#low-carbon

[keepingitneutral]

Essential Homes Research Project,

The housing concept was designed by Norman Foster for displaced communities who are used to living in temporary settlements for years, providing the necessary needs of safety, comfort, and well-being.

The designed prototype is extremely sustainable and emits 70% less CO2 than conventional buildings. It is low-carbon, energy-efficient, and circular, incorporating a variety of Holcim sustainable building solutions.

Holcim and Norman Foster Foundation

[happywebdesign]

Hey Low

[happywebdesign]

heylow.world

[archupnet]

ArtPlay Pavilion at Dulwich Picture Gallery: Carmody Groarke’s Playful Timber Addition

In south London, architecture studio Carmody Groarke has introduced the ArtPlay Pavilion to the gardens of the John Soane-designed Dulwich Picture Gallery. This new addition marks the most significant redevelopment of the gallery in over 20 years, creating a low-carbon, family-friendly space designed to encourage younger generations to connect with art in an engaging environment. The project balances architectural innovation with sensitivity to context, expanding the reach of the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery.

Introduction

The ArtPlay Pavilion represents a fusion of history and contemporary design, carefully positioned within the landscaped grounds of the Dulwich Picture Gallery. The pavilion is more than just a building: it is a dedicated space for children that creates playful interactions with its setting while respecting the architectural heritage of Sir John Soane’s masterpiece. Designed as part of a long-term effort to modernize and enrich the gallery’s offerings, the pavilion captures the dual goal of sustainability and inclusivity. It uses locally sourced timber, incorporates natural ventilation, and reduces the overall carbon footprint of the estate. At the same time, the building strengthens community ties by providing children and adults with new spaces to engage, pause, and play, making it both an architectural and cultural milestone.

Design and Materials

The pavilion is rotated at a 45-degree angle to the historic Soane gallery, ensuring that it both complements and contrasts its environment. Timber cladding, playful circular windows, and oversized canopies reference the materials and colors of the original gallery, while creating a new identity of their own. Douglas fir gives the structure a light yet textured surface, enhancing its connection to the surrounding trees. The cruciform interior layout is inspired by Soane’s spatial innovations and organizes the pavilion into interlinked play spaces illuminated by skylights, reminiscent of the gallery’s pioneering roof lighting system.

Architectural Features

The pavilion is divided into four color-themed zones, each linked to artworks from the main gallery. Features include a large slide, a Venetian bridge, and swings informed by Nicolas Poussin’s paintings of clouds. Beyond play, the pavilion accommodates functional areas such as toilets, an energy center, and a redesigned entrance to improve circulation across the grounds. Outside, landscape artist Kim Wilkie introduced sculpted mounds and a sculpture garden, integrating art and play seamlessly into the site.

FeatureDetailsMaterialDouglas fir timber, vertical slats, skylight roofLayoutCruciform plan with central play spaceZonesFour color-themed areas inspired by gallery paintingsEnergyNatural ventilation, photovoltaics, ground-source heat pump

Architectural Analysis

The pavilion reflects Carmody Groarke’s design logic: blending modern sustainable construction with deep contextual respect. The use of local timber aligns with low-carbon strategies while visually resonating with the red brickwork of the Soane gallery. Circular openings establish playful transparency, encouraging children to engage with both the interior and the surrounding gardens. The cruciform layout fosters exploration, offering playful nooks at a child’s scale while remaining flexible for multiple uses. The building’s architectural value lies in its successful interpretation of a historic setting without falling into mimicry, instead establishing a new spatial typology for art-focused play.

Project Importance

The ArtPlay Pavilion provides architects and designers with a valuable lesson in balancing heritage and innovation. It demonstrates how sustainable materials can serve both environmental and cultural functions while remaining accessible and playful. The project introduces a typology where play, education, and art converge, emphasizing the importance of child-centered design in cultural institutions. For today’s architecture, it reinforces the urgency of low-carbon design strategies and inclusive public engagement, offering a future-oriented model of architectural practice.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

The ArtPlay Pavilion integrates history and play with a light architectural hand, using Douglas fir cladding, cruciform planning, and skylights that reference Soane’s gallery while creating a new sensory world. Its playful circular windows and color-themed zones draw children into a spatial narrative that blends learning with imagination. Yet, one critical point emerges: does embedding child-focused play within historic grounds risk overshadowing the original gallery’s contemplative experience? While this tension is worth reflection, the pavilion succeeds in framing heritage as an active, inclusive environment. Its sustainable materials and careful spatial composition mark a meaningful evolution in architectural practice.

Conclusion

The ArtPlay Pavilion at Dulwich Picture Gallery redefines how architecture can engage children and families within historic cultural landscapes. By introducing playful forms, sustainable materials, and inclusive spaces, the project achieves both continuity and innovation. It deepens the legacy of Sir John Soane’s gallery while opening pathways for future generations to connect with art in new ways. Beyond its immediate purpose as a children’s play pavilion, the project exemplifies how architecture can evolve to meet modern sustainability goals, foster inclusivity, and reinterpret heritage sites for contemporary audiences. This dual achievement of honoring tradition while imagining the future is what makes the pavilion an architectural milestone with lasting impact.

Explore the Latest Architecture Exhibitions & Conferences

ArchUp offers daily updates on top global architectural exhibitions, design conferences, and professional art and design forums. Follow key architecture competitions, check official results, and stay informed through the latest architectural news worldwide. ArchUp is your encyclopedic hub for discovering events and design-driven opportunities across the globe.

https://archup.net/modern-architectural-design-in-covent-apartment/ https://archup.net/zinc-roof/ Brought to you by the ArchUp Editorial Team

Inspiration starts here. Dive deeper into Architecture, Interior Design, Research, Cities, Design, and cutting-edge Projects on ArchUp.

Dive into the world of architecture – from bold concepts to global competitions – curated with ArchUp. #ArchUp #architecture Read the full article

[scienza-magia]

Aumento della domanda mondiale di gas

Gas, la domanda cresce dagli Usa al Medio Oriente: ecco perché è cruciale per la sicurezza energetica. Domanda ancora in crescita a livello globale nel 2023 e segna un aumento dell’1,5% rispetto ai livelli del 2022: tendenza che proseguirà anche quest’anno. La domanda globale di gas ha mantenuto la sua crescita nel 2023, aumentando di 59 miliardi di metri cubi (1,5%) rispetto ai livelli del 2022. Si prevede che questa tendenza continuerà nel 2024 con un ulteriore aumento di 87 miliardi di metri cubi (2,1%). L’Asia continua a essere la principale regione importatrice a livello globale, supportata da una crescita delle esportazioni da parte del Nord America e del Medio Oriente. Sono i dati contenuti nel Global Gas Report 2024 al centro di un webinar di approfondimento organizzato da Snam e introdotto dal suo ad Stefano Venier. Gas cruciale per la sicurezza energetica Secondo l’analisi, sebbene i mercati globali del gas si siano stabilizzati dalla volatilità record e dai prezzi visti nel 2022, rimangono fragili a causa delle persistenti preoccupazioni per la sicurezza energetica, con livelli di volatilità e prezzi ancora elevati rispetto al periodo pre-pandemico. E in quest’era di incertezza, ribadisce il Report, il gas naturale e i gas decarbonizzati e low-carbon rimangono comunque essenziali per costruire un sistema energetico equilibrato e sostenibile che garantisca affidabilità, scalabilità e accessibilità e assicuri la sicurezza dei sistemi di approvvigionamento. L’importanza delle tecnologie a basso contenuto di carbonio Nel documento si evidenzia poi l’importanza delle tecnologie gas a basso contenuto di carbonio come il biometano, l’idrogeno a zero e basse emissioni e la Ccus (cattura, stoccaggio e utilizzo del carbonio) che sta diventando evidente con l’accelerazione della transizione energetica, l’importanza . Attualmente, la produzione di biometano è concentrata principalmente in Nord America ed Europa, con mercati emergenti in Cina e India, e può soddisfare meno dell’1% della domanda globale di gas naturale. Il ruolo di idrogeno e Ccus Quanto all’idrogeno, la produzione della variante a zero o basse emissioni, sebbene ancora in ridotta (5 Mtpa), è destinata a una rapida crescita annuale del 45% dal 2023 al 2030, con pari contributo di idrogeno blu e verde. Allo stesso modo, si prevede che la capacità di cattura della CO2 tramite Ccus crescerà del 42% annuo. Nonostante siano ancora all’inizio del loro sviluppo, e molti dei progetti si trovino nello stato cosiddetto pre-FID (acronimo che identifica la decisione finale d’investimento), queste tecnologie svolgeranno un ruolo critico nei futuri sistemi energetici. Pertanto, è fondamentale che l’infrastruttura del gas sia progettata per facilitare un’adozione sempre più ampia di questi gas rinnovabili e low-carbon. L’andamento della domanda energetica Di recente, spiega poi il Rapporto, la domanda energetica è cresciuta nelle regioni in via di sviluppo (a causa dell’urbanizzazione e dell’industrializzazione), così come in quelle sviluppate (nonostante miglioramenti nell’efficienza energetica e fenomeni di stagnazione e declino industriale). Inoltre, recenti cambiamenti globali come lo sviluppo dell’intelligenza artificiale e l’incremento delle temperature stanno spingendo la domanda di elettricità dei data center e dei sistemi di raffreddamento, influenzando quindi anche la domanda di gas. Queste tendenze stanno mettendo in discussione le ipotesi di una decelerazione della crescita della domanda energetica che varie istituzioni hanno fatto nei loro scenari. Se la domanda energetica continua a evolversi come negli anni recenti, la domanda effettiva divergerà significativamente dai percorsi degli scenari, arrivando potenzialmente ad un divario tra la domanda e l’offerta pianificata di gas naturale e di altre energie a basso contenuto di carbonio. L’esigenza di una pianificazione di lungo periodo Da qui la necessità, sottolinea il Report, di bilanciare le tendenze di crescita attuali con gli obiettivi climatici a lungo termine attraverso la pianificazione di un sistema energetico resiliente e adattabile, che faccia uso di un mix diversificato e scalabile di fonti energetiche, tra cui energie rinnovabili e gas a zero e basse emissioni. «Il gas naturale e i gas decarbonizzati e low-carbon hanno il maggior potenziale per complementare le rinnovabili in questa giusta transizione energetica, fornendo l’affidabilità necessaria per bilanciare i problemi di intermittenza e scalabilità della fornitura energetica», chiarisce il documento. Read the full article

[wolfnowl]

India’s Shift to Low-carbon Construction Must Not Leave Workers Behind

To meet climate goals, India must decarbonize its construction sector, which drives 17% of its emissions. But the shift could put low-skille

Yes.

[timestechnow]

Making Low-Carbon Campuses Reality With Smart Solutions

TimesTech interacted with Sarad Shrestha, Director – Sales, Huawei Telecommunications India Co. Pvt. Ltd. to know about environment

[pavel-nosok]

Sympower fuels up to €25 million in Series B funding to build a more innovative renewable energy system across Europe

Sympower fuels up to €25 million in Series B funding to build a more innovative renewable energy system across Europe

Amsterdam-based Sympower has just secured an additional €3 million, taking its total funding amount to €25 million. The climate tech startup helps balance the supply and demand of electricity across networks and is now set to expand across Europe. As the global energy crisis continues to be felt and Europe’s temperatures drop, the urgency of… This content is for members only. Visit the site and…

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