2012 14/52

Stefano Mirtis facebook wall

14/522012

timeline archive:a personal collection of curiosities

Stefano Mirtis facebook wallhttps://www.facebook.com/stefano.mirti.3

Stefanos facebook timeline 14/52 2012

Baku, Azerbaijan

(Zoroastrian) Fire Temple

I learned about this "fire temple" last night. Very special architecture, for a very special ritual Here some more images: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/

And here a link where you get all the information & history: http://eurovision-2012.com/?p=2365


Pristina, Kosovo

National Library

The Daily Telegraph published an article with the twenty ugliest buildings in the world. A very nice idea (I love when people rank stuff in a negative way).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/.../Are-these-the-ugliest

But, apart from the lovely idea, I like very much quite many of them. Take for instance Andrija Mutnjakovi's National Library in Pristina. It is so scif-fi, so peculiar and full of character

Anyway, here some more images about the Library (here above the mesmerizing floorplan): http://www.facebook.com/media/set/...


Newark, OH, United States

The Longaberger Headquarters

Another flabbergasting building (placed by Daily Telegraph in the list of the 20 ugliest buildings in the world).

This is super!

Wikipedia explains:

The Longaberger corporate headquarters on State Route 16 is a local landmark and a well-known example of novelty architecture, since it takes the shape of their biggest seller, the "Medium Market Basket". The basket handles weigh almost 150 tons and can be heated during cold weather to prevent ice damage.

Originally, Dave Longaberger wanted all of the Longaberger buildings to be shaped like baskets, but only the headquarters was completed at the


Havana

Hasta la Victoria Siempre

I went back to the Telegraph list (most horrible buildings ever). This is another example of their list: the Russian (former Soviet) Embassy in Havana.Very nice building, I would say...

Designed by Alexander G Rochegov, and opened in 1985.

time of his death. After his death, further basket-shaped buildings were vetoed by his daughters.

Here the horror (???) list upon The Daily Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/.../Are-these-the-ugliest...


Tbilisi, Georgia

Cosmic Communist

Inspired by the finest Suprematist utopias, the Georgian Ministry of Highways with its reduced anchorage. (G. Chakhava, Z. Dzhalaganiya, T. Tkhilava, V. Klinberg) Tbilisi, Georgia, 1974.

If you like this, here a link to a book with 90 masterpieces alike: http://www.taschen.com/.../facts.frederic_chaubin_cosmic

Here a link where you get to see more: http://www.worldarchitecturemap.org/.../russian-embassy

And here the link to The Telegraph list: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/.../Are-these-the-ugliest...


Timbuktu, Mali

A very nice article on BBC News on Timbuktu city of Timbuktu, and how it has become shorthand in English for anywhere far away. How did this metaphor come about?http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17583772#TWEET120371

Who, What, Why: Why do we know Timbuktu?

And here, a fantastic photo-gallery: http://www.wallpaper.com/.../book-cosmic.../17052290


Stuttgart, Germany

A New Library

Very nice, this new library by Eun Young Yi's / Yi architects. Here some more images: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/

Here some other images and various explanations: http://www.designboom.com/.../yi-architects-new-stuttgart

And here Yi Architects website (with some works, very special): http://www.yiarchitects.com/


Kiva Systems, Inc

Kiva

What's Kiva? Easy answer: Kiva Systems is a company that makes order fulfillment systems that use mobile robots for warehouse automation.

In March of 2012, Kiva was acquired by Amazon.com for a reported $775 million in cash.

Here a video (thanx to Joseph Grima for the link), where you can see the bots in action. "A day in the life of a Kiva robot": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KRjuuEVEZs&feature=youtu.be

and here their website (quite fascinating, and fairly spooky): http://www.kivasystems.com/


Smithson. A & P.

It was 1957, and this project by Alison and Peter Smitshon, is one of the best they ever did.

More images at: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/

If you can read Spanish, here a link where you get to know everything you need: http://hacedordetrampas.blogspot.it/.../proyecto-berlin

Thanx to Molly Wright Steenson for the link that triggered my memory: http://www.team10online.org/


Palazzo Clerici Milano

Here another Fuori Salone preview. This is a new project by Reed Kram and Clemens Weisshaar for Audi.

The simplest is to transcribe their explanation:

Audi invited the designers, once again giving them the run of their manufacturing resources. Among the many things that the designers were pleased to discover during their first project with Audi was their engineers' willingness to test and test again. Keen to explore that capacity further, the designers decided to use the new collaboration as an opportunity to subject the humble chair to investigations that would normally be applied to a piece of kit designed to move the human body at 300 plus kilometres per hour.

R18 Ultra Chair Public Beta Installation


Vinkeveen, Netherlands

It's a gas gas gas...

Industrial testing usually takes place behind closed doors. By staging it in a Milanese Palazzo's courtyard during the melee of the Salone, Weisshaar and Kram are both turning it into a piece of theatre and opening it to a broader range of inputs. Regarding the latter, Kram is quite specific: they are not interested in the crowds opinions about their design. They don't want to know what people think about the way it looks and feels, they just want to find out how they put it to use.

Here an article where you can read some more: http://www.domusweb.it/.../salone-2012-domus-and-audi.../

And here a link to their website: http://www.kramweisshaar.com/


Stuttgart, Germany

Neunelfer (911)

Mr. Ferdinand Porsche died. Very sad. He was the main designer of the fabulous 911 model. Not so common to have the person on top of a huge company as an excellent designer.

: (

I've found another great gas station. This one was designed by Willem Marinus Dudok, for Esso petrol in 1953.

In the 1950's, in the Netherlands, there were over 120 of these gas stations designed upon his original model.

See some more at: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/...


London, United Kingdom

Jim Marshall died.

Jim Marshall, Lord of Loud. Inventor of one of

Here some more images of the most famous model of the Stuttgart based company: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/

Here his obituary on the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/.../ferdinand-a-porsche-76-dies

"Design must be functional and functionality must be translated into visual aesthetics, without any reliance on gimmicks that have to be explained."

(Ferdinand Porsche)

Image on top: Martoys Porsche 911 rear engine detail (ca. 1975).


Turin

Apps Builder, booop...

I've spent the last two days fiddling with: http://www.apps-builder.com

rock & roll's most important innovations the Marshall amplifier has died at age 88.

In this picture a young Eric Clapton (another early advocate of the Marshall). Clapton honed his sound through them, becoming one of the first bona fide guitar heroes in the process.

Here the obituary for mr Marshall: http://marshallamps.com/

And here an article on The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/.../05/jim-marshall-amp-dies-88


Karachi, Pakistan

Thibault Brunet is a very special war photographer. He documents the horrors of war being embedded in platoons fighting videogame warfare.

War Photographer (a Very Special One)

It's an interesting way to build your own application for mobile phone in a (fairly) simple way.

Probably, the most interesting part of the whole story is that it is made by an Italian start-up, founded by Daniele Pelleri and Luigi Giglio. Here an article to get to know more: http://www.cybersharq.com/apps-builder-helps-repackage...


This is what he writes about his fantastic reportage:

"I have wandered through this troubled virtual space over the course of the missions that are imposed. Standing in a soldier's boots, i crawled through fire, hits and explosions, I fought and I killed. As I was immersed, body and soul, into this unstable universe, I went to the very limits of this game and its story. As a war correspondent, I surveyed Karachi's recreated territories. As a patient observer, I have waited for these out-of-time-and-history war pictures, hidden behind a wrecked car or snuggled in the corner of a devastated street. With the hope of perfect pictures, I sometimes forced the events to happen, pushing my war mates to take action. I busted every inch of humanity in the different layers of virtual reality. Karachi is a timeless and universal narrative."

Here some images of his works: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/

Here the link to Thibault Brunet website: http://www.thibaultbrunet.fr/

And here is the link to an article where you get an explanation on his very special works: http://flavorwire.com/.../image-gallery-thibault-brenets...


Fondazione Mario Merz

(Rubber Band) Entanglement

This morning I received a message by Paola Anzich. She wrote me about her new website: http://www.paolanziche.net

Finally, of her nice works are in a single place, where you can see them all. Very nite, very nice.

In this image her "Entanglement", 2009. More images of this work at: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/


Sydney, Australia

A Videogame Photographer

Iain Andrews is an Australian photographer. But he is a special photographer: to take his pictures he explores videogames. Extremely fantastic, indeed!

Here some of his works: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/

And here you have the link to his webpage: http://enwandrews.tumblr.com/ and his Twitter account: https://twitter.com/#!/@enwandrews


Parco Sempione

Portaluppi Circus

I've spent the last few days (and nights) together with Alessandro Scandurra, trying to set up a special event for Saturday the 21st of April (big night at Milan Design Week).

For the time being a very nice idea, some logistic issues to be fixed, a lot of talk and some walks.

Here a picture by Alessandro of Gi Ponti tower in Parco Sempione. Very nice picture. Very envious of his latest iPhone with lots of photo tricks and feature I don't have in mine

Keep tuned, more (about the Portaluppi Circus) will follow...


Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sarajevo Red Line

Bosnians walked silently and sobbed on Sarajevo's main street, leaving flowers and gifts on 11,541 red chairs arranged in seemingly endless rows the number represents the men, women and children killed in a siege that ended up being the longest of a city in modern history.

Continue to read the article at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.../bosnia-marks-20th

Here a gallery of images of this incredible memorial (upon an original idea of Haris Pasovic): http://www.facebook.com/media/set/...


Washington, DC, United States

I am not so keen on infographics (99% are silly eyecandies), but this one is really fascinating.

...In 1900, less than 10% of families owned a stove, or had access to electricity or phones, and the Model-T was still a full decade away... (keep reading the article and take a look at the whole graphic at: http://www.theatlantic.com/.../the-100-year-march.../255573/

100-Year March of Technology in One Graph


Albania

Concrete Mushrooms

Reading a nice article on Domus Web, I discovered this extremely fascinating "Concrete Mushrooms" project, developed by Elian Stefa and Gyler Mydyti in Albania.

Here is the link to the project: http://blog.concrete-mushrooms.com/?page_id=112

And here is the link to the Domus article "Mapping Bunkers": http://www.domusweb.it/en/photo-essays/mapping-bunkers/

Here some more images of the "Concrete Mushrooms" project: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/...

Documents

2012 14/52