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Wow, Why Didn't I Think of That?

March 21, 2014
Wow, Why Didn't I Think of That?

Here at KWA, we stay deep in the trenches of building multifamily housing projects, but we still find the time to stop and smell the roses; well in this case it’s pretty genius craftsmanship that we appreciate.

“Wow, Why Didn’t I Think of That?” is our selection of unique buildings, chosen by our employees, that meet the following criteria:

1) Innovative

2) Inspirational

3) Makes you say, “Wow, why didn’t I think of that?”


 Pixel Building in Melbourne, Australia

The Pixel Building is a self-sufficient building that was awarded the highest environmental ratings on two continents, surpassing all sustainable construction internationally. It is touted as the “office of the future” and is one of the greenest buildings, in any sector, in the world.

Receiving the highest Green Star rating ever awarded by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), Pixel is the first carbon neutral office building in Australia. Beyond energy efficiency, all power and water are generated directly on-site. The building was also awarded the highest LEED certification available by the US Green Building Council. Pixel also implements the latest technological advances to redefine sustainable construction.

Source: ALPOLIC


 Shipping Container House in New Haven, Connecticut

Architect Christian Salvati of Marengo Structures built this student housing property on Vernon St. in New Haven, Connecticut out of six recycled shipping containers. The entire construction process on-site took less than four hours. It cost $360,000 to build, though Salvati is optimistic that the cost will decrease substantially as he builds more shipping container homes once the economy of scale becomes applicable.

Source: Jetson Green


 Haikou Towers in Haikou, Hainan Province, China

The Haikou Towers by Henn Architects are designed to become the heart of the new Central Business District of Haikou, the capital city of Hainan. The master plan comprises an ensemble of 10 towers ranging from 150 to 450 meters in height with an overall building area of 1.5 million square meters. The proposal’s centerpiece is the 450 meter high middle tower.

The facade system of the middle tower reacts to differing sunlight conditions depending on the building’s orientation. The proposed facade achieves this with a panel unit system which is divided into two parts – an upper opaque part that blocks sunlight and a lower transparent part. The opaque panels provide both external shading to reduce cooling loads and energy production by a photo-voltaic coating on the south facade.

Source: eVolo


 Kinky Building, Part of the Syracuse Center for Excellence in Syracuse, New York

The Kinky Building is part of a $41 Million laboratory complex that embodies their mission to address global challenges through green energy, indoor environmental quality and smart water use. It was designed by Japanese architect Toshiko Mori, and features an angular facade and a sloping green roof. The building employs several energy-efficient green building strategies and places a strong emphasis on protecting the health of the lab assistants who work there.

In the Kinky Building, heating and cooling is controlled with hanging panels that use water to regulate the temperature. The innovative panels use less energy than all-air systems, and require less fans and no Freon. Kinky also boasts an energy-conscious daylighting system and a sloping green roof covered in plants that extends from the entrance and climbs to the third-floor labs.

Source: inhabitat


 Emerson College Los Angeles

The Emerson College campus in Los Angeles is situated on Sunset Boulevard and will house 200 undergraduate students. The building’s frame-like outer volume accommodates ten stories of student housing, while the curving central sections contain teaching facilities and staff administration, amidst a series of terraces and connecting bridges.

The east and west-facing sides of the building feature glazed curtain walls and are screened by an intelligent shading system where horizontal fins angle open or closed to suit changes in light, temperature and the angle of the sun.

Source: Dezeen


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