Inspiring the Making of Cement with Coral

    I'm doing something different I don't normally do.  Today, I'm going to be posting some videos, and the first one out of this (possible) future series is about Bio mimicry and how to use it to make cement the way coral does.  It's a growing problem every day for architectural engineers, trying to find a way to limit pollution can be tricky.  That's why Brent Constantz, a Bio mineralization scientist, is studying the way coral creates its structures out of carbon dioxide and using that information to create cement without releasing destructive carbon dioxide gases.

    Coral builds reefs with carbon dioxide and water, and Constantz has found a way to make cement out of the same thing.  His process is supposed to actually remove the carbon dioxide from the air.  It's absolutely genius.  The process goes like this, "Constantz's company Calera in Monterrey Bay, takes waste CO2 gas from a local power plant and dissolves it into seawater to form carbonate, which mixes with calcium in the seawater and creates a solid," said FastCompany.com.

References:
>> http://www.fastcompany.com/biomimicry/making-cement-the-way-coral-does-it-out-of-thin-air
>> http://www.archdaily.com/192263/learning-from-coral-to-make-cement/
>> Video from: http://www.youtube.com/user/FastCompany

Today's ArchiPic #81

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum courtesy Wikipedia.org

    Today's ArchiPic is the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum at 1071 Fifth Avenue in New York City.  My favorite architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, designed the museum, and he was inspired by the Japanese Thatcheria Mirabilis, commonly known as the Japanese "Wonder Shell."  A cone-shaped shell, it's considered to be the most exquisite in the world.  The museum went into an extensive renovation in 2005 to 2008, but is still one of the most well-known museums in America, especially in New York.  It is also one of Frank Lloyd Wright's most astonishing architectural creations in the 20th century.

 

 ^^Skylight in the center of the museum

    Solomon Guggenheim was a business man, art collector, and philanthropist.  Guggenheim asked Frank Lloyd Wright to create a museum for him, and Wright gladly accepted.  It took him over 15 years to design the museum.  Even after Solomon Guggenheim died, ten years later, the museum opened to the public on October 21, 1959.  This was also Wright's major last creation before he died on April 9, 1959.  Although Wright wasn't there to oversee the Guggenheim Museum, it was completed in the same design as his drawings and measurements that he worked on for over 15 years.  The building does face criticism though.  It has often been said that "it overshadows the artworks displayed within."  And it is also difficult to put paintings on the shallow niches that go around the spire.  Even with its criticism, the building is an amazing one no doubt, and it will stand for a long time with its graceful, cone-shape design.  On October 6, 2008, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum was a registered as a National Historic Landmark.

References:

>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_R._Guggenheim_Museum 

>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lloyd_Wright 

>> Thatcheria Mirabilis (Japanese Wonder Shell) 

Minecraft Update? No...

   Finally, we got something done.  The entire weekend, we worked on the third city and got a total of four small structures complete!  So...technically, I have nothing to show you.  But I do have a little something to talk about.  As you know, semester finals are coming up for us students, and I won't be able to play Minecraft until Christmas break.  But, I wanted to post a video from FyreUK.  I love their creations that they build on their server, and every time lapse they do I can't help but be amazed.  I saw this video a couple weeks ago, and I thought I should show it to you guys.  It's called the Great Nordic Hall, and using their advanced, mystical powers, they created a type of build that I have never seen before in Minecraft.

    The thing I really noticed about the Nordic Hall itself was that they built the frame first, which is an important part to understanding how to build architecture on this scale in Minecraft.  It also didn't really occur to me how massive the whole area was.  After watching it a few times, I saw that the amount of terrain editing used was tremendous.  The build, again, was absolutely stunning.  This is what I want our adventure map to feel like: big, bold, and bright.  (Something that will stun and amaze the people who play it)  So until next time, enjoy the ARCHITECTURE!  And don't forget the great FyreUK members and their channel.  (Link is below)

References:

>> http://www.youtube.com/user/FyreUK#p/u

>> Previous Minecraft Update Post

    

Today's ArchiPic #80

Ski Home in Aspen, Colorado, from architecturaldigest.com

    Today's ArchiPic is the more than beautiful Ski Home in the town of Aspen, Colorado.  Architects Alexandra and Michael Misczynski of Atelier AM were in charge of redesigning and renovating this twenty year old cabin for a Chicago family.  They're best known for their elegant interior designs and are well respected.  They would have to be to redesign a home like this.  Atelier AM has had a long list of clients, including Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, and the former CEO of Disney.  

    The original architect of the house was brought in to oversee the renovating and make sure that the home kept its cabin environment and feel.  “I like the look and feel of their work.  The style isn’t pretentious, yet it’s beautifully done. It has a very natural quality," said the Chicago family. 

Read more at www.architecturaldigest.com

Minecraft Update #2

    I wanted to give you guys an update on what has been going on...well not much.  We have finished the second city and are halfway done with the pathway that leads to the town of Sidka.  (the third city)  Some cities will have more to show than others, and I don't guarantee that each city will include something architecturally unique.  But most cities will have at least one thing worth showing on this blog, and I think it will turn out really well for the server. 

    Don't forget that the storyline/map will be expansive and very big.  Even if you play the map perfectly with no set-backs, it will probably take you at least 3 hours to complete.  (Hopefully!  That's the experience we are aiming for.)  Anyways, architecture is a big factor in making this map because while I like making World of Warcraft style adventure maps, I love creating and designing architecture.  And with the help of my friends, we will be able to speed this along quite nicely when we get out of school for Christmas break!  (Two weeks of awesomeness)  Yes, I will see you guys again very soon when we complete the town of Sidka!  Be looking forward to an update sometime during Christmas break.  (I'll try my best) 

Today's ArchiPic #79

Photos by John Edward Linden

    Today's ArchiPic is the beautiful Contemporary Art Museum in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Nicknamed CAM, the museum is a new favorite place for the fastest growing city in North Carolina and was designed by Brooks + Scarpa from Los Angeles.  A creative and intricate design makes CAM stand out from other Contemporary art museums in the country.  With a cost of about 3.4 million US dollars, the museum has over 22,300 square feet of space. 


   
    “The idea is that you have a building from a period that is heavy and permanent.  The [canopy] is light and floating, so there is tension between the two—one representing today and the other yesterday," said Scarpa.  CAM's angular features make it also stand out from the crowd of museums.  I think CAM has an amazing design, and it should be recognized for its uniqueness.  I have seen many Contemporary art museums, and this one is notably one of the best.

References:
>> Read the full post about CAM here.

Dazzling Designs | Waterfront Toronto

    Toronto, Canada, has been booming.  With newly constructed buildings and skyscrapers coming up every week, the city is experiencing, not just an economic boom, but a construction boom.  It's a rare sight to see in many North Amercian cities, where there isn't much construction, simply because of the world's economic crisis.  Toronto, with its current population of 2.5 million, has been gaining 80,000 to 100,000 people per year!  And it's real estate sector has been moving along quite nicely since the 1990s. 



    There is over 147 high-rise buildings being constructed right now in the city, and it's only getting bigger.  Suburbs also have been experiencing the boom, with towers popping up there, it's an interesting sight to see.  A larger project called the Waterfront Toronto Project, is currently being designed by Michael van Valkenburgh, Moshe Safdie, Pelli Clarke Pelli, and Saucier + Perrotte.  When the project is done, the architects plan that the waterfront will be able to have over 40,000 residents.  And don't forget that this group of people are going to make sure the Toronto Waterfront will make your draw drop.  (That's their job!) 



    Because of other cities having bad economic downfalls, residents of Toronto fear that the real estate bubble will go to far and bust.  There are also critics that don't like how fast the city is growing.   “We have a city that isn’t proactively planned, and hasn’t been for years now,” says Meg Graham.  He is the principal of the firm Superkül Architect and a professor at the University of Toronto’s architecture school.  But many people disagree.  The city is booming, and there are good plans in place to make sure this all goes well for Toronto's residents.  Downtown Toronto is also booming, and having more wealthy residents is helping it speed up.



    It's also hard to believe that about 50 percent of all the residents in Toronto, Canada, are foreign-born.  The city has very strong education systems and social services, so Toronto is unlikely to not be able to fund the waterfront project.  Siamak Hariri, a German born architect that studied at Yale said, “People have developed an appetite for apartment living. I think the city is anticipating a dramatic shift toward a more sophisticated, European environment.”



(Awesomeness to the Extreme!)

*All images and information are from archrecord.construction.com.
References:
>> http://archrecord.construction.com/news/2011/11/Toronto-on-the-Rise.asp
>> Slideshow here. (Also from archrecord.construction.com)

Today's ArchiPic #78

Central Lounge/Sushi Bar from archinect.com

    Today's ArchiPic is the Central Lounge and Sushi Bar in Astoria, New York.  It consists of a sushi bar/lounge area (obviously.)  Its main purpose was to incorporate the same experience you get from a luxury sushi bar while mixing it into a lounge area.  Two bars, rectangular and circular, are the rooms' centerpieces, while the lounge chairs are around them.  Expensive, LED lights provide a blue-ish glow around the two bars, creating a supper club feel.  The tops of the counters are made from slabs of back-lit onyx.  (It's a variety of chalcedony which is a crystalline form of silica.)

References:
>> http://archinect.com/firms/project/12452538/central-lounge/29870844
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onyx
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalcedony

Minecraft Update

    As you know, we have been spending as much time as we can on the adventure map.  So, I wanted to give guys a quick update.  We haven't made much more progress because we have just been busy with school and all.  Although we will be working on it alot Christmas break, I don't plan to have it done after our two weeks that we have off from school.  It might take another month or two, but in the end, it will be worth all this hard work.  And the end result of the entire map will be spectacular.  There won't be anything worth showing until we get something massive done on Christmas break.
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Real architecture is coming tonight! (More specifically Today's ArchiPic #78)

Minecraft | Inspiration

    Architecture in Minecraft can truly be amazing.  Some of the structures I have seen from videos on YouTube are mind-blowing to say the least.  Looking for inspiration for the new adventure map, I found a fly through video of this guy's server.  He was been working on it for months now, and his world is based upon his book called Draegonborn.  Since it has a medieval setting, his world is very mystical.  It has a perfect RPG game feel.  His world is a perfect example of what our adventure map should feel like.  The video is an eight minute fly through from the city Nikifim to the tree city of Altmis.  Don't forget to checkout the YouTube channel of vssdgames.  He has three other videos of his world that you can see.  Also remember that he is not done yet and he will be making more video updates of his progress.

References:

>> vssdgames's channel

>> Previous Adventure Map Update