There’s a new blog in town, called SustainableModern and we really like it. This five-person team of architects and designers focuses on both eco-friendliness AND modern design.

Their latest post is about the Kandalama hotel, designed in 1991 by acclaimed Sri Lankan architect, Geoffrey Bawa – a principal force behind the architectural movement, dubbed ‘tropical modernism.

The tropical hideaway of the Kandalama Hotel allows visitors to explore the many wonders of Sri Lanka.

According to Forbes, wealthy consumers will spend, but differently than before. Exclusivity will be embraced as will quality and dependability.

What’s more, luxury brands will begin offering discounts and incentives-something many have never done before.

“The days of shopping ’til you drop are over,” says David Lamb, chief strategic officer at diamond giant De Beers, which, with London-based market research firm Ledbury Research, recently examined the changing demands of the high-net-worth customer.

According to the less alarming forecasts of the Intergovernmental group on the evolution of the climate, the ocean level should rise from 20 to 90 cm during the 21st Century with a status quo by 50 cm (versus 10 cm in the 20th Century).

As a solution to this alarming problem architect Vincent Callebaut came up with this ecotectural marvel that could serve as a luxurious future retreat for 50,000 inhabitants seeking refuge from rising waters due to global warming.

He believes the world will be desperately seeking shelter from the devastations of climate change, and hopes the auto-sufficient amphibious city will serve as a luxurious solution.

The Queen of England is having her two $14 million bespoke Bentley limousines converted to run on biofuels, the London Daily Mail reports.

This is part of a move by the British luxury car-maker to become more environmentally friendly - and a new biofuel-burning high-performance car is expected in the New Year.

In an effort to preserve the Earth, the luxury brand has created a line of eco-friendly handbags named Eco Ferragamo.

What makes this collection special is that the bags are made from a nontoxic tanning technique, are lined in handwoven hemp, and use dyes from natural elements such as tree bark.

The results are luxurious, biodegradable, and water-resistant bags that retail from $1,190 to $1,890.

Looking at these amazing Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali, Indonesia. Designed by Singapore based WOHA and built on 14.4 hectacres, the Alila Villas are a prime example of amazing sustainable architecture.

With Alila Villas Uluwatu, the architects wanted to create more than the usual stereotypical ideas of Bali, creating a design that worked with the dry Balinese Savannah vegetation and gently sloping site, not against it.

These modern contemporary Balinese villas use sustainable wood for construction (old timbre telegraph poles and wood railway sleepers) to replicate the typical dry Balinese Savannah vegetation.

Notable design features include the flat roofs, laid with batu chandi (local volcanic rock). This porous Javanese rock (a product of Mt Merapi’s eruptions) serves a threefold purpose: insulation; as a means of blending in with the local landscape; and for water absorption to support plant life.

Even the jigsaw-like exteriors of the pavilion serve more than an aesthetic purpose. The slats of these exteriors are made from a mixture of recycled wood and bronze, allowing for breeze to circulate yet maintaining privacy in partially shielding its occupants away from prying eyes.

The villas are perched on limestone cliffs with a stunning view over the Indian Ocean, large windows that extend into the natural open spaces. This green resort opens its doors to the public in 2009. Via Contemporist