Artist Chris Burden spent millions of dollars building Metropolis II, a bustling scale model of a future city. Over 1000 cars fly through the city continuously, giving one a sense of energy experienced in the world’s real metropolises.
Bill Ford on A Future Beyond Traffic Gridlock
Bill Ford, great-grandson of Henry Ford, talks about the future of mobility and how we need a giant leap to solve the current transportation problem in cities around the world. He calls for a diverse range of solutions, and emphasizes that “emission-free traffic is still traffic”.
What World Design Capital 2014 Means for Cape Town
If you haven’t heard yet, Cape Town has bid to become World Design Capital 2014. The initiative is run by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID). Seoul held the title in 2010 with Helsinki having the honour in 2012. The title sees a spotlight on the winning city for an entire year, with events happening throughout. Cape Town is a strong contender, following the theme of “Live design. Tranform Life.” The city is up against the likes of Bilbao, the city famed for becoming a creative center after Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum was built in 1997. There is no doubt that Cape Town has what it takes. There is tremendous energy and support behind the bid, with the shortlisted cities to be announced in just days.
Should Cape Town not claim the title when it is announced in October, there is no reason to be disappointed (maybe just a little bit). At a recent Cape Town Design Network event it was said that “even if we don’t win, we can’t lose”. The process of developing the bid book has answered many interesting questions about the city of Cape Town and how design plays a role in inspiring positive change. There is also tremendous energy and momentum in establishing Cape Town as a design leader, an identity that does not require an official title to be realised. You can play an important role in the final decision. The organisers behind Cape Town’s bid believe the support behind each city through social media will be considered by the panel. With that said, what are you waiting for? Like Cape Town’s bid on Facebook, tweet about it with #WDC2014, write a blog post, put the badge on your blog or profile photo, and spread the word.
TEDxStellenbosch is 100% behind Cape Town’s bid for World Design Capital 2014.
Al Gore’s ‘Our Choice’ Gives Us a Glimpse Into the Future of Reading
Pushpop Press has developed a revolutionary platform for the way we read on mobile devices. They have used their technology to make Al Gore’s 2009 book Our Choice an interactive reading experience, changing the way readers navigate books and interact with content while blurring the lines between media. The book has around an hour of video content embedded throughout. Even if you’re not a fan of Uncle Al (shame on you), it is worth having a look at. Watch the video below, have a look at the webpage for more comprehensive info, watch Pushpop Press co-founder Mike Matas’ recent TED Talk, and if you have an iPad it is well worth getting your hands on the real thing.
Al Gore’s Our Choice Guided Tour from Push Pop Press on Vimeo.
Carlo Ratti on Architecture That Senses & Responds
Carlo Ratti’s talk from TED 2011 provides a fascinating view of the technologies he has been developing. He talks about creating environments that sense activity and speak back to us. He shows how tracking trash across the U.S. can help us identify inefficiencies in our systems. The part on the movement of trash is fascinating just to see how waste moves between cities. He talks a lot about some of his architectural projects, where he uses interesting media to create flexible, interactive structures and visuals. All of his work provides an interesting perspective on the kinds of sensory technologies we’ll see in the smart cities of the (near) future.
Marcin Jakubowski Shares the Tools for Building a Modern Civilisation
If you’re thinking of building a modern civilisation from scratch, not to worry, all you need are 50 tools that you can build yourself. Through Open Ecology, Marcin Jakubowski has developed the blueprints for these 50 tools and made them available for anyone wanting to build and sustain a small village.
Mxit VS Facebook VS Twitter in South Africa
You may have thought nothing was as popular as Facebook and Twitter in the social network world. Well, think again. Mxit has almost three times as many users than Facebook in South Africa. Check out Afrographique for the full infographic and more African data visuals.
Float - Mesmerising Free Flight Duration Aeronautics
Float Documentary Trailer from Phil Kibbe on Vimeo.
Float, an upcoming documentary, delves into the world of competitive free flight duration aeronautics. The trailer alone will mesmerize anyone who is new to this niche hobby. These hobbyists build super lightweight flying craft propelled only by rubber bands, some of them staying in flight for over half an hour.