The Best of the Best

I've always been a fan of contemporary architecture. I've even posted about some of them in this blog. If you're like me, get ready for this... Big.dk is a website that features some of the best works of comtemporary architecture that grace this earth. They're all amazing, out of the box creations that literally are like figments of your imagination.

 
Here are some of my favorites from the site:
   

Project Kiev in Kiev, UKR

    

Project Slussen in Stockholm, SE

      
Vilnus World Trade Center, LT

56 Leonard in Tribeca

Luxury and vertigo defines 56 Leonard, a residential apartment complex in Tribeca at New York City by Herzog & de Meuron. The amazing building is set to be finished by fall of 2010 and will be 57 stories high. It will house 145 residences, each unit with a unique floor plan and a private outdoor balcony.

The unique design of this building makes it absolutely a nightmare for people who are really scared of heights. I'm kinda scared of heights, but if given the chance, I'd still definitely want to live here. Although, I must admit that the parts that stick out of the building look really scary to live in.

I shouldn't let this worry me too much though, since this will only remain a distant dream for me. Prices for each unit (all 2 to 5-bedroom units) will range from $3.5 million to $33 million. But, if I ever win the lottery, like really win the big jackpot, I'll definitely snap up one of the lower priced units (nevermind that I don't buy lottery tickets).

Condo Properties

I've lived in a house all my life. However, I've always wanted to know what's it like to live in a condominium. DMCI Homes is one of the few big real estate companies in the Philippines. They've got a lot of pre-selling condominium projects... something for everyone. Check out some of these pictures from various DMCI projects...

Credits:

Double Duty Shelving

I love double duty furniture. I love the way the utility of these pieces fall under the interpretation of their users. For instance, this wall shelving unit by designer Yoon-Zee Kim can double as a desk and chair. And it's not bad looking too.

If I were to use this, I would put it in my bedroom. I'd put it at the right side of my bed so I could use the lower surface as a side table. I could use the other side as a small writing desk or a vanity. How would you use it?

Sofa Turns into a Bunkbed (& Vice Versa)

You've probably heard of sofabeds (sofas that can do double duty as beds). They're really great for making the most out of really small apartments or rooms. However, if you have even less space than that, then this sofa that transforms into a bunkbed should do it for you. The transformation is not even that hard, just a simple motion transforms this already great looking sofa into a practically ready made bunk bed with an already built-in ladder and protection guard. Amazing.

citizenM High-tech Hotels Rock!

While lazily surfing the net, I came across a great concept for hotel construction and management... modular high-tech hotels, called citizenM. An RFID card lets you control your entertainment center, wireless, and ambient mood lighting. You can even set your preferences remotely, so your room will be perfect upon your arrival. The best thing of all? Free wifi! I've been to so many hotels that charge an arm and a leg for internet access, that this is such a breath of fresh air for me.

This hotel project, called OneStarIsBorn, is all about cheaper hotel bills without the grimy bathrooms and generally unappealing accommodations. I've stayed in my fair share of budget hotels and I can't wait to try it out. Check out this interview with Michael Levie, CEO of OneStarIsBorn.

The first citizenM hotel, is located near Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. More are planned in major European cities such as London, Barcelona, Glasgow, Berlin, Stockholm, Brussels, Milan, Copenhagen, Moscow, Paris, Istanbul, Warsaw, and Budapest to name a few. But I'm guessing pretty soon we'll be seeing several of these sprout in the world's busiest cities.

I love their wacky publicity video, also shown below.

Bookshelf + Chair = Bibliochaise

I think I may be in love with a piece of furniture. This chair and ottoman and bookshelf combo is from Nobody & Co. and can hold five meters of books (measured at the spine of course). Although, despite it’s artistic qualitites, I’m not sure how comfortable it might be with all the books poking at the top. They should have left the armrest well alone. But concept-wise, it’s great. Besides, even without the books it remains a stylish piece.