Call it karma for being home to one of the most disturbing corporate conspiracies of the 20th century, but it seems Detroit is getting hit hard by a wave of economic depression. Sadly, scores of residents have left since the 1960s, residential and commercial real estate prices are soon to be counted in pennies and the over-filled prison system is taxing an already over-burdened local government.

Though major campaigns are underway to improve Detroit’s image and local economy with waterfront condos (that few can afford) and tourism-related projects, much of Detroit’s beautiful art deco architecture is left vacant and begging for people to poke around inside. Which is exactly what our urban exploring Detroitians are doing daily over at Forgotten Detroit, an amazing collection of photographs, videos and information on some of Detroit’s absolutely stunning pre-depression architecture. Absolute treasures are sitting vacant, waiting to be torn down as “progress” sweeps the city, meaning they would be replaced with the city’s 100th Best Buy or Wal-Mart.

Seeing such beautiful landmarks as the United Artists Theater of Detroit above, sitting vacant, vandalized and abused is almost painful. But the beauty of seeing this once shining, mighty example of better times and certainly better architecture, sitting abandoned is awe-inspiring. If only all modern cities could still carry such class in their architecture, life would be a dream.

Explore: Forgotten Detroit

Big Lord of the Rings fan AND environmentally conscious enough to want to build your own low-impact and sustainable home? Then look no further than Simon Dale’s incredible low-impact home recently built by himself and his father-in-law in Wales which he’s detailed via plans and build photos for the world to share and reuse. Recessed within a small hillside, the home provides extremely stable shelter and insulation thanks to the mud and stone surrounding the home. All of this was designed and built by Dale for the EXTREMELY low price of around 3000 BGP (5,791.51 USD / 4,454.13 EUR). Talk about sustainable and interesting living, the home feature solar and wind powered electricity (hopefully CFL bulbs), earth cooled refrigeration and water supplied by gravity via a nearby stream.

Features of the low-impact home:
* Dug into hillside for low visual impact and shelter
* Stone and mud from diggings used for retaining walls, foundations etc.
* Frame of oak thinnings (spare wood) from surrounding woodland
* Reciprocal roof rafters are structurally and aesthaetically fantastic and very easy to do
* Straw bales in floor, walls and roof for super-insulation and easy building
* Plastic sheet and mud/turf roof for low impact and ease
* Lime plaster on walls is breathable and low energy to manufacture (compared to cement)
* Reclaimed (scrap) wood for floors and fittings
* Anything you could possibly want is in a rubbish pile somewhere (windows, burner, plumbing, wiring…)
* Woodburner for heating – renewable and locally plentiful
* Flue goes through big stone/plaster lump to retain and slowly release heat
* Fridge is cooled by air coming underground through foundations
* Skylight in roof lets in natural feeling light
* Solar panels for lighting, music and computing
* Water by gravity from nearby spring
* Compost toilet
* Roof water collects in pond for garden etc.

Read more: Build your own low-impact home (Thanks Clemens)

Thankfully it’s cold enough in most parts of Russia for this house to naturally exist, so it seems mr. snowman is doing alright for himself. Some Russian artists and architects recently constructed a model home completely out of ice, including everything from ice-encased appliances to the kitchen sink. I think the oven and washer/dryer carved in ice added a nice touch to the kitchen.

See more: Interior of a snowman’s house

Home exterior lighting is often a sadly ignored part of home ownership. Usually home owners just flood their front yards and walkways with inefficient and downright horrid light, annoying neighbors and visitors alike. Though I don’t really expect discount catalog stores like Herrington to solve these problems, this time they’re offering a great little accessory for any walkway or path on your property. Requiring only solar power with no wires or accessories needed, Sun Bricks add a charming level of lighting and safety to any dark paths. Integrated solar panels provide up to 8 hours of light per night, powering Amber colored LEDs putting off a warm glow to guide visitors and owners alike.

Read more: Sun Bricks

The Battersea Power Station in London is set to receive a major overhaul, from a giant rotting waste of a power plant, into a bustling and thriving center for cultural, art and entertainment events. The area is set to be completely renovated with the focus on green space complemented by hotels, apartments, offices and art galleries, no doubt at a premium price that no one even near the middle class can afford.

Read more: The Power Station

A group under the name of the New7Wonders Foundation have started a campaign to have the next 7 wonders of the world named, with results being determined via online and telephone voting. Nominations include the Eiffel Tower, The Acropolis, The Taj Mahal and the Statue of Liberty among many other of the world’s famous landmarks. The goal behind the foundation is to document, maintain, restore and reconstruct world heritage, alerting the citizens of the world to the destruction of nature and the decay of it’s man-made heritage. Winners will be announced July 7th, 2007 through worldwide television, internet and print agreements.

Read more: New7Wonders

A triumph of space-saving architectural design, the Rotor House by Luigi Colani is a low-footprint home with a 6 square meter cylinder containing a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. The cylinder rotates bringing whichever room you want into the main living room. There is a separate bathroom and everything within the house is controlled by remote. Space-age bachelor pad ahoy!

See more: Rotary home designed by Hanse-Haus