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Less than 2 weeks to go for the most exciting US election in the past 3 decades

Just added to my 'Must have it' list

by Orange Beautiful

The World Architecture Festival

The World Architecture Festival began today in Barcelona. The Festival aims to "celebrate the work, concerns and aspirations of the international architectural community, during a three-day event".
From the international nature of architecture to its regional roots: different approaches to the design of 96 building types in the 16 categories through the exhibition of awards entries.
More to come.

It's the economy, stupid!

Santiago Calatrava office has stopped working on the Chicago Spire, and filed a lien for missing payments up to $11.34 million against Shelbourne Development Ltd.
The lien against the Ireland based developer came with another for $4.85 million by architecture firm Perkins & Will.

Meanwhile GOOD released one of its supercool sheets... #006 on Economy.
Apparently available at any Starbucks from the 16th to 22nd of october: craving for a printed copy.

Domino city

I just got to see the new ad for the Sony Bravia (not released in Europe yet) and i did not like it much! Disappointment! :[


Domino City on Vimeo

On our TVs we still get only Play Doh (also known as Bunnies ): I love it..i just cant help it!
I love Rolling Stones' "She is like a rainbow", i love the colorful NY...i love the faces of people like the animation was happening for real around them!
Play Doh is the third Bravia spot (after Balls and Paint) for the European Market. It has been realized in 3 weeks: 40 animators and 2.5 tons of plasticine!
Hopefully it will stay on for another bit!


"Play-Doh" on Vimeo.


Sony Bravia 'Play-doh' Making Of on Vimeo.

Redesign Cities From Scratch

Mitchell Joachim has been listed by the Wired among the 15 persons the next U.S. president should listen to.
In his piece, Joachim explains how it is important to rethink our cities.
Mitchell Joachim is one of the founders of Terreform ONE [Open Network Ecology], a nonprofit organization and philanthropic design collaborative that integrates ecological principles in the urban realm. Among his projects the Fab Hab Tree and the City car, listed by the Time as the invention of the year in 2007.
City Car

Listen carefully, Mr President!








Terreform[ONE]
Wired Magazine

Simply Renzo Piano

Open to the public from September 27th in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, Renzo Piano Building Workshop's new piece, the California Academy of Science is simply a stunning example of beautiful and environment oriented architecture.

from the Academy's website:
The new Academy is a single structure but contains multiple venues, including the aquarium, the planetarium, the natural history museum and the 4-story rainforest. In addition, there's a new 3D theater, a lecture hall, a Naturalist Center, two restaurants, an adjacent garden and aviary, a roof terrace, and an Academy store.

a series of pics of the living roof

From the basement to the roof of the Academy's new building, the choices behind each element of construction reflect a commitment to energy efficiency, reducing the carbon footprint, and preserving the natural world.
The Academy is believed to be the greenest museum in the world, and is on course to earn the highest rating possible for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

Some numbers:
- 90% of all demolition materials were recycled
32,000 tons of sand from foundation excavation applied to dune restoration projects in San Francisco
- 95% of all steel from recycled sources
- 15% fly ash (a recycled coal by-product), 35% slag in concrete
- 50% of lumber harvested from sustainable-yield forests
- 68% of insulation comes from recycled blue jeans
- 90% of office space will have natural light and ventilation
- 60,000 photovoltaic cells; 213,000 kilowatt-hours; 5% to 10% savings of electricity
- 30% less energy consumption than federal code requirement

Well, simply Renzo Piano!
more info on the building and the Academy program here