House in Nürtingen is a private residence designed by Manuela Fernandez Langenegger in 2012. It is located in Nürtingen, Germany. Photos by: Rolf Schwarz
Being the first commercial boxing gym in the region, The Burrow introduces a modern combination of boxing exercises to Kuwait. The gym is composed of a welcoming lobby, semi-private workout halls, a boxing arena and an elevated cross fit area. While designing the space, the key factor was in emphasizing a natural flow of movement and the element of surprise.
In order to reach the main workout area, members have to take a relatively narrow corridor, passing by the locker area and into the main workout hall. In contrast to the corridor, the spacious workout area embraces an elevated boxing ring in it’s center. The boxing ring is dramatically lit with nine pendant lights to highlight it’s importance in the facility. The workout area & classrooms were designed in a way to serve versatile activities. The mezzanine level creates an additional workout space, and a balcony with a clear view of the boxing ring.
The materials were inspired by the retro boxing gyms, which were usually direct without any extensive decorations. Therefore, the materials used were a combination of concrete blocks, subway tiles, steel, and hints of natural wood. To guarantee a crisp day atmosphere, that would usually differ from the evening ambiance, skylight openings were introduced on the northern walls to allow for diffused natural light. Curved glass corners were used in the corridors, thereby ensuring a welcoming clear route between the entrance, lockers, and main workout area.
Our latest Pinterest board collects together the most popular saunas from the pages of Dezeen, including a cavernous steam room built to emulate the form of a seaside grotto, an industrial-looking structure in Gothenburg and a wooden design that staggers up over Norway’s rocky terrain.
Follow Dezeen on Pinterest | See more saunas on Dezeen
You’re reading How Board Games Can Make You a Better Person, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
It’s no secret that play is essential to learning. We learn best when we’re having fun. For this reason, games are widely acknowledged for encouraging development in a variety of different areas: empathy, reasoning skills, mathematical ability and vocabulary – to name a few.
Whatever aspect of yourself you’d like to improve, there’s a game for it. Educational games are used as experiential learning tools in schools for children of all ages, and some have even touted the benefits of playing puzzle games and doing crosswords in staving off Alzheimer’s disease and neural degeneration associated with old age.
The kings and noblemen of medieval times would test their wits and fortitude in games of chess against one another. In the ancient Greek kingdom of Lydia, the people survived famine for 18 years by eating only every second day. On days they didn’t eat, they’d distract themselves from hunger by inventing and playing games.
When we think of games today, most people think of immersive PC or video games like Call of Duty or addictive mobile apps such as Candy Crush, but it’s important that we not overlook the many advantages of bonding with family or friends over a good old-fashioned board game.
Here are just a few reasons why you might want to get out some of those dusty boxes in your cupboard and start planning your next games night:
Strategy games, such as Monopoly and Robert Kiyosaki’s Cashflow, teach logic, critical thinking and analytical skills while demonstrating the advantages of investing, financial independence and economic responsibility – crucial skills for success.
Cashflow, for example, has players caught in a “Rat Race” – a circuit on the board that you can only escape from once your passive income exceeds your monthly expenses. Once out of the Rat Race, players are moved to the “Fast Track” and only then stand a chance of winning the game. The game remains fun and entertaining for players (ages 14 and up) while teaching basic accounting as well as valuable, real world, fiscal insights.
Another strategy game worth mentioning is the award winning game, The Settlers of Catan, where players must engage in a strategic feudal conquest to compete for land and resources on the fictional island of Catan. The game is simple enough to learn to play that it is suitable for players of any age. Because of the infinite possible outcomes, the game remains exciting and nuanced even for more experienced players.
We all know the stereotype of the sweaty nerd playing Dungeons and Dragons with his equally awkward and equally male friends in his mother’s basement, but this stigma couldn’t be further from reality. The surprising truth is that role-playing storytelling games like D&D, World of Darkness and Aye, Dark Overlord! are great for building confidence and social skills by requiring players to exercise creativity, verbal intelligence, problem solving skills and even acting. Imagine all the benefits of reading, writing and spending time with friends all rolled together!
Dungeons and Dragons relies heavily on the creation of characters and storytelling. Finding interesting character quirks and drawing from personal experience enriches the game, and may even boost your own charisma.
Aye, Dark Overlord! involves similar quick thinking and imaginative storytelling, as players assume the roles of the goblin servants of an evil overlord (a preselected game master). Using card prompts, the players must then weasel their way out of wild accusations thrown at them by their merciless leader. This game not only requires wit, creativity and skilful negotiation, but also an enormous sense of humour. It’s said that no one can teach you how to be funny, but you’ll definitely get your practice in playing Aye, Dark Overlord!
Intelligence is not just about how much you know or good you are at solving problems, it’s also about how quickly you can operate at a level of efficiency. Games such as Speed, Jungle Speed and Snap are excellent for teaching or developing dexterity and quick reaction time. Whether you’re a parent wanting the best for your child, a teenager or adult simply wanting to sharpen up the reflexes, or a fighter pilot whose ability to make split-second decisions could mean the difference between life or death, you’re sure to benefit.
UNO is a great game for anyone looking to improve their ability to pay attention, as your success depends on concentrating on not allowing your opponents to run out of cards before you do.
There’s no better way to improve vocabulary than by playing Scrabble. Scrabble rewards players who can arrange the most uncommon letters into the longest words. Playing with people much better than you is a great way to expand your lexicon (if you can resist the urge to throw a dictionary at your cocky wordsmith friends.)
Dixit is a clue-based party game that dazzles you with imaginative artwork while training you to decipher often cryptic clues given to you by your opponents. The great thing about Dixit is that the difficulty of the clues relies entirely upon the creativity of your fellow players and so it can easily be adjusted to be suitable for players as young as six years of age.
To get the most out of the board games you buy, be sure to choose the right game for the right age group. A game should be just advanced enough to be challenging for younger players without becoming frustrating. Conversely, children may grow out of games designed for younger players because there is not enough of a challenge to occupy their attention.
In the end, it’s important to remember that while educational and often thoroughly involving, the point of games is to escape from the troubles of everyday life and become immersed in the world of fun and imagination. As in life, the important thing is to win and lose gracefully. If you take either too seriously, it ceases to be fun. The point is to learn, have some fun and enjoy spending time with the people you love.
David J Salmon is an editor and blog writer for writers-house.com. He’s passionate about reading fiction, watching good TV series and giving good advices on self-development and creative writing. Follow him at: Twitter, Google+
You’ve read How Board Games Can Make You a Better Person, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
From the architect. Celebrating coffee’s intangible pleasures, Alberto Caiola translates coffee’s aromatic vapors into a sculptural ceiling that is the centrepiece for this café in Shanghai. Gently sloping away from the counter, the striking installation becomes at once canopy and stage for baristas to perform their art.
Rich and dark in color, the ceiling’s ‘fumes’ evoke the depth of the drink itself, winding up and beyond the venue’s glass façade. Lending a sense of movement to the entire space, the installation creates a partially covered area for attractive outdoor seating in warmer weather.
An eye-catching wall installation comprises an explosion of iconic Moka coffee pots in various sizes. Their presence is intensified by a large mirror spanning the space, amplifying the objects to a kind of love letter to Italy’s signature brew.
To create the illusion of a larger space, furniture is finished with a reflective surface. The design approach sees fittings effectively blend in to their surroundings, all the while offering alternative vistas to guests both standing and seated.
Seating areas are partitioned to allow for a diversity of functions. When viewed from outside, a large window frame accommodates customers both inside and out. Meanwhile, an inside communal table is positioned in the middle of the space. Additional bar stool seating lines the right hand side of the café.
A stark combination of textures creates contrast, with sleek new elements positioned against stripped walls exposing the building’s shikumen bricks [a traditional, turn-of-the-century housing style, typical of Shanghai]. Painted white to best reflect natural light, they complement the space’s bi-folding window for a comfortable guest experience.
Sig Nordal 