Empire Sate Building Achieves LEED Gold

Even world famous buildings are taking a step in the right direction. Today the Empire State Building was awarded LEED Gold for Existing Buildings certification. The Empire State Building is the tallest and most well known building in the US to receive a LEED certification.

The building is celebrating its 80th anniversary while nearing the completion of its renewal and reposing to meet the need of 21st Century businesses. The Empire State Building is one of the National Historic Landmarks to earn this certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute.

To read the complete press release click here.

Some Magazine Love

Here are some of my favorite design magazines. There are great places to draw inspiration for a project I may be working on for one of my classes. It also keep me up-to-date with the current trends in the industry. 

Solar is the New Black

Dwell magazine one of my favorite interior design magazines. Being "green" is becoming more popular is today's culture. it has been said that "green is the new black." In my opinion green is just a color. Living a sustainable way of life it imperative for our environment.

This home is a great example. Without reading the article I would have never guessed the home was built with solar energy in mind. I would have assumed it was another successfully design contemporary home. 

There are so many elements that are exhibited in the home that serves a dual purpose. This steel-beam canopy holds the solar panels above and provides shade for the home, creating a "solar umbrella." 

The use of sustainable materials does not stop with the architecture and exterior materials.The built-in sofa is upholstered with Design Tex textiles. The sofa is not only a place for visitors to come and "take a load off" and enjoy the view of the backyard, it provides a boundary between the first and second level.

The large glass windows and doors open the space, allowing for more natural light to filter into the space. Allowing for more natural light to ever the space takes advantage of the sun's energy during the day. 

This unlovable bungalow was given another chance. In return, it gives our environment a second chance.

Back to the Future, Futuristic Fabulous

I couldn't resist sharing these with you! I would have never known these shoes existed if it weren't for Twitter. Nike Mag Shoes have been trending on Twitter. 

 When I first saw these shoes I didn't know what to think. I have to admit the shoes are interesting and they would definitely be a conversation starter. When I saw the videos for the shoes I admittedly had an urge to watch Back to the Future. Plus the shoes can light up!

For 10 days only, 150 pairs of the 2011 Nike Mag will be auctioned on Ebay every day at 8:30 pm STARTING TODAY. Click here for sizes {there's a size 11 at $75,000 right now, um, that's amazing!} But what's more amazing is that all proceeds go to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

Great Scott these shoes are kind of fabulous! So if you have an extra $75,000 laying around the house get yourself some Nike Mag Shoes and support a great cause!

Beneficial Post for Design Students

I am the Communications Chair for nextGEN. nextGEN is comprised of students that are members of the Southern California Chapter of the Retail Design Institute. For those of you that are interior design students, I just made a post about making the most of your time in school. Check it out here. I hope it helps!

My Teacher Knows His Stuff

I have had the same teacher for my perspective and rendering classes. Many times he would say in class that we need to be able to draw quick sketches on anything and everything around you. To prove his point we had to sketch on a table cloth for our final exam. Therefore, I learned that I need to be able to sketch quickly to get my ideas on paper.

Random napkin sketches 

I was reading a article on the Dwell magazine website called Aloft in the Forest. This home came from quick sketches like my teacher had been teaching about.

There is a laundry list of of concerns and hazards that come with urban living in Portland, Oregon. Raccoons, deers, and falling trees are some of the hazards that came with living in Oregon. Stefan and Nicole Andrén decided to disregard these hazards and build a home.

The vast window take advantage of the breathtaking view of the surrounding area. The home does not take away from the surrounding environment. The Andréns wanted a home that was ideal for entertaining. Creating an open circulation floor plan allowed for an easy flow from space to space, perfect for entertaining.

 

Looking through this home encourages me to work on my sketching abilities.

An Interesting Concept

Since my quarter will begin next week, I have been working on my project over the break. I have been on a mission to find furniture, textiles, and other materials that are sustainable and ergonomically correct. I like to look through the New Products that have been in Interior Design magazine. I came across this image...

I took me back to my elementary days. I remember how cumbersome the desk were. This desk is very innovative. I like how all the materials that a student could possibly need is right at their fingertips. Believe it or not the conceptual design of this desk was by eighth graders! Design studio aruliden has paired up with Bernhardt Design to teach eighth graders the value of design as a problem-solving tool. 

You can watch their design process unfold at Tools at Schools. I enjoyed watching these students go through the design process. They started with research, sketched their ideas, built a model, and gave a final presentation of their design. 

I feel the students received a valuable experience. Now they have a better understand of the process that goes into design a single piece of furniture.

Check out this video: