May 21 2009 Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture LEGO Sets
LEGO has just released the first two of six sets in an 'Architecture' series celebrating the iconic work of Frank Lloyd Wright. Also, I have been to Fallingwater. So yeah, put that in your Guggenheim and smoke it.
The release of the LEGO structures coincides with the real Guggenheim Museum's "From Within Outward" exhibition, which is a celebration of 50 years of Wright's continued influence after his passing.
The first of the sets was released on the 15th to coincide with the opening of the exhibition, and are part of LEGO's LEGO Architecture line of sets, made to "inspire future architects, engineers and designers as well as architecture fans around the world with the LEGO brick as a medium."
Cool, I want them. But nowhere near as much as I want you. Look at me -- don't you think we're sharing something special? I do, and they're called $6 pitchers. Now drink till you love me!
Hit the jump to see a shot of the Guggenheim.
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Apr 14 2009 A Grass Wheel For The Concrete Jungle
The Grass Wheel was created by David Gallaugher, Kevin James, and Jacob Jebailey of the Dalhousie School of Architecture, and provides a comfortable, shoe-free mode of eco-transportation in the concrete jungle (grass-sandals guys, just saying). And I think we can all agree, it makes a very powerful statement. One about renewable energy or something. No? Human hamster wheels? A-ha -- space technology and growing grass upside down! Yes, very thought provoking. How do they do that?
Grass Wheel [neatorama]
Thanks to Armando, who is all man and refuses to walk in anything but a broken-glass wheel. Nice, Armando, but I'll stick to my burning coals wheel.
Feb 27 2009 Coooool!: All Glass House Has Sliding Exterior
The Sliding House is an all glass house built by Ross Russell and his wife in Suffolk, England. Its exterior walls and roof are all one piece that can be rolled off of the glass shell via a system of wheels and motors, exposing the entire house to sunlight. I want one. And not just because I'm an exhibitionist, but because HEY, LOOKIE HERE! Haha, yeah, because I'm an exhibitionist.
Thanks to Dan and Joemo, whose houses don't just slide, they electric slide.
Feb 11 2009 'Invisible' Treehouse Hotel Is Hard To Find
Let's face it, we all want to live in treehouses. Unfortunately, I purchased all the remaining trees on earth, so it looks like you suckers are out of luck. Hey, there's always telephone poles. Also, I will be selling acorns for $1,000 a pop. Anyway, this is a treehouse hotel constructed of mirrored glass by Swedish architectural firm Tham & Videgard Hansson Arkitekter.
It is an old architectural trick used since the invention of mirrored glass: covering buildings with the reflective material and declaring that they blend in with the surroundings. Most architects use it to convince wary citizens that it is OK if their building is tall because it will reflect the sky and nature. The rendering always makes the building disappear, and the reality is always a big clunky mirrored box.
I like it. And not just because I was conceived in a treehouse. Because I wasn't -- I was conceived in the trunk of an Oldsmobile after a drug deal gone horribly wrong. Oh, I'm sorry -- was that too romantic to tell this close to Valentine's?
Hit the jump for schematics of what the inside looks like.
Continue Reading " 'Invisible' Treehouse Hotel Is Hard To Find "
Oct 29 2008 Where Are All The Forks?: A Utensil Table
Welding a bunch of flatware together to make a table, brilliant. As you can see, it's got all the standard utensils like forks and butter knives. Oh shit, and the other ones that have the little bowl at the end. Those.
This limited edition table/sculpture by Objection Design, entitled Precious Famine, is a found object piece made entirely of Cristofle silverware.
Precious Famine -- what a clever name for a flatware table! Actually, I don't get it. But honestly, I don't get a lot of things. Like laid, or paid for writing this.
Objection Design : Precious Famine [myninjaplease]
Thanks to ray, whose spork table was actually the inspiration for this piece. F***ing hacks!
Oct 16 2008 I'll Never Be Cold Again!: A LEGO Radiator
Allegedly this is a real radiator called the Brick, designed by architect Marco Baxadonne and manufactured by Scirocco. No word on price, but I think we can all agree that money is no object when it comes to a LEGO radiator. Unless it's more than $60, in which case, f*** it, I'm going with DUPLO.
Brick LEGO radiator keeps nerds warm [slipperybrick]
Thanks to idid yamum, who, wait a minute!
Sep 15 2008 Crazy Dutch Architects Photoshop Some Stuff
This picture (and the others after the jump) were created by Dutch architecture firm NL as a creative exercise in design and were recently presented at the Venice Architecture Biennale. I have no idea what this has to do with anything, but now I want to be an architect. And also, I want a loopty-loop on my way to work. Can you imagine how fun that would be? Deathly fun! Now who wants to help me pitch this show idea to the History Channel? I'm thinking Loop Road Truckers.
UPDATE: F*** the History Channel, they wouldn't return my calls. We're going with the Discovery Channel. The Deadliest Commute baby, I smell Emmy!
Hold it now, hit it for a bunch of other clever shoppings.
Continue Reading " Crazy Dutch Architects Photoshop Some Stuff "
Aug 26 2008 A Million Person Pyramid To Be Built?
Well, we've seen London's 100,000 person tower concept, and Japan's 1,000,000 person pyramid of doom, and now, unsurprisingly, Dubai wants in on the action. Dubai-based architecture firm Timelinks has developed plans for a million person ziggurat. What the hell's a ziggurat? "A ziggurat was a temple tower of the ancient Mesopotamian valley and Iran, having the form of a terraced pyramid of successively receding stories or levels. Some modern buildings with a step pyramid shape have also been termed ziggurats."
It may sound like just another concept that'll never be a reality, but Timelinks already set about patenting the design as well as the technology that would make it possible. The structure, nearly a whole square mile by design, would use a combination of steam, wind, and other alternative energy-gathering methods to keep itself entirely off the grid. There would also be "green spaces" that would provide the pyramidal city with agricultural space, to provide food and green-based commerce.
Hey, I'm all for a million person pyramid. But how about some $25,000 pyramid?
"You're a failure. I want to sleep with my cycling instructor. Your penis is four sizes too small."
Things my girlfriend tells me, FTW!
The Dubai Ziggurat: 1 million living souls in a pyramid, entirely self-contained [dvice]
Aug 20 2008 More Dubai Photos: Now With More Island!
Back by popular demand, more stunning Dubai photography from David Hobcote. This batch includes several photos of the main city, along with some of the progress on The World Islands. Just stunning -- really makes me want to take a helicopter up and see what my town looks like from above.
UPDATE: Lots of cows. Oh, and a train. So, yeah, suck on that Dubai. CHOO CHOO, bitches, CHOO CHOO!
Hit the jump for several more, including the first house completed on the World Islands.
Continue Reading " More Dubai Photos: Now With More Island! "
Aug 19 2008 Eye Candy: The Burj Dubai Nears Completion
The Burj Dubai tower, tallest building in the world, is soon to be completed. So photographer David Hobcote took a bunch of high-res pictures from the air to commemorate the 2,087 ft structure. As you can see, the results are breathtaking. And, if you don't start again, potentially lifetaking.
Hit the jump for several more of the ridiculousness.
Continue Reading " Eye Candy: The Burj Dubai Nears Completion "
Aug 14 2008 Taj Mahal: Largest LEGO Set Ever Created
Dwarfing even the 5,195 piece Millennium Falcon, comes LEGO's newest, and largest, set ever: The Taj Mahal. Weighing in at 5,922 pieces, the $300 set ships mid September. But the thing that gets me is that it's only 20" wide and 16" tall. That's not very big.
The famous Taj Mahal palace of India is known all over the globe for its incredible beauty and elegance. Now you can recreate this modern wonder of the world for yourself! Designed for experienced builders, the LEGO Taj Mahal model features advanced building techniques, rare elements and colors, and realistic details of architecture. With over 5,900 pieces, the Taj Mahal makes an awesome addition to any LEGO collection!
As I'm sure many of you know, Taj Mahal is actually a mausoleum built by Emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife. Touching, I may build this set in remembrance of a favored pet. But the wife -- Pfft -- she'll be lucky to get a DUPLO grave marker.
Hit the jump for a couple more shots and a link to the product page.
Continue Reading " Taj Mahal: Largest LEGO Set Ever Created "
Jun 25 2008 Rotating Skyscraper To Be Built In Dubai
A rotating skyscraper is slated to be built in, wait for it -- Dubai! The structure, designed by Italian architect David Fisher, has floors that can each rotate independently of one another. Allegedly the building will be powered entirely by wind and solar energy via outer solar panels and wind turbines between the floors. I'm curious to see how that works out. I'm also curious how you and your neighbors decide who gets the ocean view and when. I'm guessing it involves threats and/or a good amount of weapon brandishing. Condos are currently going for about $3,000 per square foot but don't bother calling to ask -- I already did and the bastards aren't selling 1' x 1's.
Hit the jump for a VIDEO including some computer animations of the buildng and an interview with the architect.
Continue Reading " Rotating Skyscraper To Be Built In Dubai "
Jun 24 2008 The 730-Ton Ball That Keeps The Taipei 101 Earthquake Tolerant Is Pretty Big, Heavy
The Taipei 101, once the world's tallest building, sits a paltry 600 feet from a fault line. So is the structure doomed? Nope -- it's rocking a uni-ball of steel.
To counteract the forces working against it, architects installed a $4 million, 730-ton tune massed damper, which is a big ball 18 feet in diameter, made of 41 steel plates, and suspended by strong cables 3 1/2-inches think. It's said to cut down on the swaying of the building by almost 40%.
Pretty cool stuff there. Anything that keeps buildings standing and people safe during an earthquake is A-okay in my book. Even if it is a 730-ton ball. Which, incidentally, explains why I've never taken a fall. *wink* Ladies?
Hit the jump for some more pictures, an animation of how the damper works, along with a video of the ball in action during the recent Chinese earthquake.
Jun 16 2008 A Lilypad For The Flood-Induced Apocalypse
The Lilypad Floating Ecopolis for Climate Refugees is a giant floating city that people can live on when the world floods because Al Gore was right. It looks weird but I reserved a spot anyways because I'll be damned if I live in a flooded house. Unless fish promised to swim around my legs while I watch TV, in which I'd consider it. Similar in concept to the Freedom Ship, this mammoth floater would likely cater to the rich. The architectures behind the design believe we'll need these things by 2100 because half of the world will have disappeared underwater. Or maybe just a third will be flooded, I forgot what they said. Maybe just my bathtub. The most unbelievable part about the whole thing? That they had the gall to include marine life in the picture! HA -- like they'll be anything alive in the oceans by 2100. I know, pretty depressing. Seriously though, I have to have sex with a mermaid before they're extinct.
Hit the jump for a bunch more pictures (including one in which they intentionally made a city look like it's burning even though they're just supposed to be the lights from cars and buildings), along with a link to the project page with a bunch more info.
Continue Reading " A Lilypad For The Flood-Induced Apocalypse "
Jun 12 2008 Chicago Building World's 2nd Tallest Building
Chicago has started construction of the world's 2nd tallest building, the Chicago Spire, which, when completed in 2011, will stand 610 meters (2,000 feet) tall. However, the accolade will be short lived, as the 612 meter (2,009 foot) Russian Tower in Moscow is scheduled for completion in 2012. The Chicago Spire will be the world's tallest residential-only building though, and have 150 floors with 1,194 condominiums ranging in price from $750,000 to $40 million (a nice place to visit but a better place to rob). Let's see, what else? Ah yes, the spire makes one complete 360 degree turn from top to bottom and "has been labeled as a giant 'drill bit' by the public and others in the media have likened it to a 'tall twisting tree' and a 'blade of grass'". Wow, those are the worst descriptions I've ever heard. These people are either pretentious a-holes are high as hell on their own 'twisted trees' and 'blades of grass'. Seriously, it's a giant freaking dildo.
May 13 2008 GTA4: Liberty City Vs. New York City
These are side-by-side comparison shots of New York City and Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto 4. New York is on the left, Liberty on the right. As you can see, they share some pretty similar architecture. But seriously, all 911 conspiracy theories aside, I couldn't find my favorite hot dog vendor (Ignatius of Paradise Vendors) in the game. I swear, something about those dogs -- so freaking delicious. I think Mr. Clyde may have stumbled upon the holy grail of boiled weenies -- the perfect pig lip to asshole ratio.
Several more comparison shots after the jump, along with a link to the Flickr gallery with them all.
Mar 20 2008 The Eiffel Tower's New Celebratory Party Hat
To celebrate the Eiffel Tower's 120th anniversary as one of the world's most recognizable phallic landmarks, it's going to don a temporary party hat designed by architectural firm Serero.
The design is based on a generative script, creating branches out of the primary structure of the tower. Inspired by the structural concept of Eiffel of three-dimensional cross bracing beams, the script unfolds along curved lines the “DNA” of the tower. The script used the existing structure at the top of the tower ( a 10 by 10 meters cube) to generate 3 structural weaves, which are interconnected. These layers are combined to create a woven complex, which is based on the redundancy and the non-repetition of patterns to increase its structural performance. In opposition with modern engineering (based on the concept of repetition and optimization), the project for the Eiffel tower extension is based on an alternative model of high performance.
Cool, I guess. What better way to celebrate a landmark than building it an awesome party hat? I can't think of any. I suggest we do something similar for the Statue of Liberty's upcoming 125th anniversary. Based on her pose, I'm thinking it'd be pretty easy to make Lady Liberty look like she's funneling a beer.
A ton more pictures of the tower's addition after the jump.
Continue Reading " The Eiffel Tower's New Celebratory Party Hat "
Mar 6 2008 Conceptual Parisian Building Is Super Green
The Anti-Smog Innovation Center is a conceptual building that was designed to reside on the Canal de L'Ourcq in Paris. It "would sport 2,700 solar panels as well as a titanium dioxide coating that would react with UV rays to break down smog." In addition, "a 148-foot-tall Wind Tower would convert the canal's breezes into energy." Well neato. How about you go ahead and build it Paris? The place could use a little cleaning up. Because my girlfriend and I visited once and our first impression of the city, after getting out of the airport, was of a mother letting her 4-year-old daughter shit on the sidewalk. If you think I'm joking, I'm not. It was so romantic.
A solar powered, wind using, smog killing fantasy building in Paris [dvice]
Feb 22 2008 Bookshelf Stairs Are Freaking Awesome
As I’ve mentioned before, I like books. So I was immediately drawn to this set of bookshelf stairs. As a matter of fact, I've been just sitting here staring (!) at them for ten minutes. So clever. While they may be a little difficult to clean, I really like the design. I really wish I had a stairway to literary heaven. Instead I have a ladder to a rented room in my uncle’s attic. It is neither literary nor heaven. However it is literally a haven. For rats.
Several more pictures after the jump.
Feb 21 2008 Another Awesome House I Will Never Own
The Quetzalcoatl Nest home was designed by the same architect as the Nautilus House featured last week. It's ridiculously ridiculous and I want it so bad but know I will never ever in my wildest dreams get to live in something half as cool (right now I'm living in a Dodge Neon on cinderblocks in a bad part of town, which is approximately one-quadrillionth as cool). So, yeah. Hold on somebody's at my trashbag and tape window. Oh, gotta go, I'm being robbed.
A ton more pictures after the jump, along with a link to the architect's website.
