This is the first post in a new series about different efforts to reclaim unused spaces in urban areas. Chicago is on the verge of something big. The Windy City is working hard to redefine itself into an urban oasis. Ideas for parks and green areas are popping up left and right. Two that stand [...]

At Feldman Architecture, we have been fortunate to have clients coming the project kick-off meeting with a list of ‘green goals’ in mind. Today, with so much being published about sustainable design, the ideas that green design can be beautifully integrated into a project and promote technologies that help rather than harm the environment are [...]

The 1987 United Nations report “Our Common Future,” defined sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Since then the design community has debated the meanings and applicability of sustainability and corollary terms such as sustainable design, green architecture and [...]

Did you ever wonder how a ski resort can call itself sustainable? Auden Schendler, the Vice President of Sustainability at Aspen Resorts, has to answer this question often. In his book, Getting Green Done, he uses his answer as a foothold for a much larger question: how do we tackle the issue of climate change?

Conceived by architect Milos Milivojevic for a public park in Serbia, this tree-like park folly cleverly supports a solar panel canopy with its sculptural trunk and branches.

While the edible garden may seem rather unconventional today, 65 years ago, when the nation was at war, edible landscapes were the norm. In a huge effort, the government encouraged individuals to plant Victory Gardens in their own yards or in community settings, to help fill in gaps in the food supply. It was seen [...]

In the spirit of Earth Day and being good stewards of the environment, it is important to also remember to be good stewards of our community. Rebuilding Together San Francisco is a non-profit organization that connects volunteers with construction projects focusing on the rejuvenation of communities.  With projects ranging from single family homes to non-profit [...]

In 2007, Matarozzi Pelsinger Builders worked out of a loft-like industrial space in the Mission that lacked sufficient air flow on the handful of warm San Francisco days.  During those San Francisco “heat waves,” we had to haul out 6’ tall industrial fans in a feeble attempt to move the air. With the fans howling, [...]

8 dwellings 145-151 Laurel St. Northern Liberties, Philadelphia 2009 The first LEED for Homes Platinum duplex residences in the U.S.A. This eight unit residential project explores the highly efficient and architecturally latent potentials hidden within the traditional form of the Philadelphia “Row” home. The vertical rhythm, regularity yet diversity of this most prevalent residential urban [...]

As a follow-up to a recent post on Heron’s Head EcoCenter, we caught up with Alex Rood of Fulcrum Structural Engineering to discuss his contributions to the project. For those who have not read our recent post on the project, Heron’s Head EcoCenter is San Francisco’s first off-the-grid educational facility and laboratory for sustainable design [...]