphis), Amun-Re (the great god of Thebes) and Re-Harakhte (sun god of Heliopolis), as well as to the Pharaoh Ramses II himself. The four colossi, statues of Ramses II (c. 1290-1224 BCE), are more than 20 meters high and about 4 meters from ear to ear.





TAJ MAHAL - INDIA



The Taj Mahal (Hindi: ताज महल, from Persian/Urdu: تاج محل "crown of buildings") is a mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."

Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Turkish and Indian architectural styles.

In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar component of the Taj Mahal, it is actually an integrated complex of structures. The construction began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, employing thousands of artisans and craftsmen. The construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a board of architects under imperial supervision, including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer









BOROBUDUR - INDONESIA




Borobudur, or Barabudur, is an 8th-century Mahayana Buddhist monument near Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.[1] A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.

The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). During the journey, the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the walls and the balustrades.

Evidence suggests Borobudur was abandoned following the 14th-century decline of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms in Java, and the Javanese conversion to Islam. Worldwide knowledge of its existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, then the British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians. Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, following which the monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borobudur is still used for pilgrimage; once a year Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the monument, and Borobudur is Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction.





MACHU PICCHU - PERU



Machu Picchu (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmatʃu ˈpitʃu], Quechua: Machu Pikchu [ˈmɑtʃu ˈpixtʃu], "Old Peak") is a pre-Columbian 15th-century Inca site located 2,430 metres (7,970 ft) above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas", it is perhaps the most familiar icon of the Inca World.

The Incas started building the "estate" around AD 1400, but abandoned it as an official site for the Inca rulers a century later at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Although known locally, it was unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction. Most of the outlying buildings have been reconstructed in order to give tourists a better idea of what the structures originally looked like.[3] By 1976, thirty percent of Machu Picchu had been restored. The restoration work continues to this day.

Since the site was never known to the Spanish during their conquest, it is highly significant as a relatively intact cultural site. Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. In 2007, Machu Picchu was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a worldwide Internet poll.

Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its three primary buildings are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. These are located in what is known by archaeologists as the Sacred District of Machu Picchu. In September 2007, Peru and Yale University almost reached an agreement regarding the return of artifacts which Yale has held since Hiram Bingham removed them from Machu Picchu in the early 20th century. In November 2010, a Yale University representative agreed to return the artifacts to a Peruvian university.





THE GREAT WALL - CHINA



The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups. Several walls have been built since the 5th century BC that are referred to collectively as the Great Wall, which has been rebuilt and maintained from the 5th century BC through the 16th century. One of the most famous is the wall built between 220–206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Little of that wall remains; the majority of the existing wall was built during the Ming Dynasty.

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east, to Lop Lake in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. The most comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has concluded that the entire Great Wall, with all of its branches, stretches for 8,851.8 km (5,500.3 mi). This is made up of 6,259.6 km (3,889.5 mi) sections of actual wall, 359.7 km (223.5 mi) of trenches and 2,232.5 km (1,387.2 mi) of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers







How about we build some iconic, durable buildings for our children and grandchildren?






- proposed Portlands Development finalist, Toronto (Architect: David Butterworth, Design / Visualization: Samuel Zeng)


sources: Wikipedia.org, bluffton.edu, Google image search

Origins of Green Design, Sustainable Buildings

Environmental design a key to survive, thrive

Sustainable design (also called environmental design, environmentally sustainable design, environmentally conscious design, etc.) is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability. The intention of sustainable design is to "eliminate negative environmental impact completely through skillful, sensitive design". Manifestations of sustainable design require no non-renewable resources, impact the environment minimally, and relate people with the natural environment.

History of Sustainable Design




Anasazi solar village Acoma a pioneering effort

Acoma Pueblo ( /ˈækəmə/; Western Keresan: Aa'ku; Zuni: Hakukya; Navajo: Haakʼoh), also known as "Sky City", is a Native American pueblo built on top of a 367-foot (112 m) sandstone mesa in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Settled around 1100, it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States.

The pueblo, believed to have been established in the 12th century or earlier, was chosen in part because of its defensive position against raiders. It is regarded as one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States, along with Old Oraibi, Arizona, as both communities were settled in the 11th century. Access to the pueblo is difficult as the faces of the mesa are sheer (a topographic map shows this best). Before modern times access was gained only by means of a hand-cut staircase carved into the sandstone.

Wikipedia info on Acoma Pueblo

Acoma Pueblo architectural reconstruction

"Bright Green" environmentalism a 21st Century eco-movement

Bright green environmentalism is an ideology based on the belief that the convergence of technological change and social innovation provides the most successful path to sustainable development.


Bright Green Ecology on wikipedia.org




Sources: Wikipedia.org,

Sustainable, biomorphic buildings; Visions of Our future

5 biomorphic architectural projects

1. Leaf House, Brazil, designed by Mareines and Patalano Arquitetura









2. Ecological Children's Activity and Education Center / 24H Architects, Thailand








3. Centre Pompidou-Metz in France by Shigeru Ban Architects, Japan








Community Center in Kunming Eco-Town (China) by Shigeru Ban, with landscaping by SWA


4. The National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing, China, by French architect Paul Andreu









5. Solar Forest - Electric Car Charging System for Parking Lots Solar Forest by Neville Mars

Utopic biomorphia a flowing, permaculture joy

Valencia Museum, by architect Santiago Calatrava




Designing green is not just about saving energy and reducing carbon footprints, it involves inspiring natural designs, comfortable, functional workspaces, healthy communities, and ultimately, creating a synthesis of beauty in both form and function, erecting buildings that live and breathe as contributors to society.


Earth's largest solar-powered building, in Dezhou, Shangdong, China


It is true that some architects feel constrained by LEED and other green building codes, yet I encourage forward thinkers to utilize government and association guidelines as absolute minimums. Use geothermal systems, strategic windows placement (smaller, eye-level on north side, medium size on east and west, with largest windows on south side), appropriate flora (deciduous on south side, coniferous on north side) etc and then you're building from the ground up, with solid foundations.

The point being, be conscious, but stay creative!



Here are glimpses, beginning with a sculpture (part of 8-part series by Irish artist Eilis O'Connell) from an exhibition entitled Biomorphia:





Jet House by Jerome Olivet



Centre Pompidou-Metz, by Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines



Biomorphic skyscraper and greening of Toronto waterfront, by Butterworth / Zeng


ACROS Fukuoka, green building project in Japan, above and below




World Trade Center Transportation Hub, designed by architect Santiago Calatrava


Ecological Children Activity and Education Center / 24H - Thailand

Guide to Green Architecture and Sustainable Building Design

World's largest solar-powered building - Dezhou, Shangdong, China


Green Architecture, LEED Design principles

Green Buildings and LEED certification process

Green architecture explained - eHow.com

Extreme Architecture the future of sustainable design?







Sustainable Design and Building Construction

Wikipedia info on green buildings, sustainable construction

Sustainable Building Design and construction - Fleming College course

Whole Building Design Guide - Sustainable

Guide to 21st Century Architecture and Design

Green Collar Economy website






Green Architects, Sustainable Architectural Design Studios

Sustainable Architects in the USA

ZDS Architects - Environmentally Sustainable Design

Canadian architect Paul Raff Studio - Visionary Green Design

Christopher Simmonds' sustainable architecture

Strasman Architects - Green Building Design in Canada

Toronto Ontario Canada architects and architectural design studios

Misool Eco Resort a Vision of Future Paradise

Indonesia's Misool Eco resort is not only a fabulous place to consider spending a vacation, it is also a vision and a blueprint for sustainable, eco-friendly architecture and design. Among its attributes:

- exclusive dive resort and conservation centre located in the southern part of Raja Ampat, Indonesia

- designed by Viv Faithfull from WH Architects of Australia

- located on private resort island Batbitim, which is fringed with powder-white beaches and protected by stunningly clear lagoons and abundant colorful reefs

- deeply committed to a policy of environmental and social responsibility; seeking to provide exceptional and enriching experiences in a sustainable environment

- committed to demonstrating to our hosts, our guests, and the local government that tourism can support a local economy with much more favourable terms than mining, logging, overfishing, or shark finning.


Here are some wondrously beautiful images of Misool Eco Resort and surrounding natural environment: