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:

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40 Gorgeous Photos of Asia

40 Gorgeous Photos of Africa

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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

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25 Photos of Urban Green Spaces

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The post 40 Photos of Doors from Around the World 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.

From using organic cotton sheets to serving up fresh, local fare, many hotels have adopted green initiatives. Still, others use a different sustainable strategy: re-purposing old buildings and turning them into hotels. On top of the environmental benefits of recycling a building that might otherwise get torn down, there’s something charmingly chic about staying in a former train station, a church, or even a jail.

We’ve uncovered eight re-purposed hotels from around the world.

1. The Liberty Hotel in Boston, MA (pictured above)

Formerly a jail that housed criminals like Sacco and Vanzetti, the Liberty Hotel now attracts celebs and Bostonians in the know. Its beautifully updated atrium incorporates the jail’s original catwalk and metalwork. Aptly named bars, CLINK and Alibi, play off the hotel’s theme.

2. Town Hall Hotel in London, England

This luxury hotel opened earlier this month in a former town hall in East London, featuring polished marble, wood panels, and artwork by young local artists. Many of the original architectural elements, like spiral staircases and Art Deco details remain intact.

3. Hotel St. Nicholas in Cripple Creek, CO

Once the site of a gold rush in the 1890’s, Cripple Creek, CO includes a former hospital turned into a 15-room hotel. The hospital was originally built by the Catholic Sisters of Mercy to care for sick and injured miners. Rumor has it that the (friendly) ghost of a miner still roams the building.

4. Four Seasons Budapest in Budapest, Hungary

Budapest’s Gresham Palace has gone through several iterations. Built in 1906 to house offices and rich aristocrats, it housed Soviet soldiers during World War II and became an apartment building during the communist reign of Hungary. Now its sweeping staircases, ironwork, and Art Noveau mosaics have been restored, and the building serves as a hotel.

5. Union Station Hotel in Nashville, TN

Originally opened as a train station in 1900, Union Station now serves as a 125-room boutique hotel with plasma TVs and wireless internet. It underwent an $11 million renovation in 2006 and 2007. Silver mirrors, limestone fireplaces, and 128 original stained glass panels evoke the grandeur of the Victorian era.

6. Malmaison Hotel in Glasgow, Scotland

With a temple façade, vaulted ceilings, and neo-classical details, Glasgow’s Malmaison Hotel embraces its history as a former Episcopal Church. A stylish bar and brasserie inhabits the space that was once the crypt.

7. The Whitney in New Orleans, LA

Located in New Orleans’ business district near the French Quarter, The Whitney was once a bank which featured an enormous vault that was converted into a private events and dining room called the Bank vault. Guest rooms feature high-speed internet, WebTV, and elegant furnishings.

8. Hotel Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy

The building that houses Hotel Trevi Fountain dates back to the XIII century, when it served as a convent. Though it was converted into a hotel during the late eighteenth century, it retains much of the original opulence and architectural splendor.

The post 8 Re-Purposed Hotels from Around the Globe appeared first on EcoSalon.