Lake Island, Glen Etive, Scottish Highlandsphoto via baily
Author: signordal
University of Oregon Jane Sanders Stadium / SRG Partnership
© Lawrence Anderson
- Architects: SRG Partnership
- Location: Eugene, OR, United States
- Architects In Charge: Jeff Yrazabal, Rick Zieve, Bethany Gelbrich, Aaron Plaskac, Scott Mooney, Nita Posada, Jim Wilson
- Area: 19100.0 ft2
- Project Year: 2016
- Photographs: Lawrence Anderson
- Contractor: Howard S. Wright
- Structural Engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers
- Mechanical Engineer: Glumac
- Electrical Engineer: Glumac
- Civil Engineer: Capital Engineering & Contracting
- Landscape Architect: Cmaeron McCarthy
- Environmental Graphics: AHM Brands
© Lawrence Anderson
Evoking power and strength, Jane Sanders Stadium is the sleek new home for the Oregon Ducks Softball team. A state-of-the-art 1,500 fixed-seat stadium made possible by a gift from Robert Sanders and named in honor of his late wife Jane, this facility is inspired by one of the most innovative and respected athletic brands in the country but fits gracefully into the fabric of the University of Oregon campus.
© Lawrence Anderson
Brand Integration
This stadium, including the iconic canopy that soars high above the concourse and seating bowl, has become synonymous with Oregon softball and its innovative brand of play. As the primary sense of arrival element, the wing-shaped structure is elegant and graceful. Key themes—stealth, feathers, the Sanders Family tie to the wood industry, and the home plate—influenced the design process and appear in the forms and materials. The outcome is a unique and identifiable visual articulation of the UO softball story—combining innovation, ducks in flight, the Sanders Family and sport.
© Lawrence Anderson
Home Field Advantage
Student-athlete and fan experience was one of the highest design priorities. The Ducks thrive on interaction and shared energy with their fans. The stadium bowl’s design, with seats extending to field level, create intimacy between athletes and fans. Jane Sanders Stadium uniquely links program components like suites and practice facilities, providing direct connections to the field. This approach also created a cost-efficient solution that maximized seat count and space for the team.
© Lawrence Anderson
Building Community
Development on the UO campus must respond to the global campus goals of the Campus Planning Committee. The design team successfully met priorities by enhancing existing and incorporating new pedestrian connections. An open plaza that welcomes all of campus connects to University Street.
Floor Plan
The history of the former ballpark, Howe Field, is preserved through the revitalization of Howe Gates. These historic gates again grace the path of many who enter the new public plaza from University Street.
© Lawrence Anderson
Stadium design must also be sensitive to surrounding neighbors. In this case, the site is adjoined by a residential community. Care was taken to alleviate residents’ concerns about light and sound pollution from the ballpark. Light distribution and sound computer models were shared in public meetings to ensure neighborhood concerns where understood and addressed.
© Lawrence Anderson
Building Performance
The team building and adjoining Softball Performance Center (SPC) make training-practice-game day routine a seamless experience. Prismatic skylights daylight the SPC, conserving energy and emulating outdoor conditions of the field.
© Lawrence Anderson
Designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, a unique accomplishment in the world of sports facilities. The building also meets UO’s aggressive Oregon Model for Sustainable Development, with an energy reduction of 35% over Oregon Energy Code. The building also reduces water usage by 37% with low-flow fixtures and irrigation savings measures. Turf was chosen for the outfield for its low irrigation and maintenance requirements. The stadium bowl is built from a prefab system. The components have a high recycled content, are easily maintained, and at the end of their useful life, can be deconstructed and recycled again.
© Lawrence Anderson
Product Description. The stadium’s iconic canopy soffit was clad with custom-made plywood panels cut into the shape of home plates. The home plates are assembled in a dynamic pattern, using a plywood module intended to minimize waste during fabrication. The wood element also subtly references the project’s primary donor, for whom the stadium is named.
3 Natural Home Remedies to Heal Gum Diseases
One of the most underrated human body parts is the mouth, although gum inflammations, cold sores, and cavities are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to “poor oral health.” Dental hygienists consider gingivitis – the bleeding of gums when brushing and flossing – to be a very mischievous oral health issue.
Gingivitis is easy to treat, reversible and not damaging to the bone and teeth structures if prevented and properly kept under control. If ignored, gingivitis can turn into a periodontal disease which, in turn, is no stranger to heart inflammation. According to specialists in the field, the link between gingivitis and heart disease is inflammation.
Gum disease affects more than half of all Americans aged 30 and older. This fact, while extremely serious, also seems to be overlooked, because few understand that untreated gingivitis can lead to a world of pain and severe health consequences. Fortunately, there are many natural and home products with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral properties.
How can you heal gingivitis and gum diseases using natural remedies until you manage to see your doctor? Here are some tips and tricks from experts in the field.
1. Salt
Salt is a teeth-whitener as well as a proven remedy for gum disease. It has antibacterial and antiseptic properties helping you reduce inflammation and preventing bacteria to further take over your mouth. Salt draws mouth abscess infections out and reduces the risk of developing plaque. If you experience gum swelling, bleeding, or bad breath, use salt to alleviate these gingivitis symptoms.
- Make a solution of warm water and ½ tablespoon of salt. Stir properly until the salt is dissolved. Thoroughly rinse your mouth with the liquid twice a day until the inflammation is reduced.
- You can also mix some salt into coconut oil and create a paste to rub your gums with. Coconut oil is one major natural remedy used in oil pulling routine for alleviating gum diseases. Salt will kick-start the oil benefits in case your gum diseases is more severe.
See Also: 10 Easy Ways to Whiter Teeth Without Spending Too Much
2. Garlic
It may be unpleasant, but chewing garlic can be used both as a preventative measure for oral health and as an herbal remedy to fight against gingivitis. You can ask any dental hygienist, and he will tell you that garlic has scientifically-proven health properties when it comes to gum diseases.
There are many ways to use garlic as a gingivitis healing agent, but these are dental specialists’ top favorites:
- Chew a few garlic cloves every day.
- Rub garlic cloves directly against the affected gums: you will notice quick relief from inflammation and discomfort.
- Make garlic toothpaste. Crush garlic cloves until you get a paste and use it instead of your regular toothpaste. Bbrush your teeth with at least two times a day until the gingivitis symptoms are gone.
- Mix garlic with turmeric and use as toothpaste. Turmeric has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric can also alleviate pain, eliminate plaque and stop bacterial infections.
3. Baking Soda
When it comes to baking soda, it seems that dental hygienists shook hands with cosmeticians and decided that this common home product is, in fact, a miraculous remedy used to treat various issues from gum disease to cold and flu.
See Also: Cheap Cleaning 101: Use Baking Soda
As natural remedies for gingivitis go, some dental hygienists swear by baking soda. The product has an antacid feature that regulates the pH of your mouth, reducing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
- Mix ½ tablespoon of baking soda in a little warm water to make a paste and brush your teeth with it at least three times a week until the gingivitis symptoms are gone.
- You can use the same paste to massage your gums with (for at least two minutes) – repeat 2-3 times a week.
All these products can be easily found around the kitchen so there is no reason for you to ignore gum disease symptoms anymore. They can be used not only as remedies but as a preventative adjuvant for oral health.
What you should not disregard, however, is that you still need to consult with your doctor and get a dental check-up at least three times a year. It is true that dental hygienists stand by these home remedies, but this is not a good reason for you to ignore the signs and symptoms of an unhealthy mouth.
The post 3 Natural Home Remedies to Heal Gum Diseases appeared first on Dumb Little Man.
OMA, Aires Mateus + Staab Architekten Unveil Honorable Mention Proposals for New Neue Galerie Competition
Two weeks ago, Herzog & de Meuron was announced as the winners of the international competition to design the new Museum of the 20th Century to be located adjacent to Mies van der Rohe’s seminal Neue Galerie in the heart of the Berlin Cultural Forum in Berlin, Germany.
We’ve now received additional proposals for the competition, including honorable mention-awarded entries from OMA, Staab Architekten, and Aires Mateus e Associados, and a finalist proposal from REX, that show alternative strategies for the site.
OMA
By Frans Parthesius. Image © OMA
Description via OMA.
© OMA
Berlin’s new museum is planned on a seemingly intimidating site surrounded on all sides by exceptionally strong and articulate architectures, sandwiched between a never fully accepted urban motorway and an anemic pedestrian Prom- enade: the two typologies that (unfortunately) de ne our cities today.
© OMA
As in judo, we have embraced the site’s dilemmas and turned them into the very leitidee of the project. We don’t inter- pret this competition as a loyalty test, we divide our loyalties between the surrounding masterpieces.
By Frans Parthesius. Image © OMA
Two diagonals divide the site in four sectors. Each sector relates precisely to its context and responds directly to its own unique counterpart: the south sector to Mies, the West sector to the Church and the Gemäldegalerie’s piazzetta, opposite the Museum’s entrance, the north to the concert hall of Scharoun, the east to Motorway and Library.
© OMA
The museum is the result of the reassembly of the four sections: it combines classical rooms in the South, more ow- ing expressionistic accommodations in the West, auditoriums inside and outside to face Scharoun in the North and panoramic urban vistas on the East.
You learn more about this project here.
Staab Architekten
© Staab Architekten
Description via Staab Architekten.
The design for the Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts picks up the idea of Hans Scharoun s Stadtlandschaft, or urban landscape, that creates “a lively order from the low, high, narrow and the wide.” In favor of a largely roofed ground floor area that interlocks with the surrounding open spaces, the building volume is compressed into three high points that are visible from afar. The staggered volumes of the temporary exhibition, the collection Marzona and of the administration are oriented according to important lines of sight from the Potsdamer Straße and the Potsdamer Platz.
© Staab Architekten
The intersection of the museum and the public is maximized: all of the museum ́s public functions are visible through transparent facades; courtyards and double-height exhibition spaces extend into the public space with display windows and generate sights of the lower exhibition level. An in-between space, an exterior space for anyone is created in the context of the museum. It invites people to linger with partly shady and partly sunny areas. We developed a complex-orderly spatial arrangement, consisting of five different room types, that can be intuitively grasped from the visitors perspective and offers a wide array of options and configuration possibilities to the curators.
© Staab Architekten
The organizational system of the exhibition spaces establishes the structural and formal framework of the museum, which defines the permeable ground floor and the building volumes that position themselves in the urban context.
Aires Mateus e Associados
© Aires Mateus e Associados
Description via Aires Mateus e Associados.
It is in the link between the past and the future that the proposal comes to being: constructing a building and the urbanity of time to come, fixing our eyes from the buildings of the past that surround and summon it. A confident construction that presents the weight and density of its task which, in parallel, show the attraction of a void yet to inhabit. It is a building that in its isolation, opens itself to the world.
© Aires Mateus e Associados
© Aires Mateus e Associados
The first underground level is totally public and welcomes all the major exhibition areas in a large hall. In this level a connection to the Neue National Gallery is established. An enclosed square, a pivotal moment of the project, is placed at the architectural vortex of the building as the culmination mark of the outside path. The constructed limit of the urban space released by the building’s suspension defines itself as the new center.
© Aires Mateus e Associados
The city, History, the buildings that observe it, the ancestral tree that awaited its conformity, are all invited to inhabit this expectant void.
REX
© Luxigon. Courtesy of REX
Description via REX. Next to the world’s most exquisite frame for art—Mies van der Rohe’s Neue Nationalgalerie—we propose its counterpoint: a functional (not aesthetic) objet trouvé for the art of framing collections. The Neue Nationalgalerie is a blank slate on which any exhibition format can be constructed. In practice, as artistic media grow more diverse and museums’ operational budgets become more limited, a blank slate is constrictive: the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin finds the climate, light, and universality of this iconic space challenging to stage exhibitions, and endlessly transforming this empty canvass is an expensive proposition.
Courtesy of REX
The result is not freedom, but imprisonment within a glass box. By embracing a new definition of gallery flexibility, The Museum of the 20th Century (The Museum) avoids this trap. The Museum offers complete flexibility—without increasing operational costs—by providing built-in tools, not a tabula rasa. It is a foil with which or against which curators can operate.
Courtesy of REX
Courtesy of REX
You can learn more about this project here.
News via OMA, Staab Architekten, Aires Mateus e Associados, REX.
5 Ways To Build Great Relationships With Different Generational Coworkers
“The job of every generation is to discover the flaws of the one that came before it. That’s part of growing up, figuring out all the ways your parents and their friends are broken.”
― Justine Larbalestier, Zombies Vs. Unicorns
We’ve heard this many times, Baby Boomers who struggle adapting to new technology and Millenials who resist loyalty and don’t like to work in offices. These urban legends have been passed around to the point many don’t question their validity and the stereotypes these have painted. People of every generation are multi-faceted, complicated and bring with them many aspects that cannot be neatly compartmentalized into age stereotyping. Here are some ways to develop and maintain healthy relationships with your coworkers regardless of their age.
Look beyond generalizations and stereotypes
Be aware that people in every generation are not a homogenous group and have many differences between them as do other generations. Focus on and learn to appreciate them as individuals and not as members of a particular age group. There are many factors that support people to be the way they are apart from the influences of growing up in a particular generation. Family of origin, race, ethnic origin, social status and childhood experiences have significant impact on all of us, apart from the time period we grew up in.
Accept differences and avoid judgments
Every generation has a built in bias that their way of doing things may be the best way. Instead of looking at it in these terms, try to envision a style or manner where we feel comfortable and makes sense to us. Look at the viewpoints of those in other generations as neither right or wrong, but different. Instead of trying to impose our viewpoints onto them, strive to learn more about why they think the way they do.
Strive to understand
Instead of rushing to judgment, make an effort to look beneath the actions and thoughts of people of other generations to see how they arrived to those thoughts and behaviors. What are the factors that lead them to think and act in this way? Taking the time to learn about situations that another generation was raised, which is different from ours, helps to appreciate the factors that lead them to look at the world differently from the way we do. This could be simple to do, be a good listener.
Reach beyond your own age group
Don’t get trapped into the experiences and preferences of your own age group. Check out some music, reading and other cultural activities of another era. It will be a pleasant surprise for many people of that age for you to show some curiosity in what interests them. This effort will go a long way towards breaking down stereotypes. Take opportunities to join teams or work on projects with coworkers of various ages. Join clubs and activities that have people in a wide variety of age groups.
Look for ways to use differences to your advantage
Instead of taking an adversarial view of differences, look for ways that both generations can benefit. Both technical ability and wisdom from experience are important. Ever generation will bring strengths and weaknesses. Consider that with a variety of generations you can take advantage of their strengths and eliminate weak spots. This will make for a stronger, more cohesive, effective and balanced workplace. Look for ways to simply appreciate differences and use them to build healthy workplace relationships.
The post 5 Ways To Build Great Relationships With Different Generational Coworkers appeared first on Change your thoughts.
How to Not Be Driven by Your Aversions
By Leo Babauta
I have a friend who doesn’t realize how much he dislikes so many things — much of his life is spent avoiding things he doesn’t like, or trying to rush through things like exercise, or annoyed by people who do things he doesn’t like.
We all have aversions to things, more than we probably realize. It’s not a problem to have aversions, but if we’re driving by the aversions, we’re locking ourselves into a limited life.
For example:
- If you hate vegetables, it’s hard to eat a healthy diet.
- If you hate exercise, it’s hard to be strong and healthy.
- If you dislike when people do certain things (smoke, drink, eat junk food), you’ll be annoyed by people often.
- If you dislike traffic, politics, reality TV stars, bureaucrats, you’ll be frustrated by many life situations.
Note that aversions aren’t always “bad” — actually, I don’t think they’re bad at all. Some aversions can be helpful: not liking being abused, for example, or being averse to eating unhealthy food. However, they can restrict us in many cases and make us unhappy if our lives aren’t free of the things we’re averse to. So in that sense, working to not be controlled by our aversions is freeing and better for our happiness.
I’m not saying I’m free of all these aversions — I definitely have my share, and I’m working with them. I’d like to share how I work with them.
Becoming Aware of Aversions
The first step, of course, is becoming aware of your aversions. Take a minute to make a list of the things you hate, that you avoid, that annoy you, that you can’t stand.
For example, do any of these bother you?
- Certain kinds of foods
- Types of exercise or activities
- Kinds of TV shows
- Certain behaviors of people you know
- The way some people behave on the Internet
- Some websites or apps
- Deal-breakers of potential dating partners
- Situations that commonly frustrate you
- Specific social situations
There are lots of other examples, but start a list. Add to it every time you get frustrated, see yourself avoiding something, or get annoyed … add to the list.
Notice your desire to avoid certain things. When you notice, try working with that feeling of aversion, using the ideas in the section below.
Working with Aversions
When you notice your aversion, just sit and face it.
Notice how it feels in you — not your story about it, but how it feels in your body. Where is it located, what is the quality of its energy, is it a changing sensation, is it intense, throbbing, pulsing, stabbing, dull, tight, aching?
Open yourself up to this feeling. Don’t run from it. Don’t instantly reject it. Accept that it’s there, and be curious about it. See it as something to study. Most people want to ignore it, but you’re willing to find out more.
Be friendly with the feeling. Relax, be open, be curious, be gentle. See that it’s not so bad. See that you can survive, even if you sit with the feeling.
See that it changes. For me, it can be strong, but then it crests and then fades. It’s momentary, temporary, just a passing feeling like any other feeling.
Notice that you don’t have to be controlled by this one feeling. In fact, every feeling or thought is just something that arises, not something that you have to get lost in or controlled by.
You have the freedom to eat vegetables or converse with annoying people without falling apart, and in fact if you stay present in the middle of the situations, you can appreciate the beauty of it.
And in the end, you can embrace these aversions instead of running from them. They are a part of the human experience, come from a loving part of our hearts, and are not anything to panic about.
We can move through the world of desires and aversions with love and joy and an appreciation for everything around us.
European Central Bank / Coop Himmelb(l)au
© European Central Bank / Robert Metsch
- Architects: Coop Himmelb(l)au
- Location: Frankfurt, Germany
- Area: 185000.0 sqm
- Project Year: 2014
- Photographs: Robert Metsch, Paul Raftery
- Client: European Central Bank (ECB), Frankfurt/M., Germany
- Planning: COOP HIMMELB(L)AU Wolf D. Prix & Partner ZT GmbH
- Design Principal: Wolf D. Prix
- Project Partner: Frank Stepper
- Design Architect: Karin Miesenberger
- Project Architects: Hartmut Hank, Christian Halm, Thomas Schwed, Michael Beckert (TPL), Johannes Behrens (TPL), Günther Weber, Jürgen Tiltmann (TPL), Oliver Cassik (TPL), Philipp Munz (TPL)
- Architectural Management: Christian Maeder, Sascha Hempel, Markus Tritthart, Damian Witt
- Project Team: Magdalena Baczkowska, Markus Baumann, Michael Beckert, Johannes Behrens, Hilde Benda, Marcelo Bernardi, Nico Boyer, Jan Brosch, Timo Carl, Anna Rita Cedroni, Jasmin Dieterle, Sabrina Dlugosch, Jan Ruben Fischer, Brigitte Fuchs, Sergio Gonzales, Gesine Görlich, Martin Gruber, Guthu Hallstein, Sebastian Haffner, Simone Hainz, Sascha Hempel, Rob Henderson, Emanuele Iacono, Martin Jelinek, Rashmi Krishna Jois, Ivana Jug, Frank Pascal Kaul, Matt Kirkham, Daniela Kröhnert, Bernward Krone, Christian Labud, Anke Lammert, Monika Lyzyczka, Steven M, Christian Maeder, Dimitra Mamou, Ariane Marx, Christoph Maurer, Matthias Niemeyer, Martin Oberascher, Ross Olson, Renate Ott, Gerhard Pfeiler, Ellen Pietrzyk, James Pike, Robert Pippan, Jakob Przybylo, Anna Ptaszynska, Stephanie Rathgeber, Carmen Renz, Salome Reves, Donna Riedel, Akvile Rimantaite, Pete Rose, Penelope Rüttimann, Stefan Rutzinger, Oliver Sachse, Kristina Schinegger, Benjamin Schmidt, Marita Schnepper, Thomas Siegl, Ebru Simsek-Lenk, Denise Sokolowski, Augustin Solorzano, Anja Sorger, Andrea Stöllenwerk, Ernst Stockinger, Crystal K.H Tang, Jürgen Tiltmann, Markus Tritthart, Josef Tröster, Günther Weber, Andreas Weissenbach, Clemens Werb, Judith Werkhäuser, Markus Wings, Eva Wolf, Barbara Zeleny, Thomas Zengger, Zeyneb Badur, Fabien Barthelemey, Oliver Cassik, Alejandro Corena, Alexander Daxböck, Mario Dignöss, Helmut Frötscher, Annegret Haider, Christian Halm, Gregor Kassl, Gernot Köfer, Alexander Laber, Anita Lischka, Rangel Malinov, Oliver Martinz, Philipp Munz, Barbara Roller, Nicole Rumpler, Wolfgang Ruthensteiner, Stefan Salchinger, Stefan Schadenböck, Thomas Schwed, Hannes Schwed, Eckart Schwerdtfeger, Sylvia Spernbauer, Christoph Treberspurg, Johannes Weigl Model building: Ivana Jug, Filip Adamczak, Anna Balint, Mark Balzar, Oliver Berger, Robert Campell, Julian Chiellino, Ariane Dehghan, Jasmin Dieterle, Guido Ebbert, Heike Folie, Emilia Grzadzielewska, Benjamin Hahn, Laura Hannappel, Thomas Hindelang, Michael Hirschbichler, Ulrich Hoke, Rafal Jedlinski, Malte Kaiser, Reyhan Kargi, Vera Kleesattel, Stefan Kotzenmacher, Quirin Krumbholz, Daniel Kuhnert, Gretha Kuustra, Malgorzata Labecka, Jelena Lazic, Marta Leszczynska, Jörg Lonkwitz, Rita Lopez, Ariane Marx, Bruno Mock, Sarah Müller, Yusuke Nishimura, Seoug O, Ross Olson, Ulrich Peintner, Fabian Peitzmeier, Anna Ptaszynska, Jois Rashmi, Danuta Ratka, Salome Reeves, Benjamin Schmidt, Thomas Stock, Kadri Tamre, Philipp Trumpke, Andreas Wachter, Angelika Wiegand, Melanie Wohlrab
- 3 D Vizualisation: Armin Hess (Wien)
- Structural Engineering: B+G Ingenieure, Bollinger und Grohmann GmbH, Frankfurt/M., Germany
- Site Area: 120,000 sqm
© Paul Raftery
The striking twin tower shapes the skyline of Frankfurt’s Ostend
The design of the Viennese architectural studio Coop Himmelb(l)au for the new premises of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt combines the horizontal structure of the landmarked Grossmarkthalle with a twisted double tower, which rises to 185 meters. United by an entrance building, these two elements form an ensemble of special architectural significance. Featuring bridges, pathways and platforms, the glass atrium between the two highrises creates a vertical city. The semi-public and communicative functions are located in the former Grossmarkthalle. The exceptional atrium and visible steel support structure show that the ECB building belongs to an entirely new typology of skyscrapers.
© Paul Raftery
Site Plan
© Paul Raftery
The hyperboloid cut
From the beginning it was an explicit request of the ECB to create a unique, iconic building as a symbol for the European Union. A distinctive and unique building can only be achieved by a completely different kind of Geometry.
© Paul Raftery
The design concept of the ECB is to vertically divide a monolithic block through a hyperboloid cut, wedge it apart, twist it and fill the newly created intermediary space with a glass atrium. The result is a very complex geometry and a multifaceted building offering a completely different appearance from each angle: massive and powerful from the South-East, slender and dynamic from the West.
© Paul Raftery
© Paul Raftery
© Paul Raftery
The principle of the “Vertical City”
The architectural concept of the ECB is to vertically divide a monolithic block through a hyperboloid cut, wedge it apart, twist it and fill the newly created intermediary space with several glass atriums. The connecting and transitioning platforms divide the atrium horizontally into three sections with heights from 45 to 60 meters. This is where all vertical entry points are joined – and just like public squares, they invite visitors to communicate. The planned “hanging gardens” ensure a pleasant room climate while elevators and stairs connect these places with the offices and communication areas of the Grossmarkthalle.
Elevation
The Grossmarkthalle – the communicative forum
The existing landmarked Grossmarkthalle, a former wholesale market from the 1920s, is used as an “urban foyer”. The conference and visitor’s center, library and employee cafeteria are placed diagonally in the spacious interior of the hall as independent building structures (with a “house within a house” concept). A floating entrance building penetrates the hall structure from the outside. With its asymmetrical contours, slanted facades and generous windows it marks the representative access to the ECB. The lobby, two-story press conference room and a lecture room are located here. The so-called “loop” – a glass walkway between the highrise and the market hall – completes the ensemble.
© Paul Raftery
The sustainable energy concept
Energy efficiency and sustainability were key factors in the competition. The energy concept includes the following measures: utilization of rain water, heat recovery, efficient insulation, sun protection and illumination as well as a natural ventilation for the offices. Some areas, such as the atrium and open zones of the Grossmarkthalle, are not equipped with an air conditioning system; instead they serve as a buffer zone between the interior and exterior climates. The “shield hybrid facade” of the office towers consists of three layers and offers a direct and natural ventilation of the offices via vertical, room-high ventilation elements.
© European Central Bank / Robert Metsch
Urban construction and architecture
The ECB’s architecture was carefully attuned to its location in Frankfurt’s Ostend district. With its clear orientation towards the urban perspectives, the ensemble enters a dialogue with Frankfurt’s most important reference points: the Alte Oper, the Museum Embankment and the skyline of the financial district. The distinctive double tower can be seen from all of the important places in Frankfurt’s city center and from the Main river, creating an initial point for a second center in the East of Frankfurt.
“This corresponds to the principle of a polycentric city, which is much more dynamic than a monocentric city,” explains Wolf D. Prix, Design Principal and CEO of Coop Himmelb(l)au. “Tension areas begin to emerge between the centers, in which new developments are being provoked.”
© Paul Raftery
Hessian Culture Prize
Wolf D. Prix received the prestigious Hessian Culture Prize for the design of the new premises of the European Central Bank in November 2013. Since 1982, this award has been given annually for special accomplishments in the areas of art, science and cultural mediation. “With the new premises of the European Central Bank, Coop Himmelb(l)au is creating a new, modern landmark for Frankfurt,” the eleven-member Board of Trustees said in a statement about the award.
This Veterans Day, remember to honor all the men and women who…
This Veterans Day, remember to honor all the men and women who have worn the uniform and fought for our freedom. To all who answered their country’s call, we appreciate your sacrifice and thank you for your service. Photo at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall & Memorial Parks in Washington, D.C. by National Park Service.
5 Ways To Travel The World While Keeping a Full-Time Job
Developments in technology mean you can travel the world AND hold down a full-time job. These days, we don’t necessarily have to choose between one thing or another, but can have it all! Yes, full-time job included.
Whether you are working for a technology company or in academia, all you need is a little planning, the right kit and the drive and you can work on the go. Now, here is an interesting thing – the whole world could be your office! To many it may seem like a dream to work and travel, to set your own schedule and to use your hotel (or the Starbucks) as an office.
However, sometimes it can be trickier than you may think. First, you have to work and stay motivated and driven, though there may be distractions and things that are trying to get your attention. Secondly, you have to set your own schedule, and there is nobody there to tell you what to do and when to do it. However, working AND travelling is, in fact, a growing trend. It can be rewarding and exiting and it will add to your quality of life. Here are five tips on how to work remotely and stay efficient:
1. Find the right job
First, you have to find a job (and an employer) that will allow you to work wherever, whenever. This may appear to be difficult, but nowadays we have all of the technology and infrastructure that will allow you to work on the go, so there is nothing that really stands in your way.
Remote working will allow you to work anywhere in the world, whilst still being a valuable employee for the company. Though, it is still not a rare case that employers see remote working as a let off. Some of them may see it as a way for their workers to get out of responsibilities. Each day more and more HR managers and recruiters change the point of view: they are starting to see it as a way to attract the best staff, to recruit flexible, digitally savvy employees. Now, we have reached the stadium where demographic is irrelevant to getting the best staff for your company, which is exactly why each day more people outsource.
More and more remote full-time positions are offered each day. Should you wish to travel and keep your full-time job, now is the right time to do it.
2. Master the technology
Obviously, you will need a laptop, a phone, and a few tools to keep you alive. Make sure you have these even before getting a remote job. Other hardware and software may come in handy. Make sure you expand your knowledge of platforms, apps, and tools to keep you on the right track while you are on the go. This will make your full-time job and traveling much easier!
See Also: 10 Productivity Musts for Freelancers
3. Keep updating your skills
According to Jake Jorgovan at Milo the best way to work remotely around the world is to add value to the organization for which you work. Due the massive developments in technology over the last decade or so one does not need to be physically present to add value to your company. You can work from home, work remotely anywhere in the world and add a huge amount to your quality of life.
Some skills, e.g. copywriting and marketing, do not require physical presence to perform the role. If your skill does require you to be in the office, you can do one of two things: learn a new skill or go to the office. Jorgovan talks of how he retrained as a web designer to allow him to work on the go. As well as this, you want to familiarize yourself with online networking, and with recruitment sites that offer full-time job positions, such as Jobrack.eu if you are in Eastern Europe. Finding this type of a full-time job opportunity will allow you to work remotely and travel all around (full-time too).
4. Have the right kit.
In order to work you need the correct tools to make sure you do the best job you can. There are tons of apps that can make your life and job easier. However, if you want to mix these two, here is the survival kit for you:
- Well, of course – a laptop (and make sure that it is light enough)
- A cellphone (and make sure that it is unlocked), allows you to use your phone wherever you go.
- A Tablet (and make sure you have this if your laptop’s too heavy)
- An Ethernet cable, in case you can’t get WiFi (and make sure you do not forget it)
- Positive Can-Do Attitude (and make sure not to forget this one!)
5. Do the work!
Of course, one issue with not having a 9-5 office job is that you may have a lot of distractions. The beach? The cold beer? The museum? All three? Or perhaps your dog is desperate to go chase that neighbor’s cat … again.
Without someone to keep you motivated, it can be a big bone to chew on. However, do not fall in despair! Joining an online community is the smartest thing you can do! You will feel more connected to a group and take advantage of the perks of being a digital nomad.
See Also: 14 Problems Freelancers Usually Face
Forbes reckons that this may even become the norm, with freelancing growing at an average rate of 3 percent a year. Of course, we all want to travel the world. Quitting your full-time job to travel the world is like having a pair of pink glasses, to be honest. It may not be the most realistic prospect. In the end, it’s your work that pays for your hotel rooms, your flights and the numerous pumpkin spice lattes! The tips above can allow you to make a success of being a travelling freelancer and set your office peering over the azure blue of the Mediterranean!
The post 5 Ways To Travel The World While Keeping a Full-Time Job appeared first on Dumb Little Man.
Ark Shelter / Michiel De Backer + Jakub Senkowski + Martin Mikovčák
© Thomas Debruyne
- Architects: Michiel De Backer + Jakub Senkowski + Martin Mikovčák
- Location: Bruges, Belgium
- Lead Architects: Michiel De Backer, Jakub Senkowski, Martin Mikovčák
- Area: 27.0 sqm
- Project Year: 2015
- Photographs: Thomas Debruyne
© Thomas Debruyne
We are students of architecture, who put our heads together to rethink the way people live their fast and stressful lives. Today we witness a perpetual evolution of new technologies in the fast forward moving world. It is a never-ending story of daily pressure and continuous deadlines. We were thinking about a way to escape from our stressful lives and to get back to our roots. We believe people will find the break they need by bringing the nature back.
© Thomas Debruyne
We had a dream to design the shelter to the last detail. Our dream became reality, while we crafted ARK by ourselves, what we managed with few carpenter friends, to whom we are thankful for their patience.
Plan
Minimalistic design of AKR does not have any ambition to stand out, but wants to merge into the landscape. Shelter provides the ability to enjoy nature by becoming part of it, directing all attention to the open view. Our furniture is designed uniquely for the shelter and crafted from the same wood as used for the walls, floor and ceiling. We keep simple elegance high in our standards.
© Thomas Debruyne
ARK is placed into the landscape in a very mobile way. We do not use fixed foundations to leave the surrounding nature untouched. By collecting rainwater and using solar power for electricity production, shelter becomes a self-supporting house. This ecological shelter is sustainable and completely independent. As a result of this, the destination of our cocoon is never locked.
Section
The philosophy behind ARK provides a place to live in the wild, back to basics. With the sides folding open, shelter takes in the landscape and becomes an extension of nature. Designed in a way of a low tech architecture, to let users a make effort, to feel a live and understand the rural way of life.
© Thomas Debruyne
Product Description. Oak wood is used on the horizontal surfaces, since it is waterproof, like the floor, terraces, kitchen and furniture is also produced from the same oak. The vertical parts and the ceiling are made of pine tree bio plates which are painted with white oil with UV protection to keep them light. This contrast between the light vertical and the dark horizontal parts is playing the main role inside of our shelter.
© Thomas Debruyne
