NEWSPAPER

A young couple who lived in a modest apartment in Budapest contacted architect Tamás Bene to design a small barge on Lake Tisza that would be their summer home. They had only one question: the structure would allow them to immerse themselves in nature to express their love for the region. The barge was a perfect concept that fulfilled their wishes without being fixed or anchored, just like the Tisza River which is the source of the thriving ecosystem of the lake.

The compact houseboat gives residents the flexibility to spend time up close in the natural surroundings and even relocate their location if they feel like it. The floating cabin has been designed to blend into the existing landscape so that residents have the chance to experience the surroundings on an intimate level. Bene took inspiration from traditional fishing boats for form while optimizing the small space to include a small kitchen, dining table and sleeping area. For a nautical aesthetic, circular windows have been added and the interior features warm wood finishes. The essence of the structure will remind you of the organic form of cabins, canoes and boats by the water.

“The movement of this compact living space intends to allow its occupants to get as close as possible to the atmosphere of their natural environment – insofar as nature has an ‘atmosphere’. The boat gives us the opportunity to spend time, eat, drink, sleep and wake up almost anywhere, while blurring the lines between ourselves and nature itself. This region has a special character not only in terms of wildlife, but also because of the man-made environment that connects the river and the lake, ”adds Bene. This houseboat is minimal, comfortable, and an integral part of the lake without disrupting the ecosystem – perhaps in the future Bene can team up with local communities and design more cabins that promote sustainable travel!

Designer: Tamás Bene

Sounds as good as any to start a story on Cape Cod. If you couldn’t guess at my anger at hydrangeas, which seems very rational to me, I’m having a hard time balancing travel and coronavirus. It is impossible to experience a vacation where you can get away from it all this summer. A carefree day at the beach means your beach blanket is 12 feet away from others, you wear your mask when lining up to order lobster, and your mini-golf putter is sanitized. Also, you might be on vacation, but the virus isn’t, so please just wear your mask.

For many of us, going to a New England seaside town in the summer blows away nostalgia for the way melting ice cream slides down the side of a candy cone. Accepting the current state of the world while surrounded by past childhood joys, like eating fried clams dipped in enough tartar sauce to clog a horse’s arteries, can make the most rational of us cry out. flowering shrubs. I did my best to stop thinking about it too much. “Get out of the way, buttercup!” I yelled at myself – after yelling at the tiger lilies.

Enough thinking and brooding. It was time to go to the beach.

I ended up in Orleans because until last week it is a city that I had previously only passed through to get to other places in Cape Town. Heard great things about Nauset Beach and someone on Facebook mentioned iced hot chocolate, and that was about all I needed.

I went to the Orleans Chamber of Commerce website to review the beach options. They listed three: Nauset, Skaket, and South Orleans Beach on Pleasant Bay. South Orleans Beach has been described as “Orleans’ best kept secret”. Of course, I went there first. The beach has no fees, no lifeguards and hot water. What could possibly go wrong? As you know, when someone asks “What could go wrong?” Something is about to go horribly wrong.

I planted my towel, my chair and started wringing the umbrella in the sand when a black shadow wearing capri pants approached.

“Private beach!” the capricious Karen shouted at me. “It’s a private beach!” I explained to him that the beach was listed on the Chamber’s website as public. In addition, I was surrounded by dozens of families. There was a part of the beach that was designated as private, but that was not it.

“Private beach!” she spat back. I was starting to think these were the only words she knew. I asked him to put on a mask or to stand further away from me. She got carried away and passed on to the next family. “Private beach!” she shouted at them. I took my chair and moved it about 20 feet. Karen private beach had bigger fish to whip and seemed to forget about me. Meanwhile, I was like, “Is this really the best you can do, 2020?” Karen Private Beach is about as intimidating as a mosquito bite.

Aside from Karen – and if you do meet her please send my regards – South Orleans Beach on Pleasant Bay was indeed a hidden gem. The crowds were a fraction of what they were at other beaches. It’s small but inconspicuous and I got lost listening to the waves.

As for the hidden gems, I had specifically come to Orleans to find a diamond that I recommend even more than South Orleans Beach on Pleasant Bay. The Nauset Beach Inn is the only accommodation available within the limits of the Cape Cod National Seashore. It opened in 1950, before the creation of the National Seashore. It is now owned by the National Park Service but is leased to a Brewster-based company which continues to run it as a hotel. If this was a regular hotel I would have spent a day in the field writing a review. I’m sure the bathroom tiling is original and the ceiling was covered in weird tiles. But this was no ordinary hotel. The room had a huge bay window that overlooked Nauset beach. This is probably one of the best views on Cape Cod.

The hostel, a semicircle of rooms on a hill overlooking the ocean, might have been a bit dated, but it was lovely because everything is going well. My room was immaculate, had new wood laminate flooring and air conditioning controls that looked like they had been recently updated. The paint was a cheerful combination of yellow and blue.

Did I mention the view?

It was a five minute walk from the hostel at Nauset Beach. I quickly learned that Nauset Beach is huge (10 miles to be exact), has awesome waves, and is known for its sharks. It was also quite crowded, although the beach is large enough to accommodate the crowds without feeling cramped. It’s $ 20 to park at Nauset (because I was staying at the hotel I could just walk down the hill for free) and there are facilities, as well as a few food trucks.

As the sun set, I made it to Skaket Beach, where the waves are gentle, the water warmer, and as it faces west you can watch the sun set over the water. It’s almost hypnotic. Parking at Skaket is also $ 20. Better yet, no Karens. If you’re not the beach type, I recommend the Kent’s Point Conservation Area, where you can walk to ponds and rivers from easy trails.

Because I was coming to Orleans with no prior knowledge of the city, I did extensive research before my trip, and by research I mean I asked for recommendations on Facebook. I was pleasantly overwhelmed. It helps to have a bunch of know-it-all friends. Suggestions included Yardarm, Sunbird Cafe, Viv’s Kitchen, Knack, Emack & Bolio’s, Hole in One, Nauset Farms, Land Ho! and Captain Cass Rock Harbor Seafood. Since I was only there for three days and there was a grill outside my room at the Nauset Beach Inn, I did not go to all of these restaurants. But I had a burger at Knack (better than Shake Shack) and ate it near Jonathan Young Windmill, tried a sugar roll at Hole in One, bought a lot of groceries at Nauset Farms and, here’s the important thing, I drank something called Hot Chocolate Sparrow iced hot chocolate.

The Hot Chocolate Sparrow is a local institution. Currently it is take out only with several picnic tables to sit and enjoy treats. I couldn’t see the beauty of all the confections up close, but I dutifully followed friends’ instructions to sip the glory of iced hot chocolate. I got there so fast that I first got an ice cream headache. But I slowed down and enjoyed its icy sweetness. The chocolate was cut with just the right amount of whipped cream.

At that moment, that glorious moment, I created a new memory of Cape Cod. I briefly sat at the picnic table, hungrily drank the chocolate, and forgot about COVID-19 and Karen. It might only have lasted five or 10 minutes, but it was exactly what I needed to reset before putting my mask back on, spraying my hands with disinfectant, and facing the hydrangeas again.

Christopher Muther can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on twitter @Chris_Muther.

Christopher Muther can be reached at [email protected] Follow him on twitter @Chris_Muther.

The solar panel fields are quite ugly. Huge concrete hydroelectric pumps are an eyesore. And wind farms, with their part-time attitude, spoiling the view. But they are nothing compared to what is to come.

It takes the surgical steel of encrypted physics to slice carnal politics and reveal the truth. The enlightening book by Professor David MacKay Sustainable energy – without hot air holds a large convex blind spot mirror to reveal precisely how we live now and what it will look like further down the road.

To help us understand the numbers, the base unit is the kilowatt-hour (kWh): equivalent to the electrical energy consumed by leaving a 40-watt bulb on for 24 hours. A good hot bath costs 5 kWh and driving a car for 30 miles uses 40 kWh. Professor MacKay totals the average that each of us uses per day at 125 kWh (125 light bulbs).

It doesn’t seem that much. Not while there are still fossil fuels to trade and the heat from the sun’s rays millions of years ago for lounging. compared to 15 we currently have) or 600,000 wind turbines covering half the area of ​​Great Britain.

Power cuts

What if we imagine our modern future when we’re efficient enough to halve the amount of electricity we consume? Better. But even that would take a wind farm to cover the landmass of Wales plus 100 nuclear power plants. Or 50 nuclear power plants plus solar panels covering twice the size of Greater London. Or adjust the dials however you like to include hydropower, tidal power, and geothermal power.

Green living guide: how to live a more environmentally friendly life and reduce your carbon footprint

We are bombarded with reports and stories about pollution, declining wildlife, climate change and other environmental concerns. But as individuals, we can often feel intimidated and helpless about what we can do. However, with small changes, everyone (if they wish) can make a small but significant contribution and often save money.

Here is our hands-on guide from experts on how to become more eco-friendly to live greener lives and reduce your carbon footprint.

Giant statistics. It’s a real moment that encourages a closer look at what really does and doesn’t really make that much of a difference. According to Professor MacKay, the most effective energy saver for an individual is to lower the thermostat.

Household heat pumps help. Solar panels on the roof also add up – a single 3m² panel is able to meet the hot water needs of half the family, even in places with little sunlight. Electric vehicles are also around four times more efficient than gasoline-powered cars and will be even more efficient when electricity is no longer produced from fossil fuels.

Other behaviors that make a difference are stealing less and eating vegetarian six days a week. On the other end, turn off TVs in standby mode, turn off redundant devices at the outlet, and boil just enough water for a cup of tea barely listed on your bill.

Necessary sacrifices

We’re addicted to electricity, the good stuff that has given us an unimaginable quality of life, from food preservation to proton beam therapy. But we cannot keep our habit and decry its future. It will therefore be necessary to get used to the new suppliers and their giant footprints on the landscape.

Solar fields have advantages. As technology improves, they produce more watts per acre. Some of the farming can continue under the panels as in Germany, where more delicate horticultural crops, as well as sheep, benefit from shade. And solar farms allow the soil to rest, so even intensely fertilized land can turn back into wildflower havens in a matter of years.

We will have to reluctantly welcome wind farms, aware that they do not produce greenhouse gases, use an omnipresent resource, sheltered from the vagaries of foreign markets and that they create jobs, despite their noise and their adolescent inconsistencies.

And we will have to reconsider our fears about nuclear power. If you thought the solar fields weren’t appealing, stand among the sea cabbages in the pebbles of Dungeness and gaze at the juggernaut in front of you. But turn around to see that
it is also suitable for one of the most popular and attractive artistic communities in its immediate orbit.

Knowing how much fun it is to have fun during a power outage (about 15 seconds), is it time to make the difficult choice between pristine landscapes and MRI scanners?

It’s a decision that is as necessarily arousing and about as pleasant as a cold bath.

These stunning landscape photographs have earned a Billingham retiree a leading title from the UK conservation charity, the Woodland Trust.

David Rodway, 84, regularly walks in the countryside with his camera to take pictures for the association.

This collection, which shows the beautiful autumn days in the beautiful landscape around Hackfall near Ripon, is part of the work that has earned him the title of Woodland Trust Volunteer Photographer of the Year.

Rachel Lee, Head of the Trust’s media library, nominated David, from Billingham, for the award.

“Despite his mobility issues, David has produced some amazing photographs again this year. I nominated him for this wonderful recent work, but also in recognition of his outstanding contribution over many years.

“David has supported several departments of the Trust, including campaigns, volunteering and dedications,” she said.

The awards ceremony took place at Kelham Hall in Nottinghamshire in early November, to celebrate the work done by volunteers over the past year. The Trust has 3,470 roles filled by volunteers – without them, he says, the struggle to protect and create forests would not be so strong.

It was organized by the President of the Woodland Trust, Baroness Barbara Young.

“The commitment of all our volunteers is simply exceptional. Their contributions are so valuable and we were delighted to host this event to recognize their work, ”she said.

“We truly appreciate each of our volunteers who give so generously of their time and skills to help us achieve our goals. They give us so much practical support on the ground, where it’s needed most, to help us manage forests, protect trees and raise awareness. The contribution of volunteers should not be underestimated. They are passionate and hardworking. They are the cornerstone of many of our projects and their efforts make such a big difference.

Everyone who attended the awards ceremony received a native sapling, which they were encouraged to plant as part of the initiative.

Development in Colorado and across the United States is transforming natural landscapes at the rate of two football fields per minute, new analysis has found, raising concerns about the survival of non-human species and potentially accelerating climate change.

The amount of natural land converted by human activities in Colorado increased by 676,827 acres between 2001 and 2017 – to about 10 percent of the state, an area larger than Rocky Mountain National Park, according to the analysis. And the human footprint nationwide has grown by 24 million acres in those 16 years.

This rate of land conversion has been faster than deforestation altering Brazil’s Amazon region, where development in recent years has devoured about two football fields every three minutes.

“By losing our natural landscapes, we are losing part of the American soul – especially in the West,” said biologist Brett Dickson, president of Conservation Science Partners, who conducted the analysis using satellite imagery. , aerial photos, census surveys, energy infrastructure maps and other data.

“We are eating away at our cherished landscapes. And we risk losing the places that provide Americans with things like clean water and recreational landscapes that allow wildlife populations to persist and roam freely, ”Dickson said.

The analysis was commissioned by the Center for American Progress, a Washington-based pro-conservation think tank, DC Conservation Science Partners previously conducted western-focused landscape studies from its offices in California and Colorado. Those who have worked on this project have stated that the main forms of landscape-altering development since 2001 include urban and commercial housing construction, road construction, agriculture, logging, grazing, mining. oil and gas and pipeline installation.

Natural landscapes disappeared fastest in the South – 9 million acres, leaving 46% of the area covered by the “human footprint” – and the Midwest – 7.7 million acres, with a total of 59 % of region covered – according to report. In the northeast, development has resulted in the loss of 1.1 million acres, putting 47% of the region under “human footprint”.

Development in the West devoured an additional 6.7 million acres, with about 19% of the area now covered.

“Your sightings of a new road, a taller fence, a longer trip may strike your guts, but are most likely fleeting. We captured these events and carefully compiled them, mapping and measuring the significant changes and rapid losses that have recently occurred in our natural landscapes, ”said David Theobald, senior scientist at Conservation Science Partners.

Advocates at the Center for American Progress have proposed a goal of protecting 30% of all land and oceans in the United States by 2030 to maintain ecological stability.

Unaltered natural landscapes help contain global warming because air pollution by heat-trapping greenhouse gases is not emitted and natural vegetation absorbs and stores carbon.

The conversion of the landscape also affects non-human species. A United Nations-backed scientific panel on biodiversity and ecosystems recently determined that about three-quarters of the land around the planet and two-thirds of marine environments have been significantly altered by human activity. It is estimated that one million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction.

Later this week, the UN-backed Intergovernmental Scientific Panel on Climate Change is expected to unveil an analysis on the extent to which landscape change is affecting global warming. The nations of the world have decided to work together to contain global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrialization levels.

For years, scientists have hypothesized that keeping at least half of the Earth’s surface in its natural state could help save 90% of species. An emerging coalition of scientists recommends a commitment to conserve about a third of the land and oceans through formal protections by 2030.

US governments have traditionally supported strong conservation of natural landscapes.

“The United States is entering an era in which it will rely more than ever on the integrity and stability of the natural world to ensure economic prosperity, protect the health of communities and resist the effects of climate change,” said Matt Lee-Ashley. , a senior researcher from the Center for American Progress, wrote in a report urging a national conversation about how much nature the nation should preserve.

“With the nation’s growing dependence on the natural world,” he wrote, “the time has come to confront and reverse the rapid decline of its natural systems. “

Urbnarc’s design for adira resorts comes from the existing landscaped environment unique to its site in Kerala, India. located on an island in freshwater lake Vembanad, the resort is designed around the theme of backwaters and its unique lush and tropical surrounding landscape. the original island was made up of dikes and dykes for rice cultivation and, eventually, it became a system of strips of land alternating with water channels overgrown with local flora. the environment inspired the architects to create a resort with the natural character of the island while designing a luxurious property.

aerial view of the resort – designed to maintain and enhance the naturalness of the property

Inspired by a painting by roberto burle marx, a brazilian landscape designer, the Urbnarc team designed the master plan for the destination to measure. the entire complex is designed to be accessible by water, retaining the property’s existing river setting. the architects formed new water channels and different types of water bodies that provide a variety of visual, functional and recreational uses. the arrival experience involves guests riding on traditional personalized Kerala houseboats, allowing them to come into close contact with the local fishing culture and the magical waterscape.

While the entire architectural language of the resort is designed as low impact, elegant and timeless, some buildings such as the Visitor Center are placed as spectacular pieces in the landscape

the water channel system within the resort further enhances the experience of standing water in the region and enables water-based connectivity. the resort’s strategy is to maintain and enhance the natural character of the property by creating a sustainable indigenous landscape. the natural palette is made up of the same elements of water, native grasses and plant cover, palms and trees. the natural landscape creates a unique sense of place for the resort, and at the same time is responsible towards the delicate ecosystem of Kerala backwaters. the complex is also designed to conserve, protect and celebrate the local flora and fauna.

the wellness village located on a plot of 7000 m² includes a unique spa located in a water garden

the resort is designed to be experienced as an organic landscape that seems to have existed for a long time with buildings subtly inserted into nature. While the entire architectural language of the resort is designed as low impact, elegant and timeless, some buildings such as the Visitor Center are placed as spectacular pieces in the landscape. however, all structures are built with environmentally sustainable materials and modern technology.

a bespoke arrival experience involves each guest arriving on traditional personalized kerala barges while gaining insight into the local fishing culture and magical backwaterscape

the complex includes public facilities, such as the visitor center and a large 750 square meter swimming pool. the facilities are designed as a series of levels with strategically placed characteristic trees and stepped terraces leading to the lake. one of the terraces includes a deck / bar which is meant to be floated into the lake every night for sunset cocktails. the pool deck and restaurant are located on the edge of Vembanad Lake providing a spectacular backdrop.

design sketch inspired by burle marx landscape paintings

the 50 m long main swimming pool is located on the upper terrace adjacent to the restaurant. the side of the pool facing the lake is a continuous infinity edge that falls dramatically and visually merges with the lake. Below the main pool deck is a smaller lower deck with a Jacuzzi pool and subsequent terraces blending into the lake. the jacuzzi is shaded by a characteristic plumeria tree and surrounded by coconut trees scattered over the lawn. the surrounding trees are used as natural structures from which the pool terrace can be illuminated. this effectively eliminates the need for lighting devices such as street lights or bollards. the lakeside pool deck is paved with a natural wood deck, reinforcing the natural character of the landscape. the wooden deck also minimizes heat gain and glare, creating a comfortable environment.

master plan

a wellness village set on 7,000 m² of land features a unique spa set in a water garden and connected to a library, yoga pavilion, fitness center and individual spa villas. the wellness village also has an organic restaurant which revolves around a series of aromatic gardens and aromatic herbs as well as ornamental reflection pools to offer a real escape and envelop the customer in a relaxing environment. the spa garden is designed as a natural and healing garden, complementing the holistic wellness experience offered by the spa. the intimate gardens are surrounded by natural ponds with aquatic plants and soothing bubbling jets to enhance the tranquil atmosphere and ambience of the spa. the spa gardens will be planted with natural herbs, spices and fragrant flowering plants that could be used for treatment purposes, as well as for the preparation of herbal teas and massage oils.

elements of the master plan

the guest villas are envisioned as a series of contemporary ecological pavilions set in a large water garden. each villa is designed to be designed with local materials and built by local artisans in a contemporary architectural style. luxurious interiors include reclaimed wood, stone columns, doors and windows, reminiscent of the vernacular structures of Kerala. the villas are grouped together in different configurations, one of the typical groups being centered around a courtyard with water features connecting it to the main water channel.

water use diagram

the streams are designed as semi-private gardens that can be used as informal spaces for afternoon teas, cocktails, informal receptions / dinners, art classes or just to relax and unwind lounging. the courtyards are designed to have an ornamental water basin as a focal point with a selection of local species of aquatic plants. Perched above this swimming pool are pavilions and wooden terraces shaded by pergolas, featuring trees and palm trees.

landscape installations

the character of each courtyard will vary depending on the architectural style of the surrounding group of villas. all villas are designed to be accessible by land or sea. on the land side, the provision of electric carts to transport residents is planned as well as a bicycle for each guest. each villa is also equipped with a canoe and is accessible via the resort’s main water channel. each villa offers residents the option of jumping from their own private pool to the larger recreational water feature which is designed to look and feel like a natural river. guests also have the option of swimming to each of the resort’s amenities.

landscape areas

accommodation in the villas includes master suites, guest suites, dining areas, seating and relaxation areas surrounded by a private garden and centered around a private swimming pool. the design offers a unique resort that creates an experience unmatched by other local resorts. the environmentally friendly approach and sustainable vernacular architecture, all combined with the strategies of natural and man-made aquatic landscape, place the seaside resort of adira as a benchmark development for the future.

well-being village plan

Keith Naughton is recognized as one of the foremost painters of the Australian outback. Yet his early years were a far cry from his later artistic achievements.

Born in the mining and seaside colony of Redhead, NSW, Naughton was the youngest of four boys who enjoyed a humble and carefree childhood of surfing, fishing and horseback riding.

Leaving school at 13, he became a copier at the Newcastle Herald and later a junior reporter. He reveled in the smell of newsprint and the eccentricities of editors and journalists and was immediately drawn to the artists in the newspaper’s art department.

His passion for sketching and drawing having awakened, he headed south to Sydney in search of a job as a graphic designer. His first role was with the printers Butterfield and Lewis at Redfern. At night he was educated at the Sydney Art School by Archibald Prize winner Joshua Smith.

In 1948 he met and married a nursing sister at St Luke’s Hospital in Tamworth. Dorothy ‘Maeve’ McIntosh would become his confidant and lifelong companion, as well as the mother of their two boys.

By the early 1950s, Naughton had carved out a reputation for his creativity and was quickly in demand by major advertising agencies. He established himself as a freelance visualizer and designer, which would soon take him to London in the early 1960s.

There he joined the GS Royds agency as Creative Director for his biggest fashion client, traveling extensively and working alongside young photographer Norman Parkinson on numerous assignments.

Returning home, he was appointed Managing Director of Australian advertising agency Nichols-Cumming in Sydney, followed by the founding of Keith Naughton Studios in North Sydney, with a list of clients spanning fashion, pharmaceuticals and clothing. bank and went on to win design awards locally and internationally. .

In his late forties, he sold the design studio to become a full-time painter and find his first love. He was continually fascinated by the laconic characters of the Australian bush: shearers, herdsmen, native bushmen, ringers and jackaroos; and how they congregated across stream beds and clay basins on stations that stretched from the rainforests in the east to the middle of the desert and west to the Kimberleys.