(In case you missed Part 1 , no worries - the introduction is the same, but you’ll want to take a peek at the previous photos.)

The Green Revolution is here. . .Well, its starting to get here in America anyways, but its certainly been going on in other countries that have been more concerned with energy efficiency longer than the U.S.  Regardless, conservation is a good thing.  We can all use to do a little better, and we can all certainly learn from each other.

But going green doesn’t need to be “dorky” as is the developing stereotype. . .To dispel that notion, check out these these top 10 green architectures as rated by Inhabitat .  In this article we’ll finish counting down with the top 5 of the top 10 (Only one picture from each architecture will be shown, but you really ought to check them all out in the Inhabitat link).

Turning green never looked so good. . .

5. Spiraling Skyscraper - Shanghai, China

This one is an artist’s rendition because they only recently broke ground on the building, but it will be tallest building in all of China!  It will be complete with “no fewer than nine sky gardens, a rainwater recycling system, and a series of wind turbines perched beneath its parapet.”  Within its spiraling walls will be everything from house-businesses, and restaurants, to cafés, coffee shops and convenience stores.

4. Old Subway Cars Now Studio Workspaces - London, UK

From beneath the earth to a bird’s eye view, these old subway cars have been retrofitted to be a chic workspace in crowded London.  Mounted on top of a building, a total of six cars were purchased for just 200 pounds each (that’s only $285 U.S.)!  There are now plans to expand similar projects to Lisbon (Portugal), Berlin (Germany, and Toronto (Canada).

3. Carbon-Neutral Pyramid (Ziggurat) - Dubai

Due to begin construction in October 2009, this structure is planned to be able to support a community of nearly 1 million with the energy it will generate!  It will utilize wind, steam, solar and other natural resources to sustain its energy-efficiency.  A highly-efficient public transportation system will be planned as well as other urban planning to make the city tightly knit and smartly functional.  Agricultural opportunities are also in the works.

2.  Eco-Sphere - Pacific Northwest USA

Available for rent or purchase, these tree-top huts are simply amazing.  Able to accommodate 4 people (more for “camping” or “vacations” than long-term living), these spheres are handcrafted with fiberglass and locally-sourced wood.  They can have electricity serviced to them or you can enjoy the simplicity of “roughing it.”  Playing Tarzan and Jane will never have felt so natural. . .

1.  Green Roof Art School - Singapore

This is Nanyang Technological University, a five-story art school.  “The glass façade provides a high performance building envelope that reduces solar gain and heat load while allowing the benefits of natural views and daylight into creative spaces. The roofs create open space, insulate the building, cool the surrounding air and harvest rainwater for landscaping irrigation.”  The school is made not only to be astetic but to also inspire its students with its “non-traditional, non-linear” construction.

Well, there you have it! Ten mighty and magnificent ways to go green. . .This is the only earth we have, so we better take care of it.  And while we’re at it, let’s beautify it too!  Going green can be just as functional as it can be fashionable.  Here’s to next years top 10 best green architectures and another year’s worth of conscientious conservation.

- IgniteTheMind

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