urban explorer

A giant birds nest and bird bath?! sited alongside one another on the Olympic Green, centre pieces of Beijing’s Olympic “Master Plan”. Both buildings are well under construction and due for completion before 2008.

The National Stadium (nicknamed the birds nest) is designed by Swiss based firm Herzog & de Meuron. Encased by a structural frame that acts both as a self-supporting shell and the structure for the internal and external skins. The arena below is able to exist within a free volume, complete with operable roof.

The National Swimming Centre (nicknamed the water cube), deisgned by Peddle Thorpe & Walker (PTW) in conjunction with Arups, consists of a large rectangular steel frame that incorporates EFTE cladding, which acts both as the internal and external skin. The cell-like structure of the facade, whilst based upon the random patterns formed by bubbles, is to be constructed using three different types of steel nodes and four different steel members.

Mike Golembewski is using a flatbed scanner in conjunction with a traditional photographic camera to create a homemade digital camera with some amazing results check out his website at www.scannerphotography.com (check out the section on distortion for a good description of how it works)

is this a blog? time will tell…. along the way i will unload some of the images and tales that occupy my meandering existence.

this excites me……….the new phaeno science centre by Zaha Hadid Architects