http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/08/world/asia/singapore-supertrees-gardens-bay/index.html?iid=article_sidebar
Gotta go there!
:o That is nice, I wish I had more room in the front yard to put one of those...and money to do that, of course ;D
I can't decide if this artificial tree or Dubai's artificial island is coolest.
Very mixed feelings about this. On the one hand it's bloody brilliant piece of human art and I would love to go there myself. But I'd almost prefer the trees were original old growth mature trees. But I suppose there should be room for both it's just that humans seem to be doing more harm than good to the world around them.
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on June 14, 2012, 04:22:07 AM
:o That is nice, I wish I had more room in the front yard to put one of those...and money to do that, of course ;D
I can't decide if this artificial tree or Dubai's artificial island is coolest.
Dubai is far from cool - in any sense. So vulgar in its expression of wealth at the expense of the tens of thousands of workers kept in poverty that helped build it. Yeugh!
I think the visual of these trees is beautiful. Man meets nature. As urban landscapes go this has got to be the way forward. I also love seeing wind-turbines in the country - beautiful in form and function, so serene and silent in motion.
My vision of the utopian techno-future features architecture like this.
Quote from: Scissorlegs on June 14, 2012, 08:22:57 AM
Dubai is far from cool - in any sense. So vulgar in its expression of wealth at the expense of the tens of thousands of workers kept in poverty that helped build it. Yeugh!
My thoughts exactly, by any chance did you watch "In the Best Possible Taste - Greyson Perry" about middle class, the first half of that episode reminds me exactly of Dubai, it's all about wealth, there is no culture yet they want to achieve a particular look but have no idea of how to achieve it, so they buy into the brand names never buying the good stuff, just the crap pieces that are done by an in-house designers who are tasked to replicate a certain look, which are created in the cheapest possible way, then sold just shy of the premium line. There is no sense of style, or care its just crap meaningless look at me gaudy tat.
I like those supertrees would be even better if they allow more flora to grow from the structure. Some of the concepts for skyscrapers that utilize nature look amazing, look so much better than pure concrete, glass and steel. Its just a pity most get rejected.
Quote from: Crow on June 14, 2012, 12:08:18 PM
My thoughts exactly, by any chance did you watch "In the Best Possible Taste - Greyson Perry" about middle class
I think my wife recorded it, so I'll make a point of paying attention when she watches it.
The trees kind of remind me of the start of a mushroom cloud. :-\
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on June 14, 2012, 03:13:52 PM
The trees kind of remind me of the start of a mushroom cloud. :-\
That is also a beautiful sight.
It's exotic looking, and i would feel it could be human version of eden XD I like it.
This is one of the skyscrappers I was thinking about that uses nature as basis.
Its by the architects "MAD" and is called Urban Forest.
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.dezeen.com%2Fuploads%2F2009%2F12%2FUrban-Forest_1_urban-forest.jpg&hash=3140e315aa8a0d374f3aa70c3c8636c6d8e8ffad)
and this one is by the architects MVDR and is a power station.
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.designboom.com%2Ftools%2FWPro%2Fimages%2Frid23%2Fmv1.jpg&hash=5a7065385c897e55247ee856c62da23a06188135)
Quote from: Scissorlegs on June 14, 2012, 05:31:32 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on June 14, 2012, 03:13:52 PM
The trees kind of remind me of the start of a mushroom cloud. :-\
That is also a beautiful sight.
But not something you necessarily want to see out your window. ;)
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on June 15, 2012, 01:22:47 PM
Quote from: Scissorlegs on June 14, 2012, 05:31:32 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on June 14, 2012, 03:13:52 PM
The trees kind of remind me of the start of a mushroom cloud. :-\
That is also a beautiful sight.
But not something you necessarily want to see out your window. ;)
Hmmm?! Maybe the Nihilist in me finds it kinda exciting...
Actually, ever since I was a teenager I've experienced nuclear or radioactive dreams (maybe as a result of reading 'Z for Zacharia' and 'When the wind blows' in quick succession at school). They often feature me watching a large nuclear explosion in the distance, or swimming in pools of radioactive coolant with maintenance robots. It's always a very arousing (not sexually) and positive experience - even though I fully understand that death is not far off. Analyse that!
Quote from: Scissorlegs on June 15, 2012, 01:31:33 PM
Hmmm?! Maybe the Nihilist in me finds it kinda exciting...
Actually, ever since I was a teenager I've experienced nuclear or radioactive dreams (maybe as a result of reading 'Z for Zacharia' and 'When the wind blows' in quick succession at school). They often feature me watching a large nuclear explosion in the distance, or swimming on pools of radioactive coolant with maintenance robots. It's always a very arousing (not sexually) and positive experience. Analyse that!
If your children have an xbox360 or ps3 I advise you to go buy Fallout 3, if you don't already have it that is.
Swimming in a pool of radioactive coolant is pretty badass.
Quote from: Scissorlegs on June 15, 2012, 01:31:33 PM
Actually, ever since I was a teenager I've experienced nuclear or radioactive dreams (maybe as a result of reading 'Z for Zacharia' and 'When the wind blows' in quick succession at school). They often feature me watching a large nuclear explosion in the distance, or swimming in pools of radioactive coolant with maintenance robots. It's always a very arousing (not sexually) and positive experience - even though I fully understand that death is not far off. Analyse that!
My analysis is that you read a lot of comic books ;)
Quote from: Firebird on June 15, 2012, 03:39:38 PM
Quote from: Scissorlegs on June 15, 2012, 01:31:33 PM
Actually, ever since I was a teenager I've experienced nuclear or radioactive dreams (maybe as a result of reading 'Z for Zacharia' and 'When the wind blows' in quick succession at school). They often feature me watching a large nuclear explosion in the distance, or swimming in pools of radioactive coolant with maintenance robots. It's always a very arousing (not sexually) and positive experience - even though I fully understand that death is not far off. Analyse that!
My analysis is that you read a lot of comic books ;)
Well, consumption of top-shelf publications doesn't seem to manifest in the same way...
Quote from: Scissorlegs on June 14, 2012, 08:22:57 AM
Dubai is far from cool - in any sense. So vulgar in its expression of wealth at the expense of the tens of thousands of workers kept in poverty that helped build it. Yeugh!
I get your point, but just considering the visual:
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dubai-information.info%2Fpalm_island_dubai.jpg&hash=ab09756718cffa1de6eace855b3ba68fb5eaf55c)
If that had been made by people with a better quality of life and paying jobs, would it make it cool or less vulgur?
Dubai in all is just very weird, it's in the middle of a desert (I don't think it has petrol). I don't know where they're getting all their wealth from. But you're right about the poverty, I've only ever spent a day there but it shows when you're on the ground...
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on June 15, 2012, 05:46:02 PM
Quote from: Scissorlegs on June 14, 2012, 08:22:57 AM
Dubai is far from cool - in any sense. So vulgar in its expression of wealth at the expense of the tens of thousands of workers kept in poverty that helped build it. Yeugh!
I get your point, but just considering the visual:
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dubai-information.info%2Fpalm_island_dubai.jpg&hash=ab09756718cffa1de6eace855b3ba68fb5eaf55c)
If that had been made by people with a better quality of life and paying jobs, would it make it cool or less vulgur?
Dubai in all is just very weird, it's in the middle of a desert (I don't think it has petrol). I don't know where they're getting all their wealth from. But you're right about the poverty, I've only ever spent a day there but it shows when you're on the ground...
I think it's cool. I actually admire them for doing something with their city that prepares for when they don't have oil anymore.
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on June 15, 2012, 05:46:02 PM
Dubai in all is just very weird, it's in the middle of a desert (I don't think it has petrol). I don't know where they're getting all their wealth from. But you're right about the poverty, I've only ever spent a day there but it shows when you're on the ground...
Its technically cool and interesting that it can be seen from space but it has no purpose, its the same with Masdar city in Abu Dhabi, why not put that technology into the infrastructure of the capitals but at least that it is trying to achieve something. True luxury is not the billion dollar building its the small things done well. You see the tall buildings and the ostentatious displays but if its only money they are concerned with they are missing the entire point of what truly makes a city great. If all they have to export is a show of wealth it certainly doesn't look good for the city, especially when the reason they have wealth is because of the shady activities that happened (maybe still do) which attracted the rich and helped it become the trade center for Abu Dhabis oil.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on June 15, 2012, 07:22:03 PM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on June 15, 2012, 05:46:02 PM
Quote from: Scissorlegs on June 14, 2012, 08:22:57 AM
Dubai is far from cool - in any sense. So vulgar in its expression of wealth at the expense of the tens of thousands of workers kept in poverty that helped build it. Yeugh!
I get your point, but just considering the visual:
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dubai-information.info%2Fpalm_island_dubai.jpg&hash=ab09756718cffa1de6eace855b3ba68fb5eaf55c)
If that had been made by people with a better quality of life and paying jobs, would it make it cool or less vulgur?
Dubai in all is just very weird, it's in the middle of a desert (I don't think it has petrol). I don't know where they're getting all their wealth from. But you're right about the poverty, I've only ever spent a day there but it shows when you're on the ground...
I think it's cool. I actually admire them for doing something with their city that prepares for when they don't have oil anymore.
True. However they seem to be unaware of global warming and raising sea levels.
Dubai has a project to create the world in islands.
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjointings.org%2Fwordpress%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F03%2Fthe-world-islands-dubai.jpg&hash=ce0247f636c308618813999c78ad575daef8b5f5)
Yes b'y!
Quote from: Crow on June 15, 2012, 08:41:14 PM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on June 15, 2012, 05:46:02 PM
Dubai in all is just very weird, it's in the middle of a desert (I don't think it has petrol). I don't know where they're getting all their wealth from. But you're right about the poverty, I've only ever spent a day there but it shows when you're on the ground...
Its technically cool and interesting that it can be seen from space but it has no purpose, its the same with Masdar city in Abu Dhabi, why not put that technology into the infrastructure of the capitals but at least that it is trying to achieve something. True luxury is not the billion dollar building its the small things done well. You see the tall buildings and the ostentatious displays but if its only money they are concerned with they are missing the entire point of what truly makes a city great. If all they have to export is a show of wealth it certainly doesn't look good for the city, especially when the reason they have wealth is because of the shady activities that happened (maybe still do) which attracted the rich and helped it become the trade center for Abu Dhabis oil.
I really don't know what they're doing there exactly, but I wouldn't say that things like that serve no purpose but since Dubai practically lives off its investores and spends relatively little with its (almost) slave labour, could be one heck of a calling card. But like most if not all developing areas, distribution of wealth isn't a high priority.