Trends come and go, but this one is underpinned by science. One recent study found that occupants of green-certified buildings have 26 percent higher cognitive function scores, sleep better, and report fewer health problems compared to those in uncertified buildings. As green roofs increase in popularity, it’s no surprise that architects are getting interested in green walls and their workplace potential.
green wall
A new zoo slated for development in Sydney’s west will be home for a wide variety of exotic animals, but it will also play host to some Australian firsts in building design, led by best-practice sustainability objectives.
SUSTAINABILITY and the successful adaptation of an old building for a 21st century community have made the Bankstown Library and Knowledge Centre an inspiration for architects across Australia.
Built in the footprint of the old Osaka baseball stadium, Namba Parks is a shopping mall with an eight level rooftop garden that spans several city blocks and features tree groves, rock clusters, cliffs and canyons, lawns, streams, waterfalls, ponds and even space to grow veggies!
Housing Corporation VANKE recently commissioned Dutch firm NL Architects to create a proposal for a supermarket as part of a big resort in Sanya, China, which is renowned for its tropical climate and being a popular tourist destination. The proposed site consists of three buildings, each working together as corners of a triangular plot which envelopes lush semi-enclosed gardens.
In 2009 futurespace completed over 7000m2 of sustainable workplace for Google’s Australian HQ in Pyrmont, with a design review published in Indesign Magazine.