Vikings, always good planners
They pillaged much of northern Europe, so why not plan a super-nautical hub Arctic city 40 years in advance?
I lived the strip-mall suburban life for 13 years. I don’t think anyone sat down and planned out that situation 40 years in advance. I love that this unknown (until now) city in the Arctic is schooling us on how to take a seat, and plan things carefully for the future, not the developer.
These guys even considered bird migratory routes in their planning. Anyone who knows me realizes what this means, that I’m changing my nationality to Norwegian.
Here is Vardø, Norway’s 40-year plan (via archdaily):
With the decline of the fishing industry and construction of the Svartnes tunnel and airport, the harbour front has devolved into a set of vacant industrial sheds and un-moored dockings; the centre of civic life has been dispersed into living rooms, airport lounges, one hour excursions of Hurtigruten tourists and an annual snowball fight.
A set of cultural buildings and spaces inserted into the harbour front can serve to regenerate the civic life of the area and attract new users to the community. With the next era of Norwegian energy production set to exploit reserves proximate to Vardø, the harbour will act to service the industry while protecting the fragile ecology of the region.
Gorgeous. Tell me more.
2010 : Cultural Indicators
Spatially, at the scale of the civic landscape, cultural Arenas constructed along the harbour’s edge will begin to (re)generate a relationship with the Barentsz Sea. These public spaces, each defining a distinct set of uses, serve as the seeds for future development of the harbour’s edge.
2030 : Emerging Economies
Vardø’s near future will be formed by its advantageous geographic relationship to the warming industrial climate of the Barentsz Sea. The inherent conflict between offshore oil production and ecological preservation could yield a diverse set of economic and architectural opportunities that would convert oil revenues into a framework for a post-oil paradigm. To protect and preserve the ecologies of the Barentsz Sea, Vardø’s unique relationship to avian migratory routes and invasive aquatic species ideally positions it as an arctic outpost of Ornithology and marine biology.
2050 : Rising Levels
Norway’s post-oil economy will need to establish alternate, localised and diversified modes of productions to maintain the qualities of remote urban life afforded through oil production and transport. Energy, generated from the powerful offshore Arctic winds, will sustain local requirements with surplus being distributed south into the European Grid.
Winning architects: LRA | Project specs
The Mixtape Club
More and more I find myself skipping iTunes, Amazon and services like last.fm when searching for new music and head straight for a new mixtape. I’m sure I’ll have more fantastic mixtapes to share with you all in the near future but today I’m listening to one of the compilations posted to the newest edition of the mixtape club. The Mixtape Club offers up a new group of hand crafted mixtapes by many different sources once a month. I’m always impressed with the results. Take a listen!
And since we’re on the subject of mixtapes be sure to check out friend of the Fort Kate Bingaman Burt’s newest creation a screen print poster of actual mixtapes which she found or were loaned to her by friends for the Jen Bekman gallery show Mixtape.
Wait, I totally live there
Ok below is how excited I am about this little video, (image courtesy Fred Flare donut fest):
Someone made a video about our little town. It’s so great! It makes me just want to jump up and wiggle.
Screencaps, vid below
They really hit my hot spots. Bikes, booze, puppies, coffee, Mt. Hood, waterfalls, and one of the shots is directly in front of my house!
Darcel Dissapoints
As with so many things in life Darcel Disappoints is all about context. His minimalist vector illustration is a bare bones depiction of whatever situation in his life he is sharing with us leaving the rest of the heavy lifting to the sometimes pithy titles. I’m always excited when I see a new piece in my RSS reader and contrary to what the title of the blog would have you beleive, it never dissappoints.
On task: Yellowknife, NWT
On New Year’s Eve I was sitting in Astoria, Oregon staring at this licence plate from the Northwest Territories, Canada over the best chowder I have ever put in my mouth. I’d seen it as a child, as an adult I was captivated. The shape of the plate completely captures my imagination. I want to drive by Polar bears! I want this plate on a big blue (electric) truck that carries huskies, firewood, and things!
Some of what is coming out of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada:
What is happening in a province so forgotten that it still has the word “Territory” associated with its place-name? I think as netizens it is important to seek out the corner areas. There are many prizes tucked away in them. And, after checking out the corners of the internet, we’ll probably realize, from a different perspective, it was really us in the corner.