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Posts Tagged ‘Architecture’

Alien Architecture: Surreal Cities for Future Worlds

25 Aug

[ By Steph in Art & Drawing & Digital. ]

alien architecture 2

Will the architecture of the distant future be recognizable to us based on what we have built up to this point in human history, or beyond what we’re able to conceive? Take a look at any retro-futuristic architectural visions and you’ll most likely see structures influenced by the era in which they were created, but one contemporary illustrator is attempting to take such speculative creations into deep reaches of the imagination.

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Graphic designer Mike Winkelman has created a series of digital illustrations that combine hyperrealism with structures that can seem physically impossible, but in a maybe-someday kind of way. Unlike the kind of fantasy architecture that feels totally dreamlike, such as floating houses, these visions often seem to employ technology that hasn’t yet been created.

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Winkelman (known as Beeple) is on his eight consecutive year of drawing something every day, and hasn’t missed a single day in all that time. He uses Cinema 4D, Octane Renderer, X-particles, Zbrush and other tools to build these sci-fi worlds, some of which seem like they could be connected in an overarching narrative.

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It’s the kind of work, presented sans commentary or explanation, that really gets your brain going imagining what the story could be for each piece. Dozens of these drawings can be found on the artist’s Behance, and select prints are available on Society 6.

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Arboreal Architecture: 14 Houses Built Around & Within Trees

21 Jul

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

corallo house 6

Tree houses aren’t just rustic wooden huts slapped together around a living trunk – they also come in the form of elegant modern residences incorporating the forest into their design, whether by building around existing trees or integrating them right into the floor plan. These 14 modern tree house designs blend into their forest environments and make vegetal views top priority.

Casa Vogue by Alessandro Sartore
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A tree called ‘Bethany’ is the centerpiece of this home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, passing through a three-meter hole in the floor slab and up through the ceiling of the living room. Casa Vogue by architect Alessandro Sartore also accommodates a second tree in the garage, keeping as much of the original landscape intact as possible and bringing the natural landscape indoors.

The Urban Treehouse by Baumraum
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German architecture firm Baumraum is responsible for many of the world’s coolest modern treehouses, including a pair in Berlin that function as a mini-hotel. The Urban Treehouse preserves the trees on a 650-square-meter privately owned wooded property within the city limits, integrating nature and architecture.

Between the Trees by Sebo-Lichy
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The design of ‘Between the Trees’ by Sebo-Lichy mimics the look of natural tree trunk supports, elevating a portion of the home to work with the steep terrain. It’s built around three chestnut trees and overlooks a forest, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a rooftop terrace blurring the lines between outdoors and in. The house was inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s famous Tugendhat Villa in Czech Republic.

Modern Austin Treehouse by MF Architecture
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This entire Austin home was essentially designed around views of trees in the front yard and on the back terrace. Each of the rooms of the house by MF Architecture look out onto the oak in the backyard, which shelters the entire outdoor area.

Urban Treehouse Apartment Complex by Luciano Pia
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The last place you’d expect to find a treehouse is in the middle of an urban Italian city – let alone an entire apartment building planted with dozens of trees on every level. 25 Verde by Luciano Pia has a load-bearing steel structure shaped like tree trunks as its base, with 63 wooden-shingled dwellings staggered around 50 trees. In addition to looking really cool, the trees help reduce air and noise pollution for the residents.

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Arboreal Architecture 14 Houses Built Around Within Trees

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Architecture of Your Dreams: 11 More Surreal Fantasy Structures

10 Jul

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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While a spaceship-like pod balancing upon four impossibly tiny poles may not be the most realistic architectural concept ever proposed, some of these innovative fantasy structures from artist Dionisio Gonzalez make us wonder, ‘why not?’ Curving cast concrete forms interact with geometric volumes tilted at odd angles, and faceted glass and metal shapes hover off the ground in what look to be modular parametric designs. Other homes seem like contemporary buildings that have been taken apart like building blocks and put back together slightly off-kilter.

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Perhaps architects and engineers could confirm whether or not any of these surreal architectural visions could actually be built. Entitled ‘Trans-Actions,’ the new series consists of raised residences with complex shapes, some seeming to take a common motif from contemporary architecture and simply repeat it over and over again in slightly different ways. Many seem to balance precariously upon the earth, as if one strong wind could blow them right off their foundations.

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Each one is a bit past its prime, with surfaces that have gotten dirty or weathered over time. Half-dead vegetation clings to balconies as if nature is beginning to take back over, suggesting that what we are looking at is actually the remains of a structure no longer in use.

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Gonzalez previously released a series of post-apocalyptic shell-like structures envisioned for Dauphin Island, a locale off the coast of Alabama that keeps getting slammed by storms. Check out 35 more bizarre and intriguing examples of ‘impossible architecture.’

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Black Gold: Turning Oil Tankers into Giant Land Architecture

09 Jun

[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

black gold ship reuse

For an inevitable future when oil gives out in the Middle East (or nautical supply chains are replaced by pipes), a series of designers have envisioned creative ways to reuse the behemoths that currently ship this infamous commodity around the world.

oil tanker at night

oil tanker permanent dock

The Black Gold Project proposes a different kind of design revolution for an area of the world currently striving to build the tallest and most stunning structures on the planet: pragmatic conversions of shipping vessels into functional land structures.

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A joint project of  Chris Collaris Design, Ruben Esser, Sander Bakker, and Patrick van der Gronde, the resulting renderings take advantage of the versatility found inside such huge and open interior volumes.

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Cultural exhibitions, shopping centers and art museums could all be housed inside these massive hulls, not to mention residential and office spaces. The decks above could become public parks and performance spaces.

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There are practical drawbacks to be considered, however, including the impact of waves, saltwater and wind over time as well. Still, as a conceptual project, the idea is compelling (if more poetic than realistic): turn the very vessels responsible for the rise and fall of these oil-producing nations into something new that remains, at the same time, a monument to days gone by.

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24 Architecture Images with Graphic Powerful Lines

25 Apr

Architecture photographers strive to get the lines all perfectly straight and up and down. But sometimes converging lines, or bending ones can create more powerful images.

Note: Check out our Using Lines in Your Photography series for more on this topic.

Let’s have a look at some architecture images that have graphic, powerful lines which are not always straight:

Photograph blackbox by markus studtmann on 500px

blackbox by markus studtmann on 500px

Photograph The Haunting by Michael Woloszynowicz on 500px

The Haunting by Michael Woloszynowicz on 500px

Photograph Manhattan Tower in Paris La Défense by Julien Batard on 500px

Manhattan Tower in Paris La Défense by Julien Batard on 500px

Photograph The Lightscraper by  M. Rafiee on 500px

The Lightscraper by M. Rafiee on 500px

Photograph Curvation by Aaron Yeoman on 500px

Curvation by Aaron Yeoman on 500px

Photograph Illumination XXV by Roland Shainidze on 500px

Illumination XXV by Roland Shainidze on 500px

Photograph Symphony of Lines by Roland Shainidze on 500px

Symphony of Lines by Roland Shainidze on 500px

Photograph Curve II by Roland Shainidze on 500px

Curve II by Roland Shainidze on 500px

Photograph SPACE WARP by SEPEHR GHASSEMI on 500px

SPACE WARP by SEPEHR GHASSEMI on 500px

Photograph Time's up by Julien Delaval on 500px

Time's up by Julien Delaval on 500px

Photograph Butterflies by Alfon No on 500px

Butterflies by Alfon No on 500px

Photograph From the 80th Floor (2) by PhotonPhotography -Viktor Lakics on 500px

From the 80th Floor (2) by PhotonPhotography -Viktor Lakics on 500px

Photograph *Telepathy* by Manita Goh on 500px

*Telepathy* by Manita Goh on 500px

Photograph Real world Tetris by Beboy Photographies on 500px

Real world Tetris by Beboy Photographies on 500px

Photograph Staircase by Sus Bogaerts on 500px

Staircase by Sus Bogaerts on 500px

Photograph *Visual Resonance #3* by Manita Goh on 500px

*Visual Resonance #3* by Manita Goh on 500px

Photograph Vertiginous by Daniel Cheong on 500px

Vertiginous by Daniel Cheong on 500px

Photograph Pure by Sébastien DEL GROSSO on 500px

Pure by Sébastien DEL GROSSO on 500px

Photograph The Stanley by Benjamin van der Spek on 500px

The Stanley by Benjamin van der Spek on 500px

Photograph Lines by Mason Noteboom on 500px

Lines by Mason Noteboom on 500px

Photograph Let there be light! by PK  on 500px

Let there be light! by PK on 500px

Photograph shell by Christian Richter on 500px

shell by Christian Richter on 500px

Photograph Sexy by Grant Orbeta on 500px

Sexy by Grant Orbeta on 500px

Photograph Black and White by Mike Orso on 500px

Black and White by Mike Orso on 500px

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The post 24 Architecture Images with Graphic Powerful Lines by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Weekly Photography Challenge – Architecture

25 Apr

Cities are full of great photography subjects, architecture is among the most popular. Doorways, windows, cityscapes, details or full wide sweeping vistas.

If you live in an urban area you have lots of built-in subjects just waiting for you to photograph them:

Thomas Hawk

By Thomas Hawk

Perceptions I Sichtweisen

By perceptions I sichtweisen

Weekly Photography Challenge – Architecture

Your job this week is to get out and photograph buildings, man-made structures. Use whichever manner you choose either proper corrected lines, or twisted, curved, tilted and converging lines. Go for wide shots, or put on a long lens and shoot details – it’s totally your call.

Thomas Hawk

By Thomas Hawk

Perceptions I Sichtweisen

By perceptions I sichtweisen

Thomas Hawk

By Thomas Hawk

Thomas Hawk

By Thomas Hawk

Thomas Hawk

By Thomas Hawk

Perceptions I Sichtweisen

By perceptions I sichtweisen

Jovan J

By Jovan J

Share your architecture images here:

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer upload them to your favourite photo sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge. Sometimes it takes a while for an image to appear so be patient and try not to post the same image twice.

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Ephemeral Architecture: 27 Paper Buildings & Pavilions

20 Apr

[ By Steph in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

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A study in opposites, paper architecture renders what is normally solid and durable in delicate, temporary form, whether recreating intricate silhouettes of miniature cities or building full-scale pavilions, tunnels and other installations. Spires, translucent windows, infinite staircases and undulating ceilings come to life in these 27 works of paper cut sculpture.

Irori Pavilion by Kengo Kuma
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paper pavilion irori kuma

Best known for innovative timber structures, Japanese architect Kengo Kuma applies his signature blend of traditional joinery and modern shapes to a new material for Milan Design Week 2015. Kumar collaborated with Kitchenhouse to create ‘Irori,’ a paper pavilion arching over a contemporary kitchen space. Envisioned as a white cocoon, the structure is made of vulcanized paper, which has more strength than regular paper but maintains its softness.

Paper Miniatures of Modernist Architecture by Zupagrafika

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paper architecture modernist poland

paper architecture eastern block

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Polish design collective Zupagrafika creates paper cut-outs of modernist buildings found in the city of Poznan and Warsaw as well as London’s divisive concrete Brutalist architecture. Rendered in minute detail down to the graffiti that was found on the buildings at the time of study, the cutouts come in flat form so you can put them together yourself and create little cities. Individual cut-outs are under 5 Euros each.

Intricate 3D Paper Architecture by Ingrid Siliakus

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Master paper artist Ingrid Siliakus creates fantasy cities replete with mirror-image towers, arches, spires, stacks upon stacks of skyscrapers and stairs that go nowhere in particular. The Amsterdam-based artist creates an incredible 20-30 prototypes before completing each piece, adding one layer after another of cut and folded paper to the finished product until she deems it done.

Stockholm Pavilion by Kustaa Saksi and Gert Wingårdh

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Built for the 2013 Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair, the Stockholm Pavilion by artist Kustaa Saksi and architect Gert Wingårdh is made up of 11,000 illustrated sheets of paper. From the sides, the installation looks like it’s solid white, but step under it and look up to see the colorful patterns emerge.

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Ephemeral Architecture 27 Paper Buildings Pavilions

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Collaborative Construction: Aerial Drone-Built Architecture

10 Apr

[ By WebUrbanist in Gadgets & Geekery & Technology. ]

weaving architecture in air

Unmanned aerial vehicles can do more than just take pictures, pick up and drop off objects – they can also work together to create solid structures, built brick by brick or even woven in midair.

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drone finished wall project

In this first example, titled Flight Assembled Architecture, roboticist Raffaello D’Andrea Swiss architecture firm Gramazio Kohler Architects to create a complex 3D wall from lightweight blocks. Far from an end product, the idea was simply to show what drones could be programmed to do. While this remains an impressive feat, the next and more recently-executed demo (below) is even more so.

woven structure drones

With help from ETH Zurich’s Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control, these autonomous flying vehicles are coordinated by computers to wrap, weave and intertwine support cables to create various tensile structures.

wweaving drone space

A simple set of vertical supports provides the framework with which the cable-deploying drones interact, first wrapping these columns then beginning to form ever more complex structures in the air.

drone building flight assembled

drone flying block design

drone building block wall

The possible future applications for such techniques range from rapid prototyping and structural integrity tests in physical space, replacing computer models, but drones could also become construction tools, able to safely weave in and out of buildings at higher altitudes to deliver materials or even deploy them in place.

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Adaptive Architecture: 12 Transforming, Breathing Buildings

12 Mar

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Aerodynamic Avian Architecture: 12 Bird-Inspired Buildings

05 Mar

[ By Steph in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

bird architecture quadracci main

From a massive kinetic museum structure that flaps its wings to indicate a new exhibit to an internet-famous church in Florida accidentally resembling an Angry Bird, these avian-inspired buildings seem like they’re ready to take off.

Zoomlion Headquarters Exhibition Center, China

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The giant wings on the facade of this ‘transformer building’ in China actually flap, changing the look of the exterior. The hinged steel and glass panels are mounted on hydraulic arms, opening up the interior spaces to the outdoors during appropriate weather. Designed by Californian architects amphibianArc, the structure will serve as an exhibition and display center for Chinese machinery company Zoomlion.

Bird-Shaped House, Czech Republic

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This house in the Beskydy Mountains of the Czech Republic looks like it’s ready to take off, with a titanium-plated room in the shape of a bird’s head and wings. Atelier Simona Group applied their “organic architecture” philosophy to the project, looking to the natural surroundings of the site to guide them in creating a shape that would satisfy the client’s desire for something truly unique.

Mashhad City Entrance, Iran

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Visitors entering the city of Mashhad in Iran could be greeted by this massive bird-like structure, a gateway that “has been designed so that entry and exit of any vehicle will cause changes in the structure.” The weight of vehicles passing over a speed bump causes a movement in the structure’s wings, making it appear to fly. The busier the entrance, the more active the flying movements become.

Santiago Calatrava’s Quadracci Pavilion, Milwaukee

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Architect Santiago Calatrava’s contribution fo the Milwaukee Art Museum looms over a ship-shaped building, its louvers opening and closing like the wings of a monstrously oversized bird. The kinetic structure also incorporates a cabled pedestrian bridge with a mast inspired by sailboats, and a wave-like galleria. When the louvres are open, they act as a signal indicating that a new exhibition has arrived.

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Aerodynamic Avian Architecture 12 Bird Inspired Buildings

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