Zachary Barker

archimaps: The City Hall, Syracuse, New York

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:51:19 -0400

The City Hall, Syracuse, New York

androblogon: We look forward to the results of recent research...

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:13:53 -0400

SUNY ESF Gateway Building-Green Roof Rendering

SUNY ESF Gateway Building-Native Plants

We look forward to the results of recent research underway at the University of Maryland to assess the use of Mid-Atlantic native plants in green roofs. As a recent paper recommended, more research on appropriate regional plants and plant communities for green roofs and their impact on biodiversity is needed. The City of Toronto summarized the state of research and best practices for green roof biodiversity in their 2010 discussion paper.

There are several studies underway throughout the US that you can follow online. The City of Portland has been studying Pacific northwest natives and biodiversity on green roofs as part of its municipal EcoRoof project. The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center has been conducting studies on optimal native plantings and green roof design for the southwestern US. The Chicago Botanic Garden Conservation Science Center is studying the use of Mid-Western as well as national native plants in their Green Roof Garden South. In the west, the Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center has a blog following the native prairie community planted on its green roof.

Andropogon has also been field testing the use of regional plants for green roofs. The native planting design for the fully-accessible, green roof at the SUNY School of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York (shown above), showcases rare, New York state-protected plants from eastern Lake Ontario dunes and alvar pavement barrens at the northeastern end of Lake Ontario. The planting design was developed with SUNY faculty to be integrated with the school’s curriculum as an outdoor classroom. When completed, the green roof will help designers and ecologists assess how well these native species perform as alternatives to sedums for green roof installations. Find more on the Gateway Building here and stay tuned for the results of future research.

rhamphotheca: Serpent Mound - Ohio, USA The figure of a giant...

Sun, 12 May 2013 20:07:55 -0400

rhamphotheca:

Serpent Mound - Ohio, USA

The figure of a giant snake, apparently uncoiling itself, was excavated in the late 19th century. The massive serpent is nearly a quarter-mile long. Recent carbon-dating research suggests the Fort Ancient culture built the monument roughly 900 years ago.

The serpent’s body is made of raised berms of grassy earth that weave across a plateau. On the summer solstice, the setting sun aligns with the snake’s head.

The earthwork is now surrounded by a park that offers beautiful hikes through leafy forests, beside creeks and along rocky cliffs.

(via: OurAmazingPlanet) (photo: dreamstime)

photojojo: James Guerin constructed one of the most fascinating...

Sun, 12 May 2013 19:59:14 -0400

photojojo:

James Guerin constructed one of the most fascinating pinhole cameras you’ll ever see. What makes the camera different is that it’s actually 25 individual pinhole cameras sharing one shutter.

Intrigued? James posted a construction guide so you can make your own. The majority of the camera’s components can be sourced from a single shoebox.

DIY: Camera in a Shoebox Has 25 Individual Pinholes

via The Photoblographer

carlosofthecosmos: greetings from maryland

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:21:05 -0400

carlosofthecosmos:

greetings from maryland

androblogon: Andropogon’s Tom Amoroso and Jose Alminana wielded...

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:19:19 -0400

Perelman Plaza Cafe Rendering

Perelman Plaza Stair Rendering

Perelman Plaza Aerial Rendering

Perelman Plaza Groundbreaking

Perelman Plaza Plan

androblogon:

Andropogon’s Tom Amoroso and Jose Alminana wielded golden shovels Teusday to celebrate the groundbreaking for Perelman Plaza at Drexel University. The real work went into reimagining this busy campus center and connecting key buildings, which is at the core of Drexel’s Master Plan.

marioespinoza: MultipliCity | Utopian Metamorphosis in Central...

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:15:19 -0400

marioespinoza:

MultipliCity | Utopian Metamorphosis in Central Park | Dubai | Brasilia | Mexico City | Chandigarh | Venice | Paris | Barcelona | Al Fashir

edgant: Bromley-By-Bow tube station is the arrival point of my...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:50:07 -0400

edgant:

Bromley-By-Bow tube station is the arrival point of my site. The surrounding area will be a residential quarter arranged on an axial grid. This will allow views down to the river / canal side, and the local landmarks (Olympic Stadium, Bromley-By-Bow Gas works (the amenity “Hub”) and the Urban Forest to the South East) and also mitigate the effect of micro climate created by the buildings.

androblogon: Andropogon is pleased to announce that our work on...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:18:20 -0400

St. Elizabeth's West Campus Plan

Rendering of developed St. Elizabeth's West Campus

androblogon:

Andropogon is pleased to announce that our work on the Landscape Integration Plan for the St. Elizabeths West Campus in Washington, DC, has received a Merit Award for Analysis & Planning from the Pennsylvania-Delaware Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. We’d like to thank our collaborators who contributed to the plan, including Perkins+Will, Heritage Landscapes, William H. Gordon Associates, Greenhorne & O’Mara, GeoConcepts Engineering Inc., Craul Land Scientists, Continental Conservation, and Morris Arboretum. The plan laid the groundwork for the ongoing development of St. Elizabeths West Campus, including the construction of the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters with site design by Andropogon.

ryanpanos: Classic Architecture Studies by Chema Pastrana

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:17:41 -0400

ryanpanos:

Classic Architecture Studies by Chema Pastrana

vjeranski: Cafe Ato by Design BONO, Seoul- STONE WALL

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 21:54:49 -0400

vjeranski:

Cafe Ato by Design BONO, Seoul- STONE WALL

fabriciomora: Bart O’Doherty→The South Wal

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 21:51:55 -0400

fabriciomora:

Bart O’Doherty→The South Wal

thevuas: Outskirts of Lima, Peru.. Aerial view. [VIA]

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 16:43:12 -0400

thevuas:

Outskirts of Lima, Peru.. Aerial view. [VIA]

blinkanditsover: Kayaks crowd Three Sisters Springs, where...

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 11:38:04 -0400

blinkanditsover:

Kayaks crowd Three Sisters Springs, where people and manatees maintain a controversial coexistence. To reach the warm water they need to survive winter, manatees often must run a gantlet of kayakers and snorkelers eager to interact with the marine mammals.

dailybungalow: Bungalow by lauriemcclellan on Flickr. Lots of...

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 10:53:03 -0400

dailybungalow:

Bungalow by lauriemcclellan on Flickr.

Lots of great bungalow architecture on the South Island.

asaya: via

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 00:44:28 -0400

asaya:

via

naturalsceneries: A volcano in New Zealand

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:39:01 -0400

naturalsceneries:

A volcano in New Zealand

helloanits: Maori rock carvings at Mine Bay on Lake Taupo, New...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:37:46 -0400

helloanits:

Maori rock carvings at Mine Bay on Lake Taupo, New Zealand

jtotheizzoe: Watch the slow creep of spring as it pushes the...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:46:33 -0400

jtotheizzoe:

Watch the slow creep of spring as it pushes the cold hand of winter back to the frigid north … only to succumb again next year, of course.

NASA’s MODIS imager senses Earth’s reflection of both visible and longer wavelength near-infrared light. Plants, full of chlorophyll, absorb most visible light (except for green, of course) and reflect near-infrared. By combining this with the reflection of snow, NASA can watch the yearly cycle of vegetation springing back and falling away.

I made a higher-res GIF here, and you can watch the full three-year animation here.

theremina: Living Wall These vegetated surfaces don’t just look...

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:02:32 -0400

theremina:

Living Wall

These vegetated surfaces don’t just look pretty. They have other benefits as well, including cooling city blocks, reducing loud noises, and improving a building’s energy efficiency.What’s more, a recent modeling study shows that green walls can potentially reduce large amounts of air pollution in what’s called a “street canyon,” or the corridor between tall buildings.

For the study, Thomas Pugh, a biogeochemist at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, and his colleagues created a computer model of a green wall with generic vegetation in a Western European city. Then they recorded chemical reactions based on a variety of factors, such as wind speed and building placement.

The simulation revealed a clear pattern: A green wall in a street canyon trapped or absorbed large amounts of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter—both pollutants harmful to people, said Pugh. Compared with reducing emissions from cars, little attention has been focused on how to trap or take up more of the pollutants, added Pugh, whose study was published last year in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

That’s why the green-wall study is “putting forward an alternative solution that might allow [governments] to improve air quality in these problem hot spots,” he said.Compared with reducing emissions from cars, little attention has been focused on how to trap or take up more of the pollutants, added Pugh, whose study was published last year in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

That’s why the green-wall study is “putting forward an alternative solution that might allow [governments] to improve air quality in these problem hot spots,” he said.

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