Swiss curator Klaus Littmann and Enea Landscape Architecture hope to focus public attention on the crisis of deforestation with their public art installation, For Forest: The Unending Attraction of Nature.
The project has converted the Wörthersee stadium in Klagenfurt, Austria, into a temporary native European forest.
Some 300 trees, many of which are fully grown and some of which weigh nearly 13,227 pounds alone, occupy the stadium’s Astroturf and, together, form the country’s largest public art installation ever.
Tree species include silver birch, alder, aspen, white willow, field maple, and common oak, sourced from three nurseries in Italy, Germany and Belgium.
It took the team 22 days to ‘plant’ once the trees arrived in Austria.
The work is inspired by The Unending Attraction of Nature, a drawing by Austrian artist and architect Max Peintner. It shows a forest on display inside a stadium, in a dystopian future where nature grows only in designated spaces.
The installation opened on September 9 and will be on display till October 27, 2019. On closing it will be replanted on a public site nearby.
Alphabet and Ikea are Investing in Robotic Real Estate:
With $20 million of new funding from Sidewalk Labs and Ikea umbrella company Ingka Group, MIT robotics spin-off Ori plans to revolutionise architecture, writes Mark Wilson for Fast Company.
In 2014, an MIT project called CityHome proposed robotic infrastructure for apartments, with features like kitchens and beds sliding in and out to amplify tiny footprints – making them more flexible and efficient.
CityHome became Ori, now inking deals with Sidewalk Labs, Ingka Group and Geolo Capital – known for hospitality investments. The major new investors represent three major real estate sectors – city planning, retail, and hospitality.
Ori hopes to change the very nature of buildings with robotics, Wilson writes, and these relationships could inform the future of its products.
More than offering after-market robo-furnishings that are fitted to your apartment, Wilson says the company wants to become part of the design conversation from the very start, as architects and developers begin creating buildings. We could be looking at a future of integrated robotic design.
Street Furniture Australia and US partner Spruce & Gander in March hosted landscape architects from California and Texas on a visit to Sydney to experience a factory tour, site visits and a new product launch. The American landscape architects represented MJS Landscape Architecture, RHAA Landscape Architecture + Planning, TBG Partners, Avid Trails and Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. Over a week-long trip the guests were treated to famous sights of Sydney including the iconic Bondi Beach, a harbour cruise and dining at top restaurants in urban Surry Hills and the new Barangaroo precinct. Travelling to Regents Park in Western Sydney, they toured the Street Furniture Australia factory to see first-hand how products are designed, made and shipped all over the world. This included meeting the production team, industrial designers and engineers. …
Melissa Gerke, our Communications and Education Specialist, is bringing a fun, interactive and informative presentation about our carbon neutral journey and latest products to customers in cities around Australia and in the US. In 30 minutes (plus Q&A) we will explore materials and finishes, touch and feel samples, and bond with your colleagues over delicious treats. There will also be a mystery prize for a lucky winner (optional). 2024 cities and dates include: Select from three catering options (optional): To book, contact Melissa Gerke mgerke@streetfurniture.com
Successful products are often followed by copycats. Over the past year we have become aware of an increase in reproductions of the Linea range attempting to create a similar aesthetic at a lower price. This can compromise the overall durability and environmental credentials of projects being delivered, affect ongoing maintenance requirements, and in some instances pose a risk of injury to the public. The design of Linea is deceptively simple while delivering exceptional attention to detail. Details matter not only for beauty, but also for providing durability, and safety, that will last decades. Linea strictly uses the highest quality and sustainable materials, has passed rigorous strength tests, and is designed for longevity, with easily replaceable parts. The product range is the result of hundreds of hours of research and development …
Joy Through The Wall – Pink Seesaws Connect US-Mexico Communities: Architectural studio Rael San Fratello has installed three pink seesaws, or teetertotters, between the metal slats of the US-Mexico border wall, so people on either side can play together. Ronald Rael, who runs Rael San Fratello with architect Virginia San Fratello, posted images and videos of the installation on Instagram. The equipment was installed between El Paso in Texas and Ciudad Juárez in Mexico, in an opening event of “joy, excitement, and togetherness” says Rael. It has been one of the “most incredible experiences” of the duo’s careers, he writes in the post. “The wall became a literal fulcrum for US-Mexico relations and children and adults were connected in meaningful ways on both sides with the recognition that the actions …
Public punching bags placed around New York City: A US design studio, donttakethisthewrongway (dtttww), has installed bright yellow punching bags throughout New York City to help relieve tension and stress among residents. The bags were introduced in May at New York City Design Week in attempts to stop people from taking their frustrations out on each other. “The concept explores designing common spaces for the frustrations we all face. Frustrations that go beyond designed systems and happen, well, because we are human,” the design studio said. “The public punching bag offers an outlet for these emotions as a means to maybe develop a healthier way to address personal and collective issues in a public setting.” New Yorkers passing by tipped their hats to dtttww, welcoming the installation with fists and …
Norman Foster is 84 and he Instagrams better than you: Norman Foster only began to casually upload photos to Instagram in 2017. But don’t be fooled by his short tenure on the social media platform, writes ArchDaily. What makes his feed more charming, they say, than Bjarke Ingels’, more impressive that Richard Branson’s, is a mix of je ne sais quoi, athletic prowess, and a taste of ‘he’s just like us!’ Foster posts behind-the-scenes images that reflect a full life – of exercising, spending time with family and taking holidays – as well as working. If we are moving beyond the age of ‘cults of personality’ cultivated by the media, say ArchDaily, “it’s fascinating to see Norman Foster take full advantage of the one-to-one relationship between public figure and the …
