Crazy Junkyard

Bringing the tropical rain-forest to the UK, Proctor and Matthews Architects has come up with a biodome called “Heart of Africa” that will replicate rain-forest habitats of the African Congo.

England’s weather is about as far from tropical as possible — except within the bubble of this amazing “Heart of Africa” biodome coming soon to Chester zoo. The 112-foot-high zoological attraction will simulate the rainforest habitats of the African Congo.

The biodome will cover 172,000 square feet and will be home to a number of animals, including a band of gorillas, a troop of chimpanzees, okapi ( giraffe-like creatures), birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates. A water ride will show off animal enclosures, and a jungle canopy will flourish above visitors’ heads.

When it is opened in 2014, the biodome is expected to be Europe’s biggest conservation and animal attraction. We can only hope that the attraction inspires environmental action among visitors!

Inside the biodome

Rainforest inside the biodome

The biodome from above

This crazy modern egg-shaped mobile office pod has a kitchen, a bathroom, interior lighting, and several storage places called ‘blob VB3′. Designed and built by Belgian architecture firm, dvmA for xfactoragencies. ‘blob VB3′, a mobile unit for the office of xfactoragencies as an extension to the ‘house’. It can easily transportable and can also be used as an office, guestroom or garden house. Polyester was the primarily material used in construction of the ‘blob VB3′. VB3 Blob can also be opened at the front of the door out. For one egg rumha this VB3 blob of land required for 20m2.

Sweden architect Wilhelmson Arkitekter have designed a housing project with windows that look like gilded picture frames.  This project consists of 2 houses, both 6 stories wide, with 14 apartments (9 of them duplex apartments), glossy white enameled facade panels, with cast aluminium window frames that are gold leaf painted.

The Hotel Silken Puerta America Madrid is an idea of freedom become a reality, a meeting space where they meet different cultures and ways of understanding architecture and design. It is a masterpiece of an artwork of modern architecture and design. 19 of the most prestigious architectural firms and designers participated in its creation. One firm carried out one floor, different colors and atmospheres await visitors at every corner Look.

Spanish architecture firm Selgas Cano recently unveiled their new office in Madrid.  Iwan Baan amaze us with this great project between the woods by Spanish practice Selgas Cano. Located within a forest,  the tube-like structure is  half sunken into the ground, giving the illusion of complete isolation.  A large window runs the entire length of the structure and forms part of the roof, ensuring workers a panoramic view of the surrounding woods.  Working in the middle of the nature, looks like such a peaceful environment, where you can really concentrate on your creativity.

Cuckoo Club:

5,000 square feet of opulent design tinged with rock and roll influences, The Cuckoo Club offers world class mixologists, a nightclub open till the early hours and a destination restaurant headed up by culinary genius Rupert Blease. This is a club design by the company blacksheep, this is straight glamor out of a hip hop.

Blue Frog restaurant:

The Blue Frog acoustic lounge and studio in Mumbai, India is designed by Serie architects. It’s a 1,000-square-meter complex that includes a club, restaurant, lounge, sound stage, recording studio and sound lab, all encased within the massive walls of an old warehouse in Mumbai’s mill district. Blue Frog does its job in a way that is totally stylish – not a tacky thing or overdone in sight. And everyone’s table is definitely on level ground, although it does not appear so first. The entire look of the place is highly sophesticated and futuristic.

Banq Restaurant:
This is the best new restaurant in Boston by Office dA. The wall and ceilings are decorate using wave element made from unique pieces of three-quarter-inch birch plywood adhered together in a scenario that likens to a puzzle; only one possible location for each unit, formulating the continuous member. Below the ceiling, the functional aspects of a dining space are fabricated with warm woods and relaminated bamboo amplifying the striping affect already at play throughout the space.

Dolce & Gabbana Gold Restaurant:

Dolce & Gabbana opened a restaurant in Milan with smooth and shimmering golden accents everywhere. Gold Restaurant serves international Italian food, and has several levels including a downstairs bistro that opens at lunchtime and a more formal upstairs that serves dinner only. Although the thought of an entire Gold restaurant my seem over the top and gaudy, the décor of the many leveled building is effortlessly sophisticated, chic, and at times breathtaking.

The Red Sea Star underwater Restaurant and Bar:

This amazing Red Sea Star is the first underwater Restaurant and Bar, located in Eilat, Israel. A 15 ft. below the surface of the Red Sea’s coral reef. A breathtaking view of hundreds of various tropical sea creatures in the colorful coral garden is seen through 62 panoramic amorphous windows surrounding the observatory, located five meters below the sea level. Chairs take the form of sea-urchins and jelly fish, lights are starfish shaped and sand lies under an epoxy bonded floor, even the menu reflects the underwater theme, which given the setting seems somewhat disturbing.

Honeycomb Restaurant:

The Chinese restaurant Honeycomb in Shenzhen by SAKO architect built in the 1300 square meters area, Honeycomb has large hall for group and for private it available VIP rooms. The restaurant using white opaque surface for large space partition and transparent acrylic surface in small space, they appear like ‘honeycomb’. In the theme of ‘unordinary space’, the ‘Honeycomb’ presented us with the idea where customers can enjoy their meal and the space at the same time.

Kurve Restaurant:

This restaurant  in New York that have a strong identities designed by Karim Rashid. Kurve design concept is how to make another world for an evening dinner, ovaloid-shaped windows, sinuous walls and booths, soft organic lounge chair, white glass communal table, ceiling-to-floor amorphous bar these are beautiful stuff that gives the guests a hyper visual experience. See the floor plan for more layout detail.

This rustic-modern aesthetic hotel was designed by Heinz Legler, who used to own a film set construction company and Veronique Lievre, previously a set decorator, from Paris. They started this project as their personal hideaway, but it ended up construction an hotel in a 5 acre area, with infinity pool, spa, restaurants, yoga hut and 8 guest rooms. This year they expanded their hotel with V-Houses, 5 units with 3 units for hotel staff, 2 for guests, a kitchen and a shared bathroom. This three tower-houses have a particular structure, raising from a small concrete foundation. The V Houses are made out of steel, plywood and red corrugated iron roofs. Each V-House is 16′x16′ with open sides to maintain views and air flow. Standing 18′ apart, the V-houses have basically no environmental impact or foot print and can be built on any surface condition.

In honor of the board game’s 60th anniversary, the crookedest street in the U.S. was transformed into the sweetest board game around. The curvy San Francisco Lombard Street was turned into a gigantic version of the game Candy Land. 575 feet of switchbacks in the Russian Hill neighborhood were transformed into the famous board. Kids from the UC San Francisco Children’s Hospital and Friends of the Children pulled from an oversized deck of color-coated cards and then advanced through the squares of purple, red, blue, orange, green and yellow. At the finish line there was a cake shaped like King Kandy’s castle, eco-friendly confetti and balloons.

1.  Aragawa – Tokyo

Aragawa in Tokyo was the first steakhouse in Japan, and hasn’t failed to satisfy the taste buds of customers. Dine in an authentic Japanese setting with dark wood paneling and a chandelier, which adds a European touch. The hand-fed Kobe beef is supplied from a nearby farm, so you can rest assured of the freshness. The Sumiyaki (charcoal-broiled steak) served with plain mustard and pepper is a must-have. In Aragawa Dinner for one: $368 for just for a steak. Be formally dressed, and come fully loaded with credit cards or cash!

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This is a concept for a “tree hotel” designed by the Swedish architectural firm Tham & Videgard Hansson.  It  is made of mirrors and thus totally invisible. It blends into its surroundings in a very cool way. It’s the ultimate tree house for luxury weary travellers who want to leaf the city life behind.  Each room at the new hotel in Lapland is a box made of aluminium and covered in mirrored glass stuck 50ft up a tree.   The mirrored walls are specially designed to make the walls disappear into the landscape by reflecting the woodland canopy surrounding them.Visitors have to climb into their room by a rope ladder.
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