sfgirlbybay - bohemian modern style from a san francisco girl Beach House Q / Longhi Architects Architects: Longhi Architects / Luis Longhi Location: Lima, Peru Project Year: 2010 Project Area: 404 sqm Photographs: Juan Solano / CHOlon Photography Infinite rolling dunes from the desert to the East and rocky Pacific Ocean cliffs used by fishermen to the West converge on the site of Casa Q, creating a unique natural environment. Casa Q is the first residence built in one of the areas not yet occupied at the Beach Club Misterio, located 117 kilometers south of Lima, Peru. Challenging the stillness of the surroundings, Casa Q materializes the dreams of a young couple in a “floating volume” which embodies the spaces for a future family. The volume is supported by circular columns placed by intuition, as a dance, instead of forcibly in a grid. The rest of the house – guest rooms, kitchen and services – are tastefully secluded at the back of the sloped site thus providing visual contrast with a volume of water in the front which has been unearthed for the enjoyment of swimming.
Amazing House Built Across a River This rustic retreat was built right in the heart of Three Rivers, California near the entrance to Sequoia National Park where the enchantment of wildlife sightings runs wild. What also happens to run wild is the river that flows under this home, something that has never been done before or ever since! Kaweah Falls was originally designed in the 1940′s by one of Frank Wright’s very own students, but when the second homeowners moved in and remodeled they decided to add an addition to the home that floats over the river bank. Aside from a few cool interior features like a dining room with a glass floor view of the river, there is a footbridge over these waters that lead to a private deck where one can sit and listen to the sounds of fresh water skimming river rocks on the way down from a waterfall found right up the mountain. Choosing a vacation spot for these homeowners is definitely a tall order…but who would want to leave this place? Check out the video below:
National Geographic Photo Contest 2011 - In Focus National Geographic is currently holding its annual photo contest, with the deadline for submissions coming up on November 30. For the past nine weeks, the society has been gathering and presenting galleries of submissions, encouraging readers to vote for them as well. National Geographic was kind enough to let me choose among its entries from 2011 for display here on In Focus. Gathered below are 45 images from the three categories of People, Places, and Nature, with captions written by the individual photographers. [45 photos] Use j/k keys or ←/→ to navigate Choose: Many people pilgrimage to Uluru, but what is seen there often depends on where you've come from. Eruption of the Cordon del Caulle. Beluga whales in the arctic having fun. This is a streetcar in New Orleans traveling back towards The Quarter on St. This image captures almost 6 hours of climbing parties on Rainier going for the summit under starry skies. Russia, polar region of West Siberia, Tazovsky Peninsula.
photos by Henri Cartier-Bresson Albert Camus, Paris, 1944. Coney Island, New York, 1946. Romania, 1975. Naples, Italy, 1960. A football game, Michigan vs. At the Le Mans Auto Race, France, 1966. Uzbekistan, 1954. Visitors from kolkhozy to the eleventh-century Alaverdi monastery, 1972. Improvised canteen for workers building the Hotel Metropol, 1954. The Arbat, Moscow, 1972. Chelny, Russia, 1973. Boston, 1947. New York, 1935. An African-American student is denied entry to a theater. Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia, 1960. Jean-Paul Sartre, Paris, 1946. Dessau, Germany, April, 1945. Nehru Announces Gandhi's Death, Birla House, Delhi, 1948. World's Fair, Brussels, 1958. Simone de Beauvoir, Paris, 1946. New York, 1960. Bankers Trust, New York, 1960. Near Strasbourg, France, 1944. The arrival of a boat carrying refugees from Europe reunites a mother and son who had been separated throughout the war, 1946. Communist students demonstrate against the black market. McCann-Erickson Agency, Madison Avenue, New York, 1959. New York, 1947.
Earthscraper concept hides a 1,000-foot skyscraper underground The folks over at Mexican architecture group BNKR Arquitectura call this thing an "earthscraper," and the reason why should be obvious: it's a monstrous, beautiful, 65-story inverted skyscraper that hides a mini city underground. Designed to be built smack-dab in the center of Mexico City, BNKR's Earthscraper wouldn't ruin the skyline there (though, really, who would object to something that looks like this?) and is designed in such a way that it would incorporate Mexico's history in its design. The top ten floors — which, here, would be the "bottom" ten — is a museum and cultural center dedicated to the Aztecs. Below that you've got retail space, then apartments and finally, deep underground, businesses. Because, you know, that's where business do their best work. Our favorite detail: the interior of the structure is actually hollowed out, and there are bridges that extend out into the center of it so you can look down. Click to enlarge
Creative Architecture Ideas Today’s collection is going to be a mix of amazing exterior and interior architecture designs. For most of us villas featured are out of reach .) but at least we may admire the creativity and luxury. And of course, we always may get inspired, right?! .) What about a cool contemporary beach house? Check The Desert Villa by Studio Aiko. Glass Bottom Pool by The Holiday Inn Shanghai Buit in Cabinetry by Idhea Deer Shaped Pylons by DesignDepot VitraHaus @ Weil am Rhein, Germany by VitraHaus Casa Finisterra by Rees Roberts Skateboard House by PAS Living Wall by Patrick Blanc Interior Studio by Ina Matt Elevator Room by OMA Terraced House in Casavells by 05 AM Arquitectura Plantagon Vertical Greenhouse by Plantagon Lego Development Office by Rosan-Bosch Floating Fountains by Isamu Noguchi Corner Bookshelf by Factor Architecture 36 Clipper Bay Home by FGR Architects Clifton House, South Africa by SAOTA Waccabuc House by Chan Li Lin Las Palmeras Beach House by Greg Wright Architects 55 Blair Road by Ong & Ong
8 Incredible Ghost Towns to Visit in Europe Want to add these ghost towns to your RTW itinerary? Don’t know where to start? Sign up today for Plan Your RTW Trip in 30 Days and start receiving email lesson plans tomorrow – it’s free! If you’re a traveling family, sign up for the Family Edition of Plan Your RTW Trip in 30 Days. By definition, a ghost town is an abandoned town or city. Ghost towns can be found all over the world, but some of them have become very famous. Here is a list of some of the most famous and interesting, sites which are definitely worth your visit: Pompeii, Italy Pompeii is located in Campania, not far from Naples. Tickets are €11 per adult, but if you want to visit Herculaneum as well, you can consider the €20 for the five sites pass. The neighboring Herculaneum suffered the same fate. >> Read more about visiting Pompeii, book hostels in Pompeii or book a flight to Naples Chernobyl , Ukraine The easiest way to get to Chernobyl is by way of Kiev (the city is located 70 km from the capital). Balestrino, Italy
Color Therapy: Peacock Blue Oh how I love this gorgeous color! Peacock Blue is defined as "a shade of blue tinged with green." Although this color is strong and bold, it never seems to overwhelm a space. I'm working on a client's master bedroom and we decided to throw in a punch of Peacock Blue to the otherwise neutral color palette. Moshe Safdie: Singapore | EMPTY KINGDOM You are Here, We are Everywhere - StumbleUpon Amazing Stockholm Loft With 16 Feet Ceilings This amazing loft is located on the top floor of a very attractive building on one of the most desired addresses in Stockholm. The building was built in 1885 so the 300 square meter loft features 16 feet ceilings. Besides the loft exposures in all four directions and is blasted in sun from glorious windows. The living space features only exclusive and high quality materials and appliances. There is also an open and very spacious living area with a fantastic wood burning fire place, a custom built bookshelf that emphasizes the height and shape of the ceiling and separate dining area from where you can enjoy the wonderful views over Östermalmstorg. contemporary loft, loft bedrooms, loft design, loft interior design, luxury loft, roof loft design, Swedish design
Surreal 3D Buildings - Design While Leonardo DiCaprio certainly had a tough time in Inception (his wife's suicide, being legally kept away from his kids, constant loud music), we still harbour a large amount of jealousy for his architectural mind skills. Returning to our stupid, vertical, stationary home felt deflating once the movie ended. Prepare to feel stunned, and then unsatisfied with reality, yet again as illustrator Victor Enrich has created a selection of real buildings given a dreamy slant. He does this by combining photographs and 3D architectural visualisation. In other words, the guy knows Photoshop inside out. You can see more of his work here. Tags: architecture