02.Sep.2010 Weekly Fuel – Labor Day Edition
by Jay Cox-Chapman, Design Build Assistant
Hurricane Earl, as seen from space (NYT)
The name might sound like a boxer from the ’50s, but Hurricane Earl is churning its way up the Atlantic seaboard. Winds are gusting up to 165 mph in the Category 4 storm, which reminds us why architects and builders take the long view when doing their work. The effects of the Hurricane of 1938 –which inspired the modern tracking and naming system–can still be seen across New England, if you know where to look.
Casa Areia, Portugal
The Portuguese architecture firm Aires Mateus has built an incredible beachside retreat. While the sand floors might not be wholly practical, the buildings respond superbly to their site and purpose.
From the “Classes I Wish I’d Taken” Department: Undergrads Crash NASA Satellite Into the Ocean. Students at the University of Colorado got to decommission a satellite for credit. I say that any class that lets you interact directly with outer space is pretty cool.
Modern Birdhouses in London
And finally, some cosmopolitan birds get modern digs in London. The title of the project is “Spontaneous City in the Tree of Heaven,” after the common name for the tree species (which, incidentally, is increasingly being seen as invasive)
