Natural Swimming Pools: More Beauty, No Chemicals

Natural Swimming Pools: More Beauty, No Chemicals:

"Natural swimming pools use plants or a combination of plants and sand filters to keep the water clean and clear without chemicals. They were developed in Austria and Germany in the 1980s and have since grown in popularity worldwide. They can be designed in a multitude of ways: Some look like natural ponds; others may be disguised as standard tiled pools." 
-- Houzz.com

M I N I M I S - Tiny, Tiny Outdoor LEDs

http://www.minim.is/index.htm

Carsten Astheimer : Collection Bella - ArchiDesignClub by MUUUZ - Architecture & Design

Carsten Astheimer : Collection Bella - ArchiDesignClub by MUUUZ - Architecture & Design:

Städel Museum Extension | Schneider+Schumacher with Licht Kunst Licht | Frankfurt am Main | Lighting | Architectural Record

Städel Museum Extension | Schneider+Schumacher with Licht Kunst Licht | Frankfurt am Main | Lighting 

7. Skylight
8. Fritted Glazing
9. Shading/Blackout Louver
10. LED
11. Textile Diffusion Layer
12. Projection Spotlight

Perot Museum of Nature and Science by Morphosis

Perot Museum of Nature and Science by Morphosis:
What?  I like the slate(?) fragments, and this elevation:

The Center for Land Use Interpretation

The Center for Land Use Interpretation

Occupying a bleached-out building on a busy street and marked only by a small logo, the Center for Land Use Interpretation (CLUI) has spent nearly 20 years redefining geography, and inviting the public to join them. This isn’t about mapping roads and elevations, but looking at more unconventional aspects of the land, from satellite dishes scanning the skies to hidden networks of oil extraction in our own neighbourhoods. CLUI cracks geography open to reveal its fascinating links to culture and history, and has made it an urgent, compelling subject attracting entirely new audiences….ICON MAGAZINE ONLINE | Centre for Land Use Interpretation: Being There  by Lyra Kilston

641 Avenue of the Americas / Cook + Fox Architects | ArchDaily

641 Avenue of the Americas / Cook + Fox Architects | ArchDaily

Maison L / Christian Pottgiesser Architectures Possibles

Maison L / Christian Pottgiesser Architectures Possibles via ArchDaily

Marking the Horizon

The results of a massive aluminum chemical spill in Hungary.  via Climate Adaptation.

Also on http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/trees-stained-by-a-toxic-spill.html

Selgas Cano Architecture Office by Iwan Baan | ArchDaily

Selgas Cano Architecture Office by Iwan Baan | ArchDaily

Tower Studio / Saunders Architecture | ArchDaily

Tower Studio / Saunders Architecture | ArchDaily

Bridge Studio / Saunders Architecture | ArchDaily

Bridge Studio / Saunders Architecture | ArchDaily

España Library / Giancarlo Mazzanti

España Library / Giancarlo Mazzanti via ArchDaily

When the Humans Are Extinct

Paul Gaffney, I think.  http://www.paulgaffneyphotography.com/

Isay Weinfeld Designs, São Paulo

Casa Grécia, São Paulo via knstrct.com

Let the green in.

The Enessere Hercules Wind Turbine

The Enessere Hercules Wind Turbine Generates Wind Energy in Fine Style via inhabitat

Natural Swimming Pools

found on houselogic.com:  Natural Swimming Pools: 9 Myths Busted

Natural pools use one of two types of biological filters to create water that’s clear, clean, and chemical-free. Water is circulated by pump through either a gravel filter or a plant filter, depending on your preferences and, to some degree, your climate (gravel filters are better in warmer climates). Maintenance is easy: Once a month, remove any loose sediment with a pool vacuum cleaner.

You can build a natural swimming pool that’s a dead ringer for aregular pool, complete with concrete sides and bottom, and a traditional sky-blue pool color. You can even substitute an out-of-sight gravel filter for the plant pond.


Sterilized soil is good for the plant pond, but for the swimming pool, you can use concrete, a synthetic or rubber liner, or bentonite clay. At about 35 cents per sq. ft. (not installed), a 3-inch-thick layer of waterproof bentonite is the cheaper option. Adding 3 to 4 inches of pre-washed gravel to the bottom of your plant pond provides a habitat for beneficial bacteria that biodegrade any organic materials.

Any animals attracted to your natural swimming hole, such as dragonflies and frogs, keep to the plant side of the system, which is their natural habitat. And yes, you want them: They eat mosquitoes and their larvae, keeping your backyard free of biting pests. 

Most natural swimming pools feature two connected pools — one for swimming, and a shallow pool to hold plants. The root structures of aquatic plants — cattails, water lilies, and duckweed — remove bacteria and other contaminants. Check your state extension service for localized water plants.

Acadia Parish Conference Center by Trahan Architects

Acadia Parish Conference Center / Trahan Architects 

Alphonse Karr Bamboo: won't choke out everything else

Alphonse Karr Bamboo (Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr') via houzz.com:
Botanical name: Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr'
Common names: Alphonse Karr Bamboo
USDA zones: 8 to 10
Water requirement: Regular until established
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 15 to 35 feet tall (10 to 12 feet tall as a container plant)
Tolerances/benefits: Deer resistant; tolerates wind and coastal conditions; can grow in containers

spaces design by san francisco landscape architect on Houzz.com

• water well to establish a solid root system before the heat of summer or winter's frost 
• Plant several feet apart and the plants will fill out
• use a physical root barrier if planting close to a building or property line 
• hardy to around 15 degrees Fahrenheit.  much lower in temperature, foliage burns or canes die back. 
• branches from the base to the top, so trimming branches near the base of the plants will maintain a clean and clear pathway.