Living on Exhbit

Architects Pieter and Silvia Mertens took a 8’ wide space between two buildings, erected a steel skeleton in it and installed four wooden floors, one each for work, dining, relaxing and sleeping, plus a bath tub on the roof. Two concepts arise from this Coolhunter Blog post: Voyerism and Sustainablity. First, this building puts all parts of their lives on public display. We are living in a world were the rules of privacy are constantly changing and adapting. Second, they have successfully maximized the use of a space not traditionally intended to be habitable.

I Want 2 C Your Body in the Dark

Similar to Emil Olsson’s Void Typeface blog post last week, Marc Kremers “I Want 2 C Your Body in the Dark” video plays with type using light and depth. His portfolio can be found on EclecticCow. The digital era, and new-media design is starting to merge with typography. Digital design software is allowing designing to create type with physical environments and dynamic elements.

We Will Migrate into the Sky

NY architects at Studio Lindfors offer a design solution to New York City should it be hit and destroyed by a hurricane. Cloud City provides “connected” inflatable blimp housing for urban cities after a disaster. What I love about the concept is the use of air as a design solution. I have been exploring for my thesis the overlooked resource of air as a vast, dynamic, and whimsical design solution. Read the article on BldgBlog.

The Revolution that Wasn't

This article from the Economist answers the question about DVR’s effect on advertising. Ever since I got a DVR, I’ve been curious about it’s effect on television advertising, and whether the fear of it destroying television funding was actually happening. Surprising, this article shows that DVRs may be helping the television industry. Apparently, people with DVRs skip about 50% of recorded ads. But the DVR also has America watching much more TV, supplementing skipped ads. I think I have 4 shows recording tonight!

Facebook Privacy Flop-Gen Yers Demand Control

This post is in response to a recent attack on my facebook account. My account was hacked and infected with a facebook virus this week. As a result, either the virus, or someone else took control of the account, and sent all of my friends a random message. I’m not the biggest fan of facebook, and it actually took some time to convince me to join the site. After this week’s infection, I’ve considered ending my account. But facebook has become so crucial to staying connected with my friends, this really wasn’t an option. Please read this article from BusinessWeek about Facebook Privacy.

Gesture Speak

Oblong Industries’ G-speak takes the interactive screen to the next level and scale. The G-speak is yet another example of our world merging with the cyberworld. Walls/architecture become giant interactive computer screens. The G-speak user become part machine when he/she wears the “cyber-gloves” with digital chips that work with the computer/motion software. This article was found on Pantopicon.

Howeler+Yoon's "Spatial Valve"

Howeler+Yoon’s are exploring a new concept of architecture “spatial valve architecture” Besides it being un-Rhino-able (the concept can only be explained the old-fashioned way through hand-built models), it presents architecture with the ability to fluctuate from extreme density to extreme porosity. In one form it acts as barrier, in the other, a passage.