Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China

CLOU architects along with CCTN Architectural Design have transformed an old and neglected mall development into a new, adventurous, and future-proof concept that manages to withstand and challenge the strong competition of urban retail precincts with its unique environment.

Named CapitaMall Nuohemule Hohhot, this seven-story mall covers an area of ​​76,300 square meters and is located opposite Hohhot’s Nuohemule station.

It has successfully been converted from a generic, rigid, and spatially congested interior with little public attraction into a vibrant multi-level experience that has become a visitor magnet far beyond its neighborhood.

CapitaMall Nuohemule Hohhot has recently been awarded a 2022 International Architecture Awards Honorable Mention by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

Internal public spaces play an important social role in a region where the climate is characterized by dramatic changes: short summers alternated with long, arid winters devoid of green and daylight.

To counteract these “winter blues,” Nuohemule emerges as the first green garden mall in Inner Mongolia, introducing lush multi-level interior landscaping that spreads vertically through a series of atria and out into the horizontal circulation zones.

Staggered floor plates break up the monotony of the existing stacked voids, while their increased size simultaneously introduces larger areas for events or themed programming across all floors.

In concert with the generous planting, these spaces invigorate the upper levels, effectively establishing a “multiple-ground-floor” scenario that ensures the distribution of attractions and increased footfall from basement to roof.

Complimented by interior wood accents, differently themed planters and water features utilize the existing building anatomy to attract visitors across all levels, fostering curiosity for an immersive, emotive shopping experience in a nature-induced and socially minded environment.

Project: CapitaMall Nuohemule Hohhot
Architects: CLOU architects
Associate Architects: CCTN Architectural Design Co., Ltd.
Photographers: Sikang

MONROVIA (KABC) — In Monrovia, the grounds at Maryknoll Sister’s retirement home is becoming a water saving oasis. The nuns at Maryknoll decide to get rid of their six acres of grass. The move is saving water during Southern California’s ongoing drought.

“The cry for healing is something we are also responding to.” Sister Arlene Trant, Coordinator Maryknoll Sisters retirement residence.

The sisters are collaborating with the water conservation group Grow Monrovia. Leigh Adams, a professional landscaper, has been helping the nuns remove the grass and replace it will lasagna mulch, a layering technique that involves cardboard and wood chips that attract fungi, which in turn helps stimulate the soil.

“We’re adding carbon to the soil; carbon in the soil means water in the soil. Water in the soil means life,” said Adams.

Sister Arlene says the change has been dramatic. “What we found is the gophers and the skunks love this place. They dig to get the earth. This was dry before but because we did the mulching, it has turned into soil. So it’s bringing forth what we wanted it to do. What grass could never do-keep the ground moist.”

Todd Siefke is a volunteer building a tree nursery on the property. He’s in school studying landscape architecture.

“Now I have the tools to enact change. It’s been fun to take this passion and apply it,” said Siefke.

The nuns have 20,000 square feet of land and they plan to use in climate conscious ways.

“We are hoping to expand later step by step and continue this energy that it’s obviously calling us too,” said Sister Arlene.

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Angelenos are struggling to keep their lawns green in the midst of yet another historic drought, with water use mandates becoming more and more strict.

Transforming your yard into drought tolerant landscaping involves ripping out the existing grass lawn and replacing it with gravel or crushed granite, along with adding native elements that don’t need much water to survive, like succulents. The plants are usually watered with a simple drip irrigation system running under the gravel, using as little water as possible to keep the plants healthy. So little water is used, in fact, the savings could add up.

“You’ll save anywhere from hundreds to honestly thousands of dollars on water a year,” Cody Simpson, the Chief Landscape Consultant at Droughtscape, a Glendale-based landscaping company told the I-Team.

Simpson says now is the best time to undergo a lawn transformation, especially in Southern California where temperatures are high, prices are rising and water is scarce.

First-time homeowners and Droughtscape customers Jeff and Amanda Boone wanted to upgrade their lawn while simultaneously helping the environment. They decided drought-tolerant landscaping was the way to go.

“I grew up with grass everywhere,” Amanda said. “But in California, it just didn’t seem really economical or responsible to have that sort of landscaping here.”

She’s right. Los Angeles is in the middle of yet another historic drought, with city mandates limiting water usage to just a couple of days a week, or not at all while temporary repair work progresses.

If you’re considering making the switch from grass to native plants, keep in mind a full yard transformation can be pricey. The Boones saved for more than a year and say they spent more than $20,000 on their front yard transformation.

However, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LAWDP) is trying to address that upfront cost for homeowners. The utility is offering rebates of up to $15,000 for homeowners who switch out all or part of their grass to reduce water usage.

While rehauling a whole lawn may sound like a headache to some, Jeff Boone called the whole process “straightforward.”

“I say absolutely do it. You get to save money, you save time. You really set it and forget it,” he said.

As for those without a green thumb, Simpson says they need not worry about accidentally killing their new plants.

“It’s incredibly durable,” he said. “Most of these plants you can kind of kick and stomp and they’ll honestly come shooting back up.”

The Boones put in their new lawn six months ago, and are already seeing growth.

“I love looking out the front window in the mornings,” Jeff told the I-Team. “It’s a lot of fun to kind of see it bloom and the flowers that come in.”

Next, you’ll need to decide on a material for the privacy fence. Basic wood and vinyl fences remain popular choices, but modern ideas that include basket weave designs, chevron shapes, and horizontal wood planks have been popular in recent years. Bamboo, recycled pallets, and other recycled materials are certainly a go-to for sustainable and inexpensive solutions.

Once a privacy fence is built, you can further dress it up to make it stand out from the rest in the neighborhood. Hanging baskets provides a spot to display cascading flowers or succulents, and a colorful mural can liven up an otherwise dull façade. Plantings at the base of the fence soften hard lines and add to your home’s curb appeal.

If you don’t want to put up actual walls, privacy fencing can be disguised as part of natural fencing. A streamline of boxwood creates a manicured surround. Evergreen plantings, like gorgeous cypress trees, evoke Mediterranean vibes. And a large flowering hedge, say with magenta azaleas, is something out of a botanic garden.

Seeding grass is easier than you think.

Photo: Pete Starman

A patchy lawn is a telltale sign of neglect. No one wants to be that house on the block. Regular mowing, watering, and weeding are all helpful, but they can’t guarantee a lush and green lawn. The trick to an emerald yard is seeding grass.

Even if your house started out with a good—or even great—lawn, you’ll need to reseed it every three to four years to keep it healthy. Luckily, it’s a fairly straightforward DIY-type task that doesn’t take too much time or effort, at least not if you have an average-size yard.

To determine the type of grass seed you need, consider your local climate. There are two main types of grasses: warm-season grasses that begin active growth in late spring and are more heat-tolerant, and cool-season grasses that grow better in cooler climates. From there, you’ll have several varieties to choose from like Bermuda, fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, and more. It’s best to plant warm-season grasses in the late spring or early summer, and cool-season lawns should be seeded in the fall.

You’ll also want to take note of how the grass is used. Are kids running around playing tag or ripping up the turf in a weekly soccer match? The functionality may also affect how you want the grass to look and feel. Sturdier grass varieties tend to be less silky.

Once your lawn is seeded, focus on watering. The first few days and weeks post-seeding grass require a daily dose of water, possibly more if you’re in a hot and dry climate. Once the seed is established, grass will need less water, especially if you get regular rain showers.