Green Wonders of the World by BusinessWeek
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.21.06
BusinessWeek recently did a round-up of some of the green architectural "Wonders of the World". Included in the survey was the intriguing structure seen here — it's the J.M. Tjibaou Cultural Centre in New Caledonia. BusinessWeek says: "Renzo Piano's cultural center in the South Pacific was the first to show that green architecture is as much about culture as technology. The use of local iroko wood and traditional construction methods reflect sustainable principles—both by reducing the distance materials must travel, and drawing on this French island territory's local economy. By riffing on the shapes of the area's traditional Kanak huts, the 10 individual structures dramatically blend into the landscape, while their vertical slats allow the prevailing winds to ventilate the interiors."
The article goes on to say: "The cycle of innovation for sustainable building technologies is now staggeringly short, given how long it takes to complete a building. In short, we are close to the tipping point at which green design becomes the default option for smart building."
:: BusinessWeek
Looks like he was an avid fan of the Planet of the Apes remake (Eloi houses on the cliff)
Looks great to me :), wonder how it looks inside?