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UP for Auction: Bids Fail to Save World-Famous Holdout House

14 Mar

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

fdamous up house

In the esoteric realm of ‘nail houses’ – properties whose owners refuse to sell them to developers at any cost – Edith Macefield‘s may be the most well-known, but her century-old home now appears doomed to face a wrecking ball.

macefield up house

An auction for the property was just completed but no buyers were found – anyone purchasing the house would also have had to adopt its existing $ 500,000 mortgage, which, despite its fame, was not enough to attract either curious collectors or real estate developers.

Macefield herself turned down an offer for $ 1,000,000 from developers trying to buy up the land for a commercial complex, hence the construction of a giant concrete wall on three sides as their project went ahead without this last little lot.

edith macefield home construction

In a strange but heartwarming twist: before she passed away in 2008, Macefield befriended the superintendent of the surrounding commercial development. Apparently she ultimately enjoyed the attention and company brought by the development.

up house in context

As Macefield aged, this superintendent began taking her to appointments and purchasing her groceries and their friendship grew. In the end, she willed him the property – in an attempt to respect the gift, he then tried to make it work as an office or restaurant.

At this point, the house has been boarded up for some time now and the failed sale leaves few possibilities outside of its destruction. It has no historic preservation status, for instance, that might further delay its demolition.

up house movie story

Some fans hoped Pixar Animation Studios, producers of ‘UP’, would buy the house for publicity purposes and spare it the wrecking ball, but there has been no news on that front.

nail house boarded up

Though there are many holdout homes around the world, hers has become a symbol of resistance – her defiance a story that will certainly outlive the structure itself, whatever its fate.

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Sky-High Ski Jump Penthouse: Win a Night at Historic AirBnB

13 Mar

[ By Steph in Boutique & Art Hotels & Travel. ]

ski jump penthouse 1

‘Please do not apply if you’re scared of heights,’ warns AirBnB about this private sky-high chalet located at the very top of the Holmenkollen ski jump, where some of the world’s top skiers have launched themselves onto the slopes. The fully-furnished apartment is 250 steps above the world’s first ski museum, and features the highest roof terrace in all of Oslo. Tell AirBnB why you’d like to stay here in 100 worlds or less, and you could win the chance to experience it yourself.

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ski jump penthouse 3

The vacation rental service is offering up a one-night stay at the Holmenkollen ski jump and as long as you’re available on March 26th or 27th, if you win, they’ll fly you in from anywhere in the world. You have until midnight on March 16th to submit your entry.

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The ski jump superstructure was first built in 1892 and hosted the 1952 Winter Olympics, where expert skiers gazed out onto the Nordic landscape before flying off the ramp in front of thousands of spectators. Since 1923, it’s also been home to a museum displaying over 4,000 years of ski history. The pinnacle, where the apartment is located, is 200 feet in the air.

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Only pros are allowed to use the ski jump, “so don’t think you’re going to be pulling any tricks in your toboggan,” says AirBnB. But you’ll be steps away from thousands of miles of ski slopes, and if you want, you can even leave via zip-line when your trip is over. Apply here.

[ By Steph in Boutique & Art Hotels & Travel. ]

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Megablock Microclimate: Urban Treehouse Apartment Complex

13 Mar

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

urban treehouse forest plants

Shrouded in 150 trees that absorb 200,000 liters of carbon dioxide per hour, this massive five-story, block-spanning residential building occupies its own protected inner-city ecosystem.

urban forest planters microclimate

urban treehouse steel beams

Located in Torino, Italy, 25 Verde was designed by Luciano Pia (images by Beppe Giardino) to serve both the residents of the complex as well as the surrounding urban environment. Its living facade forms light, sight and sound barrier on all sides but also regulates pollution and temperatures in and around the structure.

urban garden trellice supports

urban treehouse street view

treehouse complex

Rich foliage provides shade during the summer and lets more sunlight in during the winter. Situated on the ground and in planters above, each species was carefully selected for its growth needs, colors and other attributes relative to the project’s goals. At ground level, a raised-earth effect provides privacy for residents and a sense that the entire complex is growing right out of the soil.

urban forest facade design

urban green walkway area

urban treehouse courtyard area

Steel tree-shaped supports reinforce the appearance of an urban forest while a series of wooden platforms, trellises and towers make the entire complex feel all the more like a treehouse in the heart of the city. Paths and courtyards provide residents and visitors a great series of moments that combine elements of nature and urban design.

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Forgotten Heritage: Exploring Europe’s Largest Deserted Places

13 Mar

[ By WebUrbanist in Travel & Urban Exploration. ]

abandoned core moss covered

For the past three years, this bold and big-thinking photographer has located and explored some of the world’s most vast abandoned spaces, from power stations and cooling towers to gigantic castles and expansive mines.

abandoned radar dome images

abandoned plenum chamber interior

abandoned giant wind turbine

For Matt Emmett, “these places are far more interesting than the ‘official’ world heritage locations or tourist attractions.” He focuses on ruins that inspire awe and eschews dilapidated cities and derelict neighborhoods for a purer experience of forgotten places that show no trace of recent human occupation.

abandoned nuclear control desk

abandoned lung passage space

Silence is part of the key. “From the point of view of a photographer there is a total lack of distraction in the stillness of a derelict building; the sound and movement associated with people or workers has been removed, for me this makes them far more sensory than when they are occupied. Your mind can easily focus on what is around you and takes in so much more.”

abandoned film set doors

abandoned spatial experience shot

His recent destinations include large-scale industrial and military complexes with huge interiors and giant-sized artifacts that engender awe through sheer scale. Signs advising no entry, prohibited access or trespasser prosecution only make these building infiltrations more intriguing.

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Forgotten Heritage Exploring Europes Largest Deserted Places

[ By WebUrbanist in Travel & Urban Exploration. ]

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Put a Miniature Diorama On It: Amazing Tiny Ring Box Art

12 Mar

[ By Steph in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

ring box art 1

A vendor at a market in Paris handed artist Talwst an antique ring box and said, ‘I want to see you do something with this.’ From that chance encounter has sprung an entire collection of tiny miniature scenes that fit inside these compact little containers, with minuscule figurines and painted backdrops replacing the expected jewels when you open the lids.

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ring box art 3

The Toronto-based artist depicts everything from surreal scenes, like a couple and a snake on the moon in ‘Space Family Rothschild,’ to historic current events like the death of Michael Brown, in which a group of police officers shoot off their guns with cotton smoke.

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ring box art 2

The humorous ‘Banksy Is Your Gran’ (top image) reveals the true identity of England’s most famous anonymous street artist, while ‘Errrbody loves McDonalds’ shows a horse and cart in the foreground with an incongruous fast food sign visible within the trees.

ring box art 6

“I like to capture memories and fleeting moments,” says Tawlst. “They feel all the more moving because of their fugitive nature. I want the viewer to open the box and feel they have been transported to another world.”

[ By Steph in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

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Adaptive Architecture: 12 Transforming, Breathing Buildings

12 Mar

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

transforming buildings sliding house 2

The exterior walls of homes slide back to reveal transparent volumes, the facade of a parking garage ripples like the surface of a nearby river and individual rooms rise high into the sky at the push of a button in these transforming, adapting, kinetic works of architecture.

Kinetic Parking Garage Facade

transforming buildings kinetic garage 1

transforming buildings kinetic facade 2

The entire 8-story facade of the Brisbane airport seems to ripple like a vertical body of water thanks to the kinetic effects of 118,000 suspended aluminum panels that shift in the wind. A collaboration between American artist Ned Kahn and Hassell Architecture, the installation makes reference to the city’s most iconic natural feature, the Brisbane River. In addition to its visual appeal, it provides shade to the inside of a parking garage.

Sliding House by DRMM

transforming buildings sliding house 1

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An ordinary-looking residence in the archetypal gabled house shape reveals itself to be a kinetic work of astonishing genius, almost like a performance piece in itself, when the protective outer wood facade slides forward to open a transparent volume to the sky and create new indoor/outdoor spaces. The 20-ton mobile roof/wall structure traverses the site, creating new combinations of living spaces depending on how far it’s pushed on its tracks via electric motors. The tracks could even be extended further in the future to accommodate an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, if the clients desire.

Cafe-restaurant OPEN, Amsterdam by de Architekten Cie

transforming buildings cafe 1

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The accordion-like pivoting windows on this unusual reclaimed restaurant in Amsterdam transform the facade in wave-like patterns when they are opened in certain ways, adding visual interest to what would otherwise simply be a steel and glass box. De Architekten Cie built the restaurant upon one of the last surviving pivot railway bridges in the Netherlands, making use of a striking historic feature with panoramic views.

Shapeshifting Sharifi-Ha House

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Three dynamic inner volumes sheathed in wood pivot nearly 360 degrees within a concrete shell at the Sharifi-Ha House in Tehran by design firm nextoffice, orienting these rooms in new ways to provide varying degrees of natural daylight and privacy. The push of a button sends the guest room, home office or dining room cantilevering out over the street, spinning to face a new direction or pulling them protectively back into the envelope. When facing straight out, they open up new terraces on each level.

Elevating Towers on Villa Hush Hush

transforming buildings hushhush 1

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transforming buildings villa hushhush 3

Sections of this incredible morphing home by Marks Barfield Architects can go from ground level to high up in the sky within minutes. Push a button and two of Villa Hush Hush’s four rectangular zones elevate far above the canopy of the adjacent forest, up to 130 feet into the sky.

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Adaptive Architecture 12 Transforming Breathing Buildings

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Flooded Sky: ‘Northern Lights’ Effect Fills Air with Blue Waves

11 Mar

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

StudioRoosegaarde_Waterlicht_HR2

Floating above an 18,000-square-foot area of Dutch land that would be underwater were it not for defensive measures, the ethereal effect hovers between simulated aerial floodwater and imitation aurora borealis.

waterlicht surreal sky led

A temporary work in Westervoort, this latest pieced dubbed ‘Waterlicht’ by Daan Roosegaarde was created using LED projectors located on surrounding dykes, highlighting the essential role of flood prevention technology in keeping so much of the Netherlands dry. As the beams cross in the air, moved slowly up and down by motors, the effect seen in these images is created.

waterlicht northern lights effect

Visitors walking along those adjacent barriers perceive the illumination like an eerily lit surface of water below – those passing below the plane of light see something akin to the Northern Lights, normally a natural atmospheric effect reserved for rare and special conditions. “we create a virtual flood. Walking on the dike the light lines are perceived as high water, once in the flood channel you find yourself in an underwater world.”

waterlicht projected at night

The work was commissioned by the Dutch water board to keep up awareness about this vital element of the country’s infrastructure. “In Waterlicht people experience what the Netherlands would look like without its dykes. Awareness is crucial, because the Dutch (water)artworks need every day maintenance and our national water awareness is the foundation of that maintenance.”

waterlicht against the sky

No stranger to working with nighttime illumination, Roosegaarde is famous for other works including a night-lit bicycle path in the style of Van Gogh as well as schemes for glow-in-the-dark highway infrastructure.

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

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Compliment Shower: Kind Words Rain Down from Giant Spigot

10 Mar

[ By Steph in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

compliment shower 1

Would reading a message like “You could make a lemon laugh” make you feel good enough about yourself to spread kindness to others? That’s the idea behind the world’s biggest compliment shower, a massive spigot installed in Antwerp’s Central Station in honor of International Compliments Day 2015.

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Dreamed up by creative agency FRIENDSHIP and commissioned by fashion retailer e5, the installation features what looks like the most absurdly oversized shower head in existence looming over commuters as they pass through the station. A sign simply says, ‘Pull for compliment.’

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Anyone who does so (not minding the fine print, which reads ‘Smile, you’re on camera,’) instantly gets hundreds of complimentary phrases rained upon them and everyone watching. The little blue waterdrop-shaped papers bear messages like “You look like a million bucks today.”

[ By Steph in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

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Mobile Pop-Up Libraries: 12 Temporary & Traveling Book Lenders

10 Mar

[ By Steph in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

traveling library tank

Peruse the waterproofed selections at Minnesota’s Floating Library, renew your library card at a bus stop in Bogota, or select a volume from the shelves mounted to a tank-shaped ‘Weapon of Mass Instruction.’ These 12 traveling libraries and pop-up book stands bring the love of reading to the city streets, and even to the most remote corners of Mongolia via camel.

Weapons of Mass Instruction Tank Library

traveling library tank 2

Artist Raul Lemesoff was commissioned by 7UP to create ‘Weapons of Mass Instruction,’ a 1979 Ford Falcon transformed into a tank-shaped library, for World Book Day 2015. The vehicle features a rotating upper chamber, a faux cannon and room to store nearly 900 books in various compartments along the exterior. The library travels throughout Argentina, both urban and rural, to bring free books to anyone who wants them.

Mobile Beach Library in France

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traveling library beach 2

French architecture firm Matali Crasset brought more than 300 titles to becah goers in the seaside town of D’Istres via a pop-up library made of steel and tarps. The tent-like structure includes three shaded reading alcoves.

Bus Station Library

traveling libraries bus station

This urban book stand in Bogota, Colombia is part of the Paradero Para Libros Para Parques (PPP) program, created to promote literacy across the country. There are currently 47 of these bus stop libraries across Bogota, with many more located in other cities. A volunteer staffs each one for about 12 hours per week.

Pedal-Powered Mobile Library

traveling libraries denver pedal

The Denver Public Library literally brought its services to the streets in the form of DPL Connect, a pedal-powered mobile library and wi-fi hotspot that can travel to parks, concerts, farmer’s markets, coffee shops and anywhere else people gather. It’s stocked with a rotating collection of books tailored to the bike’s location, and the librarian pedaling the cart can provide traditional library services like help with digital downloads and reading suggestions.

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Pop Up Books 12 Mobile Libraries

[ By Steph in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

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Social Media + Street Graffiti = Stenciled Signs of Our Times

09 Mar

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

For better and worse, self-reflection and meta-art is an inevitable facet of the digital age – this artist recognizes the blurred lines between physical walls and their Facebook equivalents, commenting on our relationship to social media while making light of it as well.

iHeart(StreetArt) is a street artist based in Vancouver whose creations span the spectrum from traditional tags and stencils to this series of works reflecting on our virtual lives and interactions, particularly how young people are raised in this strange new culture of communication.

He variously uses, abuses, twists and repurposes elements of our wireless language, giving hashtags and message bubbles new meaning. While he is not alone in this pursuit of geek graffiti or in using street art for social commentary, his dark humor and unique style set him apart.

This is also only a smaller sampling of a much larger body of work by iHeart which spans various street art styles as well as gallery and installation works on topics beyond contemporary digital interaction.

360Photography

Archive for the ‘Creativity’ Category

UP for Auction: Bids Fail to Save World-Famous Holdout House

Sky-High Ski Jump Penthouse: Win a Night at Historic AirBnB

Megablock Microclimate: Urban Treehouse Apartment Complex

Forgotten Heritage: Exploring Europe’s Largest Deserted Places

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Forgotten Heritage Exploring Europes Largest Deserted Places

Put a Miniature Diorama On It: Amazing Tiny Ring Box Art