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Carbon-neutral Ziggurat pyramid could house 1.1 million in Dubai
As we learned from Wall-E, people with half a mind for themselves probably won't be kosher with living with 1.1 million or so other inhabitants within a pyramid. That being said, there's always the brainwash approach to getting 'em in there, and if hordes of people were ever filed into the conceptual Ziggurat, Mother Earth would surely appreciate it. The 2.3-square kilometer building would be able to house over 1 million people and be "almost totally self-sufficient energy-wise." By tapping into the planet's renewable resources, designers assert that it could practically be carbon-neutral, and given that transport within the machine would be connected by an "integrated 360-degree network," fuel-burning cars would be pointless. As with most things in Dubai, this one seems larger than life, but if the Burj Al Arab is any indication, there's at least a minuscule chance this thing comes to fruition.[Via Inhabitat]
Downtown Syracuse to see artwork blasted onto walls via projectors
While we've certainly seen more extravagant uses of walls as art canvases, we have all ideas this will be plenty radical in downtown Syracuse, New York. Syracuse University is aiming to add permanent (but not, you know) imagery to a number of walls by "projecting artwork onto some of its most visible areas." The institution is currently asking the Syracuse Industrial Development Agency "for permission to install projector equipment on one of its buildings," and if its wish is granted, the Urban Video Project will be well on its way to becoming a reality. Keep an eye out (not like it'll be hard to miss) for the installation to go live this October.[Via AboutProjectors]
Bob the Builder trains young ones in the art of construction
Well, not really. But it is refreshing to see a game teach infants about the weight of things and angles of stuff, to prepare them for future careers in today's modern mills and processing facilities. Training the brain isn't necessary, so long as they can lift cats and cut wood!It's probably best to elaborate. Bob the Builder (or, Bob and HATARAKU BUBUZU) has been commandeered for use in a Japanese children's learning game. It's not all heavy construction -- three modes of training are available. These include weight and maths training, 2D and 3D shape recognition, and vocabulary building. Bob the Builder is a universally respected genius in the world of engineering and, well, building. He's also an affable English chap, and it's always handy to have one of those around. Check out the screens in the gallery for more learning fun -- but don't hope for a local release. We're sure Bob will show up when he is needed the most.%Gallery-26584%
Yoot Saito building a Tower on DS
Before he was making games about historical pinball battles and sarcastic fish monsters, Vivarium's Yoot Saito created a skyscraper-building game called SimTower. He put the same kind of quirky, bizarre charm into what seems like a run-of-the-mill Sim game as he did Seaman, leading to a game in which you can read every resident's thoughts as they ride elevators.Saito followed SimTower with a PC sequel called Yoot Tower, and a Game Boy Advance version called The Tower SP that, sadly, didn't get released until 2006. Now, according to a blog post, he's working on a version for a current system -- the DS. The Tower's vertical orientation is a perfect match for the DS's unique aspect ratio, we think. He's hoping to have the game out before summer.[Via IGN]
One Shots: The beautiful architecture of Rivendell
Reader Luis sent in this absolutely breathtaking shot of one of the lovely buildings in Rivendell, the most famous Elven city in Lord of the Rings Online. While he didn't tell us if he's running under Vista / DirectX10, we can only imagine his machine has to be fairly well set up to capture the stunning details this well. Have you ever seen an area in an MMO that just made you stop and stare? Perhaps what gets your eye going isn't a lovely building, but a battlefield full of your enemies! Whatever it is that makes you stop and go "cool" -- We want to see those screenshots! Just send 'em to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com, along with a quick description of what we're looking at, and we'll show them off to the rest of the world for you. %Gallery-9798%
Cinemassively: How to make a gift box
If you're as prim-challenged as me, but want to give your SL friends something for Christmas, then this is the tutorial for you. Torley Linden has made an extremely informative video on how to make gift boxes in Second Life, add contents, send them, and how to receive them. If you have some time, I'd strongly suggest checking out her other tutorials, involving how to set permissions, fill out your profile, get texture info, and much, much more!If you're interested in making instructional movies yourself, the tool that Torley used is called Camtasia Studio 5. You can identify the style by their zoom ring, which focuses in automatically where the action is going on in the video.
Cinemassively: Re-Imagining Boston City Hall Plaza Using Second Life
In 2007, a group of students from Emerson College entered Second Life for a project. Under a pilot program, Hub2, in Boston, to recreate Boston's City Hall Plaza. In an event on December 13th, they will be presenting the Mayor's office with the keys to their virtual city.Their City Hall has long been considered a failure in design, with one study naming it the worst plaza structure worldwide! In SL. the Emerson students call for art installations, a juried space, a place to submit their art for consideration, and a spotlight for the best art piece. While not much more is said in this video, I look forward to learning more about this project and how to city reacts to it!
Wii Fanboy review: MySims
We've had a love affair with EA's MySims since the game was first announced. The overall look of the Sims spin-off is so charming that it turned out to be irresistible, especially with all those shots of the new chibi sims engaged in adorable activities. But looks are only one part of the equation -- the real question for any reviewer to address is: does it stand up under scrutiny? MySims certainly has its flaws, and the numerous comparisons to Animal Crossing have not been off base. However, it's not nearly the clone that it seemed from select screens and video footage; MySims stands alone as its own game. But is it one you want to own? That may depend on what you like in your simulations.%Gallery-4109%
Designer dreams big with uber-green Twirling Tower
While the architectural playground that is Dubai isn't running low on innovative buildings, David Fisher is hoping to add yet another skyscraper to the mix with his self-sufficient and energy generating Twirling Tower. The 68-story "combination hotel, apartment, and office" would sport floors that each rotate 360-degrees in the span of about 90 minutes, creating a "constantly changing architectural form." His claims begin to elicit suspicion, however, when a promotional video (seen after the break) for the building claims that it can snag enough wind to not only power the building itself, but to energize ten other similar buildings just like it. Of course, we aren't taking that too seriously considering that he actually mentions that supplying electricity to the floors would be "similar to how a moving train captures power by staying in constant contact with a power source, like an overheard wire or third rail." Nevertheless, Mr. Fisher sure seems determined to get this thing up in the sky, but as with most big dreams in Dubai, moving beyond the drawing board is where things get tough. [Via Inhabitat]
Spanish solar tower could eventually power an entire city
Just last month we witnessed a gigantic skyscraper / solar tower hybrid that generates a whopping 390-kilowatts of energy, but even that looks like child's play compared to the 40-story solar power plant that resides in Spain. The expansive system consists of a towering concrete building, a field of 600 (and growing) sun-tracking mirrors that are each 120-square meters in size, and a receiver that converts concentrated solar energy from the heliostats into steam that eventually drives the turbines. Currently, only one field of mirrors is up and running, but even that produces enough power to energize 6,000 homes, and the creators are hoping to see the entire population of Seville (600,000 folks) taken care of solely from sunlight. So if you're eager to see what's likely the greenest solar power plant currently operating, be sure to slip on some shades, tag the read link, and peep the video.[Via Wired]
Regenerative house to grace Greece mountainside
You've got plenty of options when it comes to healing your own body, but patching up your domicile usually requires days of back-breaking labor and gobs of cash to boot. Thankfully, that awful process could be nearing its end, as a £9.5 million ($18.64 million) European Union-funded project sets out to develop self-healing walls for your average home. The idea is to develop "special walls for the house that contain nano polymer particles, which will turn into a liquid when squeezed under pressure, flow into the cracks, and then harden to form a solid material." The technology would prove quite useful in areas where earthquakes are prominent, and in an effort to test things out before shoving it out to contractors everywhere, a swank villa is being erected on a Greece mountainside to collect information. The house's walls will be built from "novel load bearing steel frames and high-strength gypsum board," but more importantly, they will contain a smorgasbord of wireless sensors and RFID tags meant to collect, store, and disseminate critical data regarding "any stresses and vibrations, temperature, humidity, and gas levels." Now, who's the lucky lad(s) that get to call this their home research dwelling?[Via Physorg]
Versatile Palm Treo cradle crafted from LEGOs
While we've seen various forms of Treo docks come and go, there's just something magical about those those colorful, timeless blocks, and although we've caught a LEGO-lovin' DS fortress acting the part before, this time it's a Palm getting the homegrown docking station. Envisioned after simply not wanting to shell out the $30 to $50 required to purchase a ho hum dock that didn't exactly fit every need, the LEGO Palm cradle is a true sight to behold, and can at least handle both the 650 and 680 with ease. Although it doesn't sport features that are too far out of the ordinary -- besides the handy earpiece hook and "solar powered WiFi tower," of course -- at least the onboard watchman walks softly and carries a big stick Sony Clie stlyus. Best of all, the project owner took a few snapshots along the way to give us a bit of insight in replicating his masterpiece, so if you've got an estimated 45 minutes and a whole stash of unused blocks, be sure to hit the read link for your next DIY endeavor.
Duo-Gard's IllumaWALL adds LED action to translucent architecture
We've seen plenty of illuminated wall applications, LED-infused or otherwise, but the green-minded folks over at Duo-Gard are integrating that disco-inspired action we all know and love into its translucent paneling, which gives buildings a breath of fresh sunlight throughout the day while cutting down on energy costs and potentially boosting your morale. The company's new IllumaWALL melds the benefits of daylighting panels with the completely unnecessary, but entirely sensational night-brightening action of LEDs, as the polycarbonate structures feature built-in, fully programmable lights that can output a steady ambient glow or put on "a light show of pulsating colors" if you're throwing a party at your pad. As expected, pricing on these panels vary greatly based on your installation needs, but if you're already looking to craft a new domicile or office building, and need to garner a bit of instant notoriety, IllumaWALL could do the trick.[Via Inhabitat]
German robotics group crafts LEGO factory to build... LEGO cars
It's one thing to craft something remarkable all by your lonesome, but constructing an entire factory to handle all the dirty work for you is really doing something. A robotics group assembled (ahem) at a German "grammar school" (VHG) in lower Bavaria has fabricated a feat that even Toys R Us would marvel over, as the group's expansive LEGO Mindstorm factory was built entirely out of LEGO blocks, and moreover, programmed to assemble LEGO-based vehicles. Taking a note from every other major assembly plant in the world, this automated construction site feeds blocks from one end to the other, carefully pushing, pulling, and connecting pieces as necessary to completely assemble a LEGO car. While we've no idea how you'd even begin concocting this same masterpiece at your own domicile, nor how tough it is to be admitted into this apparently incredulous university, you'll reportedly need at least 2,000 man hours and €3,000 ($3,937) just to get started, but feel free to click on through for a lengthy video demonstration.[Via MetaFilter]
The iPad - the iPod inspired building
You know things have gotten out of hand when they start designing buildings to look like the iPod. We were tipped off on this a while back, but now the first pictures have popped up for the iPad, soon to be built in Dubai, United Arab Emerates. I would say the building is more iPod "inspired" than an actual building size iPod, but you can certainly see a family resemblance. To me this model also has a sort of Tron feel to it.The 23 story residential building will have 200 units and is due to open in 2009. Yet again you have to wonder whether Apple Legal is going to let this pass be unremarked. So you iPod junkies out there: do you love your iPod(s) enough to want to live in one?[Via Digg - Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
iPod building, as envisioned by 3D architecture firm
Let's all admit to ourselves that love or hate the iPod, we're pretty damned curious to know what the iPod building from last week will look like. We still don't know for sure what shape it'll take, but our pals over at Archpartners, an 3D architecture rendering firm in Boston (that has no affiliation, as far as we know, to the designing firm James Law Cybertecture International), did a little mocking up of what form they think Dubai's latest tower could take. We'd just like to take this chance to remind Omniyat Properties to get it done fast -- you're up against a dude named Crazy John in the race to build the world's largest monument to consumer electronics nerdom.
Dubai's new luxury tower to resemble an iPod
As if the Burj Al-Arab (and Time Residences) in Dubai wasn't unique enough, Omniyat Properties is getting set to construct a 23-story luxury tower inspired by none other than Apple's iPod. Slated to be built in Business Bay, the "iPad residential tower" is scheduled to house more than 200 units, and was "designed by Hong Kong-based architects James Law Cybertecture International." The high-rise will sit atop a "docking station angled at six degrees," which should have iPod fanboys flying over in droves just to snap pictures. While no preliminary sketches have surfaced quite yet, we'll be sure to keep an eye out for future development (ahem) of the world's largest iPod, and you can go ahead and pencil in "sometime in 2009" as your "must-take" vacation.
M-INT Kobe sports cosmically-influenced LED lighting system
In an apparent attempt to convert the average office building into something akin to a landing strip, Takuro Osaka is hitting the public with a showing of his "cosmic art" by illuminating opposing sides of the 18-story M-INT Koba building, slated to open for business on October 4th. Osaka, a professor at the University of Tsukuba and the owner of a "light art studio," led the push to have 2,880 blue LEDs installed on the building's west side, which will glow (or not) based on the amount of cosmic radiation surrounding it at any given time. The LEDs' sensors transform "cosmic energy" into pulses of illumination, ensuring a constant light show that's, um, never consistent. Apparently there's no actual utility in the smattering of lights (besides great publicity, of course), but for Osaka, it's one step closer to getting his "enlightening" artwork to a gallery where it would really shine: outer space.[Via Pink Tentacle]
