NEW PARK AT TULLINLOKKA

In the middle of Oslo there's a parking space called Tullinløkka. (An interesting and elaborate article about Tullinløkka, unfortunately in Norwegian, can be found here.) A former playground for children and other sports enthusiasts, bicycle riding ground, gatherings pace for demonstrations, the city council has been trying to get something built there for more than a hundred years, but to no success. However, after what seems like a hundred competitions, suggesting among others museums with green spaces on their roofs, classicistic buildings with columns and multi-storey car parks, someone has suddenly made a decision to build a "temporary" park at Tullinløkka. There are also rumours that a 22nd July memorial will be placed in time. The picture shows small parts of the National Gallery to the left, the Historical Museum to the right and the main building of the University of Oslo in the middle.  As of now, I'm following the building of the park from my living room window, and will probably be updating with more pictures after a while.

PS. The temporary petrol station at Tullinløkka stayed there for 56 years.

NATURE BY NUMBERS

Nature by Numbers from Cristóbal Vila on Vimeo.

A lovely and interesting little film. The science of it is real, says my physicist friend. (Watch it in full screen mode.)

NICE CURVES

Woosh! 

(I love concave buildings in cities.)

Adamstuen, Oslo, Norway. August 2011.

NATURBETONG ("NATURAL CONCRETE")

Naturbetong - unequalled combination of industrial look and dust collecting since 1950!

Launched in 1950 by architect Erling Viksjø, but somehow still not very popular amongst most people, the technique of naturbetong has been used in several very important public buildings in Norway, including the government building, which was the main target and heavily damaged by the bomb in Oslo 22nd July 2011. Now we can never tear it down.

Picture from Jernbanetorget subway station, taken earlier tonight.

ADDING TO AN ADDITION

Works surprisingly well surprisingly often.

Building(s) with sod roofs at Maihaugen open air museum in Lillehammer, Norway.

THE GRUMPIEST ELF

V1

V2

V3

Taken in my parents' garden (designed by yours truly) with a self timer this afternoon.

WINDOW + KITCHEN + BALCONY

Kitchen + window + balcony = <3

Model: Erik Natvig

Photographer: Heidimarie Evensen

BEWARE OF BUILDING

Be sure to use architecture in the right way, or it might become dangerous.

(Is this blog getting a bit silly?)

STICKS AND STONES

Sticks and stones

May break my bones

But I'd rather you build houses out of them.

Chester Rows in Chester, Cheshire, England, with covered walkways and shops on two floors in townhouses for wealthy families.

ONE MORE HOUSE

There's almost always room for one more little townhouse. This perfect pink one's in Portugal, I think. Don't remember who took the picture, but it sure as Honeydukes wasn't me.

Edit 7th September: The picture was taken by Anders Eide and I borrowed it without asking. Thanks, Anders.

MUSIC FOR ANOTHER FUTURE

This is for all you ruin porn lovers out there.

LEAN ON ME