Tag Archives: architecture

Defrosting a Building: Otherworldly Icescapes Inside a Historic Chicago Cold Storage Facility

Defrosting a Building: Otherworldly Icescapes Inside a Historic Chicago Cold Storage Facility ice history Chicago architecture

For nine decades Fulton Market Cold Storage Company operated in Chicago’s meatpacking district with a full ten stories of freezing storage situated close to major railways. Last summer the company decided it was time to start fresh in a state-of-the-art facility outside of Chicago, so the building was sold to SRAM, a bike component manufacturer who will use the space for its global headquarters. Architects Perkins + Will were hired to help convert the ice-encrusted space into a new, modernized office building and were also tasked with the most epic refrigerator defrost in history. Luckily photographer Gary Jensen was asked to snap some incredible photos prior to the thawing which was actually caught on video (sorry no embed). See more photos on his website. (via gapers block)

Update: I’ve been asked to clarify that the building owner is technically Sterling Bay and the architect of the conversion is Hartshorne and Plunkard. SRAM is a potential tenant in the building and Perkins & Will is their architect.

How to Build a Rainbow Igloo

How to Build a Rainbow Igloo winter snow rainbows igloos ice architecture

Thanks to an ingenious mother from Edmonton it’s quite possible nobody will every build a plain white igloo again. The adventure began with a kernel of an idea from Brigid Burton, whose daughter Kathleen Starrie and boyfriend Daniel Gray, an engineering student, were coming for a winter visit from New Zealand. Wanting to “keep him occupied” during the frigid winter days that often dip down to -25 °F (-31 °C), last October she began filling paper cartons with colored water and setting them outside to form translucent ice bricks. She hoped Gray’s engineering skills would do the rest. Like a total champ he accepted the challenge and with the help of additional family and neighbors the team spent nearly 150 hours fitting the 500 ice bricks into place. After completion the raingbow igloo was so visually striking the local news showed up to do a feature on it.

You can read the full story at the Global Edmonton and see many more construction photos here. Pretty sure Kathleen is basically required to marry this guy now. (via reddit)

By Christopher on January 5, 2013 • architecture ice igloos rainbows snow winter

The Happiness Machine: Exquisitely Detailed Architectural Drawings by Mark Lascelles Thornton

The Happiness Machine: Exquisitely Detailed Architectural Drawings by Mark Lascelles Thornton New York London drawing Chicago architecture

Using a rotring pen on white paper, Cornwall-based artist Mark Lascelles Thornton has embarked on a massive architectural drawing project called the The Happiness Machine. Each panel represents a stylized red and grayscale representation of architectural highlights from eight locations, so far including Chicago, New York, London and what appears to be a mix of Asian skyscrapers (Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, etc.). In addition to the meticulous detail of the buildings and clouds, the piece is all the more incredible considering its scale: the final piece will include eight panels spanning 8 ft. by 5 ft. (2.4 m. x 1.5 m.). The images here are great but you can see everything in much more detail over on his Tumblr. (via devid sketchbook)

By Christopher on December 11, 2012 • architecture Chicago drawing London New York

Architectural Watercolors by Maja Wrońska

Architectural Watercolors by Maja Wrońska watercolor painting architecture

I’m really enjoy the use of structure and color by Poland-based watercolor artist Maja Wrońska who has captured some lovely scenes from Paris, Venice, Prague, and elsewhere. Catch more of her work over on DeviantArt. (via my darkened eyes)

By Christopher on December 3, 2012 • architecture painting watercolor

Where the Internet Lives: The First-Ever Glimpse Inside Google’s Data Centers

Where the Internet Lives: The First Ever Glimpse Inside Googles Data Centers Google architecture

So it really is a series of tubes. For the first time ever Google has posted dozens of rare photographs inside and around its data centers revealing the absurd level of organization, energy and design that goes into powering some of the largest, most powerful systems plugged into the internet. My absolute favorite aspect is the color-coordinated design of their infrastructure as it correlates to the Google logo. What wonderful attention to detail. See many more photos of their eight data centers and Street View imagery of their Lenoir, NC data center at Where the Internet Lives. All photos by Connie Zhou.

By Christopher on October 17, 2012 • architecture Google

The Next M.C. Escher? The Disorienting Polyhedral Panoramic Perspective Drawings of Rorik Smith

The Next M.C. Escher? The Disorienting Polyhedral Panoramic Perspective Drawings of Rorik Smith panoramic drawing architecture

Before an email arrived in my inbox this week I was completely unaware that a polyhedral panoramic perspective drawing was a thing, but apparently is, though a quick google search comes up with nothing. But I’ll take artist Rorik Smith at his word and just enjoy the incredible effects achieved in his disorienting illustrations that are drawn with graphite pencils on-site without aid from photographic reference material or digital manipulation. Smith seems to introduce polarized coordinates at random locations in each drawing and then bends the perspective of the surrounding areas to match. If that makes any sense. Love these. See much more in his portfoio.

By Christopher on October 9, 2012 • architecture drawing panoramic

Point of View

I absolutely love the perspective in this pair of images by German photographer Christopher Hassler shot in a tunnel using a fisheye lens. See more of his work over on Facebook.

By Christopher on July 22, 2012 • architecture Germany optical illusion

Global City: A Sprawling Mural Drawn on the Walls and Cabinets of a Kitchen by Deck Two

Global City: A Sprawling Mural Drawn on the Walls and Cabinets of a Kitchen by Deck Two interior design graffiti drawing architecture

Global City is an impressive new mural by graffiti artist Deck Two that was completed early this month in New York. The line drawing, which stretches across white walls and cabinet doors, includes major landmarks and scenes from countries around the world. Watch the artist at work in this video shot and edited by Nathalie Lapicorey and Thomas Dartigues. (via molotow and fubiz)