(small) creative initiatives that challenge (big) traditional ideas
• ( egoistic ) • activistic • architectural • audible • cinematic • conceptual • graphic • strategic • surface • urban • wireless
Grey goes green in central Rotterdam where the Parking Garage Westblaak is being transformed from a block of concrete to a green oasis.
The new parking garage named Green Park will be covered with various plants and the structure is set to become the largest green facade project in Europe. Aside from looking pretty, the vegetation will help offset Co2 emissions, improve biodiversity and absorb rain water.
The project's main investor is Christian Stadil, a Danish buddhist, businessman and owner of the sportswear brand Hummel. The facade is designed by local architects, Kühne & Co.
Socalled vegitecture (vegetated architecture) is becoming increasingly popular, not only because of its environmental qualities, but also because it can turn ordinary buildings into urban landmarks. See for instance the BHV Homme fashion storein Paris, Arquitectonica's Ballet Valet Parking Garage in Miami and Edouard François' iconic Flower Tower in Paris.
TORTURE CLASSICS is a collection of music that has been used as instruments of torture by US government interrogators.
It includes Top 40 hits, Metal, Hard Rock, Country and Western, TV theme-songs and commercial jingles, as well as original “mash-ups” created by CIA agents, prison administrators, guards and interrogators.
According to the publishers: "Torture Music is the kind of music that’s perfect for sitting in the Afghan or Iraqi Desert, sharing a prisoner for a night, or relaxing in a military barrack or a CIA black site in some godforsaken country on a lazy afternoon. It's music thats just makes you feel free and drives others crazy. '
TORTURE CLASSICS is seemingly released by Time Life, one the world's largest entertainment companies. However, if you take a closer look, you will find that it is a project by notorious e-activists/artists UBERMORGEN feat. James Powderly.
The SMS slingshot is a device designed to create digital augmented realities in urban space.
The device is shaped as a wooden slingshot with a build-in mobile phone display, a keypad and a laser. Users can type a text message and shoot it straight at a large facade. A projector pointed at the facade will show the message as a colour splash with the message written within.
The project is designed by VR/URBAN, a group of digital intervention-activists based in Berlin. They will demonstrate the device at various media-festival in the next couple of months. Check their website for dates and technical specs.
Related:
The Image Fulgurator + SMS Guerrilla Projector + Facade Printer + Graffiti Analysis
• www.vrurban.org/smslingshot.html + a demonstration on YouTube
Copenhagen Poverty Walks is a new alternative walking tour giving locals as well as visitors a unique opportunity to experience the city from the perspective of homeless people.
The tours are guided by homeless themselves and during the walk, participants will hear about the guide's personal street experiences and universe.
Poverty Walks is organized by the NGO project Udenfor (Outdoor). You can read more about the walks on Copenhagen's official tourist website Visit Copenhagen.
Related: The Other Tour
If you live in Chicago you may be able to get yourself a Frank Gehry building for free. Or more precisely, a copy of Frank Gehry's Venice Beach House (pictured).
Behind the gift is an architect/artist called Nick and in exchange for the building, you need to document your experience with the structure, periodically recording how it has effected your life.
The purpose of the project is to question the benefits of contemporary 'starchitecture' and its effects on the human condition. If interested, you can contact Nick via Craigslist.
Have you ever wondered just how *hetero* your twitter stream is?
Probably not, but here's a tool that can help you find out.
Howhetero is a web application that can analyze and rate your level of 'heteronormativity' based on words in your tweets. To prove a point, the application is very judgmental and words like "shopping" and "design" will decrease your hetero rating (if you're a boy).
The application was created for the Stockholm Pride event last summer and it has just been nominated for a Webby Award in the Interactive Advertising Category.
• http://www.stockholmpride.org/howhetero
Posted by Sebastian on Feb 28, 2010
For Transmediale 2010 members of the R&D network F.A.T. met in Berlin and produced a series of projects dedicated to the topic of the week: FUCK GOOGLE.
In addition to on-site workshops, F.A.T. Lab built a fake Google Street View car and took it out for a ride in the city of Berlin.
Watch the hilarious video, in which the fake Google car gets lost (the driver has to ask for directions), jams the traffic and in other ways attracts negative attention.
For information on how to make your own Google Street View car go to: fffff.at/google-street-view-car
• Video on Vimeo via PopUp City
Posted by Sebastian on Feb 28, 2010
Polluter Harmony is an anti-polluting campaign site, shaped like an online matchmaking service for polluters, industry lobbyist and politicians in the USA.
The site is a project of PolluterWatch / Greenpeace and the aim is to draw attention to the close connections between polluters, influence peddlers and friendly public officials.
Posted by Sebastian on Feb 09, 2010
The Tenants’ Rights Flash Cards is a non-profit product designed to make renters in New York more familiar with their rights.
The flash cards translate New York’s official Tenants’ Rights Guide into a simple and friendly format that covers issues from security deposits and subletting to paint and privacy.
The concept is developed and designed by Candy Chang in collaboration with the organization Tenants & Neighbors. A boxed set of 30 cards costs 10$. They are available for sale online.
While you're at Candy's website, be sure to check out the inspiring project section.
Posted by Sebastian on Jan 13, 2010
On December 17th 2009 four Greenpeace activists grabbed news headlines around the world after they peacefully gate-crashed a party dinner for the heads of states during the Copenhagen climate summit.
Their action - or performance - left the Danish police not only embarrassed but also very upset, and the four activists was jailed for 20 days without trial.
The activists were referred to as The Red Carpet Four and while they were still in prison, Greenpeace released a video telling their story.
Contact: Sebastian Campion