Design
Does prison architecture have to be cruel? This prison shows us it doesn’t
How should a prison be designed? Should it purposefully be designed to punish inmates using uninviting materials such as steel and concrete, or should it be a place that invites criminals to rehabilitate themselves? While most prisons around the world are designed in a way that aligns with the Read More...
Mexico’s 3D-printed neighborhood for impoverished families is coming to life
On May 13th of this year, the top story of the Optimist Daily was about a nonprofit called New Story that had plans to build the world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood for poor people in Latin America. Well, we’re excited to tell you that the first homes of this neighborhood have been Read More...
These ingenious shutters keep buildings cool without using energy
Air-conditioning is disastrous for the planet, accounting for 9 percent of all energy consumption in the US on its own. As a means of cutting the fossil fuel emissions that come with the heating and cooling of buildings, an architect has invented a shading system made from a smart material called Read More...
This building produces twice the electricity it uses
There are sustainable buildings, and then there is the Powerhouse Brattørkaia—a new building from Norwegian architecture studio Snøhetta. The building, which is located in Trondheim, Norway, produces more than twice the electricity it requires each day. That makes it the world’s northernmost Read More...
The beautiful design of vertical forests is spreading to cities across the globe
The forest and the city may seem like opposites, but what if our architecture could meld our cities with our natural spaces? This is what architect Stefano Boeri’s vertical forest attempts to do. His prototype in Milan features two residential buildings with 20,000 trees, shrubs and plants. Read More...
A community-designed solution: restorative justice arrives in Oakland
The United States has the largest prison population in the world and the highest per capita rate of incarceration. The punitive justice that lands people behind bars often hits communities of color and poverty much harder than other groups. In Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in Read More...
Aerospace engineers in Holland are designing a fuel-efficient V-shaped airplane
Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to more than 2.5 percent of the world’s total carbon footprint. In an attempt to make a dent in this carbon-heavy industry, researchers from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) have teamed up with Dutch Read More...
Singapore installs creative displays to engage its inhabitants with sustainability
While changing people’s behaviors towards greener living habits is an essential step in the fight against the climate crisis, it is also a difficult one. But one possible way to nudge them towards making more sustainable choices is by simply exposing them to these possibilities. At least Read More...
This beautiful lampshade is made from old cabbage leaves
Designers from London are making beautiful lamps from an unlikely source: old cabbage leaves. The beauty of a cabbage leaf might not be obvious to everyone, but when it’s dried, molded, and coated with non-toxic chemicals, it really starts to shine. The organic lamp, called “Veggie Read More...
Scientists created a biodegradable adhesive. Here’s why that’s a big deal
While it's good that there are plastics that biodegrade when they're thrown away, the glue used to join pieces of those or other materials together isn't quite so eco-friendly. Scientists have recently set about addressing that problem, however, by developing a biodegradable adhesive. Created by Read More...