Link About It: This Week’s Picks
Swimming pools, fireworks, Dragon drones and more in our look around the web
1. University of Tokyo’s Dragon Drone Transforms While Midair
Calling the University of Tokyo’s new drone the Dragon doesn’t just reference its form, the name is also an acronym short for “Dual-rotor embedded multilink Robot with the Ability of multi-deGree-of-freedom aerial transformatiON.” Composed of several small drones, powered by a pair of ducted fans that can thrust in almost any direction, the high-flyer can autonomously change shape to navigate certain spaces. Watch a video of the transformation over at The Verge.
2. Fifth-Generation Pyrotechnician Jim Souza on Firework Design
This Independence Day, fifth-generation family-owned Pyro Spectaculars will put on over 400 firework events in one evening, according to Fast Company. Chief Show Designer Jim Souza does it all—from permits to ignition. And he explains that designing a fireworks show is much like creating the narrative for a film—it’s all about an emotional arc. In fact, Souza and Pyro Spectaculars actually storyboard their shows out. Read more about their process at Fast Co Design.
3. The Swimming Pool in Photography
Over time, the role of the swimming pool has changed; from ancient rituals of private baths to the status symbols of artistically-designed pools in certain backyards today, and beyond. With “The Swimming Pool in Photography,” Hatje Cantz surveys the power of the pool, its associations around the world, and how it’s changed over time. Of course attention has been paid to the suburban pool—and hotel pool—but striking imagery showcase everything from the artificial beach inside the Ocean Dome in Miyazaki, Japan to empty outdoor pools in Kabul. See more photos at Vanity Fair.
4. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House for Sale
If you have a spare $23 million, you might be interested in purchasing Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Ennis House, located in Los Feliz, LA. The temple-like creation, built in 1924, heavily features Wright’s textile block design—some 27,000 of them. Featuring Mayan-style patterns and motifs, the blocks interlock and continue throughout the home, both inside and outside. The striking 5,500-square-foot house recently underwent a $17 million restoration and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Find out more at FastCo.
5. Tate St Ives Named Museum of the Year
Opened in 1993, Tate St Ives underwent an immense underground extension last year—which took some 18 months and cost £20 million. The Cornish museum (located right on a picturesque beach) has just been awarded the Museum of the Year award, beating Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Glasgow Women’s Library and the Postal Museum. Stephen Deuchar—who is on the judging panel and director of the Art Fund—says, of the new space, “The new extension to the gallery is deeply intelligent and breathtakingly beautiful, providing the perfect stage for a curatorial programme that is at once adventurous, inclusive and provocative.” Find out more at The Guardian.
6. Iris van Herpen + Studio Drift Slow Time in Paris
For her newest collection, Iris van Herpen wanted to “slow down the movement of a fabric” and the result—as with all her pieces—is true artistry. Along with this time-lapse concept, the collection evokes avian motion—combining to create architectural pieces that are truly mesmerizing. At the presentation in Paris, van Herpen joined with Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta of Studio Drift whose piece “In 20 Steps” was installed. The installation sees glass tubes—suspended from the ceiling—slowly undulate to move similarly to a bird’s wings in motion. Read more at designboom.
7. Google’s City of the Future in Toronto
Google sister-company Sidewalk Labs has been contracted by a coalition of the Toronto, Ontario and Canadian governments to develop Quayside, Toronto as (what Sidewalk Labs refers to as) “the world’s first neighborhood built from the internet up.” The concept of a smart-city is far from new—but what’s being proposed here requires such a data-driven feedback cycle that Politico wonders who would want to live in such a place. Further, the question becomes: what does a tech company know about urban planning? Read more about the details and the thoughtful debate at Politico.
8. Wired’s List of Gadgets for iPhone Filmmaking
With the iPhone X shooting 4K video at 60 frames per second, pocket-sized capturing capabilities truly rival that of larger set-ups. Still, certain things are missing: from stabilization to various lenses and true sound control. Wired has assembled a list of items that increase the pro-look of iPhone filmmaking, from an app to various stabilizing accessories. The Joby GripTight One Magnetic tripod might be what you’re looking for, or the Moment Anamorphic Lens System. Either way, read more at Wired.
Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on social media, and rounded up every Saturday morning.
