We design buildings to make human lives better—but should we also design them to make bacteria healthier? A new study posits just that, suggesting that the microbial communities that live amongst us are deeply influenced by the design of our buildings. Wait—but aren’t microbes bad? Not exactly.
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Science fiction is often charged with naïve technological optimism and historical amnesia. But for present-day Californians struggling with a wide range of environmental and social problems, science fiction might just provide the perspective we need to successfully pivot from the boom times of the twentieth century to the messy prospect of the century ahead. It won’t be the techno-futurist elements of science fiction—miraculously clean energy sources, flying cars, off-planet factories—that are going to save us, though. The classic works of science fiction have a different, more fatalistic side that speaks more usefully to our current condition, awash as we are in the environmental and social consequences of the Golden State’s postwar boom.
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From afar, the walls at this Gowanus restaurant look like they’re made from grey fabric—but they’re actually made from concrete bricks poured into empty bags of flour from the resident bakery. Concrete masonry unit? More like cookie masonry unit! Sorry.
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Your city’s air quality got you down? Consider picnicking inside this glass-topped park proposed by Orproject. The transparent, ultra-lightweight canopy—inspired by the geometry of butterfly wings—would act as a kind of fresh air reserve: part filter, part outdoor hospital, where you and your friends can breathe in peace. [Orproject]
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Mayan Modernism: Designs for a huge museum of Mayan Culture, planned for completion in Guatemala City by 2017, are "inspired by the language of Mayan temple architecture," according to its architects. I wonder if the jungle overgrowth comes included. [Over,Under and Harry Gugger Studio]
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Designing and constructing a building is not an easy task; guaranteeing everyone is happy with their view from the thing is almost impossible. But these days, architects are using intelligent computational design to make sure as many people as possible get an amazing view from their desk.
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Trying to kill a potential problem at the roots even before it grows, ARM Holdings has released a new Server Base System Architecture standard. This document will server as the … Continue reading
It sucks to be a villain. Not just because you’re destined to lose to the hero but because when you do lose, you lose everything, including your stupid awesome villain hideout slash lair slash headquarters. Why couldn’t you just lose a little bit and get to keep rolling around in the Death Star? Why can’t I live in my Dr Evil Volcano with all of its amenities? The secret headquarters of villains are always amazing. Here’s a pretty list showing you which one was biggest and baddest.
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The seam where a city meets the country is an uncanny place. It’s not rural, yet not exactly urban, either, a non-place often full of half-finished streets and isolated developments. Most of us only see these environments through the windows of our cars, but photographer Alexander Gronsky has spent the last four years in Moscow’s outskirts, watching and photographing.
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Richard Meier and Partners just unveiled plans for a 40-story mixed-use tower that will become one of Mexico City’s tallest buildings. The luxury development will be a rare tower project for the architect—now 80—whom The New York Times reported was turning his focus back home, to New Jersey, just last week. [Archinect]
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