Palm Springs: Playground of the Beautiful People

Every day is a holiday, and every holiday a poolside cocktail party, entertained by beautiful views stretching beyond the manicured lawns and over the sierra, while the hostess with the mostest and her chic lady friends strike a pose and discuss couture, husbands, children, travel, hobbies, gossip and young lovers... and not necessarily in that order.

Source: Poolside Gossip, by American jet-set photographer Slim Aarons (1970), featured on Photographers Gallery.

George Birrell . . .

these bold & colourful paintings of Scottish architecture,

by

George Birrell

have such a feeling of peace about them.

Grandeur & Decadence: Detroit's Michigan Central Station

The flipside of grandeur is decadence of dizzy-high proportions; nonetheless from the tragedy, from the combined obsolescence and degenerescence of the once-bustling station emanates solemn beauty at its most pared-down form, bathed in visual silence.

Pict 1-4: Michigan Central Station is one of Detroit USA's iconic derelict constructions. Built in 1913 it was sadly doomed as a white elephant, never achieving its full potential despite its credentials. Later in the 1970s, the motor town's changing fortunes further accelerated its demise. The station's future has been hanging in the balance since closing down in 1988 and demolition is now on the cards as the only viable option. That will be yet another Detroit symbol biting the dust. Photographic footage featured by Kevin Bauman on Behance. 

Heart of Glass

Tucked away in the Montecito hills of Southern California is a delightful bijou box that playfully reinterprets spatial awareness, revealing to the outside world its inner self and ulterior desires/ motives while inviting the lush outdoors in for an architectural stone and glass-fest where the thin boundary line between inside and out gets blurred; geometrical purity, timeless modernism, quality materials (walnut wall cladding etc.), attention to detail beyond expectation, all packaged up in uncompromising couture luxury, and all yours for a cool price tag.

Source: The Glass Pavillion, Santa Barbara CA, is publicised for sale by Sotheby's International Realty. Property stats:

• Set within approx.3.5-acre oak grove estate
• Interior: approx. 1,289sq.m. (13,875sq. ft.)
• 5 bedrooms 
• 5 + 1/2 bathrooms
• Vast art gallery space/ display showroom
• Property ID: 0113311
• Sale price: USD28,500,000

glass igloos . . .

oh to stay in a glass igloo

and sleep under the stars

at

Kakslauttenen

or a snow igloo, log cabin, turf chamber

London Olympics 2012

The Velodrome under construction. It was designed by Hopkins Architects and Partners and already has a nickname, the 'Pringle'.

The completed Energy Centre designed by John McAslan and Partners.

The Basketball Arena - it is a temporary structure that will be removed after the Games.

The Olympic Park black brick electrical substation designed by Nord.

The Aquatic Centre by Zaha Hadid is taking form.

The London 2012 Olympic Village is taking shape and looking rather interesting. Read the Guardian article here to learn more about the construction happening in East London. Click on the photos above to get a better view of the overall scene.
Photographs via The Guardian.

tiny houses . . .

the tiniest of homes

at

tumbleweed houses

the rock house . . .

the rock house

in portugal

one mans dream

more images here

harry potter. . . .orlando

for harry potter lovers

a link here to view the

harry potter theme park orlando

and more images on the official site

here

vicki amberry-smith . . . jewellery

influenced by

romanesque & renaissance architecture

jewellery based london designer

vicki amberry-smith

victorian dolls house . . .

i have come across some wonderful dolls houses

whilst browsing & am in love with this one

my childhood dollshouse is in moms attic

i think i mught have to retreive it!

conch shell house . . .

a faerietale house to dream of on a rainy day

caribbean conch shell house

freya & Robin . . . a love story

i love the idea of this, a story of two lovers

Robin and Freya,

and the shelters they might have used

by Studio Weave

freyas cabin on the south bank of Kielder Water

* * *

" The roof is clad in Luvata Nordic Gold,

a copper aluminium alloy that reflects brightly,

the sunlight winking to Freya’s lover across the water.

* * *

Robin’s Hut is on the north bank of Kielder Water.

castles of paper . . .

a perfect paper castle

by student Wataru Itou (伊藤航) in Tokyo

it took four years to complete

The exhibition is called "Umi no Ue no Oshiro"

(A Castle On the Ocean )