Yas Marina Hotel in Abu Dhabi

The Arab countries have developed a lot lately because of the power of having so much oil. Of course, this reflected in the way the cities look and also in the investment in the building department. This is the explanation for the amazing hotels that have appeared over the last years in this part of the world, many of them too daring to believe they are for real. A very good example is Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi, which is the first hotel in the world to be built on top of an F1 circuit. But this is only the tip of the iceberg, as there are many other things to see about this hotel

This amazing hotel was designed by Hani Rashid and Lise Anne Couture from Asymptote Architecture in New York. This is the ultimate proof that you can do whatever you dream of if you have enough money for that. The hotel is actually made up of two different buildings, each having twelve stories. One of them is build on top of the F1 circuit and the other on the marina bay, the two parts being linked by a bridge covered in glass. The complex has 499 rooms, 75 suites and 7 restaurants.

The hotel opened in November 2009 , being started in 2007. The architects and designers working for this project tried to combined the modern and futuristic style with elements of the Islamic culture and traditions. But what’s really unusual about this hotel and attracts lots of tourists is the metallic covering made of steel that is normally known as the Grid Shelt. It includes a LED lighting system that covers the entire grid and changes colour. It makes the whole structure look like a web or a network that lights at night and can be seen from a big distance. It adds a lot of charm to the place and attracts many curious people. This features and many others make it a landmark for Abu Dhabi and the emirates.

The Leaning Tower of Abu-Dhabi

Everybody knows about the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It’s a really interesting structure. It’s also very old. So some architects felt like it was time for a new version of this majestic art piece. So they created a modern version of this one called Capital Gate Tower. It’s not a name as modest as the original one but still, it could work.

The Capital Gate Tower is located in Abu-Dhabi, one of the world’s major architectural centers. The angle at which this building is simply incredible. Actually, you might find this tower in the Guiness World Book of Records as the most inclines in the world, as least until someone else wants to beat this record. It might be a while until that happens so you’ll have plenty of time to admire it. In June 2010, the Guinness Book of World Records certified Capital Gate as the “World’s furthest leaning man-made towerThe Capital Gate Tower is a 35 storey building that manages to lean four times farther than Italy’s Leaning Tower which is quite amazing. This incredible project should be completed in 2011 and when it’s going to be ready it’s also going to house the 5 Star ‘Hyatt Capital Gate’, as well as approximately 15,000sqm of the most exclusive office space in Abu Dhabi.

Capital Gate was designed by international architectural firm RMJM. In terms of architecture and design, this amazing tower has an extraordinary exoskeleton or “diagrid” to absorb and channel the forces created by wind and seismic pressure as well as the gradient of Capital Gate

O-14 Tower in Dubai

A very unusual design for a commercial tower and a very unusual name. But, then again, Dubai is not just any ordinary place.This 22-story tall commercial tower comprises over 300,000 square feet of office space and is located along the extension of Dubai Creek. It was designed by Reiser and Umemoto and the central idea was to create something special and original. And they did. O-14 is an example of how the usual office tower design was practically turned inside out.

This imposing structure has a protective structural exoskeleton and the whole building was generally created by using concrete and a lot of steel. The general appearance of this tower is just impressing and the inside doesn’t disappoint either. More than that, because of the exoskeleton that wraps the whole building, the view from inside out is more than you would ever expect from an office. Anyone who has an office in there should feel lucky.{found on archdaily}

Aqua Tower by Studio Gang

The Chicago skyline can be considered to be the timeline in the history of skyscrapers and the new Aqua tower from the Studio Gang is definitely a highlight in the above mentioned timeline. This is not because of its incredibly tall height of 250m but due to its condition of sculpture. The strategy to design this tower was not only just a mere gesture but also to extend ensure solar shading

The Aqua Tower comprises of a 82 storied residential tower out of which 215 of the rooms are assigned to be hotel rooms. 476 of the residential units are allotted to be put on rent. 263 condominium units and Penthouses occupy the 53rd to the 80th floors of the incredible Agua Tower

This landmark of the Studio Gang is located in 200 North Columbus Drive in Chicago. It consists of up to six levels of basement parking facility under the ground.

Strange Tower with Fingers by Moho Architects

If you look at this strange tower you will have the impression that it collapses or disintegrates. It
looks like a huge hand with five fingers and it is located in Costa Rica

 

t is a project realized by the Spanish firm Moho Architects and it should be expected to be completed in 2012.This strange shape permits it to get natural lighting and it is an interesting building with twenty five floors used for commercial and retail facilities.

It is a nice place where you can meet your friends and spend a beautiful afternoon together enjoying spicy conversations at a nice cup of coffee or you can think of a shopping day.

This interesting tower can offer you a multitude of options how you can spend your spare time. You can also enjoy the beautiful, panoramic views that will definitely take your breath away.

Luxurious Thailand Retreat:Villa Mia

Villa Mia is a very beautiful and luxurious retreat located in Thailand. There are many such places all over the world and even in the same region. However, this one manages to distinguish itself from them with its unique design. The villa was organized arounc a central swimming pool and this makes it indeed unique.

The villa’s architecture was inspired by the Balinese style found in many pavilions. These are usually built around a central courtyard. In the case of this villa, the courtyard is a very large pool. To some extent in resembles a moat. It’s an unusual and original idea. The entrance pavilion of this villa is facing the ocean. To the right there’s a large garage and to the left there’s a fitness room and a staff quarters. One of the volumes includes an open-plan kitchen along with the dining and living area.

A doorway leads out to a covered Thai-style kitchen. There are two main pavilions on either side of the swimming pool. They include the living and the sleeping areas. The first bedroom has views directly to the pool. It includes a central walkway that leads to a luxurious bathroom with doors opening to a private outdoor courtyard. This area is filled with beautiful tropical plants, stone sculptures and wooden decking as well as an oversized terrazzo bathtub.

There are two more bedrooms in each of the pavilions. There’s a master bedroom located in a separate pavilion that has access to the garden. The five-bedroom Mia Vila is a stunning retreat, both soothing and impressive. It’s available for rent all year long for a minimum of three nights.

Villa Amanzi on Thailand by Original Vision Ltd

Located on Kamala Beach, Phuket, Thailand, this amazing residence is one of the most impressive structures someone could live in. With a very original design, this building defies the traditional ideas that made every home look almost the same. Villa Amanzi has a unique structure that allows a very equilibrated and subtle combination of indoors and outdoor space.All done by Original Vision Ltd in

The residence has three main levels and the living space has been carefully distributed. At the main entrance you enter the Entertainment level. Here there’s the living and dining area, the terraces, the swimming pool and the barbeque area and underneath there’s the kitchen, storage, laundry and staff area.

Above this level, there’s the main family Bedroom level. Here have been placed the master suite along with three bedrooms and their bathroom. From here there’s an amazing view to the ocean that can be admired.

There’s also a third level, below the Entertainment level, that’s called the Guest and Spa level. Here can be seen two additional bedroom, a private spa and a large games and family room.

It’s definitely a unique structure, with an amazing design and in an amazing location. With the ocean minutes away and with such beautiful landscape, living in that mansion must seem like a dream come true.

Eye-catching Villa in Rotterdam

The only possible expansion was from two side walls of the original house. The maximum height was 11 meters. The architects used the original structure as a guide line for the new project. They also reshaped the house and created new spaces for the inhabitants. The villa is currently organized around a central void. A new staircase was added on the north wall. It provides access to the first and second floor.

The architects decided to use prefabricated solid timber panels to create the new so called skin of the house, meaning the roof, the walls and the floor. The exterior of the house resembles a puzzle. The interior is similar to this one as well. There are several new elements that relate to the old ones. The transition between these two opposite worlds is gradual and smooth.{found on archdaily and pics by

How to choose solar panels for your home

There are a number of solar panels on sale in the market nowadays. It is important to choose the right one for one’s home. A number of things should be considered to ensure the right solar panel is chosen and installed in the house.

The first thing one should assess before buying a solar panel is the amount of energy that is needed to power all the equipment that is used in the house. Once the exact electricity requirements have been ascertained, then an appropriate solar panel can be chosen. The size of the solar panel is usually dependent on the average power consumption figures and the amount of sunlight received by the house

There are usually two types of solar panels available for sale- these are panels made of crystalline silicon and panels made of amorphous silicon alloy. The ones made of silicon alloy are a better option as they are lighter, more durable, thinner and much more efficient. The cost of a solar panel depends on the amount of wattage it can provide. It is very important that one should always consider the dollars and watts ratio when choosing a solar energy system as this is very essential.

One could always buy a solar panel from a store that offers installation services. However, if one has the required expertise and experience, they can buy all the materials needed for a panel and install it on their own. Some of the most popular brands which produce home solar power systems are GE, BP Solar, AEE Solar, Mitsubishi Electric, Sharp, Sanyo and Evergreen solar. For those individuals who are on a low budget, they can buy used solar panels which cost much lesser than the new ones. But it should be ensured that they are of good quality and likely to last for a long time.

The solar panels can be found on sale in a number of stores. The internet however is considered the best place to buy solar energy systems as there are a wide range of choices available online. Whether one decides to buy online or from a store, all the available choices must be examined, offers compared and then the best deal must be chosen. More time must be spent in researching about the best option available which gives a great value for money as this helps one choose the best.