KikiRiki Pics » ARCHITECTURE

Moses Bridge, The Netherlands

adminane — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 21:38:17 +0000

The West Brabant Water Line is an early 17th century Dutch defensive line that was created by linking cities and villages with earthen fortresses and walls. An inundation zone to the north provided an area that could be flooded with water deep enough to make enemy advance on foot precarious but shallow enough to rule out the effective use of boats. The line once successfully held Spanish and French invaders at bay.

As part of a recent restoration programme, Fort de Roovere, the largest fort on the line required the addition of an access bridge. The fort is surrounded by a moat and was originally built without a bridge so it was a challenge to create one that would be discreet. RO & AD architects’ solution was to build a ‘sunken’ bridge that follows the line of the fort slope and sits almost flush with the soil and the level of the water, making it practically invisible as you approach the fort.

Volcano hotel in Chile

adminane — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 18:16:25 +0000

Looking for something new and interesting place to visit, maybe this is the right place for you to spend holiday in this magical haven? Magic Mountain Lodge – hotel in a private reserve Huilo Huilo in Chile. This hotel is designed as a volcano, but instead of lava it is one beautiful waterfall. If you want to see a real volcano, Chilean volcano Arenal is seen directly from the hotel window.

In this hotel, among other things, it creates an a amazing atmosphere for you. There is also a jacuzzi, and huge windows are overlooking to the magnificent tropical forest, and the only way to get inside is across the monkey bridge. Night at this hotel will cost you around $ 250-400$.

What Is In This Church?

adminane — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 23:26:56 +0000

And this is not the parish, as you might think. The building was constructed in the mid-19th century and once belonged to the Episcopal Church. The building of the Church is made in the neo-Gothic style, and resembles a small parish church in medieval England. Famous for its irregular masonry of the brown stone blocks. It was the first church in America made in this technique.

The interior of the church in 1901.

I have pictures of this building a few years ago, but then the doors were closed, and homeless people sat on the steps begging money from passers-by. I noticed this building today because of the loud music within.

And when I came closer…

Inside was a fashion store.In place of the altar is conveniently located shoe department.

How did it happen?

The story is quite common for New York. In the 70s, because of the crisis has engulfed the whole of New York, once the area became a fashionable semi-abandoned, the number of parishioners has decreased substantially, and the parish reduced by combining it with a neighbor. All the parishioners began to go to another church, and the vacant building was sold for $ 495 thousand to a non-profit organization.They tried to engage in rehabilitation of drug addicts , but because of financial problems has sold the building in 1982 for $ 1.65 million to Peter Gatien, owner of several nightclubs. He already had the experience of a night club in a former church in London. In 1983 there he opened a famous night club «The Limelight». Party for the opening of the new club organized Andy Warhol. The club started with diskomusic, but eventually moved to the then newfangled technology and organizing raves.The club was closed countless times by the police. In the late 90′s «The Limelight» was closely associated with the movement of the club called ” Club kids “, and the history of the murder, when one of the organizers of this movement Eligius Michael brutally murdered drug dealer Andre” Angel “Melendez. This story has been dramatized in the film ” Party Monster “with Macaulay Kalkin in the title role. In the 2000s the club changed the name to «Avalon», but in 2007 this stage in the history of the former church was completed. The building was once again re-sold for $ 3.2 million and reconstructed for $ 15 million as shopping center, which opened its doors in May 2010. As such, I found it today. As you can see, the shopping center is not the worst thing that happened in those walls.

But still, inside you feel a certain uneasiness because of the mismatch of form and content.

The space inside is completely redone.

Clause is used, even the space beneath the vault.

View of room from the second tier.

Small Hall

Here in the former altar they are selling ice cream.

In the former outbuildings are now interior department.

And here’s cell.

Or abbot’s office.

From the rigor of the former church interior was gone.

The staircase leading to office space.

And here it is. It probably was once part of living space.

In the sales area there are still artifacts.

In one wing of the building runs a pizzeria. This branch of the famous pizzeria Grimaldi’s, which is located under the Brooklyn Bridge.

And the yard is clean. Soon there will be a street cafe.

Here is a church in Manhattan

order Tenormin cash on delivery

10 Weirdest Places to Live

adminane — Tue, 29 May 2012 15:35:26 +0000

1. Living in a Billboard
This has got to be recycling at its best. Why throwout perfectly good billboards when you can reuse them as a living space? I don’t know about you, but how many billboards have you seen that would make a good one bedroom apartment? This may be the idea, but we shall see if it comes into practical use.

2. Living in a Walking House
WALKING HOUSE is a modular dwelling system that enables persons to live a peaceful nomadic life, moving slowly through the landscape or cityscape with minimal impact on the environment. It collects energy from its surroundings using solar cells and small windmills. There is a system for collecting rain water and a system for solar heated hot water.

3. Living under the Grass
At first sight, the place seems inhospitable. A rocky cliff facing North, unsheltered, where the wind blows cold and makes the waves break would seem the last place you would want to build your house in. But its owners didn’t think the same way and, thus, an unusual building of angular, but sober, lines was built to merge perfectly with the surrounding environment. Located in Loredo, in the north coast of Spain, facing the Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay), the OS house, a project by the Nolaster group of architects, has, as its main characteristic, its covering, which is none other than grass.

4. Living in a Water Tower
“The Tower,” a Tri Level House Standing 85 Feet Tall, is a Replica of a Historical Water Tower that was Reconstructed. The Architectural Design is Combined with a Designer Interior Layout. The Water Tower Features a 360 Degree, Unsurpassed View of the Pacific Ocean, Huntington Harbour and the San Gabriel River.

5. Living over a Bridge
Max Pritchard Architect brought out the adventurer side in you. Living inside a “bridge” surrounded by the lush green scenery was challenging. It was the Bridge House. The house design was consisted of two steel trusses with concrete floors and steel decking. There was a roof made of plantation pipes. The unique house had transparent walls made of glass. The outdoor feeling in was brought by another great example of narrow housing. The box house was situated at one hour’s drive from Adelaide, worth $175,000.

6. Living inside an Airplane
This accommodation is not a private dwelling but instead a suite that is part of the Hotel Costa Verde, a hotel located near Quepos, Costa Rica. It’s a fully outfitted, meticulously detailed, two bedroom, Boeing 727 fuselage suite. The creators have refurbished a vintage 1965 Boeing 727 airframe, which in its prior life shuttled globetrotters on South Africa Air and Avianca Airlines (Colombia).

7. Living in a Church
This stunning Gothic Revival-style building is now one of the most extraordinary and largest single family homes in San Francisco. Built in 1909 in San Francisco’s famed Mission District, this church fell on hard times in recent years when its dwindling membership did not have the money to finance needed renovations. Enter businessman Siamak Akhavan who purchased the church for $2.25 million and invested another $3 million in it, turning it into a three-bedroom, 2-½ bath, twelve-room home. Its features include an enormous living area, which includes the original sanctuary (with soaring, hand-painted ceilings, arched windows, and most of the original stained glass windows), custom mahogany wood finishes, four fireplaces, and a new chef’s kitchen. The Master Suite includes a marble Roman tub room, dressing room, and incredible 360 degree views from the tower meditation room. It’s back on the market again, too. Asking price? A cool $7.5 million.

8. Living on a 2,575m Peak
Since 1983, the Rifugio Nuvolau has been a refuge for exhausted trekkers, providing comfort and solace to those trudging in Italy’s dramatic Dolomite Mountains. Even during World War 1, the 2,575m high hut served as a point for surveying situations on the summit. Besides a flashback in history, the location will provide a bed, eatables, and the jolly company of other outdoorsy souls like you.

9. Living on a Boat – on shore.
The Ship Residence sits on South Bass Island in Lake Erie at Put-in-Bay, Ohio. Its based on what is left of the former Great Lakes Shipping Boat, The Benson Ford. The boat was built by Henry Ford (of Ford Motors and the Model T) and named after his grandson. After 50 years of service on the Great Lakes, the Benson Ford was scheduled in 1986 to be scrapped. This is when an Ohio couple stepped in and the captain’s quarters of the Benson Ford became The Ship Residence, a private home on South Bass Island.

The front section of the Benson Ford is where the walnut paneled state rooms, dining room, galley, and passenger lounge were located. These elegant quarters were removed from the rest of the ship and brought to land to make up the magnificent Ship Residence.

10. Living Upside Down
Klaudiusz Golos and Sebastion Mikuciuk created this upside down house for an exhibit in Trassenheide, Germany. It’s clearly unlivable but still a lot of fun.

Completely Transparent House

adminane — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:03:24 +0000

Located on a side-street in a hipper part of Tokyo sits this 914 sq-ft (85 sq-m) glass house. It is named the NA House and was designed by Sou Fujimoto Architects. The various levels are linked by an assortment of stairs and ladders in addition to short runs of fixed and movable wooden steps, which is unique, but let’s be honest the main draw of the house is that it is almost completely made of glass. I couldn’t find the price of the house, however. Is the house’s lack of privacy too much to overcome or would you ever consider making it your permanent residence?

Mont St. Michel in France

adminane — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:24:15 +0000

Just few hundreds years ago, fortifications were the inevitable part of every important city in Europe. They weren’t only a symbol of power, they were built with a purpose to protect the highest officials and most important persons in case of war. Fortresses were build in very well chosen locations. Usually, architects and engineers who were building them choose the most inapproachable place which could be easily cut from the rest of the world if city was attacked. Those buildings were designed and prepared to endure and persist longest and most difficult sieges which could be imagined in that time.

One of such creations that are manmade yet totally outstanding is Mont St. Michel of Europe. This setting is present on the borderline that is present between Normandy and Brittany and probably one of the most visited place in the entire Europe.

Mont St. Michel is basically an islet that is present in the northwest side of France in the Gulf of Saint Malo. It is a connection between two lands in a unique pattern. The place surrounding this great landmark has small houses, shops and cafes on towards the lowest slope and towards the higher end there are plenty of monastic buildings situated, a lot of these buildings belonging to 13th century. The architecture is amazing and considered to be one of the most creative and greatest examples of Gothic era. The overall islet of Mont St. Michel is centered by the abbey church which is present about 240 feet about the sea level at the peak.

This place holds great importance because of being so old and modernized at the same time. During the passage of time, there were many chapels and churches that were created in the region and they got modified by people and the conquerors. All the buildings represent rich art history being created from granite but a few of them have limestone implied as well.

Within 15th century, it held Romanesque parish church around the abbey, a 14th century barbican was also present that was used for abbey’s defense movements and mechanisms. Mont St. Michel was built within a strong rock that is about 84 meters high; the architecture and formation was done through pure granite which is why it has resisted the temperature and climate changes for so long and still looks as durable as it would have been in the past. The historic purpose of this landmark would have been protection of the abbey church and some other regions around but for now, it is considered to be one of the greatest places to visit in the entire France for your trip to get much insightful and memorable.

The Unique Ice Hotel

adminane — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:48:57 +0000

Ever wonder what it would be like to live in an igloo? Ice hotels sprang into existence in the 1980′s and have been built annually ever since. Let’s hope that the temperatures across the globe allow the existence of these ice beauties to continue.

Ice hotel located in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden is the original ice hotel. The igloo was originally built as the home for a local art exhibit, but was later suddenly used by a group of travelers in search of overnight accommodations. They loved the unique experience and the concept of the ice hotel was formed.
Temperatures inside the ice hotel are always between 17 and 23 degrees to avoid melting. All pieces of furniture, including the beds, couches, and bar are made of ice. They’re covered with fur, skins, and sleeping bags for warmth and comfort. For those that are concerned, the bathrooms are located in a separate building with heat.
The hotel has to be rebuilt every year. Artists, architects, and architecture students all contribute to the planning and building; the concept and design is different every year.
Ice Hotel in Sweden is not the only odd hotel in the world. Such ice hotels are also built in Alaska, Canada, Norway.

Ice Hotel Glace is located in Quebec, was built in 2000 and was inspired by the original Icehotel. This particular ice hotel is considered to be fancier than the hotel in Sweden and offers 34 rooms. The hotel is designed with a new feature every year and is usually open from mid-November until sometime in March, which warmer weather will begin to melt it away.

The Ice Palace in Chena Hot Springs, Alaska is the only ice hotel in the United States. Even the glasses you drink from are made of ice in this hotel. Visitors from all over are welcome to visit the hotel bar, regardless of whether or not they will be spending the night. Those who choose to stay are given a parka, snow pants, and boots before being shown to their rooms and regular hotel rooms are reserved for those who don’t find their bed of ice as comfortable as they imagined.
The Chena Hot Springs Ice Palace is well known for its display of ice sculptures. The design of the hotel is relatively static, but the ice sculptures change every year.

Alta Igloo Hotel in Alta, Norway is described as a rustic hotel. These rooms are designed for those looking to sleep in an igloo and are perfect for just that if you don’t mind a small room and a low ceiling. The hotel maintains a separate, heated building where you can store your luggage, shower, and change comfortably. The hotel is designed with a different theme in mind each and every year.

A Short History of Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower

adminane — Tue, 31 May 2011 21:10:19 +0000

The Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower are both wonders of the world. They are the iconic beauties of America and France. Both are tall and huge structures and it is interesting to know that the famous “Statue of Liberty” which is a well-loved symbol of hope and peace that was gifted to the American people by France.

The Statue of Liberty is a statue of pale lady holding a torch with her one hand raised and the other hand holding a book close to her chest. The statue is located in New York. The Eiffel Tower stands as one of the artistic beauties of Paris. It was designed by architect named Gustav Eiffel and was originally built in a three year time period from 1887 to 1889 for the Exposition Universelle which is known as the World’s Fair. It was specially held in Paris to commemorate the birthday of the French Revolution which brought democracy to France.

France had supported the Americans in their struggle of freedom from the British rule and a formidable friendship developed between both countries during the American Revolution. The French were admired by this historical event of America’s success of establishing a democratic government.

The appearance of Statue of Liberty was mainly influenced by the neoclassical artistic style of the 19th century. The idea to create a lady struck the minds of a small group of French intellectuals at a dinner party. Their talks were focused on the close relations between France and America and the voices of the guests expressed admiration and sympathy.

An interesting fact is that Gustav Eiffel who the creator of the famous Eiffel Tower was also the engineer for Statue of Liberty’s complex skeleton. He wanted to build Eiffel Tower in the city of Barcelona in Spain for the Universal Exposition in 1888. However Barcelona thought that the tower was too expensive and did not fit the style of the city. The city hall of Barcelona voted against the proposal ultimately sending Gustav Eiffel to submit his plans to the city of Paris.

The height of the Statue of Liberty is 151 feet and 10 inches. The Eiffel Tower has a total height of 1,063 feet which includes the antenna of 79 feet high that was added years later.

Visitors can climb the Statue of Liberty to the balcony around the torch with the help of a steel ladder. Eiffel tower has three levels and it continues to be updated with new shops and restaurants and it has retained its essence from its initial days.

The Statue of Liberty is an attraction for tourists and the Eiffel Tower is known today as a cultural icon and one of France’s most beloved landmarks.

source: here