December 2007

Tree Hugger

http://www.treehugger.com/




Tree Hugger is a web magazine, covering anything that has a modern aesthetic yet is environmentally responsible. The site boasts a large readership who check out the latest news, reviews and recommendations for modern yet green products and services, and who use its directory to help facilitate their buying processes. Tree Hugger is well written and despite the name does not preach at you, but seeks to inform. Coverage is vast, with headings covering accessories, 'almosts', alternative energy, architecture, audio/video, aviation, bathroom, bedroom, bikes, biopolymer, books, botanical, cars and celebrities, through to solar, sports and technology. In addition, there is also a link to Hugg (http://www.hugg.com/) a sister site and green news story harvester. Here, "all posts start out in the queue. Each time a story is Hugged, it climbs the ranks. If a story gets enough Huggs, it jumps up to the front page where it can be seen by everyone who visits". There is also Tree Hugger TV (http://www.treehuggertv.com/), again a sister site, which offers a video version of the web magazine, featuring material produced by anyone who shares Tree Hugger's passions and can operate a video camera. Awarded a Sapling Commendation. [RB, 15 Jan 2008].



ENTRY NUMBER: lan-120906-03
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Sustainability » Resources
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November 2007

Researching Historic Buildings in the British Isles

http://www.buildinghistory.org/




In this impressive site - now hosted at its own dedicated domain - Jean Manco explains how to track down the history of buildings in the UK and Ireland. Her extensive guide covers too much ground to read in one gulp, so it helps that navigation is easy. Visitors can plunge in via type of building or type of source, such as images, maps and deeds, or make a beeline instead for the dictionaries of architects or regional gazetteers. The site also provides help with dating the fabric, identifying the style, and setting the building in the context of the manor, village or town. There are numerous bibliographies and links to archives, plus an online sample of primary sources, covering historic images and books such as Old Inns of London. Packed with illustrations and links throughout, and with a neat and simple interface, Researching Historic Buildings in the British Isles really is an outstanding resource. Awarded a Sapling Commendation. [GAS, 12 Nov 2007].



ENTRY NUMBER: her-290805-01
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United Kingdom
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Heritage » Resources
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October 2007

Carfree Cities

http://www.carfree.com/




Accompanying and complementing the book Carfree Cities by J H Crawford, "Carfree cities offer a solution to the vexing problem of the urban automobile while also providing a better quality of life, reduced energy consumption, and improved long-term sustainability. Carfree cities could be as beautiful as Venice, and the pleasant public spaces provide an ideal setting to foster a sense of community". The site is excellent - rich in content and well designed, with lots of illustrated examples, a well-used discussion forum, an impressive section of links, and more. Well worth a visit, and awarded a Sapling Commendation. [GAS, 12 Nov 2007].



ENTRY NUMBER: tra-110303-01
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Transport » Resources
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September 2007

Specifier Magazine

http://www.specifier.com.au/




Specifier Magazine is a well respected and well established Australian print-based architecture publication that has recently gone online. The site aims to help architects find product suppliers, and product suppliers to find architects; to encourage the use of green products; and to be a source of design inspiration, news and industry information. The site contains full text and images from the current and past issues of Specifier Magazine, including upcoming international projects and award-winning Australian architecture, green design projects, exhibition reviews and architect profiles. An extensive news section covers the latest openings and happenings, while the architecture and interiors product directory highlights suppliers of green products, and contains downloadable brochure libraries. There is also a searchable database of Australian design and consulting professionals, with more content being added to the site every week. The site is also beautifully presented, with clear navigation, lovely images, and effective use of white space. Awarded a Sapling Commendation. [GAS, 24 Aug 2007].



ENTRY NUMBER: arc-101206-01
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Australia
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Architecture » Resources
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August 2007

National Housing Federation

http://www.housing.org.uk/




The National Housing Federation describes itself as "the voice of affordable housing", representing 1,400 independent, not-for-profit housing associations in England. The Federation's site has a neat and clean interface and is an impressive resource, including news, policy documents, regional information, job vacancies, an excellent links directory, and a useful library section with downloadable publications. Awarded a Sapling Commendation. [MG/RS/GAS, 24 Aug 2007].



ENTRY NUMBER: hou-010598-13
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United Kingdom
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Housing » Organisations
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July 2007

Architen Landrell

http://www.architen.com/




Chepstow-based Architen Landrell describes itself as "a dynamic and exciting company that specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of tensile fabric structures". The firm's work also incorporates the maintenance of its own installations, the installations of others, and the addition of lighting to fabric and non-fabric structures across the world. The Architen Landrell site is primarily a portfolio site, aimed at showcasing the business's experience to prospective clients. Database driven, the portfolio section has the capacity to hold hundreds, even thousands of projects. The ability to transform the search page from text and picture results into pictures only is a very powerful tool, and the 'lightbox' feature on each individual project also allows the user to see a variety of photographs. In addition, the site has the ability to automatically generate PDF specification sheets for every individual project, meaning that users can easily print off relevant information in a stylish and presentable format. Beautifully presented yet not overcomplicated, the site conveys the range and beauty of Architen Landrell's work with great panache. Awarded a Sapling Commendation. [GAS, 22 Jul 2007].



ENTRY NUMBER: con-290507-01
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United Kingdom
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Construction » Products
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June 2007

Homeless UK

http://www.homelessuk.org/




Homeless UK is funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government. It has been developed by Resource Information Service (www.ris.org.uk), an information and publishing charity that produces printed directories and websites for homelessness advisors and others working with people in need. This particular site is a searchable directory of about 8,000 services specifically for, or useful to, homeless people. An impressive resource, the site collects in one place a large amount of information about services for homeless people, including hostels, day centres, specialist and general advice services. Each entry has full information on who the service is targeted at, how to access the service, what services/support/facilities are provided, and a map of services with public offices. The site is searchable by type of service, client group and local authority area, and includes about 100 links to other websites on homelessness and related issues, all within an interface that is clean and simple. Awarded a Sapling Commendation. [GAS, 4 Jun 2007].



ENTRY NUMBER: hou-040607-01
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United Kingdom
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Housing » Resources
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May 2007

Andy Sturgeon Garden Design

http://www.andysturgeon.com/




Brighton-based Andy Sturgeon Garden Design is "a well-established professional practice offering a comprehensive landscape and garden service", and the firm's site - attractively designed using Flash - is enjoyable and easy to navigate. It benefits from some good quality content, including a company profile and a stunningly illustrated portfolio section featuring country gardens, roof gardens, town gardens, show gardens (the latter featuring the practice's exhibits at the Chelsea Flower Show), lighting and sculpture. The site also includes news and links sections, and a profile of Andy Sturgeon himself, known to many from his TV appearances and regular newspaper columns. Awarded a Sapling Commendation. [GAS, 29 May 2007].



ENTRY NUMBER: lan-110104-01
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United Kingdom
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Landscape » Services
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April 2007

Metropolitan Design Center

http://www.designcenter.umn.edu/




Formerly known as the Design Center for American Urban Landscape, the Metropolitan Design Center (MDC) describes itself as "an endowed centre that investigates how design can be used to make the metropolitan landscape more livable and sustainable. It examines urban design across metropolitan areas through projects, research, and education. The Center's work involves collaborations with faculty, nonprofits, and civic groups in the areas of metropolitan development, metropolitan green space, housing and active and healthy cities". The site is a rich and interesting resource - it includes extensive background about the Center, an excellent projects section with lots of photographs and downloadable PDF material, and an impressive 'reference centre' - this includes links to research, educational materials and information at the Design Center and other organisations, as well as useful resources such as downloadable Design Center publications, links to sources for information and events, and a great range of 'livable community fact sheets'. On top of all this, the site also features a terrific Image Bank - this is a searchable, downloadable database of approximately 20,000 Design Center images of the metropolitan landscape, including many low-level oblique aerial photos, and focusing on the Twin Cities area of Minnesota where the Center is based. Overall, the amount of quality material available on this site is staggering - truly a first class resource. Awarded a Sapling Commendation. [GAS, 4 Apr 2007].



ENTRY NUMBER: urb-230805-01
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Urban Design » Research
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March 2007

MyLandscapes

http://www.mylandscapes.co.uk/




MyLandscapes belongs to a London based landscape and garden designer, Amir Schlezinger, who has created an impressive showpiece for his work. The site features news, a well-illustrated portfolio with comprehensive project details, and a section of landscape and garden design-related links. A rich and engaging site, awarded a Sapling Commendation. [GAS, 2 Mar 2007].



ENTRY NUMBER: lan-020701-01
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United Kingdom
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Landscape » Services
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February 2007

Environmentjob .co.uk

http://www.environmentjob.co.uk/




With what it claims are hundreds of advertisers and over 25,000 subscribers, Environmentjob.co.uk badges itself as "the UK's No.1 website for jobs and volunteering opportunities in the environmental sector". Users can search the entire database or browse by sector, with headings covering conservation, environmental campaigning, renewable energy, energy efficiency, recycling, ecology, environmental education, organics, sustainability and sustainable transport. The site also offers a 'jobs by e-mail' function, a listing of the most popular jobs based on user clickthroughs, and a well-organised page of related links. The design and layout of the site is superb - clean, crisp and intuitive, with just the right amount of white space. Awarded a Sapling Commendation. [GAS, 22 Feb 2007].



ENTRY NUMBER: sus-131006-01
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United Kingdom
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Sustainability » Resources
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January 2007

Normal Room

http://www.normalroom.com/




Normal Room is such a brilliant idea it's hard to imagine that no-one has ever thought of it before. Essentially, the purpose of the site is to showcase "interior design and home furniture from all around the globe", allowing users to "explore the differences and similarities in architecture and home decoration between people in different countries". However, the site's real strength is the way it taps into the same appetite for content sharing that has made YouTube such a success, with users around the world able to upload photos of their own rooms, or to comment on the 'merits' of other people's. Normal Room's interface is also excellent, with a crisp, understated design that doesn't try to compete with the photos on display. Usefully, images can also be browsed by room - including a section dedicated to toilets - or by country, each employing well-designed clickable maps. Refreshingly, the site doesn't take itself too seriously, urging visitors to "explore the variety of lifestyles and cultural peculiarities!" Yet Normal Room is also a strangely compelling resource, offering a unique and fascinating perspective on how people in different cultures and countries live. A site that is sure to grow and thrive. Awarded a Sapling Commendation. [GAS, 8 Jan 2007].



ENTRY NUMBER: int-080107-01
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Finland
PRIMARY GATEWAY LISTING: Interior Design » Resources
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