“We have the chance to explore new forms of storytelling about energy,” adds Italo Rota, co-designer of the installation. “We believe that design is a powerful tool to turn a narration into an experience, allowing visitors to sense the energy while being surrounded by a unique atmosphere.”
Sustainability isn’t just a theme—it’s a living, breathing force at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, opening Saturday, May 10. Among the standout exhibits this year is “Song of the Cricket”, a groundbreaking fusion of ecological conservation and interactive sound art brought to life by researchers from the University of Melbourne.
As with other green burials such as Bios Urna (shrub pots pre-planted with soil, seeds, and human remains) and Poetree Burial Planter (human ashes in a biodegradable cork pot, planted with a boxwood sapling and ringed with the deceased’s inscription in ceramic), families and friends could visit the future flora, care for it and rest in its shade.
A town in Italy that brings in mirrors to transfer the sun.
With so much conflict erupting around us, it’s hard to imagine a peaceful future, but Erdem Architects does a good job of it. The Turkish firm recently won an international design competition with their proposal to turn an area of the Italian city La Spezia, historically used to host the city’s war arsenal, into a series of serene peace islands.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says that the Mediterranean’s biggest eco-debtor is Italy, meaning that nation uses more resources than it generates. Does that mean Middle Eastern nations bordering the sea are environmentally savvy consumers? Mama Mia, no! The medium is the message, said Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan. And the message is skewed by the words. […]
Green Prophet runs into an interesting event in Pisa, Italy. When tourists visit Pisa, Italy they discover not only that the tower really does lean but also that there is a considerable number of immigrants and refugees speaking perfect Italian waiting for them. The Arab spring has created a considerable influx of refugees seeking stability […]
For the first time scientists examined melatonin suppression in a various types of light bulbs, primarily those used for outdoor illumination, such as streetlights, road lighting, mall lighting and the like.
Want to get rid of the clutter from your home office? Cozy up in the Rewrite desk. Even when I had a large two room open-concept flat in a Templar’s house in Tel Aviv, I still craved the intimacy of small spaces. Those were the days when I was writing for newspapers, and found my […]
Meet Yoav Banin, CEO of Solergy, a solar power company in California and Italy. Reared in California by Israeli parents, and married to an Italian wife, Yoav Banin speaks to his two young sons in Hebrew while raising them in Rome. This 38-year-old trilingual Silicon Valley veteran is co-founder and chief executive officer of Solergy, […]
A living conservation laboratory (above): a new partnership with Rome will boost Acre’s efforts to protect its ancient history, making it more sustainable architecturally and for its residents and visitors. Declared a World Heritage site by the United Nations (UNESCO), for more than 20 years the Israeli city of Acre (pronounced “Akko” by the locals) […]
Driving to Venice from Trieste? Your car will power the electronic signs along the highway. (Image courtesy Lee Coursey via flickr) Israel-based Innowattech, which develops technology to convert mechanical energy from vehicular or rail traffic into electricity, has landed its first commercial contract: Italian infrastructure and civil engineering contractor Impregilo SpA has selected Innowattech as […]