Inhabitat's Week In Green: solar-powered stadium, bipod flying cars and biofueled flights
Groundbreaking green architecture projects popped up around the world this week as Herzog & de Meuron unveiled plans for a solar-powered stadium in Bordeaux and a Korean department store prepared to install a massive iPod-inspired green roof. We also showcased several feats of futuristic architecture -- a skyscraper zoo with a built-in ferris wheel and a shape-shifting solar bridge that purifies the air. As summer hit its peak and the weather heated up we also brought took a look at six awesome parks made from rehabilitated urban structures.
In other news, pedal-powered transportation geared up for the future as we showcased a chain-less hybrid bike with an out-of-this-world design and a molded bamboo bike that is grown from the ground up. We also saw greener transportation take to the skies as Finnair launched the world's longest biofueled commercial flight, Scaled Composites launched its bipod flying car, and the US Air Force announced plans to replace 50 percent of its domestic fuels with biofuels by 2016. Eco transportation charted the ocean blue as well as researchers at Boston University unveiled plans for a fleet of ships that generate energy from the motion of the ocean.
As temperatures soared across the US this week we brought you five eco gadgets to beat the summer heat, and we also learned that solar panels have a cooling effect on buildings. We also got set to hit the beach by checking out the world's first compostable swimsuit, and we spotted a futuristic pair of smart sunglasses that use LCD technology to block out glare. Finally, we covered a set of incredible LEGO creations -- from a life-size Wall-E robot made from Lego Mindstorms to a computer built from plastic bricks and a series of amazing Lego animals that invaded the Bronx Zoo.
