Look, I photograph a lot of bicycles, sometimes under the gun due to time constraints or lighting, so when I get the chance to look at a bike from a different angle, or perspective, it really makes my day. Here’s a shot of Chris’ Speedvagen road, taken in LA, at a spot where I’ve photographed many bikes, but never thought about utilizing the location’s vantage points.
It’s not much, but for me, it made the shoot worth it, especially with a 135mm lens. More on this bike to come…
Los Angeles has been incredible. In fact, I think it’s safe to say it was my best trip here to date. We did big, big rides, got fast and loose, all the while having fun.
Once I develop my film and pull together all my digital shots, a torrent of content will continue. For now, I leave you with this photo I shot of Andy on our sunset ride last night. The iPhone’s not such a bad camera, is it?
Simple SimonI've spoken to this dude! Tyler.
On a seperate note - looks like I'll be getting some new wheels built - my buddy is doing a wheel building course, so he was going to put them together for me, and I was going to get these H plus Son wheels
Yikes! Tyler from Factory Five is one of the raddest dudes I’ve met over the past few years, so I can just imagine him smashing around Shanghai on this thing. As a singer of a hardcore band, he’s no stranger to camo (shorts), so it just seemed like a natural move to paint his new Factory Five F550s track with the digital pattern. Check out more at the Factory Five Flickr and see the build specs below.
Frame:
61cm Factory Five F550s painted in digital camouflage
Fork/Headset:
Carbon Alloy (35 rake) / Chris King Sottovoce
Crankset/Bottom Bracket:
PAUL Road Crank 170mm / Campagnolo Chorus
Pedals:
Shimano PD-A600
Drivetrain/Cog/Chainring/Chain:
48T PAUL Royal Flush / 15T Dura Ace Cog / Izumi Gold Track Chain
Handlebars/Stem:
Cannondale C2 44cm road drops / Cannondale C1 110mm with Ti bolts
Saddle/Seatpost:
San Marco Concor Racing Open / Thomson Elite
Front Wheel/Hub/Tire:
H Plus Son Archetype / Dura Ace 36h NJS / DT Swiss Black spokes / Fyxation Session 23c tyres
Simple Simon:)
If anyone knows weight loss, it’s me. I went from flubby to fit (sorta), all from riding more. Andy from Fyxomatosis has a lot to do with my fitness and so I feel like I owe him the plug on this one. Scoop up an Eddy Merckx Weight Loss Programs shirt yourself!
NeverWet has been making headlines as the silicon-based spray that repels liquids from clothes and electronics, but this off-book use shows another fascinating application that may be even longer-lasting: urban art invisible until poured upon.
As part of a Home Depot competition, Nathan Sharratt decided to create stencils and spray hydrophobic NeverWet onto streets and sidewalks, resulting in areas of deflected moisture surrounded by soaked concrete. Like invisible ink, the water-repellent areas remain hidden until another liquid is applied.
Given criticism of NeverWet when applied to shoes (apparently it can discolor or leave residue) and phones (touchscreen and durability issues have been reported), this may prove to be a more persistent, if unintended, long-term application of the product.
And for any interested subversive artists, it could prove a unusual boon when bothered by police: how will the authorities justify arresting someone for spraying an invisible coating on a public surface? Meanwhile, best of luck to Nathan in the contest – a win here is surely deserved! As one reader (3AlarmLampscooter) from Reddit noted: there are practical and legal street applications of this too, potentially: “Instead of a sign saying slippery when wet… graffiti saying slippery.” That, and consider: sidewalk happy-hour signs for drink specials in the rain, or way-finding messages for seeking shelter in a storm. Many interesting possibilities.
Short-form instructions for those looking to (officially: don’t!) try this at home or in the neighborhood: “Step 1: You need a stencil. You can do something simple or use an image that includes a fair amount of detail. I created my own stencils from cardboard, but there’s no reason you can’t use a ready-made or store-bought stencil. Just know that NeverWet will get sprayed on that, too. Step 2: Place stencil on concrete. I recommend that you only try this on light-colored concrete for best results. Step 3: Spray the NeverWet into the cut-out areas of your stencil according to the manufacturer’s instructions found on the label. I did two base coats and two top coats.”
    
|
(click on the image for a larger version)
Sometimes I feel so angry or frustrated that I don’t even know what to do with myself. Other times, I’ve just had too much coffee… That’s the time when I lace up my sneakers and head out for a run. I sweat it out. Some people swim it out, others cry it out (hey, I’ve done both of those, too!). It’s healthy to get your emotions out of the way so you can get back to whatever it is you have to do. Taking breaks is important and should be encourage and embraced. So go on, head to the beach for one last dip in the ocean before it gets too cold. Have a good cry. Maybe even an ugly one. Or, run around the block a few times. Whatever you need to do—it’s guaranteed to make you feel better.
About the designer: Kimberly Hall is an illustrator + designer who is living in Philly and working in New York. She has two little girls, a website, a husband and we are thinking about getting a bird. She loves collecting junk, riding the train, exploring, and of course, drawing. Additionally, she runs a little shop where she sells vintage clothes and accessories by illustration only.
Want to design one of these for us? Get in touch!
malc.e.smith posted a photo:
Brewdog Lichtenstein - brewed for Lichtenstein exhibition at Tate Modern, London
It took 1 year, over 1000 photographs and extensive archival research to construct The City of Ruins, a digital stereoscopic reconstruction of Warsaw, Poland in its most devastated state. With over 60,000 3D-modeled structures (detailing what remained), this incredible undertaking brings home the scale of destruction with stunning visual details and remarkable historical accuracy.
As illustrated in the trailer above and images below, over 85% of the buildings in the city were ultimately destroyed between urban combat and systematic leveling. Its creators note that this is the first rigorous large-scale attempt to rebuild a war-ravaged city in digital form.
The Polish Resistance staged the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, which, lacking promised Soviet support, fell hard to German forces over brutal two month period. Thus Warsaw, previously a of nearly 1,000,000 people, was reduced to a habitat for less than 1,00o.
The extent of its demolition is hard to picture, hence the creation of this model and flyover video for the Warsaw Rising museum. Without anti-aircraft capabilities or the ability to receive sufficient aid and support from the West, defenders in the city fought but ultimately fell or retreated through the sewer system.
Hundreds of thousands of fighters and civilians alike perished in the conflict. The destruction of structures and infrastructure was documented piecemeal, the scraps of which were assembled formed the basis for this disturbingly realistic model and film. More on the remaking of the ruins below.
|
|
Simple SimonI dunno what it is about a video of folks riding through the streets of Berlin...but it's pretty cool!
Simple SimonAG: Is there any reason for routing that front brake cable through the stem, other than it looking pretty neat and saving on clips?
People look great on pink bikes. They’re not as ostentatious as red bikes and evoke a certain “fun” energy, especially when they’re pedaled by Ty from Golden Saddle Cyclery. Riding with that dude is always rad and it doesn’t hurt when you get to check out this steed from all angles (including launching into the air).
The Seven Mudhoney is a no-nonsense cross machine. Built from Seven’s Origin™ butted steel, it’s light, responsive and best of all, can be thrashed with ease. Just add some bike control…
Check out more photos in the Gallery!
Simple SimonNeed to save this one for some folks at work.
|
|
Simple SimonBest bit about the one in Beijing - Colourful windowsills - really isn't a very spectacular building.
Soaring above the city streets, spanning towering skyscrapers or simply providing links between buildings at lower heights, skybridges often host gardens, observation decks and even swimming pools. More than just indoor bridges, they’re spaces from which to take in views of cities around the world, from Singapore to Copenhagen.
Over 650 feet above the streets, a sky park stretches between the towers of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, offering one of the world’s most spectacular infinity pools, which seems to pour over into the cityscape. The two-acre skylark also includes a garden, jogging paths, spas and ‘floating’ crystal pavilions. It’s cantilevered 230 feet at one end, twice the length of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet.
Designed as a gateway to the city of Copenhagen, Steven Holl’s Harbor LM project features a skybridge between two skyscrapers hovering over the water. The skybridge features prow-like public deck looking out onto the harbor, painted in bright orange and yellow to reflect off the surface of the water at night.
Three skybridges studded with wind turbines connect the two towers of the Bahrain World Trade Center, a 50-floor complex soaring 787 feet into the air. The turbines provide 11%-15% of the towers’ total power consumption, and operate 50% of the time on an average day.
Designed as an ‘open city within a city’ oriented around pedestrians, the Linked Hybrid complex in Beijing by Steven Holl architects is a complex of shops, offices, pubic roof gardens, residential towers, restaurants, schools and more, all connected to green spaces. A multi-functional series of skybridges connects the various structures from the 12th to the 18th floors, offering access to the pools, a fitness room, a cafe, a gallery and an auditorium as well as views of the city. Say the architects, “We hope the public sky-loop and the base-loop will constantly generate random relationships. They will function as social condensers resulting in a special experience of city life to both residents and visitors.”
Two skyscrapers made up of stacked and rotated volumes are connected near the apex by a 30-story-high skybridge in this project in Seoul, Korea by New York-based Asymptote Architecture. The Velo Tower skybridge includes both a protected indoor viewing platform connecting the towers, and an outdoor recreation spot with gardens and fountains.
|
|
Brooklyn-based Pop Chart Lab just released their latest print and it’s all about bicycles. The 18″x24″, $27 print features 75 detailed illustrations showing The Evolution Of Bicycles from 1780 to present day. From Victorian Era, to BMX, to mountain bikes, this print tracks the history of your favorite two-wheeled mode of transportation.
You can even finish the print off with their new custom framing that lets you choose from three frame colors, their easy-to-hang rail system, or their new panel mounts.
This guy is my new hero. His name is Jason McHenry. He and artist Christopher Dyer have embarked on a life project called One Thousand Thousand, which entails making 1 million uniformly-sized, original mixed-media works on paper. They’ve been making new pieces just about every day for the last 20 years and the project is nearing the 330,000 mark. WHAT!? Yes, 330 THOUSAND paintings.
They’re approximately 5.5” x 7” — a precursor to the Artist Trading Card movement.
AND, Jason sells them for right here on Etsy. You can own one (or many!) and support this amazing project. I own two. I want more!
Check out the online gallery of work and be sure to follow him along on Facebook or Flickr to keep updated on the project. I really enjoy looking at the process photos on Facebook.
Process
Process
At their current rate of production, the goal of one million pieces of art will likely not be reached in their lifetime so they’re now asking others to get involved. If you’re interested, you can email them to help participate in the project yourself, or go here to learn more about participating.
Simple Simonmmmm cartographic
If you have ever zoomed out in Google Maps (or Mapquest, Yahoo or Bing), you may have been surprised find your field of view relatively unclouded by inclement weather patterns, yet marred by strange and inconsistent seasons. Instead of a continuous satellite view, you see an apparent patchwork quilt of misfit images, incoherently stitched together.
MapBox (which powers FourSquare among other services) is on a mission to make satellite images not only more beautiful but also more consistent and comprehensible. Their task begins with eliminating blurry landscapes, strange seams and the surreal endless summer you see on other aerial images of the globe, but the potential scope of the project goes far beyond that as well.
Talking to Wired, Charlie Loyd describes how the company is sifting through data from Terra and Aqua, two orbiting NASA satellites, to solve this problem pixel by pixel: “For the new release we’re processing two years of imagery, captured from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2012. This amounts to over 339,000 16-megapixel+ satellite images, totaling more than 5,687,476,224,000 pixels. We boil these down to a mere 5 billion or so.”
The industry paradigm is to combine parts of images representing the clearest available shots, but the result can create a clash of color from various seasons. Simply overlapping all of the different possibilities creates a mess of indistinct brown, which is not terribly attractive or useful either. Thus a middle road was found: stacking the images, sorting them by cloudiness, selecting pixels from each picture and filtering around peak growth periods. The result is a consistent yet naturally texture-rich whole both synthetic in composition yet ultimately organic in origin at the same time.
The goal for now is to create a single seamless atlas that wraps the world, accurately (but with an eye towards aesthetics) reflecting what the planet actually looks like from above while also being useful in real-life mapping. Future potential iterations, however, could evolve beyond just looking and working best in traditional contexts: “If you do a web search for, say, infrared remote sensing, you’ll get an idea of the richness of possibilities, and you can start to imagine the cross-cutting inquiries that these large, open archives of multi-spectral satellite data enable,” writes Loyd. “Glaciers, wildfires, crops, droughts and floods, cities and forests, surface temperature, plankton blooms, seasonal dynamics, even smog –- it’s all there. It just needs a little work to see clearly.”
|
|
Rainbows on the horizon are impossible to approach, let alone pass through – they flicker and fade like phantoms, except in the case of this iconic space.
Your Rainbow Panorama by Olafur Eliasson is an enclosed circular walkway that sits atop the ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum in Denmark. Its colored glass spans from floor to ceiling and rotates visitors through five hundred feet of color, looping them through a rainbow of panoramic city views.
The experience of walking along this 500-foot path is at once reductive and complex. At each step, the city outside becomes a monochromatic landscape, filtered through the lens of single slices of color that rotate as you move.
From outside, the raised structure forms a bright beacon within the city, a recognizable icon thanks to its combination of round shape and vibrant color. As this project illustrates, powerful architecture can be about more than structure, building and void – it is also about shaping experience through color and light.
According to its Danish-Icelandic designer, it is “a space which virtually erases the boundaries between inside and outside – where people become a little uncertain as to whether they have stepped into a work or into part of the museum. This uncertainty is important to me, as it encourages people to think and sense beyond the limits within which they are accustomed to moving.” In the end, is it an gallery space, a viewing platform, a permanent art installation … or does it perhaps span a spectrum of spatial definitions as well as colors?
|
|
Innocuous spheres by day, the carefully handmade holes dotting these coconut shells are hard to even see until they light up at night, morphing from muted balls to bright orbs.
Once illuminated, these subtle spheres are themselves beautifully lit up from within, but also project amazing patterns on surrounding walls, furniture and furnishings, whether set on the floor or placed on a bookcase or nightstand.
Creator Vainius Kubilius explains their constituent parts in anatomical terms – bones (of metal wire) to create a strong and flexible stand, wrapped with skin (of various ropes) to create a tactile exterior, with a head and brain (custom drilled coconut) unique in each case and giving personality to the whole.
|
|
Simple SimonDon't forget Soul (that's an Aberdeen joke Amel - most city-centre churches are now bars in Aberdeen)! I really like the library though.
Transforming these fifteen churches, monasteries and synagogues into homes, libraries and nightclubs hasn’t put a damper on their sense of reverence and grandeur. Former houses of worship all over the world retain all of their awe-inspiring original architectural elements like vaulted ceilings, arches, altars and stained glass windows while adjusting to needs that are more mundane.
A thirteenth-century Dominican church in Maastricht, Holland has been transformed into Selexyz Dominicanen, a massive bookstore. The 1,200-square-meter church will all of its elegant arches and vaults has been filled with a modern three-story volume containing row after row of books, to take advantage of the full height of the structure.
A modest, narrow chapel in The Netherlands that had fallen into disuse is now a private home. Like many other churches in the area, St. Jakobus was no longer needed for its intended purpose, so it was used as an antique store and even a meeting place for small concerts over the years. Then Zecc Architects came in, removed part of the mezzanine floor, painted nearly every surface stark white and inserted modular volume that provides enclosed rooms and a loft without compromising the grand feel of the space.
Travelers can take a different sort of comfort in a 15th century monastery in Maastricht than that for which it was originally built. The Crutched Friars is now the 60-room Kruisheren Hotel. The monastery houses the guest rooms, while the Gothic church contains the reception area, conference rooms, a library, a boutique and a coffee bar.
What appears to be an ordinary church in Sydney, Australia is actually a modern home. You wouldn’t guess from the outside that just within those walls is a light-filled living space with an indoor swimming pool, glazed walls and a marble commercial kitchen.
The Spirito-Martini is a luxurious hotspot in Brussels with three bars, five different lounges and a private room, all set within a former Anglican church. All of the major architectural elements of the church have been retained, including extravagant chandeliers. The designers outfitted the club in Victorian-style furniture, damask and dark wood.
|
|
On any given day in Paris, you might see hundreds of thousands of residents and tourists in the streets. They go in and out of shops, snap pictures next to landmarks, stare in wonder at the opulent architecture. But over 5500 miles away, there is another Paris – a comparative ghost town where the streets stand nearly empty.
Construction on Tianducheng, in China’s Zhejiang district, began in 2007. It was meant to be a luxurious gated community resembling Paris in every way possible. The highlight of the town is its 354-foot replica of the Eiffel tower, but plenty of Paris’ other landmarks have been faithfully recreated here.
There is a major incongruity between one’s expectations for a “little Paris” and what you will actually see in Tianducheng. The streets are, for the most part, entirely empty. There are no throngs of tourists or business people rushing off to their offices. There is a lot of quiet, and there is a fair amount of traditional Chinese culture, seemingly completely out of place in the French surroundings.
The development was built to house 100,000 people and to draw rural families into a bustling metropolitan area. As of 2007, (the last time the population was counted), only 2,000 souls inhabited the gated compound. The population seems to be dwindling, leading local media to refer to Tianducheng as a “ghost town.”
It may seem odd to build a replica of a famous city in a different country, but the developers were working on the idea that Paris was seen as a romantic destination. They felt that Chinese people would want to live in this faux-European environment with its stately townhouses and wide-open courtyards. Several other Western-style towns and communities have been built in China around this idea.
At least in Tianducheng, you are more likely to see empty streets and traditional Chinese agricultural life than the distinctly Parisian pastimes of shopping, strolling, and sipping wine on a restaurant patio. Daily life in the town is documented in the video above.
Work is still in progress in the compound; its expected completion date is in 2015. So the Paris of the East, it turns out, isn’t quite a ghost town – it hasn’t had the time to develop ghosts just yet. In a few years, this now-quiet development could very well be chock full of Chinese residents ready to begin their European-style lives. (Images via: Business Insider and video by Caspar Stracke)
|
|
