Yesterday, the American Institute of Archiects' (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) announced their selection of this year’s Top Ten examples of "sustainable projects that protect and enhance the natural environment." The selected projects leverage design for good, each addressing significant environmental challenges by thoughtfully combining architecture, technology, and natural systems. This year's list showcases how pervasive green building has become, with a wide variety of projects, including a single family home (LivingHomes' Z6, pictured), a library, two nonprofit headquarters, a school, and a water treatment facility that doubles as a park. Though limited to 10 entries (to go in the "top 10"), the judges awarded four "honorable mentions" because they felt that there were so many outstanding projects, a "Top Ten Awards" first. Now, without further ado, the recipients are, in alphabetical order:
- EpiCenter, Artists for Humanity (Arrowstreet, Inc.), Boston, MA
- Global Ecology Research Center (EHDD Architects), Stanford, CA
- Government Canyon Visitor Center (Lake/Flato Architects), Helotes, TX
- Hawaii Gateway Energy Center (Ferraro Choi and Associates), Kailua-Kona, HI
- Heifer International (Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Architects, Ltd.), Little Rock, AR
- Sidwell Friends Middle School (Kieran Timberlake Associates), Washington, DC
- Wayne L. Morse U.S. Courthouse (Morphosis & DLR Group), Eugene, OR
- Whitney Water Purification Facility (Steven Holl Architects), New Haven, CT
- Willingboro Master Plan & Public Library (Croxton Collaborative Architects, PC), Willingboro, NJ
- Z6 House (LivingHomes with Ray Kappe Architects), Santa Monica, CA
2007 Top Ten Award Honorable Mentions
- Gerding Theater at the Armory (GBD Architects, Inc.), Portland, OR
- Provincetown Art Association and Museum (Machado and Silvetti Associates), Provincetown, MA
- Stillwell Avenue Terminal Train Shed (Kiss + Cathcart Architects), New York, NY
- William J. Clinton Presidential Center (Polshek Partnership Architects), Little Rock, AR
Congratulations to all the recipients and those who received honorable mentions! Read more about the awards here. [American Institute of Architects]
The folks at wallpaper.com recently caught up with Rogan Gregory, one of SSF's favorite designers and the brainchild behind Loomstate and Edun, to chat about his ability to combine sustainable design, fashion and slick sex appeal to create a burgeoning sustainability empire. As if he weren't busy enough with fashion, he's also recently launched a line of bespoke industrial-style furniture and objects called Rogan Objects, which features reclaimed materials and 100%-handmade construction. Says Rogan, "The furniture I make, it’s steel. It could be a bunch more sustainable, but I like the way it looks. Blowing glass – not efficient, but it’s existed for thousands of years. It’s how you define sustainability. I’m not the poster child for it, but I try to be considerate but sustainable and efficient." He's got some other worthwhile things to say, so we recommend giving it a read. [Wallpaper.com
Set your TiVo, put a sticky note on your TV or call a friend with cable: tonight is the first episode of The GREEN, presented by Robert Redford on the Sundance Channel. Television's "first regularly scheduled programming destination dedicated entirely to the environment" begins tonight (and continues every Tuesday) at 9 pm on the Sundance Channel. The GREEN block of programming will include the show "Big Ideas for a Small Planet" (tonight's episode is about fuel), as well as "Ecoists", a feature on high-profile celebs and environmental activists and "Eco Biz", highlighting people and businesses driving change in the business world. Learn more about all the good, green stuff to watch at the Sundance Channel website, and tune in tonight to see it in living color. [Sundance Channel presents "The GREEN"]
Attention, sustainable stylers in New York: Architecture and fashion come together to produce the 2007 Project Earth Day fashion show, a showcase for the future of clothing featuring sustainable practices and materials from up & coming designers. Presented by Teknion, o2-NYC, Green Drinks and the New York chapter of Emerging Green Builders (part of the US Green Building Council), the show will featured the work of SSF pals aGaiN NYC, loyale clothing, Terra Plana and many more of the best in sustainable fashion. Garments made of reused material and sustainable fibers like organic cotton, hemp, soy, bamboo, seacell (seaweed), tencel (wood pulp) with recycled fiber fabrics such as POP (recycled soda pop bottles) and INEGO (created from corn) will strut their stuff, along with a student competition showcasing wears made from recycled and biodegradable textiles with a cash prize of $1500 and a mentorship opportunity awarded to the winner. A chic runway with a bamboo backdrop constructed from salvaged materials and flooring made from recycled detergent bottles provides the backdrop for the event.
Last minute alert: SSF Co-founder and Style Ambassador Sean Schmidt (who's SSF blog is 
