This modern urban house was designed by Bassam el Okeily and Karl Menten in Biltzen, Belgium. Architects have done an excellent job by creating a transparent puzzle building with an outstanding facade made from glass. Behind the glazed facade one can see rising walls and ledges in different angles forming interesting shades while illuminated by artificial or even natural light. This idea can be explained as an abstract picture of shattered glass. The result is excellent, a sculptural piece. As for the privacy of the owners, it is hard to say if the house provides some, but living in it got to be great either-way. The overall look of the exterior as well as interior proves that a simple and good idea can create an unusual affect.

Modern Indian Palace

Adhra Pradesh has recently announced the finalization of a unique project with a long name LEED Gold Certified Hotel Park Hotel in Hydrabad, India. It is a unique complex, also called the Modern Indian palace. This new hotel has been designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merill studio (SOM). They combined ultra modern elements with traditional popular Indian architecture. Impressive facade is made from perforated metal that serves as window protection as well. Architects took into account local conditions: daylight, orientation, solar gains and climate. The aim was to maximize the amount of the natural sunlight and protect the building from reheating. The inner atrium is taken in by a hotel swimming pool. Around the pool guests can visit a number of restaurants, bars, stores in total privacy. All rooms are viewing the lakes and surrounding country. SOM have cooperated with Stevens Institute of Technology`s Product Architecture Lap in Honoken, New Jersey to find the best way to minimize the energy consumption which was cut down by 20%. Also the sewerage plant was constructed in cooperation with scientists. The hotel is first in India to be awarded Leed Gold certificate and marked as the best new project of the year 2010 in India.

Momentary city

Vector Architecs is an architecture studio based in Beijing, China that designed the project “Momentary city in Hefei, China. Hafei, as well as other Chinese cities, is coming through big changes. The existing urban build-up area was divided and replaced by giant blocks of anonymous structures and forms. Today`s appearance of the city is just a momentary look to the future city that should be build here that is why the project got the name “Momentary city”. Architects aimed to construct a city that brings to their citizens peace of mind. They filtered off noise and dust coming from the outside while preserving the real life moments as natural light and shade, look at water with waves, sound of the wind or flowers with their perfume.By situating these moments between the outside urban environment and indoor area, every guest can live these moments. The disposition of courtyards forms the foundation of a logic that informs the transitional spaces. Natural sunlight enters the interior directly or indirectly through a number of clerestories. Thanks to the changing light throughout the day and the seasons, the interior spaces take on always distinctive expressions.

Taiwan Tower

DSBA upgrade.studio was awarded 1st prize in international conceptual competition for a new skyscraper design in Taiwan. They won because of their original concept of floating observation decks. Architects got inspired by the shape of the Taiwan island resembling to a leaf that is why they used this element in their extended concept. Skyscraper or tower is actually a technology tree with 8 spatial leaves looking like Zeppelin ships sliding up and down the centric tree, serving the guests as lifts. Tower has not only ground levels but the underground levels as well. It houses all needed functions: information center, museum, office spaces, conference rooms, restaurants or observation decks. Their design is unique because of the minimal parcel requirements and offers enough of green spaces. Besides that vertical communications are integrated and it takes advantage of natural ventilation. Offices are viewing at all four world directions what creates a generous interior space. The building is powered by electric energy produced by a series of axial turbines situated along the vertical center. The lighting of underground spaces and museum is created thanks to a fiber optic system. The heating system of the floating observation decks is powered by an electromagnetic field while the electricity is created by a new membrane technology. Challenging was the problem with the rain water that is collected by an underground tank where the water is purified, so it can be reused.

Triangulo House

In the midst of wild nature in Costa Rica an architecture group Ecostudio Architects has designed a unique housing. “Triangulo” means triangle in Spanish, the house is based on geometry of three points linked by three lines. Each of these three lines has its length, the longest two are delimiting the parcel. The projects is a group of volumes that are either filled or void, horizontal or vertical. These groups are surrounded by dominating solid element that fades away and merges with the wild. Some of the volumes are covered by dark wood. The limits between the exterior and interior are at some points unnoticeable. Architect`s aim to reconnect them was achieved by glazed walls, ledges and juts and covered terraces. The dining-room is taking advantage of an excellent idea to construct a double skylight that provides direct sunlight into the house. The strongest element of the interior is a staircase looking more like a sculpture than a functional vertical communication.

Kindergarten in El Porvenir

The building of the Social kindergarten in El Porvenir, in Bogota, the capital of Colombia was finished in 2009. The name of the architect who designed the building is Giancarlo Mazzanti. He created a very fresh design for children living in a very poor area situated within uptown of the Colombian capital. The new building is mostly white, the white color should represent hope. At the beginning, the initial idea was to transform into design the children game with blocks. The project is planned to be able to adapt to different situations, topographic as well as urban. The entire complex is protected by an exterior structure of two walls. Behind the first one are playgrounds with public areas, behind the other one a complex of kindergarten buildings. Buildings are more or less simple in order to be multifunctional. At the same time a cosy space for children of different age was created.

Rufo House

Spanish architect Campo Baeza is well-known for his minimalistic and abrupt architecture that has shown recently by hist design of the Rufo House. The house was constructed on a hilltop near by the Spanish city of Toledo. The parcel lays on the southwest side of the hill provides interesting views on the distant horizon. The shape is formed by two long concrete blocks with perforations and voids that can accommodate different functions. Each floor is divided into separate sections. The upper floor has two sections, one housing living-room and dining-room that opens to the garden, while the other one is the bedroom with an access on the court providing maximum of privacy. The ground-floor is embedded in the slope, houses all the other needed rooms. This floor is more massive contrasting with the upper floor with glazed walls and reinforced concrete skeleton. Overall, the project aims to create series of private spaces protected from the outside views by a dense out-planting of poplar trees.

Unique Gym

Unique Gym has been constructed in the French city of Sait Gilles. Architect Jean Marc Rivet has created an outstanding green design. This eco-friendly building is energy-saving, reducing impact on its surroundings. The gym is inclined at one side that has a large glazed window providing optimal sunlight for the interior. Since the building is eco-friendly, it has photovoltaic panels as energy source. Pleasing roof gardens are accessible from the training grounds what provides enough of fresh air for athletes. As for the exterior of the building, it is formed by simple stripe design, a pattern of two bricks laid in both directions creates an interesting contrast. Natural colors predominate the interior complemented by small details as red entrance door. Facades have a stainless covering emphasizing the horizontal line of the building.

Massive house in a Jungle

Costa Rica is one of the world`s most eco-friendly countries. This luxurious holiday house is situated right in the fringe area of the Costa Rica`s jungle meant to serve not only rich and famous people but ready to host families with children as well. The entire residence has a surface of 6500 square meters and was constructed on a steep hill-slope. The building provides an excellent view on a forest and Pacific ocean. Looking from the outside, the exterior of the five stars residence looks like a skeleton of an unfinished house but it was the purpose. It has created extra hidden spaces or terraces providing extraordinary views and experience. In some cases it is hard to say if a space is interior or exterior. Besides terraces with beautiful views on surrounding wild where one can meditate, guests can relax in a hot-tub or swimming pool. The interior is furnished in various tones of brown colour. The majority of the furniture is made from wood or rattan. Very special is a bathroom with glazed floor to ceiling windows where one having a bath can enjoy the view at the ocean.