Awaji Yumebutai

Awaji Yumebutai 100 step garden

Awaji Yumebutai is an area on the island of Awaji in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan which consists of a complex of buildings designed by architect Tadao Ando. The project was built on the remains of a hillside from which the soil had been removed and used for various projects in Osaka. In 1995, during the planning stages to restore the scarred land by turning it into a park, Awaji island was hit with a massive earthquake which claimed the lives of over 6,000 people. The devastation compelled the architect to revise his plans by turning a portion of the area into a memorial which includes the one hundred step garden (Hyakudan-en). In the words of the architect, it is "a symbol to calm the souls of those who lost their lives in the disaster."

Photo by Ken Conley

Photo by Jeffrey Friedl

Photo by Scott Hsu

Shell Garden

Shell Garden. Photo by Jack Chen via Ursula Zitting Pinterist

Shell Garden. Photo from 663highland

Photo from 663highland

Kiseki No Hoshi Greenhouse. Photo by Brodie Karel

Amphitheatre. Photo by Ken Conley

The 100 step garden at night. Photo by wata_masa

The 100 step garden
Wikipedia: Awaji Yumebutai

Atomium

An icon of Brussels, the Atomium is truly a marvelous feat of modern architecture. It's futuristic design is a representation of the unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. 

Designed by engineer André Waterkeyn, the Atomium was built for the 1958 World's Fair. After years of neglect and decay, it underwent a major renovation which was completed in February of 2006. Currently three spheres are closed to the public for safety reasons while the other six house exhibit spaces, a kid's world, an area for special events and a restaurant.

Rory Hyde

Photo by Harald Hoyer

Photo from joellpc

Ben Heine Atomium

Treehotel

Treehotel is certainly not your typical 'cabin in the woods' resort. Located in Harads, near the Lule river in Northern Sweden, Treehotel combines contemporary design with the tranquility of nature. Currently, there are five unique rooms available with plans to build twenty four in total.

Mirrorcube
Most would agree that Treehotel's spotlight room is the Mirrorcube. Designed by architects Tham & Videgård, this cozy 4x4x4 meter room provides a double bed, small bathroom, living space and rooftop terrace.

Bird's Nest
Covered in branches and sticks, the Bird's Nest, as the name implies, looks like it is home to some enormous  feathered creature. Designed by Inredningsgruppen, the room is 17 square meters and can accommodate up to four guests with a double bed, two bunk beds, small bathroom and living space.

Cabin
At 24 square feet, the Cabin is the second largest room available at Treehotel. Designed by Cyrén & Cyrén, the Cabin is located at the top of a steep slope which provides for an amazing view. It has a double bed, small bathroom, living space and rooftop deck.

Blue Cone
Designed by SandellSandberg, the Blue Cone is certainly the most traditional room at Treehotel. Based on simplicity and accessibility the 22 square meters room has four beds, separate sleeping loft, bathroom and living room.

UFO
The UFO is Treehotel's most recent addition. Creatively designed by Inredningsgruppen to provide an otherworldly experience, it has a double bed, two smaller curved beds, bathroom, and living area. At 30 square meters it is the largest room currently available.

http://twistedsifter.com/2012/10/treehotel-in-sweden-for-nature-lovers/

http://www.treehotel.se/?pg=rooms

http://www.arcspace.com/travel/hotels-tree-hotel/

Gardens by the Bay

The next stop on my virtual travels brings me to the awe-inspiring Gardens by the Bay.  The Gardens is a 250 acre park located in southern Singapore and is one of the many recent developments to the Marina Bay area.  It is divided into three different parks: Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden.  Currently, the Bay South Garden is the only project which is fully complete.

Photo by Craig Sheppard

Managed by the Singapore National Park Board, this incredible project was designed by a team of two firms: landscape architects, Grant Associates and architects, Wilkinson Eyre Architects.  To date, it is estimated that the first phase of the project cost a whopping 1 billion Singapore dollars (approx. U.S. $810,000,000).

Bay South Garden, the largest of the waterfront gardens, is where you’ll find what is probably the most unique aspect of the park - the impressive Supertrees. These concrete and metal framed tree like structures are covered in bromeliads, ferns and tropical flowering climbers creating what is essentially a vertical garden.  During the day the trees will provide shade to park goers  At night they are brilliantly lit by a sophisticated lighting system.  There are eighteen Supertrees in all ranging in height between 80 to 160 feet.  They are designed and constructed with environmental technologies which are to mimic the ecological functions and abilities of trees.  To mimic how trees use photosynthesis to capture light and convert it into useful energy, eleven of the trees are embedded with photo-voltaic solar cells to help power park lights and water systems.  To represent how trees absorb, translocate, store and use water, supertrees are designed to collect and distribute rainwater to plants and fountains.

Photo by Pete Hottelet

The conservatory complex comprises two cooled conservatories – The Cloud Forest and Flower Dome.

The Cloud Forest (left) and Flower Dome

Cloud Forest is a 2 acre conservatory which replicates the conditions found in tropical mountainous regions.
It features a vegetation covered 35 meter mountain from which spills what is touted as the worlds largest indoor waterfall.

Photo by Zhang Wenjie

Photo by Craig Sheppard

At a whopping 3 acres, the Flower Dome replicates the cool-dry climate of Mediterranean and semi-arid sub-tropical regions like South Africa, California and parts of Spain and Italy.

Photo by Craig Sheppard

As a side note, the luxurious Marina Bay Sands is only a five minute walk from the Gardens.  From a distance the two make for a wonderful skyline scene.

http://laughingsquid.com/photos-singapores-supertrees-solar-powered-vertical-gardens/

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/08/world/asia/singapore-supertrees-gardens-bay/index.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2157488/Gardens-By-The-Bay-Supertrees-Singapore-light-night-sky.html

http://www.worldbuildingsdirectory.com/project.cfm?id=4410

http://www.dezeen.com/2012/06/19/gardens-by-the-bay-by-grant-associates-and-wilkinson-eyre-architects/

http://www.wwdmag.com/channel/casestudies/singapore-gardens-environmental-sustainability-showcase

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardens_by_the_Bay

Piano House

This unique piano house located in Huainan City, An Hui Province, China.  The building was constructed as an attraction for the recently developed area and serves as a performance and practice place for music students from the nearby college.