Monday, 31 August 2009

Google Earth and Google Maps updates Wellington Maps

A couple of cool new features have arrived at Google Maps.

First, the images used in the satellite tiles have been updated, and with images of a higher resolution so you can zoom in right down to the smallest click on the slidey thing.

The old images pre-dated the bypass, so it's good to see more up-to-date images.

Also, the images appear to have been taken on a bright sunny day and the city looks absolutely gorgeous.

Wellington is the first city in Australasia to have Google Transit, as reported in this envious article in the Herald.

Alan's already had a bit of a play with it:

 

And we've had a look and it seems pretty useful - much easier to use than the famously crap Metlink website.

There's still a few things that need to be tidied up (it seems to think that the Airport Bus drives across the harbour), and it would be great to be able to specify which type of public transport you want to search for. But we're mostly enthused by this new addition.

Via wellingtonista



New SketchUp Coming Soon

The Official SketchUp Blog posted last evening hinting at a possible new version coming soon.

Some major news in the article is that the dxf/dwg importers will be removed from the Free version of SketchUp. (The Pro version will still have them.)

In the next release of Google SketchUp, our free modeler, we've decided to remove the dwg/dxf importers. We know how important these importers are to our professional customers, especially those who depend on CAD products in their daily work. And for that reason we'll focus our attention on supporting them in Google SketchUp Pro, where we really understand all the nuances of your workflow and where we can provide professional support to troubleshoot your issues.


It seems like this is going to hit a lot of people pretty hard. The license for the Free version allows commercial use, and I would guess a lot of small businesses and individuals who otherwise could not afford it are using the Free version for business. No longer having the ability to import drawing files could really hurt.

Read it here.

Via sketchup plugins

how to make colors look the same online as at home

sometimes colors at home can be much different than the colors that appear on Flickr and Facebook. Here's a quick tip prepared by stuckincustoms.com showing how to change various settings on photoshop to make flickr photos appear similar to home in case some of you are having problems:


Via stuckincustoms

Friday, 28 August 2009

Preview of Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2010

Another interesting summary of Ecotect’s abilities that provides a preview of the features and functionality of Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2010, a comprehensive, concept-to-detail sustainable design analysis tool that provides a wide range of simulation and analysis functionality. Includes energy, water and carbon emission analysis using Autodesk Green Building Studio web-service and detailed environmental studies using powerful visualization tools on the desktop. In this video, you will learn how these tools can be used to perform energy analysis and help to achieve other sustainable design targets at the earliest stages of the design process.

Via blgsim

HDR Photography with Trey Ratcliff

A great video showing how HDR photography is carried out.


Via scottycentral

Thursday, 27 August 2009

Feed me 3D

Google added a feature to the Google 3D Warehouse that allows you to track search results and collection contents using a feed reader, like Google Reader. How is this useful? Well, suppose you wanted to keep an eye on which buildings in your town were being accepted into Google Earth.


Here's how it works:
  1. Go to the Google 3D Warehouse and type in your search; in our example "near:[city] is:best-of-geo".
  2. Click the "Sort by date" link under the top blue bar.
  3. Click the "Subscribe to this search" link in top right corner. This allows you to subscribe to the search results using a feed reader.
  4. Choose your favorite feed reader to subscribe to the feed.
  5. If you're starting in SketchUp you'll need to right click on the link, select "Copy shortcut" (PC) or "Copy Link" (Mac), and past the results into your reader. Browsers may use different terminology in the right-click menu; Chrome uses "Copy link address" and Firefox uses "Copy Link Location".


When you open Google Reader, you can see the latest entries:


Via Google

Sunday, 16 August 2009

Digital Architecture London Conference 2009

Amanda_Levete_Architects_and_Corian_yatzer_3

Digital Architecture London conference will be held on September 21st. Speakers include Patrik Schumacher, Neil Spiller, Brett Steele, Tony Dunne, Geoff Manaugh, Usman Haque, Murray Fraser, Hanif Kara, Rachel Armstrong, Bob Sheil, Charles Walker, Tobi Schneidler, Marcos Cruz, Alvin Huang, Matt Webb, Stephen Gage, Alan Penn, Marjan Colletti and Daniel Bosia. Check out the programme for more details on the speakers http://www.digital-architecture.org/london/programme/. The event is being held as part of London Digital Week which will be occurring alongside the London Design Festival.

Below is the press release.

400200logo

To celebrate London as a centre of design and innovation, the ‘Digital Architecture London’ Conference will take place at the Building Centre on 21st September 2009. Presenting a selection of London’s leading architects, artists, designers and engineers, the conference will examine how London is shaping the digital future of the built environment.

Introducing the latest developments in digital design practice, the conference will explore new spaces, social interactions, design and fabrication processes, and speculate on architecture’s post-digital futures.

Book now to secure your place:
http://www.digital-architecture.org/london/tickets/

Speakers include:

Patrik Schumacher
, Director and Partner, Zaha Hadid Architects and Co-Founder, Design Research Laboratory, Architectural Association.

Neil Spiller, author of Digital Architecture Now [2008], Visionary Architecture [2007] and many more; Professor of Architecture and Digital Theory; and Director of AVATAR at the Bartlett School of Architecture.

Brett Steele, Director of the Architectural Association School of Architecture and AA Publications; and Co-founder and former Director of the AADRL.

Tony Dunne, Professor and Head of the Design Interactions Department at the Royal College of Art; and Co-founder of Dunne & Raby.

Geoff Manaugh, Author of the popular website BLDGBLOG and recently of The BLDGBLOG Book, Chronicle Books [2009].

Usman Haque, Director of Haque Design; Research and founder of Pachube.com; and recent recipient of the 2009 World Technology Award (Art), Design Museum, 2008 (Interactive) Design of the Year Award and Wellcome Trust Sciart Award.

As well as Murray Fraser, Hanif Kara (tbc), Rachel Armstrong, Bob Sheil, Charles Walker, Tobi Schneidler, Marcos Cruz, Alvin Huang, Matt Webb, Stephen Gage, Ruairi Glynn, Alan Penn, Marjan Colletti and more.

http://www.digital-architecture.org/london/programme/

Ticket Price: £55 inc VAT
A Limited number of Student Tickets are available at £15 inc VAT
Book at http://www.digital-architecture.org/london/tickets/

Via Interactive Architecture


Saturday, 15 August 2009

solar roof tiles



the american company srs energy has taken the idea of solar panels design for rooftop to a whole new level by integrating them right into roof tiles. rather than using flat panels installed over traditional roofing materials, srs energy has developed solar panel roofing tiles that integrate right into the roof. the unique design allows the tiles to blend right into the roof, making themselves almost invisible. the tiles are made from a lightweight recyclable plastic that is molded together with a flexible solar cell. while the flexible panel design gathers less energy, it actually reacts to a broader spectrum of light. the tiles are also linked together so that they can operate even if one stops working.
Further info visit: http://www.srsenergy.com









Via Designboom

Tuesday, 11 August 2009

3D Filter Search Engine



3Dfilter.com is a new search engine which aims to make it simple to find 3d models and textures from the best warehouses. The site searches all of the popular model warehouses and stock photography websites and then displays the results with thumbnails all on one page which makes finding the perfect asset quick and easy.

Connection Extension Released for 3ds Max Design 2010

Connection Extension for 3ds Max Design 2010 Splash

Autodesk has released for download by 3ds Max subscription customers a new Connection Extension for Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2010.
To download log into your Autodesk Subscription account: http://subscription.autodesk.com/

“Features and Benefits

  1. Enhanced interoperability with CAD packages – Bring solid models from many of your favorite CAD packages into 3ds Max Design 2010 for visual enhancement or conceptual design and export them back as solids when you’re done. A new high-fidelity SAT data translator helps make it easier to move solids-based data between 3ds Max Design and Autodesk® Revit® Architecture, Autodesk® Inventor® Professional, or certain third-party CAD products without translating to polygons.
  2. Extensive connectivity with Google™ SketchUp™ modeling software – A powerful new SKP file translator enables you to bring SketchUp scenes into 3ds Max Design with minimal effort and get straight to work rendering or enhancing the visuals. Also, 3ds Max Design can now read numerous free models from the 3D Warehouse section of the Google website.
  3. Streamlined compositing with OpenEXR - Create professional-quality cinematic narratives. A rewritten OpenEXR translator makes it easier to work with compositing applications, enabling you to blend computer graphics (CG) animation with live action footage.
  4. Intelligent workflows – Help save time and avoid costly geometry clean-up work with new, more effective workflows for dealing with complex scenes.”

I had some fun importing Google SketchUp model files for Salt Lake City. I downloaded the models from the Google SketchUp Free Model Warehouse for the Salt Lake City Library SketchUp Model and local Italian favorite Tony Caputos located about a block from me.

Salt Lake City Library SketchUp Model from Google Warehouse

Importing SketchUp Model into 3ds Max 2010

Salt Lake City Library SketchUp Model imported into Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2010  Salt Lake City Library SketchUp Model imported into Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2010

SketchUp Model imported and rendered in 3ds Max Design 2010 SketchUp Model imported and rendered in 3ds Max Design 2010

Caputos Market SketchUp Model imported and imported 3ds Max Design 2010 SketchUp Model imported and rendered in 3ds Max Design 2010

Via between the lines



Thursday, 6 August 2009

Population Density: Google Maps Census System Preview

At the moment here at CASA we are working on a phase one deliverable of a new grant entitled NeISS - National e-Infrastructure for Social Simulation. Funded by the JISC as part of its Information Environment Programme it will provide a platform to meet the demand for powerful simulation tools by social scientists, public and private sector policymakers. Social Simulation is an expanding field due to its forecasting applications for scenarios in transport, housing, education, healthcare etc.

Our first of many outputs is to visualize the UK Census data via MapTube and we thought we would share some of our first results as they make for quite intriguing images - such as the screen grab below detailing Population Density of the Isle of Wight:


The work is ongoing with the ability to 'click' on areas and view the underlying data as well as data streaming and varying levels of detail all forthcoming. Countywide, zoomable down to local level Cenus data is hard to come across, for a quick view is provides quite a good way to identify pattens in the urban landscape. Below is Central London:



Our back end system under development means that the output is not limited to the UK Census, it would be interesting to make this a global tool, more on this in future posts...

You can see sample map of Population Density direct via MapTube.

Via Digital Urban

Wednesday, 5 August 2009

Tuesday, 4 August 2009

Apple Tablet To Come Out In September

Apple has always managed to keep a lot of things secret around its campus but what really isn't a secret anymore is the fact that Apple will be launching a Tablet soon.

mac-tablet-concept

Even though Apple has previously denied that it would ever be planning to enter the Netbook market, it still doesn't keep us away from thinking that Apple is probably working on something more catchy and innovative, that would eventually turn out to be a Tablet media device.

According to 9to5mac, the new Apple Tablet device may have already been previewed by an un-named analyst and that he predicts for it to be announced by Apple at an event somewhere in September.

The un-named analyst has also suggested that the Tablet device will be shipped in November, for a price of around $700-$800 and will focus on experiences such as Movies, E-book reading and Gaming.


Via Sizlopedia



Sunday, 2 August 2009

Making Public Places: Forum on Placemaking in Cities

Making Public Places Forum, placemaking, urban design, landscape architecture, social media, democratic spaces, design principles, balmori associates, diana balmori, meatpacking district

On Monday, July 13, 2009, Diana Balmori and her NYC-based landscape and urban design firm hosted a forum that was part-academic discussion, part-social media experiment. The forum, called Making Public Places, was hosted in the Meatpacking District (MPD) while it streamed live online via Twitter and tinychat. The design firm was joined by 40 landscape architecture and urban design students from the Netherlands. Photos and tweets were updated throughout the event and yours truly was there to see it in action and provide you with highlights. But for more in-depth information, you can check out Balmori Associates‘ recently launched blog focused on public places.

MPD’s cultural and physical past, and their roles in a holistic process of placemaking, was a frequent theme throughout the forum — a testimony to the importance of site-specific design. Tweeters agreed: @wlandscapearch said, “Too many cities in the world have had their edge or uniqueness polished away into a generic form.” With a site-oriented mindset established, the group established a few of MPD’s unique elements.

First, The High Line’s recent opening has increased public concern for NYC’s ecological processes with its sustainability efforts, such as native plant restoration. The group discussing ecology noted the proximity of the Hudson River and the opportunities available to create a connection between MPD and the waterfront.

Making Public Places Forum, placemaking, urban design, landscape architecture, social media, democratic spaces, design principles, balmori associates, diana balmori, meatpacking district

Annie Washburn, Executive Director of the Meatpacking District Initiative, pointed out a second characteristic of MPD: the neighborhood’s city “blocks” veer off NYC’s logical and rectangular urban grid. The unusual geometric configuration of MPD’s blocks creates a unique challenge for planners and designers to create a cohesive neighborhood — touched upon in the discussion about scale.

Unsurprisingly, the student group leading the discussion on scale discovered that MPD’s public spaces, a series of open space and sidewalks of varying geometric shapes and intermittently cut off by motor traffic, are a bundle of puzzle pieces that do not always match up. Because the city block can be the heart of a neighborhood, the group pondered how issues of scale could make an individual comfortable or uncomfortable and how to build to optimize usage. They also realized that more intimate details also have a huge influence on successful wayfinding.

“Too many cities in the world have had their edge or uniqueness polished away into a generic form.” -wlandscapearch

Commentary on way-finding principles popped up during discussions on amenities, materials and furniture, and circulation. The students recognized that materials, furniture and amenities could provide a space with visual connectivity. The forum posed questions about the way in which materiality becomes an reflection of a neighborhood’s level of adherence to its past identity. @balmorilab asked, “Are historical elements and materials important to maintain? …Or are the newer elements of the area (new technology, industry, design) more interesting and should be given room to develop?”

Amenities, whether streamlined with materials or furniture, were considered essential by the forum’s members. The student group were particularly interested in canopy cover that would provide a vertical element, such as a raised awning or a lush plant wall, to a space’s horizontal qualities — an example that aesthetics and function both play important roles in design.

Making Public Places Forum, placemaking, urban design, landscape architecture, social media, democratic spaces, design principles, balmori associates, diana balmori, meatpacking district

The forum continued with a discussion about circulation, which largely focused on an idea called Shared Space. Shared Space stipulates that the traditional barriers between places of “being” and flow should be eliminated, relying more heavily on the positive influence of public space.

The forum also covered practically-oriented topics, funding and programming. @dmvanderloo asked, “If public space is financed by private money, will there be demands on the public-ness (increased ads, less access)?” The thought pointed out that funders’ interests can have a large influence on the physical qualities of a space and subsequently, its programming. Everyone wondered, since funding is crucial for design to manifest into reality, does placemaking inherently have an agenda? @DBruceStudios responded, “Certainly there is a social agenda. Power structures work to reproduce spaces that ensure the order of social infrastructure.” Because public spaces often become depositories of undesirable behavior, it is no surprise that some might believe that keeping order gives greater freedom and not less.

We have tried to provide a comprehensive summary of the topics discussed, but we know that what we have provided merely glazes the surface! So we invite you to find more information on facebook and Twitter with hashtag #mpplaces — and on the Making Public Places blog.

Invited guests included Annie Washburn of the Meatpacking District Initiative, Professors Erik de Jong and Arnold van der Walk of Wageningen University, and Joel Sanders.

Read More at Inhabitat

Aerial Suburbia /Drawings

Ross Racine draws fictive urban patterns, mostly suburbias, surrounded by a desert or agricultural looking environment. All artworks are produced freehand, no scans or photos are included in the process. Drawings are printed on high-end inkjet printer.

0119

0215

0314

0413

0511

069

076

085

094

Via landezine