Italy | by Federico Beccari
More than 20,000 visitors got a chance to admire Zaha Hadid Architects‘ latest project when the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre (KAPSARC) opened to the public for the first time during Saudi Design Week. The center, located in Riyadh, is a non-profit dedicated to investigating policies that aid in efficient energy usage, and as such, was built with this mission in mind.
KAPSARC is one of several projects designed by Zaha Hadid before her passing, and is the first building by the firm to be awarded LEED platinum certification. The sprawling 17-acre campus is composed of five different buildings that come together as a unified whole, rising as gleaming white pods from the earth. The modular design allows for expansion in the future, as new structures can weave easily into the honeycomb design.
The faceted form of each building creates a flowing geometric lattice up the facades and allows for cutouts to both let in light and minimize construction materials. The individual spaces, though harmonious, have been adapted individually for their functions as a library, computer center, auditorium, research center, and prayer space. “This structural and organizational principle determined KAPSARC’s composition as an amalgamation of crystalline forms that emerge from the desert landscape, evolving to best respond to the environmental conditions and internal program requirements,” writes Zaha Hadid Architects.
Exterior canopied courtyards were carefully planned to minimize exposure to the oppressive desert climate, allowing for community building space where thoughts and ideas can be exchanged in an informal setting. Special “wind catchers” on the roofs of the southern side of the courtyard harness north winds to cool the spaces, which are oriented to allow only indirect sunlight.
The concept of mixing the visiting public with researchers is carried throughout the building, as open plans and spatial layering effects allowing visibility between floors creates a sense of transparency. And with all of KAPSARC’s potable water reused and recycled, solar panels with a capacity of 5,000 megawatts per year, and 30% of construction materials made of recycled content, the architects certainly lived up to the mission of the buildings.
Zaha Hadid Architects, which recently won a Blueprint Award for their Port House in Antwerp, isn’t new to working in Saudi Arabia. The firm is currently working on a wetlands preservation center in Diriyah and a metro station in Riyadh.
Zaha Hadid Architects: Website | Facebook | Twitter
h/t: [dezeen]
All images by Hufton + Crow.
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In the Spring of 2010, partners Lauren Smith and Calum Creasey—founders of The Rolling Home—decided to pack only their essential possessions and to set out on an adventure that would end up being a six-year-long road trip. With little money and a lot of imagination, they bought a Volkswagen T4 and transformed it from a regular transporter van into their dream home.
Starting from their hometown of Buckinghamshire, England, they travelled 80,000 miles (more than 128,000 kilometers) through Europe—from the beaches of Portugal, to the forests of Denmark. Within the self-built van, the couple made sure they had everything they needed, including a compact kitchen complete with a sink, gas hob, and storage.
Earlier this year—with the help of a successful Kickstarter campaign—Smith and Creasey combined their love of travel and journalism by releasing The Rolling Home book. It tells their story through a compilation of photos, words, and illustrations, as well as the stories of others they met along the way. Additionally, the adventurous duo create quarterly journals that “celebrate alternative living.” Now in it’s third edition, each journal “documents stories, interviews, artwork, images, technical knowledge and advice,” with an aim to inspire readers to adopt their own “rolling homes.”
Currently, Smith and Creasey are living in their van on a small holding in Cornwall, England. Found through the Workaway website, here they work part-time building cabins, and gardening. The rest of the time they run their small online store—through Stokedeversince—which sells curated items you might need to start your own on-the-road adventure, as well as their own #vanlife merch.
The Rolling Home: Website| Instagram | Facebook
h/t: [designboom, this isn’t happiness]
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Photo: Elke Vogelsang
Combining their love of pets with their compassion for creatures in need, many mindful animal photographers employ rescues as their subjects. Created to both highlight each animals’ unique beauty and promote adoption, each photographer’s series offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of shelter animals.
Predominantly starring shelter dogs and cats, these projects range from poignant to playful. Some simply present raw portraits of overlooked animals, while others incorporate silly props and clever muses. Regardless of style or artistic approach, however, each evocative series successfully exhibits the touching stories and distinctive personalities of these potential pets.
Photo: Sophie Gamand
Photo: Sophie Gamand
Photo: Sophie Gamand
Photo: Richard Phibbs
Photo: Richard Phibbs
Photo: Richard Phibbs
Photo: Shaina Fishman
Photo: Shaina Fishman
Photo: Shaina Fishman
Photo: Traer Scott
Photo: Traer Scott
Photo: Traer Scott
Photo: Theron Humphrey
Photo: Theron Humphrey
Photo: Theron Humphrey
Photo: Shannon Johnstone
Photo: Shannon Johnstone
Photo: Shannon Johnstone
Photo: Michael Kloth
Photo: Michael Kloth
Photo: Michael Kloth
Photo: Michael Kloth
Photo: Michael Kloth
Photo: Michael Kloth
The post 17 Inspiring Photo Series That Celebrate the Unique Beauty of Shelter Animals appeared first on My Modern Met.
Photo: Elke Vogelsang
Combining their love of pets with their compassion for creatures in need, many mindful animal photographers employ rescues as their subjects. Created to both highlight each animals’ unique beauty and promote adoption, each photographer’s series offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of shelter animals.
Predominantly starring shelter dogs and cats, these projects range from poignant to playful. Some simply present raw portraits of overlooked animals, while others incorporate silly props and clever muses. Regardless of style or artistic approach, however, each evocative series successfully exhibits the touching stories and distinctive personalities of these potential pets.
Photo: Sophie Gamand
Photo: Sophie Gamand
Photo: Sophie Gamand
Photo: Richard Phibbs
Photo: Richard Phibbs
Photo: Richard Phibbs
Photo: Shaina Fishman
Photo: Shaina Fishman
Photo: Shaina Fishman
Photo: Traer Scott
Photo: Traer Scott
Photo: Traer Scott
Photo: Theron Humphrey
Photo: Theron Humphrey
Photo: Theron Humphrey
Photo: Shannon Johnstone
Photo: Shannon Johnstone
Photo: Shannon Johnstone
Photo: Michael Kloth
Photo: Michael Kloth
Photo: Michael Kloth
Photo: Michael Kloth
Photo: Michael Kloth
Photo: Michael Kloth
The post 17 Inspiring Photo Series That Celebrate the Unique Beauty of Shelter Animals appeared first on My Modern Met.
Artist Rafinha Silva transforms ordinary dolls into fashion-forward women who are impeccably styled. From flawless makeup to beautiful wigs, the custom Barbie dolls are impressive works of art. Through his Instagram We Love the Royal Dolls, he shares the elaborate processes he uses to makeover these toys into realistic figurines—including styling tiny wigs for each of them.
Silva’s inspiration for a career in custom dolls comes from his youth. “I have always had a lot of affinity with art, and drawing women with long hair is one of my earliest childhood memories,” he said. Their coifs are easily their most striking feature; the women often have long hair that cascades across their shoulders and shimmers in the light.
Silva is like a glamorous Dr. Frankenstein when it comes to constructing his dolls; he will select different parts from a variety of Barbies to create one completely unique figurine. Working on an individual client-basis, he orders and selects features based on what the commission stipulates. Once he has all of his supplies, he will remove the doll’s makeup, hair, and outfit. Then, he fashions it all completely from scratch.
Since 2013, the Brazilian artist has produced over 500 custom dolls. Many are based on everyday people, but Silva is also inspired by celebrities and Disney princesses. When you take a look at his mesmerizing Instagram, you’ll instantly recognize some of your favorite singers and storybook royalties.
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Rafinha Silva: Instagram
h/t: [Cosmopolitan]
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The post Artist Crafts Custom Tiny Wigs to Turn Ordinary Barbies into Glamorous Dolls appeared first on My Modern Met.
Alaska, United States | by Cory Gazaille
Canadian multimedia studio Moment Factory is known for their incredible immersive experiences, having collaborated with everyone from musicians Arcade Fire to the NFL. Recently, they transformed Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica with AURA, a multimedia installation that paid homage to the church’s wondrous art and architecture.
The 45-minute spectacle combined sound, lighting, and projections that beamed across the entire interior of Notre-Dame, immersing spectators in the experience. The visual transformations plotted out by the studio were meant to amplify the feelings already present when one enters the majestic space. By allowing viewers to see the landmark in a new way, they have renewed appreciation for the 19th-century church.
“Golden particles evoke the basilica’s energy in constant transformation, whispers suggest echoes of its past, its heartbeat flashes as a pulse of light racing across the arches,” writes Moment Factory. “The basilica is revealing itself through a sensorial language. Everyone will experience something different, will connect with the basilica through their own eyes and senses. AURA inspires a feeling.”
In order to use the church’s interior as a canvas, the team did a complete 3D scan of the space, ensuring that all details would be perfectly matched to the projections. Due to the multifaceted nature of the project, it took over a year of work—including sound recording and visual imagery—to move the installation from idea to reality. Viewers were invited first to wander the space, taking in the artwork present in Notre-Dame before sitting for a second act and enjoying the visuals and music.
In addition to the 21 projectors, 140 lights, and 20 mirrors used for the lighting and projections, the original soundtrack composed by Marc Bell and Gabriel Thibaudeau used 30 musicians and 20 chorists, as well as the church’s organ. The results are an incredible transformation throughout the performance, as light, color, and sound are used to create a unique mood as the minutes pass by.
This isn’t Moment Factory’s first experience transforming a historic monument. In 2012, they transformed the facade of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia into a colorful light and sound showcase.
Moment Factory: Website | Facebook | Instagram
h/t: [designboom]
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The post 19th-Century Gothic Church Is Transformed into an Immersive Wonderland Inside appeared first on My Modern Met.
Kids say the darndest things, and sometimes they’re astonishing examples of expert knowledge. Earlier this year, then 5-year-old Adam Mohammad Amer showed off his amazing airplane trivia to an audience of impressed pilots and cabin crew aboard an Etihad Airways flight from Morocco to Abu Dhabi. He knew more than just the controls; he understood what they did and how to use them, something he learned from watching YouTube videos.
Captain Samer Yakhlef filmed Adam demonstrating his passion for airplanes and it later went viral on the web. Etihad Airways caught wind of this kid genius, and they decided that it was time for the now 6-year-old to live his dream. They invited Adam to the Etihad Airways Training Centre where he participated in pilot training for a day—the airline even made him a custom pilot uniform.
In the simulation chamber, Adam got to use the controls just as if he was flying a real Airbus A380. His excitement is palpable, but he still manages to remain calm and composed to land the “aircraft” safely. He even gets to make an announcement to the faux cabin when it’s all over. Watch the delightful video of Adam in action, below.
h/t: [Laughing Squid]
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The post 6-Year-Old Amazes World with Airplane Knowledge, Gets to Be Pilot for a Day appeared first on My Modern Met.
Bouquets and Butterflies
Earlier this year, we introduced you to British artist Ann Carrington, who turns old silverware into blooming flower bouquets. Inspired by fruit garland sculptures and Dutch still life paintings of the 16th and 17th centuries, her impressive floral sculptures are constructed from “silver plated spoons, pewter tankards, silver vases and plates.” Carrington sources her materials in junk shops, antique fairs, auctions, and from cutlery dealers.
Carrington reveals to My Modern Met via email that the flower bouquets can take up to three months to make, and they represent “modern day memento mori (Latin for ‘remember you will die’).” They are the “the contents of a 16th century Dutch still life, reassembled in another dimension and time,” she explains. Carrington believes mundane objects—such as cutlery, barbed wire, pins, and paintbrushes—come with their own history and story “which can be unravelled and analyzed if rearranged, distorted or realigned to give them new meaning as sculpture.”
Carrington has used everything from buttons and denim jeans to coins and safety pins. In some of her most recent work, she has even used old beer cans to recreate traditional bust sculptures, which she humorously titles Pissheads. In other work, she creates patchworks of hammered beer cans which depict historic members of British royalty, as well as Native American and religious figures. By using so many different materials, Carrington has had to learn many different skills. She tells us: “I have to be able to sew, weld, have a knowledge of carpentry, paint , draw, and my next skill to learn is going to be glass blowing.”
If you’re in London, you can see Carrington’s recycled beer can work for yourself at her upcoming exhibition—entitled Super Brew—at Paul Smith’s flagship store from 15th through 29th of November.
Bouquets and Butterflies
Installation at The Royal College of Art 2016
Pissheads
Mary Queen of Hanging Sword Alley
Glitter Queen of Petticoat Lane
Red Chippewa
Chamula Chiapas
Chiapas
Ann Carrington: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
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Sig Nordal 