The land in big cities has be used more intensively, but the possibilities are limited. One of the leading options for the future is the use of the flat roofs of residential buildings and office blocks as a building site.

This book analyses and describes the opportunities for realizing projects of this kind, as well as the potential difficulties, using interesting examples of construction on top of existing buildings in the Netherlands and abroad. It will therefore be influential in establishing a benchmark for architecture and urban planning that is a necessity if rooftop architecture is to have a serious future.

Here's a comprehensive directory of green building products for home building and remodeling featuring more than 1,400 descriptive listings for products from ag-fiber panels to zero-VOC paints. All phases of residential construction are covered, from sitework to flooring to renewable energy. Products are grouped by function, and each chapter begins with a discussion of key environmental considerations and what to look for in a green product.

"In an age of "McMansions," this international survey of the latest in residential architecture proves that small is beautiful-and responsible. The houses profiled are designed to make maximum use of the smallest possible footprint in order to protect the environment. The houses profiled here prove that efficiency as well as beautiful, thoughtful design can be had in a tiny setting. Each project includes a case history describing its design challenges and how the architect overcame them, a detailed blueprint for each house, full-color photos of the interior and the exterior, and plans of the layout."

I was introduced to The Great Good Place when I was working on my graduate thesis, but I only read a couple of chapters... back then I had stacks of books I was reading, so many were only given a quick scan. Six years later I am finally getting around to actually reading the whole thing. It is an interesting look at the roll of places (especially unique and authentic places) in social and community life.

The Great Good Place argues that "third places" - where people can gather, put aside the concerns of work and home, and hang out simply for the pleasures of good company and lively conversation - are the heart of a community's social vitality and the grassroots of democracy.

Written by Michael Freeman and published back in August 04, Space explores Japanese architecture and design in size constricted areas.

In their work, Japanese interior designers and architects constantly draw on cultural traditions, while using a modern, even radical approach. Whether in the use of lightweight partitions to create flexible spaces, deliberate profligacy to give a feeling of generosity, or strange perspectives, the results are not mere workaday solutions, but artistic and unusual ones that can turn a lack of space into a surfeit of style.

Eric's forthcoming book, The Inevitable Architect: The Steps to Green Architecture, shows other architects how to become green.

Link: organicARCHITECT - The Inevitable Architect: The Steps to Green Architecture
Via: Enviropundit