The Lowline - NY | Raad Studio

The Lowline is an innovative project - currently underway - that will transform an abandoned trolley terminal into New York City’s first underground garden. Beneath one of the least green areas of the city,

Flaneur Society, Guide to Getting Lost

The Guide to Getting Lost is a pocket sized book which defines the concept of the Flaneur. Using the language of

Thors Design: reusing Azobé wood

Thors tables

Reusing and transforming the 50-year-old rustic Azobé wood from decommissioned wharfs in Denmark into simple and stylish designer furniture, is the fundamental idea behind all of the furniture from Thors-Design.

An interplay between cool galvanised iron and the wood's original raw, rustic look gives the furniture a modern feel with heart and soul that matches the modern home as well as professional environments.

Thors-Design recycles Azobé wood with the utmost respect for its uniqueness. When making furniture, the manufacturer always consider the way the wood moves and works. So, there are no two identical pieces of wood. All furniture by Thors-Design is custom-made.

Azobé wood is one of the world’s heaviest and most robust types of wood and contains a high level of natural oils. Today the Azobé wood is still strong and durable despite many years of exposure to the natural elements. The furniture has a long life cycle and is virtually indestructible. It can therefore be used indoors as well as outdoors all year around and can be enjoyed for generations.

Thors Eros Bench

Curitiba's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system

"The bus system of Curitiba, Brazil, exemplifies a model Bus Rapid Transit system, and plays a large part in making this a livable city. " read more

Chris Kabel - Fence Bench, Nijverdal

 The city of Nijverdal, in the east of the Netherlands, asked Chris Kabel to design an entrance to the city shopping area with public seating. The fence construction of the bench refers to the old farm house entrance fences, at the same time the pivoting construction allows the benches to change position. So you can take a seat opposite of each other, or move the benches to sit in a row.

Fence Bench, Nijverdal

La città di Nijverdal, in Olanda, ha commissionato a Chris Kabel il progetto di un'entrata al centro commerciale pedonale con panchine. Il progetto realizzato fa riferimento alle staccionate delle fattorie, tipiche del luogo, e aggiunge alle panchine la possibilità di essere mosse per sedersi gli uni di fronte agli altri o gli uni accanto agli altri;-)

Metal 400 / 45 / 70 cm
Manufactured by werkplaats Martin van Oel
http://www.chriskabel.com/

Pompon in Copenhagen

Knit-fitti/pom-bombing in Copenhagen, a diy urban project from Brittany Watson Jepsen blog. Waiting for spring, you can do it in your garden if you have the possibility. Smile :-)

Ponpon di lana che decorano un albero nel centro di Copenhagen, dal blog di Brittany Watson Jepsen. Aspettando la primavera, potete decorare così il vostro giardino, se lo avete. Poi, un bel sorriso :-)

http://thehousethatlarsbuilt.blogspot.com/2012/02/happy-weekend.html

Colour the City: New York

New York, december 2011

I found these photos surfing the amazing blog of Allison. It's funny how simply we can trasform urban environment with colours .

New York, december 2011

Ho trovato queste foto nel blog di Allison. E' buffo vedere con quanta semplicità a volte si possa trasformare l'ambiente urbano.
More photos / Altre foto

Florentine murales

Murales in via Santo Spirito, Firenze - December 2011

Lichtfaktor: urban lightwriting

dENiZEN, shine a light for nature

The members of LICHTFAKTOR use light to give expression to their creativity. They take advantage of a variety of light sources to produce photos and videos in cities by night.

The Cologne artists’ collective, consisting of VJ $ehvermögen (photographer and VJ), Visionlabz (Programmer und VJ) and JIAR (communications designer and graffiti artist), experiments with the possibilities yielded by bulb (long-term) exposure and painting. Their aim is to explore all aspects of “lightwriting” and to develop it further. The LICHTFAKTOR crew intentionally uses the entire space in which a particular work is produced and integrates it into their photos and animated films in such a way that it’s not just a backdrop but a part of the work itself.

Visit LICHTFAKTOR website
HOW TO DO IT...

Chitchat by Teun Fleskens and Ghyczy.



ChitChat in Milano Lambrate 2011

'CHITCHAT: Waiting in public spaces always could be more fun (that was the goal!).

CHITCHAT is a swinging seat from multiplex or polyester for one to seven people. If you take a seat, you bring the furniture and everyone who is sitting on it in motion. This almost always leads to interaction. It has something surprising and you get to talk about it to your neighbour. Strangers are searching together for the best balance.The ice breaks, the atmosphere improves and the waiting is less boring.The ‘rocking trees’ in the middle provide a playful effect, especially with more CHITCHATS in one space.'

Designed by Dutch designer Teun Fleskens and produced by Ghyczy.

http://www.teunfleskens.nl/

http://www.ghyczy.nl/

Make Urban Living better! a walk in Florence

Ponte alla Carraia (view on Ponte Vecchio)

Ponte alla Carraia

A house in San Frediano

Set a lounge area on bridges and let house front be coloured, little easy things our administratives can do to make urban living happier:-)

Il Grande Giardino di Brera

'Il Grande Giardino di Brera' (The Big Garden of Brera) in Largo Treves, is a temporary garden designed by architect Marco Bay with wistaria and bamboo.

LAB23 urban furnishment

'Architecture is part of the new layout given by energetic sustainability principles, to help prevent harmful emissions in the air. If streets and squares are enriched by plants and trees, if green areas are integrated into parking areas, if the city wants to go back to being a social place and not just a working one, the aesthetic and functional quality of urban furnishing become two necessary and complementary elements.'

The Pot Hole Gardener

Photo 'The Pot Hole Gardener'

What about planting little gardens in our town potholes? This was the idea of the art student Steve Wheen,  who everyday makes the London citizens smile with his chefs-d'oeuvre. You can follow his work on his site.

Perchè non riempire le buche nelle strade della nostra città con poetici giardini in miniatura con tanto di arredo? L'idea è venuta a Steve Wheen, studente di arte, che tutti i giorni regala un sorriso ai londinesi con i sui piccoli chefs-d'oeuvre sparsi per Londra. Potete seguirne l'evoluzione sul suo sito.