toy box

Peru: Living with water

One thing you don't see in LA is the harmonious way to live with water. When it rains...road functions poorly and most of rain water end up being run off water on the street. It was very different in Peru especially in Inca people's lives. Water is integrated with their building system, street and everyday life. I am fascinated by their irrigation system that they have installed many many years ago (which still functions). Here are some pics.

Peru: Ancient wisdom

I've been wanting to share some of the stories from Peru but it's been a very busy week working in Milwaukee. So here is the first post following Audrey's thoughts at LIUniverse on sharing travel stories by themes... So the first post is about Ancient wisdom.

Inca stone work at Sacsayhuaman (by Cuzco). As you can see, the scale of these stone wall is out of ordinary. But what's intriguing is that the way Inca people interlocked these large stones to prevent walls from falling. (second pic) The space between rocks is so tight that the credit card doesn't slip in between and the corner of stone where multiple stones meet are offset slightly from each other so that there is no one point where four corners meet.

This stone work impressed us. It's very subtle but look at the integrated stone stairs as part of the stone walls. The wall is for terraces (where Inca people grew their crops) at Macha Pichu.

Sitscape

Really like the thought of it... how would you sit?

via: apartment therapy

SmartyPig

Just found this new web2.0 bank. SmartyPig It's a site that helps people save for specific goals and allows friends and family to contribute to those savings plans. Thinking of trying it out for a small goal to see how it works.

twitter movie

Thought the presentation style is clever. Looks like it's possible to mock something like this very very quickly. Also wondering... if we should give another try to twitter.

Project no.9: Brown Bag It (Good magazine)

Nathan? Anyone else who is really really into food? Good magazine's most recent project is all about food and food in the brown bag. I like Lunch in Jars. Which one is your favorite??

Salk Institute

I have heard of Salk Institute for the longest time ever since my sci-arc time. Finally... we made a visit while we were visiting friends in San Diego. It was "officially" closed on the weekend but we were able to peek inside of the building. Really thoughtful design that connects what happens with the building including courtyard waterway to surrounding natural canyon. Combination of concrete and wood made really interesting visuals too... Here are some pics.

Even the utility structure could be beautiful...

Found this building with glass window in San Diego... inside was exposed electric cable. Utilitarian beauty?