Morris Architects, a Houston-based architecture and design firm, recently took top honours for two of their submissions in the Radical Innovation in Hospitality design competition. The grand prize winner, the Oil Rig Platform Resort and Spa makes use of one of 4,000 oil rigs out in the Gulf of Mexico and transforms it into a luxurious eco-resort and spa. We love how the inspired renovation takes an iconic source of dirty energy and converts it to an eco-haven that generates all of its power from renewable sources.

Situated in the middle of the ocean, the Rig Hotel will need to be as autonomous as possible, generating all of it’s own power from renewable energy, most notably via a large vertical axis wind turbine affixed to one of its foundation towers. Wind power tends to be far more efficient off-shore than on-shore, and the turbine will meet a significant portion of the Rig’s energy demands. Wave energy generators will be buoyed nearby with undersea cables to transmit the power. Solar panels will be affixed on the sides and top of the rig. Additionally, geothermal heat pumps will take advantage of the consistent water temperatures at lower sea levels to aid with heating and cooling of the interior rooms. All of these power systems can easily be integrated into the existing rig infrastructure.

The Oil Rig Resort and Spa will provide unparallelled views of the Gulf through patron’s rooms as well as a glass lobby floor. The lobby will be naturally lit with ambient light, which will be reflect the ocean. A central core will be filled with water, which acts as a ballast to help stabilize the platform during stormy conditions. This central core will also host theatrical performances much like the Cirque du Soliel show ‘O’ in Las Vegas. Guests will be able to view the show from their own room every night.

NYC architectural firm Reiser + Umemoto have designed Aeon II, an office tower that will be located in…you guessed it, Dubai. With Aeon II, the Dubai norm of slick curtain-clad towers has been put aside in favor of a responsive exterior that’s in tune with the arid desert environment. The folded plan-form of this 45-story building combines the inherent efficiency of parallel floors with rich sculptural possibilities. While systematic and rational, each floor plate allows for unique office configurations, ranging from boutique to mid-size open concepts. Magnificent views are created in the tips of the folds resulting in more corner offices, because they’re the most coveted piece of corporate real estate. Moreover, the folded form create an inherently stiff outer surface, which frees the cores from the burden of lateral forces and radically reduces the roles of the central shaft.

For the building’s exterior, a new technology has been proposed. Rather than the traditional curtain wall solution, R+U propose an economical floor to ceiling window-wall assembly, which also allows for the creation of the buildings folded forms. The building’s reticulated skin is made of perforated aluminum panels. These will have a beneficial effect both aesthetically and environmentally, shading the building from glare and heat, yet allowing for directed views from within the offices. The rich variation and quality of the outer shell is created by following the folded building form. Thus while every built element is standard, the openings between them are unusual and continuously vary.

The spatial distribution of At103 villa is the result of balancing wants and needs. The complex is divided into 5 houses that work as separate elements. The “need” portion below ground reacts to the shy introverted traditional house, while the articulated “want” aspect above ground shows off the house as a highly desirable object. The structure is positioned in a progressive manner interrupted by patios and gardens in between activities. The 5 houses are divided by use in the following order: Workers, Guests, Family, Parents and Kids. The overall appearance of the structures may seem rather stark, and basic because of concrete, however we think that it lends itself perfectly to the sleek simplicity the designers were aiming for.

In 2008, MAD organized and invited 11 young international architects to carry out an urban experiment: to design the Huaxi City centre of Guiyang, in South Western China. The architects invited by MAD included: Atelier Manferdini, BIG, Dieguez Fridman, Emergent/Tom Wiscombe, Houliang Architecture,
JDS, MAD, Mass Studies, Rojkind Arquitectos, Serie, Sou Fujimoto Architects. Clearly a who’s who within the wonderful world of architecture. The masterplan was developed by Shanghai Tongji Urban Planning and Design Institute, Studio 6, together with MAD.

The site of Huaxi is famous for its dramatic and beautiful landscape, as well as a diverse mix of minority cultural inhabitants during its history. Its future is defined by the local government’s urban planning as a new urban centre for finance, cultural activities and tourism. MAD brought the young architects together here in the summer of 2008, for a 3-day workshop to create an experimental urban vision for Huaxi. Each architect provided a design for a single part of the masterplan, based on their own understanding and interpretation of the local natural and cultural elements. The result is a series of individual buildings, growing from the natural environment, and working together to produce a compound of diverse urban activities.

The Television Cultural Center (TVCC) was designed as an open, inviting structure. On the ground floor, an huge lobby provided access to the 1500-seat theatre, a large ballroom, digital cinemas, recording studios and exhibition facilities. The building was home to the international broadcasting centre for the 2008 Olympic Games. The tower housed a five-star hotel; guests enter at a dedicated drop-off from the east of the building and ascend to the fifth floor housing the check-in as well as restaurants, lounges, and conference rooms. The hotel rooms occupied both sides of the tower, forming a spectacular atrium above the landscape of public facilities.

It was an architectural marvel, and just as we were beginning to love the TVCC, the grand structure was destroyed by a fire. The building caught fire as a result of stray (illegal) fireworks let off by revellers celebrating Chinese New Year last month. While the building cost over $1 billion dollars to construct, Chinese Officials remain tight lipped as to the dollar figure attached to the damage, and whether or not the charred remains will be salvaged. Unbelievable photos of the aftermath as well as the fire itself can be seen on Andrew Lih’s Flickr. As beautiful as the short lived TVCC was, images of the (even shorter lived) fire are amazing in a destructive context.

Perkins Eastman recently unveiled two soaring green high-rises in Kohinoor CTL’s competition to design a sustainable mixed-use skyscraper for Mumbai, India. The proposals incorporate an abundance of green building strategies and will harness alternative energy for the buildings’ essential functions, harvest rainwater, make use of solar technology, and provide abundant planters and green spaces to filter and freshen the air.

Both of Perkins Eastman’s designs juxtapose modern technological advancements with traditional Indian culture – colorful terracotta stones shine alongside photovoltaic cells. One takes the form of a towering 33 story spire with a two-story retail base, while the other is envisioned as a circular mid-rise topped with a verdant green roof. As the second most populous country in the world, India has swiftly moved into the central ring of international business and continues to make strides in sustainable development. Globally, large-scale urban centers working with, and not against, the environment are vital to future growth as the 7 billion population mark comes hastily around the corner.

Look up in the tree, it’s a big, it’s a plane, or maybe it’s just a reflection of a bird or a plane. Come to think of it, the more I look at the tree, the more I can notice the big box-shaped mirror positioned half way up the trunk. Let’s take a gander inside. For serious, this is a concept for ‘Harads’ a tree hotel created by swedish architectural firm Tham & Videgard Hansson Arkitekter. The cube design incorporates a kitchen, sleeping area, living area and a terrace. With a true, 2-floor, loft layout inside, it’s a minimalists dream home. But going back to the birds, I wonder how many you’d be scraping off the side? Better hope they come with a squeegee with a very long reach, and perhaps an extra case of cube shine.