nyt - arch

An awning made of eucalyptus branches provides shade on the terrace of Stephanie Giribone and Mohamed Zefifene's home in Marrakesh, Morocco, Dec. 22,...

The bathroom of Stephanie Giribone and Mohamed Zefifene's home in Marrakesh, Morocco, Dec. 22, 2010. Poured concrete, an affordable alternative to tad...

FILE -- Women attend a meeting to learn about microloans at the Ujjivan microcredit firm in Mumbai, on Sept. 24, 2010. Microloans have sparked hostili...

FILE -- New York Jets punter (9) Steve Weatherford punts against the Houston Texans during an NFL football game in East Rutherford, N.J., Nov. 21, 201...

A library with custom book jackets in New York, on Jan. 4, 2011. Designers are still making spaces with shelves and are turning to custom library comp...

Mount Yotei looms over Niseko, Japan, on Dec. 19, 2010. The town, known for its skiing, has seen the development of stylish restaurants and a network...

An alcohol-free cocktail at the Absolute Sanctuary in Koh Samui, Thailand, on Dec. 15, 2010. The yoga and detox center is one of the locations that is...

Yuichi Kamimura, left, prepares food at his restaurant, Kamimura, in Niseko, Japan, on Dec. 19, 2010. The town, known for its skiing, has seen the dev...

The 78 pool-villas at the Banyan Tree Samui in Koh Samui, Thailand, on Dec. 15, 2010. The spa at the resort includes the island's first hydrotherapy f...

A woman walks with a drink on a platter along a boardwalk outside the lobby of the W Retreat Koh Samui in Thailand, on Dec. 15, 2010. The luxury hotel...

A couple at the private beach of the W Retreat Koh Samui in Thailand, on Dec. 15, 2010. The luxury hotel, the chain's premiere in Southeast Asia, open...

A man relaxes in an outdoor hot spring in Niseko, Japan, on Dec. 19, 2010. The town, known for its skiing, has seen the development of stylish restaur...

A room at a loft hotel in Niseko, Japan, on Dec. 19, 2010. The town, known for its skiing, has seen the development of stylish restaurants and a netwo...

A woman stands on a boardwalk outside the lobby of the W Retreat Koh Samui in Thailand, on Dec. 15, 2010. The luxury hotel, the chain's premiere in So...

A woman receives a massage at the W Retreat Koh Samui in Thailand, on Dec. 15, 2010. The luxury hotel, the chain's premiere in Southeast Asia, opened...

Visitors dine at the Kamimura restuarant in Niseko, Japan, on Dec. 18, 2010. The town, known for its skiing, has seen the development of stylish resta...

Decorative plastic gems at the spa of the W Retreat Koh Samui in Thailand, on Dec. 15, 2010. The luxury hotel, the chain's premiere in Southeast Asia,...

An outdoor lounge with accent lighting under the chairs at the W Retreat Koh Samui in Thailand, on Dec. 15, 2010. The luxury hotel, the chain's premie...

Grilled zucchini and red pepper oregano with sheep's milk feta salad at the Kitchen Table restaurant in the W Retreat Koh Samui in Thailand, on Dec. 1...

FILE -- Customers sit at booths inside Mel's Drive In at Universal Studios Singapore within Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore, on May 16, 2010. The i...

Heidi Kloser, a student of Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy, performs a backflip off Golden Peak in the midst of a freestyle run, with a view of Vail Vi...

Charles Slomovitz, a music sourcer for Shazam, the music-spotting cellphone application, works at his home office in Lafayette, Calif., Jan. 5, 2011....

Chef Jared Wentworth puts the final touches on a Beef-tongue Hash topped with a Duck Egg and shaved Truffles at Longman & Eagle restaurant in Chicago,...

A Country Pork Hash plate with eggs and bread at Seersucker restaurant in New York, Dec 19, 2010. Starting with meat and potatoes a good hash recipe c...

Outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) listen as House Democratic leaders hold a news conference...

Laura Gomez, an illegal immigrant who is six months pregnant, originally from Colima, Mexico, in Scottsdale, Ariz., Dec. 30, 2010. The next big immigr...

Max Mashal, a sixth grade student, uses his iPad during class at Pinnacle Peak Elementary School in Scottsdale, Ariz., Dec. 17, 2010. Across the natio...

Diners puff on cigarettes at a restaurant in Chigasaki, Japan, July, 9, 2010. The drug maker Pfizer, the world's biggest pharmaceutical company, said...

President Barack Obama holds hands with his daughter Sasha while exiting Marine One with first lady Michelle Obama and daughter Malia as they return t...

Laura Gomez, an illegal immigrant who is six months pregnant, originally from Colima, Mexico, in Scottsdale, Ariz., Dec. 30, 2010. The next big immigr...

A dish with female ants, known as "icas" or queen ants, prepared by Ocilio Ferraz at his restaurant, in the rural area of Silveiras, Brazil, Dec. 21,...

Jorge da Silva allows female ants, known as "icas" or queen ants, to crawl up his arm for effect, in the rural area of Silveiras, Brazil, Dec. 21, 201...

A worker walks through the inside space of what used to be Le Jardin Bistro restaurant in New York, Dec. 9, 2010. Chef John Fraser has rented the spac...

The inside space of what used to be Le Jardin Bistro restaurant in New York, Dec. 9, 2010. Chef John Fraser has rented the space, that is likely to be...

A discarded restaurant review on the floor of what used to be Le Jardin Bistro restaurant in New York, Dec. 9, 2010. Chef John Fraser has rented the s...

Chef John Fraser looks at an egg shaped serving vessel at Regency Service Carts, Inc., in New York, Dec. 21, 2010. Fraser has rented a space, that is...

Chef John Fraser looks for serving pieces in the warehouse of Regency Service Carts, Inc., in New York, Dec. 21, 2010. Fraser has rented a space, that...

FILE-- Members of the Kirov Ballet performing in an excerpt of "La Bayadere" at the City Center, in New York, April, 8, 2008. One of the keenest debat...

Jorge da Silva, center, and Carlos Eduardo Fernandes, 11, left, collect female ants, known as "icas" or queen ants, on a hillside in the rural area of...

President Barack Obama holds hands with his daughter Sasha while exiting Marine One with first lady Michelle Obama and daughter Malia as they return t...

Marine One flies towards the White House to return President Barack Obama and the first family from a vacation in Hawaii, in Washington, Jan. 4, 2011....

Residents look out their window in a home in Bilin, West Bank, on Jan. 4, 2011. Jawaher Abu Rahmah reportedly inhaled a cloud of Israeli tear gas near...

The location where Jawaher Abu Rahmah watched a protest in Bilin, West Bank, on Jan. 4, 2011. Rahmah reportedly inhaled a cloud of Israeli tear gas at...

Posters of Jawaher and Bassem Abu Rahmah hang in Bilin, West Bank, on Jan. 4, 2011. Bassem was killed in 2009 after he was struck in the chest by an I...

Posters of Jawaher and Bassem Abu Rahmah hang in Bilin, West Bank, on Jan. 4, 2011. Bassem was killed in 2009 after he was struck in the chest by an I...

Christmas trees from past years, used to made habitats for aquatic life, are seen along the shore at the Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area, in Fre...

Outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) listens as House Democratic leaders hold a news conference to discuss jobs and the deficit, at the Capi...

A woman walks past the site of a bomb blast in downtown Kabul, Jan. 4, 2011. The bomb exploded during rush hour on Tuesday, killing one police officer...

Natalia Kolyada and Nikolai Khalezin, members of the persecuted Belarus Free Theater, in New York, Jan. 3, 2011. The theater troupe has managed to esc...

Members of the persecuted Belarus Free Theater, from left, Artiom Zhelezniak, Natalia Kolyada, Nikolai Khalezin and Vladimir Shcherban in New York, Ja...