At 977 feet tall and situated atop the peak of San Francisco’s biggest hill, the three-legged Sutro Tower dominates the city’s skyline. But this isn’t some grand scale art installation like Cupid’s Span; this massive structure acts as a vital part of San Francisco’s communications infrastructure, bouncing radio waves over Twin Peaks and all the way out to the ocean.
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In its heyday, plastic was viewed as a revolutionary advancement—safer and lighter than glass, cheap to manufacture, and useful in countless commercial applications. In fact, in the early 1960’s architects in the USSR even tried building entire houses out of the stuff.
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Humans don’t exactly have a stellar record when it comes to environmental stewardship, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t trying. Numerous projects around the world are working to rebuild lost habitats, protect vital wildlife highways, and regenerate lost populations. Here are a few man-made structures built on behalf of our four-footed brethren.
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The award-winning and very affordable Moose Road residence by Mork-Ulnes Architects is designed to avoid interfering with the nearby trees. It’s even built on stilts so as not to disrupt the roots. As these photos of the interior make clear, it’s perfect for the Spartan family.
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A beautiful 1960s New York guidebook, crazy scans of amazing insects, and so much more. Welcome, and let us wow you with some of our favorite finds from the worlds of art, architecture, and design from the past week:
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The Elastic Perspective by NEXT Architects offers a handsome hillside perch for a view of nearby Rotterdam, Holland. The steel structure is also a kind of "impossible staircase"—a Möbius strip-like illusion that tricks visitors into thinking the stairs aren’t actually there. [NEXT Architects]
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If you think 3D printing is only good for making flimsy paperweights, then you’re pretty much right. A group of audacious Dutch architects, however, have just begun 3D printing an entire canal house in Amsterdam. Is the first 3D printed house a gimmick? Definitely! Is it an experiment that pushes the possibilities for 3D printing technology and architecture ? Maybe!
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The Passive House movement is a wonderful thing. What could be wrong with a voluntary standard that encourages people to make their houses as energy efficient as possible? Well, it’s complicated.
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It seems like every big city is facing a major housing crisis. But things are looking up in London: not only is the city planning an astounding 230 new towers that will fundamentally change the skyline, but an impressive 80 percent of those towers will be residential.
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As winter tightens its cold, brittle fingers around our hearts one last time, Sploid has taken to meditating on incredible pools as a means of survival. Below, find some of the most luxurious, elegant, and downright outlandish designs around.
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This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
