20 Cool New Inventions for the Modern Day Real Estate Investor
Make no mistake about it – we live in an amazing new era that offers us easy access to some crazy new technology.
Some of the inventions in the world today are truly ground breaking and have the power to legitimately changes our lives. Other inventions and gadgets are moderately amusing, but give nothing more than novelty value. Nevertheless – ALL of the things I’m about to show you have been good enough to impress a lot of people and as such, I want to show you this small compilation of new technology that might just peak your interest.
Believe it or not, most of these are real products that you can buy right now. The list may surprise you – check it out!
Step into the age of digital security with these iPhone enabled door locks
Visiting some properties in a local War Zone neighborhood? Always come prepared with the ever-so-practical iPhone stun gun case
Visiting some properties in a Detroit War Zone neighborhood? Always come prepared with the ever-so-practical Hyundai Zombie Apocalypse Survival Vehicle
The role architecture plays in our everyday lives is astronomical. From the cool houses we marvel at on Freshome’s pages to historical & iconic buildings that we recognize instantly, architecture surrounds us daily. The architects behind these buildings and homes are what we love and the following 10 architects have paved the way for ingenious design, cutting edge innovation and have become pioneers of our built environment. Take a look at what we think are 10 of the greatest modern architects of our time
1.) Frank Gehry (born 2.28.1929):
There is no mistaking Gehry’s works, as they are the most distinctive, and innovative architectural phenomena around. His deconstructive forms are iconic as tourists flock to all of his buildings worldwide to marvel at the architectural forms he creates. Named by Vanity Fair as “the most important architect of our age”, he has set the precedence for contemporary architecture. His ability to create spaces that manipulate forms and surfaces is his most notable feats and we all love his unique uses of materials that almost defy all logic in how they work together.
Frank Gehry’s – City of Wine Complex, Northern Spain
Frank Gehry – Lou Rovo Center
His most notable projects include: The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Der Neue Zollhof in Düsseldorf and the Marqués de Riscal Vineyard Hotel in Elciego.
2.) Frank Lloyd Wright (born 6.8.1867):
Some consider Frank Lloyd Wright to be the greatest architect of all time. For he thought of interior & exterior spaces as one and was ahead of his time in building forms, construction methods, and never went to a formal architecture school. His humble American upbringing led him to learning under Louis Sullivan – another legend in architecture and to this day Wright is noted for his prairie-style buildings and organic influences. His organic and natural forms that seemed to become one with nature and his innovative detailing are still considered to be the best building and design concepts, even after nearly 150 years.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s greatest works: Guggenheim, Fallingwater and more…
His most notable projects include: The Guggenheim Museum in New York City, New York, Fallingwater Residence in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, Arizona State University Gammage Auditorium & Taliesin West – Wright’s home and studio in Scottsdale, Arizona.
3.) Ieoh Ming Pei – I.M. Pei (born 4.26.1917):
The Chinese born architect came to study architecture in the United States as a teenager and later became one of the greatest architects of modern architecture. Almost 80 years later I.M. Pei’s work can be seen worldwide and are noted for their unique use of geometric forms and incorporating Chinese influences into his work. His National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado embodies Pei’s iconic geometric forms and unity with natural elements in their surroundings. Pei’s work graces some of the most prestigious government and acclaimed sites throughout the world.
I.M. Pei’s – National Center for Atmospheric Research
I.M. Pei’s entrance to the Le Grand Louvre in Paris
I.M. Pei
His most profound projects include: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, The National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., Le Grand Louvre (The Pyramid) in Paris, The Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong and the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.
4.) Zaha Hadid (born 10.31.1950)
The first woman architect who ever won the Pritzker Architecture prize went to the legendary Zaha Hadid. Born in Iraq Hadid went on to win this iconic award which is often termed the ‘Nobel peace prize of architecture’. Hadid’s forms are characterized as futuristic, unconventional, daring and artistic. Many of her projects were never built and she still was ranked on Forbes list at 69th most powerful women in 2008. Her beautiful buildings always leave us with our mouths open, as if to say, “How did she design that?”
Zaha Hadid and her many works, including a mobile museum for Chanel with Karl Lagerfield
Her most noted projects are: MAXXI – the National Museum of the 21st Century Arts the Bridge Pavilion in Zaragoza, Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck, Phaeno Science Center and the Opera House in Guangzhou.
5.) Philip Johnson (born 7.8.1906)
Noted as the American architect who founded the Department of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, Johnson’s architectural works are easily identifiable. His glass house in Connecticut is one of the most familiar residences with its minimal interiors and expansive glass vistas were just one example of his use of the material. His amazing use of glass, steel and later crystal became his world-renowned fame. The Crystal Cathedral in California looks as though it should be in a child’s fairytale book it is the epitome of forward-thinking architecture that characterized Johnson’s Minimalism and Pop-Art styles.
Philip Johnson’s private residence – The Glass House
Philip Johnson’s Crystal Cathedral
His most notable works are the Seagram Building in New York City, in collaboration with architect, Mies van der Rohe, Philip-Johnson-House in Berlin, Germany, The Museum of Television of Radio & The Crystal Cathedral in California.
6.) Tom Wright (born 9.18.1957)
Is it possible to become one of the greatest modern architects of our time if you are only noted for one building? When the building is the most recognizable hotel in Dubai, yes. British architect, Tom Wright is responsible for the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. Acclaimed for its luxurious amenities as a hotel and also one of the most recognizable buildings in modern architecture. Noted with the world’s tallest atrium, and equipped with its own helicopter landing pad and tallest tennis court at the top, Tom Wright definitely deserves to join the list of great modern architects.
Tom Wright’s Burj Al Arab in Dubai
Tom Wright’s – helipad is also the worlds highest tennis court
The atrium looking up in Burj Al Arab Hotel
Tom Wright
7.) Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (born 3.27.1886)
Referred to commonly as “Mies”, the German-American architect is termed one of the pioneers of modern architecture along with Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius. Mies was known for his minimalist and “less is more” approach to architecture and his forward thinking of using plate glass and structural steel to divide interior spaces is one of his most notable characteristics in architecture. His innovative open floor plan concepts were first thought of by Van der Rohe and many of his interior concepts & furniture styles are widely used in today’s architecture and interiors.
Mies’ – Crown Hall
Mies’ – Barcelona Pavilion
Mies Van Der Rohe – Barcelona chair is iconic in furniture design
Mies Van Der Rohe
His most notable projects include Barcelona Pavilion, in Barcelona, Spain, New National Gallery in Berlin, Germany, Seagram Building in New York City and Crown Hall in Chicago, Illinois.
8.) Renzo Piano (born 9.14.1937)
The Italian born architect was named one of Time magazine’s top 100 most influential people in 2008. Piano who is an Italian Pritzker prize-winning architect has been instrumental in shaping modern architecture that stands on its own in recognition. The Shard – Europe’s tallest skyscraper in London has faced much controversy in its construction, but many feel it has given London a way to join the 21stcentury. In his younger years he worked with the world-renowned architect Louis Kahn and soon become known for his unique applications of materials and details.
The Shard Bridge
Piano’s Kansai International Airport
Piano’s – NEMO Science Center
Renzo Piano
Piano’s most notable projects include: The newly opened Shard in London, England, NEMO Science Center in Amsterdam, The New York Times building in New York, and Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan.
9.) Jean Nouvel (born 8.12.1945)
Nouvel is a French born architect who has won numerous prestigious awards and honors over the years for his projects, including the Prtizker Prize in 2008. Nouvel’s most acclaimed fame came from winning the design competition for the Arab World Institute in Paris that brought him international fame. Mechanical lenses in the south wall open & shut automatically and are reminiscent of Arabic latticework. The devices control interior lighting automatically from exterior light levels. Nouvel’s work is known worldwide and his use of innovative architectural concepts set him apart from many modern architects today.
Nouvel’s Arab World Institute
Nouvel’s innovative use of day lighting devices in the Arab World Institute
Nouvel’s Dentsu Building
Nouvel’s master plan for Seguin Island in France
Nouvel’s projects of note include: Arab World Institute in Paris, Denstu Building in Tokyo, Ziaty Andel in Prague, and Gasometer A in Vienna and Les Grandes Tables of Seguin Island in Paris.
10.) Moshe Safdie (born 7.14.1938)
Safdie is another product of Louis Kahn’s apprenticeship that led to his remarkable modern architecture career. Originally from Haifa, Safdie is known for his 1967 International & Universal Exposition – Expo 67, which was Canada’s main celebration during its centennial year, and was deemed a remarkable cultural achievement. Safdie has been awarded with much recognition of which the Gold Medal, from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada is among the finest.
Safdie’s – National Gallery of Canada
Safdie’s – Habitat 67
Safdie’s – Khalsa Heritage Memorial
Moshe Safdie
Safdie finest projects include: The towering & glass filled – National Gallery of Canada, Habitat 67 in Montreal, & Khalsa Heritage Memorial in Punjab, India.
Narrowing down the top 10 architects of modern architecture is a feat in itself, for there are thousands of architects and designers who have paved the way for creating awe-inspiring additions to our built environment. We would love to know Freshome who you would add to this list, for we know that that our so many we wish we could have included!
What is sustainable architecture: definition, concept and famous examples
What is the definition of sustainable architecture? The term is spreading in the construction industry but struggling to establish itself. Examples of projects that embrace sustainable materials and concepts.
Sustainable architecture and environmental issues are now a part of the agenda for businesses, as well as local and international communities. And people can’t get enough of it. The word “sustainability” and the expression “sustainable architecture” are spreading in the world of design and architecture for two main reasons: functional and formal. Any object that is considered sustainable must show ecological awareness, therefore its functionality must be tied to its relationship with the environment through its appearance.
What is the definition of sustainable building?
Sustainable architecture designs and constructs buildings in order to limit their environmental impact, with the objectives of achieving energy efficiency, positive impacts on health, comfort and improved liveability for inhabitants; all of this can be achieved through the implementation of appropriate technologies within the building. Sustainable architecture means being able to satisfy consumers’ requests, taking the time and natural resources needed into consideration from the very early stages of the project, entering the context in the most natural way possible, planning ahead by making the space and materials employed completely reusable.
Why is sustainable architecture so important?
Designing sustainable architecture means taking a few fundamental elements into consideration: orientation, shading and sunlight crated by pre-existing elements, natural ventilation, as well as the use of biomass, Ambient Assisted Living or domotics and renewable energy systems, all created and incorporated with materials studied specifically to interact with the environment and its characteristics.
“Sustainability, as a paradox of artifice, poses new issues: confronting the planet democratically is a necessity that brings us straight to the environmental question. […] Human beings consume the Earth’s capital more rapidly compared to nature’s capacity to regenerate itself. A sustainable home doesn’t erode the planet’s bio-capacity, but exists in harmony with it, and is thus able to ‘sustain’ it” (Enzo Calabrese)
Sustainability in architecture doesn’t only mean reducing energy use and waste. It can’t be segmented into various subcategories because it represents a fundamental and intrinsic combination of factors related to our existence on this planet. The choices that make an architectural or urban project environmentally friendly aren’t the only individual strategies to be employed; a sustainablebuildings must define the way in which the people who inhabit them live, for example reducing waste and energy use not only in their own neighbourhoods but in the entire city.
Sustainable architecture concepts and examples
The project’s sustainability must be a requirement, not a characteristic and it has been this way since the construction of the Ancient Egyptian pyramids. Modern milestones of successful sustainable architecture that fully embody its principles and concepts can be often found in developing countries, where the local workforce and community are at the core of the projects.
The Makoko Floating School in Lagos, Nigeria by Nlè Architects represents an innovative approach to architectural planning where the community and problems created by climate change are at the core. The design of this structure fully embraces the limits as well as the qualities of the location, in addition to the culture and customs of the population, a project culminating in a school entirely created with reused materials. In this sense, the Gando library in Mali designed by architect Diebedo Francis Kerè and the Green School in Bali, Indonesia by PT Pure Bamboo are on a similar wavelength.
Fortunately, these types of architectural projects are becoming more common, even though they still remain a very small percentage of what is actually constructed. The main problem is appearance: the image dictates the rules. The sustainable image runs the risk of being trivialised and becoming a typical wooden house with a vaguely comforting shape fitting the common imagery of eco-friendliness. So could appearance be more important than substance? A building that simply looks the part is often labelled as being “green”. A building isn’t sustainable just because it usese solar panels, though it does make it less impactful energy-wise, but sustainability is the sum of all its parts, which include social and economic processes. Declaring a building as green, even though it actually isn’t, has become a common phenomenon so much so that the term “greenwashing” was created to define this.There are many such examples across the world, some of the most famous are Tishman Speyer’s Hudson Yards in New York and the Wilshire Project in Los Angeles, both in the United States.
The materials used in sustainable architecture
One of the main objectives of people who delve into sustainable architecture is to recycle almost everything they use. The buildings should be modular, constructed with elements and materials that can be easily retrieved, reused and disposed of without causing any pollution by recycling them integrally or globally. The separation of modern elements, composed of various layers of materials that have been stuck together chemically, poses a serious problem for recycling. Because of this, designing reusable, modular and adaptable structures has not yet become a widespread approach.
Architect Kenneth Frampton underlined this problem in his conversation with architect and designer Enzo Calabrese, transcribed in the latter’s book Sustain What’s, the use of new materials has set us back in some way:
“The entire preindustrial building culture, determined by a relative lack of resources, was sustainable by definition because it was mostly based on low-energy, renewable and/or durable materials such as wood, bricks and stone. Yet, an architecture based exclusively on these materials would inevitably be limited in terms of its capacity for expressivity”.
What many architects don’t understand about a sustainable architectural project is that materials can have a different life and function from the one they originally had. The reuse and recycling of materials must be taken into consideration starting from the design phase of a new structure, and in the case of a demolition, materials must be easily retrievable and reused or recycled through careful planning. Japanese architect Shigeru Ban has been researching and spreading this practice for years, even from a social standpoint, studying and creating structures with cardboard tubes.
The projects by Earthships Biotecture are an emblem of radically sustainable architecture that also embody a refined aesthetic. Eartships are a type of passive solar house with zero-energy heating and cooling systems, completely independent from municipal energy sources. These structures are created with a wide array of materials such as dirt, clay, hay, wood and mostly tyres filled with dirt as load-bearing walls, whilst cans or bottles are used for non-load bearing walls. Their environmental impact is reduced and their characteristics are better performing than those of normal houses.
Other examples of successful sustainable architecture projects in Europe are The Edge in the Dutch capital Amsterdam, the award-winning Bosco Verticale in Milan, Italy and the Eden Project in Cornwall, UK.
How do i acquire property in Mexico as a foreigner?
Foreigners may obtain direct ownership of property within Mexican territory. However, foregners cannot hold title to property withing 100km from the border and 50 km from the coastline.
However, there is a system in Mexico that allows non-Mexicans to purchase property, providing great protection for the property owner.
In order to purchase real estate foreigners must aquire the property through a bank trust, formalized with a Mexican Banking Institution. As a buyer, you will be designated as the main beneficiary and can designate substitute beneficiaries in the event of death, tat way avoiding probate procedures upon death.
The bank trust is established for 50 years, renewable for the same period of time prior to expiration, the trust bank will let you know that it’s time to extend the term for another 50 years.
Can i acquire through an LLC?
Yes, the trustee bank would designate the LLC as the main beneficiary of the trust. However, since the LLC is a foreign entity, there are additional requirements for such an LLC to conduct business in Mexico.
Can I acquire in Co- Ownership?
Yes . In the trust, oth co-owners will be designated as main beneficiaries. It’s common that such co-owners designate themselves as substiturebeneficiaries, and they can also designate 3rd parties, as substituitive beneficiaries in the event of death.
If the bank holding my trust ceases doing my business, is there any risk of losing my property?
No . With the assistance of the Mexican Banking comisión, the trustee bank would be replaced by another.
What are my closing costs?
Closing costs are typically paid by the buyer and vary on a case to case basis, depending on the purchase Price, and are usually between 5% to9% of the purchase Price. Closing costs include notary fees, government taxes and duties, trustee bank fees, government permits, among others.
What is the role of a Public Notary in Mexico?
The public Notary is a government appointed oficial. Part of his responsibility is to calculate, retain and pay taxes on behalf of both the buyer and the sellerat closing. The notary will issue a deed by means of which the real estate transaction will be formalized, and this document is recorded in the public registry.
Propery taxes.
Propery taxes are very low in Mexico. The vary according to jurisdiction in Mexico in which your property is located. Taxes are paid annually, with the assesses value being determined at the time of the sale and base don the purchase Price.
Do i need an attorney?
Yes, the real estate transaction is subject to the excecution of multiple legal documents, therefore it is important to have a real estate attorney to guide and advise you during the process.
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