Archinect - News

Olafur Eliasson's inaugural Shinan Art Island Project installation opens in South Korea

2024-12-11T13:05:00-05:00

Olafur Eliasson has shared photos of the new Breathing earth sphere immersive installation project in Shinan County, South Korea. The installation is the first to be created for the larger Shinan Art Island Project on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site listed archipelago that will bring different artists and designers together to create a special destination experience under the banner '1 Island, 1 Museum.'

Photo: courtesy of Kyungsub Shin

Visitors will first arrive at the domed space on top of Docho Island via a tree-line approach that takes them to a contemplative resting place framed by a single Hackberry tree.

Photo: courtesy of Kyungsub Shin

From there, the installation is accessed from an entry point embedded within the hillside and leading to the inside of a spherical subterranean space lined in lava stone and a tri-color palette of tiles that offer the illusion of three-dimensionality and physical impression of "tumbling through space."

Photo: courtesy of Kyungsub Shin

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El Salvador picks Fernando Romero to plan its Bitcoin City

2022-05-13T08:27:00-04:00

The country of El Salvador has picked an architect for his attention-grabbing bid to lure cryptocurrency investment to the small Central American nation.

FR-EE founder Fernando Romero is now in charge of the country’s Bitcoin City development and plans to add a new Pacific airport, according to an announcement made on social media from President Nayib Bukele Tuesday.

All images via Nayib Bukele/Twitter

Somewhat similar to the layout of the new “crypto paradise” private island development in Vanuatu, plans revealed this week display a concentric design with outlying nodes connected to a central plaza, itself forming the shape of a Bitcoin logo. The pop-up city, which includes an airport concept similar FR-EE’s contribution to the abandoned design for a new international airport in Mexico City, will be located at the base of the Conchagua Volcano (also its power source for mining operations) along El Salvador’s southern coast.

All images via Nayib Buk...

For Sale: Volcano House

2012-07-09T12:30:00-04:00

The creation of architect Harold J. Bissner Jr., the dome house has been sitting atop a 150-foot conical hill of volcanic fragments since 1968 and is now for sale, at $750,000. The 1,800-square-foot home—guarded by two caretakers whose faces have been sculpted by desertic whim—and its adjoining 60 acres belong to Huell Howser, the host of California’s Gold, the travel show for PBS affiliate KCET that highlights places of interest in California, often along remote paths.