Puentedey in northern Spain was named the most beautiful village in Spain in 2022. One reason is its 15-meter-high natural stone arch, carved by the Nela River and nicknamed God’s Bridge.
Puentedey stands out, a place in Burgos that, as its name indicates, is defined by a structure that was considered divine for a long time. It is a rock arch that the river Nela has been carving for millions of years on which a town has been built.
Diving into some of the most innovative ideas across retail, city planning, policy, technology and construction. Ideas that will truly change the way we think about sustainability in 2022
Brissago is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. A wonder swiss town, lying at the lowest point in Switzerland, just 197 metres above sea level, and perched between the shores of Lake Maggiore and the steep mountains behind, Brissago is a small town on the Italian frontier.
The lowest and oldest part of the village is clustered around the beautiful Renaissance church of St. Peter and Paul, surrounded by centuries-old cypresses. In the narrow lanes leading down to the lake you will find some picturesque spots to admire: gardens where lemons, oranges and cedars grow in the open air, as well as beautiful mansions. Brissago is famous not only for its tobacco and cigar factory, but also for its islands, which seen from above look like bright green spots in the blue of the lake.
Between 1885 and 1928 Baroness Antonietta Saint-Léger, a Russian of German origin, planted a botanical garden designed as an earthly paradise, and her successor, the department store king Max Emden, continued her work. Today the neo-classical villa contains a restaurant and the administration offices of the Botanical Park of Canton Ticino. Their plants are still there, together with the Himalayan cinnamon with its scent of camphor, the Madagascar gladiolus, the bald cypress from the swamps of North America with its trunk under water, and numerous other exotic species.
Developed by Lowe Living in collaboration with Chamberlain Architects and GOLDEN, Azura Aspendale showcases the very best of beachside living. A house tour of an exemplar modern apartment proves the property to be a well-considered complex, seeing each resident have direct access to the nearby ocean.
Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction to the Modern Apartment 00:43 – Meeting the Brief 01:45 – Beach Access 02:07 – Designing for the Landscape 03:00 – Sustainable Design Features 03:45 – Apartment Living Features 04:24 – Indoor-Outdoor Living 04:55 – Executing a Strong Idea 05:19 – What the Architect is Most Proud Of
Sitting on a slither of land between the beach and the railway in Aspendale, the modern apartment is one of 19 within the complex, which is complemented by eight townhouses. Behind the apartment is a designed landscape that uses walkways to directly connect residents to the beachfront, with the walkways leading to a purposeful cut in the front of the building.
Presenting as a singular form, the external architecture of Azura Aspendale picks up on the vast horizon that the modern apartment faces. The rectilinear structure of the building succeeds in light of its modest presence; as opposed to visually dominating the natural landscape, the development presents as architecturally timeless and in harmony with its context.
The interior design of Azura Aspendale follows from the surrounding landscape. Natural materials such as chalky limestone and textured granite subtly refer to the outdoors whilst testifying to the significance of material longevity. Windows to the front and back of each modern apartment complete the airy, externally focused interior design.
Standing as a highly admirable collection of residences, Azura Aspendale is a gem in the Lowe Living property portfolio. From its materiality to its well-developed connection to the outdoors, each modern apartment provides an elegant means of experiencing beachside living.
A breathtaking town carved into the Tufo rock, in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma, Pitigliano is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
Also known as Little Jerusalem, thanks to the large Jewish community it hosted within its walls in the 16th century, Pitigliano is definitely one for the bucket list next time you’re in Tuscany.
Perched on a cliff of local stone known as ‘tufo’, the town stands majestically at the crossroads of the valleys of the Lente, Meleta and Prochio, with a wonderful view of the wild and unspoiled Tuscan Maremma countryside.
The château of Vincennes, which succeeded an earlier fortified hunting lodge on the site, consists of four principal buildings—the keep, the chapel, and two pavilions—enclosed by an enceinte with nine towers. The magnificent and well-preserved keep, the finest surviving in France, 170 feet (52 metres) in height, was begun under Philip VI, completed under Charles V (reigned 1364–80), and used thereafter as a royal residence until Versailles was built. The chapel, not completed until 1552 but in Gothic style, has a Flamboyant facade and a great rose window. The two pavilions—the Pavillon du Roi and the Pavillon de la Reine—were built by Louis Le Vau, under the direction of Jules Cardinal Mazarin, during the third quarter of the 17th century.
Procida is one of the Flegrean Islands off the coast of Naples in southern Italy. The island is between Cape Miseno and the island of Ischia. With its tiny satellite island of Vivara, it is a comune of the Metropolitan City of Naples, in the region of Campania.
The wild Garrano horses in Portugal’s Peneda-Gerês National Park are not newcomers.
The National Audubon Society announced the winners of their 2021 Audubon Photography Awards. Bill Bryant’s video of a Hovering Red-Tailed Hawk won First Place in their first-ever video award.
Few places on earth compare to the Sahara Desert, a natural wonder of vast plains and sun-baked dunes that dominates the south and east of Morocco. The world’s largest hot desert, the Sahara stretches a staggering 5.6 million square miles (9 million square kilometers) over several countries. Hemmed in by the Atlas mountain range, the Saharan sands are one of Morocco’s many highlights.
Boomers Daily 