10 Incredible Castles Around The World

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Everyone knows about the Palace of Versailles in France, the Tower of London in England and the Forbidden City in China. These famous estates are awe-inspiring works of architectural mastery, not to mention historical goldmines.

Although these sites are some of the most famous, they're not the only destinations deserving recognition. Look past the tried-and-true and you may find other amazing structures. From Dracula's Castle in Romania to the Hearst Castle in California, here are 10 palatial spaces that are sure to inspire. LINK: The Presurfer

Sculptures made out of Rolodex cards

From the designer's web site:

In Carte Blanche, masses of blank rolodex cards are composed into precarious structures that are reminiscent of cliff dwellings. In our digital age, rolodex cards hint at obsolescence and outdated systems of communication. The white surface reads as information erased, no longer needed, and inaccessible. Carte Blanche is an elaborate construction where each card is dependent on the next, mirroring the network of social contacts within our fragile existence.

Jean Shin [Via: NotCot]< Via: Boingboing

Icebound: 10 Amazing Antarctica Abandonments

Considering the small population of the continent, Antarctica has a lot of abandoned settlements. In such extremely low temperatures, it is much easier to leave structures and possessions behind than to take them with you when you leave. Harsh conditions also preserve what is left, since bacteria and mold that break down materials elsewhere on earth can’t survive in Antarctica. Camps and settlements abandoned 100 years ago still sit, appearing just as they did when they were in use. The hut shown was left by Sir Ernest Shackleton in 1909. See and read about ten of these places at WebUrbanist. Link, Via: Neatorama

(Image credit: Noah Stryker)

Architectural Structures as Musical Instruments

Last summer David Byrne of The Talking Heads converted an entire building, the Camden Roundhouse in London, into a musical instrument! He connected every pipe, pillar, and beam to a keyboard, from which you can make them vibrate and produce their individual sounds. This is one only of several large and different musical instruments made out of structures such as silos, a tower, a synagogue, and more at Dark Roasted Blend. Link

(Image credit: Mark Obstfeld), Via: Neatorama

Haiti: Photos from the ground, by AIDG's Catherine Lainé

Catherine Lainé of the sustainable tech non-profit AIDG, who was featured in this Boing Boing Video interview on Friday, is in Haiti and has begun uploading photos of what she's witnessing there, as connectivity permits.



House are FLATTENED. Coming in to Port Au Prince, about 1 in 20 had collapsed, then 1 in 10. In Delmas 33 where we were earlier, it's 1:5. People are sleeping outside in makeshift settlements b/c either 1) their house was destroyed 2) their house had significant damage and is visibly unsafe or 3) they are not sure of their home's structural integrity and with all the aftershocks, they are taking no changes. Everyone has lost someone close to them or someone they knew... you can hear gunshots at night though. Daytime seems really safe.

She's uploading images to the AIDG Flickr stream. Unlike the Associated Press, hers are all licensed as Creative Commons images and may be freely re-blogged. Some images may not be properly tagged yet (her access to internet and electricity is sporadic in Haiti), but she's told us that is her intent. LINK: Boingboing, Via: Youtube

Haiti Presidential Palace Before and After The Earthquake

It is difficult sometimes to imagine the damage that a natural disaster such as an earthquake can do - especially when you do not know the place(s) where the earthquake has happened. So, here is a before and after shot of the Presidential Palace in Haiti - as it was before the earthquake of 11 January 2010. Remember that this will be one of the more secure and well built structures on the stricken island. LINK

BEFORE

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AFTER

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Incredible Piers and Jetties

If you've ever been to the coast there's a good chance you'll have come face to face with either a jetty or pier, both of which are man-made structures that extend from the shore out into the water. Generally (there are exceptions) a jetty is made of stone and rests on the bottom of the water's bed so as to restrict its flow, in turn either protecting the harbour or providing a dock for ships. Piers, on the other hand, are usually pile-supported decks, generally used as walkways for pedestrians, fishermen and researchers. Usage aside, both jetties and piers are visually charming structures which add a certain amount of character to beaches and harbours around the World, in some places serving as major tourist attractions in their own right.

"Busselton Jetty, Busselton, Australia"

Measuring a whopping 1.84km, the 140 year old jetty in Busselton is (so they say) the longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere. This mammoth structure - which is also home to an underwater observatory - was built to enable the loading and unloading of ships which couldn't get close to the shore due to its shallow waters. Since then the jetty has been extended on numerous occasions. LINK