How North Korean Architects Envision the Future
At this year’s Venice Bienniale in Italy, the Korean pavilion has a curious exhibit called “Commissions for Utopia”. It includes renderings from North Korea’s top architects and artists (all anonymous), many of whom studied at the Paekho Institute of Architecture, North Korea’s state-run architectural college, and none of whom have ever left the country.
They were asked to create a vision of North Korea’s future sustainable architecture for its expanding tourism industry. Their final products are a glimpse into what it would be like to envision the future after being entirely cut off from the present for almost 70 years. (Photos by Nick Bonner/Kyle Vanhemert/Luigi Costantini/Venice Architecture Biennale/AP Photo) Continue reading »
Capilano Suspension Bridge, North Vancouver, British Columbia
The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge crossing the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The current bridge is 140 metres (460 ft) long and 70 metres (230 ft) above the river. It is part of a private facility, with an admission fee, and draws over 800,000 visitors a year.
The bridge was originally built in 1889 by George Grant Mackay, a Scottish civil engineer and park commissioner for Vancouver. It was originally made of hemp ropes with a deck of cedar planks, and was replaced with a wire cable bridge in 1903. In 1910 Edward Mahon purchased the Capilano Suspension Bridge. “Mac” MacEachran purchased the Bridge from Mahon in 1935 and invited local natives to place their totem poles in the park, adding a native theme. In 1945, he sold the bridge to Henri Aubeneau.
Continue reading »
Photo of the Day: Aurora Borealis Near Yellowknife, North West Territories
The largest solar storm in five years sent a huge wave of radiation into earth’s atmosphere, creating a brilliant show of the aurora borealis near Yellowknife, North West Territories. Yellowknife, which is situated directly under the auroral “oval,” has some of the best northern lights viewing in the world. (Bill Braden/The Canadian Press) Click image to zoom.
