In 2009 the New York City Parks Department began replacing sections of the famous Coney Island Boardwalk, built in 1923, with synthetic decking materials and concrete. The old wood, which is a dark ipe from the now-endangered Brazilian rain forests, ended up in dumpsters and salvage yards. Read more

The Green Building Alliance (GBA) has been active in the Pittsburgh area building community as an advocate for sustainable construction and green building products for many years, so when the need for new office space arose, their path was clear. Read more

Photo via inhabitat.com

International advertising agency Digitas was looking for a workplace which would encourage creativity and out-of-the box thinking in order to create work which would set them apart.  Read more

The Timberland Company is comprehensive in their dedication to environmental stewardship. Read more

EpiCenter is the Boston headquarters of Artists for Humanity (AFH), a non-profit that works to create self-sufficiency among at-risk urban teens through  training and employment in the arts. Read more

The National Audubon Society is dedicated to conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems. Read more

Photo: The Challenge Program

The Challenge Program is a non-profit focused on experiential educational programs that teach construction trades to at-risk youths ages 18-21 through hands-on training on community development projects. Read more

Photo: Studio Gang Architects via plusmood.com

The Ford Calumet Environmental Center is being developed by the City of Chicago’s Department of the Environment to industrial and ecological significance of the Calumet region of southern Chicago. Read more

Photo: Ed Massery Photography

The Pittsburgh Glass Center is a nonprofit dedicated to teaching, creating, and promoting glass art.  The project entailed the renovation of an old masonry building, as well as a prominent addition, to create a new home for the organization. Read more

The Michelin-rated restaurant, Public, located in Manhattan, is housed in a space evocative of its name.  The main aesthetic goal for designers/owners Avro|KO was to create an egalitarian gathering space by celebrating the best of the public institutions that are part of the shared American experience – post offices, libraries, and schools. Read more

L.L. Bean, Inc. is a century-old, Maine-based national retailer of outdoor gear whose heritage is a big part of its identity.  The company is committed to protecting the environment, and it builds all new structures in accordance with LEED standards. For its new Hunting and Fishing Store, reuse offered a means of building sustainably while simultaneously creating an important connection to place and history. Read more

The Big Dig House is a single family residence outside Boston that looks very unlike its neighbors.  Its most striking element is a massive exposed steel structure that seems reminiscent of highway infrastructure.  Perhaps that is because it once did support an elevated highway. Read more