April Fool’s Day Architecture

posted in: Strange | posted by: Ian Harrison on April 1, 2010 |

April Fool’s Day is one of those annual traditions that people either follow fervently or ignore with blatant indifference. Sort of like Valentine’s Day or Halloween if you will. Well now that the day is upon us, we thought it rather appropriate to look at some international April Fool’s day festivals, pranks, events and other assorted odds and ends.

But then we thought of a better topic. Why not focus on some crazy, otherworldly architectural marvels that defy description and seem to scream “April Fool’s!”?

So with that in mind, check out some awesome, unorthodox “April Fool’s” architecture.

Eminent British architect Lord Norman Foster has been at the helm of some of the most notable structures of the past century. These include a ridiculous array of skyline classics, such as “The Gherkin” or 30 St Mary Axe in London, London City Hall, Al Faisaliyah Center in Riyadh, Millau Viaduct in France and Hearst Tower in New York City.

One project that stands out in the Foster + Partners roster however, is in Astana. The capital of Kazakhstan is going through a comprehensive renaissance and transformation of late, at the ambitious behest of controversial President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Foster + Partners is already behind three projects in the city of 800,000 people, from the spectacular Palace of Peace and Reconciliation opera house to the Astana Markets supertall skyscraper development.

Foster’s most eccentric and avant-garde contribution to Astana’s new cityscape however, has to be the Khan Shatyry Entertainment Centre. The Foster + Partners corporate website calls the project “a dramatic civic focal point” but to be honest, the term seems to vastly underestimate the multi-purpose facility’s peerless design. Khan Shatyry is basically a massive elliptical tent which spans 100,000 m2. Complete with climate control systems, the development will feature a massive urban park, concert hall, public square, cobblestone promenades and beach resort.

The Sage Gateshead is another April Fool’s-like structure that completely punctuates the River Tyne skyline of Newcastle. The controversial project is another Foster + Partners baby and one that draws scorn and praise from locals. No matter what you think of the bulbous, shiny, metallic “slug” however, you simply can’t ignore the multi-purpose cultural landmark when you visit the fine city of Newcastle.

Architect Jean Nouvel won the Pritzker Prize in 2008. While his name may not resonate with most people, those who visit or live in either Barcelona, Madrid, Cologne or Copenhagen know Nouvel’s works well (whether they realize it or not). The architect is the creative force behind the Torre Agbar, Reina Sofia Museum addition, KölnTurm office tower and Copenhagen Concert Hall.

Nouvel’s Louvre project for the city of Abu Dhabi is going to turn heads. Set to finish in 2013, the branch of the famous museum on the U.A.E. capital’s new leisure and entertainment island of Saadiyat is without precedent. While Louvre Abu Dhabi is cause for controversy within the artistic and “museums are not for sale” community, those who question the institution’s motives can’t fault Nouvel’s unorthodox approach to the development. The museum will certainly not resemble any other on the planet. Louvre Abu Dhabu will also have a formidable competitor on Saadiyat Island in Frank Gehry’s monumental Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

Another April Fool’s shout-out to Herzog & de Meuron Architekten, the Swiss firm behind such memorable landmarks as the Tate Modern and Laban Dance Centre in London, M.H. de Young Museum in San Francisco and brilliant Allianz Arena football stadium in Munich. The firm’s most unusual creations however, may just be the CaixaForum art gallery in Madrid and Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Lest we forget, Herzog & de Meuron was the brainchild behind Beijing National (Bird’s Nest) Stadium.

http://blog.ratestogo.com/april-fools-day-architecture/

vogel's: ringO iPad mounting system

vogel's: ringO iPad mounting system

designed to permit use of usb ports, cameras, and other buttons when attached, 'ringO' device holders are available for iPad, iPad 2 nd samsung's galaxy tab. the cases can be used on the back of the device to interface with other elements of the 'ringO' system, or placed over its front for safe transport.



http://www.vogels.com/

Architecture of Malaysia,Malaysian Architecture,Malay Archtecture,Malaysia.

Malaysia is one of the colorful countries of South Asia, which is renowned for its diverse culture and is fast becoming one of the hottest tourist destinations of South Asia. The country comprises of thirteen states and two geographical regions that is separated by the South China Sea. Culture of Malaysia is eclectic; the country boasts of a heterogeneous society. Apart from the indigenous people of Malaysia, the country also boasts of citizens, of Indian and Chinese origin. Thus the culture of the country was considerably influenced by the Indian and Chinese culture. The Malaysian culture was further influenced by European, Arab and Persian culture. The multiculturalism of the country is also the result of the fact that the Malaysia was a part of the British Empire. Architecture of Malaysia is one of the pillars of culture in Malaysia.

Architecture of Malaysia,Malaysian Architecture,Malay Archtecture,Malaysia.

more at AsiaRooms

HAZREY. WHO?: PEMILIK KLUANG RAILWAY COFFEE MENJAWAB.

HAZREY. WHO?: PEMILIK KLUANG RAILWAY COFFEE MENJAWAB.: "Lanjutan dari entry terdahulu, it is only right that the report on the issue is impartial, maka I took the liberty to call the owner of Klua..."

What is Architecture

what is architecture in general. great short film from youtube

"This is a short film about architecture in its broadest sense. This film is a companion piece to our film about information. For more information and a hi-res downloadable version of the film visit: http://www.maya.com/the-feed/what-is-information-architecture"

The Trojan House / Jackson Clements Burrows Architects

This alterations and additions project addresses a briefing requirement of providing space for a young growing family with 3 children under the age of 10.

The initial idea was to challenge the conventional ‘box on the back’ type addition with a sculptural form born of site restraints; such as the ResCode setbacks along the south boundary; the ideal internal programmatic arrangement, the desire to maintain as much back yard as possible and inspired by the rooftop topography of hips and valleys of the existing Edwardian house. Three kids bedrooms and a bathroom were placed cantilevering above the garden, above a large living space below. This programme was then wrapped in a seamless timber skin, covering roof, windows and walls

.

Architects: Jackson Clements Burrows Pty. Ltd.

Location: Howthorn, Melbourne, Australia

Project Team: Tim Jackson, Joachim Quino Holland

Builder: Central Home Constructions Pty. Ltd.

Structural Engineer: Adams Consulting Engineers.

Landscape: Adlib Design

Clients: Georgie Pettigrew and David McCombe

Project Year: 2009

Photographs: Emma Cross

ArchDaily

Kaohsiung Library Competition Proposal/ Mak Architects Inc

Mak Architects has submitted their proposal for the Kaohsiung Library Competition. The 38,000 sqm library, which will become the region’s main library, placed third in the competition.

The library responds to its surroundings by facing famous Shou Mountain and Kaohsiung harbor to the northwest, and also connecting the multi-level public spaces to the green belt of Sin Guang Boulevard. The public spaces of the library consist of an amphitheater plaza, a bookstore along the promenade and a roof top garden. The structural facade of the main library not only derives from the indigenous bamboo baskets but also represents the industrial engineering know how of the city.

http://www.archdaily.com

Gambar Humor sempoi

A couple of elderly standing on this for 5 hours before their grandchild came and pick them home

feed your pet!

crocs: "it's not my mistake of chewing you off..."

World Largest Diamond Mine

World’s Biggest Diamond Mine is located at Mirna, Eastern Siberia, Russia. The mine is 525 meters (1,722 ft) deep and has a diameter of 1,200 m (3,900 ft).

The mine is so big and giat that the airspace above the mine is closed for helicopters because of a few incidents in which they were sucked in by the downward air flow. To give an idea how big it is here is is a fine illustration.

Figure 2

The town is strictly off limits to outsiders without a special permit and the authorities regard any foreigners with considerable suspicion. BBC Reported about this here

History:

The mine was discovered on June 13, 1955 by Soviet geologists Yuri Khabardin, Ekaterina Elagina and Viktor Avdeenko during the large Amakinsky Expedition in Yakut ASSR. They found traces of volcanic rock kimberlite which are usually associated with diamonds. This finding was the first success in the search for kimberlite in Russia, after numerous failed expeditions of the 1940s and 1950s. For this discovery, in 1957 Khabardin was given the Lenin Prize, which was one of the highest awards in the Soviet Union.

The development of the mine had started in 1957 in extremely harsh climate conditions. Seven months of winter per year froze the ground into permafrost, which was hard in winter, but turned into sludge in summer. Buildings had to be raised on piles, so that they would not sink in summer, and the main processing plant had to be built on a better ground found 20 km away from the mine. The winter temperatures were so low that car tires and steel would shatter and oil would freeze. During the winter, the workers used jet engines to defreeze and dig out the permafrost or blasted it with dynamite to get access to the underlying kimberlite. The entire mine had to be covered at night to prevent the machinery from freezing.

This giant truck, BELAZ (200-220 ton payload ) (see Figure 1), looks like small spot on next picture (see Figure 2). The truck in the picture, one of the biggest in the world, is just a small point in comparison to the diamond mine.

Originally Posted: http://thetechjournal.com

La Llotja de Lleida, Lerida, Spain

The mountain with its historic cathedral Seu Vella and the Segre River marks the high point and low point of Lleida (Lerida), the second city of Catolonia, following Barcelona. La Llotja theatre and congress centre sits on the banks of the Segre, somewhat outside the centre of the city. Mecanoo?s design interprets the landscape of Lleida as the exciting scenery before which the building has been placed, somewhat further from the river. The mise-en-sce is elaborated on three levels of scale. Regarded from the large scale of the region, the building forms a link between the river and the mountain. Viewed from the urban scale, La Llotja and the river form a balanced composition. At street level the cantilevers of La Llotja de Lleida provide protection from sun and rain.

Architizer

Changing the Face...

The city is resurgent. After shaking off decades of misbegotten urban renewal and endemic urban decay cities are once again flourishing. Amid this rapid growth there are aging icons that have been left behind. One of these is the Pushinsky Cinema located in the heart of Moscow, Pushkin’s Square, a cultural monument that has been marred by years of neglect.



The Union of Russian Architects, in co-operation with DuPont, YEM, Architizer and Karo Film, are pleased to announce an international competition to redesign the facade of the Pushkinsky Cinema, not to restore it to past glory but to create a landmark of the future.

Competition notice: 8 February 2011Registration opening: 8 February 2011Seminars for architects: 22nd February - London, UK
24th February - Istanbul, Turkey
28th February - St. Petersburg, Russia
2nd March - Yekaterinburg, Russia
4th March - Moscow, RussiaProject submission deadline:15 May 2011 @23:59 GMTProject assessment: Starting from 16 May 2011Results notification:(to be also published on Architizer)7-8 June 2011 (TBC)Awarding ceremony: 7-8 June 201

More at Architizer.com

Tsunami forecast model

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/tsunami-forecast-model/article1938124/?from=1938148

FAQ: Japan's earthquake and tsunami explained

WHAT WAS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE QUAKE?

The magnitude of the initial quake was 8.9 and it struck just off the coast of Japan's main island of Honshu. It's the biggest earthquake to hit Japan in more than a century, and one of the five biggest in the world since 1900.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/asia-pacific/faq-japans-earthquake-and-tsunami-explained/article1938148/

Quote for the day

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Albert Einstein

Read more:http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/today.html#ixzz1GGOtyFeV

Mission Impossible

Quote for the day

Good judgment comes from experience,

and experience comes from bad judgment.
Barry LePatner

henkel adhesive packaging design contest

The Henkel Adhesive Packaging Design Contest is about developing innovative ideas and designs for the packaging of Henkel consumer adhesive products. Join the community to submit your ideas and designs and to comment on those of fellow participants. Win attractive cash prices for submitted ideas (up to 3,000 Euros) or become the Most Valuable Participant and receive valuable non-monetary prizes.

The contest addresses packaging designers, design students and amateur designers as well as users of Henkel consumer adhesives from all around the world who are interested in sharing and discussing innovative packaging ideas and solutions.

You are invited to provide us with a new perspective and creative designs. Your designs should be convincing for consumers e.g. due to new features and benefits, innovative technical solutions or materials or emotional and aesthetical appeal.

Join the community and contribute your ideas!

to the top

http://www.packdesign-contest.com/

Mini Rocketman concept

BMW re-developed mini as per Geneva Autoshow

with the premiere of its 'rocketman' concept at geneva motor show 2011, BMW MINI has designed the smallest vehicle the brand has produced since 1959.

measuring just under eleven feet in length, the three-door vehicle features three seats, with a fourth optional to add to the rear. the trunk capacity is likewise flexible, and accessible through a design that splits the cars tailgate into two parts: a top segment attached to the roof that lifts upwards, and a lower component which extends outwards from the body like a drawer. the car's doors are double-hinged, sliding forward and out in addition to swinging open, to provide easy entry and exit even in close quarters.

More at:
Designboom and TopGear

Tokyo Tower Sky Tree

Tokyo Sky Tree passes the 600m mark on its way to becoming the second tallest freestanding structure in the world

Nikken Sekkei’s chainmail-style broadcasting, restaurant and observation tower in Sumida, Tokyo is hot on the heels of the Canton Tower (610m) on its journey to becoming the second tallest freestanding structure in the world. Now measuring an incredible 601m in height, the Tokyo Sky Tree (formerly known as the New Tokyo Tower) may soar above its neighbours in Japan but resides firmly in the shadow of SOM’s highly regarded Burj Khalifa (828m).

World Architecture News