PRADE

PRADE Is Back With More Tape Creations

2006-06-13T17:33:00.000-04:00

PRADE apologizes for the lack of updates recently, but we're back with an update on a PRADE favorite - street installation artist Mark Jenkins.

Mark's latest work Embeds is another variation on his series of works based on human forms made from clear tape. This time Mark opts for a more severe approach that seems to speak to the aggression and violence of urban life. It is a thematic departure from the hopeful innocence of the infants from the Storker project, but no less engaging.

Needless to say, the works are inspiring a plethora of double takes from passers-by.

I'm a huge fan of Mark's work, and it is fantastic to experience an artist while he is producing such inventive and original work.

As always, check in on Mark's website for updates on all his projects.

Two For Tuesday

2006-05-07T12:37:00.000-04:00

This Tuesday, two fantastic albums drop on the same day. While the styles vary between the two, they are both solid releases from proven innovators in the music world.

First up is the much discussed release from Cee-Lo and DJ Danger Mouse, collectively known as Gnarls Barkley. Really, this purchase is a no brainer. While Crazy has the potential to become the overplayed hit of the summer, there are plenty of other great tracks on the album that you can put on your own permanent rotation. Smiley Faces alone is worth the price of the CD in my opinion. But on top of the few slammers, you also get some noteworthy hip hop innovation from both members of the tag team.

Cee-Lo claims he doesn't "sing" but he can "sang" and I have to agree. His voice is just melodic, and his vocal delivery spans the gammit on this album. I have been a huge fan of both of Cee Lo's solo albums, and Gnarls Barkley really showcases his abilities as a songwriter more than just an MC (love him or hate him for it, but he penned the Pussy Cat Dolls' hit "Don't Cha"). But don't get it twisted, the rotund one can still spit fire, so be on the lookout for the Goodie Mob reunion album later this year.

Meanwhile, Danger Mouse continues to evolve, not falling into any one signature style despite the successes of The Grey Album, his work on the recent Gorillaz album, or his critically acclaimed effort on the DangerDoom album. While many producers wait for success and then become nothing but beat factories churning out versions of the same style, Danger Mouse claims he is constantly learning and improving. Word from Gnarls Barkley's recent 14-piece ensemble, Wizard of Oz-themed Coachella performance also indicates that their innovation will carry over to their live performances as well.

The album is called St. Elsewhere and is in stores on Tuesday.

Also hitting shelves on Tuesday is the new double album from PRADE's favorite rock band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, called Stadium Arcadium. I listened to the album while it was streaming on VH1 last week, and it is another in a long line of fantastic RHCP releases. While some fans chide the Peppers for straying from their early punk/rap/rock style, I enjoy the fact that each of their albums has its own unique sound, while still retaining elements of the band's signature style. This release is no different - with some tracks continuing the sound explored in 2001's By The Way, but others pushing new funk-rock boundaries and giving guitarist John Frusciante room to flex his musical inventiveness.

The Peppers will also be touring to promote the new album, so look for them at a Stadium near you shortly.

Scion Dashboard: San Francisco

2006-05-02T13:25:00.000-04:00

Scion recently opened set up shop on Hayes St in San Francisco, opening up a gallery space for one month that will have weekly showcases of some of the most promising emerging artists.

There is a Saturday opening night event every week, and I went last Saturday to drink Heineken and wax intellectual with the hipsters and indie rockers. Apparently, you really shouldn't come in unless you have tattoos, cool sneakers, and some type of hat. I squeaked in because I went with two girls, and combined the three of us met all of the prerequisites (because you know my sneaker game is tight).

Below is by far the coolest piece I saw at the show - and to be honest, one of the most disturbingly original pieces I've seen. The artist's name is Michael Hussar.

All in all, it was a great event - good music, free beer, and plenty of people watching to undertake. While Scion is obviously trying hard to associate their brand with the cutting edge of the art world, I think they tastefully reserved their marketing efforts and let the art take the main stage.

Tons more info here and here.

There are two more opening night events left, so if you are in the area, definitely try to make it out ot Hayes St. Although, I suggest making sure to come correct with your tats, hats, and kicks.

Architecture on Film: Sketches of Frank Gehry

2006-04-19T18:19:00.000-04:00

Frank Gehry is one of a handful of contemporary architects whose work has transcended his field and permeated popular culture. Even those that might not recognize his name will likely have read about his work or even seen it in person. His use of dramatic curved surfaces and shiny metal exterior skins are trademarks of Gehry's style that every novice could point out.

So, it was particularly exciting for me to learn that an architect of Gehry's fame and prominence was going to give the public a window into his creative process. In a new documentary directed by Sydney Pollack entitled Sketches of Frank Gehry, viewers get a glimpse of a renowned architect at work. For instance, many viewers might be surprised to learn that Gehry's geometric complexity evolves initially from a messy doodled drawing not a hi-tech 3-D model, as Gehry is not very computer literate.

I'm sure an architect on Gehry's scale is a skilled bullshit artist - at that level, you have to talk the talk about your "creations" if you want others to buy into the hype and pay you untold millions for your name brand. What surprised me, however, was that this documentary appears to be extremely candid in its portrayal of Gehry (at least, if the trailer is any indication). Pollack is a personal friend of Gehry, and, while I doubt there would be anything too scathing included in the film, it appears Pollack's access to Gehry allows for a much more intimate portrait of him than would otherwise be possible. And it seems that Gehry is enough of a character to make that portrait extremely interesting.

Check out the trailer here. I know this film is now high on my "must see" list.

My Kingdom For A Paperclip

2006-04-17T12:44:00.000-04:00

Would you be able to find someone to trade you a house for a red paperclip? Sounds highly unlikely, but that is just what Kyle MacDonald is attempting to do. Kyle started with one paperclip and is making a series of trades in the hopes of eventually receiving a house in return. He is documenting all his transactions on his blog, One Red Paperclip.

While Kyle obviously doesn't have a career in web design (the site is SLOW), his ingenuity and sales skills are already paying off. Through a series of trades, Kyle is already up to a rental apartment for a full year in Phoenix (which he got by swapping a recording contract, which he obtained in exchange for a moving truck, etc.) His story has been covered on Good Morning America, and in a host of newspapers, and I'm sure that house is just around the corner.

If the story interests you, definitely keep an eye on Kyle's website. That is where he lists all the competing offers he has on the table for any given item. So far for the Phoenix apartment he has offers for a 24 hour lapdance, a low rider, and a summer rental in Hollywood complete with a Porsche.

I'm still amazed he found anyone willing to trade anything for a red paperclip, but it seems like the biggest jump was when someone traded him a snowmobile for a keg of beer and a Budweiser sign. That is a significant change in value in my eyes.

To me the most genius aspect of the project is that it correctly predicts that people are willing to sacrifice material goods to be a part of something bigger than themselves. That, and the fact that Kyle is getting a once in a lifetime experience for free, and will be a homeowner long before me!

Via ARRT.

Small Is The New Big

2006-04-12T12:39:00.000-04:00

Two interesting media explorations into efficient modern living in cramped quarters.

The first comes from Apartment Therapy's Second Annual Smallest, Coolest Apartment Contest. What I enjoy about this resource is the variety of design ideas and styles exhibited by the entries, and the fact that many of the ideas are actually within reach of the average design fan. Not everyone can afford $4,000 Knoll couches, Sub Zero fridges and Ligne Roset storage units. There are a number of entries that show creativity in both their materials and their budgets that is inspiring for amateur design enthusiasts. Of course, there are also some drool worthy entries thrown in for good measure. Gideon and Tracy's Pocket Knife gets my vote as the most inventive, as they have an entire wall that pivots to alternately open up the living space or provide privacy for the bedroom. However, my favorite is probably Jane and Darko's Cozy Thicket - it is one of the few entries that looks lived in. The bold use of color and graphics are fun and interesting, and it has just the right amount of "modern" for my taste. James and Margaret's Iconic Studio should also get a shout out for best transformation - they transformed a confining floorplan into a comfortable living space.

Winners are annoucned on April 20th, but, for me, the contest is more about just perusing the entries.

A shot of one of the entires, James and Margaret's Iconic Studio

And secondly, this month's issue of Dwell features several interesteing homes, all under 1700 Sq. Ft. While that is about double the size of my apartment, it is reasonably small compared to the expansive homes normally featured in the magazines. I really enjoyed the ingenuity of the Puzzle Loft and the natural emphasis of the Kozely/Farmer Residence in Venice, CA. (The latter of which was featured in this year's CA Boom Home Tours program)

Is the Super-Size mentality of America changing? Unlikely. However, it is nice to hear about some designs that factor in efficiency as a desirable characteristic.

Photo of the wet room shower in the Kozely/Farmer Residence, via Land + Living.

Believe It

2006-04-07T19:26:00.000-04:00

Hoyas the Team to Beat in '07

"They easily play the smartest basketball of all the major schools, and he’s the best coach of a major school. They can play a Princeton (slowdown) style with athletes. That’s a rare combination."

Word.

PRADE Weekly Update 4.3.06

2006-04-02T16:17:00.000-04:00

Surprisingly, I think more people visit PRADE on the days when there are no updates. But in order to test this theory, here's what is catching my eye from around the "interweb." Feel free to shout out your responses in the comments.

Skylines Beginning with 'S' Diserio.com posted its list of the 15 Best Skylines in the World. I can't say I agree with all the placements, but it is a fairly diverse list in terms of Western and Eastern cities. And all the pictures of the skylines are pretty spectacular. Although San Francisco is glaringly absent, Singapore, Sydney and Shanghai are probably my favorites on the list. I had never seen a picture of Shenzhen before, but the colorful lights definitely make for a unique skyline (pictured below).

Photorealisim A Daily Dose has a great feature on a series of photographs by Chris Jordan entitled "In Katrina's Wake: Portraits of Loss from an Unnatural Disaster." The photos don't seem exploitive at all, but rather seek to unearth personal and intimate images set against the bleak backdrop of the destruction of the storm. One of my favorites appears below

Baptist church, Ninth Ward neighborhood

de Youngian
Tropolism shares its take on San Francisco's de Young museum (which I am embarrassed to say that I've only toured from the outside).

Drops of Jupiter
Pruned gives us a new way to look at the heavenly body courtesy of recent images from the Cassini spacecraft.

Snootchie Bootchies
A humorous yet intimate story of drug addiction courtesy of director Kevin Smith, aka Silent Bob. Smith relates the history of his buddy Jason Mewes' battle with addiction in the frank, conversational style he is known for - a great read. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4 still yet to come.

Fishscales on The Corner
Two tidbits from the music world. XXL's Elliott Wilson has a great column on all the samples featured on Ghostface's new album, Fishscale. Sampling has a long history in hip hop, and the unwritten rule is that you don't blow up someone's spot by pointing out where they dug out a hot sample from. However, Wilson points out only the samples that have been officially cleared by the label.

And if you dig music, be sure to check out the new blog from Thomas the Intergalactic Soul Child called The Corner. You can read about the first ever performance of Funk Sway (a supergroup featuring Erykah Badu, Questlove and Jazzy Jeff) or explore his feature on Taiwo Duvall - one of the most prominent figures in the history of African Drumming in the U.S.

It's Coming And It's Gnarley

2006-03-22T23:05:00.000-05:00

Clinton Jacks works as a cook in a Waffle House restaurant near the South Carolina coast. “One night back in the year 2000,” he recollects, “I saw Danger Mouse come in here. Cee-Lo was with him. And they had this other dude with them, dressed up like H.R. Pufnstuf. Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo ate big meals, but H.R. Pufnstuf only wanted hash browns. Then they left, Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo, but H.R. Pufnstuf stayed around for hours. He must’ve had twenty cups of coffee. I went in the bathroom, and when I came out, he was gone. But he left a $500 tip on the table. And he left a little note that said,‘Compliments to the chef. Gnarls Barkley.’”

Working for a Living . . .

2006-03-17T01:14:00.000-05:00

PRADE was launched over a year ago as a way to gather the design items I found interesting and comment on them when I had anything remotely intelligent or insightful to say about them. It was my first venture into the blog world, and overall I think it has been successful. PRADE has received visitors from around the world (even if some of them got here by misspelling some illicit search terms), and I've been fortunate to trade words and ideas with some of the best in the business.

Unfortunately, the vacation is over. I just started a new position that is going to take up a considerable amount of my waking hours, and the nature of the work eliminates blogging on the job as an option.

So PRADE is changing formats, and will instead become a weekly blog (or semi-weekly). I'll do my best to keep the content interesting, fresh, and relevant even though it won't be published as frequently. I hope you'll stick with PRADE, and drop in from time to time to see what has caught this untrained but discriminating design eye.

-P

Project Bamboo

2006-03-07T13:09:00.000-05:00

Kengo Kuma's 2002 Great (Bamboo) Wall house was part of an effort to construct a series of houses by Asian architects along the Great Wall of China.

What immediately stands out is Kuma's fantastic use of resources to tie the house to its natural surroundings. Kuma's house is constructed of bamboo walls that allow light and air to penetrate the house's skin. Inhabitat sums up the design concept brilliantly . . .

"Kuma varied the spacing and thickness of the bamboo canes creating the walls of the house, each defining a different level of fluidity from one space to the next. Dappled light penetrates between the thin stalks, as though the house were literally built from the forests of Asia."

I love how his tribute to the Great Wall essentially aspires to make its walls transparent, in a sense reacting to the bold, divisive appearance of the Great Wall itself. And his use of bamboo both makes a statement about using natural, renewable resources and looks great amidst the surrounding forest.

This is my first exposure to Kuma's work, but after checking out his firm's site I was impressed by all of his work. His modern reinventions of traditional Japanese forms are interesting and unique, and never fail to be pleasing to the eye as well (which is not always true about most modern architecture!) I might just have to pick this up, and declare Kuma one of my new favorite architects.

Images from Materia Magazine.

Via Inhabitat.

Farewell to Flowers

2006-03-06T12:20:00.000-05:00

Manhattan's landmark flower district, located on 28th st between 7th and 6th Ave since the 1890's, is being closed down.

Businesses along the most famous row of flower shops in the world were served eviction notices last week to make way for new highrise apartment developments and a hotel. While suggestions have been put forth to jointly relocate the group of independent shops to other NY locations, no collective agreement has been reached.

So it appears that one of the most iconic and organic New York spaces will soon be no more. In lieu of sending flowers, just be sure to support the independently owned businesses we have left.

You can find more details at MUG.

Via Tropolism.

PRADE's March Magazine Rack

2006-03-02T15:18:00.000-05:00

Two new gems just dropped at the magazine stand.

First off is the premiere issues of Lemon. Full disclosure, I know one of the new magazine's editorial staff. So I also know how excited he is about this issue, so if you are out and about at Tower Records, Barnes and Noble, or Borders, I suggest picking one up. Described as "pop culture with a twist," the debut magazine includes features on Aesop Rock, Bill Murray, JT LeRoy, artist Jeff Koons, and more. Lemon is brought to you by the team behind the high-concept Gum magazine, so expect some cutting edge publication ish.

Also out now is the latest issue of Trifling Mental, the e-zine from Georgetown grads Thomas Williams and Josh Yaffa. Picture a magazine written by Handsome Boy Modeling school and you have a good idea of what TM is all about. These fellas love waxing philosophical and writing about music or brunch spots with as many Kafka references as they can. When I asked what the heat was in the new issue, I was told "the fresh new interview (and online mix) with G-Stone recording artist and superproducer, Stereotyp, and his Berlin-based crew with the
silly-hot name, Al-Haca." So peep the refined game of the Mental Masters over here.

Charles Harper

2006-02-27T17:28:00.000-05:00

In the most recent issue of Dwell, there is a profile on artist and illustrator Charles Harper. I had never seen Harper's work before, but I was instantly captivated by his colorful, 2-D, geometric wildlife drawings.

Harper became renowned for his illustrations for Ford Times magazine in the 1950's. Additionally, he has illustrated numerous biology books, including the popular The Golden Book of Biology, and his work even graced the pages of a Betty Crocker cookbook.

Equally loved for his witty and poetic captions as his unique visual style, Harper's work is what great design should aspire to be - innovative, aesthetically interesting, and grounded in substance.

You can purchase prints of Harper's work at The Frame Workshop, or pick up one of the various collections of his work in book form. Although some are out of print, a little digging at some bookstores will certainly reward you with some brilliant and unique coffee table reading material. I encourage you to head on over to this site to see (and read) more of Harper's signature, modern interpretation of our natural surroundings.

I personally love the image below, from his popular series of Serigraphs, entitled "Pelican in a Downpour." The caption accompanying the work reads . . .

If your food is all finned and your chin's double-chinned, you're a Brown Pelican, the seine with a brain. It takes some IQ to outwit a mess of menhaden or to stuff your gullet with mullet because they're always in schoool. So how come this pelican doesn't have sense enough to come in out of the rain? Well, what's a little cloudburst when you spend your life diving into the sea for sustenance. Water runs off his back so fast that take a shower a pelican't.

Image via The FrameWorkshop.

UnComfort Inn?

2006-02-24T13:58:00.000-05:00

The second half of Daily Dose's coverage of the Hotel Puerta America in Madrid is now up. As I mentioned before when covering the hallways, it is readily apparent that "comfort" was not the primary concern of the designers in crafting the interiors of the rooms on their floors. Most of these rooms strike me as severe - and not because they eschew the traditional rules of hotel design, but because they all seem to be either so drastic in their design statements that they forgot the function of a hotel room or so simplistic that they don't represent anything new or exciting.

For example, who wants to feel disoriented inside their hotel room, as seems to be the case with Plasma Studio's experiments in triangular perspective on the 4th floor? And the blinding white of the 1st, 7th and 8th floors emit a clinical aura that would make me feel ill at ease. By contrast, the use of black in several of the other rooms seems to make the rooms unnecessarily dark. Sure that is great for sleeping, but who would want to hang out in a cave of a hotel room? Isn't it possible to be innovative without resorting to extreme contrast? Can't a designer use some color in a hotel room? (without using ALL of them like Victorio and Lucchino's 5th floor).

And maybe I am being nitpicky, but there are also several floors that appear overly simplistic to me, failing to be interesting or comfortable. For example, check out the 2nd, the 3rd and the 6th floors. All of them use black and white contrast. The 2nd and 6th are both the same sleek aesthetic that you see thousands of times and never appeals to me, and the 3rd looks like a converted shower room.

Of course that's all just my opinion. My favorite room was probably Isozaki's modern take on traditional Japanese style (pictured below). I liked the use of the different textures, particularly his interpretation of the paper screen covering the window. Although the overall room seemed dark to me (there is a bright red cabinet, not pictured), it seemed to make a nice balance between making a statement and still offering a warm, comfortable room.

The same might also be said for Gluckman's room, although I keep thinking the room would be plagued by a low buzz from the fancy lights.

You can see even more pictures of each and every floor at this site. Of course, nothing compares to actually staying in the room for yourself, so if anyone is passing through Madrid soon, check out a room and let me know what you think.

Via Daily Dose

Via elmundo.es

Via elmundo.es

What Would Dan Flavin Do?

2006-02-17T16:44:00.000-05:00

In conjunction with a Dan Flavin exhibition in London called Dedications, The Hayward Gallery has created a microsite that allows you to create your own Flavin light installation.

View PRADE's effort here (also pictured above), and go create one of your own. Maybe your own fluorescent light bulbs will be hanging on the wall of an art gallery one day.

Via Cool Hunting.

Halls of Fame

2006-02-17T15:58:00.000-05:00

If you read design magazines or sites, you've likely heard of the Hotel Puerta America in Madrid. The concept of the new hotel was to have a different famous architect design each of the 12 floors, plus the lobby and roof deck. The chosen architects designed everything from the hallways to the rooms. I've seen some photos of the various floors, but hats off to Daily Dose for providing us with a complete rundown of the hallways of each floor, top to bottom.

Almost all of the hallways appear to be design statements more than attempts at aesthetically pleasing decor. While they represent a departure from traditional hotel hallways, they all make for dramatic surroundings that will surely make guests feel like they are in some form of sci-fi movie rather than a pricey hotel.

My favorite ones are below, but go on over to Daily Dose and check out all the various floors.

Victorio and Lucchino's 5th floor, Mariscal and Salas's animal print 11th floor, and Richard Gluckman's stoic 9th floor are the only ones that approach resembling traditional hotel hallways to me.

I really liked the bright white light of Ron Arad's 7th floor and its metallic, handwritten room numbers. However, I imagine I'd have a headache after 3 minutes of walking down the hallway. Which would likely also be the case for the shiny red of the 6th floor, the blue glow of the 8th floor, the reflective polygons of the 4th floor, and the white, womb-like walls of the 1st floor.

By contrast, I think you would need a flashlight to help find your rooms on 12th and 10th floor, as the hallways are bathed in black with minimal lighting (although those hallways would be a little more hangover friendly).

In fact, overall I would say most of the architects weren't too concerned with the comfort of the guests, which is even more evident when you see the designs for the guest rooms themselves. Warm is not a descriptive term that comes to mind. I'll let you know when Daily Dose does its future feature on the interior of the rooms, and we can discuss.

David Chipperfield's third floor would normally be too industrial for my tastes, but it is almost conservative in comparison to the other floors. Its sci-fi chic atmosphere is further enhanced by the high-contrast lighting scheme.

Norman Foster's second floor is similar to Arad's, but the black carpet helps mute the design slightly, and the glass walls add an interesting, almost clinical feel to the surroundings that again brings in the futuristic, dystopian element. I picture a soothing woman's voice coming over the intercom reminding the guests to "be well."

Kentucky Skyscraper

2006-02-14T15:36:00.000-05:00

The Office of Metropolitan Architecture's design for the Museum Plaza in Louisville, KY.

Never have I witnessed more attention being paid to a building going up in Kentucky.

See what all the fuss is about here, here, and here.

Life Without Buildings makes the astute observation that the design for the Museum Plaza is eerily reminiscent of a previous OMA design, while Tropolism raises the question of whether the building can overcome the inherent problems of the elevated plaza model on which the building is based. And Daily Dose recommends checking out the music video.

The design is definitely an interesting re-imagination of the classic skyscraper - with much of the building's form stemming from OMA's vision for its various functions. The result is a jumble of overlapping rectangular forms that look remarkably futuristic in their radical departure from the traditional skyscraper. Maybe it is the platform like appearance of the 61 story structure that gives it its sci-fi, dystopian aura. I also agree with Tropolism that locating the main plaza 20+ stories off the ground is going to limit the amount of foot traffic the building might have otherwise garnered.

The $305 million project is scheduled to break ground in 2007.

Cuddly Photo of the Week

2006-02-14T15:28:00.000-05:00

While the entire North East was being buried under a foot-deep, frosty blanket, the National Zoo's panda cub, Tai Shan, was enjoying his first taste of the snow.

Via the Washington Post.

Nothing design related, but sometimes we all need to stop and look at the Pandas.

Hidden City

2006-02-10T16:05:00.000-05:00

Speaking of contests, here is another one from the folks at Tropolism.

The Your Hidden City contest is looking for the best photos of the city through your eyes.

"It may be in plain sight of everyone else, but it is your eye that finds the extraordinariness in a particular street corner, a unique stair, a crazy intersection, a visually arresting approach, or a particular tree in the city . . . The entries should have one thing in common: they demonstrate, to you, the pleasure of living in the city."

You can submit the photos to Tropolism's Flickr site or email them. All photos must be accompanied by a caption explaining what the image means to you. There are five categories that the panel of blogger judges will select:

Best Hidden Place
Best Density
Best Natural/Urban Overlap
Best Unofficial Landmark
Best Building

The contest is open until March 10th. So go out and explore your cities with cameras in hand.

Weekly Drop

2006-02-10T15:38:00.000-05:00

I consider myself somewhat of an early adopter when it comes to technology and cultural trends. However, I have yet to hop on the podcast bandwagon. Until now.

I just listened to an episode of WeeklyDrop - a weekly podcast that gives listeners an inside peek at the sneaker collecting game. The hosts are true kicksologists - so keep a fresh window open to Google some of the stuff they are talking about. However, dedicated sneaker collectors and amateur enthusiast alike should all enjoy the sneaker-geek humor and exclusive info featured in each podcast. The guests are top notch names in the sneaker world, and topics cover the full spectrum from exclusive colorways and rare releases to debates about the most comfortable pairs or how to rock your laces.

Episode 6 features an interview with Retrokid about the story behind these creations.

Check out past episodes right here and sign up for updates on when the new hotness hits the podwaves.

Via Cool Hunting.

The Desert Lab

2006-02-08T14:17:00.000-05:00

Many of you may be familiar with "Sambo" Mockbee's Rural Studio, an offshoot of Auburn University's architecture program that allows students to learn through the process of actually designing and constructing low income homes in rural Alabama.

Well, a similar design/build laboratory framework has been established by Mary Hardin at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Her and her students are exploring alternative construction methods (rammed earth, paper bale, straw bale) in order to develop affordable housing options for local communities.

The program grew out of an initial project to construct a new classroom facility for the University's Athletics and Recreation Department. Since that time, students have already built multiple structures with methods they developed and tested themselves, including the Habitat for Humanity Straw Bale House pictured below.

Habitat for Humanity Straw Bale Residence (model and interior).

Prof. Hardin has also used the rammed earth techniques explored in the program to design a project with the Dean of the College of Architecture, Richard Eribes. The result is a striking and energy efficient design that blends perfectly with its desert surroundings.

The Elser House was constructed using rammed earth techniques.

The design/build method employed by both Auburn and the University of Arizona present exciting possibilities for moving architecture schools away from merely theoretical exercises and toward more practical experiences and applications. The socially responsible focus of both these programs is also refreshing, as the emphasis on bringing good design to affordable housing is long overdue

Via Land+Living.

Calling All Responsible Treehuggers

2006-02-08T13:58:00.000-05:00

Treehugger is hosting a "Waste of Packaging" contest. The rules are simple - take a picture of anything that you believe is overpackaged and unnecessarily environmentally cruel. Then explain what you would do to make the packing more eco-kind. Winner receives a $250 gift certificate to re:modern.

Email the picture, description, and solution to: contest [at] treehugger [dot] com. The deadline is February 20th, so keep your eyes peeled for particularly preposterous packaging.

Blinded By The Light

2006-02-07T17:43:00.000-05:00

BLDGBLOG's Geoff Manaugh has written a thought provoking piece for Inhabitat about light pollution.

Light pollution seems a particularly interesting topic to me because it is one example of the impact of modern living on the environment that is completely reversible with just the flick of a switch. San Francisco appears to be a relatively low light polluting city, as the starry sky is readily visible from the park right outside my front door. However, I remember DC being a particularly bright city and was always struck by how few stars were visible, even from the rooftops of DC buildings.

The article touches on several effects of man-made illumination, and some efforts by concerned star watchers to stem the "light trespass" of cities and towns. I found this passage particularly interesting:

"The blazing horror of unnecessary self-illumination practiced by gas stations, shopping malls, casinos, cinemas, etc., has been shown to interfere with the bio-rhythmic cycles of local and migratory species (humans included). For instance, in areas aglow with light pollution, "birds [chirp] throughout the night, in anticipation of a dawn that will not arrive." Dung beetles wander in circles. Glowworms lose their ability to mate. Grown men watch television for hours at a time."

Who would have known that flood lighting could destroy the sex life of glowworms?

It is always interesting to think of the unintended and unforeseen impact we have on our surroundings, and light proves to be a particularly compelling example. Its impact becomes almost ironically invisible to us because it dissolves into a sort of visual background noise of living. Geoff gives some great examples of artists who are trying to make that impact visible again in order to raise some of these very issues.

Head on over and read the article, and then maybe you will see your neighborhood surroundings in a new light.

PRADE Tales from the Road: Groom Cross

2006-02-06T18:53:00.000-05:00

I want to say a big welcome to the readers coming over to PRADE from your favorite architecture blog and mine, A Daily Dose.

As most of you newcomers probably don't know, PRADE recently relocated to San Fran from Washington DC. But PRADE didn't just hop on a plane or rent a Uhaul - PRADE went cross country in style. I've only posted a few things from the trip so far, so I'm starting a new feature called Tales from the Road - little tidbits about my experience Cadillac-ing my way across the US of A.

First up - the largest cross in the Western Hemisphere. Any guesses where it is located? That's right, Texas - God's chosen state.

If you look close, you can see ant-size cars at the base of the cross. Compensating for a lack of faith?

Situated only a shotgun blast's distance off of I-40 in Groom, Texas, just a few hundred yards past the Leaning Water Tower (I shit you not, that really counts as an attraction in Texas), the 190 foot high cross is visible from miles around. I didn't stop at the cross, but that appears to be my loss, as the base of the cross features a veritable theme park of Jesus attractions.

If you are ever driving on I-40 through Texas (and hopefully you have a destination that doesn't lie within Texas) I definitely recommend sticking your camera out the window and taking a picture of the humongous white cross as you zoom by as fast as possible. You can't miss it - it is the huge f*&%ing cross surrounded by hundreds of miles of flat nothingness.

PRADE's Valentine's Day Advice: Dinner With A View

2006-02-06T17:46:00.000-05:00

In honor of next week's overcommercialized yet mandatory occasion for spoiling your loved one, PRADE offers a foolproof plan for impressing your special someone. Take them for a drive along the coast of California to a memorable spot tucked away in the heart of Big Sur called Nepenthe.

Perched on a hilltop in Big Sur, high above the crashing surf of the Pacific ocean is Nepenthe, a restaurant that is as breathtaking as it is romantic, and as historically compelling as it is warm and inviting.

Interior of Nepenthe (image via JRabold.net)

Nepenthe has been serving delicious dinner with a view for over 50 years. The property was purchased in 1947 from Hollywood legends Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth, who originally bought the property as a romantic getaway but never spent a single night there. The vision of the new owners, Bill and Lolly Fassett, was to transform the site into a unique, open air venue for dining and dancing under the stars. Taking cues from Frank Lloyd Wright's popular style, the pavilion-shaped restaurant was erected from local redwoods and handmade adobe bricks. However, the most important feature of the building was not what lay within the walls, but what surrounded Nepenthe from without . . . a sweeping panoramic view of the Pacific coast surrounded by Big Sur's towering forests and crisp sea air.

And Nepenthe knows how to make the most of the views, with the majority of the dining space located on wooden decks that skirt the exterior of the building and face the never-ending blue of the Pacific ocean. It also features a large, outdoor fire pit surrounded by comfortable cushions from which to soak up the expansive night sky.

View from the exterior deck.

The restaurant has attracted a variety of visitors, from writers and artists to Hollywood types. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton danced on the open air stone patio in their 1963 film The Sandpiper, and writer Henry Miller was known to take a ping pong lashing from owner Bill Fassett. But in the case of Nepenthe, it isn't the big names or the storied history that are the draw, it is the instant atmosphere created by watching a Californian sunset while perched high among the trees, with the sound of the waves below and a cozy fire to keep you warm.

Filming The Sandpiper in 1963.

Nepenthe is located along Highway 1, a half hour drive south of Monterey. You can check out the view from the deck at all times with Nepethe's webcam, and find dining information on their site.

PRADE's Valentine's Advice: If dinner at Nepenthe doesn't impress your loved one . . . nothing will. Dump 'em and move on.

Photo-unrealism

2006-01-30T16:20:00.000-05:00

Every once and a while you come across a concept so dense that it makes your brain hurt. This is just the sensation caused by trying to delve into the meaning of Olivo Barbieri's aerial photography.

His photos intentionally distort and blur famous buildings and landscapes to make them appear like an artificial model. In other words, he makes pseudo-simulacra - images that appear to be representations of artificial copies but are in fact representations of reality. In a sense, he is intentionally disguising the representational relationship of his work to the "original" - in this case the building or area he is photographing. It is all very "meta" and could have you discussing the various layers of meaning for hours.

But his work is also just fun to look at, as you can't believe that the subjects of his photos aren't actually balsa wood models. Check out some reality bending examples of Barbieri's work here. A few of my favorites are below.

Via Metropolis.

The Coliseum, Rome

Santa Monica Pier, CA

Wrigley Field Renovation

2006-01-30T15:36:00.000-05:00

Daily Dose has some photos of the bleacher renovation taking place at Wrigley Field. The stadium is adding seats to the upper portion of the bleachers and creating a cantilevered walkway around the exterior. The bleacher overhaul is part of a larger renovation plan that includes adding a restaurant and additional retail and parking space to the stadium.

A seemingly very intentional side effect of the new bleacher design is that the added seating will likely obstruct the view of some of the famous rooftops that overlook Wrigley field. While this seems like a slight to the lucky Cubs fans who like to take in the game from their dramatic viewpoints, Dose explains that many of those rooftops are actually owned by businesses that charge people to rent the space on gamedays.

Apparently the matter was a heated debate in Chicago, which probably only matters to the downtrodden but dedicated portion of the population that confess to being Cubs fans.

PRADE Snapshot: The de Young

2006-01-27T16:08:00.000-05:00

PRADE got its first up-close look at San Francisco's new de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park from the Swiss architect team of Herzog & de Meuron.

Unfortunately, museums aren't free in San Fran like they are in DC, so I didn't get a chance to pop in to take a look around the interior. But here are a few snapshots of the much discussed rust -colored exterior skin.

A full review of the building to come soon when I have more time to explore.

Access to Architecture

2006-01-27T15:00:00.000-05:00

Tropolism tipped me off to a great FREE architectural resource site called Galinsky. The site offers photos, descriptions, and visitor information about some of the worlds most renowned modern buildings.

Amateur enthusiasts submit the content for each building, including the photos. You can search by architect or region, and even download Travel Packs for certain cities to help you explore rich architectural destinations. With 200 buildings and counting, Galinsky offers an unpretentious and accessible way to learn more about the great buildings of the world.

If you want to submit to the site, you can find more information here. There are still countless buildings to cover, so grab a camera and get started now.

A photo from the Galinsky entry for the Portcullis House in London.

Lego My Lego

2006-01-24T13:58:00.000-05:00

The newest issue of Wired features everyone's favorite plastic toy on the cover.

The story is all about how Lego turned to some uber-geeky Lego fans for advice on their new line of programmable robotics toys. And get this, they paid them in Legos.

PRADE was already eyeing a resurgence of the Lego brand back in August, and it seems like the company continues to think of new ways to refresh its products and image.

Meter Pops

2006-01-23T13:48:00.000-05:00

PRADE has long been a fan of the creative work of DC-based artist Mark Jennings. And the mind behind the Storker campaign is at it again.

His latest work includes this bright display on the streets of DC known as Meter Pops. Jennings uses colored tape to transform parking meters into Willy Wonka-like creations.

You can check out all his latest work on his site. The pieces all show a sense of humor and level of innovation that is truly refreshing. A few of my favorites are shown below.

Via Josh Spear.

Taint That Funny

2006-01-20T20:43:00.000-05:00

Hilarious clip from the Daily Show, available to watch on Crooks and Liars. I love that this is the same show that gets Senators and even Presidents as guests. Taint life grand?

Via AART.

Another Day, Another Museum

2006-01-19T14:15:00.000-05:00

Today's NY Times reviews the latest addition to the Manhattan art scene, the new home of the New Museum of Contemporary Art designed by the Tokyo architecture firm Sanaa.

An image of the aluminum-clad building in its new LES location.

The critic, Nicolai Ouroussoff, does a great job of explaining how the design itself speaks volumes about the attitude of the New Museum towards the direction of contemporary art. For example, the entire street level facade will be transparent, inviting passers by to engage in the cultural dialogue that the art presents. Even the loading dock will be visible from the street, demystifying the process of transporting and installing new art.

But what most impressed me was how the shape of the mismatched volumes of each level allows for natural skylights on every floor - introducing an ever shifting blend of natural and artificial light to every gallery space.

The project is scheduled for completion in 2007.

Watercube

2006-01-17T17:09:00.000-05:00

The swimming events for the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be housed in one of the oddest Olympic venues I've ever seen . . . the Watercube.

Image via Strucurae.

Australian PTW Architects were selected to build the National Swimming Center for their unusual design that features a structure composed of bubble-shaped cells that indicate the aquatic nature of the building. The semi-translucent panels appear to give off a blue glow when the building is illuminated.

This will definitely be an interesting addition to the Olympic competition, and might actually get me tuning into the swimming events this time around just to see their whimsical surroundings.

You can find a ton of pictures related to the Watercube here.

Image via PTW Architects.

A close-up of one of the bubble-shaped panels. Image via Strucurae.

Light Bloch

2006-01-17T16:35:00.000-05:00

I'm a little late to the game with images of Steven Holl's new expansion for the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, known as the Bloch Building.

Early images show that the new wing is significantly more dull during the day than at night, when it exudes a striking, luminous glow similar to Holl's design for the Higgins Hall Center Section at the Pratt Institute. In fact, the exterior cladding makes it look somewhat trailer-like in the light of day. The interior light also appears to have a somewhat muted intensity during the day, which is unfortunate because I love the idea of a museum that allows light to permeate its own skin. I don't foresee a trip to Kansas City in my future, but I look forward to photos of the completed project.

Photos via Daily Dose.

Bloch exterior at night is a brilliant light box.

Is that a moving POD outside the museum, or the new extension?

The muted glow of the interior during the day.

Heyri Art Valley

2006-01-16T16:22:00.000-05:00

Subtopia has a thought-provoking entry on possible future uses for the expansive area along the border between North and South Korea known as the DMZ.

Years of military stand off between the two countries has inadvertently created one of the most serene and well protected nature preserves in Asia. As a peaceful resolution to the Korean conflict becomes more realistic, people from all sides are speculating about how the DMZ might be utilized in the future.

One possible model has already been offered by the Heyri Art Village in Paju, along the southern border of the DMZ. A community of artists, writers, architects and musicians, Heyri's goal is to foster a cultural community in which residents collaborate to create their own environment for producing and exhibiting their artwork. The community of several hundred artists will eventually feature museums, galleries, theaters, bookstores, and workshops. Each home will also be a place of cultural exchange of some form, with the goal that the entire community will contribute to and participate in the cultural dialogue.

Presently, Heyri already has over 370 citizens and is continuing to grow. But this isn't your 1960's hippie collective - the buildings are explicitly modern in their design, the community will be wired throughout for high speed data, and the master plan includes the latest in ecodesign techniques to conserve the surrounding environment. The community also does not hide its commercial interests, as all of Heyri's artists are able to make their work available for sale to visitors.

Whether Heyri will succeed in creating a cultural capital from the ground up remains to be seen. However, it certainly demonstrates the potential for North and South Korea to attempt visionary, daring new projects along this political frontier.

An outdoor performance at Heyri

An example of one of the live/work artist spaces.

The Hanhyanglim Gallery serves as gallery space, an art shop, and a cafe.

The Seed 2.0

2006-01-12T17:06:00.000-05:00

Plans are underway to build an impenetrable fortress in the Norwegian Arctic to safeguard our agricultural future. The doomsday seed bank will hold 2 million seeds of all of the world's known varieties of crops behind meter thick concrete walls, two air locks and blast proof doors built into a froze sandstone mountain.

The Fort Knox of the plant world is a UN approved plan for safeguarding the genetic results of 10,000 years of human agriculture. Apparently the idea has been around since the 1980's, but recent global events (threat of nuclear war, global warming, etc.) have prompted the need for a more secure seed depository then the ones already in existence. Those supporting the plan believe that the Green Thumb Fortress would essentially "last forever." And all for the relatively bargain price of $3 million. For those of you keeping tabs . . .

Protecting every crop species known to man for eternity= $3,000,000
Cost of the war in Iraq= $2,600,000,000,000
Realizing humans are not an intelligent lifeform = priceless

Read more about this story here.

Better Than Whole Foods

2006-01-11T16:34:00.000-05:00

Daily Dose has an interesting post about the redevelopment of a food market in Barcelona. The new Mercat de Santa Caterina features a vibrantly tiled, undulating roof that looks just as striking from the inside as from the top in my opinion.

I love the way the support for the roof is clearly visible from both above and below. Apparently, the project also included two underground levels for loading/unloading, parking, and waste - making the project's penetrate the site in the same way that the roof's metal structural supports pierce through the roof itself.

Image via Archiseek.

Barcelona is probably my favorite city in the Western world, and it seems like this market fits right in with Barcelona's renowned whimsical style. Not surprising since the design is from Barcelona's own EMBT.

Bong Vodka

2006-01-11T16:13:00.000-05:00

I recently sampled a new spirit on the market called Bong Vodka. If the name isn't eye catching enough for you, then the bottle surely will be. Shaped like a popular glass smoking device (for tobacco only), the bottle is an attractive addition to anyone's liquor cabinet.

Conceived as an exercise in branding as much as a new spirit launch, Bong Spirit brand vodka uses the iconic shape of the bottle as a symbol of this vodka's Dutch origins. The taste is surprisingly smooth, and will not give you the munchies or induce any coughing.

But let's be honest, anyone that buys this is purely in it for the bottle. I'm sure the MacGyver smokers of the world will even find a way to modify it for alternative purposes once they've emptied it making delicious Hemp-tinis.

Louvre-ly

2005-12-19T02:40:00.000-05:00

Daily Dose recently posted some images of Zaha Hadid's proposed design for a new expansion within the Visconti courtyard at the Louvre that will house its Department of Islamic Art.

The design is certainly a radical departure from the surrounding architecture, even more so then the iconic glass pyramid must have been when it was proposed. However, I dig it, and even find the gold embellishments of the skin panels somewhat "French" (like a modern Fleur-de-lis). As Daily Dose points out, there is also something Escher-like to the fluid yet geometric form of the building.

More images of Hadid's design are available here. Although her entry was not selected for the new wing, it is an interesting "what might have been."

The winning design by Bellini and Ricciotti that was selected is far less interesting in my opinion. In related news, a Saudi prince has already pledged $20 million towards the construction of the new wing, which is slated to open in 2009. It will be interesting to see how much fanfare the wing's opening will be greeted with in light of the recent racial and religious tensions that have surfaced in France.

The winning design houses the wing underneath an undulating wave-like form.

New PRADE Header

2005-12-16T04:08:00.000-05:00

I thought our new SF digs merited a change of scenery here at PRADE.

Reactions? Comments?

Clinton Presidential Library

2005-12-16T02:51:00.000-05:00

While passing through Arkansas on my cross country road trip, I stopped by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock.

Located on the Arkansas River waterfront adjacent to downtown Little Rock, the building is superbly situated to capture sweeping views of the city while maintaining an unobtrusive presence along the river. NY based architecture firm Polshek Partnership also designed the campus to maximize public space, even preserving a historic railroad bridge that harks back to the site's previous incarnation as an industrial warehouse district. The cantilevered Library building itself references the nearby bridge, although some cynics claim the building owes its design more to the familiar shape of a double wide trailer. (The bridge motif is also said to extend to Clinton's familiar slogan of "building a bridge to the 21st century")

We arrived only an hour before the museum closed, giving us little time to sweep through the vast presidential collections. However, we did manage to catch the Arkansas sunset, that bathed the striking building in a warm pink and orange glow. I was impressed with the buildings internal use of natural light in general, but it was only at sunset that the structure can be fully appreciated. It becomes a gorgeous building at dusk.

The internal layout takes advantage of vast open spaces with elevated walkways that look down onto the lower floors of the museum. There is a plethora of multimedia presentations, and detailed recreations of Clinton's Oval Office and Cabinet room.

Of all the places we stopped, Little Rock was the one I most wish I had more time to explore. Despite the brevity of my stop in Little Rock though, I can definitely recommend a trip to the Clinton Presidential Library (especially to catch an Arkansas sunset).

PRADE is Back

2005-12-14T14:08:00.000-05:00

After a short period of being out of commission, PRADE is fully operational again and just in time for your Christmas shopping lists. While PRADE encourages you not to get too wrapped up in the sensationalized commercialism of the Holiday Season, we do hope you will seize the opportunity to bestow thoughtful and interesting gifts on your friends and family.

For the friend stuck in the 80's:

Diplo - FabricLive 24
This mix CD will help usher your friend into the 21st century while never getting them out of their comfort zone. A mix of updated synthy 80's pop songs (Debbie Deb's "When I Hear Music" and Cybertron's "Clear" are stand outs) that transitions into a more eclectic and diverse synthesis of everything from familiar hip hop bangers to funky dance tracks. Diplo is a genre bender and will help broaden anyone's horizons (I guarantee Turbulence's "Notorious" will stick in your head if you haven't heard it before).

For the Science geek in the family:

The Genographic Project
Order the amateur scientist in the family (or anyone who subscribes to Wired and likes watching the Discovery Channel) the Genographic Project Public Participation Kit , allowing them to take part in the most comprehensive study of the human migration ever attempted. National Geographic, IBM and geneticist Spencer Wells are collaborating to help map human history using DNA analysis. While the creationist in the family might scoff at the idea, the project attempts to figure out how humans migrated from our ancestral birthplace in Africa to the far corners of the Earth using genetic markers found in the DNA of isolated indigenous populations around the globe. It is slightly more complicated, but the home kit includes a DVD that explains it all, as well as swabs to collect DNA of your own to submit to the study. A few weeks later you receive a full genetic history that traces you back tens of thousands of years to your earliest ancestors. Not only that, but your participation helps fund the project's ongoing studies. PRADE covered the project back in May, but I recently saw someone's returned analysis and was blown away. Truly fascinating stuff and a gift that the whole family can actually enjoy.

For the historian in the family:

PBS American Roots Music
I took an American Music class in college, and probably learned more useful knowledge in that class than in all my econ and international relations classes combined. America has a rich musical history that parallels much of the social and political history of our country. This series is a compelling and comprehensive survey of American roots music, covering everything from Blues to Zydeco. You can purchase the series as a 2 DVD set and I highly recommend also scooping up the hardcover book to add insight to any coffee table collection.

More recommendations to come this week. If you have any good ideas to share, feel free to drop them in the comments section.

It's good to be back.

Road Trippin'

2005-12-04T23:42:00.000-05:00

My bad.
I haven't been able to update at all during the trip, so let me catch you up now and then promise you some more detailed posts on my American Odyssey in the coming weeks.

We're in Flagstaff, AZ right now. Spent today soaking in the expansive views of the Grand Canyon. It is a truly remarkable natural phenomenon, one that pictures can't even capture. Just breathtaking. If you called it a "spiritual" experience - I wouldn't even be mad at you.

How'd we get here?

Well, we left from Greensboro, NC, hit a great country breakfast spot in Nashville, TN and stopped long enough to check out some live music. Made our way through Memphis, pausing to pay our respects ot the King. We were Banging in Little Rock for a couple of hours, before making it to OK City. Took in its elegant memorial to the bombing victims in the morning and then continued on through Texas as fast as possible (kidding, sort of) to reach Albuquerque, NM (yes that comes before AZ for the geographically disinclined). Spent the night there, then passed through the Petrified Forest (supremely cool place) and made it to Flagstaff last night (and had a scrumtrilescent dinner at a spot called Josephine's - look it up if you find yourself in AZ).

Still to come on the DC Farewell Tour- the Hoover Dam, Vegas baby, get discovered in LA, and cruise up the Pacific Coast Highway. Then on to San Fran to unhitch the wagons and settle the new frontier.

I'll try to post more detailed accounts when we arrive in SF, but the most striking thought I've had so far is:

America is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly hugely mindbogglingly big it is. I mean you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist, but that’s just peanuts to America.

I think we lose track of that being all squashed together on the East coast, but when you drive for a few hundred miles of open space or see your first tumbleweed cross your path on an empty highway, it becomes startlingly clear.

Well, the road calls . . .

It's a Wrap

2005-11-26T10:51:00.000-05:00

DC it's been real.

More updates to come from the road on the fantastic voyage out to San Fran.

Bits and Pieces

2005-11-22T11:48:00.000-05:00

Wrapping up a lot of loose ends before saying farewell to DC tomorrow night, but wanted to post a few things that have come across my Desktop in the past few days.

DC Sole - A new sneaker spot in Gtown tailorign to the true kick collector. These Hoya Terminators are fly, and should be on the feet of a Gtown alum like myself. DC is definitely lacking if you are a sneaker hunter, so this is a welcome addition to the city for the serious shoe addict

Breakestra's new album got a solid 4/5 rating at Hip Hop Site. The funk-hop collective have moved from covers of hip hop sample staples like Passing Me By to all original material on this disc. I'm adding it to the road trip playlist as we speak.

Tuesday nights in DC, the spot to be at is Dragonfly to hear DC's own Fresh Dipt spinning everything from classic rock to indie punk sprinkled with hip hop heat. Peep the flyer courtesy of PRADE creative services.

The Urban Network

2005-11-18T16:23:00.000-05:00

PRADE is proud to announce that we have been invited to join The Urban Network.

Urban.net is a network featuring entries from select city-dwelling bloggers. You can now find all your PRADE goodness featured there, as well as the work of several of DC's finest bloggers. Add it to your Sharpreader today.

Doing the Robot

2005-11-18T10:36:00.000-05:00

Do the Sony QRIO robots kick ass? HELL YES.

Beck's new video from the creative team Hammer & Tongs (who brought you The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie) features some slick dance moves from the only models of these little guys in existence.

Their articulation is amazing, and their kung fu dance moves are truly an amazing feat of modern engineering. Keep your eyes peeled for the robot high five . . . nice to know the robots are on board with my movement to bring it back.

Watch the video here. It's also worht checking out some of H&T's other videos, as they are similarly unusual and creative.

Via WMMNA.

Lingerie Shopping Made Easy

2005-11-16T12:27:00.000-05:00

As much as I wish it was illegal to play Christmas carols or put up X-mas decorations until after Thanksgiving, it is undeniable that Christmas is approaching.

I'm sure plenty of men will hope to spice up their love life this holiday season by buying their wives/mistresses/girlfriends some lingerie. The problem is . . . men are clueless and would probably not have the slightest idea what size bra their ladyfriend wears.

Enter the wall of fake breasts designed by the Piet Zwart Institute. The silicon breasts are displayed in rows of different sizes, so men can cop a feel or eyeball a similar pair to what they are used to and hopefully find the right size. No more asking random strangers in the store what size they wear or asking the salesperson at Victoria Secret "If you had bigger breasts, what size would you be?"

Via No Garlic.

Dubai Done Growed Up

2005-11-16T12:09:00.000-05:00

I've never been to Dubai, but I've heard of its exceedingly rapid growth and development.

But even that didn't prepare me for these photos, showing Sheikh Zayed Road, prior to the building boom, in 1991 and then again in 2005.

Photos from Sic Semper Tyrannis

Via BLDGBLOG

Threadless T-shirt Sale

2005-11-14T10:08:00.000-05:00

Threadless wants to help you stack up on dope t-shirts for the holidays.

Later today, they will again be offering their entire lineup of fantastic and original shirts for only $10 a piece.

These shirts are a bargain at 10 bones, so spoil yourself with some new tees to refresh your wardrobe.

Update: I took down the links to the Threadless shirts - seems like their site is inundated with traffic and has slowed to a crawl.

Stuffed Animals

2005-11-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'll be honest. Taxidermy freaks me out a little, but not as much as taxidermists. I just wonder what gets someone into that kind of hobby. I imagine it is probably included in the typical psychological profile of most serial killers. Of course if you are reading this and you are a taxidermist, please don't kill me, stuff me and mount me on your wall.

Regardless, I still dig Jeanie M.'s quirky and unusual breed of art. She puts stuffed mice and other rodents into human scenes and situations - the result is oddly amusing and interesting to look at, even if it is still significantly creepy.

I saw some of Jeanie M.'s work recently while in San Fran perusing perhaps the most curious store I've ever been in, Paxton Gate. The store offers everything from rare gems, artwork, tea and candles to animal skulls and mounted beetles and butterflies. So it comes as no surprise to me that they are offering a Taxidermy Class with the description, "The class includes lecture, hands-on training and all the instruments needed to taxidermy one mouse. The fee is $80 and the mouse and kit are yours when you’re done." Interested sociopaths please inquire.

Learn more about Jeanie M. right here and browse Paxton Gate's still developing site here.

Via Cool Hunting.

Suspended Garden

2005-11-09T17:56:00.000-05:00

BLDGBLOG definitely uncovers some striking images.

These are pictures of a 2000 installation by artist Marc Quinn who created real botanical gardens that are essentially frozen in refrigerated liquid silicon. The flowers are dead for all esential purposes, yet the garden will never whither or decay. It is a perfect botanical snapshop of these rare and beautiful species. As BLDBLOG intimates, the possibile applications for this technique are fairly mindblowing.

For now, just take a look at these stunning images or head over to Pruned for more.

DisGraceful

2005-11-08T23:53:00.000-05:00

Not sure if any of you have read Grosse Pointe Girl by author Sarah Grace McCandless - but if you haven't, you should. Especially if you are a woman/girl. Sarah Grace captures the unique awkwardness and sad humor of growing up female in a way few authors can.

After you read the book and discover how brilliant Sarah Grace is, you'll probably ask yourself "Where can I read more by this amazingly gifted author?"

Well until her next book hits shelves, the answer is . . . at her new blog, Sarah DisGrace!!

Sarah Grace is a pop culture junkie who will innundate you with Britney gossip. But she will also make you smile with her sharp wit and uniquely cynical yet warmhearted outlook. She wears black too much, but on the inside she's wearing a pink BeDazzled tank top.

Upper Playground

2005-11-08T10:20:00.000-05:00

While in San Fran I stopped by the SF t-shirt mecca Upper Playground and was drooling over their thorough selection of dope t-shirts.

I ended up gobbling up an Upper Playground graphic T with a layered collage of scenes and characters from Scorcese flicks.

I also scooped a striking piece from Upper Playground's collaboration with the art gallery Fifty24SF. The shirt features a design by Brazilian graff artist Herbert Baglione, who David Choe once called "one of the best artists in the universe."

There were at least three or four other shirts that I wanted to snatch up right there and then, so I'm sure I'll be returning at some point. Especially considering their retail spot is just 4 blocks from the new San Fran digs. Catch them at:

Upper Playground
220 Fillmore St
San Francisco, CA 94117

With flowers in my hair . . .

2005-11-07T10:11:00.000-05:00

You may (or may not) have noticed that PRADE was on hiatus all last week.

That is because we are relocating to beautiful San Francisco. PRADE was out in San Fran all last week locating a new home office (and copping some dope T-shirts, more on that later).

December will mark the inaugural month of posts from the other coast. But PRADE isn't about to merely hop on a plane to move out west . . . we're heading out to the Bay Area in style.

Meet the Dutchess - the 1984 Cadillac Eldorado convertible that will be PRADE's wagon train out west, with stops planned in Cashville, Tennessee, Sin City, and everywhere in between.

The next few weeks will be a little hectic, but PRADE will remain online and updating sporadically. However, look forward to a full travelogue from my trip some time in December and plenty of posts as I explore my new surroundings out on the left coast.

Rated NV for NonViolent

2005-10-27T17:22:00.000-04:00

Wired has an interesting story about a new video game that teaches the strategy of nonviolent political resistance.

A Force More Powerful is a new PC game from Maryland game developer BreakAway Games, inspired by 2000 PBS documentary on the history of nonviolent resistance. The game challenges players to lead successful and peaceful political movements from the ground up - putting you at the head of Ghandi's struggle for India's independence, the push for Civil Rights in the American South, or the pro-democracy protests in Serbia. You organize the speeches on college campuses, the sit ins, and the marches. You can even set up your own tense scenarios and experiment with different strategies to produce a peaceful outcome. (ex: So let's say my parents are the repressive regime, would a program of civil disobedience regarding the cleaning of my room lead to increased autonomy?)

A Force More Powerful is part of a growing sector in the video game market of serious educational simulation games, an area that includes military and even emergency room training games. The move to capitalize on the interactive possibilities of video game simulation is long overdue outside of the military realm, and the idea of a "SimPeace" game certainly pulls at the liberal heart strings.

The game's creators see the potential for A Force More Powerful to be used as an international training tool for peaceful conflict resolution - which is why the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict was involved in the development of the game.

Via AART.

Loopty Loop

2005-10-25T15:15:00.000-04:00

Pushing the boundaries of modern architecture is not an easy thing to do. In a time of strict building codes and complex engineering guidelines, buildings have to be safe, efficient, and structurally sound before they can be daring and original.

Which is why I assumed that when the engineers first saw the rendering of Rem Koolhaus's design for China's Central Television Headquarters, they were struck with piercing headaches thinking of the challenge ahead. Not to mention that the site in Beijing is also in a seismic zone!

And yet, engineering consultant Ove Arup makes it sound so simple that he even sketches little drawings of how Koolhaus's design will become a reality.

The basement and 10-storey high base of the building are built conventionally from ground level using tower cranes. The construction of the towers continues with climbing cranes.

The heads of the towers are completed and are used to support the first sections of the linking overhang floors. These cantilever out from the towers 163m above ground. The two cantilevers are built further and further out until they form a two storey transfer deck which will carry the other 11 storeys of the overhang, and lock the movements of the two towers together.

Koolhaus, who designed last year's much hyped Seattle Central Library, definitely delivered one of the most novel structures I've seen with his vision for the Central Television building (even if it does resemble a lower case "a"). And Arup's process of erecting the structure is surprisingly intuitive and straightforward, even if I could never quite pull it off successfully with my lincoln logs as a kid.

Via Daily Dose.

Say Jell-O to San Francisco

2005-10-24T10:37:00.000-04:00

In just one short month I will be moving out to San Francisco, leaving the DC area, my home for the past 6+ years.

So not only was I really impressed by artist Liz Hickok's gelatinous model of San Francisco, but I found it timely to say the least. The detailed model also features spectacular colors and lighting - bringing the whole sugar-free city to life.

The entire city - note the Transamerica Pyramid in red (center top)

Alamo Square

The Bay Bridge

Of course, her video of the Jell-O city being hit by an earthquake was slightly disconcerting.

Via BLDGBLOG.

Trifling Launch Party

2005-10-21T11:43:00.000-04:00

For all the NYC dwellers, Trifling Mental is hosting the launch party for their new webzine this Monday at RIB. Expect delicious pulled pork sandwiches, beats from the TM crew and general debauchery.

If you haven't done so, check out PRADE's exclusive interview with the creative muscle behind TM right here.

55 Water Street Coverage Round Up

2005-10-20T16:32:00.000-04:00

I've seen a ton of coverage of the newly-dedicated elevated park at 55 Water Street - a great example of an ugly, wasted plaza being transformed into a useful and vibrant public space, complete with stunning views and an amphitheater that will host year-round public events. The centerpiece of the redevelopment is a 50 foot lantern-like structure called the Beacon of Progress that is equipped with embedded LED lights that can be configured in colorful arrays to coordinate with holidays and seasons.

The concept of the landscaping of the park is to create an "urban dunescape" which it appears to successfully accomplish.

Tropolism has some interesting insight into the project, as its author, Chad Smith, actually helped judge the competition for the design of the park. It is interesting to note that after seeing the finished project, Smith was even more blown away by the Beacon. However, he has points out that several elements were cut from the original plan for budgetary reasons, and claims that the quality of the construction is underwhelming.

Curbed has been keeping close tabs on the dedication, and offers up some impressive photos of the Beacon's various lighting schemes.

There is a whole discussion thread chronicling the construction of the project here, and a NY Times piece that gives you some more background on 55 Water Street (apparently the original plaza was only built as zoning compromise of some sort).

And if you didn't get your fix from all of those, L+L also covers the newest elevated park.

Mixtape Vol. 1

2005-10-19T16:25:00.000-04:00

There is a great post on Cocaine Blunts and Hip Hop Tapes all about the culture of the hip hop mix tape.

Inspired by a fantastic online collection of images of recordable cassette tapes here, Noz shares a few of his favorites and waxes philosophical on how the new generation of hip hop heads will never know the joy and pain involved in crafting the perfect mixtape.

Noz is completely on point when he reflects, "It pains me to think that the youth of this and future generations will never know what it felt like to have to tape new songs off the radio if the album hadn't drop and you either couldn't find or afford the cassingle. They'll never fret over getting everything perfect on a mixtape for or about a girl you had a crush on, they won't know third generation hiss or cross their fingers in hopes that the drop outs won't be that bad after rerecording over a tape for the sixth time . . . or have a song cut off at the end of the side and have to rush to flip over the tape to get the rest of it"

The post is a great walk down memory lane and I recognized a gang of the old tape designs on the site. But it also made me realize, my generation is probably one of the first that will have all of our childhood memories accessible on the internet. From old Atari and Nintendo games to theme songs from my favorite cartoons, my fellow sons and daughters of the 80's are digitally cataloguing our childhoods and making nostalgic surfing through memory lane instantly available.

When I see these tapes I'm right back at my desk after school, waiting patiently for the radio station to play Boyz II Men one more time so my ultimate Paul's Slow Jamz Mix Tape Vol. 1 would be complete.

Please Skate on Me

2005-10-18T16:00:00.000-04:00

Back from the break - refreshed and recharged. PRADE will be getting back into the swing of things this week with more frequent updates.

First up - public spaces that actually embrace urban culture rather than stifle it. These skateable benches from Tom Hawes are specifically designed to provide maximum grind factor for skaters while still offering an attractive seating option for public spaces.

Hawes points out that older kids and teenagers are often ignored in the planning of public spaces - which seems obvious to me the second you walk into any mall and see 30 teenagers hanging out because they have no where else to go.

The only question the design raises for me is - what happens when some people are sitting down and others want to skate? I imagine the temptation to ollie an old lady on the bench might be too irresistible for some to pass up.

Via WMMNA.

SEED 2.0

2005-10-13T12:48:00.000-04:00

I am currently enjoying the sweltering humidity and heat down here in South Florida, so I won't be able to post much today and tomorrow as the beach is calling my name.

However, I wanted to update the loyal PRADE readers on a great publication I picked up for the flight down here.

SEED is a magazine founded on the simple principle that "Science is culture." The magazine is dedicated to exploring the ways that science and technology impact our daily lives, changing our perceptions and even altering our social structures and relationships.

It is a science magazine that is remarkably interesting and readable for the lay person. Most importantly though, all the articles never lose sight of answering the simple question - what will this mean to me? That perspective is fundamental in making the latest scientific breakthroughs and discoveries relevant to every global citizen - something that the editor convincingly argues is extremely necessary in a modern democracy.

And yet SEED doesn't dumb down the concepts at all - in fact even the ads are intelligent and thoughtful. And the editors have found a great balance between feature articles and shorter tidbits to make each issue span a variety of different scientific fields.

SEED actually launched in 2003, but it recently retooled and relaunched with a new layout and structure as part of the SEED Media Group - I picked up the first new issue dated October/November.

You can tell a lot of thought went into the design, with the spine of each issue sporting a chemical absorption spectrum of the element that corresponds to the issue number (ie. #1 is hydrogen). Each page also features a progress bar at the top indicating where you are located in the magazine. I also thought the photo essay in this issue was particularly clever - with the photographer using photos of people to demonstrating complicated chemical properties. Each section is divided by full page photographs, this issue features four species of endangered microscopic organisms from the quickly disappearing Arctic sea ice.

SEED's mission is both honorable and extremely timely, as science and culture intersect with increasing frequency as debates about abortion, stem cell research, evolution, pollution, and space exploration bombard us daily. However, SEED's success is more a product of the magazine's execution - the writing is clear and insightful and ultimately engaging. The layout is clever and the images stimulating. And throughout the magazine, SEED never loses sight of its target audience and its noble mission of being "the first 21st century science magazine for our 21st century science culture."

You can subscribe right here for only $14.95 for 6 issues.

The iHits Don't iStop

2005-10-12T15:41:00.000-04:00

Apple is pumping out new products faster then I can re-check my bank account to find out I don't have enough money to buy any of them.

A new version of the iPod just dropped that has a wider screen and video playback capabilities. The design went the direction of the Nano and the new functionality is timed to coincide with the iTunes store now offering video content from ABC and Disney programming.

But Apple can't stop/won't stop there. They also just announced a new iMac G5 with built in iSight and remote control and featuring the latest mulit-media management software from Apple called Front Row.

Check out the latest and realize that Apple is business man.

Via everywhere.

PRADE on B.O.L.

2005-10-11T14:43:00.000-04:00

There are two great reasons to check out this week's entries on Mtume and Kalamu's excellent Breath of Life.

Number one - this week is Marley week, with posts about the man himself, his progeny (AKA. Junior Gong), and his legacy and influence on other performers. The ya Salaam duo break it down on all fronts, holding the man up for who he was and not who others wish him to be.

Number two - your boy gets a nice shout out on the post about Bob Marley right here.

And don't forget to check out the jukebox this week for some great songs from both Marley's and some soothing covers from Brazilian master Gilberto Gil.

Ok, so I lied, there are 3 reasons.

Trifling Mental

2005-10-10T11:25:00.000-04:00

The team of Josh Yaffa and Thomas Williams have combined their passion for design and philosophical ruminations to create the premiere online magazine for modern aesthetes, Trifling Mental.

The first issue offers the dynamic duo's thoughts on everything from the Dutch design click Droog to home scent recommendations. They channel Nietzsche to wax philosophical on the need for a modern "cult of beauty" and even give you a breakdown of the latest from the magazine rack - from deconstructing Lil' Wayne's tumultuous upbringing to pointing you towards the best from the latest issues of Harper's and the New Yorker.

What I enjoyed most about the site is its effortless integration of hip hop and pop culture references into its coverage of high-end luxury design. In a time when you find the trendiest spots in NY to be reinvisioned diners full of hipsters and modern speakeasies not bridge and tunnel mega-clubs, Trifling Mental is one of the best publications I've seen that address this new niche audience of "hi-low" style enthusiasts. It is unashamed of its interest in Beanie Siegel's first thoughts after leaving prison and its praise for $50+ home fragrance candles. In TM's call for a modern appreciation of style, they are truly practicing what they preach by unabashedly dropping Pac references in a piece on modern Italian furniture design and touting local spots with no cover and cheap drinks while still advocating dropping considerable change on modern design for the sake of "style."

I got the chance to ask the TM team about their motivation to create the magazine and what they have in store for readers in the future.

Who are the masterminds behind Trifling Mental?

TM is composed of two like-minded devotees to form (and sound, and smell, andÂ), who've been politicking on these ideas for several years now. Our mothers call us Thomas and Josh, but you can just call us "Maison Trifling Mental."

What inspired you to start the site?

Trifling Mental was originally conceived of two years ago as a physical space. We were both living abroad at the time, France and Russia respectively. We would meet up in different cities and spend a lot of afternoons and evenings kicking it in cafes. While we felt the spots we were frequenting very hard, we had a sense that there was a certain lack of the unexpected, no cultural juxtaposition, which we think are important elements in keeping an environment fresh and stimulating. In the European case, that meant we felt like a dose of urban American flavor (read, hip-hop), slang, and street culture could be added to the mix and appreciated. And here in NYC we think the scene could be at times too self-referential and centered on a few established formulas (Dunks, A.P.C.s, iPod, etc.) - that yes, we do enjoy, but would ultimately like to free ourselves from.

Our initial dream was to open a gallery/lounge/newsstand/restaurant based on these ideals; but that's a project for which we have yet, not surprisingly, to raise the necessary funds. But really, Trifling Mental is essentially just a body of ideas which can manifest in many ways, whether it be a spot, a website, a specific party one night at a BK loft, or a T-shirt. We like to think of TM as a movable feast.

I noticed you mix everything from philosophy to Lil Weezy references - how would you describe your tastes and do you think Trifling Mental's target audience represents a new group of young professionals steeped in modern "hip pop" culture and interested in beauty and design?

We do, indeed. Nowadays everything is about synthesis. People seem less and less inclined to solely identify themselves with one style, with one social group, one genre of music, one favorite cuisine or even one sort of fashion. It is tough to think of a single magazine that completely covers the entire spectrum of interests its readership may possess. It used to be the case that people who liked Metallica also dressed in ways that indicated their overall association with heavy metal and tended to hang-out in the sorts of places frequented by metal heads. Nowadays, it's tougher to pigeon-hole people.

In terms of hip-hop culture, it's become so pervasive in our culture as a whole that it's no longer an interest which sets someone apart from the group. Now it's just sort of a de facto part of being alive and aware in the world. We feel like most people are basically comfortable interacting with the slang and references, but at the same time it's not their be-all, end-all. They can't get everything they're interested in by watching MTV and reading The Source. On the flipside, magazines like Wallpaper* or Metropolis, while containing items of interest, don't take into account an affinity for street culture. There are plenty of people these days who listen to Biggie, appreciate or are capable of appreciating Bauhaus design, and also know who Thomas Keller is. So they don't get all or most of their interests catered to in just one location. TM tries to speak to people on all these levels, without compromising. Our own tastes are all over the board, we're less concerned with traditional distinctions such as "good" and "bad" or "high" and "low" and more concerned with "interesting" and "uninteresting".

What's in store for the coming weeks on Trifling Mental? How often will the content on the site be updated?

We would like to give more of a focus to the "up-and-comers" in the game, the artists, designers, musicians and writers of our generation who will be filling out the mainstream media's "must-have" lists in a decade. The perpetual question we have to answer is why check for TM, what are we giving you that you can't find elsewhere? Because yes, Cappellini is hot, but do you really need to read TM to find that out?

In terms of format, we'd like to stay with the magazine style as much as possible. That is, we want to hit people with new content as one complete package. There are so many interesting and engaging blogs out there that it can be hard to be heard above the traffic in that format. But at the same time, we know it can be hard to keep an audience if you are only hitting them with new content once every two or three weeks. I think you'll see some daily content pop up on the site separate to the more traditional magazine section. Also expect some sort of a forum in the future.

Trifling Mental also goes beyond preaching, and puts their money where their mouths are by offering event planning services and running an underground supper club. What is in store for someone who books your services?

Whether you are having dinner at our place, or we're coming to yours, TM is really about savoring the fleeting moments that collectively comprise our lives.

Modern life is so stripped of any greater meaning, and TM doesn't really try to create any, rather we aim to raise appreciation of the instantaneous to an art form. And that doesn't have to be hedonistic or overly decadent, we hope in the end to make the dining/dancing/whatever experience more human.

And finally, I have to ask a cheesy question that I'm sure you both can reply to with a clever answer. If you could invite any 4 people to your supper club, alive or dead, who would it be?

Martin Margiela, Tyler Brule, Marcel Proust, and a young Fidel Castro.

This is not to say these are necessarily our four favorite people, or the four people who have most inspired us, it really is just a list of the four people we'd most like to have over for a trifling little dinner.

Catsup Contest

2005-10-05T17:01:00.000-04:00

Finkbuilt is hosting a contest that offers some interesting prizes for anyone that comes up with a winning design for a new brand of Finkbuilt ketchup. Entering the contest is as easy as posting a comment with an image of your proposed label. I didn't want anyone to be shy, so I took five minutes and threw one together to help remove anyone's stage fright.

Some of the entries are pretty cool, and definitely put my initial effort to shame in terms of how polished they are, but I actually like the entry from Finkbuilt's own Steve Lodefink the best.

Anyway - I encourage all the amateur photoshop addicts out there to enter and look forward to seeing the winning design.

Via Core77.

Ikea Pre Fab

2005-10-04T10:16:00.000-04:00

Ikea's entrance into the pre fab housing market has proven successful in Sweeden, Denmark, Norway and Finland. Now Ikea's BoKlok flat-pack housing system will give lower-income families in Glasgow a chance to get a foot in the door of the home ownership market.

The Glasgow City Council approved a plan last month that will transform the Drumchapel neighborhood on the city's western fringe. That plan includes the construction of 100 of Ikea's easy-to-assemble BoKlok homes complete with balconies, patios, large windows and airy interieors. The homes will be targeted at Glasweigans making between £12,500 and £30,000 with Ikea also providing store vouchers to help furnish the new residences.

This is just a small part of the overall £100 million re-development plan for Drumchapel that will eventually transform 124 acres of brownfield sites into over 1,200 new homes complete with roads, sidewalks, and green spaces.

Via Treehugger.

Monday Animation

2005-10-03T15:18:00.000-04:00

I've never been into the toy collecting game - so I can't really comment on how appealing the opera dude plastic figure is from Tokyo Plastic.

But I do know a cheerful animation when I see one - and anything that brings a smile to my face on a Monday is worth sharing with the public.

So check out the opera dude animation here with your speakers cranked up.

If you live in your parent's basement and still collect toys, you can enter to win a free plastic opera dude figure here. The site credits Nick Faber with the sounds from the little cartoon - and you can learn more about his work at his site.

Via Daily Dose and Core 77.

One Ben Franklin Laptop

2005-09-30T16:50:00.000-04:00

MIT Media Lab recently launched a campaign to develop a $100 laptop with the goal being to make technology affordable and obtainable for children in the developing world.

What could 100 bucks buy you? A lot, if MIT researchers have their way.

The proposed $100 machine will be a Linux-based, full-color, full-screen laptop that will use innovative power (including wind-up) and will be able to do most everything except store huge amounts of data. These rugged laptops will be WiFi- and cell phone-enabled, and have USB ports galore. Its current specifications are: 500MHz, 1GB, 1 Megapixel.

They plan to cut down on costs by using cheaper LCD screens and trimming down the software and storage space on the machines. Their goal is to provide a laptop for every student, hence the name of the non-profit organization created to oversee the project, One Laptop Per Child (OLPC).

I really hope they are succesful. When I spent time in Tanzania and Costa Rica, it was wonderful to see so many school children at the internet cafes there, using the internet to connect with people around the world and learn computer skills that make them much better prepared for higher paying jobs in a digital workplace. However, these cafes were crowded, often featuring old technology that was unreliable - not to mention that they charge by the hour. Giving students the power to use a computer at home and in class on a daily basis would instantly impact education on a global level - not to mention the ability to connect children all over the world. Who knows how many of the world's problems might be solved by merely fostering dialogue between children of different nations, ethnicities and religions at an early age.

MIT's plan is extremely ambitious - with the goal to build 100 million laptops within two years. This is one of the most potentially impactful non-profit initiatives in the world's history - and it is extremely exciting to think about the possibilities of this program succeeding and essentially leveling the playing field between the developed and developing world.

Could the digital divide be erased in one sweeping movement?

Charles and Marie

2005-09-30T16:20:00.000-04:00

Spear is expanding his blog empire. His latest project is called Charles and Marie, the first ever "lifestyle navigator." The site promises to offer exclusive products, honest and insightful city guides, and the latest info on happenings around the globe targeted at the discerning consumer.

A portion of the site is available by invite only - but lucky for you, you know people who know people. So if you want to check it out, just drop me an email and I'll see what I can do.

connected with the site is a new blog that is already featuring some great content.

So go scope out his new project and let me know what you think.

Respect for Saint Ex

2005-09-28T17:11:00.000-04:00

This is a post for the locals.

Apparently Cafe Saint Ex has decided that someone must take a stand against the collar-popping epidemic that is sweeping the nation's capital.

DCist captured this message written on the chalkboard outside of the local watering hole last Friday.

And my opinion of this honorable establishment just climbed another notch.

I'm hoping next week they make sneakers mandatory to help trim down the prepster quotient a little further. And then maybe we can think about doing somehting about those striped shirts.

And the winner is . . .

2005-09-28T13:35:00.000-04:00

Gorilla Mask is hosting their 4th annual "Web Tard" Competition - and boy is there some stiff competition this year. You may already be familiar with the "Boom goes the dynamite" guy, but have you seen the shirtless crooning of "Titanic Pimp" or the uplifting self-affirmations of "You Da Man"? You can watch them all right here - and marvel at how willing people are to embarass themselves in front of millions of people.

As you are watching this year's nominees, keep in mind the purpose of this prestigous award.

Gorilla Mask's "Annual Web Tard Competition" honors the best in traumatic, life-altering web exposures, and the award itself is designed to pay homage to one pathetic individual, but the competition as a whole also acts as an ode to the web's ability to bring us finger-pointing entertainment we never would have experienced in the pre-net days.

But how can you know where you are going unless you revisit where you've been‽ While many of you are intimately familiar with 2003's winner "Star Wars Kid" and last year's people's champ "Numa Numa", I doubt nearly as many of you have ever experienced 2002's title holder - "Aicha." Wait until about half way through the video for his dance moves - and bring a pen and a paper to take notes. Homeboy's moves are notarized bananas.

Thanks to Gorilla Mask for compiling all these great videos in one place. Long live the internet!

Google Turns 7, PRADE Hits Slightly Less Impressive Milestone

2005-09-27T10:54:00.000-04:00

Today is Google's 7th birthday - and boy has this little search engine been an active toddler. When I was seven I was still wearing Transformers underwear and learning how to ride a bike. Meanwhile, Google is dominating the search engine and free-mail game and pioneering a host of new technologies that will likely drastically change the internet landscape.

One of these new technologies is Google Video- a service that has high aspirations of cataloguing television programming to make all of its content searchable over the web. As a demonstration of what a great tool this can be, Google Video announced that it is making the entire pilot episode of Chris Rock's new show available to watch online. This is great news if, like me, you missed the Everybody Hates Chris premiere last Thursday but have been hearing great things about the UPN hit.

And in related celebratory news - this is PRADE's 300th post. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into when I jumped on the blog bandwagon - but I've really enjoyed the experience so far. While finding time to dedicate to PRADE has been challenging, hearing positive feedback from designers whose projects I've covered and receiving compliments from other respected bloggers has been extremely encouraging. So I'll try to keep up the effort on my end as long as the PRADE public deems my little musings readable enough to keep returning to the site.

Interrobanging

2005-09-26T17:03:00.000-04:00

The 1960's were a time of almost unprecedented cultural and social change in America - our attitudes about race, sex, and politics underwent a dramatic upheaval as the youth in the country rebelled against the conservatism of their parents and forged its own identity.

However, one of the greatest revolutions failed to materialize. Instead, it was left behind - a remnant of a cultural change that failed to take hold. I'm speaking, of course, about the interrobang - the little punctuation mark that could.

Devised by advertising exec Mark Speckter in 1962, the interrobang seamlessly combines the inquisitive nature of the question mark and the blunt forwardness of an exclamation - making it the perfect end to that snarky rhetorical question you are asking and answering at the same time.

Who died and made Mark Speckter king of punctuation ‽ Great question/statement . . . and one that is perfect for an interrobang.

The name of the beautifully simple symbol comes from an amalgamation of the Latin "interro" for question and the printer's slang term for an exclamation point ("bang"). Unfortunately, the interrobang never caught on, and people have continued to inefficiently place their exclamation points and question marks adjacent to one another. (Why would you do that?!?!? Are you crazy‽) Apparently, it is harder than you would think to get stubborn English writer's to simplify their language - as only a small following are dedicated enough to keep the interrobang in use today. Which is bizarre considering the ubiquity of the smiley face emoticon :)

Sam from the cartoon strip The Moseying is down with the interrobang.
Shouldn't you be‽

However, I refuse to let the interrobang die. Its brilliant simplicity and uniquely American heritage make it a worthy punctuation mark to rally behind. It's capable of capturing everything from the biting accusation of "Who died and made you king‽" to the irony and sarcasm in "So, how long have you had your lips surgically fused to the boss's rectum‽" to the blatant offensiveness of "Could you be a bigger douchebag‽" Isn't that a powerful written tool‽

If you like, we can even take the argument for the interrobang to the spiritual level, as Ron Shuresa does here.

"Not unlike the relationship between the masculine and feminine is the dynamic between the slam and the query. In form no less than function, the question represents the feminine and receptive, the exclamation symbolizes the masculine and assertive. In cultures around the world and throughout history, the union of the masculine and feminine has been regarded as the sacred conjunction of the two most elemental principles. The point upon which the two pieces stand individually -- as well as dance together in the combined form of the interrobang -- represents the seed (or bindu, in Sanskrit) of the entire cosmic creation, the neutral ground upon which the duality of male and female appear."

Gripping stuff.

So I encourage all of you to integrate the interrobang into your daily writing. There is info on how to create the symbol on your computer here. And for detailed histories of this overlooked innovator of the punctuation family you can check out Shuresa's essay here and the unofficial interrobang site here.

Designer Treehouses

2005-09-26T14:19:00.000-04:00

For the kid inside of you that always wanted a treehouse growing up, but had to settle for playing fort with the cushions from the couch.

These luxurious, modern elevated dwellings are more about the whimsical mystique of treetop living then they seem to be about eco-friendly construction - however, the possibility for both to coexist does seem possible.

Joel Sherman's AIA award-winning Steel Tree House in Lake Tahoe, CA

Marcio Kogan's BR House. Photos via Nelson Kon.

Via L+L.

Nike iDone

2005-09-23T15:41:00.000-04:00

Spear got a chance to go to the famed Nike iD lab on 255 Elizabeth St. and create some custom kicks.

The one of a kind Spear Edition Waffle Racers have arrived and they look sick. Subtle, phlegmatic even.

While you can technically customize your own pair on the Nike iD site - they definitely hamper your creativity with only a handful of real options. But at the lab - Josh had access to hundreds of choices.

Even with the restrictions of the site though - I still think this pair I concocted online would be straight wasabi. If only I could get into the lab - Nike if you are reading this, I can be bought!!

Over The River

2005-09-23T12:48:00.000-04:00

Christo & Jean Claude of Gates fame are already looking ahead to their next project. (Check out PRADE's EXCLUSIVE coverage of The Gates here. Seriously, no one else knew about the Gates - I was the only one who wrote about it.)

Over The River will build on their familiar formula of nature swabbed in fabric - this time suspending women fabric panels horizontally above the Arkansas River in Colorado. The flowing fabric will "follow the configuration and width of the changing course of the river," allowing visitors to experience the display from above on the high banks or below by raft or kayak. The initial renderings are stunning - the flowing fabric is ideally suited to recreate the curves and movement of the river.

Unfortunately, the project will be very temporary like their other works, installed for only two weeks sometime in July or August of 2008. As always, the duo are paying for their own installation.

You can also learn more at Christo and Jean Claude's site.

Via Archinect.

Update:
For anyone in DC there is a documentary about Christo and Jean Claude playing this weekend at the National Gallery of Art. Here are the details, courtesy of Ronson.

On the Way to "Over the River"
September 21, 22, 23, and 25 at 12:30 p.m.
September 24 at 12:30 p.m. in the East Building Small Auditorium

This new documentary by German filmmakers Wolfram and Jörg Daniel
Hissen catches Christo and Jeanne-Claude in private moments and public
interviews as they gear up for their next big project (after this
year's "The Gates"). The new venture, which they are calling "Over the
River," proposes a draping of the Arkansas River in Colorado. There are
many delightful moments, as when Chelsea Hotel manager Stanley Bard
reminisces about his old pals, carefully explaining Jeanne-Claude's
various roles, or when New York's Mayor Bloomberg expresses an obvious
passion for art. (Wolfram Hissen and Jörg Daniel Hissen, 2005, 34
minutes)

Here is a direct link.

China

2005-09-21T15:15:00.000-04:00

I got into a discussion last night about just what a cultural, technological, economic, and political Behemoth China is turning into - the pace of growth and sheer enormity of the development effort is just staggering to me.

Then it occurred to me after seeing this post . . . China is essentially colonizing itself.

Via BLDGBLOG.

Hump Day

2005-09-21T13:33:00.000-04:00

It is hard out here for a working stiff. Have had zero time to post, but I couldn't let it get past Wednesday without bringing anything new to the table.

So here are PRADE's rapid fire Wednesday links.

Pictures of miniature people inhabiting fruitscapes. Sound weird? Well it is slightly - but interesting nonetheless. Via L+L.

I did some digging for some friend last night to find the best iPod speaker dock. He was looking for sound quality, portability, and affordability - with little interest in fancy remotes or displays. What I found to be the best deal was Logitech's mm50 portable speakers reviewed here. I haven't tried them though, this is all internet hearsay.

Bong Vodka. I shit you not.

Wondering what book you should read next? Consult this site. When I entered Cat's Cradle I was given a nice list of suggestions of books I hadn't read. However, when I entered Catch-22 (which seems like a similar book to me) it suggested Harry Potter and the DaVinci Code. So obviously the site is a work in progress - but the more you enter info about your favorite books, the better its suggestions will become (like Netflix!). Via CH.

Damian Marley's new album Welcome to Jamrock is currently on heavy rotation. All Night is certified monkey food. Don't take my word for it though, trust the pros. An interview with the man himself can be found here.

Last night at my Herpetology class at the National Zoo - I saw a feeding of a Kimodo dragon and learned all about Chameleon physiology. Check out FONZ for information about upcoming classes - they come PRADE recommended.

Audible Odyssey

2005-09-16T15:43:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things about good radio is how it exposes you to NEW music that you haven't heard, expanding your musical horizons and turning you on to artists you may never have discovered on your own.

Of course, commercial radio hasn't even approached this model for years. But luckily, college radio has been revived thanks to the wonderful Al Gore creation - the internet.

I just listened to 2 hours of the coolest global funk, reggae and hip hop courtesy of University of Austin's KVRX website. Every Friday from 12 - 2 PM (E) you can tune in to the Afro-boogaloo Odyssey, bringing you the best from the African diaspora. I guarantee that there are few places, even on satellite radio, where you can hear everything from Zion I to Fela Kuti, People Under the Stairs to Chico Cesar. And the best part is, I think I was only familiar with about five or six songs from the whole two hour playlist. But everything was fantastically funky and delightfully groovy. And the playlist on the site updates in real time - so you can go explore for more information about anything that catches your ear.

So consider this your invitation for a global voyage captained by your Dr. of Funkology - Thomas Fawcett. This man has traveled the globe as a musical ambassador - from dancing the robot to Andean flute music to singing James Brown in Costa Rican karaoke bars . And now he brings his vast knowledge and affinity for da funk to your eardrums.

And you can bet I'll be tuning in every Firday to boogie down to the Boogaloo.

Bombs Over Iceland

2005-09-15T17:43:00.000-04:00

BLDBLOG has posted about one of the most interesting yet mildly disturbing environmental projects I've ever heard of - Soil Bombing.

Apparently, Iceland is trying to reverse the desertification of its barren areas by replanting it with seeds of carefully chosen plant species mixed with fertilizers selected specifically for the climate. However, their method of delivery those seeds and soil is via bomb squadron.

Yes, Iceland is currently at war with itself, so to speak. They are dropping "bombs" filled with seeds and fertilizer from a WWII DC 3 Dakota, targeting the formerly green areas of the country that have been felled and overgrazed over the centuries. The bomb sites will presumably be transformed from black sand to vibrant green foliage - returning the largest desert in Europe to its formerly green self.

Will this be a rallying cause for pacifist treehuggers everywhere? What better way to combine environmental advocacy and disarmament policy then to assign all our planes to gardening missions? Seriously though, Iceland's dedication to reversing the environmental impact its society has had on the surrounding habitat is admirable and inspirational.

Read more at the BBC and you can hear about the story via podcast right here.

Dwell Dwellings

2005-09-14T13:29:00.000-04:00

Dwell magazine has always been a supporter of pre-fab design, but now they are putting their money where their mouth is.

Dwell has just launched a line of modern pre-fab houses in conjunction with Empyrean International LLC (formerly Deck House), Resolution: 4 Architecture, and Lazor Office. The collection of custom prefabricated homes will be sold under the banner The Dwell Homes by Empyrean.

Three initial designs will be offered, including the Resolution 4's winning design from the 2003 Dwell Home Design competition. Prices will vary based on specifics of local labor and site-specific costs, but the average cost of a 2,500 square foot Dwell Home is estimated to range between $175-$250 per square foot.

This seems like a bold move on behalf of the magazine, but I guess they were sick of writing about how the advantages of pre-fab housing were not being realized. Their commitment to the promotion of pre-fab housing can definitely no longer be questioned - now it only remains to be seen whether this alternative housing paradigm will resonate with today's buyers.

Via Inhabitat.

It's a Beautiful Hay

2005-09-14T13:13:00.000-04:00

Saw this in a couple places and just thought the image was remarkably cheerful and striking.

This rainbow made of hay is part of "What the Hay" art contest in Utica, Montana. 49 entries made of hay currently dot the landscape along a 24 mile stretch of highway in Montana, including this piece entitled "R-Hay-N-Bow."

Stuff like this just make me happy. It's like the DC Pandamania - only with a much more stunning backdrop.

Via Modbee.

iPotty

2005-09-12T15:45:00.000-04:00

Frog Design, the company behind the Apple IIc and the Sony Trinitron TV, is now contributing a weekly feature to Gizmodo.

The subject of their first column is about why the public perceives the design of the iPod as "clean" and about consumer perceptions of design in general.

Apparently, their theory is that the starch white and shiny chrome reference traditional bathroom design - something most consumers associate with notions of cleanliness. Additionally, the seamless casing and lack of moving parts calls upon our sci-fi conventions of what advanced technology will look like.

Interesting theory - and sounds pretty spot on to me. Read the column here.

Public Service Announcement

2005-09-12T13:38:00.000-04:00

Knowing the viral nature of the internet, I wanted to pass along this resource in case it in any way ends up getting to people who are looking for missing people following the hurricane.

The National Center of Missing & Exploited Children has set up a hotline to help people locate missing loved ones in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. There are thousands of children and adults who have been reported missing, and this is a centralized resource to help ensure that rescue workers and law enforcement officials are aware of the names and identities of those missing. If you call 1-888-544-5475 and give them information about missing relatives/loved ones, they will add the person to their web site so law enforcement will be on the lookout to find them. This goes for children and adults.

Power Generating Backpack

2005-09-09T15:09:00.000-04:00

While some treehuggers drooled over the solar powered bags that have hit the market recently, this latest invention should really send them into a gronola snorting frenzy.

Biologist Lawrence Rome has developed a backpack that uses the up and down motion of the wearer's strides to generate up to 7 watts of electricity. So on your hike up the mountain to sing politically correct folk songs by the fire and drink organic rum and green tea cola from your Nalgene, you can create enough power to charge your cell phone or GPS device.

But beyond the power generating possibilities of the pack, Rome's suspended mechanism actually cusions the weight of the pack and makes the load more comfortable to wear according to early users. So not only does it harness what would otherwise be wasted energy, it also improves on the basic design of a pack by adding shock absorbing comfort.

For more on the pack check out National Geographic News.

Via Treehugger and Future Feeder.

Da Backlash

2005-09-09T14:29:00.000-04:00

The hip hop community is not laying down when it comes to responding to the government response to Hurricane Katrina.

Two new tracks are heating up the blogsphere right now. K-Otix adapted Kanye's hit Gold Digger inspired by a quote from Mr. West himself. Lyrics include:

"He said 'I know it looks bad, just have to wait'
Forgetting folks are too broke to evacuate
Niggas starving and they dyin of thirst,
I bet he had to go check on the refineries first.
Making a killing of the price of gas
He would have been up in Connecticut twice as fast."

Listen to "George Bush Don't Like Black People" here.

And Mos Def also jumps into the game, bringing lyrical heat with a version of the Nolia Clap called the Katrina Clap. Rhymes include:

"It's dollar day in New Orleans
there's water everywhere and people dead in the streets,
and Mr. President he bout that cash,
he's got a policy for handling the niggas and trash.
And if you poor, you black
I laugh a laugh they won't be givin you ass
you're better off on crack,
dead or in jail or with a gun in Iraq"

and

"Where the fuck is Sir Bono and his famous friends now?
Don’t get it twisted man, I dig U2
but if you ain’t about the ghetto then fuck you too."

Listen to "Dollar Day for New Orleans . . . Katrina Clap" here.

Regardless of your political stance - it is refreshing to see that people are not emracing the apathy that plagued the country in response to the war in Iraq. These musicians are taking a stance - love it or leave it, at least they are being vocal. And this seems more appropriate then airing your own politics out on a relief show.

It seems it is much harder to silence the outrage of people when you can't just call them a terrorist or label them as unpatriotic. Dissent is the most important part of democracy - and I am glad that these artists are expressing themselves and putting these viewpoints out there.

Via Soul Sides and Catch Dubs.

Ok - no more preaching, I promise.

iPhone and iNano

2005-09-07T14:38:00.000-04:00

The first cell phone with integrated iTunes software was just announced today. The Motorola ROKR E1, a collaboration between Motorola and Apple and available only with Cingular service, will be capable of storing 100 songs and will sell for $249.99 with a 2 year agreement. Ton more details here.

The phone sounds cool, and will likely lead to further integration between video and music software and consumer cell phones. However, with 100 songs, it is very apparent that Apple has no interest in you buying the cell phone in lieu of an iPod - but rather in addition to one.

All that being said, I just went to the Apple site and saw the newly announced iPod Nano! It is ridiculously small, comes with color screen and all the newest features, and is retailing at $250 for a 4 GB model. Apple continues to ride the iPod wave.

Via Engadget.

Open Source TV?

2005-09-07T13:53:00.000-04:00

A.R.R.T. has a great post about a new show on PBS called Nerd TV. While the show sounds fairly interesting on its own (essentially interviews with nerd celebrities like the first Mac programmer), it is the program's attitude towards its content distribution that is interesting. In addition to a traditional tv broadcast, the show encourages viewers to download the content and edit it and share it as they see fit. From the official website:

NerdTV is distributed under a Creative Commons license so viewers can legally share the shows with their friends and even edit their own versions. If not THE future of television, NerdTV represents A future of television for niche audiences that have deep interest in certain topics.

The website offers each show in multiple audio and video formats for download, or you can read the provided transcript. Will this type of "open source" content become the wave of the future for special interest programming of this sort? Only time will tell, but it is apparent that media companies will need to think of new ways to package their programming as technology advances and their old models of 30 minute sitcoms with commercials becomes outdated.

But you can also turn in to Nerd TV for geek humor, like when the host claims he is worried about flying on commercial airlines because the cabin pressure is run by Windows! Lol! Pwn3d!!11!!

Ask Questions

2005-09-06T15:10:00.000-04:00

By now, you've probably heard about Kanye's outburst of emotional babble on the Hurricane Katrina telethon. If you haven't actually seen it though, watch it here. (Mike Myers reaction is ridiculous - something out of an SNL skit).

Most articles make his comments out to be a well thought out diatribe against the response to the black victims in New Orleans, but really it is more like a kid who is trying to tell you a story and has too much to say so he can't get it all out. Kanye was literally on the verge of tears of anger I think, and so unfortunately his comments come out as verbal diarrhea. But he does manage to get out two important points - one which I made here about the media constantly referring to black people as looters, and the other, which is becoming the battle cry for disillusioned citizens. "George Bush doesn't care about Black people."

Despite the muddled result, the intentions behind his comments are admirable. It takes a lot of courage to risk your celebrity and try to speak up for what you believe. I'm actually beginning to think that there is much more to West than sick beats, tight lyrics, and a questionable flow.

Other bloggers are beginning to ask some important questions about why the majority of stranded victims are all poor black folks. Race and class are definitely huge factors in determining who suffered the most when the hurricane hit - but maybe the fact that New Orleans is a predominantly poor, Black city led to the neglect from Federal and State officials in adequately preparing the city for this type of disaster in the first place. And the media focus on sporadic "looting" and lawlessness seems to be merely a distraction from the less sensationalized story of normal American families suffering and dying needlessly.

It is wonderful to see people unite and be moved into action to help the victims in Mississippi and New Orleans, but that doesn't mean these questions shouldn't be asked. People often show their true colors in times of panic, and what our society has displayed is a persisting racism and class prejudice that pervades our media coverage, our government agencies, and our public consciousness.

Did we really need bloggers to tell our journalists that American citizens are not refugees? Do we really need a rich rapper to be the first to raise the issue of race on a national level? Questions.

Damn . . .

2005-09-01T17:43:00.000-04:00

Reports of snipers, armed looters, rescue trucks being seized at gunpoint, thousands of people stranded with no help on the horizon. With little hope, some people are taking the rescue efforts into their own hands.

It's ugly and getting uglier. When will the dark clouds break?

PRADE will return next week, hopefully with better news and a brighter outlook for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

If you would like to donate, the Red Cross site can be found here or you can help to rebuild homes with Habitat For Hummanity here. You can give as little as $5 or as much as Jay Z. Just give.

Lessons From Hurricane Katrina

2005-08-31T15:37:00.000-04:00

As the media frenzy hits full swing about the hurricane, I find it is a good time to analyze how we, as a society, deal with catastrophe.

Apparently, one thing we do is show racial bias in our media coverage.

As So Many Shrimp points out, according to the news coverage, White people "find" things, while Black people "loot."

Two residents wade through chest-deep water after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store after Hurricane Katrina came through the area in New Orleans, Louisiana.(AFP/Getty Images/Chris Graythen)

"A woman walks through chest-deep water as she heads to loot a grocery store in New Orleans, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, as floodwaters continue to rise after Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Monday. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)"

Jock Art

2005-08-30T16:09:00.000-04:00

Cool Hunting just gave me the heads up to an innovative and creative art project called RECYCL'art, in which select artists refashion the sporting equipment of famous athletes to help raise awareness about environmentalism among sports fans.

The exhibit is directed by Yuko Tamae of the IGFY Corporation an environmentalist sports company and is in its fourth year.

Two of my favorites are pictured below. I love what the artist says about the dog, which is made from Yomiuri Giants first baseman Kazuhiro Kiyohara’s baseball shoes and batting gloves . “I thought of Kazuhiro Kiyohara as he protects base and it reminded me of a guard dog protecting their home ground, Tokyo Dome,” the artist explains, “Whenever the opponent comes, he’s ready to bite!” And the soccer cleat shark is just really cool.

Animal Kingdom

2005-08-30T14:56:00.000-04:00

From the weird and wild Animal Kingdom comes two stories of people using everyday tools and materials to repair injured animals.

You may have heard about the tortoise who had his shell patched up with fiberglass following surgery to remove his bladder stones.

Well, now there is a Thai elephant who has been fitted with a temporary prosthetic leg after losing her leg to a land mine six years ago.

The "leg" appears to be basically a big bag stuffed with wood shavings that is attached to the stub that was left after her accident. The BBC article claims there are plans to fit her with a stronger silicone and fiberglass leg if all goes well with the temporary one.

Next up, replacement titanium beaks for all those birds that keep flying into windows.

Via WMMNA.

LEGO Digital Designer

2005-08-30T14:11:00.000-04:00

This is an idea that I wish was around when I was coming up. I loved LEGOs, but sometimes I felt a little constrained by having mostly standard, rectangular blocks, or not having enough of the pieces I wanted.

Well, the technology has finally caught up to children's imagination. LEGO is now offering downloadable software that lets you create virtual 3-D models of LEGO creations. You can share your designs with other LEGO users, and even place an order to receive a kit with all the pieces you need to make your digital LEGO design a reality.

I'm downloading the software now, and will give it a whirl and let you know if it is worth the effort. But this could easily be the coolest toy innovation in a while.

Let's pretend I didn't get that excited about that last sentence.

Via Core 77.

Birds Are Stoopid

2005-08-29T15:47:00.000-04:00

Apparently 300 times more birds die every year from flying into glass windows then were killed in the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

What does that tell us other than that birds aren't particularly bright creatures? It says we obviously keep our windows too clean. BuildingGreen.com has an article all about various ways to address the problem with design solutions. One of those solutions is pictured below - a film with patterned designs of trees that is placed on windows to dissuade birds from going Kamikaze. The film is currently in use at a Rangers Centre in that friendly nation to the North of us - with no reported casualties so far.

I don't know what other innovations there are for preventing fly-by bird deaths, because you need a subscription to read the article. So thanks to Treehugger for telling me about this one.

Michael Paulus

2005-08-29T14:01:00.000-04:00

If you love Michael Paulus's translucent hinged-panel pieces featuring the skeletons of famous cartoon characters, then I'm sure you'll dig his new show.

Michael sent me an email to say that he will be having his work exhibited at Basil Hallward Gallery on the top floor of Powells books in downtown Portland. The opening is this Thursday Sep. 1st @ 7pm and the show will be up through October 4th (he thinks). So if you are in the Portland area, defintiely go check it out.