great green-ies: singapore's solar powered supertrees

 {via co.exist}

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have you seen the new supertrees of singapore? 

a magical solar-powered canopy of artificial tall *trees* towering over the urban seaside.

i'm fascinated by the lovely design & shape,  & intrigued by the green-li-ness of the project. the tree-towers also convert sunlight into usable energy, collect rainwater for reuse and act as air-vent ducts for nearby conservatories. cool!

(& you know how i love vertical gardens & that vertical forest!)

what do you think? yay or nay?

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my pretend home : LEGO style!

 vote for the SPECHTHARPMAN ZEROHOUSE.

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vote for VILLA HILLCREST.

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 vote for CASE STUDY HOUSE 27 & a half.

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 vote for the SLOT HOUSE.

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i LOVE this!

dwell's hosting a fabulous LEGO modern home design competition.

check out some of the 135 entries! 

j'adore!

go vote for your favourite, cuties!

(who said you can't build your dream home 

for under $50 dollars!?) 

which one's your fave?

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 vote for SCHLITT HOUSE.

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vote for HUNTINGTON LAKE CABIN.

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 vote for 2712 MOUNTAIN DRIVE.

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 vote for the MOMO HOME.

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vote for SUBURBAN HOUSE

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vote for OVERTON.

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vote for SEVEN HILL HOUSE.

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artists 101: architect shigeru ban

the paper house, lake yamanaka japan by shigeru ban

the japan pavillion for expo 2000 by shigeru ban

 

paper concert hall, l'aquila italy by shigeru ban 

the paper dome, puli taiwan by shigeru ban

 the paper tower by shigeru ban (image by duncan)

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who's your favourite architect these days, nicies?

mine?

shigeru ban!

a brilliant, innovative & award-winning architect, shigeru ban's  reknowned works include the most fabulous permanent paper structures made from inexpensive, recycled materials like paper-board & tubes of cardboard. (i can't stop leafing thru the latest book: shigeru ban: paper in architecture! eegadz his work is amazing!) while he works in many medium, i'm especially in love with the paper delights!

and just incase that wasn't enough to love, his amazing designs for prefab emergency housing, shelters, schools (even churches!)  have been adopted by the united nations for numerous emergencies around the globe. and he's the founder of VAN ( the voluntary architects network!)

brilliant & ethical & functional.

love!

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temporary school made of paper by shigeru ban

emergency tubing partitions by shigeru ban

below: emergency multi-storey container housing, miyagi, japan

&

temporary cardboard cathedral plans for christchurch, new zealand by shigeru ban

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brilliant advertising photos: the architecture inside musical instruments

 all images courtesy of the berlin philharmonic

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ah... the art of music!

as small business entrepreneurs we're always talking about the importance of GREAT great photography to advertise our businesses.

so i especially love the way the berlin philharmonic took this idea to heart recently & showcased these AMAZING macro lens photos of the INSIDES of orchestra instruments, for a series of promotional posters. aren't they BRILLIANT?

don't you want to just LIVE inside each one?

talk about unique perspectives! bravo!

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mini & modern beach hut models

fabulous beach hut miniatures

1 . the anti-gravity hut | marcio gonclaves luiz 

2. beach babe | sven ronshausen

3. twisted lobster pot | matthew wickens

4. sun scoop | francis graves

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the weather cools.

but my love for the beach fades not!

how about a little bonfire in the sand in front of one of these fabulous mini & modern beach hut models ? a little tiny retreat maybe? they're entries from the "bathing beauties *re-imagine the beach hut for the 21st century*" coastal design competition. {via mini modern}

they're all 1:15 scale models. 

brilliant.

talking of miniature:  did you hear about this wonderful modern dollhouse decorating challenge: i'm a giant over at the beautiful style by emily henderson ? looks so fun! (& great judges!) 

which beach hut's your fave? 

do love mini things? (i'm obsessed)

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1. look out | lucy lavers

2. aeolus | hugo hardy & jonathan wong 

3. cardboard box | dale robertson

4. lift me up | anastasia saward

5. raise da roof | aya mazda

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my pretend home: {element 3} a fabulous staircase

let's begin with a breath of fresh air by ong & ong

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gorgeous from the penthouse of the Gray boutique hotel in milan

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and why not a slide staircase? love it via ohdeedoh

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or this indoor playhousey charmer via ohdeedoh

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for the booklover via home interiors zone

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or in white ...love this via condor gliding

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or perhaps the book-crazed {mr. rikrak?} via condor gliding

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love the colour via treppenmeister

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i'll take the whole house via lundberg

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so fun looking, but i'd totally fall off the side every time ... eeek!

via fopple

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"honey... you forgot your keys up here... fear not... i'll just drop them down this fun spirally shoot in the middle of our home" via fixr {so pretty!}

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fun via fixr

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love this great repurposing via boing boing

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it may be all those lego fantasy homes i build these days or my happy chance to work-from-home every day, but gosh i could day-dream away a week or two designing my dream home in my mind!  {plus ... it's easier on the pocketbook!} 

so welcome to my pretend home. each installment focusing on a fun designerly element i adore.

so far we've got
{element 1} : the glass wall!
{element 2}: the conversation pit!

and today...

{element 3} : a fabulous staircase

oh the possibilities of an amazing case-o-stairs. 

found some lovelies for you, nicies.

not necessarily too practical... but who needs practical in a pretend home? :)

what's a design element you long for in your pretend home?

yay daydreamin'!

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sublime, no? via bodew

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and from the same home as above.. what a fabulous home-office slidey stairs via bodew

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such a great spine! via fafifu

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so pretty via roomunik

lovely via decordiz

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my hommage to the sound of music foyer via modeco design

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i love this house! via new house of art

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spooky but intrequing via elle decor italia

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why have only ONE staircase when you could have 2? 

by bates masi architects

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fun painted stairs via fabulous on a budget

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fun staircase wallpapering via apartment therapy

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wouldn't a mid-century scarlett & rhett love it?  

via armchairflashback

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and for the more austere... a concrete slidey staircase. i guess once you're down, you're down! via onesecretmission

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