Dolder Grand Hotel in Zürich
Designed in 1899 by Jacques Gros, the Zürich’s Dolder Grand Hotel has a wonderful city location overlooking Lake Zürich and the Alps. The health/spa hotel has been re-invented as a modern luxury hotel by a famous team of architects from London’s Foster and Partners, by United Designers, also of London, and by spa-industry visionary, Arizona-based Sylvia Sepielli, for the spa concept.
Casa Kike by Gianni Botsford Architects
Casa Kike located in Cahuita, Costa Rica (30 miles south of Puerto Limon) is designed by Gianni Botsford for his father, the writer Keith Botsford. A simple parallelogram was developed, relative to the sun’s path, ensuring complete shading throughout the day, yet open on the front and rear to allow sea breezes to naturally cool the house.
Trendy Fireplaces From Planika
Planika had the cool idea to incorporate fire anywhere, in any room or outside the house, and with their Architects line they did it with style. These fireplaces were designed for optimum implementation, providing a natural fire capability without needing a huge chimney or vent. What’s even better is that they use environmentally-friendly Fanola fuel which generating the same amount of CO2 produced by human’s breath, and eliminates smoke, bad smell, soot, and ashes. The stylish fireplaces can thus be incorporated in various furniture such as coffee tables or wheeled trolleys.
Styx Valley Project Protest Shelter by Andrew Mynard Architects
The Styx Valley Protest Structure is a project by Andrew Maynard to attempt to save the Styx Valley Forest , a unique ecosystem in south western Tasmania. It is home to the tallest hardwood trees in the world averaging over 80 meters. Many of the trees are over 400 years old. In 1996 only around 13% of these trees remain. A large area of south western Tasmania’s pristine wilderness is world heritage and is therefore protected. Unfortunately the Styx Valley falls just outside the South West National Park and it is now under attack from logging companies.
The logging companies clear fell such areas in Tasmania and burn any remnant vegetation once they have removed any timber considered of value. The high quality timbers that are then removed are reduced to nothing more than wood chips that are then exported mainly to Japan.
From this rape and pillage of Tasmania’s previously untouched, pristine landscape, Tasmania receives only AUD$10 per ton of woodchips.
Beautiful Car Parks
Usually, aesthetically pleasing design and concepts are limited to traditional architecture, such as public buildings and homes. But utilitarian spaces such as car parks are a unique opportunity for architects and designers to practice theirs skills and bring elegance to the everyday functional spaces that are often ignored by most design geniuses. These good-looking car parks are the proof that beauty and originality can be found anywhere.
The How To Tie A Tie Tie
The HowTie from Fred&Friends is a tie that features instructions on how to tie a tie. Personally, I’ve never tied a tie before, it’s my girlfriend’s duty. If you don’t have a girlfriend, then you should get a blogging job because we don’t wear ties. Or shirts for that matter. Sometimes, we don’t even wear pants. But don’t tell anyone, ok?
Voussoir Cloud by IwamotoScott Architecture at SCI-Arc Exhibition
The SCI-Arc Gallery present Voussoir Cloud, a site-specific installation by San Francisco based architecture and design practice IwamotoScott in collaboration with Buro Happold. Voussoir Cloud’s design explores the coupling of potentially conflicting constructional logics – the pure compression of a vault with an ultra-light sheet material.
Wake N’ Bacon
Feeling hungry in the morning? The Wake n’ Bacon, a collaborative alarm clock design by Matty Sallin, Daniel Bartolini and Hsiao-huh Hsu, wakes you up with the delicious scent of bacon instead of the annoying beeping. Here’s how it works:
A frozen strip of bacon is placed in Wake n’ Bacon the night before. Because there is a 10 minute cooking time, the clock is set to go off 10 minutes before the desired waking time. Once the alarm goes off, the clock it sends a signal to a small speaker to generate the alarm sound. We hacked the clock so that the signal is re-routed by a microchip that in responds by sending a signal to a relay that throws the switch to power two halogen lamps that slow-cook the bacon in about 10 minutes.
Clever, isn’t it? But don’t forget that meat is murder. Tasty, tasty murder.
CD Spindle Hacks
Recycle CD Box – video powered by Metacafe
This video provides step-by-step instructions and a few clever tweaks for alternate uses of this CD Spindle hacks. The bagel holder, for example, becomes a sandwich caddy with an extra cut, and the cable organizer becomes a rope and cable dispenser with a couple of small adjustments.
Via [Instructable] & [Core77] & [Lifehacker]
Caravan by Kevin Van Braak
Caravan by Kevin Van Braak is customized caravan that opens out to provide a grassy area. He stripped an old trailer down to the metal, cut it up, hinged the pieces and and can simply tow it into place, park and unfold it. Caravan can bring a touch of country living to anywhere it’s needed.
The Scorpion, An Eco Car That Doesn’t Look Like A Fridge
Environmentally friendly car usually look ugly, but a car being is released that doesn’t look like a cardboard box and is actually stunning. Designed by Austin-based automotive design and manufacturing company Ronn Motor’s, here comes the mighty Scorpion, a hydrogen fuel injected hybrid.
Gangster Builds Amazing Skyscrapper
The Russian gangster who built this awesome building call it “the eighth wonder of the world,” while others dismiss it as an abomination. But one thing is certain: Nikolai Sutyagin’s building is not something you see everyday.
What is believed to be the world’s tallest wooden house dominates the skyline of Arkhangelsk, a city in Russia’s far north-west. It soars 13 floors to reach 144ft and is built to last according to its owner, but it’s under threat of demolition from city authorities determined to end the former gangster’s crazy 15-year project.
I believe that this artwork is simply amazing and I’m convinced it could easily become a touristic attraction. Legends could be told to children about the construction which looks like the lair of a wicked fairytale character. Too bad neighbours consider it a monstrosity and are afraid that fire could cause the whole suburb to go up in flames.
Watch a video of the world’s tallest wooden house after the jump.
Video Game Quilts by Carolina Patchworks
Etsy seller Carolina Patchworks makes beautiful 8-bit video game quiltsVideo game quilts. They are true works of art that would look awesome in anyone’s game room.
However, only one lucky geek in the world is going to get this seriously masterwork.
Louis Vuitton Store in Tokyo
This impressive and futuristic building designed by dutch architects UNStudio will soon become the new flagship store for Louis Vuitton in Japan. There will be 10 floors in this 54 meter tall building which aims at establishing an architectural equivalent of the identity of Louis Vuitton. Blending classical and modern conception, it will inspire the qualities that make up the essence of the Louis Vuitton and its products.
Fish Pedicures
Fish pedicures is a new trend that is apparently really taking off in the Washington D.C. area and women are flocking to the Yvonne Hair and Nails Salon to let a species of fish called “garra rufa” eat the dead skin and calluses from their feet.
Ho (the salon owner) said the hot water in which the fish thrive doesn’t support much plant or aquatic life, so they learned to feed on whatever food sources were available _ including dead, flaking skin. They leave live skin alone because, without teeth, they can’t bite it off. Ho believes his is the only salon in the country to offer the treatment, which costs $35 for 15 minutes and $50 for 30 minutes. The spa has more than 1,000 fish, with about 100 in each individual pedicure tank at any given time.
$50 to put your feet in a fish tank might be expensive, but I guess it’s nothing compared to the laughs you’ll have when fish tickle your toes. As for the pedicure, I guess piranhas might be even more efficient.
Old Chapel Converted Into An Apartment
We always says that the ways of God are inscrutable, but at least his temple is inhabitable. That’s what the ZECC Architecten probably thought when they converted an old Dutch chapel into a magnificient apartment. The church-turned-apartment is located in Utrecht in The Netherlands. It wasn’t an easy task because there were no windows at floor height, so the firm designed one to be cut into the front of the street to bring light in. The white colored walls add to the “fresh” look of this luxury apartment, together with the original stained-glass windows up on high. However, the bedroom and bathroom were left dark, because these rooms are more like cocoons. A nice touch is the original organ which remains as a reference to the history of the building. Simply amazing!
Kitchen Of the future by Antoine Lebrun for Fagor Brandt
Futuristic kitchen designed by Antoine Lebrun for Fagor Brandt is intended for small places and should go along with the lines and curves of our homes in just 10 years.
If you look at the kitchen design, there are specialized plants that were developed by the aerospace industry for their filtering and cleaning properties. They provide a renewable supply of clean water and vegetable soap. When cooking, the plants act as a filtering hood. When it’s time to clean up, simply place the dirty dishes in the sink, close the hood, and the all natural clean cycle begins.
