Are you at a crossroads in your life? This sign might help you decide what to do next.
(Spied in Chinatown, New York).
Out-of-office
A few days out-of-office can work wonders. The architectural delights of Valencia certainly did it for us ... we're re-focused, re-energised and re-ady for work.
The first two shots above are at the City of Arts and Sciences designed by Santiago Calatrava and Felix Candela, set in parkland in the former riverbed of the Turia. The third is the America's Cup Building designed by David Chipperfield.
Shots below taken in the Barrio del Cabanyal-Canyamelar, the Museo de las Ciencias and at the Mestalla for Valencia's 3-1 victory over the champions Athletico Madrid.
Sound mirrors
This weekend we visited Wat Tyler Country Park in Pitsea. As the name suggests, it has links to the Peasants' Revolt lead by Wat Tyler back in 1381. In more recent times, it was the site of Nobel explosives factories ... no need to guess why most of the buildings no longer exist. WWII pillboxes forming part of the GHQ line (a defensive line protecting London) snake through the park too, so it's got a pretty packed history.
We stumbled across this great sculpture by Troika from 2007. It's one of a pair of sound mirrors you can use to whisper to your friends 60m away. The algae on that pink is just wonderful.
If you've not heard of them before, it's worth googling 'sound mirrors'. They were originally installed on the Kent coast between the wars; the idea being that you could detect incoming planes without the aid of any electrical equipment, a bit like a vast ear trumpet. The development of radar meant they were defunct before they could be used. We like that.
The answers, my friend ...
If you don't want to get bogged-down in details, get over to the Lewisham Rough Information Centre.
Tape it or leave it
Don't throw away your damaged truck/trolley/chair/poster frame. Invest in some duct/sello/parcel tape and save thousands.
(Taken in London, New York, New York, London).
See more at:
http://www.chutneychoruscreative.com/blog/tape-modern
Face value: part 2
Face value: part 1
We have a confession – we're compulsives. Wherever we go, we can't help but see faces in architectural features. Apparently we're not alone in this compulsion. In fact it's so widespread, it has a name: pareidolia.
(Photos taken in New York, Rome, New York, London).
Signage osmosis
Leave design in the open air and it can take on a life of its own. The merging of these posters is fascinating and, dare we say it, almost mystical. The photo is a couple of years old but we still haven't worked out what it says ... Don't let speed be a grave zoner? Don't let NPL be a gimme moner? Your guess is as good as ours.
No parking: part 2
Forget star signs. If you want to see inside someone's head, look at their garage door.
(Taken in 2010 at the Heygate Estate, Elephant and Castle, London. The estate is currently in final stages of demolition and is no longer accessible, dammit!).
No parking: part 1
You'd think that a group of people writing a simple message like 'no parking' on their garage doors would have pretty much the same result. Not so. These garage doors shot in 2010 on the Heygate Estate in Elephant and Castle, London, prove that we're all individuals. Goading, quiet, sloppy, deranged, meticulous, chaotic ... all comers welcome.
For more, see:
No parking: part 2