Skydivers over Florida with the space shuttle in the background.

Spatially and artistically, the above photo of skydivers watching the space shuttle launch is extraordinary.

Realized in three dimensions.

Stack design intern  (and Box Office welder) Geoff Hawley threw together a mockup of our “cube” logo out of recycled steel.

There’s more below the fold…

Train traffic controllers hard at work

GE has a new train traffic control system that they claim can increase average train speed by 10 to 20 percent. The system is yet another example of how databases and computing technology, when applied to very practical and real-world industries, can generate huge gains in productivity and efficiency.

From the greener building department, BuildingGreen has a great article on the embodied energy and global warming potential of different types of insulation. We use open-cell cellulosic sprayfoam, which has one of the lower impacts on the list.

A small piece of Taylor Medlin's thesis project, "Towards a New Antarchitecture"

Via BLDG Blog, a stunning exercise in architectural modeling. Student Taylor Medlin used wax, sculpted ice, and several ingenious lensing methods to portray his ideas for building sustainably in Antarctica, or as he puts it, “Antarchitecture.” The craft, precision, and ability to evoke his ideas clearly make the model a success.