The New World Symphony has a new home in Miami Beach. This Frank-Gehry-inside-out design encases the architect's signature curves in a hurricane-resistent glass-and-concrete box. Patrons inside are enveloped in the sound waves that define NWS' new logo. Outside, green space, white paths and blue skies form the backdrop for outdoor projections of live concerts, movies and events with the benefit of what can only be described as outdoor surround-sound. Park your cares at the curb, this is a space for living, walking, dreaming, listening and meeting.

Balancing the needs of local communities with wildlife conservation is critical to long-term sustainability. The researchers and askaris (guards) taught us how to identify spoor; whether thorn trees had been nibbled on by rhino, elephant or giraffe; how to collect data from a plot using various methods; and how to conduct a census. Researchers and conservancy staff also spent considerable effort communicating ways in which the project contributed to the local community. We visited several schools, from tiny schoolhouses built from reclaimed materials, to concrete compounds with students in uniform and previous-generation computers along the wall. Some volunteers brought school supplies, and all were inspired to contribute.

These stock images were captured in Capetown, South Africa. To purchase, go to iStock.com and search for MLRamos.

Architectural details from various travels.