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Posts Tagged ‘Tiny’

Against All Odd (Shapes): 12 Homes Tailored to Tiny & Difficult Plots

24 Nov

[ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Plots of land long considered too small and strangely shaped to build upon prove to be more valuable when they seem thanks to some creative thinking. Across the world (put particularly in cramped Tokyo), architects are rising to the challenge to expand available living spaces in heavily populated cities, designing structures that fit these ‘odd lots’ without sacrificing privacy, comfort and outdoor spaces.

Wedge-Shaped Home by Oof! Architecture

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The geometry of this triangular site in a residential neighborhood in Melbourne presented a major challenge for OOF! Architecture, especially due to strict building rules. The architects created a three-story structure full of split-level living areas to avoid wasting space on internal walls, doors and hallways.

House in Horinouchi by Mizuishi Architect

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One of Tokyo’s most distinctive odd-shaped houses, ‘House in Horinouchi’ by Mizuishi Architect Atelier had to fit within a strip of land roughly the size of a parking spot while still having a place to store bikes outside. The ultra-narrow result features a tapered cantilevered end, a slightly wider area containing the living spaces, and a play loft for the owner’s children.

Grass Cave House by Makiko Tsukada

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This plot is squished between several existing houses in the suburbs at an odd angle, which could easily have resulted in a dark structure with very little privacy and no outdoor spaces. Instead, Makiko Tsukada Architects built a step-shaped structure consisting of three grass-covered volumes, including a carport roof and the home itself. Large windows face these elevated lawns to bring sunlight inside.

Mountain House by Hiroki + Tomoko Sekiguchi

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Monolithic and windowless from outside, ‘Mountain House’ by Hiroki and Tomoko Sekiguchi Architects has to accommodate a large four-wheel-drive car on its lowest level and contend with the prying eyes of neighbors. The result frames views of the sky and accesses daylight via skylights.

Triangular House by H.ARCHITECTS

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Strict Japanese setback requirements prevent architects from building right up to the edge of the plot, including roof overhangs, yet the typical Japanese plot is incredibly small. This one was considered too awkward to build on and used as a parking lot for many years, but H.ARCHITECTS found a solution that makes the most of the adjacent park. A z-shaped interior layout allows for the creation of a few outdoor spaces, like the third floor balcony.

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Against All Odd Shapes 12 Homes Tailored To Tiny Difficult Plots

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[ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Miniature Cities in Motion: Tiny Animated Metropolis Made of Paper

15 Nov

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

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Diminutive flags wave in the wind, ferris wheels the size of clock gears turn, cranes rise and fall and tiny cars zoom around in this three-dimensional world made out of paper. Artist Charles Young has been working on his ‘Paperholm’ project for years, typically completing one miniature building every single day, mounting them to wood or stone and creating stop-motion animations from their moving parts.

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Today, Young has amassed over 635 paper buildings, rollercoasters, vehicles and other elements of his miniature cities, putting them together into an impressively well-organized whole. A graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture, Young initially took on the 365-day project to explore architectural forms in paper, hand-cutting them from watercolor paper and assembling them with PVA glue.

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The first time Young created an animated GIF of one of his creations, he just wanted to demonstrate how smoothly a particular element spun in a circle. This turned out to be a pretty cool way of showing them off. He sketches, cuts and assembles each structure in a single sitting.

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The resulting city is gleaming white and surprisingly well realized considering its two-dimensional origins. Each element is individually documented on the Paperholm tumblr so you can see how it works, and then take in entire blocks of the tiny creations as a whole.

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Tiny marvel: Panasonic LX10 sample photos

11 Nov
Out of camera JPEG shot using the pop-up flash. You can definitely have a lot of fun shooting shooting around with the LX10. ISO 6400, F2 1/60 sec. Photo by Dan Bracaglia

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10 is a premium compact camera sporting a 20MP 1″-type sensor and a F1.4-2.8 24-72mm equivalent zoom lens. It is both capable and easy to bring anywhere, making it an attractive option for those seeking a pocket camera. It does face some stiff competition from other 20MP 1″-type cameras like the Canon G7 X Mark II and Sony RX100 IV (and V), but so far we’ve had a great time shooting with it.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Reading Coaster: NYC Public Library Installs Tiny Book Delivery Trains

02 Oct

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

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A crafty conveyor system helps bring up books from a series of research stacks and storage spaces hidden beneath Bryant Park, making the volumes accessible via a system of miniature trains.

This particular branch of the New York Public Library in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building houses millions of volumes, many of which are stored below the ground.

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This book train system looks a bit like a tiny roller coaster and is used to transfer materials seamlessly, quickly and automatically along the vertical-and-horizontal track system, carrying requested books directly to places like the Rose Main Reading Room.

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Each cart (of which there are 24) can hold 30 pounds of reading materials and can climb 11 stories within the building to service various floors.

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A pivot joint between the book-carrying basket and the main body of the cart allows the former to remain upright without spilling its contents while the latter tilts up to 90 degrees, carrying books straight up between levels.

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Foolography’s Unleashed is a tiny Bluetooth DSLR controller

22 Sep

German company Foolography has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its latest product, the Unleashed smartphone DSLR remote control, and is showing a prototype device at its booth in Hall 4.1 at Photokina. The Unleashed is a tiny Bluetooth module that plugs into the USB and HDMI ports of your DSLR and allows you, via a dedicated app, to change camera settings, capture photos, record videos or create timelapses. You can also embed location information from the smartphone or an external GPS receiver in your images. 

The Unleashed’s Bluetooth LE technology uses minimal power from the camera and does not require any charging. It automatically reconnects to the smartphone and, unlike Wi-Fi connected competitors, is always ready to be used. Its small dimensions mean that the camera hot shoe can be kept free and the Unleashed can stay on the camera at any time, even when in a bag or case.

On the downside, Bluetooth LE does not provide enough bandwidth for the transmission of a live view image. However, the Unleashed extracts low resolution thumbnails that allow for basic checks of exposure and composition. The Foolography Unleashed Kickstarter campaign has already reached its funding goal but you can still pledge $ 129 to secure a device. Shipping is planned for June 2017. 

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Tiny Atlas Solas ‘casual’ waxed cotton camera bag is lightweight and durable

10 Sep

Tiny Atlas Quarterly, a travel publication, has launched a new multipurpose camera bag, Solas, on Kickstarter. The Solas bag is made from waxed cotton canvas, making it both lightweight and durable, designed to be carried as an arm tote, a backpack or a shoulder bag. The Solas bag measures 17in / 43cm high and 11in / 28cm wide, while the accessories bag measures 8.7in / 22cm by 8.7 / 22cm and the lens pouch measures 6.7in / 17cm wide.

Solas is rain-resistant thanks to its waxed canvas exterior; it also features a pair of air-mesh organizer pockets and an internal key leash. The bag’s trim includes vegetable leather paired with metal buckles. An internal protective foam compartment is built-in for carrying cameras, while a padded sleeve can accommodate up to a 13-inch laptop. Additionally, Tiny Atlas says its bag features a cushioned internal frame for further gear protection.

The bag is offered in three color schemes: Natural + Yellow, ‘Color Block,’ and Black. Tiny Atlas has reached and exceeded its $ 14,000 funding goal on Kickstarter, where it offers backers an early bird bag for $ 175, among other pledge options.

Via: Kickstarter

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Tiny in Dubai: New Miniature Art Installations by Slinkachu

21 Jul

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

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Last time we caught up with miniaturist Slinkachu, the UK-based artist had placed his little people on the streets of Paris, and now he’s brought his signature blink-and-you’ll-miss-them scenes to the United Arab Emirates. Tailoring each tiny tableau to the setting, Slinkachu has captured a series of humorous moments full of ostentatious wealth, surveillance, camels, tourists doing stupid things and other elements that are quintessentially Dubai.

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The new series of 10 miniature installations appeared on the streets as part of Dubai Walls, the first outdoor urban art show in the UAE. Slinkachu, “abandoning little people in the streets since 2006,” is one of sixteen artists participating in the event, which also features Etam Cru, ROA and Eine.

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Slinkachu customizes miniature figurines, hand-paints them and then creates little scenes in public places, often right on the sidewalk in plain view of passersby. They end up becoming temporary art, often swept up almost immediately and thrown away, or taken by people who want to keep them for themselves. Since these were created specifically for an art fair, they likely had a longer run in the streets than usual.

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“The ‘Little People Project’ started in 2006,” says the artist. “It involves the remodeling and painting of miniature model train set characters, which I then place, photograph and leave on the street. It is both a street art installation project and a photography project. The street-based side of my work plays with the notion of surprise and I am to encourage city-dwellers to be more aware of their surroundings.”

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“The scenes I set up, more evident through the photography and the titles I give these scenes, aim to reflect the loneliness and melancholy of living in a big city, almost being lost and overwhelmed. But underneath this, there is always some humor. I want people to be able to sympathize with the tiny people in my works.”

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Tiny Apartment’s Rooftop Terrace Features Flat-Folding Deck Chairs

14 Jun

[ By SA Rogers in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

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A cramped, stale and long-neglected 400-square-foot studio apartment in Hong Kong feels downright luxurious with the addition of a rooftop terrace and some pretty cool space-saving features. Design firm Liquid Interiors maximized the space, which is essentially one big room with a combination bedroom/living room, by hiding many features behind sliding doors to keep clutter to a minimum. But their smartest innovation is upstairs, where a pair of wooden deck chairs fold flat into the floor when not in use.

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The terrace serves ash an outdoor exercise and meditation space, complete with a full-sized canony bed on a wooden platform, a minimalist stone table and a projector screen for watching movies outdoors when the weather is cooperative. The deck chairs pop up when the residents want to lounge in the sun, and blend into the wooden decking when more floor space is desired. A green wall adds a splash of color and helps capture some of the heat. Two iron safes used as bedside tables match the iron door that leads back into the apartment.

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The architects wanted to “create a sanctuary right in the middle of Central” for the owner, who’s a pilot and and often sleeps at odd hours. With the need to block out daylight in mind, they integrated double-glazed, sound-insulating windows, 100% blackout blinds and a smart circadian lighting system for minimal disruption to the biological sleep cycle.

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In the kitchen, the skin, refrigerator and all tableware and implements are hidden behind stainless steel cabinet doors, while the table in the center packs in multiple functions including cooktop, dining table and workstation. A television and beanbag seats can be pulled out from similar cabinets in the bedroom when the residents just want to hang out.

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Form Follows Treehouse: Tiny Green Canopy Home Tops Wood Trunk

12 Dec

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Wrapped in living greenery, the upper story of this solar-powered, tree-shaped dwelling branches outward, set upon a wooden framework supporting it from below.

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Designed by Elevate Structure Inc. in Hawaii (photos by Corey Lum for Civil Beat), the 40-square-foot-base expands upward to a 400-square-foot second floor above, overhanging to provide shade for outdoor uses (patios or parking) underneath.

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Eco-friendly features include living and breathing exterior walls that can also be used to grow edible produce, self-sufficient solar power generation via side and top panels and rainwater storage and collection (up to 1,500 gallons).

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The modular structure was originally designed as an easy-to-ship, simple-to-build and off-the-grid solution for remote parts of Oahu, but the target has since been expanded due to broader public interest.

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While they work wonderfully as elevated homes, the units can also be used for other purposes, including small stores, cafes, offices, gyms and/or storage spaces.

From its creators: “Inspired by Hawaii’s natural beauty, Elevate founders Tiffany and Nathan set out to create these innovative structures to help care for the environment and help people. The pressure of existing global issues – insufficient water availability in areas, poor air and water quality in others, and high energy consumption are exacerbated by the increasing population density and demands of urban environments – combined with their streak of entrepreneurship brought the Elevate unit to life.”

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Tiny in Tokyo: Ultra-Narrow House Slotted into an Alley

16 Jul

[ By Steph in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

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At just six feet wide, this incredibly narrow residence inserted into an alley in dense urban Tokyo is the latest example of Japanese architects thinking way outside the box when it comes to building new housing. The city is so developed, there’s almost no land left to build anything new, so they tend to get incredibly creative with even the oddest-shaped plots.

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The four-story house by YUUA Architects and Associates extends about 36 feet into a former alley between two older buildings, and while the street-facing facade features floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize daylight and views, intimate spaces like bedrooms, bathrooms and main living areas are tucked into the back for privacy.

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The minimalist interior design scheme includes floating platforms at various levels for a sense of openness, some of them made of metal mesh to let as much light pass through the house as possible. While such tiny residences are often kept bright white to create an illusion of extra space, YUUA makes an unusual choice with dark-painted walls.

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There’s a semi-sunken basement for storage, and the first floor features a study area facing the street and a bedroom in the back. The third floor is comprised of an open-plan kitchen, living room and dining area, while the uppermost floor contains a bathroom, bedroom and terrace. Considering it’s only about as wide as an average adult male is tall, the house looks surprisingly livable.

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