sustainable design

Margot Krasojević's futuristic aesthetic as well as the eco and energy efficiency considerations she incorporates into her projects makes for some fascinating concepts. The latest project is a proposed crematorium, memorial space and – if the renderings are anything to go by – a skatepark.

Steven Holl Architects and Architecture Acts, in association with Nagata Acoustics, have been selected to design a new concert hall in Czech Republic. The building's unusual form is described as an "instrument in its case" and will sport an eye-catching zinc roof that has solar panels installed.

The Planter Box house by Formzero is a particularly creative solution to residential urban farming, offering its inhabitants ample space to grow their greens in a set of tiered concrete garden beds that make up the facade. ​​

The CORE 9 prototype home is designed to not only be cost effective but also sustainably superior. It is part of one of Australia's first sustainable housing projects, which features 220 blocks of land where residents can only build a home that meets specific sustainable home design standards.

Naval architect Maxim Zhivov​ and Baikal Yachts have come up with this combination houseboat, dock and seaplane​ mooring, and the entire thing is transportable by truck, meaning that it really does offer a relocatable lifestyle for pilots and water enthusiasts.

​Architect Carly Coulson preaches a form of design she calls "invisible sustainability," blending sustainable design principles with an aesthetic that is rigorously minimal. The Disappear Retreat, one of Coulson’s flagship designs, aims for “triple-zero living” – zero energy, zero waste, zero water.

​​So far as sustainable construction materials go, tomato seaweed would seem to belong at the weaker end of the spectrum. But the team behind the conceptual Biological House are showing what's possible when you apply some innovative thinking and advanced upcycling techniques. ​

​Glass surfaces that double as solar collectors are potentially transformative materials for architects. A new building going up in Geneva will make full use of recent advances to wrap an office space in colored photovoltaic glass, providing shading and generating energy at the same time.

Amsterdam-based furniture company Fiction Factory recently released a novel modular tiny house built from cardboard. Named Wikkelhouse, it can be assembled in just a day and comes in multiple sizes and configurations.

The stunning 10 Star Home was built with a zero-waste philosophy and was designed to positively exceed its carbon footprint over its lifespan, anticipating savings of 203 kg (507 lb) of carbon emissions per occupant per year.

The impressively sustainable Copenhagen International School, by C.F. Møller Architects, has an exterior almost completely covered in solar panels. These produce over half of the building's required electricity – no mean feat in a Scandinavian country like Denmark.

The tiny house scene has grown so much in recent years that it can be a challenge for newcomers to separate the wheat from the chaff. We've done some of the legwork for you and have assembled the best new tiny houses available for purchase in North America and Europe.