When entering a concert hall or gallery, we expect to encounter art inside. But why restrict the performance to the stage?

Over the past two years, French firm Herault Arnod Architectes has been busily constructing a multi-functional building on the edge of northeast France’s last remaining coal mine. The building, aptly called The Metaphone, is itself an urban musical instrument, capable of projecting performances outward into the community. According to the designers, the structure’s walls produce and diffuse sounds in harmony with the play of light.

The exterior of the Metaphone sports mosaic tiles that hint at the playfulness within. The entire concert hall, including annexes, technical rooms and audience boxes, are contained within a volume of black concrete. This is then wrapped in a light skin made of scales of different materials: ground glass, steel, and wood. Between the concrete mass and the dappled skin are technical walkways are provided for installing and maintaining the sound and lighting equipment. On the roof, the lattice extends into a sheet of integrated photovoltaic solar cells.

Besides stages and soundboards, the Metaphone concert hall has also grown musical appendages. “The instrumental elements are made up of plates of different materials, whose acoustic properties have been calculated to produce musical sound,” explain the designers. “There are two principles of sound production: mechanical or electroacoustic, with vibrating bowls mounted on the plates to form loudspeaker membranes (this technique is commonly used in the car industry). These systems have been developed and tested by making a prototype of the musical facade, composed of 8 modules measuring 1.2 meters, half fitted with an acoustic instrument, the other half with vibrating plates.”

In addition to amplifying music created on the porch out to an audience seated on the lawn, World Architecture reports that “the panels in the outer shell can be vibrated using a series of cables connected to a control cabin…Plans are to invite musicians from around the world to remotely operate this unusual instrument and display their work through a new medium.”

Related on EcoSalon:

Dithyrambalina: Where Louisiana Art Oozes From The Buildings

17 Living Roofs: The High Tech Future Of Architecture

The Changing Facade Of Urban Architecture

Images: Herault-Arnod

The post This Solar-Powered Concert Hall Doubles As A Musical Instrument! appeared first on EcoSalon.

The traditional gardening season is drawing to a close, but don’t fret! These spectacular rooftop gardens will keep your green thumb inspired all year long.

In densely-populated cities, living roofs can be a great way to combat urban heat island effect while producing healthy food and a place to escape the rat-race. If you’re looking for some elevated gardening inspiration, have we got a treat for you.

Far from a few pots of tomatoes on a fire escape, the following rooftop gardens show exactly how much gardening potential exists high above our heads. Check out these amazing rooftop garden designs from designers and property owners around the world, and get inspired for your own living roof!

1. Chicago City Hall Rooftop Garden

Chicago’s most famous rooftop garden sits atop City Hall, an 11-story office building in the Loop. Planted in 2000, the garden was designed to demonstrate the benefits of green roofs and how they affect temperature and air quality. The garden now features more than 100 species of plants, including native prairie and woodland grasses and forbs, hardy ornamental perennials and grasses, several species of native and ornamental shrubs, and two varieties of trees.

2. Nine Houses, Dietikon, Switzerland

Ok, so this one is cheating a little bit, but it was too awesome to omit. Designed by architect Peter Vetsch back in 1993, this cluster of nine separate residences are made out of concrete and buried in earth and grass. The overall effect is like something out of “The Hobbit.”

“Residents can use their rooftops however they choose, and as such some are planted as gardens, others used as sitting areas with shrubs. Many rooftops are not used at all, and are simply undulating meadows,” write the designers.

3. Rockefeller Center Green Roof

Did you know the Rockefeller Center is the oldest commercial building with green roof in America? For more than 75 years, the rooftop gardens on top of the Center have boasted impeccably manicured shrubs, flowers, and lawns. “Created by landscape architect Ralph Hancock, the gardens’ elaborate fountain pools, stone planters, and vegetation are most definitely not the types of structures you see on rooftop gardens today,” reports Inhabitat. “To support the thousands of tons of extra weight from the pipes, soil, and pumps, the Rockefeller Center’s roofing was reinforced with extra steel.” Unfortunately, the gardens are almost never open to the public.

4. Place-Royale, Quebec

Considered the birthplace of French America, Place-Royale is a destination for history and culture enthusiasts. “The public square became a marketplace under the French regime. It was also the place where criminal executions and corporal punishment were carried out,” explains MCQ.org. Over time, it became run-down, and the government stepped in to preserve and restore the historically significant buildings. Atop one, this whimsical living roof was planted as a place for enjoying greenery, fountains and public art.

5. VivoCity Sky Park, Singapore

Normally, green space and a nation’s largest shopping mall aren’t things we’d mention in the same sentence, but this architectural marvel from Singapore proves that it can be done. The VivoCity mall features a massive Sky Park that’s open to the sun and fresh air. A favorite destination of locals as well as international tourists, the rooftop features gardens, an ampitheatre, open air playground, and a wading area that the area of four Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Related on Ecosalon:

10 Ideas For Sexy Urban Gardens

4 Indoor Growing Gadgets For Lazy Gardeners

Images: pinboke, joebehr, Green Roofs, digitizedchaos, meddygarnet, Calvin Teo

The post 5 Drool-Worthy Rooftop Gardens You’ve Got To See appeared first on EcoSalon.

The best of the week at EcoSalon, hand-picked for your clicking pleasure.

K. Emily Bond considers the “Fleshy, Sexy Architecture of Human Proportions” – and the main image of her post? Check these out. (Alas, only concept mock-ups – but wouldn’t they be awesome in real life?)

Britons love shoving their clothes into the backs of wardrobes, government watchdog Wrap said this week. How many? Oh, just $45 billion worth. So that’s where all the money has gone in the world.

What statements do our clothes make about us? When you’re in the public eye, it’s your business to know  – and here Rowena Ritchie takes a look at some very famous people who know exactly what to say with what they wear.

Let’s face it – Nutella has shaped the development of a lot of people. Ferrero would like us to believe that’s a really good thing, as their recent advert shows – but what really goes into a jar of Nutella? Jessica Marati digs in.

And finally, staying with food, Anna Brones considers how travel shapes the nature of the food you eat, and uses this as an argument to justify eating Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. We are totally behind her all the way.

The post The Friday 5: People-Shaped Edition appeared first on EcoSalon.

In one door and out another.

There’s something about a doorway that is at once welcoming and guarded. It provides an entrance as well as an exit; it beckons you while keeping you out. When you browse through this collection of door photos from around the world, you can’t help but wonder what lies beyond those thresholds. Let your imagination run wild.

(above) Lansing, Michigan, USA

Valletta, Malta

Santa Cruz, California, USA

Vicars Close, Wells, England

Valderrobres, Spain

Budapest, Hungary

Polperro, England

Williamsville, Delaware, USA

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA

Darap, Sikkim, India

Morin Heights, Quebec, Canada

Lodi, Italy

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Santorini, Greece

Bathurst, Australia

London, England

Busan, South Korea

St. Goar, Germany

Lima, Peru

Taquile, Peru

Banquiao, New Taipei, Taiwan

Portland, Maine, USA

Santorini, Greece

Lincolnshire, England

Vientiane, Laos

Dixon, Illinois, USA

Luc-Sur-Mer, France

New Delhi, India

Chiloè Island, Chile

Tehran, Iran

Hanoi, Vietnam

Weilheim-Schongau, Germany

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Paris, France

Aivali, Turkey

New York, New York, USA

Rising, Illinois, USA

San Mateo, California, USA

Michigan City, Indiana, USA

Montbrió, Spain

SEE ALSO:

40 Gorgeous Photos of Europe

40 Gorgeous Photos of North America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Latin America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Asia

40 Gorgeous Photos of Africa

25 Photos of Islands Threatened by Climate Change

25 Images of Female Adrenaline Seekers

40 Photos from Flea Markets Around the World

30 Gorgeous Photos of Winter Snowscapes

30 Gorgeous Photos of Farming and Agriculture

15 Hilarious Photos of Interspecies Mingling

30 Photos of the World’s Most Uniquely Designed Buildings

20 Photos of Female Activists Throughout History

30 Gorgeous Photos of Spring

30 Gorgeous Photos of Traditional Textiles

25 Photos of Urban Green Spaces

25 Photos of Zen Retreats

25 Photos Celebrating Jazz History

The post 40 Photos of Doors from Around the World appeared first on EcoSalon.

No laptops allowed.

We live in an over-connected world of smartphones, social networking, and 24-hour news cycles. Sometimes, you just need to get away from it all. Whether you dream of a wood cabin in the forest, a cabana on an empty beach, or a treehouse outfitted in sustainable materials, there’s a zen retreat that’s sure to fit the bill. Let this collection of images inspire your next escape.

(above) Minimalist Retreat, Leiria, Portugal

Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

Hudson Passive Project, Hudson Valley, New York, USA

Desert Nomad House, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Minimalist Country Retreat, Corcovado River, Portugal

Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos

Asilomar Retreat Complex, Pacific Grove, California, USA

Stealth Barn, Norfolk, England

Summerhouse, Sweden

Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Palm Island, The Grenadines

Mesa Cabin, Utah, USA

Desert Nomad House, Tucson, Arizona, USA

The King of the Frogs Tree House, Münster, Germany

Bay of Fires, Northeast Tasmania, Australia

Latitude 10 Resort, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

Tierra Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Little Cabin, Yakutat, Alaska, USA

Romantic and Stylish Upstate Cabin, Elizaville, New York, USA

The Naka Island, Phuket, Thailand

Off-grid itHouse, Pioneertown, California, USA

Japanese Garden, Pasadena, California, USA

Canvas Hotel, Telemark County, Norway

lostrivermodern, Lost City, West Virginia, USA

Paperbark Camp, Jervis Bay, Australia

SEE ALSO:

40 Gorgeous Photos of Europe

40 Gorgeous Photos of North America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Latin America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Asia

40 Gorgeous Photos of Africa

25 Photos of Islands Threatened by Climate Change

25 Images of Female Adrenaline Seekers

40 Photos from Flea Markets Around the World

30 Gorgeous Photos of Winter Snowscapes

30 Gorgeous Photos of Farming and Agriculture

15 Hilarious Photos of Interspecies Mingling

30 Photos of the World’s Most Uniquely Designed Buildings

20 Photos of Female Activists Throughout History

30 Gorgeous Photos of Spring

30 Gorgeous Photos of Traditional Textiles

The post 25 Photos of Zen Retreats appeared first on EcoSalon.

A sampling of contemporary architectural gems from around the world.

Great buildings have the power to break convention, defy logic, and inspire visions of the future. Here, we celebrate thirty marvels of modern architecture, from the classic Le Corbusier (Frank Lloyd Wright) to mind-boggling inflated plastic biomes. These gems encompass a wide range of structures, from individual homes, to art museums, to skyscrapers that extend high into the sky. One can only wonder what will result from a greater focus on green building practices in the future.

(above) Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles

Stone Container Building and Cloud Gate, Chicago

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

Gare do Oriente, Lisbon, Portugal

CCTV Headquarters, Beijing, China

Space Needle, Seattle, Washington

Casa Mila, Barcelona, Spain

Fallingwater House, Mill Run, Pennsylvania

Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE

Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar

Reichstag, Berlin, Germany

Esplanade, Singapore

Turning Torso, Malmo, Sweden

Empire State Building, New York, USA

Centre Pompidou, Paris, France

Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia

Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp, France

Jewish Museum, Berlin, Germany

Auditorio Ibirapuera, Sao Paolo, Brazil

Eden Project, Cornwall, England

Bruder Klaus Kapelle, Wachendorf, Germany

Yokohama International Port Terminal, Yokohama, Japan

Villa Savoye, Poissy, France

Tancici Dum, Prague, Czech Republic

Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Library of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt

Burj Al Arab, Dubai, UAE

Phaeno Science Center, Wolfsburg, Germany

30 St. Mary Axe, London, England

Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

SEE ALSO:

40 Gorgeous Photos of Europe

40 Gorgeous Photos of North America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Latin America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Asia

40 Gorgeous Photos of Africa

25 Photos of Islands Threatened by Climate Change

25 Images of Female Adrenaline Seekers

40 Photos from Flea Markets Around the World

30 Gorgeous Photos of Winter Snowscapes

30 Gorgeous Photos of Farming and Agriculture

15 Hilarious Photos of Interspecies Mingling

The post 30 Photos of the World’s Most Uniquely Designed Buildings appeared first on EcoSalon.

A solemn structure makes the case for a post-secular kind of design, and worship.

Several months back, The New York Times reported on a man named Tony Carnes who has taken on the Herculean task of mapping out all of New York City’s houses of worship. “Mr. Carnes is in search of every church, cathedral, synagogue, shtiebel, mosque, temple, zendo and ashram,” the story states. He posts his findings to his “public square,” nycreligion.info, where folks can find out about “the sizzle of religion in New York — the kosher sizzle! The halal sizzle!”

By the end of this year, Carnes and his group of volunteers will have driven down every last street in each and every borough of what he calls a “postsecular” city, meaning not quite a Jerusalem or a Mecca, but somewhere between secular and sacred.

A project in Finland, meanwhile, is making a solid (and solemn) case for a new breed of urban postsecular. A modern contrast to the stone and mortar rigidity of traditional houses of worship, the Chapel of Silence is a meant as a meditative refuge in the heart of Helsinki. A place to reflect and a space to be. Ostensibly, it’s a dogma free zone that, arguably, every city should have.

With its curved wood facade, the Chapel of Silence flows into the cityscape while its gently sloped interior beehives visitors from the bustle of city life outside.

Warmth and calm define the space, while wood provides the structure.

If not for the discrete crucifix on the façade, which might very well be a doorknocker shaped in the letter “t”, and another in the interior, architecturally-speaking the space is almost secularist. There is no apparent doctrine in the design, and minimalist simplicity trumps superstition. 

 Images: K2S Architects via ArchDaily; The New York Times

The post An Almost Secular Approach to Worship & Design in Finland appeared first on EcoSalon.

Looking for something to daydream about? These woodland hideaways blend scenery with inspired whimsy.

Some call them Hobbit homes, but let’s try on permaculture-minded, fairy-tale inspired woodland hideaways. Dug into a hillside or camouflaging with their natural environment, they could even be called latter-day Smurf dwellings.

What’s so appealing about a home tucked away in a hill or hidden amongst a cluster of trees is that it visually resonates with a kind of eco-idealism most of us can relate to or have read about in Tolkien tales. The homes I’m about to wax on about look like life as it’s meant to be lived, in harmony with the natural world and not geometrically opposed to it.

The most stunning example of a “Hobbit house” hideaway I’ve ever come across is this low-impact woodland home in Wales, United Kingdom. Excavated stone and mud was used to construct inner walls and the foundation. Straw bales in the floors and walls allow for insulation, while a mud/turf roof protects against the elements.

Japanese architect Kazunori Fujimoto designed this strikingly stark and minimalist home as a vacation hideaway, nestled into the few remaining trees adjacent to a heavily-traversed tourist road. Meant to provide privacy separated from their otherwise suburban-esque surroundings, it melds in rather than stands out. Though it is certainly unusual.

As one blog described it, it’s more of a sculpture than a house, “a concrete bunker obscured by the surrounding trees.”

Perhaps an obvious treatment of the wooded vacation home, I nevertheless can’t get enough of small houses like these, partially obscured by both design and the woodlands.

Finally, this prefab house in Adelaide, Australia spans a creek via a trussing system. That means the structure of the home is supported by those triangular units below, like a bridge of Madison County.

Or a moon over my river.

Images: A Low Impact Woodland Home; Kazunori Fujimoto; Mango and Ginger

The post Fantasy Hour: Grassy Knolls & Hidden Abodes appeared first on EcoSalon.

If you’ve got a lake house, count yourself a sitting duck for company.

In the summertime, there is nothing more coveted than a summer lake house to escape from the heat, the traffic and to commune with nature. But why not up the ante with a sustainably designed lake house? We found six that catered to our varied need for serenity, silence and superior design in times of summer chaos.

Envision yourself in one of these if you don’t have one of your own.

Designed by architect Todd Saunders of Saunders Architecture, this boat-inspired home is cozy and minimalist. Moreover, it flawlessly melds interior and exterior deck space in what looks like one broad, lovely, clean stroke from the roof to the dock of the bay.

Don’t let the grandness fool you. This modern lake house in Omena, Michigan is a fully sustainable LEED Gold certified home. Conceptually, the house was built with the idea that everything should be worked with and used as a tool, meaning the builders took energy and material use into account, as well as the trajectory of the sun and wind.

This eco house (called the Cliff House) in the Muskoka Lakes area of northern Ontario is off the hook, and off the grid. Designed by Altius Architecture, the house has breathtaking views care of floor-to-ceiling glass walls and the natural wood floors keep it homey. As mentioned, it operates off the grid and also features solar hot water and photovoltaic solar panels and clean-burning fireplaces.

The Clingstone House, made entirely from timber, is well over a century old. Today, it is owned by architect Henry Wood and has been re-vamped with modern eco technology including roof-mounted solar panels and a wind turbine to generate electricity. It also has rainwater-recycling, seawater-filtration systems, and composting toilets.

Stone Creek Camp on the eastern shore of Flathead Lake in Bigfork, Montana is more of a lakeside complex than modest getaway. The property, designed by Andersson Wise Architects, covers more than 15 acres and includes a cabin that dates back to the 1940s, which was preserved and renovated. It now has a main residence, a lodge, guest house, large dock and lots of green features. Constructed mostly from local materials, the main residence features an energy efficient sod green roof. Radiant floor heating heats the rooms and high performance windows reduce heat dispersion.

This naturally luxe cottage was designed by BjarkoSerra Architects. Located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, what is most appealing about this lakefront house is that it blends so seamlessly into its natural environs. Moreover, while building this rustic getaway, not a single tree was cut or disrupted.

Images: One of Those American Girls; Saunders Architecture; BusyBoo; Design Stories; Trendir; Live Green; Bjarkoserra

The post Welcome to the Lake House appeared first on EcoSalon.

Occasionally short on space, A frames are forever rooted in boundless ingenuity.

Anyone who’s seen The Sweet Hereafter is likely to remember two things. Firstly, how heart-achingly depressed they felt afterwards. Secondly, that amazing A-frame house Wanda and Hartley Otto lived in. If not for all the snow and tragedy you, like me, might have thought “Hey, I could live there.”

Mountainous and beachy places are the most likely locales for A-frames, partly because of the low cost of constructing one – often as a second home – and from an eco-angle, their high ceilings provide excellent ventilation and allow plenty of natural light into the home. The characteristically steep sloping roof fares particularly well in extreme winter climates.

From Sagaponack to the Pyranees, here are seven famous – or almost famous – A-frames we think we could live in too.

The Reese House
Sagaponack, NY

Credited as being the house that capitalized the American A-frame housing boom from the mid-1950’s to the 1970’s, it was designed by the legendary architect Andrew Gellar in 1955.

Gassho-zukuri Houses
Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama

In Japan, the A-frame structure is referred to as “Prayer-hands construction.” The most famous cluster of gassho-zukuri houses can be seen in the UN World Heritage villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama.

Al Purdy’s House
Ameliasburgh, ON

Known as one of Canada’s most important poets, Purdy’s pretty A-frame on Roblin Lake was constructed out of second-hand lumber and became the most famous writer’s house in the country.

The Weeks House
Louisville, Tennessee

Designed and constructed in 1950 by his father Felder Weeks, Paul the son and his wife Jeannine enlisted architect Brian Pittman to renovate it as a summer house. It was gutted to its original structure and two years later resulted in a thoughtful renovation and guest house expansion.

The Vanna Venturi House
Philadelphia, PA

This house, designed by architect Robert Venturi for his mother, is recognized as being one of the first prominent works of the postmodern architecture movement. It was constructed between 1962 -1964. It’s not very big, only about 30 feet tall, but architectural historian Vincent Scully called it “The biggest small building of the second half of the twentieth century.”

House at The Pyrenees
Aran Valley, Spain

This sexy house was commissioned by a father and son team who wanted to transform a dry stone house into a modern second residence in the Spanish Pyrenees. Built atop a vernacular dry stone house, architects Cadaval & Sola-Morales melded new design with old to create a sustainable home in this most extreme climate.

The Allandale House
Somewhere in the forest

This unusual A-frame was designed by William O’Brien Jr. who describes it as a “cabin of curiosities,” housing wines, rare books, stuffed birds and an elk mount. Another score for taxidermy chic.

A-frames can be short on space, but they are highly adaptable structures that allow for boundless creative collaboration between architects, designers and the residents themselves. Really, the roof’s the limit.

Images: Archifile, A|N Blog, Japan-i, Derek Shapton, Architectural Record; Chestnut Hill Historical Society, Cadaval & Sola-Morales, William O’Brien Jr.

The post 7 (Almost) Famous A-Frames We Absolutely Adore appeared first on EcoSalon.