Chicago Solar Tower / Zoka Zola Architecture

The proposed Solar Tower for Chicago by Zoka Zola Architects features an active solar array mounted to the façade which maximizes solar gain throughout the day. The spherically based design takes advantage of the large surface of a building by mounting the panels on the vertical plane. By incorporating tracking arms that the solar units mount to, summer electrical production can be improved by as much as 40% compared to a static mounted solar array, and even more compared to traditional vertically mounted solar facades. The array’s full potential is then realized, creating the greatest kWhrs production per square foot of any design. Mini-wind generators can also be incorporated into the tracking arms.

The spherical panels are mounted in such a way as to maintain views for the interior but to reduce heat gain. This results in a minimized dependency on a cooling plant. Occupants can override the panels to manipulate natural lighting conditions or the view of the Chicago skyline. The panels are evident from the interiors of the tower to emulate the technology. The siting of the tower will have a dramatic effect on its power production-being isolated or adjacent to a southerly body of water or park is preferable.  The entire building will have a kinetic profile raising onlooker’s awareness of renewable onsite energy production and sustainable urban design.

Barclays Center in New York City / SHoP Architects

SHoP Architects unveiled their design for the new Barclays Center in New York City.

The center achieves a balance between iconic form and per formative engagement with the street. The main public concourse is predominately glazed at the sidewalk level while the civic gesture of the arena is heightened by a spectacular 30 feet high canopy. Views and physical access both into and out of the arena will be plentiful to ensure a strong connection to the surrounding urban environment.

5 Romantic Honeymoon Destinations in the World

Your honeymoon is going to be romantic no matter where you go. You and your brand new husband could probably manage it even if you just stay at home. Romance is in the company, not in the place, but for most of us a particular destination can really help give a honeymoon that romantic feel from start to finish. A truly romantic place will lead to memories for a lifetime. Here are my top five suggestions for the perfect romantic honeymoon destination.

1. Tahiti

Tahiti is easily the most romantic honeymoon destination that I at least can imagine. Its scenery alone, with towering mountains, lush green rainforests, and smooth white sandy beaches, make it a destination to remember. Overwater bungalows with stunning views of the ocean, butler service, and easy access to the beach will ensure your days are full of relaxation and romance.

Tahiti can cater to those who want a more rustic honeymoon as well as couples seeking the most luxurious two weeks of their lives.

2. Thailand

If you're after a luxury honeymoon in Asia, look no further than Thailand. Bangkok is a surprisingly romantic city with sumptuous dining and accommodation options. There are a wealth of shops, museums, and monuments to keep you busy and you might even head out on a romantic boat trip along the canals.

Thailand also has a number of romantic beaches with equally luxurious resorts; you might enjoy relaxing in your own private pool or lounging on one of Thailand's unspoilt beaches.

3. The Maldives

Perhaps the most stereotypical of honeymoon destinations, the Maldives have that reputation for a very good reason. Quite simply, the islands are gorgeous, making this one of the perfect places for a beach honeymoon. The islands' accommodation is designed for this express purpose; almost every resort boasts a spa for relaxing massages; some of them are even overwater, so you can watch the fish and coral as you luxuriate in comfort.

When you're sick of diving and snorkelling, you can lie back on the beach and take advantage of your island butler for cocktails and gourmet snacks.

4. Barbados

It seems like beach destinations go hand-in-hand with romance. Barbados is another picture-perfect romantic honeymoon destination with a touch of extra glamour to spice up your weeks. The island is stunning, with white sandy beaches alongside rugged rocky coasts. Barbados is also a popular "destination wedding" island since it's very easy to get married there; there are none of the typical costly issues surrounding getting married in another country. Weeks spent on Barbados will truly feel like paradise due to the romantic atmosphere and true leisure potential of the island.

5. Australia

While you wouldn't expect Australia on this list, it fully deserves its place. Renowned as a holiday spot for backpackers and hitchhikers, Australia's growth in tourism and surround of picturesque beaches fully warrant its place on my honeymoon list. Australia truly has it all, with climate ranging from dense rainforest to red desert to soft beaches.

The entire country is edged by gorgeous blue ocean, making this the perfect spot for surfers, divers, and swimmers. It's easy to switch up your honeymoon in the same country; spend a week in glamorous, busy Sydney, two days in a homey desert outpost, and the rest of your holiday on a luxurious and romantic beach resort.

Ocean Pavilion for the 2012 Yeosu World Expo / SOMA

Architectural studio SOMA has finished the design of the thematic pavilion for the 2012 Yeosu World Expo. The project was selected in late 2009 and is expected to begin construction during the next couple of months.
As a major and permanent facility the thematic pavilion embodies the expo’s theme ‘the living ocean and coast’ in manifold ways. The ocean is experienced in two ways, as an endless surface and in an immersed perspective as depth. The plain duality of the ocean motivates the building’s spatial and organisational concept. Continuous surfaces twist from vertical to horizontal orientation and define all significant interior spaces. The vertical cones induce the visitor to immerse into the thematic exhibition.

They evolve into horizontal levels that cover the foyer and become a flexible stage for the best practice area. Continuous transitions between contrasting experiences also form the outer appearance of the pavilion. Towards the sea the conglomeration of solid vertical cones define a new meandering coast line, a soft edge that is in constant negotiation between water and land. Opposite side the pavilion develops out of the ground into an artificial roof landscape with gardens and scenic paths. The topographic lines of the roof turn into lamellas of the kinetic media facade that faces the expo’s entrance and the ‘digital gallery’.

The building will be erected in a former industrial harbour along a new promenade. Bridges will connect the pavilion to the expo site. after the expo and the aspired improvement of water quality the promenade will be transformed into an ‘urban beach’ offering leisure activities to the public. The main entrance is situated on ocean plaza, which is partly covered by the pavilion to achieve a shaded outdoor waiting area. The space boundaries of the open foyer are defined by the twisting surfaces of the cones.Tthe interstitial spaces between them frame the view onto the ocean and create niches for the visitors to take a pause from the exhibition.

The Ocean Imagination pavilion

The Ocean Imagination pavilion shows off the true beauty of nature !

Is it a wheel? Maybe a giant-wheel! Hell no! It’s the Ocean Imagination, the Thematic Pavilion of Yeosu 2012 by Unsangdong Architects, a pavilion beautiful enough to be a wonder of the world. Looking great isn’t everything this one boasts. It’s green too! A viewer gets a closer look at the ocean’s ecosystems with this pavilion with various exhibits that relate to man-made nature.

The pavilion also features the Ocean Gate, a type of vertical sea-shore. Also, the Sustainable Ocean void space combines flowing water with the ecological environment, while the structure’s outer space is used for exhibiting the Water-Valley, Media-Valley, Play-Valley, Green-Valley and loads more.

With a total area of 6200m2 and a theme and exhibition area of 2,000m2 and 1,600m2 respectively, the 100m Ocean Imagination is sure to make your imagination run wild and bring you a lot closer to nature.

Up In The Air: Flying Is Back

After years of almost nothing but bad news coming from the international aviation industry, there’s finally something upbeat to report. In the month of May, both international passenger and freight traffic moved ahead of pre-recession levels. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported an 11.7% increase in passenger traffic and a 34.3% jump in freight demand compared to May 2009.



With airlines closely watching capacity growth, they are filling close to 80% of available seats, a near record level. Now if they could only get corporations to once again start paying 10 times the price of an economy seat for the big seats up front, everything would

Cruising Canucks: Sea-Based Vacations Are Fastest-Growing Segment

More Canadians are walking the gangplank – and paying for the privilege. A new study reveals that cruises make up the fastest growing segment of Canada’s travel market.

Industry researcher PhoCusWright Inc. says cruises fit well with the Canadian appetite for all-inclusive package vacations – even though most cruises don’t include things like alcohol in the price. Over the past couple of years cruises have certainly appealed to Canadians’ appetite for bargains.

When many Americans stayed home during the worst of the recession, prices plummeted and less-impacted Canadians happily took their place – Canadian cruisers grew by 5% in 2008 and “a stunning 9% in 2009″ during the recession. Another interesting result from the study: 27% of Canadian travellers surveyed said they usually book through traditional travel agencies, compared to just 13%of American travellers.



Meanwhile, the cruise industry continues to generate reams of press with product enhancements. Norwegian Cruise Line, which has struggled in recent years, is back in the spotlight with the launch of its largest ship ever, the 4,000-passenger Norwegian Epic.

Taking the ‘floating resort’ concept to new levels, the ship puts the focus on onboard activities rather than port calls, with a dazzling entertainment line-up and an array of dining opportunities. With behemoths like Epic and Royal Caribbean’s 5,600-passenger Oasis of the Seas, it’s easy to forget you’re on a ship. But that seems to be what a sizable segment of cruisers want.

Rather than an opportunity to explore new destinations, many cruisers appear more interested in eating, drinking, tanning by the pool and checking out high-profile entertainment at night. And when it comes to port calls, some of the most popular are the private islands owned by Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Lines, Holland America and NCL.

These small Caribbean islands are uninhabited until a few thousands cruisers arrive, unmolested by the hawkers and vendors typical of cruise ports. The cruise lines continue to add private island amenities, from private cabanas to water play areas, exhilarating rides to expanded beaches.

Hotel Industry Recovery: As Rooms Fill, Rates Will Rise

Industry analysts and hoteliers agree that 2009 was the worst year in the history of the hotel business. Not surprisingly, they’re only admitting that now as fortunes appear to be on the rise again — it doesn’t do to preach doom when you’re still trying to sell franchises or attract investors.

What that means for travellers is that rate increases are just around the corner. As Business Travel News reported this week, a recent investment conference in New York gave lodging leaders a forum to express their recession experiences. “What happened last year was really the perfect storm,” said Best Western CEO David Kong. “Demand went down substantially, almost 6 percent, and at the same time supply grew by 3.2 percent.” “Corporate business just fell off a cliff,” said Monty Bennett, CEO of upscale hotel owner Ashford Hospitality.

“When all these companies cut back all corporate travel, they made their profits by cutting expenses. Now that they’re looking to grow profits, they can’t cut expenses anymore.” The turnaround is underway, with hotels reporting higher occupancy through the first few months of 2010.

 Rates, which plummeted to very consumer-friendly levels during the recession, have yet to bounce back, but hoteliers believe that’s just a matter of time.

There’s Gold In Them Islands: Caribbean Tourism Worth $12 Billion

There are few places that equal the Caribbean when it comes to sun, sand and sea pleasures. There’s no place that equals the region for dependence on tourism.

A recent impact study found that the Caribbean travel and tourism industry will earn $12 billion this year and account for 1.9 million direct and indirect jobs – or one in every nine jobs in the region. Tourism’s contribution to regional GDP is over 4% directly, but tops 12% on a broader impact measure.

For some destinations, the impact is even more profound: tourism is responsible for one in four jobs on the island of Jamaica and 27.7% of the island’s GDP.




In a statement delivering the study results, UK-based Oxford Economics said “Our research indicates that travel and tourism play a proportionately stronger role in both GDP and employment creation [in the Caribbean] than in any other comparable region,” As history has shown, such a disproportionately high dependence on tourism can be as precarious as it is profitable, as natural disasters and civil unrest can quickly slow the flow of visitors.

Miami, Florida - Top Travel Attractions

Take a visual tour of the top attractions of Miami, Florida - South Beach, Ocean Driver, Everglades, and Art Deco Architecture.