Archive for the ‘design’ tag

Corbu’s Skull Tee

The site selling these tees calls them ‘ArchBones‘ – but it’s obviously Corbu! I don’t think you need me to tell you that these things are pretty great – get one, and display your archi-nerdiness on your chest for all to see.

Funny that in about five more years students won’t even know what those things crossing the skull are or how to use them.

.:get your shirt here->

First seen thanks to Tabitha ( @tcpg ) – photo via.

[ed. note – I don’t know who my ginger-brethren here in the photo is (no, it’s not me – and we don’t all look alike), but I left him in thinking that there can’t be that many of us bearded red-headed architects around. I like your style, sir.]

Posted: August 22nd, 2011
at 1:51pm by AMNP

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Categories: architecture,my ninja, please,graphic design,starchitects

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Archi-Rings by Philippe Tournaire

Wow – what can I even say about these, other than my ninjas, please!

French jeweler Philippe Tournaire has created a series of rings inspired by global cities & architecture. From left to right above we have London, New York City, and Paris, respectively. Tournaire will also apparently make rings to order, so if you’re project is just too ill not to wear on your pinky a don you can have it immortalized as incredibly gaudy jewelery.

.:found via->bd online

Posted: August 18th, 2011
at 2:01pm by AMNP

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Categories: architecture,my ninja, please,design

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Salvador Dali Museum Stair

I don’t really think I’m a fan of the museum as a whole [link below], but this staircase is SICK! Too bad they’ll have to give it some handrails – you know, to keep people from falling to their death and all that…

.:more image of the museum, in progress->via ArchDaily

Posted: August 3rd, 2010
at 10:29pm by orangemenace

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Categories: architecture,interiors,eye candy,museum

Comments: 3 comments


Ashmont Trolley (My Ninjas, Please)

[image: a ninja awaiting the Red Line]

Welcome to Ashmont, the Southern end of Boston’s Red Line. Currently under renovations, they’re finally starting to to wrap it up and finish the project – something I hope to bring you some info on in the near future. Today, however, I’d like to focus on the ridiculousness that is the ‘high speed trolley’ that runs from Ashmont to Mattapan. Now you need to understand – I would rather not talk trash. In fact I look forward to the station itself being finished, so I can snap a few photos and give readers a general rundown of a project which I think has done a lot to revitalize the entire Ashmont / Peabody Square area. But for right now, follow me on this journey of foolishness.

For those of you who don’t know, the ‘high speed trolley’ running from Ashmont  [located in Dorchester] to Mattapan Square is an extension of the MBTA’s Red Line – which, off the top of my head, serves 7 stops [not including Ashmont itself]. The trolley is quite popular, as it connects both Mattapan and Milton [a suburb to Boston’s South] with the Red Line – the train downtown is always busy in the mornings & evenings with additional commuters from the trolley. So when Ashmont was slated for renovations & redevelopment, the trolley line was included in these plans – and was actually the first thing to get a makeover. The stops were cleaned-up, some ‘antique’ trolleys were brought back into service, and the trolley stop and turnaround at Ashmont were completely redesigned and rebuilt. Everything looked fine [not great, but fine], and things seemed to be moving along at a pace that we’ve all come to expect with a government project.

And then the noise started.

[image: the T wasting my money]

Yeah, I’m talking literal ‘noise’ – as in ear splitting shrieks of pain coming from the tracks. Loud enough to be kind of physically uncomfortable when you’re on the trolley. Loud enough that I can here the trolley from my apartment – which is something like 1/3 of a mile away – but not the train [I mean, I can hear both at times – but mostly I here the shrill echo of the trolley]. The noise had been measured at over 110 decibels at the station, and over 100 decibels at nearby homes.

The problem? The track at the turnaround [seen above] has a diameter that is too tight – trolley is at an awkward angle while going around, causing more friction between wheel and track, blah blah blah – super loud noise ensues. Did someone let the intern design this portion of the track? What the hell happened here?

Well obviously whoever is responsible is in the wind – since in the Bean you can literally build something that kills someone and skate. As blaming someone won’t help anyway, a solution is worked out – after two different systems involving automated greasing of some sort fail, the T falls back on insulated blankets and sprinklers that keep the tracks/wheels wet. SPRINKLERS AND BLANKETS. This is a project coming in just under $50 million dollars [maybe more?], and the solution is the aesthetically-depressing / intelligence-insulting blanket-covered water-drenched fence seen above.

My ninjas, please.

Seriously, I don’t even have a point that I’m moving towards here – I just want everyone reading AMNP to know about the ridiculousness going on in Dorchester, and to understand what kind of crap karma you generate when your design isn’t up to snuff. Imagine owning a home where every 15 minutes or so all day long you have to deal with 110+ decibels of fingernails on a chalkboard – all because someone either cut corners or had their trig confused.

Consider this when discussing fast-tracked infrastructure projects to boost the economy. Not because we shouldn’t support them, but because they need to be watched carefully.

My favorite part of this story? A State Senator suggested we put in a Disney-style monorail a ‘middle ground’ type solution. A FECKIN’ MONORAIL!

::note: I promise that I have a cheery, positive post on Ashmont’s redevelopment as a whole in the works – I’m just waiting for them to complete the finish work::

Posted: August 2nd, 2010
at 11:09pm by orangemenace

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Categories: architecture,my ninja, please,transit,design,criticism

Comments: 2 comments


reNEWable Times Square

To all our NYC ninjas:

As we’ve all heard, its been decided that the areas on Broadway from 47th to 42nd that were made pedestrian plazas will be permanently converted from streets to public space. While plans are being made for how this should be done, the city is looking for local artists/architects/designers/whoever to submit proposals for temporary surface treatments for all 5 plazas and ancillary spaces.

The final selected design shall be translated into a surface treatment by a contractor selected by the New York City Department of Transportation. The selected artist shall be awarded a design fee in the amount of $15,000 to be funded by the Mayor’s Fund.

The design is expected to be installed by mid-July. The temporary treatment will remain in place for approximately eight months and will be monitored and maintained by the Times Square Alliance. The deadline to submit proposals is Friday, April 16, 2010. Questions and answers will be posted to www.nyc.gov/dot. Details on how to submit questions are contained in the RFP.

The design competition is project of New York DOT in partnership with the Times Square Alliance.  As Business Improvement District for Times Square and Broadway Theater District, the Alliance has conducted a number of studies regarding the pedestrian spaces of Times Square and produces public art projects and events.  Information on these activities is available at www.TimesSquareNYC.org.

Good luck people – AMNP will post the winners when they’re announced.

.:reNEWable Times Square->

Posted: March 10th, 2010
at 5:00am by orangemenace

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Categories: architecture,urban/master planning,installation,competitions,design

Comments: 1 comment


Customizing the Eames Chair

I have to say, I think this beats the Eames molded plastic rocker that I have in bright red. Drawn by hand, the custom designs for the chairs are done by NY illustrator Mike Perry – and are pretty feckin’ dope.

.:first seen over at Design Milk->

Posted: March 4th, 2010
at 11:20pm by orangemenace

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Categories: furniture,illustration,design

Comments: 3 comments


Kazuhiro Yamanaka: Sleepy Lagoon Table

Sleepy lagoon 10

A piece by Japanese designer Kazuhiro Yamanaka, the Sleepy Lagoon table provides an elegant storage solution by cantilevering the table-top on one side, revealing a colorful shelf.

And, it’s pretty ridiculously DOPE.

kazuhiro1

Sleepy Lagoon(desk)
Year of Design: 2009
Design: Kazuhiro Yamanaka
Dimensions: 860x1600x750mm
Material: Corian(R), Rimex Ti Gold (Sputtered Stainless Steel), Steel (Matt grey powder Coated)

The flowing breeze slides down the surface of the water passing soundlessly.
If we open our minds to the endless surface of the water, which reflects the sky of daybreak, we may receive a message from nature telling us the constant activity of the universe,
The sleepy lagoon is designed to visualise the concept.
The area between the desk top and the curve can be utilised as a space for putting books, news papers, or clothes. A gentle curve is carefully chosen to be harmonized with breeze in the space or even music around the space.

kazuhiro3

kazuhiro4

This ninja right here would LOVE one of these – I mean, look how sexy this thing is! So just in case you’re looking to hook a ninja architecture blogger with some x-mas lovin’, think of this table.

.:Kazuhiro Yamanaka->

Posted: November 13th, 2009
at 1:57pm by orangemenace

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Categories: furniture,design

Comments: 3 comments


Architectural Fantasies, 1925-1933

Iakov_Chernikhov-1

Check out this collection of futuristic architectural visions by architect / artist Iakov Chernikhov. It’s always been really interesting to me that ‘futuristic’ architecture in the early 20th century was so focused on this idea of bridges between towers – especially since it’s something that we don’t really do that much, and still see [it seems] as progressive.

Anyways, Chernikhov’s images are DOPE. Enjoy.

Iakov_Chernikhov-2

.:more via->ICIF [Iakov Chernikhov International Foundation]

Posted: November 6th, 2009
at 12:36pm by orangemenace

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Categories: architecture,illustration

Comments: 1 comment


AJ Top Five: Comic Book Cities

[vimeo width=”492″ height=”277″]http://vimeo.com/7218371[/vimeo]

I linked to this great list compiled by the Architects’ Journal of the 10 best comic book cities a while back, but I just came across this video [I think it’s new?] and thought it was worth mentioning a second time – if only so people will check out some of these comics.

Posted: November 2nd, 2009
at 8:08am by orangemenace

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Categories: architecture,urban/master planning,towering pagodas,videos,graphic design,illustration

Comments: 3 comments


Ted Talks: Architecture that repairs itself?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAMrtHC2Ev0[/youtube]

Rachel Armstrong: Architecture that repairs itself?

Venice, Italy is sinking. To save it, Rachel Armstrong says we need to outgrow architecture made of inert materials and, well, make architecture that grows itself. She proposes a not-quite-alive material that does its own repairs and sequesters carbon, too.

Rachel Armstrong is a medical doctor, multi-media producer, science fiction author and arts collaborator. Her current research explores architectural design and mythologies about new technology. She is working with scientists and architects to explore cutting-edge, sustainable technologies.

Armstrong’s hope is that, in the future, cities will be able to replace the energy they draw from the environment, respond to the needs of their populations and eventually become regarded as “alive” — in the same way we think about parks or gardens. Since “metabolic materials” are made from terrestrial chemistry, they would not be exclusive to the developed world, and would have the potential to transform urban environments worldwide.

Basically, this woman is working to put us all out of work…

.:video via->TED

::Video Sundays is a weekly feature here on AMNP. For more architecture-related videos, click on any Sunday in the sidebar calendar, or on the “videos” category in the archjutsu section. And don’t hesitate to submit suggestions for video features to architecture[at]myninjaplease[dot]com::

Posted: November 1st, 2009
at 10:46am by orangemenace

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Categories: architecture,green arch,tech,videos

Comments: 2 comments