The ideas of Hassan Fathy, Egyptian architect whose views on sustainable architecture and social justice were scorned in his time, is inspiring modern opinions today.

The post New Gourna and Egyptian Architect for Social Justice: Hassan Fathi appeared first on Green Prophet.

The post Vertical Forests, A Practical Design For Humanizing Cities Again appeared first on Green Prophet.

Remember that quirky Yael Mer inflatable dress that could save your life when disaster strikes? These floating homes go to the next level: Hurricane Matthew is bearing down on the Caribbean. Would the damage be less devastating if you lived in a floating home? Perhaps, but you’ll have to serve up more than pretty renderings […]

The post Surf rising sea levels in a WaterNest home? appeared first on Green Prophet.

An unnamed client hired London-based Baharash Architecture to design a luxury home that could fully function off the energy grid. That’s a tall order for any residence in Abu Dhabi, now consider the challenges for one sited in the punishing clime of the hyper-arid Liwa Desert where summer temperatures top 100°F. The star-shaped structure is […]

The post Solar retreat in the Liwa Desert – futuristic functionality or rich man’s folly? appeared first on Green Prophet.

Islamic versus non-Islamic or simply Western style architecture is an issue in many parts of the Middle East where locals, kingdoms and sheikdoms refuse or steadfastly hold onto their identity. Look at the Arab Gulf States like Dubai where giant, glass fronted skyscrapers dominate the skyline. These futuristic structures are being called cheap and anonymous by prominent architects […]

The post Un-Islamic critics want to veil “shameless” private parts of buildings in Iran appeared first on Green Prophet.

Luca Curci architects studio presents Desert City, a project proposal for a sustainable way to live in the desert. It surely beats the maze of crazy unsustainable cities we see in regions in the United Arab Emirates, save for Masdar the zero energy city outside Abu Dhabi. The architects say that their theoretical project was born from […]

The post Imagine a new kind of sustainable city in the desert? appeared first on Green Prophet.

Just about every week UK-based and Iraq-born architect Zaha Hadid unveils new plans for eloquent but often outrageous skyscrapers and building projects around the world. The latest is a $420 million trio of skyscrapers for Brisbane, Australia, in her words, with “design [that] tapers each structure to minimise their footprint and open the riverfront to the […]

The post Iraq-born Zaha Hadid’s new towers on former radiation zone in Australia appeared first on Green Prophet.

There’s something so compelling about this minimalistic villa shanghaied on the edge of a rocky Mediterranean landscape. One of five small villas conceptualized for varying landscapes by Italian design studio LAD, Villa Minima #3 is a distorted parallelepiped structure envisioned for a private residence in Turkey. Designed as additions to existing structures, which are likely neglected or disused, each of the five villas […]

The post Villa Minima #3 looks like a caterpillar on a rocky landscape in Turkey appeared first on Green Prophet.

Daydreams can catalyze real change. Look to the far-reaching influence of designers who choose to work in the hypothetical, where unrestricted creativity is unfettered by cost, resources, and environmental impact.  If only most of the Middle East’s fantastical architecture stayed imaginary.  Digital animation “Walking Architecture” (clip above) pays homage to a 1960’s design group while […]

The post Walking architecture envisions a built environment based on human motion appeared first on Green Prophet.

Residents of the world’s tallest building in Dubai are being punished over unpaid maintenance fees – some of them unjustly. In order to pressure property owners who have defaulted on their annual payments, developers Emaar warned residents that air-conditioning and elevator service would be cut until they receive their money. Roughly 80 percent of the […]

The post Burj residents sweat over developer threats to cut A/C and elevator services appeared first on Green Prophet.

Bob Hale, of Rios Clementi Hale Studios, wrapped his house in LA’s Cheviot Hills neighborhood in a perforated-metal screen like the Arabian screens the mashrabiya, which provide shade and privacy. But Hale’s home is punched with “ahava” –  the Hebrew word for love. Among the fine arts, I think architecture is most like music. Successful buildings are […]

The post Beit Ha-Ahava: CA architect builds a house wrapped in love appeared first on Green Prophet.

It began as a goofy Instagram project. Malaysian artist and architect Red Hong Yi went on a month-long mission, creating a piece of edible art every day. The result is an incredible visual feast. She started the project to challenge her creativity, constraining her canvas to the confines of a plate and limiting her palette […]

The post Architect Red Hong Yi Plays with Her Food and Cooks Up Delicious Art (PHOTOS) appeared first on Green Prophet.

It was the first time that a team from Israel participated in a Solar Decathlon intercollegiate architecture competition but the group, which represented several higher education institutes, recently took fourth place overall in China. Originally founded by the United States Department of Energy, the solar decathlon competition encourages architecture, design, and engineering students to gather […]

The post Israel Shines at First Solar Decathlon in China appeared first on Green Prophet.

Public transportation is not wildly popular in Saudi Arabia since fuel is so cheap and many households have private drivers to escort them from place to place, but the government is trying to shift public perception of this mode of movement by developing a brand new metro system. And Zaha Hadid has recently won a bid […]

The post Zaha Hadid Wins Bid for Futuristic Metro Station in Saudi Arabia appeared first on Green Prophet.

Turkey’s Taksim square protest flared up last week when police took drastic measures to clear activists from Gezi Park- slated for destruction to make way for yet another shopping center. But that’s not the only unsustainable project the government is pursuing in the name of economic growth. We list 5 of the major ones. These […]

The post 5 of Turkey’s Most Unsustainable Development Projects appeared first on Green Prophet.

Whether or not a 100,000 square meter office complex could possibly come with even a net environmental benefit is debatable, but the fact that a design wrapped in green won an international competition for such a complex signals a potential shift in Turkey’s urban planning. A working class neighborhood currently populated by a series of […]

The post Green-Wrapped Offices to Transform Turkish Working Class Neighborhood appeared first on Green Prophet.

Refrigeration is perhaps one of the greatest inventions of modern man, but it has come at a price. Not only do they require a great deal of energy to stay cool, but they also rely on ozone-depleting chloro-fluorocarbons (CFCs), or freon, though some countries have phased these out. As an increasing number of people walk […]

The post Iran Ice Houses Showcase Sustainable Refrigeration of the Ancients appeared first on Green Prophet.

Every three years, the Aga Khan Architecture Award acknowledges projects relevant to Islam that are culturally, environmentally and socially superior. Accompanied by a generous $1 million prize, it is among the world’s most prestigious architecture awards. Apartment #1 by Tehran’s Architecture by Collective Terrain is one of 20 projects nominated, and though it faces stiff […]

The post Iranian Recycled Stone Apartment #1 Among 2013 Aga Khan Architecture Award Nominees appeared first on Green Prophet.

Like many countries in the Middle East/North Africa region, Turkey is undergoing rapid expansion and that’s not necessarily a good thing, especially since so many developers are perpetuating an archaic building model that involves a lot of concrete and glass and often completely disregards the need to preserve existing vegetation or plan for climatic concerns. […]

The post Wooden Sun Filter Cools Istanbul Apartment Complex Naturally appeared first on Green Prophet.

We have to admit that this isn’t anything particularly “green” about this see-saw, but it does harvest the movement of people to make music. And that’s just downright cool. A temporary installation designed for last year’s Marrakech Biennale, The Rise and Fall blends architecture and art to question how people occupy spaces and how those spaces […]

The post Suspended See-Saw Makes Music from Movement in Morocco appeared first on Green Prophet.

Although the Sahara desert used to be a green retreat for giraffes and hippos 5,000 years ago, it is now a giant, sometimes rolling landscape of sand. A lot of sand. In fact, roughly two thirds of Algeria is made up of sand, according to the authors of a study published in the Arabian Journal […]

The post Algerians Mould Bricks from Sahara Sand Dunes appeared first on Green Prophet.

We've developed a new type of structure that reflects the vast majority of sunlight, while at the same time it sends heat into that coldness, which cools manmade structures even in the day time

The post Nanophotonic Building Panels Beam Sunlight and Heat into Cold Space appeared first on Green Prophet.

Istanbul residents have been dreading this moment: construction has broken ground on an enormous International Financial Center designed to position the Turkish economy among the world’s top ten. Despite some green concessions, including green roofs, on-site renewable energy generation, and plenty of urban green space, locals who must contend with greater traffic congestion and other […]

The post Green-Roofed Istanbul International Financial Center Breaks Ground appeared first on Green Prophet.

We are accustomed to writing about art and architecture that addresses environmental and social problems in the Middle East, but nothing as interesting as Larissa Sansour’s Nation Estate has crossed our desk before. Conceived in 2011 when Palestinian authorities appealed to the United Nations for nationhood status, the sci-fi short film and photographic series takes […]

The post Nation Estate is a Massive High Rise for All Palestinians appeared first on Green Prophet.

If there’s something that the Israelis do as well as or even better than clean tech, it is agriculture. When the state was established in the mid 20th century, the first pioneers faced large swaths of dry and barren land. It is part of the country’s legacy that they then proceeded to transform this wasteland […]

The post Sustainable Fields of Knowledge Campus Evokes Israel’s Agricultural Roots appeared first on Green Prophet.

Now in Abu Dhabi, a wild 56 foot tall pavilion cleans air around it; like taking 260 cars off the road at any given time. New York’s HWKN (Hollwich Kushner) is a New York based architecture and design office whose projects span the worlds of architecture, branding, and development. Their spiky blue air-scrubbing pavilion called Wendy has […]

The post HWKN’s Spiky Air-Scrubbing Wendy Pavilion Debuts in Abu Dhabi appeared first on Green Prophet.

One of the most recognizable and untamable architects on earth, Iraqi Zaha Hadid is celebrating two grand openings of her creations this week, including the Galaxy SOHO commercial and retail complex in Beijing, China. Swooping and fluid, and reminiscent of dunes and rivers and other natural features common in the Middle East, the sprawling 330,000 […]

The post Zaha Hadid’s Immense Galaxy SOHO Complex Takes LEED Silver appeared first on Green Prophet.

Chicago’s Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat recently named the Burj Qatar the world’s best new tall building, which is curious to us for several reasons. First of all, famed French architect Jean Nouvel designed the building but we can’t find it on his website. Is he not proud of his towering child? Second, there’s a […]

The post There’s a Burj Qatar by Jean Nouvel and it’s the World’s ‘Best’ Tall Building appeared first on Green Prophet.

Green Prophet travels to Granada to explore La Alhambra, the marvel-filled UNESCO World Heritage site that has captivated travelers, poets, and rulers for centuries. Bathed in golden autumn light, the Moorish fortress and palatial complex reveals layers of Islamic art, Nasrid history, and nature-inspired design that together evoke a vision of heaven on earth. From intricate muqarnas ceilings to the Generalife gardens, La Alhambra is both a celebration of beauty and a reminder of the Arab world’s enduring legacy of creativity, resilience, and reverence for nature.

The post La Alhambra in Spain, is an Arab World Marvel Worth Queuing For appeared first on Green Prophet.

The Archaeological Museum of Rabat was first built in 1932 and is badly in need of a renovation, so Archi5 submitted plans for a new solar-powered facility that would rise in harmony with its surrounding. Comprised of a series of boxy ribbons filled in with glazing, the conceptual museum is a fluid space that provides […]

The post Archi5’s Solar-Powered Archaeology Museum for Morocco appeared first on Green Prophet.

A surprising number of people still live in caves throughout the Middle East, but hardly any of them have a home that is as luxurious as the enviable Columbarium in Israel. Iranians live in caves, some Turks live in caves, and one of the region’s most sought-after Couchsurfing hosts brings guests to his tranquil lair […]

The post Columbarium is an Eco-Luxe Cave Dwelling in Israel appeared first on Green Prophet.

Farshid Moussavi’s inaugural project in the United States, the sharp Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, is expected to achieve LEED Silver certification if it performs as designed. Born in Iran but currently based in London, Moussavi recently split up with her former work and life partner and beat out a lot of competition to win the […]

The post Iranian Farshid Moussavi’s Prismatic MOCA in Cleveland Goes for LEED Silver appeared first on Green Prophet.

Rock Stadium by Lebanese design firm MZ Architects hasn’t been built yet but it has already won two coveted international design awards, including Best Future Building of the Year at the 2012 LEAF Awards. Marwan Zgheib accepted this year’s award for Al Ain’s sunken Rock Stadium in London on 21 September, sharing a slice of […]

The post Jebel Hafit stadium in the desert by MZ Architects appeared first on Green Prophet.

Kuwait is making its debut at the 13th Venice Biennale this year, and they’re doing so with some serious style. The pavilion features a cavernous industrial space interrupted with dangling speakers, orange cushions and abandoned master plans, and it was commissioned by the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCAA). Unlike many of the […]

The post Post-Oil Stagnation in Kuwait at the Venice Biennale appeared first on Green Prophet.

Though wallpaper is not popular in the Middle East, this wallpaper can help repair sick building syndrome. I grew up in a duplex, my mom warned us that the walls have ears.  Now the walls can have lungs too. Germany-based Blücher Technologies has created a material called Saratech Permasorb Wallpaper that removes toxins embedded in wall […]

The post Blücher’s Wallpaper Cleans Sick Buildings appeared first on Green Prophet.

The news that the American University of Cairo (AUC) would be the first from North Africa or the Middle East to participate in a US Department of Energy-sponsored Solar Decathlon competition was a source of great pride for all design and environment enthusiasts in our region.

The post Egypt’s Solar Decathlon Team Hits Madrid appeared first on Green Prophet.

Israel’s Mediterranean city of Bat Yam is pulling itself out of obscurity with one of the most unusual art spaces we’ve seen. Located just south of Tel Aviv –  the country’s most well-known seaside city, the Riviera used to be a thumping nightclub in the 1950s and 1960s. Now it’s a very yellow and open industrial-chic art […]

The post Riviera Seaside Art Gallery Features a Sand Floor and Gritty Art in Israel appeared first on Green Prophet.

We’ve long extolled the virtues of earth building, but it turns out that Iran’s simple clay and mud brick buildings are a leading cause of casualties during strong earthquakes. Over the weekend, two earthquakes measuring 6.3 and 6.4 on the richter scale hit the country’s east Azerbaijan province, killing at least 360 people and displacing […]

The post Iran’s Earth Buildings are the Leading Cause of Quake Casualties appeared first on Green Prophet.

The privately-owned Abdali development company promises that the new 384,000 sqm commercial center in the heart of Jordan’s capital Amman will offer “lush inviting spaces that beckon and call for your attention.” “Notice the elements subtly woven into the new downtown’s [sic] environment,” their web marketing person gushed. “Delight in the blossoming urban forest close […]

The post 541 Jordan Trees Sacrificed for Dubai-esque Development Project appeared first on Green Prophet.

Usually new developments seeking LEED certification have to “prove themselves” – so to speak – before they can achieve any kind of certification. However, in order to recognize the division between owners and tenants of new developments, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) makes an exception for  core and shell buildings that are designed […]

The post Sowwah Square Receives First LEED-CS Gold Pre-Certification in Abu Dhabi appeared first on Green Prophet.

After six years of failing to negotiate with them, a Catalan designer is going public with a story that could cause Qatar tremendous embarrassment in the lead up to the 2022 World Cup. A member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and bound by the Paris Convention and the TRIPS […]

The post Qatar Accused of Stealing Barcelona’s Street Lighting Design appeared first on Green Prophet.

Space comes at a premium these days, but could you live in a house that is only four feet wide? Israeli writer Etgar Keret commissioned Jakub Szczęsny from Centrala to build a tiny house between the crack of two buildings in Poland. Designed more as an artistic platform for intellectual engagement than a serious dwelling, […]

The post Famous Israeli Writer Commissions 4-foot Wide Parasitic House appeared first on Green Prophet.

Although building a monument to nature is something of a contradiction in terms, o2a studio has done a wonderful job of finding balance between the built and unbuilt in this striking design for the Natural History Museum in Jerusalem. A subterranean facility with stone cladding, the museum is topped with a green roof that creates […]

The post Jerusalem’s Natural History Museum is a Green-Roofed Subterranean Monument appeared first on Green Prophet.

This building is located in Niavaran, Tehran – a district in the northern foothills. The climate in this area is completely different than the south and center of Tehran because of the nearby Alborz Mountains. Unfortunately, many old gardens in the area have been destroyed by urbanization projects over the last century. But Mohammed Reza Nikbahkt took a […]

The post Deluxe Iranian Residential Complex is Built Around the Trees appeared first on Green Prophet.

When commissioned to transform Izmir’s Orfi furniture store into an inspiring and atmospheric new space, Turkish designer Nail Egemen Yerce was presented with three concepts that needed to be incorporated: the garden, the plaza and the street. The existing office was endowed with an incredible excess of daylight, which needed to be diffused without shutting out […]

The post Turkish Furniture Store Transformed by Curvy Brick Wall appeared first on Green Prophet.

Scott Howard is among a growing number of people working on building projects that are not only eco-friendly, but actually help to regenerate natural systems. Once built, the Regenerative Home in Colorado will hopefully produce its own food in an entryway greenhouse and vertical garden, process all of its own waste, capture and recycle water […]

The post Hassan Fathy-Inspired Regenerative Home Planned for Buddhist Center appeared first on Green Prophet.

23.2 is only the second house that Jerusalem-born Omer Arbel has parented since opening his own practice in 2005, but the Vancouver-based architect demonstrates a natural flair for projects of this scale. Keen to soften the edges between industrial design and architecture and gifted with a large stock of reclaimed Douglas Fir beams of varying […]

The post Omer Arbel’s Green-Roofed 23.2 House is Framed With Sacred Reclaimed Timber appeared first on Green Prophet.

Qatar is targeting 76 Acres of LEED Certified Buildings When complete, the Msheireb regeneration project in the heart of Doha’s historical district will feature the world’s largest collection of LEED-certified buildings. Projected to cost $5.5 billion, the city’s new heart will eventually comprise 100 new buildings, all of which will target either Gold or Platinum […]

The post Qatar’s Msheireb Regeneration Project Will Be Largest LEED Cluster in the World appeared first on Green Prophet.

Amid soaring real-estate prices that sent scores of protestors to the streets last year, an Israeli company recently ran a marketing campaign for affordable lunar homes. According to a report published in the Times of Israel, an email circulated among local press promised that intrepid home seekers could purchase “Beautiful apartment towers … built in plastic bubbles” and “apartments […]

The post Israeli Site Advertises Moon Dwellings appeared first on Green Prophet.

Green Prophet is heading into Egypt and we want to hear about all your growing green projects. Now more than ever environmentalists need to stay the course, to lay the groundwork for a better future so that when the powers-to-be (whoever they will be) finally sort out their mess, we will be ready. Whether it’s […]

The post Green Prophet Hasn’t Given up on Egypt appeared first on Green Prophet.