Web UrbanistWeb UrbanistCollectively Reporting on Urban Cultures and Alternative Arts Around the World Articles
Rotating Architecture: 16 Sweet Spinning Structures
2008-09-20 17:32:00 Architects have always aimed towards building bigger, wider and higher (and, recently, more sustainable as well). Now technology has made a fourth design dimension possible: movement. These 15 amazing structures shift their shapes, put a new spin on style! (image via: Everingham Rotating House) Don’t like the view out the window? Change it! That’s what the designers ... More About: Environment , Architecture , Urban , Sweet , Spinning
WebUrbanist Reconstruction Nearly Complete
2008-09-18 14:36:00 Greetings loyal readers. We have nearly finished the reconstruction of our much loved (and much damaged site) and, with the help of many friends, authors and other associates have managed this difficult task in record time. Thanks again to everyone who has assisted along the way and expect some great content coming up this week ... More About: Arts , Bizarre , Reconstruction , Complete
24 Eerie Abandoned Vehicles and Transit Structures
2008-09-15 22:04:00 (Images via: wili, thejourney1972, ahmedrabea and parksy) Like buildings and property (or even entire towns and cities), vehicles go abandoned in all shapes, sizes and types. In some cases disaster strikes. In others, changing technologies render old designs obsolete, leaving majestic airplanes and giant steamers to rust and gather dust. These twenty-four abandoned land, sea and air ... More About: Environment , Travel , History , Vehicles , Structures
90 Unusually Awesome Urban Furniture Designs
2008-09-15 00:34:00 In a world where most people move into spaces that were designed by and for someone else furniture becomes a way in which we can customize places to suit our needs, lifestyle and aesthetic attitudes. If you want something comfortable and conventional you might want to look elsewhere. If you are looking for bold, creative ... More About: Furniture , Awesome , Urban , Designs
A Picture is Worth … 10 Brilliant Book Artists
2008-09-10 13:36:00 Who would have thought that books could be used for something other than, well, reading? Artists today are breaking down the walls between different types of art. Just as some have used materials as unorthodox as sand and even light to craft unique artistic statements, today’s brilliant book artists combine literature with sculpture in a new form of expression that has an effect greater than the sum of its parts. (image via: Center for Book Arts) Some book artists work exclusively in the literary medium while others will delve into it only occasionally for a stated purpose. Barton Lidicé Beneš falls into the latter category with his bold and somewhat disturbing “Censored Book”. The sharp, rusty nails and complex rope knots graphically underscore the heavy hand of censorship in all of its crude, single-minded power. (image via: Aron Packer) Brian Dettmer employs books in a variety of creative ways in order to express a vision that goes beyond mere words alone. Dettmer often s... More About: Picture , Worth , Brilliant
70 Amazing Houses from Around the World
2008-09-09 15:35:00 Do you prefer the quiet calm of a house on the water or the daring adventure of a house hanging off of a cliff? A giant space in which to sprawl or a tiny nook in which to seek solitude? Whether you aspire to something exotic and unique or comfortable and cozy there is sure to be a house here for you. Sorted into eight types, here are seventy of the most amazing, unusual, offbeat and unique houses in the world. 1) Unique Beach and Lake Houses : What could be more relaxing and peaceful than an extended stay at a house on the water? How about: a stay in one of these architecturally amazing beach and lake houses that defy conventions, buck traditions and in one case represents the realization of an amazing designer’s lifelong engineering aspirations. 2) Dizzying Cliff and Mountain Houses: If beach houses are relaxing these precarious structures are anything but. Perched on the edges of daunting precipices these cliff and mountain homes are some of the scariest places you could possi... More About: World , Around the world , Amazing , The World
Banksy Art and Graffiti: The Ultimate Guide
2008-09-07 15:42:00 The internet has long been abuzz with Banksy , the world’s most infamous street artist. But what is the big deal about Banksy, where can you find his work and what has he said about his art to set the world to talking about it? This thoroughly researched in-depth eight-part guide will walk you through the entire world of Banksy, from his stencil and graffiti work to prints, interviews, quotes, forums and other resources. Skim the overviews and click the links for more information. 1) Introduction: Who is Banksy? In a world where the face of a politician, actor or artist is generally as widely recognized as their influence and work Banksy has struggled for years to maintain the mystery of his identity. He has created work around the world with messages ranging from subversive to downright silly but little is known for sure about his background - though much has been speculated and many have claimed to have figured out who he really is. 2) Banksy Graffiti , Stencils and Drawings: Wh... More About: Guide , Ultimate
9 Over-the-Top Luxury Swimming Pools of the Rich, Famous and Utterly Eccent
2008-09-07 15:39:00 luxurious swimming pools Guest Article contributed by Nelson Doyle Design takes on a whole new meaning when it involves the exorbitant piles of cash the rich and powerful are willing to invest in their luxuries. From the Playboy bunny pond to gigantic shark tanks, here are some of the most extraordinary architectural creations that come from well-paid imaginations and deliver marvelous mind-blowing pools that most of us would happily belly-flop for. luxurious swimming pools san alfonso del mar (images via: ervega and economicrefugee) The world’s most arguably most amazing swimming pool is also the world’s largest swimming pool and artificial lagoon according to the Guinness World Records. Located in the resort of San Alfonso del Mar in Chile, this pool actually dwarfs many natural lakes that attract visitors throughout the world. It contains a breathtaking 66 million gallons of water and blankets eight hectares of earth. This artificial lagoon and swimming pool is 1km in length ... More About: Swimming , Rich , Luxury , Famous , Pools
7 Modern Wonders of Green Technology: Conceptual and Actual Ecological Desi
2008-06-09 21:06:00 [This article created with generous assistance from Agustin Otegui] Green architecture comes in many forms though lately it seems like these forms are stranger than ever. Urban skyscraper farms? Floating eco-cities? Glowing solar towers? Turbine-driven skyscrapers? Magnetically levitated wind collectors? Where does it end?! With all of these emerging green technologies it seemed an appropriate time ... More About: Technology , Environment , Desi , Wonders
10 Stunning Monuments Dedicated to Heroes: More Memorials From Around the W
2008-06-09 02:31:00 Be it war monuments or those dedicated to peace, memorials stand out from other structures man have built because of their unique and stunning appearance. With so much history behind one, standing in front of a gigantic memorial can be very awe inspiring as these masterworks of art and engineering are dedicated to those who ... More About: History , Architecture , Heroes , Stunning , Monuments
The Origins and Evolution of Guerrilla Marketing: Part Two in a Six-Part We
2008-06-06 00:46:00 In the first part of our series on guerrilla marketing we examined how the movement got its start and why it is so effective. Before that, we took a look at some of the most creative guerrilla marketing campaigns the world has ever seen. But now, if you’ll indulge us, we’d like you ... More About: Marketing , Guerrilla , Evolution , Advertising , Bizarre
7 Innovative Artists Who Create Art from Trash: Projected, Recycled and Oth
2008-06-04 21:54:00 The cliche is that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” but the author of that phrase probably never realized how strangely true it could turn out to be. In today’s world of weird and amazing art some of the most compelling and creative works have been born out of the simplest and most abundant ... More About: Environment , Travel , Architecture , Graffiti , Artists
The History of Guerrilla Marketing: Part One in an Eight-Part WebUrbanist G
2008-06-04 00:54:00 Everyone loves a story about the little guy who takes on the bigger, more heavily armed opponent and wins. When the little guy uses unconventional tactics and surprises the opponent, it’s called guerrilla warfare. When some starry-eyed startup shocks the world with an underground marketing campaign that costs nothing but causes shockwaves for months, it’s ... More About: Marketing , History , Guerrilla , Advertising , Part
10 (More) Awesome Architectural Shipping Container Designs: From Loft Space
2008-06-01 23:21:00 Guest author Andrew Boyd is an expert on travel hacks After the overwhelming praise for our previous post on cargo container homes and offices we simply couldn’t resist doing a follow-up with even more amazing shipping container architectural designs from around the world. From self-transforming shipping container rooms to towering retail spaces and emergency housing ... More About: Space , Architecture , Awesome , Urban , Shipping
25 (More) Incredible Works of Art from Ordinary Objects: Cell Phone Sculptu
2008-05-28 23:11:00 Regular readers will remember parts one and two of our ongoing series about amazing art from ordinary objects. Recently a number of readers have written in to submit their own works or works they have constructed from everyday materials. Guido Daniele is an accomplished painter who transforms ordinary individual hands into art, Robert Pettit has ... More About: Phone , Photography , Cell Phone , Cell , Arts
10 Clever Architectural Creations Using Cargo Containers: Shipping Containe
2008-05-26 22:11:00 Guest author Andrew Boyd is an expert on travel hacks With the green theme growing in popularity across every stretch of the world, more and more people are looking for green alternatives for office, and even new home, construction. There are countless numbers of empty, unused shipping containers around the world just sitting on the ... More About: Environment , Architecture , Urban , Shipping , Cargo
7 Creative Approaches to Building Big with Paper: Adaptive (Re)Uses of an E
2008-05-23 01:52:00 New and innovative products are being conceived and produced all the time, but what about new ideas for already-familiar materials? What would it take to get you to see a well-known building material in a new light? Some designers are doing just that now with forward-thinking furniture and architectural features made of one of the ... More About: Creative , Building , Paper , Adaptive
10 Private Islands You Can?t Afford to Live On: Amazing and Exotic Luxury R
2008-05-20 23:32:00 Guest author Brian Thibault lives and breathes (and occasionally writes about) international real estate as the CEO of International Listings LLC. Feeling a little cramped in your thousand square foot Manhattan apartment? Got a few extra million to blow? If so, you too can join the elite of the elite and buy your very own ... More About: Environment , Travel , Architecture , Luxury , Bizarre
30 Awesome Websites for Adverturous Urban Explorers: Urbex Forums, Photos a
2008-05-18 21:57:00 [Abandoned Factory via Noctophotographer on Flickr] Ever wonder what is inside that dark tunnel or deserted structure you pass on your way to work every day? There are a vast number of spooky and surreal abandoned buildings that populate even the densest countries, states and cities. Organized into helpful categories here are thirty must-bookmark resources for ... More About: Travel , Architecture , Photos , Awesome , Urban
12 Compelling Monuments Dedicated to Peace: Reversing the Typology of the W
2008-05-16 21:13:00 “Peace is always beautiful” - Walt Whitman Humans really know how to commemorate their fallen and the incredible monuments dedicated to war stand as evidence. Seeing those, a few will probably say that death is beautiful but this article will continue the series and will focus on peace. From the most prolific countries in the world, ... More About: Travel , Military , Architecture , Geography
15 Creatively Twisted Stuffed Animals: Intentional and Spontaneous Distorti
2008-05-15 00:33:00 What comes to mind when someone mentions stuffed animals? For most of us words like ‘cute’ and ‘cuddly’ or maybe ‘kids’ and ‘toys’ come to mind. For these photographers and product designers, however, words like ‘twisted’ and ‘disturbing’ or even ‘demented’ and ‘deranged’ are perhaps more fitting. Some have explored the innards of these seemingly ... More About: Animals , Spontaneous
5 Modern Secret Room Dreams (and Nightmares): From Creative Hideouts to Dre
2008-05-12 01:16:00 Hidden passages have a long history of appearing in fictional novels and films but an even richer past in reality dating back to Egyptian tombs passages for Christians to worship in hiding from Romans. Over the years hidden passages have been used to arrest kings and evacuate popes, hide shogun warriors, facilitate guerrilla fighters, enable ... More About: Creative , Dreams , Secret , Modern , Room
12 Monuments Dedicated to Death and Destruction: From War Memorials to Mili
2008-05-08 21:45:00 War monuments are in many ways the most captivating structures mankind creates. Perhaps they catch our attention because they symbolize our most violent moments or the extremes of victory and defeat that transcend everyday reality. Some of these structures commemorate turning points in history, wins and losses that changed the courses of countries or even ... More About: Travel , Architecture , Destruction , Arts , Death
5 Great Examples of Guerilla Marketing Gone Wrong: Olympic Belly-Flops to t
2008-05-07 00:26:00 Guerilla marketing is often a risky business, skirting the edge of ethical (or even legal) acceptability. Some guerilla marketers who have crossed the line have caused everything from Olympic belly-flops to city-wide bomb scares and have been punished with anything from modest jail time to millions of dollars in fines. All the same, some of ... More About: Marketing , Advertising , Graffiti , Urban
18 (More) Crazy, Creepy and Kinky Hotel Rooms: From Japanese Fantasy to Tim
2008-05-04 18:30:00 Ever want to sleep suspended in mid-air, stay in a barn loft or live out some other strange fantasy you’re afraid to tell anyone? If you can think of it, chances are someone has created it. From the artistically painted to elaborately decorated, here are eighteen more unusually artistic, crazy and kinky hotel rooms from ... More About: Hotel , Fantasy , Japanese , Crazy , Kinky
7 (More!) Underground Wonders of the World: From Seed Vaults to Amazing Mil
2008-05-01 03:28:00 Regular readers will remember the incredible abandoned mines and sunken cities as well as the catacombs and crypts of two previous collections of underground wonders. This set, however, focuses mainly on amazing underground wonders of the recent past - many of which are still in operation. From seed vault to military hideouts and diamond mines ... More About: Environment , Architecture , World , Graffiti , Amazing
20 Unusually Brilliant Bookcase and Bookshelf Designs: Creative, Modular an
2008-04-28 20:16:00 If you need something to store books anyway, why not choose something that makes a statement or serves two purposes like a bookcase that doubles as a secret door or even a bed? Some of these shelving systems are virtually invisible while others are virtual works of art in their own right. So, if you ... More About: Creative , Designs , Brilliant , Bookshelf
The Making of 5 Modern Marvels of Engineering: Construction Truths Behind C
2008-04-25 19:07:00 Even today modern wonders of engineering like the Eiffel Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge inspire awe (and songs and works of art). A quick look at their origins, however, can turn awe to amazement and astonishment. Each of the five projects listed here took their toll financially and were paid for in part with ... More About: Science , Environment , Architecture , Industry , Engineering
25 Seriously Twisted Trees: From Uncanny Urban Overgrowth to Awesome Arbosc
2008-04-22 17:57:00 Trees and plants have a kind of flexibility that is both disturbing and inspiring. Left to their own devices they can wrap around objects and create strange works of unintentional art. Properly pruned and cultivated they can be made into curious, compelling and useful shapes of all sorts. From tree furniture designs to unchecked acts of nature here are 25 examples of the amazing malleability of trees. Of course, there are many forms of strange green art and other subversive ways to garden. Given time trees can grow around just about anything. Historically, there are a number of legends, rumors and hoaxes regarding man-and-cow-eating trees. Trees that consume people, animals or other objects have also featured prominently in various works of literary fiction such as Little Shop of Horrors. Peter (Pook) Cook and Becky Northey of Pooktre dot Com are two Australian artists and tree shapers who started their love of tree-shaping with a single chair tree. They have since created, indi... More About: Awesome , Urban , Trees , Uncanny
25 Seriously Twisted Trees: From Uncanny Overgrowth to Awesome Arbosculptur
More articles from this author:2008-04-22 17:57:00 Trees and plants have a kind of flexibility that is both disturbing and inspiring. Left to their own devices they can wrap around objects and create strange works of unintentional art. Properly pruned and cultivated they can be made into curious, compelling and useful shapes of all sorts. From tree furniture designs to unchecked acts ... More About: Environment , Nature , Travel , Awesome , Arts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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