[ By Steph in Art & Design. ]
Soaring into the sky, electric pylons are an intrusive element in our modern landscapes, seeming to stand as a reminder that much of the infrastructure associated with technology is not meant to be pretty. But why can’t these ubiquitous towers be both practical and aesthetically pleasing? In Iceland, the “Landsnet High-Voltage Transmission Line Tower Design Competition” challenged designers to rethink electric pylons, producing stunning contest entries like ‘Land of Giants’ by Choi + Shine Architects.
The ‘Land of Giants’ concept gives electric pylons a humanoid shape, effectively turning them into 100-foot sculptures that reach up and support the power lines. Made of the same steel frame and concrete footings that are used to build most standard pylons, these expressive figures can be arranged into various poses to change the height of the lines, from holding them over their heads to crouching near the ground. The ‘Land of Giants’ design won honorable mention in the competition as well as the 2010 Boston Society of Architects ‘Unbuilt Architecture’ Award.
Another entry, by Dietmar Koering of Arphenotype, takes a different tack. While this design arguably has less visual impact than ‘Land of Giants’, it is no less of a dramatic change from current pylon designs, especially since the architect chose to use all-new materials and construction rather than adhering to current manufacturing procedures. The pre-fabricated towers are made of “aramid-fibre-matrix bounded with eco resin through thermosetting”, which makes them weather- and UV-resistant.
Korean architect Yong ho Shin shared his second-prize-winning design with ArchDaily. ‘Superstring’ also breaks entirely away from conventional pylon designs with parabolic structures that are simple, lightweight, prefabricated and aerodynamic for easy transportation and construction as well as resistance to extreme weather conditions. With organic shapes that seem to shift depending on the perspective of the viewer, the ‘Superstring’ pylons are made of steel tubing balanced on four stay wires, allowing the pylons to flex in the wind.
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Detox Towers: Architecture that Cleans Urban Air
The Detox Towers concept uses a dual algae bio-filter and synthetic membrane system to cleanse the air of pollutants, decreasing greenhouse gas levels.
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Stylish, but Sustainable? Synthetic Super-Sized Wood Trees
[ By Delana in Art & Design & Geography & Travel & News & Politics. ]
An ambitious architectural project seven years in the making has finally opened in the heart of Seville, Spain. As the largest bonded-wood construction project ever attempted, the Metropol Parasol serves to tie together the ultra-modern parts of Seville with the historic medieval areas.
(image via: Inhabitat)
The impressive structure features undulating wooden surfaces that reach heights of up to 30 meters (90 feet). Beneath the wave-like surface of the parasol are a museum, bars and restaurants, a farmer’s market and a raised plaza for concerts. The very top of the structure features a long, winding walkway and terrace with incredible views of the surrounding area.
(image via: Inhabitat)
Plaza de la Encarnacion, the area of Seville where the Metropol Parasol is now located, was once destined to be a parking lot. But when excavations revealed the ruins of a Roman district beneath the surface of the location, city officials decided that a cultural statement would be a more appropriate use of the land.
(image via: Dezeen)
A competition to determine the most interesting design for the land netted plenty of enticing ideas, but Jürgen Mayer H’s design captured the imaginations of the judges. The architectural firm was given the go-ahead to begin the project, but the complexity of the design meant that it took several years to become a reality.
(image via: The Guardian)
The Metropol Parasol is a modern structure through and through, but the fact that it is made mostly of wood hearkens back to a different architectural period entirely. The polyurethane coating on the wood and the high-performing glue holding everything together link the present to the future. Seville’s iconic new structure is poised to change the entire dynamic of this vibrant city.
(image via: The Guardian)
Although the structure is not entirely wooden – there are concrete and steel elements – the neutral feel of the wooden elements lends a natural feel to the overall project. Combined with the organic shapes of the undulating parasols, the Metropol Parasol project evokes the feeling of being in a natural space in the middle of the city. Thanks to the honeycomb-like patterns of the overhead elements, the Parasol even provides some welcome relief from the bright Spanish sun.
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Stunning St. Petersburg Zoo Inspired by Pangaea
[ By Steph in Animals & Habitats & Art & Design & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
Imagine experiencing the richly varied ecology of every major continent in the world – all in a single zoo. A new proposal by architecture firms TN Plus and Beckmann N’Thépé aims to recreate Pangaea, the supercontinent that existed on Earth 250 million years ago, in a sprawling man-made development outside urban St. Petersburg, Russia.
With St. Petersburg’s current zoo, the historic Leningrad, beginning to show its age and grow outside its limited space, the city has set its sights on developing a 1.15-square-mile parcel of land where the animals will have much more room to live in a more natural setting. Relocating the zoo will also open up much-needed space in the city for residents and businesses.
Designed as an archipelago on land with plentiful water sources, the new zoo will place each continent on an island, connected to the others with walkways and, in the case of North America and Eurasia, a recreation of Arctic ice. Each island will feature animal exhibits and preserves native to the continent it represents. The designers are aiming for a balance between artifice and nature, prioritizing the needs of the animals but also offering an enriching experience for visitors. The designers have not, however, revealed any plans for sustainably maintaining these artificial environments so far outside their natural climactic range.
“The zoo as sphere is seen as a metaphor for the history of humanity, the deep connection between man and his environment and the link between self and other. It makes this coexistence possible by demonstrating the idea that it is possible to produce an ideal world that can easily translate to the real world. The spheres determine the variable boundaries of our living space, whether it has the intimacy of a bubble or the cosmopolitan immensity of a globe.”
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Food of the Golds: 10 Amazing Ways to Enjoy Eating Gold
[ By Steve in Art & Design & Food & Health & History & Trivia. ]
Taking a shine to your meals lately? Perhaps it’s the other way around: the extravagant gourmand whose gastronomic delights display an aura of Aurum may know something more plebeian diners don’t… putting carats on one’s carrots is as good as gold.
Golden Gourmets
(images via: Foodmall and Emerald Bay Photo)
From ancient times, the world’s rich and powerful have sought to extend and expand their wealth and power by eating foods far too rare, too beautiful or too mystical for the common man (and woman) to afford. Gold fits the bill… but to eat or drink it, one must have the means to PAY the bill.
(images via: Picture Message, Parents and iOffer)
Why gold, you might ask, when gourmet delicacies like truffles, sweetbreads and, er, lark’s tongues in aspic are just as rare and probably a whole lot more flavorful. It’s all for show, of course – gold is useful for jewelry and not much else, so why not “gild the lily” when making friends and influencing people? This was exactly what the ancient Egyptians had in mind when they introduced the world to the art of edible gold. These days, the cult of celebrity has supplanted the worship of more heavenly bodies and edible gold is all the rage among the privileged classes. Here are 10 ways one can imbibe edible gold, some so affordable even a modern-day plebeian can enjoy them!
Shake Yer Beauty
(images via: Gold Leaf Company and Fancy Flours)
First off, my apologies for that truly awful title – now let’s move on to some real beauty you can shake onto just about anything. We’re talkin’ gold… silver and gold, actually, individually packaged in powdered form at a surprisingly reasonable price. The gold goes for around $100 per gram which may seem like a lot but look on the bright side: a little gold (or silver) powder will go a long way.
Food Bling
(images via: Food Network UK and Daily Mail UK)
Powder too fine for your chowder? Fancy a sprinkle on your, er, can’t think of a rhyme for “sprinkle.” Regardless, when only gold can fit the mold, do your thing with some Food Bling. British food celeb Laura Santtini has hooked up with Selfridges department store to market a range of gold and silver sprinkles under the trendy moniker. Sez Santtini, it’s “an inexpensive and easy way of making a meal more glamorous.”
Graffiti You Can Eat-y
(images via: ArtNectar)
Polishing an apple to give to a favorite teacher? Make an indelible impression with Esslack edible gold food spray from German food cooperative The Deli Garage. As seen in the image above, you can spray-paint your tomatoes a glittering golden hue. It matters not that tomatoes look perfectly appetizing “as is”; Esslack is all about making an impression.
I Can’t Be-Leaf It’s Gold!
(images via: Yahoo Lifestyle, Margot Austin and Pretty Tasty Cakes)
One of gold’s most fascinating properties is its extreme malleability. A tiny nugget of gold can be hammered out into a surprisingly wide sheet that may be only a few dozen atoms thick: Gold Leaf. Food grade labeled gold leaf allows chefs and cooks to add the appearance of great value to their culinary creations while in actuality using very tiny amounts of gold.
Golden Gulps
(images via: Gggirlanachronism, Gdansk Life and Supercook)
Those who have enjoyed Goldschläger cinnamon schnapps may feel richer than they really are: a 750ml bottle only contains about a tenth of a gram (0.1 g) of gold flakes worth around us$5 on the metals market. Even so, it’s not the quantity of gold that counts here, it’s the quality of the company, the occasion and the atmosphere. Goldschläger is one of several liqueurs infused with tiny amounts of gold leaf with the original being Danziger Goldwasser, first brewed and sold back in 1598.
Buy The Bar
(images via: Zimbio and Luxuo)
The power of social media has brought back Cadbury’s much-loved Wispa Gold chocolate bar, though at a cost. Like, £961.48 (about $1,630). Fret not, British chocoholics, the heavy sticker price is for one very special Wispa Gold bar, covered in gold leaf and packaged in a custom gold leaf wrapper. Over 22,000 Wispa Gold fans joined the Facebook group “Bring back Cadbury’s Wispa Gold”, leading to the presentation of the one & only gold Wispa Gold bar. The choice confection was presented by Tony Hadley of the 1980′s New Romantic band Spandau Ballet, whose 2nd best-charting single was… “Gold”.
California Gold Rush Rolls
(image via: Foodiggity)
When it comes to gourmet sushi, Filipino chef Angelito Araneta Jr. has got the Midas touch. He’ll need it – it’s tough to top some types of sushi when it comes to both price and presentation. Araneta judiciously applies 23K gold leaf to his custom creations and at times even THAT isn’t enough: the gold-wrapped rolls above are garnished with 12 local Palawan pearls and 4 (.20ct) African diamonds of VVS clarity. We’re gonna need more Alka Seltzer, stat!
Frrrozen Haute Chocolate Sundae
(images via: Reuters and Wicked Stage)
When the Guinness World Record people recognize you for preparing the world’s most expensive dessert, you can be pretty sure there’s gold involved. When the dish costs $25,000 it’s pretty much a given. The delectable “Frrozen Haute Chocolate” is a dreamy dessert devised by Stephen Bruce, owner of the New York restaurant Serendipity 3. Bruce blended 28 exotic cocoas with 5 grams (0.2 ounces) of edible 23-karat gold and as a bonus, slipped an 18-karat gold bracelet with 1 carat of white diamonds into the bottom of the sundae. Don’t eat the bracelet, just lick it clean and slip it on.
Cupcake Wars
(images via: A Spoonful of Sugar, Baa Baa Cupcake and Caroline’s Creations)
Cupcakes offer chefs a small but rich palette upon which to work their wonders, and gold dragees seem to be one of the more popular weapons in their arsenal. “Weapons” indeed… anyone chomping down on a dragee unawares might think their snack was full of buckshot. These gold-glazed sugar spheres may commonly appear as decorations for desserts but be advised that the FDA lists them as being inedible. Visit the UK and Europe, on the other hand, and you’re free to crunch these tiny golden jawbreakers to your heart’s content.
Shiny Luxury Novelty
(image via: DeLafée International)
Looking for the special gift for the princess who has everything? DeLafée International suggests this gold lollipop gift, described as “a decadent indulgence and a suggestive accessory.” The 45 gram (1.6 oz) strawberry flavored and heart-shaped lollypop might be considered childish if not for the flecks of edible gold clinging to its sweet surface. A little too sexist for you? No worries, DeLafée also sells hand-rolled Dominican luxury cigars wrapped in gold leaf. Smokin hot!
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Breathe Easy: Building Concept Cleanses Dirty City Air
[ By Delana in Art & Design & Nature & Ecosystems & Science & Research. ]
What if, instead of trying to remove all of the things that poison our environment, we built an infrastructure that uses these poisons as fuel to build a better world? That is the idea behind Bubble Wrap, a concept from Andrew Tetrault and Ben Lee for the purification of New York City’s air. An active, living infrastructure would take the very things we hate about city life – the pollution and poor air quality – and turn them into a vibrant, sustainable public space.
Bubble Wrap was designed specifically for New York City, a metropolis known both for its pollution problem and its rich culture. This futuristic project would mesh both in a surprisingly sophisticated way. Densely planted “bubbles” would be linked together and used as a unique type of building material to create living public spaces.
The plants inside the bubbles would take in polluted air and scrub it clean, releasing it again at ground level. Air from the subway exhaust system and from street level is drawn in to be purified and cleansed, making the “pods” into a large-scale air purifier.
The space inside the bubble structure would become a new venue for cultural and neighborhood events. Imagine a farmer’s market in the freshly-cleansed air inside this bubble building – or an open-air festival where everyone can breathe with no worries about pollution.
The designers call this idea a “parasite” that feeds on the excess energy and pollution of the city. Perhaps the relationship between the concept and the city could be seen instead as a symbiotic one: the conceptual building is “fed” by our lifestyle and the city receives a beautiful, living, breathing public space in which to enjoy and experience life.
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Sweet Structures: Art & Architecture Made of Sugar
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Food & Health. ]
Dating back hundreds of years to elaborate sugar-paste sculptures that graced the dining tables of the ultra-rich, sugar art can be as simple as a tower made from sugar cubes or as complex as glass-like, gravity-defying edible sculptures. These 12 sugar sculptures, including sugar architecture, murals, landscapes, complicated chef art and even busts of Greek gods with ice cream cone hats, show just what’s possible with this sticky sweet substance.
16-Foot Sugar Cube Tower by Brendan Jamison
(images via: brendanjamison.com)
It took sculptor Brendan Jamison an astonishing three years and over 250,000 sugar cubes to create the 16-foot TOWER, an installation jointly funded by the Towner Museum and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The TOWER will be on display at the Towner Museum in Eastbourne, England from Friday, July 1st through Saturday, September 10th 2011.
18th Century Pavilions by Ivan Day
(images via: the magazine antiques)
Elaborate sugar work was often found on the tabletops of the wealthy during the 18th century. “Master of antiquated cookery” Ivan Day recreated a table from 1740 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, building a pair of sugar-paste pavilions using sugar molds and sculpting tools from that era. “Sugar paste, a mixture of confectioner’s, or powdered, sugar and gum tragacanth, and porcelain paste are remarkably similar,” says Day, who explains that these pieces were often placed alongside real porcelain on the table.
White Landscape: Spires by Lionel Scoccimaro
(images via: if it’s hip it’s here)
French sculptor and photographer Lionel Scoccimaro used 400 kilograms (about 882 pounds) of sugar to create a display of architectural spires for his 2008 series, White Landscape.
Helen’s Tower by Brendan Jamison
(images via: brendanjamison.com)
Jamison, whose work is collected and displayed around the world, created the incredible Helen’s Tower in 2011, a replica of a real tower on an estate in Bangor, Northern Ireland. Carving some of the sugar cubes to create spheres, columns and other shapes, Jamison achieved extraordinary detail, particularly in the banister at the top of the tower.
Sweet Street Art Mural
(images via: vancouver sun)
Delicate and transient, ‘Stained’ by Shelley Miller is a work of art that is meant to deteriorate quickly; good thing, because sugar doesn’t last long when exposed to the rain. Miller created the lovely blue-and-white public mural in Waddington Alley, Victoria entirely out of sugar and other food ingredients like meringue icing. Based on the look of traditional Portuguese tiles, the mural depicts the history of sugar as a commodity. Just hours after it was completed, it already had tongue marks from tempted passersby.
Water Towers by Lionel Scoccimaro
(images via: if it’s hip it’s here)
Lionel Scoccimaro photographed his 2007 series, Water Towers, showing structures that seem to be precariously balanced on delicate legs.
Edible Busts by Osamu Watanabe
(images via: who killed bambi)
Though not solely made from sugar, these sculptures by Osamu Watanabe are entirely edible, made from carved sugar, berries, cakes, ice cream cones and a fondant-like creamy sugar mixture that can be molded into sharp detail. Nobody actually eats them, however; they’re made for art exhibits.
Tate Modern & NEO Bankside by Brendan Jamison
(images via: brendanjamison.com)
Jamison sculpted the Tate Modern Art Museum and the surrounding NEO Bankside for the 2010 London Festival of Architecture at the new NEO Bankside Pavilion in London. At a scale of 1:100, the tallest structure tops out at just over three feet in height.
Edible Art Book Made of Sugar Paste
(images via: fastcodesign)
With pages resembling stone tablets that you can actually eat, the book ‘Design Criminals’ was made by Andreas Pohancenik for an art exhibit at the Vienna Museum of Applied Arts. Handed out to visitors as a guide to the exhibit’s works, the 15 sheets of the book were enclosed in a pure-sugar slipcase and printed with edible ink.
Sugar Walk by Brendan Jamison
(images via: brendanjamison.com)
This architectural commission, created by Brendan Jamison on a 1:100 scale, is a model of a proposed structure at Great Patrick Street in Belfast. Toy cars and tiny little human figures give an idea as to the actual scale. It’s certainly a creative way to present an architectural model, to stand out from the crowd.
Cooked Sugar as Arctic Landscape
(images via: matthew albanese)
Artist Matthew Albanese, who creates stunning miniature worlds of the most unexpected materials, explains that he created the above landscape out of 25 pounds of sugar, blue food coloring, flour and a handful of other food ingredients. It took three days of cooking and two weeks of building to complete.
Sugar Leopards in Sydney
(images via: roving I)
Chefs take food presentation to a whole new level when they incorporate incredibly complex sugar sculptures into buffet displays, table centerpieces or cake toppers. This example of chef sugar art, of two leopards lounging on tree trunks, was in competition at Fine Food in Sydney in 2005. By heating sugar to very high temperatures and molding it while it’s still hot, chefs can achieve a translucent glass-like effect and gravity-defying delicacy.
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Man-Made Jungle: Exotic Architecture for Rain Forests & More
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Geography & Travel & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
Beautiful and untamed, the jungle can be an inhospitable setting for human inhabitance when dwellings are not designed in harmony with the climate and landscape. These 12 rainforest homes, resorts and communities work with their surroundings – and often very hot and humid weather – using such architectural features as slatted wooden window coverings, yet maintain a vital connection to nature with floor-to-ceiling windows and verandahs aplenty.
Shell House by ARTechnic, Japan
(images via: archicentral)
Making your way through the humid forests of Karuizawa, Japan, a giant shell hovering three and a half feet above the ground is not exactly a sight you expect to see. Architects ARTechnic were inspired by an unlikely combination of natural shell shapes and the concept of humans taking over an abandoned spacecraft. The concrete materials, a mold-preventing floor-heating system and the fact that the building is off the ground all help it stand up to a harsh wet yet cold environment that takes a heavy toll on many other structures in the area.
Tropical Bamboo Home, Costa Rica
(images via: benjamin garcia saxe)
This beautiful bamboo home was designed by architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe for his mother, combining local building traditions with modern techniques to engage the home’s jungle environment. Open to the outdoors, the home features exterior walls made of angled bamboo poles that prevent water from getting in but allow air flow for natural cooling, and
BR House by Marcio Kogan, Brazil
(images via: archdaily)
In the dense rainforest outside Rio de Janeiro lies this angular modernist home, which stands out in stark contrast – quite deliberately – to its natural environment. The BR house has been raised on thick tree trunk-like pillars to place the inhabitants at the level of the forest canopy, making the structure seem as if it’s supported by the trees. Massive glass walls further blur the lines between inside and outside.
Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali
(images via: contemporist)
Wishing to move away from the traditional ornate dark wood, reeds and thatch roofing of typical Balinese architecture, Singapore-based architecture firm WOHA enhanced this flat-roofed modern structure with bronze, reclaimed wood and marble. The residential villas and hotel features pool cabanas with slatted wood that not only makes a strong design statement, but provides privacy and allows air to circulate.
Lofted Forest Home by Robert Harvey Oshatz
(images via: oshatz.com)
The curving organic forms and natural materials of this structure by architect Robert Harvey Oshatz seems as if it could have grown out of the forest, calling to mind knots of wood and twisting branches. The curves, in fact, are strategically placed to take full advantage of the space in between the trees that surround the building, giving it the feel of a huge treehouse.
Finca Bellavista Treehouse Resort, Costa Rica
(images via: inhabitat)
Treehouses of all sorts are a natural in jungle environments, and Finca Bellavista – an eco village in Costa Rica – is a veritable display of the various styles and designs that are possible, letting residents create their own sustainable structures in the treetops. Described as the world’s first planned, modern treehouse community, Finca Bellavista features a large community complex with a dining hall and an open-air lounge as well as a “Sky Trail” transportation network of hanging boardwalks.
Modern Rainforest Home in Rural Costa Rica
(images via: spg architects)
Placed on an abandoned concrete foundation and core steel structural frame, this ‘refab’ modern home in the jungle of Costa Rica reused the displaced timber that was cleared prior to construction. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide practically uninterrupted views of the forest and the sea, and an infinity pool enhances the balance between clean, contemporary architecture and immersion in the untamed setting.
Pier House, Brazil
(images via: archdaily)
Built to house a sailboat during the week and its owners on the weekends, the Pier House in Paraty, Brazil is divided into two volumes, the low-lying boathouse and the larger white structure of the house itself. The house, designed by Gabriel Grinspum and Mariana Simas, bridges the space between the water and the jungle behind it, utilizing traditional ‘muxarabi’ slatted windows to filter the light and provide ventilation.
V-Houses by Heinz Legler, Mexico
(images via: archdaily)
Open to the warm winds of the Pacific Ocean, the prefabricated V-Houses provide a rustic modern jungle retreat in Yelapa, Mexico, outside of Puerto Vallarta. Three of the resort’s guest houses stand out from the trees, made out of steel, plywood and red corrugated iron roofs.
The Green Village by Ibuku, Bali
(images via: green village bali)
Back to Bali, this beautiful green village of bamboo homes is a master-planned community built along a river by Balinese firm Ibuku. Literally everything in the village’s first completed home is made from bamboo, from the walls and window frames to the furniture and cabinets.
YTL Residence, Kuala Lumpur
(images via: gradient magazine)
A clear glass facade covered in slatted wood – again, for filtering sunlight and providing privacy yet still allowing a view – is among the standout features of the YTL residence in Kuala Lumpur. Designed by Paris-based Jouin Manku for a theoretical ‘Malaysian power family’, the residence is sleek and contemporary, raised above the treetops to provide the best possible view. Greenery planted along the upper deck brings the jungle closer to the home even as the architecture seeks to separate itself from nature.
Ecological Resort Concept, Dominica
(images via: archdaily)
What does the future hold for jungle architecture? This concept for a sustainable future development along Mero Beach on the west coast of the Commonwealth of Dominica, a tropical island in the Caribbean, seeks to promote tourism in a way that is sensitive of the island’s rainforests. Designed by BURO II, which has already completed a project of similar scale in Guangzhou, China, the resort includes a mixture of villas, bungalows and apartments as well as retail, entertainment, a hotel, conference facilities and parking, but integrates these functions with the natural setting using sustainable materials, native landscaping and an architectural scale that does not distract from the beauty of the island itself.
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After Effects: Tiny Buildings Reclaimed by Nature’s Touch
[ By Delana in Art & Design, Home & Garden, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
Dilapidated buildings, overtaken by moss and time, can turn architecture into unintentional art. But there is nothing unintentional or aged about these fascinating houses. They are the inspired work of Daniele Del Nero, a Spanish artist who turns ordinary scale models of homes into ethereal works of art that look as though they have been abandoned to the elements for centuries.
Surprisingly, there is only the most delicate foundation to these artificially aged structures. Rather than the solid wooden bones of actual homes, these tiny buildings bear hollow interiors. They are made of black construction paper, carefully cut and sculpted by the artist who has a background in architecture and engineering.
The models are moistened, then dusted with flour and seeded with mold. From there, it takes surprisingly little time for the models to turn into ghostly echoes of their former selves.
The mold feeds on the layer of flour, expanding and consuming every available inch of the paper surface. It acts as a catalyst for quick and overwhelming change, transforming the simple paper houses into decrepit old structures that appear to have been abandoned for many, many years.
After planting the mold and encouraging it to grow, Del Nero places the little houses into plexiglass boxes. The mold quickly covers the paper and then dies out, leaving a spooky, dusty covering of what appears to be great age and sad neglect.
According to the artist, this series, entitled “After Effects,” is a commentary on the impermanence of our urban spaces. Although we see cities as immovable, permanent places, nature begins to reclaim them quickly and without mercy when we step aside. Although his works display this on a very small (and very stylized) scale, we have seen similar rapid aging of real-world buildings and cities as well.
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There’s something truly primitive about the sophisticated homes designed and built by Whole Trees Architecture and Construction. The buildings are beautiful in a raw and natural way because Who…
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Suspended Swedish Tree Hotel Reflects Natural Environment
[ By Steph in Art & Design, Geography & Travel, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
Ascend through the straight, tall trees in a northern Swedish woodland on a suspended rope bridge to a trompe l’oeil getaway that is barely discernible from its environment. The Tree Hotel by Tham & Videgård Arkitekter is a mirrored glass box that reflects the forest, making it as unobtrusive as possible in this peaceful natural setting.
Step inside and you’ll find a thoughtfully laid out haven in the sky, ideal for an intimate twosome, lined in pale plywood and housing a double bed, table and chairs, and even a small bathroom. Guests can even access the roof for a full immersion into the landscape.
The 12-foot-square cube balances upon a single support pole and is strapped to a tree for support, and it does not appear that the tree has been affected. The architects covered the mirrored glass in transparent ultraviolet stickers that are invisible to our eyes, but will prevent birds from unwittingly smashing against the structure.
The Tree Hotel encourages eco-tourism to Harads, Sweden and the surrounding area, a sparsely populated region which is home to the 1,300-square-mile Vindelfjällen Nature Reserve. It was opened to the public in July 2010.
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Mapping the Underworld: Digital 3D Cave Exploration
[ By Steph in Geography & Travel, History & Trivia, Technology & Gadgets. ]
Just under the surface of Nottingham, England, there’s hidden world ripe for exploration, from a 14th century dungeon that once reputedly held a king prisoner to a 19th century butchery. Not just anyone can get to most of these 450+ sandstone caves, many of which are located under Nottingham Castle, and they’ve never even been accurately mapped – until cutting-edge laser technology made these incredible 3D scans possible. The Nottingham Caves Survey has already recorded the shape and surface details of 35 caves, layering them with above-ground photos to give us an unprecedented and surprisingly artistic view.
As part of the Caves of Nottingham Regeneration Project, the Nottingham Caves Survey is taking 3D laser scanners into the depths beneath the city to photograph the caves, survey them with the scanner and note their condition. Many of these caves have major historical significance for Nottingham and for England – the earliest written record of caves beneath what was then a Saxon settlement dates to the year 868. The project aims to protect the caves, in the hopes that they won’t simply be forgotten and allowed to deteriorate.
King David’s Dungeon
The soft, carvable sandstone under Nottingham provided an ideal medium for creating these artificial labyrinths. Holes were dug with hand tools to create underground homes as well as space for activities like tanning, pottery production and even beer malting. Some were used as storage areas, hidden passageways and supply tunnels. The medieval caves under Nottingham Castle, which was rebuilt in the 1670s after the original structure was destroyed in the English Civil War, include a dungeon in which King David II of Scotland was reportedly held prisoner in 1346.
Mortimer’s Hole at Nottingham Castle
Another tunnel under the castle has an even more fascinating story. Mortimer’s Hole is named after Roger Mortimer, rebel and lover of the power-hungry Queen Isabella. The duo overthrew Isabella’s husband, King Edward II, and were living at Nottingham Castle when Isabella’s teenage son, King Edward III, invaded to take his rightful place. The King’s troops used the cave to sneak into the castle and capture Mortimer, who was subsequently hanged.
It’s an intriguing legend, and the ‘official’ Mortimer’s Hole has become a tourist attraction at the castle, complete with guided tours. But the survey team have discovered another tunnel that they believe is far more likely to be the actual tunnel used in the invasion. ‘The Real Mortimer’s Hole‘ matches historical records of the capture.
Castle Gate Medieval Malt Kiln & Breweries
Some of the sandstone caves were used for malting and other aspects of beer production, which is a major aspect of Nottingham history. Each complex of caves included a germination room where grain was prepared, the kiln where it was roasted, and a deep well to reach water. The benefit of brewing in caves is the constant year-round temperature.
Drinking Den Under Nobleman’s House
The beer-related activity that went on deep beneath the surface of Nottingham wasn’t limited only to production. This carved underground space beneath Willoughby House, an 18th-century aristocratic manor, was likely a drinking den. It includes built-in banquettes and a wine cellar.
Nottingham Castle Brewhouse Yard
Beer was once stored in the caves at ‘Brewhouse Yard’, a system of caves found adjacent to a group of five 17th century cottages. The cottages are all that remain of a once-thriving community, and now house The Museum of Nottingham Life.
Air Raid Shelters at the Guildhall Caves
The brick-lined passes and cells beneath Nottingham Guildhall, a 19th century building housing the magistrate’s court, central police station and fire station, are some of the most modified underground passages found in Nottingham. They were extensively re-worked during World War II for use as emergency headquarters and air raid shelters.
Peel Street Cave System
The Peel Street mass of subterranean tunnels definitely seems to qualify as a maze. It may seem strangely chaotic for a man-made set of passageways, but that’s because its purpose was different from all of the others in Nottingham: it was actually a sand mine. It’s thought that the mine was in use between 1780 and 1810, but the caves were forgotten until 1892, when they became a tourist attraction called “Robin Hood’s Mammoth Cave”.
Scanners at Work
To capture these strange digital imprints of vast underground spaces, the Nottingham Caves Survey crew hauls equipment below the surface on bike trailers. The scanners send beams of laser light deep into the caves and measure the amount of time it takes for the light to return. The scanners can capture an incredible 500,000 survey points per second, creating a ‘point cloud’ that results in a 3D image.
“The experience of visiting these domestic caves is far removed from the clean regularity of modern urban living and offers a tangible link to medieval Nottingham,” explains the project team. “This is particularly significant in a city with such a strong past personality but so few medieval structures still standing above ground.”
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