- May 19, 2011 • 10:30 am PDT
- + comments
- See original
- prevnext
The best of new architecture strikes the eye, not the environment.
The best new buildings are designed to complement the landscape, both aesthetically and through the efficient use of natural resources. As Martin Hunt, Head of the Built Environment at Forum for the Future, puts it: “If a building is going to be called ‘worldclass,’ it’s vital that sustainability is integral to the design.”
These leading examples of new architecture will inspire visitors to remember their dependence on the great outdoors, however snug or smart it is inside. From Switzerland to Singapore to Scunthorpe, U.K., the one thing they all share is their interaction with their surroundings. Designed along “bioclimatic” principles, each building draws on the local climate and the lay of the land (geology, topography, and vegetation) to maximize natural shelter, warmth, light and ventilation, and—wherever possible—to harvest and conserve water and energy.
Image: (cc) view of the north side of the Monte Rosa Hut by Wikimedia user Hwking.
Green Futures
Inspiring people with stories of positive soultions for a sustainable future.




























