-Not far into the future the number of seniors will heavily increase. Both real estate companies, municipalities and the elderly themselves need to begin to plan the future elderly houseing now. There is no time to waste considering that it takes a long time to develop good homes to grow old in. That is what Kerstin Kärnekull says, architect and author of the new book "Bygga för seniorer" (Building for elderly) which has just been released by Svensk Byggtjänst (Swedih Construction Service). The content builds on a series of seminars about the future elderly housing proposed by Micasa, the company administers the nursing facilities of the city of Stockholm. Among the examples brought to light in the book there are 6 pages with RB Arkitektur's concept for the future elderly home. ###

Rahel Belatchew Lerdell is Distinguished Speaker at ECOWEEK 2011 in Thessaloniki in april 2011. #000000;">"ECOWEEK is an independent non-governmental organization (NGO) with international activity. Its mission is to raise public environmental awareness and involvement of the public and especially young people, in environmental protection, 'green' building and initiating activities that promote the principles of Sustainability. ECOWEEK was established in Greece in 2005, and today is active in Greece, Cyprus and the Middle East. ECOWEEK ... habits change ... climate change" ###

New York-based AHAlife.com has published an article about RB Arkitektur under the headline the Eco Friendly Swedish Architecture. Aha Life is a webbased lifestyle magazine with a very broad category of readers. The magazine makes publications everyday about subjects of interest to their readers:

AHAlife is the online discovery destination where you can learn about the best unique products from around the world, collectively curated by our group of influential tastemakers.

On January 23 AhaLife.com devoted the publication of the day to RB Arkitektur and our position on sustainable architecture in general as well as one of our projects (Seahouse) in particular. ###

In the first issue of the new magazine "Nya RUM" (new rooms in Swedish) Rahel Belatchew Lerdell is portrayed, and one of RB Arkitektur's latest villaprojects: Seahouse; en ekologisk villa på Åland (an ecological villa on Åland) is also featured. [caption id="attachment_992" align="alignnone" width="510" caption="Nya RUM nr 1"]

Rahel Belatchew Lerdell in Nya RUM

#000000;">RB Arkitektur participates at the konference "Morgondagens seniorboende" (the elderly home of tomorrow) arranged byIBC Euroforum. [caption id="attachment_977" align="alignnone" width="606" caption="IBC Euroforu Morgondagens Seniorboende RB Arkitektur"]#000000;">[/caption] #000000;">Rahel Belatchew Lerdell presenters the office's work with senior houseing and the cooperatio with Mi Casa - Mi Casa Vision 2030 - under the topic: Flexible  homes to grow old in What clever preparations can be made in housing to avoid the feeling of living in an eldery home at 52?

• The importance of color, lighting and sound
• How can the housing contribute to the creation of possibility for spontanious meetings?

Download the brochure here>> ###

RB Arkitektur has been commissioned to develop a store concept for a new Frozen Yogurt-chain. Frozen Yogurt is a healthier alternative to ice-cream that was introduced in the US in the 1970s. After having conquered America it has grown globally. Now the time has come for Sweden, and RB Arkitektur has within the framework of RAD (Retail+Architecure+Design) – a cooperation between RB Arkitektur, Neobrand and Thurow Consulting - been commissioned to develop the new concept for the establishment of a Frozen Yogurt-chain in Sweden. The mission entails identification of strategically situated facilities, the generating of a name, visual identity and the implementation of a new store concept and other communication. RB Arkitektur's focus is on developing new store interiors where the new brand is put forward and integrated into the interior as a whole. Read the pressrelease here >> ###

Skanska who is developer and initiator to the invited competition has chosen to pursue RB Arkitektur's proposal for two eco houses in Norra Djurgårdsstaden stage 2. Norra Djurgårdsstaden in Hjorthagen is a new innovative and sustainable city area that will be built during the coming decade. The area will consist of about 5000 new housings as well as facilities for service and commercial activities. RB Arkitekur's project proposal consists of two appartment houses with a total of appr 100 appartments. The buildings are designed to fullfill the new city area’s high environmental standards. A few examples: - Walls of close to 50 cm in width garantees high thermal insulatin and balconies and shields in the cieleing create natural solarschields. - The facing’s generous balconies with integrated green houses create, together with wires on the facing, a carpet of vegetation that creates one of the facing surfaces. - Solar cells on the roofs produce 30% of the buildings’ electricity and ventilation is performed through a so called FTX system. - Generous entrances and common rooftop terraces creates meeting places for the residents. - Waste amounts are minimized through waste mills and the garbage removal is performed through a waste suction apparatus. - The building have green roofs that absorbe rain water and minimize stress on the daily water system. - Biking is encouraged through fairly sized and easily accessible bike parkings. The following citation is taken from the jury’s evaluation: “The most estethically pleasing proposal. (…) The whole proposal maintains a high architectual standard. (…) The general impression is both rich in variety and coherent. Both buildings are sculptural with well well thought-threw compositions, prioritizations and light- and shade effects. (…) [RB Arkitektur] has intentionally worked with classic qualities such axiality, acoustic feedbak and dispostion of light in the building. Most appartments have high quailities of experience in spite of the complicated preconditions. The through 4 room appartment in the core strip building distinguishes itself particularly through its spatial elegance. The generous balconies on the point block are spatially well-designed and contribute with an extra dimension to the houseing.” Read the whole pressrelease here. More pictures of the project can be found here. ###

RB Architecture participates in this year's University Housing project, with a lecture by Rahel Belatchew Lerdell on the theme "The Future of Senior Housing, International Trends". University Housing is arranged by BTH, KTH, SABO and Swedish Property Federation. ###

Deutsche Welle, a major German television channel, has broadcasted a profile of Rahel Belatchew Lerdell and RB Architecture's Villa RBDVD. Deutsche Welle is broadcasted worldwide and reaches 200 million viewers. Please view the feature here (about 12 min into the program). ###

RB Architecture has had the pleasure to welcome representatives of the Japanese housing industry, in order to present RB Architecture's production and to discuss wooden architecture in general.

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Urban planning project Börjetull has been published in swedish architecture and design magazine RUM, nr 5 2010, under the headline Sustainability in focus.

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RB Arkitektur participates in an invited competition for the design of a housing project in a new neighborhood dubbed the Stockholm Royal Seaport (swedish. Norra Djurgårdsstaden). The Stockholm Royal Seaport is Stockholm’s largest development project at present and will when it is fully developed 2025 encompass 10 000 apartments and 30 000 workplaces. The City of Stockholm has high environmental objectives for Stockholm Royal Seaport with an ambition to make Norra Djurgården an international role model.

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