jaymug:

The Pan Am building created a canyon effect on the Park Avenue. NYC, 1964

I love this photo, or any photo showing the same scene taken from the same location over the past fifty years. This image seems to be showing something about being trapped, overwhelmed or just completely integrated into the city. 

But, it is a trick.

Right past the Pan Am building (or the Met Life building as it now) is Grand Central Terminal. I can’t look at this image without thinking that I am only a few blocks from a train taking me out of the city.

A Russian architectural firm called Ab Ellis has unveiled its proposal to turn an old diamond mine in Siberia into a huge domed city that stretches 1,700 feet below ground. Eco-City 2020 could house 100,000 people and be powered by solar cells on the city roof. At the link, you can view several more architectural concept images, as well as photographs of this site, which is the second largest hole in the world.

Link via DVICE | Photo: Ab Ellis

'the land of giants' by choi + shine architects
all images courtesy choi + shine architects


american firm choi + shine architects recently received the 2010 boston society of architects
award for unbuilt architecture for their project 'the land of giants', which they originally
designed for the icelandic high voltage electrical pylon competition back in 2008.





making only minor alterations to well established steel-framed pylon
design, the architects
created a series of towers that are powerful, solemn
and variable. these iconic pylon-figures
will become monuments in the
landscape.





the pylon-figures can be configured to respond to their environment
with appropriate gestures.
as the carried electrical lines ascend a
hill, the pylon-figures change posture, imitating a climbing
person.
over long spans, the pylon-figure stretches to gain increased height,
crouches for
increased strength or strains under the weight of the
wires.





the pylon-figures can also be arranged to create a sense of place
through deliberate expression.
subtle alterations in the hands and head
combined with repositioning of the main body parts in
the x, y and
z-axis, allow for a rich variety of expressions. the pylon-figures can
be placed in pairs,
walking in the same direction or opposite
directions, glancing at each other as they pass by
or kneeling
respectively, head bowed at a town.



the various configurations of the pylons


despite the large number of possible forms, each pylon-figure is made
from the same major
assembled parts (torso, fore arm, upper leg, hand
etc.) and uses a library of pre-assembled
joints between these parts to
create the pylon-figures’ appearance. this design allows for many
variations in form and height while the pylon-figures’ cost is kept low
through identical production,
simple assembly and construction.



sketch of the pylon design

A superficial but well-executed student project that plays with typography, architecture and vantage point. I like it.