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Homeowners Want Spa Comforts at Home
Media-based relaxation rooms are on the rise
In addition to home offices, personal gyms, and media rooms, homeowners are now beginning to request relaxation rooms, says architect and interior designer Johnna Doane of Atlanta’s Brown Doane Architects. Typically a very small enclosed space, relaxation rooms provide a mini-getaway for the mega-stressed. 
 Best New Skyscraper of 2006 Stands in New York City
The Emporis “Best New Skyscraper of the Year Award” was presented last week to New York City’s Hearst Tower, designed by Foster & Partners, London, with Gensler’s New York Office. The 46-story, 856,000-square-foot Midtown structure is defined by vertical and horizontal energy-saving, diamond-shaped bands of bright stainless steel. The owner and developer of Hearst Tower is the Hearst Corporation, which now uses the building as its world headquarters. The $500 million Hearst Tower occupies the shell of the original six-story Hearst edifice, designed in 1928 by Joseph Urban and George B. Post & Sons. The building was selected by Emporis, an international building information company, from a worldwide pool of 467 eligible skyscrapers (defined as at least 100 meters tall) completed last year. A jury of Emporis senior editors votes at the end of each year, ranking the top new skyscrapers according to their perceived merits in design and functionality. Hearst Tower, with its LEED® Gold Rating took high marks in the sustainability arena.
 Coming Out of Its Shell—Barrier Island Sanctuary Breaks Ground
Refuge center to offer programs on endangered sea turtles, native habitat
Endangered sea turtles will be the focus of the new Barrier Island Sanctuary Management and Education Center in Melbourne Beach, Fla. The new 5,600-square-foot, 34-acre recreation and environmental center is currently under construction within the 900-acre Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge along the east coast of Brevard County, Fla. The center's primary objective is to provide education within the refuge focusing on the coastal barrier island’s habitats and species, mainly sea turtles. The sustainable facility will house interactive exhibits, auditorium, a classroom, an observation deck, and an overlook. Orlando-based VOA Associates Inc. is spearheading the design, while the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program is partnering with the Caribbean Conservation Corps (CCC) to run the education programs, including guided hikes and turtle sightseeing. Completion is slated for fall 2007.
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