FX.co ★ Focus on environment: 7 green housing projects

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort (Finland)

Kakslauttanen Arctic resort is the world-renowned environmentally clean holiday destination located in Lapland. It consists of round glass igloos scattered across a forest. From the bird’s-eye view, they look like gigantic glass beetles that remind guests of ice homes of the natives. The round-shaped part of a building is made of glass fastened to an iron foundation. The circular inside design enables guests to watch the Northern lights. A transparent roof of a glass igloo provides wide sensational views. The arctic resort was created in 1973 by local fisherman Jussi Eiramo.

Whitepod Eco-Luxury Hotel (Switzerland)

The unique luxury hotel built by means of groundbreaking green technologies is situated in the Swiss Alps at the foot of the Dents du Midi mountain. The concept includes several pods arranged on a wooden framework. It looks like a dome consisting of triangles. Each pod has a circular window. The whole complex resembles an extraterrestrial base of space ships. Remarkably, the exterior design of the pods is altered depending on a season. The business concept rests on the lowest impact on the nature. The pod-house uses a wood pellet heating system. Such heaters run on wood wastes.

Brøndby Kommune (Denmark)

Experts think that Denmark is the first country to design and launch eco-friendly housing. Green projects were implemented there as early as in the 1st half of the XX century. A great example of such accommodation is Brøndby Kommune built by architect Erik Mygind in 1964. The commune represents residential estates scattered across the farm. From a bird’s-eye view, the town looks like pizza slices or gigantic flowers. The architect pursued the aim of uniting people. That is why each estate was built in a circular shape with a ground in the middle. The town consists of 284 private single-family houses arranged in 24 sectors. In the summer, city dwellers flock to the commune to enjoy barbecues away from the hustle and bustle of a city.

Palm Jumeirah man-made islands (Dubai)

Asian countries also appreciate eco-friendly housing. In 2004, the unique man-made archipelago appeared in Dubai. It was built in an artificial basin filled with salty water. A central highway runs through the basin. Its secondary roads connect it with 50 small resort islands. Each of them is packed with 16 villas, swimming pools, boutiques, restaurants, gyms, clubs, and tennis courts. The villas’ design incorporates elements of the European Mediterranean style. Every villa’s plot is lined with trees and bushes. The European architecture is complemented with the Oriental elements like stone lace-like décor.

Village of Lemmer (Netherlands)

Environmental ideas are clearly tracked in the design of the boat station in the Dutch city of Lemmer. This ecovillage looks like a molecule or sports dumbbells. Each circle of this water construction contains from 8 to 12 residential buildings. All components are built in the same architectural style and differ only in the color of the roofs. Centuries ago, Lemmer, a famous fishing village, was also known as a favorite destination for traders and craftsmen. Nowadays, it is one of the main sights in the Netherlands and a popular holiday destination.

Earth houses in Dietikon (Switzerland)

Unusual organic buildings, resembling the hobbits' houses from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, are located in the Swiss city of Dietikon. They were designed by local architect Peter Vetsch. He implemented the concept of the earth-covered architecture. The buildings seem to have grown into the ground. The project lacks right angles. The unique feature of the buildings is the curved "soft" facade. The houses are covered with a huge layer of soil and vegetation. On the territory, there are 9 housing properties ranging from 60 to 200 square meters. The buildings differ in the number of bedrooms. The largest of them has 7 rooms. A small lake is situated in the center of the residential area.

Rogner Bad Blumau hotel (Austria)

The eco-friendly hotel complex founded in 1997 stands out against magnificent landscapes of the Austrian city of Bad Blumau. Curved lines of the houses and whimsical shapes of the roofs create a unique work of art. 2,400 windows of the buildings have a special design. Apart from the organic architecture, the Rogner Bad Blumau complex can boast the healing thermal spring called Vulkania on its territory. The hot spring enables the hotel to reduce energy costs. The water temperature in Vulkania reaches 110 degrees and the steam emanating from the source supports the heating system even in severe frosts.