Category: Architecture

Terrorist Motel – in lieu of Ground Zero Mosque?

Found on Archinect:

Terrorist Motel to Replace Ground Zero Mosque?
Saudi Arabian outfit Stealth Architects are proposing an interesting alternative to the controversial Muslim Cultural Center – a Terrorist Motel! The “building” is actually a 16 story underground labyrinth of man-made caves.

The Observer has an item on the subject as well and asks whether this is a prank from an Architect Provocateur….

Gothamist shows the “press release”.

Funny or not so funny, the fact is that a little bit of humor could loosen up the sniping in the pro vs anti mosque discussion…

Open – Railroad Bridge Bar with Restaurant in Amsterdam (Dutch Design 53)

Railroad Bridge Restaurant

When you are used to pottering canals in The Netherlands as I am, you know what a Railroad Bridge means: A place you usually have to wait for an awful long time. If you pass Amsterdam with a sailboat from which you cannot or don’t want to get the mast down, there is only one window to pass the railroad bridge that is located next to Amsterdam Central Station: Between 02.30 AM and 03.30 AM. You can have a pint of beer in the nearby Jordaan part of Amsterdam to have a bit fun during the waiting. If you are lucky there will be a folksinger in the café.
Open Amsterdam
Recently a railroad bridge that lost its function was permanently put in “Open” position.  Now Dutch architects have built a sort of glass conservatory on the bridge which got the combined function of a bar (café in Dutch who loaned that word from the French) with restaurant. Very aptly it was named Open

Cafe Reataurant Open Amsterdam

Via Architecten Web

Rotterdam Stadskantoor to be Designed by OMA

Rotterdam Stadskantoor to be Designed by OMA

Rotterdam Stadskantoor to be Designed by OMA

OMA wins competition for Rotterdam’s Stadskantoor

The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), in collaboration with Werner Sobek and engineers ABT, has won the competition for Rotterdam’s Stadskantoor, a new building for the city hall that will accommodate municipal services, offices, and residential units. The winner was announced this morning by city alderman Hamit Karakus.

Via Dezeen

Grand designs at Bauhaus B&B | Travel | The Observer


Grand designs at Bauhaus B&B

The influential German design school now offers tourists the chance to stay in its former student quarters. Hans Kundnani checks in
Grand designs at Bauhaus B&B | Travel | The Observer

A piece of Frank Lloyd Wright art from the Tokyo Imperial Hotel

Recently a Frank Lloyd Wright ornament from the former Tokyo Hotel Imperial was put on sale at Chicago based auction house Wright20.

Lot 140
Frank Lloyd Wright
Concrete block from the Imperial Hotel

1915
Cast concrete

A testament to Wright’s engineering; in the great Kanto earthquake of 1923, the Imperial Hotel was the only building standing for many blocks. The hotel was later torn down in 1968 as land in Tokyo rapidly increased in value. Artifacts from this commission are very scarce.

Estimate: $5000-7000