Snøhetta has released new footage documenting construction progress at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota. The video captures the building as it rises along the northeast edge of a butte bordering Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Here, the building’s rammed earth walls and living green roof begin to define the project’s presence within the vast and scenic Badlands.

Set across 93 acres, the site remains legible throughout construction. The camera follows graded footpaths leading toward the slowly sloping roof plane, which appears as a continuation of the land rather than a separate object dropped onto it. The building’s relationship with the landscape will be more than just formal as it is designed to be regenerative and self-sufficient, aiming toward carbon neutrality. See more visualizations of the project from its 2020 unveiling here!

Still under construction, the library is set to open on for the 250th anniversary of the United States, July 4th, 2026.

construction advances along the butte overlooking Theodore Roosevelt National Park | visualization courtesy Snøhetta

snøhetta’s living roof of native landscaping

Snøhetta‘s newly unveiled video offers a closer look at the living green roof, a central component of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. Layers of reused on-site soil are already being positioned to support a Native Plant Project developed with Resource Environmental Solutions and North Dakota State University. More than sixty native species will eventually occupy this surface, reconstructing a prairie ecology of grasses, sedges, forbs, and shrubs that once defined the region.

From an architectural perspective, the roof reads as both structure and landscape. Its thickness and gentle curvature suggest insulation, water management, and plantings working together. Construction activity reveals how the roof mediates between interior spaces and the long views across the Badlands.

Snøhetta’s latest footage reveals the library emerging from graded terrain | image courtesy Snøhetta

inside the self-sufficient structure

Inside, Snøhetta’s video shows the emerging scale of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library’s galleries and circulation spaces. Structural bays frame future exhibition zones designed for immersive storytelling and digital archives, with careful attention to sound control, light modulation, and climate stability for artifacts.

The project’s regenerative ambitions include passive strategies and low-carbon materials which point toward targets of zero energy, zero emissions, zero water, and zero waste. At this phase, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library reads as a building assembled through systems that support long-term performance and seasonal use, shaped by the environmental pressures of the North Dakota plains and guided by a measured architectural logic.

native prairie plant systems are prepared as part of the roof assembly | image courtesy Snøhetta

the project’s regenerative ambitions include passive strategies and low-carbon materials | image courtesy Snøhetta

project info:

name: Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library 

architect: Snøhetta | @snohetta

location: Medora, North Dakota, USA

client: Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation (TRPLF) | @trlibrary

completion: expected July 4th, 2026

photography, video: courtesy Snøhetta

The post watch snøhetta’s theodore roosevelt presidential library take shape in north dakota appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Mazda has unveiled the eco concept sports car Vision X-Coupe that can capture and recycle carbon emissions the more it drives around. Equipped with the Mobile Carbon Capture technology developed by the manufacturer, the vehicle filters out the carbon dioxide directly from the exhaust system. Normally, cars release carbon dioxide into the air through their exhaust, serving as one of the main gases that causes climate change. Mazda’s idea is to catch some of this gas before it escapes into the atmosphere, and by integrating the technology into the exhaust, it allows the eco concept sports car to capture the emissions more efficiently.

Inside the device is a material called zeolite, a porous mineral with tiny holes. These holes act like a sponge for the carbon dioxide, so as the exhaust flows through the eco concept sports car, it absorbs the harmful gases and holds onto them. Later, the captured carbon can be removed and reused instead of being released into the air because Mazda wants to recycle the captured carbon instead of letting it go to waste. The company says that the recycled gases can be used to support plant growth, such as in farming or greenhouses, as well as turn them into high-performance carbon materials, which are used in many industries, including the automotive.

all images courtesy of Mazda

manufacturer tests carbon capture technology on racetrack

To test if the Mobile Carbon Capture technology works in real life, Mazda tried it out in motorsports. The team installed the system on a Mazda3 race car competing in Japan’s Super Taikyu endurance racing series, and during a four-hour race at Fuji International Speedway, the system successfully absorbed carbon dioxide from the exhaust while the car was running at high speed. This test also shows that the technology can survive heat, vibration, and long driving times, and Mazda plans to continue testing the system to capture even more emissions in the future.

Cars are a major source of carbon emissions worldwide. While electric vehicles are growing, many gasoline and hybrid cars are expected to still be on the road for years to come. There is no single solution to climate change, but vehicles like the eco concept sports car can help support a multi-solution approach, combining electric vehicles, cleaner engines, carbon-neutral fuels, and carbon capture technology. Mazda aims to become carbon neutral by 2050, adding the Vision X-Coupe to its growing list of vehicles that contribute fewer emissions to the environment. Recently, the manufacturer unveiled the concept vehicle during the Japan Mobility Show 2025.

Mazda has unveiled the eco concept sports car Vision X-Coupe that can capture and recycle carbon emissions

rear view of the vehicle

the vehicle is equipped with the Mobile Carbon Capture technology developed by the manufacturer

Mazda’s idea is to catch some of the harmful gas before it escapes into the atmosphere

view of the vehicle’s front wheel

the manufacturer unveiled the automobile at Japan Mobility Show 2025

interior view of the vehicle

a landscape screen is positioned within the dashboard

view of the Mobile Carbon Capture technology installed in the exhaust system

the company says that the recycled gases can be used to support plant growth

project info:

name: Vision X-Coupe

manufacturer: Mazda | @mazdausa, @mazdaeurope

The post eco sports car by mazda captures and recycles carbon emissions while driving appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Meet Eco-C Cube, an eco-friendly construction block built from recycled plastic waste, such as old fishing nets, buoys, agricultural vinyl, mulching film, and other mixed, discarded plastic. The manufacturer Westec Global relies on what it describes as New-Cycling process. Instead of cleaning, sorting, and breaking plastics down into raw polymers, mixed plastic waste is fused directly into usable blocks to preserve the materials’ strength and flexibility while avoiding the cost and emissions that are often linked with traditional recycling. 

Because washing and sorting are eliminated, water use and chemical use are also reduced, resulting in the entire plastic input being recycled. The design of eco-friendly construction blocks is based on modular cube-shaped bricks intended for infrastructure. The cross-like shape with a hollow center allows builders to interlock and bond Eco-C Cubes in three dimensions, and this modular system supports quick installation and flexible design depending on the environment and where they’ll be built. By limiting the recycling process and reusing the plastic waste as it is, the project aims as well to reduce the carbon emissions generated during the manufacturing process.

image courtesy of Westec Global, via CES

Recycled plastic instead of concrete can lower emissions

The eco-friendly construction blocks target plastics that contribute directly to environmental damage. Marine plastic threatens ecosystems and enters food chains. Agricultural plastics accumulate in soil and rural areas, where recycling infrastructure is limited. By using these materials as feedstock, Eco-C CUBE addresses both ocean pollution and agricultural waste at the same time by reusing mixed plastics without separating them. These materials are typically difficult to recycle because they are contaminated with soil, salt, organic matter, or chemical residues. As a result, they are often incinerated or sent to landfills, which harms the environment.

Eco-C CUBE, as the manufacturer describes, redirects these low-grade plastics into construction use, turning waste streams into building materials for architecture. Environmental impact is a core part of the project’s purpose, too. Using recycled plastic instead of concrete can lower greenhouse gas emissions, since concrete production is a major source of carbon dioxide. The eco-friendly construction blocks also prevent emissions that would occur if waste plastic were incinerated. In addition, diverting plastic from landfills helps reduce microplastics from going into the soil and water. The technology was co-developed by the manufacturer WES‑Tec Global and the nonprofit Korea Low Impact Development Association. Recently, the eco-friendly construction blocks appeared at CES 2026 in Las Vegas.

the manufacturer uses a ‘New-Cycling’ process | from here, all images courtesy of Carbonsaurus Co., Ltd.

the mixed plastic waste is fused directly into usable blocks to preserve the materials’ strength

the cross-like shape with a hollow center allows builders to interlock and bond Eco-C Cubes

project info:

name: Eco-C Cube

manufacturer: WES‑Tec Global

nonprofit: Korea Low Impact Development Association

The post old fishing nets, buoys and other plastic waste return as eco-friendly construction blocks appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

At the Lisbon Triennale 2025, Besley & Spresser present a material provocation disguised as an architectural installation that begins with a disarming question from Peter Besley. ‘What if one of the building industry’s most hazardous materials could become one of its most promising?’ Together with co-founder Jessica Spresser, the studio reframes asbestos as a mineral whose future might diverge radically from its past. Their project, REDUX, built within the Palácio Sinel de Cordes, showcases carbon-negative materials derived from asbestos waste, developed with Rotterdam-based material scientists Asbeter and ceramicist Benedetta Pompilli.

The transformation is a working demonstration of a certified EU process that recrystallizes asbestos into stable silicates, safe, tactile, even visually compelling. ‘The goal is to replace the idea of asbestos as taboo with one of possibility and to see that even materials with deeply troubled histories can be remade into something constructive, safe, and unexpectedly beautiful.’ the architects tell designboom.

images by Rui Cardoso, unless stated otherwise

turning a toxic legacy into carbon-negative material

Asbestos is an ancient mineral, woven into the urban fabric through decades of industrial enthusiasm and catastrophic neglect. Though naturally occurring and not toxic in itself, its mining, processing, and installation embedded a lethal hazard into cities worldwide that continues to kill hundreds of thousands of people annually and leaves millions of tons of contaminated waste in landfills.

Besley & Spresser’s installation operates inside this uncomfortable legacy. The architects point to the paradox of industrial material culture: convenience versus damage. ‘Asbestos embodies the contradictions of a lot of industrial material culture: convenience vs damage. By transforming it, we’re trying to contribute to the rethinking of the material culture of city-making,’ Besley notes.

Besley & Spresser present a material provocation disguised as an architectural installation

from hazardous fibres to carbon-negative architecture

The scientific process that underpins REDUX is both uncompromising and surprisingly generative. ‘The renewal process involves heating asbestos waste to a high temperature in a controlled environment, causing it to lose its fibrous, hazardous form and recrystallize into stable silicate minerals. These end products can then be used as cement replacements or as mineral additives in other materials. The process also absorbs carbon dioxide, making it carbon-negative.’ the architects explain. Cement currently accounts for roughly 8% of global carbon emissions, and the renewed asbestos minerals can substitute up to a quarter of traditional cement content.

The architects were also struck by the aesthetic range of the transformed material, especially the ceramic glazes produced by Pompilli. ‘What surprised us most was the aesthetic quality of the outcomes, particularly the glazes produced from the renewed mineral. They create unpredictable, sometimes vivid colors that vary with the composition of the original asbestos,’ they tell us.

the studio reframes asbestos as a mineral whose future might diverge radically from its past

REDUX explores repair as a technical and poetic act

Built using these renewed materials, the installation at Sinel de Cordes is as much a spatial essay as it is a demonstration. It proposes that the city can heal itself by reworking its own debris and that innovation can emerge from the very substances that once caused harm. ‘Design has the capacity to turn legacies of harm into opportunities for repair. Landfills that cover asbestos on city fringes risk ongoing environmental contamination, while aging asbestos housing stock continues to pose health hazards globally. By transforming asbestos safely and at scale, we can recover vast tracts of urban land, reclaiming them as parklands, ecological corridors, or sites for sustainable housing,’ the architects share with us.

Walking through REDUX, visitors are invited to touch the newly formed materials, a radical gesture given the global stigma surrounding asbestos. ‘We hope visitors will approach the installation with curiosity. By allowing people to touch and closely observe the renewed material, the project invites a direct, physical understanding of transformation,’ Besley & Spresser explain. As they put it, ‘the goal is to replace the idea of asbestos as taboo with one of possibility.’

REDUX showcases carbon-negative materials derived from asbestos waste

origins of the project

The architects tell designboom that research began not in a lab but in a classroom. During a 2023 Master of Architecture studio at the University of Sydney, students investigated local asbestos dumping grounds. One team, Thomas Li, Kleopatra Ananda, and Jasmine Sharp, mapped the urban footprint of the material and eventually led the architects to Asbeter in the Netherlands. ‘This research led us to Asbeter in the Netherlands, pioneers in asbestos renewal, whose technology neutralizes asbestos fibers through a mineral recrystallization process. Their work revealed a global potential: turning a material long defined by fear and harm into a carbon-negative resource with architectural applications, from concrete and render to ceramic glaze,’ they reflect.

the architects point to the paradox of industrial material culture

asbestos is an ancient mineral, woven into the urban fabric | image courtesy of Besley & Spresser

recrystallizing asbestos into stable silicates | image courtesy of Besley & Spresser

the scientific process is uncompromising and surprisingly generative | image courtesy of Besley & Spresser

stable silicates can be used as cement replacements

visitors are invited to touch the newly formed materials | image by Hugo David

the installation at Sinel de Cordes is as much a spatial essay as it is a demonstration | image by Hugo David

project info:

name: 09.ED.15 REDUX

architects:  Besley & Spresser | @besleyspresser

collaborators: Asbeter (Rotterdam); Benedetta Pompili Studio (Amsterdam)

location: Palácio Sinel de Cordes, Lisbon, Portugal

research collaborators: Thomas Li, Kleopatra Ananda, Jasmine Sharp

support: Brickworks, AC Minerals Group, European Union, Renewi, Just Transition Fund, Provincie Noorde-Brabant, Betonova

structural advice: SDA Structures

installer: Cria Design, Besley & Spresser

The post besley & spresser transform asbestos into carbon-negative architectural materials appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

BaleBio, a bamboo pavilion designed by Cave Urban for Bauhaus Earth’s ReBuilt initiative, pioneers carbon-negative architecture in Bali while reimagining the traditional communal spaces of the island for a changing climate. Rising above the sands of Mertasari Beach in Denpasar, the 84-square-meter structure transforms a disused car park into a living community hub, an open meeting space that merges environmental performance with social purpose.

In a city where coastal construction is often driven by tourism, BaleBio serves as a prototype for buildings that store carbon instead of emitting it and that house collective needs. Its design draws on the Bale Banjar, the traditional village hall central to Balinese social life, reinterpreting its open and inclusive layout through contemporary engineering and a new understanding of ecological responsibility.

all images by Iwan Sastrawan for Bauhaus Earth

barrel-vaulted roof shades the BAMBOO PAVILION

The sweeping, barrel-vaulted roof of the pavilion rises 8.5 meters above the beach. Crafted by the multidisciplinary design studio Cave Urban for the Bauhaus Earth research institution from slender bamboo rafters and clad in pelupuh (flattened bamboo), the canopy offers natural ventilation and passive cooling. Beneath it, a structural frame of laminated petung bamboo, locally sourced, resin-bonded, and compressed, delivers the strength and precision of steel or timber without the associated carbon cost.

All components were grown, processed, and assembled in Indonesia, establishing a circular supply chain. Construction combined traditional joinery techniques with precision-engineered fittings. Locally sourced volcanic rock, lime plaster, and repurposed terracotta roof tiles contribute to thermal mass and reduce embodied energy, integrating bio-based, geo-based, and reused materials into a coherent system.

designed by Cave Urban for Bauhaus Earth’s ReBuilt initiative | © Bas Princen for Bauhaus Earth

from cradle to construction: beyond zero emissions

A life cycle assessment conducted by environmental engineering consultancy Eco Mantra confirmed BaleBio as verifiably carbon-negative from cradle to construction. The project records an 110% reduction in embodied carbon compared with a conventional build, saving over 53 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to planting more than 2,400 trees. In quantitative terms, its carbon outcome stands at –5,907 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent against a baseline of nearly 60,000 kg.

This rigorous evaluation extends the impact of the project beyond aesthetics or symbolism. By treating the building itself as a test case for a new value chain, Bauhaus Earth and its partners demonstrate the feasibility of carbon-negative construction at an architectural, social, and industrial scale.

this bamboo pavilion pioneers carbon-negative architecture in Bali

a regenerative anchor for local life

Since opening, BaleBio has become a gathering point for residents and visitors alike. What was once a neglected urban plot has turned into a public stage, classroom, and meeting place, reactivating local participation through design. The project’s collaborative process, with contributions from Warmadewa University, community organizations, and local artisans, makes sure that the pavilion remains rooted in its cultural context even as it experiments with global standards of sustainable construction.

For its combined achievements in material innovation, carbon performance, and civic value, BaleBio received three major international distinctions in 2025: the Australian Good Design Award for Social Impact, a commendation from the Built by Nature Prize, and Gold in Excellent Architecture at the German Design Award in the Circular Design and Fair & Exhibition categories.

These accolades highlight the broader ambition of the project to redefine what good design means in an age of climate urgency. BaleBio is part of Bauhaus Earth’s ReBuilt initiative, which seeks to catalyze systemic change in the construction industry through applied research, bio-based materials, and the development of cities as natural carbon sinks.

the sweeping, barrel-vaulted roof of the pavilion rises 8.5 meters above the beach

the design draws on the Bale Banjar

reimagining the traditional communal spaces of the island for a changing climate

crafted from slender bamboo rafters and clad in pelupuh

the project records an 110% reduction in embodied carbon compared with a conventional build

BaleBio positions itself as a prototype for buildings that store carbon instead of emitting it

a structural frame of laminated petung bamboo delivers the strength and precision of steel or timber

all components were grown, processed, and assembled in Indonesia

Bauhaus Earth and its partners demonstrate the feasibility of carbon-negative construction

locally sourced volcanic rock, lime plaster, and repurposed terracotta roof tiles contribute to thermal mass

integrating bio-based, geo-based, and reused materials into a coherent system

project info:

name: BaleBio Pavilion

concept: Bauhaus Earth | @bauhaus_earth

design: Cave Urban | @caveurban

location: Mertasari Beach, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

area: 84 square meters

structural engineering: Atelier One

project management: Bamboo Village Trust

community engagement: Kota Kita, Warmadewa University

government engagement: Gamalaw

LCA analysis: Eco Mantra

manufacturing: Indobamboo, Kaltimber, Bhoomi, Bamboo Pure, Wedoo, Rothoblaas

funding: German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN)

photographer: Iwan Sastrawan 

The post carbon-negative bamboo pavilion by cave urban gives new life to disused car park in bali appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Studio Gang completes the David Rubenstein Treehouse at Harvard University in Boston, a project that redefines the typology of the conference center through a sustainable and community-oriented lens. Open within the Enterprise Research Campus (ERC) in Allston, the 5110-square-meter building serves as Harvard’s first university-wide hub for convening and its first mass timber structure, setting a benchmark for low-carbon architecture both on campus and in Boston at large.

Designed with accessibility in mind, its ground floor features multiple entry points, a transparent facade, and a welcoming atmosphere. A double-height lobby connects to two year-round covered porches, promoting indoor-outdoor interaction. ‘As a Harvard alumna and faculty member, it’s so rewarding to help define a new chapter for Harvard’s campus,’ shares Jeanne Gang, Founding Partner of Studio Gang and Kajima Professor in Practice of Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. ‘The Rubenstein Treehouse is a building that opens itself up, welcomes all people, and serves as a visual and programmatic anchor to the ERC. Its exposed mass timber structure demonstrates Harvard’s commitment to a more sustainable future.’

all images by Jason O’Rear, unless stated otherwise

harvard’s Immersive Mass Timber ‘treehouse’

The architects at Studio Gang design the Harvard building to host meetings and events within its two upper floors, its design inspired by the experience of climbing into a treehouse. A central staircase, illuminated by skylights, highlights the natural beauty of the mass timber structure, which forms the building’s backbone. 

Visitors enter through three ground-floor entrances that lead to a double-height atrium, extending onto two covered porches that encourage year-round indoor-outdoor gathering. A central staircase illuminated by skylights evokes the experience of climbing into a treehouse, immersing guests in the warmth and tactility of the exposed timber frame.

Meeting spaces and event rooms occupy the upper floors, culminating in the Canopy Hall, a large conference space with an adjoining terrace and expansive views of Boston. The Canopy Hall is supported by branching columns and cross-bracing that frame views of treetops and the surrounding campus. The sustainably harvested timber structure, also expressed on the facade, defines the Treehouse’s identity as an innovative and environmentally conscious building.

Canted timber columns branch outward like a tree to support a cantilevered upper floor, while each facade is inflected to shape how the Treehouse engages its surroundings. The north and south elevations extend outward to welcome visitors, and the east and west fold inward to open pedestrian pathways. This rhythmic geometry gives the building a sculptural presence that simultaneously draws people in and connects to the landscape designed by SCAPE.

an inviting space that provides views to the building’s upper floors

Spaces Designed for Connection

Sustainability is central to Studio Gang’s design for its Treehouse at Harvard. Its self-shading facade minimizes energy demands while maximizing natural light, and rooftop solar panels provide clean power for the building’s all-electric systems. A combination of bioswales — landscape features that collect and filter polluted stormwater runoff — and a rooftop rainwater collection system supports irrigation, contributing to the project’s low environmental footprint. These green strategies reduce the building’s carbon impact while at once creating a vibrant, biodiverse environment that attracts wildlife.

The Treehouse is designed to encourage interaction. Informal gathering areas include open atrium landings, central stairways, and an expansive upper-level porch that offers the sensation of being among the treetops. The central elevators, integrated into the public lobby, feature shafts styled as tree trunks, adding a whimsical touch to the journey through the building while offering sweeping views from every level.

the level-two bridge appears to hover within the space

A MODEL FOR LOW-CARBON INSTITUTIONAL ARCHITECTURE

Sustainability drives every aspect of the design. The Treehouse’s embodied carbon is 55% lower than that of a comparable conventional structure, achieved through the use of responsibly sourced wood and concrete made from ground glass pozzolan, a recycled cement substitute. The building operates without on-site fossil fuel combustion and draws power from rooftop solar panels and Harvard’s District Energy Facility, which supplies heating, cooling, and electricity.

Natural daylighting and a self-shading facade reduce energy use, while a raised floor system conceals building services and enhances efficiency. Healthy interior materials and finishes, free from harmful chemical classes such as PFAS, promote occupant wellbeing and air quality. The landscape supports biodiversity and stormwater management through bioswales and a rainwater reuse system, creating a lush micro-ecosystem that attracts wildlife. The Rubenstein Treehouse is among the first completed projects of Harvard’s Enterprise Research Campus, a new mixed-use district transforming former industrial land in Allston into a dynamic center for research and innovation. 

two free-standing elevators work together with the grand stair

the timber structure emits a warm glow at night

project info:

name: Harvard Treehouse

architect: Studio Gang Architecture | @studiogang

location: Boston, Massachusetts

owner, operator: Harvard Real Estate
developer: Tishman Speyer
area: 55,000 square feet
status: under construction

landscape architect: SCAPE
contractor: Consigli and Smoot Construction
civil engineer: Nitsch
geotechnical engineer: Haley & Aldrich
structural engineering, sustainability, MEP: Arup
sustainability consultant: Perkins + Will
lighting consultant: Tillotson Design Associates
accessibility/code consultant: Code Red Consultants

The post studio gang completes harvard’s first mass timber building, a low-carbon landmark in boston appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Renewable energy, including solar and wind power, overtakes coal as the main source of electricity around the world as fossil fuels fall slightly behind. In the first half of 2025, solar and wind energy met and exceeded new electricity demand, making these renewable energies produce more power and be used more than coal for the first time. In the insights by the think tank Ember Energy, the report states that solar and wind energy grew faster than demand and both produced more power than the total increase in electricity use. 

Solar energy alone covered 83 percent of the increase, making it the main source of electricity, while wind energy also grew, but at a slower rate, to 9.2 percent of total renewable energy production. Other low-carbon sources show mixed results, with nuclear power growing by about 0.2 percent and other renewable sources rising slightly. The hydropower, however, fell by about 0.3 percent, and bioenergy dropped by 0.02 percent. The overall fossil fuel power generation declines by 0.18 percent, with the coal use falling by 0.21 percent and gas by 0.04 percent. In this case, power from fossil fuels went down overall, with both coal and gas being used less than before.

all images courtesy of Ember Energy, unless stated otherwise

solar and wind power grow faster than electricity demand

For the global carbon dioxide emissions, the insights by the think tank Ember Energy state that the electricity generation fell slightly by 12 million tonnes to 6,963 million tonnes in early 2025, possibly because solar and wind power grew faster than electricity demand. Without the increase in solar and wind, emissions would have risen by 236 million tonnes, almost equal to all emissions from Africa during the same period. Among the top four emitters, China and India both reduced emissions as clean energy covered demand growth. Emissions rose in the EU and the US, where renewable energy did not expand fast enough, and fossil generation had to increase to meet demand.

The world used more electricity in the first half of 2025, but the increase was smaller than it was the year before. Most of the additional electricity use came mainly from China, the United States, India, and the EU, and they’re responsible for nearly all the growth in electricity use around the world. In China and India, coal use and other emissions decreased as the use of wind and solar power grew. In the EU, gas and coal rose slightly to compensate for reduced hydro and wind generation. Then in the US, coal generation increased while gas fell because of the switching between fuels and limited renewable growth. 

renewable energy, including solar and wind power, overtakes coal as the main source of electricity

Use of solar power increases in first half of 2025

Solar power rose by 31 percent during the first six months of 2025, dubbed the fastest growth on record. China led global solar expansion, contributing 55 percent of the total increase, and the US follows with 14 percent, the EU with 12 percent, and India with 6 percent. Solar power declined slightly in Japan and Vietnam because of grid curtailment and local conditions. Many countries set new records for solar power share: Hungary generated almost 30 percent of its electricity from solar. Greece and the Netherlands each passed 25 percent. Pakistan rose to 21.9 percent in 2025 due to widespread rooftop installations by homes and businesses. In total, 29 countries produced more than 10 percent of their electricity from solar in early 2025, up from 22 countries the year before.

Wind power grew more slowly than solar, with an increase of 7.7 percent compared to 9.1 percent in the same period of 2024. Weather influences wind results, so Europe experienced less favorable wind from January to April. The United States also saw declines in several months, but the total wind output still rose overall. It is the hydropower that fell by two percent and now represents 13.9 percent of global electricity, down from 14.6 percent in 2024 and 16.3 percent in 2020. Dry weather reduced hydro output in several countries, including the EU, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Brazil, but some countries increased hydro output, including Canada, India, Vietnam, Colombia, the US, and Norway, all of them getting help from more rain or better water storage.

in the first half of 2025, solar and wind energy met and exceeded new electricity demand

major countries like China have used more renewable energy than coal in the first half of 2025

these renewable energies are used more than coal for the first time | image by Pixabay, via Pexels; read more here

project info:

name: Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025

think tank: Ember Energy | @emberenergyresearch

report: here

The post renewable energy surpasses coal for the first time as world’s main source of electricity appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Dacia introduces the Hipster Concept car, an automobile that hopes to cut the carbon footprint of current electric vehicles by 50 percent. The company plans to make it happen by lowering the vehicle’s weight up to 20 percent compared to its recent model (the Spring), giving it smaller dimensions, making it modular, and limiting the materials used in production with recycled Starkle panels and mass-dyed elements to avoid layers of manufacturing. Fewer painted parts and lighter materials mean less energy consumption, from production to daily use. 

Dacia Hipster Concept car’s compact design entails less battery capacity, which can lessen the environmental cost of battery production, dubbed one of the largest sources of carbon emissions in electric vehicles. Instead of larger, heavier, and more expensive vehicles, the automobile focuses on modular structure, recyclable materials, and use of personal devices in hopes of making it affordable to produce and maintain. The company hopes that by making small-scale design choices, using recycled materials, reducing painted parts, and simplifying interior systems, it can collectively cut carbon emissions in half, at least for the Dacia Hipster Concept car.

all images courtesy of Dacia

single body color saves on the electric vehicle’s paint materials

Outside, the vehicle’s shape is a compact block with four wheels placed at each corner, removing front and rear overhangs. The front end is flat and horizontal, fitted with narrow headlights that align with the company’s design language. The tailgate covers the car’s full width and opens in two sections for easy loading, and the rear lights are placed behind the tailgate window, removing the need for separate glass panels and helping reduce cost and material use. The Dacia Hipster Concept car uses a single body color, with only three painted elements to save on paint materials and energy used in manufacturing. The front and rear protective parts, called skis, are dyed in the mass, meaning the color is integrated into the material instead of applied as paint.

For the interior, the cubic body of the vehicle maximizes the space. The upright windshield and vertical side windows increase usable room, and a transparent front section on the roof lets light into the cabin. The side windows slide instead of rolling down to reduce mechanical parts and overall weight. The car seats four passengers, and the rear seat access is simple due to a wide door opening and a front seat that folds forward. The front seats are merged into a single bench-style unit, which saves parts and simplifies production. The seat frames are visible, paired with a technical mesh fabric, while the openwork headrests help further reduce weight. The rear seat also folds to adjust storage. When four passengers are seated, the boot holds 70 liters, and when the rear seat is folded, the space expands to 500 liters. This modular system allows the car to adapt from passenger use to cargo use easily.

Dacia introduces the Hipster Concept car

Modular designs inside the concept automobile

The Hipster Concept interior integrates Dacia’s YouClip system, a modular accessory feature. The interior includes 11 YouClip anchor points placed on the dashboard, door panels, and boot area, so users can attach different accessories such as cup holders, armrests, storage modules, or portable lights. The system allows drivers to adapt the car to their specific needs without extra built-in components. This modular setup also reduces waste since owners can add or remove parts instead of replacing full interior sections and keeps production simpler and cost-efficient.

The company also brings over its Bring Your Own Device policy, meaning instead of installing an in-built multimedia system, the Dacia Hipster Concept car uses the driver’s smartphone as the central control tool. The smartphone connects through a docking station on the dashboard. Once docked, it acts as a digital screen showing navigation apps and media. The smartphone also functions as a digital key, unlocking and starting the vehicle through secure connectivity. The audio system is a portable Bluetooth speaker that can be removed and used outside the car, and it connects directly through the YouClip system to cut electronic waste. At the present time, the company has yet to announce the production date of the Dacia Hipster Concept car.

the automobile hopes to cut the carbon footprint of current electric vehicles by 50 percent

when the rear seat is folded, the space expands to 500 liters

outside, the vehicle’s shape is a compact block with four wheels placed at each corner

the tailgate covers the car’s full width and opens in two sections for easy loading

the rear seat also folds to adjust storage

the vehicle’s interior integrates Dacia’s YouClip system, a modular accessory feature

a transparent front section on the roof lets light into the cabin

the front seats are merged into a single bench-style unit

project info:

name: Dacia Hipster Concept

company: Dacia | @dacia_uk

The post dacia hipster concept car aims to reduce carbon footprint of current electric vehicles by half appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Anish Kapoor and Greenpeace activists install the BUTCHERED on the active gas platform of Shell located 45 nautical miles off the Norfolk coast. A debut of an artwork on an active offshore fossil fuel platform, the installation represents and visualizes the climate damage caused by fossil fuel extraction, with the blood-like liquid symbolizing the environmental impact of oil and gas operations like Shell’s. Anish Kapoor and Greenpeace’s installation takes place during the fourth heatwave of summer 2025 in the UK, coinciding with the temperature records breaking across Europe, wildfires burning areas twice the size of Glasgow, and flash floods hitting communities in China and northern India. For the installation, seven Greenpeace climbers boarded the platform and scaled the structure to install a 12-meter by 8-meter canvas on one side. 

The activists positioned a high-pressure hose 16 meters above sea level at the top of the canvas. The installation process involved pumping 1,000 liters of red liquid through the hose onto the canvas, and the liquid created a red stain across the fabric surface. It consists of seawater, beetroot powder, and non-toxic food-based pond dye, while the canvas uses standard fabric materials suitable for outdoor installation. The mounting system secures the canvas to the platform structure using industrial fastening hardware, and the hose system connects to pumping equipment that delivers the liquid at controlled pressure. Greenpeace says that Anish Kapoor specifically designed BUTCHERED for the installation on Shell’s gas platform off the Norfolk coast.

all images courtesy of Greenpeace | photos by Andrew McConnell

Construction of oil and gas fields generates carbon emissions

Shell and other oil companies have caused over half of the world’s climate damage, coming up with a total cost of 28 trillion dollars. A study from Dartmouth College found this information, which Greenpeace quoted in relation to artist Anish Kapoor’s BUTCHERED on Shell’s oil platform. The campaigning organization also says that Shell reported 54 billion GBP in profits over two years following the Ukraine invasion and that it paid 1.2 billion GBP in UK taxes during the same period, representing 2 percent of global earnings. 

The analysis estimates Shell’s carbon pollution over 30 years caused 1.42 trillion USD in climate damage worldwide. In a report by Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands), a key player in the Dutch climate justice movement, the team writes that Shell owns or part-owns 1,196 oil and gas fields total, with 700 oil and gas fields that remain undeveloped or may still be underway. In case the gas company goes ahead with the construction, the movement states that this would generate 10.8 billion tonnes of carbon emissions, which represents one-quarter of global carbon emissions. 

Greenpeace climbers install Anish Kapoor’s BUTCHERED onto a Shell platform in the North Sea

campaign calling for governments to tax oil and gas companies

As a way of visually and visibly translating the gathered studies, Greenpeace teams up with Anish Kapoor and selects Shell as the platform of the urgent advocacy. The artist previously challenged the fossil fuel industry connections in 2019 when he called for London’s National Portrait Gallery to end partnerships with BP. 

He’s now a figure of Greenpeace’s Polluters Pay Pact initiative, a campaign that calls for governments to tax oil and gas companies for environmental damages. Greenpeace says it accepts the responsibility for the installation activities and material choices and that the artwork connects climate activism with contemporary art practice through direct intervention at fossil fuel extraction sites.

it is dubbed the world’s first artwork to be installed at an active offshore gas site

the activists hoisted a high-pressure hose on top of the canvas at a height of 16 metres above the sea

the activists pump 1,000 litres of blood-red liquid that gushed into the fabric

the liquid consists of seawater, beetroot powder, and non-toxic food-based pond dye

the installation represents and visualizes the climate damage caused by fossil fuel extraction

the mounting system secures the canvas to the platform structure using industrial fastening hardware

for the installation, seven Greenpeace climbers boarded the platform

the activists hang install a 12-meter by 8-meter canvas on one side

project info:

name: BUTCHERED

artist: Anish Kapoor | @dirty_corner

organization: Greenpeace | @greenpeaceuk

photography: Andrew McConnell | @andrewmcconnellphoto

The post what’s the story behind anish kapoor and greenpeace’s gushing red liquid on shell’s platform? appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Onus Architecture Studio completes Horizon House, a net-zero residence carved into the sloped terrain of Syros, Greece. The 230-square-meter home is partially embedded in the earth and built using stone excavated on-site. The project is designed to function off-grid and support the surrounding environment, reflecting a growing move beyond sustainability toward what’s known as regenerative design, an approach that actively helps restore natural systems.

Horizon House brings together passive solar design, efficient use of resources, and low-impact building techniques in tune with the unique conditions of island life. It’s designed to be energy self-sufficient and to give back to the land in a region where drought, strong winds, and rising heat are becoming the norm.

all images courtesy of Onus Architecture Studio

Horizon House follows the contours of the greek terrain

Built on a steep hillside overlooking the Aegean Sea, the house follows the contours of the land with a linear layout that stretches along the horizon. South-facing openings allow plenty of sunlight in, while the more enclosed northern side protects residents from prevailing winds. The use of raw concrete, reclaimed wood, and native vegetation situates the structure within its context.

Guided by passive design principles, the use of deep-set apertures and operable skylights optimizes natural light and airflow throughout the home. The Athens-based team at Onus Architecture Studio combines the thermal mass of the structure with carefully oriented shading and a vegetated roof to help stabilize interior temperatures year-round without the need for mechanical systems. This performance is enhanced by micro wind turbines that take advantage of the island’s constant winds and a geothermal loop that supplies heating and cooling.

Horizon House is a net-zero residence carved into the sloped terrain of Syros, Greece

Green and Blue Roof Systems Power On-Site Water Management

In this project, Onus Architecture Studio works with local resources and natural systems, bringing human habitation back in sync with nature. Water is managed entirely on-site, with the green roof of Horizon House acting as a catchment system that feeds into a blue roof infrastructure that stores and filters rainwater. Greywater is treated and reused in irrigation. Landscaping with native plants reduces water demand, promotes biodiversity, and improves soil health in the long run, while trees and shrubs are placed to improve the local microclimate and reduce wind exposure.

Inside, the house maintains the same principles of restraint and continuity. Natural materials complete the interiors, where living and sleeping areas unfold along the view axis. Courtyards, verandas, and shaded terraces allow the experience of the house to extend beyond its walls.

the 230-square-meter home is partially embedded in the earth

built using stone excavated on-site

Horizon House brings together passive solar design, efficient use of resources, and low-impact building techniques

it’s designed to be energy self-sufficient and to give back to the land

reflecting a growing move beyond sustainability toward what’s known as regenerative design

the house follows the contours of the land with a linear layout that stretches along the horizon

raw concrete, reclaimed wood, and native vegetation situates the structure within its context

the use of deep-set apertures and operable skylights optimizes natural light

courtyards, verandas, and shaded terraces allow the experience of the house to extend beyond its walls

project info:

name: Horizon House

architects: Onus Architecture Studio | @onus.architecture.studio

location: Syros, Cyclades, Greece

area: 230 square meters

lead architect: Margarita Kyanidou

project team: Christina Ntalli, Aikaterini Korka, Anna Andreadi

The post onus embeds net-zero island residence into the greek landscape using local materials appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.