Design like you give a damn.

April 14, 2007 8:10 PM

The Open Architecture Network "is an online, open source community dedicated to improving living conditions through innovative and sustainable design." {via Cameron Sinclair's Ted Talk}
posted by dobbs (6 comments total)

Oh boy, 300 and some projects. E.G., Improving existing houses to make them net zero energy.
posted by Listener at 8:40 PM on April 14, 2007

Been browsing for a while and I haven't found a single actual plan, just a bunch of renderings, photographs and some tiny jpgs.
posted by signal at 8:41 PM on April 14, 2007

Is this supposed to be what they mean by sustainable?

Makes me grateful for my crappy apartment...even though it's about the size of that dwelling.
posted by Gnostic Novelist at 8:47 PM on April 14, 2007

I like the Now House project that Listener pointed out. To get actual details on it (there's none on OAN) check out the website.
posted by saraswati at 8:49 PM on April 14, 2007

'Open architecture' has existed for centuries, also known as 'vernacular architecture'. When we decided it was time to build a house, we did hire an architect but the design was pretty strictly based on local vernacular designs, which usually turn out to have a substantial amount of logic behind them, even if it isn't obvious at the outset.

How Buildings Learn is another locus classicus of this meme.
posted by unSane at 9:02 PM on April 14, 2007 [1 favorite]

A couple related sites that might be worth your while checking out: Archiplanet which is a Wiki dedicated to the architecture and design community and Great Buildings which houses descriptions, photos and sometimes plans for many famous/important buildings around the world.
posted by afflatus at 10:00 AM on April 15, 2007