http://www.inhabitat.com Future-forward design for the world you inhabit Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:14:07 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en German architect Jakob Tigges has unveiled a plan for a 1,000m tall faux mountain at the site of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, and his supporters are taking it rather seriously. Dubbed "The Berg," the snow-capped colossus would be the world's largest man-made mountain and would serve as a ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/10/the-berg-is-building-the-worlds-largest-man-made-mountain-a-colossal-mistake/ The Progressive Automotive X-Prize is heating up as the May 2010 start date approaches, and one of our favorite entrants is the eVARO, a three-wheeled plug-in hybrid from Future Vehicles Technology. The sleek electric vehicle can go from 0 to 60 MPH in 5 seconds and purportedly reaches 275 mpg ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/09/275-mpg-evaro-electric-vehicle-goes-from-0-to-60-in-5-seconds/ Industrial design lab GR recently launched a clever new product called the 'Aqua Jar' that transforms any plastic bottle into an easy-pour pitcher. Formed from biodegradable and recyclable plastic, the attachment perfectly fits the universal coil of any plastic bottle, creating an attractive and sturdy mount allowing for water to ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/09/aqua-jar-transforms-any-water-bottle-into-an-easy-pour-pitcher/ Located in downtown Philadelphia right above the Suburban rail station, the Comcast Center has been awarded the title of "tallest LEED certified building in the US" after earning a Gold Certification for LEED-CS (Core & Shell). The obelisk-like 58 story tower is covered in high-performance glass and sunscreens, and features ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/09/comcast-center-is-the-tallest-leed-certified-building-in-us/ Back in 1979, Winooski, Vermont, a town that often experiences -20 degree weather in January, proposed building a giant dome over their city to help reduce energy costs and keep warm throughout the winter. Thirty years ago, we were experiencing an energy crisis with rising oil prices, and people were ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/09/city-dome-save-energy/ Throughout India there are many rural villages that are completely removed from the grid. With no source of power for cooking, light, and heating they currently must rely on firewood, kerosene or diesel for fuel. Now green jobs are blossoming throughout these remote areas as the Orissa Tribal Empowerment & ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/09/indias-barefoot-solar-engineers-are-building-a-brighter-future/ The Ecouterrorists holdin' it down.We kicked off the official launch of our eco-fashion site Ecouterre with a killer party. Check out all of the pics from this momentous night!READ MORE AT ECOUTERRE> http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/08/we-celebrate-ecouterres-official-launch-with-an-eco-fashion-bash/ When it comes to kicks, the rarer the better. And if you're looking for originality, we guarantee you won't find another pair quite like these upcycled junk-metal Jordans by artist Gabriel Dishaw. He whips metal and electronic scraps from old computers into crazy DIY shoe sculptures that will have any ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/08/junk-dunks-upcycled-nike-sneakers-made-from-metal-circuit-boards/ Self proclaimed pack-rat and the design mastermind behind the eco-fashion line Study Tara St. James knows how to make upcycling look good. So we weren't surprised to see that her latest endeavor takes something as mundane as old zippers and transforms them into objects of desire fit for the pages ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/08/tara-st-james-upcycled-zipper-jewelry-adds-zip-to-your-wardrobe/ DRUMROLL PLEASE...The results of our Green Halloween Costume Contest are finally in! Thank you to everyone who entered - we couldn't be more psyched about the amazing homemade entries we got pouring in. It wasn't easy, but we finally narrowed it down to 15 fabulous finalists and then left it ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/07/announcing-the-winners-of-the-inhabitat-green-halloween-costume-contest/ One of the main principles of permaculture is that "the problem is the solution." Problem: tons of waste cups created by attendees of the OutsideLands concert in San Francisco. Solution: a fabulous recycled cup canopy. BIOS Design Collective tapped a keg and invited their friends over for a canopy party, ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/07/reuse-canopy-upcycled-from-plastic-cups-by-bios-design-collective/ Practically every household in America has its own tool set, drill, and ladder... but why? Most people don't use these things on a daily basis, and due to their hardworking heritage these items tend to last forever; when's the last time you wore out a hammer? Enter NeighborGoods, a service ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/06/neighborgoods-your-new-virtual-tool-shed/ Our Green Halloween Costume Contest ends TONIGHT at MIDNIGHT!Today is your LAST CHANCE to vote in our Green Halloween Costume contest, and the competition is fierce! Our top 15 amazingly crafted submissions are currently vying for fame, glory, and some great green prizes - and we're leaving it ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/06/vote-for-your-favorite-green-halloween-costume/ Instead of moving goods on resource-intensive trains, Spain-based technology company Novateq Guerrero SNL wants to build out a different kind of transportation network--one that uses super-powerful magnets to propel vehicles. Novateq has already developed a prototype of its system, which uses Neodymium magnets, or rare-earth magnets, as a driving force. ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/06/novateq-guerrero-transport-system-runs-on-super-strong-magnetic-fields/ The 2009 World Architecture Festival took place this week in Barcelona, drawing great minds to discuss, learn, share and award excellent architectural designs and completed projects. This year's theme dealt with how to achieve Less With More and the relationship between cities and architecture, with climate change and sustainability playing ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/11/06/2009-world-architecture-festival-winners-announced/