The lot adjacent to the old Domino Sugar factory in Williamsburg is about to be transformed. Plans include space for a reading room, bike courses for beginning and experienced riders, a grassy area for yoga and aerobics, and a community garden. Construction on the 55,000 square foot lot will begin in May. 

In other news, Apple plans to switch data centers to 100% renewable energy, and Architizer announces the winners of their A+ Awards. See the headlines after the jump.

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Less packaging means less waste. Designer Aaron Mickelson recreated how five brands might abandon packaging entirely in his thesis project. Glad trash bags are rolled and pulled from the center like they are in its box, but Mickelson just prints the branding on the outer bag, Oxo storage containers have ink that washes off, and Nivea's soap box dissolves in the shower. 

In other news, Google launches note app Keep, and check out a 3D house that makes more 3D houses. See the headlines after the jump.

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The Indiana Design Center is getting a different type of showroom. On June 1, a local RE/MAX office will lease 3,500 square feet on the first floor of the IDC. It will be set up like a "real estate café," says owner Jimmy Dublin. RE/MAX and IDC hope to have joint events for clients to help people not just find a home, but decorate it.

In other news, what would happen if the Internet crashed, and Google adds animated GIF search. See the headlines after the jump.

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Singer R. Kelly's suburban Chicago home was auctioned yesterday. The 11,140 square foot Olympia Park abode has 8 full bathrooms, 4 fireplaces, a theater, and an indoor pool made to look like a lagoon. The opening bid was $950,000, and it was going, going, gone to JP Morgan Chase, which will eventually put it on the market.

In other news, John Cleese sells his furniture in Monaco, and check out a cabinet that looks like a computer glitch. See the headlines after the jump.

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The 12th Annual Home Design Show hosted by Architectural Digest opens this week in New York. Editor in Chief Margaret Russell and Nate Berkus will give Thursday's keynote on the power of personal style. MADE in America, an exhibition of US-made furniture and products, is back again for the 5th year.  Events run Thursday March 21 through Sunday March 24. 

In other news, Pinterest rolls out an updated layout, and Habitat for Humanity is hiring for Sandy relief leaders. See the headlines after the jump.

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A new crop of smart homes are being built for important clientele: wounded veterans. Actor Gary Sinise's foundation, Building for America's Bravest, funds technologically advanced homes for injured troops. Tailored to each individual's challenges, the homes hide their smart functions in plain sight, like mirrors that tilt, stovetops that lower, and cabinets with pocket doors. 

In other news, map the useful stuff people throw out, and a former insane asylum is converted to condos. See the headlines after the jump.

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There are small apartments, and then there are small apartments. Take, for example, these living spaces in Hong Kong, which are so tiny that they could only be photographed from above. More

Google announced yesterday that its RSS feed aggregator, Reader, will be shut down on July 1. A Change.org petition to save the service has over 40,000 signatures as of this writing. Reader has faced threats of shutdown since 2008, with Google pulling people from the team to build their various social platforms.

In other news, MIT builds a "leaf" that gathers solar and hydro energy, and check out a concrete that repairs itself. See the headlines after the jump.

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One of our favorite celeb designers returns to TV: Nate Berkus will produce and host a design competition show on NBC called Renovation Nation. 2 teams will travel the country, and will be evaluated by Berkus and a crew of design experts. The 10-episode season will culminate with a live finale where viewers vote to determine the winner. 

In other news, digitally borrow books from the subway library, and get the scoop behind Rue Magazine's Rue Daily. See the headlines after the jump.

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Boston's Benjamin Mansion at 74 Beacon Street has been for sale for years, though now it has been leased to the tune of $40,000 a month. The 8,450 square foot brownstone overlooking the Public Garden has 6 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, and an infinity pool. $40,000 is the highest residential rent ever recorded in Boston by MLS.

In other news, here is possibly the smallest ever home for sale, and LinkedIn buys Pulse. See the headlines after the jump.

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