casemod (13. 436)

An homage to classic LEGO consoles and control panels (previously), we appreciated this workstation from design studio Watt IV for an Apple Mini with the housing palette referencing both the 1979 space line of playsets and the 1984 Macintosh 128K. The sloped brick features a touch-screen display and is meant to be used an extension to one’s desktop for instance as a dedicated interface and monitoring station for the life support systems of one’s smart home. More from DesignBoom at the link above, including instructions on how to make one’s own dashboard.

the do-nothing machine (13.434)

Courtesy of friend of the blog, Nag on the Lake, we are introduced to the 1957 experimental demonstration, one of the first uses of solar power at the time (see previously) from dynamic design duo Charles and Ray Eames (see also here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here), over which the couple expressed some reluctance over the invitation to participate in the project sponsored by the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA). The whimsical initiative, called the Forecast Programme, and included Isamu Noguchi (野口·勇, furniture designer and landscaper who contributed the Prismatic Table) and Alexander Girard, specifically commissioned the Eames to construct a sampling of aluminium toys, at first considering items powered directly by passive sunlight and then introduced to photovoltaic technology, initially had reservations, saying that “Life is too full of real problems to permit introducing hypothetical ones,” but were persuaded by the observation that the demonstration was ultimately not an uninteresting and engaging assignment and that playthings are not as innocent as they appear.

8x8 (13. 433)

marathon du médoc: get in shape for the annual event combining wine tasting and running at the Bordeaux château and vineyard—via Messy Nessy Chic 

of mice and men: the difference between singing rodents and the non-verbal variety maybe similar to the evolutionary split that humans took from other primates 

net exporter: Ukraine sees drone demand from eleven countries as manufacturers expand production  

childlore: a growing list of popular adolescent myths that have passed from generation to generation  

thirty-eighth parallel: North Korea abandons goal of reunification with the south—see previously  

scope of work: the ingenious design of the screwdriver handle  

gravitational constant: geometers including surveyor Charles Mason (of Mason-Dixon line fame) conducted the Sciehallion Experiment in the Scottish Highlands to determine the mean-density of the Earth, weighing the mountain Sith Chailleann—fairy hill of the Caledonians  

holztrompete: Richard Wagner fused a brass and a woodwind instrument for Tristan und Isolde—via Clive Thompson’s Linkfest

schotter plots (13. 426)

Via this demonstration of reinterpreting an ALCOL code from 1968 to regenerate the iconic early computer art (see also here and here) of pioneer Georg Nees with a modern programming language, Python with an injection of randomness, we are pleased to have made the acquaintance—courtesy of Quantum of Sollazzo—of the founding champion of computer-aided design and architecture and studies in computer graphics. Working as a mathematician for Siemens electrical engineering division in Erlangen, Nees (*1926 - †2016) got his first experience with programming in 1959, eventually graduating to a Zuse Graphomat Z64 plotter to create his computer sculptures, his original commission being charged with finding a practical use for the machine, the milling and carving of components controlled by the programme, prefiguring 3D printing and showed how code can produce such “gravel,” distorting and rotating the squares to introduce chaos or equally bringing back order. Retiring from Siemens in 1985, Nees focused on aesthetics and semiotics, the study of symbols and signs, as applied to media and design, exhibiting his collaborative work with rudimentary AI engines, as one of the first centaurs, seeding the instructions and prompts with philosophical and mythical commands to see the effects on the output. The Schotter Plots are exhibited in the Victoria & Albert museum. Much more at the links above.

8x8 (13. 423)

all roads lead south: US Democrats disadvantaged further by gerrymandering and redistricting reversals ahead of mid-term elections with rules tossed out—more here  

jeppe on the hill: on Swedish surnames and patronymics  

if only i had a little humility, i’d be perfect: Tedium’s obituary of Ted Turner and a bygone era of benevolent billionaires and media magnates  

straight from the horse’s mouth: a patented animal-human communications helmet  

some call it a war, i call it renovating my middle east ballroom: Operation Epic Fury as a 1990s RPG, playable arcade consoles set up at the DC War Memorial—via MetaFilter  

clipart: everyday objects by Philograph Publishers of London  

gleemonix: the regulations driving the poetry behind brand name pharmaceuticals—see previously here and here  

sortition: democracy by lottery could improve our civic nature—see previously

vom berg zum burg (13. 400)

For our last full day in the area this time around, H and I visited a pair of nearby palaces in Schloss Weißenstein in Pommersfelden, a Baroque three-winged complex built for the counts of Schönborn as the summer Residenz of the Prince-Bishop electors, delegates who represented the interests of the imperial estates of the Holy Roman Empire.

Whilst the commission, Lothar Franz, future archbishop, had inherited a medieval moated castle in the vicinity—described as “robbers’ den”—he felt those confines did not suit the grandeur of his office and an ongoing feudal territory dispute between Bamberg and Bayreuth split the property was a major distraction, undertaking design for the project with architect Johann Dientzenthofer personally for a palace and grounds that would rival the construction’s imprint in Versailles.

Contemporary peers upon visiting the palace had some critical impressions about its portions and planning and surplus of golden embellishments, and although tours can be arranged, the property remains in the hands of the Schönborn family. We were nonetheless impressed by the courtyard and roosting storks that made their clapping noises as we had the place essentially all to ourselves. We explored the extensive enclosed gardens, an artificial deer-run with a colony (Wilddam) still living there and a protective habitat for frogs. We were a bit hesitant to take the dog but she failed to see the deer resting in the shade of a tree. Afterwards we revisited Schloss Seehof (see previously) in Mememelsdorf, another Baroque retreat, more modest and based off the quadrilateral Johannisburg of Aschaffenburg by Balthasar Neumann but also with the input of Lothar Franz for later landscaping.

z—is for zoning that marks off the land, so that homes, schools and factories are properly planned (13. 374)

With an energy and outreach similar to India’s census for the people, via Boing Boing, we are directed towards this rhyming abecedary produced by the Committee on City Planning (in full here) in 1937 under the mayorship of Fiorello La Guardia (previously)seizing an opportunity to educate in youngest residents in the field of civil engineering and instil the concept of considered regulations on maintaining the metropolis. Some of the entries reflect a certain agenda, foreshadowing NIMBYism and getting rid of the elevated trains in favour of expanding the subway and promoting municipal markets over street food vendors.

windows on the world (13. 365)

Opening on this day in 1976 and in operation until destroyed during the September 11th terror attacks in 2001, the complex of dining and entertainment venues developed under the guidance of restauranteur Joe Baum (responsible for renovating the Rainbow Room of Rockefeller Center and creator of America’s first themed destination dining establishments) and architect Warren Planter (student of Eero Saarinen) whose concept for the interior was that of a grand ocean liner with plush accents and brass railings and a terraced layout that afforded views from every table with logo, dinnerware and lighting designed by Milton Glaser.  Housed in the upper storeys of the North Tower (Building One) of the World Trade Center, all staff present on the day of the attack perished, the impact of American Airlines Flight 11 cutting off all means of escape above the ninety-second floor. Though never conclusively confirmed, it is speculated that the identity of The Falling Man is restaurant audio engineer, Jonathan Briley, brother of Alexander, the soldier and later seaman character from the disco recording act, Village People. The iconic photograph is owned by Elton John and was named after the 1950 oil painting by Max Beckmann that seems to foreshadow the trapped jumpers.

synchronoptica

one year ago: a return visit to the Störmthaler See (with synchronopticæ)

fourteen years ago: comparmentalising the internet 

fifteen years ago: the life and afterlife of William Shakespeare 

sixteen years ago: around town, a visit to the Kyffhäuserdenkmal plus default browsers

9x9 (13. 350)

reference desk: harness Google’s secret card catalog—via Kottke  

nitrate divas: a remarkable 1928 amateur film adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe short story “The Fall of the House of Usher” 

📍: a Scrabble Map commissioned for the word play game’s (previously) international commemoration, celebrated yesterday  

middle powers: Carney’s Liberal Party secures supermajority in parliamentary special elections  

print gallery of an artist: an MC Escherque exploration of recursive spaces—via Waxy 

infallibilità papale: ally Meloni (previously) breaks with Trump over criticism of Pope, cancels security arrangement with Israel  

dutch cartocubism: an overlooked approach to simplify mapping from the early 1930s from the figures behind ISOTYPE—via Quantum of Sollazzo—see also  

connie converse: rediscovering the forgotten folk-music genius 

огас: the 1960s proto-internet that the Soviet Union passed on—see previously

7x7 (13.326)

a look at books: some new highlights from old library archives  

putt, putt to the pizza hut: though Gorbachev’s circumstances were quite different, the empire-ending spokesmen only to be believed in hindsight  

edinburgh of the seven seas: the very busy, remote settlement of Tristan da Cunha—see previously—via Nag on the Lake  

master editor: the inevitable ubiquity of AI writing 

koyaanisquatsi: a new visually stunning music video, Pattern Index, by Max Cooper—reminiscent of the subtitle  

whitey’s on the moon: we want to be excited about the return trip around the lunar surface but are thinking a lot about that poem and sentiment from the late-1970s and how everything’s propaganda and grift layered on heavily to get to the science  

unknown artist: a collection of Mid-Century Modern ephemera from Zara Picken—via Things magazine with much more to click through and enjoy

7x7 (13. 300)

reverse game theory: a novel approach to the housing crisis—via Damn Interesting 

twen: the publications of art director Willy Fleckhaus  

whoami.wiki: a scrapbook and photo album in the form of a personal Wikipedia built with the help of AI  

i’d never lend my name to an inferior product: Trump’s signature to appear on hundred dollar bills, a first for a sitting US president  

return of the king: Stephen Colbert co-authoring a Lord of the Rings movie, possibly featuring the character of Tom Bombadil  

the red book of bath: a unique civil administration almanac—via Strange Company  

laissez-faire: a modest proposal from John Maynard Keynes to solve unemploymentby burying money under landfills

ancient aliens (13. 288)

Half buried in the storied vineyards of Nemea, near the mythic and archaeological sites of the Peloponnesian peninsula, architecture studio 314 has installed a winery that evokes an imaginative narrative that reaches back even further in prehistory with its saucer-like construction that suggests the crash site of a UFO, the extraterrestrial material comprising the hull unweathered by the passing eons but incorporated into the arcadian landscape as a unique visitors’ centre to sample reds made from the area’s renowned Agiorgitiko grape. More images from designboom at the link above.

città dei coralli (13. 259)

Via fellow internet caretaker, Messy Nessy Chic (lots more to discover there), we are introduced to the ancient art of coral-working perfected in the north-western Sicilian coastal city of Trepani. Embellished with jewels and precious metals, this craft was very much en vogue during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries following the rediscovery of reefs off the port in the Mediterranean and masters created vignettes as devotional and decorative items and as tribute for the aristocracy. The tradition continues with jewellery and figural tableaux like Nativity scenes by a new generation that have revived the art using the old tools of the trade for working the coral but with more of an eye towards conservation rather than exploitation of the maritime environment.  Much more to explore at the links above.

8x8 (13. 255)

should make you think: the Ig Noble commitee and ceremony (see previously) moves to Zürich permanently out of fear for its international laureates coming to the US  

multisource authentication: the madding task of logging on to any platform, ostensibly for security reasons, also is unpaid labour to train AI  

ʰ-bomb: a typographical mystery surrounding one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most celebrated sacred spaces—via MetaFilter  

asterisms: learn about the night sky by creating one’s own constellations with Neal Agarwal (previously)  

saint-michel d’aiguihe: the chapel of St Michael of the Needle built atop a volcanic plug and has a secret reliquary—via Miss Cellania    

diacritics: kernels, ʻokinas and curly quotes 

short imagined monologues: the void would very much like you to stop screaming into it—see also  

rebel alliance: Minnesota’s badge of resistance to ICE terror

7x7 (13. 235)

back alley: the Canadian (purported) regionalism laneway and its distinctions—see also  

butterfly net: a magnetic mount turns insect encounters into digital entomological specimens  

mctuscan heaven: a spectacular Garage Mahal—see previously  

special envoy for the shield of the americas: Trump reassigns Kristi Noem from DHS secretary in first major personnel shake-up of his second term  

＊: following its refusal to compromise its ethics rules on autonomous weapons with no human involvement, Pentagon declares Anthropic a supply-chain risk—see also  

hypercard: more hypermedia projects from Apple’s development kit that predated the World Wide Web, including an emulation of Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies—see previously  

from cork to kingston: politician’s speech is a linguistics lesson in the influences of colonialism

9x9 (13. 226)

strength is not strong: it takes more than might to make right 

right of reply: Palantir sues small Swiss media outlet for accurately reporting of the government’s rejection of their surveillance and analytic services offers  

lifeguard on duty: annual design competition to reimagine Toronto’s beach rescue stations as public art during the winter break  

a tuba to cuba: the travelogue of a jazz band’s trip to Havana to explore their musical roots  

visual variable: a free library of thousands of cartographical icons that can be scaled down to the head of a pin—via the Map Room  

the tamizdat project: a library curating literature smuggled into the Soviet Union as part of US spycraft (“published abroad”) to destablise the Bloc from within 

site specific: a roundup of some of the most garish public art installations in the world—via Miss Cellania   

homily: Pope Leo urges priests to stop using AI to write sermons 

brother fire: reflections on a war of choice and the dashed hopes of the Arab Spring

culcitology (13.214)

Vis-à-vis the prior post, we thoroughly enjoyed this deep-dive from host Alie Ward that serendipitously was next in my feed on the history and craft of quilting—the study from the Latin for pillows and bedding featuring an expert panel discussing all aspects of textile art from familial traditions and pedagogy, therapeutic aspects, documentation, memorial, encoded messages, politics to protest. The overview of the ethnography of the ungated art and transition from a commercial, male dominated activity to domestic labour and women’s work (see also) and the social movements that grew out of quilting-bees and sewing-circles is particularly fascinating. There’s even a bonus bespoke pattern and a tutorial at the website up top.

best in show (13. 213)

Via the always excellent Everlasting Blört, we learn of the Modern Quilt Guild (see also) of Los Angeles, founded in 2009 and inspired several other chapters internationally, through its annual QuiltCon held every February. Not only does MQC sponsor educational resources and workshops for individual and community projects, they also have a competition for the most inventive patterns in several categories, like the pictured over all winner by Carolyn McKibbin of New Jersey entitled “Mom Jeans”—we’d love to be able to repurpose old textiles like that—and patchwork honourable mention, “Building Barriers,” by Jennifer Candon of Harvard, Massachusetts. More at the links above.

je sème à tout vent (13. 212)

We enjoyed perusing this abecedary of desk pads (blotters) promoting the Petit Larousse junior encyclopaedic dictionaries, above motto, “I sow to all the winds,” usually depicted on the cover by a figure blowing dandelion seeds, la dent-de-lion. It’s a bit of a brain teaser to figure out what the words are being depicted in French—like D for douche, dolmen, dinde. Scroll through the whole alphabet and see what for us non-francophiles needs some puzzling out.

synchronoptica

one year ago: microbar banners (with synchronopticæ) plus Napoleon returns from exile (1815)

twelve years ago: a direct connection between Europe and Brazil to bypass US undersea cables 

fourteen years ago: the myth of the eight hour sleep 

fifteen years ago: Germany surpasses France as a European travel destination 

fondation vasarely (13. 182)

Dedicated on this day in 1976 with its inaugural opening, the architectonic museum in Aix en Provence showcases the pioneering Op Art designs of Victor Vasarely (see previously) and promote his vision of making the arts accessible for all and founding a city of tomorrow. Forty two six by eight metre cells constructed in situ house various exhibits. Coming out of the Bauhaus school tradition, the Hungarian-French artists went on to produce abstract paintings, cladding, façades and sculptures that referenced optical illusions as a sort of visual kinetics (plastique cinétique) that relied on the shifting perception of the viewer—a stylistically satisfying middle-ground between the moving artwork of Calder, Duchamp and Man Ray and the disorientating MC Escher.