June 2010 Blog Posts (75)

Nestle commissioned the design and construction of this red tunnel to showcase its existing chocolate production factory in Mexico City. Aside from its brilliant colors and sharp geometric shapes, the architecture finds space to accommodate guests and houses a theater where they can learn more about the history and production of Nestle's Chocolates. …

An interesting architectural concept by Splitterwerk, the Frog Queen is essentially a physical manifestation of the digital world in which we live. I wonder if the world will become exponentially pixelated as we move further into the digital age, but I digress. While on its exterior, this architecture seems to be succumbing to the modern age of technology, its interior provides a quite…

The Taipei Performing Arts Center is a brilliant design by B+H Architects. This architecture is an excellent example of how structure and skin relate to each other. The skin is derived from actual sound waves transposed into three dimensional form, but also reacts to the buildings structure without being subordinate to it. This organic shell stands out from its urban fabric and provides a pivotal destination…

Another brilliant piece of work by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. This piece really compels the user to interact with its surroundings by both accentuating the views of the water and the urban landscape that surrounds it. This architecture also seems to defy gravity with an impossible cantilever of the upper floor, which provides a grand entry for the building. Most of all, it is amazing that such a…

This sleek concrete building is claimed to be the first "big-bike" center in the Asia/Pacific region. The architecture was designed with the idea of "hugging the curve" as it is known in motorcycle racing. In plan, the building seems to be a series of intersecting lines and planes. The metaphorical vents on the exterior walls makes you feel like the building is in fact a fast machine.…

Cape Town Stadium, South Africa

• The Cape Town Stadium is a stadium is a world class stadium. It is located in Cape Town, South Africa.

• This Stadium has been specially constructed for the FIFA World Cup 2010. Another stadium existed on the same site…

Yet another attempt at "architecture in a box," Adam Kalkin has designed a shipping container that transforms into a six room apartment via the touch of a button. My ongoing critique of these installations is that they ultimately require protection from a larger, more permanent space. Having said that, I feel that these ideas will spawn something that will be very important to large scale…

This technique named after the american ophthalmologist Adelbert Ames Jr. It has gained wide use in cinema since its invention in the 1940's in movies such as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Lord of the Rings. The trick is to make an irregular shaped room appear to be a uniform box, utilizing various interior elements to further sell the farce. Ultimately this type of architectural trick is facilitated by…