15 Bizarre Buildings

Came across this website showing weird and wonderful buildings which make the viewer do a double-take, like this crooked house from Poland.

You might also like 17 strange and amazing buildings

Zaha Hadid Architects iphone App

Fresh off the press, Zaha Hadid Architects launch their free iphone and ipad App.

This App will allow you to browse through the practice’s current portfolio of design and architecture. You will also have exclusive access & insight into some of the award winning buildings in the form of interactive guides (coming soon) to be used when visiting the buildings.

Check out this free App from the iTune's store

MAKE Architects iphone App

The iphone/ipad app from Make Architects has arrived! It gives you access to their projects, as well as exciting features and interactive content that you won’t find anywhere else, offering a behind-the-scenes view of their schemes and the people who work on them.

Available for free from the Apple App store

A list of other architecture mobile phones apps is available from the Architecture Hub website

RIBA Stirling Prize 2011

The Building of the Year RIBA Stirling Prize is the most prestigious award for architecture in the UK. It is presented to the architect for the building that has been most significant for the evolution of architecture in the year.

 

Short listed buildings include Olympic Velodrome (see above), An Gaelaras, the Angel building, Evelyn Grace Academy, Museum Folkwang and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

The winner of the 16th Stirling Prize will be announced on 1 October at a ceremony in the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham. The BBC’s Culture Show will broadcast the event the following night.

QR Codes

A QR code (or quick response code) is a two dimensional bar code that can be read on devices such as mobile camera phones which, once accessed, will translate the data and display it electonically or in printed format. The user points the mobile phone towards the code and scans it. The software interprets the code and the phone will either display the text or ask for permission to launch a browser to display the specificed web page. As an illustration the QR code opposite will open the Architecture Hub web page http://architecturehub.ning.com/.

A useful way of thinking of QR codes is that they link the physical world with the electronic. Many smartphones have a built-in QR code reader others can download a free App. You can also generate QR Code for free using a number of websites such as Kaywa QR Code. The code pattern can be hidden or integrated into aesthetically attractice images in newspapers, magazines or clothing.

Digimap YouTube Channel

Digimap have launched a YouTube channel showing excellent short tutorial videos about various aspects of Digimap, including how to download OS MasterMap data for use in AutoCAD.

Digimap is a collection of services for viewing and downloading digital maps and map data for England, Wales and Scotland, some of which can be used to download map data for use in CAD and GIS software packages.

London 2012 Olympics

With tickets now on sale and only 470 days to go to the London 2012 Olympics, here is a quick review of some of the key stadiums.

Hopkins Architects Velodrome will host Track Cycling and Paralympic Track Cycling. This was the first London Olympic venue to be officially handed over to the Olympic Delivery Authority.

The 80,000 seat Olympic Stadium by Populous Architects became the latest venue to be completed last month. The stadium will host the Athletics and Paralympic Athletics events at the London 2012 Games, as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Zaha Hadid's Aquatics Centre will be the venue for Swimming, Paralympic Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming and the Aquatics discipline of the Modern Pentathlon. It features a spectacular wave-like roof that is 160m long and up to 80m wide, giving it a longer single span than Heathrow Terminal 5.

roadcyclinguk's timelapse video of the Velodrome Olympic track being built