sustainable design

Work is underway on a new office building designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. The project will be covered in greenery and will also boast significant sustainability features, including solar panels and rainwater collection.

Foster + Partners is taking part in Expo 2020 Dubai with a stunning new pavilion named Alif. The aircraft-inspired building incorporates sustainability features and boasts what's described as the world's largest passenger elevator.

The construction industry is a big producer of CO2, and ETH Zurich has been working on new techniques that help clean up the industry's act. The result is the HiLo, which was built using minimal concrete and has impressive sustainability features.

Tasked with designing a restaurant on an awkward site that couldn't support much weight, Acme used engineered wood to create an attractive and lightweight building. It also includes solar power, a green roof, and nesting boxes for birds and bats.

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates is known for creating many of the world's tallest and most impressive skyscrapers. Its latest project sees it swap steel and concrete supertalls for a modestly proportioned hybrid timber tower.

Fairphone has announced the next chapter in its mission towards a more sustainable and, well, fair alternative to today's big brand smartphones. The Fairphone 4 comes with 5G connectivity, two 48-MP rear cameras, and a 5-year warranty.

Zaha Hadid Architects has designed a number of train stations in recent years. Its latest project sees the firm tackle the renovation of a railway station in Lithuania, while adding a bridge and new green spaces, and improving energy efficiency.

Work has been completed on one of the world's tallest timber towers. Reaching an impressive height of 75 m, the Sara Cultural Centre, by White Arkitekter, is also very sustainable and the firm expects it to become carbon negative after 50 years.

Floating Office Rotterdam, the world's largest floating office, is designed to rise with the tides of climate change, will get all of its electricity needs from a solar array, and can be easily recycled once it reaches the end of its useful life.

Ghanian/British architect Sir David Adjaye has produced some large projects but his firm's latest work is on another scale entirely. It will involve transforming Ghana's healthcare facilities by creating 101 new hospitals in the country.

Instead of adding the usual one-off show car excess, Mini and designer Paul Smith strip it away in creating the all-electric Cooper Strip. Bare metal, visible screws and recycled trim give the car sustainable underpinnings and a unique look.

Described by Foster + Partners as "inspired by science," the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences in Jerusalem is defined by a laser-cut exterior that helps shade the interior while paying homage to a pioneer of modern neuroscience.