"earn a life"

2010-01-04T14:29:00.000+05:30

WHY CANT WE DO THE SAME?

2009-07-10T10:13:00.005+05:30

www.inhabitat.com

The small Australian town of Bundanoon just set a new standard for sustainability by voting to do what no community has ever done before: ban bottled water! The measure was founded over concerns about the tremendous amount of resources used to extract, package, and transport bottled water, and it passed nearly unanimously in a town hall meeting. Will this be the beginning of a trend and why SRI LANKA ?

2009-07-08T23:18:00.003+05:30

DESIGN COMPETITION

ABOUT

ANNOUNCING THE REBURBIA DESIGN COMPETITION!

Dwell Magazine and Inhabitat.com are pleased to announce the first ever Reburbia competition: a design competition dedicated to re-envisioning the suburbs.

With the current housing crisis, the sub-prime mortgage meltdown, and rising energy costs, the future of suburbia looks bleak. Suburban communities in central California, Arizona and Florida are desolate and decaying, with for sale and foreclosure signs dotting many lawns. According to the US Census, about 90% of all metropolitan growth occurred in suburban communities in the last ten years. Urbanites who loathe the freeways, big box stores and bland aesthetics stereotypical of suburbia may secretly root for the end of sprawl, but demographic trends indicate that exurban growth is still on the rise.

In a future where limited natural resources will force us to find better solutions for density and efficiency, what will become of the cul-de-sacs, cookie-cutter tract houses and generic strip malls that have long upheld the diffuse infrastructure of suburbia? How can we redirect these existing spaces to promote sustainability, walkability, and community? It’s a problem that demands a visionary design solution and we want you to create the vision!

Calling all future-forward architects, urban designers, renegade planners and imaginative engineers:
Show us how you would re-invent the suburbs! What would a McMansion become if it weren’t a single-family dwelling? How could a vacant big box store be retrofitted for agriculture? What sort of design solutions can you come up with to facilitate car-free mobility, ‘burb-grown food, and local, renewable energy generation? We want to see how you’d design future-proof spaces and systems using the suburban structures of the present, from small-scale retrofits to large-scale restoration—the wilder the better!

HOW TO ENTER THE REBURBIA COMPETITION

Enter the Inhabitat / Dwell REBURBIA competition, by sending up to 5 images and a statement about your design proposal. You can submit as many entries as you like, but each individual entry should be focused on one singular design problem/solution (i.e. a McMansion farm rehab, a bicycle transportation hub, a piezoelectric, energy-generating freeway paving system). Entries will be judged on clarity of idea, usefulness of design, and visual/aesthetic appeal of renderings.

Inhabitat
Inhabitat.com
Inhabitat.com is a web magazine devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and design towards a smarter and more sustainable future. With over 1.5 million readers a month, Inhabitat is a must-read for architects, designers, trendsetting consumers and cultural innovators who are working towards a better future. Learn more atwww.inhabitat.com
Dwell - At home in the modern world
Dwell Magazine & Dwell.com
Dwell brings modern design to the masses through our award-winning magazine and website. Since 2000, we've presented real stories about modern architects and designers, and the people who inhabit the spaces they create. We believe that good design should be a part of everyday life, and that sustainability and human experience are integral parts of good design. Perched on the cutting edge, with an eye toward the rapidly changing future and an appreciation of Modernist history, Dwell invites everyone to the table for a lively conversation about being at home in the modern world.

RECYCLING AND ARCHITECTURE

2009-07-07T17:19:00.006+05:30

people should be more closer to the environment. though we have done many mistakes in the past it is really required to return the energy that we have consumed or preserve them at this moment of time than letting it flow in to the environment.

as a developing nation we are really love to get the best and this would create a vital increase in the energy consumption. Today literally every nation in an financial crisis and seeking for quality solutions to enhance their environment too.

though our attitudes draw us back it is really important to see the real ground issues than living in a fantasy world.

lets practice...

http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/06/platoon-kunstjalle-seouls-shipping-container-subculture-art-center/

LET BE A CONCEPT

2009-07-06T09:24:00.003+05:30

HEY EVERYONE

THE HEADACHE IS GONE. NO MORE WAR THOUGH WE HAVE MANY THINGS TO RESOLVE.

HOPE EVERYBODY IS DREAMING OF SRI LANKA IS BEING A PARADISE IN THE FUTURE, SO WHATS YOUR DREAM OF SRI LANKA.

A PARTY PARADISE IN SOUTH ASIA...OR
THE LEGENDARY LANDSCAPE..OR
SO MANY TOURISTS...?

WHATEVER IT IS WHAT ARE THE MEANS OF REDUCING POLLUTION AND MAKING OF A EVER GREEN ENVIRONMENT...

BE FEEL FREE TO EXPRESS YOUR IDEAS AND DISCUSS WITH DREAMING SRI LANKANS...

CHEERS

LETS BE A CONCEPT......

Auroville Earth Institute

2009-03-01T09:12:00.003+05:30

EARTH CONSTRUCTION

DC

2008-12-31T15:09:00.002+05:30

HEAD:Are you a designer? no.

TAIL:How can that be? Cos im not a designer from my profession.

HEAD:Hey designing is not merely a profession it is a lifetime dedication to see the things in the way they should be. And every one can be designers to some extend. May be you have not expolred the beauty of that, may be you are the BEST.

TAIL:So then i ll try out .

http://www.ydta.hk/e_index.html

DECORATE YOUR GARDEN WITH YOUR OWN WASTE_REGIFORM POT

2008-09-11T09:17:00.005+05:30

This inspiration we found in the garden of Mr. and Mrs. Kahawita De Silva, who are architects by profession. This is one of the beautiful plants in the garden and which is really interesting here is that the container of the growing plants and we found in a corner of their garden without any prominence given to it.

Today we can get the inspiration and develop this further to prevent or to minimize the damage course by us to the Mother Nature. This reveas the sensitivity of them to their environment. We believe our environment could be much greater if we start looking for inspirations than watching for substances.

SUSTAINABLE INDEX VS HOLCIM

2008-09-10T12:08:00.004+05:30

Holcim sets benchmark in sustainability again

For the fourth year in succession, Holcim has been named "Leader of the Industry" in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) and once again acknowledged as the company with the best sustainability performance in the building materials industry. The Group has been included in both the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Dow Jones STOXX Sustainability Index for six years.

The recognition rewards the continued and further strengthened commitment to sustainable development as an important part of the Group’s strategy. The Group’s recycling strategy, its dialogue with stakeholders as well as its efforts in human resources development received top scores.

Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index was the first global index to assess the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. The Dow Jones Sustainability World Index comprises the top 10 percent of the biggest 2,500 companies globally. The Dow Jones STOXX Sustainability Index includes 20 percent of the best-placed companies in the Dow Jones STOXX 600 Index. Analysis is based on an annual assessment of general and industry-specific sustainability criteria undertaken by SAM Group.

Further information:

- Detailed assessment of Holcim: www.holcim.com/sustainable

- More information on the indexes: www.sustainability-indexes.com

WASTE BOTTLES CAN BE USED FOR GREAT WORKS

2008-09-09T13:59:00.006+05:30

Creativity poured in to waste glass. You can try with your waste bottles as well.

HABBIT|YOURSELF

GO HUNTING | BARGAIN BOOKS

2008-09-08T13:19:00.003+05:30

Hey all.

Which is more important:

1.0 buy a new book for the original price?

2.0 buy a bargained book for half the price?

Its all that you have to decide.

But i found a great fortune in buying bargained books and i got them for 50% discount.

All what i have to do is to spend a little money and rebind it.

If you walk around the coners of Colombo Im sure that you would find such Great Books.

Again in the proper book shops it is available.

Hope we should not let someones efforts decay and it would be profitable for us as well.

cheers

A GREAT PIECE OF FURNITURE BY WASAWA BANDARA

2008-09-05T14:39:00.006+05:30

Wasawa Bandara is a Furnture Designer who is having an enormous potential towards inspiring the situations as he confronts them. He has many experience loacally and internationaly and seeking each and every possibility to serve the Sri Lankan Furniture Designing Industry.

This is one of his work when he was a student at University of Moratuwa, Sri lanka.

The best of this piece of furniture is that the approach is sustainable.

GREEN PATRIOTS.MISSION

2008-09-05T13:13:00.002+05:30

WANNA BECOME A GREEN PATRIOT

WHAT THE HEL IS THIS?

2008-08-29T07:39:00.002+05:30

A REAL HUMANRATIAN MISSION

"Colombo-the city we live"

2008-08-25T13:10:00.000+05:30

earn a life.PEOPLE

Suggestions to improve City of Colombo, forward your own experience.

"People may argue that the city is not human friendly since it caters the intense functions and the commercial activities only. Click your camera or your mind on incidents and about the places and put your own thoughts to it."

Because we believe anything would be possible if we are really in to it.

"Your Ideas Are Highly Appreciated"_8 comments

2008-08-19T10:00:00.002+05:30

earn a life.ACTIVE !

We found a donor and willing to implement a remarkable project for Tsunami affected people to enhance their physical and moral values.

Today we have to realize though their habitation is fulfilled, they are not totally recovered. So we thought of rethinking of such a communities as they are our own Brothers and Sisters.

As professionals we would like to make this an opportunity to welcome everyone to participate in this endeavor with their ideas. We would appreciate your ideas and give you the credit of it and develop the successful proposals to reach the possible implementations.

Projects Suggested:

(You can also come up with your own suggestions, justifications)

^Solar Power for remote tsunami affected people

^Multi functioning Beach Park to provide employment options for the community

^Library targeting children

^Rainwater harvesting home program and cultivations

Budget:

50 million LKR Approx.

Location:

(You can come up with suggestions, justifications)

Any tsunami affected area

A GREAT WEB LINK WHICH INSPiRES YOU FOR YOUR OWN ENVIRONMENT

2008-08-07T13:20:00.003+05:30

You can make your own healthy environment.. GREAT

A NEW (CO2) SUCKING PRECASTE CONCRETE

2008-08-06T13:09:00.008+05:30

Canadian environmental consultants,Carbon Sense Solutions, may have just developed a carbon storage method that could reduce global CO2 emissions by as much as 1% a year. Their new method called, CO2 Accelerated Concrete Curing, accelerates the curing process and stores carbon dioxide at the same time. This method applies only to precast concrete, but has the potential to make a huge impact on the world.

Transforming Buildings

2008-07-30T17:05:00.003+05:30

Gary Chang - Reconfigurable Living Spaces - Suitcase House Hotel by Gary Chang

Sustainable Living - "Thought of, but couldn't do much"

2008-07-26T23:54:00.003+05:30

Talks from 2007 for Sustainable Environments

“Lifestyle development has to be sustainable and environment friendly, and is of critical importance and urgent as well,” stated Rukshan Widyalankara, President of the SLIA, going on to add that the design community had a large part to play in arresting the progress of environmental deterioration.

A Sustainable Construction

2008-07-26T23:45:00.000+05:30

Seventy percent use of recyclable materials in a building

“We have used almost 70 per cent of recycled building materials, traditional clay apart from limited concrete usage on essential points. Timber, door frames, windows and most of the furniture are made from recycled materials, saving the limited resources we have on this planet,” Maulie explained.

2008-07-26T17:37:00.000+05:30

Solid Waste Management

Project-Bamboo Cafe Monaragala-Published in SLIA Magazine 2008 July Volume

2008-07-24T12:03:00.000+05:30

PRK Jayasene/Sampath Jayasekere
M.Sc. Year 11
Faculty of Architecture
University of Moratuwa
Sri Lanka
Project time duration 1 month
Requirement
Dining area for 20 people at any given time
Space for the displaying food
Cooking facilities
Outside verandah with sitting area
Washing area
Toilets
Design
The structure and more appliances and elements in the design are made out of bamboo in various shapes and lengths. Lamp shades stools worktops and even door panels are such.Careful detailing is improved to use bamboo in various compositions with special thought given to fix details and methods.

This is done while not compromising on the distinct of the quality of bamboo and its surface textures. Hence every attempt is made to expose bamboo in its pure, natural form.The structure exudes openness around the spaces; expect for a few cubicles for the service areas such as toilet and kitchen.

Those areas too are designed with air gaps on the top to facilitate unobstructed air flow. Monaragala has an arid hot climate and ample air movement through space is most welcome.The entire structure is raised above ground. These allows for minimum intervention on ground water floor and other vegetation and in addition, keeps away the creepy crawlies abundant in the area, from entering the cafe's interior.

The roof, also made of bamboo has a slight slope to allow rainwater to drain off effectively.The service areas are the only areas lined with cement and they are built to prevent prolonged moisture from coming in to direct contact with bamboo.

Sustainable Living- Living Yourself

2008-07-23T09:13:00.000+05:30

Sustainable living is the process of being less dependent on irreversible natural resources. Rather it can be explained as living as a part of the natural process than making the nature a part of the human process.

Nature is everything in this physical world and the natural process makes the people and all the creatures living on this earth, healthy and a safe. Our anatomy is also derived from the nature with the evolution of the activity, environmental changes and so on. But today we see human mind is quite confident to overcome the natural barriers with technology. But in the same time the power is generated for such is with very toxic ways similar to consuming fuel which emits a huge bunch of green house gases which destroys the balance of the natural process. Directly and in directly this affects the well being of all the living creatures and it make instant and long-term consequences, because the anotomy is not in an evolusion but in a revolution.

Today after the industrial revolution western part of the world has reached the top in technology. Therefore their economy is well dependent on the industrial processes. though this is the truth, today they are very aware and sensitive to the environmental changes. The results seems irreversible today.

The truth is that the world is already polluted. There are very less virgin places left. Further people should understand by now that the consequences are coming very soon today as the tolerance level of the nature on human activities has reached its maximum. This is a very dangerous situation for the well being of the earth from the next millisecond.

Though there was an another G8 summit inviting India and the China as external parties to it couldn’t take a proper challenging decision on emission of green house gases and on other pollutants from their own countries. This is because no country was brave enough to change its trend of the economy which produces toxic gases to atmosphere.

Yes, it is a great challenge to convince people for a greater scarification to save the earth. But without the people who are the activist and the visionary leaders of the virtual world that the humans have already created, it is impossible to save the real world as it is now though it is polluted.

So everyone today is having great responsibilities towards a better world in the future years. The emission of the green house gases should be avoided as much as possible and reuse of the materials to be promoted. These strategies should be reflected in every move that the man would make.

There is a responsibility for all the professionals engaged in all fields to think creatively and move forward for a healthy and a safe world. Though the actions that we could make are less and small the effect of such can be out of your imagination.

Everyone can start contributing to this movement, which is for them. Though the method is simple one should always keep in mind that whatever you do to understand the natural process that much they will get benefitted and all the actions which is supporting the natural process can make the world a better place from tomorrow’s first sunlight.

COOKER WITH A TIN AND THE FUEL IS TIMBER DUST.

2008-07-16T23:35:00.000+05:30

RECYCLING OF TRACING PAPERS from architects offices

2008-07-13T12:01:00.000+05:30

Archi_Bag

FROM HISTORY

2008-07-13T12:00:00.000+05:30

http://images.google.lk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lakehouse.lk/Mihintalava/images/art-02-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lakehouse.lk/Mihintalava/art-02.htm&h=376&w=307&sz=71&hl=en&start=57&um=1&tbnid=psXm8DLF8AuD-M:&tbnh=122&tbnw=100&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtraditional%2Bsri%2Blanka%2Barchitecture%26start%3D54%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

BRIEF GARDEN

2008-07-13T11:31:00.000+05:30

GROW YOUR OWN HOUSE

2008-07-13T08:50:00.001+05:30

A concept by Laki Senanayake.
Tyre foundations.. and so many innovative designs.
Search on web for Laki Senanayake

Flyovers and Urban Landscape - ABSTRACT FOR SLAAS 2008-By Suresh, E.A.T.

2008-07-13T08:07:00.003+05:30

Introduction
Today with the development there is a huge demand for making better cityscapes which functions well. Functioning of the city is not merely the traffic on roads, but it means lot to the functioning of the urban landscape where every activity is taking place. Eventually with the development the number of vehicles added to the existing road network is getting more and more and traffic has become a huge problem in the cities with the growing population and the activities.
It is vital to solve the traffic in a proper way as well as to create proper spaces for people to live. Here more focus is on the effect of the flyovers towards the urban landscape as a flyover comes merely as a traffic solution.

Hypothesis
When a flyover is placed merely to solve the traffic issues, it is true the vehicles could use it effectively. But when it comes to the place where it stands and it is surrounding, it is just a new structure placed and it can have many effects visually, physically and psychologically to the life under it. Therefore the solution given through a flyover should improve the ground context as well as its own purpose.

Method
The analysis can be performed by photographic studies physical surveys and observations regarding the visual and the physical effects of a flyover but the psychological effect can be understand by analyzing them on a basis created with the selected scholars’ ideas.

Results
It is quite evident that the effects of these anonymous structures in a cityscape is very critical and it creates more and more lost spaces, meaning less spaces which are defective in terms of a better habitation.

Discussion
The analysis will leads to solutions or otherwise to forming of the strategies in terms of the better urban environments

Conclusion
As this is becoming a common scenario in every place where we are going to have them it is always better to design the space where it stands responding to the ground level as well. Such solutions would enhance the functionality of all the layers of the city sensitively.