The Wild Center/Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks, a new museum complex in Tupper Lake, New York, has earned distinction as the first LEED certified museum in the State of New York.

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) system is the recognized international benchmark in green building design and construction.

Through a series of integrated sustainable strategies that are expected to save between 20 percent and 30 percent of its normal operating costs, The Wild Center exceeded the base LEED certification to earn a Silver distinction. The LEED system provides a roadmap for measuring and documenting sustainability across six categories: sustainable site including construction activity pollution prevention; water efficiency; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; and innovation and design process.

Located in Richmond, California, the project constitutes the third phase of a master plan aiming at the consolidation of 18 health related agencies.

STUDIOS Architecture's design for the Department of Health Services office building conveys the public agency's commitment to innovation, while continuing traditional civic typologies.

All photos © Tim Griffith

Can we create ‘faith-neutral’ spaces with a design aesthetic that is universally embraced as a sanctuary and retreat for all; while also creating innovative elements that allow all faith groups to adapt spaces quickly to suit their particular needs?

As a publicly funded institution of higher education, the University of Toronto has an obligation to respond to the broad range of aspirations and needs of its students, staff and faculty. Today's students reflect the growing diversity of the Greater Toronto Region, and bring with them not only the cultural traditions and expectations with which they were raised but also a set of spiritual beliefs that act as an important part of their identity and development.

All photographs are courtesy of Tom Arban.

After two and a half years of planning, design, and construction, Bernard Tschumi’s BLUE Residential Tower is now open on the Lower East Side.

The seventeen-story tower contains thirty-two apartments and rises to a height of 181 feet. This is Tschumi’s first high-rise structure, and his second in New York City, where his main office is located. BLUE also marks Tschumi’s first residential structure.

Located in Toronto, Canada, this Renaissance ROM project entails renovating ten new galleries in the existing historical building and creating an extension to the museum:  the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal.

The new extension provides dynamic new architecture, the creation of a great public attraction and 100,000 sq. ft. of new exhibition space.  Situated on one of the most prominent intersections in downtown Toronto, the Museum becomes a dynamic center for the city.  SDL is working on this project with Van Bolts.  The Extension opened in June 2007.

The VM Houses, shaped like a V and an M when seen from above, is the first residential project to be built in the new district of Copenhagen known as Ørestaden.

The upcoming neighborhood is connected to the center of the city by the new metro system The manipulated perimeter block of the V building is clearly defined in its four corners, but opened internally and along the sides. The vis-à-vis with the neighbouring M house is eliminated by pushing the slab in its centre, ensuring diagonal views to the vast, open fields around.

Experimental Project Serves as a Model to Solve Housing Shortages.

BIG ISLAND, HI—Solving a major housing problem for Hawaii, MVE Pacific and UniDev Hawaii are embarking on a major community and housing development to serve the growing workforce of Hawaii’s Big Island.  Kamakoa at Waikoloa—a 275-acre, 1,200-unit workforce housing development on the Kona side of the Island—broke ground December 29, 2007.  The first buildings are expected to be complete in 2009.  Honolulu-based MVE Pacific is a full-service architecture, interiors and planning firm that has created significant housing, commercial, resort, retail, mixed-use and hospitality projects in Hawaii for the past 20+ years.