Broken Picture Links...Gone!

    I finally went through each and every post all the way back to January 2011 that had broken picture links.  All this time, instead of saving the pictures to my computer, I was just linking them into my blog.  The problem comes up if someone moves that link where the picture was, it takes out the picture from my blog.  Where the broken pictures were I put a note stating this:

"[All pictures' links were broken. I will make sure this never again happens in the future. Sorry for the inconvenience. This has been fixed for most recent posts. Older posts might still have this issue.]"

    And yes, the issue is fixed.  Before I post a picture I save it on to my computer then I upload it.  So it will never brake.

Almost Done...

    Tomorrow is the last day of school and the last semester final.  Finally, I can't believe it's almost the end of the school year.  I'll be looking at more videos to get some inspiration for a project aside from Sidka, and I'll try to start working on Sidka again soon.  Hopefully there will be more posts this summer!  See you guys soon.

Before and After Finals...

    Semester exams are less than a week away, and I am going to start studying soon this weekend.  I probably won't be posting at all next week, but I will post this summer.  We are most likely going to work on Sidka after school is out so the project will be continued.  After Sidka is finished, I have big plans.  First of all, I still want to recreate the Flatiron Building in Minecraft.  It is a really unique building, and trying to recreate the angles in Minecraft will be challenging, but that's what makes it fun.  Secondly, I am getting tired of doing the "Medieval builds", and I want to try something different in Minecraft than I normally do after we finish Sidka.  Thirdly, I will be looking at some more key landmarks and/or structures in Skyrim that are worthy of showing off on my blog.  Skyrim is a beautiful and awe inspiring game that continues to fascinate me with its architecture.  Again, more architecture is coming this summer!  I'll see you then.

Dubai Burj Khalifa Timelapses

Here are a group of videos that include timelapses of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai: the tallest building on the planet.  (I just felt like sharing these.)  Enjoy!

References (Links to videos in order of showing):
>> direkirol
>> Timelapsedubai
>> iamcapohorn

Minecraft | FyreUK's 100k Subscriber Special

    On May 2nd, FyreUK released their latest timelapse.  This time was their 100,000 subscriber special.  In the massive timelapse, they build a Tudor-style city "around a canal that runs through the middle."  Like I always say, the city was intricate and ornate.  It had so much stuff going on in it that not one part looked dull to me.  Be sure to watch the video above and subscribe to the FyreUK YouTube Channel.  (They also released a download for the map in the description of the video.  Link to video will be below.)

References:

>> FyreUK YouTube Channel

>> FyreUK's 100,000 Subscriber Special

Today's ArchiPic #110

Split Rock Lighthouse from Architectural Digest by July Flower/shutterstock.com

    Today's ArchiPic is the Split Rock Lighthouse in Two Harbors, Minnesota.  It sits on top of a 130-foot cliff that drops into Lake Superior.  Octagonal in its shape and an iconic figure, the lighthouse was designed by Ralph Russel Tinkham.  Completed way back in 1910, this historic landmark offers a great view outward into the lake.  Because of many shipwrecks around 1905, plans were made for a new lighthouse, and the Split Rock Lighthouse was the right one for the job.  Though later in 1969, the lighthouse was shut down, but that decision proved to be a mistake. 

"...it is relit each year on November 10 to commemorate the 29 crew members who lost their lives when the SS Edmund Fitzgerald freighter sank on [November 10] in 1975."  - Architectural Digest

Sources:
>> Architectural Digest

Skyrim Architecture | Riften

Welcome to the next installment of my Skyrim Architecture series, where I scout the Skyrim world in search of the most beautiful structures and landmarks Bethesda's award-winning franchise has to offer.

    Riften is a very unique city.  It sits in the southeastern corner of Skyrim, and is home to the Thieves' Guild, Goldenglow Estate, Mistveil Keep, and the Black Briar Meadery.  The city also sits along the banks of Lake Honrich and is famous for its massive fishing dock and meadery.  Its architecture is different from all other cities.  There are many log houses or shops in the city, which I think is because of the birch tree forest that lies around Riften.

    Like all Skryim cities, they have iconic figures that stand out as major landmarks and sight-seeing spots.  Mistveil keep is one of them.  It is where the Jarl or "king" sits for the Rift Hold, which is part of the 9 "states" of Skryim, and each state has a Jarl and capital city.  This keep is actually fairly new.  "In the 2nd century of the 4th Era-around 4E138, Riften was destroyed.  Thus, Mistveil Keep is likely not more than 70 or 80 years old--(thanks to Sebastian Beaghen for the great info!)".   It has a staircase up to the front entrance with the banners of Riften on either side.

    This is a piece of concept art I found on the Elder Scrolls Wiki.  It features the "Plankside" of Riften, which is one of the so called "districts."  The Plankside sits where the canal is.  The wooden planks that go around the canal lead either into the entrance of the dark and sewer-like Ratway, or up into the city.  Plankside is a very dark and desolate place that has only trouble in it.  Although its architecture is very simple, this picture above is breathtaking and makes it look very intricate.

    The Goldenglow Estate is a great example of what most of the Riften houses and shops look like: log cabins with a "cobblestone" type roof.  Goldenglow is a bee farm outside Riften, which owned by a very wealthy character. 

    Riften is also very "gloomy" looking most of the time.  Fog often rolls in from the mountains down into the valley.  Bethesda always ceases to amaze me!

     Another exceptionally designed piece of Riften is its market.  It was designed in a round-a-bout fashion and is set in the center of the city.  With the mountains in the background, big birch trees, and majestic log cabins, Riften is another beautiful city that lives and breathes in the great province of Skyrim. 

References and Sources:

>> Previous Skyrim Architecture Post

>> All Information and Pictures from Elder Scrolls Wiki

>> This might be the end of my Skyrim Architecture series, but I still will be searching for amazing buildings and structures in Skyrim that offer some great masterpieces.

Today's ArchiPic #109

All pictures from Architectural Record by Ivan Toth Depeñas

    Today's ArchiPic is a interactive "installation" in Miami, Florida, that uses a type of technology that captures people's movements in real time and projects them onto a screen, making the buildings corners and columns light up like dynamic paintings.  "Working with New York City–based Focus Lighting, Depeña devised a series of 6-inch-deep light boxes mounted to five of the lobby’s 13-foot-high structural columns," mentions Linda C. Lentz from Architectural Record.  This is one crazy fete in architectural and light engineering: walls that capture motion and project them as a "dynamic painting."

>> Read the whole story here at Architectural Record. 

Another Update....

    So...it's been awhile.  Yes, I haven't posted in awhile.  There will be more content tonight!  Anyways, finals are coming up in less than two weeks for school, and I will be very busy.  So as we near the week of May 21st, there will be not as much posting.  We haven't worked on Sidka at all, and I haven't been playing any Minecraft until today.  Minecraft Architecture will resume when I simply feel like it.  When you're not motivated and you don't feel any inspiration, you are not going to build good stuff.  Besides, it's not even fun when you don't have anything to go by. 

    As of the past few days, I've gotten really interested with the Minecraft Xbox 360 version.  Yes, I've been playing that since it came out today.  Aside from that, I will still continue to post real architecture on my blog most of the time.  Minecraft is just a way to share my friends and I's architectural creations with the rest of the world.  (And it's good entertainment too!)  Anyways, there will be Today's ArchiPic #109 and maybe even a new Skyrim Architecture installment tonight!  (So stay tuned)