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Created by the Architects over at http://www.moskowlinn.com
Zipcar Dispenser Boston, New York, and Washington DC.
The prototype parking structure modeled on a giant PEZ dispenser doles out cars in lieu of candy. The tower will maximize Zipcar’s presence in the city, providing a recognizable corporate symbol for the emerging car company in underutilized residual urban spaces.
The project won a Boston Society of Architects Unbuilt Design Award.
With the Dubai Debt Crisis unfolding last night there are fresh concerns about a range of amazing projects that may never be completed. Here they are:
Number 10 - Hydropolis
The Hydropolis is a project seemingly dreamed up by pure wonder. Dubai is a fairly small city with a fairly high heat index, but it takes some force of will to decide that you’re going to move the entire hotel to the bottom of the ocean! You have to admire that dream. It takes a special breed of man to walk into a board room and present a PowerPoint presentation for an underwater hotel the size of Hyde Park. Lucky for us, after years of delays, the project should finally be ready for your ‘Aquaman’ fantasies by the end of 2009.
Number 9 - Burj Dubai
Financing probably never came into the equation of whether or not to build the Burj Dubai. This skyscraper is currently the tallest man-made structure on the face of the planet. The best part of that distinction is that it’s not even finished. When it is finished, Burj Dubai is slated to be 2,684 feet tall. What’s even more outrageous is that world records in construction had to be set just to build the thing; pumping concrete more than 1,900 vertical feet is no small task.
Number 8 - Dubai Sports City
We all love ambition but why did this massive sports complex need to see the light of day? Dubai is not traditionally known for its dominance in sport. Perhaps to change all that Dubai Sports City is going to contain a world-class 60,000-seat stadium, 25,000-seat cricket grounds, a 10,000-seat indoor arena, a 5,000-seat field hockey stadium, and an 18-hole golf course designed by none other than Ernie Els thrown in for good measure. Coming in at a price tag of more than $4 billion, the rumour was that this facility would serve as a bid to host the 2016 Olympics. Turns out the rumour was false and Dubai didn’t even bother to submit a bid. So, then, why did they build this world-class facility?
Number 7 - Dubailand
Tourism is the completely sustainable solution to Dubai’s declining oil production. All you need is disposable income and something to see. For the latter, Dubai has it covered. ‘Dubailand’, when completed, is going to be the largest theme park on the planet. Costing $70 billion to complete, the park will consist of seven fully themed worlds with 45 mega projects, including another massive $1 billion indoor snow park, and 200 smaller sub projects. ‘Dubailand’ will dwarf Disney World coming in at twice the size.
Number 6 - Burj Al Alam
It must be a joy to work in the permit office in Dubai. It seems no project receives the green light unless there’s some extra flair. Take for example the ‘Burj Al Alam’ office building and hotel. Expected to be completed in 2010, this hyperboloid skyscraper will be a crystalline flower rising 108 stories out of the desert floor. A Turkish bath and sky garden are going to occupy the top floors (in case you can’t get through the day working in the world’s most luxurious office space). With 74 floors of office space and 27 floors of luxury penthouses, the ‘Burj Al Alam’ is another shining example of Dubai’s audacious flavour.
Number 5 - Al Maktoum International Airport
Take the largest commuter airport in the world, combine it with the largest freight hub in the world, and then triple it. That’s the plan for Dubai’s new international airport. This sprawling complex in the heart of the new city center will feature six parallel runways for non-stop service with the world’s newest and largest aircrafts, including the Airbus A380. Parking won’t be a problem with 100,000 parking spaces. Completion is expected in 2017, at which time the airport is expected to accommodate 70 million passengers.
Number 4 - Falconcity of Wonders
Wouldn’t you like to see all the ancient and modern wonders of the world in one place? Look no farther than Dubai’s Falcon City of Wonders. They’ve decided to make replicas of the Seven Wonders of the World and throw in landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Leaning Tower of Pisa for good measure. Ever thought the Eiffel Tower was a tad bit boring? Sure, we all have. That’s why Dubai is going to make it bigger, encase it in glass and turn it into a luxury hotel in the city center. Why is it called Falcon City? Well, if you happen to be on the International Space Station, it’ll look just like a falcon. They broke ground in 2008.
Number 3 - Mall of Arabia
Sure, Americans may be the world’s baseline consumers, but they’ve got nothing on this mall in Dubai. The Mall of Arabia will have 10,000,000 square feet of leasable shop space, surpassing the previous title holder for Largest Mall in the World. If you don’t feel like you want your shopping experience to end, you can plan on staying in one of the rooftop hotels that will be included. How’s that for shopping convenience? Ten thousand parking spaces and the world’s largest Starbucks coffee shop will round out the outrageous shopping experience.
Number 2 - Business Bay
In Dubai, if you’re going to play hard, you’re going to work just as hard. As such, Dubai is in the process of constructing a downtown, central business district known as Business Bay. What’s so special about a business district? Every city has them. Well, in Dubai, there will be 230 office towers, including many of the most spectacular office towers on this list. Dubai is literally changing the face of the city by moving Dubai Creek, adding 7 miles to this water way in the process, in order to make Dubai the place to do business anywhere in the world. While the first towers came online in 2007, completion of the project won’t occur until 2010.
Number 1 - The World Islands
Global warming may drown Florida and most coastlines in the near future. Dubai’s answer? Build its own islands rising out of an ever-rising sea. The World Islands make up the only man-made archipelago, consisting of 300 islands. You can own the last one for $250 million. If you do, your new neighbours might be David Beckham and Rod Stewart, as both are rumoured to have bought into this outrageous man-made wonder.
What do you think?
Art Journey
Hakone Open Air Museum
The steam subtly rises up from the vents in the undulating roads lined by lush trees and shrubs. In the distance mostly covered by cloud but unmistakable no less is Mt. Fuji and almost unbelievably nestled amongst these ancient surrounds is one of the most amazing contemporary art museums in the world.
The Hakone Open Air Museum (Japanese: Hakone Chokoku No Mori Bijutsukan), creates a ponderous harmony of nature and art by exhibiting various sculptures across its rolling grounds in combination with beautiful views of the surrounding valley and mountains.
Besides the sculptures, the Hakone Open Air Museum has a few other indoor galleries, including one of the most amazing Picasso Collections around featuring paintings, prints, sculptures and ceramic creations but more on this later. As with anything the Japanese do, this place is born of passion and attention to detail which is immediately evident upon arrival where you are greeted by an outstanding and dynamic water feature that sets the tone of what to expect once you’re inside.
Once you are inside, it’s time to just wonder around and try to take it all in. There is so much to see.
As you walk and discover, you’ll never know what you’ll see next. Bright bursts of geometric colour pop out from around a clearing contrasting directly with other all white stone pieces representing more natural forms. You could easily spend the entire day here and everywhere you look is a million dollar view. It’s the perfect place to have a lazy picnic, even if the weather isn’t quite with you. The fact that you’re amongst the Japanese highlands means that your visit will probably be met with a little drizzle but this only adds to the mystique of the place.
The huge and well placed sculptures rise up from the ground in such a commanding way that they control their immediate position but only ever complimenting the surrounding pieces. Some are deliberately placed to work in tandem with each other which is a further demonstration of the thought that has gone into the facility. The mist that swirls around some of the higher works creates a dreamy atmosphere that easily sweeps you up and makes time disappear.
It’s such a curious place and if you’re the type that really likes to explore there are off beat tracks you can take venturing further into the forest where you’ll come across descending stone stairways that lead you to some hidden moss covered traditional stone works that seem as if they’ve been there for 100’s of years. Be careful here as there are also some very large spiders just waiting for you not to notice them!
Once you have almost done a lap and just when you think it doesn’t get any better, you are met with a very tall mosaic structure, which is the Picasso Wing. It’s here that you will find a wonderful array of Picasso works including sculptures, paintings and tapestry’s, the building itself one of his creations. There is plenty of informative signage to help guide you through which offers an excellent insight into some of the history, trials and tribulations of the artist. There is strictly no photography allowed in this section.
Because this place makes time stand still before you know it visiting hours will be almost over but if you’re into art or sculpture what a time you’ll have! The Hakone Open Air Museum is a must see attraction and can be reached by a short walk from Chokoku No Mori Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway (30 minutes, 390 yen from Hakone-Yumoto, covered by the Hakone Free Pass), the last station before the terminal station of Gora.
To see more images from Hakone Open Air Museum or to follow more stories from Paul Blazey go to:
Paul Blazey is an artist and travel writer for Urban Globetrotter
How to get to and around Hakone
