Friday, January 31, 2014

Here's How A 3D Printer Using Contour Crafting Can Build A Home In Twenty Four Hours...

They're predicting there'll be around nine billion people on Planet Earth by the end of the century.
That figure isn't likely to include you and me but there's going to be some fairly radical new building techniques developed by then to accommodate everyone.
Unless of course global warming and social unrest have done their thing and caused some major natural attrition.
But being positive there's a need for some sustainable approaches to home building.
Have a look at what's around the corner.
Presuming you can find a piece of land to build on, here's one way a house will be built.
The building site is prepared and a six metre tall crane like gantry is installed on rails on either side of the proposed house. The machine rolls backwards and forwards and using a method called contour crafting, a method of building by layering, extruding fast drying cement and within twenty four hours, there's a house.
All ready for the electricians, plumbers, painters and decorators to move in.
Then it's your turn...










Thursday, January 30, 2014

Here's A Tasty Idea. Carly Dellger's Fried Egg Rugg...

Carly Dellger, a Wisconsin based artist and school teacher living on the shores of Lake Michigan has created The Egg Rugg, a hand crocheted rug that looks like a fried egg.
Crocheting rugs has been a tradition in Carly's family for generations and she's using the traditional methods of making rugs to create whimsical designs based on food and nature.
There's more about Carly's sunny side up creations here...

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Tempting Tiny Towable Travelhomes...

When the tempation gets too much and the travelbug is just too tantalising and all you have is a tiny towing vehicle, all you need really is a small amount of imagination to get you from here to there.
Or anywhere else.
If you can dream it you can do it...











Tuesday, January 28, 2014

How Many Of Us TakeThe Time To Smell The Roses...

A man stood in a Washington DC Metro Station on a cold morning just recently and started playing the violin. Over forty five minutes he played six beautiful Bach pieces.
Thousands of commuters passed him by, only six stopping for a moment to listen. Twenty people dropped thirty two dollars into his open instrument case. A small child was the one who stopped, listened and wouldn't move until his mother made him go with her.
When he finished his recital, silence resumed. Nobody applauded, nobody noticed his absence.
Nobody noticed the violinist was the world acclaimed Joshua Bell playing one of the most intricate pieces ever written or that he was playing a violin valued at 3.5 million dollars.
The occasion was organised by The Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.
The conclusion was that if we don't take a moment to listen to one of the world's best musicians playing the best music ever written, then what other things are we missing out on...

Monday, January 27, 2014

Three Months On The Road In Their Tiny Home On Wheels And Loving It...

I caught up with Nina and Mike the other day. They're full of enthusiasm for the new lifestyle they've been dreaming about since meeting, marrying and living in Nina's home country of Germany for a number of years.
Now they're in Mike's New Zealand and already have been on the road in their little bohemian housetruck for three months.
They're learning all about simplifying.
They're loving the lifestyle and living the dream...





Sunday, January 26, 2014

Javier Perez's Beautifully Simple Whimsical Art Will Make You Smile...

We're often reminded of those three words
that if heeded, can enhance our lives.
You know the ones. Simplify Simplify Simplify.
Ecuador based artist Javier Perez is well aware of keeping things simple and with his art he takes everyday objects and subjects them to his unique whimsical treatment to produce a special kind of magic.
There's more here...