Urban Gardens » Solar Energy | Urban Gardens | Unlimited Thinking For Limited Spaces

NYC’s Alphabet City Neighborhood Botanical Garden

Robin Plaskoff Horton — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:10:05 +0000

On a stroll through New York City’s Alphabet City recently, I discovered some wonderful obscure gardens–that is, I almost walked by before noticing them. Coined Alphabet City because it encompasses the areas between Avenues A through D, the neighborhood … Read More...

NYC Rooftop Farm Classroom Cultivates Minds

Robin Plaskoff Horton — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:45:34 +0000

The Greenhouse on the roof of Public School 333 in Manhattan. Photo: Ari Burling

A 1400-square foot smart and sustainable hydroponic urban farm sits on the third floor rooftop of a New York City public school. It’s home to The … Read More...

Takin’ It to the (Sustainable Urban) Streets

Robin Plaskoff Horton — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 15:00:38 +0000

A concept of sustainable urban public space design, Le Jardin à La Rue (The Street Garden) was conceived by landscape designers Germaine Bourré and Julien Maiella for The International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire, France. The festival, whose theme this year … Read More...

Solar Barbecue

Robin Plaskoff Horton — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 15:00:17 +0000

From France, the stainless steel Solar iD Cook barbecue uses a parabolic shaped solar mirror to concentrate sunlight on the cooking area, where food can be grilled, simmered, or steamed.

They’re Transportable
Although the products need full sun to operate … Read More...

Produce Hoisted From Rooftop Vertical Farm to Kitchen

Robin Plaskoff Horton — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:00:51 +0000

Bell, Book, and Candle Chef, John Mooney, using pulley to send crops down to restaurant below. Photo: Shawn-Erik Toth.

Food doesn’t get any fresher or local than this: Manhattan restaurant Bell, Book, and Candle’s Owner/Chef John Mooney and I … Read More...

Modern Sustainable Living Showcased at Dwell on Design

Robin Plaskoff Horton — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:12:22 +0000

The Modern Living Showhouse at Dwell on Design.

I spent a good part of last week in Los Angeles, absorbing the best of green innovation and design at Dwell on Design. Much of my time I perused a section of … Read More...

Luxury Hen Residences: Modernist Solar Chicken Coop

Robin Plaskoff Horton — Mon, 16 May 2011 22:56:33 +0000

Urban chicken raising has not only piqued the interest of many urban dwellers, it has arrived bearing some caché. While exploring this weekend’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair, I stumbled upon Raad’s modernist solar chicken coop for urban hens. This … Read More...

Plants as Indoor Natural Air Purifiers

Robin Plaskoff Horton — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 20:33:22 +0000

Green Flow

In its study of the effects of plants on interior air quality and sick air syndrome, NASA pointed out that “if man is to move into closed environments, he must take along nature’s life support system.”

Green … Read More...

Flowerpot or Light?

Robin Plaskoff Horton — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 18:32:07 +0000

It’s a grow-it-yourself plant kit that really isn’t. Schattengewächs, German Designer Maximilian Winkel’s light fixture, projects shadows of flowers, trees and even insects on to your wall. Don’t think of it as artificial flowers and plants, but rather as real … Read More...

Solar Garden Umbrella Offers Shade and Light

Robin Plaskoff Horton — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 23:52:44 +0000

Offering the after-dark glow of a garden umbrella strung with tiny lights, this solar one does eco-friendly double duty. The Day Shade Night Light Umbrella, or DSNL Umbrella, soaks up the sun’s rays while protecting you from them while … Read More...