TranslucentConcrete is a new form of load-bearing, see-through concrete designed by Andreas Bittis. Basically it’s a combinations of fine concrete and optical fibers. TranslucentConcrete blocks of a structure can be several feet thick but you won’t even feel it because the optical fibers work without the loss of light for up till 60 feet. TranslucentConcrete blocks can be made depending on the on structural or architects needs, from small bricks to facade plates or passable paving stones. I think we will soon see some very interesting structures and designs from this concrete. The potential of this new material is great.
Dexia Tower
During daytime Dexia tower in Brussels is an ordinary building, but at night it becomes a light show. The building can be used to show tomorrows weather – temperature and wind. It sure bits watching the weather channel. It’s also possible to make you own light show from a touch screen near the building. Here’s how it works the 4,200 of 6,000 windows have lighting installations consisting of 12 light bulbs, each with 3 LEDs – a green, a red and a blue. Also these windows have special blinds when closed allow the LED’s to illuminate the whole window. Dexia tower is also energy efficient, 1 LED uses 1 watt. Lighting a stadium costs seven times more then Dexia Tower
Burj Dubai
Burj Dubai is the world’s tallest skyscraper. It isn’t finished yet but by the looks of the photos it’s close to completion. Burj Dubai will be 819 meters or even higher and have about 190 floors. Now Dubai will be the proud owner of not only the most beautiful hotels but also the world’s tallest skyscraper. Can you imagine the view from it? I bet it’s going to be spectacular.
Wind Dam
Architect Laurie Chetwood designed this brand new way to generate renewable energy. The project is going to be built in north-western Russia over a gorge at Lake Ladoga. The dam looks like a yacht sail and is very effective in capturing wind. It will be 25m high and boast a 75m. The construction may start next year. The cost of the project is about $5 million. Let’s hope that this project will be a success, it looks like a very good way to generate power.
The Landmark
The Landmark by Jean Nouvel. The Landmark features a 42-storey tower with a hotel and apartments, a horizontal commercial and leisure block with a raised pedestrian street. The building is to be constructed in central Beirut, Lebanon.
Anti-sit
We all get annoyed when some young people start hanging out right under your windows. Here’s one way to make the place under your windows a bit less hospitable. This is a simple, effective and elegant solution, it doesn’t spoil the design and gets the job done.
Mermaid Island
Mermaid Island is a project to construct a building resembling an island on water. This type of structure can be build almost anywhere. However, I think that the residents of the island would prefer the island to be in warm, tropical waters, where it would be warn and sunny.
Pink Not Dead
Maurycy Gomulicki is a polish artist who just loves the pink color and considers it a cultural phenomenon. His project is called “Pink Not Dead” and he hopes to further explore the pink culture. Things painted pink provoke different reactions, some think that pink is cheap and tasteless, others think it to be fashionable and stylish. Here is a collection of stuff gone pink. Some things that usually look dull have a totally different look when painted pink. Personally I find this trend to be a positive thing, however somethings should never be pink like men’s wear
Alphabet City Lights
A new and modern design for outdoor light lamps. These are flexible tubes of light consisting of two different modules and a lighthead. Due to their properties, these lamps can be of any hight and form. These lampposts are made of durable translucent glassfiber. The tube is lit using LED lights and the lighthead is a traditional lamp. These Lamps look really great in the dark.
Extanding Tradition Ski Jump
Extending Tradition is a new Holmenkollen ski jump in Oslo, Norway. The Holmenkollen ski jump, arena of the 1952 Winter Olympic Games, is the Mecca of ski jumping, being the ski jump with the longest traditions. The current record of 136 meters was achieved by Tommy Ingebrigtsen of Norway on January 25, 2006. The architecture of this new ski jump is amazing. At night from a distance it looks like a road into the sky.
