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Making Faces: Huge Military Warehouse Mural Spans 48 Windows

10 Dec

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

giant building mural blu

Covering two sides of a three-story building in Rome, this ground-to-roof artwork is massive, even by the standards of a big-thinking street artist like BLU used to large-scale works.

blu building in progress

blu giant street mural

Various window and door openings are incorporated into colorful characters with a” rainbow range of painted personalities,” some of which play off of the existing architectural details or structural quirks of the building.

blu colorful face art

blu window door mural

BLU lives in Bologna and has been active in the street art scene since 1999 – he is well-known for his large-scale works around the world. Like Banksy, he keeps his identity a closely-guarded secret.

blu rainbow giant characters

blu building corner

About the artist: “His graphic mania is directly proportional to the epic scale of his murals. His paintings seem to interpret the architectural language of public spaces and reinvent them into new shapes. Thus, his murals are never detached from the places where they were conceived because Blu is a painter in the landscape, urban or industrial. He always tries to communicate with the society which inhabits those spaces, searching for the uniqueness of each place.”

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

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4D Printing: Programmable Robotic Self-Assembling Materials

09 Dec

[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

3d printed wood robots

Imagine a shelter that unfolds itself in the rain, flat-pack furniture that deploys without instructions or tools when exposed to water or a temperature-sensitive spoiler for your sports car that bends and twists as you race and turn – thanks to MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab, all of these designs may now be within reach.

shape shifting elephant toy

This reactive approach adds a new dimension to objects made of wood, metal, carbon fiber and other materials, each fabricated according to patterns that in turn react to external inputs like low-tech robots. These creations can transform in shape, dynamic and responsive to customizable cues and environmental conditions – heat, cold, dryness and wetness can all be turned into catalysts for a conversion.

shape changing carbon fiber

Dubbed “four-dimensional printing” by Skylar Tibbits (Research Scientist in MIT’s Department of Architecture) due to the added element of time, this material strategy has proposed applications in various fields ranging from domestic (self-assembling furniture and toys) to vehicular (car spoilers and aircraft wings). Imagine as well, though, apparel that shifts to block rain or allows wind to cool you, or buildings that likewise open to ventilate or let in light and heat based on the weather.

shape change carbon fiber

The leap here is as much conceptual and experimental as it is intrinsically revolutionary. As Wired reports, “The tools Tibbits and company use are not especially novel. In the case of the carbon fiber projects, the manufacturing process is thoroughly two-dimensional. The team starts with a carbon fiber roll that follows the typical warp and weft pattern. A secondary material, formulated in Tibbit’s lab to respond to changes in temperature, is spot-printed on the mesh using a CNC gantry. As the carbon fiber is exposed to heat, the temperature-sensitive material changes shape and causes the sheet to deform in ways specified by the designer.”

shape changing wood robot

More on MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab: “Self-Assembly is a process by which disordered parts build an ordered structure through local interaction. We have demonstrated that this phenomenon is scale-independent and can be utilized for self-constructing and manufacturing systems at nearly every scale. We have also identified the key ingredients for self-assembly as a simple set of responsive building blocks, energy and interactions that can be designed within nearly every material and machining process available. Self-assembly promises to enable breakthroughs across every applications of biology, material science, software, robotics, manufacturing, transportation, infrastructure, construction, the arts, and even space exploration. The Self-Assembly Lab is working with academic, commercial, nonprofit, and government partners, collaborators, and sponsors to make our self-assembling future a reality.”

[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

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Street Pong: Play with Fellow Pedestrians at Traffic Lights

09 Dec

[ By Steph in Gaming & Computing & Technology. ]

Street Light Pong 1

You might not be too concerned about how many light cycles go by before you actually get to cross the street if you’re too busy playing pong with the person waiting on the other side of the intersection. The ActiWait project aims to brings ‘street pong’ to intersections around the world, with two functioning games already installed in the city of Hildesheim, Germany.

Street Light Pong 2

The concept made its debut on the web in 2012, with the original video (below) getting so much attention that the interaction design students from HAWK University who created it decided to make it real. Designers Amelie Künzler, Sandro Angel and Holger Michel collaborated with traffic experts and fabricators to create a device that can be installed on traffic poles.

Street Light Pong 3

“Yeah well… the idea was simple but traffic engineering isn’t,” say the designers on their IndieGoGo page, where they’re currently raising funds to bring the ActiWait to more cities. “So we got us some support from companies and professionals in the traffic technology industry. The prototype is 3D printed and fully equipped, the first game is programmed and we’ve already launched our product in October so we can proudly say: the world’s first smart pedestrian light button is finally here!”

Street Light Pong 4

The product needs funding to develop hardware and software for the final stage, a new professionaly-produced case, and to pass safety tests. The designers also intend to make it wifi capable for news feeds, navigation, traffic education and other applications in addition to pong – even speed dating. Learn more at IndieGoGo.

[ By Steph in Gaming & Computing & Technology. ]

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Built for Bond: 10 Impossibly Luxurious Spy-Inspired Designs

09 Dec

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

James Bond Boat House large

Over the past half-century, the James Bond movie franchise has inspired countless suits, man caves and cheesy spy gadgets, but it has also led designers and architects to create some pretty incredible luxury yachts, jets, houses and accessories. There’s even a fan-designed laser watch that can light a match from across a room.

James Bond Aston Martin – Spectre

James Bond Aston Martin 1

James Bond Aston Martin 2

The luxury vehicle maker Aston Martin has been collaborating with the James Bond movie franchise for half a century, and recently unveiled its latest model, ‘DB10,’ for the upcoming ‘Spectre’ film. The British carmaker has designed a car for each of the 24 movies, but this one was developed under close watch of director Sam Mendes in order to create ‘Bond’s ultimate vehicle.’

James Bond-Inspired Boathouse Built Over a Cave

James Bond Cave House 1

James Bond Cave House 2

James Bond Cave House 3

McKenzie Strickland Associates essentially designed the Balnearn Boathouse, located on the shore of Loch Tay, after a James Bond movie marathon, envisioning a house that looks deceptively small and simple (if beautiful) from land, but boasting a fun secret. The home was built over an artificial cave that’s invisible from shore, so a speedboat can be driven in and tethered to the ceiling.

Futuristic Avro Business Jet by Design Q

James Bond Avro Business Jet 1

James Bond Avro Business jet 2

Futuristic aircraft designer Design Q has proposed a luxurious jet called the Avro Business Jet, an airplane “that James Bond would have loved.” Named for the character of ‘Q,’ who designs all of the cool gadgets hidden in everyday objects in the films, the jet is designed “to appeal to dynamic and forward-thinking owners who live life in the fast lane; the interior is bristling with technology and gadgets that are discretely concealed in the hand-crafted furnishings but available at a moment’s notice.”

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Built For Bond 10 Impossibly Luxurious Spy Inspired Designs

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Lowline NYC: World’s First Underground Park Slated for 2018

08 Dec

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

lowline prototype rendering

Using fiber optics as “remote skylights” to pipe illumination down from the surface, this bold plan aims to transform a century-old trolley station into a bright and green subterranean park. New York City is a natural candidate, having already inspired rail-related and elevated parks around the world with its innovative High Line Park.

the low line diagram

the lowline abandoned station

Located beneath Delancey Street in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the former Williamsburg Bridge Trolley Terminal is adjacent to active lines but has itself been abandoned for over 50 years. Proposed as the site of the Lowline, the space is being vetted for structural feasibility as well as civic support – discussions with the MTA as well as the city are ongoing and progressing.

lowline test area subterranean

lowline installation prototype mockup

lowline light collector demo

As shown above and below, the group behind the project is already working with the city on crowd-funded prototypes that demonstrate the technologies to be deployed on the target site, including tests of illumination levels with live greenery.

lowline surface generated solar

lowline real life test

Boasting 20-foot ceilings and multiple blocks of open space, the dilapidated station still has a lot of deserted-place charm including old cobblestones, trail tracks, vaulted ceilings and vintage signage.

lowline technology lights plants

lowline conept design

lowline rendering

Much of this will be preserved, rehabilitated and otherwise highlighted in the renovation, creating a balance between new design, urban exploration and historic context. “To explore our vision in greater detail, we commissioned a preliminary planning study in 2012 with Arup, the global engineering firm, and HR&A Advisors, the leading consultant behind the High Line. The study concluded that the Lowline was not merely technically feasible, but would also vastly improve the local economy and the adjacent transit hub. Once built, the Lowline would be a dynamic cultural space, featuring a diversity of cultural programming, youth activities, and popular retail.”

underground solar collection stratregy

lowline tree underground

lowline conceptual design phase

The ingenious sun-redirecting technology has already been tested, and works as follows: “Designed by James Ramsey of Raad Studio, the proposed solar technology involves the creation of a “remote skylight.” In this approach, sunlight passes through a glass shield above the parabolic collector, and is reflected and gathered at one focal point, and directed underground. Sunlight is transmitted onto a reflective surface on the distributor dish underground, transmitting that sunlight into the space. This technology would transmit the necessary wavelengths of light to support photosynthesis, enabling plants and trees to grow. During periods of sunlight, electricity would not be necessary to light the space.”

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

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Automotive Acid Trip: The Graphic 3D Art Of Chris Labrooy

08 Dec

[ By Steve in Art & Drawing & Digital. ]

Chris-Labrooy-Ford-truck-graphic-art-interlock-1a
Chris Labrooy loves vintage vehicles, but with a twist: the digital artist’s far-out 3D illustrations are an automotive acid trip into the 4th dimension.

Chris-Labrooy-Ford-truck-graphic-art-interlock-2

Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Chris Labrooy graduated from the Royal College of Art in London and embarked on a prolific career in the graphic arts medium. His expansive and growing body of work has brought him international recognition; chiefly for his automotive-themed folios titled “Tales Of Auto Elasticity” and “Auto Aerobics”.

Chris-Labrooy-truck-graphic-art-Ford-F1-pickup

Labrooy pays homage to the singular style expressed by vintage vehicles such as the red Ford F1 “Woody” pickup above. While the comparatively primitive paint technology employed by automakers over a half century ago had its drawbacks, Labrooy’s digital graphic illustrations bring out the best in these vehicles’ rich, deep, non-metallic hues.

Chris-Labrooy-car-truck-graphic-art-auto-aerobics-pink1

Chris-Labrooy-car-truck-graphic-art-auto-aerobics-pink2

One wonders whether Labrooy was influenced by Mike Ross’s Big Rig Jig, an interactive construction made from two actual 18-wheelers displayed at the 2007 Burning Man festival – check out this video. Not that it matters; while Big Rig Jig explored one facet of modern society’s fascination with the automobile, works such as Labrooy’s Auto Aerobics series shake, rattle & roll our perceptions in a way only made possible through creative 3D modeling and state-of-the-art digital graphics techniques.

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Automotive Acid Trip The Graphic 3d Art Of Chris Labrooy

[ By Steve in Art & Drawing & Digital. ]

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Urban Transformer: Bus Unfolds into Mobile Fresh Food Market

07 Dec

[ By WebUrbanist in Technology & Vehicles & Mods. ]

mobile food market bus

Bringing healthy and organic fruits and vegetables into low-income areas of Toronto lacking grocery stores, this converted bus is much more than a normal food truck – it looks like an ordinary vehicle until it stops and deploys its colorfully-stocked shelves (images by Laura Berman).

converted food truck side

As in many cities, there are ‘food deserts’ in Toronto in which it is hard to find fresh seasonal produce. Using a vehicle donated by the Toronto Transit Commission, LGA Architectural Planners helped convert this vehicle to address this issue.

Mobile Good Food Market bus launch

“Even in a city as dynamic as Toronto, there remain neighbourhoods where residents are unable to access the foods essential to a healthy diet. This happens for a variety of reasons, including low-income, lack of access to public transit, and long distances to groceries and markets. Such conditions make it extremely difficult for individuals and families without access to a vehicle to find and purchase healthy foods. Senior citizens who might be less mobile are hit especially hard by this type of isolation.”

mobile food desert vehicle

Lettuce, berries, okra, yucca, broccoli, apples and more fill the fold-out shelves extending out from the side of the Mobile Good Food Market. Inside, bins of additional veggies and fruits can be accessed by walking or wheelchair, a handy feature for cold and wet weather.

mobile food interior exterior

The project was commissioned by FoodShare Toronto in partnership with the City of Toronto and United Way Toronto in a joint effort to help supplement unhealthy local options in neighborhoods starved for good and fresh foods.

Mobile Good Food Market bus launch

“The design also offered the opportunity to shop from the inside in inclement weather,” notes Dean Goodman of LGA, pointing out that as a former Wheel-Trans bus, ramps for ease of entry and exit were already in place. “Good food is beautiful when displayed well, so when we decided we wanted this to be a feature we worked out the mechanism so one person could fold out the shelves, restock as necessary and display the food so it was attractive.””

[ By WebUrbanist in Technology & Vehicles & Mods. ]

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Yarn Bomb Bus: Knitted Double Decker Cruises Around London

06 Dec

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

knitted bus 6

Has there ever been a cozier-looking bus cruising around the streets of London than this neon yarn-bombed double decker dubbed the No. 7up? The beverage brand commissioned Austin-based artist and ‘urban knitter’ Magda Sayeg to essentially knit a gigantic sweater for one of London’s iconic public buses, a classic red Routemaster, in a variety of eye-popping patterns.

knitted bus 2

Sayeg lugged 20 suitcases of yarn to London for the project, part of 7up’s ‘Feels Good to be You’ campaign aiming to refresh the brand as ‘naturally unique and individual.’ The artist is known for covering all sorts of urban surfaces in soft knits, from public benches and fountains to an entire town square in Santiago, Chile.

knitted bus 4

knitted bus 3

The practice of ‘yarn bombing’ is sort of like graffiti, enlivening objects all around a city with unexpected artistic details. Typically, sections of each piece are pre-made and then quickly knitted together around the object. It’s not unusual to see entire cars and buses covered in colorful yarn creations, but a double-decker seems to take the art of yarn bombing to new heights.

knitted bus 5

knitted bus 6

“Knitting and crocheting doesn’t have to be functional, it can be subversive, renegade – even illegal in certain cases. It’s bad ass!” Sayeg told Design Milk. “And it makes me proud, as a woman, to be part of something that is so powerful. Taking this craft that is female dominated onto the streets graffiti style, which is male dominated, is what is appealing (or not) about yarn bombing. As long as it evokes some emotion, I believe it is good.”

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

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Street Style: Apparel Custom-Printed with Scalable City Maps

05 Dec

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

custom map skirt design

Taking customized couture to the streets, Monochome allows you to turn any urban grid at a scale of your choice into a unique tank top, t-shirt, flare or pencil skirt.

figure ground urban grid

custom cool urban grid clothes

Using OpenStreetMap, the company lets you select between a black-on-white figure/ground representation or more traditionally-gridded white-on-black map. Ordered now and these should arrive by Christmas – a perfect holiday gift to compliment some urban grid dog tags.

example zoom custom shirt

The user-friendly selection tool allows you to get incredibly precise with your pick, creating a composition that is both personalized and aesthetically pleasing through a combination of panning and zooming. The above set of four examples, for instance, are simply variations on the same location at different scales.

street style map skirt

custom shirt steps process

street style skirt two

A number of standard cities are presented but you can also search for your own location or address or your choice. Due to the nature of OpenStreetMap, you are encouraged to add data for any place not already in the system.

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

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Outcast Checkpoints: 8 Abandoned Border Crossings of Europe

05 Dec

[ By WebUrbanist in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

crossroad border abandoned places

Nearly two decades ago even short trips across Europe could involve multiple stations, guards, lines and stamps, but the open-border policies in effect today have transformed many of these once-busy hubs into miniature ghost towns.

deserted fancy border cross

Photographer Ignacio Evangelista has been traveling European highways and documenting the leftovers of stations found at national borders along the way, often found in various states of abandonment and disrepair.

deserted german border crossing

Without the choke points created by checkpoints, much of the commerce (including illicit activities like gambling and prostitution) surrounding these boundaries has dissipated.

deserted czech republic border

Still, instead of wiping the slates clean, most countries seem to have left the infrastructure that was there largely intact, ranging from painted road signs telling people to stop to small empty toll booths on rural roads and entire immigration-related structures alongside major freeways.

deserted street stop sign

Of his work on this series, the photographer writes: “Border crossings have a function of geographical boundaries, but also an coercitive role, since they prevent the free passage of people between one and another state. So, they are places that, along with a cartographic dimension, are provided with historical, economic and political reminiscences.”

deserted immigration booth stop

Over time, however, “these old border crossing points are slowly disappearing; some are renovated and reconverted to new uses, some are destroyed for vandals, and some other just fall down due to the passing of time. So, after some few years there will be no possibility to look at this strong signs and symbols of the recent European history.”

deserted border marked creepy

“When I am at the border point, I am confronted with all kinds of signs and barriers which at some point have regulated movements, itineraries, and behaviors,” Evangelista told CityLab. “Now they appear absurd and out of context.”

deserted border covered rroad

CityLab puts the transition and photo series in cultural and political context: “Despite the irrationality sometimes associated with national borders, the Schengen Treaty is as much an anomaly as it is an achievement. Many nations within the Schengen Area—Austria, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Spain, France, and others—once represented a web of ambitious empires. The sudden abandonment of border crossings displayed in Evangelista’s work, therefore, offers a reminder that Europe is in fact enjoying an historic era of peace.”

360Photography

Archive for the ‘Creativity’ Category

Making Faces: Huge Military Warehouse Mural Spans 48 Windows

4D Printing: Programmable Robotic Self-Assembling Materials

Street Pong: Play with Fellow Pedestrians at Traffic Lights

Built for Bond: 10 Impossibly Luxurious Spy-Inspired Designs

James Bond Aston Martin – Spectre

James Bond-Inspired Boathouse Built Over a Cave

Futuristic Avro Business Jet by Design Q

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Built For Bond 10 Impossibly Luxurious Spy Inspired Designs

Lowline NYC: World’s First Underground Park Slated for 2018

Automotive Acid Trip: The Graphic 3D Art Of Chris Labrooy

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Automotive Acid Trip The Graphic 3d Art Of Chris Labrooy

Urban Transformer: Bus Unfolds into Mobile Fresh Food Market

Yarn Bomb Bus: Knitted Double Decker Cruises Around London

Street Style: Apparel Custom-Printed with Scalable City Maps

Outcast Checkpoints: 8 Abandoned Border Crossings of Europe

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Archive for the ‘Creativity’ Category

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