hotel north korea

I could make some reference to the Eagle's song here, but I dont' want to push the limits of towers of ilium's frequent copyright violations. The Ryugyong hotel in North Korea has made more construction progress since this photograph was taken (2008). I am reminded of the Tyrell corporation headquarters in Blade Runner.

I can empathize with the architects and engineers who participated in the design of this building. They probably faced similar challenges to what their western counterparts deal with.

gone

Towers of ilium is proud to present this image of a modern ruin in motion. I commented on this building, and its doomed status, a few months ago. As of yesterday evening, this structure ceased to exist in Boston. I had a few opportunities to watch some machines gently pull this thing to pieces. It was almost as entertaining as the new Batman movie--and a bit more poignant.

The architecture of a city expresses the evolution of the city. Progress and improvement are actually quite subjective attributes, and the destruction of one building and its replacement by another only reveals that a set of circumstances made change happen. I want to make a distinction between decision and planning--the latter implies a hubris and an overestimation of the power that a particular group wields to craft the landscape of the metropolis for more than a few decades.

spain and architecture

The stories I have read about Spain are consistent on one point: massive overbuilding in real estate created a bubble that eventually led to the current depression. Architecture firms in Spain have reported 50% to 75% declines in revenue and a significant number of young architects are leaving the country. Statistics that are in line with what happened in the U.S. in the 1930's.

Because Spain is locked into the Euro they can't devalue their currency to make themselves more competitive. I also surmise that foreign banks who lent to finance the construction boom don't want to take a haircut on their stupid investments. Can they hold out till Doomsday to get full value back on their loans?

Lovely piece of architecture here. I'm not sure what it does, but I guess that's an apt metaphor for what happened in the country.

Note to blog readers: towers of ilium will be taking an edgier and more bombastic tone in the upcoming months. Stay tuned.

bridge design edition

A very good example of a tower for a lift bridge. I could be grossly misrepresenting things, but the curves at the top of the tower reflect aesthetic decisions. The engineering of the cowl around the equipment up there could have been a lot more functional looking. Fortunately, this was built during an era when engineers were allowed the occasional artistic expressions. The client was Robert Moses.

the real towers of ilium (in colour)

A handsome painting entitled "The Towers of Ilium" by an artist named Frank Beanland. This blog will receive no proceeds from its sale, or from the sale of reproductions, or from any derivative works in any media. Any resemblance to persons or heroes, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The usage of the term "towers of ilium" is subject to no restrictions, no royalties, and no religious prohibitions.

Christopher Marlowe bears no responsibility for the savagery or decrepitude of the human race. His artistic efforts, on balance have made human culture wealthier in spirit and imagination. Should we not all strive for the same?

iPad post

Okay, so I,m using an iPad and it's hard to type. I guess this proves that towers of ilium will never be cutting edge. I apologize to my loyal readership.

Tomorrows post will done on a traditional PC.

eleven edition

Cultural touchstones are so critical to humanity that we sometimes forget how unpredictable, and ultimately, how fragile they are. I regard this scene from This is Spinal Tap, as one of the most important and profound
moments in human history. No matter how content we think we are, we are always hoping, and for a rare few, striving, for the experience that overcomes all other experiences. Sometimes, we miss the sublime right in front of us.

Meanwhile, Scott Sumner argues that some bubbles don't ever have to deflate--they can be quietly and gently undone by a steady improvement in Nominal GDP.

We'll see about that one.